I Won't Grow Up

I realize that I just wrote in my previous post about how I was fairly unimpressed with the recent collections from New York Fashion Week, but then something amazing happened.

I found coverage of Betsey Johnson's show.

She's a genius.

Now this - not Diane von Furstenberg's headbands - comes straight from Neverland. The theme was quite obviously children's bedtime stories, with playful models clad in pajama-esque garments, pirate garb, shepherdess dresses, full flouncy skirts, and ringmaster duds prancing down the runway in sparkle-studded glasses and brightly colored bobs.

Forget growing up. I want to be one of the girly, giggly, magical dreams that springs from Betsey's platinum blond, pink-lipsticked head.

Amazing photos from Zimbio.com.

Finishing Touches

Sooooooo. . . New York Fashion Week. . .

So far, no particular collection has completely caught my eye (I'm waiting for Anna Sui, my usual favorite), but the makeup at Diesel Black Gold and the headdresses at Diane Von Furstenberg were beyond stunning.

At Diesel Black Gold, makeup artist Val Garland explained the look. "It's very young. It's all about the eyebrow. There's a nod to Alice Cooper. It's all about magenta and peacock blue eyebrows."

I've always loved that scary circus clown pointed-line-through-the-eye thing, but the colored eyebrows take it above and beyond. I've never seen that before, and I think it looks fabulous. Very cool, very playful, very party-all-night. Love.

On a very different end of the spectrum, Diane von Furstenberg's models sported the most gorgeous fairytale headdresses.

I love that these are floral without being at all "flower girl." The addition of the leaves, the feathers, and the strands of ribbons look like they should belong in A Midsummer Night's Dream, or perhaps in Neverland. Very unexpected, I think, from the woman who brought us bright wrap dresses in a myriad of graphic prints. I wonder if this new softness is just another short exploration into a part of Diane's large range, or perhaps a facet of her personality she has finally seen fit to share with us. Either way, I'm blown away.

Photos courtesy of Style.com and Fashionweekdaily.com, as well as the good cobrasnake man.

Fabulous Street Style

Stylesightings just did a post of fashion week style that took my breath away. Such amazingly fashionable people! Such creativity! Such genius clothing combinations!

See for yourself:

It shouldn't work, but it does. Those shoes are fabulous, and I love the bag. The fantastically patterned dress looks so great with the leather jacket, and I adore the scarf headband.

Those tights! Where did she get them? Can I have a pair, please? Also, that draping on the dress - pretty, right? I'm thinking I might be able to recreate that...

What can I say, I'm a fan of torn stockings and lace-up boots, especially when mixed with lace.

The Stuff of Dreams

I've come down with a nasty virus of some sort, which leaves me ample time to loll on the couch and look at runway pictures from the most recent shows. Unfortunately, my pounding head has failed to allow me to take much pleasure in this. Flipping through gorgeous collection after gorgeous collection, my usual "wow!"s have been replaced with the uninspiring hack of my cough.

This morning, about to give up on fashion week until a healthier date, I clicked on Style.com's coverage of Rodarte.

And paused.

And dropped jaw.

Wow.

Ethereal gauze, artfully mangled yarn, and tattered fishnets abounded. Jewel-encrusted eyes glared from pale fingers; spike-laden shoes threatened to impale anyone who dared cross their path. Although the colors ranged from blood reds and blacks to soft beiges and ice blues, the mood on the runway was as dark as the models' lipstick.

Rodarte's Fall 2008 collection is alluringly otherworldly. These outfits would not look out of place in a mermaid's grotto, enchanted forest, or sorceror's tower. In fact, I'd like to point out to Stephie that the first gown pictured here would probably be worn by a vampire bride.

But enough with the supernatural wearers. I would wear these too, were they not so damn expensive.

I love you, sisters Rodarte. I'll take the entire collection, please,
And wear it when the moon is a ghostly gallion, tossed upon cloudy seas.

Yes, that was a Rodarte couplet with a bit of verse stolen from Alfred Noyes' The Highwayman. I felt the occasion deserved it.

A Trip to NY Fashion Week

Hello, hello, hello! I'm back from NYC!

Victorya Hong's show was an interesting first experience at fashion week.

My friend Monisha, who accompanied me, and I got all dolled up and ready. Here you can see us posing with the world's smartest (and cutest) four-year-old, who didn't come with us to the show. He wanted to, though.

The detailing on my shirt (as well as the length of my legs) is kind of lost in the picture, but you can see the beauty of Monisha's dress, which she found in her mother's closet and cut to a short length. You can also see our intense excitement!

We braved the NYC subway and the torrential rain to make it to the Altman building, where the show was taking place. We checked in, and the man at the desk told me there wasn't a seat for me (or Monisha.) I was a little annoyed about that. I mean, I realize I'm an 18-year-old with barely any presence in the fashion world, but when I'm invited to something, I expect to be provided with a seat at the very least. I don't know if that's standard or not, though, and a lot of other people were seatless. Monisha and I managed to snag two back row seats just as the show began.

Our distance from the runway resulted in kind of crappy pictures, but you can get the idea.

I really liked Victorya's collection. You could see a lot of menswear inspiration, but the clothes were still inherently feminine. They looked loosely fitted, comfortable, and easy to wear, which is something I prize in clothing. Most of the looks would be appropriate for a day at the office, a shopping trip, or even a night out. Very, very wearable.

Judging by the enthusiastic applause as Victorya poked her head (bearing a sweetly ecstatic grin) out at the end of the show, I'd say a lot of the crowd shared my opinions about the clothes.

As everyone stood up to leave, I looked frantically around for Susie Bubble and failed to find her. I had so been looking foward to meeting her, so this was a huge disappointment. Sightings of Christian (from the current season of Project Runway) and Jay (the winner of a previous season) managed to cheer me up a bit, as did a glossy black goody bag that I collected from an abandoned seat in the front row. Was this appropriate fashion show etiquette? I don't know. But it was just going to be thrown away, and I wanted it. So there.

We went off to a restaurant to kill sometime before the afterparty, but my Chronic Fatigue decided to hit full force at that point, and it was the least I could do to drag myself to the subway and catch a ride home.

The next day was spent visiting with family and walking around Soho. I have decided that I want to live in an Anna Sui boutique someday. It was love.

Forgive me if there are any misspellings in this post. My spell check stopped working and I'm too exhausted to think straight.

It's Settled

Well, it's settled. The parental devices have spoken, and I'm going to Victorya Hong's fashion show in NYC on Friday!

I'm SO excited. You have no idea.

Sudden panic, though. What does one wear to a fashion show?

Also, any tips would be much appreciated. I know I'm over-thinking this, but I have no idea what the etiquette is at these things. Like, where do I sit? Am I allowed to take pictures? Is it a bad idea to pass out my business cards?

Oh dear. I'm suddenly quite nervous. I wonder if I'll be the youngest person at this thing.

Invited!

I know a lot of bloggers act all cool and coy about special invitations. And honestly, I was going to try not to mention this for a while, but let's face it, I can't keep a secret.

Sooo, the news is: I've been invited to attend a fashion show by some mystery Project Runway designer in NYC next weekend! Eee! I know it may not sound like such a big deal for all you seasoned fashion veterans, but I'm an 18-year-old high school senior who never expected to be invited to a runway show ever, so I'm pretty excited. Plus, I love Project Runway.

Can I go? It's unlikely, but not impossible. I'm in begging mode.

And if you know me, you know I already have my outfit picked out. It's never too soon.

Maybe I'll see some of you there?

Eley Kishimoto Spring/Summer 2008

Check out Eley Kishimoto's Spring/Summer '08 collection, shown recently at London Fashion Week:



Isn't it wonderful?! I am such an Eley Kishimoto fan. The patterns, the colors, the complete tendency to stand out - It's always present in the clothing, and it's always bewitching. See the rest of the collection here.

I want the entire collection, but I would be content with just that belt in the bottom center. Le sigh...

Fashion Week Favorites (So Far...)

The Shows:

Vena Cava

What I'm digging: The breezy skirts/dresses, typewriter print, and bits of menswear

Marchesa

What I'm digging: One gorgeous, gorgeous dress after another, beautiful draping/movement

L.A.M.B.

What I'm digging: The London-y feel, shades, 50s headscarves, and eye-popping prints

Street Style:

Only one thing to say -- Gasp!!!


Quirky, yet fabulous

Fashion week is spewing out some great stuff this year! I'm surprised by some things, like the fact that I like the L.A.M.B. collection so much, and unsurprised by others, like the fabulousness of the street style. What do you think? Any favorite collections? Styles you're itching to try? Accessories to DIY?

Photos courtesy of Style.com and Facehunter.

Boston Fashion Week

As you all know, fashion week is coming up. I've been getting psyched to see the new collections, but I'm also (of course) wishing that I could attend the shows. I've never been to a fashion show before, and I know it would be AMAZING to see all those pretty clothes in live and in motion. So that's why, when flipping through the fashion insert in a recent Boston Globe (I don't believe I mentioned this before, but I live in the Boston area), my breath caught when I saw a short ad for Boston Fashion Week.

Maybe I'm just out of it, but the idea of Boston Fashion Week is new to me.

Anyway, I rushed to the computer to look it up, and yes, my friends, Boston Fashion Week is alive and well! It seems that the shows require an RSVP, but not an invitation, and they take place all over the city. And there are a myriad of afterparties and events to go along with it. I don't think I can make it this year, because I'm sick and school (If I'm well enough to go) is starting up around the same time as fashion week, but it's nice to know that it exists here. Next year, maybe, depending on what I'm doing after high school...

For now, I plan to look up the local designers showing this fall, because it occurs to me that I know nothing of the fashion scene that apparently exists in Boston. I am so psyched!

Is there a fashion week in your city? Are you attending any shows? And more importantly, what do you plan to wear to them?