The Pretty Parade...NY Fashion Week Spring 2012

Here is a quick re-cap of the collections I've viewed from New York's Spring 2012 Fashion Week that concluded this past week.  Enjoy and be inspired...

My Favorite Trends...

1.  Longer shorts:  Mid thigh walking shorts that are cut slimmer than their traditional counterparts can be found in a number of collections.

 Thakoon

2.  White:  The classic color is holding strong yet another season.

 Altuzarra

3.  Geometric prints:  From digital to tribal, linear prints and detailing are everywhere.

Preen

4.  Sheath dresses and pencil skirts:  Often right above the knee and super slim.

 Donna Karan

5.  Asymmetry:  Found in many blouses, blazers and skirts.

Jen Kao

6.  Florals:  Prints to silhouettes, flora has inspired a number of the Spring 2012 collections.  

Tadashi Shoji

7.  Circle skirts:  In varying lengths and fabrics.

 Donna Karan

8.  Mono-print ensembles

 Peter Som

9.  The suit:  With interesting lapels and modern detailing, suits are in every hue, length and material for the spring.

Zac Posen

10.  Wide sleeves in stiff fabrics

Derek Lam

11.  Sheer pants

Vera Wang

12.  Thigh slits:  In long flowing skirts

Doo.Ri

13.  Symmetrical prints and adornments

Badgley Mischka

14.  Shift dresses:  Falling right above the knee or higher

Phillip Lim 

15.  Tulip shaped skirts, pants and shorts

Carlos Miele

Other trends to consider...

*Deep pant cuffs or trim in a contrasting color*

*The colors coral, lemon, lime, violet, soft grays, cantaloupe and mint*  

*Pleats*

*Plunging neck lines*

My Favorite Collections...

Cushnie et Ochs...(pronounced kush-nee et oaks) Décolletage, geometric detailing, full skirts and structure meeting delicate folds.  Powerful and feminine.

Zac Posen...My absolute favorite thus far.  1940s style super slim suits, fish tails everywhere, sculpted bodices, exaggerated hips and amazing varying sleeves.  So glamorous!

New York Fashion Week: Spring/Summer 2012

Today marks the beginning of the highly anticipated Mercedes Benz NY fashion week showcasing top designer's Spring/Summer 2012 collections.  I'm not sure I care yet...I'm gearing up for Fall and super excited about blazers, boots and breaking out my coat collection.  


For those of you who shop out of season (which I recommend and rarely do myself) or enjoy layering over last season's picks in the cooler months this event is worth paying attention to.  I will document the lines that catch my eye here as YouTube videos become available...

7 Tips for Blending Vintage and Modern Clothing

1.  Think in layers from essential wear on up.

Great chefs know that a fantastic dish consists of complimentary and delicious layers.  As you dress, assess your silhouette at every stage.  With pre 60s vintage dresses in particular, a strong foundation is important.

2.  Research the styling from different eras.

Vintage is a broad term that encompasses all things 25 years or older.  Even though most decades of fashion have strong visual themes, there are many obscure looks and concepts to be uncovered.  Watch films, rifle through photos and advertisements from various periods for inspiration.

  

Christian Dior skirt from 2 piece suit, Vivienne Tam wrap sweater, vintage Dior hat, Eye Been Framed browline glasses, Ancestral Art jewelry, Chanel pumps and vintage corset.  

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3.  Consider the details of vintage and modern ensembles.

Outfits are art.  Use the same eye exercised when viewing a painting to ponder the individual elements of a look and how they relate to one another.

4.  Fit is everything. 

Don’t compromise fit for style; especially when wearing vintage clothing. 

5.  Think accessories.

Jewelry, gloves, hats, shoes, handbag, scarves, glasses, hand fan, parasol, legwarmers, belt, fascinator and countless other accessories are great tools when creating a look from various periods.  

DeWeese vintage terry cloth cardigan, "Jazz Fest" mini wrap skirt, Eye Been Framed cateye glasses, Ancestral Art jewelry, vintage corset and Chanel pumps.  

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6.  Have fun.
Do you remember paper dolls?  Constructing endless outfits using stiff icons?  Invoke that spirit of play when putting your wardrobe together.  Set a time for you and your imagination to go through your clothes and have a ball.  Music and wine are optional.

7.  Follow Confess Apparel’s blog.

Clearly, for information like this from a woman dedicated to helping everyone look their best.

Spectacular Spectacles

 Eyewear is to an outfit as the bass is to music.  They anchor the harmonic structure of an ensemble while possessing the ability to rock out on their own. 

The color, finish, shape and lenses unassumingly restructure the wearer’s face and shift the viewer’s focus making glasses my favorite little accessory.

Butcher or Artist?

I’ve been spectacle dependent since the age of 12 and felt early on that awesome rims were imperative.  After years of lackluster satisfaction with mid-range designer sets that prematurely shed their accents or fell apart, I found Eye Been Framed; a French Quarter based business that sells DEADSTOCK vintage glasses from the 1950s to the late 80s.  Hallelujah. 

Eye Been Framed is a treasure trove of reasonably priced, unworn eyewear in styles that make the modern mock-ups appear shameful.  Each pair is like a finely tuned custom Cadillac.  They are the epitome of face jewelry that make believers, and junkies, out of all who witness the collection first hand. 

With modern designer labels recreating cat-eyes, aviators, exaggerated 80s style and browline glasses, the fashion savvy now have options.  You can spend considerably more investing in replicas that were mass produced for inflated profit margins and global markets OR you can purchase the vintage originals that were artisan built to last out of sheer innovation.   

To attend the next Eye Been Framed party and view this incredible collection, contact me. 

7 Things I Learned About Fashion in Brussels

Brussels, Belgium

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1.   "Gypsies" layer beautifully.

Culturally significant, pretty and utilitarian fabrics in varying patterns and colors are harmoniously worn in a unique way that is often imitated but rarely executed so honestly.  

2.  I like punk.

Belgian punks changed how I regarded the style.  Observing people owning the look at all ages and income levels made me see the aesthetic properties.  It wasn't about shock value or being deliberately anti-fashion.

 After leaving New Orleans to spend months in an Islamic country, 

you would take a photo of a bar at 6AM too.  Don't judge me.

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3.  Not all major European cities are fashion obsessed.

No one appeared to be trying really hard to look "in vogue".  Very unpretentious place.  I loved that.  

4.  Awesome eyewear goes a long way.

I drooled over show-stopping frames almost everywhere I went. 

 My father and a friend at Grand Place

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5.  Old European cities have great vintage clothes.

Period.  See the post on the Place du Jeu de Balle Flea Market.

6.  Six or seven pastel candy colored pieces in an outfit is OK with me.

I noticed a woman that appeared as if she just stepped out of Willy Wonka's Imagination Room with an edible outfit.  I was surprised I liked it.  Dior's Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011-2012 collection masterfully paired these colors with black and white prints.

 Dad covered in pigeons at Grand Place

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7.  I fell in love with black again.

In a city that embraces minimalist fashion you can't help but appreciate the complex world of black.  Watch Ann Demeulemeester's Fall/Winter 2011-2012 collection that applies strong detailing to an all black motif.

"It" Took The Snap Out of My Garters.

"It" 1927 Silent Film

Pleated Skirt at Natural Waist Belted with Sweater,

 T Straps, Scarf and Beret

Clara Bow

"IT" is that quality possessed by some which draws all others with its magnetic force. With "IT" you win all men if you are a woman—and all women if you are a man. "IT" can be a quality of the mind as well as a physical attraction."

Elinor Glyn

Opening Title of the 1927 film "It"

And so "It" begins.  The 1927 romantic comedy that made me fall in love with 20s fashion.  Watching Clara Bow bounce around bra-less as Betty Lou Spence, manipulating wealthy playboys, and defending fatherless infants changed how I regarded the decade’s daywear for good.  Her silhouettes were far from cylindrical; Bow's slim bodices and delicately pleated skirts met at or slightly below her natural waist highlighting her adorable figure.  

In one of my favorite scenes Betty convinces socialite Monty to take her to the Ritz after finding out her object of affection would be in attendance.  To prepare, Bow’s character resourcefully removes the sleeves and collar from her work dress, wraps a tulle scarf around her neck and pins an enormous floral arrangement at her waist.  Blatantly underdressed but well equipped with sheer sex appeal, Betty Lou catches the eye of Mr. Waltham, her employer and owner of the world’s largest department store, in spite of the highbrow blonde with whom he is dining. 

As a working class shopgirl simply brimming with "It", Clara's wardrobe was simple compared to the decadent productions of the era.  Nonetheless, the role catapulted her to an iconic status and immortalized her as the first "It" girl.

7 Things I Learned About Fashion in Guinea

The Republic of Guinea

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1.  Made-to-measure clothing is a basic human right not a luxury.  

Regardless of socio-economic class, everyone has access to custom tailored garments in Guinea.  The cost is comparable to that of ready-to-wear and it keeps artisans employed. 

 Vintage Topcoat, West African Print Cotton Pants with Oxford Shirt and Kufi

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2.  Old Guinean men blend European and traditional African clothing the best.

Shades, scarf, kufi (hat), African print tailored shirt, European pants (tailored, of course) and designer sandals.  Baller.

 Dixinn, Conakry Elders in European and Traditional African Clothing

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3.  Rapper 50 Cent has a line of boxer shorts sold in almost every major market in Guinea.  

His name is on the waist band...

 West African Print Cotton Pant Set, Shades and Shoulder Bag

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4.  Print and textile design are powerful.

Color, print and pattern have a clear language.  In Guinea the silhouettes are somewhat consistent yet different ethnic groups and territories use varying techniques and imagery to distinguish their work.  Furthermore, European designs reworked in traditional African fabrics are almost completely removed from their original context. 

 Saturated Colors and Custom Tailoring in African Brocade (Bazin) and Wax Print Fabric

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5.  The ritual and communal nature of getting dressed.

Women participated in each other's beauty routines.  They tended to one another's clothing, hair and make up and collectively took pride in the result.  

Wedding Party Preparation, Gold Dusted Parts in Hair

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6.  Posture is extremely important.

Almost everyone I consciously observed was naturally erect and centered.  This balance gave them an air of regality and confidence which is key to pulling off any look. 

Custom Tailored and Trimmed Lapa and Top

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7.  Women's Wear Daily is one of the best fashion publications in circulation.

Their 100 year anniversary edition was my chosen read for the long flight.  Needless to say I studied it front to cover throughout my trip until it practically disintegrated. 

Balmain: Restrained Rock

Balmain Fall/Winter 2011-2012

Relaxed Shirt Haphazardly Tucked into Luxurious Mini

In a relaxed glam rocker kinda way, the house of Balmain showed us how far a great pair of pants and a fancy jacket can go.  Presented in vivid metallic leathers and heavily embellished fabrics, these pieces anchor easy-to-wear blouses, if any, and no jewelry at all.  Love it.  

Epaulettes are exaggerated with fur and sequins while glittering mini shift dresses and skirts flash in opposing linear patterns.  All ensembles are paired with calfskin lace-up boots in black and white, including deeply cuffed cropped pants and even deeper V neck jumpers.

Overall, this show conjured a host of looks the average person can wear using garments that are easy to find, they already have or can manipulate.  Most of the styles can be easily thrifted or purchased at second-hand retailers with a little imagination and a lot of tailoring.  Ensuring the fit is polished and the strong shoulder classy (Long Island accent) are chief among all other details when re-interpreting this look in your wardrobe.  

Worthy of recognition, the mastermind behind the Fall 2011 collection is unclear due to the recent shifts in this esteemed fashion house.  Head designer, jean-loving Christophe Decarnin, failed to appear at the March premier and was later replaced by 25 year old Olivier Rousteing in April.  Some sources state Balmain's runway show stylist Melanie Ward is to credit for the line.  Who knows.  

Nonetheless, it's smart and the soundtrack is awesome so watch it for yourself.

Click here to view the full show on Youtube.

 Side Slashed T with Embellished Jacket

 Mod Combination, Mini Shift Dress and Boot

Ultra Blue Leather Jacket and White Boot

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Natacha Rambova

"Why Change Your Wife?"   

Sofa with phonograph and bar in arm rests

  

 As a part of my continuing education, *ha!*, I recently watched the Cecil B. Demille silent film, “Why Change Your Wife?” (1920), starring Gloria Swanson.  The heavily adorned sets and costumes were beyond lavish; rich down to the smallest detail.  It was a visual smörgåsbord served on platinum trimmed porcelain dinnerware by the awe-inspiring costume designer Natacha Rambova. 

Add her to your heroine database.

Dancer, designer, actress, writer, producer and entrepreneur Natacha Rambova (1897-1966) was born Winifred Kimball Shaughnessy in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Early in life she displayed the creative, independent and industrious nature that would set the stage for her legacy, rejecting the constraints and conveniences of her wealthy upbringing. 

Though merely half of her films have survived and few were commercially successful, she is heralded as a style innovator and icon for her design contributions to ballet, Broadway, film and fashion between 1916 and 1933.  Known for her exotic and foreign effects, Natacha researched historical facts to ensure accuracy in her designs and played a major role in bringing the Art Deco style aesthetic to Hollywood from Europe in the 20s.  

 …and she was Mrs. Rudolph Valentino for a spell.  Their controversial relationship often, unfortunately, smothers her artistic contributions to culture and fashion so we'll move on...

A notorious shopper, her signature style, long hair in braided chignons and turbans gave her a mysterious sexiness that defied time and space.  As an advocate of self expression through fashion, Rambova opened a couture boutique on Fifth Avenue in 1927 and started a clothing line after her first year.

Natacha’s ensuing forays in business included real estate development and Egyptology.  A long time spiritualist and student of ancient religions, Rambova helped decipher ancient inscriptions and conducted classes on myths and symbolism until her death in the mid 60s.

Whistler's Mother: Fashion Icon?

Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist's Mother, 1871

Oil on Canvas

James Abbott McNeill Whistler (July 10, 1834 — July 17, 1903),  American

The Arrangement in Grey series by Whistler has always intrigued me.  A master of tonal nuances, his work has inspired a number of monochromatic "studies", if you will, within my wardrobe which is a guiding force in my personal style aesthetic.  The cultural significance of the above painting is evident in its nickname and often parodied composition yet the true genius is in the palette.  I believe the same can be said for any great outfit.    

Shingai Shoniwa of the Noisettes

Graphic prints, fringe and a mean pompadour

      

Mobile necklace, luxe textured jacket and fortune cookie fascinator

Often shoeless, always sexy, performer extraordinaire Shingai Shoniwa of the Noisettes is effortlessly one of THE hottest entertainers to surface in the last few years.  She brilliantly blends haute couture, vintage, ethnic and whimsical elements to yield a unique style that matches her amazing voice.  I love the way she plays with color in a restrained manner; her look is always so intentional and glamorous yet youthful and never overdone. 

Make the Noisettes a staple in your auditory diet.  Check out this live performance of Atticus from their sophomore album "Wild Young Hearts".  

You're welcome.

To Be Young At Heart

Me and Nyela

Runway-side seats at Chanel Spring/Summer 2011 show

How often do you allow your imagination to run wild without limitations or expectations?

Marcia, Aaliyah and Christopher

Wedding with teddy bear groom

When was the last time you REALLY played?

One can learn a lot from kids engaged in unbridled activity.

As adults, we feel compelled to "do" something "productive" throughout our day; stealing moments from ourselves, for ourselves and fighting the guilt that ensues.
This widely accepted cycle can be stifling and limit the opportunities that result from openness, clarity and the sheer joy of being. “Being” itself has been hijacked and transformed into an elitist concept that glorifies “self” rather than sheds ego. This adds to our list of things to “do” and so we continue.

To conclude this entry with a recommendation of any kind would be counter-productive.

*glass raised*

Here's to you and your journey.

Beer and Vintage Clothes

`

Place du Jeu de Balle Flea Market

Brussels, Belgium

During my recent visit to Brussels I found Shangri-La, in the form of the Place du Jeu de Balle flea market, ensconced in a charming plaza. I arrived at 6:45am jet lagged and exhausted yet within 5 yards (4.57 meters) and with less than 30% of the vendors in place I acquired my first piece; a pair of antique 14k framed eyeglasses in the original case.

"Maison du Lynx; Bruxelles, Belgium"

14kg Antique Eyeglasses

While rummaging through an extensive collection of old buttons, I noticed the first of many clothing vendors setting up her wares in a neighboring plot. I quickly eased my way to her racks and combed through the few carefully selected garments after a warm greeting. As I shopped a 30 something, intelligently clad man appears and strikes a conversation with the merchant in French. He shared that he owns a small clothing shop in Berlin and is in Brussels acquiring new merchandise. As he spoke, like any professional clothing hound would, he watched me gather my finds and began to dig in the wake of my pickings. We exchanged a kind glance acknowledging one another's presence and moved on.

Vintage Ostrich feather Hand Fan with

Mother of Pearl and Brass Hardware

As I meandered through the tables, racks and rugs of world-class, bad-ass bric-a-brac and clothing, I would notice him either paces in front or behind making very few purchases. Upon approaching what would be one of my final stops, I observed him at the table winding down from his search empty handed. He looks at me and states in English “The woman running this booth is across the street at the café. If you need anything talk to her” as he points in her direction and walks away. While scanning through his rejects, I unearth a bias cut 1930s sheer silk georgette house gown in pristine condition. I promptly and unashamedly try it on over my outfit examining every fine detail and finalize the sale. Dress in hand and elated, I begin to walk away and hear from across the plaza “I HATE YOU!” The voice led me to the mortified but friendly face of my fellow buyer seated with a small group staring directly at me. I gently smiled and waved walking away half confused yet flattered.

"Wylco Geneve"

1930s House Gown

Shoe Restyled

Restyled Aldo "Craver" espadrille

While numbingly strolling through a Newport News, VA mall (in which I was employed in a past life) days before my departure to Guinea, I found a pair of beige espadrilles I felt were a classic and safe retail purchase. In actuality, the shoe turned out to be too light for my complexion and the rich clay earth of West Africa. After an evening of minimal activity they were ruined.

Rather than throw away a rare retail buy defeated, I painted them, replaced the god-awful ribbon and gave my sandals a new life.


Tools? Acrylic paint and leather cord acquired at a craft store. My palette contained raw sienna, Quaker grey, metallic silver and black which I mixed to create varying shades and colors. I applied three layers of paint to the canvas body at the toe and heel and one to each braid of the wedge which dried quickly and has withstood rainy days.