FALL TREND REVIEW//

Fall is soo close I can taste it and living in Texas, I don't think there is anything I want more than cooler temps, sweaters, and boots. One of my favorite things to do as September rolls around, is go through all fashion magazine September issues (you should see my coffee table!) Because I have been a researcher of fashion for so long, it never dawned on me how daunting these issues can be - Vogue is 726 pages long!  To help out my friends, clients, etc. I thought I would condense all the information about Fall 2010 trends down to a handful of categories so as to make all this accessible.  If there is one thing I don't like about the fashion industry, it's how isolated and elitist it can be.  Our recent economic situation has changed this a bit, but there is no reason why everyone can't interpret the luxury and glamor of fashion into their lives and wardrobes.  All is takes is a little guidance and imagination.

If you didn't love the military before, you will now!  Military inspired silhouettes and colors are key for fall.  There are things to love and not love about this look.  The Burberry Prorsum collection (photo far left) is full of this military look and is so chic.  I love this look because of the color palette - different shades of green layered - which makes a new surprising neutral.  Anyone can wear this and it is more interesting than, say, brown.  The structured look of the jackets is flattering and sophisticated and can be paired with anything from denim to a cocktail dress. Speaking of dresses, the middle look is Oscar de la Renta, and I love his interpretation of this trend.  When people think "military" they think trousers and sharp jackets but this dress is a beautiful feminine way to wear this trend.  It is still structured but not uptight.  The rolled sleeve is a key detail as is the accented waist.  Now, before I say this, let it be known that Rag and Bone is one of my all time favorite labels.  However, this last look, for me, is a bit overdone and inaccessible.  No one ever wears things exactly as they are shown on the runway - well some celebs do - but even if you take this look apart, it is still a tough one.  I get the idea, and if my gig wasn't to try and make fashion accessible to real women, then this wouldn't bug me as much as it does.  The fact is, this type of look is totally unwearable. If you wore the pullover all by itself you would still look like you were trying really hard to look "army".  Anything forced is bad. The skirt with the knee socks and booties is also too much.  Only a runway model and Angelina Jolie have the right legs to pull that off.  I do like the shoes...!  My point is that sometimes these trends can be interpreted by the public the wrong way, and the reason for that, often times, is the way the designers present them on the runway.  The way to work this trend is to focus on color (green) and structure (in a jacket or pant for example).  

I LOVE this look and am so glad it is part of the fashion vernacular again.  There is something so sexy and chic about a women in men's clothing...we actually wear their clothes better than they do most of the time!  At first, these looks can seem boring and redundant.  Look closer:  it is about material and silhouette and how this look flatters all body types.  Of course, there are different cuts for trousers and blazers, but in general, any woman can rock a suit.  The great thing about this fall is the trouser - it's back.  For the past few seasons, pants have been jodpurs, harem, and slouchy (they still are to a certain extent) but now trousers are long and lean and lovely.  Straight leg paired with a boxy or somewhat slouchy blazer is so chic and modern. The first look is Bottega Veneta (notice the double breasted button and the wide lapel).  The last look is Calvin Klein which is a slightly different interpretation - a bit more structure to the fit and fabric and beautiful detail on the blazer (it is these details that make this look anything but boring).  My favorite is the middle look is also Bottega Veneta but is is LEATHER!  I die for leather (don't tell PETA) and it too is all over the place this season.  Now, I know most people wouldn't be daring enough for this kind of thing, and I admit, an entire suit of leather is intense.  But I love the way the leather hangs and how it shines and how it feels.  This is the ultimate modern take on the suit but risky!

Knits.  Always a staple for fall.  And a welcome one at that.  I think the reason people get so excited about the fall season (in the fashion world and beyond) is that it signifies a new start.  Things start to happen again in the fall - good bye vacations and summer heat, hello productivity and a crisp, clean feeling in the air.  When I lived in NYC, I loved wearing these heavy knits - there is nothing cozier or more comforting that throwing on one of these heavy sweaters.  But in Texas, this trend is not so easy to wear (tear).  I have learned that you can replace a coat for a heavy knit in warmer climates and achieve this look.  The great thing about this trend is how easy it is.  It's a sweater layered with anything really, some trousers, jeans, a dress, whatever and you're off.  The first look is Alexander Wang and I love the slouchy, nonchalant look of this.  Knits should be a no fuss staple and this achieves that perfectly.  The second look is Chanel.  Oh Karl...you've done it again!  Again, no real person is going to wear this look (unless you live in an igloo) but you get the idea!  The idea here is you are going to the slopes (notice the real ice blocks on the runway).  There is something charming about the boots and shorts, no??  And lastly, there is a look from Proenza Schouler.  This is another really accessible look.  I love the oxford shirt buttoned up all the way under the v neck knit.  The cropped length is great as well because you can layer underneath and get that sort of casual undone look with denim or a pant.  Bottom line, get a chunky knit sweater for the fall and wear the hell out of it!

The one good thing about the tank in the economy has been a shift, in design terms, to a utilitarian, minimalist perspective.  I personally have always believed that less is more.  Muted colors and sleek and simple silhouettes are always sophisticated and accessible to everyone.  Once again, there is nothing boring about this look contrary to popular thought.  When something is this pared down, the look boils down to details, or the absence of detail which is, in itself, detail.  The first look is Stella McCartney.  What I love about this is how she layered pieces in virtually the same color and paired it with a shoe in the same color.  It's a totally blank canvas - no statement is being made and it feels completely natural.  The second look is Celine - another label I die for.  Everything Phoebe Philo does is perfect.  Who else can take a basic silhouette and the most basic color palette and turn it into this?? The details are perfection: notice the high neck and the ties that fall almost to the floor.  The fabric of the taupe part of the dress is different from what appears to be a silk/crepe top - so it's all about texture.  I think the key to pulling off this look is to keep the colors all in a similar color family (neutrals or bolds work best) and to keep the silhouettes clean and straight.  

 I think of all the trends this season, this is my least favorite.  I get the aesthetic and I get that it is a totally fresh look that throws a curve ball at what we have seen in recent seasons.  And I appreciate that.  I also appreciate the beauty and nostalgia of this look.  The thing for me is that is feels like a costume because I cannot think of any woman I know who could actually pull this off without looking, well, ridiculous.  Granted, you could take bits and pieces of this look and possibly make it work, but in general, it is just too contrived for my taste.  Let's break this down:  the length of the skirts and dresses (mid calf) is horrible for most women.  It totally cuts the length out of your leg and makes you look dumpy and short (unless you are 5'10" 120 lbs.) This is the most difficult silhouette to wear especially when you add volume and a defined waist.  The emphasis on separates also makes me nervous.  Skirts are notoriously difficult to pull off no matter what your body type and when paired with little sweaters and boleros, it just makes it a disaster waiting to happen.  Let's go through the looks - the first is Isabel Marant and I think it is the most accessible of these.  I really do love the rolled pants, the boxy jacket, pointy heel, and the scarf.  If you took away the scarf, you would have a retro/modern look.  But this look is age specific.  Sorry, but it is! The second is Louis Vuitton and the most difficult kind of retro look to wear.  Is it charming?  Pretty?  Yes.  Wearable and practical?  No.  I don't think all fashion needs to necessarily be wearable.  Fashion is, after all, about fantasy to some extent.  But since my mission is to help regular everyday women with all body types and lifestyles incorporate trends and a sensibility for fashion into their daily lives, I have to think twice about a look like this.  Bottom line, avoid it unless you are a model or don't mind looking a little silly.  The third look is Dries Van Noten; another designer I absolutely love.  And I love this look.  It is retro but in a cool, modern and accessible way.  It also blends lots of trends that I think are great - fur, animal print, and menswear.  The silhouette here is more relaxed and could be broken up in a variety of ways.  If you were going to do a retro look this fall, this is the way to do it.  The fur animal print vest is gorgeous and adds texture and dimension to the look; something to think about.  Lastly, is Marc Jacobs, the man, the myth, the legend.  He sets trends, period.  This whole fifties flashback was his doing and again, while aesthetically pleasing and fresh, this is pretty unwearable because of the length and the silhouette.  I have to say, though, I love the ankle socks and kitten heel shoe.  And the fur bolero is fantastic.  On top of all this, I am not sure modern women want to necessarily look like women from a time when repression, oppression, and hysteria were the norm.  Right??!

Velvet is a fabric I loved as a kid because of the way it feels - soft, warm, and actually sexy.  I have to say, I love that velvet is actually being worn again.  It reminds me of all things regal and royal - it is a posh fabric and one that isn't used nearly enough.  The only tricky thing is to avoid looking like a drape in this heavy fabric.  I have to admit, I wouldn't wear or suggest anyone else wear the two looks above.  Again, you have to be a specific type of woman to pull off a velvet dress with these silhouettes.  However, velvet jackets, blouses, and trousers I am all for.  I think the problem with the dress for me is that it tends to look drape-ish...too much fabric and it can hang awkwardly.  Both Alexander Wang (left) and Zac Posen (right) are fantastic and have given velvet a modern edge here.  But if I was going to purchase velvet, I would focus on pieces I could break up with other fabrics.

When I think plaid, I think two things: Scotland and the school uniform I wore for 14 years.  I guess I also think of Kurt Cobain which sort of redeems plaid for me, but not entirely.  The great thing about this trend is how designers like Jil Sander (left) and Phillip Lim (right) have reimagined it.  Looks like this don't scream school uniform or bagpipes, or angst ridden 90's musician.  It is chic and won't make you look like you're being ironic.  I think the key here is to go for plaids that mix off beat or multiple colors.  I love the Phillip Lim look for this reason - you get the texture and visual detail of plaid without the uniform feel. 

 This is a no-brainer:  the color camel is everywhere and it's fantastic.  Thank god black is no longer the only neutral to choose from.  The runways were full of head to toe camel outfits and it is so refreshing and actually quite flattering, more so than black actually.  Black is actually very harsh and can be hard for fair skinned people especially.  Most people don't think about this but black is not necessarily the best go to color. I think camel is a better option.  It is soft, easy, and really does with all skin tones.  Plus it allows for some great accenting...a camel sweater dress with red shoes...it pairs with any color very well.  I think everyone should invest in something camel this fall - a coat, jacket, sweater, dress, purse, shoe, whatever.  I hope this is a trend that becomes a fashion staple!

all photos from style.com

PERFECTION//

I have returned from the Emerald Isle...and I have been out of the loop on a lot of things.  I am frantically trying to catch up on all things fashion and since fall is upon us (YAY!) I am getting really excited and pumped up to add things to my (and others'!) wardrobes.  Fall is truly the ultimate season in fashion - summer is over, the air is fresh, and it is time for a fresh perspective.  The selections this season are fabulous...it's going to be hard for all the fashion obsessed people of the world to make decisions.

One designer that I always save my money for (I have already mentioned her many times) is Isabel Marant.  There is something about her innate coolness (it's a French thing) and her way of looking past trends that endears her to me.  She is so hot right now, but I have been buying her stuff for many years - my first purchase was from Satine in L.A. in 2004 - and I have been following her ever since.  I already have two pieces from the Fall 2010 collection that I can't wait to wear (more on the way!), but I was most excited to see her Fall 2010 ad campaign featuring none other than the fabulously perfect Kate Moss.  Two of my favorite women in fashion coming together makes me very happy.  The only way to make Isabel Marant cooler than she already is is to put Kate Moss in her clothes...when I look at these images, I close my eyes and imagine I am, in some alternate universe, as effortlessly chic as Kate is here.  Life ain't fair...

 images from isabelmarant.tm.fr

LOVE HER STYLE...//

In less than 24 hours, I will be on an airplane headed for Ireland where the fashion and word "style" are, well, different than they are in other parts of the world.  I will do my best to capture some examples of traditional Irish style as well as they way young women are modernizing themselves and appropriating both American and European looks - I should definitely take my fashion magic wand!  
Before I leave, I want to post something about a young woman I am fascinated by and mildly envious of.  Her name is Gaia Repossi and she is the great-granddaughter of Gian Pietro Repossi of Repossi fine jewelry (repossi.com).  She is Italian (check envy box), creates beautiful jewelry (check box again), gets to work with the likes of Alexander Wang and Joseph Altuzarra (check), and her wardrobe is the definition of chic (she wears Celine from head to toe for christ's sake!).  All of this adds up to impeccable style and a lifestyle consumed in creative expression and let's face it, fabulousness (is that a word?). 
I particularly love the collaborations she is doing with Alexander Wang and her "Ere", "Neree", and "Maure" collections.  I just love what jewelry is all about lately...it is bold, beautiful armor that somehow blends into your body and doesn't overpower.  

i

images from repossi.com

COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET PART 1//

It's been a while since I posted anything - between vacation and staying busy helping some lost fashion soles, I just haven't had time.  Over the past week, I have been working with some great young women who need help finding specific items and revamping their wardrobes and overall look.  There are a few key points I have taken away from these consultations that I think speak to general problems that people face when shopping and getting dressed.  The most obvious is the curse of the UNIFORM.  The more I talk to women, the more I realize that they want a new look and to change things up, but life is so busy that it is easier to just stick to habitual dressing (wearing the same outfit for every occasion even if you know it doesn't look great or make you feel great).  Most young women have similar lifestyles - they work, have a group of friends and a partner, possibly a family of their own, that they spend most of their time with, and they enjoy being social (going out to eat, movies, theater, concerts, parties).  The uniform becomes divided between work wear and social wear (think boring cuffed black trousers, a cotton/lycra oxford shirt, sweater, and a comfortable shoe for work and a medium wash boot cut jean with a blouse and a heel or a cotton dress for fun). Instead of seeing shopping as a way to develop their personality or as a means of finding a unique, authentic style, most women shop to fit the uniform (what should I be wearing?? as opposed to how do I want to feel and what impression do I want to make?).  This creates problems and leaves these fun, attractive, strong women dressing like boring, reserved, matronly older women (or sometimes preteens!) instead of the powerful, intelligent, fun women they are.  My approach to help correct this problem is to make sure every closet has a list of essentials that can create a variety of different looks.  The trick is then to take these essentials and add your personality - are you feminine?  edgy?  sophisticated?  bohemian?  classic?  androgynous?  Everything from the items you pick to the accessories to the shoes to the attitude you have creates a look.  If you wear a "uniform" it is hard to be unique and hard to develop a style that is true to your personality and lifestyle.  

 Notice the simplicity of these outfits.  All of the pieces shown here are basic and should be in everyone's wardrobe - white jeans, striped tops, chambray oxford shit, tailored skirt, neutral trousers and sweater...the problem is most people, because they are stuck in a rut, don't think about buying a striped top instead of a black top, they don't think about tucking things in, adding bold accessories, or mixing neutrals.  There is nothing crazy or "fashiony" about these outfits...they are just easy basics put together with some thought and a touch of detail.

 These images are from the J Crew Fall 2010 lookbook - J Crew is really going through a great reinvention...and these are examples of classic pieces jazzed up a bit.  The look is feminine and fun and unexpected but not complicated.  Of course none of us necessarily look like this lovely model nor do we have stylists perfecting every detail of our look, but if you look at the foundation of these outfits, you'll see how simple and classic they are - a great leather jacket with a striped cardigan just peeking out; a dress paired with a plaid slouchy blazer; leather jacket, oxford shirt, and tweed trousers.  The key to these looks is layering and texture.  Again, these are essential pieces all women should have in their closet - depending on your personality and intended look, something like this is easy to put together. 

 Here are real women wearing real clothes that they put on themselves!  Imagine that!  I love these looks because, once again, they show how looking great and expressing your personality is NOT about being high fashion or trendy.  There is nothing fussy about any of these outfits; all of them are about combining staple pieces in a certain way.  The top photo is simple - neutral blouse, tailored short, sandals, and a few accessories. It is the ease of the outfit as a whole, the way she tucks in the blouse and uses a belt, and the way everything is relaxed that makes this chic.  Same goes for the dress - basic, feminine floral pattern and it's all about the belt.  A waist belt is very useful and here it is perfection!  The other two photos are all about the draping - the distressed jeans mixed with a black blazer would be ok but not as great without the scarf (or the shoes!) And to the right, the sweater wrap is chic and balances out the leggings perfectly.  All of these women are dressed differently, but you can tell what kind of attitude they have by looking at their style.  And they have style because they put small twists on basics and really inhabit their clothes.

images from Elle and Sartorialist

FOR THE EYES//

Tomorrow I am leaving for a much needed vacation in the California desert to celebrate my best buddy's upcoming nuptials.  Although I will be the odd man out (pregnant in a bikini that fit me years ago and not drinking casually all day in the sun), I will certainly love soaking in all that sun, round belly and all.  As I was procrastinating packing for the trip, I started looking through some archives of French Vogue...as usual, I was inspired by so many images.  Some are just beautiful to look at, some take me to a fantasy world I long to inhabit, some reek of "cool", but all speak to why I love fashion - the mood created and the power of the image (regardless of it's authenticity or achievability) are easy to get lost in.  See for yourself...

 all images from French Vogue

REMEMBERING MJ//

Yesterday was the 1st anniversary of Michael Jackson's death.  I'm not one of those people who gets all emotional over the death of celebrities (we don't really know them after all) but I have to say MJ's death is still really sad.  The fact that I will never forget the day I got the "Thriller" album and then had a "Thriller" themed birthday party (I had the red jacket and a glove) and wanted to marry him when I was about 7 is testament to his power as one of the most charming and talented artists of my lifetime.  Michael always looked cool too.  He was always sparkling and making bold statements.  There is no doubt that the fashion world and MJ had a symbiotic relationship - since about Spring 2009, fashion has had an 80's revival period (which I secretly love) which has made strong silhouettes (think big shoulders and skinny legs) stick.  Starting last spring, designers like Balmain looked to MJ's sparkle, bold shoulders, leather, and military inspired jackets to create their collections. Fall 2010 saw some of these trends as well. Although these looks have just about run their course, they have been influential and are just as cool as they were when Michael introduced us to them...miss you MJ!  xoxo

 Looks from Balmain and Chanel

INTERSECTIONS - FASHION & ART//

I have always been fascinated by the intersection of fashion and art.  No matter what field you practice, what passions you have, or what your interests are, it cannot be denied that at some point, all things converge and influence each other (economics and architecture, religion and literature, technology and medicine, fashion and EVERYTHING!). This is the first of what will be many posts on the specific relationship between art (photography, painting, sculpture, architecture, etc.) and fashion.  Thinking about these things isn't only great fun, but informs trends and the overarching definition of STYLE.  

The first artist I thought of while pondering this idea was Cindy Sherman.  Her images speak directly to fashion, in my opinion, as they distort traditional images of women through the use of "costumes".  One could think of fashion as a costume - a constructed image projected to the world whose function is twofold - to mask and reveal certain parts of the self.  We then simultaneously become self and other, a predicament which is nothing if not unreliable.  Cindy Sherman certainly comments very loudly about the instability of "image".  Fashion allows us to play with this unreliability and construct various personalities.
While researching the Fall 2010 runway, one trend in particular made me think of Sherman's images - the retro, ladylike, peplum cuts that harken to the hysterical housewife of the 1950s.  Looking at fall 2010 fashion as Sherman's photography side by side, the irony there is clear.  Women of 2010 are no longer forced to wear the "perfect lady" costume, complete with coiffed hair and subservient demeanor.  Because this is no longer a reality, fashion can appropriate it as fantasy, just as Sherman reveals the hysteria behind the costume, liberating women and bringing together reality and fantasy.

Looks from Celine, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Prabal Gurung, Dries Van Noten
images from style.com
 

 Cindy Sherman has made a point of defying categorization as a mere photographer. Since the 1970s, she has pushed the boundaries of the medium by inserting herself as her own model in order to explore the complexities of female subjectivity in a postmodern age.  Her Film Stills seem to reference the work of cinema’s elite (e.g. Hitchcock and Godard), and yet they also retain a certain ambiguity that insists the viewer consider aesthetics over narrative. The (non)magic of these images lies in an arrested experience that is at once distinct and anonymous – we are left with a picture, a seemingly interrupted instant, that reminds us of the vicissitudes of advertizing and entertainment as the artist re-presents herself 'honestly' through repetition and disguise; these methodically constructed scenes not only ask us to question everyday masquerades through their apparent snap shot approach, but also criticize what has been a patriarchal and canonical culture industry. Her later works in color often accomplish this more directly by making clear reference to Old 'Master' paintings as well as to the fashion industry. These almost grotesque assemblages highlight what have been the underlying ramifications of women’s portraiture throughout history; her poses and props, disquieting in their mimicry, are experimented with and explored in order to blur the lines between theatre, painting, and photography. Fundamentally, by turning the lens on herself, Sherman captures the question of what it means to be looking – the gaze of the viewer becomes politically charged.

Essay by my dear friend and art expert Dr. Wood Roberdeau

images from: emmanichells.files.wordpress.com

blog.danpontingstudio.com

www.cvm.qc.ca 

www.famozz.com