MFW S/S 2012 Highlights

It's nutty bananas that the further fashion week takes us, the more lust-worthy the garments become. I thought I'd seen it all between Prabal Gurung and Thakoon (cue my banner) during New York Fashion Week but then, London opened it's royal doors and Sass & Bide, Mulberry, Jonathan Saunders and some very darling flower prints at Christopher Kane, gave the apples of my eyeballs a run for their intricate applique. Now with both London and New York behind us, rounding up my favorite looks from Milan Fashion Week--as I'd seemingly done with the two previous international weeks--rendered wildly difficult. So I said: instead of target favorites, why not just offer objective opinions on the shows that particularly stood out. Yes, that's what I'm going to do. Before I do that though, I say this: fashion is great. Just when you think you'd seen it all, it only gets better.

We'll start at Dolce & Gabbana because there is always something to cheerful about this runway and where better to start than on a happy note. While collection (71 looks!) was floral, fruit, bright print a galore--the earrings were fun too--this particular prune print was particularly...pruney. Are they even prunes? Plums? Figs? If not because green x purple is a color combo favorite that most certainly because I can get behind a silhouette that offers a first tea length down below and a woman of the street bandeau up above.

It wasn't all about the prints though, there were some perfectly saggy-chic knit diapers too. 

With the usual kooky prints, luxurious textures and one of the bigger fashion week jewelry pushes--cue the kitschy bangles and earrings--Marni did it's duty and won the man repeller award of Milan. Pastel collar, fashion tourettes, and even to the right, to the right, in a leg baring unitard, the question must be posed: would you date Antonia?

I thought Pucci looked like a Spanish romance novel, lace details, black neck crosses and all, but...

Moschino took the Spain award with it's opening matadors.

When I first saw Prada, I tweeted that Prada runway will be mandatory dresscode at my birthday party. Actually, I said wedding but I think birthday party works better. The pleated midi skirts, another use of bandeau and lush printed overcoats gave last season's bananas a run for their prints. As it happens, Miuccia can do no wrong. And I don't know if you remember this but yesterday when I posted about turtlenecks (and Pat Kiernan did a dramatic reading from said post), I styled a look that featured a pleated midi-skirt and an overcoat not unlike the three previewed here. You can just call me your virtual stylist going forward. Kidding. Well, I'm not, but I will say if you want to jump on the white pleated midi skirt train, you should do as I did and buy this one.

Missoni jumped on the yellow train in what I suggest may be one of the most intricate, detailed and so perfectly layered collections yet. There's something so unusual about the use of fringe, different layering tactics, messy pony tails and floral petal shoes--which sort of just add to the "I'm wearing everything I own in my closet" vibe--that ultimately, make it work so well. Finally now, not to toot my own horn, lady right is in fact, wearing a dress over pants. Pull your skirts out, girls, I think I'm right about this one.