Thursday, November 6, 2008

disney couture? i don't believe my ears.


















(image courtesy of nytimes.com)
i love thursday's. i always look forward to thurday's because i get to read the styles section from the new york times! it's my favorite section from the periodical.. something to read between classes and something to keep me awake during boring lectures.. oops, did i just say boring?!

did you get a chance to pick up a copy of yesterday's edition? the top headline in styles reads, "disney, by design." i could hardly believe it.. disney, the untouchable media conglomerate who created the masterpieces i grew up with, will now be making couture clothes? i feel like i just fell down a rabbit hole..

sure, large corporations are known to dilly-dally into other markets and disney has done their fair share, from amusement parks to bedding. i don't doubt their accessibility to incredible resources, both personally and materially, however, clothing from disney should not cost more than what can pour out from a child's piggy bank.

disney keeps a tight grip on their brand image and jumps on a law suit at the drop of hat, so why are they loosening the reins now? i don't see the parallelism between wide leg jeans, long sweaters with a cowel neck, and cinderella's ball gown (unless of course you happen to be the ultimate fashionista tween!)

i can't imagine feeling comfortable walking into a formal in a evening dress that bears a label with a pair of ears and a script D. my suggestion? create a new brand within the corporation. disney did this when they jumped into computer animation with pixar. too bad walter is already taken..

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Fashion Is Asymmetrical

in life there are three things we cannot live without; food, housing, and clothes. these staples are the basic necessities of life, but who says that they have to be conventional? the world's greatest chefs create gratifying, mind-blowing, gourmet cuisines. with simple combinations of ingredients that balance each other all the flavors can be tasted and appreciated. architects use lines, simply the connection between two points on a plane, the simplest geometric variable, to create unparalleled designs that can't help but leave their audiences in wonder. designers bring cloth and fabric to life. the master of a needle and thread creates artwork unlike any other.

fashion is not meant to be bland or boring. fashion is a personal expression of creativity through one of life's staples. clothing gives every individual the opportunity to be an artist. even the standard jeans and a white t-shirt becomes something more with personal flair. every style becomes unique when you put it on because your decisions are a reflection of who you are. will you add a belt? jewelry? how about sneakers or flats? is your hair styled or swept back in a ponytail?

you can tell a lot about a person through their clothing. and first impressions leave a lasting impression, for this reason i agree with coco chanel when she said "i don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. and then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. and it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny."

yesterday i was wearing a long sweater that fastens in front with an over-sized safety pin. when i closed my sweater i left one side hanging below the other so that they didn't meet up and form a "perfect" horizontal line at the bottom. when a friend asked me why my sweater was uneven, my response was... "fashion is asymmetrical."

so remember fashionistas: there are no rules, just suggestions.