TRENDS
Dresses: Floating and floral, or chicly shaped.
Waist watch: Hitch up your pants and suck in your tummy.
Shorts: Short, short, short, cuffed mid thigh, or to the knee. Rompers for those who kept up their PE lessons.
Skirts: Pencil straight or puffed, tulip-shaped or ballooned.
Coats: The trench
for women, the carcoat for men.
Necklines: Deep Vs, front and back; fluted and scalloped edges.
Sleeves: Fluted, or gently puffed.
Fabrics: Velvet, but buy the best or move out west. Subtle checks and plaids.
Menswear: Twisted suiting, colour-charged collars.
Colour: Black is back, velvets are in jewel shades, teals, blues and palest pink and muted autumn tones, especially in floral prints.
HIGHLIGHTS
Best show: Kate Sylvester and Zambesi.
Best music: Live at Zambesi, with Pluto on stage.
Best soundtrack: Deborah Sweeney, with Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton's classic Jolene.
Best quote: "Oh, my god they're all so ugly" - a fashion insider on the fur protesters outside.
Best goody: Flax kits to carry the press releases, very Kiwiana.
Best styling: Deborah Sweeney, shades of Karen Walker in subverting pretty.
Best pampering: Herald Inkroom: Not just 'cos we work for the paper, but because Kai Productions Chris Store was host with the most.
Best dressed: Nippon Vogue international fashion co-ordinator Leeyong Soo
Most improved: IPG's Turet Knuefermann.
Most disappointing: Miss Crabb, failed to live up to the hype.
Most surprising: Liz Mitchell gets funky. Caroline Church breaks her mould.
Most promising: Cybele
Most luxurious: Yvonne Bennetti.
