Now that Olympus Fashion Week is over, it’s tempting to proclaim certain looks as the next must have trends. But what happens on the runway often stays on the runway. A more practical approach is based more on aesthetics. How did the pieces look, and what was the most pleasing to the eye? After all, for most of us, what looks good has more merit than what’s new.

When judged by this standard, the ruling names in fashion tend to win. Ralph Lauren knows how to make a stellar collection of clothing – and he succeeded in doing that again this season. It’s no fashion innovation to show model after model in a turtleneck sweater. But for this brand, it succeeds. The classic Ralph look is still there, but with greater luxury. A number of the looks, drawn from menswear and built in tweeds and plaids, could be flattering on women of various body shapes.

One combination that stood out last week was a turtleneck with a suede jacket, a gold pleated skirt, and suede boots. That gold skirt might not work for everyone, but the visual combination of something glittering with something casual is a combination that has currency today. It’s usually present around town as jeans and a lacy camisole.

A great many designers showed a long, lean silhouette – high-neck blouses paired with high-waist trousers. For designers, this is convenient because models are rail thin with really long legs. For the average woman, it is supremely inconvenient because most of us are not 5-foot-11. But there were pieces that could link up with this trend without turning you in to a fashion victim. First and foremost, Tracy Reese offered skirts and dresses that were straight out of the Katharine Hepburn playbook. Wide shoulders and tight waists are timeless, and Ms. Reese interpreted that for the contemporary woman.

Blouses were a common denominator among the collections. Fabrics like silk and sheer lace turned up so frequently that they may be hard to avoid in the coming seasons. Michael Kors had a relaxed version of this trend with loose silk blouses (and even a v-neck, a seemingly forgotten concept this season) accented by long ties trailing from the neck. While the collegiate style he chose borders on Gap territory, the confident spirit and verve he captures is what’s so attractive. The clothes cry out, To hell with prim femininity, sporty is hot, too.

For Donna Karan, that equation might go something like this: Buttoned-up might work for some, but skin is always in. Ms. Karan finished up the week with a much needed dose of overt sexuality. Simple sleeveless sheath dresses for cocktails and more stood out for the admirable quality of not trying to reinvent the wheel. That’s not to say they were not creative. Several dresses came with stunning gold necklaces attached to them. Others had sheer black Lycra-type fabric for their backs or sleeves. That some models wore black stockings with seams was a welcome ray of sunshine.

As for what’s not going to work, well, count me as an opponent of the balloon hem. It shows off the designer’s creativity, and it looks good on models, but it would make most women look fat. Another element I think we can live without is kimono-inspired looks and Asian fabrics. We’ve just completed an entire news cycle in which everyone from Banana Republic to Fresh cosmetics was inspired by the film “Memoirs of a Geisha.” If Banana Republic has already done it, why bother?