One of the hardest parts of going back to school is how quickly my work is interrupted by New York Fashion Week.  I know I should crack a textbook, get started on an assignment or two, but it’s nearly impossible to focus with pictures from an endless number of talented designer collections.  Add in Style.com’s iPhone app and I’m even having trouble staying focused in class.

Thanks a lot, Fashion Week.

And now that the week is done and I’ve spent every last second of it drooling over flowy dresses and a whole lot of bare bellies, it’s time to narrow down the best of the best from this year’s Spring Fashion Week. It was exceptionally difficult to choose favorites (it seemed like every single designer pulled out all the stops and created nearly perfect collections this year!), but using a very scientific formula (a scale ranging from “I’d totes wear that” to “I’d cut out my own kidneys and sell them on the Black Market to buy that”) I’ve determined this year’s Fashion Week Designer All-Stars.

Sorry, Marc Jacobs and Tory Burch – I really did love your collections – but as Iman (of Canada’s Next Top Model) would say: you just didn’t make the cut.

[Click on the images to see the entire collection.]

Anna Sui

After twenty years in the fashion biz, Anna Sui continues to stay true to her design aesthetic in this collection with cute baby dolls in gorgeous patterns.  The free-flowing pieces fit into the theme of ’70s inspired fashion seen throughout Fashion Week while still managing to stay modern and totally wearable in 2011 . The whole collection was flirty and feminine with fringe and feather accents complementing every look. In other words (or Rachel Zoe’s words….), Anna Sui Spring 2011 is major.

DKNY

The DKNY Spring show created a list of must-have items for the college girl.  Though other collections have bits and pieces us college girls might take inspiration from, DKNY is truly targeted at our age group.  Smart investment pieces (hello, khaki trench!) alongside fun prints and feminine ruffles show the perfect way to dress: combining the classic basics we can wear for our whole college career (and beyond) with youthful pieces in bright colors to add some zing to your wardrobe.

Tracy Reese

The trend of ’70s inspired fashion continued into Tracy Reese’s collection.  This woman knows how to work a print and knows how to do it well. With everything from watercolors to ethnic prints and even tie-dye, Tracy Reese brought out the drama in a way Betsy Johnson could never understand. Read: with elegance and class. I want it all!

Vera Wang

I’ll start out by saying I LOVE the rope knotted belts in this collection. And the quilting. And the layering. And the mixture of feminine and masculine pieces. And the homage to Kill Bill. OK, so there’s pretty much nothing about Vera’s collection that I didn’t love. Except maybe the price tag.

Vivienne Tam

If white cotton lace and crochet dresses are a sign of Spring, then Vivienne Tam should sponsor the season. Her whole collection had a light, airy, feminine feel. The florals, fluttery sleeves and open backs were incredibly classy while at the same time being totally relaxed. Fall has barely begun but Ms. Tam already has me thinking spring and planning my outfits for when the snow finally melts.

Which designer collections were your favorites?

Move over Rodarte sisters, Jean Paul Gaultier is taking over everyone’s favorite store and the wait is finally over. On Sunday, March 7^th, Gaultier’s collaboration with Target will be available in 250 stores nationwide.

But with rumors of the line not being confirmed until October of 2009, the buzz may have been bigger than the line itself.  Consisting of 20 looks, the line will only be available in a fraction of Target stores for about 5 weeks (until April 11^th).  If you don’t happen to live near a chosen location, don’t fret; thank God for the World Wide Web.

Gaultier is following in the footsteps of several designers including the late Alexander McQueen and Anna Sui.  The series of designer collaborations has inspired a cheap-chic movement, allowing the average American woman to feel of a higher status without breaking the bank.  Each designer has been inspired by a certain fashion icon or muse to distinguish their lines from the rest.

So who will Gaultier’s line represent?  According to Target, the line will pay tribute to the American woman, and reflect style of past and present pop culture.  Infamously known as Madonna’s costume designer, we would expect Gaultier to produce variations of corsets, crazy colors, and God willingly a pointy-bra in the collection.  Also, as one of the first designers to introduce innerwear as outwear into mainstream fashion, elements of this style were shoe-ins to the collection.  Or so we all thought. Much to everyone’s surprise, none of the looks reflect anything of Madge status, and there are no signs of structured innerwear anywhere, which Gaultier has been showing on the runways for seasons.

Instead, the collection features classic patterns of stripes and checkers in variations of dresses with little to no structure.  Each “look” consists of about three different pieces that seem plain or “done before” when pulled apart from each other.  The only piece that represents Gaultier’s aesthetic is the “mesh tattoo-print leggings.”  However, instead of translating to edgy street-style, they look cheap and cheesy.  If paired with the wrong dress, they may even come across as trashy.  Some of his graphic t-shirts are interesting, but are no different than t-shirts found in any other mass-market retail store.

As far as price point, while the collection is affordable, it is not cheap by any means.  The cropped leather jacket is priced at $200 (!!), and is not substantial enough to be a staple in any wardrobe.  For the rest, each item does not seem expensive (typically $30-$60), but to create each look as they are being presented, you would have to purchase about three pieces.  According to my outstanding math skills acquired in Calculus, this means that each outfit is roughly $100 or more.

Even if Jean Paul Gaultier is printed on the tags, it may not be worth it.  Take a look and see yourself!

Lucky for me, metallics have been all the rage for the last few years and the fashion gods have decided to keep it around for yet another season! And I can see why; a metallic piece adds instant glam to an outfit. And you don’t even need much. A little shine goes a long way, whether it’s on a shoe, in a bag, or across an entire dress.

Of course, metallic pieces are perfecto for New Year’s Eve. There’s no better way to start 2010 than with a hot metallic mini-dress or a slammin’ metallic skirt. If that’s a bit too much for you, there’s a wide variety of shiny accessories out there that can add some heat to any look. And with retailers slashing their prices big time, many of these fabulous pieces will cost pennies, putting a very small dent in your Christmas money (and leaving enough for overpriced New Year’s tickets).  Lookin’ for a little shine? Here’s some of the best out there.

Most guys we know stay up late dreaming of the day they might end up in a giant orgy with beautiful women. We, however, lie awake at night dreaming of a closet full of beautiful clothes. To the left, a wall of shoes. To the right, shelf upon shelf of delicately handcrafted bags organized by color and size.

Sigh.
We all have our fantasies.

Since guys can turn to the interwebs to get their daily fantasy fix, we thought you should, too! So, we’re bringing you some fashion porn. The best of the best in all things fashionable. Sure, it may be out of your price range, but it’s a fantasy, so live it up in all its delicious glory.

One pattern that has been hot this season is the floral print. Florals are no longer just for your grandmother’s couch.  Or housecoat.  Or drapes. You get the point… There are many, many ways to embrace this trend.  While you can go big with a loud, fabulous floral dress, if that’s not your thing, you can go subtle with a floral accessory.

It’s that easy. And I’m totally smitten with flowers, flowers everywhere.

Florals are fun! Florals just scream summer! And florals are even versatile enough to work when the snow starts to fall. How can you not love them?! There are plenty of options out there for working florals into your wardrobe (and not your furnishings), so you will definitely find something to love. Here is just a delicious taste of what is out there. Enjoy.

I love Gossip Girl. Ever since I heard Kristin Bell’s first “xoxo” back in 2007, I’ve been hooked. GG’s got it all: drama, scandal, hot men, and adorable outfits. The thing about those outfits, however amazing they may be, is that they can be super expensive. So, when I heard that Anna Sui was designing a Gossip Girl inspired collection for Target, I had high hopes and was immediately excited. I even contemplated camping out at my neighborhood Target American-Idol-style the night before the line was released. But after spotting the collection online, I’m torn.

Love it:

Variety – I love that Anna decided to make a collection that showcases the style of all four Gossip Girl ladies: Blair, Serena, Jenny, and Vanessa. With the GG line, you have the opportunity to mix and match with different pieces inspired by each character, or just pick your favorite. I don’t know about you, but some days I’m a Blair and the next I’m Vanessa, so I like a collection that takes this change in style into account.

Price – Though specific prices for Anna’s collection haven’t been announced yet, it’s making it’s debut at Target, so it will definitely be budget-friendly. I might have loved the Marc Jacobs Joelle dress that Blair wore to the white party, but I most definitely do not like the price tag, or the fact that it is now sold out.

Wearability – Although I would love to be able to prance around campus in 5 inch stilettos and shirts dresses everyday a la Ms. Van Der Woodsen, it just is not practical for me. Short hemlines + tall shoes = disaster waiting to happen. Luckily though, Anna Sui found a way to emulate S’s (and B, Little J, and V’s) style in a more everyday fashion. It would be so easy to pull on any of these dresses over tights, leggings or a hot pair of socks and make them your own.

Loathe it:

Translation – Although the collection has some great looks, many of the pieces seem to have been lost in translation, or don’t fit the character’s they were inspired by. Whether this was an attempt to keep costs down, or if the design team only watched a few episodes of Gossip Girl, I’m not sure. Whatever the case though, some of these outfits are just plain weird. Serena’s outfit with the fitted bermuda shorts with bows and a vest, Vanessa’s puffy vest, Jenny’s textured tights and tie-up shirt, and pretty much all of Blair’s looks just don’t get it right; something’s off. (Perhaps the designers?)

Lack of pants – Gossip Girl by Anna Sui (or whatever they’re officially calling this line) undeniably offers some great skirts and dresses, but that’s pretty much it.  What about the skinny jeans? Shorts? Leggings? I realize that most of the outfits on the show are feminine and formal, but Serena, Vanessa, and our favorite bad girl Georgina most definitely rock pants from time to time.

Vanessa’s Looks – Why oh why are all of V’s outfits the same shades of brown, orange, and yellow?! Though she doesn’t have an Upper East Side sense of style, Vanessa’s outfits on the show are still colorful and generally pretty cute. Or at least different! Liquid leggings, a denim mini, and hot pink patent Doc Marten’s? That’s Vanessa. 70′s print orange and brown? Not so much. This girl loves neon!

So, Anna’s line is definitely slightly flawed, but it’s also the closest I’m ever going to get to an UES wardrobe. I’m so torn. What do you think??

XOXO,
CollegeCandy Girl

[Most guys we know stay up late dreaming of the day they might end up in a giant orgy with beautiful women. We, however, lie awake at night dreaming of a closet full of beautiful clothes. To the left, a wall of shoes. To the right, shelf upon shelf of delicately handcrafted bags organized by color and size.

Sigh.
We all have our fantasies.

Since guys can turn to the interwebs to get their daily fantasy fix, we thought you should, too! So, we’re bringing you some fashion porn. The best of the best in all things fashionable. Sure, it may be out of your price range, but it’s a fantasy, so live it up in all its delicious glory.]

Dresses are to me as naked ladies are to boys: irresistible. And sexy. And the pictures I look at most on the internet. Though they are often associated with special occasions – probably due to the puffy versions with crinoline underskirts young girls were forced into – they don’t have to be.  In fact, dresses are pretty much the easiest piece of fashion around: just slip it on and go.  They have been quite popular for a few seasons now, which means there is something out there for everyone…or a million different somethings out there for each of us. Get your drool on below: