Esoteric scarves from the Metropolitan Museum of Art store (on sale!)

It's not really a place you think of for high fashion, unless maybe you are someone's grandmother.  But I wandered onto the Met Museum store's website today and rifled through some of their winter sale offerings.  I was taken aback, and very pleased, to discover some really beautiful scarves in its collection, most of which are on major sale, and all of which allude to some part of the actual art collection.


What I love most about these scarves, besides that they are lovely and colorful and can be styled in so many different ways, is that they are a little bit nerdy.  It's like wearing a piece of history, for the liberal arts geeks among us.  My favorite is the Tiffany stained glass scarf (number 1 below), as the Tiffany windows were always my favorite part of visiting the Met, followed closely by the arms and armor section.

I also included a couple standouts from the jewelry sale, a cascading pearl earring and a Tiffany 'pine-bough' pendant.

My burning love affair with Cydwoq shoes, part 2.

I was waiting for permission from the Cydwoq folks to post these pictures of some of my favorite designs from their Vintage line...The Modern line is pretty great as it were, but there's something about the Vintage line that captures my imagination.

I love the details, the slightly offbeat yet organic shapes, and the undeniable integrity of these shoes.  Time to save up so I can add to my collection of one =)

Check out the full line of Cydwoqs here.

My burning love affair with Cydwoq shoes, part 1.

It's been a couple months now since I wandered the shops of Noe Valley and found myself in the Rabat Shoes boutique, and coming face-to-face with one of the most beautiful pairs of shoe craftsmanship I had ever seen in my life.

Before I begin, know that these shoes are much more expensive than I am used to. I mean, compared high-falutin' shoes from established designers, they are not that expensive (most of their shoes, even the boots, don't exceed $500), but for ordinary citizens who toil for their food and generally find it difficult to cough up more than $100 for things you walk around in, these shoes are expensive.

Cydwoq (pronounced "sidewalk") is an independent label in Burbank, CA.  It began with a man who likes to walk, and comes from a line of Armenian shoemakers.  Watching the video below, you come to understand that each design, and even each shoe, has a story.  

The reason the shoes are so expensive is that a) the quality of the leather is downright seductive and b) each pair is made by hand, by American workers.  American labor is expensive.  But beyond the quality of the materials and painstaking attention to detail is that undeniable, intangible quality of old-world depth the shoes have.  I felt it the instant I saw them, and knew I had something special on my hands.

The shoes in question are called Decade, from Cydwog's Vintage line.  They are a unique take on the classic oxford shoe, managing to seem very old and worldly-wise and yet modern at the same time.  I think it's the combination of the mottled, rich brown leather and the low-cut profile of the shoe.  They were on huge discount at Rabat (about 40% off), but still I hemmed and hawwed for like an hour, trying them on and waking around the store and staring soulfully at my own feet.  It was really no use though, because as soon as I put them on I felt they had been made for my feet, because they fit so perfectly.  I was utterly taken.

In the end, because it was one of two pairs left in the store, the lady kindly knocked off an additional $30 or so, and that did me in.  I bought them, but at about $180 including tax they are still the most expensive pair of shoes I've bought to date.

It took me a while to think of a good way to wear them, and I experimented with a couple other new things I bought recently: a little chambray dress I got for $20 from Therapy and plaid Look from London tights (quickly becoming my favorite pair!).  And a very old plain black cardigan I bought from Express back in high school, which I also love to pieces.

Hot or Not? LACMA textiles reinvented.

I heard about this on NPR a while back and am finally posting about it.  The story piqued my interest because 1) it's about vintage/historical textiles and fabrics and 2) it's about LACMA, seriously one of the best contemporary art museums in America, and certainly one of my favoritest.

So the idea is this: earlier this year, LACMA auctioned off a large portion of its rare and historical textile collection.  It just so happened that most of the pieces were in relatively poor condition and otherwise unwanted.

Along comes this artist, Robert Fontenot, who buys up 50 of the pieces, ranging from Uzbekystani and Honduran woven fabrics to Korean wedding dresses.  He proceeds to find new uses for the unwanted items by deconstructing and then re-imagining them into different incarnations, and documenting the process on his blog, RecyleLACMA.

This is just the sort of thing that would normally delight me, tickle my fancy, capture my imagination, what have you.  I think the idea has a lot of potential.  But I looked through some of the stuff he's made and can't help but feel a sense of... I don't know, disappointment bordering on discomfort.  I mean, I love modern art as much as the next guy and can appreciate any statements Fontenot is trying to make.

Many of these pieces, though, just feel like they're missing the mark.  Maybe it's because I think of sewing as a craft that must serve a higher purpose, and I have the heart and soul of a true fabric junkie.  I believe in fabric, in its substance and spirit and dignity and practicality.  Most of all, what draws me emotionally to fabrics is their possibility.  

This might explain how I cannot resist buying a beautiful fabric when I see it, only to have it lie quietly folded in a box under my bed, to be taken out on occasion to be fondled and cooed over. Cutting into a lovely fabric is one of the hardest things for me to do, even if it's destined for a great purpose.

So what upsets me about some of these pieces by Fontenot, I think, is how unromantic and mundane they are.  It feels insulting to the spirit of the fabric, which may have been lovingly worked over by some ancient grandmother or artisan, to turn it into a dog bed, or a hackey-sack.  I suppose that's one of the points the artist is making, but it still upsets me.

Some of the pieces are more delightful, like the whimsical lion costume pictured up top or the sailboat below, which makes it easier to swallow (I included some of the ones I like below).  But overall I wonder if overall it isn't a bit of a waste.

UPDATE: I was asked by the artist to take the photo gallery down.  If you're so inclined, feel free to check out the rest of the projects here.

It's official. Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. is shoe genius at its finest.

I've been sort of resisting L.A.M.B. shoes because of the celebrity association - in general, it seems really tacky to wear something a celebrity puts out as part of his/her merchandising empire.  Plus, I'm not one to sit by and help someone who is already rich doing one thing, to get richer doing something else.  And so, I fought hard not to fall for these shoes.

But it's no use.  I am head-over-heels in love.

I am most arduously ravished by her cheesily named 'Feisty' heels.  Let's analyze, shall we?  First, you have the snakeskin.  Whether it's fake or real (at these prices, they had better be real), you can never really go wrong with black and white snakeskin.  Classy, expensive, and luxurious, and different.

Next, you have the beautifully executed play on proportions, with thickish straps on top and a single thin black strap on bottom.  After attending my company holiday party last night, I realize I absolutely hate thin strappy heels.  To me they look paltry and weak; I like my shoes, like I like everything else in life, to have some substance and structure.  These Feisty heels definitely embody both.

Then you have striking embellishments in the double-black strap/buckles.  A lovely detail that adds so much dimension, plus it makes it somewhat customizable to your comfort.  And finally, you have the gorgeous and unique triangular wooden heel.  They could have gone with a simple stacked or stiletto heel.  But that wouldn't have been nearly as satisfying, now would it?  There is nothing about this shoe that isn't beautifully designed and well thought out.  I also included some of my other favorites, all with striking silhouettes, substance, and structure: the Cho heel, the Finsbury, and the Gypsy.

Legwear from Forever 21: Finally, something I can use my $30 credit on.

I've been a fan of Forever 21 and its founders for, like, ever.  Despite the unrelenting lawsuits they face from all sides, my stance is this: their business model, infrastructure and execution gives them the kind of competitive edge that most clothing companies just can't touch. 

Now, in the way it has revolutionized so many other aspects of the fashion industry, Forever 21 is changing the way we buy legwear.  Yes, legwear: tights, stockings, leggings, socks, what-have-you. Some dear readers may remember an incident where I found and fell in love with an extravagant pair of stockings by MaxMara.  At $75, they practically gave me a heart attack.  But in reality, super basic American Apparel tights cost at least $10 and any pair of tights that are remotely interesting will set you back anywhere from $20 - $50.

The legwear collection at Forever 21, in contrast, ranges from about $5.80 to about $9.80, unless you are going for the fancy leggings in their Twelve by Twelve line.  It's perfect pricing for an item that will inevitably get runs and tears and basically fall apart.

And, get this - they are beautiful!  Different!  Eye-catching!  I first saw them on a couple of my favorite bloggers (Jane Aldridge and Rumi) and knew they must be on to something.  I can't wait to buy up a whole bunch and put them into rotation.

Lessons from the movies: Game-changing dresses.

Sorry for the very long absence, friends!  Life happens, I guess.  

I've been reading this excellent book, Audrey Style by Pamela Clarke Keogh, which is not a straightforward biography of America's most beloved silver screen star.  Rather, it's about the life-changing events, relationships, and personal convictions that went into creating Audrey Hepburn's innovative, singular and influential way of dressing--most notably her lifelong 'style' partnership with the designer Givenchy.

So far I've learned some interesting things that make me respect Audrey more as an individual, even though I haven't really been a fan of most of her movies (I know--gasp.).  Like the fact that from ages 12-16, during WWII, she practically starved and even tried to make bread out of grass.  Or that she spent her entire life yearning for warmth and affection from her rigid mother.

Anyway, I specifically wanted to discuss the one film that really put Audrey on the style map, and made every woman in America want to dress like her.  Most people assume that this film was Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), when in fact, Audrey's moment came much earlier, in 1954, in the original Sabrina.

It was a barely-known Audrey Hepburn that boldly made an appointment with Givenchy and dazzled him with the way she brought his designs to life, then proceeded to select three simple costumes from his 1953 Spring/Summer collection that would change everything:

1) The Glen Cove Suit: Audrey wore this with a simple white turban while waiting at the train station with her luggage and mini poodle.  Dark gray, double-breasted, cinch-waisted, scoop-neck jacket and a simple slim, calf-length skirt.

2) The White Ball Gown (pictured below): For her first party back at the Larrabee mansion, Audrey's character donned a magnificent concoction of silk and embroidery that stunned the Larrabee brothers, and the world.

3) The Denouement Date Dress (pictured below): The truly original Little Black Dress, a good 7 years before the one she wore in Breakfast.  Simple tea-length with boat neck and two sweet bows on her shoulders, it suited her gamine figure perfectly.
_____________________________

Interesting stuff, but what really got me fascinated was thinking of other game-changing style moments in cinematic history, when things changed very tangibly for the character because of what she wore, within the context of the film, or when what she wore changed the way the world, and especially women, viewed themselves and their potential.

I'm thinking specifically about dresses worn at pivotal moments in film, dresses we still think and talk and dream about, to this day.  Dresses that capture our imagination with their own breathless possibility.  Here are some of my favorites...can you think of any others?

1 Sabrina's white Givenchy ball gown. 2 Sabrina's little black dress.  3-4 The gorgeous green silk dress Keira Knightley wore in Atonement. 5-7 Drew Barrymore's Renaissance-style dress and wings in Ever After. 8 The climactic flamenco ball gown in Strictly Ballroom. 9 Anastasia's lovely dark blue opera dress and white gloves. 10 Kate Winslet in beaded finery in Titanic. 11-12 Princess Leia's slave girl chic vs. chaste white gown in Star Wars. 13 Penelope's wedding dress - corset and shredded skirt.  14 Nicole Kidman's satin confection in Moulin Rouge. 15-17 All of Maggie Cheung's gorgeous cheongsam-style dresses in In the Mood for Love. 18 I always had a thing for Maria's lovely, light-as-air frock in The Sound of Music. 19-20 Jennifer Connelly in an over-the-top concoction for Labyrinth. 21-22 Grace Kelly's opening scene dress in Rear Window. 23 Zhang Ziyi's debut in Memoirs of a Geisha. 24 Marilyn Monroe's classic halter in Seven Year Itch. 25-26 Kate Hudson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days - love the unusual yellow color.  27 Kim Basinger's cloak in LA Confidential. 28 All of Jennifer Lopez's crazy get-ups in The cell. 29 Dustin Hoffman's sequined wonder in Tootsie. 30 Renee Zelleweger in a super simple little black dress for her first date in Jerry Maguire. 31 THe gloriously over-the-top wedding gown in Coming to America. 32-33 Julia Stiles' simple, striking blue prom dress + red flower in 10 Things I Hate About You. 34 And finally, the magnificent Lauren Bacall.

Don't you love how 'inspiration' in the fashion world means wholesale plagiarism?

Behold the 'Drift' mary-jane from BCBGirls.  At a relatively affordable $112, they are a sensible alternative to the much-celebrated and sought-after studded 'Pigalle 100' pumps from Christian Louboutin.  I actually think I like the mary-janes better because the strap makes it so much more practical and wearable, plus I kind of prefer the suede over the leather.  If it weren't for the daunting 4.5" heels (even with a 0.5" platform), I would totally buy them.


I'm just a bit bemused by how much these shoes really 'borrow,' 'steal,' 'reference,' what have you, the original Louboutins.  For an industry that is so obsessed with protecting designs and intellectual property, it seems the line is very fuzzy and muddy indeed.

Here are the originals for your reference.  I think they retail upwards of $900.  And they look very dangerous besides.

Hat tip to A Girl's Guide to Shoes for finding the BCBG pumps first.