Love is in the Air

Well...not so much for me. I'm unsure whether it's because I'm not yet over fall or because my life is painfully lacking romance, but I'm really not feeling the flowers, rosettes, and overall romantic atmosphere of the runways at New York Fashion Week (ie, Marchesa). Perusing the runway slides, I kind of felt like I was stuck in one of those romantic comedies. You know, the kind that end with the guy making a bold statement (that is too lame/corny/complicated to work in real life) in an effort to declare his undying love for the cute/loveable/endearingly neurotic heroine. Then the two reconciled lovers engage in a passionate kiss with sweepingly dramatic music in the background and one can only assume that they get married and make 4 perfect babies, get a golden retriever, build a white picket fence, and live happily ever after.

I have never liked those movies. The plotlines are always far too predictable to be taken seriously. Moreover, they cater to women's fantasies about men; fantasies which very few men are actually willing to indulge, therebye leaving millions of women utterly stunned and disappointed by their romantic life.

Anyway, for those aforementioned reasons, the designers that really stood out for me were those that shunned sugary sweet patterns and kept things stark, metallic, and menswear-inspired. Let's talk Ralph Lauren. This collection was brimming with gorgeous metallics, whether it was a jacket or a trouser. What's not to love about this metallic gold bomber jacket? And when paired with easy white pants? Just so perfect.

Rag & Bone was similarly spot-on for me. Although known for their jeans, I really loved the A-line white mini dress paired with a trench coat and quirky patent leather bowling shoes. I'm also a huge fan of their menswear-meets-rocker ensemble.

Now, isn't that infinitely nicer than frills and flowers?