This is a synopsis of what went down the runways Fall 2010, in anticipation of this Spring. Fair warning, I’m only going to highlight the looks that stood out to me, that I would be likely to buy, recreate, or wear in some iteration myself. And, I’m going to do this by designer, rather than trend, because there are always a few designers that really speak to me each season. You should know that I will almost always choose a neutral over a bright, a solid over a floral, straight over ruffles, and structured over drapey. That being said, let’s start with color. Each season, Pantone releases their Top 10 picks for color trends. Here’s what they say for this Spring:

Pantone's Spring 2011 Palette- Click here to get to the Pantone announcement

There’s a lot of room for maneuvering in this palette, and the runways showed some unexpected combinations. Pink and orange (honeysuckle and coral rose) are going to be a persistent theme through the rest of this year. In fact, Pantone has named Honeysuckle as the 2011 color of the year. And for a girl who has despised pink most of her life, I’m not all that offended by the choice.

Carolina Herrera and  Barbara Tfank are my go-tos for classic, feminine looks. Tfank’s collections are small, and her clothing is generally simple, but her total woman concept is outstanding- and also consistent with most of the other looks I talk about with my movie reviews. Herrera dresses the woman that I truly want to be: style and elegance that takes some effort, but looks natural. If I had unlimited funds, I would probably wear Herrera every day of my life.

*All images are from Style.com, and all the pictures link to the rest of the collection at Style.com

Barbara Tfank Spring 2011

Carolina Herrera Spring 2011

I love her so much she gets two posts!

Now, if I want some drama, I love me some Alexander McQueen. The Spring show was a hallmark as the first show taken over by Sarah Burton after McQueen’s suicide. This show was much softer than I was expecting, and overall, really beautiful. While the total looks don’t really fit my everyday lifestyle, the concepts and details inspire me. I love the lace shirt under the blazer, double belt on the white pants, butterfly collar (and those shoes!!), and that insane triple-belt cinching on the party dress. Anything that cinches the midsection is beautiful to me, and the tooled leather is exquisite.

Alexander McQueen Spring 2011

Now, secretly, every once in a while, I have a tiny little craving to dress like a romantic. I adore chiffon, I like ruffles in small quantities, and certain florals don’t make me want to vomit; if I can find romance in polka dots, that’s even better. There are even a few pastels that I will deign to wear, though they are few and far between. When I feel myself starting to succumb to the poet in my soul, I turn to Valentino. No one does romance better than he does. And if there are a few to many fluttery ruffles on the originals, well, I can just not put so many in when I make my own versions.

Valentino Spring 2011

Finally, not every day can be a retro housewife about town day, or a career fair, or a cocktail party, so for casual wear, I present Derek Lam. I know he shows primarily dresses, but when he does denim, it doesn’t look like you need “Juicy” emblazoned on your rear end. And any of the dress concepts can be easily translated to a blouse-and-jeans look. The silhouettes are so flattering, but not so tight that you would need a separate fat day (or week) wardrobe.

Derek Lam Spring 2011

Hitlist Synopsis:

If you want to look pretty without looking like everyone else, try Carlos Miele.

If you want to be exactly on trend, look at Marc Jacobs. If you do it even better, look at Yves Saint Laurent.

If you want sporty that’s not the omnipresent Ralph Lauren, Hilfiger, or Stella McCartney, check out Cynthia Steffe.

If you want absolutely-to-die-for evening gowns, skip the RTW shows and go straight to couture for inspiration- my favorites are Christian Dior, Basil Soda, Elie Saab, and Georges Chakra. (Soda and Chakra aren’t on Style.com- I linked you to FashionMag.com, but you may have to sign up to see the pics)

If you want a tiny bit of romance that won’t gag you on ruffles, take a gander at Proenza Schouler.

*All images are from Style.com, and all the pictures link to the rest of the collection at Style.com