“Ladies and gentlemen, please uncross your legs.”
At New York Fashion Week, you hear this phrase just before every show begins. No, it is not spoken over the speakers. It is hollered into the audience by one of the photographers. Newcomers often think that this is demanded so the models do not trip over the audience’s legs, but seasoned NYFW-goers know it allows the photographers to get solid shots with uninterrupted runway lines.
Growing up, women are taught to cross their legs at a formal event or when wearing skirts and dresses. However, February in NYC has most of us dressed in long pants … so not only are we already less formal, but obviously there are no peep shows happening! I was in the city for one week and experienced a snowstorm, a hailstorm and a windstorm—all on separate days. Combine that with the fact that we now uncross our legs at fashion shows, and both manners and weather patterns are completely up in the air!
The combination of casual and formal behaviors at the fashion shows translate seamlessly what I saw on the New York Fashion runways for spring. More formal pieces were mixed with casual ones in exciting ways, like the following…
Full length gowns with velvet blazers, tea-length dresses covered in fringe and luxe velvet jumpsuits with flats at Erin Fetherston
Jeweled suits paired with lace bralets, leopard PJs with formal dusters and embellished shift dresses with coordinating pants at Naeem Khan
Metallic knit tops with silk pants at Badgley Mischka
Sheer lace gowns with chunky belts, and lace jumpsuits accented with fedoras at Michael Costello
Faux fur jackets with bird embellishments at Alex Vinash
Long story short, we arrive in style and end up sitting with our legs uncrossed. This might not make our mothers proud, but what else would you expect from a city where holding the door open for a stranger is passé?
Special thanks to our guest model and fashion blogger Alex “Teggy” Weichert
Xoxo,
Daniel M.
