February 9, 2012 marked the beginning of Fall 2012 Fashion Week. For those of us fascinated by the whirlwind of fashion, this is the best theatre in town. Fashion Week has it all—drama, hi-tech staging, diva exploits, showmanship and like any theatre the anticipated reviews. Suzy Menkes from the Herald, and Cathy Horyn from the New York Times, are the most recognizable names in the world of fashion writers. They are able to wax poetic on details of the clothing that might escape the eye of the amateur buyer. Remarking on the Marc Jacobs show Suzy Menkes writes, “Marc Jacobs stands alone on Fantasy Island. And this season, he played his role as agent provocateur and psychoanalyst of style to the ultimate degree…The models walked out with an air of sweet melancholy, wearing gigantic fur hats, tailored Mary Poppins jackets in brocade and tweed over cropped pants or paisley patterned dresses with prim aura of a Dickensian world.” If you were to imagine all of this without the benefit of actually sitting in the front row of this fashion show you might vision Mary Poppins herself in an enormous fur hat with brocade cropped pants under a loud patterned dress and think fashion only exists for the decadent dresser.
Like silent movies, where gestures must evoke what dialogue cannot, fashion shows dramatize the clothing to evoke their message. Cathy Horyn’s review for the same show has similar descriptive passages, “…there was that Oliver Twist, ragamuffin element in the slightly oversized coats, knitted stoles closed with a big safety pin and bell-shaped skirts and other garments that evoked the Victorian era…many of the clothes were lavishly embellished with embroidery, furry pockets or lurex bits…” The writing is lyrical and romantic but what these reviews fail to do is inform the reader the place these pieces have on our bodies. Do the oversized coats represent the shape of our outerwear in 2012? Are cropped pants the direction fashion will be taking? Maybe it’s wrong to expect these writers to be fortune tellers of fashion but a little ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ on the subject would help us understand what cannot be explained. My review on the Marc Jacobs show would be more like this:
Great show Marc. Loved your fabrics! You did not disappoint with the drama and staging. Let’s hope the fashion editors don’t take the Mary Poppins look and turn it into the next big trend.
Mary Poppins—The New “It” Girl
Beauty’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
To see Romanian model, Iona Spagenberg, with her 20” waist, was shocking enough but to read her quotes and believe them was to suspend my disbelief…and I can’t do that. She stands tall with her 20” waist and 32” hips claiming that this is her natural shape. She says she was just born this way and as hard as she tries to gain weight she just can’t. At 84 lbs, Iona claims to eat three squares a day and further declares that she constantly snacks on chocolate and crisps (that’s potato chips to the rest of us). As shocking as her shape is, it is her shape. She thinks it’s great, so be it. I have an opinion regarding her shape but I will keep that to myself. What I find truly offensive is that Iona is selling herself as a ridiculously, but naturally, thin model who has done nothing, like corseting and starving herself to create her shape.
Ethel Granger has been noted as having the smallest waist in history. She did not get there naturally. With the help of a corset, worn day and night, and the encouragement of her husband, her waist measured in at 13”…remarkable! Whether or not you like the look, it was Ethel’s choice to move her vital organs to other areas of her body in order to create her extreme shape. Ethel was forthcoming regarding how she was able to achieve such a miniscule waistline. Iona is not. This is not to say that Iona owes anyone an explanation. If Iona wishes to keep her secret of corseting and starving herself quite then her response to any questions about how she came to look like she does should be, “It’s none of your beeswax.”
We live in a time where if we have enough cash, cajones or cutting- edge style we can do whatever we want to do to our bodies. We can pull back, suck out or staple ourselves to our individual notion of beauty. It is a personal choice. Furthermore, it really isn’t anyone’s business if you have done any of the above—that is, until you publicly lie about it. Up until the point of the lie, the conversations surrounding the liposuction, facelift or rib removal is irrelevant. However, once you drastically alter any part of your body and announce publicly that the reason you look like you are 45 years of age instead of 65 is because you have taken care of yourself by getting plenty of sleep and drinking lots of water—you immediately incite the ire of your audience.
If changing the shape of your nose or the size of your breast makes you feel better about yourself then by all means do it! But do not offer information in the way of your superior DNA. Say nothing when you show up in a bikini with gravity-defying breast at the age of 60. If someone asks you if you have had work done just say, “It’s none of your beeswax.” The question is rude.
Discourse In Denim
Yves Saint Laurent once said, “I wish I had invented blue jeans. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal and simplicity—all I hope for in my clothes”. For years, although it seems like an eternity, jeans have been in the forefront of quintessential American style. In terms of trends, denims meteoric rise began in 1979 with the popularity of Jordache jeans. The trend for jeans hit another milestone in 1981 with the memorable ad for Calvin Klein jeans. Who can forget Brooke Shields swooning as she throws her hips out? “Do you know what comes between me and my Calvin’s? Nothing”.
Jeans hit another crescendo as we approached the 21st century. Suddenly denim was everywhere. Low-slung and boot-cut was the popular style in the beginning of this century. If you had a fancy dinner to attend, you would slip on a pair of sling-back stilettos to wear with your body-hugging jeans. I remember attending parties where everyone was wearing jeans. It didn’t matter if the body fit the style of denim. What mattered was denim was in style and you were wearing it. Stores that sold jeans exclusively popped up everywhere. Americans bought them by the dozens and wore them exclusively. If you didn’t wear jeans it was considered a fashion faux pas. Jeans defined the expression, “casual chic”. Not a lot has changed in terms of denims popularity. We all want to fit in and wearing jeans makes us feel like we belong to a fashionable tribe. How many pair of jeans do you own? I own one. The last time I put them on it was to paint my store on Sacramento Street—that was almost five years ago. I don’t wear them ever (unless I am painting). There are two reasons I don’t wear jeans; first, they are so ubiquitous that they have lost their appeal for me. Second, and more importantly, I do not have the body for them. The pockets sit at the bottom of my largess. This is not a good place for pockets. The fabric is usually thick; therefore, the jeans need to be worn tight and below my natural waistline. By the end of the day the denim has stretched out and I am left with a sagging silhouette. The tight waist only causes my flesh to roll over the waistband. An option would be to wear them high-waisted, but who can forget the sight of Jessica Simpson in those tight high-waisted jeans?
There is a solution to the sagging jean, it is the jegging. Tons of lycra woven with a twill or broadcloth are guaranteed not to sag. Instead of stretching out to unflattering proportions, these pants will stick to you like a second skin. Unfortunately, jeggings do not work for me either as I find the combination of a lycra legging in a faux denim finish a bad idea.
The problem with jeans in the American wardrobe is we have become too comfortable with them without considering what looks best on our shape. Jean jackets, jean skirts and jean pants have become a part of the American fashion diet, so much so that denim has become a staple in our closets. Jeans are not necessarily a bad trend; I just think a little goes a long way. If you love denim as much as you love calorie-rich deserts then you must pace yourself before you lose yourself in the addiction. Like any diet there are a few ground rules:
1-If your jeans sag or bag anywhere, lose them. Baggy clothes make you look bigger then you are.
2-How many pair do you really need? Do you still have the ones you wore in college because you know you will wear them again? You won’t and if you can you shouldn’t.
3-Under no circumstances should you ever pair your jeans with another item of denim clothing.
4-if your hips are narrow, knock yourself out and put those back pockets anywhere you like. If your hips are nice and round, lose the pockets.
5-Not all denim is created equal. Some stretch after a single wearing and others can hold their shape. Get to know the difference.
6-Jeggings? Never!
The Politics Of Fashion
Good fashion sense has no loyalty to any particular political party– bad taste seems to be bi-partisan. When it comes to the dress code in Washington, it is simple enough for men. A suit in black, grey or dark blue worn with a white or light blue shirt seems to be the template. The mood of our male politicians will dictate whether or not they will go rogue with a purple and blue striped tie or they will keep it simple with a solid-colored tie and the obligatory American flag lapel pin—simple enough.
But what about our female representatives? Their fashion template is a difficult one. Women have always had more choices when it comes to fashion and with more choices there is more room for error. What makes dressing even more daunting is the dress code imposed on women in politics. I can’t remember a time when a male politician was ever derided for his attire or the size of his hips, but I digress. Criticism, on the other hand, for women is common. Who can forget the bright yellow pantsuit Hilary Clinton wore in 2008? Hillary Clinton’s fashion choices were criticized as much as her politics in her days in the White House. The yellow pantsuit was a bad idea. No one under any circumstances should ever wear a yellow pantsuit; actress, accountant, editor, politician—no one! Where were Hillary’s assistants and handlers? Why didn’t someone stop her from walking out the White House door?
The problem might just be the pantsuit– the pantsuit Yves Saint Laurent made famous in the 80s. In Washington women are expected to wear pantsuits as they represent power and powerful is how every politician wants to be perceived first; the last is fashion. (Mission accomplished on the latter.) Has anyone ever given thought to the fact that a pantsuit, on a woman, is not necessarily the most flattering? Washington has its rules and dress codes but why must women subject themselves to a style imposed by men? Politics is for legislating government policy, not dictating fashion.
How Do I Look?
It has happened to all of us. We get ready for work or an evening out and decide to try something new. We are in the mood to step out of your safety net– maybe add a belt or wear those slim pants with a bright patterned-off-the shoulder top. We need to know “now” if what we selected works. There is no time to take you and your outfit to a friend across town to get a second opinion.
This is no problem thanks to technology. There are several websites which offer immediate responses to our fashion queries. By simply uploading a picture of yourself in the outfit in question, users will rate your ensemble and even offer advice. One website, Fashism, will respond with a “hate it” or “like it”. Another site, Go Try It On, will simply respond with “wear it” or “change it.”
I became aware of these gems from reading an article, “You Made Me Wear This,” by Simone Oliver in the style section of the New York Times, July 7, 2010. After reading the article I couldn’t help but think, “What a great idea!” Let’s face it, there are times when our confidence is out the door and all we need is a reassuring voice telling us what to wear. Curious about these websites I took some time to get a better idea as to how helpful they are. I opened Fashism first and saw a photo of a guy in a baseball cap worn backwards with jeans and a t-shirt. Sixty percent of the internet audience liked this look. Next up, a woman wearing a simple black dress which had an unflattering fit. Forty-five percent of the responders liked that look. After twenty or so painful minutes perusing these websites my only thought was, who needs friends if you can ask complete strangers (who may or may not have fabulous taste) what to wear!? Honestly, think about it– the person giving you advice could very well be a 16-year old Britney Spears wannabe telling you that a few more tears in your leggings are all that is missing!
If you find yourself needing a second opinion and don’t have a trusted friend to ask, my advice is to take a chance, go out and be seen. I am sure you will know by the evening if you made a good choice or not. If you did make a mistake remember memories are short. If you made a splash in your outfit then you will have the gratification of knowing you can pull “it” together in a pinch. Not in the mood to take a chance? Invite a friend over and ask,”How do I look?”
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