Fall 2012 New York Fashion Week Fall 2012 Trends According To... Me

New York Fashion Week has come and gone faster than that time scrunchies almost happened again (and thank Wang they didn't). Now everyone can stop being like "OMG I'M SOOOOOO STRESSSSSEEEED OUT ABOUT FASSSSSSSIHON WEEK" and get back to being like "OMG I'M SOOOOOO STRESSSSSEEEED OUT ABOUT FASSSSSSSIHON." Oh... sweet, sweet first world privilege! Some people have no filtered water or iodine, others simply have no time to get down to Milk and back to Lincoln Center! THE HORROR.

Anyway, a lovely young journalist at Columbia University's Uptown Radio program asked me to do some guest commentary about the top trends and themes at New York Fashion Week this season. (Here's where you can listen to my fashion week commentary.) So, here's a slightly more in-depth look at all of the cool shit that headed down the runways and will be eventually making its way into magazine spreads and, in a more pedestrian way, onto the racks and backs of regular, garden-variety scrubs like you and definitely like me.

+ MENSWEAR: Overall, there was very little cutesy or stock sexiness going on at fashion week. Sure, it's fall, but everyone was uniformly either very covered up, very buttoned up, and very tailored. Basically, we're becoming a nation of austere puritans where women dress like men but also get to be vixen-ish femme fatales at the same time, like at Jason Wu, St. John, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, and Vivienne Tam. Menswear in all of its various gender-bending iterations was all over that runway in a very '40s way with peplum kicks or noir-ish baggy, louche silhouettes.

Jason Wu, Donna Karan, Vivienne Tam

+ METALLICS: Stunning metallics, especially at Badgley Mishcka, where they did '20s-inspired'80s metallics SO so right. Alexandre Herchcovitch's golds glowed. And that luminous, Chrysler Building-inspired silver Michael Kors gown!!

Prubul Gurung, Badgley Mischka, Michael Kors

+ CRAZY COLLARS: Marc Jacobs, Catherine Malandrino, Vivienne Tam, Ohne Titel, Altuzarra, Rachel Roy, Reed Krakoff, Thom Browne and Badgley Mischka all popped crazy collars, from mysterious, exaggerated turtlenecks that impeded models' eyesight, to creations fashioned out of former furry creatures to Anne Boleyn-chic Baroque collars. And speaking of Baroque, that leads me to...

Rachel Roy, Ohne Titel, Vivenne Tam, Reed Krakoff

+ CRAZY COSTUMES: Dramatic, nostalgia costumes ruled at Marc Jacobs (the most dramatic, fanciful show of the season), Norma Kamali, and OH Marchesa!

+ COLOR TRENDS: Elie Tahari's blues are definitely the new black. Ravishing reds ruled at Zac Posen, Thakoon, Charlotte Ronson, Norma Kamali, Monique Lhuillier, Sophie Theallet, Gary Graham, Chris Benz, Donna Karan, L'Wren Scott and Michael Kors. (Guess I'm gonna have to figure out how to wear red. I'm thinking I need red jeans to pair with a peach top.)

Michael Kors, Creatures of the Wind, Monique Lhullier, Norma Kamali

Bluefly Bridal Binge! Vera Wang, Bagdley Mischka And More! ROP!

I cannot even BELIEVE how many amazors potential wedding dresses Bluefly is STOCKED with right now. And by wedding dresses, I mean either non-traditional wedding dresses to wear AS your wedding dress or TO a wedding. Do BLUEFLY a favor and GET THEM OFF THEIR HANDS, okay? They're practically PAYING YOU to buy these gems! Also, apparently "just today," you can get 15% off dresses (discount taken at checkout), so DO IT!

($448, Badgley Mischka, Bluefly)

I am feeling SO many emotions about this dress, all of them POSITIVE and overwhelming. It's sorta what I was hoping for with my Nicole Miller fail, but this looks even more fantasticosa! I'm not a fan of the wrap, but no big whoop, right?

($402, Badgley Mischka, Bluefly)

Puh-retty!

($331, Badgley Mischka, Bluefly)

I'm not usually a fan of pleats like these, but I like the structured bib. Cool for alt-bridesmaids dresses!

($501, Amsale, Bluefly)

I mean, look me in the EYE and TELL me that Amsale's "Duet" gown isn't to DIE! It's simple but commanding and not overwhelming tacky. And that sexy back! LOVE! Also, short ladies, you CAN wear full gowns. And I love that this is full but not like the width of a sedan. This width is perfect for a shortie like myself.

($125, Vera Wang, Bluefly)

Definitely not for me, but if you're looking for a more traditional wedding gown, um, HI! This Vera Wang is like four cents, relatively speaking. I could see this being really purdy on a tall, thin type.

($331, Vera Wang, Bluefly)

Much better on shorties or tall types!

($400, Vera Wang, Bluefly)

Love the pretty stone color. Nice for a fall/ early winter wedding.

($324, Vera Wang, Bluefly)

I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT THIS DRESS! IT'S LIKE I MADE IT WITH MY OWN HANDS! SOMEONE BUY IT! PLEASE! LOOK HOW GORGEOUSLY EARLY '60S IT IS!!!!!!!!

($221, BCBG Max Azria, Bluefly)

EEE. Love the black-on-white detailing!

($301, Adam, Bluefly)

Wooden beads aren't so me, but this is still a super gorj beach wedding dress!

($169, BCGB Max Azria, Bluefly)

Not so me, but still really stunning -- especially that open back.

($220, BCBG Max Azria, Bluefly)

One of my favorite -- love the champagne-ness.

Smell This, Smell Good: Badgley Mischka Couture

Earlier this week I had the exciting and distinct honor of attending the launch of the new Badgley Mischka Couture fragrance at the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa. And as much as it was tempting to go get some kind, ANY kind of spa treatment as I winded my way deep within the bowels of the spa (I've never had anything done there, and now it's on my list of places to go/stuff to have done!) back to the spa cafe where the event was held, it was well worth the tempting trip because who was in attendance, aside from a few of my favorite beauty bloggers? Mark Badgley and James Mischka themselves, who look like they were born to create fine things, which they do, which is why they've been creating couture gowns for the past 20 years. Seriously, they're like old-school-meets-now glam, as in not all orangey-mess fake glow, but just like serenely elegant, with an authentic air of kindness. Accordingly, their new fragrance is a refined, sophisticated scent that exudeds old Hollywood glamour (not that I was there or anything).

Anyway, the fragrance is a sensual, musky blend of plum, blackberry and pear, and while there's some jasmine and gardenia florals in there, the dark fruits keep this from being too pungently sweet and just subtle enough. It's lightly rich, luxe and a perfect fragrance for an evening event. Badgley Mischka are outfitting one of the Best Actress nominees at the Oscars this Sunday (my money's on Anne Hathaway), so it's sorta what I'd imagine the Oscars to smell like, if the Oscars had a smell, you know? Maybe I'll wear it to my Oscar party? I digress. One of the other things I love about Bagdley Mischka Couture -- the gilded golden bottle inspired by vintage crystal barware.

And so, Bingers, definitely try out Badgley Mischka Couture if you're...

a.) Ready to retire your Malibu Musk (finally!)
b.) Going to the Oscars! (Thanks for reading FashionBinge, Anne Hathaway!)
c.) Ready for a grown-up girl (or dare I say... wedding?) fragrance!

Badgley Mischka Couture is $65.00 for 1.7 EDP, $90 for 3.4 EDP, and $48 for the cool portable elixir gel, all at Nordstrom.

(Photo of Mark Badgley and James Mischka via Elle)

Dresses I Wish Weren't $1,120: Chloe's Striped Jersey Dress + "Relatively" Cheaper Options!

($1,120, Chloe, Net-a-porter.com)

ZOMG. Granted, the design and colors of striped jersey Chloe dress are awe-inspiring, um, but, WHY is it over a grand? It's made of fucking JERSEY, people! Look at all the other similarly cute jersey dresses you could purchase for far, far less!

($139, Betsey Johnson, Bluefly)

It's Bluefly, bitches!

($425, Diane von Furstenberg)

Not cheap, to be sure, but it's DVF. Worth every cent for this gorgeous wool frock.

($448, Badgley Mischka, Saks)

Next to Chloe, this Badgley Mischka jersey dress is "a steal!" And it's far more elegante.

($203, Mara Hoffman, Saks)

This doesn't totally apply, even though it is jersey, but I threw it in there because I forgot how much I love Mara Hoffman, and because it's stripey, and because I think it could actually look really cute with some peach-y pumps.

($88, JC de Castelbajac, Yoox.com)

Ok, certainly we're straying a bit too much into total-tennis territory here, but this adorable red-and-white-striped dress feels like a children's book come to life -- now, normally that would be really bad, but the not-too-obtuse scribbles make it whimsical and not too cloying.