Thanks to the writers' strike, my TiVo is suddenly bereft of shows to record, Conan reruns are starting to feel like two-week old leftovers, and, most lamentably, last week's installment of Gossip Girl was the final new episode I'll be seeing in what appears to be a very... long... time. I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms just thinking about it.

But those who watch the show simply for the wardrobe changes are in luck. Remember those amazing dresses Serena and Blair wore in episode four—from the fashion line presented by Eleanor Waldorf? Those were in fact part of an amazing new collection by a real New York designer: Abigail Lorick. Now we can all have a piece of the Upper East Side-action.

Originally from Florida, Lorick's interest in fashion was sparked by a stint as a Ford model and evolved as she attended FIT and designed for T.S. Dixin, until she finally branched out on her own in April of last year. Her debut spring collection seeks to put the elegance back into our every day wear—"a rarity," she says on her Web site, in today's rather immodest society.

Fusing old-fashioned silhouettes—think belted trench coats, ruffled blouses, silk jumpsuits, and high-waisted pencil skirts—with playful, colorful prints, her creations are refreshingly polished without taking themselves too seriously. Quirky accessories like neck scarves, driving gloves, and suspenders keep it fresh and young. Ripped jeans and exposed zippers are nowhere to be found here—Lorick's raison d'etre lies in bringing back classic, lady-like pieces that will never feel dated.

Stand-outs include the silk bustier Vinny Dress, the Zeina Pencil Skirt, and La Dame Trench, which channels Faye Dunaway a la "Bonnie and Clyde." Through Lorick, Gossip Girl can live on in all of us while letting our inner ladies shine. Long live the Upper East Side!

- Kristi Garced

Similar Topics:fashion, shopping, televsion

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