From left: Proenza Schouler, Badgley Mischka, Lela Rose, Anna Sui, and Calvin Klein   (Photo: FirstView)

1. Learn a New Acronym.
Because the LWD (little white dress) is your new staple. More designers opened with one than didn’t, so there’s a great variety of mood and shape. Narrow at Proenza Schouler, sweet at Badgley Mischka, sheer at Calvin Klein, and incredibly easy at Lela Rose. We could go on.

From left: DKNY, Derek Lam, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Oscar de la Renta, and Zero Maria Cornejo   (Photo: FirstView)

2. You’ll Get the Blues …
The season’s preferred shade hovers somewhere between cobalt and royal. It dresses up on the season’s popular caftan shape at DKNY, and down on a sharp T-shirt dress at Zero Maria Cornejo. Oscar de la Renta applied the new color to an old concept—tight, Alaïa-esque bandage strips—on a cocktail dress.

From left: Thakoon, Diane von Furstenberg, Tory Burch, Sari Gueron, and Calvin Klein   (Photo: FirstView)

3. …When You’re Not All Yellow.
Blue is easy. Yellow is tough. For most, it takes a tan to make it look good. The soft, buttery shades at Sari Gueron and Calvin Klein are gently flattering, but Thakoon’s touch of acid on a short, layered shift is—for those with the right legs and complexions—outrageously fresh and sharp.

From left: Sari Gueron, Tuleh, Vera Wang, Ralph Lauren, and Diane von Furstenberg   (Photo: FirstView)

4. Any Print Goes—So Long As It’s Black-and-White.
There were lots of motifs, mostly in botanic themes. Whether they were bold and graphic (witness Diane Von Furstenberg’s giant ginkgo leaves) or sometimes romantic, as at Vera Wang, the best were black-and-white. It looked Henley-ready at Ralph Lauren, and sweetly boho at Sari Gueron.

From left: Thakoon, Marchesa, Rodarte, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Zac Posen   (Photo: FirstView)

5. You’ll Be Wearing Your Flowers.
There were many fluttery 3-D blooms, but among the best were Thakoon’s long gown with delicate petal sleeves and hem, Rodarte’s nostalgic white cocktail dress, and Phillip Lim’s versatile white tunic dress.