New York Fashion Week Spring 2013: First Celebs Show Up Working the Trends - Hard

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The really big gun celebs won't show up at New York Fashion Week till shows like Zac Posen, Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors - but the first show out on Thursday morning didn't disappoint: a smattering of trendy Hollywood types worked the front row, and the shutterbugs standing on the runway before the show started had to be ten deep, craning their necks to get a shot of them in new fall looks and hours worth of hair and makeup.

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Whitney Port worked a fall look on a hot day - not an easy thing to pull off, ask any fashion editor - in a cobalt blue longer skirt in a tea length - very new - and a black top and shoes. Black and cobalt or black and navy - staples of the New York nineties - are back in a big way for fall 2012.

Selita Ebanks was even more "on trend" (a big fashion week expression) - in a tight shift to the knees with a color blocked inset Chinese print. We've seen more subtle ways of expressing this look - Prabal Gurung's are perfect - but she worked it well.

Speaking of Chinese prints - BCBG's almost fully black, white and cream spring 2013 palette featured a lot of Chinese and other Asian prints and influences: the chiffon and silk dresses were longer, between over the knee and ankle, and had short or long slits up the sides like kimonos - some also had kimono style sleeves. And the prints were delicate and small, much more subtle in black and white or black and cream than in bright discordant colors - and all of the looks were fitted with leather harnesses in black or white. If that sounds S & M-y - it actually wasn't. The harnesses gave the soft dresses some toughness and shape, and they worked well together. The leather on the harnesses complemented the black or white short boots with ankle straps and thicker heels. The hair was middle parted and flat and a bit matted, while the makeup was a coral/orange lip and black rimmed eyes - subtle, pretty, and looking fresh. Which is what the runway always needs to be.

It was actually a very pretty and interesting way to kick off spring: the girl of the silky print, the boy of the leather. You don't always need trousers to work the boy look.