FashionEtc.com April 19th, 2024

Nobody panic: I liked ruffles today. Okay, I know there have been a lot of changes with what I like lately, and that can be scary. But these ruffles were chic ones. And they came in mint—the color of the Spring '12 season!

Porcelain, a local New York brand designed by sisters Olivia Ma Corwin and Kai Ma Wilson, makes a lace-heavy line. Some of it reminded me of those baby doll dresses in the '90s, which I swore off after a gentleman asked me if I was avec bebe. But, the ruffled pieces are pretty stunning. The Daydream dress (the name sums it up) is a cream and black floor-length almost-gown. I say almost-gown because you can dress it up for an event or rough it up with a leather jacket and motorcycle boots. (One guess as to how I'd wear it …) There are shorter variations on this number, all of which I want to get my hands on for spring.

Admission: I have a wee obsession with eco-friendly lines. Consider it a way of doing some good while I shop, but buying and wearing sustainable fabrics just makes sense. Naturally I was thrilled to be introduced to Canadian line Covet.

Before your imagination runs wild with thick, burly coats, allow me to dish on the Spring '12 line. Softer than soft tanks, tops, and tees, spaghetti strap dresses, loose capris and shorts—all made in cottons, silks, chiffons and other natural fabrics. I assumed (wrongly) that these had to come from an L.A. brand

One of my big laments this Fashion Week was that my schedule was too packed. I know, what a complaint! But that meant I couldn't go see some of the shows that are guaranteed to be good, like Tracy Reese. Those who know me probably wouldn't think of me as a Tracy Reese gal. But if you really look at the clothes, most of us are Tracy Reese gals.

I headed to the showroom to peek at the Spring '12 line of both Tracy Reese and Plenty by Tracy Reese. These are not only the clothes you want to wear whilst on the beach, lounging, but they're also amazingly chic city wear. Who doesn't want that in their closet?

I'll admit the colors were bright for me personally but they're so fun for spring. One paneled dress with alternating sheer and crochet pieces is just the look for a beach wedding. My personal favorite was a graphic floral pencil skirt. You just cannot go wrong in a killer pencil! And then there are the heels. The black and white platform shoes (which will only be sold at Tracy Reese stores) were breathtaking.