you've come a long way, baby

when did prom dresses become cool? we've noticed lately that the teenagers of today are much more in-the-know than we were in our prime, and they're passing over the allure of glitz and glam that prom offers for more subtle--and fashionable--prom dresses. you won't see these familiar shapes coming out of a limo in may:

say goodbye to the poofs, polka dots and crinoline of the 1980s and 90s and welcome in a new breed of prom dresses that includes this striking striped number from one of our favorites, a.l.c. (below). there is one thing, however, that our generation will have that the fashion-savvy teens of today will not--priceless pictures of funny hairdos, beaded dresses and shiny satin pumps dyed to match the color of your dress.

the skinny on the skinny

for all of you ready to free your ankles from the bondage of skinny pants, look no further than fall 10 where designers began showing some relief for our delicate little tarsuses. john patrick of organic (below) and phillip lim (bottom) both welcomed a wide leg on the runway, so be prepared to pack away your skinnies and open your mind to a new cut.

photos from style.com

picnics, curtains, apple pie, oh my!

perhaps most famous for its role in the wizard of oz as the fabric of choice for sweet little dorothy gale of kansas, gingham has been in and out of fashion for years. as the go-to look for country tablecloths and curtains, gingham has had a difficult breaking free from its stereotype of "cottage chic," but that doesn't mean designers won't try. always striving to make what's old new again, we've seen a bevy of gingham this spring that leaves us with a feeling of nostalgia for summer family vacations and country time lemonade.

internet wunderkind and teen fashion blogger tavi--who has made her way to the front row of some of new york fashion week's most coveted shows--isn't afraid to rock the gingham. we love the exaggerated print that fits the style of her oversized jacket.

christopher kane showed off his love of gingham at london's spring fashion week 2010 with a host of flirty frocks in this fabled fabric. especially enticing is the black-and-white chiffon dress (above) that would be equally appropriate this summer at a family picnic as an afternoon wedding.

poole shop, too, is on the gingham bandwagon! we love this ulla johnson dress (left) that fits perfectly into your daytime routine and the steven alan top (right) that is too cute with our current/elliott rolled trouser short in white.

the 80's still have it

one fashion trend of the 80's that we don't mind seeing again is the return of the sneaker/hi-top as daywear. put away your bootcut jeans and running shoes, and check out these celebrities for inspiration on how to wear this comfortably chic style that works just as easily with boyfriend jeans as it does with a flirty little dress.

poole shop is jumping on board with the cutest sneakers we've seen in a while, courtesy of rag & bone. we love the subtle grey color that goes with everything in your spring closet and the slightly raised platform that gives these shoes an edge. at just $160 and $185 for the low and hi-tops respectively, we can afford to rotate both throughout our wardrobe this season.

do nothing

"right now, i'm really trying to do nothing for a while," states the title character in noah baumbach's new film starring ben stiller. although we have yet to see the movie (which is now playing in charlotte at the manor theater), we are intrigued by roger greenberg's quest to do nothing--is it even possible? and will he succeed? in his roll, we admire ben stiller's ability to steer away from his sketch-comedy style of acting and embrace a character that appears (at least in the previews) to be both complex and endearing--we won't even miss stiller's "blue steel" face. with pop culture references to the mid-90s and a cast of characters that involves gen-Xer's intertwined with millennials, we're excited to sit back and do nothing this weekend while enjoying a great film.

just dye it

proenza schouler may have the coolest tie-dye tee shirt of the season, but at $325 it's a little steep for your average daytime tee. that's why we scoured target this weekend for a similar copycat version. at $10, we can afford to buy into this fleeting trend.

proenza schouler's $325 tie dye (left) versus target's $10 (right).

for those who fancy themselves a bit crafty, check out this video of martha stewart teaching the proenza schouler designers a thing or two about the art of tie dye.

not that karen walker

karen walker, meet karen walker:

you may know karen walker as the snarky assistant on tv's hit series will & grace, but we know karen walker as the sassy new zealand designer who's spring collection has taken poole shop by storm. inspired by all things nautical, a tomboy-ish blazer, flirty striped dress and crisp linen pant seamlessly project this designer's vision--a look that is both masculine and feminine, tailored and street-savvy. walker launched her first collection state-side in 2006 and already boasts celebutante followers such as alexa chung, natalie portman, ashley olsen, claire danes, drew barrymore, freida pinto and sienna miller: not a bad rap sheet for someone who started her line with just $80. we're looking forward to an even more exciting fall collection as karen walker becomes one of our featured designers, so stay tuned for more.

natalie portman wearing a karen walker blazer (available now at poole shop!) during an appearance on the today show. photo from the associated press.

the john patrick show

photo from vogue.com

exciting news for poole shop and charlotte! our buyer recently received a phone call from the president of organic who broke the news that organic's designer, john patrick, has been given his own show on discovery planet's green channel. the show, entitled the john patrick show, will give viewers an inside look into what it takes to create an eco-friendly and sustainable collection. covering all stages of design--from his studio in albany to fashion week in new york city--the show is scheduled to air early next year.

so how is this exciting for poole shop? john patrick will be traveling through north carolina in the next few weeks and is hoping to make an appearance at poole shop during a trunk show that will be filmed by discovery planet's green channel for the upcoming series. stay tuned for more...

LWD

the south will rise again: temperatures are hovering around 80 degrees for the next seven days, and it's time to replace that little black dress in your wardrobe with the little white dress. luckily, we've found the perfect LWD from organic--it's simple, sophisticated and works well on all body types. the color is a warm white that will ease the transition into spring for those of us not ready to break out the stark white of summertime.

we've recently seen copycat versions on julia roberts and jennifer garner (below), so we know the style will be a hit. pair the dress with a neutral summer wedge or up the ante with a bright turquoise or orange sandal to show off your wild side. think of it as a blank canvas to express your creative genius.