Anna Sui's furry cat hat. Image via Style.com

Animal print clothing is classy, trendy right now and a nice way to switch up your style if you typically stick to neutrals and want to indulge in a pattern every so often, but Anna Sui may have taken the animal-as-clothing thing a bit too far. Last Wednesday at Lincoln Center, Sui sent a few models down the runway in giant cat hats. {FocusOnStyle}

Fashionista is reporting that the cat hats will be available at Suiâ€s SoHo store this fall for about $205. If you love crazy hats or you are really into the feline thing, one of these hats may not be a bad investment. The cat hat looks really warm and it completely covers the ears, which is important for staying toasty when the weather gets cold. We do worry, though, that itâ€s one of those things that works on the runway but not in real life unless you happen to be Lady Gaga. Or a junior high school student participating in spirit week.

A few months ago, we defended Baileyâ€s collection (after all, at least he made an attempt to take advantage of modern technology and business practices), but for his Fall 2011 Burberry Prorsum show, which took place this week in London, we thought there would be no need for Signature9 to come to Baileyâ€s defense. The clothes he turned out are overtly fall (Cathy Horyn at The New York Times dinged Bailey for ignoring spring influences in favor of clothes that could be worn right away last season), colorful, 60s-inspired and overall quite charming (love the cow print!). It seems, though, that many fashion critics are still unimpressed by Burberry and still complaining that Baileyâ€s embrace of technology has left his creativity in the dust.

Booth Moore at the Los Angeles Times said the show was “cute” and that “Bailey was right to keep the focus on outerwear,” but criticized Baileyâ€s clothes for being too far from the seasonless looks shoppers crave these days, which is funny considering Bailey was criticized last season precisely for being seasonless.

Suzy Menkes at The New York Times said Burberry was thinking too big, writing that “what [Burberry] gained in bombast, the once-quirky line lost in charm, cheek and irony that the designer Christopher Bailey has previously brought to the Burberry Prorsum brand.” She also said, “Burberry has to be careful that its brilliant and forward-looking embrace of the Internet does not leave too much behind — especially that ironic take on tradition, the British countryside and the brand heritage that Mr. Bailey can tweak so well.”

Looks like we need to weigh in again. Lucky for Bailey, though, it seems the general consensus among smaller fashion bloggers is that Burberryâ€s recent collection was highly impressive, and not just in comparison to the last show. We know we little old bloggers arenâ€t Anna Wintour or anything, but Fashionista, for instance, called Bailey “a master of the brand he has brought into the 21st century with ease.”

We wonâ€t go on a rant about the importance of digital technology and the urgent need for fashion types to make like Bailey and embrace it already, but we will say this: thank goodness for Christopher Bailey. The showâ€s coats looked warm and realistic for winter, the tweeds and tights were just what we want to be wearing come fall and there was the perfect amount of bright colors mixed with snowy whites and neutrals – and Baileyâ€s managed to do this all while catering to the modern need for instant gratification by making the collection available very soon, not months from now like most other brands†clothes. Bravo, Bailey!

Get ready to retire your skinny jeans and say hello to a fresh fall style this year. Last weekend we had the pleasure of attending Tory Burchâ€s Fall 2011 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week, and the designer delivered a ‘70s style collection with looks for work, weekend and evening.

The show was dominated by 70s-inspired pants with super wide legs in camels, plaids and prints and also featured models with center-parted,unfussy tresses that recalled the decade. Some of the models also wore red leather boots, grey stockings and blouses ruffled at the neck.

Our favorite look (which, according to Twitter, is one of Toryâ€s favorites too!) was a matching camel and navy print ensemble with, of course, wide leg pants and a blouse with matching scarf. Our other favorite? A black lace top and super flare leg pants with layers of shimmering  detailing at the collar, cuff and hem that was the perfect blend of ’70s inspiration and modernity.

According to show notes, Burch was going for something currently American with touches of English country. We certainly got that vibe from the furry parkas and previously mentioned blouses and tights that were mixed with of-the-moment trends like sequins and lace.

Overall, Burch stayed true to her signature styles while coming up with a fresh set of looks. Almost makes us want to rush through summer to next fall so we can wear the clothes. Almost.

McQ has a new creative director in Pina Ferlisi, and with the regime change will come collection changes, including more accessories, an increasingly casual feel and 25 percent lower prices.

Looks like it's going to take at least at 30% price reduction for her to get excited about the new McQ

“We always felt there was scope to create a brand that was more accessible — and a little more edgy,” President and CEO Jonathan Akeroyd said. “Weâ€ve got a strong ambition for it.” {Fashionologie}

Weâ€re not quite sure how a brand becomes at once more accessible and edgier, since we generally perceive edgy to mean bold, daring or more difficult to pull off as a style, but the 25 percent discount is a huge plus.

In keeping with the fashion advertising trend du jour, McQ will debut a film that features models wearing the preview clothes this week in lieu of a look book.

As far as the sneak peak clothes go, weâ€re not all that impressed, actually. (Pause for a huge gasp in response to us having anything negative to say about anything McQueen). The looks are bland and a bit too dark. We understand dark looks are signature to McQueen, but something about the new McQ line is too emo teenager/Wednesday Addams, falling short of the fantastical edginess weâ€re used to from McQueen. Hopefully the full collection will be more impressive in a few months. What do you think of the McQ fall 2011 preview?

The new lineup of shoes will debut in the fall of 2011 and retail for around $200-$500-  a major markdown from his signature collection.

The line is aimed at high-end department stores and upscale specialty boutiques, and Atwood notes, “We donâ€t ever call it diffusion because it is really a counterpart to the main line. It was something I felt that we needed as part of our brand. We love what we do and if we can give any part of Brian Atwood to a larger audience, that is what really excited me.” {Fashionologie}

It’s always a welcome thing to see any high-end designer go for a wider audience with a secondary line. Being able to offer expertise and quality for a mass market, at reasonable price points, is – no pun intended – a step in the right direction. Plus, secondary lines are an indication that the top tier line will be able to continue at what’s usually a slower growth rate. Mass market sales often buoy high-end sales (which can be shaky depending on economic conditions). Thinking back to Christian Lacroix, part of the reason he wasn’t able to survive the worst of the economic times is because there were no sunglasses, handbags, shoes or other items available at a mass level to balance out the dip in sales of couture. While designer accessories, including shoes, fared better than clothing we can’t wait to see what Brian Atwood has in store for next year.