Carnival of Molls

Pages 28 & 29 :This is all about my love of the dust bowl era, I know that seems and unfortunate time in our history  for which to express a fondness, but I do. For those of you have have seen the HBO show "Carnivale" which ran for a mere 2 seasons, you'll maybe see why I appreciate the time. This was the dawn of the gangster age as well as being a grifter breeding ground due to the desperate landscape. So you had the traveling carnivals, and the shifty mafia - which is the style marriage I have on these 2 pages. The darkness and whimsy, the conspicuous consumption and the costumes for the show... Some timeless themes were born amongst the dust.

Inspiration Book Pages 50 &51

Pages 50 &51 : I love to see costume reinterpreted as couture. Marie Antoinette will be reinvented indefinitely.

Inspiration Book pages 59 & 60

Pages: 59 and 60.
These pages are really more about color, and how the color is used. When I was little purple was my favorite color. I thought I had grown out of it yet I can see myself drawn back to the dusty purples, especially when combined with deep pinks and dark cranberry colors. I also love how lavender can be mixed with dark plum to achieve such a dynamic result.

Inspiration Book - Page 1

I have been keeping these journals of clippings ever since I was a teenager. They are bits from magazines, sketches and notes collaged together. I refer to them whenever I want to get ideas, but also for perspective. I'll post them from time to time and I'd love to get some feedback...

Page 1: I love the warmth of the neutral colored drapey knits, they evoke a sense of ease that I love to see contrasted against the fussy bright flowers of the vintage feeling dress. I love the severity of black fingernails paired with the 1950's sensibility of the dress, and the ring and earrings compliment the femininity. The whole page has a vintage-y shabby chic feel. (Well, if shabby chic went a little goth.)

Historic Style

This is what I do best.

Clothes, fashion, styling, accessorizing, merchandising. I love it all. But I don’t love the trends, never have, though what is wonderful about fashion comes from the trends and after all they can be fun. I see the necessity, trends introduce the masses to new ideas and show variations of style, which is what I love about “fashion”, STYLE.

I love to tell strangers that I dig their shoes, hat, top… whatever. Everyone loves a compliment, and when I get one from a stranger, it makes my day. We all like to think that we have style.  I always thought that style was something you were born with, but as I’ve gotten older I really feel that though it can be innate (in a blessed few) it can also be developed. I have known several people who were uninspired, but after being exposed to good tailoring, good fit, flattering cuts etc - took to fashion gradually - and developed a real sense of personal style. So I encourage everyone I know to experiment, to try new things. If you’re spending any money at all on clothes, then you might as well spend it wisely. Style does not have to come with a huge price tag, fashion might but style  (once developed) can come from thrifting, discount stores, or high end boutiques. As long as you know what works for you. Then you can decide how much you want to invest in your wardrobe.

  Fashion presents itself in the form of trends - which are basically reactions to the last big thing. If “skinny jeans” are popular - you better believe the “full leg pant” will be on the runway next season. “Short is in“ ? Hell no … by the time people are wearing “short” at the mall - it’ll be all about “long“. So don’t bother. My advice is to take advantage of the trends (when the stores are stocked with options) to get the best piece for your long term wardrobe. If short is in, then here is your chance to invest in the short skirts or dresses that your wardrobe has been lacking. If you have style then you won’t care what is “in” and you’ll wear your favorite mini when everyone else says it’s “out“. Most likely it’s not the people that are on trend, but the people who are wearing what is “out“, (and WEARING IT WELL) that are the ones designers look to for inspiration. Be one who inspires, that is something to aspire to, and it will NEVER go out of style.

Speaking of never going out of style, here are my thoughts on what has been born from trend - yet has become timeless over the decades. I have kept fashion journals, I guess you could call them since high school and anything that I clipped from a magazine in 1989 that I look at today and still love - that is what I consider good design, good fashion and ultimately a good investment. These are my favorites from each decade…

From 1900 to 2010, here are my picks:

1900 - The Corset - at the time if you DIDN’T wear one you would have been shunned by proper society, yet ironically now it is considered risque. What a fantastic evolution. I certainly don’t suggest that you wear a corset everyday, but they are a beautiful piece when worked into a dress or jacket. They have never gone out of style.

The Original, the Modern and the Dolce & Gabbana

1910 - The Gowns -Now, obviously they had dresses prior to the 1910's, but not yet like this. These were "gowns" not big fussy evening ensembles. This was a glorious era for intricately beaded, laced and trimmed gowns. If you look at old drawings of gowns from this decade, they are clear blueprints for the red carpet gowns of the generations that follow.

1920 - The Beads - beaded gowns, beaded bags, piles of long layered beaded necklaces. We can thank the flappers for all that beaded glory. Love it!!

From Coco Chanel to Louis Vuitton 2011

1930 - The Bias. The Bias cut was a revolution that hit in the 1930’s and draping was reborn. Fashion was changed forever, and my favorite example of the era manifested not in the evening wear, but in the nightgowns. Nothing says romance more to me than the silk nightgowns from the 1930’s, bias cut with touches of lace are so feminine, and just as sexy now as ever. I collect them fiercely whenever I can.


From Jean Harlow to Donna Karan Spring 2011

1940 - So much to offer - how does one thing stand out?
First and foremost is the amazing and classic hairstyles. Some of the most iconic looks come from the era of limited shampoo! Ironic. Veronica Lake, Rita Hayworth and many more of the glamour icons were featured in this decade. Versions of these hairstyles can be found easily in the decades that followed.

Veronica Lake and her iconic hairstyle

For clothing, this is a toss up between the Platform Shoe, and the Structured Suit. The Platform Shoe has been victimized by fashion many times over the years (hello 70’s - UGH!) but is best in it’s classic state - the platform peep toe is a definite classic.The structured suit for women will always be a staple, and we can thank the 40’s for some beautiful originals. 

Carmen Miranda and her platforms, some lovely 1940's ladies off to work in their modern suits, and Dita Von Tease rocking the whole look today.

1950 - Again I am torn, this time between the makeup and the clothing. First the classic 1950’s makeup. The big black false eyelashes, liquid liner and simple red lip are perfection. They will always look clean and fresh while looking youthful and feminine. For clothing - HANDS DOWN ICONIC - the blue jeans and the leather biker jacket. (Thank you Marlon Brando in “The Wild One”)

Who's a more perfect example of 1950's makeup than Marilyn?

NOBODY is cooler than Brando

1960 - The boots. Love a great pair of knee high boots! This is also the birth of the mini skirt. Two looks that will forever be in style, regardless of trends. Find me a man who doesn’t love a woman in a mini! (Not that we dress to please men - just stating a fact)

1970 - So many wonderful fashion moments happened in this era despite the events of the decade. Here are the highlights for me: (all the runway looks are of like minded Balmain Spring and Fall 2011 respectively)

The Americana - the 70’s are responsible for most all of the looks that have become associated with the badassery of America, the American flag jean Jacket, the aviator sunglasses, the beat up leather pants - basically anything worn in “Easy Rider” (I realize easy rider came out in ‘69 - but it’s fashion impact hit in the 70’s for sure)

Punk - One of fashion’s greatest muses. Tight leather, brightly colored hair cut wildly, metal as an accessory, I could go on…but I know you get it.

Glam - Which I personally credit to David Bowie. Thank you David Bowie for your contribution to fashion and music and all culture in general.

1980 - Goth! The era where punk meets sweet misery, and Goth is born amongst the neon and lucite in a moment of fashion history. A personal favorite of mine as I was walking proof in my teens. I love to see Goth revived over and over on the runways - though black has never been “out” in my wardrobe…

(Top) Siouxie and The Banshees circa 1980, compared to (Left) Givency 2009 and this shot of  the Chanel Runway 2011.

1990 - Grunge. I said it! I’ll never get tired of the juxtaposition of feminine and tough. We saw it here first when the baby doll dress was paired defiantly with army boots and plaid was given it's 15 minutes of fame. Beat up jeans were reborn at ridiculous prices for the trendy (but dirt cheap for those who actually had kept their jeans - perfect example of how fashion always repeats.) 

Marc Jacobs did grunge most famously (left) in Vogue 1992

2000 - This admittedly is a tough one. It’s so close that it’s hard to have perspective. But here is my best bet. The hipster…much of what the hipsters wore in the millennium was retro with a twist, which will continue to define the hip in their future manifestations as it has in the former. But there are always a few new ideas that come about in the mix that help tie that particular group to their decade. In the case of the “Y” generation hipster, the most sustainable ( to use a term from their era ) were:
1.The side slung belt, or the layering of belts. Textured, colored whatever…the belt was a necessity worn off center or backwards, often layered 2 or 3 deep. This look still works for me, and I think it’s a keeper.

The band "The Kills" is a shining example of hipster styling

2. The Vest. Now I know what your saying…the vest is by no means new. It’s been around FOREVER, but the way it was vested…now here me out. Yes, we saw the vest over the tee in the 80’s on the likes of Debbie Gibson (who ruined hats in the 80‘s also BTW) but she wasn‘t the only one. They were worn open, loose, over tee shirts with big breast pockets, paired with bike shorts (UGH!!) and to make it even worse - baggy socks and patent leather shoes tied with a bow! TRAGIC. I was one of the guilty, I did it too and I am ashamed. After this trendy application I never thought vests could make a comeback, but come 2000 the hipsters proved me wrong! It was done well by the Y-Gen, they took the vest and gave it proper distinction by choosing the tweeds, the worn leathers, the dignified vests. Coupled with the hipster trademark thin tee and skinny pant ( and belts) maybe throw in a few jumbled necklaces, one of those loosely slung scarves and viola! Hipster! The point is that the vest triumphed, and I for one was impressed at it’s cool rebirth. I now give the vest it’s proper due. The Vest…Is cool.

So all this leads me to the point.

Hang onto those skinny jeans - they will be back in 6 to 8 years. Hold onto everything actually - if it still fits, keep it - it’ll come back in style, and if it’s a good solid well made piece it’ll be a shining example of timeless. I guarantee this to be true. In fact, I challenge you to make a fashion time capsule, take all the clothes you feel are not in style, (if this is an issue for you at all, really you should just wear what you like and not worry about it) and put it in a box for 10-12 years and trust me, those pieces will be cool again. In some cases, you will be considered fashion forward! The only issue then will be if YOU have moved on, not fashion.