Colour us beautiful

Cynthia Rowley Fall 09

Proenza Schouler Fall 09

Oscar De la Renta Fall 09

Micheal Kors Fall 09

Vivienne Tam Fall 09

Marc Jacobs Fall 09

Jason Wu Fall 09

J. Medel Fall 09

It's one of those well know facts about New York, that come October, all the pastels and pretty colours are put away to hibernate in the depths of closets, where New Yorkers suddenly turn into an army of little-black-dress wearing soldiers.

But if this week's Fall runways were anything to go by, it might actually be possible for Manhattanites to erupt in candy hues and neon next year, creating a different winter uniform altogether.

The fashion flock were jolted out of their recession fatigue this week after fuchsia popped up at Oscar de la Renta and Michael Kors highlighted his black dresses with acid yellow and screaming raspberry. If you really want to stand out in the crowd then Marc Jacobs is your man - with an entire collection that exploded with blinding neon colors including hot-pink hooded jackets, lemon capes, and metallic cerulean minis.

Next winter is all about making the entrance (or should I say, entrances) of a lifetime - so follow the leaders and let colour be the rule, not the exception, in your wardrobe.

Rodarte

Photos courtesy of fashionologie

It was quite fitting that guests, including a doe-eyed Kirsten Dunst, sat in tinfoil-wrapped folding chairs at Rodarte this morning. Laura and Kate Mulleavy mixed more materials than ever (leather, lace, metallics, crystals, and of course those knits they're so well known for) for their Fall collection that there were moments when the models looked like they could have been wrapped in the seating.

The collection is more or less another evolution of the Rodarte aesthetic which has been in place for a few seasons now - an elaborate collage of wearable arts and craft. The short, semi-structured minidresses were sure to draw some Balenciaga comparisons, but the sister's are all the better for it - and those romantic knits, they really get you. But really, who has $2000 to spend on a Rodarte skirt these days anyway? One can dream.

Marc Jacobs

Photos courtesy of nymag.com

This evening's Marc Jacobs show was a show-stopping affair to remember.

Being held at the N.Y. State Armory meant Lexington Ave was bustling with police, intense security, barricades lining the street, paparazzi crowding the sidewalks and women teetering in such mammoth high heels they could only walk at a snails pace from their private cars and up the grand staircase.

Refreshingly, Vogue Editors were as close as you got to 'celebrity' (Posh Spice and the Olsen's were MIA), and there was no shortage of breath-taking sartorial success's - while Anna Wintour had changed from her casual fur coat at Donna Karan into a beautiful black embellished number, Carine Roitfield wore a heart-stopping floor-length white fur coat.

Also rather refreshing was the show actually starting on time. 8.01pm saw poor journalists and guests who arrived late either locked out or made to stand and watch from the door.

The collection itself oozed an 80's spirit of New York, full of neon-yellow and metallic-pink - a colour palette that personally I could never see myself coveting. I was born in the 80's and to say I'm glad I was just a tiny-tot, able to avoid the wing-like shoulder pads, heavily hair-sprayed up-do's and weird asymmetrical prints is a grosse understatement.

That being said, Jacobs was able to make the 80's feel fresh, with high-waisted jeans, some simple sequined tops and a few futuristic but wearable coats. Overall, not so much my cup-of-tea, but I'm still in anticipation for what he conjures up tomorrow at the Marc by Marc show.

Donna Karan

This afternoon's Donna Karan show (right next to her new Urban Zen store in the West Village) was an intimate affair compared to DFV yesterday.

The Voguettes were out in force, as were bloggers, stylists and a few supers - we made no attempt to hide our ogling, especially with Anna Wintour's bob that close. Enjoy x

L'Uomo Vogue's Giovanna Battaglia

Lily Donaldson

Jourdan Dunn

La Bobette making a hasty exit so close to us we nearly missed her (and fainted)

Anna Wintour

Molly chatting with The Sartorialist's Scott Schuman, before the show

Vogue's Grace Coddington

Milla Jovovich

Rachel Zoe (background) sneaking in undetected

Nina Garcia - never seen without her notepad

Garance Doré snapping away for her blog

DVF feeding frenzy

Waiting for the Diane Von Furstenburg show today was possibly more entertaining than the show itself.

First, there were the hundreds of paparazzi swarming the likes of Heidi Klum, Molly Sims, Jourdan Dunn and of course Olivia Palermo and Whitney Port who work at DFV on MTV's The City.

Then then were the Public Relations glitterati, who created more drama in ten minutes than any reality show could hope to produce with one days footage. They continuously swore profanity after profanity at the paparazzi - at one point, one even screamed after a photographer accidently knocked a folder out of her hand. And who could forget the Fashion Editors waltzing around in their outfits plucked straight off the runway and towering Christian Louboutin heels.

There's nothing like people-watching in New York, and Fashion Week certainly takes the cake.

Heidi Klum arrives amid a paparazzi feeding frenzy

Olivia Palermo teetering around Bryant Park with Elle magazine Fashion Editors

Olivia Palermo and Whitney Port with their foul mouthed PR posse in tow

McFashion Week

Today is the first day of Fashion Week - but it's not quite the same Fashion Week New Yorker's have come to know and love.

The always anticipated Marc Jacobs after party? Cancelled. The lavish Betsey Johnson celebration everyone talks about? Not happening. Calvin Klein and Zac Posen also cancelled their post show dinners and Vera Wang moved her runway to her boutique.

As for the sponsorships, the current group of beer and fast-food labels are a far cry from the lingerie, perfume and cosmetics sponsors of previous seasons. Instead, Fashion Editors will be treated to McDonalds, Budweiser and Jell-O at Bryant Park this week.

I have to admit, I have a hard time imagining Anna Wintour caught dead with McDonald's anything - and the poor 'socials' and celebrities are probably freaking out wondering where the hell all the glamour went, but really, is it all that bad?

Maybe the lack of frills will take us back to the days when Fashion Week was about the clothes themselves, where talent was more important than celebrity and Fashion Editors swooned at what they saw coming down the runway rather than what their goodie bags contained.

Who knows, perhaps substance will make a comeback! I wonder what Olivia Palermo would have to say to that?

Knee high

Often helpfully hidden by hemlines, knees have never really had a reputation for beauty.

Most people are not proud of their knees, and it could be said the knee is a woman's least favourite feature. I mean, who would ever try and pick-up a girl by telling her she has great knees?


There are fat knees, skinny knees, knobbly knees, saggy knees...the list goes on. Mine certainly aren't pretty - I've sprained my left one twice and generally battered and bruised the right.

To be honest, knees get a bad rap in general. If you are knee-deep in something, it's usually trouble. To be brought to your knees is to be in a position of submission or desperation. To be cut off at the knees is to be humiliated, disabled, or both.


But despite all of this knee negativity, I think we should appreciate our knees more. Take advantage of spring, and the bare legs and short hemlines that accompany the sunny season. We should give thanks that we have the option to show our knees in the first place - we could be in Iraq, for goodness sake, or pre-twenties America, or any other place women can not walk around freely showing their knees.

So, if you don't like your knees, call the trainer or invest in some good tights. But flash a bit of knee; it's our patriotic duty to bring back the once secret allure of knees.

Prima Ballerina

On Monday and Thursday evenings, and on Saturday mornings, somewhere on the Upper West Side, you'll find me dancing up a storm - attempting things like Développés, Piqués, Relevés, Ront des jambes and well, you get the point.

After an eight year hiatus from Jazz Ballet and Tap, I'm now burning calories in a haze of Centre Stage, trying to Chaîné up and down the dance studio in my trusty pink ballet slippers - I try not to look at myself too much in the unavoidable wall-to-wall mirror, that way I feel far more graceful than I probably look.

My main motivation to start dancing again was one part exercise and one part soft ballet shoes with ribbons, leotards, tights and high buns.

My reasoning goes something like this - while most of us can not reasonably aspire to the ultimate leanness of, say, Christy Turlington, one can try. And why not when trying means twirling around the room in a pretty leotard à la Jody Sawyer.

Spring in my step

The frigid and frightful winter days are (hopefully) over for another year.

I've just had two winters back-to-back moving from the Southern hemisphere to North and my skin is now more of a blinding white than a charming Nicole Kidman ivory.

But, there was no better pick-me up than the tropical heatwave we had this weekend. I nearly did cartwheels when it hit 14 degrees (Celsius) on Saturday evening.

In this economy, there has to be a good reason to go shopping - and I'd say the arrival of spring is a pretty good one.

Away with the coats! Let the hunt for pastels and all things summery begin...

Hat: $18, Laila Rowe; laila rowe.com

Top: $29.99, Thakoon for Target; target.com

Platform heels: $98, Pierre Hardy for Gap; gap.com

Sandals: $395, Miu Miu

Bikini: $270, Syla by Sylvie Cachay; syladesigns.com


High-waisted shorts: $640, Fendi; net-a-porter.com