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Hi! I heard that plaid was out for 2009 but I just bought more than a few plaid shirts. I was wondering if they'd make a comeback during the next seasons?
-Ana (March 8, 2009)
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Dear Ana,
We set about answering your question of ‘is plaid out for 2009?’ by following the formal rules of the scientific method and stated our hypothesis: “Plaid is out for 2009.” But after completing our analysis of the frequency of plaid used in designer runway collections for 2009, we disproved our hypothesis, finding that many designers featured plaid in both spring and fall 2009 collections. So if you recently bought plaid shirts, don’t fret! According to the outcome of our research, you will not be a fashion pariah come spring and even less of one in fall.
For Spring 2009, many designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs used plaid in their collections. They tended to use more white-based plaids instead of the rich reds of Buffalo plaid that were featured in previous seasons’ collections. The palette of the plaid was more muted and often used the primary colors (red, yellow and blue) as well as black and grey. As for the garment styles featuring plaid, there were very few actual long sleeve button down shirts, more dresses and skirts but the Marc Jacobs collection featured a few plaid tops, tanks and blouses.
In the Fall 2009 collections we reviewed, we found a return to the vibrant reds and blues of the plaids from previous seasons as well as more traditional long sleeve button down shirts. Designers like Vivienne Westwood, Isaac Mizrahi, Zac Posen, Marc by Marc Jacobs, DKNY, Diane Von Furstenberg and Charlotte Ronson all featured plaid on their Fall 2009 runways.
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Hello! I was just wondering if tights/leggings are still in or do they look like you just came out of the gym? Thanks!! xoxo
-Tracie (March 8, 2009)
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Dear Tracie,
If it were up to us, leggings would have never have resurfaced, remaining a fad from the late 80’s to early 90’s. But despite our best efforts, they have reappeared. And yes, even we fell victim to their comfort, especially under an over sized sweater. But now, as spring is rapidly approaching (we hear the birdies singing in the morning – a good sign!) we think it is time to retire those leggings once again. We’re especially excited to see the ensemble of "skirt over leggings" go.
We know that this trend, like UGGs, will not disappear as fast as we’d like. But if you do intend to wear your leggings this spring, please take a cue from Alexander Wang and pair your leggings with a menswear inspired blazer or an over-sized crisp white blouse and don’t forget the heels!
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I'm wondering what type of shoes I can wear, besides my white pumas, that are cute for the spring, not boots and that I can wear socks with? It's not warm enough to wear my ballet flats yet but I'm sick of wearing winter boots!
-Lily (March 6, 2009)
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Dear Lily,
It’s that time of year when foot apparel becomes quite confusing. Most mornings we find ourselves involved in the great shoe debate. Like you mentioned it’s too warm to wear our winter boots but definitely not warm enough to wear ballet flats or (sigh!) sandals. We gather from your email that you are looking for a casual, everyday shoe, not booties or high heels boots or shoes, which makes the selection even more limited. But we have found some options that might make the great shoe debate a little less befuddling in the wee hours of the a.m.
Loafers are a good option as they cover most of the foot and you are still able to wear socks. We like both the penny loafer and the driving loafer as an option to pair with jeans for spring. Moccasins are also a good option. Thanks to Kate Moss, this footwear trend is far from over. Both the loafer style and the ankle bootie with fringe are great options. Lace-up oxfords are also a good option for this time of year, as they are becoming a more popular option just like other menswear staples.
While some of the shoe styles mentioned above may expose some of your socked foot, please (and we stress, please) do not wear white athletic socks (a huge fashion taboo)! Instead, we recommend that you invest in some trouser socks. They come in a variety of colors, black, nude, and navy and are way less noticeable than their athletic cousin. Trouser socks paired with any of the above-mentioned shoe styles will get you smoothly through the transition from boot to sandal during this tricky time of year.
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A male friend of mine who is a “designer only” fashionista is also a cost hound. He tends to buy designer shirts for example, that retail for $100 on sale for $8-15. He has found a broker online that sells designer suits (NOT knock-offs) for a fraction of the cost. Do such resources exist for women's fashion and if so where?
-N (March 6, 2009)
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Dear N,
We’ve done quite a bit of research online over the years looking for discounted designer fashion for women and it is very hard to find a legitimate and/ or reputable site that does not sell knock-offs. Trust us, there are a lot of websites advertising discount designer goods but none of them specify the authenticity of the item.
We haven’t been able to find sites that broker such extreme deals as your friend seems to have found but there are a few sites that offer sales on designer items. These sites such as Haute Look and Gilt Group follow a ‘sample sale’ business model by offering members exclusive sales of designer goods for both men and women. There is also Bluefly that sells designer items at discounted prices like a normal e-commerce site.
Your friend seems to have his pulse on the fashion industry if he is able to find designer items at cost, however we question their authenticy. Remember, don't always believe what you read!
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