Yes, it is profoundly disheartening to read something hilarious and astutely observed on a topic I’ve wanted to write about. But I’m putting personal insecurities aside if only because The Man Repeller (a site I discovered just last week via our Follow Friday feature) deserves it. True to its title, Leandra Medine’s musings are devoted entirely to fashion that’s confounding and off-putting to the average hetero male, with Medine snapping (inspired and covetable) looks of her own and mining the season’s runways for examples.

An anecdotal overview of straight dude reactions to recent outfits only proves her findings: Rolled skinny jeans with ladylike pumps get the guy thumbs up, as does pretty much anything with fall 2010’s boarding-school chic look. No big surprises there. Not as popular? A baggy sweatshirt over a bias-cut silk maxi skirt. “Looks like you threw something over your nightgown to run to the mailbox.” Even seemingly benign black jeggings proved baffling: “Are you wearing tights?”

Not that dressing to common denominator dude taste is the point (do Anna Dello Russo or Kate Lanphear?), which is Medine’s point, which brings me to lamé. A big fall 2010 runway story and a major presence for spring, the jury is still out for me as to whether this most reflective of fabrications will leave guys freaked or fascinated. (A Vena Cava dress I’ve been stalking and one of my favorite Rag & Bone spring 2011 runway looks by way of example above.) While gold lamé brings visions of Jerry Hall circa 1976 dancing into my head, will my beloved think I look more like a Werther’s Original? The Man Repeller makes me want to risk it. As the French say: Life is too short to dress sadly.

--Maureen
Shopbop

Photo courtesy of Elle.com.

In an atmosphere saturated with an upbeat mood, Mulberry’s fall 2010 presentation had a bag for every kind of girl, all with a very Mulberry feel. This varied collection offered bright hues and jewel tones, florals, and the label’s signature leopard print in luxe patent, suede, and leather. The silhouettes were perfect: timeless, easy to wear, young, and fresh. This fall, every girl will be able to find her signature bag at Mulberry.

--Kyle Anderson
Senior Accessories Editor, ELLE

Two looks from the Hervé Léger fall 2010 runway. Photo courtesy of Elle.com.

Super-tight bandage dresses naturally come to mind when thinking of Hervé Léger, but since the brand was bought by BCBG/Max Azria, it has taken on a fresh, trendy life of its own. Last season, I was blown away by the mix of dirty patchwork denim dresses and khaki colors that made the models look like they were going to a club in the middle of the desert. In the fall 2010 collection, the team explored separates and pants for the first time—a great surprise. More than simple bandages, the collection included a lot of weaving of materials in a neutral color palette. Up close, it looked very cool, very young, and very modern.

--Kyle Anderson
Senior Accessories Editor, ELLE

Favorites from the Alice + Olivia fall 2010 presentation include a patchwork sequin blazer (left) and a multicolored feather skirt.

Shopbop favorite Alice + Olivia held their presentation and a lively party at New York’s newest hot spot, Provocateur. Trippy artwork on the leather booths and a green carpet provided the perfect setting for the brand’s fun sensibility, and a performance by Mickey Avalon, with his jaw-dropping lyrics, sealed the deal. It was a star-studded, PACKED event, but the fall collection stole the spotlight. Playful models donned looks in a range of categories, proving once again that Stacey Bendet Eisner’s label is not just a line of flirty cocktail dresses. Alice + Olivia offers the newest (and best) pant silhouettes, as well as knits and outerwear that get better and better with each new season. Jewelry from Pamela Love and miniature top hats provided appropriately quirky touches, adding to the vibrant life of the room.

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

Check out more shots from the presentation after the jump.

Jill Stuart’s fall runway had a very military mood with a cool-girl urban twist. I loved the over-the-knee boots; they gave the men’s military-inflected looks a really sexy feel. It kind of reminded me of a city girl who has a boyfriend in the army. She wears his coats and sweaters, but with her sexy dresses and thigh-high boots.

The other accessories in this show were equally incredible. The belts were amazing—some with mini satchels attached, all with vintage-esque coin details. And in jewelry, the models wore very cool chunky chain bracelets, designed in collaboration with Mark Walsh and Leslie Chin, who have also worked with designers like Rodarte and Tibi.

--Kyle Anderson
Senior Accessories Editor, ELLE

Pictured: Over-the-knee boots on the Jill Stuart fall 2010 runway. Photo courtesy of Elle.com.

Two looks from the Paris 68 fall 2010 runway.

Yesterday at Milk Studios was quite possibly the best way to wrap up NYFW, with new-on-the-scene Paris 68 designed by Marcella Lindeberg. Lucky for me, being late landed me the only empty seat in the front row. I looked around and saw Carine Roitfeld of French Vogue, Justin Timberlake, and Jessica Biel; remembered Lindeberg’s role at William Rast; and quickly realized I was in for a real treat. A second-skin all-in-one—the most brilliant merge of a mini dress and leggings—was the first look, followed by equally amazing skirt-cum-legging combos and a fierce sexiness I was craving this week. I especially loved the peplum-hemmed blazers, faux gloves (silver painted hands with rhinestone cuffs), and all the tasseled hems on miniskirts. Tracking this line down immediately!

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

Photo courtesy of Refinery29.

A palette of earthy neutrals feels fresh in a sea of fashion week black.

Recreate her look with a Free People vest, Joie blouse, Current/Elliott jeans, Joie shoes, and House of Harlow necklace.

Subdued ’70s looks seen on the Nanette Lepore (left) and Vena Cava fall 2010 runways.

Subdued ’70s proved to be a strong theme emerging this week. Key elements include vintage-inspired hats, maxi skirts, velvet in Technicolor (burnt orange, crimson, forest green), wooden-bottom platform clogs, bouclé jackets, camel and tobacco hues, and leopard coats. I'm loving all the hip-hugging, tailored flare pants in tweed and herringbone.

Spotted at: Vena Cava, Rebecca Taylor, Nanette Lepore, Jenni Kayne.

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

Looks from the Jenni Kayne fall 2010 collection.

Photo courtesy of Refinery29.

Layered knits lend an effortless, comfy feel to a fashion-forward look.

Recreate her look with a Vince sweater, Splendid cardigan, Elizabeth and James button-down, Vince pants, and Amanda Pearl necklace.

At left, a standout pleated black leather skirt. At right, Lam gave tailored winter jackets an edge by adding leather sleeves.

The Derek Lam show, themed “The Myth of the West” and staged at Capitale’s impressive ballroom, brought some much needed energy to fashion week—a real show with an invigorating soundtrack and snow falling from the ceiling. Black and caramel colors dominated the runway, and though the silhouettes were decidedly western in influence, they still managed to feel very city. As a whole, the collection was the perfect example of chic winter dressing.

Color palette: Caramel, black, and cream with shots of terracotta.
Standout accessories: Fringe belts, ram’s head accents, felt cowboy hats.
Favorite pieces: An impressive shearling coat, jackets with leather sleeves, and a pleated black leather skirt.

--Kate
Shopbop Fashion Director

Photo courtesy of Refinery29.

The fashion week weather is frightful, making warm clothes with sleek lines a must.

Recreate her look with a Theory trench, See by Chloé belt, Rogan snood, Proenza Schouler booties, and Foley + Corinna handbag.

Lesson 1: Natalia Vodianova’s runway walk is worth waiting for. Lesson 2: A little color in your city girl wardrobe is a good thing.

1. Some things are worth waiting for.
And one of those things is Natalia Vodianova’s runway walk. The Russian beauty has been absent from the catwalk for a while, taking time instead to bear children and star in million-dollar campaigns—c’est la vie! But lucky for us, Alexander Wang snagged the supermodel/supermom for a comeback. She opened his show in a Cher Horowitz goes to work for Gordon Gekko-inspired pinstriped mini and thigh-high socks, and closed the show in a black, dare-I-say, trash bag-inspired mini-dress. And like all supermodels who are gorgeous, cool, and otherwise perfect, she indeed looks great even when wearing a trash bag—albeit an uber-hip one by Alexander Wang!

2. Black might be hip, but it won’t get you noticed.
Model Magdalena Frackowiak was easy to spot in the super-crowded sea of black backstage, and not because of her distinguishable heart-shaped face (those cheekbones!), but rather thanks to a little thing generally unknown to Wang-ettes—color! The model’s kelly green retro mini caught my eye. I love that she styled it with a sparkly tucked-in tee—in black, naturally.

Lesson 3: We have It bags and It shoes, and now we’ve got It rings. This one was designed by Gaia Repossi for Alexander Wang.

3. A new term: “It rings.”
Alexander Wang snagged jeweler Gaia Repossi to design the baubles for his fall show, and just as he has a penchant for designing It bags and It shoes, he now brings us the It ring. I died over the 18-karat gold semi-rigid, full-finger ring (pictured above), not to mention the full-cuff bracelets, earrings, and necklaces that adorned the girls. It seems everything Alexander Wang touches turns to gold—quite literally.

Lesson 4: Models are cute. ’Nuff said.

4. Models are cute.
Not really a ground-breaking lesson, but isn’t this photo (above) cute? Models eating (gasp!), chatting (about boys?), and generally looking pretty (it’s their job!).

Slouchy knits meet tailored pieces on the Rag & Bone (left) and VPL runways.

Pair a structured jacket with a soft delicate jersey à la VPL, or hold down a loose, chunky scarf with a wool blazer as seen at Rag & Bone.

--Morgan
Shopbop Senior Stylist

Photo courtesy of Refinery29.

The season’s must-have soft silhouette is balanced with tough accessories.

Recreate her look with a Current/Elliott jacket, Bop Basics tee, slouchy pants, the Alexander Wang Rocco Duffel, and Madison Marcus wedge booties.

Hands down the most talked-about show at New York Fashion Week thus far, Rag & Bone’s first ever women’s-only show (the uber-successful men’s line snagged its own hour on the fashion week calendar) might just be their most covetable collection yet, with an I-can’t-stop-looking-at-it quality that is becoming a rarity for those of us who are oh-so-fashionably jaded. Gucci Westman, Creative Director of Revlon and Creative Director of David Neville (okay not really, but she is his wife—same thing, right?), gave me the lowdown backstage on the just-woke-up-and-rolled-out-of-bed beauty we saw at the show.

“This look is inspired by the individual girl, the strong girl,” she said. “We don’t want her to get lost in the clothes. Like super-real Kate Moss the day after she went out—remnants of eyeliner, the skin is dewy. Like you washed your face with soap but forgot your eyes. I used a Kohl liner and went in with some moisturizer and ripped it in so it looks authentic. These girls are so gorgeous anyways. Everybody looks sexy the day after they go out, even though they might not feel good!”

Right on!

Gucci Westman created a went-to-bed-with-my-makeup-on look for the Rag & Bone fall 2010 runway.

Inspired by the vision of dapper Englishmen attempting to climb Mount Everest in their library tweeds and all their pomp and circumstance, the Rag & Bone fall collection was a study in layering. The looks were complicated in a laid-back way (oh the irony!), requiring each model to have three to four dressers in charge of making sure her knee socks were taut and all those shirts were in place. And lucky for them, messing up the hair was the least of their worries—the messier the better!

Pictured above right, my favorite look of the night (Morgan’s too!). At left, don’t these girls look seriously cool? I feel like they should burst into an Irish jig or something, and in fact, I asked them to! As you can see, I was the only one who found it funny.

Photo courtesy of Refinery29.

The winter white trend in action, brown accessories give the polished look an earthy feel.

Recreate her look with a Twenty8Twelve dress, Equipment blouse, Elizabeth and James blazer, Alexander Wang tote, and brown tights and pumps.

Rock on, L.A.M.B.! Gwen Stefani’s sought-after cool-girl vibe can be felt in every aspect of the apparel (LOVE the updated camo pants), bags, triple wrapped belts, and shoes. I am so into L.A.M.B. for fall 2010.

But back to the L.A.M.B. bags. Each style brings the brand’s signature rocker edge. The watercolor-esque leopard print on nylon (pictured above) may be my number one love. Lightweight, understated, but still leopard! Coming in a close second are the military-inspired leather bags. They’re done in the expected earthy, neutral hues (army green, luxurious camel), but Gwen updates them with exaggerated football stitching and zipper trim. And don’t forget the lace! Who knew your everyday work bag could be this HOT?

Military-inspired, neutral hues are updated with exaggerated football stitching and zipper trim.


Ladylike lace feels provocative when in Gwen Stefani’s hands.

--Kassidy
Shopbop Accessories Buyer

Fall 2010 fashion keeps it in the family with similar tones from head to toe. Whether the layers are varied in texture or the same (see Preen at left), the key to making this look work is to pick one contrasting accessory like a belt or shoe.

—Morgan
Shopbop Senior Stylist

Seen at DKNY and Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti (at left): cocoons, trenches, capes, blazers, vests, and fur coats cinched with classic leather belts in rich caramels and blacks.

—Morgan
Shopbop Senior Stylist

At left, the tee that made the Shopbop buyers’ hearts go boum. At right, the Kiss: possibly the cutest bag ever!

BADA BOUM! Best T-shirt ever? Possibly. One thing is certain: the Rebecca Minkoff presentation had some of the best bags ever. Every girl is going to want to have a bag from the fall 2010 season. Her longtime followers (and there are many of us!) will be hard-pressed to deny adding at least two new styles to their collections!

Every bag got me excited about something, whether it was distressed metallics, updated mini cross-body bags, bucket-style pouches, quilting, or primary brights. I cannot wait until these bags arrive at Shopbop!