Avoiding Fashion Overwhelm

In light of Fashion Week here, there & everywhere frenzy - - -  RELAX!   A funny list of 

40 things to remember when fashion gets too much!

from one of the editors at i-D. 

"16. It is better to buy one stomach-churningly expensive piece of clothing that you love - even if means you can’t pay the rent next month - rather than an array of cheap things which you just, sort-of, quite like.
"  Always sane eco-fashion style advice.

My favorite is - "26. More fashion designers should ‘take a season out’ if they feel like doing so. Good ideas do not inherently happen every six months.
"  Ugh.  So true.  Why oh why do we keep seeing collections a gazillion times/year?  It detracts from the thrill of Fashion Weeks around the globe.  We need long dry spells of downtime between seasons in order to ramp up the pining for new and exciting ideas.  The blessed dry spells give the uber stylists of the world time to shine in the glossies and this is a good thing.  Christmas wouldn't be as fun if it came in July too.

Uh, damn, oops;  guilty of #4 - "Words like ‘edgy’ and ‘directional’ should be used sparingly, otherwise you sound like the tacky fashion ‘expert’ off breakfast telly.
"

Fashion Week '14 - LIBERTINE

see all the pics on Style.com 

I haven't done a fashion show review in some time but today's the day.  Libertine has always been an inspiration since back in the early, up cycled vintage screened jackets day and this FW '14 collection did not let me down.  And really, Libertine was an Eco Fashion pioneer we just didn't realize it at the time, did we?

SO. much. FUN. 

I am in love with the myriad vintage-style coats embellished in crazy ways.  The Marilyn granny punk from Look 16, above, was a stand out - the coat is just perfection.  

Enjoy some more...

 60s style ski jacket shape is an all time favorite silhouette

absolutely gorgeous.  would never get tired of this.

spiderwebs!!

NYFW Review - Rodarte (flashback)

For the record, I adore the Mulleavy sisters and what they've accomplished at Rodarte.  I get very excited about each new collection and the interesting stories they tell.  So smart, so clever, so boundary pushing. 
But... I have to confess I'm confused and disappointed with the Fall/Winter 2013 collection.  Wahhh.   Late 80s college grunge apparel flashbacks aren't always welcome.  Neither are the ones when we all wore Donna Karan inspired bodysuits with EVERYTHING and the thong-backed ones had a nasty habit of hiking up above your jean's waistband.  Not pretty.  Witness: 

First - 80s-ness:

not so pretty sweaters with big dropped shoulders

Acid wash.  Ack.

Second - Grunge Flashbacks:

boyfriend biker jackets WITH acid wash

we wore long johns peeking out ala Seattle style

The dreaded bodysuit hike - redux

Third:  more angel wings?

Every soccer mom in Texas has a blingy wings T shirt.  Why are these backwards I wonder?  Hmm.  The nude chiffon with satin piping is lovely, however.

NYFW Review - Libertine. Oh my!

 Wow!  Libertine was on a crazy roll for Fall/Winter 2013.  Sure to perk up the dreariest of days.  Or give you a headache.  This is why fashion is so darn fun.  First the favorites, then the, uh, colorful. 

funky 70s-ish applique.  cool.

Love the pink - hand painted?  super fun for miserable weather

always a sucker for wordy fabric

always a sucker for skull anything

a lot of color.  a lot of pattern.

all the party detritus after mardi gras was sewn on?

NYFW Reviews - Alexander Wang & Maison Martin Margiela

Hmmmm.  After I just posted an anti-fur bit... here goes Alexander Wang w/ a collection chock full of the stuff.  A bit nauseating, even though I adore the bondage wrapping of the pony hair coat below.  Overall I found it a bit too frumpy, albeit tailored frump.

beautiful details

surely to be the ugliest shoe of the season?

 

 LOVE the beautiful drape of the coat.  It looks like silk embroidery over the cashmere.

Nobody looks good in wrap-front diaper pants:-/

sexy for the minimalist

As for Maison Martin Margiela, whom I always adore... fabulous!  As usual, super cool chick garb.

clever sweater - love the red patches

powdery grey layers

the shiny stripey leggings are great and love the layering

NYFW Spring - a Couple Goodies

I haven't had time to catch all the runway shows for NYFW yet, but here are a couple ideas I found compelling:

Altuzarra -

beeeaautiful jacket

love the waist-wrap of the shirt

Victoria Beckham - demure peek-a-boos

And the last two - from Bono's lovely wife, Ali Hewson, the latest EDUN collection was swell.  I adore the little harness begging for air space under other clothes.  Such a nice way to be covered/uncovered. 

ummm,, what exactly is going on?

I know Marc Jacobs is the fashion editor's darling but sometimes....

oh yes, women are just begging for huge hips and awkward lengths

frump dumpy bag lady chic?

 I adore the mad hatter hats.  These two are charming.

It will be interesting to see what survived the theatrics and actually hits stores.

Over the moon for Ohne Titel

Oh SWOON!  Look up the F/W 2012 Ohne Titel collection - absolutely beautiful!  These girls are on the right track.  LOVE the ski chic style

Words can't even describe; just adore this

I can't imagine a better dress right now - athletic trend spot on

sleek chic

So wearable- might even make me look skinny!

New York Fashion Week - Marchesa

don't you love the runway shows when they post on line? FUN, fun, fun in my book.  I just looked at Proenza Schuler (not impressed, as usual), Victoria, Victoria Beckham (refined and wearable) and Rodarte (fantastic, if not all over the map, as usual) and Marchesa, which I loved.  Those girls always make such ridiculously pretty dresses and I particularly liked this striking one, Look 17 on the slide show:

will we see this on Cate Blanchett I wonder?!