Across the board this New York Fashion Week, designers lightened up the mood (with the notable exceptions of Rodarte and Vera Wang). Dresses were shorter, softer, more feminine. The colors were brighter; the patterns were dizzying. And every outfit had piles of embellishments, from sequins to ruffles to feathers to pearls. Texture is officially in. But the feel is infinitely more romantic and upbeat than fall, with a sense of hope filling the catwalks. Click ahead for our best of New York.