Good morning, Tuesday. Today was gym day off- I slept in (till 7:20) and that extra hour was divine. Sleep is a dream.
And speaking of dreaming, I’ve always been an imaginative girl. I’ve often wondered where my fashion sense (and wacky take on the world) was born from, and when I look at things like the Free People catalogue for Fall, I understand why I have always loved fashion and where my imagination has allowed my style to take me.
While other little girls may have been picturing a life as a princess or ballerina or President’s wife, I was staring at pictures of Marianne Faithfull and Anita Pallenberg and the Shrimptons. Sure they were way before my time, but their style mesmerized me. I fantasized about being a rock star’s chick- resplendent in layers of fur, tapestry, granny glasses and silk stockings. Fashion is nothing more than a reference- sprinkled in with one’s own unique conceit. Had I mentioned my fascination with such chicks to some of little school chums, I would have gotten blank stares and hollowed eye suspicion. I don’t know how it happened that I devoured references that were clearly not in my realm of life in sub par suburban Philadelphia, but I suppose that’s what kept me sane in an otherwise dull existence. I moved on to the 70s- Halston and Liza and Roxy Music album covers, and then to Nancy Spungen era punk, whose look and boyfriend Sid terrified and excited me at the same time. But I always came back to the bohemian look- it has always served my constitution and mood and body type. Now that I am approaching a bit of a middle aged style crisis, I have to be careful to never go full boho, as in head to toe. I run the risk of looking like Eddie from Ab Fab coupled with a sex therapist in Long Island a la Babs Streisand in the “Meet the Parents” franchise. But I still take parts of it and incorporate it into my daily look- I like to do the cool rock chick thing at all times- I’m simply not a sweater and pearls kind of girl- Lord love those babes, but those babes ain’t me. I love the classics, but conservative is simply not my vibe. The Free People book, entitled “in Venice, August 2011” and shot by Guy Aroch, is a well styled ode to all things Anita and Marianne, as tears and years go by. I can so feel the inspiration meeting- where some young willowy fashion chick proclaims the theme for the book as “Anita in Venice”. And a hush falls over the room because it’s fucking fashion genius, and at a nice price point (for most pieces) to boot. I am so feeling the floppy hats, flowy frocks, and there is a pair of low heeled distressed brown ankle boots (speaking of boots) that I would gladly give up a year of eye cream for, with a few rouge Coco Chanel lipsticks thrown in for good measure. (They are $578, so that about figures I suppose. I’ve somehow gotten good at math in my old age)
There is a crocheted dress that is sexy as all get out, and enough fur trim (fake I assume) to get my ya yas out.
The simply sherpa coat done with shorts is completely over the top sex on a spoon, but I would do it with a legging and high heeled ankle boot or a pencil skirt, with a bare leg. Yes. Oh yea. I adore clothes that are casual but dressed up at the same time, and never, ever fussy or terribly over structured. I know you girls today love those bandage dresses, but I find them to feel like a sausage casing, which in fact, they are in a fancy, overpriced kind of way.
There are few things in life that keep me as inspired as fashion does- and when I see a well styled reference in my mailbox, I still die a little bit. And speaking of I die, I can’t help but not shout out Ms. Rachel Zoe, who reinvented Nicole Richie and countless others to be Boho princesses, with great success. I think one of my favorite looks in the book, though not for me, is a polka dot blouse with velvet pants, because it does that androgyne thing so well- you can so see Mick or Brian rocking this back in the day, with his peacock printed lady by his side. Sure they would be flying on Lord knows what and the drugs eventually wreaked their havoc, but the elegantly wasted thing is also a huge style influence ,even if coconut water and a good night’s rest is more your idea of a good time (yea it’s kind of mine these days, but so what. Have you tried the Taste Nirvana brand that comes in a can? Amazing).
I love clothes that are cool and sexy and thrown on- that’s boho chic and it works anywhere, as long as you don’t go crazy with it you can incorporate a little Anita/Marianne into the every day. Velvet pants are on the list for Fall by the way- they remind me of Tom Ford’s insanely infamous collection for Gucci back in the day, which I keep in my style rolodex of the mind forever and always. So I encourage you to brush up on your fashion history- sometime we need a bit of studying to chart a course for next season. I’ve always wanted to go to Venice, and now I know what to wear. Although I always pictured a more 1920s flappery moment there for some reason, while hanging at Cipriani, sipping on bellinis at Harry’s Bar. PS fashion should have an air of fantasy- perhaps that is why I never went full classic- what’s the fun in that for me? Plus, for me, it’s a bit boring. I don't do that. It’s not good for my constitution. It has to be a bit cooler for me to dig on it. So yes, I still love fashion- it still moves me as doe all of my muses and inspirations and delicate little nuances. I love sharing these things with you because they are fun and cool and an apt distraction from the bullshit we are hit with each and every day in the news, and with people that schedule meetings every day at lunchtime (must we do that?).
I am happy to still feel moved by the things that were consistent themes for me growing up- rock and roll, fashion, and of course if you've been reading my blog lately, New York, the big mama of all inspiration for this here maven. I hope you find something inspired in your day, something cool, something free spirited. When life gets you down, go to the muses- wherever they may reside- in your imagination or in the rooftops of some urban landscape or on top of a mountain somewhere. Just go there- I'll see you when you arrive. Here are a couple more sexy fab cool looks
