School Daze

After watching the DKNY, Proenza Schouler, and Milly Fall 2010 shows during New York Fashion Week, it became clear that the collegiate look is poised to make quite a comeback.

I say “comeback,” as collegiate trends tends to surface every back-to-school season. But, arguably, they haven’t dominated American Ready-To-Wear since the mid-1990s when, in an attempt to look like Alicia Silverstone’s Clueless doppelgänger, nearly every fashion-conscious teenage girl (including yours truly) wore pleated plaid skirts, knee highs, and penny loafers or Mary Janes with stacked, chunky heels.


But I digress…

Peter Pan collars, pea coats, pleated mini skirts, tights− all of them made repeat appearances on the aforementioned runways. If those features, pieces, and accessories don’t scream “schoolgirl chic,” I don’t know what does.

At DKNY, in particular, outerwear was front and center. The majority of looks featured “tailored toppers” that came “classically cut in angora and melton wools” in camel, burgundy, ivory and gray, with a playful plaid thrown in, according to Women’s Wear Daily. However, if vests, jackets, and coats don’t tickle your fancy, the collection also included several short, drop waist dresses and a few pairs of slouchy, pegged pants coupled with printed blouses.



Though the clothing wasn’t especially body-conscious −a hallmark of Donna Karan design− it did retain the urban flavor −in the form of colorblocking and metallic accents− we’ve come to expect from the label. (To see the entire collection, click here.)

“After mining a sexy, dangerous look for spring with their animal prints and clingy skins,” Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez “buttoned their woman back up, layering her with staple pieces like swingy coats, cashmere sweaters and bubble-skirted dresses, an easy lineup of clothes that bordered on collegiate,” said WWD. “Bordered, because few co-eds have rubber printed cotton twill pants emblazoned with what appeared to be black and white inkblots…”



A somber color palette (black, deep blues and teals, gray) pervaded the collection, lending a sophisticated air. Each piece was well executed, but not one appealed to me.

“Whether you like the looks or not, the best thing about this pair is they take creative risks,” said the Wall Street Journal.

If you say so. (To see the entire Proenza collection, click here.)

The Milly show, on the other hand, was my Fashion Week favorite…very Blair Waldorf meets ‘60s mod.



"[Jean-Luc] Godard's artsy, chic women serve as my muse this season, with their clever combinations of bold hues, clean, modern silhouettes and feminine, cool attitude," said Michelle Smith, Milly head designer, in an interview with the Huffington Post.


I luv everything about this Milly collection− the Chanel-ish collarless jackets, the bow collar blouses, the elegant yet playful party dresses. Smith has even convinced me that a 28-year-old like myself can get away with Technicolor tights− as long as they're paired with a timeless, ladylike ensemble. (To see the entire collection, click here.)

I was not a fan of the Spring 2010 Milly collection, but this one certainly makes up for it. In fact, it has everything the spring show lacked.

So what do you think of the collegiate look? Do you think it's a viable fall trend for those of us no longer in school?