The Best Of The Rest

Well, dear readers, you saw my take on New York Fashion Week a few weeks back. It was okay, but nothing really inspired me to rethink my fashion paradigm, you know? Likewise, I paid only tangential attention (try saying that three times fast!) to London, Milan, and Paris 'cause I had a little thing called the Fashion of Goodwill occupying my time.

As I've looked back over the collections, a few pieces have struck my eye. Overall, I don't think we're going to experience a sea change in the way we dress for spring. And let's be honest: the clothing that hits the runways affects most of us only in the ways that it trickles down to mass retailers who can produce pieces in prices that the average gal and guy can afford.

That being said, though, here are some of my favorite designers and their outfits that are inspiring me for spring (in alphabetical order, 'cause that's how I roll). What can I say unites them all? Two words: color and pattern. The true fashionistas will be saying goodbye to monochromatic looks in pastels and earth tones come warmer weather. You'll have to take a chance to pull of these looks, but isn't that what real style is all about? Bring it on!

Oh, my beloved Balenciaga! Can you do no wrong? Well, yes, you can. Because those arm-restricting dresses you showed at the beginning of your show were nothing to write home about. But this jacket is simply mah-velous! The colors and pattern are futuristic without being kitschy. Love it!

Costello Tagliapietra's ankle-grazing dress continues my beloved trend of longer hemlines. And the pattern feels really fresh and new. Combined with the fact that the two designers look like Paul Bunyan's more sartorially gifted cousins, the uniqueness of this look is not to be ignored. (And yes, they showed in New York, but I missed them the first time around!)

Sequined exoskeleton? Check. Built-in necklace? Check. Pac-man pattern? Check. Must be Giles. Honestly, the DCGF loves a bit of whimsy in her clothing, espcially dresses with such an otherwise lady-like silhouette. Let's hope this look inspires a new line at Hot Topic, eh?

Hey...how come this dress wasn't part of the GO International collection at Target? Ha. 'Tis okay. I still love Jonathan Saunders anyway. I generally shy away from rainbows in clothing. It just seems a bit overkill. But this gorgeous dress - with its wide collar and flutter sleeves - hits all the right notes without being too much.

*****WARNING: This is what happens when prints go bad.*****

Ohne Titel! You gals! What the... I mean... How? I... Arghh...! Nevermind.

Two things I love about this Sinha-Stanic multi-hued frock: the colors and the shape. How comfortable does this dress look? Sure, it take a certain gal to pull of the no-waistband look, but I, for one, am willing to give it a try. And this palette would flatter so many skin tones.

And last - but not least! - it's Viktor & Rolf and all of their wacky goodness. Call me crazy, but whether they're making dresses out of bedspreads or tacking huge messages onto outerwear, there's just something about the duo's work that speaks to this fashionista. The colors and asymmetrical lines of this dress are so fun for spring. And is it me, or did Shalom Harlow eat a sandwich over the summer? Good for her!

Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on ebay.com funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.