Vera Wang

I can pick a Vera Wang dress out of a line up of twenty million dresses--or more. And not because I am deeply familiar with any of her signature tailoring tricks or passionate about her unique use of color. I know a dress is Vera Wang if I want it so bad I momentarily consider selling my car and hocking all my family heirlooms just to get it.

If a lullaby or a perfect fairytale were clothing--they would be Vera Wang dresses. Vera Wang relishes all the froth and foam and feel-loveliness of Cinderella but somehow manages to keep her head. She doesn't get swept away on a wave of crenolin or tangled in endless yards of lace. Her dresses have an edge, but are also gorgeous.

Clearly, I adore Vera Wang. So monthes ago, when I first heard about her new Kohl's line--I was so excited. I actually made special trips to the Kohl's in Fayetteville just to see if it had arrived yet. I loved the possibility of Vera Wang clothing and all that it evokes for me being a daily experience.

Vera infuses these affordable, daily-wear knits with the same magic that she does her gowns and her high end line. The palette is jewel-toned and rich. The cuts are flowing and flattering and fabric is clinging but not adhering. Her high end spring line has an art-house feel. She uses bold color combinations (many of them involving a hard to use mustard yellow) and plays with proportions: trailing cardigans, oversized fluffy blouses, full skirts and skinny pants. Her Kohl's line similarly incorporates eyecatching uneven hemlines and bright patterned dresses and tops.

(For some reason, the formatting is being really dumb. The top few pieces are from her Kohl's line. And the bottom two are examples of her dresses.)