NYFW Fall 2012 Accessories Report

You can't start a conversation about NYFW Fall 2012 accessories without mentioning the fabulously crazy fur hats at the Marc Jacobs show last night. Whether you were inspired or simply entertained by their intentional oversize, you have to agree with me-- they made a statement! And that is the beauty of accessories on the runway; they most often make the obvious point about a collection, in this case Marc's play on oversize and the Dickens era. I'm in the school of thinking Jacobs is a genius, but whether you are ready to sport a fury floppy next winter, I leave to you. But I urge you to at least think about it (perhaps a smaller version).

There are a few other remarkable accessory trends to note, aside from the hats that are extremely important. It's all about leather! Yes, plain old, sturdy, sexy, tough leather is the new fabrication for Fall '12. Bags, boots, shoes, belts, it's everywhere, mostly in black, white and beautiful oxblood color hues. Our friendly exotics have finally taken a much-deserved break (and our checkbooks are thankful).

That brings me to the next trend on my radar: the tall boot. Whether rugged or sexy, the just-to- the-knee, practically over-the-knee high-heeled boot is back; and it looks fantastic with slender skirts and outerwear coats (the season's musts thus far in fashion). I must confess that I was particularly fond (truthfully obsessed) of the Altuzarra knee-high black leather boot with long tassels - a definite addition to my wardrobe.

Now everyone always wants to know what the "it bag" is going to be next season. Well, my answer is that being "it" is no longer the trend. Say hello to "Plain Jane". It seems that the simpler the shape, the lesser the hardware, the plainer the fabrication, the more on trend a bag is. Alexander Wang and The Row showed the most beautiful "plain" bags I have ever seen; so chic and understated; yet so desirable. Think less is more. I must say that larger size bags have popped here and there, so stay tuned for the final verdict.

Keep you posted, F