Come for the YSL stay for the Courreges

Resurrection Vintage held an event celebrating a brand new chunk of lovely Yves Saint Laurent that came into its New York outpost (click on the images for a Gallery view).  They  were all fantastic but, as a whole, the gypsy pieces from the 70’s stood out. The arrival of the collection is well timed as it fits nicely within the trends of the season we are currently in (though may be too late if you go by the buying calendars of most other stores). Even though the lovely ruffled long printed skirts and dresses are completely timeless, it happens to fall within the trends of the upcoming S/S season too. Though there wasn’t as obvious a gypsy collection like Joseph Altuzarra’s A/W 2012 collection, the ruffles and long skirts were, for sure, a step into gypsy territory.  There were other great pieces too like this couture blue satin jacket with the sequined fish. To me, it struck me as a humorous nod to Schiaparelli.

On a side note, I have to apologize for the quality of my photography. The only camera I usually have with me in my Blackberry, which takes horrid photos. I am going to get an iPhone for this and other purposes but until I do, this is how it is.  I included the bad pictures with the good ones I poached from Resurrection’s website because  I may as well use them since I have them already. Plus, the full experience of Resurrection is not complete without the blazing red walls in view.

After leafing through all the Yves Saint Laurent, I couldn’t resist making my way over  to the non YSL stock and was just as giddy with what I saw there (though giddiness is my frequent state of mind while in Resurrection). There was a stunning Dior tapestry dress that I mistook for the Yves Saint Laurent as it was gypsy influenced with the print of the skirt and the fringe. Most spectacular, was the impeccable mod 60’s pieces from Correges and Pierre Cardin.  Talk about timeless! As far as silhouette and fabrication, they are the antithesis of the soft frilly Yves Saint Laurent, though they are just as wearable today.  A jewel will always be a jewel.  It’s beauty and value do not diminish.  These clothing are true jewels.

Pious Pieces

 

At first I thought there would be no post this week due to lack of content, but lo and behold, I got a gift from God (pun intended).  A nun waiting for the train at Columbus Circle.  Even though nuns are supposed to look as plain as possible, there is something about those habits that are just so amazing. I love the long veil, the rosaries draped at her waist, the flowing skirt. Even with a bit of research,  I couldn’t  figure out what order she belonged to, but what I did discover is that her white veil means that she is a Noviciate nun.  She is in the stage of “developing her relationship” with, or in other words dating, God. If she progresses to the next stage, she will wear a black veil which signifies her “death to the world” and marriage to God.   I also came across this gold mine of a website: nunsandsisters.com.   Its has loads of vintage pics of nuns from all different orders wearing the most amazing habits!  I wish a sister would dress this flamboyantly today.  The Sister Adorers of the Precious Blood (below) appear to have tunics and scapulas (aprons) most similar to our Lady in the subway but their scapulas are red (naturally).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the photo gallery, these are my favorite looks:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bernadine Sisters (is that a flattop with a crown on it?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul (it’s Sally Field!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross (why, it’s the hats from Balenciaga S/S 12!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sisters of Saint Anne

Sisters of the Order of Mercy (it manages to simultaneously elongate and conceal the neck)

The Congregation of Notre Dame Montreal

It is no wonder that these ladies have been such a huge source of inspiration for designers and the subject of  numerous editorials.  Using the iconography of the nun’s habit is an easy way to play with the dichotomy of sex and religion.  My favorite example being this editorial from last March’s W (Edward, you are KILLING me).  As far as designers go, Stefano Pilati went overtly nun at YSL for A/W 2010 and I feel like there is always a little nun somewhere with Givenchy, Ann Demeulemeester and Rick Owens.  This is also a theme that Jean Paul Gaultier tends to revisit.  The only instance I found where the flow of  influence went the other way was in the 1960’s when Christian Dior  redesigned and  simplified habits for the Daughters of Charity (so he is to blame for habits being less flamboyant? How ironic).  Imagine if Raf Simons designed the habits for a real order of nuns today?  Wow, one can only pray.

Treasured Trash

Thank goodness most people do not have the attention span to rifle through 20 racks of clothing.  You need to have that certain stamina, that sick drive, that dogged curiosity. It is how we got a man on the moon, how we found the Higgs boson and how we cured Polio. It is also how I came across one of my most amazing finds ever.

Beacon’s Closet is my go to place for hidden treasure.  I hit the main one in Williamsburg because it is the only location that does rentals. And that is what I was there for one lucky day. I also wanted a new coat and was casually keeping my eyes open for one in my travels.  So on any other day, I might have hastily flicked past this red coat. But not this time.  I was drawn to the color, the lines, the shape.  Plus, it looks similar to this Jil Sander coat that I love.   So I grabbed it and casually glanced at the tag near the neck. It didn’t have a designer name just “Made in Italy” so I just assumed it was straight up anonymous vintage.  Being the label whore that I am, that detail may have caused the coat to be banished back to the rack but since I liked it just that much, I held onto it.  Plus, anonymous vintage is cool too.

In the fitting area where I finally had some space, I took the chance to really look at the coat.  I was starting to go nuts with curiosity from the ambiguity of it’s designer origins.  Thinking the label must be inside, I opened the coat with the anticipation of a kid on Christmas morning and …….. Gianni Versace Couture– Gasp!  I immediately threw it on. The coat fit and looked perfect- Gasp again!  I inspected it more. Something had to be wrong. A stain? An irreparable tear? A smell? Could it be cursed? Nothing. Why would someone get rid of this coat?  Maybe some unemployed hipster with a heap of her mom’s old clothes and a lack of appreciation for vintage Versace was hard up for drinking money?  Who knows? What matters was that whoever deemed this coat trash, had left me a treasure.  So I made a heated beeline for the register, clutching the coat to my chest like I was smuggling sacred stones out of the Temple of Doom. They rung it up and the final surprise was the sweetest of all………..$26! Gasp!!!!! This time I had a little more difficulty catching my breath.

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I’m going to buy the whole box for $20 and sell these outside Pier 59 Studios on the West Side Highway. My target market is hard up hair stylists and Queens with wig emergencies.

H&M Collaborations and Mayhem

Margeila’s H&M collaboration is exactly what a fan would want from Margeila.  This is an up close look: MargeilaXH&M.  I’m really impressed with the breadth of the product line, plus, there are so many covetable pieces within it. Which kinda makes me sad.  I never took part in the Hunger Game that is H&M designer collaboration debut shopping.  I hear the stories- the late night queuing, the tickets, the item limits.  And once you get in the store, either the frantic elation of snagging the piece you were dying for while narrowly avoiding a queen’s elbow in your eye or the stinging realization that nothing you came for is there anymore.  Then, there’s what goes down on Ebay.  With it’s jacked up prices, forgoing the actual line for a virtual one diminishes the shininess of the bargain.  However,  for those who were able to buy a bit of the dream, there is that smug joy in seeing what you just bought going for multiples of what you just spent. You think “I cannot believe what they are trying to sell this for and I got it for nothing!” Nothing? Really? What you saved in dollars you paid in sweat (or should I say sore feet) equity. For me? Ummm…..nahhhh.

Though I have felt a tad regretful and envious of those who have, say, a Lanvin dress that I swear looks just like a Lanvin dress but is H&M,  I still have no regrets. Besides the left over /picked over pieces that may remain,  my only hope is that the H&M in Riverhead will get some of the collection and that the locals just won’t get Margeila…..so I will!  That is how I got my McQueen for Target trench coat for $20. The South Setauket Greatland Target- hell yeah! How’s that for envy?!  So, until I trek out to a far off H&M searching for disregarded discount genius, I am going to have to embrace the pair of suede ankle boots passed on to me by my GramE. They have a Margeila- esque clear wedge heel though they predate Margeila (1980’s Timothy Hitsman). Unfortunately, one of the signature heels snapped off.  I am currently testing my luck with Liquid Nails.  DIY ingenuity, far off quests and cutthroat shopping- what we go through for a little amazingness……

 

What’s amazing? Why amazing?

“Amazing” has it’s own connotations to me.  Amazing is more special, more unique,  more nuanced than just “wow that’s cool”.  It is a specific kind of “wow” that is more than just “cool”.  It is something that makes me stop and say….”that’s amazing”.  The exact meaning of this kind of amazing is hard to describe in words.   Images are much better at that. But…wait… I can’t use the images that I want unless I ask for permission? Uh! You know that’s not going to happen (both me sending an email every time I want to use an image and the unlikely instance that I will even get a response let alone a yes).  I am not being pessimistic, I am just being lazy.

The original plan for this blog was for me to post images of mostly fashion stuff that makes me stop and say “oh my God, that is amazing”.  As the content would be probably predominantly be from runway shows and images posted on other blogs, me reposting those images here is asking for trouble.  I am one scaredy-cat, goody-two-shoes, law abiding citizen that does not want to get sued. However, I am one scaredy-cat, goody-two-shoes, law abiding citizen who may not be able to resist posting a few images she shouldn’t but will gladly take down if asked.  That being said, I am going to do my best to feature my own original pics of amazingness and will have to give non illustrated commentary on things I cannot use images for.  Like my previous post about Dries Van Noten.  Not optimal but I will have to make due. You never know, something new, creative and interesting may result from this little constraint.

Gosh, I love Lanvin

Lanvin reptile-licious lace ups. Thank you Friends and Family sale for making my dreams from last fall/winter come true.

THE Anna

Though Anna Piaggi passed months ago, she cannot go without mention as she was the epitome of amazingness.

http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/biographies/anna-piaggi-biography

Dries Van Noten Spring 2013 RTW

Of all the times I fell in love while looking at the S/S shows,  I loved you, Dries the most.  Made me want to run into my closet and mix like a maniac.  It all screams 90’s (could that be an homage to “The Dude” with those robe looks? ) but it is oh so modern with the layering, mixing and contrasting of patterns and textures, masculine and feminine.  It’s so him, it’s so now, it’s so then and it’s soooooooooo cool!!

www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/S2013RTW-DVNOTEN

Hello world!

This is what I see around me that I think is just………amazing.