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.]

Grammy Awards 2011: Hair

Our Best And Worst Picks!

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards Sunday night brought out all of music's finest. As all of our favorite musicians mad their way down the red carpet, we couldn't help but notice a few trends that were rocked by multiple attendees. Here are our top picks:

1. Long Extensions: Ciara's hair was ridiculously straight (in a good way!) on top, and then turned into loose curls on the bottom. Although a little overdone, I absolutely loved it! Jennifer Hudson look absolutely AMAZING on the red carpet! Her hair was super sleek, her skin was flawless, and her new, slim figure looked incredible in her dress! Jennifer Lopez surrendered to the appeal of extensions, but in a more natural way- instead of stick straight hair, she let her tresses keep their volume in a flattering way which framed her face perfectly. Miley Cyrus was perhaps my favorite to rock the long hair trend. She arrived in a simple half up, half down style. Miley wasn't trying to act older than her age (for once!) and the result was her newfound red carpet grace.

2. Textured Brunettes: It seemed like every dark-haired beauty was rocking either waves or curls Sunday night! Jada Pinkett-Smith arrived with big, tight curls, and Jenna Ushkowitz kept her short hair classic with sweet, curly strands. Kim Kardashian's hair was beautiful (as always!), styled with long, sexy bombshell waves. Always a Katy Perry fan, I have to say her hair looked the absolute best! The California Gurl's glossy tresses were styled in loose waves, and her hair was not only beyond-stylish, but it looked by far the healthiest out of every attendee!

3. Radiant Redheads: Paramore star Hayley Williams wore her fire-engine red hair in a short, angled style, with very rocker-esque blunt bangs, while Florence Welch's bright 'do was surprisingly natural. Rihanna's crimson hair was smooth, yet volumous. Even as it was by far the brightest, Rihanna's hair had an undeniable look of sophistication.

If we have the best, we absolutely have to have the worst! Although almost everyone was glamorous on the red carpet, there were a few exceptions:

1. The Ominous Egg AKA Lady Gaga. I love Lady Gaga. I honestly, absolutely do, but I hated her red carpet style! Then again, its hardly even a style- Lady Gaga arrived in a giant egg! She was actually carried in by security men. Of course, Lady Gaga looked awesome on stage, but I (along with many, many others) were looking forward to seeing just how she would arrive! We were far beyond disappointed.

2. Kelly Osborne. She usually goes all-out on the red carpet, but what in the world happened to her style at the Grammys?! Sure, her dress was cute, but that certainly doesn't mean she can forget about the hair, which was left in a simple (and boring!) style at the awards.

3. Nicki Minaj. I really don't have to say it, but I can't help but bring it up. Nicki Minaj's strange hair topped everyone’s worst-dressed list! Actually, I didn't even notice her dress- my attention was caught on that giant blonde poof, the odd black stripe, and the strange leopard-print fringe. What was she thinking?!

(As seen on JoonBug)