Why is it that, when you're shopping for something in particular, you can never seem to find it?

I spent hours yesterday searching in vain--and at the last minute--for something fun to wear to my own party. Lace Helmut Lang bra top? Too serious. Neon yellow dress from the Marc Jacobs cyberpunk collection? Overplayed. After hours of tromping around town, I was starting to lose faith. And I was really, really hungry. But I decided to stop at Opening Ceremony as a last ditch effort. And when I climbed the staircase to the second floor and saw this silk dress (in kelly green and blue) from New York-based line Noble Youth hanging on the rack, I knew the hunt was over.

Despite the fact that Noble Youth has been around for almost five years, this was my first introduction to the brand. The line's designer, Megan Quinn, is a trained sculptor. But her design focus isn't really tailoring or structure, as you might assume. Instead, her creations revolve around her knack for dreaming up eye-pleasing, innovative, world-influenced textiles. From vibrant animal prints to watercolor, tie-dyed fades, her graphic designs are simply made to be displayed on silk. (Whether they should be paired with scrunched trouser socks and oxfords is up for debate.)