FashionEtc.com April 27th, 2024

I realize I often say I'm in love with something I come across at a market appointment, but today I really was! Perhaps it was the doom and gloom outside—I forgot my umbrella to combat the drizzle—but walking into Trina Turk's Mediterranean paradise was rather uplifting.

The Spring 2012 clothes had two themes: yachting around Greece (yes, please) and a more upper crust, east coast preppy vacation. All very colorful, bold, and so very fun. If I clicked my motorcycle boots together three times perhaps I'd end up somewhere sunny? Nope, they just got more scuffed.

One of the great (and exhausting) things about my schedule is that just when the runway shows end, Market begins. All those amazing collections I unfortunately missed due to schedule conflicts I can now see up close and in person. Not a bad gig, right?

So, I headed off to Tadashi Shoji, who makes the loveliest cocktail dresses and gowns. For spring, Shoji was inspired by tulips, and you can see that by the hand-painted work on the dresses. They're stunning, and the showroom felt like springtime. Granted the unseasonably warm day helped.

Naturally, I was drawn to a black lace number. Just because it feels like spring, doesn't mean I have to dress like it.

Nobody panic: I liked ruffles today. Okay, I know there have been a lot of changes with what I like lately, and that can be scary. But these ruffles were chic ones. And they came in mint—the color of the Spring '12 season!

Porcelain, a local New York brand designed by sisters Olivia Ma Corwin and Kai Ma Wilson, makes a lace-heavy line. Some of it reminded me of those baby doll dresses in the '90s, which I swore off after a gentleman asked me if I was avec bebe. But, the ruffled pieces are pretty stunning. The Daydream dress (the name sums it up) is a cream and black floor-length almost-gown. I say almost-gown because you can dress it up for an event or rough it up with a leather jacket and motorcycle boots. (One guess as to how I'd wear it …) There are shorter variations on this number, all of which I want to get my hands on for spring.

Admission: I have a wee obsession with eco-friendly lines. Consider it a way of doing some good while I shop, but buying and wearing sustainable fabrics just makes sense. Naturally I was thrilled to be introduced to Canadian line Covet.

Before your imagination runs wild with thick, burly coats, allow me to dish on the Spring '12 line. Softer than soft tanks, tops, and tees, spaghetti strap dresses, loose capris and shorts—all made in cottons, silks, chiffons and other natural fabrics. I assumed (wrongly) that these had to come from an L.A. brand