I’m really a girly girl at heart and so I’m really loving all the skirt variations that have been popping up recently. I’ve already talked about my love for the difficult-to-wear “new” skirt length; now there’s another seemingly impossible-to-wear skirt trend: the pleated skirt. Who would ever believe that multiple pleats adding volume around the hips and mid-section could actually be flattering? Well believe it, baby! Maxi, mini, knee length or mid-calf, with the right fabric and the right styling, this is a look to rock all summer long and right on into fall and winter.

{image sources: Chloe S11 via Style.com, Marc Jacobs S11 via Style.com, Rachel Comey F11 via Rachel Comey, Vanessa Jackman, Vanessa Jackman, Jeremy Laing via Style.com, Rodarte for Opening Ceremony via Opening Ceremony, Milin via Style Bubble, Milin via Style Bubble}

Loving all of our new pieces from Rachel Comey, especially the Integer dress.

Actually, we’re loving all things white for Summer.

But anyway, we’re obviously not the only ones who love Rachel Comey and this dress. I just came across these shots by Maya of the lovely blog Turned Out that she did for Lurve Magazine.

See all the shots from the Lurve Magazine shoot here (with even more Rachel Comey pieces, yeah!) And see all of our new Rachel Comey arrivals here.

Credits from the above shoot: Photography by Maya Villiger, styling by Eugenie Dalland, model Allaire Heisig of FORD.

Runway image via style.com

We just shot our latest Style It feature for the site — a printed silk pant. I didn’t really think about it as some sort of print mixing challenge, but print mixing definitely came into the… well, mix.

We have a rack right by our desks where we keep the things we’re currently working with. Our printed silk pant was hanging in the front, and peeking out from the rack of items behind was this pink paisley print blouse. They instantly looked so cute together!

It got me thinking about all the confusion around this whole print mixing thing. And you know what? It shouldn’t be that daunting. In fact, it’s actually kind of fun.

The socks? Nice.

Tip from Garance: if you want to get snapped by a streetstyle photog, "have a phone, of course!"

My favorite. Masterful.

Apparently there are “rules” (like stay in the same — or a complementary — color family), but it’s really just a chance to have some fun with good, old-fashioned trial and error. So if you haven’t yet, try it. Whatever the fabric and whatever the season, it’s always a good time to unleash your inner-kindergartner and mix it up a little.

Editorial images by Willy Vanderperre from Vogue China via Fashion Gone Rogue; runway images are Mary Katrantzou F11 and Rachel Comey S11 via style.com; top streetstyle images from the Sartorialist; bottom image by Tommy Ton for style.com

Alexander McQueen has long been my favorite designer. There is no doubt that his were the designs that really drew me into the fashion world. I loved his creativity, his courage and conviction, his craftmanship, his sense of drama. I loved the way he turned his runway shows into productions. And I am fortunate to be able to say that I love the way I feel in his clothes. As avant-garde and out there as his designs could sometimes appear, it was always clear that he loved the female form and that it served as a wonderful muse for him.

The first full collection that Sarah Burton created for the house of McQueen was something that I just couldn’t look at. I was still so sad at the loss of such a supreme talent and I just couldn’t bear the thought of someone else trying to recreate his work. Fortunately, I finally decided to give Sarah Burton a chance, and I’m so glad I did. Her designs are so elegant and well-crafted and are such a lovely tribute to Lee Alexander McQueen. Her respect for the late designer is evident in both her last 2 collections. While the Spring11 collection seemed to be a parade of greatest McQueen hits, the Fall11 collection is clearly more her while still paying tribute to classic McQueen silhouettes and ideas.

Sarah Burton's belted fur from F11; McQueen's from F09

McQueen's mosaics from S09; Burton's china shards for F11

Sarah Burton for S11; McQueen's blue peacock from S09

Printed chiffon from Burton for S11 and McQueen from S08

A couple of McQueen's golds, from F03 and S08

and a Sarah Burton gold

White with lace and corset detail from McQueen S07 and Burton S11

Feathers in black from S07 and in white from S11

I love that she is still keeping his spirit and legacy alive, while putting her own spin on the house’s designs. Amazing that she’s cranked out 2 truly beautiful collections. No question that she had some gigantic shoes to fill.

Fur. It was everywhere you looked in NYC during Fashion Week.

Long…

Short…

Leopard…

Vest…

Me in what was once my grandmother's mink stole. My super-stylish mother converted it into a vest.

and maybe my favorite version, the fur hat…

Image 1 via The Sartorialist; image 2 taken by me at the Tim Hamilton presentation; images 3 and 6 via What Charity Wears; images 4, 5 & 7 via Facehunter; image 8 via All The Pretty Birds; images 9 & 10 via Vanessa Jackman

This has been an insane last few days for Arlene and me. Arlene lost her phone, we almost missed the Rachel Comey show, we’ve had no internet access (with the exception of my cell phone), and we’ve encountered a whole host of other seemingly Karmic mishaps. But ironically enough, we’ve been on time for every single appointment, we’ve had fun, we’ve actually had time to shop, and we’ve seen some amazing product. From clothes to jewelry to sunglasses to handbags to shoes, there’s been so much to get excited about. We’ve got a lot to re-cap and we’ll get to it all eventually, but in the meantime here’s a glimpse of our adventure via my favorite camera, my hipstamatic.

Chinese New year in Chinatown

By far our best appointment so far was at Maryam Nassir Zadeh. So many amazing jewelry lines, it blew our minds. The first one we saw was the netted deliciousness of Jensen Conroy.

30% off gongs? Only in New York.

Aside from meeting the amazing, talented writer, Michael Cunningham, the highlight of my trip has to be our visit to Wendy Nichol NYC. I thought it was amazing enough just to meet Wendy (and her daughter and her husband), but when she handed me a pair of black diamond studs that my husband had secretly ordered for me… well, that’s when I really lost it.

A peek into Wendy’s workshop and toolbox:

We really love a good collaboration and Loeffler Randall and Suno is collaboration at its finest. Last night saw the debut of the 2nd pairing of these houses, and I have to say it’s a match made in heaven!

all images from the Suno presentation via Vogue.com

Yes, it’s true.  After just two appts…the 70’s are back!  In all the best possible ways  Remember the hiking boot??

Love it on a crepe platform sole at SONIA

touches of the hiker at Steven Alan

rugged & distressed at n.d.c

top image via SONIA by Sonia Rykiel…..thanks Mina!!

Started packing for Fashion Week last night. Could go on for hours about that whole process, but I won’t (unless you beg me to). As I was planning my outfits (a must!), I was also thinking about outerwear. My outerwear has to keep me warm, but it can’t be too bulky. I’ll be in and out of showrooms and studios and shows, much of the time having to either stand holding my coat or continue wearing it. A challenge, let me tell you. One of the coats I really want to take is my Rachel Comey Second Husband coat.

Since it’s camel and most of my leg coverings (and hat and gloves) are black, I started surfing brown and black. What a delicious combination.

All black with a brown & black shoe at Margiela. Love that.

This is a cheat, but how you can resist that gorgeous brown braid with that adorable black head wrap?

all images via Vanessa Jackman, except for image 1 via us, and Margiela image via Simply Olive

Leave it to the readers of Sea of Shoes to put this unique talent from Greece on my radar. Perusing the illustrations from Jane’s (SOS) art contest, I kept coming across these glorious bright and colorful images from Mary Katrantzou.

Mary has a background in textile design and at some point in her education decided to move her textile design focus from interiors to fashion. Her love of interiors is evident in her Spring11 collection, not only in her trompe l’oeil prints, but also in the jewelry and silhouettes. I do love a good print.

illustrations by Anna (DesignedbyAnn) and Naomi (InkBramble) via Sea of Shoes’ Flickr stream; runway images via Style.com