I like originality. I combine fashion and philosophy. Fashion, to me, is an art form. For it to make sense, it has to have a philosophy behind what you’re doing. Otherwise, it’s just trendy.
Patricia Field – American stylist/costume designer known for her work on Sex and The City, The Devil Wears Prada, and Emily in Paris.
This quote is from a Q&A Field did with Today.com.
Field is just out with her memoir, Pat in the City: My Life in Fashion, Style, and Breaking All the Rules (Harper Collins).
I completely agree that fashion (or style) has to have some thought behind it to be interesting. When someone buys and wears a head-to-toe designer outfit, there’s nothing of the individual reflected. But when we put together our own ensembles – mixing a vintage piece with a trendy piece, choosing color and pattern – that’s where the creativity and our own approach, or as Field calls it “philosophy,” comes in. Anything other than that is following someone else’s vision.
MZ Wallace caught my attention before I knew who they were. One day on BART I a spotted well-dressed woman carrying the cutest quilted fabric tote in black. I hadn’t seen anything like it. Not long after that, MZ Wallace showed up in my IG feed (hmm, coincidence or … ?) and I immediately recognized their distinctive look. I followed them knowing that one day I was going to indulge.
Behind MZ Wallace are Monica Zwirner and Lucy Wallace, two NYC women who were not finding what they needed in a handbag – “a bag that would allow for every aspect of our busy lives, that we could use all day every day all year round.” In 2000 they launched their brand determined to provide a “functional luxury” product.
Made of recycled nylon, MZ Wallace bags are lightweight and waterproof. The quilting gives subtle texture and extra interest. Initially they started off in black but recently have added patterns and lots of bright colors like kelly green. They are known for their urban-friendly crossbody bags and backpacks. Also on offer is an array of other styles such as hobo, tote, and the oh-so-popular sling.
I’m a fan of crossbody bags. I like the way they look and of course they are convenient. After a couple of years of watching MZ Wallace I decided last fall that for my birthday I was finally going to treat myself. I had settled on the Metro Flat Crossbody. It’s sleek and simple with two pockets on the outside and four on the inside. There are little details that make this a “luxury” bag such as a leather zipper pull trimmed in red and inside fabric that is soothing to the touch.
This is the bag I reach for when I’m going out for the day. I usually also carry a tote for all the extras – umbrella, hat, water, and so on. I couldn’t be happier with my MZ Wallace and it won’t be long before I just have to have another one.
This is a photo of a card handcrafted by a group of women artisans in the mountains of El Salvador. These women gather, dry, and preserve natural flowers that they use for these one-of-a-kind cards.
If it’s spring it’s time for pretty sunhats. If it’s Easter (and it is this Sunday) it’s time for Easter bonnets. The bigger the better!
Dressing is not important, but it is one of the little signs of respect.
Bernard-Henri Levy – French writer, philosopher, filmmaker.
This quote if from an article about Levy in the New York Times, February 28, 2023.
Levy is known for wearing bespoke suits with a white unbuttoned dress shirt to war zones in Ukraine, where he has been filming his documentary Slava Ukraini. This quote is his response to the question – why do you wear suits to a war zone?
Indeed, dressing well is a sign of respect for one another.
Talbots cashmere sweater in blue. I have layered with a black t-shirt underneath.
I have a favorite gray sweater that I’ve been wearing for years. You know one of those pieces of clothing that is comfortable and comforting? That’s this sweater. It’s nothing special, just a cable knit pullover made of merino wool but easy to wear and funny enough the tag says Made in England (rare these days).
Well, I’ve worn this sweater so much and repaired it so often, it was time to make it an “at home only” choice and hunt for a replacement. Easier said than done and I’ll skip to the victory part of the story. I finally found close to what I was looking for at Talbots.
Blue not gray and no cable knit, but this sweater in cashmere is a winner all the same. I love the dark blue shade, which pops any outfit and works in fall, winter, and spring. It’s just the right weight making it perfect for layering. I’m reaching for this sweater again and again.
A word about Talbots. In 1947 Rudolf Talbot inherited his father’s clothing store in the Hingham, MA, a Boston suburb. He and his wife, Nancy, renamed the shop Talbots and offered classic women’s clothing. In 1952 Talbots sent out their first catalogue, which resulted in an uptick in business and it’s something the company continues to do today. There were five stores by the time the couple sold their business to General Mills 1973. Under a new direction, Talbots opened shops around the country usually in malls. Nancy continued to work in the company until she retired in the early 80s. Since then, Talbots has been sold many times and along the way it gained a reputation for being less classic and more dowdy. I remember seeing Talbots stores in malls and walking right by thinking they were a little too preppy.
Then last fall I popped into a local Talbots because I spotted in their window corduroy pants. I’m a big fan of corduroy anything and I haven’t seen cords in a long time. So I went in and I wasn’t impressed with the customer service, but I was kind of excited about the clothing! There was an array of basic styles – the cords, sweaters, vests, jackets, skirts, and dresses and a lot of color. I liked the high quality and good sales. Although there were some florals that were not my taste (and reminded me of that too preppy style), overall I was happy to see simple sophisticated options. I bought a pair of green cords that day and when it was time to replace my sweater, I headed back.
I tend to wear classics that I jazz up with layering and accessories. I’m new to Talbots and I appreciate what they have to offer. I wouldn’t go with one of their complete looks, but I will be picking up a piece here and there to work into my wardrobe.
A warning: I did some online research on Talbots and it seems that ordering anything from their website is a disaster. I read review after review saying pretty much the same thing – that the merchandise didn’t arrive and telephone customer service was useless. I would advise potential customers to shop in person at one of their many locations.
Elizabeth Wilson, born in 1936, was among the first to cross fashion with feminism with academics. A former professor at London’s College of Fashion and the author of non-fiction books and a detective series, Wilson has now written a memoir in which she shares her early life and her path from activist to fashion academic.
In Unfolding the Past published by Bloomsbury Press, Wilson digs into her childhood and early adulthood in post WWII London where she and her mother settled while her father worked as an administrator in Sierra Leone. She describes her family as being in “reduced circumstances” living not in Kensington as her mother wished, but instead a mile or so to the east on the end of a “shabby street” in a 4-story house owned by her grandparents. Her mother’s disappointment in life colored Wilson’s childhood and perhaps set her up to be a somewhat rebellious young adult.
She opens the second chapter with – “Every Thursday, a Harrods van drew up outside our front door and the driver, uniformed in green, delivered a cardboard box tied round with pink tape. It contained the weekly volume from Harrods’ lending library, chosen by my mother after she had read the book reviews in the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Times. Usually it was a novel, but books on history, popular psychiatry, and the Cold War turned up from time to time. The delivery to our terraced house was out of place in the marginal social world of my childhood. At the lower end of the street, tall stuccoed mansions had fallen into decay …”
Wilson gives this kind of detail throughout the book offering vivid descriptions of her family, friends, herself and her wardrobe, as well as of a bleak, but fascinating London just after the war and into the 1960s. I would say this isn’t a straight forward memoir, but more of a wondering through Wilson’s thoughts and opinions. With references to other academics, popular culture, literature, art, and music we get an abstract picture of her life. From child to young adult, communist and feminist, throughout it all clothing, she says, was her “prop” offering some “self-confidence.”
Unfolding the Past is an unusual thought-provoking read that one could go back to again and again and learn something new.
It was paradoxical that fashion as a serious subject should have come to the fore in the context of feminism. One of the longest lasting and still very lively debates is that between feminism and fashion. Feminism became an established political movement in the nineteenth century. Many of those Victorian feminists, encumbered by the excesses of crinolines, corsets and bustles, saw fashion as central to their oppression. One argument deployed was that men were forcing them into elaborate outfits that crippled their bodies and restricted their movements, so that fashionable dress was a direct instrument of power.
Elizabeth Wilson – British feminist, author, and former professor at London College of Fashion.
This quote is from Wilson’s memoir Unfolding the Past (Bloomsbury).
Fashion for woman has always had its negative impacts from corsets to stilettos to Spanx. Oppression? Perhaps. Restricted or not, plenty of Victorian women enjoyed their fashions. Interestingly, today there are period costume groups recreating fashions of the 18th and 19th centuries complete with all the elements that hinder movement. Granted, these elaborate fashions really are just costumes worn for limited periods of time and then poof, back to leggings and t-shirts. Still, there seems to be a desire to don pretty feminine clothing of the past. And if not actually dress in such, definitely watch on screens given the popularity of shows such as the adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sanditon.
Please stop by ODFL tomorrow for a review of Unfolding the Past.
Speaking of women’s fashions, today is the Spring Equinox. Feminine clothing such as dresses and skirts, frilly tops and sweaters remind me of this time of year. In my area we have had a real winter so now we can appreciate the loveliness that is spring.
Costume designer Ruth E. Carter took home the 2023 Oscar for Best Costume Design for her work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Carter is the first African American to win two Oscars, her first in 2018 for Black Panther.
The array of costumes in this film is amazing. Not to mention the detail. (Click here to see a short video on the costumes.)
Welcome to something new – Fashionable Favorite Things, which will alternate every other week with the ODFL traditional Fashionable Quote of the Week.
OK, so I don’t need another brooch. But need had nothing to do with this purchase.
Last fall I popped into a new-to-me consignment shop with the idea of mentioning it in one of my future fashion columns (for the Lamorinda Weekly). I was excited to see that Divine Consign in Lafayette carried quite a lot of vintage clothing and jewelry.
As I perused the jewelry (Bakelite, cameos, rhinestone necklaces, and more) this brooch caught my eye. I knew what it was immediately – a mid-century Danish enamel calla lily by Volmer Bahner.
Sure enough the brooch is marked on the back VB Sterling Silver. Bahner (1912-1995) was a Danish artist known for sculptures and modernist jewelry. After WWII he opened his own silver workshop where he created nature-inspired jewelry in silver and enamel.
This brooch is in pristine condition and when I saw the very reasonable price tag it was was mine. Since then I have worn it on sweaters, jacket lapels, a hat, and my fondness for it has only increased. Like a small piece of art, I enjoy just looking at it. The sleek design and the beautiful dark red enamel speak to me. The craftsmanship is excellent and there’s no wonder why VB brooches are very collectible.
It’s a good choice for fall and winter, so I will put it away pretty soon in favor of spring colors. I look forward to wearing it again in the fall.
It has definitely been a favorite thing!
(For local readers interested in vintage I encourage you to check out Divine Consign at 1014 Oak Hill Road, Lafayette – right off highway 24.)
It’s been years now that every Monday ODFL has posted a fashionable quote. Perhaps it’s time for a change.
Not that Fashionable Quote of the Week is going away. It’s not. But to mix things up a bit there will be something new called Fashionable Favorite Things. Every other week or so I will discuss what I’m currently liking and using. Such as: what pen am I reaching for; what handbag is my go-to; what beauty product has me hooked and so on. Whatever I’m excited about and want to share with ODFL readers.
(This is not going to be a paid promotion. The Favorite Things I feature will be items that I have found on my own.)
OverDressed for Life 