Some Of My Favorite Things!

Pajama Pants at
D&G

  I have obviously been following the men's shows in Milan for the last week or so, but have been insanely busy... Photo Shoot, School, Work, School, and Work... Anyway, there have been some amazing shows this week, with some really great pieces that I am gonna want to rock come next spring, if not this weekend in NYC! Such as silky Pajama Pants! My favorite version of the luxe louche look came from D&G... Yes, D&G! I know, not usually my favorites, but this men's showing was so laid back, and had a couple trends I want to jump all over! Mainly the printed silk pants! Paired with a denim shirt, or matching silk shirt, they appear to be warm weather ready! I am heading to China Town Sunday in the daytime to find me a pair in NY!

Men's Wear Darling of the moment, Umit Benan, has had a really great season, after wowing with his own label, Trussardi picked him up as their menswear designer. At his namesake he did a total tribute to 1980's Cerruti, full of the glam billowing trousers. I preferred the shorts version! The sort suit is a look that I am so ready to start rocking, and this incarnation is gorgeous! I am all about structure, but would be willing to go flowy for this exit!




At Burberry, Christopher Bailey showed a really amazing craft fair of a collection. What at first seemed to be printed sweaters, upon closer examination, were sweaters with plastic bits attached in an almost fir isle pattern! But more important were the SHOES!! They were an amazing confection of nerdy chic styling, mixing classic fringed loafers, and cork bottoms they are easily going to take over where the Prada creeper left off!! I WANT them BAD!

Ok, so by now you all know, I love me some contrasting colors! The more random the combination the better... Well, at Roberto Cavalli, they showed vivid suits, and then mixed and matched flawlessly! The purple printed trousers, and royal blue striped blazer paired together were perfection. It showed how to match mis-matched colors, and my new favorite sartorial mash up, print mixing! The subtlety of the stripes in the jacket was a great combo with the geometric pattern in the trousers! We should all take a lesson in matching(?) patterns! The whole collection was so slick and Italian, it blew the Gucci man out of the water!


At Dolce & Gabbana's signature line, there were a ton of cool pieceses that stood out in a show of techno ,mesh, and sheer jumpsuits, but I have to say, the ONE piece I would definitely wear were the sheer overlaid shorts! They showed it with everything from a tank top, to bare chest, but, no questions asked, I prefer the way they paired it with a dress shirt, going a mature, and dressier route would be the choice I would go with.

  The fabric and styling at Jil Sander were spot on in an example of Raf Simons minimalist  aesthetic. It was very 90's retro, and a little too modern for me, but the python utilitarian tote would easily integrate into my accessory wardrobe! The color? the rusty orange version please! I think that papers for work/school, and the fact that they were shown with almost exclusively shorts, well how Me is that!?
  More shows are coming up, so stay tuned for my Paris Menswear faves!

All Photo's Courtesy of Style.com/

fash·ion /ˈfaSHən/

Me Working!

  :the latest and most admired style in clothes and cosmetics and behavior

  I have kind of explained my emotional connection with fashion, and the relevance it took at a really early age. Now as I have grown up with it as my sole interest in life, I am faced with the question of why. I feel like those of you who have known me for a number of years, have seen many different Me's. There has been Gothic Ian, Raver Ian, Glam Ian, Prep Ian, and who even knows what some of those incarnations could be categorized as.

  From an early age, I wanted nothing more than to be accepted. I wanted to be liked by the cool kids. Very rarely did that work out, for any length of time anyway. But as I tried, I would find ways of making them think I was one of them for a while, and I discovered that clothing was a great way to do it. It was a costume for me. If I wanted to hang out with the Gothic Kids, I would find outfits that were dark and flowy, if I was going to a rave with some Club Kids, I could easily do my makeup, and have stacks made. The only things I really ever had in common with MOST of these people were my clothes. 

  As I grew, and experienced all of these aspects of life, I took from each group the music, the garments, and accessories, the ideals, and mostly the people, that made me comfortable, happy, or dance, or laugh, and helped to create this person I am now! I equate each of theses era's with the costume I wore for each of them. In tights, and Doc Martin Boots, or Blinged out crosses, and gold tooth caps I went there, and did it full throttle.

  I know this sounds mostly like a sad story, but now, as an adult who can identify the number of holes a pair of Doc's has from a distance, or whether someones bell bottoms are vintage or replica's (there was a DeeLight phase in there somewhere...), and tell you in 1 heartbeat whether your Chanel bag is rel, or faux, I am only comfortable with just being me, and the people that I still have in my life from each of the era's know me for who I am, and have been. Just Me. 

Balenciaga and Spain!

Photo from AlainTruong.canalblog.com

  There was a point on Tuesday afternoon, staring into the Lesage embroidery of the Balenciaga Couture dress at the De Young's exhibit, that I nearly cried. I mean it, my eyes welled up with tears. I wasn't brave enough to dare take pics, but I admire (and thank) those that were. The docents were following people around, and were particularly vicious, I did get to do a couple sketches, but the shots do not do the amazing collection justice.

Photo from
AlainTroung.canalblog.com

  The selection they had covered the couturiers career, spanning from the late 30's to the end of the 60's. There were amazing embroidered, and corseted cocktail dresses, to his later geometric trapeze designs. It really was an almost spiritual moment for me! Some of my favorites were the lime charmeuse trapeze dress, with the bow on the front, and the flared cocktail dress in the middle of the selection in the photo to the left.

Photo from Threadmagazine.com

  The selection at the right was particularly inclusive. If you look closely, the styles vary from the green silk gazaar bubble dress, to a selection of earlier evening wear. the back of the pink piece was so beautiful it was one of the many teary eyed moments i encountered that day! It had a stand away collar, that went down into a deep V in the back, and a bow in the middle of it! So gorgeous!
  I feel so privileged to have gotten to see this show! Events like these remind me of what I love about fashion, seeing these garments were absolutely like looking into art!  I want to thank my patient friends who saw it with me... then waited for a half an hour in front of the museum for me! I had a really amazing vacation, and cannot wait for NYC! If McQueen is 1/4 as beautiful of an experience I know I will be in tears!