New York Fashion Week is wrapped up and editors, bloggers and stylists will now review all the pictures, notes and video and determine what the top trends for Fall 2014 will be.  Including this photographer and reporter!

Truly my favorite garments to shoot and report on are the red carpet and cocktail dresses.  Guess I’ll always be a sucker for a good dress up with a photo op.  And what’s not to love with so many amazing gowns that float down the runway under perfect runway lighting worn by picture perfect models wearing the frocks.

The hardest part is to figure out if the gowns can be worn appropriately by the classic and timeless gal, especially when the dresses are old enough to be my daughter.   As I am shooting pictures of the collections I ask myself whether or not the dress should be worn by the model’s mother?   In many cases, the answer is yes, so there is a big opportunity for us to choose from the latest fashions straight from the runway.

Ladies, this is the time to look at the pictures for an up-to-date gown you will need for that mother of the bride, after five or dress up affair and ditch the little sparkly jacket that matches the dress.  Pleezzzz.

Two collections that stood out for me in this category were Lela Rose and Carolina Herrera.  Lela Rose, a 40+ age Texas designer put an elegant twist and added so much color in her Fall collection.  (At that point in the show lineup, I had seen a sea of black and gray and it was a refreshing change).  Rose, know for adding color to nearly all of her collections, out did herself and this collection was really special.  She send dresses and looked that offered clean lines, beautiful textured fabrics in skirt lengths that will flatter any figure.  The vivid Radiant Orchid (color of the year for 2014) cocktail dress and the strapless gown were runway showstoppers for sure.  I am not sure how I am going to snatch the cocktail dress for the upcoming Austin Fashion Week, but I’m going to try.

Over at the Carolina Herrera show, a crowd full of over 40+ and 50’s gals packed the Lincoln Center Theatre dressed in classic Carolina Herrera daytime dresses.  You know the important people going into a show because they aren’t wearing a coat and are total “camera ready” for the awaiting photographers.

The first model walked out onto the runway in an impeccable black suit topped off with a felt hat similar to the Shriners fez hat minus the tassel.  Interesting, good for the runway, but don’t see it being a must have in anyone’s closet.  The collection moved into the beautiful boat neckline dresses in textured burned out velvet, into elegant, but simple evening gowns in Aurora Red embellished in a sparkled and jeweled Mediterranean inspired sequined pattern.  Gorgeous!

Use these two collections as a visual help to pick out the perfect up-to-date cocktail or gala affair gown and remember, no sparkly jackets allowed.

To see the Carolina Herrera Collection Click Here

To see the Lela Rose Collection Click Here

To see the entire New York Fashion Week Gallery Click Here

| Category: Fashionably Cheryl |