Right off the Runway: Our Favorite Looks From New York Fashion Week 2014

You see a little bit of everything on the runway, from prim and pretty to the downright bizarre. And while ready-to-wear is relatively accessible in the realm of fashion (at least compared to couture shows notorious for their “what?” moments and unwearable high concept looks) the term is a bit of a misnomer. 

Even those pieces that are technically getting ready to be worn next season can feel more like performance art than a sneak peek of what will actually hit stores. 

But it’s undeniable that the trends you see on the six-foot-tall, size zero creatures of the catwalk now will trickle down in time to pop up everywhere from fast fashion outlets to the high-end boutiques. So, even though we probably won’t be splurging on the latest from Herve Leger, Alexander Wang, and Prabal Gurung come spring, we couldn’t be more excited to see what’s in store. 

Besides, New York Fashion Week is as much an excuse to see and be seen (in the words of Karlie Kloss, it’s one big family reunion) as it is a sartorial preview of the next season. 

These are our favorite looks from this year’s get-together––flipping through them almost makes it feel like we were there. 

Alexander Wang:

Alice & Olivia: 

Baja East:

Band of Outsiders:

Coach:

Crosby Derek Lam:

Donna Karan:

Diane von Furstenberg:

Herve Leger:

Kate Spade:

Lela Rose:

Lisa Perry:

Mara Hoffman:

Milly:

Misha Nonoo:

Monique Lhuillier:

Nanette Lepore:

Opening Ceremony:

Philip Lim:

Prabal Gurung:

Rag & Bone:

Rodarte:

The Row:

Sass & Bide:

Tory Burch:

Tracy Reese:

Trina Turk:

Vera Wang:

Vivienne Tam:

Zac Posen: