I have been looking at fashion for the past several years wondering what direction it would take! I know fashion is a barometer of the times and tells the story of what people are thinking and feeling, so what if we aren't having wonderful thoughts and not feeling very inspired or fulfilled? Would we still be wearing torn jeans and clothes that looked like they were falling off us or we forgot to fasten them and stringy, dirty hair? I wondered whether style and elegance would ever return. I think it has and I'm delighted!
I was just looking at W magazine and for the first time in years, I LOVED it. I thought the clothes and layouts were gorgeous and so were the photos. So much so that I had to know who all the photographers were and if I was right in assuming who they might be. I also wanted to know who did the hair and makeup. I don't remember the last time I took the effort to investigate. This was not the only magazine that I was impressed with lately, but a great metaphor for what I feel is changing in fashion lately.
When things are bad, socially, we either look like "things are bad" or we go retro! Back to a "feel good" time. It never works to revisit the past. The past is just that and doesn't live in the now. We soon figure that out and then we look confused in our appearance. Funny how that works! We just can't escape looking like what is going on with us.
I think though, that we are doing something new this time. We are looking before we are being. Possibly because we are so stunned by the events of the now. Wars, economy, unemployment, the instability of the stock market, our governments, illness etc. It seems like we have lost control for so long. I believe that we are being proactive, if all around us is not working, the best that we can do for ourselves is take action and be what we want to be in order to enjoy what we can control. So in the here and now it starts with fashion. I so hope that the rest follows suit!
The clothes this fall are truly rich, imaginative and in short, GORGEOUS! There is construction in suits (something that seemed to be lost for so long), femininity in dresses, beautiful and new fabrics with a lot of color! Designers are truly being creative again. I used to think that we lost all the good designers to AIDS and their just weren't any new ones worth their salt (except for a few that bordered on insanity). Women this fall will look stylish!
Two summers ago, John and I went to Europe for a few weeks for his 40th. We went to London, Paris and Tuscany. When we were in Paris, I noticed that women looked like women everywhere. I never remember French women looking any less then "stunning" whenever I was in France. This time I couldn't find stunning. I was disappointed! I wanted to be inspired as I had always been when I was in France. I felt that the whole world had become homogenized.
Hair is styled! Yippie! I may be traditional (although no one has ever used that term in describing me), but I love "style"! I never really liked poker straight hair that did nothing. I had a hard time giving it to my clients. I found that my older clients were selling their souls for the illusion of youth in wearing styles that were intended for the young. I would still try to make hair move in one direction or another or turn the ends slightly just so it would have some style. I could never use waxes that made the hair look dirty. Dirty hair is just ugly! Can't convince me otherwise. Hair now has personality! You can be an individual, not just another fashion victim by choosing your look, length, color, volume, and style. When was the last time that you bought a new dress that needed or begged for you to style or cut your hair differently, if ever (if you're young enough to never have experienced this). Do you even know what a roller is? I can't wait to make waves again!!!
Eyelashes are in! Whether they are false, clusters, extensions or just enhancing mascara. I always believed that lashes were the most important part of a woman's beauty, after lips. I would tell my clients that mascara was more important than eye liner (I would see women with no mascara but plenty of eyeliner). Lashes give dimension to the face. They create a rhythm when a woman opens or closes her eyes (my daughter, Hana, insisted that we see "Eclipse" with her yesterday. Have you ever noticed Robert Pattenson's eyelashes? They are amazingly long and thick, making his eyes very expressive! I couldn't take my eyes of them (no pun intended). In fact if you'll notice, most of the actors in Eclipse have eyelashes that much attention has been paid to, making them look romantic, sexy and expressive.
Lips are matte again and dark! I remember the first time I was in Paris, I was sent there to see the designer shows and salons by Saks Fifth Avenue. I was style Director for the Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania Beauty Salon. The hottest Hair salon at the time was Jean Louis David. So I spent a few hours there to see what was happening. The first thing that I noticed was that every woman was looking in the mirror applying red lipstick, no matter what their hair color was. I thought that they looked feminine and sexy. Not at all what American woman were doing at the time. There is nothing sexier then red lips! What more does a woman need but red luscious lips and long fluttering lashes? The rest is minimal.
So, gorgeous clothes, an expressive face and beautiful hair. I can't wait!
I was just looking at W magazine and for the first time in years, I LOVED it. I thought the clothes and layouts were gorgeous and so were the photos. So much so that I had to know who all the photographers were and if I was right in assuming who they might be. I also wanted to know who did the hair and makeup. I don't remember the last time I took the effort to investigate. This was not the only magazine that I was impressed with lately, but a great metaphor for what I feel is changing in fashion lately.
When things are bad, socially, we either look like "things are bad" or we go retro! Back to a "feel good" time. It never works to revisit the past. The past is just that and doesn't live in the now. We soon figure that out and then we look confused in our appearance. Funny how that works! We just can't escape looking like what is going on with us.
I think though, that we are doing something new this time. We are looking before we are being. Possibly because we are so stunned by the events of the now. Wars, economy, unemployment, the instability of the stock market, our governments, illness etc. It seems like we have lost control for so long. I believe that we are being proactive, if all around us is not working, the best that we can do for ourselves is take action and be what we want to be in order to enjoy what we can control. So in the here and now it starts with fashion. I so hope that the rest follows suit!
The clothes this fall are truly rich, imaginative and in short, GORGEOUS! There is construction in suits (something that seemed to be lost for so long), femininity in dresses, beautiful and new fabrics with a lot of color! Designers are truly being creative again. I used to think that we lost all the good designers to AIDS and their just weren't any new ones worth their salt (except for a few that bordered on insanity). Women this fall will look stylish!
Two summers ago, John and I went to Europe for a few weeks for his 40th. We went to London, Paris and Tuscany. When we were in Paris, I noticed that women looked like women everywhere. I never remember French women looking any less then "stunning" whenever I was in France. This time I couldn't find stunning. I was disappointed! I wanted to be inspired as I had always been when I was in France. I felt that the whole world had become homogenized.
Hair is styled! Yippie! I may be traditional (although no one has ever used that term in describing me), but I love "style"! I never really liked poker straight hair that did nothing. I had a hard time giving it to my clients. I found that my older clients were selling their souls for the illusion of youth in wearing styles that were intended for the young. I would still try to make hair move in one direction or another or turn the ends slightly just so it would have some style. I could never use waxes that made the hair look dirty. Dirty hair is just ugly! Can't convince me otherwise. Hair now has personality! You can be an individual, not just another fashion victim by choosing your look, length, color, volume, and style. When was the last time that you bought a new dress that needed or begged for you to style or cut your hair differently, if ever (if you're young enough to never have experienced this). Do you even know what a roller is? I can't wait to make waves again!!!
Eyelashes are in! Whether they are false, clusters, extensions or just enhancing mascara. I always believed that lashes were the most important part of a woman's beauty, after lips. I would tell my clients that mascara was more important than eye liner (I would see women with no mascara but plenty of eyeliner). Lashes give dimension to the face. They create a rhythm when a woman opens or closes her eyes (my daughter, Hana, insisted that we see "Eclipse" with her yesterday. Have you ever noticed Robert Pattenson's eyelashes? They are amazingly long and thick, making his eyes very expressive! I couldn't take my eyes of them (no pun intended). In fact if you'll notice, most of the actors in Eclipse have eyelashes that much attention has been paid to, making them look romantic, sexy and expressive.
Lips are matte again and dark! I remember the first time I was in Paris, I was sent there to see the designer shows and salons by Saks Fifth Avenue. I was style Director for the Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania Beauty Salon. The hottest Hair salon at the time was Jean Louis David. So I spent a few hours there to see what was happening. The first thing that I noticed was that every woman was looking in the mirror applying red lipstick, no matter what their hair color was. I thought that they looked feminine and sexy. Not at all what American woman were doing at the time. There is nothing sexier then red lips! What more does a woman need but red luscious lips and long fluttering lashes? The rest is minimal.
So, gorgeous clothes, an expressive face and beautiful hair. I can't wait!
"I never really liked poker straight hair that did nothing. "
ReplyDeleteMe neither. Unfortunately, that is what I was born with.