The Bliss of Water

For Lil star whose opportunity at folly is here in Seattle. Her blossoming fervor is mine too and I am passionately her mother.

Complacency is contagious and passion is hard to come by. Every day we live without enthusiasm is just another day we die. The happiest moments of my life were entrenched in chance resulting in ecstasy.  Every obsession I have explored has left me broke and empty; Every indifference, I remain the same. But isn't this saying something? When the water runs dry in a vessel, it's so we can fill it again. There is always something else. An explosion of bliss is so big that it paints the walls and ceilings startlingly blue and collects in pools around our feet. It envelopes us and time stands still. We no longer experience the ticking of the clock. Instead we feel everything. I live in Seattle where year after year, I only felt the seasons blurring into one another, I encountered time at it's essence. This summer while tortuous for some was my chance to turn the whole thing upside down and smell the bliss of grey. I wear it, I painted my walls in it, I step outside into it; True passionate weather experience. It sounds silly but this love of dreary has changed my life. You can be zealous about anything and it's something to be shared. It only becomes selfish when it has worn out it's welcome. I write this blog and share my thoughts and feelings when passion strikes and, frankly, I can't keep up with it.

Not Your Mother's Trench, Not Your Father's Bomber

Burberry was founded in 1856 arriving as a collection of sturdy outerwear. As it grew, the house outfitted the first expedition to the South Pole and even adapted coats for WWI soldiers. This is where their famous trench began. After several shifts into luxury branding, the name had become synomous with plaid and check patterned accessories and linings. Roberto Menichetti took the company to another level with the introduction of high fashion and Burberry Prosum in 1998 - Fall 2001. And in the Spring of 2002 Christopher Bailey, fresh from Tom Ford's Gucci, turned the conservative line sexy. Still London, still trenches and bombers but with a fusion of luxe punk. As Rachel Zoe would say, "I die!"

Meat Mess

Poor Cher, a true original, hugging a piece of meat.

Lady Gaga's meat dress?! Ewww. Didn't like it when they did it on America's Next Top Model and don't like it now! Ms. Gaga whined in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, "I meant no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian." Later she retorted that the dress was meant to symbolize standing up for human rights, specifically addressing the fact that she's "not a piece of meat". Proving once again that trying too hard can never pay off. I find it interesting that in her quest to be herself, Lady Gaga has repeatedly copied not only musical and fashion icons, but stale ideas. "Not a piece of meat." Oh please. I'm with Camille Paglia on this one. As Madonna once sang, "Express yourself." My advice? Be yourself!

This post is dedicated to my beloved Dana.

Music Break

Let's take a little music break. The girls at the boutique like to listen to a lot of Indie Pop and have inspired me to take another listen. It's not just the twenty-somethings that enjoy this division of alternative rock, Lil Star is an avid listener and I've been dabbling since it's inception in the 80's. Post-punk bands like Echo and the Bunnymen were an integral part of my album collection. I continue to pop on a vinyl Smith's album to this day. So while I was putting together my playlist on my computer, I included a couple of current Indie favorites like Beach House. This Baltimore band consists of native Alex Scally and French-born vocalist Victoria Legrand. Tonight I am listening to Zebra from their 3rd album, Teen Dream. Legrand's voice is indeed so dreamy that the band has been classified as "Dream Pop." You can get it here!

Watch List

What's on my Ebay watch list? A Comme Des Garcons knit wrap, tiered silk skirt and Junya Watanabe denim blazer, a Yohji Yamamoto black pullover sweater, Elizabeth and James green peacock kimono, Sergio Rossi grey kitten heel pumps, Prada leather loafers, Tsumori Chisato stripped dolman sleeve sweater, Atsuro Tayama mohair vest, Marc by Marc Jacobs belted sweater, an Ann Demeulemeester black knit sleeveless wrap top and an Hermes gold scarf ring. Wish me luck!

When She Cares: The Next Generation

Most of the time Lil Star dresses in a style like a plain brown wrapper and because she is so utterly beautiful, she still manages to shine. As hard as she may try, she is a star. In the blackest sky she sometimes fades into the darkness but mostly she is a beacon. When she cares, she is the north star, flashy, distinct and standing out like no other. I encourage her caring about her clothing, her hair, caring for her skin and I know that she misreads my intention. I see every bit of her special potential inside and out. But some of that is natural beauty which is not to be dumbed down because society has gone so far off the deep end as to say that beauty is wrong or bad. It is not bad. It's the next generation but only if we are willing to admit that nature loves beauty and so do we.

The Death of the September Issue

 Relaxing in my vintage kimono perusing through the latest September issues.

I thought that W would be making a bold move with their new editor in chief Stefano Tonchi. (W is green with envy and so putting out a film much like "The September Issue" as well.) But, no. Tonchi talks about the cover and the new concept of W not being such a fashion obsessed magazine. Say what?

WWD: Have you made W less fashion obsessed?

Stefano Tonchi: From the cover, I would say probably yes. First of all, it’s the September issue, which is the big fashion issue, so we have a lot of fashion and we will keep having a lot of fashion in the magazine, but with many, many stories around the fashion portfolios. Last year, when I looked at the last September issue — and it’s more or less the same issue in terms of pages, we are about 60 pages more this year — there are really 106 pages of fashion pictures. This year, we still have probably more than 60 pages of fashion, but we also have more than 40 pages of stories that are fashionable, but not just pictures of clothes.

How effed up is that? "... pictures of clothes," he says. Hopefully all my angst was all a bit premature. Maybe 60 pages of fashion is enough. Maybe... NOT!

I have them- W, Vogue, Bazaar, every cover a celebrity and then there's Marie Claire. W has "Hollywood's New It Girls" on a gloss tri-fold but I much prefer the back of the cover with Dior's opulent fall ad showcasing a romantic leggy MODEL. Vogue threw Hallie Barry on the cover. Ummm, who cares?! Don't get me started on Bazaar, Jennifer Aniston's homage to Barbara Streisand, Oi pleez! 

Finally Marie Claire has the stunning style icon Mary-Kate Olsen on it's cover. Admittedly she is not a model but at least she is a designer who happens to dictate fashion trends. At LEAST!

"September" Before September

While I was waiting for my September issue fashion magazines to show up at my doorstep, I decided to watch "The September Issue". Touted as a documentary about the legendary Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of Vogue Magazine for the past 20+ years, I discovered that it was not about Her. It was about editing really. It was less about fashion and more about decisions. What goes, what stays. Still, that can be intriguing.

Like why on earth Ms. Wintour nixes half of an amazing 20's shoot from brilliant Fashion Editor/Stylist Grace Coddington. After all this issue, the September 2007 issue, was the largest magazine ever published weighing in at roughly 4 lbs! Why cut beautiful pictures of luscious models so you can print 22 pages of celebrity? If I see one more celebrity on the cover of a magazine I'll scream! If I see one more "wearable" garment in place of a juicy, fantastical, ridiculous dress, I will die.

If one is the "pope" of fashion as Ms. Wintour is, than why not make the next bold step. If you're going to dictate fashion, dictate it! Put models back on the cover. Forget the age issues and make an age column. We, I, NEED the fantasy that is fashion. I want American fashion magazines to take me there. Holding my hand is a paper thin portrait of a woman, a head taller than me and impossibly beautiful.