Is the high rise era over? For several seasons, designers have focused on the natural waist. Some incarnations, like dresses cinched to create hourglass shapes, were figure-flattering; others, not so much (see: high-waisted skinny jeans, Mischa Barton). Enter the new-again drop-waist silhouette. Miu Miu’s flippy miniskirts and a clean Celine shirtdress had a touch of [...]

The Oscars are blink-and-you’ll-miss-it compared to the twelve-day marathon that is the Cannes Film Festival; the Croisette won’t clear until Sunday. This year’s big red-carpet stories? The splashy debut of a new line—Gucci’s couture collection, Premiere—which turned up on Salma Hayek Pinault and Naomi Watts, and the emergence of Emilio Pucci as the go-to brand [...]

Lea Michele certainly has a flair for the dramatic—the star of Glee grew up performing on Broadway, after all—but we would have preferred to see a more toned-down look on the actress at Fox’s upfront after-party yesterday. On the runway, this Erdem frock was paired with little more than a smoky eye, lending some much-needed [...]

If you need further proof than our latest In the Mood For feature that polka dots are a spring must-have, witness this snap of Ashley Greene. The Twilight star donned this D&G minidress in Hollywood earlier this week, picking up on a trend we’ve recently—heh—spotted on Rachel Bilson, Alexa Chung, and Kate Bosworth. We like [...]

If you’re planning on investing in some shearling come fall, you won’t be alone. Countless designers turned out fuzzy jackets on the runways, and top models were snapped donning covetable vintage versions backstage—all but guaranteeing the material will be a must-have when the temperatures near freezing again. Should you prefer not to wait that long, [...]

Tony nominee Catherine Zeta-Jones hit yesterday’s Robin Hood Foundation gala in Manhattan with husband Michael Douglas. Old Robin was known for green (both wearing the color and redistributing from the rich to the poor), but CZJ went scarlet for the evening, in a draped, one-shoulder dress from Michael Kors. The look is a refreshing alternative [...]

Of the hundreds of gowns at this week’s Met ball, the most striking were also the most restrained. Zoe Saldana and Diane Kruger looked chic in unadorned Calvin Klein Collection gowns; ditto Jessica Stam in long-sleeved Rachel Roy. Plenty of minimal eveningwear could be found on the Fall runways, too. “Less is more these days,” [...]

The popularity of floor-length skirts on the Fall runways suggests that the hemline index theory just might hold true, but Adam Lippes isn’t buying it. “Supposedly everything traces back to the economy these days, or Michelle Obama, but I think it’s just a reaction to all the hard looks we’ve been seeing for the past [...]

Velvet just might be the most polarizing textile of them all. For some of us, the tufted fabric is an unpleasant reminder of the stiff party dresses donned for the yearly family photo shoot. For others, like Rachel Roy, one of many designers who used modern versions of the densely piled material on the Fall [...]

What’s not to like about the parade of drapey frocks Alber Elbaz sent down his Spring ‘10 runway? Hardly anything, judging by the lengthy list of starlets who have turned up in Lanvin designs recently. While the more ruffle-heavy numbers threatened to overwhelm some size-zero frames, we think Jennifer Lopez really shines (literally) in this [...]