.022 TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS

As of late, I have been placing much of my attention on the trends being featured on the runway (a little bit inevitable, as it has been NYFW and LFW). I have been absolutely blown away by the designs that are showing up this season. The creativity of color, fabrics, silhouettes and concepts is mesmerizing. I hope to some time soon critically analyze a runway show in its entirety, but for this post I would like to focus on the other half of what goes down during NYFW and LFW: the street style.

Designers, bloggers, celebrities and their friends manage to make an appearance always looking fly and ready to claim the title of fashion killer. To keep things relatively short, I will focus on London Fashion Week. Below are some of my favorite looks, but first, a bit of an introduction:

Overall, I noticed that bold colors (particularly being featured on massive jackets) dominated the streets. Alongside the pop of color, came the darker neutrals of the tomboyish, sports luxe trend that is here to stay (THANK GOD). Beanies, over-sized coats, childish accessories - all of which contribute to a strange "structural grunge". This is not your average "slap some things together and look like a street urchin" look. Rather, these looks feature carefully constructed pieces worn loose as if to say "I care...but I actually do not care." (Or maybe they actually care. Who knows. They are at fashion week, so my guess is, they probably care.) Sneakers are worn but they are kept clean. Beanies dress down the "1985 power woman" silhouette of the slacks and wool coat. Bright backpacks and see-through handbags make outfits more relaxed. What I see is a clash of generations. Everyone wants a little bit of both: the grunge of the '90s and the structural edge of the '80s. The effect is just what I have been looking for.

(Maddy Killick and Magdalena Wieclaw - Fashionista)

(Victoria Tonengren - Metro)

(Vogue)

(Vogue)

(Vogue)

(Vogue - Chloe Norgaard again!)

(Vogue - the beautiful Sung Hee Kim)

(Vogue)

(Vogue)

air conditioning by seaminor featuring Tory Burch

.017 IN THE NAVY

I am a navy baby - in the literal sense and in the figurative sense, implying that I love to wear navy (pointing out the obvious). To me, nothing will ever be the new black. I surround myself in black, draped up like I am Death in Ingmar Bergman's, The Seventh Seal. But sometimes it feels good to branch out a little. Maybe I will make olive my new color or perhaps I will wear more camel than usual. Though, there has always been one color that has fought for the coveted spot of "staple color" and that is, as the title suggests, navy.

Navy is a color that does not need Patone's "Color of the Year" to earn a place in every designer's heart. The dark shade of blue has enough of a reputation to thrive on its own. Whether it is in classic Americana (Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren to name a few) or in haute couture (Dior immediately comes to mind), navy has no trouble finding a place on the runway or in the everyman's closet.

Now, I am probably telling you nothing that you already do not know. Hell, I am sure most of us already have more than three navy colored items in our closet(s). But, I must ask, can we ever have enough navy? I think one could make navy refreshing by playing with textures: velvet, mohair, tweed, and silk, to name a few. Lately, textures have made quite an appearance on the runway. And with fuzzy sweaters being a new "it" item, how can anyone disagree?

I figured I would make this post a bit more relevant by showcasing navy pieces from the latest pre-fall 14 collections. (All of the photos are sourced to style.com.)

(Pre-Fall 2014 See by Chloé - p.s. here's the trend I reported on earlier!)

(Pre-Fall 2014 Kenzo - super about the piped pleats and 70s school girl vibes.)

(Pre Fall 2014 Helmut Lang - shift dresses are still my favorite style of dress)

(Pre Fall 14 BCBG Max Azria - kinda diggin' the southwest themes - love the skirt.) 

(Pre Fall 2014 Band of Outsiders - I am still not over this collection. The patterns!)

Keep eyes peeled for navy both on the runways and on the sales racks! I absolutely love Madewell, Topshop, and Zara for some solid navy pieces.