Being Human !

Tired of fashion gurus advising you that shopping is no longer an emotional and impulsive drive but rather a well thought out commitment? How many times have they bombarded the already stressed you with tips on how to shop for basics that can be worn a plethora of times in an equally plethora of ways? Now is the time to break free and turn your back on them! Bring some quirkiness in, don't let the boredom at your workplace creep into your closet, after all we all need something to hold on to and give us cheer! At least that's what I decided, when I made my shopping list this weekend and put on some really queer things in it like the Obama necklace, "face" wedge sandals and the lip clutch! Yes, we all need to celebrate "being human" and what better way than to wear a piece of us reminding our now "down in the dumps" life as to how lucky we are to at least be at the top of the evolution hierarchy!

Bring in some recession inspired chic by sporting an exaggerated khaki shirt that uses trompe l'oeil technique to effortlessly transform itself into a neat jacket, trade those needles for some sketch pens! Loosen up with some harem pants and freak out with some gold shoes with painted toes that save you from your weekly pedicure! Finish off by adding some color shock in the form of a metallic fuchsia clutch, and you are all set to rock the town on your own terms, getting crazy looks from people dressed in moribund basics!

Go on; bring some "humanness" in your wardrobe by making these a part of your fun collection! Have fun while the bad times last...

1.Fuchsia Metallic Snakeskin Lips Clutch by LULU GUINNESS

2.Enamel Lip Necklace by SONIA RYKIEL

3.Wire Hand Earrings In Gold by DELFINA DELETTREZ

4.Suede Bag With Face Detail by DOLCE & GABBANA

5.Gold Toes Shoes by COMME DES GARÇONS

6.Suede Wedge Shoe With Face Detail by DOLCE & GABBANA

7.Exaggerated Harem Trousers by COMME DES GARÇONS

8.Eye Bracelet by DELFINA DELETTREZ

9.Lips Brooches by SONIA RYKIEL

10."Obama" Necklace by YAZBUKEY

Image Source:www.style.com www.colette.fr www.luluguinness.com www.soniarykiel.com www.luisaviaroma.com www.catwalking.com

To Shop or Not, a lesson from the Fashion God!

If the fashion folks are to be believed, the biggest dilemma assailing mankind today seems to be the question of "whether to shop or not"!From a time when wearing the same clothes more than once used to be deemed as the biggest fashion faux pas anyone living on the planet could commit, to seeing Marc Jacobs attending two events back to back (namely the screening of Inglourious Basterds and the September Issue) in practically the same outfit, excepting his shoes, only reflects the reality of the situation we are in! If a fashion God could repeat his clothes I guess we all need to keep the plastic where it belongs (in the wallet) and start "shopping" our closets instead! Hope Anna isn't listening, don't want to throw a damp towel on her Fashion's Night Out plans, that is supposed to encourage shopping!

Image Source:www.zimbio.com

Hard War(e), a Fall 2009 Trend Check!

I don't know whether its a reference to the eccentric 80s or a "straight in your face" message to toughen up during these times, but designers are all hell bent on bringing the biker chain into prominence.Now the all important question is, would you do it?

Shown above are
1.Satin chain-embellished sandals by Camilla Skovgaard
2.'Paley' Platform Sandal by Pour la Victoire

Which one do you prefer?I'm leaning towards the Camilla sandals, they are so quirky, fierce and neatly made, love the serrated platform too!

Image Source:www.net-a-porter.com www.nordstrom.com

Why Karl wears the suit and Marc the skirt!

The very people who bring variety into the closets of millions choose to be frugal in their own dressing choices.Why so?Is it because its economical(pun intended), they are doing clothes 24*7 that the very thought of putting one on themselves gives them a great repulsion or is it because the fashion gods cannot afford to commit a fashion faux pas, that they have stuck to extremely narrow choices of dressing?Despite a fertile imagination churning implausible reasons, the ultimate knock off might be a rather boring and contrived one, much like their dressing.

So it goes like this.Its not everyday that the gods descend from their thrones to offer a glimpse of their superior self to the mere mortals!And when that rare occasion happens, the mortals have to recognise their gods in a fleeting second, before the gods disappear.How do the mortals do that? Because the gods are identifiable by their unique style which no mortal would dare to copy(imagine yourself walking on the beach in a suit or going to the movies in a skirt) !

Maybe this phenomenon can be called as "image management"! Just the way one cannot think of Chanel without the interlocking Cs, so cannot one separate Karl from his suit!Quick recall factor after all matters, otherwise Karl would never be snapped walking in Saint Tropez, and even if he were, there would always linger in the minds of the mortals a nagging doubt whether it was their God or some impostor! And ya as for Marc, poor Marc he cannot do the suit(you know why) and so he decided to wear the skirt or should I be polite and say kilt?

If anyone knows a better reason, please do keep me informed!

Image Source:www.zimbio.com

To be or not to be - in Bandage?

What with Hervé Léger tempting you will all those "bandage" dresses that he sent down the runway during Spring '09 RTW show, and the summer ramping down in a few weeks and folks already sinking their teeth into autumn wear, there wouldn't be a better time to be in a grave rush to sport all the chic dresses of Spring! If you were ever in doubt whether you could bandage up well, here's a little tip! Go figure!

Left, Right:Eva Amurri at the screening of Inglourious Basterds at New York City
Centre:Model walking the ramp during Hervé Léger Spring 2009 RTW

Better to leave all the bandaging to the tall and skinny, no?

Image Source:www.zimbio.com

Back to Basics!

"Remember Shopping?" screams Vogue as the magazine tempts you with Fall 2009's must-haves.Tough times demand prudent choices! Tesco recently reported selling two sewing machines per minute, which implies that clothes are not to be worn a couple of times and done away with, they have to be made to last as long as possible, though I pray that the economy doesn't stoop too low to force people to wear a dress to its last shreds, like Akaky Akakievich in Nikolay Gogol's Overcoat! The wise woman of today wants her clothes and accessories to last for years(as she is unsure whether she would have a second chance at buying) and be trend proof at the same time. Does that sound like asking for too much? Not if you turn to basics(read timeless pieces) for succor.Even hard times require you to indulge, to relive the golden yester years that remind you of the "what had been" and make you optimistic about the "what could be" of tomorrow!Go get these(pictured above), they can carry you through many more seasons of this journey called life..., without compromising on your astute sense of style!

Pictured above:

1.Skull Ring by Alexander McQueen

2.Oxidized Silver Bangles by Bottega Veneta

3.Tough Collection Skull Earrings by Tom Binns

4.Suede Bootie With Multiple Silver Zips by Alexandra Neel

5.Sleeveless Twill Dress by Helmut Lang

6.Suede And Python Sandal by Nicholas Kirkwood

7.Metal Minaudière In Crocodile Print by Giorgio Armani

8.Studded Handbag With Chain Strap by Marc Jacobs

Image Source:www.harveynichols.com www.style.com www.net-a-porter.com

That Summer of 1969!

With Woodstock Music and Art fair celebrating its 40th anniversary today, its only natural to ponder how a denim boot relates to an event that celebrated hippie culture and liberalised social thoughts!! 1969 also saw a important fashion moment through the birth of the American clothing retailer Gap, named so to signify the "generational gap" between the baby boomers and their children.Gap too is celebrating its 40th year with aplomb, through a series of collaborations with artists and designers.They plan to launch an exclusive collection of denim clothes and accessories to commemorate their b'day!Shown here is one of the 69 pairs of unwashed indigo denim bootie designed by Pierre Hardy and available at their store on Kingly court, London.The event starts on 10th September and will continue for 19 days and 69 hours or for the mathematically challenged 21 days and 21 hours! And of course you guessed it right, it comes at a price of £69!! Want to make the cut? Register at gap1969.com to keep yourself updated on the other events planned around the anniversary.And more importantly would you buy into the hype, barring the fact that it was designed by Pierre Hardy and that only 69 pairs are available, do you find it aesthetically appealing enough to sleep in front of the store the previous night?If you do, tell me how you plan to wear the booties and keep them mud free as well!

Image Source:www.guardian.co.uk

Karl Lagerfeld in Saint Tropez, as smug as ever!

Is Karl Lagerfeld on a vacation in Saint Tropez or walking the runway taking the customary bow at the end of another Chanel show? Frankly I couldn't tell ! Why the runway appearance in real life? Wouldn't some casual dressing in the form of flip flops, t-shirts, shorts etc suit the Saint Tropez mood? Just wondering...

Image Source:www.zimbio.com

Who Is It? Answer...

So the contest had many people breaking their heads over the identity of this person, that I decided to give away the answer earlier than intended.Some people with fertile imagination had gone as far as to suggest Michael Jackson and Tintin, a gentle remainder that my puzzles always revolves around the fashion people!Anyways the answer is

John Galliano at John Galliano Autumn/Winter 2005 Menswear fashion show!!

P.s :As for the clue "of getting dangerously close", afterall he is the king of bias cut known for cutting clothes close to the body!!

Image Source:www.catwalking.com

Fashion Piracy, a necessary evil?

Every once in a while, more so during these tough economic times, we find fashion magazines shout "Eureka" at the knockoffs(the more polished term for imitation clothes or accessories), going even so far as to suggest how clever one must be to sport runway fashion at a fraction of the original cost! With Oprah Winfrey getting sued for 1 trillion dollars for plagiarism, Nicolas Sarkozy going as far as to suggest that people who download pirated music be severed off their internet connection, are the designer lot a benign breed to blithely ignore people who have made a business out of making insipid copies of clothes and accessories showcased by prominent high end fashion houses for only a fraction of the original cost?

High end fashion's survival depends on it being exclusive to a select few while at the same time being inclusive to the aspirations of the mass.Its common knowledge that what is seen, reviewed and talked about during every fashion week becomes the possession of a select few.On the contrary, those "privileged few" can only sustain business and not expand it.For expansion fashion houses need a critical mass.And that can only be fulfilled by the common man.So fuel people's interest in high end fashion by allowing these knock offs to penetrate the market, which indirectly becomes a means of advertising for the brand.Let the magazines scream aloud and create a mass hysteria, making the imitation the most "penny wise" and essential purchase of the moment.

The beguiled consumer is only too eager to own this piece of "art".And then slowly comparisons are drawn about how the original is always classier and better, leaving the "knocked off" person with a volcanic desire to possess an original designer piece at some point.So if out of every 100 people who bought the knockoff even 5 decide to buy an original then look what it does to the fashion houses' bottomline!!And more importantly the shoes and bags that are most remembered from a season are the ones that have been imitated innumerable times.A clever advertising strategy!!Now comes the most important question of whether to indulge in an imitation or not?For me fashion is a manifestation of an individual's personality and a lot can be garnered by observing one's way of dressing.

Christian Lacroix's Haute Couture Fall '09 collection emerging as the best of the season despite being done on a shoe string budget, just proves that style surpasses mere purchasing power.That said, with the right attitude even high street fashion can be head turning.A knock off unfortunately robs all originality from the possessor and communicates a desperate need to be someone else they cannot afford to be, and it needn't be stressed that we are all valued for our uniqueness, more so while expressing ourselves!!And while you muse on whether or not to buy the Dillion pump knockoffs(topmost picture), get some red nail lacquer in hand, either way you might just need it!!

Now a bit about the fakers found above:
1.The black pump with frills found on Mandee is a replica of the Dillion pumps by Christian Louboutin for 3.1 Phillip Lim Spring '09

2.Gucci agate and gold necklace replicated by Asos.

3.Wooden Bead earrings found on Asos, inspired by the famous Louis Vuitton Spring '09 collection.

4.Sandals(leftmost in last picture) by Victoria's Secret inspired by Gucci Fall '08 collection.

Image Source:www.saks.com www.mandee.com www.gucci.com www.asos.com www.style.com www2.victoriassecret.com

Who Is It ?

The weekend is finally creeping in, giving us time to breathe, muse and recuperate.So why don't you scratch your head a bit and solve this tiny picture puzzle?For all of those fashionistas out there you have every little fashion moment stored away in their memory, flex your grey cells and pop out the answer!! Since its "puzzle time" after a really long hiatus, things are simple only this week, so this might be your last chance at actually solving fashion puzzles!!

To be fair to all, here is a little clue.This person is known for getting dangerously close!!And its not enough if you just id the person, to prove that it isn't just a wild guess I would like you to give me details of the time and place where this was photo was taken.It couldn't get tougher, could it?