New Preppy Meets Punk Designer at Fashion Week

Hello-Hello everyone and Happy Almost-end-of-the-week! The Princess is particularly excited at the prospect of week’s end, for she is off to The Big Lake with TSU (The Spousal Unit, aka The Princess Consort) for a brief vacation.

One of the more exciting attractions of Fashion Week for TP is that every so often a new designer comes along. They may not be “new” to the fashion industry, merely new in our little solar system. One such designer is Christian Francis Roth, returning to the industry after an absence going back to 1995 when he shut down his eponymous clothing line.

Last week Mr. Roth debuted a collection many referred to as demonstrating a ‘Preppy vs. Punk’ or ‘Preppy Meets Punk’ aesthetic.

The line was named the “Gangs of New York” by Mr. Roth; TP is quite intrigued with the launch whatever the name!  With bright colors, swingy skirts and other attributes of the prep-school look, this one is fun and funky.  Evidently we’re not alone in this assessment. From the Wall Street Journal’s Heard on the Runway blog:

“It’s happy clothing – it’s fun,” said Roopal Patel, senior fashion director for women’s wear at Bergdorf Goodman, who felt shoppers would likely be attracted to the preppy, striped shirt dresses that looked as if they were made of ripped up button-down shirts haphazardly stitched together.”

The designer cites the Gossip Girl television show as a source of inspiration for the line.  Perhaps Mr. Roth’s time designing for Tommy Bahama contributed to a number of pieces on the runway in what TP calls the Roth nautical look. We dedicate the top photo to our own Miss Nautical by Nature. (Psst, Kate – remember, this isn’t out until Spring 2009.)

The Journal blog reports price points for the line will run from $350 – $525 for dresses, with jackets retailing for about $425 – $675. The runway show featured those ‘gangs’ of girls showcasing different looks from the collection.

One can see the ‘bad girl’ references in the collection, the untied black bow at the neck, the racier hem length and a neckline lower than what any ‘nice young lady’ would be wearing. (This is what the Queen Mother would call a “plunging neckline” were TP to attempt leaving the ancestral home in anything remotely resembling the dress shown lower right.)

Of course, black simply isn’t done during one’s younger years, it’s just not acceptable until a young lady reaches a certain age.  In our day, that time was not until after one’s coming out, at the *very* earliest.

And despite our love of black, our favorite pieces in the line remain the delightful variations on what any Upper East Side teen might be wearing.

But this doesn’t rule out our appreciation of the designer’s whimsical variations on the preppy nautical style.

In describing the show, WWD wrote:

“Inspired by New York City cliques, Christian Francis Roth played with the idea of neighborhood gangs with his contemporary label Francis by Christian Francis Roth, resulting in cute prep-school patchwork plaids in dresses and blazers, broken-up rugbies made into dresses and “Acoste” polos featuring an alligator eating the Ralph Lauren polo player.”

Of course our illness (the worst case of LogoPhobia in recorded history) prompts our love for that dress, seen above, but we also like it because we think it is done without rancor or ill will, merely a wink and a grin.

Another reason we are drawn to the designer? Because his models aren’t all emaciated, scrawny young women. None of these beautiful young ladies are anywhere near plump, but they are not the painfully thin and drawn lovelies generally seen on the runway.

Below, a shot of the designer in 1990…

Photo: Kyle Ericksen

and last week at the conclusion of his show.

There is good news this week for Mr. Roth, as reported in an update to the WSJ blog:

“On Monday, Stephanie Solomon, women’s fashion director for Bloomingdale’s, said she planned to carry Mr. Roth’s collection in the spring.”

Oh, one more Roth-related headline, this one also from WWD (Women’s Wear Daily):

New York Day Two: Preppy and Peppy

The headline is from April, 1994; the copy in that story reads in part: ” On Thursday, the runways came alive with hip preppies at Christian Francis Roth…”. This is where one makes the comment about the leopard and its spots.  How very fun.

In fact, we are so fond of this collection we are awarding it (gasp!) the Princess’s Official Seal of Prepalaciousness!

J Crew & Ralph Lauren Polo Spring Sales

It is that delightful time of year when last minute preps are made for the May/June weddings, when vacations are planned, and at long last, both the Ladies’ and Mens’ courses are open at the Club. And while it is vulgar to discuss m—-, during these challenging economic times we recognize the importance of economizing, so we are pleased that it is also that wonderful time of year when retailers with a tad too much merchandise on hand take markdowns. All the better to assist you in getting the very thing you knew you needed but just didn’t want to acquire at its full price. After all, they are here to help, oui? (And did you notice The Princess did that whole m—- conversation without using the M word?!)

At the head of the class in wardrobe assistance is J Crew, where there a substantial amount of merchandise remains in stock that has been marked down. For openers, shown above we feature the striped Kelly Jacket, now $79.99 as opposed to $140. Then we hit the real Heartbreaker for those of us currently facing unforeseen minor fiscal responsibilities: the J Crew Striped 120s Kensington shirt which is beyond ubersoft and oh-so-cool. Sniff… sniff.

While also in this esteemed emporium, get a glance at all of the sale shoes to be had, with loads of flip-flops and espadrilles, and lots of ballerina flats in varying design and style. There is still a fairly good selection of size and color (at least as of this writing) for the Liv Patent Ballet Flats, seen above in both pink and green patent, and which The Princess desperately desires. Really. Truly. Desires. Sigh. And now they are only $99.99 as opposed to $150, and they also come in black and yellow – how absolutely perfect is that? Forcing myself to move on, the Millie Ballet flat is also on sale; methinks you will either love it at first sight or loathe it forever. (TP is in the second group – something is just not right with that shoe, it just isn’t!) Now, for those who buy stocking stuffers early (no pun intended) here’s just what you need: some timeless J Crew argyle socks! If these simply aren’t bright enough (?) then move on to the polka dots which come in two colorways. These are marked down from $12.50 to $6.99, so it would seem that several pair might be in order.

We love Ralph Lauren for doing something many retailers don’t: putting some of their basics on sale, like their oh-so-preppy Long-Sleeved Skinny Polo, shown above, now $59.99 ‘stead of $85, not a huge markdown but nothing to sneeze at IMHO and there are loads of those divine Polo colors. Spring can also mean more social events before people get away for the summer, so adding a few new dresses appropriate for tea, bridesmaids luncheon, etc., is always a good idea. Among the Princess’s favorites? The Inna Stretch Cotton Dress, (and yes, we know it’s not at all springy because it’s black, but it’s fabulous and we simply must have it) is wonderful, as is the Jersey Tank Dress; it has that sexy cross-back design. Another basic, the featherweight silk-cotton turtleneck also represents some savings, now $69, originally $98.

BTW, they have merchandise on sale across all the departments, including Petites, Infants, the Golf Shop, and Home, so it definitely merits a glance. At the very bottom we show the Men’s Classic Long-Sleeved T-Shirt, now only $19.99, certainly something TP is considering for herself as a combo lounging-around- sleepshirt-type-of-top because the cotton is such a high grade these stay soft forever and ever. It’s partner, the Men’s Polo Pocket T-Shirt is also 1/3 off original retail at $19.99, making TP want to grab an armful! That’s just the tip of today’s bargain iceberg, but we had to share at least a few of the deals! After all, we’re here to help! <Grin.>

Florence Eiseman & Lilly Pulitzer for the Little Ones

If anyone is looking for something bright and perky for their Tuesday morning, here it is: a couple of sweet and irresistibly cute hats from Kelly’s Kids. These are perfect for protecting the little ones sensitive skin from the sun, and an even better deal since they are on sale! The first is a bright pink and blue madras pattern, while the second is a pink & green floral in a cotton/spandex knit; both are also machine washable. What’s not to love?

We also thought you might enjoy a look at these cuties from Best Dressed Child, a shop The Princess had not previously visited. The Lilly Tee is sweet, and the toddler Hot Pink/Green Terry Hooded Cosette Cover Up is very popular, so grab it while you can. The pink and green girls Simona Tunic is also fun (is there a Mommy size, puh-leeze?), but the big Summer Fun winner this week is positively the girls Beach Club Blue 2008 Novelty Skirt with the whale applique. Does Lilly Pulitzer ever run out of cool prints and fabulous goodies?

Lest anyone think The Princess isn’t concerned with the styling little guy, nay-nay we say! Just look at this darling blue Seersucker by Funtasia, also at Best Dressed.

Also a great choice for the toddler boy, this Florence Eiseman Turquoise Seersucker ‘shortall’ as it is called, just fun, fabulous, and most assuredly, Prepalicious… who can resist?

BTW, Best Dressed has quite the collection of clothing in their “Beach Portrait” category, so anyone considering the uber-formal look for the family Christmas card shot may want to check it out. We are showing a couple of their outfits in this collection below, simply click on the photo to be transported to their site! We must fly – Happy Tuesday!

The Preppy Watch, the Lacoste Skirt & the Sconset Terah Large Tote

Is there really such a thing as a ‘preppy watch’ in your mind? We’ve not yet determined there is such an animal. Above is an image of the forthcoming Gant University Collection, due for launch later this year from the good people at Gant Time. They are supposed to showcase ‘traditional American university colors’ with retro logos and such. Hhhmmm…we have not yet decided on these. Are they Prepalicious? Probably not as they seem to be a bit over the top in our humble opinion, but then so much of what is “fashionable” these days seems to fall in that category. You may want to toddle on over to Gant.com and bone up on your Gant history though, as it’s certainly more fascinating than The Princess knew. According to the company backgrounder, Bernard Gant originally made shirts for Brooks Brothers and J Press. Fun facts to know and tell over tea at the Plaza. The oh-so-wonderful-now-that-it-is-reopened-Plaza. Absolutely back to what it once was, only better. But don’t take our word for it, stop in and take a peek at the Oak Room as well as the ballroom. A vast improvement. Vast.

Speaking of watches, TP thought the whimsical Lacoste watch in pink seen below looked rather divine, and perhaps a tad more ‘preppy’ if such a thing is possible. And yes I know the title of this post says Lacoste skirt and we are getting there, truly we are, but bumping into the watches on the way to the skirt was not in the original plan. Having seen said watches I’m sure you now understand the reason for the detour. Quite. The first watch pictured is the Tiebreak model in pink, and the second is the Slice model (named for my golf swing I’m quite sure) in rose, also available in that classic Lacoste green. In fact, glance at the rest of Lacoste’s watches, all of them, and see if you don’t find them more than appealing, with the majority appearing a bit more, well, restrained let’s say.

Whoops, we did mentions Lacoste skirt, didn’t we. It truly is not that big a deal, but this little gem of a tennis skirt caught our eyes. In addition to its classic lines, it is made of that wicking fabric so popular for athletic apparel these days. Here is the icing on the cake: the skirt is machine washable! Can you imagine? How very easy it will be to simply have the housekeeper take care of it!

We will have to fly through this next item, lovely as it is. The Elaine Turner Sconset Terah Large’  Tote at Nordstrom is such fun, and so functional too! It is definitely roomy; a “Large Tote.” If you are not yet familiar with the Nordstrom handbag sizing system, in NordieSpeak “Large Tote” translates into enough capacity to hold at least a magazine, water bottle, full-size wallet & sweater. (We do love their system, it’s so practical!) All this for only $195 plus a detachable zip-top cosmetic bag. This is why every Princess needs more than one tote – they’re so fabulous and so fun!

Pink Seersucker & Green Grosgrain Whales

Okay, I know it may be difficult for some to get excited about placemats. But even The Princess becomes almost misty-eyed over certain things. Like seersucker. And madras. (Almost never together you understand, as in being worn or carried together by the same person at the same time.) Anywho, we are ever-so-excited to share another of our new placemats.

Being absolutely addicted to pink (in addition to blue seersucker,) this is another one of our faves. Like all of our tabletop items, it’s reversible, going from the stripes to a solid pink topped off by that wonderful whale ribbon layered on top of the green grosgrain. And because we can’t ever have too much pink and green, we had coordinating napkins made, also reversible. These are just *so* Princess! Okay – we apologize for positively gushing over these and we shall cease immediately. We’re now scooting over to the site to keep working on loose ends before the launch.