The Sunniest of Outlooks for NYFW

Veronique Branquinho coat

As New York City continues to suffer from an epic mess of weather related indignities, so begins Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.  As this is to be my first foray into the “tents” of Lincoln Center and beyond, I am excited (make that giddy), to see what is on the runway as well as what (or who) is watching the runway from the sidelines.  Wednesday, as I was trudging and dodging as many slush puddles as possible, on my way up Madison Avenue from midtown I was engrossed in my usual perusal of store windows, half in the interest of finding something I like and half hoping I wouldn’t have success with the former but that something would inspire me creatively for a blog post.

J Crew

Actually, both happened in the form of a neon yellow toggle coat in the window of J. Crew, a store I don’t think I’ve actually ever popped into in my travels.  It was the bright hue which jogged my senses on this bleak winter day and reminded me of those first spring crocuses (crocii?) which will be here before we know it despite what the damn groundhog says.

Cesira chartreuse coat from Moda Operandi

I have always loved a bright yellow coat and don’t mind walking around like a human highlighter, thanks for asking.  Whether it’s a more golden marigold color or the chartreuse of the page of a 3rd grader’s textbook, I think it makes a lot of sense this time of year to break out of the gray/black wardrobe monotony with a color that signals both resplendence and “caution.”

Vionnet on sale for $969 from The Corner

I plan to practice caution at fashion week and try to keep my wits about me when I’m experiencing the almost certain sensory overload that I’m expecting from the shows.   It will be interesting to see how much of a “circus like” atmosphere prevails after IMG’s attempts to reign it all in and keep the “riff-raff” out.  Since I’m without a past reference point or baseline, I’m afraid (another meaning of “yellow”) the bar for “crazy” will be set fairly low. Also, especially curious to see how show attendees deal with the stiletto-unfriendly conditions that are currently plaguing our normally fair city; still named as the fashion capital of the world according to the Daily Mail (yes, Paris is a close 2nd).  I’m prepared to see some interesting sights, some creative apparel hook-ups and maybe even some cheerful and bold yellow statement coats; sure to be a “highlight” of my week.

Laurel Marcus

OG journo major who thought Strunk & White's "The Elements of Style" was a fashion guide. Desktop comedienne -- the world of fashion gives me no shortage of material.

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