[All Images via WWD]

Our third, and final installment of our most coveted looks from the pre-fall 2012  collections is presented in the slideshow above, featuring images from the lineups of Proenza Schouler, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Helmut Lang, Narciso Rodriguez.

[All Images via WWD]

It’s true; we just can’t get enough of the pre-fall 2012 collections! Here’s round II of amazing looks from the likes of Artelier Nicole Miller, Chanel, Balenciaga, and Lanvin.

Are you ready to welcome the avant-garde into your wardrobe? H&M just recently announced a Spring design collaboration with the  ultra-chic, print-and-texture-happy Italian brand Marni. Available starting March 8th, 2012 in stores and online, the collection will feature both clothing and accessories for men and women.

Consuelo Castiglioni, Marni founder and creative director, mixes print and color in new ways, crafting playful combinations of modern, graphic, and tribal fabrications, and finishes it all off with sporty elements.  This African-inspired line will be rife with classic Marni silhouettes: cropped pants, full pleated skirts and dresses, jacquard knits and more!

-Alana Quagliariello

Subscribe to the FashionPulseDaily Newsletter!

You can undoubtedly feel the creative, kittenish energy behind Rebecca Taylor’s Spring 2012 collection. Known for her intricate detail and sophisticated color sense, Taylor flatters the contemporary woman with pieces that are sexy and joyful, including a nice helping of  sparkle and shine.

Spring‘s ethereal dresses and gauzy knits are as flirty as they are modern. Further, a peek at the accessories will have you yearning for more. Pastel leathers, neon skins and a reworked leopard print offer a sophisticated dose of sass to everyday dressing.

Needless to say, we will take one of everything, please.

-Alana Quagliariello

Subscribe to the FashionPulseDaily Newsletter!

[Topshop Leather Collar Wool Boyfriend Coat $340, Celine Image via Style.com]

What makes a great jacket? I found myself really asking this after we experienced a blustery blast of cold weather mixed in with some early fall flurries.

Runway presentations make the most of women’s outerwear in all colors from neutral to bright with fantastic detailing or subtle minimalism. However, when it comes down to it, a jacket needs to be functional. Maybe you demand a hood, large pockets, or a full-length zipper. Regardless of such basics, I am not willing to sacrifice style, and I doubt our readers are either.

This is why I’ve compiled my favorite “Runway to Real Way Jackets.” While extremely trendy, these jackets are still practical. There’s nothing unrealistic about incorporating any one of these into your wardrobe.

1. The Bright Jacket

Brighter shades have been popping up everywhere recently. Despite the opposing forces, bright hues work well for a fall/winter trench coat. Tip: Ground the rest of your outfit in black or other neutrals.

[Topshop Glossy Faux Fur Bomber Jacket $170, Alexander Wang Image via Style.com]

2. The Fur Bomber

Fur bombers are classic and luxe simultaneously. Again, fur took over the runways, seen everywhere from Alexander Wang to Rachel Zoe. You’ll be sure to turn heads in a glossy piece like this, but if you’re trying to be more subtle, try a faux-fur collar for starters.

[NastyGal Darcy Drape Jacket $78, Burberry Prorsum Image via Style.com]

3. The Camel Coat

Has this look ever done us wrong? I love both belted ones accentuating the waist, but I especially adore the robe-like vibe of NastyGal’s drape jacket (pictured above). Normally a structured trench, camel will always be timeless, regardless of what form it takes. It’s a celebrity must, a runway favorite, and an every day woman’s go-to. Tip: Pick the shade that best works with your skin tone.

[Topshop Collarless Boucle Blazer Jacket $140,Chanel Image via Style.com]

4. The Tweed

Chanel has always done tweed right. Now, it’s our turn to channel Karl Lagerfeld’s feminine vision and prove tweed is anything but stuffy. Topshop’s blue version of the fabrication is fun and funky, but boxy jackets like these are all about playing with proportion. Wear it open with jeans or alone with a skirt; just remember to keep everything sleek.

[Urban Outfitters Vasia by Ulla Johnson Camilla Vest $99.99,Tess Giberson Image via Style.com]

5. The Fur Vest

It’s still crazy cool, and I couldn’t be happier! I wasn’t ready to give up my fur vest just yet. Part edgy, part glam, this piece is all about attitude. Brown, black, white, grey, beige, it won’t be hard to find a vest you’ll love. Tip: Fur vests can add bulk if done incorrectly. Be aware of proper fit, watching for armhole size.

[Land's End Women's Essential Down Jacket $69.65, DKNY Image via Style.com]

6. The Puffer

Perhaps the most basic, but also the warmest, a puffy jacket is a winter must-have. DKNY reminds us that style and functionality can easily coexist. I LOVE the bright cherry red and quilted looks, (and especially love anything down-filled). This look will keep you warm and safe; no need to fear the elements in this one!

All that’s left to do is to pick your favorite, and  stay warm!

-Alana Quagliariello

Subscribe to the Fashion Pulse Daily Newsletter!

Launched in 2002, alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet is clothing that packs a powerful personality punch, and lots of it. This year’s spring 2012 assortment was inspired by the idea of the “Very Secret Garden,” a classic concept of knowledge, mystery, and wonder.  It is a ready-to-wear collection of party dresses, crop-tops, bustiers, here-to-stay maxi dresses, high-rise wide leg pants and other separates that do not fall short of a feminine magnetism.

Entering the showroom was like entering the closet of my dreams…and that’s before I even noticed the shoes! Bold purple, poppy, orange, green, strawberry pink and icy blue all popped against the white walls of the room. Pretty suede, silk, and tweed fabrics captured the essence of the private garden theme. One-shoulder shift dresses and the incorporation of numerous bustier tops offered a sensual feel, while both exaggerated and miniature floral patterns maintained the season’s girlish charm. I can totally envision the summery knits paired with the brand’s premier line of colored denim; a fun rack filled with bubble gum pink, lemon yellow, and robin’s egg blue jeans.

The spring assortment of a+ 0 shoes, Bendet’s first full line, presented gorgeous bright wedges, some plain and some adorned with painted snakeskin. Yet, neutrals also remained essential to the sky high pumps, wedges, and flat sparkling sandals. Overall, the looks can certainly please a number of girls, moods and styles. Bendet also continues to expand her aesthetic collaborating with the legendary Gene Meyer on a scarf collection.

The alice + olivia girl is the life of the party, in a sweet, refined way. You can’t take your eyes off of her — there is glitz and glam via sequins, feather, and leather, but there is also a delicate undertone beneath the entire line. Perhaps this ethereal duality is what makes the clothing and accessories so appealing and enduring.

-Alana Quagliariello

Subscribe to the Fashion Pulse Daily Newsletter!

[Top: Rag and Bone, Bottom: Burberry Prorsum, Images via Style.com]

Patterns and prints can feel so timeless, while also feeling fresh at the same time. Each season new interpretations of the hottest prints are showcased on the runway. Following are the most on-trend, favorite prints for Fall 2011 that we can’t wait to wear!

1. Plaid – The classic school uniform print has gone from good girl to edgy. Plaid can be oh-so chic on and off the runway. Seen on scarves, bags, pants, ponchos and more, this pattern is always appropriate for fall weather.

[Top: Marc Jacobs, Bottom: DVF, Images via Style.com]

2. Polka Dot – A “spot-on” trend right now, polka dots are DEFINITELY making a fashion-forward statement. Marc Jacobs set the tone with his head to toe dotted looks, however for a more realistic approach try micro dot polka dot tights, a sheer polka dot blouse, or even a blazer. This retro-inspired look has proven to be modern one whether done in bright colors or more neutral tones.

[Top: Valentino, Bottom: Celine, Images via Style.com]

3. Animal: Snakeskin- Take a walk on the wild side with an animal print as exotic snakeskin was all over the runways! If you’re feeling really daring, try a snakeskin in a bright hue! We prefer faux, and think overall the style and sheen can be oh so SSS-sexy.

[Top: Chanel, Bottom: Altuzarra, Images via Style.com]

4. Tweed – I can’t fathom Chanel without its signature tweeds, however, this classic look does not have to be all business all of the time. The glory of tweed is in its wearability, lasting you for years to come! Be it blazers, skirts, sweaters, clutches, or shoes, tweed is a smart choice because of its permanent high-fashion appeal.

[Top: Piazza Sempione, Bottom: Rebecca Minkoff, Images via Style.com]

5. Watercolor -Fall 2011 has a lot to do with the bright, the bold, and the beautiful when it comes to washes of color. Be on the lookout for watercolor inspired floral prints, photo prints, geometric prints, and vintage paisleys on blouses, pants, accessories, and more. Channel your inner artist be creating your own color story via mixing and matching!

-Alana Quagliariello

Subscribe to the Fashion Pulse Daily Newsletter!

[All images via WWD.com]

For most followers of fashion, what Sarah Burton does next with Alexander McQueen is still a topic of interest, even though she is certainly more than capable and has proven so several times, with carrying on the house that McQueen built. Inspired by Gaia, the Greek goddess of the earth, water, and nature, in Burton’s third outing she proved that she can maintain all of the classic McQueen design attributes while catapulting the brand forward.

We loved the subversiveness of the delicate masks, which naturally epitomize the classic brand balance of hard and soft, also found in the garments’ open lines and aggressive detailing completing the vision of an awestruck, fantastical world.

-Julia DiNardo

[Image via Style.com]

Rick Owens

Martyrdom and fashion don’t normally go hand-in-hand, but Rick Owens SS12 runway displayed a sacrificial, spiritual vibe, perhaps with a touch of Owens’ signature dark side and a cynicism. Models, or “electrocuted martyrs” were bonded in sleek, slender gowns and skirts. Black and white, to the extreme, with the occasional rusty-orange, the collection certainly got us thinking about a pure dressing aesthetic, whatever that may mean to each individual.

[Image via Style.com]

Chanel

This season, Chanel keeps it title as a fashion powerhouse, not that we would ever doubt Karl Lagerfeld’s genius for a second. Runway-turned-underwater adventure, the all-white set was extravagantly contrasted by the icy pastels of the clothing. A lot of cream, mint green, baby pink, and dusty blue combined with fluffy skirts that were softly feminine and not a bit prissy. Puffed shoulders were carved out delicately and softly while the house’s signatures such as practical dresses, skirts, boxy tweed jackets, and swimwear naturally took its turn down the runway.

-Alana Quagliariello

Subscribe to the Fashion Pulse Daily Newsletter!