This Amaya Dress by Prana is extremely versatile. Use is to dance the night away on Caribbean cruise or just wear it to a neighbor’s BBQ this weekend. The Veeda fabric moves with you, wicks away moisture, and dries quickly. It is the perfect summer dress, very flattering and comfortable, the dress is slimming, and skims over any “problem areas.”
Over the years the leather harness has been seen as part of fashion but it is until just recently that they were less of a sexual or fetish issue. Bondage fetish fashion has been around for years and pioneered by Madonna in the early 90s. The fashion trend appeared again in 2009 when it was all about leather, studs and chains. Now it has become something a little more classic and refined. It is still a fetish item but more luxurious in design.
Essentially a harness is a contraption that attaches a belt to a collar choker on the neck in some way. On the runway this spring it was seen without the studs and buckles in a flat thin leather augmenting long sweeping silk gowns. Designer Ann Emeulemeeester envisioned it as an asymmetrical belt with several bands that stream up in one sheath of leather over the neck and that is worn with a long grey silk gown and pieces of floating shawl threaded through the asymmetrical bands.
Max Azria for BCBG concocted a leather harness without metal that attached in a V from the neck to the waist and was embellished with black lace. This was worn over a long bright white very formal looking gown with a boat neck.
Diesel Black Gold featured a harness in white canvass attached by netting, ties and zippers and pouches so that it resembles a vest. This subtle and quite wearable bondage look is a throwback to the nineties when bondage style clothing was a real street look. This Diesel version features the vest fitted over a white sheer dress.
D-Squared has also featured a unique look that is a harness created out of black leather studded cutouts. This type of harness is made to look more haute couture because it is worn over a flouncy silk dress and also with a ton of heavy pearl jewelry.
Max Azria turned the whole idea of the harnesses into a high-end leather vest complete with a criss cross of wide leather straps. These harness-like vest were worn over the brand’s signature black and flesh colored bandage dress.
Some harnesses seen on spring runways were surprisingly dainty and looked almost like suspenders. Jason Wu featured two very thin black leather straps attached to a thin belt over a pink peplum dress. Worn with sheer net gloves and stiletto sandals with sheer net socks the look was naughty but nice all at the same time.
This Python Print Chiffon Maxi Dress by Vince Camuto has fine gathers around a golden neckline that ease the cutaway bodice of a sweeping maxi dress. It is awashed in muted hues illuminating an exotic print. A drawstring waist anchors the billowing silhouette.
The Bohemian look is back for this Spring. This is a look that does not seem to die. It originated in the late fifties and comes back for a season once or twice each decade. Each time the Bohemian look, also known as the Boho look, comes back it is additionally modernaized with new signature elements. Everything from long maxi dresses to big floppy haps to lace and floral prints from India are back in the stores this summer.
It has been ages since we have seen anything head to toe in tan sued. However St. Laurent’s Spring 2013 collection features exactly that. Yves St. Laurent featured a tan jacket and dress with tight long sleeves, a buttoned bodice with threading, patched pockets and a waist tie. He also featured a flour length floral dress with big puffy sleeves and a ruffled neck that was tied with sash with curtain closure style tassels. All of the Yves St. Laurent models word e the same huge blue felt hat with a huge brim.
This year’s Boho style is uniquely gentle with an almost fairy-like silhouette. Models from Blugirl wear a circlet of flowers around the head along with a blouson style dress. Pinks, peaches and flesh tones with sheer overlayers and underlayers were prevalent along with larger “painted looking” floral prints. Many designers also showed good old fashoned smocked dresses with above-the –knee length and tight French cuffs.
Some designers were showing crimped looking silhouettes empire waists and gold Indian braiding. Painted florals and whimsical braided hems adorned the fabrics.
Rachel Zoe did a little more formalized version of the Bohemian look. This cleaned up version featured models wearing large broad brimmed black hats with long silky dresses. The models wore ultra modern fanny packs made out of shiny vinyl.
Light fabrics, lace detailing and paisley prints wren seen on many runways in the form of both lightweight see-through pantsuits and long dresses. Vanessa Bruno showed these prints along with tan sandals. Some of the carefree silk pant suits show by Versace were comfortable, cool yet statement making. Although these were Bohemian looks they were polished and made couture enough to wear anywhere. Tie dyed silks with flared sleeves were characteristic of the Versace looks. His long loose top were cinched with detailed silver belts and apron necklaces made out of sparkling threads and coins.