A guilty pleasure slideshow brought to us from another angle - the editors of Style.com defending red carpet “wrongs” dictated to us by all of the “expert” fashion police.
Style.com - “Ladies, We’ve Got Your Backs”
Posts Tagged Style.com
Since this is the first recession many of us are going through – every day I’m more and more amazed by how fashion just is not the same. We see it with the assortments at stores, the red carpet, and now couture! There was one bright spot among the dismal and too separate-y Paris couture week – the always inspiring John Galliano for Dior. The thing about couture – is that it’s obviously a loss leader, the amount of couture pieces Dior will sell in a season probably total 5 – and for good reason, couture is supposed to be Avante-Garde and one of a kind. Why else would you pay upwards of 20k for a dress? That’s what Dior did – an inherent costumer, he presented a collection that was not only true to the Dior likeness (the New Look), but he made it swoon-worthy with intricate texture, voluminous skirting, perfectly tailored tops & a heavy Dutch influence. It was like stepping into 300 year old oil paintings at the Met – you really did feel like you were in a dream, which was the exact thing Galliano was aiming to achieve.
“There’s a credit crunch, not a creative crunch. Of course, everyone is being more careful with their discretionary purchases. I am. But it’s our job to make people dream, and to provide the value in quality, cut, and imagination.”
View the complete collection on Style.com
Not sure how many girls out there cite Rock of Love as a must see – but I for sure do, which is where my difficulty understanding these leggings lies. Perhaps it’s just this show, or maybe it’s just too much costume history/ sociological absorption on all levels – but the instant I saw these Rodarte cut out leggings, I thought - stripper! I’m not going to hate on strippers, but I’m pretty sure they coined this look and it’s just another one of those from street to designer trends. Granted – the Rodarte leggings are adorable and I’m not saying I don’t want a pair, but I will absolutely acknowledge that yeah, I do want to look like a stripper – sort of, in this instance. The main difference in the aesthetic between Rodarte and below Pat Field’s very close West Side Highway representation - is the smaller, uniform, and cohesive diamond shape – as well as zip ankle detailing that channels a different gal. Regardless of origin, I will scout out something similar to Rodarte, that’s not so Rock of Love - definitely in white or cream, feminine - and with a little S&M to keep it as classy as a pair of cut out leggings can be.
View Rodarte’s Spring 09 complete collection @ Style.com
Resort came early this year! Actually, we are technically in what the industry calls “resort” - but the average American girl - not jetting off to Mikonos - would be hard pressed to break out the Rainbow Brite in December. And, forgive me for using such a ridiculous connotation (I would die for Rainbow Brite circa 1990) - but the colors do remind me of just that. Saunders artfully layers pink, royal, and lime chiffon - that cascade together like a surreal little watercolor palette.
I love to spit fire about fashion, and one of my favorite sports is confusing people to no end with psychological insights and terms they can’t begin to understand. This color movement, however, seems a little more apparent - and I think everyone can relate. As my beau is getting his MBA, I often joke that he’s regressing - wearing a backpack, not shaving for days - and I think fashion is moving in a similar direction, although perhaps for a longer lifespan (we can only hope). With nothing but constant woes about the economy, I’m living for color right now - and if nothing else, it instills a sense of whimsy and awe that’s like a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. If you were to daydream a dress at age 5, would it be black? Hell, no.
To view the complete slideshow - visit the online bible, Style.com
The duster earring is all that’s in my head after watching Factory Girl. Yes - I take years to watch fantastic movies that I should really run to the theatres for - it’s called procrastination, and I do it well. Although these may tear your ear off, beauty is pain - and if I had the chance to wear 5 carats worth of diamonds, I may sacrifice an ear as well.
View the rest of the Isaac Mizrahi Spring 09 collection on Style.com
Beauty trends are very closely in line with those in fashion - and as we’ve been seeing so many more vibrant colors, prints, and glamorous ready to wear, makeup has been following along in its own way. I have never gotten too crazy into makeup - I’m awful with liquid eyeliner, but as I get older I seem to become better at pulling off the smokey eye, the red lip - but that’s about it. I remember in high school I would wear pink eyeshadow because of Avril Lavigne, as she was my teenage muse - and then also went through a phase of purple to make my eyes (green) pop - but it was never really about the fun aspect.
So - last year when Kate Moss stepped out in star face paint for her birthday, I became completely obsessed and have been dreaming about pulling this off on my own. While I don’t go to too many places where face paint is socially acceptable, I have still been experimenting with dark teal shadows, crimson lips, and undereye glitter (not simultaneously). Maybe it’s because I’m in a serious 70’s disco channeling mode right now - but I can’t get enough of that glam rock, Debbie Harry vibe.
It’s easy to be terrified of accidentally reliving the 80’s - but what’s old is new again - and colorful eye shades can be done really well when done in moderation and solidarity - that means JUST glitter, or JUST hot pink, or JUST aqua. Who’s to say you can’t pop into a bar with nail art and some graphic eye interest? I am a firm believer in dressing how you feel - and if you feel like a shining star you may as well draw one on your face.
View a slideshow on metallic beauty on Style.com
Can’t say enough about Zac Posen pre fall. I haven’t been this impressed with a showing in a looooong time. He clearly watched something with Katharine Hepburn in it - the 40’s feel is undeniable, but impecably updated and youthful. I fully anticipate this being a catalyst for ready to wear until at least Spring ‘10 - he really set himself apart and started something fresh and uncontrived. It makes perfect sense really, to channel an era that is so similar to what we’re all aspiring to right now. Forget the 30’s, the beauty of youth - and fashion - is idealism.
It was incredibly hard to pick just a few to feature, so go to Style.com to check out the full Pre Fall 09 slideshow.
Just spotted the LV ads for Resort 09 - and became obsessed with this bejeweled, bedazzled - very St. Tropez monokini from Vuitton. I still find it foreign that there is a complete season called “resort”, which my middle America raised self had no concept of upon entering FIT - yet was very familiar with 4 years later and after my time at Ralph. Pretty much anything that included lurex, gold hardware, or bling entitled a piece to a spot in the resort delivery. Resort collections are what the biz world calls “loss leaders”, in that they usually make very little money but are important to transition people into Spring. This is for the very small percentage of people who holiday after or during Christmas, and need things like bathing suits in the dead of winter. Life would be pretty sweet if I could be chillin’ on the French coast like a Bergdorf Blonde - but I’ll settle for 70 degree Austin and Hula Hut in February…for now!
View the complete Resort 09 collection on Style.com