Spring 2013

Those matchy-matchy check prints Marc Jacobs sent down the runway at the Louis Vuitton Spring 2013 show must have made quite an impact: from magazine covers to movie premieres, they're suddenly everywhere. Elettra Wiedemann, Miranda Kerr, Kirsten Dunst, Virginie Courtin-Clarins, and Miroslava Duma are just a few of the notables who have taken a cue from Jacobs's double-escalator, twin-filled extravaganza and donned the optically printed pieces. Get a peek at everyone who has worn them — and where — right here.

You'll have to wait until Saturday to see just how many more weeks of Winter we'll have, but one sure sign that warmer weather's on the way is the arrival of Spring and Summer styles to our favorite stores. While Mini Boden's latest collection is full of British practicality, Bonpoint's classic bohemian French roots are on display for its L'été Bleu (Blue Summer) collection, which is hitting store shelves now. Think sherbet-colored hues, polka dots and Liberty prints, traditional smocking, and warm-weather wedding attire for classically styled little ones.

We got a sneak peek at the Spring/Summer collection, which is sure to be seen on some of our favorite celeb tots in the coming months. In the meantime, we've picked out a dozen of our favorite looks for boys and girls — most of which are available for purchase now — to help get us in the mood for the upcoming season.

We've been fans of Twenty8Twelve's effortless cool-girl wares for a while, and now there's even more reason to love the brand with the launch of its Spring '13 denim collection. Boasting an even bigger assortment of colors and prints than ever before, Twenty8Twelve's array of jeans is fit for, well, just about any fashion type. So what makes this denim stand out from the rest? Each pair features a genius four-way stretch fabrication, resulting in a flattering and comfortable fit, and is also made of high-quality European denim. In fact, we can't think of a reason why you shouldn't splurge on a pair of bright red skinnies, or if you're feeling a little more daring, a photographic print to kick-start your Spring wardrobe. Prices range from $180 to $245 and select styles are available online and in stores at select retailers now — but you can click through right here for our favorites.

Ulyana Sergeenko said her Spring 2013 Couture collection was inspired by classic American tales like Gone With the Wind. But long before her answer to Scarlett O'Hara's famous green curtain dress came down the runway, Sergeenko had already reaffirmed her commitment to storytelling by pairing her gowns with straw hats and parasols. One model even had a sack on a stick slung over her shoulder.

The clothes themselves spoke to the aesthetic that made Sergeenko an international street-style star. After all, she's one of her own best customers, and even pieces that looked like they were made from burlap were nipped in at the waist with full skirts. But what elevated Sergeenko's second couture effort were small details, like crochet embroidery (one example, attached to a white blouse, depicted dancing cats) and hand-painted porcelain buttons.

If there's one kids' line we continually covet, it's Mini Boden. Full of classic-yet-contemporary pieces that somehow speak to both the brand's British heritage and how American kids dress (or at least should dress), the brand is full of special pieces that wear so well you'll want to put your kids in them every day — and what's better than that!? Mini Boden's Spring 2013 line doesn't disappoint, full of sweet prints, classic stripes, and lovely Peter Pan collars. Check out 23 of our favorite Spring outfits for babies, boys, and girls, most of which are available for purchase now. As if we needed another reason to be excited for warmer weather . . .

Source: Mini Boden

With this week's Valentino, Chanel, and Dior couture shows all pushing variations on a garden theme, it's no wonder that suddenly we've been propelled into a very Spring-like mood — despite the current subzero temperatures where we live. Petal prints, rosy hues, floral brocades, and latticework are just a few of the park-inspired details topping our wish list, and thankfully, those are the very things that are trickling into our favorite stores. Even though the frigid weather will most likely keep us from donning any of these pieces soon, one thing is certainly true: When the warm weather does come, these are the pieces we'll definitely be reaching for.

If some of the pieces in Maison Martin Margiela's Spring 2013 Couture collection look like they were made from candy wrappers, that's because they were. The house tweeted that the last three looks from Wednesday's show "were inspired by artist Félix González-Torres's 'Candy Floors.'" To mimic the installation of thousands of pieces of candy covering the floors at New York's Museum of Modern Art, the Margiela atelier spent a reported 70 hours embroidering metallic wrappers onto silk.

Other couturiers have built small parks with real trees and bushes to display their Spring 2013 Couture collections, but Valentino's Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli used garden elements in their actual garments.

Curlicues made from tubes of red, white, or black fabric decorated everything from dresses to suits and even shoes, echoing the wrought-iron gates and fences used to tame nature in public parks. One gray dress covered in embroidered birds was paired with a black cape made from the tubing, making the model wearing it look like a mobile birdcage. Black lace was arranged on one A-line skirt to look like a garden maze, and a procession of shimmering green leaves snaked up a sheer ruffled dress.

And while every other look carried a floral embellishment or appliqué of some kind, this collection was lightweight and even breezy in some instances. That feeling owed to Chiuri and Piccioli's use of sheer fabrics and light colors. With the exception of Valentino red, the collection primarily featured whites, cream, gray, pale pink, and black. A few sleek dresses without decoration and jackets with an off-the-shoulder cut helped the offering feel modern.