Fashion Week in the Home

Being out of the country for Fashion Week meant that I totally OD'd on trend reports and streetstyle pics. I was forced to mourn, from afar, the fact that crop tops are here to stay. Being so far removed from the spectacle and fuss made it was hard to get into the spirit of things. Besides that, something about being surrounded by uber German Gingerbread houses just made me really giggly. And nervous. Giggly and nervous.

All of the houses looked the same!

Rastede, Germany: where everyone knows your name. And Social Security Number.

How do they all keep their lawns so neat? And when did they all get together and decide on red flowers?! Every house had red flowers. It was weird.

At any rate, since my head is in apartment mode, I thought I'd translate all the fashion bullshit into decorating....bullshit. So here are some items and collages that represent the various trends of NYFW:

Neon
The neon trend is here to stay, sort of. I noticed at the first show I went to, the Kaelen presentation, that the neon yellow was a watered down version of what I've seen in seasons past and that held true for many other shows. It's a subtler, more grownup neon. But when you're working with an entire room instead of a size 2 model, there's room to splash out a little more. I love that ampersand print from Etsy, and I like the idea of spray painting a chair neon pink. Or, if you value your brain cells and aren't into the idea of accidentally huffing paint, you could buy that one.

Home Decor- Neon by travellinglightly on Polyvore

Black and White
Stripes, mixed patterns, sleek suits- black and white was everywhere this season. Dolce and Gabbana had some very ladylike striped suits that I loved. When it comes to home decor, part of me wishes that I was one of those minimalist people who could pare down everything I owned and stick to 3 black frames with spare prints, and a huge white couch in an otherwise bare room. But, to be honest, I'm really more of a more is more type of person when it comes to decorating. Still, a girl can dream.

Home Decor: Black and White Pattern Mixing by travellinglightly on Polyvore

Leather
I am all about the leather trend. I've held on to my three (totally different and therefore justifiable) leather skirts just because I know that they will always be in style. Also, my favorite piece of furniture is an enormous leather chair I inherited from my grandfather.

Home Decor: Leather by travellinglightly on Polyvore

Green (and a little purple)
Green is apparently the It color for this season/the new black/yadda yadda yadda. I don't really care, since whenever I wear green I look nauseous. But Kermit was onto something, since green is shown to promote relaxation and creativity. Too much of it, though, can promote laziness, so it's more a bedroom than a study color (the human brain is amazing). For more info on the effects of color on the brain, click here.

Home Decor: Green by travellinglightly on Polyvore

This has inspired some DIY ideas that may be appearing shortly on the blog. Until then, what are some of your favorite decorating trends? Did I miss anything? Is there some way to translate a crop top into home decor? And how do I avoid it at all costs?

In No Particular Order

All in all, the shows this year have had a very 70s feel, with a touch of naughty secretary, which I think is just great. Here's a quick compilation of my favorite trends.

1) Flowy Skirts

Clockwise from top left: Victoria Beckham, Derek Lam, Marc by Marc Jacobs

The mini skirt has dominated the runways for some time, but this season the hemlines were noticably longer and looser. Flowy material like silk featured heavily, as did pleats. I love this trend for spring- very romantic but fun.

2) Little White Dress

Clockwise from top left: Max Azria, Herve Leger, Cushnie et Ochs

I will never give up my love of little black dresses but, according to Vogue UK, this is the year of the LWD, the little white dress. That does not bode well for chronic coffee drinkers and spillers like me, but I love how they look so if you can wear white without looking like a Jackson Pollock by the end of the day, more power to you.

3) Jewel Tones

Clockwise from left: Cushnie et Ochs, Jill Stuart, Diane Von Furstenburg

I love all the color I've been seeing. Vibrant blues, magentas, reds and oranges just make everything more interesting. I especially love the idea of pairing all this with camel or black for work.

4) Even Wider Leg Pants

Clockwise from top left: Derek Lam

Of course wide leg pants have been in style for a while but they got even more dramatic this year. Wider, bigger and more luxurious: silk, velvet and leather featured prominently. This trend can be a little dramatic for every day, but paired with a conservative blazer or a white T-shirt it can definitely be pulled off.

5) Interesting Knits

Clockwise from left: Max Azria, Victoria Beckham,  Behnaz Serafpour

6) Fur (faux, of course)

Clockwise from top left: Lela Rose, aka the Love of My Life (seriously, how much do you LOVE that coat?!), Cushnie et Ochs, Jil Stuart, Marc Jacobs

My fur policy has been, until recently, somewhat lenient. Nothing real, except for vintage. But I realize that this is a line that could easily blur as time goes on, so I'm sticking to the motto proudly blazoned on a magnet on my mom's fridge: "Real boobs, fake fur" from here on out. And I love the idea of bringing fake fur into play in interesting and unexpected ways: mittens, like at Marc Jacobs or accenting shoulders. There is definitely DIY potential here.

7) Hats

Clockwise from left: Marc by Marc Jacons, Diane Von Furstenburg, DKNY

It should come as no surprise that I was elated to see vintage style hats on many a runway this season. Mostly 70s styles, but a few hearkened back even a little further to the 50s, when the hat matched the gloves matched the bags. While I personally may not love the matchy-matchy look, I do appreciate the idea of really taking care with dressing.

8) Polka Dots

Clockwise from left: Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Furstenburg, Jil Stuart

My very favorite trend of all. What more can I say?

Later: how to wear these trends without spending a billion dollars. Preview: it involves pajama pants, because I love any excuse to wear them in public.

*Figures not exact.