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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 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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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Elizabeth Wilson

Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 20, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

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.

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Fashionable Favorite Things: A Volmer Bahner Brooch

Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 13, 2023| 4 Comments »

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.)

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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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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Cherie Balch

Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

I could see any one of these vintage Patrick Kelly gowns on the Red Carpet. Photo courtesy of The San Francisco Fine Arts Museums.

More and more people are aware that what we see on the red carpet is paid for – a branding opportunity. So, when someone chooses to wear vintage, they’re kind of saying: ‘I’m an individual here. I really love how it looks on me. I don’t care that it’s not sponsored by some brand!’ That feels more authentic to a lot of people in a very branded world.

Cherie Balch – Canadian founder of the well-known online vintage store, Shrimpton Couture.

This quote is from an article in the Style Section of the New York Times, January 6th, 2022.

Demi Moore was the first to wear a vintage gown to the Oscars in 1992 (Versace) and since then there has been a parade of celebrities following suit – Julia Roberts, Margot Robbie, and Emma Watson to name a few.

The Academy Awards is coming up next Sunday. Who will wear what on the red carpet?

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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Cameron Silver

Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 27, 2023| 1 Comment »

Cameron Silver. Photo courtesy of Frederic Aranda.

It’s so much fun. It’s couture. It’s reference. It’s memories. Everything is disposable now. Ownership is nothing. People take selfies at stores pretending that they have bought something. Clothes are actually representing the way you live.

Cameron Silver – celebrity stylist, fashion director of H by Halston, and owner of Decades, the renowned vintage clothing store located in Los Angeles.

This quote is from the book California Elegance: Portraits from the Final Frontier, by Christine Suppes, photographs by Frederic Aranda (Mondadori).

Through photographs and interviews California Elegance takes an up-close look at some California originals. People such as the fashion design duo Kate and Laura Mulleavy, sculpture artist Ruth Asawa, and cryptologist Whit Diffie. People in business, tech, retail, PR, farmers, artists, activists, scientists, even an aromatherapist! Covering up and down the coast and inland as well, Suppes and Aranda introduce readers to a diverse group of Californians highlighting what makes the Golden State truly unique.

In his quote about vintage clothing, Silver makes a few interesting points. I agree that vintage is about memories. A personal memory or a general memory of time and place and what was going on in the world, say when miniskirts were all the rage during the Vietnam War. Disposable clothing takes with it to the dump both our personal and general memories. How sad to not be able to pull out a sweater and instantly revisit a particular moment, day, or event in our lives. Clothing is another keeper of personal stories, like a photo or a journal.

I didn’t know about people taking selfies at boutiques, but I’m not surprised. It seems these days it’s all about costume and pretending and living our lives for and on social media. Take a selfie, post it, and then move on to the next “experience.”

There’s a trend now for renting rather than buying and I understand that’s an attempt to address the issue of sustainability. We can rent furniture, clothing, accessories and so on. But where’s the fun in that? If I like a chair or a dress or a handbag I want it in my life permanently. I want it to figure in my story, because what we own and wear and use is a part of who we are and how we live our lives. We don’t have to own a lot of things, but a few important quality pieces that make us happy to me is essential.

Thank you to Cameron Silver for a great quote. Thank you also to Christine Suppes and Frederic Aranda for granting ODFL permission to use the quote and photo.

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Fashionable Quote of the Week by Marc Jacobs

Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 20, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

I used to watch my grandmother Helen get ready to go out shopping when I was living with her. I remember her ritual of choosing her clothes and putting on her makeup and putting hair spray in her hair that had been set. And the last thing she did was put on the pearls. So, I just always associated pearls with being a very ladylike, womanly thing. A pearl necklace on a boy or someone who identifies as male becomes this (bleeping) with gender. And I like wearing pearls, and I like getting my nails done. And I don’t think those things belong to gender.

Marc Jacobs – American fashion designer.

The quote is from Harper’s Bazaar, Dec. 2020/Jan. 2021 issue.

Jacobs goes on to say that he finally bought himself a pearl necklace one recent Christmas and he calls the single strand of Mikimoto pearls “part of my ritual self-care.”

I can relate to the love of pearls and ritual self-care. There’s something comforting about a strand of pearls resting against my neck and I find the luster and texture of the creamy beads soothing. Self-care is important – in the form of a piece of jewelry, a cup of tea, a walk in nature, a manicure, a nap – whatever works and it’s interesting just how simple it can be. My ritual of self-care is a daily walk, an afternoon cup of green tea, and reading a good book in the evening. Also, I wear jewelry every day. I enjoy the morning ritual of sitting at my vanity and choosing a ring to slip on my finger, a necklace to hang around my neck, a bracelet to grace my wrist.

How about you, ODFL readers? Do you have a piece of jewelry that makes you feel good? Do you have a self-care ritual? Please share!

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