We Heart American Style: Oscar de la Renta

If you think you're obligated to look overseas for your style cues, consider the following accomplishments made by American designers:

We invented jeans. Skinny, baggy, boot-cut, or flared, jeans are arguably the most enduring contribution to fashion in the 20th century.

We created modern sportswear. Marked by casualness and an understated sex-appeal, it's on everyone, everywhere.

We turned the t-shirt into a fashion icon. Remember when Sharon Stone added a Gap T-shirt to her Valentino skirt and Armani jacket at the 1995 Academy Awards?

Furthering our efforts to help rid Americans of their sartorial inferiority complex, we'd like to give a shout out to some of the greatest homegrown designers. We're not knockin' anyone else, simply giving props where props are due.

For starters, we had to recognize Oscar de la Renta when we chanced upon this ruffle pintuck wrap blouse from his masstige line, O Oscar, which launched for Spring 07 exclusively at Macy's.

In the biz for over 40 years, de la Renta has proven himself to be a man who knows, loves and sure-as-heck can dress American women. Considering every item in his O Oscar line hovers around $100 (the blouse above is $79), we think he knows how we prefer to spend our bennies, too.

Score one for the red, white and blue.

Read a short-n-sweet bio of the Dominican Republic native here.