Milly

Like so many of our favorite contemporary designers, Michelle Smith was also feeling the '90s-era nostalgia for Milly's Fall 2013 collection. We typically look to Milly for party-girl dresses and easy daywear, but this season there was an obvious shift to something cooler. Drawing from urban landscapes, Smith's set had a punk-meets-glam rock feel in high-wattage finishes — be it via a hologram bag, plaid, or photo prints layered and juxtaposed against menswear-inspired silhouettes, classic wool, and leather bombers. There are the pieces that have the statement-making power built right in — the patent, embossed, and lurex minis, perforated sweatshirts, and glittered, girlie midiskirts that you can already envision bloggers showing off in street-style shoots. But, when you peel away the layers of plaid, sequins, and glossy finishes, there's a collection of great outerwear in brilliant color, leather trousers, and little dresses that have just as much appeal as any of Milly's trendier fare.

• Trends: Metallics, '90s silhouettes, leather, plaid.
• Colors: Black, royal blue, silver, hot pink, gray.
• Shoes: Black ankle boots, silver heels.
• Beauty look: Messy, low ponytails, fresh faces, pink lips.
• Editors' pick: We're eying those oversize hologram clutches.

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For Fall 2013, Milly by Michelle Smith decided upon a beauty look that Sporty Spice would adore. MAC conjured up a makeup look that was centered on one product: lip gloss. And the hair was pulled back in a casual style that only takes six minutes to re-create.

The look: Dewy makeup, casual ponytails, and dark gray nails.
The inspiration: Pretty punk with a sporty lilt.
Key products: MAC Clear Lipglass and forceps (yes, the medical kind).

Milly's girl got a techy twist — bold photo prints, citron tweed, and clear-goggle-inspired specs distinguished Michelle Smith's set for Spring and set the tone for the season's coolest kind of dress code. It's a sexier spin than we're used to seeing from Milly, rife with shocks of color, body-conscious scuba-style dresses, and high-wattage metallics. Still, when Smith takes on tighter silhouettes, like her pencil skirts and minidresses, she counters with hooded toppers (some finished in fresh tweeds) or an anorak layered up over top. At first glance, it's just flat-out cool, but you quickly see how Smith's smart contrasts are repositioning terms like "sexy" and "sporty." She crafts a track jacket in pearlized organza, for starters, and takes on girlier full skirts and even the pencil skirt with a kind of technical precision that makes us stop to consider the details at work: python-embossed textures, fluid trousers, and a buzz-worthy palette. It's the kind of collection that will get a girl noticed — for all the right reasons.

• Trends: Athletic-inspired details, mesh, tweed, neon, colorblocking, photo prints, and tropical floral prints.
• Colors: White, black, pink citron, blue, turquoise, and silver.
• Key Piece: If you're not one for body-con silhouettes, then look to Milly's printed halter and citron trousers.
• Accessories: Clear, goggle-like specs; Manolo Blahnik cutout heels; pointed-toe, ankle-strap pumps; and sleek, zippered clutches.
• Who Should Wear It: Young Hollywood types who like their sexy looks with a sporty edge, like Jessica Alba, Jamie Chung, and Jordana Brewster.

American Idol's finale is tomorrow night, May 23, so in honor, we've rounded up our favorite fashion moments from fabulous judge Jennifer Lopez. And what we noticed in the process is that the singer loved to wear bright colors — and they loved to wear her, too! — as well as shiny metallics and sequins. From Lanvin to Michael Kors to Catherine Malandrino to Milly, Jennifer wore the gamut from high to low, fancy to edgy. Before you tune in tomorrow, step inside to see, and shop, our top seven Jennifer Lopez fashion moments on American Idol.

We saw both gold and burgundy eyes and nails at Badgley Mischka this Fashion Week, and now another designer has successfully pulled off a nails-and-eyes matchup. At Milly's Fall 2012 show, models walked the runway with smoldering blue-toned eye makeup paired with deep navy polish. It was a colorfully cosmopolitan creation that's just begging to be tried.

Photo courtesy CND

Michelle Smith showed a fun collection brimming with color and cool techno fabrics for Milly's Fall line. The results? A prim and polished collection injected with modern fabrics and a bit of edge. Tweed dresses were given a shiny finish thanks to a high-tech laminated finish, while full leather skirts lent a feminine feel. A wide array of cocktail-ready dresses were the main focus, ranging from scalloped hemlines to strapless neon and lace confections. Standout pieces included a brilliant metallic purple skirt paired with a textured dotted jacket and a red patent leather funnel-neck coat. More details from Milly's ladylike cool collection below.

• Trends: Techno fabrics, embellished collars, full skirts.
• Colors: Cobalt, green, black, hot pink, chartreuse, purple, red.
• Key Piece: The laminated tweed dresses were simultaneously fresh and feminine.
• Accessories: Shearling clutches, satchel bags, opera gloves.
• Who Would Wear It: In addition to front row attendees Tinsley Mortimer and Kristin Chenoweth, we can also envision Upper East Side personalities, like Blair Waldorf, wearing some of these pieces.