the clothes 2011

This has been a week of wonderful sweetness (and I'm not just talking about my charming personality-hah!). Earlier we had delicious maple sugar candy--which is truly decadent. The center melts on your tongue a delicious way. Yesterday we went to an Amish Farmer's Market and bought some delightful goats' milk fudge. I don't know if all goats' milk fudge is this good, but this is the best fudge I have ever had (don't tell my Grandmother who makes her own).

It hasn't snowed for over a week and yet as we drive along, there in the shades it lingers. On the sides of steep hills, in tall piles, lurking beneath the tight branches of bushes, the snow remains. Despite the bright sun that beats down upon us, the temperature remains cold and the white crystals cling to their ephemeral life. In places that are hidden away and when all the small particles are lumped together they find the power to resist the changes in weather and attempts to warm the earth. I'm sure there's a metaphor in there somewhere.

I froze in this yesterday, the fact that our heater comes and goes as it pleases like a wayward child has not helped.

Striking stripes and the red, white, and blue.

Inspiration: where does it come from? We have to get inspired somewhere and many of us are inspired everywhere. Is there or isn't there a proper way to be inspired and interpret that? Why is it wrong for a western designer to be inspired by a eastern culture? Honestly, I'm a bit more upset that we lump everything up into "east" and "west" since this doesn't do justice to the variety of cultures in each.
Some designers seem to be inspired light years ahead of us(I saw other gold pants on the runway in addition to these):
I have a weakness for the mermaid hair on Jean Paul Gaultier's runway, but my heart was absolutely stolen by these umbrellas. They remind me of decrepit southern belles, maybe from a old elite family that is now impoverished. I have a tendency to develop a stories about pieces of clothing I like...

People sometimes comment that I have a lot of clothes and while that is admittedly true I don't actually spend that much money on clothes. I've never spent $100 on an item of clothing (even my prom dress) and most of my pieces cost much, much less than that. Also, having two older sisters I often take their cast-offs, I like thrift shops, and I have a problem getting rid of things (ergo: sweaters, skirts, shirts all left over from childhood). Lately, I haven't really bought too many new things (just a little here and there), but I like wearing items different each time, so that they don't look exactly the same.

In tune with this idea, here are some recent outfits. The plaid shirt is actually my plaid dress.

And then my thrift shops finds: one cotton nightgown, one little boy's jean jacket, one striped skirt, and not pictured a gold belt.

Some recent reflections on the pros and cons of John Galliano had me wondering about the entire world of haute couture and fashion; are we so interested in fashion as a means of escapism? While the pictures of runways and intricate garments around the world are inspiring, they are far removed from me in so many ways (physical distance, economic girth, and pure reason).

The frivolous quality of an interest in fashion has often been bandied around. I myself recognize the connotations that come with a preoccupation in fashion (I usually omit mentioning it to people at my school), however really any focused interest outside of an academic subject seems to make someone seem less intelligent. Sports, baking, video games, each of these are also hobbies which give little benefit to anyone. Why are men obsessed with football not labeled as frivolous? I do not think fashion should be attacked as overtly frivolous and useless--since at least fashion is something you wear every day.

But what about the haute couture fashion, clothing as art, expensive in the extreme, these are not worn by the common man every day. Why do I check online numerous times each day (during fashion weeks) to see what designer has shown and what colorful artifice has stalked down the runway? Visiting these sites, analyzing the pieces, what value and benefits do they really impart to me? A momentary escape from my daily mundanity, a glimpse into a different world? At the end of the day I must turn off the computer or look away and return to real life, with a few hours wasted...

For some reason I always seem to end up on a kick and repeat the same pose for several days. As you can see I am wearing my newly customized bag around. I'm very excited to go thrift shopping this evening tonight with a super stylish friend.

Haute Couture season is my season. This is the fashion I truly love, the designer's pieces that are deemed "unwearable" by the masses but I would bedeck myself in them in a moment. Who doesn't want to be a piece of living and walking art I would like to know...
I am already ecstatic over the Christian Dior show, with John Galliano's showmanship his pieces of art can be appreciated at any size. The Armani Prive show however did not stun me at first, I was actually think, this is supposed to be haute couture? It is so safe, so drab. Then I looked at the detail shots and suddenly I got it. Behold the details (and there are so many more, small origami fabric triangles, detailed beaded collars, so much to behold, visit Style.)

One of the most common gifts I give to people for birthdays or holidays are flowers. If you know their favorite bloom and you buy them a vase as well, it's really a sweet gift while not breaking the bank. I personally also love to buy myself flowers or cut some when the season is right, though their lives are fleeting, they bright a nice sense of life to the room. In the spirit of this I recently purchased a couple of books via Amazon on the language of flowers. I was most excited to receive this morning "Tussie-Mussies" which tells you the language of flowers, a history of flower lore and how to make a tussie-mussie. A "tussie-mussie" is a talking bouquet or word poesy; basically a circular nosegay whose fragrant herbs and flowers carry a message in the language of flowers--love, condolence, good luck, or other sentiments. Wouldn't it be beyond charming to receive a nosegay from a friend meaning condolences after a bad break-up?

If you did know the language of flowers, wouldn't that make a runway collection interesting? Designers could be sending a secret, powerful message down the catwalk. The blooming shapes on Christian Dior's Spring 2008 runway strike a powerful note.

I'm wearing my beret that was part of my old school uniform today. I added a number of brooches to give it a more "me" touch.

The little project reminded me of my old school uniform, so I dug up a few photos via facebook of the school uniform. I am conspicuously absent from these photos, because I never was a fan of the uniform, it's difficult to find heat-to-toe shots so I thought I might explain what the uniform consisted of. Starting at the bottom: black shoes, white socks with school logo (I still have a couple of pairs of these...), navy pleated skirt/white skirt in mass days, sailor blouse with cuffs and collar, navy "tie," and navy beret for mass days. There were also rules for hair color and jewelry.

Went for a short walk in the wintry wonderland that is outside and took these (and other) pictures.

In other news, I got a hold of a sharpie last night and went a little wild...

A reader asked me awhile back about wearing high-waisted black shorts. I'm not really an expert in shorts wearing, but here is what I have come up with.

Various runways have shown shorts and high-waisted is the trend of the moment, so the appeal is clear. Some are slim-fitted, while others are more of a bloomer/baggier style.

Facehunter ladies are also all over the style--they tend to opt for the super tight and the super short (most of them are *tiny* so the look works easily on them, but some of us have to be more careful...).

High-waisted (though tooted as unflattering and difficult) can be worn by anyone--but fit is key. The short needs to hit the smallest part of your waist and make it fitted--not skin tight (clothes should be comfortable, not constrictive). If wearing tights with your shorts opt for a different color or at least sheer black. Contrasting elements are always interesting, so a looser blouse or long cardigan (worn open) with high waisted shorts will look nice. In the end, confidence is key, anyone can pull almost any look with the right sense of adventure and confidence.

I don't own any high-waisted shorts (yet), but here are some shorts I do own.