In the TV commercials for her Target line that's selling like hotcakes across the United States, Luella Bartley touts British Invasion bands as influences. But for her fall signature collection, she riffed on American rockabilly acts like Carl Perkins by way of the Clash. That meant cardigans paired with skinny jeans, plaid bustier dresses with big sashes at the waist, and motorcycle jackets topping full-skirt minis, along with a dandy's drawer worth of bow ties.
This territory is a well-worked one in fashion, but Bartley managed to shake up the mix with a few ladylike Chanel-isms. It seems her CBGB girl wants to spend some quality time at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle, hence the pearls worn in triple strands around the neck, the boxy black jackets, and quilted bags. These last were punked, of course, with charms like guns, bolts, and records. Lampshade dresses, though in tune with the pumped-up volumes of the past couple of seasons, looked a little Grand Ole Opry. But a short plaid trench worn with pin-straight cords will jibe with girls no matter what's on their iPods.
