I had to dye my hair pink for Fashion Week. Had to. I just don’t get tired of pink.
What am I wearing? Faux fur mink jacket by Todd Smith purchased at Neiman Marcus years ago. Vintage brooch. Pink hair chalk purchased on Etsy.com. Lipstick color by Bobbi Brown “Hollywood Red #94.”
Every February, New York hosts Fall Fashion Week, which is always a lollapalooza of an event. Designers showcase their Fall collections around the city, centralized at Lincoln Center. As an artist, I have become an avid fan of the circus surrounding the shows. Photos from the catwalk, behind the scenes and who’s wearing what on the street, are visually mesmerizing. I’m drawn to the smorgasbord of silhouettes, colors, textures, details and yes, drama. Emotions overcome me. I find myself clutching a wad of Kleenex in my clammy hands, wiping the corner of my red stained lips as I click on show after show.
Where else can you find so many fashion notables and celebrities sitting together at one event? They gaze either in wonderment or boredom at the dazzling theatric display of what’s essentially fabric, thread, manipulated hair, mascara and contorted heels. They stare and at times emote when models sashay down the catwalk in diaphanous and glittering wear intended strictly for the runway. We might lust for these duds but …IS THIS REALITY? Does it go with my sweats and jeans? MAYBE! Depends on your stylin’ ‘tude.
Sadly, I could not make it to any of the New York shows. This year, Storm Nemo, put a kink into the show schedule, which was unprecedented. The thought of trekking through mounds of snow and shoe ruining salt, was unappealing to me. Luckily, hi-speed internet access connected me to all the real-time feeds of each show. I was virtually sitting in the front row next to Anna Wintour at Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs, Nanette Lepore amongst others. Life couldn’t be better!
There were some incredibly beautiful pieces created for the Fall 2013 women’s apparel season. I would like to share what inspired me and at the same time bring the “Fashion Misses” to light.
A throw back to the good ol’ days of Carnaby Street when girls were birds, Twiggy reigned and Mary Quant was QUEEN.
What am I wearing? Jamie Kreitman® Pom Pom button sweater, Miss Oroblu Omnia tights, Fornarina go-go boots with fuschia kitten heel, purchased in Savannah, GA years ago.
Leather is a year round classic that’s both tough and smooth.
What am I wearing? Leather panel ponte pants by Catherine Malandrino purchased at Saks, Punk Rock top by Annac purchased at P. Ross boutique, Nyack, NY
Instead of stuffing your dreads into a humungous hat, I stash necessities such as contraband, lipstick, tampons (since I have a surplus from Costco–as seen here.) and my smart phone.
Coats are your armor, your outer layer in the world. They are transformative wardrobe staples which speak volumes when well cut. My FAVE is the Gaultier coat with the leather demi-vest layer. Consider running out of the house totally disheveled in your plaid flannel pajamas with THAT coat thrown over. Now, you’re a fashion contender!
By the by – DOING WHEELIES in anticipation of the upcoming Gaultier show at the Brooklyn Museum this coming Fall 13.
Whoa, what a “Fashion Miss.”
I have loved fashion since toddler-hood, ripping out pages of my mother’s Vogue and shrieking with glee! Fashion is an art, a creative passion using beautifully crafted pieces to form the sum of all magnificent parts. I will ALWAYS follow fashion even though it’s becoming a pop-culture form of entertainment.
As I sit in the virtual front row of the shows, I take notes and contemplate the direction of fashion. Monumental changes impacted the course of fashion- the Great Recession, cheap fast-fashion, the Internet and access to fashion by all and the casualization of the workforce. So many ideas are rehashed and spit out into a multitude of “flash in the pants” trends. Women are confused and overwhelmed by the plethora of choices at every price point. They have simply given up. Getting dressed is too much of an effort; their go-to staples of sweats and jeans suffice. Designers need to smell the coffee and cater to this sense of ennui. Marc Jacobs got it right by sending couture pajamas and slippers down the runway. Always on the fashion lookout for new trends, I’ve observed women about town, at the local farmer’s market, running errands, dining out and at the salon, wearing pajamas and scuffs. Could MJ have been influenced by this pivotal street trend?
My thesis statement: If PJ’s were touted as a Fall ’13 trend, how can we lower the bar further? Here’s my sketch straight from the studio for what I forecast for Spring ’14:
A busy woman doesn’t have time to visit a bathroom; just wear these Denim Diaper Pants and it is business as usual.
*All images of the fashion designer’s apparel are from Style.com’s Fall 2013 Fashion week.
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Here is what I have a hankering for:
