NYFW: Three Collections I Dig and Why

As I have lamented previously, I find it tricky to think about what I'm going to be wearing NEXT Spring/Summer when I've barely broken out fall jackets for this year yet. But that certainly does not mean that I don't love drooling over the Fashion Month collections...after all, it's not like I'm going to be able to afford these exact pieces anyway, so really, who cares about specifics like seasons, right?

As much as everyone likes to speak about "trends" on the runway, which I'm certainly in favor of because it gives us plebeian folk something to takeaway for when we're shopping off the rack, I find that the designers I am typically drawn to are those who have their own aesthetic that largely eschews trends in favor of something more distinctive that carries over from season to season. Mara Hoffman is a perfect example of this - her colorful, kaleidoscopic prints and true bohemian flavor could be picked out across a crowded room, but yet never run the risk of feeling tired. The flowing gowns, cutouts, and contrasting patterns she sent down the runway for S/S 2014 are no exception.

I just love everything about this. It's effortlessly glamorous and sexy without trying too hard...basically everything I strive for when getting dressed.

I love the contrast of the printed belt with the tie-die. It's unexpected and it really works. I really, really want to add a belt like this to my life, like, ASAP.

This dress is classic Mara Hoffman -  a great print on a super sexy silhouette.

AWAVEAWAKE is a younger brand which I had never heard of until this season when they were featured in ARTINFO's "Rookies to Watch" List. And with good reason! Simple, unfussy silhouettes in  pretty, understated colors totally fit with what I want to be wearing in the warmer months. These dresses will translate easily from catwalk to sidewalk and hopefully to a few red carpets.

I'm a sucker for a nice, pale dusty rose color. And I love that these separates can be mixed and matched  in the spirit of how most of us actually build our wardrobes.

This color! What would you call it? Does it even matter?

Just PRETTY. I could see a very bohemian bride wearing this with a crown of flowers (of course).

Marissa Webb, now in her third season, began her career as a designer at J.Crew. Her timeless, feminine, work-appropriate collection takes the J.Crew vibe to a more high-fashion level. In my opinion, she designs for the "every woman" (okay, maybe the every woman with a very large bank account) - a normal girl who wants to look stylish and pulled together without having to put a lot of planning into it. Simultaneously classic and modern, these looks would be super easy to pull off in everyday life.

This is playful and pretty, without sacrificing interest.

Relaxed, professional, and yet still edgy. This is what every woman wants to wear to work.

And this is what every woman wants to wear to Fashion Week. THOSE SHOES. Get at me.

Hello again, shoes. This is what I think every woman would like to wear for a night out - it's sexy and skin-bearing, without ever veering into slutty territory.

So, there you have it. Three collections I would sell an internal organ on the black market in order to take home. Well, not really. I mean, maybe. You only really NEED one kidney to live, right? And what a stylish, single-kidney'd life it would be....