LE CATCH

Looking over street style snaps from New York Fashion Week makes me want some new long dresses that straddle summer and fall. I want them on the dramatic side and can be layered when the chill blows in. The knit dress, above, is by Michael Kors, and the one. below, is Proenza Schouler. These dresses by Vix, Loulou Studio, Jonathan Simkhai, Cult Gaia, Bondi Born and Vince scream WOW!

I've always been inspired by the way surfers dress: super laid-back yet highly functional. So, I took note the other night at an art opening in Montauk when a former pro surfer from Kauai showed up in a t-shirt, trousers and a curveball pair of old-school black penny loafers without socks. I knew then and there that I would have to get my own pair and wear them with everything (like above). They'd need to look like the Bass Weejuns I used to wear in the '80s, but are now difficult to find (one source here). I discovered these other good options from Johnston and Murphy and Tod's.

Photo: Vogue

Sun's out, abs out in NYC! The midriff top is revealing its hot status outside fashion shows. Since it's being paired with a high-waist pant or skirt, just a discreet sliver of skin is on display (read: I don't have to Pilates my way into one!). I'd work one underneath a blazer or coat for more coverage. I like these versions from Altuzarra (pictured above), ATM, Amanda Uprichard, Loulou Studio, and Zara.

New York Fashion Week is on, and the city, bustling and back in business, is putting on a show of her own, too! Also on display: lots of sun-kissed skin! I want to get in on the act with these pretty pieces from AGOLDE, The Frankie Shop, Mara Hoffman, Khaite, Alex Mill, and Arch4.

Photos: Vogue, Elle, @J2Martinez

Fall's must-have jean jacket looks more like a jean coat, and I'm digging it! The faux fur-lined iteration, above, is by Sezane. But I also love these versions by Denimist, And Other Stories, J.Crew andNili Lotan.

Leave it to NYC-based designer Nikki Kule--A.K.A., the queen of stripes and my former high school classmate!--to soup up her signature with these fall updates! I love the kangaroo pocket on the crewneck and that poncho is everything!

I'm liking fall's new power duo: a slinky skirt and an oversized sweater! The look is relaxed yet feminine, but properly pulling it off lies in perfect proportions. The skirt should be calf-grazing long and slimmer fitting to counterbalance the loose yet not too-big knit. These sweaters from Anine Bing, Loulou Studio, Kule, and La Ligne are excellent places to start, teamed with these spot-on skirts (or slipdresses) by Vince, J.Crew, and Amy Lynn.

$59, mango

Making my big sweater weather debut in this bold beauty!

I had long assumed that the Birkenstocks I used to wear to Dead shows was not likely to find its way into my closet again, but they did, and are now a legit fashionable option, no less! The newest comeback gaining a foothold this fall, however, is the Boston style, seen here--and already selling out at mainstream stores like Madewell and Urban Outfitters. I'm just wrapping my head around them--but my toes are already 100% in! I prefer them in darker hues, like these here!

This is your annual reminder to keep wearing white post-Labor Day, and these pics perfectly demonstrate how! The Sezane trousers, above, are polished and tailored--plus, they will whisk through winter work days, no problemo! These right-now cut jeans from Khaite, Re/Done or Toteme will also do the trick because they're more ivory than flat white. I also love the idea of white cardigan as a vibrant layer or accent. I found these versions that are similar in spirit to the one below from Gucci, Chloe and Ulla Johnson.

Photos: Sara Loura, Natasha Goldenberg