Nicole Richie's Winter Kate Dresses OK, but Fail to Impress

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For some reason, we've always found Nicole Richie slightly less insufferable than her peers, so when we heard about the new Winter Kate line, we were actually rooting for it a little. Like this line should be at least as good as anything to which Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian affixed their names. (And seriously, having ever appeared in a sex tape should automatically disqualify you for ever having your own perfume.)

We gave the new line a cursory inspection at Ron Herman on Melrose. The bar was set pretty low, so Winter Kate passed with flying colors. But it's just not that exciting.

It's floaty, tissue-weight bohemian fare: dresses, tunics, cardis and vests. It was mixed in with another new line, Of Two Minds, and we could barely tell the difference. It's all summery and sweet. Most of it's 100% silk, and seems to be of reasonably good quality. The prices aren't ridic: a few tunics and dresses below $200, and a flowing maxi-dress for $228 in our opinion, the most distinctive item was the leather vest, at $285.

We're definitely not saying it's bad, just a little boring and totally on the expected side. We love that Ron Herman styled the mannequins with Winter Kate blouses, white denim shorts, Doc Martins, and a furry tail. Not that we'd rock that look, either, but it's an interesting alternative to neo-Stevie Nicks. Winter Kate is also available online, and a few other retailers.
· Ron Herman [Official Site]