My rants are minimal because it was particularly easy to find stylish, flattering options for myself and my clients this season. Perhaps mainstream retail collections are improving. This came through in one of the comments about yesterday’s post on my raves for Spring and Summer 2009:

“It seems right now there is a return to flattering clothing for all shapes. I see this in a lot of your list items, and I’ve been very glad about it, as evidenced by my AmEx bill”.

But I can always muster up a few complaints because there is no such thing as a perfect retail season. It’s impossible to please everyone.

Here are my general rants:

• A weak start to the season: Clothing product mixes weren’t overly compelling despite their superb pricing structures. But I feel that fashion got more exciting as we hit mid season.
• Another poor footwear collection: I’m tired of seeing 4 to 5 inch heels as the fashion norm (sorry to sound like a broken record). We’re entering our fourth year of having little choice when it comes to heel heights. Heels this season were once again either super flat or sky scrapingly high. Not so fab seeing as a good footwear season is about ample variety. Bring back comfortable and fashionable lower heeled shoes. PLEASE. It can’t be that hard!
• Sleeve length frustrations: The industry’s obsession with cap sleeves was disappointing. I’m glad we’re moving into a cool weather season where I hope to see plenty of elbow and long sleeved tops and jackets.

More specifically:

• Casual maxi dresses: I have not had a change of heart on this one. Ankle length,  casual frocks worn with flat sandals do not make it through my filter. They look like nighties. But as I’ve said before, I won’t hold it against you if you love the look.
• Some harem pants: The styles with super sagging low crotches look unattractive, but I’ve got my head around the styles with regular crotch lengths.
• Leg shortening ankle-length pants: Pants that end somewhere between the end of the calf and ankle bone are desperately unflattering UNLESS they’re extremely tapered and sleek at the hems like skinnies or leggings AND worn with high, high heels. The reason the latter works is because heels and the tapered effect of a silhouette visually raise the length of the hemline, elongating your look.
• Jumpsuits: I’m not as wildly opposed to this style as I am to the first three, but I’m generally not a fan. Loo practicalities aside, there’s something too matchy-matchy and pajama-like about the top and bottom part of an outfit in identical fabric, especially if it’s in a knit. Just not my cup of tea.

Missed opportunities:

• Cropped elbow length V-neck cardigans: There seemed to be a shortage of universally flattering V-neck cardigans this season. Loads of cru-neck availability, but few V-neck. I wonder why.
• Higher rise jeans: The situation is improving but it’s still not enough, especially in the premium denim category. Let’s hope Autumn is better.

Bring on the rants for Spring and Summer 2009 ladies and don’t hold back. We’re putting this topic to rest today. What have I missed and do your rants differ to mine?

The pictures speak for themselves. I won’t be surprised if these silhouettes trend again next season, which means I’ll rant about them all over again.