1. Rachel Bilson in Zac Posen

2. Camilla Belle in Jean Paul Gaultier

Watercolor ombre numbers are as of late the apex of red-carpet style.  Rachel Bilson chose a shorter, brighter strapless version by Zac Posen, completing the look with dark tights, black patent Louboutins, and brand-new bangs - a hairstyle also favored by 10,000 BC starlet Camilla Belle.  Belle took a different approach with her gown though, with a bohemian gold cuff and a heavier, studded patent bodice - perhaps a primitivist nod to her movie?  Try a similar look with Rachel Roy’s silk watercolor dress.

3. Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen in Chanel

Their style experiments are not always perfect, but when they’re good they’re very good.  Ashley softens up skinny leather pants and a slouchy gray tunic top with a sweet headband and ladylike clutch; while Mary-Kate goes a little more daring in a boucle trench over a micromini, tights, and streamlined ankle boots.   Emulate their perfectly accessorized style with a Chanel bowler handbag.

4. Jessica Stam in Herve Leger

This supermodel rarely disappoints - her ensembles are almost always pitch-perfect.  Here she accessorizes a super-short plum bandage dress with a soft-hued clutch bag and peep-toe pumps.  Capture her big-city style in a violet Versace Jeans Couture minidress.

5. Byrdie Bell in Elie Saab

The socialite dazzled at a recent fete in a cream-colored hourglass Elie Saab fit for a high society princess.  Get Byrdie’s look in this Fendi cocktail dress.

The ethereal fall 2007 Nina Ricci show put feathers back on my radar as a chic alternative to animal and flower prints for styling inspired by nature:

It appears that I wasn’t the only one, collections inspired by our fine feathered friends was a prominent theme on the runways this fall. The timing seems right, it is a less flashy version of fur for these unstable economic times, not to mention more animal friendly. Feathers and bird prints can be very uptown or downtown, even out of town up on the mountain- depending on how they are utilized. The inspiration, indeed, took many shapes- abstract bird prints at Sonia Rykiel, real feathers at Carolina Herrera, cutesy flamingos at Just Cavalli and feather prints at Alexander McQueen were some of the ways this look took flight:

Bird influenced looks can be lighthearted and exotic for spring or earthy and warm to carry you into fall. This cute dress from Temperley London and bird printed tank from Joe’s Jeans are great options make this look your own:

It is rare that a fashion designer becomes so iconic in his own fashion sense as to inspire both his own collections and those of other designers.  Karl Lagerfeld, famed designer for Chanel, Fendi and his own label, and storied former designer for Chloe, is one such figure.   The look, worn by the man himself for decades now: high collared neck, tight suit, fingerless gloves, heavy rock and roll jewelry, and a hanging tie at the neck, all in stark black and white.  His appearance may have changed - a few years ago he lost a massive amount of weight, and he has unquestionably aged since his days at Chloe - but his sartorial standbys remain the same.  And, if the runways are any indicator, we might all be dressing like the eccentric legend come fall.

 Karl clones ran amok at Lagerfeld’s own show - he likely couldn’t get away with this at Chanel or Fendi, but he can certainly take artistic license with his own label to comically and aesthetically genius effect:

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Lagerfeld’s trademark look is not just influencing his own designs though.  Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy might have done Karl better than even Karl did, dressing models in dramatically high-necked and tight-fitting jackets, leather pants, and chunky metal jewelry:

How could it not be chic to emulate the style of the man behind Chanel and Fendi?  As far as I’m concerned Karl can do no wrong.  Look to the designer’s fittingly goth black cross-print dress and tie-neck blouse for an easy way to grab some of Kaiser Karl’s trademark chic.

Gladiator sandals have been the “it” shoe for spring for the past several seasons and the trend doesn’t show any signs of stopping. The spring 2008 runways at Balenciaga and Givenchy showcased more futuristic versions of the look, and this spring celebrity fashionista’s have already been spotted out and about in the energizer bunny of sandals:

2006:

2007:

2008:

Designers and fashionable ladies keep returning to this look for a simple reason: it is so versatile! If you are going for the hippie chic look, wear a pair of tan leather sandals with a loose, printed dress. If futuristic and avant garde is more your style, wear black patent leather gladiator sandals. The look is just as cute in flats or heels, to the ankle or to the knee. While buying a pair from Balenciaga or Givenchy may be a bit hazardous to your bank account, lower priced brands such as Steve Madden and Nine West make really cute options as well.

I love these styles from Stuart Weitzman and Modern Vintage. As they say, when in Rome…:

While LA Fashion Week does not get much respect, I always enjoy the Gen Art fashion show or presentation. The New Garde event on March 7th year was no exception. Gen Art nurtures emerging talent by showing their lines free of charge and garnering them tons positive press. A fashion show is a huge expense and getting the word out about your line can be even more so; this free exposure can literally make all the difference for a young designer just starting out. Past designers debuted by Gen Art include Zac Posen, Rebecca Taylor, Chaiken, Rodarte, Katy Rodriguez, Louis Verdad, Milly, Philip Lim (Development), Twinkle by Wenlan, Duckie Brown, Geren Ford, Hollywould, Sari Gueron & Shoshanna. Not too shabby. The New Garde event showcased the lines JMary, Jesse Kamm and Trang Chau for Le Sang des Betes, presented as installations in vignettes designed by Keith Greico. Some 2,300 fashionable people came to see the new wave of LA designers. I was impressed by the attention to detail, structure and the craftsmanship of these lines. Definitely more than the jeans, tee shirts and celebrity lines that LA Fashion Week is known for.

Show some love for Los Angeles designers with these amazing dresses from Katy Rodriguez and Geren Ford:

Alexander McQueen is that rare designer who always goes big, yet never disappoints.  This season, though, he truly outdid himself with a particularly definitive collection.  His designs gave a playful nod to royalty of all types - European monarchs in rich colors, perfect structures, and ermine prints; eastern rulers with feathers and exotically jeweled shoes; even Napoleon’s empress Josephine with empire waistlines and elaborate headdresses.  All the while he managed to play with language - McQUEEN, get it? - and put forward unusual ideas about silhouette and construction.

 It is interesting and fortuitous that McQueen would debut one of his best recent collections at this particular moment.  The designer is  gaining new fans via his exposure through a certain former employee, Project Runway winner Christian Siriano, whose work owes an obvious debt to his old boss’s.  And the fashion scene in the UK - McQueen’s homeland and an obvious current inspiration to him - is hotter and more influential than ever nowadays.

As you might have guessed, the new collection is a bit pricey and has not hit stores just yet.  So to get your fill of McQueen’s designs, try these pieces currently in stores.

I stumbled across this photograph of Kate Moss today while perusing the blogosphere and was floored by how stunning it is:

It is truly amazing that Kate Moss has been in the modeling game since the early 90’s and yet continues to stay relevant to this day as a tastemaker and fashion icon. Women all over the world continue to emulate her style daily. I’ll admit it, the reason I currently have long, blunt, blond bangs is all Kate. On her resume she has over 300 magazine covers, designs her own collection for Topshop, is a mother to Lila Grace, has worked as a fashion editor for French Vogue, is an amateur DJ and backup vocalist, tabloid target, has topped countless best dressed lists and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Despite her scandals being front page news, she continues to book campaign after campaign for the best fashion houses. Whether she is in sloppy jeans and a tee, has her face painted in glitter on her birthday or is wearing one of her affordable looks from Topshop, Kate manages to be the most chic and eye catching woman in the room.

While many try to imitate Kate, her style and panache cannot truly be assumed. These Habitual grey skinny jeans, Minnetonka moccasins and Thomas Wylde slouchy cashmere sweater will give you a Kate worthy look, and you don’t even have to cut your hair!

 I distinctly remember that from the ages of three to five, each Halloween I chose to dress up as a ballerina.  Judging by the ensembles shown on Anteprima’s fall runway, it seems that I wasn’t the only one.  Really, what could be more chic and feminine than dressing like the women who make being graceful their livelihood?

The models at Anteprima wore exactly what you might expect off-duty ballet students to wear: short chiffon skirts, leotard-esque long-sleeved tops, baggy sweaters, dainty-but-cozy ankle boots, and opaque tights.  Hair was worn in cropped ringlets or a tightly pulled back ponytail, and makeup was next to nonexistent.

You too can take the stage this season by incorporating ballet looks into your wardrobe.  The real thing is available in many stores, but sometimes an approximation is better - after all, leotards and toe shoes are not the most comfortable clothing.   For a more workable look, try Delman’s metallic ballet flats or Autumn Cashmere’s oversize kimono sweater.

While all the world may be a stage, it seemed that all of fashion was a circus on the spring runways. If there is a season to bring the circus to town, however, it is most definitely spring. This carefree and lighthearted inspiration is an unexpected shift from the normal girly colors, wispy chiffons and floral prints that usually define the season. What better way to remind the world to smile? Designers took inspiration from Marcel Marceau, Pierrot, and especially Harlequin:
Viktor & Rolf:

Miu Miu:

Karen Walker and Nathan Jenden:

This spring we should take a cue from the runways and remember to not take ourselves all that seriously and have some fun. Maybe even push the boundaries of what people expect to see. Think you can juggle this look? Try these merrymaker inspired pieces from Twenty8Twelve, Grey Ant and Novica:

 I don’t know if you all remember, but I definitely recall a time about a decade ago when Japanese exports like Sailor Moon, Pokemon and My Neighbor Totoro were all the rage among the elementary school set.  Nowadays, that nation’s most prominent pop culture exports are geared toward a more sophisticated audience - fashionistas who prefer to think outside the box.

A Japanese influence seemed to be everywhere this season, from Balenciaga’s almost-robotic landscape-printed minidresses (above) to numerous pink ruffled looks that appeared to owe a debt to Tokyo’s “Elegant Gothic Lolita” and Harajuku subcultures.

Comme des Garcons took style cues from Tokyo teens by matching knee-high black boots with hot pink hues and charming lip-shaped cutouts.  Valentino went for a more subtle, but still whimsical, approach by adding pink tulle flourishes to otherwise staid ensembles.

Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy even admitted to being influenced by anime cartoons while designing their most recent collection, with its bright pastel colors, shredded stockings, and spiked, armorlike heels:

Feeling inspired?  Look to the art of Louis Vuitton favorite Takashi Murakami and the films of cartoon auteur Hayao Miyazaki  - as well as the obvious choices, designers like Tao Okamoto, Rei Kawakubo, and Yohji Yamamoto - for style guidance.

Reinterpret Tokyo’s unique street style with Miu Miu’s pastel wingtip pumps, Irregular Choice’s intricate and odd boots, and Love on a Hanger’s layered tulle dress.