New York Fashion Week Spring 2010

Thanks to the geographical locations of Northern and Southern Hemispheres, while are currently in spring going on summer, the folks up north have just stepped into fall. You know what this means; yes, the spring collections for 2010 are now out. Of course things being what they are, this means we won't be wearing any of these trends till this time next year, but a girl can still look, salivate and plan her outfit(s) in advance, can't she?

So at this point, we have 5 main looks and I think all of these will translate well over here too. Mixed prints are making another round and at least this means we'll also be able to re-use the florals, graphic prints, painterlies, et al that we've accumulated in the past months. Personally, I'm not a big fan of mixing my patterns but it can easily be done by sticking to a similar colour scheme. Still, I think I'll be whipping out those colour-block items that are still (thankfully) in and work them back with the prints.


Americana is another look that has come back around. Shades of red, white and blue are a given but these can easily be worked back with other neutrals like taupe, stone, sand and beige. The odd black leather jacket will also work well to toughen the look and come in handy on those nippy spring nights. Overall, this is a look that you can dress up or down as much as you want. Preppy would be great but relaxed and slouchy work as well and clean and crisp.


Yet another trend that is making a comeback is the polka dot. Again, this is a look that is very suited to ladylike cuts and designs but they can be modernised by the use of different fabrics - grey marle gives polka dots a sportier edge. Of course, there's nothing quite like a 50's-esque silhouette with this charming little print. And yes, we are talking small dots as opposed to those huge ladybird ones.


Tribal doesn't seem to be going away either. Last summer we saw the return of ikat and come spring next year (or maybe even earlier, depending on how quickly high street chains can spew out copies) we'll be seeing a strong African influence in colours and textiles. Yes, this does include the safari suit, though a more relaxed version instead. For those who don't want to go the whole hog with this look, wooden beads will be a must.


Finally we have shades of grey. And may I first say, I LOVE grey. I admit I was pretty late to jump in on this trend when it started a few years back. For some strange reason, I felt that it was just a poor man's version of black and I'm not afraid to admit that I was wrong and soon saw the error of my ways. So yes, I wear heaps of grey and I'm loving the fact that its not going away anytime soon. Recently we had luxe sport in grey but it looks like the new collection will be about luxe fabrics like silk, satin, silk georgette, etc. So practical and luxurious? Yes, please!

1 Dress + 1 Year = More looks than you could have imagined

To most women (certainly to me) having to wear the same item every day for even a week would be insanely difficult. One month? I don't think so. One year? HELL no! It is clear though, that Sheena Matheiken is not just any woman. In a bid to raise funds for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots foundation dedicated to modernizing and revolutionizing education in India, Sheena created The Uniform Project.

Her goal is to wear one dress for an entire year. Of course, for the sake of general health and cleanliness, she had seven of the same dress made, one for each day of the week. New looks are created daily, with the use of thrifted, hand-made and/or donated items. Sometimes these looks are inspired by current affairs, like the swearing in of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Sonia Sotomayor and India's Day of Independence. Others can be dictated by mood or weather.

Since May 2009 Sheena has raised US$13,775, which will go to funding uniforms and other educational expenses for Akanksha's School Project. Since the project's conception, she has donated a dollar a day of her own money but all other reader donations would be more than welcome.

On a personal level, I find Sheena's work absolutely inspiring. On a creative/fashion level, I find her totally genius. Some of her looks are very eye-catching (to put it mildly) and it would certainly take guts to wear most of her creations. Others look more wearable and seem almost 'normal'. But hey, kudos to Sheena's unbridled creativity and dedication to her cause and craft. She has managed to fuse charity and fashion in a new and creative manner, and hopefully will serve as an inspiration for all who visit her site.