Cuts on the Bias

Shoe News New Shoes

I got a hot tip on a new shoe site, shoetube.tv. I've been navigating through it all morning and I'm not %100 sold on the site. Kudos for merging a fashion and TV site together, you can really see the shoes and how they fit. However, the pop-up ads are more than distracting - during my Louboutin tutorial I was notified about a bail bondsmen - not the kind of word association I'd want. All in all I did feel the site was dedicated to shoes and the women that love them, however, I didn't want to run out and buy a pair, nor was I given the option to do so. Check out the site and let me know what you think - nice break from the bailout.

It's the footwear

Hmmm...I don't have a problem with men in skirts, or dresses for that matter, except what these outfits uncover. I find nothing attractive about most men's slacks (which rarely fit correctly), but they do at least cover men's socks and shoes.

These articles of male clothing are almost universally ugly. Their socks are either bland or wildly excessive; the shoes range from plastic robo-cop creations to blocky chucks of leather. If men would consider upping their footwear game, then the move to skirts might have a chance (particularly on the West Coast where men are far less worried about traditional garb).

On second thought, even if they improved their footwear, we'd still have to look at their legs. While women's legs often look good well into their later years, I'm not sure we can say the same for men. Maybe they should start with long skirts.

Discuss...

Is it just me or is this guy hot? Maybe just me but the skirt really isn't taking away his masculinity-if anything I think it makes him look quite smart and capable , like he's in on something we don't know about. By NO means am I suggesting this for anyone I know, especially anyone related or dating me-but I love that Scott captures these adventurous men over in Europe.

Magalogs? Blogazine?

Style.com is the fashion editors Bloomberg.com. Recently they had a redesign of the site (much needed) and I have to say I am pleased with the results. In addition to their fashion show coverage, there's an interactive "Beauty Counter" with experts answering your questions and a trend and shopping section that reports on trends in the stores as well as on the street. I noticed this layout from their jumpsuit story and I couldn't help but think-that looks like a page out of a magazine. There's a hed (that means headline) and a dek (that refers to the line under the hed that furter explains the story)-a nice font and shopping information. Quite pretty.

Yesterday I received my J.Crew catalog-yay! The catalog is looking more and more like a magazine and I couldn't be more supportive. Those Cape Cod stories from the past were very aspirational but I'd much rather see the looks head to toe, with styling to show how to wear it (Nina-note the knee high socks). The J.Crew brand has evolved and in such a clever smart way, I wish other brands would follow Mickeys lead and take creative leaps into the future. Can you imagine how brilliant a GAP catalog would be?

Death and Birth

Sorry to hear the predicted demise of at least one major fashion magazine, but then, why not?  Many of these magazine have been around longer than I have. Isn't that a bit odd?  Shouldn't the fashion industry at least reincarnate its major magazines every generation?

Recessions don't bother me much anymore. I know they kill things off, but they also give birth to new, usually improved versions of whatever they kill. So, yes maybe a few old mags will kick it, but something more useful, more inspiring, and more delightful will spring up.

How much for just one shoe?

NY is feelin really creepy right now, strangely quiet. You can almost hear the tick-tock of the clock while everyone waits to see what the future has in store for them. As I watch the stocks on CNN I am also watching the shows in Milan, because that is actually my job.

Between the Ferre and Armani shows I try to figure out when this big crash will effect the fashion industry.  The shows I just reviewed last week were for Spring 09 (Feb-May of 2009) so most likely the buyers of this collection are going to play it safe. Since Fall 08 is already in stores (don't you want to buy a fur coat?) and has been since August, I think the Resort/Holiday collection (Oct 2008-Feb 2009) is going to be hit hard. These collections are for the holiday parties and winter vacations...not sure these will be priorities come December so expect major sales. The designers have already made the Spring collections, it's not as though they can change anything at this point. And what sort of changes will happen to their Summer or Pre-Fall designs? No buttons, short skirts, no lining, burlap sacks?

Fashion Magazines are luxury goods and they are going to feel a hit from this as well--how do you convince readers to buy $1000 shoes? How do you keep your advertisers happy? I think by next Spring one or more major Fashion magazine will probably fold, which is a loss for the readers that desire more diversity on the magazine racks. Soon its gonna be just the big guys that can live through what seems like a recession to me.

View from the Inside Out

Sergey Brin recently explained that his DNA carries a genetic mutation linked to Parkinson's disease. This announcement is notable for a number of reasons: first, it's from Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google and at this point in time, arguably far wealthier than the United States of America. Second, he learned it by searching thru his own decoded DNA, thanks to his wife's company 23andme. Third, he's gone public about a potentially devastating disease for which there is currently no cure, nor even effective diagnosis tools. Given that Steve Jobs has to publicly defend his health every day to keep shareholders happy, I find Sergey's stance bold.

In a sense, decoding your dna is the ultimate arbiter of style and substance. Once you've spit in the cup and gotten the result, you no longer get to look in the mirror and say "I look perfect" with a completely clear conscious because, ideally, the results tell you who you really are from the inside out. I did this last year--somewhat hesitantly since I'm a natural optimist (probably in my genes somewhere) and I didn't want to have to debate myself on the implications of bad news. The results were initially...modest. I can't think of a better description. While I loved wandering through the reams of new data about myself, most was less than enlightening. I learned I have a 7% chance of blue eyes (umm, more like 100%), and that with two working copies of alpha-actinin-3 in my fast-twitch muscle fiber, I could be a world-class athlete (perhaps...if I were 30 years younger and more disciplined).

But while my first experience with the decoded me barely satisfied a vanity-driven curiosity, my subsequent forays have been much more substantive.

Needed Distractions

Not sure what I would do without the lovely distraction of style. Especially when the substance of life is so chaotic, as it seems right now. Investment banks crumbling, AIG in receivership, candidates battling to get their respective messages out in the midst of talk on lipstick, pigs, moose and Muslims. Serious political emails are flying back and forth when out of the blue, Nina asks "Kelley--Are knee high socks (say with open toe heels or what have you) out of style?!? I just bought a damn pair. This is Reno though. Please let me know!!!"

Thank god. One blissful moment of frivolity.

Calvin 2.0

Rumblings in the tents had Leanne's collection being the favorite, I would have to agree. To touch upon "design and substance" Francisco Costa's Spring 09 collection was truly designed--not styled. He focused mostly on different geometric shapes and architecture. Normally I get frustrated by this extreme because it tends to not flatter the female figure but a few of his looks were incredibly powerful, and dare I say intellectual? Every editor I know-including some incredibly cynical, conservative editors were "wowed" at how precise and decisive his collection was. I would have to believe maintaining such a popular aesthetic as Calvin Kleins, minimal and sleek, would get boring if not monotonous for Francisco. This collection was a nice transition from the old to the new without compromising the brand. [Image style.com]

Design Genius

Yes, it does look like fun and why wouldn't you call Marc Jacobs a genius? He comes up with novel ideas every year or so that are widely adopted by people around the world. I know tech innovators who do far less and are regaled as gods of brilliance.

I've never understood why fashion designers have to work so hard to get even a minimal amount of respect as innovators (at least everywhere west of NY). I've worked with engineers, industrial and graphic designers for decades and rarely have I heard a kind word from them about their fellow practitioners in the clothing world. In fact, I've been in several debates where "Designers" (with a big "D" as some like to refer to themselves...) have dismissed fashion designers as trivial and superficial.

Huh? Since when is it trivial and superficial to study the human form and mind in its ever-changing condition and accurately drape a substance around it that is ideally beautiful, practical, affordable and unique? Obviously, not every fashion designer achieves this goal--but most at least try. That's why i'm entranced each week to watch Project Runway competitors create amazing garments in less than a day. I'd have a much harder time watching Project Web 2.0 or Project New Graphic Art....  Oh, and favorite collection for this year? Leanne's.

Doesn't this look like fun?

The one bummer about fashion week is the cattle call of editors to their seats only to find someone is poaching it. People crash shows all the time and I kinda like their persistence but when its my seat at Marc Jacobs I have little patience. It was too late to find another seat and I was told to squat or get out. So I did. I sat like a catcher in my 4'' inch heels and fitted dress right in the front row by Kanye West and the whole editorial department of ELLE magazine. This was embarrassing and painful (still have shin splints) but the show more than made up for it. I'm not gonna say Marc is a genius but it was so exciting to see something different. For editors I think all of these NY shows are getting pretty safe and predictable-as they should-money is tight. But at least with Marc (and a few others) I can never predict. Rhapsody in blue was playing (the united airline song for those of you unfamiliar) and one after another these fun, colorful ideas marched down the runway. Some called it the country mouse and the city mouse, some said Mary Poppins in Paris, but mostly it was upbeat and provacative. I was squatting dircetly across from Bill Cunningham a personal crush of mine, and he was giggling the whole show. How many people can say that about what they're wearing? [Images Style.com]

Intervention

I'd love to go into more detail on my fears of Palin (which I always want to pronounce PAL-IN not PALE-IN) but Fashion Week is alive and well in the city and it requires every ounce of energy. In the past I've always felt a little hesitant to talk about fashion week, I would sound silly if I waxed on about things like harem pants. I mean how relevant are harem pants when there's the serious topics of presidency and recession? I realized this weekend that it's actually a pleasure to have harem pants be my focuse for a week. Whats one week to take a break from the news and actually watch lovely artistic presentations? Not only has it helped clear my mind, it's inspiring to see people design such beautiful things for the future-they're optimistic.

Outside vs Inside

Completely agree with you, Kelley, on both counts. Michele Obama has exquisite taste (and yes, I do like Maria Pinta's collections but would draw too many confused stares wearing it to the Safeway) and she's got content. Solid content, like someone who grew up thinking she needed to earn her way in life and did not resent that condition.

Now let's move on to Ms. Palin....I guessed right that she'd be wearing the most conservative outfit imaginable at the convention with a token sexy accent. She scares me. I know women like this who fain conservatism on the outside, but could make a stripper wince if their true character showed. Maybe I'm wrong, but something is not jibbing with this woman... I think I would have been more comfortable if she'd walked out in stilettos and a pencil skirt, topped with some Alaskan endangered fur. At least then I could say "yep, that's who she is alright--love it or leave it."