prefontaine: March 2010

24 March 2010

DVF Mar 2010

bartle dress/indian temple/$445/sold out

pegah dress/black/$345/sold out

cupcake bomber/desert dust/$745/sold out

newport pants/white/$265/sold out

parley bis top/sari/$225

18 March 2010

Cynthia Vincent Mar 10

really like these styles, they both have an easier heel than most this season...

georgia/white snake/295$

remi/black bronze/295$

habitual mar 10

aerial bootcut/white out/185$/sold out

grable boot cut/precious/195$

17 March 2010

Trovata March 2010

betty/navy/$175/sold out

donosita/navy/$195/sold out

regatta cardigan/sailor navy/$168/sold out

hancock blazer/white/$295/sold out

robin shirting/aoeta/$160/sold out

Velvet Mar 2010

sintia (skirt)/midnight/$79/sold out

pixe/grapefruit/$121

krista/navy/$140/sold out

kaylee/water/$107/sold out

hadlee/navy/$115/sold out

annmarie/inkdrop/$126/sold out

kansas/denim/$160/sold out

16 March 2010

03 March 2010

khaki is not the new black, or navy - or whichever color reinvention we're currently determined to love more - but it is definitely one of the season's most important colors. If you've been to the shop recently, i've probably batted my eyelashes, trying to get you into a pair of cropped chinos or a safari inspired vest. while some reviews have been positive, i have a lurking feeling that the majority went home to wash off any memories of double pleated dockers shorts or the gap circa 1995 (the latest comments have involved "grandma moses" and "the boy scouts of america"). so, a new perspective on khaki.

why khaki is so great. first, it is in the range of our skin color (which i realize is sometimes a complaint in itself), so any other color put back to it pronounces itself in a distinct but soft way. this is not true of other neutrals. white and black tend to feel stark and polarized against other colors while gray is visually diluting. against this truly neutral backdrop, a cerise pink scarf is transformed from its former life as a winter accoutrement; white is given new dimension; blue eyes dazzle.

similarly, khaki has different personalities. depending on the garment and its application, it can read "annie hall", "urban safari", or "holiday in nantucket". meaning, it has a way of conveying a specific and amorphous perspective at the same time. khaki shirt dress with an aggressive ankle boot, magic. khaki trapeze top with skinny jeans, fireworks. relaxed khaki chinos rolled up with a fitted tank and your gladiator sandals of choice, ethereal.

another reason. khaki is a more durable color. when black and white fade, even a little bit, it loses its depth of color so both must be replaced frequently. khaki has a nearly indefinite shelf life. wearing and washing does not make it look tired or old, but rather, it develops character that will change over time. your khaki blazer for work fades and becomes your go-to piece for weekend dinner parties. then the perfect throw on for running errands or traveling.

but my favorite reason to reconsider khaki: it can feel elevated or casual, androgynous or supremely feminine, but it is always, always refined. whether a trench coat, a sheath dress or slouchy chinos, khaki is perennially elegant and sophisticated. it speaks to tradition and history but asserts itself in a fresh, expansive and energetic way.