Jay Manuel’s Attitude by Sears spring/summer 2012 collection was actually good

Jay Manuel’s Attitude by Sears spring/summer 2012 collection was actually good

Jay Manuel is many things: Mr. Jay on America’s Next Top Model, possibly an investor in a company that deals exclusively in hair gel and, for the second season, a finger pointer and stamper of documents for Attitude by Sears—no one in attendance really believes he designs the collections, but we come for the spectacle, and it was one. Last season was a glistening runway show with a disco soundtrack, fake furs and pencilled-in eyebrows, and frankly, we didn’t like it, but this season was much less tacky, excluding—of course—the introductory rolling clouds of dry ice that rose to eye level and made everyone choke. No boldface socialites showed up, but we did see Bustle designers Shawn Hewson and Ruth Promislow and model Stacey McKenzie cheering on model friend Yasmine Warsame, who slipped not once but twice while walking in the show. We couldn’t help but chuckle just a little when she decided to lie on her back, hands in the air, until an audience member was able to lift her to her feet. Check out the spring/summer 2012 iteration of Jay’s Attitude after the jump.

Check out the spring/summer 2012 collection from Jay Manuel and Attitude by Sears »

It was a major turn for Manuel, who, besides offering polyester animal prints and a ribbed cotton, midriff-baring top with matching skirt, sent out a collection of separates that most women would gladly buy for the office (and even outside, in daylight). Styling was integral to making this collection by Sears seem mildly elegant, like a loose knot on a blouse with a pink hue, a standard V-neck sweater worn casually off the shoulder (as if to appear asymmetrical on purpose), and a gauzy peasant blouse with sleeves that would never stay in place if worn as it was on the runway (perhaps with tape and elastics). An earth-print jumpsuit looked very cozy, with one editor saying she’d love to sleep in it, and the prints continued with racer-back tanks with an intentionally sloppy horizontal line and a kaleidoscopic print that was attractive by hypnosis. There was also a heavy push of resort wear, including capri pants, loose, net-like knits and sleeveless blouses with pleating along the bodice. Our favourite look, was a menswear-inspired pant in the most Pepto-looking pink—it sounds awful, but the model wore it well, and we’d wear it. We were just as shocked as you were, but to reiterate, how much does Jay Manuel actually contribute to any of this?