I had a ball trying on the latest designer collection for Target by the great Anna Sui, which launched in stores and online yesterday, perfectly timed with tonight's season premiere of Gossip Girl. The color palette reminded me of Halloween: Pumpkin orange, yellow ochre, lots of cat black, dark purple and splashes of blood red.




Fabrics ranged from flowy, chiffon-like polyester blends, some jacquard, some silk, even mohair for the wrap sweaters, cotton tees, to stiffer tweed and brocade-like fabrics with metallic threads running through two of the dresses. Lace trim, velvet ribbon, tassles, and beads added fun and unique embellishments. The theme running throughout the collection was inspired by the main characters in the popular teen drama Gossip Girl: Vanessa, Blair, Serena and Jenny. (But you don't have to be a fan of the show to fall in love with this collection!)




Styles ranged from a Downtown-cool puffer vest to a prim-and-proper Uptown dress with a high-collar, long cuffed sleeves and bow detail (my favorite piece in the collection!). I also loved this herringbone dress for its versatility, and this seersucker dress, an utterly unboring LBD that could pass for designer.




However, I was sorely disappointed by the price tags! There is no reason why the dresses in this collection should cost more than a typical GO collection, since by all measures, the quality was the same. As you've probably seen online, dresses range from approx. $44.99 to $69.99. Gulp! Despite my enthusiasm, I decided to wait a while before making any purchases.

Which pieces do you love? What did you buy?

some of my fave looks (Photo credit: Marcio Madeira via Style.com)

This past Saturday night, I caught Vivienne Tam's show during New York's Spring 2010 Fashion Week. This was my first runway show ever and it was so freaking cool! Before the show, I bumped into my blogger buddies Nichelle, who writes 55 Secret Style, and Dina (eye4style.com). Inside the tent (I was DYING to be in the tents at Bryant Park!), I sat next to Tabitha, who just started covering style for ImNotObsessed.com. You'll appreciate this: Tabitha was rocking the Avon bag I featured in this post. My kind of girl.

Once I found my seat (yes, I had an actual seat assignment! woohoo) I just breathed deep and took in the pre-show sights. I watched as my dear friend Sarah Conley (styleitonline.com) assisted Yuli Ziv (myitthings.com) as she interviewed various other bloggers (I recognized Aly Walansky of Shopaholics Daily) and possibly other famous people who I could not identify. Very cool to see bloggers representing at Fashion Week. Heck yeah. As for celebrities, I spotted singer Estelle, sitting front row and center. Heard she's teaming up with Rachel Roy for an accessories collection, which I'm sure would be hot.





Once the show began, I frantically tried to take some photos/video, but I just didn't have the right gear for the lighting situation. Oh well, it's not like I can't find all the images at Style.com! So I just sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the show. It was surreal. Vivienne Tam's inspiration was the butterfly, a subject which can seem cliche but I felt that with Tam's delicate, feminine touch it was simply beautiful clothing that any girl would love to wear. The vibe was bohemian, from breezy chiffon tops to fringe-embellished suede bags and strappy flat sandals. Abstract, silk-screened butterfly prints gave the collection a modern touch, while lush colors plucked from nature and the occasional sequin detail made each look glow. Another impossible-to-miss accessory: The new limited edition Vivienne Tam HP mini laptops, adorned by (what else?) a butterfly. The perfect marriage of fashion and technology. Oh, how I want!

It was an absolute thrill and dream-come-true to see those models gliding down the runway, their natural habitat. It was over all-too-quickly. More, I wanted more! But the magic didn't quite end there. As I left the show in a fashion-show-stupor, I spotted none other than Isaac Mizrahi, the King of Budget Fashion himself (even though he left Target for Liz), surrounded by what appeared to be members of the press and friends. He looked so smiley and delightful, so like, Isaac Mizrahi! I wanted to pinch his cheeks. But I was too far, and besides, don't think security would go for that.





And that my friends was my first runway show. An experience I won't soon forget and, fingers crossed, there will be (many!) more to come.

You can see the whole Vivienne Tam Spring 2010 collection here. Are you following spring fashion week coverage or does it all seem wildly irrelevant?

Right next to the Anna Sheffield for Target collection, I noticed an amazing albeit nameless collection that reminded me of the exotic, brightly colored jewelry by designer Amrita Singh. (I couldn't find any of these pieces online, so I took a couple pics for reference purposes.) The earrings above are just $14.99 and yet they have all the makings of pricier costume jewelry—beautiful colors, a unique, artsy design, solid craftsmanship, crystals that look like glass, not plastic. Seriously impressive.

There's also some gorgeous jewelry made of semi-precious gems and gold-filled and silver wire that reminded me of the work of jewelry designer Wendy Wink, marked by delicate clusters of beads adorning earrings and dangling as pendants from dainty chains. I'm not saying Target copied anyone, just sharing my impressions. You can also find similar designs on Etsy, or stores like Banana Republic, but it's good to know that you can find such, dare I say, impressive jewelry at Target, too.

I've gotten a couple requests regarding how to wear ankle boots, which are boots that end at or just above the ankle. These boots are especially hot for Fall 2009, but here are some things to consider should you choose to wear them:

• If you're tall, you're in luck—for the most part: Ankle boots can make even the leggiest lass look stubby, so use a mirror. Dare to wear your ankle boots with bare legs and a mini dress.
  
• If you're short: Pair your ankle boots with tights, leggings or pants that are the same color as the boot to create the longest line possible. Ankle boots have a tendency of visually chopping you off at the ankle, so be aware of this. Try topping your look with a fitted, cropped jacket to elongate your torso.
  
• If you're plus size: Go for a monochromatic look on the bottom to slim and lengthen your silhouette. Pair with something like an a-line, 3/4-length-sleeve dress in a body skimming (not hugging) fabric that falls at or just above the knee.
  
• Everyone: I'm stating the obvious here, but the higher the heel, the more height you'll get, hence the more likely you are to nail this look. But I love ankle boots with a low-heel, too, since they're more comfortable for daily wear. And anything over 4 inches can start to look vampy. Also, below-the-knee and long skirts don't seem to work with ankle boots no matter what your body type. Looks frumpy.

Here are 3 ways to wear ankle boots now (shown above):

• Left: With dark tights. On top, you could really wear any number of dresses, but I've chosen a very of-the-moment girly floral dress and black leather jacket combo. Difficulty level: Easy as pie.
  
• Center: With cropped pants. Notice how that little chunk of white flesh visually breaks up my leg line? Yeah, it's not the most flattering thing in the world but it does have a fashion-y vibe that I like. You could wear dark tights under your pants to streamline the look (or add warmth when its cold). Try this look with harem pants if you're uber brave; cigarette pants if you're like me and slightly less of a risk-taker. Difficulty level: Hard
  
• Right: With leggings. This season, there are dozens of prints and fabrics to choose from for your leggings. The simplest solution is to pick black leggings with black ankle boots. Tuck in or scrunch over depending on the circumference of the boot shaft. Difficulty level: Intermediate
  
• Not shown: Another option would be to wear your ankle boots with skinny jeans, but I figure you've seen enough of me in those. The look is similar to leggings except, of course, you'd be wearing a more substantial pair of pants.

Will you be wearing ankle boots this season? How do YOU style them?

Madras Plaid Short Shorts, Orig. $88.00 Now $44.00 at capemadras.com

During the end of summer sale at Cape Madras (capemadras.com) all merchandise is 50 percent off, including shorts, skirts, dresses and more items that are perfect for summer (or a mid-winter getaway!). This Maine-based company has one of the best selections of authentic madras anywhere. The styles are classic preppy with exotic origins: Cape Madras sources their own 100% custom woven patch madras made of the finest yarn-dyed cotton from their factory in Madras, India. Sale ends 9/20