NEW YORK, September 11, 2007 – It's always a challenge to pull out the theme from a Marc by Marc Jacobs show, what with all the layers and the mad piles of accessories. But if you had to peg his collection of shirtdresses, corduroy pantsuits, and color-blocked coats and jackets—much of it decorated in shiny gold buttons and hardware—to something, it could easily be Pan Am stewardesses, by way of Mary Tyler Moore. OK, that's two things. See? Put simply, the show was studiously retro, from the air-hostess hats right down to the two-tone patent-leather loafers.

The thing that saved it from seeming like a trip to Screaming Mimi's was the way Jacobs integrated elements of his signature collection, shown the previous evening. Those deconstructed suits and evening dresses with superfluous appendages were translated here into, say, a trench with an extra front panel in a contrasting color, or a jersey-knit dress with one long sleeve and the other not only short but also in a clashing quilted-cotton fabric. All that is not to say there weren't plenty of pieces you could actually see yourself wearing, like an olive cotton-drill shirtdress or a polka-dot dress with voluminous skirts. Then there were the groovy accessories: The Lego belt buckles were a clever idea, but it's the patent lady bags and square clutches that will make the bucks.

– Nicole Phelps