A Bit of a Digression

Come September we are all going to be in for a treat. Actually, the treat will start in late July when fall hits the stores. We have blogged a bit about a couple of shows but now we are going to give those entries and the entries to follow some context. So, grab a glass of Merlot and have a bit of a read.

Well on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 the last show was held in Paris. To us that is the official end of the season. Of course there are still shows taking place but for the most part, the big names have shown their collections. As promised, we are now going to start blogging in earnest about this past fashion season shows. Unlike the past we are going to do some compare and contrast pieces as well as talk about what we saw and what we liked. So hang on for a wonderful stroll through fashion nirvana.

There was a clear winner this year and that winner was the typical woman. Maybe it is the economy or maybe it is the way women are consuming these days. Whatever happened, the majority of designers got on a page that finally recognized who their customers really are.

When you go to these shows you are first mesmerized by the art of the event and second by the beautiful garments that are being paraded in front of you. Somehow, you lose track of the fact that the girls (they are rarely grown women) being paraded in front of you are for the most part under 22, generally at least 5’10” and weigh less than 110 pounds. There are very few people in the audience who could get up on that runway. More than that, there are few people (specifically women) who fit into the size 2 and even 4 garments that are passing by.

In the United States the average woman wears a size 14. In France the average woman wears a size 6 or 8. Maybe, just maybe, the designers have figured out that the 16 and 17 year olds who are on the runway are not the norm, nor is the typical 16 or 17 year old capable of purchasing any of their garments. The consumers are women over 30who are willing to spend $2,500 on a jacket, $4,000 on a coat or as much as $12,000, or more, for a gown. Given that, it is really a smart move to design clothing that a woman with less than a perfect figure can wear and not feel self-conscious.

So how did they pull this off? Here is what they did. The trend is definitely running toward sports wear. The trend is leaning toward classic lines that have real wearing longevity. Also, most of the designers showed at least one absolutely cozy, chunky sweater. Most of them showed at least one piece that had great texture. And, for the record I think that most of them now understand that Donna Karan was right. The best way to dress women is in separates.

There are going to be some wonderful dresses for Fall 2010 but you are going to see pants and skirts and sweaters and jackets in abundance. The pants are more trousers than jean or slim cut. The skirts are in a variety of silhouettes and not just that pencil skirt that the American retail buyers seem to love. The jackets are strong. They do not seem to have the exaggerated, pronounced shoulders you are going to see this spring but they do have great structure and tailoring.

There is a lot of knit wear and more than a few designers seem to have had an equestrian theme in their collections. That theme will also be seen in a few collections this spring. So if any of you have clothing in you closet that is equestrian in nature, keep it. Get a great pair of riding boots and if you can invest in a modified top hat or a derby. A veil is not necessary but the hat will take you a long way.

As we are always advocating, hit the consignment and resale stores. You can find some great items at reasonable prices. If you find a piece that needs some work find a good dry cleaner or tailoring shop that can do repairs and restorations. It would be well worth the investment.

Some of you are now saying that you are up to $400 for that Akris jacket you found at Judy’s Friend’s Sister’s Closet. But guess what? If you went to Saks or Neiman Marcus that same Akris jacket would be about $5,000. You have a great jacket for life and you saved $4,600.

So now that I have identified the winner in this latest round of collections, I will opine on some of the collections that really caught my eye. What else is there to do? We have to wait for all of this to come around again. That would be in the fall. Come September it all starts again in New York and will end in October in Paris. Ain’t it great that there really are things you can depend on?

a la prochaine

Debra