Saturday, February 20, 2010

What I learned from Fashion Week

I normally don't comment on Fashion Week. Usually I write about what I feel like wearing, what I saw on other people and was inspired by, or what I just think is striking or funny. But this time, that all sort of ties in to Fashion Week.

I went to a couple of shows this year (Matthew Ames and Ports 1961) and both shows, in addition to showing beautiful clothes on the skinniest people you will ever see (seriously, every time I go, it pains me to see how thin the models are.. please let those girls eat!!), both shows also gave me a bit of inspiration on how to see and wear what I already have a bit differently.

At Ports 1961, a lot of the models had big curly hair. Big BIG curls. And messy. Hurray for messy! It suits my style better and takes less time! Plus, if it gets messy during the day, it stays the same, right? I've been doing messy hair and a single braid (a style Prada has made popular again) ever since my office asked all of us to get to work earlier in the morning. With the alarm set for 5am, it was either my social life, my sleep, or neatly styled hair that had to give first. What would you pick? Btw, if you wonder, as I have, how to pull your hair back when you're going to wear a hat and don't want to look like you have no hair - a loosely pulled back braid is your answer to that as well...

At Matthew Ames, there was no mess, but strong lines and clear colors that make me want to pair colors you wouldn't think would go so well together - and to wear more light colors in winter. Pale aqua and caramel, or aqua and yellow... so much cheerier than all the black the audience was wearing! And a couple of outfits were all in pale ivory. Really beautiful.

It's always also fun to see what the audience is wearing, too. How do fashion show attendees address snowy streets? Lots of high heeled boots - I think they made the same decision that I did to ignore it. Maybe they also hadn't found a satisfactory fashionable solution. My friend, Elena, had a great pair of solid Prada boots - very cool-looking in their sort of military practicality. One of the best solutions I've seen so far!

I was surprised a photographer asked to take my photo outside the Ports 1961 show - she took a couple, one just of my blue tights and and ivory lace-up shoes. I had originally thought of ivory tights when I was getting dressed that morning, but changed to blue last minute as I didn't want to look like a nurse. But some of the most beautiful outfits I saw were pale monochrome, so maybe I'll give that a try next time. I think the way not to look washed out with all these pale monochromes is to wear bright lipstick, which I'm also really into. Orange, red, purple, hot pink. I noticed a lot of this in the audience, too..

Well, hey, I'm going out tonight. I think I'll go mess up my hair, put on fuchsia lipstick and wear head to toe ivory (or as close as I can get)!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Lighten Up

It's usually when I'm really feeling the gloomy weather, when my sunshine-generated Vitamin D levels have fallen to critical lows, and when I realize how much time has passed since my life was filled with Christmas parties and pretty decorations, that I start to see store windows and shelves filling with red plastic hearts, shiny paper, cheap candy and even cheaper sentiment. I think back to my first valentine's memory when I was 6, lying in bed ill from the flu and too much sugar. I don't know, maybe this cheers some people up, but despite efforts from those I love (mostly my mom) to make it a fun day, V-day is not for me.

May I propose a couple of alternative holidays for this time of year? Mardi Gras/Karneval/Carnaval anyone? And how about fashion week? Aren't you sick of wearing black and gray wool by now? Surely the fashion week holiday would be welcomed by stores who are trying to drum up sales in the post Christmas/post sale lull...

Celebrating Mardi Gras is pretty easy to figure out.. (and they've started in New Orleans this year already).. My proposal for celebrating fashion week as a holiday? Break out of that black and gray box. Things don't have to be so serious! Wear green nail polish, fun tights, a white dress. Guys can play too - maybe skip the nail polish and tights (unless you don't want to), but bright colors? That's not too hard. And you can celebrate at work! (I'd keep the Mardi Gras/Karneval celebration to after hours...)

Laissez les bons temps roller!!!

Things don't have to be so serious...