Sitting in close proximity with strangers on bleachers for several hours a day, you overhear things while waiting for a show to start. Yesterday, I overheard one retailer, who was perhaps in her 50s, talking about how fashion has changed so much since she began in the business. "There just isn’t that one defining look of the season that you have to have now," she said. Among editors, this certainly seems true. If anything, it seems as if editors dress like their readers. The women who work at Teen Vogue, for example, are the most mix-and-match and playful, while Harper’s Bazaar editors are the ones wearing those lux Prada lace dresses.

While there may not be a singular must-have Total Look for spring, there are a few must-have items—one being the sleeveless jacket. It’s a trend that seems to cross over all age categories and styles this season. In fact, almost every designer I’ve seen so far has shown a sleeveless jacket.

Brian Reyes, which was a great show overall, showed of them—with a fun, voluminous take on the trend. Jim Wetzel of Jake enjoyed the show too. Here’s what he had to say about this growing brand:

Brian’s innate eye for beauty and elegance was again apparent in his Bryant Park show on Wednesday. The runway was full of earthy, chic fashion inspired by the geography of the American Southwest. Feminine dresses grazed the body perfectly, with carefully calculated volume in all the right places. Reyes’ washed out mineral palette conveyed a happy punch. Our favorite look: long, open vests over flowy little frocks—wow!

Next up was Michael Kors, a very upbeat show—Good Vibrations was playing on the sound system—and fun to watch from my vantage point in the nosebleeds. There are so many models on the floor at once, the poor folks in the front row had to snap their heads back and forth as if at a tennis match.

"Doesn’t that just put you in a good mood?" Stacey asked afterwards. It did. I especially liked the striped looks. Sort of a cross between a Chanel-at-Deauville sophistication, and a sharp, graphic look like you might see at Margiela.

 
 
 

But do you know what really puts me in a good mood? Seeing shows at the New York Public Library. Stacey and I hoofed it to the venue (located just behind the tents at Bryant Park), for a lovely Malo show by the line’s new designer, the talented Alessandro Dell’Acqua.

Richard Chai is a young designer getting great reviews. He put on a solid showing including pale, ethereal dresses, with a few pretty windowpane patterned pieces that looked as if painted in watercolor. And, of course, several sleeveless jackets!

All of that before lunch.

More to come, so soon!