SuperCaliFashionistic

My fascination with bejeweled leggings began at Barney's, where I spotted a pair of beaded gold Alice and Olivias extending one sparkly leg from the sales rack. Unfortunately, they were not meant to be, as they were clearly intended for someone the size of Olivia Palermo (and the stubbornly un-stretchy fabric deterred me from even trying). I'd all but forgotten this fateful encounter until Antonio Berardi sent models down the runway in asymmetrical chiffon tunics and embellished leg candy. After seasons upon seasons of dresses (thigh-length, knee-length, ankle-length, calf-length, crotch-length), his innovative silhouette was a genius alternative to tired eveningwear. In fact, I could picture Sienna Miller or Kate Bosworth wearing this on the red carpet - and amidst a sea of short, tight, ruffled, and otherwise unremarkable cocktail frocks, this couture-worthy ensemble will surely stand alone.

A Calvin Klein collection is a traditional minimalist's dream, but Francisco Costa fans greeted a softer, fresher brand of understated for spring. The clean lines were still there, but they were lighter and more fluid than the structured edges of yesteryear. Paradoxically, a relaxing of silhouette yielded an aesthetic that was somehow more precise; tenuous fabric provided an ideal base for such fine-tuned nuances as sheer insets and seamless pleats. "Clothes" was too clumsy a term for these pristine creations, each one of them a distilled masterpiece pure in its simplicity yet unrivaled in its refinement.