If I had to describe the Steven Alan Fall 2013 collection in a sentence it would be, "Wearable comfortable basics done right with just a hint of quirk". This is a collection that I could see a thousand New Yorkers wearing on my daily commute.
When it comes to the womenswear component there was a still small voice that took basics and styled them in a every signature Steven Alan kind of way. A shirtdress is layered over slim trousers with a turtleneck on top. A leather skirt is layered over a striped shirtdress with the shirttail peeking out at the bottom. A baggy shirt is only half tucked in to trousers with an elastic hem and topped with a jaunty scarf.
None of these pieces in their individual components would be so stand out, although very nice wardrobe building pieces. However when skillfully combined, you can see the Steven Alan woman emerge in the velvet, the nubby knits, the plaid, the windowpane and oxford shirting and in the leather.
My favorite looks are the leather skirt over striped shirtdress and the windowpane trousers and dress with trench.
While I am no menswear expert, I thought the men's presentation was very strong. Interesting subtle details like twisted plackets give a flair to the collection while soft wool, textured knits and fine wale corduroy give a lot of warmth.
Colors are muted in a range of greys, camel, olives and black with hits of burgundy and soft blue. Blazers and pants are cut on the shorter side for a informal look that is anything but sloppy. Layering throughout the collection reflected the womenswear and in a city like New York, just makes sense.
