Getting Ready for Fall …Yet Getting Excited for Spring

By Liz Stein

Hats off to designer Betsey Johnson; her spring styles sauntered down the runway Tuesday, Sept. 9

Photograph by Getty Images and courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (New York)

How could I call myself a fashion blogger and garner any credibility if I didn’t discuss one of the most important (and thrilling) times of year for the fashion world: Fashion Week. As I mentioned in my last post, New York City just played host to our favorite designers (Anna Sui, DVF, and ThreeAsFour, to name a few), models (Chanel Iman, Karlie Kloss, and Jourdan Dunn), and all the glitterati that follow (J-Lo, Lindsay Lohan, and Victoria Beckham), for the début (and celebration) of the new looks for Spring 2009. From Friday to Friday, morning through night, elegant, fascinatingly-clad models strutted the catwalk, showing all of the hot looks you’ll be coveting come springtime — and shopping for to brighten up those dreary winter days.

While the biggest trends were, by far, sheer layering, belts, sequins, and black-on-white outfits, I’ve compiled these notes to give you a better perspective of the looks you’ll don come March:

Sweater dresses, sheer layering, chain jewelry at Charlotte Ronson … colorful chiffon prints, belted jeans, sequin dresses, black-on-white outfits at Jenni Kayne … gray skirt and blazer combos, sheer whites, peek-a-boo crochet, vibrant hues (think: fuscia, yellow, and bright blue) at Adam Lippes … bunched-up skirts, stripes, geisha-inspired waist wraps (in lieu of belts), shiny material, gladiator-meets-geisha sandals at Marc Jacobs … military-inspired dresses, skirts, pants, blazers (mostly in neutral khaki) at Alexandre Herchcovitch … brighter colors, nipped-in waists, and tailored skirts at Costello Tagliapietra … light-weight sweaters, gold, sparkle, black, knit dresses and head gear at Lutz & Patmos … sheer tops and shifts (mostly layered under little jackets), breezy dresses, wide-leg trousers at Chris Han … girly dresses and skirts (think: lots of ruffles and sequins), leather man bags at Philip Lim … crop tops at Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, and Alexander Wang … neutral colors, mini skirts, ruffles, belts at Brian Reyes … thin silk, delicate prints, sequins at Richard Chai …