Event // West 18th St. Recap

a few weeks ago, i was fortunate enough to be invited to sit in the front row of the west 18th street fashion show, and this year’s event did not disappoint.  (can you spot me in any of the photos below? i’m making some pretty funny faces in some of them!)

i am a little late on the recap post, but am finally getting a chance to sit down and share my favorite collections, and even some thoughts on some areas that could have used a little extra help.  click through the jump for my full review, and check out the 18th st flickr account here.

favorites parts: clean lines and unique shapes, color palette of poppy red and peachy orange, strong brows, use of textures

room for improvement: i wished that some of the garments would have fit the models a little better, i didn’t love the color of the one shoulder garment (it was kind of a beigey-tan color), and i thought that most of the pieces needed some type of belt or trim over the ruched/gathered portions (sleeve elastic, waist elastic, necklines etc.)

favorites parts: adorable kiddo models, i liked the color palette of the look on the adult model on the far left

room for improvement: couldn’t figure out how it was connected to the theme, thought the makeup on the young girls could have been a little cleaner

favorite parts: loved the 40’s inspired retro feel, the warm color palette, the palazzo pants & the styling (disclaimer: i might have given her a little help in this area beforehand) ;)

room for improvement: i noticed a few garments that looked like might not have ended up getting completely finished & i thought the hair looked just a mite overstyled

favorite parts: the rich colors, incorporation of men’s looks & unique usage of quilting patterns

room for improvement: didn’t love the faux bull horn appendages, would have loved to see the pieces shown with modern shoes instead of handmade gladiators

favorite parts: i literally could not stop gasping when each look came out from behind the curtain, the flowing aqua colored skirts mixed with the shiny copper breastplates were gorgeous, models were beautiful, styling was amazing

room for improvment: i had to think long and hard about this one, because i loved this collection so much… the only thing i could come up with was maybe a bit more variation in the different maxi skirts. it would have been cool to perhaps see another color introduced, or some different shapes created with the ruffled edges.

favorite parts: i’m a little biased when it comes to this collection, because tara was actually style & pepper’s very first intern last fall… that said, i truly loved her pieces and my favorite things were the white dress that opened the show, the bull shaped appliques & the flawless styling.

room for improvment: honestly the only thing i would have changed was maybe the fit of a few garments (the maroon skirt is a wee bit shorter than i would have gone), but overall a great collection

favorites parts: sherbet colored tiered maxi skirt (need i say more?), geometric printed fabric, fun hair, rompers!

room for improvement: a few of the pieces seemed a little repetitive, i don’t think i was crazy about certain parts of the makeup styling & i think i would have stayed away from using such “heavy” footwear (in my opinion, nude would have been a better choice than black patent leather)

favorite parts: warm jewel-toned colors, gorgeous ikat-ish printed fabric, feminine shapes with interesting cut-outs,

room for improvement: i liked the overall fabric choices, but i wished that there would have been a little more cohesiveness between all of the different prints/colorways

favorite parts: this was my favorite collection of the whole show, i thought the looks were fresh and unique, and i wanted every single piece. the mix of stripes, floral and solids were perfect, the cut of the garments were youthful but modern, and the models and styling were all gorgeous

room for improvement: i wouldn’t have changed a single thing, but i did notice maybe one piece that could have fit a little better.

favorite parts: fun colors, very entertaining and light hearted, lots of interesting details

room for improvement: ari is clearly quite creative and she definitely knows how to put on a show, but i’d love to see her create a collection someday that is more wearable

favorite parts: a very unique interpretation of the crocheted trend, i loved the exploration of the different types of garments that are not typically crafted using yarn, the bold solid colors were a great match for the medium used

room for improvement: because of the avant garde nature of this collection, i think i would have liked to see some more interesting makeup and hair styles.

favorite parts: loved that there was a full men’s collection this year, the preppy blazers, clustered of pins & retro resortwear were all to-die-for

room for improvement: i thought there were a few too many different styles going on within this one collection, and would have liked to see the strongest ones be expanded upon instead of new ones introduced.

favorite parts: i liked the summery daytime looks, and thought the colors were fun and worked with the creative use of lighting within the garments

room for improvement: i thought the bull-horn shaped hair-dos were a little literal for my taste, the maroon colored gowns were a missed for me and didn’t seem to mesh with the rest of the looks

favorite parts: definitely one of the more artistic interpretations of the theme and fashion in general, i always love to see these pieces and their transformation that they undergo as they travel down the runway

room for improvement: similar to my thought on ari’s collection, i’d love to see these gals do something a little more wearable someday

favorite parts: there were sevearl gorgeous pieces that both fit and moved beautifully in this collection, i loved the red and ivory gown and the ocean blue gown

room for improvement: the whole collection was a bit dark for my taste and some of the pieces read a little too much like spanish dancer costumes, i didn’t love the pink and black lacey look, and wasn’t crazy about more bull-horn accessories

favorite parts: another one of my all-time favorites, the fabric choices were spot on and the shapes/cuts of the garments were flattering but still inventive, loved the 1st watercolor patterned piece and the cobalt blue piece the best

room for improvement: i think i might have gone a little less severe with the hairstyling, but garments themselves were gorge.

favorite parts: i liked the unique color palette and the modern pieces, i thought the whole collection was very trend focused and current, loved the tribal print fabric and the cool top that is remniscent of a woven potholder (in a strangely wonderful and pretty way)

room for improvement: i didn’t quite see how the collection fit in with the theme, and many of the pieces reminded me of looks/collections that i’ve already seen.

favorite parts: not only did birdies show some of the most beautiful pieces i have ever seen, but the styling/hair/makeup was impeccable. the architectural lines of details on the garments reminded me of the older buildings in spain, and i loved the unique take on the theme.

room for improvement: there might have been a bag or shoe that i would have changed here or there, but overall a beautifully done collection.

did you make it to the show this year? i’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions on the different collections, so feel free to share what’s on your mind in the comments! i can tell you i’m already looking forward to next year, and can’t wait to see what our talented local designers think up next!