A folk-y Slavic thing seems to be a micro-trend. Alice Temperley steered her particular bohemian leanings in an opulent direction for a look she called "polished folk." The first look out nicely illuminated that description. It had a bright floral embroidery in neat panels on ivory dotted tulle, and its long and lean shape—with sheer long sleeves that somehow still evoke the royal wedding—gave way to a bit of fluid swish at the hem. With fur hats on nearly every look, it made you think of a parade of young czarinas. (There was also a touch of Cossack warrior in a lean double-breasted officer s coat and another high-shouldered one in navy satin with proud gold buttons.) Lose the hat, however, and a lace-paneled blouse and bronze jacquard skirt cinched with a jeweled ribbon belt were pure modern-day oligarch-ette.
But even that girl s viewpoint has changed considerably in the past decade, which made some of Temperley s intended decadence (crystal beading, lace, velvet, loads of costume jewelry) feel weighty. There was a drag to looks like a long shearling jacket and matching pencil skirt, or a navy satin gown with chunky jeweled straps crisscrossing its open back. Perhaps the problem wasn t the excess itself, but the fact that it was a vision less than exquisitely drawn. After a couple of strong and very polished seasons chez Temperley, we ve come to expect more.
