New York Fashion Week September 2023: Fashion Review

This time of year is usually the Emmy Awards ceremony, but due to the SAG-WGA strike, it has been postponed until next spring. So there's no red carpet to be reviewed, boo! But since it's been a while since I've had a red carpet event to review, I thought I'd check out New York Fashion Week to see what the celebrities are wearing there. It turns out that there are a number of very specific trends being worn, not necessarily on the catwalks, but among the fashionistas in the audience. Let's take a look!

Tall Boots

Ashanti paired shiny black leather, pointy-toed, scrunchy boots with a black leather minidress with deep side slits and a low zip front, a tailored motorcycle jacket with patches of white and emerald green on the sleeves, and oversized sunglasses. The pop of color in the jacket brought the whole look to life, and she looked tough but feminine. Terrific look. 

Ashley Park took similar shiny black pointy-toe boots and added rhinestone accents, achieving a very different look by pairing them with a sparkly gold, drape-front, angle-hemmed dress with black velvet straps and bows and a cute black purse. I liked the juxtaposition of cutesy details in the bows, teddy-bear-ears hairstyle, and rhinestone studs with the drama of the pointy stiletto boots and angular hem. 

Hari Nef went in yet another direction with a super-simple strapless white babydoll dress paired with square-toed black thigh boots. The top had just the right amount of volume, and I liked her minimal accessories. The black and white palette worked well with the touch of color in her bright red bob and coral lips. Really cute. 

Hayley Williams opted for just-below-the-knee round-toed black boots and matching black leather bag with a retro color block minidress with a dropped waist. This was a great casual yet stylish look. 

Vanessa Hudgens also opted for below-the-knee boots, in brown suede that perfectly matched her caped mock turtleneck sweater dress accented with a chunky snakeskin belt. Love it!

Corsets

Avril Lavigne paired a strapless black leather corset with studded black leather pants that flared at the ankle and a broad-shouldered fur (or possibly feather?) cropped jacket. The concept was good, but some of the details were a miss. The jacket was too broad-shouldered and the flared pants were much too long for a structured fabric that flared, and I didn't love the deliberately ratty hairstyle. I did think that the corset was well fitted, and I liked the straight-across top and slight flare at the waist. Fortunately, Lavigne later wore a different leather outfit (see "Leather and Vinyl," below) that worked much better for her. 

Julia Fox sported a number of different looks over the week, with varying levels of success. This outfit was not one of the successful ones for me. The midriff corset (which was actually a very pretty shape) was topped with a narrow bra-style band above that looked oddly crushed and didn't seem to support her bust properly. I liked the concept of the pleated miniskirt with fitted wide waistband, but it fell too low on her hips which created an unflattering line. I did love the pointy shoes with black bow accents. But this look was trying too hard. 

On the other hand, Kesha wore a fabulous midriff corset over a sleek black tailored jacket dress with a wide front opening, slightly overlong sleeves, and a floor-length skirt with angled front opening. She accessorized only with black ankle-strap pumps, sunglasses, and sleek blond hair. Magnificent!

I am rarely a fan of Sarah Jessica Parker's looks, but I absolutely adore this long-sleeved lavender lace frock. I like that the boning of the corset-style top is visible but not completely transparent, and I like that the opaque underlay ends well above the hem so the delicate pattern of the lace is visible. I even love her apple green shoes - a "poison" color that brings the whole outfit to life. 

Denim

Ashleigh Murray sported a pair of flared, super-faded jeans with lovely floral cutouts from knee to hem, which she paired with a cute vivid pink bandeau top with angled tulle ruffles, accessorized with a silver bag, oversized silver hoop earrings, pink sunglasses, and simple round-toed nude flats. Casual and glam at the same time!

Emily Ratajkowski paired her flared dark-wash jeans, which were accented with stitched-in creases and front slits, with an off-the-shoulder, open front acid-wash jean jacket and blue pumps. Another casual yet glam look. 

Lucy Hale went retro chic in a light denim A-line skirt with a white button-front flat peplum reminiscent of a sailor shirt and a matching strappy bralette. It was a fun, casual look, especially with the addition of a bubblegum pink clutch.

Jumpsuits, Pantsuits and Suit Jackets

Blake Lively looks gorgeous in everything, but I'll admit that I'm not a big fan of this snug metallic gold jumpsuit. The color isn't great on her, and the flared pants are both much too long and reminiscent of everything terrible about '70s fashion. Her figure looks amazing, but it's just an ugly (or at least painfully bland) outfit on a beautiful body. 

Jasmine Tookes paired a beautifully fitted black tuxedo-style jacket with a simple full black skirt for this classic look. I loved the nipped-in silhouette, the barely-flared sleeves, the slightly-squared shoulders, and the hint of sheen in the fabric. Proof that subtle details in tailoring make all the difference. 

Marsai Martin looked fantastic in her black sequin-and-eyelash wide-legged pants and matching sequin halter bra with narrow lacing at the waist and neck. It reminded me of some of Cher's Bob Mackie looks. This is how to do retro '70s chic!

Nicky Hilton looked very '80s in a salmon-pink boucle miniskirt and bolero jacket with black-and-white trim, worn over a simple black shell and accessorized with black-and-white spectator pumps and a small black leather handbag. It was a cute look, but it felt dated rather than retro to me. It needed some kind of more contemporary detail to freshen it up, such as a leather shell or bell sleeves.

Rita Ora's flared-leg black jumpsuit was more successful for me than Lively's, with its single-strap top and hip-hugging belt. It was simple and basic, but the clean lines and less droopy fabric gave it on overall crisp silhouette that was very flattering.

I loved Sofia Ritchie's dove gray pinstriped suit, with its off-the-shoulder wrap jacket cinched in with a belt and slightly wide-legged pants. My only minor quibble was that the fabric showed noticeable creasing both across the front of the pants and in the upper sleeves, but I'm not sure if that's avoidable when wearing wool in New York in the summer. But the cut and tailoring was terrific. 

Stephanie Hsu looked both comfortable and adorable in this sweet pastel plaid pantsuit with square-neck shirred top with wide pale-blue straps and wide-legged pants. It was perfectly proportioned for her petite figure, and her square black bag and simple black shoes pulled it back from being overly girlish. 

Ubah Hassan wore another colorful version of a pantsuit in a soft green challis print set. Her open-front jacket featured solid green notched lapels and a self belt, and her full wide-legged pants were hemmed just long enough to allow a peep of her pale green strappy sandals. Lovely!

Venus Williams looked very Rizzo (from Grease, not the Muppet Show) in a metallic silver jumpsuit with body-hugging capri pants, a long-sleeved off-the-shoulder bodice with ruched front, and a narrow black belt coordinated with black strappy sandals with ankle straps. I might have gone with a hint of color in the belt and shoes, but the dramatic silver and black works for her. 

I loved the concept of Violet Chachki's one piece jacket dress with attached pleated microminiskirt, although I had a few quibbles with the execution. I loved how fitted it was through the waist and hips, I loved that the upper lapels were black and coordinated with the simple black shell underneath, the sheer black gloves, and the black leather shoulder bag. My objection is that the shoulders of the jacket were squared off and slightly extended, which made Chachki's shoulders much wider than her hips, and the jacket front gapped as she moved. Inset those sleeves just a hair for a more snug fit and this look would be the perfect retro '90s ensemble. 

Leather and Vinyl

Anna Cathcart wore a brown leather ensemble that included wide-legged trousers, a flared knee-length skirt with suspenders, a bandeau top with a narrow band that encircled her shoulders, and super-pointy heels. I loved the lines of the top with the skirt, but I felt like the pants were an extraneous detail. If Cathcart followed Coco Chanel's advice to take one thing off after she got ready, the pants could have gone and this outfit would be a perfect 10. But as it is, it's a solid 9.5. 

Avril Lavigne wore a super-shiny black leather ensemble of wide-legged pants, a low-cut top, and a stylized black trench that featured princess seaming, flap pockets, wide lapels, and an upstanding, oversized ruffle from neck to sleeves. It was well-tailored and not quite oversized enough to be obnoxious, simply very runway. And her white-blond, super-long hair extension and trademark heavy black eyeliner were the perfect accessories. A vast improvement over her corseted look, above.

Janet Jackson wore a shiny brown leather ensemble with a simply-tailored, high-necked sheath dress topped with a floor-length square-shouldered trench. It had terrific tailoring all around, and it looked fantastic on her. 

Julia Fox's take on leather did not work for me. The waist of her super low-rise painted-on capri pants fell at an unflattering level. It would have been a much better look if the waist were curved to echo the lower hem of her open-cut corset - which I did really like. I was less fond of her stick-on bra, which would have worked better as an attachment to the corset. And her pigtail braids with little bows looked out of place. It was simply a disjointed look overall. 

Shenseea hit it out of the park in this fabulous wrapped green leather ensemble. I loved the way the fitted pants covered the tops of her feet, I loved the angled lines of the off-one-shoulder top that pulled in at the waist and fell to her knees at the back. I especially loved the chunky stacked bracelets worn over the snug-fitting sleeves. A marvelous, cohesive look. 

Zooey Deschanel added leather to her usual "girl next door" persona by pairing a pleated black leather miniskirt with black tights, black loafers, a long-sleeved black sweater with gray accents, and a white bowed collar. I wish the top had been just a little more close-fitting and sleek, but it was a cute look that suited her personality. 

Sheer

Alyssa Silverstone came close but just missed the mark in this sheer black lace dress. I loved the lines of the lace overlay, with its angled hem and long sleeves, but the undergarment was halfway between a panty and a leotard and created a very unflattering proportion, as well as making her bust look awkwardly exposed. Change it to a sexy strapless corset bodysuit and this would be a fabulous look. 

Brooks Nader did it right in a barely-sheer black shirt dress worn over a high-waist panty. The fact that the dress was belted at the top of the panty, and the fabric was not completely sheer at the bust, created a nice peekaboo look that wasn't too naked, and the contrast of the prim long bloused sleeves with the sheer fabric was great. Plus bonus points for the silver bag and fabulous rhinestone-accented pointy black pumps. 

No one does sheer like Jennifer Lopez, and this gorgeous outfit was no exception. She paired an iridescent silver subtle floral print layered skirt with a barely-sheer white shirt, accessorized with a leather belt with oversized silver buckle and piles of silver necklaces, plus a simple silver clutch. An absolutely fantastic look. 

Leni Klum looked fantastic in a clingy white sleeveless column with a lettuce hem and high round collar. Her visible undergarments were a full-coverage bra and a v-front panty, which worked well, but either the panty had a straight-across band attached or the dress had a visible waist seam that broke up the line. It wasn't terrible, but it would have been better a better look without that line. But regardless of that small detail, she looked gorgeous.

Priyanka Chopra knocked it out of the park in a semi-sheer floor-length metallic black dress with a keyhole opening worn over a simple black bra and high-waisted panty. Like Nader's dress above, the belt that falls at the waistband of the panty makes it feel like part of the dress rather than a visible undergarment. And as always, Chopra's perfect makeup and shiny, sleek hair completes the look.

Other Looks

Aimee Song was stunning in a soft gold silk, bias-cut halter gown with a scooped neck, angled waist seam, and just a hint of a side train. The fabric is the star here, and she pulls off both the color and the unforgiving fabric beautifully. 

The fabric of Elizabeth Gillies' red ruffled two-piece halter dress was also the star. I loved the sheer skirt and the flared silhouette. Because the top was separate, the skirt could be narrower at the top to avoid being too voluminous, as might have been the case if it had been a single piece that continued to flare to the hem. A nicely proportioned and flattering look. And it looked comfortable!

Elsa Hosk's ivory dress featured a straight-cut bodice that fell to mid-hip and a sheer chiffon full skirt. I liked the shallow v-neck and tiny straps, and that the bodice was long enough that the sheer skirt didn't look too "naked." It had just a hint of a '20s vibe, as did her softly waved bob. However, I didn't love her oversized bag, nor the fact that it was noticeably whiter than the dress. A small ivory clutch would have been perfect.

Quinta Brunson had some fashion fun in a simple black jacket dress accented with a huge ruffled stole in deep plum satin. I loved that her lipstick matched the stole, and her sparkly choker and strappy sandals were terrific finishing touches.

Sia brought the weird (of course) in a huge ruffled ombre ballgown that faded from pink to lavender, including a face-covering pink wig topped with a giant bow. It managed to not look overly bulky, and was actually quite well-proportioned, but it would have worked better at, say, the Met Gala than at Fashion Week.

I hope this fashion report holds you over until the strike ends and we get to see some more red carpet fashion!