Lina LecaroFashion Week in Los Angeles may (still) lack mega-sponsors, big production values, revered couture designers or even a cohesive home base, but it offers something else that can’t be duplicated in other cities: whimsical, anything-can-happen events, stylists with a knack for sexiness1 and a diversity of aesthetics that reflects the city itself.
L.A. Fashion Week took over town again last week and once again it offered an array of happenings and shows scattered all over town— in museums, former churches, rented tents and after dark hotspots. Drag queens, professional dancers, club kids, style mongers, models, designers, buyers and bloggers all converged to see what was new and show off their own fashion savvy and fabulousness. As we've done in the past, we've taken note of certain trends and ideas that emerged on and off the runway. Here is the best of what we saw at this past week's LAFW 2014 shows (including Concept FW at Ace Museum, the ultra-queen scene at Marco Marco at Vibiana, Project Ethos at Avalon, Art Hearts at Taglyan Complex, Dripped in Chinatown Plaza and Style Fashion Week in Downtown) and how it translates to the “LA look.”
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Adam Lambert and Mathu Andersen at Marco Marco; Credit: Thairin Smothers
Heads Up
Thanks to Pharrell Williams, nobody seems to need a baseball cap to go with their bling anymore. With duckbills (thankfully) staying in the ballpark right now, wider brimmed, more structured head gear appears to be tops. We noticed several variations of the infamous trooper style hat that the mega-producer wore at the Grammy’s out there, as well as bigger, pizzazzier head pieces at L.A. fashion bashes this week. Basically big hats are tops and will be for a while. You kinda need big balls to work a substantial hat too, and we like that. Adam Lambert, here at the Marco Marco show at Vibiana, worked his cream-colored chapeau like a pro, no?
Goga at Style Fashion Week; Credit: Lina Lecaro
Getting Cheeky
Apparently it’s the year of the buns hun, at least according to pop and hip-hop videos and trashy reality TV stars. Butt… those not genetically blessed in the trunk zone (or co$metically rumped/pumped up) have been working ass-sassy styles too. From body-con lyrca dresses to low-backs and visible crack (apparently not so wack anymore) it seems, derriers are for baring. The shot above, from Goga's show at Style Fashion Week Saturday night, features lingerie, but the visible bums (of all sizes) were no more revealing than the bootie shorts and micro-mini's we saw at LAFW parties, or that we see shaking on dance floors any given night in Hollywood.
See also: Our full L.A. Fashion Week slideshow
Nikki Lipstick at Dripped.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
Serving ‘Tude
Feminism and fashion might make strange bed fellows (or shall we say bed “femmes”) but statement tees for gals have most definitely gone a vexed-vixen route. At the Dripped Fashion week party and bazaar this week, designers like Nikki Lipstick (purple hair in pic) showcased pieces emblazoned with moxie-filled mottos. Most were directed at dudes like the “Beat It Creep” tee above, but ironically, the pieces were pretty sexy, contrasted in super-girly colors and cuts. It seems “Girl power” is for wimps, and right now, “mean girl-chic” rules the school.
Tumbler and Tipsy; Credit: Art Hearts
In Bloom
All those floral garlands the neo-hippie-ster girls donned at the summer music festivals seems to have planted a seed. We saw flora and fauna incorporated on clothing on and off the runway, and it went way beyond “natual fibers.” These greeny get-ups need sunny weather to shine. Lucky for L.A. we got it all year-round. This getup seen at the Art Hearts fashion show last week was a bit, uh, overgrown, but expect more subtle plants and pedals as embellishment on frocks from now til spring.
Style Fashion Week; Credit: Lina Lecaro
Meshing Well
If there is one trend we saw (through) more than any other this week, it was sheer stretchy fabrics and panels on garments. Sometimes it was fishnet-ish, sometimes it was lacy, but it was always racy and mostly in dark hues. Consistently sultry in a covered up but slightly fetishy feel, it’s a great way to show off and highlight, as well as distract from the not so tight parts. You will want to wear something transparent when you go out this fall and winter if the LAFW runways are any indication… just make sure you know what to show, like these cuties at Style Fashion Week downtown.
Nicole Miller at Project Ethos.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
Black Power
Nothing is — or ever will be — “the new black,” ok? Black is basic. Black is bold. Black is mysterious. Black is slimming! And when it comes to runway shows (like this Nicole Miller one at Project Ethos), front rows and style-themed soirees in New York City, the U.K., and yes, L.A., black ain't ever “back,” ‘cause it never left. Black wins fashion. Always.
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