Just Lovely

You know, I've always liked Proenza Schouler (for as long as they've been around, anyway--they're so young), but I think that their recent collection was especially fantastic. The stuff is still distinctively Proenza Schouler (can you tell that how cohesive a design line looks is important to me? Well, it is. Designer should have to earn the right to have their name known specifically over someone else. But anyhow), but they've moved away from the graphic, almost 60's inspired looks that they were doing in the past. I mean, I love them always for bringing tulip skirts back, but it was just time to move on--don't worry though, you can still wear the tulip skirts you bought in the fall. Yep, I think you could even buy them now.

Look at the first picture. First of all, the deep jewel-tone purple is drop-dead gorgeous. Second, everyone is always trying to do gritty-pretty or gritty-elegant, or gritty-refined, or gritty-whatever, but it often just looks stupid and self-conscious or wrong. Marc Jacobs usually gets it right, but not many other do. Proenza Schouler did. Here, just look at the detailing on the front of the first dress. The clasps are shiny enough not to look out of place on the dress, but dull enough to still look a little industrial. The folds of fabric all around in tone down the effect of the clasps, but they're big enough to still be pretty prominent. Exposed clasps are even a little deconstructionist. I love intellectual fashion.

Even though I'm quite taken with the dresses (actually, I'm all about dresses and skirts for spring, whcih is odd for me, because jeans are my uniform), this coat is the standout, the statement piece. People would listen to a person in this coat. It just screams "authority!" It's sophisticated and biker-chich, two terms that I never though I'd use in the same sentence, two terms that I'll probably never use together ever again. Somehow, though, it still manages to be to be pretty and feminine, and while, granted, it's on a size 00 model, it's very figure-flattering. It has a lovely silhouette. The use of accessories is pretty damn impressive, too. It's damn tough to pair brown and black, especially when both are in such large proportions, but this really works. I'm guessing it's because the brown is such a rich, warm, almost wine-colored tone. Or maybe it's just because Proenza Schouler is brilliant.