Aysia has been doing a fantastic job of giving you all an overview of the designers from each evening’s festivities at Portland Fashion Week - a big thank you to her! With half of the week’s events etched into the attendees minds and wallets, how about we take a look back at what has happened so far? What have the trends been? Which brands have made a big splash and which ones barely made the proverbial fashion waters ripple? What exciting designers and events are still left to come? All of these questions and more will be answered right … about … now.

A few days of rain didn’t stop all the cohorts of clothing to come out in droves, proving that though Portland is not a “mecca”, like New York or Paris, the city known for its love of Birkenstock sandals and fleece can pack them in.

TRENDS AND TRAIL-OFFS

Pastels have prevailed so far, but since these are the Spring/Summer 2008 collections, that is not much of a surprise. I’ll be the first to say that I adore the blooming flowers that dominate the season, but seeing brands like NatureVsFuture, Leanimal and Idom breaking out of that mold to embrace royal blue, rusty orange and deep red was refreshing. Fashion should be fun, flattering and forgiving, not stifling formal, whether it be in relation to the color, cut, or combination of pieces. Trying to stay confined to seasonal shapes and shades does nothing but to limit our imaginations - break free!

As with most fashion weeks, women’s lines are plethoric, but from the few lines that have featured men’s gear thus far (such as Nike Considered, Sameunderneath, and the all-men’s custom suit line Duchess), we all can agree that baggy jeans and t-shirts should be done away with for good. Most men don’t like to put too much effort into their wardrobe - being too “put together” makes you seem a bit sissy, no? Mixing and matching pieces is easier than ever and the right cut will put a swing in your step that everyone will notice. Now if I could just convince my boyfriend to wear knee-length shorts more often (a Spring staple at the show), his wardrobe would double in size!

Not one tacky, bejeweled dress or gaudy fur coat has hit the bamboo runway in the past three days, and for that I am most thankful. Sustainable fabrics and fair production are the two key elements to eco-fashion, but there is even more. We’ve all seen the shirts and Gap and the jeans at the mall; most of us also know that this stuff lacks true quality or personality. Daring details has helped to set each collection of designs at PFW apart so far, yet all the pieces are versatile and wearable. Making a line of green clothing is pointless if it isn’t going to be able to replace our old favorites in the back of our closet … you know what I mean, like that sweater that you meant to get rid of years ago but just can’t seem to part with it? The fine line between classic comfort and cutting edge creativity is constantly being danced on as each model takes her walk down the runway. If you want this stuff to sell, and for eco-fashion to eventually become a part of all fashion available for sale, it has to blend these two concepts seamlessly.

FAVORITES AND FAILURES

The gloves have come off so strap yourself in. It’s time to talk about who I’ve loved and who I’ve hated … no, not my old boyfriend, I’m talking about the fashion lines silly.

Top 3 Brands I Covet (and why):
1) Emily Katz (work, weekend, wedding, interview, afternoon tea - you can wear this stuff anywhere while feeling cozy and confident)
2) Stewart+Brown (I’ve loved their Lengthened Tees for almost two years; their basics are immaculate and each new collection makes me look at both eco- and all fashion in a new way)
3) Leanimal (special event or a feel-special kind of day, these are the dresses to wear, but make sure to leave the jewelry at home; it would only distract from the cutting-edge-but-not-too-quirky designs)

Top 3 Brands I Won’t Be Buying (and why):
1) Amai Unmei (love the pink jacket, but the rest of the collection lacks personality and distinction)
2) Duchess (ONLY because I’m not a guy, but if I had a penis, I’d be all over these suits like white on rice)
3) Saffrona (my need for formal dresses/outfits is “limited” a.k.a. my idea of a nice night out is going to a pizza joint and I haven’t been invited to a wedding in 10 years)

Most Pleasing Use of Prints: Lizzie Parker (butterflies make every woman feel beautiful and free; the fabric is from ModGreenPod)

Best Office Attire: Sofada

Best Line for Full Figures: MEWV (to my knowledge, the only line at PFW that carries sizes up to 4X)

Best to Go Boarding, Blading or Biking In: Nike Considered (duh, that was obvious; I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Nau has a show next year - they rock)

Biggest Collection: Sameunderneath (runner-up: Stewart+Brown)

Smallest Collection: Duchess (runner-up: Amai Unmei)

Collection That I Couldn’t Wear Because I Have Boobs (i.e. need to wear a bra): Michelle Decourcy (runner-up: Stewart+Brown)

Collection That I’d Have To Wear with Pants or Everyone Would Know Where I Buy My Underwear (or when I don’t wear any): Leanimal

THREE DOWN, THREE TO GO!

Such a long post and with three more days to go, I’m sure I’ll need to post more frequently. Here’s a list of the designers still to hit the runway, and special marking (***) on those lines which I am most eager to see:

Monday:
“The Collections”
A Broken Spoke ***
Dayna Pinkham
Elizabeth Dye ***
Emily Ryan
Genevieve Dellinger
Holly Stalder
Kate Towers ***
Linea by Jess Beebe
Liza Rietz
Daniel McCall

Tuesday:
1) Izzy Lane ***
2) Blairwear
3) Del Forte ***
4) Lara Miller
5) Anna Cohen ***

Wednesday:
1) Habitude ***
2) Poppiswim
3) Garnish
4) Lucia
5) Souchi ***

Last, but by no means least, here is a collection of the outfits that make me wish I had a sugar daddy (or a limit-less credit card):

(click the image for a full view; all images courtesy of Nina S)