Yves St. Laurent.

Fashion critics seemed to have had a ball calling out the silly in the spring 2011 men’s shows, but in reflecting on all of it, Times critic Cathy Horyn is disappointed. All those ridiculous looks we compiled yesterday? She calls them wimpy.

But men are having a hard time, as Hanna Rosin observed in an article in the current issue of The Atlantic, its tag line, “How women are taking control — of everything.” Men are wimping out, in the example of Judd Apatow’s chronic adolescent characters, or being mowed down by Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.

You sensed a little of this problem at the shows, and it was not a pretty sight. Stefano Pilati, the Saint Laurent designer, reverted to a drowsy Paul Bowles sexuality, with delicate young men in even more delicate-looking knits and high-waist shorts that rippled over skinny legs. If you saw a guy with a little fez tipped over his brow, what would you think? How fast can he set up my chair by the pool?

And she’s right — man lace is wimpy even if it’s Givenchy. As are skinny-boy models in short, wind-catching shorts. Maybe in another season or two the men’s collections will embrace the minimalist aesthetic that drove everyone wild at the fall 2010 women’s shows. Who doesn’t love a guy in just a nice well-cut suit?

The Wimp Effect Is Strong in Paris [NYT]

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Filed Under: other critics, cathy horyn, milan mens fashion week, paris mens fashion week, spring 2011, yves st. laurent

Well, here’s one way to get that coveted Target collaboration: Pampers by Cynthia Rowley (yes, diapers) will be available in Target stores starting in mid-July, in pastel patterns like madras, stripes, and printed ruffles. “It’s the first piece of clothing your baby will ever wear, and it should be special,” Rowley explains. Some might see the diaper as more of a pee pad than an article of clothing, but okay. [Luxist]

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Filed Under: kids these days, cynthia rowley, designers, pampers

You know, the one she wears when she goes out with Christian, and she comes down the stairs looking slutty, and her father says, “What are you wearing?” And she says, “A dress.” And he says, “Says who?” And she answers, “Calvin Klein.” Anyway, the owner of L.A. Boutique Confederacy asked Calvin Klein director Francisco Costa to re-create the dress for her store, and he did. Buy yours online tomorrow in white or red for the bargain-basement price of $915. [InStyle]

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Filed Under: like omg like, calvin klein, clueless, designers