2006 Picks

The Spring 2006 Ready-to-Wear Collection showcase came and conquered, rushing fashion enthusiasts, designers, stylists, buyers and everyone who’s anyone in the fashion scene towards an exciting pilgrimage to Paris, New York and Milan. As most of us could only dream of being delivered an invite to one of the prestigious shows (and rub shoulders with Marc Jacobs), scouring through the detailed daily coverage and reports provided by websites such as Style, Vogue, JC Report is the next best thing to ooh-ing and aah-ing over the designs in actual place. It may not be front row seat it but hey, at least the runaway is brought closer.

Having religiously gone through the Pradas and the Versaces, here is the list of my favourite picks from the recent Spring 2006 Ready-to-Wear Collection.


The cropped jacket



Jackets are one of the best ways to dress up a simple outfit and on top of the list is the cropped jacket. It is meant to fall just around the waist, with the sleeves falling just below the elbow or shorter (which is great if you wish to make your arms look slimmer and longer). What makes the cropped jacket special, hence a must have, is that it goes with almost anything; dresses, skirts, jeans and even bermuda shorts. Let’s just hope Spring chill lingers a little longer.

The flirty frock



Thanks to Carrie Bradshaw and Charlotte York of Sex and the City, dresses and frocks are making a comeback. Reminscient of the 50s glam, these full dresses are flirty yet depict a demure image (most of the latest designs have hems just at the knee level or below). Take your pick from a selection of styles; boob tube, spagetthi strap or halter neck and pair it with great heels (of contrasting colour, of course) and you're set to make heads turn.

The stripes



Love them or hate them, stripes are classic. Horizontal and vertical lines of different shades have been making reappearances on the runaways again and again, that we are certain to have at least one or two stripy pieces hanging in our closet. Recent fashion shows were flooded with stripes again; stripy jackets, tops, dresses and many more. Stripes are great investments, its timeless look is almost guaranteed to never go out of style; provided you match them right. So remember, for your next shopping trip, be sure to get 'in line'.

The rich, dark hues



As cliché as it sounds, black is back; threading the runaways looking all glam and chic (e.g Balenciaga, Jean Paul Gaultier). From Victorian to Russian, black is all ‘in’ again, wrapped together with other rich, dark tones such as purple, midnight blue, teal, moss green and the likes. The idea here is to throw in just one or two dark pieces into your ensemble. Think dark colours too sombre for spring? Add embellishments such as glittering brooches or accessorize with bright necklaces to create a spring-y effect.

The belted waist



If Audrey Hepburn epitomises beauty and grace, then waistlines should be the epitome of femininity. Famous not only for her Oscar-winning roles but also for her tiny waistline, Audrey Hepburn did us all a favour by affirming the power of cinched waist. Waistlines are looking sexy again this coming season with fashion big names like Burberry choosing to adorn their creations with ribbons, sashes and belts of all colours and sizes. Party princesses, make a mark with rich fabric like satin and organza in colours like wine, deep cherry and gold.

The all-white ensemble



Chaste and pure. These are some of the descriptions that traditionally come along the colour white. In the present day however (what with Madonna’s Like a Virgin’s video), white has broken free (well, almost) from the purity it was born with. With plenty of sexy lace and corset tops, Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring/Summer 06 presentation of white for example, seems more sophisticatedly cheeky than virginal. The coming season shall see white blooming further, with designers bringing more white to their colour palettes.

Photo credits:
Style
Vogue