Wow...it's certainly been awhile! With shopping, starting a new year of university, and job hunting, I've been a little forgetful in regards to Marvelous Things (and the fashionverse!) lately! Well, consider me back! NYFW has recently started up, finally kicking off the excitement for the most recent fashion season. Let's take a look at some of the shows so far, shall we?

ALEXANDER WANG


Yawn. I'm sorry, but this collection bored me to tears. We've seen all of this on Wang's spring runways before; the wet hair, glossy makeup, and mesh sportswear are a thing of the past. Call me nitpicky, but one thing I didn't like were the watermarks left from the models' hair all over the button-up oxfords! The only piece I really enjoyed was a pastel printed and white mesh overcoat (top image, far right). Other than that, the colour palette was too dark for me. The tones were reminiscent of the rich berry tones that are wearable now, not six months from now! I think that since this collection was so sporty, Wang could have had a lot of fun with this collection by going out of his comfort zone and creating some springy, neon mesh pieces! All in all, it's just too sporty and flat for me - the pieces need an injection of urban cool.

DEREK LAM


Now, that's better! Like Wang, Lam used a colour palette reading similar to the palette for the F/W season...except he updated it! Fall staples such as dark camel and light mustard were updated with a white eyelet dress, a deep navy was brought to life by sheer lemon chiffon, etc. The tailoring and overall structure of these pieces is impecabble. One thing I loved so much about the F/W pieces was that the designers were shying away from loose, flow-y pieces are were starting to drift towards pieces with a really sartorial quality to them. This collection is no exception. While all of the pieces are still tailored to the nines, they still have that wearability that a ready to wear collection requires to both wow the crowd and appeal to consumers. The outerwear was also unbelievably stunning! Take, for an example, that sherbet-hued trench seen on Arizona Muse (above, middle)! Wow! The mod, multi-coloured sequined dress on Hanne Gaby Odiele (far right)? So wearable! I must admit that this was the first collection that got me geared up for the S/S season!

JASON WU


Hmmm...a more Gothic approach to Spring. Interesting! A lot of these looks had a very 1980s, Female Dandy (read: Grace Jones, Janelle Monae) appeal to them. Similar to those seen at the Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2011 show. While the looks definitely feature some pieces borrowed from the boys, they're girlied up with accents such as Victorian neck bows, lace collars, barely there hot pants, lady bags, and full skirts. The one thing I adored were the sequined and studded collars on the Oxford shirts...what a glam way to gussy up a stark white shirt! The silhouettes of the skirts were also a real selling point for me. I'm so glad that the ladylike midi has returned, as has what I liked to refer to as the "mullet skirt" (short in the front, long in the back). The whole look is very 1940s glam meets 1980s in New York City, which, surprisingly, works. I also love the unexpected pops of colour throughout the whole show. Take, for an example, the shell pink skirt worn by Miss Kloss (above right), paired with a very dark and moody collared blouse. As the show progresses, we see some more sunny shades paired with deeper prints, such as the lemon chiffon/navy/cyan/sky blue combination sported by Jacquelyn Jablonski here. The peplum waist, one of fall's hottest trends, is updated in white, as worn by Lindsey Wixson here. All in all, the overall "vibe" of this look was rather hard to pin down. Is it masculine? Is it Gothic? Is it modern? Is it girly? Who knows!

JILL STUART


Jill Stuart has to be the queen of spring RTW...every year, she wows the critics (and me!) with her summery confections. This time around, Jac opened the show with a bang in a beautiful nude and blood orange number with some seriously windswept hair. Some colour blocked 1960s-esque shift dresses (click here, again featuring blood orange, are perfect for a night out. Some tailored trousers that given even Ruby Aldridge (click here) some curves are the perfect transitional piece. We then see the colour palette meld into softer shades of ballet pink and powder blue, and then to lemon and blush, and then to lavender, and then to a more vivid pink. I have a feeling that the palm tree print seen on the blouses will be all the rage this year, as Prada's banana prints were last year. The footwear is also stunning! Those pastel pink patent leather platforms with the gold accents? Unreal! Overall, this is quite possibly my favorite collection so far, with Derek Lam as a close second.

PRABAL GURUNG


One thing that I wish Gurung did with this show is to soundtrack it to "Violet" by Hole, circa their Live Through This days. Am I right, am I right? Gurung's pieces last season definitely had a more Hollywood glamour to them, while these pieces have a total boudoir-esque glamour puss edge to them. Much more in your face, and much more over the top. The violet chiffon gowns and overcoats? Stunning! But what really drew me in were the purple floral button-ups paired with a perfectly modern Tuxedo dinner jacket. The totally rad futuristic shades (click here) are, dare I say, even cooler than the totally trendy Alexander Wang x Linda Farrow cat eyes. Overall, this collection was stunning. I'm glad to see that Gurung, a new designer on the scene, is already learning to step out of his comfort zone! Pure perfection! Plus, I think violet may be the one colour I'm looking forward to wearing the most once the weather warms up again!

(All images via ELLE. All ideas via, well, me. Please don't copy any content without written permission, quotations, and backlinks.)