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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Virginia Postrel

Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , on May 22, 2023| 2 Comments »

Barbie’s chic and cool outfit is made of polyethylene fibers.

In her white ensemble, she looks every bit the ageless fashion icon. Her straight skirt, falling to mid-calf, ends in a precise fringe, its sharp lines contrasting with her softly knitted bustier. A scarf tossed insouciantly around her neck completes the look. Its navy borders and the matching ribbon in her upswept hair add a touch of sophisticated color. You won’t find this Barbie in the toy department … She and her one-of-a-kind outfit live in an office at MIT … Research scientist Svetlana Boriskina uses Barbie to model her vision of future apparel.

Virginia Postrel – American journalist and independent scholar. This quote is from her book, The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World, published by Basic Books in 2020.

Postrel refers to Boriskina’s work creating fabrics that will keep humans as cool as if they were naked. Clothing traps the heat that our bodies are constantly releasing, which is great in cold weather but not on hot days. (And with Climate Change the world is only getting warmer.) What if a fabric (made of altered fibers) allowed the body’s heat to move right through it? “Your clothes could let you feel as cool as you’d be without them while protecting you from sunburn and stares.”

This story is from Chapter 7, titled Innovators, and just one of many fascinating things to learn about the past, present, and future of textiles. A book rich in information covering the history of fiber, thread, weaving, dyeing, trading, buying, and what the future may hold, The Fabric of Civilization reminds us just how important textiles are in our daily lives.

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Fashionable Book Review: Pat in the City

Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , , on May 9, 2023| Leave a Comment »

I’m a big fan of fashion memoirs because each individual’s story provides a different and unique take on fashion and style. So, I’ve been looking forward to reading stylist Patricia Field’s memoir (written with Rebecca Paley), Pat in the City: My Life of Fashion, Style and Breaking All the Rules (Dey Street Books).

Pat in the City does not disappoint. Field is known for styling the fashions on hit TV shows Sex and The City and Emily in Paris, among others, and creating iconic looks such as the tutu-as-skirt.

Born and raised in New York, Field, now 81, is of Greek decent. She was the eldest daughter of immigrant parents who ran their own dry cleaning business. A rebel from the start, Field created her own style early in life, combining her mother’s preferred Pringle cashmere sweaters with a Burberry (popped collar) trench coat and boots. “My style, inside and out, was not girly girl but cool and fierce,” she explains. This was the beginning of her penchant for mixing contrasting looks, something that later would set her apart in the world of costuming.

In eleven chapters Pat in the City takes the reader through Field’s childhood (surrounded by her three unmarried aunts) to her first retail shops where in the 70s and 80s she created a haven for club kids and drag queens. Each of her first commercial costuming successes – Sex in the City, The Devil Wears Prada, and Emily in Paris – get their own chapters filled with behind-the-scene tidbits. For example – early on in costume discussions, Sarah Jessica Parker, who played Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City, declared that she would not wear hose, no matter the season or the weather. Field explains that historically for women hose were essential. Even as late at 1998 when SATC premiered, women, in the workforce especially, were expected to cover their legs. SJP saying no hose, was remarkable. (Later Meryl Streep, who played Amanda Priestly in The Devil wears Prada went the opposite direction announcing that bare legs were not for her and she would be wearing hose.)

I learned a lot about Field that surprised me. I didn’t know that she was nominated for an Oscar for her costuming work on The Devil Wears Prada and that she designed a line for Payless Shoes. I didn’t know that she has closed all her retail stores and now runs her own fashion gallery called ARTFashion in Manhattan.

Another pleasant surprise is the book itself, which is quite stylish and heavy with more than 250 coated pages. There are many colorful illustrations, photos, and photo collages. The images of Field, her family, and other people in her life help complete the story for the reader, plus they’re just fun to look at.

I really enjoyed Pat in the City and I recommend it, particularly to fans of her work, but also for anyone who is interested in costuming, fashion, and style.

(Thank you Dey Street Books for providing a review copy to ODFL.)

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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Patricia Field

Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 8, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Patricia Field. NYC Fashion Week 2019. Photo: Tina Paul.

I’m disappointed with the trend of sweatpants and sneakers. I mean, come on! I feel it’s not that interesting. Now everyone’s walking around looking like that. It shows no sense of originality. Yes, it’s comfortable. I like sweatpants when I’m in my apartment. But I wouldn’t go out in Paris in a pair of sweatpants. And that happened to me in Paris! When I first went there to do “Emily,” I sent (creator) Darren Star, “I’m in here in Paris. I’m going to check out the French chic.” I do my little routine, go outside. They’re all in sneakers, jeans and sweatpants! I’m like, This is depressing. I want the French chic, damn it!

Patricia Field – American costume designer/stylist.

How sad is that? Paris, historically the city of elegant style, is now awash in sweats and jeans.

This quote is from Pat in the City: My Life of Fashion, Style, and Breaking All the Rules (Dey Street Books).

Check back tomorrow for my review of this fascinating fashion memoir.

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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Anna Wintour

Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on May 1, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Karl Lagerfeld and his creations for Chanel. Photo: Getty images.

Speaking of her good friend Karl Lagerfeld’s fashions Anna Wintour says:

… uniform, a kind of armor and a way of holding certain moods and memories close. His fashion does for me what fashion should. It makes me feel more confident in being myself.

Anna Wintour – British born editor-in-chief of American Vogue.

This quote is from the New York Times article Anna and Karl, a Love Story in Clothes by Vanessa Friedman, April 27, 2023.

Tonight, May 1st, is the fashion event of the year – The Met Gala, where over 400 invited guests will gather at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and strut their couture fashions up the red carpet. In control of the gala since 1995 is Anna Wintour, who chooses the theme, the food, the décor, and most importantly who gets invited. (Project Runway’s Tim Gunn has been banned for insulting Anna and the entire Kardashian clan wasn’t invited this year perhaps because of sister Kim’s controversial dress stunt in 2022.)

A fundraiser for the Costume Institute housed at the museum, tickets cost $35,000 each and tables start at $300,000, but don’t think that that kind of cash says you can invite who you want to your table. Ah, no! Anna decides who dines with whom.

The Costume Institute fundraiser dates back to 1948 when fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert organized a midnight supper, which soon became the party of the year but strictly for socialites. When in 1973 former fashion editor Diana Vreeland took over, the event began to expand. But it’s really Anna who has created the celebrity circus that it is today; and with the circus come the big bucks. Last year’s gala raised over 17 million dollars.

Each gala theme reflects the current fashion exhibition. This year’s theme is a tribute to late German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld (1933-2019) and the exhibition, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty runs from May 5 – July 16, 2023.

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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Patricia Field

Posted in Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 17, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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.

I look forward to reading Pat in the City.

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Fashionable Favorite Things: MZ Wallace Crossbody Bag

Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on April 10, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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 not a paid endorsement.)

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Fashionable Favorite Things: Talbots Cashmere Sweater

Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , on March 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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.

(This is not a paid endorsement.)

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Fashionable Book Review: Unfolding the Past by Elizabeth Wilson

Posted in Arts, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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.

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Something New for ODFL: Fashionable Favorite Things

Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 8, 2023| Leave a Comment »

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.)

Something new is always a good thing!

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When Polka Dot Met Stripes: A Short Fashionable Tale

Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 18, 2023| Leave a Comment »

One day something magical happened. Something forbidden happened.

Polka Dot met Stripes and after that, fashionable life was never the same.

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