Yikes!

Image courtesy of Stylelite

"Earlier this week we reported Daphne Guinness's reasoning for stopping the Christie's Isabella Blow auction of Blow’s most prized belongings — most notably over 90 Alexander McQueen dresses. Guinness simply found it soon to commercialize her late best friends’ lives.

We wonder what Ms. Guinness would think of Selfridges recent window display in Manchester. The window display shows a recognizably Alexander McQueen design hanging from a flood light on some sort of industrial structure. And yes, the operative word in that sentence is “hanging.”

What on earth was the visual team at Selfridges thinking? Anything having McQueen’s name on it should still, at this point, be treated with the highest level of sensitivity. This display screams thoughtlessness and disrespect for the late designer whose tragic cause of death was suicide by hanging.

How long do you give it until the Selfridges team, tail between legs, realizes their err and disassembles the window display? We’re shooting for under a week."

source

I think that in all actuality, Selfridges did not intend to invoke the representation of Alexander McQueen's recent suicide by intentionally hanging his clothing on display.

Hooooowever, I think the display itself was done in poor taste, and somewhere, some little marketing moron is wondering how they didn't see this reaction coming...

RIP, McQueen. You were a fierce bitch, baby.

Street Style and Paris Fashion Week

I am currently obsessed with the following two blogs:

Beyond Boston Chic

Easy Paris

I love street style, particularly here. I frequently find myself doing double takes in this city, because Boston has a really unique sense of style. There's something about it that just grabs me: vaguely reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy, but just edgy enough to allow for a studded cuff, some insanely intricate chandeliers, or (be still my racing heart!) some gladiatrix stilettos. Many a late night ride on the T has resulted in me looking like a creeper, because women in amazing outfits get on and suddenly I'm staring at Girl #1's pink patent d'Orsay pumps or Girl #2's LBD.

But Paris...Paris is the creme de la creme, if you'll excuse the expression. It is AMAZING. There's something about fashion and the French that have always just gone hand-in-hand. It's nearly a universally accepted given that "chic" is in their blood. Everywhere you look, you see gorgeous women and men in the most unbelievable clothing. It's completely effortless and pulled together, and it is pure artistic brilliance.

Karen over at Where Did U Get That? has a fabulous street style blog that does a great job of capturing her unique sense of English funk. I'd love to run into her sometime and get a look up close. She's so damn cool.

Street blogs do a great job of finding the best looks on the street, and presenting them in a media that allows people to experience innovation in fashion. Not just anyone gets a pass to Paris Fashion Week, but anyone can read a blog and find inspiration in the attire of a complete stranger.

It certainly inspires me to dress myself up :)

Speaking of Paris Fashion Week, Valentino presented his 2010/2011 collection last night at Versailles. I honestly can't imagine a more impressive runway than the beautifully crafted Hall of Mirrors. Unfortunately, the collection itself left a lot to be desired, at least in my opinion. I found it to be drab, uninspired, and a little dated. I know fashion is cyclical, but the mid-60's wasn't really a great look for anyone; I'd suggest leaving that particular era alone.

But feel free to judge for yourself.

Galliano, however, killed it when he debuted Dior's collection on Sunday (video).

I love Galliano. No one this eccentric could do anything BUT make beautiful clothing. Love love love him.

Yeah, he's on a horse. He means business.

I'm really excited to see what comes down the runway when Chanel and Givenchy present their respective lines this coming week. I have the feeling I'll be wiping copious amounts of drool off my keyboard, but hey, what can ya do?

Luxury vs. Budget

Love luxury goods, but maybe not the price tag? Chances are, if you can google that latest fashion craving, you can find an equally nice, significantly cheaper alternative. As much as I love me some Givenchy, my bank account doesn't. And until teachers start making commissions, I'll just have to lust over my newest bag obsession from afar.


Luxury:

Givenchy Melancholia bag with studded shoulder strap in black leather
Buy it
$1,715.00

Splurge:

Matt and Nat vegan leather with chain strap
Buy it
$185.00

Budget:

BCBGenerations black studded purse with grommets
Buy it
$69.99

Crystal Renn: a Cautionary Tale, or just stretched too thin?

If you're not familiar with Crystal Renn, allow me to give a bit of background information first.

Crystal Renn started modeling at the age of 14, and very quickly fell into the abyss that is Body Dysmorphia Disorder (the self-perception of an imperfect body).

At the beginning of her caeer, her management famously told her to lose a third of her body weight, which she did. This drastic weight loss wreaked havoc on her physical and emotional health. Eventually, the stress of maintaining a model thin physique wore her down. She snapped and gained 70 lbs, remarketing herself as a "plus-size model" (a dirty word when the average plus-size model is still only a very average size 10) and wrote a book entitled Hungry: A Young Model's Appetite, Ambition, and Embrace of Curves.



She made a killing for herself as a plus-size model, posing in campaigns for Mango, Torrid, Heatherette, and Lane Bryant, as well as walking the runway for Jean-Paul Gaultier and Chanel. She even did four stints in Vogue (a magazine famous for it's campaign to eradicate the idea of average sized women). She was happy, successful in an industry that prizes thinness above everything else, and raking in the dough. This is a woman who knew how to market and capitalize on her curves.

Until this.

And very recently, Crystal Renn appeared in a photoshoot for photographer Nicholas Routzen's campaign for children and the arts.

Looking like this:

Photo: Nicholas Routzen

I could offer my own opinions on Crystal's drastic weight loss, but this quote from the article says it better than I could:

"Normally stories about a famous woman's weight fluctuations — damned if they lose, damned if they gain — just seem unfair. It's unsettling to read the same kind of things about Crystal Renn, too, but sadly, a model's career is so traditionally tied to her size and shape that if she is losing weight, it might affect her bookings. While Renn's curves are what made her successful, models are traditionally rewarded for being thin. It's unclear whether a plus-size model as famous as Renn would likewise be rewarded for weight loss, but hopefully she has no reason to try. It would be nice for any model's weight fluctuations, no matter what size she makes it big at, to not dramatically affect her work, and for stories like these not to be stories."

Looking at these photos, I do worry that Crystal Renn is actively destroying the causes of her success. It's normal for weight to fluctuate, and obviously it's good for your health to lose some weight when you're a bigger person. But to alter your body so drastically, in so short a period of time, when it's the reason why you've gained so much cred and clout, calls into question not only your intentions, but the state of your health as well.

Clearly, I don't know Crystal Renn personally, so it's a bit unfair of me to call her judgment into question. I don't know what caused this drastic weight loss. I just find it disconcerting.

The Devil Wears Really Bad Clothing

Ok, I admit that Anna Wintour might know a thing or two about trends, both recognizing them before they start, and marketing them to women who know nothing about fashion but want the big names so they can pretend they do.

But holy shit, what is this mess?
I'm not sure who to yell at more: Anna Wintour, for thinking she could leave the house looking like that, or Chanel for lowering their artistic standards so heinously. This dress is hideous; it looks like the heavy drapes my grandmother hung over her bay window, and if Scarlett O'Hara can't make it in drapes, then you can't either, sweetheart.

Where are her feet?! And that heavy jacket really weighs her down (girl, you're petite; how do you not know what lengths to avoid?! They teach us this shit in school, and you preach it in Vogue month after month!).

Perhaps you should take a page from Miranda Priestley's book and not, I don't know, look like a freakin' mummy on one of the most important nights in fashion.

Of course, I'm being too harsh. She may know what consumers want to see in magazines, or what must-have luxuries they want to spend their hard earned cash on, but Ms. Wintour doesn't exactly have a flawless record of attire.

Examples, you say? But of course!
To be fair, this outfit isn't entirely impractical. It might be ugly, but if you're ever need of Jules Verne-esque air balloon travel, you can catch a ride on Anna's puffy hem.
This jacket only works if you're playing the role of Satyr in some low-budget San Fernando valley pornographic mythology film (and yes, apparently one of those exists). Inspirations come in strange forms, I guess. But at least we can trust she won't ever look like a dominatrix.

Oh, wait.

Seriously, Anna; I want to give you credit for being daring and cutting edge in that WWAWD? (What Would Anna Wintour Do?) sort of way. But I got nothin' for ya.

Except for some head shaking. I've got a lot of that.

Bottom line: Just because you can sell a fashion magazine, it doesn't mean you are fashionable.

Wine, Women, and Big Boobs

This weekend I attended a large wine tasting event with a great group of friends. There were endless tables of wine, tons of delicious food, and lots and LOTS of great eye candy (the clothes, the bags, the shoes!).

So in impatiently getting down to the good stuff, let's see what the lovely ladies of Wine Riot '10 wore.
Name: Jill
Age: 27
Occupation: Teacher

Jill is exactly like me; she loves to look cute but she's a budget girl (most teachers are, actually). Consequently, she's a fantastic sales junky. This adorable denim wash dress was a steal (less than $15 at New York and Co.). Pair it was some tights and some slouchy boots, and she looks great! A belted dress does amazing things for a torso, but Jill keeps herself in good shape by running. She looks beautiful and healthy, so naturally anything she puts on is going to look fabulous.

Name: Elina
Age: 27
Occupation: Financial Analyst

*Forgive the less than stellar photo, but it was the only one that showed her full outfit. Plus, look at that pose!*

Elina has amazing style, plain and simple. She knows the pieces that will work for her, but she also knows that a little bit of drama is going to catch the eye. The first time I saw this cardigan from Anthropologie, I'm pretty sure I drooled. The color and the texture really make a simple sweater pop. Elina paired her sweater with earthy tones, so naturally the eye will focus on the bright jewel tone of the sweater. The skinnies tucked into the cute (but functional-two in one; awesome!) rain boots makes the outfit casual but fun. Elina is a very healthy person, so naturally that lends a good helping of confidence (as you can see by the pose). She knows she looks good here and you can see it on her face.

Name: Jeanette
Age: 24
Occupation: Account Executive, CBS Radio Mix 104.1

I was totally minding my own business while drinking a glass of delicious red wine when these shoes literally stopped me in my tracks. Look at that color! It matches the blue of the skirt so well, and when emphasized by the black foundation of the tights and shirt, it just grabs your attention. The skirt is great; I feel like I'm looking at a Picasso. The wavy hair and long necklace add a hippie feel to the attire, and I'm a sucker for neo-hippie casual. Who knew radio could be so fashionable?

And lastly, here's me:
Saturday was the first time I've dared to wear this shirt in public. As previously stated in my bikini lamentation post, I've focused my energy on feeling and looking healthier. By watching what I eat, getting lots of exercise, and some deep thinking, I've started a good trot down that particular path. I'm feeling good about my body and personal health, and naturally, I want to look good.

This shirt is made of a very clingy cotton, so while I love the rosette texture and think it does wonderful things for my upper body, I wasn't crazy about the fit around the waist/hips. On a whim, I tried it on before leaving the house, and voila! I felt chic, comfy, and best of all, I thought I looked fantastic! I paired it with a black tank top just to keep "the girls" in order, but I felt really good in this outfit, and when you hit a home run like that, how can you not wear it?

And now for the budget breakdown:
-Rosette Shirt: Unknown brand from T.J.Maxx ($15)
-Jeans: Joe Jeans, on clearance from Marshalls ($80 marked down to $40)
-Tank: The Limited ($24 marked down to $10)
-Cardigan: (not pictured) Old Navy ($18)
-Shoes: Black Flats from Target ($24)
=Total outfit cost: $107
*See? Teachers love bargains!*

There were so many amazing and tasty wines at the Wine Riot, and when combined with great friends and fun conversations, this weekend was really one of the more fun ones I've had lately.

On a side note, I'm pretty much in love with Christina Hendricks. Not in a girl-on-girl kind of way, but because she makes me comfortable with the body type I have. Take a look at this cover:

(Photo courtesy of Esquire and the Huffington Post)

Christina Hendricks is an actress on AMC's Mad Men. The show is set in the 1960's, a time when women were expected to be curvy and buxom (a la Monroe and Bardot). You don't get curvier that that cover!

After the wave of heroin chic models in the early 90's (thanks for making a chubby girl's life hell, Kate Moss), it became uncool to have curves. "Full-figured" has been a dirty euphemism for fat for as long as I can remember. Christina Hendricks is decidedly NOT fat, but rather sports an amazing rack and some killer hips. Unfortunately that hasn't stopped her from being targeted by fashion critics who deem her hourglass figure "big."

She isn't one to be quiet about it, though. In response to the hate, she fired back and decided to refocus the issue from her body to her talent.

I've had a tendency to let myself feel victimized for my body. I've alternated between feeling "fat" and "pornographic." It's refreshing to see Ms. Hendricks rocking her body on the same red carpet as Kate Hudson or Kate Bosworth or any other run of the mill twiglet.

It's paying off her her, too. Esquire just named her "The Sexiest Woman in America." Bravo!

I can hear the decadence calling

Why, yes, Kim, I can!

The newest Sex and the City trailer has me drooling over the clothing porn.



...normally I've never been a big fan of the clothing on Sex and the City (although occasionally Carrie would wear something that made my heart pitter patter), but in all honesty the first film's wardrobe did nothing for me.

Now, however, I'm unable to prevent myself from gawking over the bright colors, the textures, the heavily influenced Middle Eastern attire the ladies sport throughout the film. So gorgeous!

...Although, that whole "J'adore Dior" concept is pretty played out at this point. Give it a few more years before you begin to consider it vintage, Patricia Fields.