The nude silk slips and embelished lace tea dresses, endemic of S/S '10's whirlwind romance with whimsical, girlish dressing were terribly exciting sounding in January, an undeniable spring staple by March but by the time Primark had churned out lace crop tops in every sickly shade from the sickliest baby pink to parma-violet purple the sugary allure of girlish dressing has left a saccharine stain in the pallette of the discerning fashionista.
 

Like the time when you know you should have stopped at one Krispy Kreme and instead guzzled the nine you were somehow coerced into buying; S/S '10's drawn-out love affair with all things pretty was simply too much of a good thing. By mid-June I was dressed all in black, guiltily resenting the weather for preventing me from layering and eagerly anticipating what exciting treats would be unfurled at the shows this upcoming Fashion Week.

Balmain A/W 2010

Much to my delight, with lashings of leather, thigh-high slits in showstopping dresses and sheer panelling risqué enough to make Lady Gaga blush, the perennial winter bad girl was back, and her name was Balmain. This darkly sexy vibe was echoed in YSL's latest ready-to-wear collection, where the long, black, monastic capes were juxtaposed with flashes of PVC and patent leather. The flirtation with the fetishistic continued with Lanvin's bottom-hugging pencil skirts in midnight-hued lace and even Elie Saab, famed for her fairy-tale floaty, and ultra-feminine creations took a trip to the dark side this autumn with lace biker jackets, sheer-panelled penil skirts and structured lace jackets, all in  a show-stopping, inky black.

Lanvin A/W 2010

For those still clutching relentlessly at their chiffon cocktail dresses, Vanessa Bruno's sheer, strappy, asymmetric dresses in translucent, inky hues present a palatable transition piece with the just the right amount of flounce. Just make sure some modesty is spared when it comes to undergarments: when it comes to this season's gothic romance, it's more about channelling Stevie Nicks than Taylor Momsen.
 

Just like Sandy in Grease it was a necessary inevitability: the fashion world's fling with romantic dressing has moved past the polite courtship phase into and evidently from Gucci's black feathers and leathers to Ralph Lauren's decadent lace gloves, Spring's candy-hued, frilly, fashion ingenué has grown up.

Words by Roisin Dervish O'Kane. Image source: Style.com.

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