Maximal Trends for Fall 2012

I might be getting a bit ahed of myself, as its only the beginning to Fall 2011, but I'm already getting excited for the trends of Fall 2012! [This could be because this Fall's trends are immensely tiring. Preppy? Been there, rocked that.] On Donegar Groups Fall / Winter 2012 / 2013 Presentation, four general trends are explored: Backwoods, Artisan, Film Noir, and Maximal.

Film Noir Editorial in Vogue July 2011.

Backwoods seems a bit too woodsy / tribal-esque for my taste, and its hard to get excited about Artisan when we just finished a neverending Spring / Summer season of boho-chic hell. Film noir definitely seems interesting, but I couldn't imagine going out in public like that on a daily basis. The luxe look [right] involves wayyy too many pieces to be considered attainable for the average NYC gal.

Now Maximal -- That's what I'm interested in. With my obsessive, all-or-nothing personality, the maximal trend illustrates the extremes of all fashion trends: Neo-expressionism, new Retro, Play, Chroma Scope, and Girlish Charm. Rather than a wide range of on-trend accessories needed [Film Noir], Maximalism depends on a few standout pieces. And of course, the more, the better.

Now, love her or hate her, Katy Perry is probably the best representation of the Maximal trend. She loves to go all out with her outfits and accessories, which is really the only way to essentially capture the trend.

Here are a few of Katy's Looks that accurately represent each variation of maximalism:

NEO-EXPRESSIONISM: Katy Perry performs with Nicki Minaj and Keri Hilson.

"Neo-expressionism emerged in the late 70s and 80s as a reaction to minimal precedents. Bored with the work or their predecessors, artists filled their work with color, patterns, and symbols that reflected the mayhem and vibrancy of the downtown New York they called home."

NEW RETRO: Katy Perry wears a 50s-inspired silhouette.

"Campaigns, ads, and packaging are swinging toward a retro innocence and adding modern digital technology into recreated analog designs."

PLAY: Katy Perry adds playfulness to her performance with a Manish Arora merry-go-round dress.

"Photographer Yusuke Suzuki has created a bed to look like an oversized book. At night it is opened for sleepy heads and during the day it is closed to create space. This incorporates play into a necessary task, like sleep."

GIRLISH CHARM: Katy Perry's girlish charm shines through with her pastels, classic silhouettes, and youthful umbrella.

CHROMA-SCOPE: Everything from Katy's outfit is larger than life -- her hair,  the bold cut of the dress, and the glitter.

[This is blog post number 2 from my Creative Fashion Presentations class at FIT. If you're not from FIT, feel free to comment anyways! All quotes from Donneger.]

Are Lita's on their way out?

Lita in 'Stars and Stripes' ($159)

[Blog post #1]

Throughout the past year, we've seen the Jeffrey Campbell Lita on every "real" fashion blog. And, even if it has become a bit predictable, the design is still considered cool. Plus, its undoubtedly an easy way get noticed in the blogosphere.

Popular LookBooker Rachel-Marie Jones in Lita's.

So, how has the Lita maintained its popularity for so long? There are two main reasons -- the first is because of the fans, most notably those with blogs. No matter how much promotion a company does, it will never compare to peer-to-peer communication.

So, if a notable fashion blogger [or even a stylish / attractive one] posts photographs of her/himself wearing Lita's, it will indirectly inspire readers to consider trying the trend, and ultimately buying a pair themselves. With the rise of websites like Lookbook, shoppers and aspiring bloggers can view hundreds of popular fashion bloggers all in one place, being exposed to countless trends at once.

Lita Stud ($264.95)

The second cause for the Lita's continued popularity is the wide range of designs. There are over fifty deviations of the original Lita, as well as the Lita Fur, Lita Shag, Lita Fab, Lita Spike, Lita Harness, and Studded Lita. With so many options, its hard to tire of a winning trend.

But, in an industry where trends change quickly, how long can the Lita really stay on top? A year is a long time, and while the popularity of the JC creation hasn't faltered, there's only a limited amount of time left for the Lita to stay on top, especially with all the other amazing Jeffrey Campbell designs on the market!

Here's a look at a few JC designs that can easily become the 'new'
Lita:

Jeffrey Campbell Pixie in Black Gold Zebra (194.95)

Jeffrey Campbell Vreeland in Red ($169.95)

Jeffrey Campbell Nightwalk in Black ($169.95)

Jeffrey Campbell Tick in Black ($169.95)

Jeffrey Campbell Skate in White ($189.95)

Jeffrey Campbell Tardy in Blue ($199.95)

[Disclaimer: All photos and prices from Solestruck.com. This post is an assignment for my Creative Fashion Presentations class at FIT. If you're not an FIT student, please feel free to comment anyways!]

I'm baaaaaaaack!

Tavi's been busy, but so have I.

If you've been following my infrequent, career-obsessed posting this summer, I'd like to thank you. Seriously. I know I can get boring when I go into internship mode, but in an attempt to keep this blog relative to my life, I felt my internship and job search were the best topics to blog about. After all, its called Mallory in New York, and as Mallory, living / working / interning in New York, this has been my main focus all summer -- even more than makeup (gasp!).

After finding a job and internship, I assumed I'd be back to normal (i.e. blogging 3-5 times a day about beauty, fashion, and Bebe Zeva!). Well, I was wrong.

During the summer, I was literally doing nothing but job hunting 5 days a week, and interning at Life & Style the other two days. Now, let's just say I'm a little busier.

Monday: Clinique [6PM-9:45PM]
Tuesday: FIT [9AM-9:30PM, with breaks]
Wednesday: Nicole Miller [9AM-5PM] and Clinique [6PM-9:45PM]
Thursday: FIT [9AM-6PM, with break]
Friday: Nicole Miller [9AM-5PM] and Clinique [6PM-9:45PM]
Saturday: Clinique [9AM-6PM]
Sunday: Clinique [9AM-6PM]

That's pretty much my weekly schedule. Now, throw in 3 online classes, homework, and time with friends, I don't have much time to blog. And, that doesn't mean I don't miss blogging and MINY, because I do. A LOT.

Now, it may be hard to believe, but last semester [when I was interning at JoonBug and working at Starbucks] my schedule was far worse. And, I still managed to find time to blog up to 8 times a day!

So, as I settle into my new schedule, please be patient with me. It's going to take some time, but I'd like to be back to blogging [at least] once a day by the end of September. Until then, enjoy watching my crazed, MAC-obsessed posts become more and more frequent as October grows closer. And, if you really miss my sarcastic ramblings, follow me on Twitter [@MalloryinNYC]!

---Mallory in NEW YORK