Best of the Best of Spring 2014: Michael Kors

Michael Kors Spring 2014 knit and crochet goodness

After being sick for most of September, I’ve spent more time catching up with my inbox than with the catwalks of New York, London and Paris. The Michael Kors show was weeks ago, and there have been countless others since that I may never see, but I’m comfortable calling these my favorite knits (and crochet!) of Spring 2014 regardless.

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Next of the best of Spring 2014: Stitches and fringe at TSE

TSE fringed sweater

TSE embroidered top

TSE fringe sweater set

A little fringe-hemmed sleeveless sweater hanging out of a structured chambray top? Yes. A black trapeze tee (in silk? voile?) embroidered all over in midnight blue? Yes. That fringed shell again in black, paired with a slouchy black cardigan? YES.

I’m loving these pieces from TSE Spring 2014.

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First of the best of Spring 2014: Peekaboo sweaters

Mona Kowalska of A Detacher in her polka dot cardigans

First, thank you for the well wishes the other day. By late Saturday afternoon, I was sitting upright on the couch, thinking it would indeed be nice to knit. But we’re having a heat wave and my hands were so hot I couldn’t imagine handling wool. So now I know what some of you feel like in summer. Thankfully, I had the images from the Spring 2014 shows at New York Fashion Week to keep me occupied.

Clearly one of the major trends for Spring is transparency, which has already taken a hundred forms — from the usual sheer insets, sleeves and whole garments to more curious things like lace panels flapping off a plaid dress. And it extends to the knitwear, ranging from Alexander Wang’s translucent argyle cardigans to Jason Wu’s gorgeous sheer pullovers paired with bondage-ish bra tops. See also: sweaters in mesh stripe and striped mesh. But the most unexpected of the peekaboo sweaters so far are the cutout polka-dot cardigans, some of them double-layered, at A Détacher. Designer Mona Kowalska liked them so much she sent three versions down the runway and wore two herself. That’s a twin set I can get behind.

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For my ICYMI pick this week, since most everyone else is in the mood for a fall warm-up, how about the immensely popular New Favorites: Simply great cowl patterns.