What I learned from Art Week

I went to the Armory Art show preview and MoMA after party on Wednesday and still feel the after affects of sensory overload (and maybe wine, though that's worn off by now). Having been to a couple of shows during fashion week, I have to say that the art event crowd can give the fashion event crowd a good run for their money.. Maybe it’s because much of the art I saw was not at all restrained, perhaps that expressiveness inspired people in how they dress. Or maybe it was just the fact that it’s a bigger, more diverse crowd (more people over 50, more straight men). In any case, with miles and miles of art and people watching, it was easy to shut down and just stand in one place simply because you didn’t know what direction to walk or look in. How clever they were to scatter champagne bars around the exhibit!

I didn’t take any photos, but there were a few stand-outs – most of whom I saw both at the Armory and at MoMA later. There was a woman in sheer orange knee socks and a bright floral sleeveless dress, matching her companion’s orange jacket and blond-tipped hair. They were like a bouquet of flowers. I loved her outfit. It was like spring! Another woman looked like a Moscow party girl in high grey Rodarte boots (which I still want, but will just add them to my dream wardrobe and admire them on my friend Michele who does have them), short dress, fur stole and glass of champagne. She looked great, too. It sounds like a cliché, so 2006, and maybe was, but it worked. As always there were some ‘80s new wave glam rocker-types with the long on top Pink/Rihanna/Robyn kind of hair, some slightly bouffant-haired ‘60s art student types, both attracted photographers. Maybe that’s interesting. I saw better. There were a lot of bad prom dresses too at the party (but not the Armory).. why? Why? WHY would you wear that????? Selling bad prom dresses should be banned. No one benefits from fashion victimization. (Though my post would be 5 sentences shorter if that were the case.) There was also Chuck Close whose girlfriend wore sequined jeans and layered t-shirts. She looked cool and about 30 years younger than him. He looked like Chuck Close and since he had a retrospective at MoMA years ago can wear whatever he wants (black t-shirt, black pants.. totally appropriate).

Phew, excuse me! I think I was channeling Cindy Adams for a minute (NY Post gossip columnist for those of you who aren't familiar). Back to style.. So was I inspired? Well, what I liked were directions I’ve kind of been exploring already – the colorful knee socks, well, I like colored tights. Knee socks, maybe, but it has to be in a way that is very very very far away from how an 8 year old would wear knee socks. I’ve seen it done (my friend Anne in Copenhagen can pull this off!) Colors – yes! And I have a fake fur stole that I occasionally wear with a jacket or dress. I’ve tended to play it a bit more retro/classic.. Moscow party girl isn’t really my look, but I might try it with edgier/tougher clothes for something new.

I planned to go to the Pool art show last night - the so-called Salon des Refuses, so younger, funkier crowd.. What to wear? Pulling a few inspirations from Wednesday night (colorful hosiery, "fur", '80s, pouffy hair), this is what I came up with...


But in the end, I felt like dressing like a bee.

(and in the end end, I stayed too long at the bar I went to before the Pool show and never ended up at the Pool show.)