Sarah Staudinger says her biggest seasons are the pre collections, which is why she calls pre-fall the "Summer of Staud." Spring 2027, she explained, "lives in the space between." Internally the team described it as up/down, east/west, here/there, then/now.

I love a designer who gives you a real idea instead of a mood. Her point is that evening is not necessarily evening and day is not simply day, and that is exactly how most of us dress. It is a relaxed, try-without-trying-too-hard attitude, and I think it is the most honest take on getting dressed this season.

That idea is easiest to see in the dresses, so start there.

Bags were in most looks, and I think that is the real engine of the show. Staudinger has a reputation for accessories, and here the bag does a lot of the talking.

The opening coat came in the same ombré leather as its matching oversized Maude tote, which has already turned up on a handful of fashion girls. I love that move, because it makes a coat and a bag feel like one idea.

For the grid below, I picked out the small beaded and embellished pieces: a beaded clutch, a satin clutch, a small beaded shoulder bag. They suit the dressed-up half of the up/down game.

Here is where the slash really shows. Duchess satin gowns were worn with loafers and sandals, and instead of a fancy evening clutch there was a raffia hat. I would copy that in a heartbeat, because it makes a gown feel like something you actually live in.

Shoes are the quiet hero of that approach. A rubber-soled shoe with a gown says you are not precious about it, and I mean that kindly. The satin mules and suede boots below sit comfortably on either side of the slash.

Trousers showed up in about one in five looks, which feels right for a collection about not choosing a lane.

What I keep coming back to is the prints. Staud does not shy away from a print or a color, and this season had a multitude of joyful ones. The best was a patchwork beaded top and skirt that could be worn together or as separates.

I also noticed the zebra print, which appeared in just a handful of looks. A little goes a long way, and it kept the collection from feeling too sweet.

The ivory crackled leather moto jacket, with its funnel neck, is the other piece that stays with me. If I could take one outfit, it would be that jacket over a satin dress, with flat shoes and a bag that matches nothing in particular.