The Ready to Wear Spring 2009 collection is yet another fantastic collection featuring, of course, the Burberry famous trenchcoat. To keep it a little bit different, the trenches this year have an interesting color effect that make them look as though they are wet even when it’s bone dry. I haven’t decided whether I like it since being wet isn’t really a comfortable feeling for me and pretending to be wet really doesn’t sound that great either. What I do love about the collection are the rich golden hues, the earthy greens, and classic grays. The color scheme is very Spring and yet isn’t overly joyous like some other collections with over the top yellows, purples, and reds. Spring is a rainy time of year and the colors are still emerging from under the gray cloudy skies.

The Burberry fabrics are also beautiful with soft, luxurious folds and bends that inspire comfort and quality. A lot of designers this year took the 80s trend to an extreme with hard, big shoulder pads and odd, stiff puckers at the hip line. Maybe it’s just me but the only people that look good in shoulder pads are American Footballers and that’s even debatable. Shoulder pads and fashion should never have been thought of in the same line and neither should completely rectangular cut dresses, or gowns with spiky bulges at the hips. Women have curves and extending those curves to a grotesque manner isn’t all that necessary, especially since most women except rail-like runway models complain about their hips, thighs, and butts all the time and the last thing they’d want to do is make their lower bodies look even larger.

But Burberry avoided all the pitfalls of this year’s exaggerated trends and despite coming out with a very simple, classic, and not too exciting line, it looks great and extremely wearable. The huge neck and wrist accessories go very well with the loose fitting sweater tops, floppy hats, and low profile coats. The graduated colors on the pants look great and seem to extend the leg length on the slim cut pants although it takes some getting used to on the trench coats. And as for the mens’ line, the style is as usual youthful, classic, and still hip. I wouldn’t mind at all being seen about town in some slim legged pants and a casual overcoat or cropped sleeve button up. Good job yet again.

Boy by Band of Others has a distinct English school uniform inspired look full of pencil skirts, comfortable blouse tops, sweater dresses, light weight trenchcoats and blazers, and really cute simple shoes. Definitely along the major trend lines of the past couple years, this designer knows what’s big in the 20 something age range and isn’t afraid to make clothes that aren’t challenging, just wearable. What is best about the look is the classicness of the blouse, pencil skirt, and blazer combo. That’ll never ever go out of fashion. None of the designs from Band of Others are new, but wearing clothes doesn’t have to be an advertisement of how cool you are - that should be left to what’s under it all.

I’m most in love with the blouse/pencil skirt combo. It’s classic, sexy, and smart. As an everyday fashion it works in the office, on the street, at a coffee shop, bar, or band hang out. If this was the average women’s look I’d eat my heart out with a spoon. I can only wish. Something about this just works and screams collegiate. It’s probably just my love for the school uniform/office attire look. It’s easy to dress it up with a classic blazer and black heels or drop it down with bright colored flats and funky sweater coat.

For a more casual look evening look, the sweater dress is the ultimate outfit. One piece that’s fluid, comfortable, and classy. The wide collar reeks of hipness and keeps with the continuing 80s influence in fashion carried over from last year. Sweater dresses also have the perfect ability to create a soft feminine silhouette and hide unwanted weight no matter where it is.

The loose fitting square cut dress belted around the waist and paired with a relaxed fit coat is something straight out of the Olsen twins closet. Of the kids-turned-celebs, they have some of the best style and their own clothing line unfortunately doesn’t match their own trends. I think I saw Ashley Olsen wearing this on an Oprah interview. Simple is always a good way to go. If you’re too slim this outfit doesn’t sit well (ahem, Ashley Olsen…) so normal people, it’s all yours.

I absolutely love the patchwork style plaid trenchcoat. It has perfect proportions, not too long to be wearing the wearer and not too short to be completely for looks. The trenchcoat is also a perfect slimmer with long vertical lines and a belted waist. For people with short legs avoid longer trenches and perhaps look into hemming the bottom a little shorter for the great slimming effects while minimizing the shortening aspect of a long coat.

What can I say about the ultimate tomboy outfit - overalls. Boys can’t wear them without looking 5, but on the right woman it can and does work. Just make sure to not look to much like a boy. I would recommend this only for busty women and please wear it with a waist belt.

After quickly running through Nordstrom’s and of course seeing nothing worth buying we headed straight for H&M and to my dismay found practically nothing of taste. It seems like too often I’ll enter H&M expecting greatness and leave feeling let down. I don’t know if it’s the plentiful selection of nice but not too nice designs, or the cheap fabrics, or the torrents of poorly dressed shoppers searching through aisles of clothing that doesn’t look like it fits them. And then I always dream of Karl Lagerfeld when I’m browsing the selection and it just isn’t the same without him. H&M’s sale racks had been completely depleted long before we arrived and the only peacoat worth looking at was available in 2s and 12s with nothing in between. Surprise surprise.

On we traveled to Forever 21 where I have rarely found anything at all. It might be a guy thing, but the disorganization that assaults shoppers in those stores must hurt their sales. I need to see clothes in a pleasant setting, not digging through piles on tables, floors, and on top of racks just to get a glimpse of cheap fabrics and wrinkled camisoles. Forever 21 was a complete waste of time and we left with high hopes for Gap and Old Navy where we did successfully find some very cute coats at great prices. Old Navy impressed me with a couple of their coats which had a strong stink of Banana style at less than Gap prices, but unfortunately they only had Old Navy sizes in the store and my sister isn’t a toboggan and XL isn’t her bag. Old Navy’s online sale of winter wear up to 70% has most of the great looking designs available in S, M, and L for those still looking but act quick because they were selling like hot cakes. Gap had one coat that was beautiful in turquoise on a mannequin and of course it was the only one in the store and wasn’t for sale. Can’t take it off the mannequin my ass.

So on we continued to Charlotte Russe, our final stop before we had to head back home. I took one look and decided I’d rather not go in with them and headed straight across the way to Bebe where an interesting looking coat stood in the window. Upon closer inspection a horrific frill adorned the middle of the coat just below the buttons, but the rest of the clothing in Bebe was smashing. I’ve never been in a Bebe before, but I have to admit it is strikingly cool. Skirting finely between the classy and the trashy, a lot of the styles were sexy enough to wear on a night out but conservative enough to wear to work. Perfect I’d say. Satin trench coats of a deep reddish brown caught my eye as did a mustard yellow leather jacket. But what I most liked was a single quilted coat in just the right size and I knew this was the one. And it was. After running quickly to Banana and Anne Taylor Loft where as usual I found nothing, and Express where I found some interesting hounds tooth and herringbone coats in red, black, and white but just over budget, I returned with the news to my sister and we went straight over and scored at Bebe. Almost 50% off on the last coat of its style and size in the store. Mission accomplished. I’ll be watching Bebe with definite interest from now on. Count on it.

I’d just like to point out the design and style of the site is also fantastic. Simple, informative, and with great product photography. Enjoy. Carga Bags