There was no show at Theory this season, but the vibe at the brand’s Meatpacking District showroom remained as sunny as ever. The big news this season was leopard print. It was great as a youthquake-y miniskirt (paired with a simple cardigan with gently shaped sleeves), and as an oversized A-line shirt dress. New shapes this season also included a cropped workwear inspired jacket made from quilted flannel, which, when paired with matching trousers and polo shirt, became a modern take on the suit. Jeffrey Kalinsky really emphasized monochromatic dressing as a shortcut to creating a daily uniform. A slim-fitting button down worn with an easy midi-length skirt were both in the designer’s latest obsession, a shade of beige he’s calling “New Camel.”
Elsewhere it was all about covetable pieces that will immediately become workhorses in any woman’s wardrobe: an ultra-feminine irregularly pleated circle skirt, an elegant flannel car coat lined in a performance fabric for added warmth, an easy, loose-fitting wide leg jumpsuit with a sleeveless boatneck top, leather cargo pants, a great pair of slightly flared jeans, and tons of great cashmere knits. “This is a more relaxed kind of thing,” the designer said. “I was really focused on the daytime New York seven-days-a-week uniform of a woman’s life.”