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This week it seemed like some style god was pulling the strings from on high, telling all the designers what’s going to be in next season. Are you there Anna Wintour? It’s me, Nicole. One thing I saw over and over again at Fashion Week was the tight, torso-hugging cocktail dress. It looks like the flowy, empire-waisted, for-all-you-know-I’m-pregnant dress is finally over, and something decidedly more svelte is taking its place. Seen at shows as varied as Leanne Marshall, Caroline Hererra, Jill Stuart, Carlos Miele, and Thuy, the new dress is sleek but never boring. Look for dresses with embellishments like contrast piping, back cutouts, and bold colors. These styles won’t be hitting shelves for a few months, but here are a few picks to tide you over:
1. All right, so the price tag on this Helmut Lang ($875) makes it a bit, er, aspirational. But no other dress captures the zeitgeist quite like it.
2. Banana Republic ($90) gets the hemline exactly right, but the cut of the dress is a lot more work-friendly.
3. This form-fitting lace dress from Topshop ($80) is quite a statement, but isn’t bold exactly what fashion week is all about?
