Anyone would be hard pressed to find a piece from any Oscar de la Renta collection that wasn’t beautiful. Although the same could be said about his most recent runway show, we must say that we weren’t very surprised. Glamour, beauty and quality are expected of a master designer, such as Oscar but we missed a special magic that existed in prior seasons. Maybe it was the styling or the economic realities of retail but sometimes need over-the-top glamour and dazzle is necessary.

Oscar de la Renta Fall 2010

Who is the customer: Fifth Avenue

Why buy: Classic beauty is always in style.

What to buy: Color. We loved the reds, greens and purples in the collection but our favorite piece is this plumb cashmere coat with dyed fox collar.

Bypass: Outdated hats. A good rule of thumb is that if an item ages a model it will send you straight to Miami.

Overall contribution to fashion: Always perfect for the woman of a certain age.

This season, Tory Burch deviated from her signature iconic caftan and shifted into a much more fashion forward and bold collection. Of course there were classic pieces but they were all shown with a twist of young artful sophistication: slouchy sailor trousers were shown with a sparkly mesh top, tweed jackets were paired with contrasting tweed pants and a hooded sweater became dazzling with sequined sleeves.

Tory Burch is proving to be as talented of a fashion designer as she is a mass merchandiser. Lets hope she keeps continues. Girls, get ready to trade in your ballet flats for high-heel hiking boots.

Tory Burch Fall 2010

Why buy: You know you can rock it.

What to buy: Bold red print dress with lively embellished sleeves

Bypass: Winter shorts with tights is always a hard sell.

Overall contribution to fashion: We love watching a fashion designer evolve.

Pamella Roland is best known for creating flawless red carpet looks. This season she channeled classic Venetian glamour and combined it with a sharp 2010 attitude. The soft silhouettes and structured suits were shown in winter white, purple and silver. Of course there were lots of beading, glitter and metallic. We especially went ga-ga for the detailing in the jeweled tights. Talk about attitude.

Pamella Roland Fall 2010

Immediately after the fashion show we caught up with Pamalla and asked her a few questions about dressing up:

Who is your customer: My daughter’s are now in their 20’s and their input is becoming more apparent in my collections. These days I am designing both for mother’s and their daughters.

What to buy: The violet chiffon gown with the asymmetrical bodice is striking and will look great on a variety of customers.

Advice: When shopping for a special occasion dress bypass trends and choose a gown that looks great on YOUR body.

Hosting a fashion show in the Astor Court of the New York Public Library is quite a statement. Just being there reminds of us of watching Chanel at the Rodin Museum, in Paris. Leave it to Jill Stuart to leap over a bar being held that high. The collection started with a military theme with lots of kelly green and high lace-up boots. The inspiring military boots continued throughout the show but the look took a quick right turn onto rock-and-roll. A combination of tartan plaids, heavy knits, intent tailoring, thick leather belts, metallic and sparkles made this collection a fashion week favorite.

Jill Stuart Fall 2010

Who is the customer: A little bit of up-town and a little bit of rock-and-roll, no country.

Why buy: You know you can rock it.

What to buy: We’ll take one pair of those lace-up boots and a chunky sweater with eagle strong shoulders –to go please.

Bypass: Velvet with sparkles is like gilding the lily.

Overall contribution to fashion: Sophistication can be young.

It’s hard not to fall in love with the romance of long gowns. As a designer, it’s even harder not to fall into the cliche of designing for a fairytale princess. Monique Lhuiller was able to steer clear of Snow White by channeling the feel of a strong warrior and punctuating her flawless designs with powerful reds.

Monique Lhuillier Fall 2010

Who is the customer: Oscar nominees and black tie circuit

Why buy: Flawless beauty without the cliche

What to buy: We were captivated by the way the chiffon on this red gown moved. The asymmetric neckline is also a nice twist on a very classic design.

Bypass: The red duchesse draped gown with the floral skirt. The detailing was so heavy that it’s hard to pay attention to the woman in the dress.

Overall contribution to fashion: Evening wear that shines.