We're reluctant to admit this but BCBG Max Azria's belted looks for Fall 08 really caught our attention. Sure the aesthetic, overall, is more cutesy than high fashion but the belting (a styling afterthought or planned accessory?) we think appropriate for the variety of volumes and layers we'll encounter come fall. In fact, in the middle of the season one of the worst and most common feelings is that you've been stewing under layers for too long. Mid-winter is the time when you miss your actual silhouette and yet it's located under five layers of clothing. The ol' trench belt routine isn't new to fashion but it sure looks fresh on the runway. We've recently become big fans of buying a size up from what we normally wear simply for the comfort of it and the laid back attitude it seems to convey. With that, it looks like we'll need a belt or two, for those times when we feel like we live in our own personal fashion tent. Check out the BCBG Max Azria Fall 08 collection for belting examples that range from evening frocks to overcoats. There's not a version we don't approve of.

Yesterday, we talked with the MAC team about the rock n' roll inspired makeup for Bill Blass. The truth is, you never know how the makeup will turn out on the runway. No matter how beautiful it looks backstage, when the models get hit with bright, white lights and a million flashbulbs, it can be a disaster. Funnily enough, the makeup for Bill Blass wasn't our favorite close-up but looked spectacular on the runway.





The show, it turns out, was not of the rock n' roll variety. The look of Peter Som's collection for Bill Blass was rather ladylike with a nod to film noir (and all those powerful mischievous women). The plum, cobalt, and aqua palette, set against black was striking and high waisted belting kept everything tucked in where it counts. We suppose the reason for the rock n' roll makeup was mostly the need for intensity. The makeup served to mature the collection, and encouraged its dark side, rather than its pretty one.