Fashion Week Recap...fashionably late

Here is a humble recap of NYFW (maybe tidbits from other FWs), where I’ll highlight the good, the bad, the divine…and, most importantly, what you can actually wear.

The GOOD Girl:



Aquascutum – if there is one look I’ll be going for next Autumn/Winter, it’s Matt Herz’s long, black, and romantic sophistication. This collection screamed (or rather, softly uttered) pure English sophistication, which I love because, if you know me, you know I’m an unabashed anglophile. The Aquascutum collection was entirely feminine with belted waistlines and long, sensual maxi-skirts and dresses with the slightest flute at the floor to reinforce the idea of subtle curves. The whole collection was Lauren Bacall-on-foxhunt and can be your go-to inspiration for how to dress like a lady. I could go on about this show, but just watch it for yourself and if you’re not craving a camel coat (watch out for this trend!) or a long, black number, then you didn’t really watch it.

Honorable mention/Worth checking out: Rochas’ Doris Day-wear, Philosophy’s Matrix-Edwardian Lady, Sophie Theallet’s loveliness (!).







Enough for tonight, wrapping up Fashion Week wrap-up tomorrow.

All My Love
M.E.

Fashion Week and Your Style Life

Well it’s hunting season ladies, time to hunker down and scope out your target – what look will you channel in the upcoming A/W season? And what designer ‘tude and mood will inspire your spring dressing? Fashion Week is a rapid-fire succession of presentations that expose the hard work and creativity of top designers in the U.S., the U.K. France, Italy, and elsewhere.



I want to take a moment to analyze the breathtaking presentations of New York Fashion Week and hopefully convince you to see shows with rationality instead of simple lust for the novelty of newness. I want you to look at collections not as “ready-to-wear” but as inspiration to “shop-the-closet.” Now, don’t go thinking I want you to abstain from luxury; on the contrary, I’m as much a label-luster as the rest of you vixens, I just believe the ability to channel a designer’s look is even more satisfying the buying the real thing! Trust me! Think about it this way, a designer creates a collection of looks based on a muse – a unique woman or man who inspires. Well, this is a reciprocal relationship! Diane von Furstenberg, Dean and Dan (of Dsquared), and Laura and Kate Mulleavy (of Rodarte) are all among my muses whose creativity inspires MY collection of looks.



Tomorrow I will post a digest of fashion and style analysis of some of my favorite shows from NYFW. I know, I know, there are many more fashion weeks zooming by that merit discussion, but a girl’s only got so much time, d’accord?

Muse of the Month: Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn my personal style icon. Heck, she’s a hero in many regards. She was and still is known for her fiery character, sharp wit, exceptional acting (she won virtually every award in the acting book), and her style that bucked the Hollywood way of voluptuous women in figure hugging attire.

Hepburn valued dressing for the occasion. In her autobiography, Me, she cites several instances where her wardrobe was either a precursor to or a reward for a performance; in any case, she understood the affect that a polished look had on her audience and in herself (a boost of confidence). On her first trip out to Hollywood to transition from stage to screen acting, she went to designer Elizabeth Hawe in New York “to have an appropriate costume made to wear getting off the train in California…it had been very expensive, the whole costume, and I had great faith in it.” Don’t you feel the same when you shop for the occasion? In her autobiography, Hepburn also describes her first Schiaparelli purchase and referred to it as a “costume to get off the boat [in Europe] in” – I love that word choice of costume – after all, dressing is a performance of personality, is it not?



The Katharine Hepburn signature casual ensemble consisted of trousers, a button-up blouse, and loafers – strategically assembled articles of menswear. Yet, with her trademark feminine beauty, flawless bone structure, lithe physique, gorgeous brunette locks, and disarming smile, she introduced Hollywood to just how sexy the androgynous look could be! When she won the CFDA Lifetime Achievement award in 1986, Calvin Klein (an ardent admirer) stated, “In 1930, she wore pants and suits considered scandalous; today, they are sensational…They have prompted generations of fashion designers to capture her vitality and spirit.”



Katharine Hepburn was a true muse in so many ways…even if you don’t value her style statement, maybe you can take away these (her) wise words:

Don’t give in.
Fight for your future.
Independence is the only solution.
Women are as good as men.
Onward!
You don’t have too much money but you do have independent spirits. Knowledge! Education! Don’t give in! Make your own trail.
Don’t moan.
Don’t complain.
Think positively.

A Few Favorite Things #1 - Silk

Ah silk. Why would you want anything else on your skin? Trust me, once you go silk, you never go back – no matter how much that dry cleaning costs! Vintage or current - a camisole, slip, blouse, or dress of 100% soie will make you feel purely luxurious. Small boutiques and nicer department stores (The Atlanta Trifecta: Saks, Neimans, and Bloomies) have a lovely selection of silk dresses and blouses. Check out the contemporary names like Joie, Elizabeth & James, Theory, and my new favorite Patterson Kincaid (beautiful prints and great prices!). I personally enjoy going through the Sleepwear/Intimates section of Goodwill and vintage shops for sleep shirts, slips, and camis as the lace and stitching on these older garments can actually be de meilleur qualité (higher quality) than what’s on the racks today!

Keeping your silk in tip-top shape can be difficult, but it can be a valuable lesson in how to wear nice clothes despite our current world of wash-and-wear cotton! Keeping baby wipes in your purse can be an easy way to curb everyday stains as it is a great and gentle remover for most spots! All silk can be hand washed, however, so try some lukewarm water and Ivory soap or baby shampoo (then hang to dry), before you spring for dry cleaning. That said, you can google your city for inexpensive dry cleaners (one near me handles most pieces for $2), check reviews to ensure they don’t damage garments, and you have just found yourself a money-saving way to dress in luxury!



You may ask, why pay more for silk when synthetic can give the same effect? Well, as an old proverb states, “We are all Adam’s children, but silk makes the difference.” Silk simply does make a difference. The finest ladies from back in the oldest days donned silk to show wealth and sophistication; fortunately for us, silk doesn’t have to break the bank, but it can still leave us feeling like 21st century noblewomen.

Silk garments come in all colors, many varieties, and countless styles, but don’t be intimidated! Start out with a few thrift store pieces! A blouse or little nightie will do the trick and soon, you will be able to feel the sensuous difference! Sure, poly-blend satin may feel softer on the surface, but once you learn to distinguish between it and the slightly coarse delicateness of pure silk, you will understand just how lovely it is!

Welcome to Zen and the Art of Personal Style! I hope you find my rambling helpful and enjoyable – the goal is to give you my outlook on the everyday influence of style and fashion! Here, we celebrate the wearer, not the clothes. Contrary to the popular saying, the clothes do NOT make the [wo]man – her character does! According to Edward Gibbon (18th century English historian) "Style is the image of character."

A woman’s true character is made by her passions, her travels, her experiences, the loved ones in her life and the company she keeps! A strong inner character is the greatest aspiration one can reach for and the journey to that self-understanding is truly beautiful. This is where style comes in. Style should always only be a reflection of you!

I know you have probably heard it said that about 90 percent of communication is non-verbal, well, that means that your clothes really do make a statement! So when you make your style statement, speak truthfully to who you are and ignore the comings and goings of fashion! When you wake up in the morning and look in your closet, listen to the confident and beautiful woman inside you - chose your adornment accordingly!

"Style is knowing who you are, what to say, and not giving a damn."
- Gore Vidal