The Big Taddah

This Was Inevitable...

2008-04-23T13:24:00.013-04:00

Let's do some math, shall we?

SKYROCKETING PRICE OF GOLD + DOLLAR IN THE CRAPPER =

Hello silver, brass and pewter! (And a sprinkling of gold vermeil and leather, too.)

I took a peak at Barney's to see what was going on in the jewelry front. A year ago, 18kt gold reigned supreme. Here is a sampling of what I found today. Many of the pieces are fantastic but I've got to say, some of these prices are going to take some mental adjustment.

Jill Platner
Axis Bracelet
$1,250.00

Maria Rudman Rambali
Pewter Brown Leather Bracelet
$325.00

Rettore
Brass Buckle Bangle
$950.00

Aurora Lopez
ID Bracelet
$400.00

Antonio Palladino
Gold Snake Bracelet
$2,635.00

$2600+ for vermeil???? It's a sign of the times I guess.

Yikes.

Taddah-Worthy

2008-04-23T09:09:00.005-04:00

I'm going to be honest. 2008 has been less than thrilling on the celebrity fashion front. Even the fashion-forward Olsens seem to have hit a rough patch. (A certain ArdenWohl-On-Steroids sweatband/headband tragedy comes to mind.)

A bright spot...

Leighton Meester at the New Yorkers For Children Dinner Dance
[image via style.com]

If you're looking for something to do today...

2008-04-16T09:42:00.007-04:00

Go meet Ralph Rucci. He has a scheduled appearance at Bergdorf Goodman between 2:00 and 4:00.

In my humble opinion, Ralph is the greatest living American fashion designer, even though he is often overlooked by many of the top fashion magazines. He has a reputation for having an older customer, but twenty and thirty-somethings who ignore his clothes are really missing out.

Here are some looks I love from his Spring line.

Bergdorf Goodman
754 Fifth Ave. (57th Street), 4th Floor
Ph: 212.753.7300)

Forever Like Red

2008-04-15T17:47:00.003-04:00

A friend (thanks KG!) emailed me about the band, Forever Like Red, which is based in my hometown - Shreveport, Louisiana. I don't normally post about music, but I fell in love their album Distance. I have lived in New York and previously Los Angeles for a combined nine years and these guys would stand out in either city.

Their album is for sale on iTunes now. The lead singer's voice is vaguely reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, but the band's style is all its own. My favorite songs from the album are Father, Breakdown, Forever Like Red and Exit Signs.

Check out the video for Exit Signs below, and download their entire album on iTunes.

Fall 2008 Top Five

2008-03-12T00:11:00.013-04:00

I've been a bad blogger and I know it. I've been caught up in other projects and seem to have lost my way. But I'm trying to get back on track. If you have any thoughts or ideas for me, I'd love the comments. Be kind. I do not make my living as a writer.

I've been giving some thought about my top collections for Fall 2008. Rather than list a five best or ten best - with so many lists out there, my list probably wouldn't be the best "best" list anyway - I thought I'd list my five most coveted collections. This is a personal list. It's not meant to represent anything more than what I, personally, love the most.

My mood, when it comes to fashion is pretty specific these days. I don't want anything too sweet. I don't want anything overly embellished, as you might have guessed from previous posts. Nothing that looks vintage. I can't stomach any more vintage florals for day or Roaring 20s for night. You might say my mood is a bit dark. Maybe it's the economy. Maybe it's the war. I don't know. But while things in my personal life are going swimmingly, it seems there is a bit of doom and gloom in the air, don't you think? And I think that's why I feel like dressing like a bit of a fighter.

So Top Five...

1) Givenchy

2) Jil Sander

3) Narciso Rodriguez

4) Louise Goldin

5) Alexander Wang

What They're Selling, I'm Not Buying

2008-03-09T09:19:00.011-04:00

At least part of it.

I always make a conscious effort to avoid the petty bitchy side of fashion, and I try to be careful with my criticism. Criticism is one thing but some of what people write is just plain mean. Also, fashion is extremely subjective. What I'd wear and what works for someone else are often totally different.

But I've got to get something off my chest. I really hate the shapeless, sexless cocoon look that is a trend for Fall 2008. I've tried to see the light and I can't. In fact, rather than talk about the trend when it emerged in New York, I waited until after Paris because I wanted to see if I still felt the same way. I can see how it works for magazine spreads, and I can also see how pieces can be styled differently than they are shown on the runway. Yes, I know you can take that fuzzy bathrobe, I mean, coat, and pair it with a slimmer pant. I did not fall off the turnip truck yesterday. I would wear, for example, a baggy pant paired with a more minimal top; it is a look I like. But a lot of what I saw in the cocoon category, I dislike no matter which way I imagine it.

I sense that some of you are quietly judging me. But as you're trying to pin me down in the fashion sense, let me say that I don't own one piece of Roberto Cavalli or Versace although recent Versace collections have been stronger than ever. My personal taste in fashion does not include a plethora of slits and cleavage. You won't open my closet and be attacked by animal prints. Nor will you find any article of clothing that looks like it was attacked by a bedazzler. Let me also say that I have never had acrylic nails or hair extensions. I don't put on makeup in public, and I don't chew gum.

I very much understand the need to cover up. I am often drawn to the idea of fashion as armor. That is one thing. I also understand androgyny as it applies to fashion. But androgyny is not about being sexless. It is really about having the characteristics of both sexes or being suitable for either sex. I understand fashion that is not so much about the body, too. Those are not the same things as being sexless. And maybe that is precisely why I have had such a visceral reaction. Mine is not so much a reaction to cocooning but a reaction to sexlessness. I don't think I like sexlessness in fashion.

One thing I do think is interesting is that we are all talking about it. And from a historical standpoint, I think that makes it important. As a museum curator, I'd buy it. But as a consumer, I am not.

On Physics And Fashion

2008-02-27T09:35:00.010-05:00

"We love fashion but it's going so fast. We wanted to say 'No' this season." So said Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, and their Fall 2008 collection echoed this statement (in 3-D no less). I certainly understand the sentiment, but herein lies the problem. Fashion should feel special. So much of what designers show, Viktor & Rolf not included, is easily watered down for mass market. While this trickle down effect used to take seasons, it now seems to take only days. As a consequence, the luxury consumer tires of silhouettes and styles more quickly because she doesn't want to look like the masses who are wearing the knockoffs of the dress she just bought. It follows that fashion moves faster and faster.

So where are we heading then? At some point we have to stop moving in this direction and go back. Newton's Third Law tells us that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Recently, everything has been about bigger and more. I think there will come a time when we start to demand better and are wiling to have less as a result. In fact, I think that time is now.

[image via style.com]

Best of Milan Fashion Week: Jil Sander

2008-02-23T09:57:00.010-05:00

Just beyond...

This may be my favorite collection out of all of them so far.

Best of Milan Fashion Week: Bottega Veneta

2008-02-23T09:56:00.000-05:00

Milan Fashion Week: Gucci

2008-02-23T08:37:00.012-05:00

Go with me on a little journey back in fashion time…

Many moons ago, there was that enigmatic, elusive phenomenon that was Chanel Black Satin nail polish. My parents may remember where they were when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I remember I was in Louisiana in my parents’ kitchen when my nail polish arrived via FedEx. I hopped in a car and drove myself to a nail salon ASAP, where I treated myself to an excellent though overpriced manicure. (Manicures are one of the few things that are actually cheaper in New York as there’s a nail salon on every corner.)

While at the salon, I wouldn’t let the polish out of my sight. In New York, someone would certainly have tried to snag it. But slowly I began to realize that everyone around me hated it. The women around me looked at my nails with a mixture of curiosity and distain. Black Satin???? They hadn’t heard of it. They didn’t get it. And they didn’t want to get it. I couldn’t have given mine away if I had tried. Fast forward to now. Moms from Omaha to Atlanta and their Miley Cyrus-loving tween daughters can't get enough of the almost-black. When it comes to polish, I'm not loving anything in particular right now. But there's one color I'm not wearing these days. You guessed it.

Do you ever like collections you feel you shouldn't? Gucci is a collection that could fall under that category for me. It struck me as slightly gimmicky after so much restraint on the part of other designers. “Rock Chick” is territory one expects Roberto Cavalli or Dolce & Gabbana to explore, but Frida Giannini? Anyway, like a moth to a flame, so I liked Gucci. It might be a bad idea, but I just can't help myself. But take away the fur, the fringe, the belts and the layered jewelry and there are loads of fantastic pieces in my opinion. One thing I was completely drawn to were the lower-waisted pants. Higher waistlines, which I still like, haven’t really been around that long. And while I’m not over them, I can feel the subtle shift within. Spring 2009? Fine. But by Fall 2009? Forget it. I think I'm out.

While I imagine you're with me for the most part on the polish, I have a hunch you'll disagree on the pants and maybe even Gucci. Yes, I know I have fashion A.D.D. but like many a rehabbed starlet, I’m not really ready to change. Hey, admitting you have a problem is the first step!

Milan Fashion Week: Missoni

2008-02-18T06:34:00.012-05:00

Maybe I should say the line formerly known as Missoni...

I love Missoni. I love their knits, and I loved it when they branched out from their knits. But this collection lost its way and is barely recognizable as Missoni at all. It's time for Missoni to revisit their classics.

London Fashion Week: Louise Goldin

2008-02-12T09:45:00.000-05:00

An unfortunate byproduct of the weakened dollar is that many American buyers have bypassed London Fashion Week. That, of course, makes it difficult for London-based young designers to break into the U.S. market.

Louise Goldin is one designer worthy of consideration from U.S. buyers. While the market is flooded with young designers, exciting new knitwear designers are not so plentiful. Consider how often we wear knits - T-shirts, sweaters, tights, knit dresses. You get the idea. Louise Goldin gets it, too, and she just may be one of the most exciting things to happen to knits since Missoni.

[images via style.com]

London Calling

2008-02-11T02:33:00.001-05:00

According to style.com, Topshop is set to open in New York this October.

Hmm...

2008-02-11T02:26:00.000-05:00

Kate Bosworth in Fendi

A look from Jaeger London's Fall 2008 collection

Grammy Awards Red Carpet

2008-02-11T01:50:00.000-05:00

New York Fashion Week - Fall 2008 Wrap-Up

2008-02-09T08:42:00.000-05:00

Top 12 Collections
Alexander Wang
Carolina Herrera
Jenni Kayne
Jonathan Saunders
Juan Carlos Obando
Narciso Rodriguez
Preen
Proenza Schouler
Richard Chai
Rodarte
Staerk
Vera Wang

New York Fashion Week: Jenni Kayne

2008-02-09T08:07:00.001-05:00

In the hierarchy of fashion design, Paris looks down on the rest of Europe, Europe looks down on New York, and New York - well, we thumb our noses at L.A. of course. To many New York fashionistas, Los Angeles' greatest contribution to fashion is The Hills, that froth-filled guilty pleasure in all of its scripted Teen Vogue glory.

Maybe it's time to reconsider. Earlier in the week, I mentioned Los Angeles-based Juan Carlos Obando as having a breakout collection. And then yesterday, Jenni Kayne was a star on the day that was supposed to belong to Donna, Ralph and Marc.

[images via style.com]

New York Fashion Week: Staerk

2008-02-09T07:34:00.000-05:00

It was a strong showing for Camilla Staerk who drew inspiration from abstract expressionist sculptor Louise Nevelson (below) in her collection entitled Black Bride of the Moon. Nevelson was best known for her "assemblages" - boxes made up of found objects; she believed that "when you put together things that other people have thrown out, you’re really bringing them to life..."

While I certainly see elements of Nevelson's sculptures, I also see a great deal of Nevelson, herself - a striking character with kohl-rimmed eyes and a very specific style of fashion that was an assemblage in itself.

Nevelson's Sky Cathedral

And the collection...

New York Fashion Week: The End

2008-02-09T00:47:00.000-05:00

It was not the most exciting final day of New York Fashion Week for the big guns (Ralph, Donna, Marc), but a couple of young designers were bright spots. I'll have pics shortly. So now it's on to London, assuming the models/designers don't boycott.

New York Fashion Week: Vera Wang

2008-02-08T09:27:00.001-05:00

Fauvist painter Kees Van Dongen was the inspiration for Vera Wang's Fall 2008, which, with one day left in fashion week, is certainly one of the standout collections. The eroticism of van Dongen played well when juxtaposed against the "street" style that has been echoing through many of this season's top collections. I couldn't help thinking of snapshots taken by The Sartorialist - fashionable men and women wearing imaginative ensembles that are mix-and-match and never one-note.

Some, like New York Magazine's Amy Odell found this collection to be heavy-handed, but for me, it was a clear winner.

[images via style.com]

Retail Therapy

2008-02-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

If the photographs from New York Fashion Week have put you in the mood for shopping, stop by the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show going on today and tomorrow. Click here for details, and see footage from the last show, click the link below.

The Fab Life: Vintage Clothing Show

New York Fashion Week: Richard Chai

2008-02-07T16:10:00.001-05:00

Bravo! I would wear almost every piece in this collection.

[images via style.com]

New York Fashion Week: Rodarte

2008-02-07T15:46:00.001-05:00

Inspirations for Rodarte's Fall 2008 collection included Kabuki, Japanese horror flicks, Eva Hesse string sculptures, and rebellion against a saccharine spring season. But I don't want to overthink the inspiration and lose sight of the quality and originality of the Mulleavy sisters' work.

It has been easy to feel blue about the state of American design the past few years, but a young crop of designers - Alexander Wang, Richard Chai (the most exciting collection from Wednesday in my opinion), and Kate and Laura Mulleavy to name a few - is reason for excitement. They are innovators, not imitators.

Below are images from the Rodarte Fall 2008 collection.

[images via style.com]

New York Fashion Week: Narciso Rodriguez

2008-02-06T23:41:00.000-05:00

Narciso Rodriguez is always about cut; the clothes are a) sculptural and b) tailored to perfection. That's why we love him, and this season did not disappoint on that front.

But Narciso managed to throw us a few curve balls. First there was chiffon. Then feathers. And then there were vague reminders of Tom Ford-era Gucci, which is not to suggest that Mr. Rodriguez was referencing any Tom Ford collection. No indeed. But there was something fierce about many looks, particularly those that were black and seemed, dare I say it, bondage inspired. But while Ford's sexuality was overt and often over the top, this side of Rodriguez exists more beneath the surface. The change of pace was exciting; it worked on all fronts. This is a collection I'd love to wear.

[images via style.com]

New York Fashion Week: Best of Tuesday

2008-02-06T12:19:00.000-05:00

Narciso Rodriguez and Rodarte. I will be posting more about each shortly.