I’ll admit it, I haven’t really jumped on the Agyness Deyn bandwagon. It may be that I am just too much of a girly- girl to worship such a tomboy fashion icon or perhaps I’m a little wary of her trying to steal Kate Moss’ crown as the most fashionable woman in England. I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t mention her here for all those who are obsessed- and there are clearly lots of you. She has been on the cover of Time (and just about everything else), named Tatler’s most stylish woman of the year, is the face of Burberry, muse of Christopher Bailey and Henry Holland, and i-D magazine is releasing six different covers of her for their May issue. While her style may not be in tune with my own, I do have to give her credit, her signature punk-tomboy style is unique and refreshing and she has legions of girls wanting to dress just like her:

Imitate Agyness’ distinct style with a slogan tee, a Cheap Monday bright purple plaid button down and grey skinny jeans:

Velvet is tricky: you just know it will never be in style in the springtime, but that won’t stop anyone from buying it in the winter.  I’ve always been a fan of the unique fabric - it adds a warm, mysterious, seasonal vibe to any outfit.  Expect to see tons of it this fall, as it was all over the most recent runways.

At Donna Karan, it came in the form of flapper dresses in olive and gold, garnished with the exotic, 1920s touches - here, intricate shoes, pleating, and matching gloves - that have felt so cutting-edge since last year’s Costume Institute Poiret exhibit.

Derek Lam, meanwhile, featured lacy, head-to-toe black gothic evening glamor, finished with dramatic net hairpieces and dark nails:

Alberta Ferretti showed scores of ladylike shifts in rich colors, with tights and mary-janes.The styling was reminiscent of 60’s style icons like Jean Shrimpton and Marianne Faithfull, with a sleek modern edge.  The offerings at Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti were heavy on velvet as well, but were there paired with lots of girlish bows and lace.

 Ralph Lauren, as per usual, went for his classic look.  These dresses too were shown with dark tights, but the dresses were in Ralph’s classic royal colors, with strappy shoes, simple hair and makeup, and ballerina-inspired skirts.

Get dolled up in these velvet dresses from Goldyn, BCBG, Nanette Lepore, and Jovovich Hawk.

I don’t know about you, but I have had a rough week. TGIF! At times like these, I can’t help but feel that I should be sitting on a tropical beach somewhere, only consuming drinks with umbrellas. It doesn’t help that weather outside is gorgeous and kids everywhere are running around on their spring breaks. If I had realized, back when I was in college, what life is like without winter, spring and summer break- well, I may have never graduated. Of course, being the fashion obsessed girl that I am, my imaginary vacation comes with its own fantasy wardrobe:

This shark print swimsuit from Stella McCartney is beyond adorable. I know it’s not exactly boy-hot, but I am a fan of the one piece. A little more coverage for when you are worrying more about filling your tummy with margarita’s then having the flattest abs on the beach, and perfect for late night dips in the jacuzzi (my friend Geri would probably also like me to mention that more sun protection is always a good thing). Cover it up with this Topshop Unique white tee-shirt dress, throw your towel in a cute woven bag, and you can go from the beach to the shopping bazaar in no time.

This flouncy skirt and tank from Celine looks like a tropical drink! Add a pair of strappy heels and this is as dressed up as I plan on getting on my relaxing vacation. Your fantasy may include couture dresses and that is totally alright, to each her own. Finally, I think this little jumper from Missoni is the perfect versatile piece to help you pack light. It can be worn poolside over a bathing suit with sandals, or dressed up with a belt and high heels to take you into evening.

I could probably go on for hours about all the great pieces from the resort and spring collections that I would love to throw in my luggage. If you’re feeling the springtime cubicle blues, I promise planning the perfect looks for an imaginary (or, lucky you, actual) vacation will do wonders for your state of mind. A paisley swimsuit from Shoshanna and tangerine cover-up from Diane Von Furstenburg are a good start:

It’s a little odd for fall, but let’s get used to it:  flowers have been runway mainstays for the past few Spring seasons, and even when the fall collections hit stores they’ll be here to stay.  It’s as if designers have decided to defy the weather, making it Spring all year round.

I’m certainly not complaining!

It’s not just prints though - the latest, freshest take on florals is architectural and three-dimensional, whether in the form as gigantic faux white lilies at Phillip Lim (top), oversized black blossoms at Herve Leger(above), or simulated rose petals at Blumarine and Marchesa (below):

Marchesa’s collection, in fact, could be construed as a kind of ode to Spring’s special foliage, with structured red and black shifts adorned with masses of fall-colored flowers.  Leger and Lim, meanwhile, made a real statement by using floral motifs.  Lim’s looks have always been quirky and fun, and Leger’s have always been the epitome of sexed-up cocktail wear, but neither design house is particularly known for embracing femininity to such an extreme degree.  Well, there’s a first time for everything, and this one is a sign of the times.

Get in on the flower trend with Moschino Cheap and Chic’s cheery yellow flower applique dress or Juicy Couture’s 3-D tote.

I fell in love with this chartreuse Vena Cava dress on their spring runway and have been crushing on the color ever since. This yellowish green is bright and striking, keeping with the spring trend of ultrabright hues. While neon green may work on a select few, chartreuse is a chic, more wearable alternative- although definitely not for shrinking violets.

The color is suprisingly versatile, it can be fresh and funky for daytime or elegant and unexpected for evening.

If a full garment in chartreuse is too big of a color commitment, try pairing just a hint of the color with crisp white. Feeling audacious? Wearing the color on your face is bold and suprisingly beautiful.

These cute sweaters from CeCe and Betsey Johnson would look great paired with jeans and gladiator sandals on a chilly spring evening:

How adorable are Cavalli’s latest offerings?  They’re almost TOO sweet, giving a nod to 50s debutante balls - and certainly not to the Bal Crillon, the modern-day high-society coming-out equivalent.  At that major event, young relatives of social luminaries dress in haute couture of all shapes and colors, making the traditional white-dress debutante seem dreadfully old fashioned.  Roberto Cavalli seems to be pushing for a comeback for that look this season, though - why else would he choose to accessorize flowing, demure white dresses with white shoes, white gloves, white handbags, and in a few cases, girlish tiaras?

Perhaps it’s a plea to return to a simpler time, when eighteen-year-olds didn’t wear hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of custom-made dresses.  Or - considering the man himself’s price points - maybe he just likes the look.  It certainly is refreshing and ultra-cute either way.

And for younger fashionistas:  let’s not forget that prom is coming up!  Cavalli’s sweet, ethereal look could not be more perfect for a Spring celebration.  Try a white A-line dress, floral or plain, or just accessorize with Cavalli’s daring choices - a tiara and glammed-up ankle socks.

Embrace your inner retro debutante in these options by Nicole Miller and The Knot.

While dressing up as a flapper may be a Halloween favorite, the stylings of the roaring 20’s aren’t necessarily for just one night a year. While designers have often invoked the 20’s in their collections, in 2007 and 2008 this was especially true. Perhaps the Paul Poiret exhibit at The Met last year stuck with them, or possibly designers felt the need to recapture the exuberance, leisure, affluence and lightness that defined the Jazz Age. Not your stereotypical beaded dress and feather headband, these looks from spring and fall 2008 (6267, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Lacoste, Nina Ricci and Diane von Furstenberg) are definitely Daisy Buchanan worthy:This drop-waist dress from Castle Starr and maryjane’s from Report Signature aren’t the least bit costumey, so you can dance all throughout the tender night in style:

Thursday March 21st was the first day of spring, and this weekend in Los Angeles it sure felt like it. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the flowers were in bloom everywhere I looked. I had the urge to lie out in the grass and watch the day go by. Spring days such as these are made for dressing in light cotton dresses with minimalist, 70’s inspired styling a la Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides:

Set in sun-dappled Midwestern suburbia is a dark tale of lost innocence. While a twisted story of death and obsession, the movie is also a bittersweet portrait of the wonder and imagination of adolescence that inspires nostalgia for home-made lemonade, sweet school girl crushes, and the time when your backyard held wonder and mystery. Coppola, per usual, not only tells a great story, but creates a beautiful backdrop to set it in. Let your imagination run wild in a color scheme of pink, orange, and yellow, high waisted jeans, white blouses and floral print cotton maxi-dresses.

The vintage inspired styling of this Sweetees yellow embroidered halter dress and Jovovich- Hawk beige floral dress perfectly invoke the doomed Lisbon sisters. Now all you need a the perfect tree lined street, big lawn and patchwork quilt to lie out on:

I’ve always been a big fan of Old Hollywood style, as anyone who knows me can attest.  While I do adore many modern celebs’ talent and fashion sense - Natalie Portman, Kirsten Dunst, Chloe Sevigny, Evan Rachel Wood, and Cate Blanchett are my current favorites - none of them have ever really measured up to the originals, and old favorites like Greta Garbo, Bette Davis and Audrey Hepburn consistently top my list of favorite actresses.

Lauren Bacall is a screen icon I have recently added to that list.  Her serious-but-feminine, classic-but-unique style pairs perfectly with her commanding, womanly screen persona.  It is hard to believe she was only nineteen when she first costarred with longtime love Humphrey Bogart in 1944’s To Have and Have Not, stealing scenes with her modelesque features and grown-up demeanor.  And it’s a testament to her timelessness that, now in her 80s, she still appears blonde and beautiful  in more recent films like 2003’s Dogville.

Bacall’s look - tailored, broad-shouldered suits accented with feminine details like bows and flowers, and offset with impeccable curls - has never exactly been out of style, but it’s certainly been appearing on the runways more and more often lately.  Her influence was obvious in the clothes and styling at Moschino Cheap and Chic’s fall show:

Update Bacall’s classic aesthetic in a Dorothy Lee dress, L.A.M.B. blazer, and Balenciaga pumps.

I have decided that Lou Doillon is my new celebrity style inspiration, sorry Olsen twins and Nicole Richie- I still love you, but you’ve taken a back seat for now. The French actress, designer, model, Givenchy muse and mother is the daughter of actress Jane Birkin and film director Jacques Doillon, and sister of Charlotte Gainsbourg. I am in awe of how she is able to mix masculine and feminine styling so effortlessly and seamlessly. Currently, she is lending her cool to Lee Cooper Jeans, designing a collection for the European denim company, which launched exclusively at Harrods earlier this month. Her eccentric, quirky style is pulled off with confidence, allowing her to get away with what would look slightly silly on others. As she says: “I love going to New York. No one cares there. I go to Starbucks in an enormous hat, dressed up as a boy, with a fake moustache. Everyone says: ‘What a lovely moustache.’” If only…:

Take a cue from Lou in a simple white cotton dress from Charlotte Ronson, a vintage black blazer and wool top hat: