I'm not one to turn down a cocktail party in any respect, but when it comes to outdoor fêtes in gorgeous Spring weather, I'm usually the first one on the RSVP list. For such events, it's always advised to break out your other LBD — little bright dress, that is — and hit the scene in style. Now is the time to play with vivid hues, girly, gauzy fabrics, and shorter hemlines. Click through to see the 10 frocks that are guaranteed to garner endless party praise — and possibly a few free drinks.
>> Fashion's Night Out is back with even more bang in its second year: in addition to a CBS special documenting the occasion, the official directory for the event — scheduled Sept. 10, from 6-11 pm —boasts almost 1,000 events, including a public fashion show for the first time ever. Check out some of the highlights, below.
1. Karl Lagerfeld Will Be In Town
He's hosting a Chanel dinner the night before Fashion's Night Out, and accepting a Fashion Visionary Award (from the Couture Council of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology) at a luncheon the day of, so he's definitely in New York for the occasion. Word is he'll be at Chanel's Soho store — where they're also offering complimentary manicures and selling the forthcoming Les Khakis de Chanel nail polish collection for one night. Alternatively, the 57th Street Chanel boutique is offering visitors the option to color-customize their very own pair of iconic Chanel ballet flats.
Shorts made an unseasonal, stylish comeback this winter, popping up everywhere on model-thin girls with thick tights and platform pumps. These new micro styles just in for resort could work during a relaxed beach vacation or a dressed-up evening in the city. Our current favorites are the leather shorts by Fendi and Thakoon and the metallic harem style by 3.1 Phillip Lim.
>> Designers collectively seem to be over the ubiquitous body-con, hard-edged rock'n'roll look that has swept fashion for the past few seasons: Lorenzo Martone said Marc Jacobs is; Elise Overland told WWD: "I’m tired of that rock-star style — everyone else is doing it now, so I wanted to do something different"; and Joseph Altuzarra, who has focused on form-fitting silhouettes in the past, added some flounce this time around.
Narciso Rodriguez, who like Altuzarra typically goes with a lean look, also loosened up. A white linen and silk dress billowed around Monika "Jac" Jagaciak, even the nipped-in waists flared at the hips. But the three stunners, which showed Narciso's experiment with volume at its best, were the last three finale gowns — one in black, one in white, one in "mercury" gray — knee-length in the front and parachute-like in the back as the model walked.
Also of note: pre-show, Anna Wintour was escorted backstage — not something that happens at every show; Narciso's close friends Ruben and Isabel Toledo sat front row, as did Tory Burch, whose show is tomorrow morning. Narciso has also just signed a deal with eBay to create a line — for Spring 2010 — with nothing over $350 (his runway designs are typically $1,800-plus), to be called "Narciso Rodriguez for eBay." A preview of his ideas for the line can be seen here.
>> Gender-Bending Male Model Martin Cohn Closes Elise Overland in a Dress —Elise Overland, who got her start designing clothes for Steven Tyler, always has plenty of rock star feel infused into her collections: lambskin was her material of choice for Spring 2010, and Mick Rock's daughter Nathalie took the catwalk for look 14. But most noteworthy was the closer: androgynous male model Martin Cohn walked out wearing a sequined black dress, platform heels, and what appeared to be fake breasts. [Faran Krentcil Twitter, Faran Krentcil Twitter]
>> New York Fashion Week is a little less than two weeks away, and the tidbits are flowing freely — a compilation of the highlights from the past couple of days:
Sequins used to come with a cheesy, Vegas connotation, but not anymore. This time, the popular embellishment has been revived to exude a darker, dank feel. Malin Akerman knows what I mean. Her glam rockin' sequins, via an Elise Overland frock, are the epitome of cool. Here's a tip: make sure to accessorize with funky footwear and jewels to downplay the shimmer. Other than that, rock on sister, rock on.
