NY Fashion Week Pt. 3

I’m probably really late to the game, but I just realized S/S10 is going to look really…bland. Not like it’s a bad thing, but I’m pretty sure I can count the amount of color I saw on the runways on one hand. On the other hand, I ran out of fingers to count color palettes of nude, beige, and grey.

From L to R: Vivienne Tam, Ports 1961, Jen Kao, Cynthia Rowley, Chado Ralph Rucci, Yigal Azrouel

People may laugh when they hear that fashion runways reflect the state of the country, but I might go out on a limb as to say this is a good reflection of the economy, society, and the industry. The designers I talked to at Fashion’s Night Out spoke of the problems in the recession and how they had to create staple items that would last. These muted palettes may be boring, but they will always have a staying power. Perhaps there is no room for risks in the fashion industry right now, so the concentration is in tried and true color schemes and superb structure…?

Other than that, I think the only collection that has stood out so far is Band of Outsiders with their body con skirts, button-ups, and blazers.

Nymag.com probably has the best photo viewer in comparison to style.com and wwd.com, with minimal lag time and fun buttons.

In more fashion related news, my FNO video finally made it onto the LA Times “All the Rage” blog: http://bit.ly/49Na4Y

Credit to: nymag.com

NY Fashion Week Pt. 2

Picks for today:

I. CUTEST collection

The epitome of a spring time collection and oh-so wispy.

Cynthia Steffe

II. Best period collection

I’m a sucker for anything that looks inspired from the late 1800′s/early 1900′s

Gary Graham

III. Best tease but don’t please

I’m probably an old lady, but I really dig this color palette.

Preen

Video: “Fashion’s Night Out in LA”

Watch it in HD for maximum visual potency.

Fashion’s Night Out 2009

I went to do a quick speaks-out type of package on FNO 09 in LA. This is an event meant to help charity and stimulate the fashion industry so that people would buy more … for me, it meant exposing myself to what LA fashion really was.

The major hubs of activity were at Neiman Marcus and Fred Segal, but I was really expecting something ridiculously spectacular based off the Tweets from FNO in NY, which apparently had entire streets blocked off. Stores all over the world were meant to stay open from 7-11, with free food and drinks all around. Believe me, the line for drinks was longer than the lines for the cashier.

All I remember from the events at Neiman Marcus and Fred Segal was the clusterfuck of people around. As I shouldered my way through throngs of people with my two ton camera, I realized that not everyone in LA wore loose t-shirts and plastic Ray Bans. The outfits were pretty amazing and definitely intimidating, but after talks with my editor at Image, I realized that there was an entirely different culture in LA that you hear snippets of and make a superficial judgment of, but you never really KNOW it.

The names of designers flew right past me, names of magazines had me bewildered and the overall culture astounded me. Living in Westwood may give you the impression of Los Angeles, but it’s still just a college town. From FORTH, I learn so much about the art scene and from the LAT, I learn so much about LA in general. I mean, I got honked at five times today just driving down Wilshire, but isn’t that the experience? Why go to Third Street, when you can go to WeHo to chill or down to La Cienega or Downtown where there are a ton of art galleries? LA is absolutely ALIVE.

Oh, and alcohol bonds everyone.

Credit: media.onsugar.com, lnaclothing.com

New York Fashion Week!!

It’s that time of the year again.

I’m never great with spotting trends and it’s only after I read the reviews that I’m like, OOOOOH, I get it now. But I’m going to try now and point out things that made me go GLOMP.

I. Nude shoes

Been on the hunt for great pair of nude heels for a long time, and almost found THE pair at F21, but lost out due to frugality.

II. Exposed underwear

Not VPL, but bras! Why wear club wear consisting of bubble dresses or ruched spandex when you can wear something like this ultra sassy outfit. I love how boxy and manly it is, but with the peak of bra. If I may quote a line from Glee, “Tease, don’t please.”

III. Structure

Just another sign that I’ve “grown up,” but I don’t like a lot of colors anymore, but veer towards more muted and neutral or rich tones in structurally amazing pieces. BCBG had some great party dresses.

Still not incredibly wow-ed at anything just yet, but it’s only the second day. Fashion’s Night Out (www.fashionsnightout) is happening all over the world, in hopes of pumping some life into the fashion industry. I’m going to help cover the one in LA (which isn’t even listed…) tonight for LAT Image–excitement commences.

Credit: www.wwd.com

Precious…

I’m so excited to finally have this book in my hands:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was probably one of the best books I’ve read in a long time, so I have high expectations for the sequel. Plus, the cover’s pretty.

Sometimes I feel guilty for not favorite-ing classical books like Catch-22 or Jane Eyre — I have my share of classical favorites, but I guess you can call them “mainstream favorites” like Pride and Prejudice, 1984, and Tale of Two Cities. I am guilty of not reading more “obscure” classics and not really immersing myself in good literature. Instead, I love my contemporary novels– mostly those of mystery and suspense. (No bodice rippers thx) John Grisham, Daniel Silva, Anne Rice probably aren’t novels read in English classes, but I don’t understand why, as an avid reader, I don’t appreciate classics as much as I SHOULD. Well, I guess everything’s better than Twilight– I can’t believe some people actually (seriously) said (in public) that Twilight (yes, THAT Twilight) was one of the best pieces of literature ever written. I’ve read better fanfiction.

But GLEEEEEE is on and my appetite for musicals is being satiated.

Edit:

Video rec: “Living with Dementia”

Yeah, I cried. Shut up.