Spring 2009's flood of fashion &style looks

Although there were no unifyng styles on New York fashion week's Spring 2009
runways, at least everyone was looking backwards. Designers took nostalgic trips
to past eras, which spanned from the ladylike 1940s through the power-dressing
1980s.







Marc Jacobs mined American vernacular styles and materials, and produced a layered high luxury collection.





Nanette Lepore turned out a collection that referenced days at the beach, with clam diggers, loose blouses and seersucker dresses in a palette alternating between soft neutrals and pops of sea-toned colors.





Flowing floral dresses bloomed at Diane von Furstenberg's show, which styled its models with ribbons and floral headbands.


At alice&Olivia's presentation, models wore minimalist dresses that recalled slinky 1970s dressing.

Proenza Schouler's 80s-inflected collection channeled that era's hard-edged sexuality , with leather clothing and details like outsized shoulders and razor-like cut-outs

At the Michael Kors show, outfits used classic American sportwear motifs, including boating stripes and gingham. Even a glamorous red gown used a simple T-shirt-style neckline and sleeves.