Walking Canvas: February 2011

2.21.2011

Fashion Week: NY

Posted by Annaleah Garing

Fall 2011 looks promising. From Marc by Marc Jacobs to Rodarte, fall is a blend of muted colors, mid-waisted trousers, and exquisite prints.

The Marc by Marc Jacobs collection had a nostalgic feel. Women wore striped trousers with floppy hats, which gave me a 70's vibe. His choice of color also added to the feel of that decade.

Vogue.co.uk

Rodarte came out with whimsical, detailed dresses. Soft colored dresses blew in the wind as models made their way down the catwalk. The light colors enabled the viewer to see the intricate details involved in each look.

vogue.co.uk

I can't wait to see what Milan, Paris, and London have to offer in the coming weeks.

2.14.2011

Akira Wrap-Up

Posted by Annaleah Garing

I was fortunate enough to watch the Akira Spring 2011 fashion show at the Lyric Opera in Chicago last week. Prior to the show starting, I envisioned color, prints, and flirty dresses for spring. I thought, who better than Akira to showcase the trends for Chicagoans, considering Akira is one of the most popular boutiques in Chicago.

Once the show started, I fell in love with the men's collection. If I could describe the entire collection in one word, it would be vivacious. Colored shorts, suits, and printed shirts were prevalent on the runway. I enjoy seeing men in color, especially after 3-6 months of dark colors for the fall and winter. Overall, I felt that Akira was on point for men.

nbcchicago.com

Akira did an exceptional job with neutrals. I appreciate safari-type looks for spring and the floppy hats.

nbcchicago.com

There was a point in the show, however, where I felt some type of disconnect between the season and what Akira was showing. The collection ranged from safari camel-colored outfits to a black wardrobe. I typically do not think of black for spring, yet Akira showed enough of it to cause some confusion as to the season the show was for. I would prefer to see black in the fall collection.

nbcchicago.com

While the men's collection oozed color, the women's side lacked in that regard. I saw several bold colors but I wanted more! Spring is a season to embrace color. I feel that wearing color lifts up everyone's mood because you're too distracted with the boldness of the color to pay attention to anyone who has a bad attitude.

nbcchicago.com

I thought the women's collection was just okay. The show took place at the Opera House, where many dramatic shows have taken place; thus, it would only be appropriate to have a runway show with that same type of drama, whether it's in the shoes that the models wear or the print on the dresses.

Overall, I was fond of the narrative that the men's line created. I felt that they were in Central Park, waiting for that special someone to have a picnic with and then to surprise her with a boat ride in the pond. A story is what I craved when I watched the women's collection. Rather than telling one coherent story, it was a jumble of 3 individual stories.

2.08.2011

Spring Trend Alert!

Posted by Annaleah Garing

Many of you are probably not thinking about spring, especially if you live in Chicago and walk through the mounds of snow everyday to get to the train or wait for the bus.

I, on the other hand, am thinking about what spring has to offer this year. After thumbing through the February issue of Bazaar, I have a feeling that we'll be seeing a lot of exotic animal prints, cork sandals, neutral colored bags, and bold colored shirts, trousers, and shorts.

Neutral colored bags:

Simple, neutral colored bags are great for spring! The Coach satchel handbag below is the "go to bag" for the season. It's color makes it easy to accessorize any outfit and the patent leather makes it a durable bag that can withstand time and dirt. The best thing about the bag is it's versatility. It can be used as a shoulder bag for a dinner party or a cross-body bag for a walk in the park.

Nordstrom.com: Coach $298

Animal Prints:
This year more than ever, all the designers are coming out with dresses with various animal prints. The Blumarine ad below highlights the animal print trend better than me explaining it.

highglam.blogspot.com

The Michael Kors dress below allows you to work this trend into your everyday life.

Bloomingdales.com: Michael Kors $130

Cork Shoes:
This spring, a lot of designers are designing shoes with a cork bottom. Cork is ideal for the spring because of its light weight and neutral color.

Bloomingdales: Sam Edelman $60

Bloomingdales.com: Chloe $675

Color:

Spring is my favorite season to dress up because it's okay to wear color to stand out from the rest. A splash of color, whether it's the dress, shirt, skirt, or shoe your wearing, will make all the difference.