PEAKED SHOULDERS

Blame it on the still-lingering ’80s vibe, but designers gave us girls the bold shoulder for fall. Catherine Malandrino toughened up her arty dresses by adding excessively puffed sleeves, while both Marc Jacobs and Katy Rodriguez sharpened their new-wave silhouettes with sharply peaked shoulders. The result? A painfully chic look for the fearless sartorialist.

FLAPPER

While threat of a recession hovers on the horizon, for fall, designers channel the heady joie-de-vie spirit of the early 1920s. Diane von Furstenberg looked to Berlin’s smoky jazz clubs for inspiration for her seductive pieces, while at Baby Phat, models wore flapper-style shifts a touch shorter than the original flirty styles. Meanwhile, Monique Lhuillier topped whispy feathered skirts with gilded accents for a decadent look that would suit any Fitzgerald heroine.

COCOON COATS

Girls on-the-go can finally breathe a sigh of relief: Gone are the cinched-waist, buttoned-up coats of previous seasons. Designers including Marc Jacobs and Narciso Rodriguez cut their outerwear silhouettes away from the body, creating breezy cocoon-like shapes. The resulting look makes stockinged legs seem long and lean—just the thing to show off one’s killer new boots, heels, or wedges.

NEO-CONSERVATIVE

Who knew! Peter Som, Michael Kors, and Diane von Furstenberg are all members of the conservative party—or so their fall collections would lead you to believe. The leaders of New York’s fashion scene all whipped up sweet neo-’50s styles, from kitten heels and knee-length silk shifts to cashmere coats in the palest of pastels—all things surely Lady Bird Johnson would have approved off.

MEDIEVAL

Covered in chain mesh and emblazoned with silver studs, the latest embellished looks harken back to Sir Lancelot’s time. Sending her models down the runway in gray hoods and boldly studded dresses, Abaeté’s Laura Poretzky put a feminine spin on the knight-in-shining armor look, while Narciso Rodriguez offered up bold silver frocks to suit the modern-day style crusaders.

PLAID

Not since the (oft-referenced) Kurt Cobain grunge collection Marc Jacobs whipped up for Perry Ellis in the mid ’90s has plaid felt so au courant. Designers as playful as Charlotte Ronson and as proficient as Thakoon Panichgul all experimented with the timeless crisscross patterns, updating them with watercolor washes and punk accessories.

BOW BLOUSES

Be they tight and tiny or impressively voluminous, bows have replaced the necklace as the upper-body accent of choice. The Proenza Schouler duo topped off nearly all their silk blouses with double-knotted wonders, while Thakoon added gauzy scarf-like numbers to enhance his ladylike looks. So why get wrapped up in this neckwear trend? Simple: By tying one on, you look pulled-together instantly.

OVERSIZE KNITS

Sculptural, oversize cable knits and off-the-shoulder cashmere sweaters have replaced the wool coat for fall ’08. Though the change gives a nod to the global-warming-influenced mild winter temperatures, the knit-wit styles provide the coziest cold-weather look in recent seasons.

WESTERN

Designers explored Western territory for fall—and who can blame them? The wild West has a rich lode of sartorial references to mine. Ralph Lauren, a pioneer of the American cowboy look, played with Navajo prints, Pendleton-inspired plaid wools, and lodge-ready gear. Anna Sui envisioned a Pocahontas as a party-girl, one complete with fringe boots and beaded cocktail frocks. Rachel Roy kept her Manifest Destiny outlook subtle, opting for richly textured pieces, including cozy ponchos that would work in any state.

NEW LOOK GOWNS

Paralleling the neo-conservative daywear trend, designers envisioned prim-and-proper evening gowns for fall. The many one-shoulder numbers—like those from Sari Gueron and Tracy Reese—paid homage to Christian Dior’s iconic New Look silhouette. With a universally flattering cut, the classic style is just the thing for a Tinseltown starlet or prom queens looking for a little Old Hollywood glamour.

ROSETTES

Designers want us to stop and, if not smell, at least stare at the roses this season—which is easy enough to do. Festooned with crimson blooms, Marchesa’s intensely romantic dresses turned many well-coiffed heads during Fashion Week. At Herve Leger, sculpture-like accents provided a fresh contrast to the house’s signature bandage-style dresses, while Vera Wang clumped bouquets of gently draped fleurs to her coat lapels, boutonniere-style.

LUXE SHEARLING

Designers gave shearling, that classic cold-weather staple, a sophisticated makeover for fall. Oscar de la Renta layered his with gilded accents while Rebecca Taylor and Anna Sui topped off their ’70s bohemian dresses with the kind of richly embellished vests that would have made Stevie Nicks proud.

RUST-COLORED GOWNS

Stash the little black dress in the back of your closet: ‘Tis the season for liquidlike column gowns in rich rust colors. Monique Lhuillier, Phillip Lim, and Halston’s Marco Zanini all skipped over basic black and white in lieu of the decidedly autumnal hue—and since the shade is flattering on nearly all skin shades, you may too.

 *For more & for the all-important photo info, go here.

Technorati Tags: New York Fashion Week, Runway Shows, Fall Trends, Fall 2008

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