When I described the perfect uniform concept to my husband, he asked whether I was suggesting wearing the same thing every day. "No, no, no", I retorted emphatically. "It's about finding the perfect fundamental uniform that works for you", I said. "A kind of foundation of clothes that work for a person no matter what the season, the occasion or the latest trend. Timeless style that makes a person feel like themselves whenever they wear it. Ongoing variation on a working theme", I said. "Cashmere in lot's of colors. Loafers in 5 styles if possible. And the joy of accessories and jewelery, always making you look and feel different every day." He gave me a blank look, indicating to me that I'd given him way more information than he was looking for and promptly went back to his paper...
Today's Sunday New York Times had the Style magazine, Women's Fashion Spring 06, included in it's usual offering. I love the Style magazines that come periodically in my Sunday paper: for Women's Fashion, Men's fashion, the Home (my favorite) and for Entertainment . They are always quite inspiring though I have to admit that I often find the one on Women's Fashion kind of annoying. I totally get how useful and well done their overview is, don't get me wrong. What's annoying is, well, many of the fashions themselves. I get that dresses and ruffles are back, though I don't plan to partake in this particular fashion development. I get that bags are the "it" status item, but I most certainly don't plan to spend $5,000 to communicate to those in the know, that I too, am in the know. It's not that I think fashion design is frivolous or meaningless either, because I really don't. I think fashion is important like art or design or music is important. It's cultural, creative expression that helps people express who they are and what they feel. And that matters alot.
What I find annoying I guess, is that I am not personally inspired by much of what I've seen lately. There are some designers I really love, season in and season out though. Like Narciso Rodriguez whose designs and craftmanship make my heart flutter, always.
Or Prada, whose designs, use of color and pattern, I find consistantly, heartbreakingly superb.
And then there is Dries Van Noten, whose complex forms, use of color and confident mix of patterns continue to totally slay me.
No surprise, I can't afford any of them, but if I could, that's what I'd wear. Plus of course, the perfect uniform too.
But I transgress. I think what I'm trying to say is that so much of fashion is just kind of silly and shocking and boring. And of course, I'm not advocating that everyone wearing khakis and white tee shirts either. I understand the role of fantasy and delight fashion plays. It's a big world out there and what appeals to one might not to another. Thank goodness there is so much to choose from. In the end, I guess, we all just like what we like and right now, for what it's worth, I'm not seeing much that I like. And that's why I love the concept of the perfect uniform, because no matter what's happening in fashion, you can always feel good about what you're wearing and how you look.
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