Today is kick-off day for our third YLF Book Club virtual meet-up. I think it’s fitting and fun we’ll be talking about 100 Ideas that Changed Fashion right after Fall 2012 Fashion Week. The last models exited the catwalk only yesterday, I’m still dazzled by all the rich materials and gorgeous detailing of the collections, and chomping at the bit to incorporate some of the new colours and trends into my wardrobe later this year.

In this light it’s extra interesting to read Harriet Worsley’s take on the ideas, movements and inventions that “rerouted the course of fashion and without which womenswear would not be what it is today”. Between 1900 and 2010 the world at large and the fashion industry changed drastically. Quite a few of these changes have had a significant impact on women’s lives, and not just on a fashion level. 

Think about the freedom of movement knitwear has brought us, for example, or the practicality and mass appeal of jeans. From abandoning the corset, the emergence of the bra, trousers for women, the invention of the zipper, comfortable and affordable fabrics like rayon to disposable fashion and mass-manufacturing, the “rebellious” T-shirt, the internet age and eco fashion. They’re all represented in the book, each with background information and a fab, full-page picture. Anecdotes aplenty as well. For example, did you know that Marlene Dietrich was once asked to leave Paris because she was wearing a trouser suit? A very controversial look at the time!

Which garment or style invention do you feel has revolutionized the world of fashion over the last century? Tell us in the comments section, and be sure to drop by the Book Club forum to join the discussion.

Quick reminder: On the Book Club page you can find the schedule of previous, current and future Book Club titles.

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This was our last day in New York City. I had originally planned to wear the top part of this outfit with a skirt, hose and pair of booties, but the rain ruined that idea. So I opted for my casual Seattle uniform of skinnies tucked into flat weatherproof boots. 

I didn’t think I would be as into pattern mixing as I am these days. But despite my minimal style tendencies I’m having fun with the trend because it extends my outfit possibilities. So I matched a neutral, un-tucked animal print blouse with an orange and camel argyle pullover, buttoning up the blouse and popping the collar. 

My red coat went back on and I added a Burberry scarf for extra warmth. I chose the black bag for outfit cohesion because it matched my shoes and gloves. I also changed my specs and carried a red polka dot umbrella. Too bright for some, but just right for me on a miserable grey and wet day. 

We just arrived back home, soon to be reunited with our Yorkie, Rosie. I have many more shows to watch online before I pull together my final trend predictions for Fall 2012. In the meantime, its back to talking about Spring and Summer style on Monday.

Go to our New York Fashion Week Page to see all of our coverage, including a photo stream and live Twitter updates from Angie.

Farah Angsana is a new-to-me designer so I was extra curious to see her creations. Her collection showed a few very dressy daywear options and shorter cocktail dresses, but for the rest it was all about full length glamourous evening gowns. Dazzling! 

Pictured in this post are some of my favourites of the collection. The gowns were colour-rich, soft and romantic. Not a solid black frock in sight. I really appreciated the fact that some of the gowns had sleeves. Silhouettes were both form fitting and voluminous. Orange, red, white, purple, cobalt and emerald green ruled the runway, although metallics were also popular. And in line with all the runway shows I’ve seen so far, printed evening gowns are very on trend.

I adored the 1940’s soft shoulder pad shown in some of the gowns, the red gown with the plunging neckline was my favourite of the lot. I liked how the gown was styled with fingerless driving gloves. How’s that for edge. 

Go to our New York Fashion Week Page to see all of our coverage, including a photo stream and live Twitter updates from Angie.

The second last day of fashion week was very busy and we raced around quite a bit. We didn’t have time to take photos of my outfit at a more interesting venue (Greg had an old grey stone building in mind), so we settled for the podium near the entrance to the tents at fashion week. This backdrop was also grey, a nice neutral complement to the bright ensemble.

I was tired at this stage. There is lots of standing in queues waiting to see shows, lots of commuting on foot, and write up of show coverage in-between. I find that wearing bright colours not only lifts my spirits but also energizes my mood. I matched a colour blocked turtleneck with a pair of straight leg black trousers. Both of these items are soft, stretchy and comfortable. But the combination lacked the crispness that I strive to add to all my outfits. So I layered a black button down shirt underneath the turtleneck. Things started to fall into place because I could pop my collar and turn back the cuffs. Amazingly, neither of these black items picked up lint. 

At first, I had the shirt and turtleneck un-tucked over the trousers. I also liked that version of the styling, although it was very matchy-matchy. So I tucked in the lot and added an animal print belt to break up the colours and the lines.

Black booties would have been an obvious leg lengthening choice, but I preferred pairing my low heeled cream booties for a softer and more Mod effect. I also like how they picked up the off white colour blocking in the turtle neck. I finished off the look with red coat, off white bag and black specs. 

These clothing items, along with the horizontal lines, emphasize the straightness of my body. It’s polar opposite to the form fitting black dress I wore earlier in the week, which created some curve. I’m physically more comfortable in this outfit, but I enjoy the two silhouettes equally.

Go to our New York Fashion Week Page to see all of our coverage, including a photo stream and live Twitter updates from Angie.