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I can't fall asleep tonight, or should I say this morning? In any case, here are some of my favorite Resort 2011 collections - I feel like Resort was really stepped up this year in terms of the quality of the collections. Maybe because it's a legitimate season now?

First up, Cynthia Rowley:

This collection is totally my speed. I love weird ugly sweaters. The length of the dresses feels really fresh, but still totally summery because of the light fabric. Heels + socks forever. And although I couldn't even fit my cell phone into those tiny little purses, I still want one. This whole situation is just counterintuitively sexy.

Celine:

If I were a tall, sassy Italian, I would wear Celine Resort 2011. I've never liked chokers, but I love this futuristic metal dog collar high fashion neck brace - it compliments the belt so unexpectedly well. And the chic racing stripes are just perfect.

The Row:

This collection is so weird and wonderful...it manages to be beautiful without possessing a single shred of prettiness. The pieces remind me of really awesome thrift store finds - a little off-kilter and very personal. I can see a certain type of girl wearing these clothes and really making them her own. MK and A really know what's up, and I admire them for not churning out safe, trend-following minidresses and YSL Tribute-knockoffs. But really, what could be expected of the Olsens besides total fabulousness?

Missoni:

Missoni gets me every time. I just love their prints! I really like the aesthetic for this collection, too...it's sort of Masai-warrior Mod? I really don't want to use the words "tribal" or "ethnic" to describe this trend - to me, those terms just radiate exoticization and stereotyping. They blend the hundreds of different cultures that inspired the designs into a big pool of foreignness, and help widen the already huge chasm between "us" as Westerners, and "them". To me, this collection just seems eclectic. The print on the first dress is blinding, but I could still see someone like Twiggy wearing it in the 1960's. Also, I need the shoes.

Proenza Schouler:

Jack and Lazaro totally delivered, as per usual. I love the asymmetry that became a common theme throughout the collection, how beautiful is that first jacket? Once again, my obsession with button-down shirts is gratified - they really do layer them under everything. The Navajo-ish prints are pretty perfect (the only piece I didn't like was the quasi-drug rug that was the third or fourth look, I think. What?) The shoes were a little Demeulemeester, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Very autumnal and mellow. Love.

Roksanda Ilincic:

I've never heard of Roksanda before, but I loved her resort pieces! The maribou trim popped up everywhere, it's so pretty and feminine, and the way she mixed this sunny yellow with navy blue sort of hinted at nautical inspiration without resorting to sailor stripes and anchors and little white hats. So cute!

Unless something dramatic and groundbreaking happens in the next few days, this is probably my last post about Resort 2011...it was a good run.

affairs to remember

I love pre-fall! Viewing the collections is so much fun when they're staged in a controlled environment that accurately reflects the designer's vision, versus the less perfect, variable-ridden surroundings of a fashion show. I found a lot of them to be sort of lackluster this time around, though...Tuleh, a label I have always liked purely because their name is adorable, featured some of the ugliest clothes I have seen in a while. They surpassed "youthful" and carried on straight into sloppy, infantilizing, and awkward. Lots of others just showed boring, hashed-out looks that are being ripped off at Forever21 as we speak. But a few labels did manage to pull out the best sort of pre-fall...wearable, but pretty enough to top wishlists and empty wallets.

Lanvin never disappoints. I love the way Alber (obviously, we are on a first-name basis) oscillated between "severe Russian nun with a jewelry and tassel fetish"...
...and "top to toe batty-but-chic leopard print lady". Personally, I would dress like either one in a hearbeat.

Everyone's all atwitter about this Proenza collection, which is TOTALLY valid...it's pretty much perfect. I mean, who doesn't love a good jumper?

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Lazaro and Jack (also my bffs) do the best blues...judging from collections past, that is a leather skirt. sign me UP. Also, I don't think I'll ever be over the socks-scrunched-over-sexy-shoes thing.

LV was sort of...cartoonish? I really do love this dress though, and although those boots are pretty dubious I LOVE the kneesocks.

Missoni was sort of exactly like the last two collections, but less subtle. But who doesn't want to dress like this?
Perfect coats, knit bows, BEAUTIFUL shoes, and those amazing leggingtights.

And finally, Thakoon...I have a giant soft spot for Thakoon,everything he designs is just whimsical enough to make me fall head over heels. I adore the fringe motif and petal-shaped skirts that keep appearing, and who doesn't love a good nautical stripe?
This is the sort of monochrome I could actually stand a chance at pulling off.
So pretty! And it's nice to remember in the depths of January that spring is not so far off...