tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47436318810540465772024-03-18T02:47:47.018-07:00Idiosyncratic FashionistasIdiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.comBlogger621125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-27924734551741282512017-12-11T18:59:00.000-08:002017-12-12T09:53:17.029-08:00TOKYO TRAVELOGUETRAVELING WHILE OLD<br />
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Hi, all.<br />
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Valerie here.<br />
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Some of you may have seen that I took a short trip to Tokyo back in October. It's about time I showed you some pictures from my trip.<br />
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I lived there from 1981 to 1992. I still have friends there, and of course deep roots, so I try to get back as often as possible, but this time it had been nine years. I had the great good luck to stay with my friend Kazu, who lives in the heart of the city. <br />
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That's us one day after brunch at a French restaurant in Shibuya. Left to right: me, Kazu, Sachiko and Takeo. Missing is Fumiko, who recently moved back to the Osaka area, where her family still lives.<br />
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Kazu took me to visit gorgeous Nezu Shrine, close to his home, on my first day. The torii gates in the opening photo were only a small part of the very carefully kept and beautifully manicured shrine. Tokyo temperatures, like temperatures everywhere, were higher than normal. I don't remember being able to go around without a jacket in October.<br />
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Early in my stay, I took a two hour train ride out to Chichibu to see the Chichibu Meisenkan - once a manufacturer of kimono material, now a museum. Below is an old photo of two fashionably dressed women: one in chic western wear; the other in what was then a very modern kimono, in a style called meisen. Meisen was made of an inexpensive starchy silk, and hand stenciled with multiple bright, brash chemical dyes. <br />
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This antique wooden loom shows a design with arrow fletches. Red and arrows both indicate a design for a young unmarried woman. The idea, as a staff member explained to me, was that a young woman, like an arrow, should go in only one direction: from her home to the home of her husband. If the marriage went well, she would not return home. That day, the Meisenkan had an exhibition of various kimono with arrow motifs.<br />
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In the entrance to the Meisenkan were several origami insects painstakingly fashioned from fresh leaves. Here's one of them.<br />
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Several of my friends deal in antiques. On Saturday, I went to Nishi Ogikubo Station to meet up with my friend Takeo in one of the increasingly rare spacious old wooden homes in Tokyo. It's a long walk from the station, and numerous antique and craft shops line the way.<br />
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In this large (perhaps one foot high and eighteen inches in diameter) antique vessel outside a store front swam tiny goldfish. You should be able to make out several in the spots clear of greenery.<br />
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Among the wonderful things I found at the flea market was this lively looking hanging doll, about ten inches high. It has a base of sturdy flat paper onto which a variety of sumptuous silks of the period are applied over cotton wadding, to give them dimensionality, and details such as facial features, hands, etc., are then painted on. The other side is equally elaborate. From the materials and painting technique, this infant is a good hundred years old.<br />
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I bought myself this hand carved wooden obidome (a sort of brooch that slides onto a cord which is tied around the obi on a kimono) in the shape of an old Japanese ship, complete with waves at the hull. Under the layers of red lacquer are layers of black lacquer, so that if the red lacquer is worn away here and there the black lacquer will be exposed, giving it an additional sophisticated touch. This fits more or less into the palm of the hand. I bought a gorgeous hat from the same dealer. More on that later.<br />
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I also couldn't resist this toy killer whale, complete with blow hole, on wheels. In the west, we are accustomed to thinking of dogs or horses or dolls on wheels, as we subconsciously substitute the wheels for legs. I was thrown by the killer whale, though, as the four wheels do not translate into anything. Whaling was central to Japanese culture at one time, so it's not surprising to see it made into a toy, but from the western perspective, the wheels don't seem as natural on a killer whale as they do on a four legged animal.<br />
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If you subscribe to our Instagram, though, you have already seen my favorite find at the flea market, from my friend Takeo's booth.<br />
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The workmanship is amazing. I didn't buy it, so if it tickles your fancy, I'll get you in touch with Takeo. It was Y28,000, an excellent value for a very unusual Edo period piece. It's close to 200 years old, and in superb condition.<br />
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A friend of mine complained that there is too much gray concrete in Tokyo, and he's right, but on my way to trendy Kichijoji station after the flea market, I passed by these small buildings whose owners had made an effort to add some flavor to their neighborhood.<br />
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I also passed by this gent, who told me he was dressed head to toe in Comme des Garcons.<br />
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Every morning I turned on the television, not so much in hopes of finding anything of special interest to me, but to get my free Japanese lesson. Over the course of the week, I noticed two new (to me) trends:<br />
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One is that on any program with multiple panelists, it's a pretty sure bet that one - and only one - of them will be wearing some kind of hat. My friend Takeo assured me that the gent wearing the hat in the photo below is a comedian, and always dresses somewhat outlandishly, but I saw hats on too many shows for it to be explained by mere comedy. In this photo, it's also interesting that one guy is wearing a suit, one looks like a Formula One driver, and the other looks like a priest. It's hard to imagine it's mere coincidence that they are all dressed very differently.<br />
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The other interesting trend I saw was that newscasters wield pointers with large round dark tips. (See red circle below.) I imagine these are to ensure that the viewer can clearly see what's being pointed out. Japan has a very large aging population, so one wonders if this is a concession to viewers with compromised eyesight, or is simply a visually appealing gimmick. As in the United States, most announcers don't work solo. There's always someone standing by to say "Yes", or "Really?" or to giggle mirthfully where appropriate.<br />
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Another trend, not tv-related, is matcha combined with chocolate. I found matcha Kit Kats! There is matcha hot chocolate at cafes, and at Andersen, a very tasty bread chain named after the fablist Hans Christian Andersen - and I presume at many other shops as well - there are now matcha and chocolate glazed doughnuts.<br />
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Some of our readers will remember <a href="http://www.yukany.com/hats-J.htm">Yuka Hasegawa</a>. Yuka is a milliner (among her many other talents) I first met at the Easter parade many years ago. I've seen her sumptuous and amusing hats selling at Barneys, and they also sell at better Japanese department stores. Yuka is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology's millinery program. (Fun fact: I took one semester of the four semester program.) She's back and forth between the United States and Japan, and I was able to catch up with her on a day when she had gathered several other milliners and a host of other interesting folks.<br />
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In the photo below, Yuka is wearing one of her creations. (And an Issey Miyake shirt that she daringly cut and restyled to her own liking.)<br />
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Yuka introduced me to devilishly handsome Tokyo milliner Teruyuki Mizunuma, wearing a hat of his own creation. Mizunuma-san calls his business Wabisabism, from the Japanese term <i>wabi sabi</i>, which you should look up <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi">here</a>. He wears his hat at a devil-may-care rakish angle, but he is very serious about his craft, making all his hats by hand, one at a time. You can find his Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wabisabism/">here</a>, his Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Wabisabism-579733378780823/">here</a> (check out the fabulous blue hat near the center!), his Twitter account <a href="https://twitter.com/mizunumahat?lang=en">here</a> (where you can see the same hat in red), and his website, <a href="http://mizunumahat.com/">mizunumahat.com, here</a> (where I recommend you <a href="http://shop.mizunumahat.com/">purchase</a> or <a href="http://mizunumahat.com/ordermade.html">custom order</a> a hat of your own!).<br />
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I have to show you what's so special about this hat. In addition to the very crisp v-shaped crease in the crown, can you see the double row of raised dots at the bottom of the photograph? These are created with a custom hat block. See the secret to creating and revising the design <a href="https://www.facebook.com/579733378780823/videos/1324839810936839/">in this video</a>.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GyBcRAOD8jk/WiYPJYjAbQI/AAAAAAAAs3U/MCx-9tfWfhEm9BnZqh9fW32k0MP2FPaXwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/handmade%2Bhat%2Bwith%2Brabbit%2Bhair%2Bby%2BTeruyuki%2BMizunuma%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6856.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GyBcRAOD8jk/WiYPJYjAbQI/AAAAAAAAs3U/MCx-9tfWfhEm9BnZqh9fW32k0MP2FPaXwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/handmade%2Bhat%2Bwith%2Brabbit%2Bhair%2Bby%2BTeruyuki%2BMizunuma%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6856.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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I was absolutely stunned and honored when Mizunuma-san gave me this hat. I'm going to do my best to do it justice. His work is beautifully and painstakingly crafted. Most hats today are made of felted wool. This hat is made of rabbit hair. (Some of you may know that hats in previous ages were made of beaver hair.)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p7x-B2ZFTyI/WiYU2STWNRI/AAAAAAAAs3k/ald1UDvkzfwYa4OjJ8FL7ykz49S_GehdwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Valerie%2Bwearing%2BMizunuma-san%2527s%2Bhat%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2807.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p7x-B2ZFTyI/WiYU2STWNRI/AAAAAAAAs3k/ald1UDvkzfwYa4OjJ8FL7ykz49S_GehdwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Valerie%2Bwearing%2BMizunuma-san%2527s%2Bhat%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2807.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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After an all too brief visit with Yuka and her friends, I rushed off to meet more old friends, the Asada family. <br />
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I met them in New York back around 1995, when I tutored Mr. Asada's younger daughter in English, while their elder daughter was in college, in Tokyo. Mrs. Asada, an astonishingly good cook, invariably made me the most amazing meal to satisfy my craving for Japanese food. When they returned to Japan, we kept in touch. Today, both daughters are married, with children.<br />
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To get to their home, I rode the small Setagaya line, which is notable for having <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/09/25/national/tokyu-unveils-new-tram-beckoning-cat-livery-mark-110th-anniversary-tamagawa-line/#.Wi3XWiOZOCQ">decorated one train with a maneki neko (beckoning cat) theme</a> in honor of their 110th anniversary. I was very lucky, and was at the station for the cat train, and not one of the undecorated ones. What straphanger wouldn't want to hang on this strap? The maneki neko is often seen in shops with its paw raised. The cat is beckoning good fortune to enter. There were also large paw prints along the floor.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fo7kVtusVA0/Wi3YHIIW5NI/AAAAAAAAs9Y/mgdCctMl3fkv-q3j8xrFuEp1SUWz4DseACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Setagaya%2Bline%2Bmaneki%2Bneko%2Bcar%252C%2BTokyo%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2816.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fo7kVtusVA0/Wi3YHIIW5NI/AAAAAAAAs9Y/mgdCctMl3fkv-q3j8xrFuEp1SUWz4DseACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Setagaya%2Bline%2Bmaneki%2Bneko%2Bcar%252C%2BTokyo%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2816.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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It was such a treat to see everyone again and to meet the children. Everything on the table was scrumptious. Mrs. Asada's cooking continues to be astonishing, and the children are delightful.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q3i1Vg_HEdo/Wi3ZJqmZ-vI/AAAAAAAAs9g/AWuZAOmgVhshQNOmJf88fIDREiGlmJCVACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/The%2BAsada%2Bfamily%252C%2BValerie%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2820.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q3i1Vg_HEdo/Wi3ZJqmZ-vI/AAAAAAAAs9g/AWuZAOmgVhshQNOmJf88fIDREiGlmJCVACK4BGAYYCw/s400/The%2BAsada%2Bfamily%252C%2BValerie%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2820.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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At the end of the evening, the elder daughter and her husband took me on a gorgeous tour of Tokyo by night. We drove past all sorts of visual treats that light up by night, and look completely different in the daytime, on highways and bridges that give a bird's eye view of the city. It was beautiful and fascinating. Immediately post-war, Tokyo was a hodge podge of what could be done and what had to be done, and aesthetics took a back seat. The new additions seem to have been made very thoughtfully, in accordance with the modern tenets of urban planning. Below, standing beneath the Tokyo Skytree, which replaced the old Tokyo Tower.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yFtujSRJSXE/Wi3cThxjMHI/AAAAAAAAs98/_rF_fDO_HAQqad_-57IFokUnZwSHfv00ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Tokyo%2BSkytree%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2834.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yFtujSRJSXE/Wi3cThxjMHI/AAAAAAAAs98/_rF_fDO_HAQqad_-57IFokUnZwSHfv00ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Tokyo%2BSkytree%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2834.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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When I lived in Tokyo, one of my favorite hangouts was the <a href="http://www.mingeikan.or.jp/english/">Nihon Mingeikan</a> or Japan Folk Crafts Museum, housed in a beautiful old traditional building. They have an extraordinary collection of beautiful, and sometimes very simple, hand made objects that were part of daily life for hundreds of years. I went to see their changing exhibits of textiles, but I invariably saw countless other fascinating objects in wood, ceramics, paper and other media. The Museum's founder, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanagi_S%C5%8Detsu">Soetsu Yanagi</a>, is generally credited with establishing the mingei movement, and himself collected many objects which otherwise might have been lost in Japan's overwhelming drive to modernize in the early 20th century.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iXhm0v4y5KY/WiYZgkwTHzI/AAAAAAAAs38/BsiXc22m7tsKWafnAyJJlxLbHKPy9wCiQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Mingeikan%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2966.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iXhm0v4y5KY/WiYZgkwTHzI/AAAAAAAAs38/BsiXc22m7tsKWafnAyJJlxLbHKPy9wCiQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Mingeikan%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2966.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Below, lotus plants in front of the Mingeikan. I'm wearing the hat I found at the flea market, mentioned earlier. I had been told that Japan was enjoying balmy weather, even in October, and packed accordingly. In the photo, I've layered almost everything I brought with me and sporting a very un-chic look because several days after my arrival it rained for four or five days in a row, and temperatures dropped by about 20 degrees. Lesson learned!<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZK-mkFfTrv8/WiYbmr-UFAI/AAAAAAAAs4I/WGmnQN3CW6skFY7EJe3xogPVaTT48pJBACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Valerie%2Bat%2BMingeikan%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2972.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZK-mkFfTrv8/WiYbmr-UFAI/AAAAAAAAs4I/WGmnQN3CW6skFY7EJe3xogPVaTT48pJBACK4BGAYYCw/s640/Valerie%2Bat%2BMingeikan%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2972.jpg" width="384" /></a><br />
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When I left the Mingeikan, I passed by a private home with a high concrete wall. Appropriately for the area, the owner had taken bits of decorative ceramics and embedded them here and there in the drying wall. This small traditional fan shaped plate is decorated with gourds in fanciful colors.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L9wTv_gK7iU/WiYhOaEmu8I/AAAAAAAAs4g/NmtV4pyrF04IJaiJmWR38bXIGpSH2wVFQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Tokyo%2B-%2Bceramic%2Bdecorated%2Bwall%2Bnear%2BMingeikan%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2974.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L9wTv_gK7iU/WiYhOaEmu8I/AAAAAAAAs4g/NmtV4pyrF04IJaiJmWR38bXIGpSH2wVFQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Tokyo%2B-%2Bceramic%2Bdecorated%2Bwall%2Bnear%2BMingeikan%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2974.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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Traveling around the city is fast, efficient, and pleasant (except at rush hour). Tokyo now has a commuter pass called the Suica Card. Insert your Suica Card into a slot at the train station, and use cash or credit card to refill the card with as little or as much value as you want (for a single ride or hundreds of rides). Then tap the card on the electric eye at the turnstile, and you're in. When you arrive at your destination, tap the card on the electric eye again as you exit, and the cost of your fare is automatically deducted. In Tokyo, price is determined by distance, and commuters used to spend time calculating fares before entering or, if they'd miscalculated, making up the difference on exiting. The Suica Card has eliminated those problems to a large degree. My friends showed me that I could also use the Suica Card at vending machines on the streets, eliminating the fuss of searching for change. I'm sure there were other uses as well, but I wasn't there long enough to discover them all.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKQ1LRhtEsw/WiYeuL8IokI/AAAAAAAAs4U/gk7NggoUkHU41_74x7sPAnu9nfwWazVhACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Suica%2Bcard%2BTokyo%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2964.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKQ1LRhtEsw/WiYeuL8IokI/AAAAAAAAs4U/gk7NggoUkHU41_74x7sPAnu9nfwWazVhACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Suica%2Bcard%2BTokyo%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2964.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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This handsome facade inside Shibuya Station frames a small niche for ATM machines.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rg5Ue9LUHh4/WiYiFA2baYI/AAAAAAAAs4s/9I9qr7ipRYE35oN152q3FnJCbIAUhEVdQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Shibuya%2Bstation%2Barchitecture%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2962.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rg5Ue9LUHh4/WiYiFA2baYI/AAAAAAAAs4s/9I9qr7ipRYE35oN152q3FnJCbIAUhEVdQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Shibuya%2Bstation%2Barchitecture%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2962.jpg" width="351" /></a><br />
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At the same station, I was happy to see that lockers are still an affordable amenity, and happier still to see this woman's fabulous umbrella.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d_bWdpaS84w/WiilfT0oSNI/AAAAAAAAs5U/guJs6yboc9ckwEeaDtuNdGhPdnFngM-lgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Tokyo%2Bwoman%2Bwith%2Bfabulous%2Bumbrella%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2842.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d_bWdpaS84w/WiilfT0oSNI/AAAAAAAAs5U/guJs6yboc9ckwEeaDtuNdGhPdnFngM-lgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Tokyo%2Bwoman%2Bwith%2Bfabulous%2Bumbrella%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2842.jpg" width="280" /></a><br />
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On a trip to Roppongi, I saw a man checking messages in front of this lyrical black and gold mural in the station. Cell phones are everywhere in Tokyo, but while checking messages is fine, talking loudly on one's phone is frowned upon. The few times I was with people talking on their cell phones in public, it was always preceded and followed by profuse apology for the interruption. We could stand a bit of that here!<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dy2xomyn8KI/WiYjF6hdiEI/AAAAAAAAs44/tsduUI_zhx4z9SSvrZzo3ZO8sM4JNOQtgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Roppongi%2Bstation%2Bart%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2899.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dy2xomyn8KI/WiYjF6hdiEI/AAAAAAAAs44/tsduUI_zhx4z9SSvrZzo3ZO8sM4JNOQtgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Roppongi%2Bstation%2Bart%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2899.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Below, probably the wave of the future. In another part of Roppongi station, several pillars were fitted with video screens showing repeating advertising loops. Just two steps to the right of the pillars is the edge of the platform, where the train comes in.<br />
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<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="237" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i2oXJubDJLg?ecver=1" width="422"></iframe><br />
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Omotesando is perhaps the Soho of Tokyo: once run-down and inexpensive (fertile soil for unusual shops on small budgets, with a thriving artistic community), it is now the land of large scale international fashion dynasties with huge modernistic buildings that proclaim their status. It was a bit of a shock seeing the new Omotesando. When the first MacDonald's arrived on the Champs Elysees in Paris around 1970, it was reported in the newspapers as an unwelcome but landmark event. Seeing Omotesando was a bit like that. Nevertheless, I found any number of things to enjoy.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2j2VktgCkwM/Wi05jtZPiuI/AAAAAAAAs5k/Aj9Si4MTtSk74s33VaSjYXYc3D90y0bgwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Omotesando%2Bnew%2Bconstruction%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2981.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2j2VktgCkwM/Wi05jtZPiuI/AAAAAAAAs5k/Aj9Si4MTtSk74s33VaSjYXYc3D90y0bgwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Omotesando%2Bnew%2Bconstruction%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2981.jpg" width="317" /></a><br />
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Above, a large swath of old buildings had been torn down, and a small planned commercial center has been put up in its place. On the plus side, any new construction in New York would all be 40 stories tall, or more. Here, these brand new structures retain a warm, personal feel at two stories.<br />
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One of the shops, Happy + Life + Plastic, sells exclusively items made of plastic, while reflecting Japan's continuing love of, and uneasy relationship with, the English language.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EPWOpx5T0RQ/Wi06DqXR0JI/AAAAAAAAs5s/dEKaW0NtreY_E9FSV41xkTXiaJWR4NATQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Happy%2B%252B%2BLife%2B%252B%2BPlastic%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2983.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EPWOpx5T0RQ/Wi06DqXR0JI/AAAAAAAAs5s/dEKaW0NtreY_E9FSV41xkTXiaJWR4NATQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Happy%2B%252B%2BLife%2B%252B%2BPlastic%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2983.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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This wonderfully lit plastic and aluminum awning marks the entrance to a hair dressing salon.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iwZC7y9ewKU/Wi0-yRyb4lI/AAAAAAAAs6Y/DlGQofxxnyQ2XkG6s_h4VeTWq9wZx57YgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/entrance%2Bto%2Bhair%2Bdressing%2Bsalon%252C%2BTokyo%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2992.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iwZC7y9ewKU/Wi0-yRyb4lI/AAAAAAAAs6Y/DlGQofxxnyQ2XkG6s_h4VeTWq9wZx57YgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/entrance%2Bto%2Bhair%2Bdressing%2Bsalon%252C%2BTokyo%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2992.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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Several Tokyo locations, including the Spiral Building (below) in Omotesando, were participating in an art fair during my visit. This photo shows only a portion of the Spiral Building's lively and entertaining interior. The circular barrier in the foreground is made of plywood; the waist-high barrier inside that is made of corrugated cardboard. Both were constructed for the art show.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0Un-eykcfM/Wi06386vAAI/AAAAAAAAs58/xfnASBF2vKUlxKV2tsZnDyDk-_b8Q5opQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Spiral%2BBuilding%2Bexhibition%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2999.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0Un-eykcfM/Wi06386vAAI/AAAAAAAAs58/xfnASBF2vKUlxKV2tsZnDyDk-_b8Q5opQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Spiral%2BBuilding%2Bexhibition%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2999.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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Embedded into the cardboard barrier was a parade of tiny origami animals made of leaves, at least 20 feet long, by Yoshihiro Watanabe.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NogqWy39cww/Wi09seJU06I/AAAAAAAAs6I/lMX6GS9rtaQTT1wq2a2Y1vZ9izEyRuqyQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Yoshihiro%2BWatanabe%2B%2Bleaf%2Borigami%2Banimals%2BSpiral%2BBuilding%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_3002.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NogqWy39cww/Wi09seJU06I/AAAAAAAAs6I/lMX6GS9rtaQTT1wq2a2Y1vZ9izEyRuqyQCK4BGAYYCw/s640/Yoshihiro%2BWatanabe%2B%2Bleaf%2Borigami%2Banimals%2BSpiral%2BBuilding%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_3002.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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This wooden stand displays a series of chunky painted wooden modernist masks by Nao Matsunaga.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4C1wW3l5hqU/Wi0-MRHr7eI/AAAAAAAAs6Q/rrtXF2OD3XIZPCLjdxEK4x50QcD9C0fNACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Nao%2BMatsunaga%2Bmasks%2BSpiral%2BBuilding%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2994.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4C1wW3l5hqU/Wi0-MRHr7eI/AAAAAAAAs6Q/rrtXF2OD3XIZPCLjdxEK4x50QcD9C0fNACK4BGAYYCw/s640/Nao%2BMatsunaga%2Bmasks%2BSpiral%2BBuilding%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2994.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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They say everything in life is a trade-off, right? If I was wistful about Omotesando's glitzy new facade, I was impressed by the efforts every company made to give their store a unique look. Below, the Woolrich store, on a side street, was a standout in textured red and black paint mimicking a traditional Woolrich weave.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r8Hpkmf0FMg/Wi0_kzpjP1I/AAAAAAAAs6k/SFz0J88Qe1ctn-c1-qaj2ndbSI6T4eDCQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Woolrich%2Bstorefront%252C%2BTokyo%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_3030.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r8Hpkmf0FMg/Wi0_kzpjP1I/AAAAAAAAs6k/SFz0J88Qe1ctn-c1-qaj2ndbSI6T4eDCQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Woolrich%2Bstorefront%252C%2BTokyo%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_3030.jpg" width="377" /></a><br />
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And Chanel had this wonderful astronaut print dress in their window on the main drag.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UlvG16l4nWM/Wi1AnjUSh2I/AAAAAAAAs6s/M1RRa7yMC9geLB9Mw1UIlGRlLDKtEp5qgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Chanel%2Bastronaut%2Bdress%2Bon%2BOmotesando%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_E3027.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UlvG16l4nWM/Wi1AnjUSh2I/AAAAAAAAs6s/M1RRa7yMC9geLB9Mw1UIlGRlLDKtEp5qgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Chanel%2Bastronaut%2Bdress%2Bon%2BOmotesando%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_E3027.JPG" width="255" /></a><br />
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Not everyone on the main drag looks to Paris for their inspiration, though.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SAmm7c9TD1c/Wi1GBxidVHI/AAAAAAAAs7c/xJW_YL6vh9wM-dt9maWjFeEthokBEMXgwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Tokyo%2Bstreet%2Bfashion%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_3032.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SAmm7c9TD1c/Wi1GBxidVHI/AAAAAAAAs7c/xJW_YL6vh9wM-dt9maWjFeEthokBEMXgwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Tokyo%2Bstreet%2Bfashion%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_3032.jpg" width="340" /></a><br />
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For me, one of the highlights of Omotesando was the discovery of <a href="http://www.ca4la.com/shop/omotesando.html">CA4LA</a> (pronounced <i>KA</i>shira), a store with nothing but hats, many if not all of which were custom made by the staff, whom one could see at work in a small second floor atelier. Below, I try on one of their more outrageous hats in red felt. Quite fabulous! I'd like to meet the person who designed the hat block. I got into a long and enthusiastic discussion with one of the sales assistants, who told me the CA4LA milliners are graduates of Bunka Gakuen, Issey Miyake's alma mater. It turns out that I'd found one of several branches of the store, another of which is now in London.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kGGT5WAD8pg/Wi1BayIypwI/AAAAAAAAs68/r80yvi2QJpgOPDRqylHQHT7S61hx67xwwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/CA4LA%2Bhat%2Bstore%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2849.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kGGT5WAD8pg/Wi1BayIypwI/AAAAAAAAs68/r80yvi2QJpgOPDRqylHQHT7S61hx67xwwCK4BGAYYCw/s640/CA4LA%2Bhat%2Bstore%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2849.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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Tokyo loves its convenience stores (called Konbini), and Omotesando had one centrally located. They are what they are, but how could you not like a convenience store with a tissue box display like this?<br />
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Of course, when you're in Omotesando, you have to stop at in at Issey Miyake. I have a feeling I saw all sorts of things there that are never going to show up in New York. Each item on the racks and shelves had something new and unique about it to delight the senses. Here, I try on a hat (the hats almost never show up in New York) and an accordion-like knit-in-the-round shawl with small peaks and valleys knitted into the fabric.<br />
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This shop, below, was actually in Shimokitazawa (a kind of Tokyo version of Williamsburgh), but I couldn't resist including it. Anyone could have guessed that Hard-Off sells electronics, right?<br />
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One has to spend some time in Ginza, and I did so happily. I stopped briefly into a store to take a short video of a robot. There is much talk of robots in Japan, as aides to the aging population. If you watch carefully, you'll see him do the robot equivalent of blinking his eyes. I passed another display of robots one evening after closing time, and noticed that their heads were bowed. I wondered if that was a cultural reference or no more than coincidence.<br />
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My friend Bonnie advised me to stop into Matsuya department store to see their art floor, where I wandered around blissfully for more than an hour. Weaving wizard Reiko Sudo has a branch of her store, <a href="http://www.nuno.com/en/">Nuno</a>, there. In my travels, it was impossible to ignore that Japan is going through a cat motif craze. Cat towels, cat bags, cat purses, cat umbrellas... anything you can put a cat image on is available somewhere. I found a shop in Yanaka Ginza, famous for its stray cat population (and completely unrelated to the better known Ginza), that carried nothing but cat motif souvenirs. Among all of Sudo's sophisticated weaves and designs I found this black handkerchief embroidered with white cartoon cats in a variety of poses. You'll notice I'm wearing a raincoat (it poured for days) and sandals. Since the weather was quite summery before my departure, I brought an array of summer clothes. When it rained, I was completely unprepared. I wore sandals in the rain because they had leather soles - I was afraid my rubber soled shoes would slip on the pavement. By rights, the sandals should be ruined, but they held up like champs.</div>
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On another part of the same floor, I found that <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=%E4%BA%95%E5%87%BA%E4%B9%85%E5%BC%A5&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjNhaWX7v_XAhXkkOAKHXm0AJQQ_AUICigB&biw=1045&bih=655">Hisaya Ide</a>, a Japanese potter whose powerful work I first saw around 2005, was having a one man show. Ide specializes in rough textures and red and black glazes, and makes anything from huge abstract vessels to handsome dinnerware. (Enlarge photo for a better view.) I wound up buying the plate I'm holding.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-luN3s7w0hWA/Wi1hisRxx0I/AAAAAAAAs8E/zB3CSczO58YbRZHx8VqvxiOgjI6qMka4ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/work%2Bof%2BHisaya%2BIde%2Bat%2BMatsuya%2BGinza%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2921.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-luN3s7w0hWA/Wi1hisRxx0I/AAAAAAAAs8E/zB3CSczO58YbRZHx8VqvxiOgjI6qMka4ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/work%2Bof%2BHisaya%2BIde%2Bat%2BMatsuya%2BGinza%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2921.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Everything about his work appeals to me, including his attention to detail. This is the underside of one of his bowls. The seven exactingly placed squares are what the bowl would stand on while being fired in the kiln. Although one might never see them, he's given them as much care as he gave the upper side. Much of Ide's work is characterized by the use of gauze cloth to add texture to the clay. You can see the cross hatching in this photo. The cross hatching also allows the glaze to attach unevenly to the surface, so there is a mixture of black underglaze within the red.</div>
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Then I met up with Sachiko and her friend, and we had plates and plates of traditional Japanese cuisine in a small rustic restaurant in the heart of Ginza. On another evening, Sachiko took me to a small Japanese hot spring (onsen) just a bit outside central Tokyo, and we spent several hours going from shower to hot bath to jacuzzi to sauna to outdoor bath. It was a quiet evening at the onsen, and for the most part we had each of the baths to ourselves. The jacuzzi had a mild electrical current installed here and there, which provided marvelous electro-stimulation for tired muscles, and the outdoor bath had, well, the outdoors. I really would have loved to take pictures of that, but Sachiko pointed out no one there would take kindly to a camera, and besides I didn't have any pockets to carry my camera in. But you've seen pictures of onsens, so you can imagine how much fun we had - two women of a certain age stretched out under the moonlight in our altogether.</div>
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After I'd had my fill of the big city, I wanted to visit a small town, and Kamakura, home of the great Buddha, was the place to go, at little more than an hour away.</div>
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Built in the 13th century, and living outdoors since his temple was washed away in the 15th century, the Great Buddha is one of the best recognized symbols of Japan. I meant to get off at the station that has a small museum nearby, but got off at the wrong stop (it's been a long time, after all), so I skipped the museum and took a little city bus ride straight to the Buddha. For less than a quarter, one can also step inside and see how he's constructed. It's a wonderful extra privilege.</div>
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On my way to the Buddha, I ran into this very fashionably dressed pair, who had also come for a visit.</div>
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And on my way back I ran into these three women. Did you notice that all five are dressed completely differently from one another? And did you notice that they're all wearing flats?! I love seeing that women of a certain age are expressing their independence - and their love of comfort - internationally.</div>
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I took a slow stroll around the town, which has any number of charming antique shops and souvenir stands. I found a shop that makes beautiful bamboo baskets and vases for great prices, and was tempted to bring one or more back home, but they are fragile, and I worried that they would not do well in my suitcase. The last thing I expected to see on my stroll was a Lamborghini. Import taxes are high to discourage the purchase of foreign cars, so inquiring minds would really like to know who the owner is, and how (s)he came by a Lamborghini. A yellow one, no less.</div>
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Ages ago, my friend Takeo and I developed a habit of meeting at the flea market and having pancakes afterward at a chain restaurant called Royal Host. Their pancakes (with eggs and bacon) were as good as any I could have made myself, and were a Sunday treat I came to look forward to. So on the morning of my departure, we reprised that experience for old times' sake. Here we are, clowning around. In Japan, no photograph is complete without a peace symbol.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mHEasFzoXKA/Wi36FP69CrI/AAAAAAAAs-g/q1Ad-LsFF_EroTMjyQZTcKAJCKiemT8bwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Valerie%252C%2BTakeo%2BRoyal%2BHost%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_3130.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mHEasFzoXKA/Wi36FP69CrI/AAAAAAAAs-g/q1Ad-LsFF_EroTMjyQZTcKAJCKiemT8bwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/Valerie%252C%2BTakeo%2BRoyal%2BHost%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_3130.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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We were close to Asakusa Shrine, which is famous for its huge paper lantern, so we stopped by there.</div>
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At the entrance, I saw a man in traditional dress, hawking a local product, and wearing a marvelous Japanese hat. As I was wearing my own Japanese hat, the one made by <a href="http://www.clutchmagjapan.com/en/journal/1490692021">Teruyuki Mizunuma</a>, it seemed only right to take a picture. What a perfect way to end my visit!</div>
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Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-80725929068372852662017-09-20T07:09:00.003-07:002017-11-30T08:23:38.317-08:00We're Today Show 2017 Style Heroes!!<span style="font-size: large;">Jean and Valerie here -- The Idiosyncratic Fashionistas . We are thrilled to be among the 40 <a href="https://www.today.com/video/today-style-heroes-2017-1047639619858">Today Show 2017 Style Heroes</a> announced in Today's "Wear What You Want" Week! </span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">For those of you who don't know us, we're the Idiosyncratic Fashionistas, "women of a certain age" blogging since 2009, but wearing clothes and having opinions for a lot longer! We met in 2008 at the Manhattan Vintage Show, discovered a shared a love of hats, vintage clothing and Japanese, Israeli and Danish fashion, and the rest is history!</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C420ctBOdqw/WcHUCKStCFI/AAAAAAAAsug/Qa7Bvq9A78wnce_HCYdZAu0aqz_G0Kl6wCLcBGAs/s1600/2Jean%2526ValerieAARPDisruptAgingShootJuly2017IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_0342X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1115" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C420ctBOdqw/WcHUCKStCFI/AAAAAAAAsug/Qa7Bvq9A78wnce_HCYdZAu0aqz_G0Kl6wCLcBGAs/s400/2Jean%2526ValerieAARPDisruptAgingShootJuly2017IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_0342X.jpg" width="279" /></a></div>
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Click</span><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WqxLtqLg20"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><b>here</b></span></a> to view the Today Show's Style Heroes YouTube video clip. (We appear in the 10th clip.) In July 2017, The Today Show posted a wonderful video and online article about us and how we are redefining style for older women. Please click </span><a href="https://www.today.com/style/these-new-york-city-fashion-bloggers-are-redefining-style-any-t112506" style="background-color: black; font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>here</b></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> to view the July video.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">I</span><span style="font-size: large;">ncluded in this year's 40 Style Heroes are such luminaries as Lady Gaga, Pink, Christy Brinkley, Tyra Banks, Serena Williams, Madison Keyes (US Open women's tennis finalist), Paris Jackson, Chrissy Metz (actress from This is Us), Meghan Markle (actress from Suits and girlfriend of Prince Harry), Ellie Kemper (actress from The Office), Zac Posen (fashion designer), Bobbi Brown (makeup guru), Laurie Hernandez & Aly Raisman (Olympic gymnasts), Julianne Hough (Dancing with the Stars), Sophia Bush, Mandy Moore, Michaela Prince (Dutch National Ballet) -- <b><i><u>and us</u></i></b>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bar the door! <span style="color: lime;"><b>On Wednesday, September 20, 2017, Today Show Style has <i>turned over its Instagram feed to us</i>.</b></span> Quick, before they figure out that we don't belong among such an august group, read on to learn more about us and what we're up to! Five of the shots in this post will appear on the Today Show Style Instagram feed.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Since mainstream fashion largely ignores "women of a certain age", we launched our blog to give us a voice. Our mantra is: "We are not dead and we are not invisible". We search out accessories, shoes, clothing and, of course, hats, as well as events and activities that pique our interest. For several years, we also post on Instagram (@idiosyncraticfashionistas). We get to cover gallery shows, museum openings, craft shows, New York Fashion Week runway shows and presentations as members of the press.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The photo above was taken last week at the Museum at FIT's party celebrating the opening of "Expedition: Fashion from the Extreme" which runs through January 6, 2018. Although we rarely consult in advance, we often end up in coordinating outfits. Case in point: we both showed up in black and white at FIT.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Remember when old ladies were expected to fade into the background, not make waves and wear <i>sensible</i> shoes (whatever that means)? </span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Although society may encourage older women to blend in and not make waves, we choose to ignore that advice and actively seek out opportunities to enjoy life, have fun and make a splash. New York City provides sooo many opportunities for fun. For example, a street art portrait of Salvador Dali provides a perfect photo op. That we both ended up in black with in red accessories was a happy coincidence.</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iar_nTJK_78/WcHSi_Fly4I/AAAAAAAAsuM/ZTYhCevzlvAwaYQiPKT3xnraRXWi0iOmgCLcBGAs/s1600/4Jean%2526Valerie%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BDali%2BSurrealChristmas%2B2015%2B%2540sipros_sipros%2BIMG_2917X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1101" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iar_nTJK_78/WcHSi_Fly4I/AAAAAAAAsuM/ZTYhCevzlvAwaYQiPKT3xnraRXWi0iOmgCLcBGAs/s400/4Jean%2526Valerie%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BDali%2BSurrealChristmas%2B2015%2B%2540sipros_sipros%2BIMG_2917X.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Since fashion rules are made to be broken, Valerie offers the following non-rules: Don't be afraid to wear a green straw top hat with a veil. Match your blue and orange geometric print dress with a green shirt. Wear a Christmas ornament around your neck. (Just be careful not to break it.) Jean says: Skip the sensible shoes! Since most shoe designers do not create fashionable and comfortable shoes for older women, be resourceful. Jean discovered remarkably comfy yet stylish boots by German company Trippen, featuring geta-like double platforms aka "flatforms" for height and glamour. An Ignatius straw turban adds interest to basic black.</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9HnGKfjvVwU/WcHSbFe_LnI/AAAAAAAAsuI/lYTVzzCKnFMjGfzACVYnRrHYenDYy7MpQCLcBGAs/s1600/5Valerie%2526Jean%2BManus%2BexMachinaPress%2BOpening%2B%2BIdiosyncraticFashionistas%2BMG_4693x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="883" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9HnGKfjvVwU/WcHSbFe_LnI/AAAAAAAAsuI/lYTVzzCKnFMjGfzACVYnRrHYenDYy7MpQCLcBGAs/s400/5Valerie%2526Jean%2BManus%2BexMachinaPress%2BOpening%2B%2BIdiosyncraticFashionistas%2BMG_4693x.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">We encountered this punk kid in sunglasses artwork (below) in the Peninsula Hotel on Fifth Ave. at W. 55th Street on our way to the rooftop restaurant. Life advice: Don't be afraid to emulate the art work. Valerie's fashion advice? Get a 30-year old Issey Miyake polka dot skirt out of your closet and match it with a 10-year old Guy Laroche second hand striped jacket. Pull them together with a $2.99 cotton camisole from H&M. Jean says look for a hat resembling a flying saucer, add vintage Bakelite accessories, signature sunglasses, black cotton Zara tunic, black Miyake harem pants and voila! </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IyUTZy_AkYI/WcHSTIHiUcI/AAAAAAAAsuE/XVjrTiHfdvcjw73Ky6t7B_o81rsyYJLTQCLcBGAs/s1600/6Valerie%2526Jean%2BPeninsualHotelPaintingofPunkKid%2B%2BIdiosyncraticFashionistas%2BIMG_4966X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1565" data-original-width="1283" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IyUTZy_AkYI/WcHSTIHiUcI/AAAAAAAAsuE/XVjrTiHfdvcjw73Ky6t7B_o81rsyYJLTQCLcBGAs/s400/6Valerie%2526Jean%2BPeninsualHotelPaintingofPunkKid%2B%2BIdiosyncraticFashionistas%2BIMG_4966X.jpg" width="327" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Life is short. Have fun! Interact with street art! Valerie's approach: Tuck in your red polka dot dress and wear it as a shirt. Buy a dull beige hat and spray paint it red. Add adhesive white dots for extra fun. Jean pairs a go-anywhere black jumpsuit with an Ignatius black straw clown hat - just the thing for fleeing Japanese sci-fi critters! </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AhTe92aDvds/WcHSLndcpTI/AAAAAAAAsuA/rtZ-QQdWz10YnuyNvS40YzIkv9DO-I4_gCLcBGAs/s1600/7Valerie%2526Jean%2BGamera%2B%2BIdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_1197x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AhTe92aDvds/WcHSLndcpTI/AAAAAAAAsuA/rtZ-QQdWz10YnuyNvS40YzIkv9DO-I4_gCLcBGAs/s400/7Valerie%2526Jean%2BGamera%2B%2BIdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_1197x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If matchy-matchy is bad, then we're super-bad. For a recent casting call, Valerie unapologetically matched her '90s Ellen Tracy suit with a brand new Norma Kamali turban, then contrasted them with a $2.99 Forever 21 striped cotton cami and target practice flea market plastic earrings. Those donut-sized black cuffs? Hair bun donuts from H&M. Jean is rocking the black & white look with Alembika pants, C&C cotton peplum top, beaded necklace by Carol Markel, Henrik Vibskov bowler and vintage signature sunglasses, bangles and rings complete the look. Are WE wall flowers? On this wall, YES! </span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYDzqp7o4X0/WcKdVqK9MGI/AAAAAAAAsu0/v71WUFgSRs03AIAQEFzAKaj8324ZuMmUwCLcBGAs/s1600/Valerie%2526JeanRivingtonStNYCHaculaIdiosyncraticFashionistas0617X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1562" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYDzqp7o4X0/WcKdVqK9MGI/AAAAAAAAsu0/v71WUFgSRs03AIAQEFzAKaj8324ZuMmUwCLcBGAs/s400/Valerie%2526JeanRivingtonStNYCHaculaIdiosyncraticFashionistas0617X.jpg" width="391" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To celebrate a DuBuffet sculpture at the Seagram's Building, Valerie advises: Wear a Calvin Klein white linen suit after Labor Day with spectator oxfords. For contrast, pair them with a Forever 21 cami. Show off your gray hair with an open-crowned hat. Add striped foam donut size bracelets. With a Donna Karen top, Brigitte harem pants and vintage Bakelite jewelry, Jean dons a jaunty Henrik Vibskov molded straw bowler with its own topknot and Trippen flatforms. Now, just ask a tourist to take your picture. </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6LgDMVghkM0/WcHR9px-vpI/AAAAAAAAst4/y9ggV-ODmHA_KAoEMqQJHLDsjtAPxMcFwCLcBGAs/s1600/9Jean%2526Valeriein%2BfrontofDuBuffetSculptureIdiosyncraticFashionistas%2BIMG_4862X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1236" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6LgDMVghkM0/WcHR9px-vpI/AAAAAAAAst4/y9ggV-ODmHA_KAoEMqQJHLDsjtAPxMcFwCLcBGAs/s640/9Jean%2526Valeriein%2BfrontofDuBuffetSculptureIdiosyncraticFashionistas%2BIMG_4862X.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
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</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Hope you enjoyed our blog and Instagram posts. Tell us what <b><i><u>you</u></i></b> think! Follow us. Come back again soon.</span>Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-15177084523667208682017-04-30T21:27:00.000-07:002017-04-30T21:27:17.138-07:00EASTER PARADE 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XHGSGJmBwaI/WQYzMkn4clI/AAAAAAAAsf4/GVzuqoERK1YEi697zNPMurS573lnw44nQCLcB/s1600/1EasterParadeValerie%2526Jean%2526EBunnyIdiosyncraticFashionistas041617IMG_8245x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XHGSGJmBwaI/WQYzMkn4clI/AAAAAAAAsf4/GVzuqoERK1YEi697zNPMurS573lnw44nQCLcB/s640/1EasterParadeValerie%2526Jean%2526EBunnyIdiosyncraticFashionistas041617IMG_8245x.jpg" width="439" /></a></div>
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It's that time of year again! We joined the Easter Parade celebrants in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral. As for our colleague? Somehow, this was <i>not</i> our mental image that comes to mind when hearing the lyrics "Here comes Peter Cotton Tail, bouncing down the bunny trail", but he was quite jovial and charming. (Hard not to be when wearing such an outfit and bunny tail.) Fun facts about rabbits: They have an excellent sense of smell, hearing and vision - essential for survival from predators. When happy, they exhibit a behavior known as "binky", in which they jump up in the air, twist and spin around. A baby rabbit is called a "kit", a female is a "doe", a male is a "buck", a group of rabbits is a "colony" and a group of domestic rabbits is a "herd". Go figure. While hares are born with their eye open, hair covering their bodies and can run within a few minutes of birth (like Guinea pigs), rabbits are born blind, naked and remain in a fur-lined nest for the first days of their lives. Sounds like a Hollywood celebrity baby.<br />
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A reminder of the world outside Fifth Avenue on Easter morning was the visible presence of NYPD - aka "New York's Finest". This officer and his Belgian Malinois (no, he's not a German Shepherd) were vigilant and professional, walking that fine line between being reassuring and non-threatening while remaining watchful and ever-professional.<br />
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We joined our posse who gathered on East 50th Street off of Fifth Avenue for group photos. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/funkingafter50/">Arlinda</a>, Carol, Andre, Carola, Carol (Femme et Fleur) Elke, Dayle (Artful City Style) and Valerie. Look quickly - this is one of the few full-length shots in which you can see Valerie's footwear!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8pjq7I88XiQ/WQYzUOVNkiI/AAAAAAAAsgA/hzM24yJc8MU17btqhoIJqYE52jSRbllTgCLcB/s1600/3EasterParade2CarolsAndreCarolaElkeDayleValerie041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8307x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8pjq7I88XiQ/WQYzUOVNkiI/AAAAAAAAsgA/hzM24yJc8MU17btqhoIJqYE52jSRbllTgCLcB/s400/3EasterParade2CarolsAndreCarolaElkeDayleValerie041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8307x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Aleksey Federov ran into our group, and joined in the fun. He towers over everyone. Aleksey is a super fan of Easter, and made his own outfit. We pride ourselves on finding a variety of people at Easter, but Aleksey puts us to shame. See his fabulous video of the Easter parade <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP2Rvh2esAw">here</a>. From his vantage point, way above the crowd, he has a great view of everything.<br />
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This color-coordinated couple joined the throngs of well dressed New Yorkers and out-of-towners on Fifth Avenue while managing to look cool and chic in unseasonably warm 87-degree weather.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-htmfR0F6aU4/WQYzuIiWfsI/AAAAAAAAsgE/vz7ekWYjCYQ__lOlpYN9Q4RZufSTVd_HgCLcB/s1600/3EasterParadeChicCouple041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8357X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-htmfR0F6aU4/WQYzuIiWfsI/AAAAAAAAsgE/vz7ekWYjCYQ__lOlpYN9Q4RZufSTVd_HgCLcB/s640/3EasterParadeChicCouple041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8357X.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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One of the treats each year is running into friends and 2017 was no exception. Linda, Marianne, Helga and Xtine always promenade together and then retire to Bob's Burger, their traditional post-parade hangout.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--8WF_Ykfsr8/WQY6IUJqd-I/AAAAAAAAshI/-Ey4ywddl5ouw2pzvswEao4Hwq_Pgn6rACLcB/s1600/4EasterParadePosseLindaMarianneHelgaXstine041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8346X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--8WF_Ykfsr8/WQY6IUJqd-I/AAAAAAAAshI/-Ey4ywddl5ouw2pzvswEao4Hwq_Pgn6rACLcB/s400/4EasterParadePosseLindaMarianneHelgaXstine041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8346X.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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True to form, we didn't consult the night before about what we'd be wearing, other than to complain about the warm weather forecast, so the extent to which our outfits coordinated so well was a source of amusement.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A9POlbmvpS8/WQYzxgTiKWI/AAAAAAAAsgM/ZoXTK6B0oGk-956wIwwn2IuUsKD5dWEUQCLcB/s1600/5EasterParadeJean%2526Valerie5thAve041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8237X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A9POlbmvpS8/WQYzxgTiKWI/AAAAAAAAsgM/ZoXTK6B0oGk-956wIwwn2IuUsKD5dWEUQCLcB/s400/5EasterParadeJean%2526Valerie5thAve041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8237X.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>
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Videographer and pal Lina Plioplyte and her friend Jacob stopped by to visit and take photos with us. Pink is definitely Lina's color!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0V-yPX5mw8/WQY0BKIXdeI/AAAAAAAAsgQ/R2T5IM1zvD8xT2RrD17x48MSX8Q1Ve8ZQCLcB/s1600/6EasterParadeLinaPlioplyte041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8280X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0V-yPX5mw8/WQY0BKIXdeI/AAAAAAAAsgQ/R2T5IM1zvD8xT2RrD17x48MSX8Q1Ve8ZQCLcB/s640/6EasterParadeLinaPlioplyte041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8280X.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
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Loved this stylish couple. Her red dress and his colorful scarf worked well together. And we also love the fact that Jean's shot of them and Valerie included her shoes!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jAKErJgomh4/WQZGZPqAtdI/AAAAAAAAshY/XkuzI9isDvYWsevvJ3SmZTIAh-niwzc8QCLcB/s1600/7EasterParadeValerie%2526Couple041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8367X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jAKErJgomh4/WQZGZPqAtdI/AAAAAAAAshY/XkuzI9isDvYWsevvJ3SmZTIAh-niwzc8QCLcB/s640/7EasterParadeValerie%2526Couple041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8367X.jpg" width="387" /></a></div>
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Debra Rapoport topped off her multi-color, multi-texture outfit with a parasol to fashionably shade her from the strong sunlight.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wWGMtQQbzhw/WQY0DwA3r2I/AAAAAAAAsgU/pqlTD9hrK4IH55gLt9efGtqurwDdVI2owCLcB/s1600/7EasterParadeDebraRapoport041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8322x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wWGMtQQbzhw/WQY0DwA3r2I/AAAAAAAAsgU/pqlTD9hrK4IH55gLt9efGtqurwDdVI2owCLcB/s640/7EasterParadeDebraRapoport041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8322x.jpg" width="357" /></a></div>
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M&M! Marja Samson and Martina Deitrich joined us on East 50th Street, along with Marja's pug, Bibichibi.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sf-LZaT8Msc/WQY0FmyQewI/AAAAAAAAsgY/WLHN_hD7X3s1z0A6QKeELOecmnsRapyWACLcB/s1600/8EasterParadeMarjaSamsomMartinaDeitrich041617IdiosyncraticFashionistastIMG_8293%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sf-LZaT8Msc/WQY0FmyQewI/AAAAAAAAsgY/WLHN_hD7X3s1z0A6QKeELOecmnsRapyWACLcB/s640/8EasterParadeMarjaSamsomMartinaDeitrich041617IdiosyncraticFashionistastIMG_8293%2Bcopy.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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Zondra Foxx opted for fishnets, mini-skirt, off-the-shoulder top and a blue-black bouffant wig for the occasion. Jean wore the black and white IF (Idiosyncratic Fashionistas) necklace and pin -- on her Ignatius hat -- which were designed and made by Zondra.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ihi5YLGLxXA/WQY0VKiA5TI/AAAAAAAAsgc/gbN189QkqUkHdLI039TWD2gPOjDnC8w2wCLcB/s1600/9EasterParadeZondraFoxx%2526Jean041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8319x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ihi5YLGLxXA/WQY0VKiA5TI/AAAAAAAAsgc/gbN189QkqUkHdLI039TWD2gPOjDnC8w2wCLcB/s640/9EasterParadeZondraFoxx%2526Jean041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8319x.jpg" width="418" /></a></div>
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This woman had her own unique take on headwear.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CJfKG0eGDqU/WQaA_IckOyI/AAAAAAAAsho/vXvwhi-HNsI37mPIJJhebn3VwyGWXQCyACLcB/s1600/woman%2Bwith%2Bhuge%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CJfKG0eGDqU/WQaA_IckOyI/AAAAAAAAsho/vXvwhi-HNsI37mPIJJhebn3VwyGWXQCyACLcB/s640/woman%2Bwith%2Bhuge%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0940.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
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Quite a few people made political statements. Here's one:<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QErnzCgD6dQ/WQaBUwQhYoI/AAAAAAAAshs/dPvzRgqhaTsUFFHoiSdIpiWtpFnaQGC7gCLcB/s1600/woman%2Bwith%2Bhot%2Bair%2Bballoon%2BIMG_0947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QErnzCgD6dQ/WQaBUwQhYoI/AAAAAAAAshs/dPvzRgqhaTsUFFHoiSdIpiWtpFnaQGC7gCLcB/s640/woman%2Bwith%2Bhot%2Bair%2Bballoon%2BIMG_0947.jpg" width="354" /></a></div>
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In our Instagram feed, we showed "twins" in polka dots; here's another pair of colorfully - almost psychedelically dressed - "twins", in this case, mother and daughter.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3gikHWCYlLs/WQaBuHZcb3I/AAAAAAAAshw/4CqWHK2ji_gNfyMqNzbUdBV53ayFSk2cwCLcB/s1600/twins%2Bin%2Bveiled%2Bwhite%2Btop%2Bhats%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3gikHWCYlLs/WQaBuHZcb3I/AAAAAAAAshw/4CqWHK2ji_gNfyMqNzbUdBV53ayFSk2cwCLcB/s640/twins%2Bin%2Bveiled%2Bwhite%2Btop%2Bhats%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0957.jpg" width="378" /></a></div>
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Suzi Redhead was among the first people we ran into. GREAT costume!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t1NvZAZv4Wk/WQaCeuyWD9I/AAAAAAAAsh4/5EFGkJqL8nY4kAFMdu5uffPy_AVeDQp7QCLcB/s1600/Suzi%2BRedhead%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t1NvZAZv4Wk/WQaCeuyWD9I/AAAAAAAAsh4/5EFGkJqL8nY4kAFMdu5uffPy_AVeDQp7QCLcB/s640/Suzi%2BRedhead%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0942.jpg" width="332" /></a></div>
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Here's her calling card:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TLbz-84kXL0/WQaCwE9b0mI/AAAAAAAAsiA/Q2gWKB8hZQcj59gH71MjBxI1cj57ziLdwCLcB/s1600/Suzi.Redhead%2Bcalling%2Bcrayon%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_1151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TLbz-84kXL0/WQaCwE9b0mI/AAAAAAAAsiA/Q2gWKB8hZQcj59gH71MjBxI1cj57ziLdwCLcB/s320/Suzi.Redhead%2Bcalling%2Bcrayon%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_1151.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This young woman wore a green dress and hat from the '50s.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KiV2JI6mrXM/WQaD9Achg2I/AAAAAAAAsiQ/jx4qqOqSsosnm2zQ9sI64sIeewEyEU4SgCLcB/s1600/woman%2Bin%2Bgreen%2B50s%2Boutfit%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KiV2JI6mrXM/WQaD9Achg2I/AAAAAAAAsiQ/jx4qqOqSsosnm2zQ9sI64sIeewEyEU4SgCLcB/s640/woman%2Bin%2Bgreen%2B50s%2Boutfit%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0956.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>
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This woman loves everything green.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8VaE_hbU9s/WQaETqkPG2I/AAAAAAAAsiU/nh8ZE_OGddUQkxevpIqv80wO9XmqRTNNwCLcB/s1600/woman%2Bin%2Bshades%2Bof%2Bgreen%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_1012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8VaE_hbU9s/WQaETqkPG2I/AAAAAAAAsiU/nh8ZE_OGddUQkxevpIqv80wO9XmqRTNNwCLcB/s640/woman%2Bin%2Bshades%2Bof%2Bgreen%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_1012.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Loved this paradegoer's ensemble. When she put her jacket on, it looked like she was wearing a completely different outfit.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WscQ-kl923s/WQaFCsIc3RI/AAAAAAAAsic/SabzXUrChiIZ9N_tDTgz7zOB6OwE8Jl0wCLcB/s1600/woman%2Bin%2Bdiagonal%2Bstripes%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WscQ-kl923s/WQaFCsIc3RI/AAAAAAAAsic/SabzXUrChiIZ9N_tDTgz7zOB6OwE8Jl0wCLcB/s640/woman%2Bin%2Bdiagonal%2Bstripes%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0962.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
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Our friend Lydia, her husband and two children.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fm4e7p-aD5k/WQaIHbTi_9I/AAAAAAAAsi8/Zmgjl6r6cpsE5s8mZf0_63HTeAegySeqgCLcB/s1600/Lydia%252C%2Bhusband%252C%2Bdaughters%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fm4e7p-aD5k/WQaIHbTi_9I/AAAAAAAAsi8/Zmgjl6r6cpsE5s8mZf0_63HTeAegySeqgCLcB/s640/Lydia%252C%2Bhusband%252C%2Bdaughters%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0964.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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This woman wears her own artfully hand made gorgeous huge pink paper flower hat.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EFkajvZv0Qg/WQaFo3ubITI/AAAAAAAAsik/w3mLn_CsTJQT_TGDApAxduXlG2yfN3ADQCLcB/s1600/woman%2Bin%2Bhand%2Bmade%2Bpink%2Bpaper%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EFkajvZv0Qg/WQaFo3ubITI/AAAAAAAAsik/w3mLn_CsTJQT_TGDApAxduXlG2yfN3ADQCLcB/s640/woman%2Bin%2Bhand%2Bmade%2Bpink%2Bpaper%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0982.jpg" width="378" /></a></div>
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A really good photographer would have taken this woman's picture against a better background. But people disappear into crowds so easily, one has to seize opportunities when they arise.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mv_R4a-5ZZU/WQaGEWKeFXI/AAAAAAAAsio/7qppQyA27QI3tbRrUrziKzQvyiNEbY-IACLcB/s1600/petite%2Bwoman%2Bw%2Bwide%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mv_R4a-5ZZU/WQaGEWKeFXI/AAAAAAAAsio/7qppQyA27QI3tbRrUrziKzQvyiNEbY-IACLcB/s640/petite%2Bwoman%2Bw%2Bwide%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_0958.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>
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We had run into Tallulah a few weeks ago at the Manhattan Vintage Show, where she said she was opening <a href="https://www.hellotallulah.com/">her own vintage shop in San Antonio</a>. Funny how, in a city of eight million people, you can still come across someone you know.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uGfFxWkLGwQ/WQaHiYQv5hI/AAAAAAAAsi0/aB_QSu43KM0oW4cZVpYy9sYjfd70a69YgCLcB/s1600/Tallulah%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_1041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uGfFxWkLGwQ/WQaHiYQv5hI/AAAAAAAAsi0/aB_QSu43KM0oW4cZVpYy9sYjfd70a69YgCLcB/s640/Tallulah%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_1041.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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We looked up and down and high and low for Elaine and her husband Steve at the parade without success, so we were thrilled when they tracked us down at our post-parade hangout, The Modern, for our traditional post-parade cocktails! Elaine's theme for her hand-painted hat was the Q train and the new East Side subway line whose stations feature skylights and airy, open stations with art-covered walls. At the left is Shiho, who joined us in an earlier parade a few years ago, and caught the eye of our beloved Bill Cunningham.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLlmKlh-kms/WQY0WLox0XI/AAAAAAAAsgg/V6afEx83ZfQQhYBemQJ-BY2QIWrPmARugCLcB/s1600/10EasterParadeTheModernShihoValerieElaineJeanSteve041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8396x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLlmKlh-kms/WQY0WLox0XI/AAAAAAAAsgg/V6afEx83ZfQQhYBemQJ-BY2QIWrPmARugCLcB/s400/10EasterParadeTheModernShihoValerieElaineJeanSteve041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8396x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We took photos at the rear of the restaurant against the large photo of the great outdoors. It was a great backdrop for showing off our graphic outfits. (Ahem. Once again, Valerie's two-tone shoes were cut out of the picture!)<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-92LwCfwsxkM/WQY0XJ8afAI/AAAAAAAAsgk/MDkMULZXhxsSQjhRG0h9vTg0LwLCQjuqwCLcB/s1600/11EasterParadeTheModernJean%2526Valerie041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8414X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-92LwCfwsxkM/WQY0XJ8afAI/AAAAAAAAsgk/MDkMULZXhxsSQjhRG0h9vTg0LwLCQjuqwCLcB/s640/11EasterParadeTheModernJean%2526Valerie041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8414X.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>
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As she and her companion were leaving The Modern, Mary Anna Smith - aka The Tipsy Topper - stopped for a photo of her Easter basket bonnet and his Magritte-inspired top hat.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s0WIyHgvu7Q/WQY0oelZdrI/AAAAAAAAsgo/x77QZTbTYn4UEvV9RSkbWhgo3HcPF-B-ACLcB/s1600/12EasterParadeTheModernMagritteTophat%2526TipsyTopper041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8401X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s0WIyHgvu7Q/WQY0oelZdrI/AAAAAAAAsgo/x77QZTbTYn4UEvV9RSkbWhgo3HcPF-B-ACLcB/s640/12EasterParadeTheModernMagritteTophat%2526TipsyTopper041617IdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_8401X.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
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Rogue's Gallery: Valerie, Steve, Shiho, Elaine and Jean took our waiter up on his offer to shoot a group portrait.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_0MBp3E4yV8/WQY0phQT8HI/AAAAAAAAsgs/lmpgoAtVICAKTDXJq3CFnjST2vPpkmDPQCLcB/s1600/13EasterParadeTheModernValerieSteveShihoElaineJean041617IMG_8410X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_0MBp3E4yV8/WQY0phQT8HI/AAAAAAAAsgs/lmpgoAtVICAKTDXJq3CFnjST2vPpkmDPQCLcB/s400/13EasterParadeTheModernValerieSteveShihoElaineJean041617IMG_8410X.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Until next year ...<br />
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<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-71344625563533354182017-02-13T22:00:00.002-08:002017-02-13T22:00:11.186-08:00THE FABULOUS CHROMAT SHOW AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mrGW_ylO-Ok/WKJ21w4xTGI/AAAAAAAAsVU/ER4YFIhbZ1YU4hp4egdHd_pd2KDIwdpdACLcB/s1600/Chromat%2BShow%2BFashion%2BWeek%2B2-10-17%2B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mrGW_ylO-Ok/WKJ21w4xTGI/AAAAAAAAsVU/ER4YFIhbZ1YU4hp4egdHd_pd2KDIwdpdACLcB/s640/Chromat%2BShow%2BFashion%2BWeek%2B2-10-17%2B.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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New York Fashion Week is <i>finally </i>here! We both wanted to wear something dazzling to the Chromat runway event. They put on such a show for us, it's only fair to return the favor. But the day before there had been a huge snow storm with accumulations over ten inches and all bets were off, at least for us. Some brave souls brazened it out, but we feared the cold, the splashes of slush from passing taxis, the soggy shoes from unexpected puddles, and the semipermanent white salt rings that appear across the toes of one's shoes once the shoes finally dry. Luckily, we rallied at the last minute, since we ended up in (ahem) front-row seats. And, once again, with no prior consultation, we showed up in color coordinated outfits.<br />
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Weather or no, it's always a pleasure (to put it mildly) to see what treats Chromat has in store for us during Fashion Week. One always knows to expect something eye-popping, although one never knows what form it's going to take. Titled <i>Buoyancy</i>, the Autumn/Winter 2017 collection is inspired by "life vests and floatation devices designed for extended survival in rough, open water"! This season, we were treated, for starters, to an energetic and eye popping introduction, which we have videotaped for you in its entirety here.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="180" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/blG9trCtEYY?ecver=1" width="320"></iframe><br />
For those of you who'd like to see it full size (much preferable), click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=blG9trCtEYY&video_referrer=watch">here</a>.<br />
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One of designer Becca McCharen's themes for this show was inflatables/puffers. We wanted to get to inspect them close up, since they were such an inspired choice. The design team collaborated with innovative outdoor company Klymit to design inflatable garments that aid with internal buoyancy and help the wearer stay afloat and protected. Brilliant, because everyone these days wants to feel protected, right?<br />
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Of course we had to show you the puffer hat, paired with the very feminine, demure little dress.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVxaMZSklD8/WKJ48JFjObI/AAAAAAAAsVg/s3jUBsD8uWY8JzJwCgkEq3y5lxOBCyRxwCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bpuffer%2Bhat%2Bw%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVxaMZSklD8/WKJ48JFjObI/AAAAAAAAsVg/s3jUBsD8uWY8JzJwCgkEq3y5lxOBCyRxwCLcB/s640/Chromat%2Bpuffer%2Bhat%2Bw%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="384" /></a></div>
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One of the most amusing dresses takes a hint from Rei Kawakubo, putting sleeves where you least expect them. But you could also say there's a hint of the pannier dresses from the French court of the 18th century.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JrQRp7pkT-Q/WKJ5aOP5efI/AAAAAAAAsVk/VCuktEvrv94WGzq5fVxhznoQEsr2aqNiACLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bcream%2Bsatin%2Bdress%2Bw%2Bsleeves%2Bat%2Bhips%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JrQRp7pkT-Q/WKJ5aOP5efI/AAAAAAAAsVk/VCuktEvrv94WGzq5fVxhznoQEsr2aqNiACLcB/s640/Chromat%2Bcream%2Bsatin%2Bdress%2Bw%2Bsleeves%2Bat%2Bhips%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="336" /></a></div>
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Becca is known for dressing models of all sizes and giving them carte blanche to express their sexuality on the runway. When the plus size models came down the catwalk, the crowd burst into applause.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i_hGwGwu5to/WKJ6Q8fxYII/AAAAAAAAsV4/AOpZyOzYjqM_GCMlmrXfn-P-j6288DVWgCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Btransparent%2Bdress%2Bw%2Bwhite%2Bcollar%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i_hGwGwu5to/WKJ6Q8fxYII/AAAAAAAAsV4/AOpZyOzYjqM_GCMlmrXfn-P-j6288DVWgCLcB/s640/Chromat%2Btransparent%2Bdress%2Bw%2Bwhite%2Bcollar%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="296" /></a></div>
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There was also a man on the catwalk. Becca put him in a marvelous dress.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uzX7wU_hj_Y/WKJ6tJbN7WI/AAAAAAAAsV8/VS8veWRYBAQCMH2TN6PXycwK8UyWeL4QQCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bman%2527s%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uzX7wU_hj_Y/WKJ6tJbN7WI/AAAAAAAAsV8/VS8veWRYBAQCMH2TN6PXycwK8UyWeL4QQCLcB/s640/Chromat%2Bman%2527s%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="274" /></a></div>
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The trench coat never goes away. Below is the Chromat version. Becca's models are always styled in an edgy manner. This time, many of the models strutted down the catwalk with slim chains dangling from their mouths, septum rings or other face jewelry.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LQbR-pRm6aU/WKJ8FLI6grI/AAAAAAAAsWM/LKdnKswfKlsVgm4BFsajLMYyYBEz_4TnQCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bstyle%2Bolive%2Btrench%2Bcoat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LQbR-pRm6aU/WKJ8FLI6grI/AAAAAAAAsWM/LKdnKswfKlsVgm4BFsajLMYyYBEz_4TnQCLcB/s640/Chromat%2Bstyle%2Bolive%2Btrench%2Bcoat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas.png" width="328" /></a></div>
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Becca showed the puffer/inflatable concept in several different iterations. Here's a sleeveless puffer shirt paired with the most feminine cargo style pants ever.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FM9DkKXwL-E/WKJ7TkJX8II/AAAAAAAAsWE/tX2-KhmZLQgn-iLo0wPyEI3fZjLJxfEfwCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bolive%2Bpuffer%2Btop%252C%2Bpants%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FM9DkKXwL-E/WKJ7TkJX8II/AAAAAAAAsWE/tX2-KhmZLQgn-iLo0wPyEI3fZjLJxfEfwCLcB/s640/Chromat%2Bolive%2Bpuffer%2Btop%252C%2Bpants%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="300" /></a></div>
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We've seen Becca do a very narrow color palette (black, white, red), but she doesn't shy away from bold color. Here, an apple green vest over a pale green zippered swim suit with knee length green rubber boots -- with wedge heels.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9lGJgbbOTk/WKJ8t8kqSVI/AAAAAAAAsWU/6Vhj-FqOa2gK-gHw40_ZD2r5P3FAhd-DACLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bapple%2Bgreen%2Bpuffer%2Bvest%252C%2Bswim%2Bsuit%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9lGJgbbOTk/WKJ8t8kqSVI/AAAAAAAAsWU/6Vhj-FqOa2gK-gHw40_ZD2r5P3FAhd-DACLcB/s640/Chromat%2Bapple%2Bgreen%2Bpuffer%2Bvest%252C%2Bswim%2Bsuit%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="296" /></a></div>
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In a similar color scheme, a puffer jacket. Don't the models have the most amazing legs? They appear to be oiled for emphasis. It works!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Jtjnp92Wms/WKJ9TemK0XI/AAAAAAAAsWk/fmYOBH48xPcYWH_7Ngbbwe3X0FGcr_x6gCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bapple%2Bgreen%2Bpuffer%2Bjacket%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Jtjnp92Wms/WKJ9TemK0XI/AAAAAAAAsWk/fmYOBH48xPcYWH_7Ngbbwe3X0FGcr_x6gCLcB/s640/Chromat%2Bapple%2Bgreen%2Bpuffer%2Bjacket%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="294" /></a></div>
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Another puffer coat. Slightly more conservative in color; equally outrageous in design. If you didn't know better, you'd think it was down-filled.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EgWe-ytYsas/WKJ-Dlb-8HI/AAAAAAAAsWs/CJ-3BB5gqJYBM8CPibqA3fUVvOoEOmQpgCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bdark%2Bpuffer%2Bcoat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EgWe-ytYsas/WKJ-Dlb-8HI/AAAAAAAAsWs/CJ-3BB5gqJYBM8CPibqA3fUVvOoEOmQpgCLcB/s640/Chromat%2Bdark%2Bpuffer%2Bcoat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="394" /></a></div>
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Toward the end of the show, this dazzling white vision came floating down the runway, and one could be forgiven for thinking that Becca had done a traditional (well, not so traditional) bridal gown for the finale. Instead, it almost seemed as though she had re-imagined Gary Cooper as a woman in the old movie about French Legionnaire Beau Geste. (You young ones look it up on Wikipedia, or watch it on YouTube.)<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PyezyQPeExE/WKJ-kHmiIxI/AAAAAAAAsW0/24ZdjEia-dwdxmCAEiEuEHxir7BfXGLaACLcB/s1600/Chromat%2BFrench%2BLegionnaire%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PyezyQPeExE/WKJ-kHmiIxI/AAAAAAAAsW0/24ZdjEia-dwdxmCAEiEuEHxir7BfXGLaACLcB/s640/Chromat%2BFrench%2BLegionnaire%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas.png" width="330" /></a></div>
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But Becca wasn't done with us yet. For the finale, she presented a bright red puffer dress with cutouts.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yV73sk2u_vI/WKJ_7m_SpBI/AAAAAAAAsXE/BsTER84SPG0n_d_QPIPVswo6rHhf8sBKgCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bred%2Bpuffer%2Bdress%2Bw%2Bcutouts%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yV73sk2u_vI/WKJ_7m_SpBI/AAAAAAAAsXE/BsTER84SPG0n_d_QPIPVswo6rHhf8sBKgCLcB/s640/Chromat%2Bred%2Bpuffer%2Bdress%2Bw%2Bcutouts%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="334" /></a></div>
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Think you know what the back looks like? You don't.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-id09fWdz22U/WKKASKwZh6I/AAAAAAAAsXI/tRTfZv1I610I8sBqZulYOT9UlbaStfsPQCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2B%2Bback%2Bof%2Bred%2Bpuffer%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-id09fWdz22U/WKKASKwZh6I/AAAAAAAAsXI/tRTfZv1I610I8sBqZulYOT9UlbaStfsPQCLcB/s640/Chromat%2B%2Bback%2Bof%2Bred%2Bpuffer%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.png" width="356" /></a></div>
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Would you like to see all the models parading at the end? Check them out!<br />
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As before, if you'd like to see it full size, click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=bc2TyD96OIY&feature=vm">here</a>.<br />
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Now, for those of you who'd like to see some of the attendees, we're happy to oblige. The woman on the left is wearing a Chromat cage.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aB9J4d7IhlA/WKKC8-js0LI/AAAAAAAAsXg/ncYIyAwfs3YPhRYXI-ncrRJOcUCjf3uDgCLcB/s1600/woman%2Bin%2BChromat%2Bcage%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aB9J4d7IhlA/WKKC8-js0LI/AAAAAAAAsXg/ncYIyAwfs3YPhRYXI-ncrRJOcUCjf3uDgCLcB/s640/woman%2Bin%2BChromat%2Bcage%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6397.jpg" width="392" /></a></div>
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Loved these women. And look at the bright lights around their shoes.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-II8e1OzCyWk/WKKDwzHx_DI/AAAAAAAAsXs/O5IfheYVaeIs-2Ays4eHYV1njAHPjZ0zgCLcB/s1600/women%2Bon%2Bpurple%2Bbackground%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B%2BIMG_6400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-II8e1OzCyWk/WKKDwzHx_DI/AAAAAAAAsXs/O5IfheYVaeIs-2Ays4eHYV1njAHPjZ0zgCLcB/s640/women%2Bon%2Bpurple%2Bbackground%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B%2BIMG_6400.jpg" width="406" /></a></div>
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More fans.<br />
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Some Chromat fans signal their allegiance by cutting their bangs short, Becca-style.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WzIwOXZ0LtE/WKKFFLejG0I/AAAAAAAAsX4/MRjE3xB2JHYbcD2vzfgdY9dNrtruEyBrwCLcB/s1600/Chromat%2Bfans%2Bwith%2Bshort%2Bbangs%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WzIwOXZ0LtE/WKKFFLejG0I/AAAAAAAAsX4/MRjE3xB2JHYbcD2vzfgdY9dNrtruEyBrwCLcB/s400/Chromat%2Bfans%2Bwith%2Bshort%2Bbangs%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6403.jpg" width="330" /></a></div>
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It isn't fashion week without Lynn Yaeger and we were not disappointed. We were seated across the aisle from Lynn, who never disappoints. Her one concession to the weather - big, warm boots.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VAbahOXfjzQ/WKKJGbUf1MI/AAAAAAAAsYU/vU3NO5tF3AAbqAz2RnL0a126uEFL2QPzgCLcB/s1600/LynnYaegerChromatNYFW2017IdiosyncraticFashionistas021017IMG_6671x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VAbahOXfjzQ/WKKJGbUf1MI/AAAAAAAAsYU/vU3NO5tF3AAbqAz2RnL0a126uEFL2QPzgCLcB/s640/LynnYaegerChromatNYFW2017IdiosyncraticFashionistas021017IMG_6671x.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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Seated next to us was TV star Camren Bicondova who plays Cat Girl on Gotham - Jean's favorite character. At the end of runway show, Jean approached her in full fan mode and Camren couldn't have been sweeter. She has the most amazing wide set eyes. Check out the show.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R1llbglsxaU/WKKMGbx59AI/AAAAAAAAsYg/Jlu2O7joB94neAbvMXLs2eI2Kfyj18hxwCLcB/s1600/ChromatNYFW2017CamrenBicondovaCatGirlIdiosyncraticFashionstas021017IMG_6760x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R1llbglsxaU/WKKMGbx59AI/AAAAAAAAsYg/Jlu2O7joB94neAbvMXLs2eI2Kfyj18hxwCLcB/s640/ChromatNYFW2017CamrenBicondovaCatGirlIdiosyncraticFashionstas021017IMG_6760x.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
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One of our faves at fashion week events is photographer Andrew Werner. He's like the hardest working man in rock and roll - at every show. looking calm, composed and dapper, with his signature collection of lapel pins. And he has a wicked sense of humor!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LOSa8JVF7pA/WKKNCDKeHOI/AAAAAAAAsYw/8Op_kLwSMR4nrgxcuWPUtRdRpPyPYGJgACLcB/s1600/ChromatNYFW2017AndrewWernerIdiosyncraticFashionistas021017IMG_6681x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LOSa8JVF7pA/WKKNCDKeHOI/AAAAAAAAsYw/8Op_kLwSMR4nrgxcuWPUtRdRpPyPYGJgACLcB/s640/ChromatNYFW2017AndrewWernerIdiosyncraticFashionistas021017IMG_6681x.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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In the spirit of saving the best for last, here's one of the more creative fashion week outfits - head to toe white faux fur! Yeti-man gets extra points because his fur was spotless and in NYC, that is no small feat. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X5C0iGATvp4/WKKNJjd7Z4I/AAAAAAAAsY0/x5uFznYJUvsSoV5LjaPn3J3kbr4pe2iAwCLcB/s1600/ChromatNYFW2017YetiIdiosyncraticFashionistas021017IMG_6680x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X5C0iGATvp4/WKKNJjd7Z4I/AAAAAAAAsY0/x5uFznYJUvsSoV5LjaPn3J3kbr4pe2iAwCLcB/s640/ChromatNYFW2017YetiIdiosyncraticFashionistas021017IMG_6680x.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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We're back and we're bad. Stay tuned for more fashion week escapades.Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-5003541613410754412016-12-25T09:33:00.003-08:002016-12-26T17:00:41.772-08:00MASTERWORKS: UNPACKING FASHION at The Costume Institute<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mxhhDdXWfN4/WFnm59Mg0xI/AAAAAAAAsL4/XZjjRSZruaUHOo3MFw3HGX1hN1IaT7ExQCLcB/s1600/Valerie%2Bat%2BUnpacking%2BFashion%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mxhhDdXWfN4/WFnm59Mg0xI/AAAAAAAAsL4/XZjjRSZruaUHOo3MFw3HGX1hN1IaT7ExQCLcB/s640/Valerie%2Bat%2BUnpacking%2BFashion%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5959.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
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Valerie says: Recently, while Jean was working much too hard and I was nursing a broken wrist (see Exhibit A, above, a cast swaddled in a cartoon stocking), I had the opportunity to attend the Metropolitan Museum of Art's current treasure of a costume show, <b><i>Masterworks: Unpacking Fashion</i></b>. By now the world is accustomed to one blockbuster after another at the Met's Costume Institute - starting several years ago with the Alexander McQueen retrospective, followed by the Punk show, the China show, and this year by the Manus ex Machina exhibition. <b><i>Masterworks</i></b>, by contrast, is a wonderful small show. Even at a leisurely pace, the whole thing can probably be savored in an hour or less. But going to see <b><i>Masterworks</i></b> is like taking an amphetamine - it's a powerful punch packed into a tiny package and sends the mind racing in new directions.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3svzcaqw1Go/WFntuYJqP4I/AAAAAAAAsMI/wwmShaUdQYMSq6qeejjUDBvlBCzabfiYwCLcB/s1600/Andrew%2BBolton%2B11-16%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3svzcaqw1Go/WFntuYJqP4I/AAAAAAAAsMI/wwmShaUdQYMSq6qeejjUDBvlBCzabfiYwCLcB/s640/Andrew%2BBolton%2B11-16%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5936.jpg" width="412" /></a></div>
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Andrew Bolton, Head Curator of the Costume Institute (above, in fashionably tight short trousers and skinny tie, and repeated in someone's cell phone), explained that the Institute had revised its collection strategy, and instead of aiming for an "encyclopedic" collection covering everything, the Museum would instead purchase "iconic" pieces embodying "costume as a living art". The current show was conceived as an opportunity to showcase acquisitions of the past 10 years. It covers over 200 years of the best of fashion, although most of the works on display are from the 20th century and represent a Who's Who of the best known, most respected, most innovative designers, from Worth at the close of the 19th century to Iris van Herpen at the beginning of the 21st. A number of these were donated by the designers in honor of Harold Koda, who retired as Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute in January of this year.<br />
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It would be nice if I could show you everything, but I'm just going to show you my favorites and leave you begging for more<b><span style="font-size: large;">*</span></b>.<br />
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In the opening photo, I'm standing in front of two bustiers, the one on the left by Yohji Yamamoto; the one on the right by Issey Miyake. They look small because I'm several feet away from them, but they are big, bold, and irresistible. Many of you have seen the molded resin Miyake bustier on Grace Jones. The Yohji bustier has rows of external ribs that rise provocatively at the breast, and hug the body sensuously at the torso. A few of those ribs are clearly visible in the photo. <br />
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The show itself opens with this dress by Viktor & Rolf.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oz_M0XY9pZk/WF_9grcy79I/AAAAAAAAsPU/nZP5SqOS_NcJCd7W-I1Vqrnex8DOeYhFwCLcB/s1600/Viktor%2B%2526%2BRolf%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oz_M0XY9pZk/WF_9grcy79I/AAAAAAAAsPU/nZP5SqOS_NcJCd7W-I1Vqrnex8DOeYhFwCLcB/s400/Viktor%2B%2526%2BRolf%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5995.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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It's the perfect dress to set the tone for the rest of the show, calling into question what you see, what you think you see, and the very nature of the dressmaker's art. While based on a traditional dress from a conservative period, the missing center section not only makes the dress new, it adds a sense of humor, and begs the question <b><i>how did they do that?!</i></b><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nSor3MDfYNI/WFn07peGdBI/AAAAAAAAsMY/TBVP6wPWzyw9wI0kR_CnfKZeaH-jF6gAwCLcB/s1600/Adrian%2B-%2BThe%2BWomen%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nSor3MDfYNI/WFn07peGdBI/AAAAAAAAsMY/TBVP6wPWzyw9wI0kR_CnfKZeaH-jF6gAwCLcB/s640/Adrian%2B-%2BThe%2BWomen%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5933.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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This 1947 evening dress, designed by Adrian, dressmaker to the Hollywood stars, features a surrealist motif designed by Salvador Dali.<br />
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I fell in love with this huge-shouldered jacket by Alexander McQueen. The accompanying label notes that the birds were hand-painted onto the fabric. The white dots you see are reflections of the lights in the glass.<br />
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In this dress, Sarah Burton, who succeeded Alexander McQueen following his untimely death, continues his obsession for extravagance using what appear to be countless butterfly wings as the dress's primary fabric.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hHUdQavNmLY/WFn9a_Iri0I/AAAAAAAAsMw/rzl0iSbcgOIYaRLU4uDQMRg2wZzERNzUACLcB/s1600/McQueen%2Bbutterfly%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hHUdQavNmLY/WFn9a_Iri0I/AAAAAAAAsMw/rzl0iSbcgOIYaRLU4uDQMRg2wZzERNzUACLcB/s640/McQueen%2Bbutterfly%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5943.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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In fact, however, the label reads that the "hundreds of trompe l'oeil wings that veneer the textile ground are composed of meticulously cut, dyed and painted feathers, applied by hand..." Below, a detail shot.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dv6DnHxjd4s/WFn-Bpc6HVI/AAAAAAAAsM0/kfK0sBQPeSYjGlxhqRqioDo7vsr6pbS3wCLcB/s1600/McQueen%2Bbutterfly%2Bdress%2Bdetail%2BIMG_5944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dv6DnHxjd4s/WFn-Bpc6HVI/AAAAAAAAsM0/kfK0sBQPeSYjGlxhqRqioDo7vsr6pbS3wCLcB/s320/McQueen%2Bbutterfly%2Bdress%2Bdetail%2BIMG_5944.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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You could be forgiven for thinking the black and white sheath below was a Charles James dress. It has the same body-hugging hourglass figure of a Charles James, and the same wonderful pooling of fabric at the feet. But no, this is Azzedine Alaia who, it turns out, was a James admirer. A careful look at the dress reveals that the dress is composed of rows of sumptuous chenille interspersed with flat knit. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4gSZu5qz5U0/WFsw9UqHdsI/AAAAAAAAsNE/XjdejbLbm500SVGcUkQ92wI5er6gHGPEQCLcB/s1600/Azzedine%2BAlaia%2BIMG_6065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4gSZu5qz5U0/WFsw9UqHdsI/AAAAAAAAsNE/XjdejbLbm500SVGcUkQ92wI5er6gHGPEQCLcB/s640/Azzedine%2BAlaia%2BIMG_6065.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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For most of us, most of the time, there is an unwritten understanding that fashion must be practical. It mustn't weigh more than the wearer can support; it mustn't be too large to enter a doorway; it must be cleanable; it mustn't impede movement... And yet someone is always breaking one of those rules. Here is Yamamoto's wood laminate dress with hinges. The skeptic in me asks <i>how would you sit in this dress? how could you seduce, or be seduced, in this dress?</i> But the gadfly in me loves the cubist look of the wood panels and the use of hinges to replace folds. One could almost imagine it among the costumes of Russian revolutionary theater, worn by someone too busy to be seated or comfortable.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c39Glbmuk90/WFs1XFseGPI/AAAAAAAAsNQ/QSeIE4wl0NgCKMuozoDVyVCW_zrHTJsegCLcB/s1600/Yamamoto%2Bwood%2Bdress%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c39Glbmuk90/WFs1XFseGPI/AAAAAAAAsNQ/QSeIE4wl0NgCKMuozoDVyVCW_zrHTJsegCLcB/s640/Yamamoto%2Bwood%2Bdress%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6038.jpg" width="336" /></a></div>
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Another Japanese designer who constantly tests the limits of definitions of dress is Rei Kawakubo. Because this marvelous abstract creation in wool-nylon flannel, patent leather, polyester georgette and cotton lawn is difficult to comprehend on the headless mannequin, scroll down to see how it looked on the model who wore it on the catwalk.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U5YrHUo9DXA/WFs4cywlXlI/AAAAAAAAsNc/4R3yqMkqj1UwRUXfg-XrzIxzsNcCYhDpgCLcB/s1600/CDG%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U5YrHUo9DXA/WFs4cywlXlI/AAAAAAAAsNc/4R3yqMkqj1UwRUXfg-XrzIxzsNcCYhDpgCLcB/s400/CDG%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5955.jpg" width="331" /></a></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UEnSoXk9aQQ/WFs6A2D3IMI/AAAAAAAAsNk/yNSNu4_8fas8AncD6u1Bm6qoOjj9HR9VACLcB/s1600/CDG%2Bdress%2Bon%2Bmodel%2B12-masterworks-met-slideshow%2Bvogue.com.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UEnSoXk9aQQ/WFs6A2D3IMI/AAAAAAAAsNk/yNSNu4_8fas8AncD6u1Bm6qoOjj9HR9VACLcB/s400/CDG%2Bdress%2Bon%2Bmodel%2B12-masterworks-met-slideshow%2Bvogue.com.jpeg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo Vogue.com</td></tr>
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John Galliano for Maison Margiela did a marvelous coatdress which combined the old fashioned concepts of drama and romance with very new material. The coat, made of "artisanal pale purple polyester warp knit" has the airy light foamy look of neoprene, and is set off with the obi-like "dark blue-purple cotton plain weave" structure in the back. Next to it, unseen here, is a similar Balenciaga creation, juxtaposed so the viewer can compare the two designers' visions.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jQNSueaAnaU/WFs7eSJZhhI/AAAAAAAAsNs/hVsNopnbBr0LzvP3N2JztqL9nv26F8ulgCLcB/s1600/Maison%2BMargiela%2Bby%2BJohn%2BGalliano%2Bcoat%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jQNSueaAnaU/WFs7eSJZhhI/AAAAAAAAsNs/hVsNopnbBr0LzvP3N2JztqL9nv26F8ulgCLcB/s640/Maison%2BMargiela%2Bby%2BJohn%2BGalliano%2Bcoat%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5988.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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Two cheeky dresses by Hussein Chalayan stand side by side. Right, his airmail dress, made of Tyvek and, as visible from the photograph, foldable into a small envelope when not in use. Originally conceived when Chalayan was still a student at Central St. Martins, the dress was once available at the Victoria and Albert for <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">£</span>170. At left, a design made for the resurrected House of Vionnet.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7LmqIAprmzk/WF_kYH78uPI/AAAAAAAAsOI/HGwasRoK2mkPQbR_E--L-Y1rbQvuiQ3wgCLcB/s1600/Chalayan-Vionnet%2Bleft%253B%2BChalayan%2B-%2Bright%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7LmqIAprmzk/WF_kYH78uPI/AAAAAAAAsOI/HGwasRoK2mkPQbR_E--L-Y1rbQvuiQ3wgCLcB/s640/Chalayan-Vionnet%2Bleft%253B%2BChalayan%2B-%2Bright%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_6061.jpg" width="401" /></a></div>
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This close-up of the dress shows that Chalayan based the design on drafting paper, even incorporating cutting lines for a pattern into the dress. Note that the small Xs printed on the dress have been embroidered over, as a further dressmaker's inside joke, along the thigh.<br />
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Thom Browne contributed two suits which, from a distance, appear to be printed fabric, but are in fact painstakingly cut and pieced together.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BWHyhR_q_4/WF_q2qZFxMI/AAAAAAAAsOo/PXQs_kFrDD4IWJuiHonMJq2VvRBg68amACLcB/s1600/Thom%2BBrowne%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2BWHyhR_q_4/WF_q2qZFxMI/AAAAAAAAsOo/PXQs_kFrDD4IWJuiHonMJq2VvRBg68amACLcB/s640/Thom%2BBrowne%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5962.jpg" width="380" /></a></div>
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The exhibition includes an intriguing piece by Iris van Herpen in "black cotton tulle and silk satin, embroidered with strips of black PVC". Unfortunately shown on a headless, torso-less mannequin, it can be a bit difficult to comprehend, so below is a photo by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue.com, which shows off Iris's design to full advantage.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BfNx-etbaYg/WF_v3S45tcI/AAAAAAAAsO4/uKFS4VMdbqEh8fazK1KjgcMtxY2MJoc2gCLcB/s1600/Met%2B-%2BIris%2Bvan%2BHerpen%2B-%2BVogue.com%252C%2BAnnie%2BLeibovitz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BfNx-etbaYg/WF_v3S45tcI/AAAAAAAAsO4/uKFS4VMdbqEh8fazK1KjgcMtxY2MJoc2gCLcB/s400/Met%2B-%2BIris%2Bvan%2BHerpen%2B-%2BVogue.com%252C%2BAnnie%2BLeibovitz.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
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Those who know us best will demand to know why we haven't included any hats. In keeping with the iconic theme, the show includes this blockbuster hat by Philip Treacy. For best effect, it's best just to repeat the narrative on the label: "Paphiopedilum Philipinense Orchid Hat." ... Glazed white silk crepe printed with purple pigment and green synthetic-spandex knit printed with green and brown pigment. Gift of Philip Treacy and Isabella Blow, in honor of Harold Koda.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X74dWrniJFI/WF_wpHGI82I/AAAAAAAAsO8/TN6cT6O8oRor0RG8WH-PRtBe3oBzbhHzwCLcB/s1600/Philip%2BTreacy%2Borchid%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X74dWrniJFI/WF_wpHGI82I/AAAAAAAAsO8/TN6cT6O8oRor0RG8WH-PRtBe3oBzbhHzwCLcB/s400/Philip%2BTreacy%2Borchid%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5968.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
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The traditional fashion show ends with a bridal dress, and so will this post. But the dress is by Jean-Paul Gaultier, so there is very little traditional about the dress itself, except perhaps its color. One of the elements of the skirt of the dress is chain mail, but all eyes are on the headdress, so voluminous and so riveting that one could almost argue it is the central piece and the gown is merely the accessory. According to the label, it is made of "white nylon mesh with silver nylon organza ribbon, ivory kidskin and white steel boning".<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rN2U83VUVWQ/WF_zRbyCW7I/AAAAAAAAsPE/n6VtbwefqbULeuZ-9IS50ymKX2ySi-AcgCLcB/s1600/Jean%2BPaul%2BGaultier%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rN2U83VUVWQ/WF_zRbyCW7I/AAAAAAAAsPE/n6VtbwefqbULeuZ-9IS50ymKX2ySi-AcgCLcB/s640/Jean%2BPaul%2BGaultier%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5972.jpg" width="417" /></a></div>
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The Masterworks show is up until February 5. I can't emphasize enough how much what a great show this is. <b>Put it on your schedule!!!</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">* </span></b>By <b><i>more</i></b>, I mean works by Poiret, Chanel, Lanvin, Schiaparelli, Dior, Charles James, Geoffrey Beene, Zandra Rhodes, Yves St. Laurent, Gianni Versace, Vivienne Westwood and Dolce & Gabbana, and anonymous designers to the aristocracy from as early as the 1700s. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!<br />
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(Valerie's jacket by <a href="http://suziclick.com/">Suzi Click</a>. In addition to creatively preserving hand woven ethnographic textile fragments, it has the important added plus of very wide sleeves that a bulky cast can fit through.)Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-64147472506290343122016-11-19T15:00:00.000-08:002016-11-20T18:03:57.330-08:00TRIFECTA: Sue Kreitzman, Milliners' Guild Show at the Fire Museum and Rooftop Cocktails!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WsHv3XOU1nU/WDDOSN0iOnI/AAAAAAAAsHc/gg0Cm81dlPwKtEslPYJz14Pdfh-Mgmu6wCLcB/s1600/1HotelHugoSueKreitzmanValerie%2526JeanIdiosyncraticashionistas091816IMG_4034x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WsHv3XOU1nU/WDDOSN0iOnI/AAAAAAAAsHc/gg0Cm81dlPwKtEslPYJz14Pdfh-Mgmu6wCLcB/s400/1HotelHugoSueKreitzmanValerie%2526JeanIdiosyncraticashionistas091816IMG_4034x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We have some serious catching up to do. It has been weeks since we've blogged about what we've been up to. (For the record, we have been posting to Instagram, because, well, it's more <i>instant</i>.) We have an amazing array of fun stuff in the queue. First up? A tale about the day we took the amazing Sue Kreitzman to the New York City Fire Museum on Spring Street to see a hat exhibition sponsored by the New York Milliners' Guild and to Greenwich Avenue to have cocktails and chew the fat before she headed back to Jolly Olde you know where... Above is a shot of us at Azul, the Cuban bar atop Hotel Hugo in Soho after the hat show. What's not to love? Spending quality time with our <i>favorite ex-pat</i> looking at <i>hats</i> in a historic setting, followed by hanging out on a rooftop while <i>sipping cocktails</i> overlooking Soho on an Indian Summer afternoon. Heavenly!<br />
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We ran into this young woman and her partner and little their dog on the sidewalk down the street from the New York City Fire Museum when they admired out outfits. <br />
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We had no idea what to expect when we received the New York Milliners' Guild's invitation to a show of headwear inspired by fire and fire fighters at the New York Fire Museum on Spring Street. We couldn't exclude any of the pieces in the shows and have included all of them here. The wide range of styles and materials was amazing. The hat below, titled <i>Valkyrie</i>, by <a href="http://www.ellenchristinecouture.com/">Ellen Christine Couture</a>, is a flame-colored chiffon-like creation. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MZTRyw3XkJs/WDDObMCxOjI/AAAAAAAAsHk/0cY5d87KDucxhWLa_qbNob75BDc5nJ31QCLcB/s1600/2ValkyrieEllenChristineCoutureIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3985x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MZTRyw3XkJs/WDDObMCxOjI/AAAAAAAAsHk/0cY5d87KDucxhWLa_qbNob75BDc5nJ31QCLcB/s400/2ValkyrieEllenChristineCoutureIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3985x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Kathy Anderson's black and red creation is <i>Hot Fire Woman</i> from <a href="http://www.hatsbykat.com/">Hats by Kat and Accessories Too</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MgS-cjhsMvM/WDDO5Em2DmI/AAAAAAAAsHo/mbS9s_OUP2cE2XYBsmjlmKJMpJFWaDBAQCLcB/s1600/3HotFireWomanKathyAndersonIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3969x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MgS-cjhsMvM/WDDO5Em2DmI/AAAAAAAAsHo/mbS9s_OUP2cE2XYBsmjlmKJMpJFWaDBAQCLcB/s400/3HotFireWomanKathyAndersonIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3969x.jpg" width="341" /></a></div>
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<i>Top That Fire</i> by <a href="http://www.sarahsokolmillinery.com/">Sarah Sokol Millinery</a> incorporates an embroidered patch with a fireman's hat and tools, brass chain trim on the brim and black leather and brass buckle.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YpJjY-sexfU/WDHuYHJBnQI/AAAAAAAAsI0/tlyxeYDs4p8gVh7dGRqP1g2x3EElEVikACLcB/s1600/TopThatFireSarahSokolMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3932x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YpJjY-sexfU/WDHuYHJBnQI/AAAAAAAAsI0/tlyxeYDs4p8gVh7dGRqP1g2x3EElEVikACLcB/s400/TopThatFireSarahSokolMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3932x.jpg" width="372" /></a></div>
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<i>The Shield </i>by <a href="http://www.wanda-onceuponahat.com/">Wanda J. Chambers Once Upon a Hat</a> resembles a stained glass window.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1G8n-jXENYI/WDHudr505dI/AAAAAAAAsI8/MgBesj22lV0MI9JOunVlzcJdRkPh6J80wCLcB/s1600/TheShieldWandaChambersOnceUponAHatIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3957x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1G8n-jXENYI/WDHudr505dI/AAAAAAAAsI8/MgBesj22lV0MI9JOunVlzcJdRkPh6J80wCLcB/s400/TheShieldWandaChambersOnceUponAHatIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3957x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Skulls appear on several of the hats, but none so significantly as on this hat titled <i>The Faithful Companion</i>. Signage for this hat reads: Monika Stebbins, <a href="http://www.absolutelyhats.com/">Monika Fine Millinery</a>, <a href="http://www.absolutelyhats.com/">Hats by Kat and Accessories Too</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qz_y3o34sSM/WDHuc8Ub27I/AAAAAAAAsI4/LNZd4z9ef9wCF_QXl3iXO8lYeoWDdJ0owCLcB/s1600/TheFaithfulCompanionMonicaStebbinsMonicaFineIdiosyncraticFashionistas09816IMG_3943x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qz_y3o34sSM/WDHuc8Ub27I/AAAAAAAAsI4/LNZd4z9ef9wCF_QXl3iXO8lYeoWDdJ0owCLcB/s400/TheFaithfulCompanionMonicaStebbinsMonicaFineIdiosyncraticFashionistas09816IMG_3943x.jpg" width="390" /></a></div>
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How fabulous is this multi-level feathered fuchsia <i>Firecracker</i> by Linda Pagan of <a href="http://www.thehatshopnyc.com/">The Hat Shop</a>?<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JJc4iYE4TVk/WDDO8-zNnRI/AAAAAAAAsHs/ZH1IOtYshOgjEqM_NwncKqDnBapTI2xawCLcB/s1600/4FirecrackerLindaPaganTheHatShopIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3954x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="399" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JJc4iYE4TVk/WDDO8-zNnRI/AAAAAAAAsHs/ZH1IOtYshOgjEqM_NwncKqDnBapTI2xawCLcB/s400/4FirecrackerLindaPaganTheHatShopIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3954x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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On the main floor of the museum is a monument to Herman, one of the fire horses that pulled the ancient hand-pumper fire trucks through the streets of old New York. Sue posed next to the statue which we noticed was also wearing a hat! This photo does the most justice to Sue's colorful outfit. No shrinking violet, she is hard to miss with her large beaded neckpiece, beautiful purple jacket and matching bag, signature big red spectacles and bright patent Fit Flops. What is a source of amazement is how approachable she is to passersby -- of any and every age -- despite (or because of?) her elaborate dress. Her good humor and positive attitude are infectious.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jq2vz50q6sQ/WDHynG8YKTI/AAAAAAAAsJI/yuN1kbLJyfQOzWI9HMbJWgxxe5c6bsE3wCLcB/s1600/SueKreitzman%2526HermanFireMuseumIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3917x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jq2vz50q6sQ/WDHynG8YKTI/AAAAAAAAsJI/yuN1kbLJyfQOzWI9HMbJWgxxe5c6bsE3wCLcB/s640/SueKreitzman%2526HermanFireMuseumIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3917x.jpg" width="468" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bongohats.com/">Linda Ashton</a>'s <i>Silver on Midnight</i> hat mimics the shape of a fireman's helmet. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5iTMFNSxIro/WDHyot2_dzI/AAAAAAAAsJM/VUi6Jw8vxLQWSQfX6AL_cY_c_do_B-6GACLcB/s1600/SilveronMidnightLindaAshtonIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3934x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5iTMFNSxIro/WDHyot2_dzI/AAAAAAAAsJM/VUi6Jw8vxLQWSQfX6AL_cY_c_do_B-6GACLcB/s400/SilveronMidnightLindaAshtonIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3934x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.jacquelinelamont.com/">Jacqueline Lamont LLC</a>'s bright red <i>Safety Rules</i> hat features a Husky safety light mounted on the brim.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jLoyhrLHKCA/WDHyqmgC69I/AAAAAAAAsJQ/6T2B7xGanlEdqkCsuivON2pZ3AE2Jv3wACLcB/s1600/SafetyRulesJacqulineLamontLLCIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3936x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jLoyhrLHKCA/WDHyqmgC69I/AAAAAAAAsJQ/6T2B7xGanlEdqkCsuivON2pZ3AE2Jv3wACLcB/s400/SafetyRulesJacqulineLamontLLCIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3936x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Catherine</i> by Michael McCant of McCants Originals introduces a purple base into a mix of red and black feathers.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EQqCS4ADhgM/WDDO9xZKaKI/AAAAAAAAsHw/VS57jjuk-P0SVWv5Vv_pMlbC7yLol1FHwCLcB/s1600/5CatherineMichaelMcCantMcCantsOriginalsIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3946x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EQqCS4ADhgM/WDDO9xZKaKI/AAAAAAAAsHw/VS57jjuk-P0SVWv5Vv_pMlbC7yLol1FHwCLcB/s640/5CatherineMichaelMcCantMcCantsOriginalsIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3946x.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<i>Fire Engine Red</i> by <a href="http://amandajohn.wix.com/hats">Amanda John Millinery</a> features a felted red fire engine on the front of a black leather brimmed cap.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdeiPG7zSBo/WDDQD34DBbI/AAAAAAAAsH8/Qw4dm9x7udcBbKlfSoLmmehNTqcuFkKcACLcB/s1600/6FireEngineRedAmandaJohnMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdeiPG7zSBo/WDDQD34DBbI/AAAAAAAAsH8/Qw4dm9x7udcBbKlfSoLmmehNTqcuFkKcACLcB/s400/6FireEngineRedAmandaJohnMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816x.jpg" width="355" /></a></div>
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<i>Passion</i> by Louis Quinones <a href="http://ww.laqchapelier.com/">LAQ Chapelier</a> is a deep red velvet and lace saucer shaped confection.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4vnKvO7HS90/WDDQK5CIrEI/AAAAAAAAsIA/XsDdRCuJUiEnoCnv8Ko8E_7cXr93xw98ACLcB/s1600/7PassionLouisQuinonesLAQChapelierIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3950x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4vnKvO7HS90/WDDQK5CIrEI/AAAAAAAAsIA/XsDdRCuJUiEnoCnv8Ko8E_7cXr93xw98ACLcB/s400/7PassionLouisQuinonesLAQChapelierIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3950x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Dragon Fighter</i> by Dina Pisani for <a href="http://www.chachashouse.com/">Cha Cha's House of Ill Repute </a>affixes a tiny skull head on butterfly wings at the front of this crimson creation.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pX3Jy4IbQow/WDDQMD_2rOI/AAAAAAAAsIE/b8BbRjJ9sIs8oMBl_bpkaBkOcWRrYqvGgCLcB/s1600/8DragonFighterDinaPisaniChaCha%2527sHouseofIllReputeIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3948x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pX3Jy4IbQow/WDDQMD_2rOI/AAAAAAAAsIE/b8BbRjJ9sIs8oMBl_bpkaBkOcWRrYqvGgCLcB/s400/8DragonFighterDinaPisaniChaCha%2527sHouseofIllReputeIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3948x.jpg" width="325" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.millinersguild.org/barbara-volker">Barbara Volker Millinery</a> incorporates a red, white and blue feather on the silver and gold decoration atop the black crown of its <i>Ode to the Bravest</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OforzkDn3Ys/WDDQ6ZpDDvI/AAAAAAAAsII/TSY6YHIYjVEThkllO7Rp1e2H6-A4eAGYgCLcB/s1600/9OdetoBravestBarbaraVolkerMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3982x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OforzkDn3Ys/WDDQ6ZpDDvI/AAAAAAAAsII/TSY6YHIYjVEThkllO7Rp1e2H6-A4eAGYgCLcB/s400/9OdetoBravestBarbaraVolkerMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3982x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.pennykleinmillinery.etsy.com/">Penny Klein Millinery</a>'s <i>Phoenix</i> is aptly named for the mythological bird that rises from its own ashes. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_kulXbvE-g/WDH5IBKhWaI/AAAAAAAAsJc/z64JM39gPJENr3g2kq6NIu6JIQIPqnwGgCLcB/s1600/PhoenixPennyKleinMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3933x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_kulXbvE-g/WDH5IBKhWaI/AAAAAAAAsJc/z64JM39gPJENr3g2kq6NIu6JIQIPqnwGgCLcB/s400/PhoenixPennyKleinMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3933x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Evetta Petty's <a href="http://www.harlemsheaven.com/">Harlem's Heaven Hats</a>' entry is this stylish red <i>Leather Topper</i>. <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmSuXjHNSwQ/WDH5N_GI0sI/AAAAAAAAsJg/KYaFSpYvIEwBPW_D4hCH896jeuZ__7ccQCLcB/s1600/LeatherTopperEvettaPettyHarlem%2527sHeavenlyHatsIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmSuXjHNSwQ/WDH5N_GI0sI/AAAAAAAAsJg/KYaFSpYvIEwBPW_D4hCH896jeuZ__7ccQCLcB/s400/LeatherTopperEvettaPettyHarlem%2527sHeavenlyHatsIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816x.jpg" width="348" /></a></div>
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Known for Kentucky Derby hats, <a href="http://www.hatsandveils.net/">Polly Singer</a> Couture contributed the glamorous <i>Gilded Flames </i>to the show.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YyjW2flLrlQ/WDH-GObiMLI/AAAAAAAAsJs/c-ZFj6Hn2m08LZJeKYbYT0zEjxnpz1ZzACLcB/s1600/GildedFlamesPollySingerCoutureHatsIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3941x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YyjW2flLrlQ/WDH-GObiMLI/AAAAAAAAsJs/c-ZFj6Hn2m08LZJeKYbYT0zEjxnpz1ZzACLcB/s400/GildedFlamesPollySingerCoutureHatsIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3941x.jpg" width="394" /></a></div>
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In an ode to classical literature and sculpture, the helmet shaped piece from <a href="http://www.lisashaub.com/">Lisa Shaub Fine Millinery</a> is called <i>For Palas Athena</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KwF7dVo2iGE/WDH-FitJL0I/AAAAAAAAsJo/Q_DA98C0Z0oT9o8-hEyk0PvgW0jyWRVFwCLcB/s1600/ForPalasAthenaLisaShaubFineMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3938x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KwF7dVo2iGE/WDH-FitJL0I/AAAAAAAAsJo/Q_DA98C0Z0oT9o8-hEyk0PvgW0jyWRVFwCLcB/s640/ForPalasAthenaLisaShaubFineMillineryIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3938x.jpg" width="463" /></a></div>
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<i>Fire Dragon</i> by Sally Caswell Millinery combines sequins, netting and feathers.<br />
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<i>The Curl</i> by <a href="http://www.jenniferhoertz.com/">Jennifer Hoertz Millinery</a> is a minimalist's take on the exhibit's theme.<br />
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<i>Gemini, </i>a red and black bi-color felted wool hat ,is by <a href="http://www.lisamcfadden.com/">Lisa McFadden Millinery</a>.<br />
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<i>On Fire!</i> is the frothy, elaborate black and red feather and netting fascinator by Mary Ann Smith of The Tipsy Topper.<br />
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<i>Smolder</i> by<a href="http://www.soloimpression.com/"> Judith Solodkin</a> of Solo Impressions, Inc, is encased in what looks like melted plastic.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w4BDsRB3qnU/WDDSAq9N1qI/AAAAAAAAsIg/pub1IOxnN88eT3-zn5a9sm-MPc3lttzwwCLcB/s1600/14SmolderJudithSolodkinSoloImpressionsIncIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3990x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w4BDsRB3qnU/WDDSAq9N1qI/AAAAAAAAsIg/pub1IOxnN88eT3-zn5a9sm-MPc3lttzwwCLcB/s400/14SmolderJudithSolodkinSoloImpressionsIncIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816IMG_3990x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.annedepasquale.com/">Anne DePasquale</a>'s <i>Flame</i> is a dramatic pinkish red felted wool hat accented with a bright red and black curled feather.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1nLc-2Z95us/WDIFndHuUAI/AAAAAAAAsJ8/Wn8fws9_dU4lkKosZg8oiSO6R8vITJplwCLcB/s1600/FlameAnneDePasqualeIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1nLc-2Z95us/WDIFndHuUAI/AAAAAAAAsJ8/Wn8fws9_dU4lkKosZg8oiSO6R8vITJplwCLcB/s400/FlameAnneDePasqualeIdiosyncraticFashionistas091816x.jpg" width="352" /></a></div>
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<i>Controlled Burn</i> by Conney Borda of <a href="http://www.eggcupdesigns.com/">Eggcup Designs</a> looks anything but controlled. Black and red feathers wildy spring like flames from its net base.<br />
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When we finished viewing the show (actually, when they threw us out at closing time), we walked west on Spring Street and took a left on Greenwich Avenue to the Hotel Hugo. Once inside, we took the elevator to the rooftop enclosed library-like bar which looks like a wonderful spot in cold and inclement weather. We then had to walk up 1 1/2 flights to the rooftop bar. (Note to friends with scooters, wheelchairs, walkers and canes: you <i>cannot</i> get to the actual rooftop area without taking the stairs. There is no elevator.) Once there, we checked out the views and seating facing west and the river and were approached by a number of young women for photos. After all the ladies finished, this group of gents approached for equal treatment. In the spirit of "turn about is fair play", the ladies took their photo with us. <br />
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Because the setting sun was right in our eyes, we moved to the east side and settled into very comfortable sofas to enjoy delicious frozen cocktails and Cuban appetizers.<br />
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Daniel Bernstein was among two couples seated in adjacent tables and when he asked to take a photo of us, we insisted that the picture be a photo of him with us. Needless to say, we didn't have to ask him twice. If this is a new trend, we say "bring it on". Getting and being older is so much fun, why not spread it around?<br />
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Despite an iffy weather forecast for rain, we had sun for most of our outing. Luckily, the clouds didn't start to roll in until the evening was drawing nigh, which are visible in our parting shot of the Freedom Tower. Sue headed back to London very shortly after this get-together and we anxiously await her return.<br />
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Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-66259679918366640552016-10-09T20:58:00.001-07:002016-10-10T06:54:45.074-07:00Roz Chast Show at Museum of City of New York<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We recently went to see cartoonist Roz Chast's Cartoon Memoirs show at the Museum of the City of New York. The exhibition of almost 200 works, some never published, was originally organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. A co-presentation of the Museum of the City of New York and the Norman Rockwell Museum, the show highlights the artist and cartoonist's keen eye for the absurdities of New York City and suburban daily life. <br />
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Born in Brooklyn in 1954 (read: Woman of a Certain Age), Ms. Chast has become one of the foremost comic voices of the New Yorker magazine, producing more than 1,200 published cartoons in that magazine, children's books, collaborations with other authors and her award winning 2014 visual memoir "Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant." Her approach is distinctive, sometimes bordering on a female version of an early anxiety-ridden Woody Allen persona: eccentric, stressed out, plagued by self-doubt and often apparently in dire need of psychiatric help. Her droll chronicles of the follies of everyday life, like the motley crew on the subway below, have now entertained two generations, most often in The New Yorker magazine. (To see a high speed video of the artist making this life size drawing on the wall outside the exhibition, <a href="https://youtu.be/A5uAYfvkAGk">click here</a>.)<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OaKh-GID8wI/V_m1FjUeuII/AAAAAAAAsDI/UatqTNH7NdMW0jWWLbWOm565aWsfgC0hQCLcB/s1600/3RozChastXSubwayIdiosyncraticFashionistas090416IMG_3396x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OaKh-GID8wI/V_m1FjUeuII/AAAAAAAAsDI/UatqTNH7NdMW0jWWLbWOm565aWsfgC0hQCLcB/s400/3RozChastXSubwayIdiosyncraticFashionistas090416IMG_3396x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(Chast puts us in mind of Maira Kalman, another Jewish female artist known for her ability to imbue her work with her own signature quirkiness and humor, and currently on New Yorkers' radar screens. Kalman and Chast are both plowing some of the same ground, from somewhat similar vantage points. Unlike many cartoonists who never personally appear in their own work, both figure prominently in many of their stories. When we went to the Jewish Museum last year, we got a chuckle when we discovered Maira Kalman's Jewish Mother Gum for sale in the museum shop. Under the legend is an illustration of a New York Jewish Mother, complete with beret and glasses. On the front of the box is the statement "Fruit - Shmoot" and on the back is "8 pieces no less." One side of the box says "Go. Rot your teeth." and the other says "Again with the gum?" What more can we say? Classic Maira Kalman artwork and humor in the palm of your hand.)<br />
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Roz's cartoons have kept pace with her life over the past four decades. Her early work often traced her life as the dutiful but beleaguered daughter of a besieged mom and dad.<br />
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Roz moved on in life and in cartoons to her role as a suburban mother herself when she and her family moved out of the city, away from her parents. Still later, she returned to tackle the serious side of life head-on in her cartoons, fearlessly depicting her parents' aging and inevitable descent into disease, dementia and death.<br />
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It is a testament to her unwaivering voice that she didn't ignore or shy away from the harsh realities of life, but rather viewed them through her unique cartoonist's lens. <br />
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In the wonderfully witty <i>What I Hate from A to Z </i>(2001),<br />
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the caption to "The Undertow" illustrates her twisted (yet totally relatable) sensibilities: "Beware -- even in ankle-deep water, a little tug could be the ocean 'pulling you to your watery grave.'" The people in the backgrounds of her illustrations are often as interesting as the main character. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQb1chz2ZsM/V_m1TUQX1AI/AAAAAAAAsDQ/E0VGJP_HIqce-Vn5Rs7KX7T_-gZbG6tzQCLcB/s1600/5RozChastUndertowIdiosyncraticFashionistas090416IMG_3403x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQb1chz2ZsM/V_m1TUQX1AI/AAAAAAAAsDQ/E0VGJP_HIqce-Vn5Rs7KX7T_-gZbG6tzQCLcB/s400/5RozChastUndertowIdiosyncraticFashionistas090416IMG_3403x.jpg" width="348" /></a></div>
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From the same series, in X-Rays, we get to see the technical side of the artist. If you look closely, where she has written <i>Need I say more?</i> you can see a little pentimento - where something went wrong and the artist carefully covered her tracks by overlaying a small piece of paper carefully cut to the right size. Did she get distracted, and write <i>Need I say mre? </i> Was it a different phrase entirely, that she changed her mind about? Did she accidentally smear the lettering? These pentimenti appear here and there throughout the show, including in some of the originals of cartoons for the New Yorker (where the transitional lines are completely invisible in the final published product).<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dZSKW1rslCY/V_rhpCycWEI/AAAAAAAAsEQ/w_O1EyH8JnMzWRn17OFLD3x-jbu-RfXYgCLcB/s1600/Roz%2BChast%2BX%2BRays%2BIMAG2849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dZSKW1rslCY/V_rhpCycWEI/AAAAAAAAsEQ/w_O1EyH8JnMzWRn17OFLD3x-jbu-RfXYgCLcB/s400/Roz%2BChast%2BX%2BRays%2BIMAG2849.jpg" width="346" /></a></div>
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Although Chast is known for her cartoons, the exhibition shows her many other talents as well. Below is a tender and sensitive drawing of Chast's mother near death.<br />
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We had no idea that Chast also designs and hooks rugs. Below is one from the exhibition. For more on Roz Chast and her hooked rugs, <a href="http://handeyemagazine.com/content/how-roz-chast-got-hooked">click here</a>.<br />
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Chast has also turns her hand to decorating pysanky (Ukrainian painted eggs) in her traditional style. The Paris Review wrote <a href="http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/03/18/roz-chasts-pysanky/">this article</a> on a gallery exhibition of Chast's eggs.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w5mawRtQtuA/V_r8GO9lBAI/AAAAAAAAsFE/eVnMIegiqcEQkpTuHpODqFetqtM0yYG3gCLcB/s1600/Roz%2BChast%2Beaster%2Begg%2B%2B%2BPysanky%2BIMAG2862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w5mawRtQtuA/V_r8GO9lBAI/AAAAAAAAsFE/eVnMIegiqcEQkpTuHpODqFetqtM0yYG3gCLcB/s400/Roz%2BChast%2Beaster%2Begg%2B%2B%2BPysanky%2BIMAG2862.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Chast's drawings often feature forlorn figures on a sofa in front of old wallpaper, so the volume of hilarity at the exhibition was raised by the presence of an actual sofa, and a blow up of one of the artist's wallpapered walls, complete with Chastian nuggets. It proved to be an extremely popular feature of the show, and we monitored it closely for our chance to memorialize ourselves. We were finally able to snag seats on the sofa, and with childlike enthusiasm became part of the living cartoon. While the innocent fellow visitor on the left is seated under the speech bubble whining "Can't we talk about something more pleasant?", and Valerie sits under the thought bubble harrumphing with a hint of sarcasm "Everything is <u>my</u> <u>fault</u>," Jean is smugly perched under the punch line thought bubble: "Everything <i>IS</i> your fault."<br />
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Why is it that Jean gets such an inordinate kick out of this? Is it because life is imitating art? Hmmm. <br />
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(Valerie waves this away. Mere detail, she says. For the best visual effect, of course the red outfit goes in the center, balancing the two black outfits. One must sacrifice for one's art.)<br />
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Go see the show before it closes on October 16th! Go sit on the sofa, and get your picture taken with someone you love! (Choose your spot carefully.)<br />
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CHASTWORLD bonus<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X1BVi6YrHek/V_rmFSsfQjI/AAAAAAAAsEg/d6fuD_qwofcPfXCzYH1QKX7Vknz6dnlCQCLcB/s1600/Roz%2BChast%2Bcartoon%2B-%2Bfloating%2Bshrink%2Bsession%2B%2BIMAG2864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X1BVi6YrHek/V_rmFSsfQjI/AAAAAAAAsEg/d6fuD_qwofcPfXCzYH1QKX7Vknz6dnlCQCLcB/s640/Roz%2BChast%2Bcartoon%2B-%2Bfloating%2Bshrink%2Bsession%2B%2BIMAG2864.jpg" width="462" /></a></div>
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<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-91615990825066475422016-09-11T20:09:00.004-07:002016-09-11T20:15:06.198-07:00In Which We Visit a Sanatorium and a Prune<span style="color: #b6d7a8;">Aided and Abetted by the Inimitable Sue Kreitzman!</span><br />
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We started off our long Labor Day weekend with a bang! To be precise, we had an adventure with <a href="http://www.suekreitzman.com/">Sue Kreitzman</a>, artist, author, documentary film star, ex-TV cooking star and woman-about-town visiting her native New York City from London. First stop on our adventure: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/14/fashion/sanatorium-bar-east-village.html?_r=0">Sanatorium</a>, the newest establishment by the legendary Austrian mixologist, <a href="http://bedfordandbowery.com/2016/06/albert-trummer-is-all-fired-up-about-sanatorium-a-place-for-healing-with-alcohol/">Albert Trammer</a>, and his son Jakob, just opened at 14 Avenue C in the East Village. The tag line alone is with the price of admission: "healing through alcohol"! We had admired Albert's creativity at his previous Manhattan outpost, <a href="http://nymag.com/listings/bar/apotheke/">Apotheke</a>, located in a former opium den on tiny, crooked little Doyers Street in Chinatown. Longtime readers may remember that we took <a href="http://idiosyncraticfashionistas.blogspot.com/2012/04/old-cronies-cronology-when-crones.html">Style Crone</a> there in April 2012 for our first ever get-together. While geting to know each other, we sampled beautifully presented drinks with unusual flavorings in a setting fitted with the accoutrements of an old apothecary shop. That experience was amazing, so we were thrilled to invite Sue to accompany us on our maiden voyage to Sanatorium. <br />
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Loosely based on a medical clinic setting, Sanatorium features stylish, verrrry comfortable seating among various medical instruments and equipment. Under the beautiful glass top on the table above are a number of medical and surgical instruments. In the shot below behind Sue, you can see the industrial green walls and ceilings of the bar and lounge areas.<br />
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Oversized, glistening, low hanging Austrian crystal chandeliers in the lounge are in stark contrast to the various operating room lights over the bar area work space. <br />
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Here is the handsome team running the joint on the evening of our visit: Jakob Trammer (l) and Chris Nolan (c) are Bar Chefs/Managers and Jan (r) is our attentive waiter. We were there on the night before Jakob's 22nd birthday, so there was a holiday mood in the air. One of the big New York stories about Albert Trammer was his arrest at Apotheke by the New York City Police Department for violating Fire Department rules with his famous flaming drinks. Jakob not only confirmed the veracity of the story but added that he had flown into New York the same day and was left stranded at the airport: his father was not available to meet him since he was cooling his heels in jail. <br />
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Sue Kreitzman never fails to amaze and amuse. She wore an African fabric jacket of her own design on which she collaborated with her trusted tailor. Her neckpiece is by outsider artist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ahfinearts/?&_suid=1473644026209049434509966522455">Anothai Hansen</a>. The large face is hand-painted on a mirror from a Harley Davidson cycle. <br />
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Bottles of homemade elixirs and infusions take pride of place at the front of the marble-topped bar.<br />
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The tongue-in-cheek menu, also in institutional green, resembles a medical chart, with individual pages for cocktails, wines and spirits. <br />
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Valerie studied all of the ingredients of the drinks listed in the menu and consulted with Jakob on the creation of a customized concoction. <br />
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After discussing Valerie's likes and dislikes and possible combinations of ingredients, Jakob took it upon himself to come up with something to "surprise" her. (We all tried each other's drinks, and Valerie figures she got the best of the lot, but doesn't quite know what she got.)<br />
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Truth be told, the names of the drinks are hilarious. Sue ordered "IN THE AMBULANCE" which combined gin with thyme elixirs, lime-infused sugarcane, fresh rosemary and orange peel. Jean opted for "TURN YOUR HEAD AND COUGH" which added California strawberry, lime, vanilla elixir and sage to tequila. Below is a shot of Jean's drink, in a beautiful crystal coupe. All too soon, the time of our reservation for <i>Dinner at Eight</i> (ten points if you saw the movie, can name the stars, and summarize the main plot points) loomed large, so we bid our hosts a good night and headed east across East 2nd Street.<br />
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Our final destination of the evening? Author and celebrity chef Gabrielle Hamilton's <a href="http://prunerestaurant.com/">Prune</a>, of course. Where else would one take a former TV cooking show star? (Yes, we said author. Read her fascinating book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Bones-Butter-Inadvertent-E">Blood, Bones & Butter</a>.) It was a balmy night and the doors to the small restaurant were opened out onto the street. We scored a table with a great view of passers-by, the open kitchen, the serving staff and other diners (of course). Over delicious meals (linguini and clam sauce for Jean, corn on the cob and a zucchini tian for Sue, branzino for Valerie, and after dinner coffees for all), we chatted, solved the problems of the world and vowed to meet again soon. <br />
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Final tally? We think we went two for two. Both locales were winners.<br />
<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-8220060116418594282016-08-30T16:04:00.000-07:002016-08-30T16:04:00.259-07:00GOING, GOING, GONE<br />
DON'T LOOK NOW...<br />
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On second thought. Look now. Quickly. Before it's gone...<br />
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While Jean is away, Valerie gets wistful for the good old days (that's what old people do, right?)<br />
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Jean and I like to think of ourselves as pretty forward-thinking, but both of our neighborhoods are changing, and not in a good way. Just for today, I'm going to indulge in a little kvetchfest about mine.<br />
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When I moved to midtown Manhattan nearly twenty years ago, the streets in my neighborhood held countless treasures - some hidden, some in plain sight - but on any given day of the week there would be something to see. Walking through midtown was inspiring. <br />
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One of the most amazing losses midtown suffered was that of the American Folk Art Museum on West 53rd Street. This architectural gem, right next to the Museum of Modern Art, was designed to house AFAM's holdings, but in subsequent years the museum suffered from a disastrous series of problems it could not extricate itself from. AFAM closed, the property was subsequently bought by MOMA, and torn down within a decade of its completion because the structure could not be annexed.<br />
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AFAM's gift shop, visible from the street, was itself a little jewel. One day the gift shop had ten different spray-painted foam rubber hand puppet devils in its vitrine. Newly arrived, they made quite a splash, and came with a handout explaining that they were made by a puppeteer in Vera Cruz, Mexico. This was the kind of random pleasure New Yorkers once enjoyed as a matter of course. <br />
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One of my all-time favorites, and one of the first to disappear, was a shop called Folklorica which, on any given day, would have anything from pre-columbian ocarinas to beaded pubic aprons from Cameroon. Staffed by owners Jack and Pam and their star employee Rosa, who became my good friend, I could always count on them to have fascinating stories to tell about the merchandise. Rosa gave me the two African hats shown above. Also on 53rd Street, Folklorica's space is today the home of LIM College. Colleges are a good thing to have anywhere, but Jack and Pam's window on the non-industrial world is deeply missed.<br />
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Another favorite eye-popping store was Takashimaya, which opened with a bang on Fifth Avenue and 54th Street in 1993. Their first year or so they held blockbuster exhibitions of Japanese art. On a few occasions, they displayed huge, airy kimono-like gowns made and hand painted by Margot Rozanska which hung, kite-like, from the high ceilings. (Above, a huge Rozanska scarf. I heard that one of the floating kimonos was bought by a Saudi princess. No way to verify that...) The top floor housed a florist who carried unimaginable blossoms, and made Takashimaya the best place to see a gorgeous array of nature's plants if you couldn't travel to a botanical garden. In the basement, next to a restaurant that served amazing box lunches, there was a loose tea shop that offered dozens of varieties of fresh Asian teas, delicate Japanese cookies and, best of all, tiny chocolate truffles shaped like mice, with colorful little rayon tails. (Probably made by <a href="http://www.burdickchocolate.com/ChocolateMiceandPenguins/chocolate-mice.aspx">Burdick</a>, from whom the photo below is borrowed.) <br />
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After a few short golden years, perhaps in tandem with the bursting of the Japanese bubble, Takashimaya gave up on its ambitious arts program and installed cosmetics on the main floor. Their recherche tastes unappreciated, they closed with a whimper in 2010. The space changed hands several times, and now houses Valentino. Many people who remember Takashimaya still speak of it with awe and reverence, as if reminiscing about a lost cathedral.<br />
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The first place I saw these Keith Haring chairs was at Felissimo, another Japanese store, which opened in a Gilt Age townhouse at 10 West 56th Street (once owned by Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd). Walking up and down their winding marble staircases alone was a thrill. Felissimo was always filled with marvels for the eye that brought smiles to the lips. On the top floor there was a tiny tea shop with an amazing chocolate souffle on its dessert menu. Felissimo closed with no notice years ago, and the building doesn't seem to have been used at all since then, but while it was in operation, it was like a lustrous ring in a tiny lavish jewel box.<br />
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We still mourn the loss of Julie Artisans Gallery on Madison Avenue near 65th Street, which sold one of a kind jewelry and clothes by extraordinary craftspeople. Julie herself was one of a kind for bringing so much great work under one roof. The colorful felt necklace shown here was made by one of Julie's artists, <a href="http://www.studiodgm.com/">Danielle Gori-Montanelli</a>. In the years since Julie closed her shop, no one has come close to attempting anything similar in Manhattan. The space now hosts a shoe store with shops all over the world.<br />
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At Lexington and 64th Street was Pylones, a shop aimed at children of all ages. To give you some idea of the range of their merchandise, above, a bicycle lock designed to look like a snake. Below, an inflatable boy friend. (I still haven't opened it. Him. Whatever.)<br />
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After a good decade in that location, Pylones closed, and a nail salon opened in its place.<br />
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Last year we lost two Donna Karan stores. First to go was her flagship store on Madison Avenue and 68th Street. It was a wide open space with <a href="http://twoseven.net/projects.php?page=2007&name=donna_karan_&photo=3">dramatic Hollywood-worthy stairs</a>, and filled with surprises. In addition to her marvelous fashions, one was equally likely to see delicate handmade porcelain dishes by <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=christiane+perrochon&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiWseL8yOnOAhUFeCYKHXAIC8kQ_AUICSgC&biw=1136&bih=652">Christiane Perrochon</a> or one-of-a-kind pieces by 1970s metalsmithing sensation <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=robert+lee+morris&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwicivveyenOAhWIKiYKHVWkC8cQ_AUICSgC&biw=1136&bih=652#tbm=isch&q=robert+lee+morris+vintage+jewelry">Robert Lee Morris</a> as hand carved <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=dogon+ladder&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJmcqNyunOAhVEwiYKHZpuAcgQ_AUICSgC&biw=1136&bih=652">Dogon ladders</a>. But the take-your-breath-away moment was always going into the small courtyard in the back which, far from being stuffed with merchandise on some very expensive real estate, was given over to a small koi pond, a stand of bamboo and a sense of peace and quiet. The above photo does it no justice at all. <br />
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At almost the same time, the DKNY shop on Madison Avenue and 59th Street closed. This was another shop that was full of surprises, including a health bar on the second floor. The two humongous white felt rings above were purchased there. Few will talk on record so one never gets the full story, but usually when stores close there are rumors about leases ending, and the new rent tripling or even quintupling. Stores that don't sell enough merchandise to cover the new rent close, and their place is taken by businesses with a much higher turnover. (Guess what kinds of businesses have much higher turnover.) It is common now to see spaces that remain vacant for over a year. While they're closed, they earn a tax write off. When they reopen, they make all the money back by tripling the previous rent. It seems somewhat akin to the 21st century version of tulipmania. (If you're not familiar with Holland's 17th century tulip mania, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania">read here</a>.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3j0vV3ZpGtQ/V8W7p3ELdiI/AAAAAAAAr6k/p74gGxJRHE8MbjFlcvD3T-Y-JhhuuGb5wCLcB/s1600/photo%2Bby%2BRolando%2BRobinson%2Bfor%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_1723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3j0vV3ZpGtQ/V8W7p3ELdiI/AAAAAAAAr6k/p74gGxJRHE8MbjFlcvD3T-Y-JhhuuGb5wCLcB/s400/photo%2Bby%2BRolando%2BRobinson%2Bfor%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_1723.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Rolly Robinson</td></tr>
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FAO Schwarz, the world renowned toy store on Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, closed more than a year ago, and no shop has opened in its place. The red polka dots balls in the photo above were part of the joy and mischief that was FAO Schwarz.<br />
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In this neighborhood, there used to be three second hand boutiques. Now there are none. One has become an art gallery, another has become a hair salon, and the third is so recent that what happened - and will happen - is still a mystery. For those of us who eschew <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normcore">norm core</a>, losing a second hand store is similar to watching technicolor movies on a black and white television.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZneYBmg2L4/V8W_vlQszDI/AAAAAAAAr6w/-_ZRb4xe-OsGSXuaQrYkdPM21Yjk69ARACLcB/s1600/photo%2Bby%2BDenton%2BTaylor%2B-%2B%2BValerie%2Bwith%2BCrate%2BBarrel%2Bbag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZneYBmg2L4/V8W_vlQszDI/AAAAAAAAr6w/-_ZRb4xe-OsGSXuaQrYkdPM21Yjk69ARACLcB/s400/photo%2Bby%2BDenton%2BTaylor%2B-%2B%2BValerie%2Bwith%2BCrate%2BBarrel%2Bbag.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photograph by Denton Taylor</td></tr>
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Crate & Barrel, where I got this black and white picnic bag by the wonderfully creative <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=paola+navone&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDtrrg0unOAhWK6SYKHT9qA8YQ_AUICCgB&biw=1136&bih=652">Paula Navone</a>, has left Madison Avenue and 59th Street, lock, stock, and eponymous barrel. They were great for printed napkins, Marimekko sheets, home furnishings, and colorful kitchenware, including their collapsible silicon funnel<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AxP7SQqyARI/V8XBriAQgcI/AAAAAAAAr68/cufovmA_OdYSgT70iExwrhyDLejcrR5aACLcB/s1600/collapsible-funnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AxP7SQqyARI/V8XBriAQgcI/AAAAAAAAr68/cufovmA_OdYSgT70iExwrhyDLejcrR5aACLcB/s200/collapsible-funnel.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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(which made a great hat on one occasion, and would probably make a helluva breast plate).<br />
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Last on this list is the Barnes & Noble at the Citicorp Building at 54th Street and Third Avenue, whose lease was not renewed when the building decided to make major structural improvements. I have little time for pleasure reading anymore, but I did count on Barnes & Noble for all my calendar needs. B&N has supplied me with many a pocket calendar. Below is my now tatty 2013-2014 Van Gogh pocket planner, which treated me to a different Van Gogh picture every month.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NCt11O26jdo/V8YE9qflAVI/AAAAAAAAr7M/dqgwo6h3luMNZB40My5TbmlBIuHcCvvaACLcB/s1600/Van%2BGogh%2Bpocket%2Bplanner%2Bfrom%2BBarnes%2BNoble%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NCt11O26jdo/V8YE9qflAVI/AAAAAAAAr7M/dqgwo6h3luMNZB40My5TbmlBIuHcCvvaACLcB/s400/Van%2BGogh%2Bpocket%2Bplanner%2Bfrom%2BBarnes%2BNoble%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5621.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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For my desk at work, I've had the Audubon bird-a-day calendar (my name, not theirs) for the past three years. I don't learn much about the birds except their Latin names, but I'm endlessly intrigued and stimulated by the birds' color combinations, shapes, and behaviors. Both of these calendars are going to be a lot more annoying to find if brick and mortar bookstores disappear. I'll also have to pay shipping charges, as if I lived 30 miles from the nearest town.<br />
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Some of you, on reading this, will say that I am kvetching about shopping. I'm not. I'm kvetching about the disappearance of the ideas and work of creative, interesting people, which used to pepper the city, and was celebrated as one of the primary benefits of paying exorbitant taxes. I'm kvetching about the disappearance of flavor, surprise, variety, and sheer joy from the fabric of daily life.<br />
<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-53149765576170815142016-08-21T21:34:00.000-07:002016-08-24T05:23:17.126-07:00YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gCV9uUhwClk/V72RVcyLJeI/AAAAAAAAr4A/Sr0_hMHLQXUz8z6A_8OQAYFM2UZyROU-wCLcB/s1600/Valerie%2B-%2Bbow%2Bon%2Bfinger%2B-%2Bmnemonic%2Bdevice%2B-%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gCV9uUhwClk/V72RVcyLJeI/AAAAAAAAr4A/Sr0_hMHLQXUz8z6A_8OQAYFM2UZyROU-wCLcB/s640/Valerie%2B-%2Bbow%2Bon%2Bfinger%2B-%2Bmnemonic%2Bdevice%2B-%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5604.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>
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While Jean is wrestling with household demons (more on that, hopefully, in weeks to come), Valerie reports:<br />
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Yes, that's a great big red and gold bow on my finger. It's that old mnemonic device to help me remember... uh... whatever it was I was supposed to remember. We get to this age and we we start forgetting. Could be our lives are simply too complicated to remember everything. Could be most of it is too trivial. Or could it be we don't remember what we had for breakfast because we were in too much of a rush to care, and it didn't taste all that memorable anyway? I thought I'd write today about what I do to remember. Or, more accurately, what I do so I don't have to remember more than once.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ro5vQP_rVHQ/V7pkVrJWIpI/AAAAAAAArzI/ySZXoNYIQSsvCc-lXkAp6-daHVmAKo1aACLcB/s1600/Valerie%2B-%2Bmonthly%2Bcalendar%2B2001%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ro5vQP_rVHQ/V7pkVrJWIpI/AAAAAAAArzI/ySZXoNYIQSsvCc-lXkAp6-daHVmAKo1aACLcB/s400/Valerie%2B-%2Bmonthly%2Bcalendar%2B2001%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5562.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Like so many people before me, I keep a one year pocket calendar, and have for more than twenty years. And I don't throw them away. This one is dated 2001 in the upper right corner. I can see I got my hair done, had a facial, probably did jury duty, and recorded the name of a book I wanted to buy. (Not to put too fine a point on it, but you know those questions your gynecologist <i>always</i> asks you? I could answer all of them, accurately, for decades, thanks to my annual pocket calendars.) Even then, I was writing things down, and crossing them off when I'd taken care of them. But the pocket calendar doesn't work for everything.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h0jZG75uhRo/V7pl4x01CzI/AAAAAAAArzU/WB-BV9ARx9wW8UgeVTTy9Y0omkzKpB16ACLcB/s1600/Valerie%2B-%2Bbox%2Bof%2Bbills%2B-%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h0jZG75uhRo/V7pl4x01CzI/AAAAAAAArzU/WB-BV9ARx9wW8UgeVTTy9Y0omkzKpB16ACLcB/s400/Valerie%2B-%2Bbox%2Bof%2Bbills%2B-%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5558.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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At one point I got into a cycle of paying my bills late. Either I would leave bills in my pocketbook or lose them in the jungle of papers that is normally my desk, and I wound up getting second notices. So now all that stuff goes in a charming red shoe box on my desk, and I never forget to pay bills in a timely manner. The shoe box is also a great place to keep such other stuff as a comb shaped like fish bones. You never know when you might need one of those.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-55BlC2O_VVI/V7pm1ZZY5-I/AAAAAAAArzc/y7nHSWB766cN9xX_aVyNu8uHHxiSQtjngCLcB/s1600/Valerie%2B-%2Bmirror%2Bwith%2Bpost%2Bit%2Bnotes%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-55BlC2O_VVI/V7pm1ZZY5-I/AAAAAAAArzc/y7nHSWB766cN9xX_aVyNu8uHHxiSQtjngCLcB/s400/Valerie%2B-%2Bmirror%2Bwith%2Bpost%2Bit%2Bnotes%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5525.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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I have to confront my mirror every morning - that's where my toothbrush is - so it's a great place for little reminder stickies. These are things I need to do eventually, so there's no use putting them in the calendar: if the date passes, I won't look at that date again. This way, I have to face my neglected tasks every morning, and I can write in new ones as they occur to me. The one in the center reminded me to renew my passport. Another has a possible blog topic, another reminds me to man up (so to speak) and finally toss or sell a vintage jacket I ruined, and am clearly (fifteen years later) never going to fix. The white one is a label for a magazine I subscribe to. When I called about it, I got a recording asking for my subscription number. I didn't have it when I made the call, so when I found it, up on the mirror it went.<br />
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But what happens when you leave the house? Sometimes I put stickies in my pocket calendar, but that's not good for highly time-sensitive matters. For that, I use the back of my hand. 'Rent' reminds me to take a check to my agency by hand, because they've screwed up too many times (always in their favor, by odd coincidence) when I've given them access to my checking account. 'Dry' means pick up something at the dry cleaner before they close; 4:30 might refer to a phone call I have to make, or to something I want on Ebay.<br />
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Everyone pines for a valet like the ones we've seen on PBS programs about the old English aristocracy. (Here, the wonderful Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie of <i>Jeeves and Wooster</i>). <br />
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It takes a lot of cheek to call this inanimate little frame a valet, but that's what we're reduced to 100 years later: a stand for one jacket, one pair of pants, and a little tray to hold whatever is fished out of the pockets. But wait! It gets worse! Nowadays, a receptacle no bigger than a man's jewelry box can also be called a valet. Jeeves might have said "For this evening, might I suggest, sir, the gold cuff links with the family crest on them?", and Wooster might have replied yes, not having the faintest idea where they had been stored until Jeeves produced them with a flourish. Today, every man must fend for himself. And for me it's worse still.<br />
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The holy trinity without which I cannot leave the house are my keys, my watch, and my office pass. On too many occasions, I'd found myself at my place of work without my pass or my watch. Since I can't lock my door without my keys, I unfailingly remember them before I leave, so I learned to put the other two more forgettable items with the keys. But as I have no valet of any kind, they sit on my oversized television, which I disconnected four years ago, but can't bring myself to either store or throw away.<br />
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After you write your checks to pay your bills, you have to remember to submit them. That's a whole other kettle of fish. I leave them at the front door where (usually) I take note of them. (Here, circled in green.) I generally keep them in my hand till I reach the mail box because if I put them in my bag, there's no telling when they'll next see the light of day.<br />
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The front door has its other uses, too.<br />
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These shoes needed new heels, so I left them at the door where I might trip over them, to remind me to take them to the shoe maker on my way to work. When I do this sort of thing, I also set my alarm clock to wake me 15 minutes earlier than usual. The next morning, when I see I've awakened 15 minutes early, first I'll say "what the [expletive deleted]?" and then I'll realize I've cleverly given myself enough time to do something extra. When I get to the front door, I realize what the something was. (Sometimes I even remember without any help.)<br />
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I am my building's volunteer to recycle the building's batteries. They're heavy, so I take them in small amounts. It only takes a minute to drop them off at the recycling center on my way to work, so I don't have to build in any extra time. I just have to make sure to hang them on the door knob.<br />
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When Jean and I go out to some wonderful event to report on for you, we take our business cards with us. They're large, so we carry a few at a time, except for special events. If I remember to pull out the filing cabinet drawer in the morning, I'll see the cards on my way out in the evening. Otherwise, I'll rush out without thinking about them.<br />
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<b><i>NO WIRE HANGERS!!!!</i></b> They leave dents in your lightweight clothes and sag under the weight of your heavy clothes. But they are good for bringing your dry cleaning home, so I return mine to my cleaner for recycling. These are too large to sit on the door knob, so I hang them on my lamp. They're an eyesore there, so I'm very motivated to get rid of them as quickly as possible.<br />
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The Boulevard of Broken Earrings. I've previously written about organizing my jewelry box, so earrings by rights should be in it, and not on top of my chest of drawers. But if I put them back in my jewelry box, I'll forget about them and they'll stay broken forever. So I leave them in plain sight to force myself to deal with them. If it were as simple as super glue, they'd all be fixed by now. The black ones aren't actually broken - they're too heavy for their clasps, and fall off my ears. What to do?! And the fish tails need more drastic measures - one hinge died of metal fatigue. For the time being, the broken one has been 'fixed' with an extra clip and double sided foam mounting tape, which after one wearing has proven to be a very iffy solution. (Collage postcard of the Guggenheim hat by <a href="http://elainenorman.prosite.com/">Elaine Norman</a>.)<br />
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Similarly, when it was time to admit I could no longer wear my beloved yellow suit (<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4743631881054046577&pli=1#editor/target=post;postID=4441350450123249766;onPublishedMenu=pendingcomments;onClosedMenu=pendingcomments;postNum=12;src=postname">see that post here</a>), I put it out where I was forced to deal with it. For the earlier blog posting, I hung it on the inside of my closet door to 'frame' it, but in reality it hung in the doorway of my bedroom, so I was forced to wave it out of my way several times a day until I finally got fed up and took care of it.<br />
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I was well trained by both of my parents to turn off lights when I left a room. Both of them quoted my father's Depression-era parents to me: "What, are you trying to make Con Edison rich?" So I turned off lights, until I realized I associated that with 'closure'. Once or twice I awoke in the morning to see I'd left the ice cream out (<i>oh, no! not the ice cream!</i>), or the dishes undone. So now, when I turn off a light, I check to see if I have any unfinished business. If I do, I'll leave the light on to make sure I go back and finish what I started.<br />
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So those are my tips for remembering. Or forgetting less. Now if I could just figure out what to do about people's names...Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-3528193117293089872016-08-16T20:42:00.000-07:002016-08-16T20:42:02.571-07:00"Murder on the High C's" - Florence Foster Jenkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UXOophEtb2E/V7OuinVpUmI/AAAAAAAArx0/EPGHb2mS3fUTW8Sm3QIq2PkRL5FVb39awCLcB/s1600/Jean%252C%2BValerie%2Bwell%2Bdressed%2Bgraffiti%2Bman%252C%2Ball%2Bin%2Bhats%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UXOophEtb2E/V7OuinVpUmI/AAAAAAAArx0/EPGHb2mS3fUTW8Sm3QIq2PkRL5FVb39awCLcB/s400/Jean%252C%2BValerie%2Bwell%2Bdressed%2Bgraffiti%2Bman%252C%2Ball%2Bin%2Bhats%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><br />
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The title of this post is also the title of Naxos Records' recording of nine of Florence Foster Jenkins' songs. (In other words, we ripped it off, but we HAD to. It was too good not to share.) <br />
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On the hottest, muggiest day of the summer, with severe heat warnings, Jean had to cajole Valerie into accompanying her to see Stephen Frears' film about Florence. She even bought tickets ahead of time online and sent Valerie the link, so all she'd have to do was show up at the theater and tap her phone to show the bar code. Sheesh. <br />
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Valerie was a catalogue of NOs. She would first have to come up with an outfit she wouldn't schvitz too much in, walk through oppressive, soupy, motionless air while standing up to relentless sun to join Jean in the air-conditioned movie theater. Then (she thought, remembering some previous experiences) there would be waiting on lines, paying $5 for watered down sodas, arriving on time only to face half an hour of commercials, finding no seats in her comfort zone, sitting next to (take your pick) screaming children, stage-whispering adults or people on their cell phones in the dark. And paying the price of a darned good cocktail for the privilege. <i>Cajole</i> may not be the appropriate word here. Perhaps <i>twist Valerie's arm</i> is closer to the mark.<br />
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But Valerie relented, partly because the prospect of wearing very big hats in the theater was just too tempting. (For those of you cocking an eyebrow now, <i>yes</i>, we always take them off before the show begins. Except this time, when we sat in the last row where they wouldn't bother anyone. Except Valerie had to take hers off anyway because the hat brim kept hitting the very high back of the very comfortable seat.)<br />
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When is the last time you laughed out loud at a movie? Needless to say, it was only a few moments before we, and everyone around us, were merrily chuckling and laughing and whooping up a storm. Another revelation is Simon Helberg (in the photo above) as Cosme McMoon, Florence's soft-spoken accompanist and partner in crime. Best known as Howard Wolowitz on "The Big Bang Theory", Helberg speaks volumes by just raising an eyebrow, swallowing hard, opening his eyes wide and flashing an ever so fleeting smile. And, for the record, Simon Helberg plays the piano himself in the flick.<br />
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"Lady Florence", as she liked to be called (or "Madame Florence", as she was called throughout the movie), was an American socialite described in Wikipedia as an amateur soprano known and mocked (albeit generally out of her earshot) for her flamboyant performance costumes and notably poor singing ability. What that description doesn't convey is how endearingly funny and heartwarming the movie is and how amazingly Meryl Streep portrays the wildly impulsive music lover. Kudos to Streep for having the guts to portray Jenkins, an heiress infamous for her joyously ornate performances and energetic but off-key singing. <br />
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Streep brings to life a woman who had (until the movie) been mostly forgotten, but was at one time mentioned regularly in the New York newspapers. Watch her face, and watch her timing. Because Jenkins was a generous benefactor, no one wanted to risk her good favor, so in this movie a lot must be conveyed not by words but by subtle facial expressions and body language. In fact, for this movie, watch everyone's face, body language, and timing. If you check your email while watching this movie, you will miss half of it.<br />
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Above is the widely published photo of Florence in costume, compete with angelic wings inspired by "Stephen Foster and the Angel of Inspiration", hilariously recreated by Streep in the film. Don't take our word for it. Check out Florence's singing for yourself:<br />
<a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DV6ubiUIxbWE&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwiVj4-G_cTOAhXGQCYKHQvLBuwQyCkIGTAA&sig2=jRxSEkjx9xpvG_eoT2NB9g&usg=AFQjCNHgmODZnhB3hXSFe_diOq1tpdWBvw">Florence Foster Jenkins - Queen of the Night by Mozart. - YouTube</a><br />
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Who was FFJ, really? After a false start with a ne'er-do-well first husband which caused her family to disinherit her, Florence separated from him but kept his last name. It is unclear whether they ever actually divorced. She eventually worked her way back into the good graces of her family, inheriting a sizable trust when her father died, and additional money upon the later death of her mother.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photograph www.telegraph.co.uk/Getty</span></span></td></tr>
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In 1909, she met British Shakespearean actor St. Clair Bayfield (pictured above), who is variously referred to as her second "husband" or "partner". They were a couple for nearly forty years. A documentary was made about Florence in 2014. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVcatZDdaIY">Click here</a> for a link to it.<br />
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St. Clair, played by Hugh Grant, is a complex character whose true relationship with Florence is revealed as the movie progresses. For those of us accustomed to seeing Grant in the role of shy, young, bumbling suitor or the cad-about-town in his prime, it was a really interesting change to see him in a mature role. The film teases the viewer to expect that St. Clair is only in it for the money, and is laughing at Florence behind her back, but St. Clair shows nothing but tenderness, admiration and fierce loyalty to his partner, even as everyone else in the film is endeavoring mightily to stifle their laughter. Fortunately, we in the audience were under no such obligation, and just about rolled in the aisles. There is a short scene in which Grant does some truly marvelous swing dancing. Turns out he took lessons for two months. Great return on investment. Still, we can't see go see this movie for this scene alone. Absolutely every scene is a carefully crafted jewel.<br />
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Wanna see the trailer? (Remember to hit the little square at the bottom right corner for a larger view.)<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="180" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GOzGy73XMEk" width="320"></iframe><br />
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Once she came into her inheritance, Florence became a big supporter of New York musical theater, producing lavish tableaux vivants, invariably casting herself as the main character in the final tableau in an elaborate costume of her own design.<br />
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If Hugh Grant did his own swing dancing, we hear you asking, did Meryl Streep do her own singing? Well, remember we're talking about the woman who spoke in a Danish accent for Out of Africa, a Polish/American accent for Sophie's Choice, an Irish accent for Dancing at Lughnasa, a plummy British accent for Iron Lady, and belted out the hits in Ricki and the Flash. So yes, she did her own singing. Deliberately singing off key has to be just as challenging as singing on key.<br />
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Kudos also must go to Frears' hair dressers, make up artists and costumers. Everyone looked exactly as though they'd stepped out of the magazines of the day. In particular, keep an eye out for the Women of a Certain Age in the movie. They are exquisite. <br />
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Take our advice and go see Florence Foster Jenkins. And do report back to us. Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-54880477939516556532016-08-07T20:42:00.001-07:002016-08-07T20:43:05.563-07:00Party, Party, Party!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EqAt52RaYOs/V6fhh9rVpHI/AAAAAAAAru4/33-sZhUU79AnVnlSz6CMWmZhSv6wKa2gwCLcB/s1600/Ruthie%2527s%2Bgoodbye%2Bparty%2Bguests%2Bby%2BDenton%2BTaylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EqAt52RaYOs/V6fhh9rVpHI/AAAAAAAAru4/33-sZhUU79AnVnlSz6CMWmZhSv6wKa2gwCLcB/s400/Ruthie%2527s%2Bgoodbye%2Bparty%2Bguests%2Bby%2BDenton%2BTaylor.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photograph courtesy Denton Taylor</td></tr>
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We received one of those invitations you can't turn down from Ruthie Darling (her blog <a href="http://ruthiedarlingblog.com/">here</a>; her Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ruthiedarling/">here</a>), announcing that she was celebrating her imminent departure for six months of touring with <i>Kiss of the Spiderwoman</i> and another show at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/collectionsbk/"><b>Collections</b></a>, a curated vintage shop in up and coming Bushwick (in Brooklyn, like so many other of-the-moment phenomena). A follow-up email announced that Debra Rapoport would be bringing a Japanese film crew with her, and suggested that we all dress up (ha! as if we otherwise wouldn't have). Of course, when we say an invitation you can't turn down, that excludes work obligations. Jean was traveling that day, so Valerie had to represent two people all by herself. A tough job, but someone's got to do it...<br />
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It had been one of those days - weeks, actually - where New York tried to compete with Seattle for the most precipitation. That always affects one's clothing decisions, particularly one's shoes, but one willingly sacrifices for a party.<br />
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Here's the low-down from Valerie:<br />
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I ran into the Baroness at the train station that takes one directly into the heart of trendy Brooklyn, so we made our way ther together. A few blocks from our destination, we came across this work by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gumshoeart/?hl=en">gumshoeart</a> (Angela China) and HAD to photograph ourselves in front of it. <br />
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This was harder than you might think, because it was raining, we were both carrying <i>stuff</i>, we didn't want to put it down where it might get wet, and of course we didn't know anyone. But we did manage to snag a charming and good natured young man so we could be photographed together. We gave him very strict instructions (like 'please get the feet in', and 'please get the whole painting in'. The result was that we got neither, but it's enough for you to get the idea. To be fair, it is hard to complain (try though I may), because after all it was raining, he did us a BIG favor, he was on his way somewhere, and he wasn't a professional photographer. So we're actually very grateful. And a link to the gumshoeart Instagram account is included above, so you can see more pictures of this work there.<br />
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When the Baroness and I arrived, the party was already in full swing, with guests nibbling on British munchies (Ruthie is from Across the Pond), and trying on wonderful vintage selections from the Collections collection. Denton Taylor convinced us all to go outside during a lull in the precipitation, and got the group shot you see at the head of this post. The brains behind Collections is LucyAnn, far left, who moments before had been blowing gigantic bubbles, some of which can be seen in the lower left corner of the photo.<br />
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I fell in love with Ruthie's dress, and have to give you a better view of it. It looks for all the world like it's aluminum, but it must be polyurethane, or a variation. It's very supple and light. The wonderful pouf is accomplished by turning the hem back under the dress and sewing a hem that forces the skirt to splay outward. The black straps are a great contrast. Ruthie found the dress that day at Collections, and it went home with her. It seems Bushwick is full of outdoor art. Don't you love the oil rigs above Ruthie's head?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph courtesy of Denton Taylor</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/dianagabrielnyc/?hl=en">Diana Gabriel</a> took home this '80s jumpsuit. In the lead photo, she's wearing a similarly graphic full length skirt with fabulous pockets, which she turned into a dress.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5LZTBt68qFE/V6fxq5r0ABI/AAAAAAAArvw/t8LxqLA57Jk612tTc-Q0VWjUky5ubsHWQCLcB/s1600/Diana%2BGabriel%2B%2Bphoto%2Bby%2BDenton%2BTaylor%2B%2B%2528detail%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5LZTBt68qFE/V6fxq5r0ABI/AAAAAAAArvw/t8LxqLA57Jk612tTc-Q0VWjUky5ubsHWQCLcB/s640/Diana%2BGabriel%2B%2Bphoto%2Bby%2BDenton%2BTaylor%2B%2B%2528detail%2529.jpeg" width="354" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photograph courtesy of Denton Taylor</td></tr>
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Do all of you know Ricky Aloisio, The New York Times Art Director? My camera phone shows signs of going the way of all things, and it took this VERY bad photo of him. Ricky has an amazing gift for matching and contrasting colors and patterns in his clothes. If you haven't seen his Instagram account, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aloisio.ricky/">here's the link</a>. Did you look? If you did, you'll recognize this pose, despite my uncooperative camera. Time to trade up to the iPhone 6!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gDQavfFnqVQ/V6fwESlwO5I/AAAAAAAArvk/MkW0CMD0C_86P23271HF1jdqTfo84AyMwCLcB/s1600/Ricky%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2790.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gDQavfFnqVQ/V6fwESlwO5I/AAAAAAAArvk/MkW0CMD0C_86P23271HF1jdqTfo84AyMwCLcB/s400/Ricky%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2790.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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Matthew, one of LucyAnn's employees, modeled a pink cheong sam, graphic duster, matching pink parasol, fan, and Prada shoes. And you KNOW I tried to find him a hat. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8f2EUkwUUsA/V6fyiHLsYOI/AAAAAAAArv0/VZsy2hZVFXork7hIgEdtZH0QsF7j2jnRwCLcB/s1600/Matthew%2Bin%2Bcheong%2Bsam%252C%2Bduster%252C%2Bparasol%2B%2BIdiosynratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8f2EUkwUUsA/V6fyiHLsYOI/AAAAAAAArv0/VZsy2hZVFXork7hIgEdtZH0QsF7j2jnRwCLcB/s640/Matthew%2Bin%2Bcheong%2Bsam%252C%2Bduster%252C%2Bparasol%2B%2BIdiosynratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2779.jpg" width="372" /></a></div>
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Continuing with the pink theme, one of the guests found a frothy pink dress with layers of tulle. Unbelievably, this dress goes even further back than I do, so I'm not sure whether it's a highly formal debutante dress, or a less formal sweet 16 or prom dress. In any case, I really liked the tulle panel that fans out at the bust. Very feminine, and more than a bit come-hither. Completely respectable, revealing nothing, yet offering willing assistance to any active imagination.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNDkNrgSLDQ/V6fy429VrpI/AAAAAAAArv4/O8w85Z_TzCg0_Tem-qrbVE09TuQJAGaEgCLcB/s1600/guest%2Bin%2Bfrothy%2Bpink%2Bdebutante%2Bparty%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eNDkNrgSLDQ/V6fy429VrpI/AAAAAAAArv4/O8w85Z_TzCg0_Tem-qrbVE09TuQJAGaEgCLcB/s640/guest%2Bin%2Bfrothy%2Bpink%2Bdebutante%2Bparty%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2773.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
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When Debra arrived with her Japanese film crew, the party switched into high gear. Collections is a narrow shop. It's more than ample sized for street traffic, but the party put a strain on the walls. Here's Debra being filmed. It was similar to being at a rock concert, where one has to hold the camera high above one's head to take the picture, and hope that it captures what you want.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sHyolRhphy4/V6f1JXrrTvI/AAAAAAAArwE/OPBmUQtyegc-VKRVyUGFHT4mItmcTGBGgCLcB/s1600/Debra%2BRapoport%2Bfilmed%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sHyolRhphy4/V6f1JXrrTvI/AAAAAAAArwE/OPBmUQtyegc-VKRVyUGFHT4mItmcTGBGgCLcB/s400/Debra%2BRapoport%2Bfilmed%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2763.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
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Once the film crew had its interviews, Debra joined the rest of the crowd. This party brought together a very creative group. Debra, for example, is wearing a hat and necklace of her own making; <a href="http://www.martinadietrich.com/home">Martina Dietrich</a> has her own atelier; and the Baroness, who designed her own latex outfit, and <a href="http://www.baroness.com/">has her own boutique</a> in Manhattan. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S80D-GkabPA/V6f4dN42bgI/AAAAAAAArwQ/9QLPWtDlap0WIam0eMONtfRCc-LX3jmWgCLcB/s1600/Valerie%252C%2BBaroness%252C%2BMartina%252C%2BDebra%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S80D-GkabPA/V6f4dN42bgI/AAAAAAAArwQ/9QLPWtDlap0WIam0eMONtfRCc-LX3jmWgCLcB/s640/Valerie%252C%2BBaroness%252C%2BMartina%252C%2BDebra%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2768.jpg" width="403" /></a></div>
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Ruthie Darling, in addition to being an actress, aerialist and blogger, also currently writes for the fashion section of <i>The Bushwick Daily</i>. So if you'd like additional information or pictures about this party, <a href="http://bushwickdaily.com/bushwick/categories/arts-and-culture/4072-advanced-style-and-japanese-tv-hit-bushwick">click here</a> for Ruthie's rundown.<br />
<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-7140865555777023142016-07-25T22:39:00.003-07:002016-07-25T22:39:38.190-07:00ATTACK OF THE KILLER RAMBUTANS and Other Unusual Tales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQRK3Zwqr3o/V5bA1zVAXXI/AAAAAAAArsU/wGGyePor9RENhqxohSDLpwlEVL_ZwRAwACLcB/s1600/Not%2Bjust%2Ba%2Bwalk%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bpark%2B%2BJean%252C%2BValerie%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQRK3Zwqr3o/V5bA1zVAXXI/AAAAAAAArsU/wGGyePor9RENhqxohSDLpwlEVL_ZwRAwACLcB/s640/Not%2Bjust%2Ba%2Bwalk%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bpark%2B%2BJean%252C%2BValerie%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2575.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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One of the more interesting things about having a blog partner is that when one of you gets a hare-brained scheme, you have a partner you can rope into going along with you. Case in point: Valerie got it into her head (that must be the hare brain Jean refers to above, notes Valerie) that she wanted to use as props some of the exotic fruits she'd spied in carts of Chinatown street vendors. Although we started in search of one particularly gorgeous fruit (which will remain unnamed, since we might very well go back for it), the bright red little rambutans were in season. Covered with stiff hair-like bristles, the red outside protects a delicately flavored white lychee-like fruit inside. Since those would go out of season first, we went with the rambutans. And how could we say no, anyway, given their other-worldly look?<br />
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Those of you who are already saying "Whuuuuttttt????" - not so fast! Many women before us have labored in praise of fruit. A prime example: Josephine Baker. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmw5eGh888Y">Click here for a brief video</a> of her doing her world famous thing in the 1920s.<br />
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By now, some of you are saying out loud <i>"Yes, and what about Carmen Miranda?"</i> Another prime example.<br />
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And for those of us who asked ourselves <i>"Do I dare?" and, "Do I dare?"</i>*, there were (and are) smaller, less outrageous ways to participate in the passion for fruit.<br />
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So now that we have you on our wavelength (perhaps... a little bit...) without further ado, here's what we did with the rambutans:<br />
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Jean says: As a child of the '50s, I grew up on black and white sci-fi movies about space aliens and mutant creatures resulting from nuclear testing (like "The Blob"). This has obviously tainted my world view and warped my psyche, but has also provided the background for my tale:<br />
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I was minding my own business one Saturday afternoon, daydreaming about nothing in particular when my reveries were so rudely interrupted by an invasion of small, hairy space creatures hell bent on devouring me. And to add to my predicament, my legs were paralyzed. I could not move and was trapped right in their path. The horror!<br />
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My first reaction? Shrieking uncontrollably, of course. My cries grew more frantic by the second. My heart was beating so rapidly, I thought it would burst.<br />
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Unfortunately, screaming didn't scare them away. It only served to agitate the little creatures. They never broke ranks and started wriggling their little hairy spines at me. <i>Now</i> what? Frozen in fear, unable to run or even crawl away, as a last resort, I then tried to throw myself on their mercy.<br />
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Unfortunately, that also appeared to have little effect. Aha, I thought. Perhaps the little critters are hard of hearing. So, I tried shouting my pleas for mercy.<br />
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Again, they ignored my desperate pleas. When all else fails, what does one do but resort to violence, right? Driven mad by fear, I decided to try to smack the little buggers into submission with my bare hands. <br />
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The rest, as they say, is history!<br />
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Valerie says:<br />
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And now, back to our regularly scheduled program. I went for the practical in my rambutans. They were round and red and perfectly sized, with soft little spikes for a bit of edgy drama. How would I not want to wear them? Don't they make the perfect accessory? The little spikes were actually a bit velcro-like, helping them stay together. Making a necklace was a bit of a challenge. (Actually, an insurmountable challenge.) We had no needle or thread and, velcro-like characteristics notwithstanding, there was still the force of gravity to deal with.<br />
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A close-up of the merch. For the fun of it, I photoshopped in some red nail polish.<br />
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What can be more tempting to eat than a red fruit? Mind you, you are supposed to peel the rambutan first, but that's a minor detail. Ever see ads for beer, in which the name of the beer is prominently visible in the hand of the person advertising it? Just try holding a beer that way and see how uncomfortable and unnatural it is. Here, I'm holding a tasty, beautiful rambutan as if I'm about to eat it. I'm quite comfortable, but no one can see the gorgeous product. So if we had been under contract to the Board for the Promotion of Rambutans, we would have had to do this shoot all over again.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H_DQ8KCQAmg/V5bxGdVxkkI/AAAAAAAArtw/j160EWd27TQhYotxz_7OczjgWjRVxc0kQCLcB/s1600/Valerie%2B-%2Btempting%252C%2Bbut%2Bnot%2Bwith%2Bthe%2Bapple%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H_DQ8KCQAmg/V5bxGdVxkkI/AAAAAAAArtw/j160EWd27TQhYotxz_7OczjgWjRVxc0kQCLcB/s400/Valerie%2B-%2Btempting%252C%2Bbut%2Bnot%2Bwith%2Bthe%2Bapple%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_2263.JPG" width="388" /></a></div>
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The red of the fruit matched up really well with the red of the dress, so they seemed made for each other, but the dress could only be decorated while lying down, and I had to lie still, and it really wasn't working. So without our realizing it, it morphed into a surrealist art project.<br />
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Here is Magritte's well known <i>Son of Man</i>:<br />
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So I guess this could be called, with apologies, <i>Daughter of Woman</i>.<br />
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See? We told you yesterday it wasn't a walk in the park.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J3lVH4RfJPA/V5b1ImTTbFI/AAAAAAAAruM/Jko2u0eq2UoU0XazaK7-zT9zymir_uvogCLcB/s1600/Valerie%252C%2BJean%2Bsitting%2Bon%2Brust%2Bsculpture%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J3lVH4RfJPA/V5b1ImTTbFI/AAAAAAAAruM/Jko2u0eq2UoU0XazaK7-zT9zymir_uvogCLcB/s400/Valerie%252C%2BJean%2Bsitting%2Bon%2Brust%2Bsculpture%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2533.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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* With apologies to T. S. Eliot for his poem <i>The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock</i>, which we all studied in high school.<br />
<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-48768446433811522952016-07-24T19:11:00.000-07:002016-07-25T18:44:34.721-07:00NOT JUST A WALK IN THE PARK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Looks like it's just a walk in the park, but it's not. It's another of our silly adventures. But it's summer, and it's vacation time, so we're taking it a bit easy. (That is, we're not staying up till 2am to finish this, as is sometimes our wont [but not our want]). The rest of our silly story will be up tomorrow night, so do please come back and visit us in about 24 hours.<br />
<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-66299975769968055792016-07-18T23:50:00.003-07:002016-07-18T23:50:35.140-07:00TRAVELING WHILE OLD: VALERIE GOES TO BOSTON<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bkuv6CzS0Ew/V4wxTRabJRI/AAAAAAAArlQ/5yKN9spzOksGg6Llan4c5jx8amIprj9YQCLcB/s1600/Valerie%2B-%2BAnish%2B%2BKapoor%2527s%2BHalo%2B%2BPeabody%2BEssex%2BMuseum%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bkuv6CzS0Ew/V4wxTRabJRI/AAAAAAAArlQ/5yKN9spzOksGg6Llan4c5jx8amIprj9YQCLcB/s640/Valerie%2B-%2BAnish%2B%2BKapoor%2527s%2BHalo%2B%2BPeabody%2BEssex%2BMuseum%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2674.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anish Kapoor's Halo, Peabody-Essex Museum</td></tr>
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Valerie says: The last time I went to Boston the fastest way to get there was by Amtrak, and that took five fours - IF the train had no delays, and that was a mighty big IF. But I recently discovered that a <a href="https://www.boltbus.com/">Bolt Bus</a> will pick me up a short walk from my home at 7am and get me to Boston just after 11am, with amenities like internet and pretty comfortable seats, so I got a round trip ticket under sixty dollars, found a GREAT place to stay using <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/">AirBnB</a> (my second excellent experience with them) and off I went.<br />
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The first thing I bought on arrival at South Station was a seven day transit pass called a Charlie Card, which offered me full access for seven days for $21.25.<br />
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A single ride is $1.75, so essentially you get the full value of the card if you use it twelve times. But I hardly need tell you the benefit of not having to buy a new ticket each time you want to board, or how wonderful it is not to worry if you have correct change, or if you will buy your ticket in time to catch the next train, or if you're going in the right direction. By the third day my Charlie Card had more than paid for itself. (And when I left on the fourth day, I left it where someone might find it and get further use out of it.)<br />
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The oldest subway system in the United States, it's a bit antiquated, but in a world of rapid change, there's something to be said for the antiquated. The trolleys run very regularly, and I never experienced much of a wait or too much crowding. Here you can see I was separated from my driver by a slack canvas curtain, not bullet-proof plexiglass. The New York City subway system is pretty automated, but the Boston system responds more readily to individual needs. The drivers were always very nice (actually, everyone in Boston is very friendly). Drivers hit their bells before they leave the station (since many stops are outdoors at ground level, and traversed by pedestrians), but some may hit it once or twice, while others will rhythmically tap out a one note tune.<br />
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I had an easy train ride to my BnB stop.<br />
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On alighting, there was a very helpful map of my neighborhood. I photographed it, just in case I lost my bearings. The Coolidge Corner station turns out to be just blocks from President Kennedy's birthplace, circled in red. I didn't stop there, but I was tickled to know I was in a historic area.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rjjrt5i30GA/V4w5mJt_GYI/AAAAAAAArl0/g31eeA9iS60IbVjEr30-Hv0AOoOykK83QCLcB/s1600/Map%2Bof%2BCoolidge%2BCorner%2Bat%2Bstation%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rjjrt5i30GA/V4w5mJt_GYI/AAAAAAAArl0/g31eeA9iS60IbVjEr30-Hv0AOoOykK83QCLcB/s400/Map%2Bof%2BCoolidge%2BCorner%2Bat%2Bstation%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5087.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Wandering up Harvard Street, my eyes were drawn to a marvelous pair of eyeglasses that appeared to change color depending on how the light hit them (or what angle I viewed them from. Imagine my surprise and delight to see the <a href="http://www.laeyeworks.com/">LA Eyeworks</a> name and typeface on one of the temples. This was a great way to start my trip.<br />
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I was advised to have brunch at Zaftig's (who speaks Yiddish? If you don't, zaftig is literally Yiddish for juicy, but when applied to women, we would translate it as pleasantly plump.) I wound up not going (there was a line), but how could you not want to eat at a restaurant which beckons visitors with a portrait that looks like a Modigliani?<br />
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My AirBnB digs turned out to be the refinished attic of a private home. I had the whole floor to myself, a king size bed and a fully equipped private bathroom. Windows provided light and cross ventilation, and backyard birds provided entertainment. After dropping off my small suitcase, I took the subway to the Museum of Fine Arts, where all visitors are greeted by a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHnNFpIAX9E/?taken-by=idiosyncraticfashionistas&hl=en">gigantic inflatable flower</a> (bigger than about 10 people standing together) by Choi Jeong Hwa on the front lawn. I've already put it on Instagram, so click on the link to see it inflate and deflate. I was a little floored by the $25 admission, particularly since it was already 3pm by the time I arrived. The ticket is, however, good for a second admission if used within seven days, which mollified me a bit. Tickets for seniors, by the way, are reduced by less than 10% (to $23), and the minimum age for eligibility is 65.<br />
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Inside, they were showing <a href="http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/techstyle">Techstyle</a>, a show of fashion using new technology. The exhibition opens with a very edgy video featuring pop star Viktoria Modesta as she shows off her unique prosthetic leg. (For the full screen version <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQUmrBnhgF4">click here</a>.)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="180" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UQUmrBnhgF4" width="320"></iframe><br />
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To watch (yes, <i>watch</i>) the LED lights dress click <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHybFwqgvBc/?taken-by=idiosyncraticfashionistas">here</a>; for the marvelous Iris van Herpen creation <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHr2TeWA73g/?taken-by=idiosyncraticfashionistas">click here</a>. I really enjoyed the red dress below. I have to quote the label verbatim, as I couldn't possibly reword it myself. "... a flexible 3-D printed garment that comes off of the printer ready to wear. ... allows the customer to change the direction, roundness and height of the individual panels. Generated from a body scan, the dress can be fully customized using a design app on the company's website. Assembly of the dress is as easy as snapping together three pieces." A collaboration of <a href="http://n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com/projects/">Nervous System</a> and <a href="http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/19275-nervous-system-creates-kinematics-dress-3d-printed-by-shapeways-acquired-by-moma.html">Shapeways</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ugCVjwfqaBs/V42GU_tz1yI/AAAAAAAArmc/oZMCYt9hCrw7Rk02Rga2c5dLu2FcI2BWwCLcB/s1600/Kinematics%2B8%2Bdress%2Blaser%2Bsintered%2B3d-printed%2Bnylon%2Bby%2BshapewaysIMG_5339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ugCVjwfqaBs/V42GU_tz1yI/AAAAAAAArmc/oZMCYt9hCrw7Rk02Rga2c5dLu2FcI2BWwCLcB/s400/Kinematics%2B8%2Bdress%2Blaser%2Bsintered%2B3d-printed%2Bnylon%2Bby%2BshapewaysIMG_5339.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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What was especially nice about this, however, was that the museum shop had some really great souvenirs related to it. Have you noticed that museum shops have become all about tee shirts and magnets and umbrellas and erasers? Are you old enough to remember when museums sold truly breathtaking objects that weren't available anywhere else? If so, then you can probably understand my great pleasure at seeing two necklaces, earrings, and a bracelet in the museum shop, all made in the same color as the dress, using the same technology, and all affordably priced.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vqAm8Q5rqK4/V42Jztbh88I/AAAAAAAArmo/uPH-A4mSZKUJC3eE_RnaLHL3Zw6YiuibgCLcB/s1600/Technostyle%2Bexhiition%2Bsouvenirs%2Bfrom%2BNervous%2BSystem%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vqAm8Q5rqK4/V42Jztbh88I/AAAAAAAArmo/uPH-A4mSZKUJC3eE_RnaLHL3Zw6YiuibgCLcB/s320/Technostyle%2Bexhiition%2Bsouvenirs%2Bfrom%2BNervous%2BSystem%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5127.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also got to see their exhibition on Nubian gold before I had to run off to the Institute of Contemporary Art to meet the delightful <a href="http://thehouseoffindings.com/">Mayra Gonzalez</a>, whom Jean and I met not long ago when she and her husband Biorn had a booth at the <a href="http://idiosyncraticfashionistas.blogspot.com/2016/02/manhattan-vintage-show-february-2016.html">Manhattan Vintage Show</a>. To my chagrin, I could feel myself coming down with a cold, which drained a bit of my energy. Luckily for me, Mayra was a great sport, and allowed me to gorge myself on protein (a wagyu slider) and calm myself with an excellent glass of red wine before we attempted to see the featured show, the wonderfully unsettling collages/(dare one say?) dolls/puppets of <a href="https://www.icaboston.org/exhibitions/geoffrey-farmer">Geoffrey Farmer</a>. (See a few more of the exhibition pieces <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHpQw5CAgs7/?taken-by=idiosyncraticfashionistas">here</a>.)<br />
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In the dark, I made my way back from Mayra and ICA to Coolidge Corner on public transportation with no trouble. I stopped at a drugstore and bought my usual array of cold medications: Hall's Mentolyptus, Theraflu Severe Cold and Cough, Advil Cold & Sinus, Mucinex D and generic aspirin. Thank heaven for these. By the next morning, I felt as though I had escaped the worst of it, and would only have to be vigilant.<br />
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The next morning, I set out for Boston's second best known museum, the <a href="http://www.gardnermuseum.org/collection/collection_overview">Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum</a>. It's unfortunate that most of us know it best for the 1990 theft of 13 works of art, including Rembrandt's <i>Storm on the Sea of Galilee</i> and Vermeer's <i>The Concert</i>. Gardner's original mission was to bring art to early 20th century Boston, and share it with the public after her death. The building, in which Gardner lived, and the courtyard by themselves are a marvel before one even begins to enjoy the artwork, which is (as it was during her lifetime) all over her home. This can look a bit like a fire sale, and the untutored eye (that is to say, my eye, for example) can miss a good deal. I heard a guard pointing out a Degas drawing to a visitor. I would have overlooked it. Later, admiring a roomful of dense wood carvings from approximately the 16th centuries, a guard helpfully told me that I had just passed by a 14th century Giotto as well as a Simone Martini. A look at the internet will acquaint readers with the best known works, so I'll post two photos of works that get far less attention. <br />
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I loved this clever 19th century Japanese lantern depicting a man and woman in a pleasure boat, with frothing waves at the base. All of us are familiar with the oval collapsing Japanese lanterns, but this metalwork lantern is quite unusual. Clearly, Gardner did not limit herself to art that was "safe" and "approved" by the experts of her day (although she did have experts advising her).<br />
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Another work I quite enjoyed was a huge tapestry (on which I found no information) in which everyone's clothing was lovingly portrayed in lavish detail. In contrast to all the splendor, however, at the feet of the central figure are two open cases containing severed heads.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HuZ4jpfLpTk/V42Z9FL9HsI/AAAAAAAArnU/k_2i7KyqDvw7SDg6D5-gqjxPndKzsU5awCLcB/s1600/detail%252C%2Btapestry%2Bwith%2Bsevered%2Bheads%2B%2BIsabella%2BStewart%2BGardner%2BMuseum%2BIMG_5200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HuZ4jpfLpTk/V42Z9FL9HsI/AAAAAAAArnU/k_2i7KyqDvw7SDg6D5-gqjxPndKzsU5awCLcB/s400/detail%252C%2Btapestry%2Bwith%2Bsevered%2Bheads%2B%2BIsabella%2BStewart%2BGardner%2BMuseum%2BIMG_5200.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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From there I traveled to Newbury Street. This was perhaps my only real disappointment in Boston. There was nothing on Newbury Street that one couldn't see in midtown Manhattan. Just as in Soho, the interesting shops could not manage the rising rents, and left. And just as in Manhattan, there is no new go-to location. The shops have either dispersed or closed. Change is inevitable, but not all change is good. I stocked up on protein at The Met Back Bay (one of the few restaurants on Newbury), eating my second hamburger in as many days. The fries were scrumptious.<br />
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After that, I had very little time to visit the <a href="http://www.mobilia-gallery.com/mobilia-artists/all/">Mobilia Gallery</a>, which I came to know through Manhattan's annual SOFA (sculptural objects and functional art) handcrafted art fair. When I called, owner Linda Behar instructed me to take the #72 bus from Harvard Square (which I looked for in vain), or walk down Brattle Street. I can't thank Linda enough for telling me about Brattle Street. It has block after block after block of the most Norman-Rockwellian-ideal-America-of-your-dreams homes, built before anyone ever thought of quick drying concrete. They look the way homes were probably always supposed to look. They are big enough for the large families of old, with porches and trees and fences. They look as though they were designed by intelligent, self-effacing architects who focused on form following function, but added beauty in the details. Nothing is gilt. There are no gravel driveways in the front, and no SUVs in them. If there are columns, they are there to support weight. There is no aluminum siding; there are no elves or jockeys. There is the fragrance of greenery, and there are carefully tended gardens. Hurrying to see Mobilia before it closed, I took no pictures, which I deeply regret. This photo of a Brattle Street home taken off the internet gives you some idea, but you really have to take a leisurely stroll down Brattle Street for yourself.<br />
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Everything about Mobilia Gallery is a feast for the eyes, including the bathroom. In an unusual turn of events, I did not ask for the bathroom - I was invited to enjoy looking at it. How many people can say that they have - or even that they have visited - a bathroom that's fun just to be in and look at? Mobilia is small, and they use their space very well. My favorite objects, the jewelry (no surprise there), were in cases that would have been difficult to photograph unless I was suspended from the ceiling (now, <i>there's </i>a thought!), but I'm pleased to show you a sliver of the bathroom. If you look at this and think Mobilia specializes in teapots, you need to think more broadly. Mobilia takes pride in their inclusiveness. They embrace and endless variety of media and techniques. A great place to visit and support.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tQvg577TSlg/V42lJkpMBYI/AAAAAAAArnw/5QcIm3OX0Gc9d8eWMPkLXQBi3wLyKv0fgCLcB/s1600/Valerie%2B-%2BMobilia%2Bbathroom%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tQvg577TSlg/V42lJkpMBYI/AAAAAAAArnw/5QcIm3OX0Gc9d8eWMPkLXQBi3wLyKv0fgCLcB/s640/Valerie%2B-%2BMobilia%2Bbathroom%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMAG2627.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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The day I arrived in Boston, temperatures were close to ninety degrees; overnight they dropped into the sixties, and stayed there for the length of my visit. Needless to say, I had brought clothes only for extreme heat, and little tiny cotton knit jackets for air conditioned commercial venues. Because I was fighting off a cold, I wound up wearing the warmest things I had - that is, more or less the same thing every day. My AirBnB hostess was beyond kind to me when she lent me a light down jacket, which I wore with much relief and much appreciation.<br />
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The next afternoon (after a lazy morning) I met up with Mayra and Biorn, who spirited me away to Salem for a visit to the Peabody-Essex Museum, and later to tiny, colorful, salt air Marblehead for ice cream. There might not be an inch of Marblehead (below) from which you can't see the water.<br />
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The <a href="http://pem.org/">Peabody-Essex Museum</a>, based in a seaport town, has a wealth of art and artifacts relating to its history in trading and shipping. One room, devoted to the industry, displayed a number of mastheads. (Fun facts: a ship's masthead generally gave a clue as to the name of the ship; many sailors refused to board ships without a masthead, thinking them unlucky.) In the photo below, you can not only see the size of the masthead, you can also see that I'm wearing the same warm clothes I'd worn the day before.<br />
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There was a room featuring Chinese art for the foreign market. Among them, this astonishingly delicate fan. To the naked eye, it appears to be lace, but in fact it is carved ivory.<br />
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The Peabody-Essex keeps up with the times, and has a fair selection of modern art. Thus the Anish Kapoor (2006) in the opening photo. We did make the great mistake of not visiting the gift shop first, and were summarily kicked out at closing time, leaving all sorts of goodies to be purchased by others, some other day. Readers, learn from my mistake! We did make up for it, though, eating a scrumptious seafood dinner afterward at a marvelous Salem restaurant which specializes in fresh mussels. We had a short walk through a bit of Salem, but it was clear when we left that I had only dipped my toe in its waters.<br />
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On the last day of my four day trip, I went back to the Museum of Fine Arts. While changing trains, I ran into musicians in Revolutionary War period clothing on the steps of the Boston Public Library.<br />
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The woman's dress is wonderfully done. Here it is from behind. It would have been hard work matching up all the stripes at the back, and the flared hips must also have been a challenge.<br />
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When I arrived at the museum, I expected to waltz in with my old ticket, but I was abruptly stopped by a guard, who told me I had to trade that ticket in for a new one. (Why, I wondered, and wonder still.) When I'd bought my ticket on Thursday, there had been no line. Now there was a line of about 20 people. I went up to the members' desk and asked if having already purchased my ticket gave me special dispensation not to stand on line. It doesn't. This seems like something that could be improved. <br />
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The MFA has an excellent collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Fauvist art, so I made my way through those galleries in a leisurely manner. Readers have already seen the Museum's van Gogh and Gaugin paintings, so here's a little detail of Paul Signac's <a href="http://www.wikiart.org/en/paul-signac/antibes-the-pink-cloud-1916">Antibes - The Pink Cloud</a> (1916). The brushwork is marvelous.<br />
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There was a wonderful Louise Nevelson in the modern section,<br />
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a huge, saucy neon sign on the main floor, by Jeppe Hein (which is not nearly as dark or as fuzzy as it appears here),<br />
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and an extremely tasty roast beef sandwich (more beef in three days than I ordinarily consume in three months) and organic Cabernet Sauvignon in the small cafe by the gift shop. (I had short conversations with several people as I ate, and in fact with quite a few people as I made my way around the city. I found Bostonians to be open, friendly, and interested.)<br />
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In the afternoon, the handcrafts, pre-Columbian and Native American sections held more wonders before I had to leave. Besides the wait for my ticket, my only other complaint about the museum was the tendency here - as at many other museums these days - to name absolutely every square inch after some benefactor or other. It is, one supposes, a sign of the times, since museums are having trouble fund raising (who isn't?), and so instead of having, say, The Egyptian Wing, museums now have The John Q. Smith and Mary Ellen Jones Smith Memorial Egyptian Wing. That's one word for a remarkably advanced civilization that built the pyramids and the Sphinx, and lasted several thousand years, and nine words for two people who paid for a room. There just seems to be something odd about that.<br />
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Some of you will say all I did was visit museums, and you're right. But that was the right way to go. Now I have a great excuse to go back and see everything I missed. If you have been thinking of going, give in to your impulse.Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-60022591744119449842016-07-10T22:10:00.002-07:002016-07-10T22:10:28.016-07:00MAD HATTERS at City Lore Gallery"MAD HATTERS: New York Hats and Hatmakers" is a fun show at <a href="http://www.citylore.org/">City Lore Gallery</a> in the East Village which celebrates the fact that NYC, known for having attitude, possesses just as big dose of emblematic HAT-itude! Take our advice and make it your business to see the show before it closes July 31, 2016.<br />
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While Valerie is cavorting in Boston this weekend, Jean is keeping the home fires burning, so to speak, and is posting on the exhibit. We both saw the show, but separately, so this is Jean's "take" on the show, the milliners and their wonderful creations. Last weekend, Jean met photographer <a href="http://www.theincomparablerosehartman.com/">Rose Hartman</a> for brunch (at Rose's West Village haunt, <a href="http://www.santambroeus.com/">Sant Ambroeus</a>, where she took this terrific photo of Jean in her aptly named "Breakfast Hat" by <a href="http://www.henrikvibskov.com/">Henrik Vibskov</a>). Afterward, Jean strolled back to the East Village to see the MAD HATTERS show, where the festive headwear below greets visitors entering the gallery. You know you're on the right place when you see it.<br />
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During the 1930s, city streets were a sea of brims and you weren't a New Yorker without a hat. Both fashionable and practical, hats were a means of expressing one's style while mitigating exposure to the elements. The premise of the show is that although the 1950s ushered in a post-war era wherein the everyday hat was no longer a necessity, stylish New Yorkers never lost their love of hats and NYC's wealth of HAT-itude is unparalleled. MAD HATTERS explores the identities that New Yorkers carve out for themselves simply by donning simple headwear in a crowded city, with special attention to the City's defining grassroots folk cultures, master milliners and men and women who proudly wear hats to express their cultural traditions or "simply for the hell of it". Amen, we say, and here we go!<br />
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Peruvian Dance Hats: Peru is famous for over 500 distinct style of folk dance, originating in towns and villages sprinkled across the nation. Characteristic hat worn by the dancers are specific to place of origin. This colorful, felted wool Cusco Montera hat is well known, both in Peru and in the NYC Peruvian communities.<br />
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Milliner <a href="http://www.lindaashton.com/">Linda Ashton</a>'s miniature hats embellished with vintage materials from her extensive collection, titled "Clown Hats", are filled with style and mirth. If this be clownish, we say: Bring it on!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GaBwpQmxJNI/V3nv-Y2_0jI/AAAAAAAArdA/DQc6JCKx1qQwyfJcU-f6M8BkV_xDH-N-ACLcB/s1600/2MadHattersLindaAshton%2522ClownHats%2522IdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2085x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GaBwpQmxJNI/V3nv-Y2_0jI/AAAAAAAArdA/DQc6JCKx1qQwyfJcU-f6M8BkV_xDH-N-ACLcB/s400/2MadHattersLindaAshton%2522ClownHats%2522IdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2085x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Jamaican milliner, now NYC resident, C.J. Lewis, called her creation "Lace Rhinestone Unicorn Hat" made of lace fabric on armature with sewn ribbons and ornaments. Her shop, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cejunel-Millinery-CorpCejunel-Hats-1513086222254892/">Cejunel Hats and Accessorie</a>s, is located at 1439 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, NY. Although many of her clients are churchwomen of diverse denominations, she makes hats for all occasions.<br />
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We have admired Wanda Chambers work at numerous exhibitions. A member of the Milliners Guild and an FIT graduate, Wanda proudly declares coming from a long line of "Sunday Go To Meeting Church Hat Wearing Women". She has been a designer for over 20 years. Her business is called <a href="http://www.m.wanda-onceuponahat.com/">Once Upon a Hat</a>. Her Easter Hat, "The Marcella", is a small brim top hat with net and ribbon overlay and a red satin band trimmed with white beads and white rods.<br />
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We have known <a href="http://www.ellenchristine.com/">Ellen Christine</a> and admired her work for years. According to signage for the show, she has over 30 years experience designing and fabricating authentic <i>a la main</i> millinery for both theater and couture and she claims "the undisputed crown for authentic epoque and high fashion millinery". A doctoral candidate in costume history at NYU, she produces one-of-a-kind hats to exacting specifications, "down to the opulent and historically accurate pattern making, stitching and materials." Pictured are two of her creations. "Doll's Hat" (left) is an Easter Hat of parisisal tonal green with silk flowers piled high in shades of fuschia, purple and magenta, shaped by hand and and finished with a chenille dotted veil in forest green. "Diva" (right) is a fascinator on a 4" base covered in patchwork sequins, sky high curled burnt ostrich feathers and black veiling. <br />
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<a href="http://www.lisashaub.com/">Lisa Shaub</a> Fine Millinery's description of "East Village Art Girl" is a trip down memory lane for Jean who lived downtown in the 1970s and frequented all of the places in Lisa's signage: "She is invited everywhere and knows everyone. She has unique style and wants to look different, so always makes her own clothes and her hats. On a typical night, she will attend an opening at Mary Boone (W. Broadway, Soho), go to the after party dinner at Indochine (Still there! Lafayette at 7th Street), go to the Limelight (6th Ave at 18th Street) to dance like a maniac. Everyone else is wearing clothes such as a Candelabra as a hat, a Superman suit, cape and clogs, or maybe a 1920 opium babe. When she has had a blast, she goes to the last place open, famous after hours club Save the Robots (Avenue B and 3rd Street)." <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tT2levFtoTk/V4MOqdgQ1xI/AAAAAAAArkQ/FH2OqLqd3w8jZViiU3_44f7z0iYzcCQwACLcB/s1600/MadHattersLisaShaubEastVillageArtGirlIdiosyncraticFashionistas070316IMG_2067x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tT2levFtoTk/V4MOqdgQ1xI/AAAAAAAArkQ/FH2OqLqd3w8jZViiU3_44f7z0iYzcCQwACLcB/s400/MadHattersLisaShaubEastVillageArtGirlIdiosyncraticFashionistas070316IMG_2067x.jpg" width="366" /></a></div>
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The show included work from several milliners from Jamaica and several male hat makers. Carlos Lewis is both. Born and raised in Jamaica, Carlos moved to New York to study dress design at FIT, where he was introduced to millinery. He found his true calling and has been working in the trade for 35 years. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/carlosnyhats/">Carlos NY Hats</a> was founded in 1980 and caters to celebrities and churchwomen. Carlos also produces custom designs for private clientele.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fhp3ARjaI-Y/V3nwNeoHvsI/AAAAAAAArdM/Dl-7Ckd9JPcy09SPS6a9pde9eKCfgQQpQCLcB/s1600/5MadHattersCarlosLewisPurpleWideBrimIdiosyncraticFashionstas070416MG_2070x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fhp3ARjaI-Y/V3nwNeoHvsI/AAAAAAAArdM/Dl-7Ckd9JPcy09SPS6a9pde9eKCfgQQpQCLcB/s400/5MadHattersCarlosLewisPurpleWideBrimIdiosyncraticFashionstas070416MG_2070x.jpg" width="370" /></a></div>
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Evetta Petty is another member of the Milliners Guild who is an FIT graduate. We appreciate and have long enjoyed her work at a number of exhibitions and at the Easter Parade. She has been designing for over 20 years and her work is known for its humor, rhythm and use of hat pins . Her shop, <a href="http://www.harlemsheaven.com/">Harlem's Heaven Hat</a> Boutique, is located at 2538 7th Avenue in uptown NY. Her custom designs appeal to celebrities like Patti LaBelle and Star Jones and to churchwomen and ladies who like to dress. Jean madly covets her dramatic hat with black satin ribbon, spiral stitched, tall cylindrical straw crown topped by a crystal hat pin.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N5gxal88eBI/V3nwN1BRQDI/AAAAAAAArdQ/OcIAW-NRJoYioXFIAWZJRYtnWh8mLtGVQCLcB/s1600/6MadHattersEvettaPettyBlackCylindricalStrawRhinestonePinIdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2146x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N5gxal88eBI/V3nwN1BRQDI/AAAAAAAArdQ/OcIAW-NRJoYioXFIAWZJRYtnWh8mLtGVQCLcB/s400/6MadHattersEvettaPettyBlackCylindricalStrawRhinestonePinIdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2146x.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
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Long time readers of our blog know that at every Easter Parade, we eagerly look forward to seeing and photographing Elaine Norman in one of her amazing hand-painted straw hats featuring New York City landmarks. (We also often meet post-parade with Elaine and her husband for cocktails at The Modern, but that's another story.) Elaine's hats are history lessons that draw New Yorkers' attention to details that many of us have forgotten or never noticed. Her 2005 "FairWell Fulton" acrylic on straw hat is her homage to the historic Fulton Street Fish Market which was once a pungent city fixture on the East River in Tribeca for an amazing 183 years. Her signage goes on to explain how the market was forced to leave its increasingly lucrative location for a brand new, better-equipped but completely lackluster space in the Bronx. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1pjr7NUxdRU/V3nwXE9QXII/AAAAAAAArdU/uXvDhIzbFx8EIohh--Hv0qG4TIaseFwrQCLcB/s1600/7MadHattersElaineNorman%2522FairwellFulton%2522IdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2095x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1pjr7NUxdRU/V3nwXE9QXII/AAAAAAAArdU/uXvDhIzbFx8EIohh--Hv0qG4TIaseFwrQCLcB/s400/7MadHattersElaineNorman%2522FairwellFulton%2522IdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2095x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Another Jamaican reference is <a href="http://jacquelinelamont.com/">Jacqueline Lamont'</a>s had with a Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah - Rastafari medallion. She said her felt and fabric blocked hat was inspired by Jamaica and Reggae music.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OKiYsA36nlA/V3nwZBaBdgI/AAAAAAAArdY/D3b46EHOjOoovAE2JsAX1v_5OvCUfCZkACLcB/s1600/8MadHattersJacquelineLamontIdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2125x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OKiYsA36nlA/V3nwZBaBdgI/AAAAAAAArdY/D3b46EHOjOoovAE2JsAX1v_5OvCUfCZkACLcB/s400/8MadHattersJacquelineLamontIdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2125x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For more than 30 years, Brooklyn native artist Wendy Brackman aka <a href="http://www.wackywendy.com/">Wacky Wendy</a> has been entertaining audiences with her Wacky Hats. Also known as the Mad Hatter and the Matisse of Milliners, she freehand cuts colorful paper discs into pop-up party hats for audiences to wear and take home. She commissioned another male hat maker, Luis Aleman, to create this "MadHattin'" straw top hat with lots historic landmarks against the NYC skyline at sunset. <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6BS219Iw-U/V3nwZqSCRHI/AAAAAAAArdc/Nlm0yU4lMJs-2NUjVHjll1YMQ3W6ly54QCLcB/s1600/9MadHattersLuisAleman%2527s%2522MadHattin%2527%2522IdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2065x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6BS219Iw-U/V3nwZqSCRHI/AAAAAAAArdc/Nlm0yU4lMJs-2NUjVHjll1YMQ3W6ly54QCLcB/s400/9MadHattersLuisAleman%2527s%2522MadHattin%2527%2522IdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2065x.jpg" width="382" /></a></div>
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Marcus Malchijah, a Guyanese self-taught milliner, became interested in hat making at the age of eight. He turned his interest into a profession in the 1980s as a therapeutic means of dealing with his grief over the death of his son. He founded his own company <a href="http://www.malchijahhats.com/">Malchijah Hats</a> and store at 942 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn where he continues to make and sell hats. Since so many of his early customers were churchwomen who kept his business afloat, he now donates some of his hats to churches around the city. This convoluted Dr. Seuss-like straw hat struck a nerve with Jean, reminding her of her Ignatius crooked black straw witches hat.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XXw2q-Pz9hY/V3nxeq-Z04I/AAAAAAAArdo/I4N5fGsjouop_2SYDvyByE3aB-tLULT9gCLcB/s1600/10MadHattersMarcusMalchijahIdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2134x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XXw2q-Pz9hY/V3nxeq-Z04I/AAAAAAAArdo/I4N5fGsjouop_2SYDvyByE3aB-tLULT9gCLcB/s400/10MadHattersMarcusMalchijahIdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2134x.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>
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Milliners Guild member (and past president) <a href="http://www.lindaashton.com/">Linda Ashton</a> created this "Tools of the Trade" hot pink velour fur felt top hat with a miniature hat on a vintage hat stand displaying all of the tools milliners use like thread, scissors and appliques. Linda was discovered at a juried hat show at the American Craft Museum by legendary millinery teach Ann Albrizio, who brought her to FIT where Linda graduated from its millinery program. The Hat Shop New York.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-awhcAIRFgrU/V3nxgTfj1_I/AAAAAAAArds/rdZvoVRcQ7seiAxjeJv78f9JjnAxecq4ACLcB/s1600/11MadHattersLindaAshton%2522ToolsoftheTrade%2522HotPinkVelourfurfelttophatIdiosyncraticFashionistas070316IMG_2058x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-awhcAIRFgrU/V3nxgTfj1_I/AAAAAAAArds/rdZvoVRcQ7seiAxjeJv78f9JjnAxecq4ACLcB/s400/11MadHattersLindaAshton%2522ToolsoftheTrade%2522HotPinkVelourfurfelttophatIdiosyncraticFashionistas070316IMG_2058x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.lisamcfadden.com/">Lisa McFadden</a>'s African printed braided cotton and wire fascinator is, to our way of thinking, more of a hat than a fascinator -- which is a good thing. A Milliners Guild member, Lisa completed fashion design degrees at Bauder College and the American College for Applied Arts. Lisa's designs fuse vintage inspiration with contemporary style, to complement the wearer's individuality. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ISeFEXtHnAs/V3nxhcSzu5I/AAAAAAAArdw/LGkScqew1ocn8ZY1kUocpz7ZkUCRD3dGACLcB/s1600/12MadHattersLisaMcFaddenAfricanPrintedBraidedCotton%2526WireFascinatorIdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2081x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ISeFEXtHnAs/V3nxhcSzu5I/AAAAAAAArdw/LGkScqew1ocn8ZY1kUocpz7ZkUCRD3dGACLcB/s400/12MadHattersLisaMcFaddenAfricanPrintedBraidedCotton%2526WireFascinatorIdiosyncraticFashionistas070416IMG_2081x.jpg" width="341" /></a></div>
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In 1995, Linda Pagan, also from the Milliners Guild, opened The Hat Shop which showcases local NY milliners as well as its own line <a href="http://www.thehatshopnyc.com/">The Hat Shop NYC</a>. You can custom order or buy hats right off the rack. Linda's "Crown Heights" is inspired by traditional round crown, medium brim hats worn by Orthodox Jewish men. Her interpretation has a wonderful twist -- a lipstick/cigar holder -- on the brim. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjskPT8sZsE/V3nxu3mtSUI/AAAAAAAArd0/dO_BXkdL62IXeBA-HaPcDr86GsiSuNf_QCLcB/s1600/13MadHattersLindaPagan%2522CronwHeights%2522Lipstick-cigarholderIdiosyncraticFashionistas070426IMG_2117x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjskPT8sZsE/V3nxu3mtSUI/AAAAAAAArd0/dO_BXkdL62IXeBA-HaPcDr86GsiSuNf_QCLcB/s400/13MadHattersLindaPagan%2522CronwHeights%2522Lipstick-cigarholderIdiosyncraticFashionistas070426IMG_2117x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We thought we'd end this post with <a href="http://www.hatsbykat.com/About-Us.html">Kathy Anderson</a>'s Easter hat --a black and white toyo straw button hat with small red roses, butterflies, white feather and veiling. A Milliners Guild member and FIT graduate who worked in the fashion industry for 25 years in a variety of areas, Kathy returned to FIT in 1989 to take additional courses in fashion styling, knitting, flower making and millinery and fell in love with this art form. She is an artist who continues to learn taking classes from Nora Novarro and Ann Albrizio, founder of FIT's millinery program, and British milliner Dillon Wallwork. Kathy's couture hand blocked and sewn hats are produced in her Manhattan studio. In addition to hat in a wide variety of fabrics and materials, she makes beautiful leather flower bouquets and pins. Leather bouquets can be made for the bride and bridal party. How fabulous! Her company is <a href="http://www.hatsbykat.com/About-Us.html">Hats by Kat</a> and her hats are available at The Hat Shop in Soho and Tribal Truth Collections in Brooklyn. She belongs to Diaspora Art Mart, a collection of artisans who come together to sell their work every second Saturday of the month at the YWCA in downtown Brooklyn.<br />
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Like we said at the beginning, the show ends July 31st. And it's free! Be there or be square.Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-44413504501232497662016-07-04T15:11:00.001-07:002016-07-05T07:37:56.108-07:00REQUIEM FOR A YELLOW SUIT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qhns_Nj9QFk/V3qn9PQ6YLI/AAAAAAAAreY/lYRhxjrx12g_WabePKhFm4AXR2txhg6zQCLcB/s1600/jpeg%2BValerie%2B-%2BOn%2Bthe%2BStreet%2B-%2BBill%2BCunningham%2B-%2BEaster%2B2001_000001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qhns_Nj9QFk/V3qn9PQ6YLI/AAAAAAAAreY/lYRhxjrx12g_WabePKhFm4AXR2txhg6zQCLcB/s400/jpeg%2BValerie%2B-%2BOn%2Bthe%2BStreet%2B-%2BBill%2BCunningham%2B-%2BEaster%2B2001_000001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's the news from Valerie:<br />
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The photograph above may be the only picture I have of myself wearing that yellow pants suit, which makes me very sad. It's from Bill Cunningham's On the Street, which is great, but it's a small and grainy photo and, worried about the changeable weather, you can see I put a scarf around my neck and a shawl across my shoulder, all of which help obscure the suit's many qualities. So really, except for the fact that it's yellow, you can have no idea why I loved this suit so much, and why it pains me so much now that it is going the way of all things. Regrets... I've had a few...<br />
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The newspaper is dated 2001, and I bought it second hand sometime before that, so really this suit, by Emporio Armani, owes me nothing. I've worn it a million times. There is a vague stain on the front of the jacket now, that neither I nor my dry cleaner could get out. It has hung in my closet unworn for so long that the sharp crease in the pants has morphed into a dozen shapeless wrinkles. I'd keep it - and wear it - if I could still do it justice, but time marches on, and I have trouble closing the waist on the pants now. I can do it, but only by creasing the waistband. (The waistband should lie on the waist as if gently napping, not grab the waist as if holding on for dear life.) The jacket - which draped so beautifully that when I first wore it I thought <i>this must be how Bianca Jagger felt in a bespoke Tommy Nutter suit</i> - clings a bit now, and flares where it was never meant to. It's not made for the millennial me.<br />
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I remember my delight when I found it, I remember praying it would fit me as I went to try it on, and I remember my astonishment that I could afford it, but mostly I remember thinking how droll of Armani to make an egg yolk yellow suit. Women were being exhorted to dress for success, and wear suits to be taken seriously. I remember imagining a woman having this interior dialogue. "Oh yeah? You want me to wear a suit? Fine. How's <i>this?</i>" Perhaps it's no wonder that I have not risen to become CEO at a major - or even a minor - corporation. <br />
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Below is a non-glam photo of the suit in question.<br />
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Everything about it was right for me then. It even had the right amount of padding in the shoulders. Below, I've arranged the suit so you can get a better look at the pants. The roomy legs almost veer into zoot suit territory. (Actually, the whole thing veers a bit close zoot suit territory. It's a very happy suit.) It's high waisted, generously pleated, and it has pockets, <i>which everyone needs</i>. (With the possible exception of Queen Elizabeth. Please, can we have a referendum on whether women want pockets in their clothes? 'Cause we carry stuff. Have you ever seen men's pants without pockets?)<br />
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In the photo showing the jacket, you can see there's a boutonniere. Often I wore a Victorian turk's head in it, shown here. In this close-up, you can see that the suit is not a mere plain weave silk, but has pin wales woven into it, for a bit of texture, and a bit more weight. A good designer thinks of everything!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yqe4YksHqVw/V3rQhGaU3FI/AAAAAAAArfc/lJBoy1Vr208gmirbGy7hkrC1cS5grwXAACLcB/s1600/Turk%2527s%2Bhead%2Bknot%2Bboutonniere%2BIMG_5077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yqe4YksHqVw/V3rQhGaU3FI/AAAAAAAArfc/lJBoy1Vr208gmirbGy7hkrC1cS5grwXAACLcB/s320/Turk%2527s%2Bhead%2Bknot%2Bboutonniere%2BIMG_5077.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some of you will be asking "but what can you accessorize that with?" In the first photo, because it was Easter, I accessorized it with lots of green. (I think I wore mustard shoes with rubber soled wedges that day, and if memory serves, that was the day I first felt the neuromas in my feet. I threw away those wedges that day, and never wore heels again.) Off the top of my head, I could wear an orange shirt, a green shirt, or a red shirt (with matching shoes, none of which are shown here), and that's just for starters.<br />
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I've worn it with these perforated yellow leather flats.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--2hh6-Oc_2c/V3rRmQdp4zI/AAAAAAAArfo/hmNPP0P9tkoHrnjqvE5l06bDndZEYJ5MQCLcB/s1600/perforated%2Byellow%2Bshoes%2B-%2BValerie%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--2hh6-Oc_2c/V3rRmQdp4zI/AAAAAAAArfo/hmNPP0P9tkoHrnjqvE5l06bDndZEYJ5MQCLcB/s400/perforated%2Byellow%2Bshoes%2B-%2BValerie%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_5070.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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I could have worn it with this vintage yellow straw hat from Mr. John. (I haven't, but I could have.)<br />
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Or with this natural straw hat by Frank Palma, which is natural straw color, but looks yellow.<br />
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I've worn it with vintage two-toned suede gloves.<br />
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And I wish I'd had the opportunity to wear it with these vintage butter yellow cotton gloves.<br />
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I would not be writing this post if the suit were black. There will always be another black suit. I write because color is disappearing from the millennial palette, and so are complicated weaves. I'm assuming this suit is from the very colorful '80s. Not everyone likes yellow, but in the '80s there was a color - and a shade of that color - for everyone. (Remember teal? When was the last time you saw a teal suit? I'll bet it was in the '80s. And yes, I had one, by Irka, with little three dimensional knots in the wefts every half inch or so.)<br />
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Fashion today is relentlessly driven by the bottom line. Many people in the industry have been talking about the demise of the most respected mills, and our readers may have noticed that it's more and more difficult these days to find anything that expresses originality - in fabric, color, or cut. Pret-a-porter has become very cookie cutter. That keeps costs down and profits up, but drives a true lover of the needle arts to tears. Where will I get another droll egg yolk yellow suit that fits me to a T? <br />
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So gather ye rosebuds - and colorful natty suits - while ye may. <br />
<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-12380662814688575972016-06-26T21:45:00.000-07:002016-06-26T21:45:17.198-07:00IN MEMORIAM: BILL CUNNINGHAM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-213WLeFjhwU/V28iZer4FtI/AAAAAAAAraI/ZuncZN4xEXkcVcX0ZWtlZUh2emlz5OmVQCLcB/s1600/ABCTVBillCunninghamDied062516IMG_2151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-213WLeFjhwU/V28iZer4FtI/AAAAAAAAraI/ZuncZN4xEXkcVcX0ZWtlZUh2emlz5OmVQCLcB/s400/ABCTVBillCunninghamDied062516IMG_2151.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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It is with the heaviest of hearts that we write this post. By now, the world has heard of the passing of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/style/bill-cunningham-legendary-times-fashion-photographer-dies-at-87.html">Bill Cunningham</a>.<br />
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His fans are legion. He was definitely old school and a real gentleman, but never a fuddy-duddy. In Sanskrit, "Mahatma" means "Great Soul" and Bill Cunningham was a Mahatma of the first order.<br />
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Word spread quickly yesterday on Instagram, Facebook and cable and network TV news. Nobody wanted to believe it. Many shared anecdotes about how they were touched by their interactions with Bill in terms that rivaled descriptions of meeting Pope Francis or Mother Teresa. But their descriptions were heartfelt and not exaggerated. He was 87, and after he reached 80 without hanging up his camera, we just assumed we could keep him forever.<br />
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He was a fixture at Fashion Week in New York and across the globe. Over nearly four decades he chronicled street fashion and elevated it to an art form.We were lucky enough on several occasions to have met and been photographed by Bill and to chat with him. Every encounter was a privilege and being photographed elicited an inner "Eeeeeeeeeeeeee" reaction in each of us. The world is a far less interesting place without Bill in it.<br />
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We wanted to share just a small number of our encounters in memory of Bill.<br />
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You could say it all started in 1997, the first year Valerie joined the Easter Parade. She had no idea who Bill was, but she'd seen the annual photo array, and figured she should participate. Everyone photographs everyone at Easter, so as far as Valerie was concerned, Bill could be anyone with a camera. It wasn't until Easter of 2001 that Valerie finally made it into the paper. (See the lady in the green hat and yellow suit?)<br />
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When she saw the photo, Valerie knew EXACTLY who'd taken it from that angle. It was a broadly smiling, slim elderly man in a very un-Easter-ly bright blue jacket, who'd taken several shots while alternately crouching and springing forward to keep up with the crowd. <br />
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That first success was enough to keep Valerie going back every year, like a gambler at a blackjack table. <br />
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When the two of us met, of course we had to do the Easter Parade together, and in 2009 Bill rewarded our first joint effort. At the time, we didn't know how to do screen grabs, but these are the photos that appeared in the paper and in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/04/18/fashion/20090418-street-feature/index.html?_r=0">the video</a>:<br />
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Here's Jean with our friend Tziporah Salamon (the first time for both of them)<br />
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and Valerie with our friend Shiho (who made her own hat).<br />
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We made it in again for Easter of 2011 (video <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/video/fashion/100000000796941/on-the-street--the-easter-parade-2011.html">here</a>)<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-baeExDL12Y4/Tb7-rBS5pTI/AAAAAAAAFnU/LLRnYCNSstk/s1600/NY%2BTimes%2Bvideo%2Bstill.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="334" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602195001531016498" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-baeExDL12Y4/Tb7-rBS5pTI/AAAAAAAAFnU/LLRnYCNSstk/s400/NY%2BTimes%2Bvideo%2Bstill.JPG" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" width="400" /></a><br />
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And for Asia Week, 2012 (bottom left quarter of the page), among other occasions.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ISdSwigYmA/T26giVMHuDI/AAAAAAAALCU/8GKHoHiJ4A8/s1600/25PARTY-popup.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723688688098457650" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ISdSwigYmA/T26giVMHuDI/AAAAAAAALCU/8GKHoHiJ4A8/s400/25PARTY-popup.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 400px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 341px;" /></a><br />
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Bill gave us the most wonderful Christmas present imaginable when he featured us wearing <a href="http://femmeetfleur.blogspot.com/">Carol Markel</a>'s felt helmets in the center of On the Street just before Christmas of 2012. We like to think Bill had a special place in his heart for hats. Before he took up professional photography, he was a milliner, making hats under his own label, William J.<br />
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In October 2013, we attended Issey Miyake's Hues of Red party with our pal Shelley aka <a href="http://www.forestcityfashionista.com/">Forest City Fashionista</a>, and were thrilled to be photographed by Bill. Shelley and Jean appeared in the New York Times in Bill's Evening Hours coverage of the Miyake party - along with Henry Pierre, Louise Doktor and Tziporah Salamon and a lady with red dreads and a terrific gold-toned jacket. Valerie arrived only minutes later, but the moment was gone. Timing is everything.<br />
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(To see the full New York Times page, scroll down or click <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2013/11/03/fashion/03PARTY.html?ref=fashion">here</a> for a blow-up.)<br />
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Here we are again in Bill's coverage of the September 2015 opening night party for FIT's "Fashion Underground: The World of <a href="http://idiosyncraticfashionistas.blogspot.com/2015/09/fashion-undergroundashion-un-world-of.html">Susanne Bartsch</a>" exhibition (video <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/11/fashion/bill-cunningham-autumn-collage.html">here</a>).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rogRYW0Biy0/Vhrwjq2atTI/AAAAAAAAodA/sM9Kx_wnjmc/s1600/NYTimesBillCunningham101115Jean%2526ValerieIdiosyncraticFashionistas.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">(<img border="0" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rogRYW0Biy0/Vhrwjq2atTI/AAAAAAAAodA/sM9Kx_wnjmc/s400/NYTimesBillCunningham101115Jean%2526ValerieIdiosyncraticFashionistas.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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What now turns out to be our final encounter with Bill took place just this past April 1, again at Easter. That's us in the top left corner.<br />
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It is definitely the end of an era. It is too soon to wonder whether someone else will take over On the Street and Evening Hours, but even if someone does, no one will ever replace Bill. We can all take some comfort knowing that he loved his work - it's fair to say his life was his work, and his greatest source of pleasure - and that he had the rare privilege of continuing to do what he loved until just days before his death. We hope he would have been tickled pink to know how much he is missed and how many lives he touched.<br />
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We have lost an icon. But we had him so much longer than we had any right to expect.<br />
<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-5945385814470290152016-06-19T21:48:00.001-07:002016-06-19T21:48:14.105-07:00Antonio Lopez at El Museo del Barrio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6_Cv2Gdm9q4/V2dXErnsvMI/AAAAAAAArTI/h1Y4_HvoS0EkwuuQBJxW0Rb7AJ12wtZHgCLcB/s1600/1aAntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioValerie%2526JeanIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1777x%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6_Cv2Gdm9q4/V2dXErnsvMI/AAAAAAAArTI/h1Y4_HvoS0EkwuuQBJxW0Rb7AJ12wtZHgCLcB/s640/1aAntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioValerie%2526JeanIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1777x%2Bcopy.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=antonio+lopez+illustrator&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj93IeGxbXNAhUGdx4KHQFKBbAQ_AUICCgB&biw=1014&bih=647">Antonio Lopez</a>, probably the most extraordinary fashion illustrator of the 1970s and 80s, is being celebrated at <a href="http://www.elmuseo.org/visit/">El Museo del Barrio</a> in their current exhibition, <a href="http://www.elmuseo.org/onviewnow/">Future Funk Fashion</a>. Last week we attended the exhibition's press preview and opening night. We are both fans of the illustrator/artist whose drawings were ubiquitous in our youth. Antonio was the subject of Mauricio and Roger Padilha's book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Antonio-Lopez-Fashion-Art-Disco/dp/0847837920">Antonio Lopez: Fashion, Art, Sex and Disco</a></i>, which is chock full of his colorful, sweeping illustration of clothing, models and men.<br />
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One of the many victims of the AIDS crisis, Lopez died at the age of 44 in 1987. That so many of his contemporaries were lost at the same time may have contributed to his not receiving the recognition he so clearly deserved. This exhibition, with literally hundreds of drawings, dazzles the eye and demonstrates why he was so in demand at many of the major fashion magazines of the day. The show also highlights his collaboration with his creative partner and lover Juan E. Ramos who died at 53 in 1995.<br />
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The gorgeous illustration above of Angelo Colon is one of the highlights of the exhibition. Over three feet tall, the sketch was part of a live demonstration given for students in 1983. Lopez himself said that fashion illustration of the period had become very boring and "WASPy". With his use of color, line, and particularly his choice of models, Lopez infused his illustrations with life, and vibrant sexuality.<br />
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In contrast to people in the fashion world today, many of whom dress in "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normcore">normcore</a>", Lopez (below) lived and loved the look he promoted, full of color, balance, attention to detail, and a little - or a lot - of outrageousness.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j70wZJRszJ4/V2dViWMJQtI/AAAAAAAArSc/YZ9xjdj26fMqwwM258SxZKYfoUzInOkxgCLcB/s1600/antonio%2Blopez%2Bin%2Bwhite%2Bhat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j70wZJRszJ4/V2dViWMJQtI/AAAAAAAArSc/YZ9xjdj26fMqwwM258SxZKYfoUzInOkxgCLcB/s400/antonio%2Blopez%2Bin%2Bwhite%2Bhat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here he is sketching one of his models, with Karl Largerfeld looking on.<br />
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Much as we would like to, we can't show you the exhibition's amazing start-to-finish video of Lopez sketching Angelo Colon, but you can click <a href="https://vimeo.com/47043223">here</a> to see him doing another live demonstration. He has a very strong and confident hand, and a masterful use of line. (Watch how he uses his entire arm, not just his hand, to get the desired effect.)<br />
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In this half finished color illustration, you can get some idea of his process. Lopez's models tend to have a louche, come-hither look about them. They often view the viewer. The artist lures you into loving the clothes by luring you into loving the model. His use of shading adds to the interest of the illustrations. In the clothes, shading gives the illusion of the texture and luxury of the material. In the model, Lopez takes the extra time to emphasize facial contours by adding dabs of white to the eyes, cheek, nose, lips and chin. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_VXAuKcvfgg/V2dYHBUAzoI/AAAAAAAArVQ/pyyj1lUu17onFRKy9eFKpfD97oiP_BdgQCLcB/s1600/half%2Bfinished%2Bdrawing%2B%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_VXAuKcvfgg/V2dYHBUAzoI/AAAAAAAArVQ/pyyj1lUu17onFRKy9eFKpfD97oiP_BdgQCLcB/s400/half%2Bfinished%2Bdrawing%2B%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4975.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's an illustration of a dress with a black velvet yoke and matching skirt, held together by a large golden jeweled violin, and a smaller green violin at the hip.<br />
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Below is the dress the illustration was drawn from, the only actual garment in the exhibition.<br />
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There were quite a few drawings of impossible, but nevertheless marvelous, shoes...<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UuP8myCZYxI/V2decffPgGI/AAAAAAAArWw/Ac3geck76s4y94huyxzb75QRSO2lM_mZwCLcB/s1600/selection%2Bof%2Bshoe%2Bdrawings%2B-%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UuP8myCZYxI/V2decffPgGI/AAAAAAAArWw/Ac3geck76s4y94huyxzb75QRSO2lM_mZwCLcB/s400/selection%2Bof%2Bshoe%2Bdrawings%2B-%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4957.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And in one display case were plexiglass versions of several of the obviously unwearable but fabulously glamorous shoes.<br />
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The exhibition points out that Lopez discovered such well known faces as Jerry Hall, Grace Jones, Pat Cleveland and Tina Chow. The portrait below is Sayoko Yamaguchi, who was often photographed in highly colorful make up.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HWXvohdvryc/V2djcHgl45I/AAAAAAAArYI/6olJGHGRnVQpB3u-E-74HZQnOgFd2orhwCLcB/s1600/Sayoko%2BYamaguchi%2Bby%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HWXvohdvryc/V2djcHgl45I/AAAAAAAArYI/6olJGHGRnVQpB3u-E-74HZQnOgFd2orhwCLcB/s400/Sayoko%2BYamaguchi%2Bby%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4996.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>
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On the walls were quite a few sketches that appeared to be preliminary drafts, but the lines are so lovingly and expertly drawn that it is easy to imagine what the actual product looked like. In the drawing below, Lopez catches the feminine, romantic mood of the dress with the the soft, voluminous folds, and the model's delicate features. (Sorry about the reflections in the glass.) <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1eeHxeOvrtM/V2dgFiE626I/AAAAAAAArXU/8avuZ8vfF9Q4IS26A5MVcp_yahA7U9wFQCLcB/s1600/black%2Bwhite%2Billustration%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1eeHxeOvrtM/V2dgFiE626I/AAAAAAAArXU/8avuZ8vfF9Q4IS26A5MVcp_yahA7U9wFQCLcB/s400/black%2Bwhite%2Billustration%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4935.jpg" width="341" /></a></div>
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Here, the model's sportier, jauntier clothing is matched by the forward thrust of her hips and leg. In both of these photos, the clothed woman is accompanied by a nearly nude man. Each figure was probably drawn independently, but it's interesting that the artist makes the effort to bring the figures together with an understated hand gesture.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b0pmd0AB75A/V2dhg_WEPmI/AAAAAAAArXg/-nKN6FJ-_vI-eNm3dmaHskqegeSHfzQOACLcB/s1600/Nude%2Band%2Bclothed%2Bmodels%2B-%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b0pmd0AB75A/V2dhg_WEPmI/AAAAAAAArXg/-nKN6FJ-_vI-eNm3dmaHskqegeSHfzQOACLcB/s400/Nude%2Band%2Bclothed%2Bmodels%2B-%2BAntonio%2BLopez%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4936.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
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There is a vibrancy and urgency to his drawings. Even when there are no facial expressions, the body language is telling. The women below are straight-backed, in control, proud, and dancing effortlessly in their stilettos.<br />
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A different side of Lopez, as if he were drawing for comic books:<br />
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Imagine what Jean would have looked like had Antonio sketched her!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vay96jDc7Nw/V2dpDONUr3I/AAAAAAAArYs/2sC1Tfp1szgqBovQ-wHCwWviw7RzAP0nwCLcB/s1600/Jean%2Bin%2Bfront%2Bof%2BAntonio%2Bbillboard%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vay96jDc7Nw/V2dpDONUr3I/AAAAAAAArYs/2sC1Tfp1szgqBovQ-wHCwWviw7RzAP0nwCLcB/s400/Jean%2Bin%2Bfront%2Bof%2BAntonio%2Bbillboard%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4978.jpg" width="327" /></a></div>
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Since it was opening night, we have to show you some of the marvelous people we ran into. Amelia Malayamba-Ansotegui (left), who co-curated the show, posed with artist Julia Santos-Solomon in a gorgeous reversible Italian coat. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ex3bAkDFYLQ/V2diIusADwI/AAAAAAAArX4/GW5oiBg-73I_qAgh6gJLaNcNpf0PhmImwCLcB/s1600/AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioAmeliaMalayamba-Ansotegui%2526JuliaSantos-SolomonIdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_1729x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ex3bAkDFYLQ/V2diIusADwI/AAAAAAAArX4/GW5oiBg-73I_qAgh6gJLaNcNpf0PhmImwCLcB/s640/AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioAmeliaMalayamba-Ansotegui%2526JuliaSantos-SolomonIdiosyncraticFashionistasIMG_1729x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Artists and designers Ruben and Isabel Toledo bookended one of the guests in a photo. Ruben drew the fabulous pattern on Isabel's dress with a black marker.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rTJUE2ggppQ/V2dh7S5le9I/AAAAAAAArXo/Q2Z3vsRTWsIqr9AZgBJma8DZkY0_kzlnACLcB/s1600/AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioRuben%2526IsabelToledoIiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1764x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rTJUE2ggppQ/V2dh7S5le9I/AAAAAAAArXo/Q2Z3vsRTWsIqr9AZgBJma8DZkY0_kzlnACLcB/s640/AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioRuben%2526IsabelToledoIiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1764x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Patrick McDonald sported a tropical look.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cDzDyz4e9lk/V2dXUp8BQtI/AAAAAAAArTc/Er_lhlruKtUWen6y64I4IdAPPGrEtEqGgCLcB/s1600/2AntonioLopezEMuseodelBarrioPatrickMcDonaldIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1808x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cDzDyz4e9lk/V2dXUp8BQtI/AAAAAAAArTc/Er_lhlruKtUWen6y64I4IdAPPGrEtEqGgCLcB/s640/2AntonioLopezEMuseodelBarrioPatrickMcDonaldIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1808x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Paul Van Ravenstein and Pat Cleveland made the scene. Pat was one of Antonio's favorite subjects, and appears in many of the illustrations in the show.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gEhPRq6VX5s/V2dXWrCQIjI/AAAAAAAArTg/KteA_h6lIbgYqob7LrIImie3fUPQ2JeMQCLcB/s1600/3AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioPaulvonRavenstein%2526PatClevelandIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1807x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gEhPRq6VX5s/V2dXWrCQIjI/AAAAAAAArTg/KteA_h6lIbgYqob7LrIImie3fUPQ2JeMQCLcB/s400/3AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioPaulvonRavenstein%2526PatClevelandIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1807x.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
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Roger Padilha and Josh McLaughlin posed in front of one of several of Antonio's iconic shoe drawings. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mlph9fy1uq0/V2dXYVvnm1I/AAAAAAAArTk/dcCIrCWCXPIkvKk_l4A7DfM-0CEiWXFYgCLcB/s1600/4AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioRogerPadilha%2526JoshMcLaughlinIdiosyncraticFashionistas-61316IMG_1742x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mlph9fy1uq0/V2dXYVvnm1I/AAAAAAAArTk/dcCIrCWCXPIkvKk_l4A7DfM-0CEiWXFYgCLcB/s640/4AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioRogerPadilha%2526JoshMcLaughlinIdiosyncraticFashionistas-61316IMG_1742x.jpg" /></a></div>
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We posed in front of the dramatic graffiti mural which was one of the main props in Antonio and Juan's studio and may have been painted by the Rock Steady Crew.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g2D9hUwgPWg/V2dXD2yVoSI/AAAAAAAArTE/J-hm1Zhttjk_5Uk9xXo10g8howVcSd32gCLcB/s1600/1AntonioLopezElMuseoJean%2526ValerieIdiosyncraticFashioniistas061316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g2D9hUwgPWg/V2dXD2yVoSI/AAAAAAAArTE/J-hm1Zhttjk_5Uk9xXo10g8howVcSd32gCLcB/s400/1AntonioLopezElMuseoJean%2526ValerieIdiosyncraticFashioniistas061316.jpg" width="351" /></a></div>
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A few weeks back, we took a <a href="http://www.elmuseo.org/event/diseno-workshop-shoes/">Diseno Shoe Design Workshop </a>co-sponsored by Cooper Hewitt and El Museo del Barrio, and conducted by Edmund Castillo, chief designer at Aquatalia. Let's just say that we drew outside the lines and didn't exactly follow directions, but Edmund (left) was a good sport. He posed with photographer Rose Hartman and his boss from Aquatalia. <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pvJgEdSbF1o/V2dXjUn-vII/AAAAAAAArT0/WBmG518ux0keUSSy59dy4LaWhh_aXnI9wCLcB/s1600/6AntonioLopezelMuseodelBarrioRoseHartmanEdmundCastillo%2526BossAquataliaIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1747x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pvJgEdSbF1o/V2dXjUn-vII/AAAAAAAArT0/WBmG518ux0keUSSy59dy4LaWhh_aXnI9wCLcB/s400/6AntonioLopezelMuseodelBarrioRoseHartmanEdmundCastillo%2526BossAquataliaIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1747x.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
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Jean couldn't help but notice how Valerie's hat and earrings mirrored those in the image in this poster that Antonio designed for Versace c. 1981-82.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JJEDi6Ozns0/V2dXk0d8pvI/AAAAAAAArT8/YrzbXbT7Jf8LNCB6j5IvHTTR31_EJPYbQCLcB/s1600/7AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioValerieIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1609x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JJEDi6Ozns0/V2dXk0d8pvI/AAAAAAAArT8/YrzbXbT7Jf8LNCB6j5IvHTTR31_EJPYbQCLcB/s640/7AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioValerieIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1609x.jpg" /></a></div>
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The press preview was followed by a VIP reception that included a party in the lobby and on the plaza in front of the museum. Jean ran into designer Narciso Rodriguez, who had also designed costumes for Stephen Petronio Dance Company.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-naCI6Ex8msY/V2dXtpTo5GI/AAAAAAAArUM/lBi6Xv1FyZok4lXh-aFfNf7noSJpX8HDgCLcB/s1600/8AntonioLopezelMuseodelBarrioNarcisoRodriguez%2526JeanIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1760x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-naCI6Ex8msY/V2dXtpTo5GI/AAAAAAAArUM/lBi6Xv1FyZok4lXh-aFfNf7noSJpX8HDgCLcB/s640/8AntonioLopezelMuseodelBarrioNarcisoRodriguez%2526JeanIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1760x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Doris Casap, who is on the board of El Museo, was sweet enough to pose for a photo.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AmmDrI3_dw0/V2dXvo9aYDI/AAAAAAAArUQ/gQzrPSW-GR02EAabyv5lAMfFKRV0i7MqACLcB/s1600/9AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioDorisCasapIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1779x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AmmDrI3_dw0/V2dXvo9aYDI/AAAAAAAArUQ/gQzrPSW-GR02EAabyv5lAMfFKRV0i7MqACLcB/s640/9AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioDorisCasapIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1779x.jpg" /></a></div>
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We loved running into Steve Caputo from Lower East Studios at the VIP party.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xwfS4uSyCrM/V2dXxS4T7SI/AAAAAAAArUU/0xPwykVF5x87NE1qEe7KKajCN88JJMOEwCLcB/s1600/10AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioSteveCapuoIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1770x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xwfS4uSyCrM/V2dXxS4T7SI/AAAAAAAArUU/0xPwykVF5x87NE1qEe7KKajCN88JJMOEwCLcB/s640/10AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioSteveCapuoIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1770x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Author and illustrator Bil Donovan always looks incredibly dapper. We loved his Dior tie. The cameo-like flower is hand painted.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i46Rq2OTXi8/V2dX2gPFGvI/AAAAAAAArUk/lKEC8jdUmdgQoQwPI3NK4rVpc6xniRCmACLcB/s1600/11AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioBilDonovan061316IMG_1773x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i46Rq2OTXi8/V2dX2gPFGvI/AAAAAAAArUk/lKEC8jdUmdgQoQwPI3NK4rVpc6xniRCmACLcB/s640/11AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioBilDonovan061316IMG_1773x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Jean just about freaked when she got to meet Michelle Lamy in the flesh. She wore her clothes back in the day and has been a fan for many years. Woo hoo!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c-tf5Iid-CI/V2dX37Xg1qI/AAAAAAAArUo/o3f0v6AzYgc9gWRaL2lACKnwyIQPbuaUwCLcB/s1600/12AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioMichelleLamy%2526JeanIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1835x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c-tf5Iid-CI/V2dX37Xg1qI/AAAAAAAArUo/o3f0v6AzYgc9gWRaL2lACKnwyIQPbuaUwCLcB/s640/12AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioMichelleLamy%2526JeanIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1835x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Out on the plaza, Valerie ran into Alejandro Figueredo who was also enjoying the balmy weather.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1Phil3MuMs/V2dX41dadyI/AAAAAAAArUs/geRG3NNJDiUR1m8D2wh3cm403RmWsDIlwCLcB/s1600/13AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioAlejandroFigueredo%2526ValerieIdiosyncraticFashionistas061416IMG_1798x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1Phil3MuMs/V2dX41dadyI/AAAAAAAArUs/geRG3NNJDiUR1m8D2wh3cm403RmWsDIlwCLcB/s640/13AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioAlejandroFigueredo%2526ValerieIdiosyncraticFashionistas061416IMG_1798x.jpg" /></a></div>
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We had noticed each of the members of this group individually during the show, but when they ended up all sitting together outside, we had to take a photo. Actress Parker Posey (now blond) is in the center and the lady on the right, Leana Zuniga, owns <i><a href="http://electricfeathers.com/">Electric Feathers</a></i>, an avant garde women's wear store in Brooklyn. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LVfEnpPA9UM/V2dYL562iuI/AAAAAAAArVY/J7GaEqaiMoIBXODTESd1lFbctb9Zxnd4ACLcB/s1600/14AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioParkerPosey%2526LeanaZunigaIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1789x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LVfEnpPA9UM/V2dYL562iuI/AAAAAAAArVY/J7GaEqaiMoIBXODTESd1lFbctb9Zxnd4ACLcB/s400/14AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioParkerPosey%2526LeanaZunigaIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1789x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This British couple was enjoying the evening. We loved her shirt.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VM-RZRwV-yM/V2dYMcUWUzI/AAAAAAAArVc/kjgiLlMFK7o4hj3wn3KPTAXrssAucazLQCLcB/s1600/16AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioBritCoupleIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1783x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VM-RZRwV-yM/V2dYMcUWUzI/AAAAAAAArVc/kjgiLlMFK7o4hj3wn3KPTAXrssAucazLQCLcB/s640/16AntonioLopezElMuseodelBarrioBritCoupleIdiosyncraticFashionistas061316IMG_1783x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Jasmin Hernandez and her friend Marquita posed for a photo before we headed outside.<br />
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Go see the exhibition!<br />
<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-42445964560911142192016-06-12T21:07:00.000-07:002016-06-12T22:04:39.962-07:00Walking with the Muses - and with Pat Cleveland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here we are, last Thursday evening, at The Jane Hotel for a party celebrating Pat Cleveland's new book, "Walking with the Muses". Since we never communicate clearly in advance about what we plan to wear to an event (because we often don't know ourselves what we'll be wearing until the last possible moment), it is a source of amusement when we end up looking so perfectly coordinated. <br />
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Nothing makes a girl's heart go pitter patter like an invitation from MAO PR. When this arrived via email a couple weeks ago, we were thrilled since nobody throws a party like Mauricio and Roger Padilha. We are big fans of Pat Cleveland, whom we've covered on numerous occasions: "When Fashion Danced", the Stephen Burrows show at the Museum of the City of New York, which she helped coordinate; "Versailles", the documentary about about French and American designers' runway shows at Versailles in Paris in which American designers -- and the black models like Pat Cleveland and Alva Chin -- stole the show are just two that come to mind. And the hosts of the evening were a cavalcade of fashion's elite.<br />
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We can't wait to buy our own copies of the book. Thursday evening's event was a celebration, not a book signing, where the guest of honor performed for the crowd and brought the house down. She wasn't encumbered with book signing, she was too busy partying. Our kind of gal!<br />
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While Jean was waiting outside the hotel for Valerie (ahem, one of the <i>few</i> times Jean has been the one kept waiting ...) [<i>ahem</i>, counters Valerie, because Jean directed her by phone to go north when she should have said south], she shot photos of arriving guests. Since our love of crustaceans is much documented, this gentleman's black bomber with a big red lobster embroidered on the left shoulder was a knockout in our book. Their looks were also perfectly complementary.<br />
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Next to exit a limo was none other than designer Zana Bayne, one of our all-time faves, and her boyfriend, Todd Pendu. She has expanded her line of harnesses and chokers to include beautifully constructed handbags, like the one on her shoulder. And check out those star earrings!<br />
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Once we stepped inside the lobby of the hotel, we ran into photographer Christopher Makos, who used to run with Andy Warhol and got him started in photography, and Calvin Klein, one of the most influential American designers equally famous for his sportswear and evening clothes and his men's and women's collections. <br />
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Once we entered the packed ballroom, we were greeted by dancers who gave a hint of the evening's Josephine Baker theme.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="238" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/in8YVklr3Ek" width="422"></iframe><br />
Whom did we run into next but Johnny Cassanova and Faustina Rose, who had also perfectly coordinated their two-piece outfits and two-toned hair.<br />
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Kayvon and Anna Sands always make a statement. This was the first time we'd seen Kayvon's long locks in any shade other than platinum. Loved the new look.<br />
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Designer Jason Brickhill and his boyfriend Khris Diaz were thoroughly enjoying the evening. <br />
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Although we saw Patrick McDonald in the crowded ballroom and he and Jean exchanged kisses, we got separated when the performance began and never got a shot of Patrick! or of Joey Arias! We did snag a photo of Patrick's good buddy Lauren Ezersky who was sweet enough to pose for us before leaving for the evening. It wasn't until we were putting this together that we realized it was a two-fer -- we'd also caught Kyle Farmery (also in black and white) in the background. <br />
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This photo captures the essence of the evening. Everyone was in such a good mood, it was infectious. Loved this dapper gent's looks and attitude.<br />
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Markus Kelle glams it up, with a new hairdo, metal collar and armfuls of bangles.<br />
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Legendary model Corey Grant Tippen, whom we first met with Pat Cleveland at Roger and Mauricio Padilha's panel discussion at FIT on their book about Antonio Lopez, is one of our favorite Instagrammers. He was squiring these two lovely ladies around the ballroom before the performance. <br />
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Although Jean spied Tang outside, she couldn't get a shot before she and her party moved quickly up the steps into the hotel. So we were so happy when she posed for us later. This photo also gives you an idea of how amazing space the ballroom at the Jane is. Check out the taxidermy, beautifully carved antique wooden framed mirror, portraits hung on the walls, beautiful light fixtures and impossibly high ceiling.<br />
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Anna Zand and Kyle Farmery.<br />
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How fun are William Noguchi and Danielle Mahoney? They often appear together on each other's Instagram accounts, often in matching outfits. On this occasion, they outdid themselves.<br />
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Partygoers dressed for the occasion, which added to the party atmosphere.<br />
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It is always a treat to run into photographer Andrew Werner, and when he also showed up in black and white, we just had to take a picture together. <br />
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After lots of schmoozing, the crowd snapped to attention when designer Zac Posen, one of the hosts of the event, climbed the staircase overlooking the ballroom, took the microphone and announced that the performance was about to begin. <br />
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Six singers then appeared on the balcony to serenade the crowd with "Tonight, Josephine" and to introduce the star of the evening.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="178" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9nCc6HhERNc" width="317"></iframe><br />
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Pat Cleveland channeled Josephine Baker that evening. She looked utterly glamorous and who ever know she could sing? We all knew she could dance, but this was a revelation. And her slinky gold lame gown and flapper headress were beyond perfection. She danced down and up each staircase that flanked the balcony and threw us all a kiss. It truly was what they call "a moment".<br />
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It was one of the few times she stopped long enough for us to snap a photograph. She was in constant motion. Enough said. Check out the video.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="238" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g-1WnYAMFBo" width="422"></iframe><br />
After descending the stairs, Pat joined her line up of back up singers and dancers, also dressed in gold, who echoed the Paris-in-the-20s theme.<br />
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At the completion of the performance, Pat joined Roger Padilha, designer Stephen Burrows and writer/editor Michael Gross for a tete-a-tete before they retired to the VIP room.<br />
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After bidding everyone goodbye, we then retired to Gitanes, the restaurant in the lobby of The Jane Hotel, to test the timber of the cocktail menu and its execution. Needless to say, they passed with flying colors!<br />
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We always like to tinker with the ingredients ("Could you add fresh ginger to this drink and substitute champagne for gin in that one? Oh, and <i>no </i>ice.") and it is always so refreshing when staff and bartenders are as accommodating as they are at Gitanes. (Later, we were told, the staff was initially quizzical about our requests, but wound up agreeing we'd made good choices. Yeah, we get that a lot. Really!)<br />
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As we headed to the subway, on a corner we ran into this trio who had enjoyed the party as much as we did. From left to right: recording artist Phil Eggleston, celebrity stylist Joseph Bullock and international recording artist/actress Alyson Williams. The street corner provided the perfect lighting. All too soon it was over and we were on our way again.<br />
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Needless to say, we had a blast!Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-13887339716164928142016-06-05T22:47:00.002-07:002016-06-07T22:34:58.133-07:00HATS AND POLITICS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The news from Valerie:<br />
The folks who live in my building had a meeting not too long ago. They said it was to discuss current issues, but to me there is only one: we have been deprived of access to our roof for a decade now, and we want it back. Every year we discuss it, and every year we get evasive answers, as if we were reporters at the White House. We might hear something along the lines of "we're about to get to that", or "that's currently under discussion", or "we'll have to get back to you on that". If we persist, we'll get the equivalent of "asked and answered", or "can we please move along - there are many other issues we have to discuss." And that will be the end of it.<br />
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At meetings like these, it is difficult to ask more than one or two questions on a single subject, but silence could be interpreted as tacit consent to the status quo. What's a girl to do? In my building I'm well known for my hats, and decided to let a hat speak for me. Half an hour before the meeting, I cut up a piece of black oak tag and got out a white pencil. I made a small sign with a single word on it (see above) to put on a hat. Imagining where I would sit, I decided it was not enough to have a word only in the front where the speakers would see it. I had to put the same word on the back, where my fellow residents would see it. Since the pencil smeared easily, I used narrow white editing tape for the back side. In the amount of time left before the meeting, there was only one hat I could easily put the sign on: a small velveteen hat with an open top (Jean and I refer to it as the volcano hat).<br />
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The last time I wore it was in 2011, when I still had long hair. (Dyed in the wool readers might remember this photo. The volcano hat had the perfect opening for a pony tail.)<br />
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It was really hard to get a single hat pin to hold the sign the way I wanted, so the sign was a bit angled, but as long as it was legible it served its purpose. With the hat, I wore a black jacket and pants so nothing would distract from the message. I arrived at the meeting early enough to sit front row center, which helped my message reach everyone in our small room. My neighbors all associate me with millinery, and the hat got lots of laughs. That's fine - it got people talking, and focused on the issue, so it was an effective tool. During the meeting, I asked one or two questions on the topic, but the bulk of the questions were asked by the other residents. I don't know what will ultimately happen, but I'm convinced the reason we had a thorough discussion about the roof (possibly twenty minutes long) was that the hat encouraged a number of people to speak out and not feel they were alone in their concern. <br />
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I'd love to say I'm the first person ever to use a hat to political ends, but all of you know that's not true. For the fun of it, I've come up with several examples of political headgear. <br />
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Some of you will argue that this is not a hat, it's a hair style. Technically, you're right, but in this case it's a very fine line - a mere hair's breadth - between one and the other. This hairstyle, apparently first worn by Marie Antoinette, was called <i>coiffure a la Belle Poule (</i>also called <i>pouf a la Belle Poule, </i>which seems far more descriptive). It commemorates a 1778 naval battle in which France's ship, La Belle Poule, routed England's ship, the Arethusa, giving rise to a declaration of war several weeks later (and leading to the alignment of the French with the United States in its struggle against English colonization). A celebration of the victory was definitely in order, and this was one way women could express themselves. (For more extraordinary renditions of hair styles of the French aristocracy during the period, click <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=coiffure+a+la+belle+poule&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi4xaSekpLNAhVRV1IKHZQkAWAQ_AUICCgC&biw=1159&bih=650#imgrc=r9vw435bZINE4M%3A">here</a>.)<br />
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Shortly thereafter, the Phrygian cap, or <i>bonnet rouge</i>, became a simple statement against the outrageous hair styles and headgear of the aristocracy and religious leaders, and then a symbol of the French revolution. The red cap atop the tree in the drawing above echoes the cap and spear that symbolized freedom from the tyranny of the French monarchy. (See the man at left, who has both cap and spear.) Before the French, the Swedish suffered from a similar imbalance of power. They formed political parties called The Hats (for the wealthy) and The Caps (for the commoners). (No great illustrations, but you can read about them <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hats_(party)">here</a>.)<br />
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This well known painting by David depicts Napoleon's coronation as Emperor of France in 1803. In a highly symbolic gesture, Napoleon took the crown from the hands of the Pope and placed it on his head himself, implying that the Catholic Church had no authority over the French government. <br />
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In a very canny political move, English women campaigning for suffrage wore "willfully conventional dress", some spending more than their budgets allowed, so as to campaign in public without attracting criticism and doing "harm to the cause". For more on the use of fashion as a political tool in the fight for women's suffrage, click <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/oct/08/suffragette-style-movement-embraced-fashion-branding">here</a>.<br />
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This immediately identifiable hat was used to recruit soldiers for World Wars I and II.<br />
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For two years, early in India's movement for independence from Great Britain, Gandhi wore this cap, which was widely adopted by the movement's members. Nehru is more closely associated with the hat, which he wore much of his life.<br />
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World War II had a fascinating effect on Paris hats, which were among the few articles of clothing that were not rationed. Nevertheless, material was hard to come by. Necessity became the mother of invention, but in a city centered on fashion, invention combined with expertise to make ingenious and beautiful hats out of next to nothing.<br />
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These French wartime turbans, from the collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute, demonstrate what French women were able to do with the materials available to them. As April Calahan points out <a href="http://www.missedinhistory.com/podcasts/april-calahan-on-frances-fashionable-resistance/">in her wonderful podcast</a>, it was difficult to get enough ration cards to buy shoes or dress material, but a woman could stand out with a hat. Resourceful women took apart damaged clothes and recycled the materials. These turbans might have been made from fragments. Many of the outlandish designs of the period, says Calahan, were structured on a cardboard base. The height, shape and color of the hats distracted the eye from looking at the rest of the outfit. (Doesn't this make you want to find out if Carmen Miranda's amazing turbans had their origins in the deprivations talented French women suffered during the war?) <br />
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Calahan's podcast also mentions this semi-subversive hat. Before the German occupation, Parisians enjoyed listening to <i>Le Poste Parisien</i>, a progressive radio station. During the occupation, the Germans took <i>Le Poste Parisien</i> off the air, and replaced it with programs more favorable to them. This hat imitates a radio dial of the time, and the needle in the center points to <i>Le Poste Parisien</i>.<br />
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While French women wore hats demonstrating their resistance to the government, in the United States, hats that aligned with the government became very popular. With its streamlined sides, center crease and forward leaning peak at the front, this hat is based on the garrison cap worn by the U.S. military, but has enough differences, including the feathers, tapered back and rounded sides, to make it a feminine and patriotic fashion statement.<br />
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This is probably the way most of us imagine political hats - fake straw boaters supporting a political candidate. That's John Kennedy reaching out near the center, and his face atop all the white hats. For a look at some modern day amusing and creative variations on the theme, click <a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/merchandise3-081296lee-kunkle-pa-alternate-delegate-with-a-news-photo/569153731">here</a>.<br />
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Most people would probably have difficulty recognizing Che Guevara, or associating him with social revolution, without his iconic beret. <br />
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New York City's <a href="http://guardianangels.org/">Guardian Angels</a>, best known during the 1970s, when the City's subways suffered from high crime rates, were recognizable by their red berets.<br />
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Congresswoman Bella Abzug is said to have started wearing hats to prevent male colleagues from electing her to serve refreshments at work.<br />
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Have you noticed that all the women of the House of Windsor wear hats? Have you noticed that those who marry into the House of Windsor never wore hats until they were engaged to Windsor men? Have you noticed that Windsor men almost never wear hats, except for formal occasions? There's a political message in there somewhere... Not that we mind, being hat lovers and all. And some of the Windsor ladies really do it quite well. But it does seem a little lopsided, gender-wise.<br />
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Wear a hat. Speak your mind.Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-40992352749619813092016-05-31T00:47:00.001-07:002016-05-31T00:47:23.763-07:00A Current Affair: Vintage Show in Industry City, Brooklyn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"A Current Affair" is an amalgamation of 80 West Coast and East Coast vintage vendors which returned to Industry City in Brooklyn, NY on May 21 and 22, 2016. Since Valerie was otherwise engaged for the entire weekend writing an esoteric article for an esoteric magazine, Jean was left to her own devices for the weekend. Needless to say, she had lots to look at and to tempt her, so she went to the show on both days. To help you keep things straight, she wore the red African pirnt Amy Downs turban (above) on Saturday and a black Henrik Vibskov bowler on Sunday. Housing Works had strategically placed furniture for sale in curated seating arrangements scattered throughout the space, of which this beautifully shaped art deco chair is a prime example.<br />
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This wonderfully shaped yellow hat was in New York vendor Joe Sundlie's Vintedge booth. <br />
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New/Found's booth contained this outrageous pair of green suede and gold leather platform lace-ups.<br />
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Thriftwares' beach umbrella patterned skirt was eye-catching.<br />
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How glam is this red vintage number from Guermantes? <br />
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New Yorker Andrea Levy never fails to please. This wire and glass necklace and bracelet set by Issey Miyake in her Lofty Vintage was Jean's favorite item in the entire show. <br />
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Screaming Mimi's is an institution in the East Village. This beaded camisole top was outstanding. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I3H86Wqywog/V0zwn6UoA5I/AAAAAAAArAI/unQCtlcuB2QEYldxI9evYI19DFUQl8B1ACLcB/s1600/3ACurrentAffairScreamingMimiBeadedTopIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I3H86Wqywog/V0zwn6UoA5I/AAAAAAAArAI/unQCtlcuB2QEYldxI9evYI19DFUQl8B1ACLcB/s400/3ACurrentAffairScreamingMimiBeadedTopIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>
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The print on Portia and Manny's long stretch knit dress by Cheryl was intriguing. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7On1CJtEABA/V0zw_ISC7SI/AAAAAAAArAM/-CDOl74nltY_muA_jjgRt1o8_fa5TuP_QCLcB/s1600/4ACurrentAffairPortia%2526MannyCherylDressIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7On1CJtEABA/V0zw_ISC7SI/AAAAAAAArAM/-CDOl74nltY_muA_jjgRt1o8_fa5TuP_QCLcB/s640/4ACurrentAffairPortia%2526MannyCherylDressIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here's a closeup of the figures on the fabric. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BLz_4be7nI8/V0zxBo3goJI/AAAAAAAArAQ/d0gPrOi05zcJ8FOnUWs8LaVBi1KMacuZACLcB/s1600/5ACurrentAffairPortia%2526MannyCherylDressCloseupIIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BLz_4be7nI8/V0zxBo3goJI/AAAAAAAArAQ/d0gPrOi05zcJ8FOnUWs8LaVBi1KMacuZACLcB/s400/5ACurrentAffairPortia%2526MannyCherylDressCloseupIIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" width="365" /></a></div>
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Liz herself modeled this Plantation by Issey Miyake coat with an interesting neckline in The Goods by Liz Baca booth. <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pitevYLedpA/V0zxC1N0n-I/AAAAAAAArAU/lXu56DuShzcrI8xDvgnuFs86ygJAdyfjQCLcB/s1600/6ACurrentAffairTheGoodsLizBacaPlantationMiyakeCoatIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pitevYLedpA/V0zxC1N0n-I/AAAAAAAArAU/lXu56DuShzcrI8xDvgnuFs86ygJAdyfjQCLcB/s640/6ACurrentAffairTheGoodsLizBacaPlantationMiyakeCoatIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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At the other end of the Issey Miyake spectrum is Morphew Concept's sleeveless yellow and green midi-dress with Miyake's signature pleating.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZUzKMDFeGM/V0zx4ZhJJlI/AAAAAAAArAg/mLYxaukQunc04U7rIegZYdF12aihhtqcgCLcB/s1600/7ACurrentAffairIsseyMiyakeMorphewConceptIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lZUzKMDFeGM/V0zx4ZhJJlI/AAAAAAAArAg/mLYxaukQunc04U7rIegZYdF12aihhtqcgCLcB/s640/7ACurrentAffairIsseyMiyakeMorphewConceptIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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A 1940s ivory and maroon cotton day dress with matching tie belt in Dallas vendor Woodland Farms' booth was extremely well-priced at $145. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m0HVsbeBOyI/V0zx6WGZEQI/AAAAAAAArAk/HKhhZz_AXAYcon2Iz9lPBwZtIeBc3r5PACLcB/s1600/8ACurrentAffairWoolandFarmsVintageDressIdiosyncraticFashionistas052217x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m0HVsbeBOyI/V0zx6WGZEQI/AAAAAAAArAk/HKhhZz_AXAYcon2Iz9lPBwZtIeBc3r5PACLcB/s640/8ACurrentAffairWoolandFarmsVintageDressIdiosyncraticFashionistas052217x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Sharing the same space was another Dallas company -- The Lush Life -- which had vintage dice earrings and 2 large square dice cuffs, one in white and one in black. If the bracelets hadn't been made for a small-wristed person, Jean would have scooped them up in a heart beat. (Waaah.) <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZcUiG5AM5A/V0zx8N6FvyI/AAAAAAAArAo/kebyp79NlDkYvLgyV4-JhpR_xwyau4DWgCLcB/s1600/9ACurrentAffairTheLushLifeDiceIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rZcUiG5AM5A/V0zx8N6FvyI/AAAAAAAArAo/kebyp79NlDkYvLgyV4-JhpR_xwyau4DWgCLcB/s400/9ACurrentAffairTheLushLifeDiceIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A special shout out to Algy_b, whom we first met at a Pier Show a few years ago and run into quite often at these events! She is now designing her own line of jewelry. Her tree of life pin was in Nomad Vintage's booth.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ExlzoLOSOHY/V0zyWHMSJvI/AAAAAAAArAs/_pVTyi9aKEY0m2i9h88AVcabX0ZmV4xUQCLcB/s1600/10ACurrentAffairAlgy_bIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ExlzoLOSOHY/V0zyWHMSJvI/AAAAAAAArAs/_pVTyi9aKEY0m2i9h88AVcabX0ZmV4xUQCLcB/s640/10ACurrentAffairAlgy_bIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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Scout from Los Angeles is one of Jean's favorites and she loved this classic Hiro and Malee coat from I. Magnin. Here is the front view. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rG9aNJNTBxY/V0zyXiizaBI/AAAAAAAArAw/kEVH852l_NsflhWzpM_xeZ_4LcLLPxtRACLcB/s1600/11ACurrentAffairScoutHino%2526MaleeCoatIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rG9aNJNTBxY/V0zyXiizaBI/AAAAAAAArAw/kEVH852l_NsflhWzpM_xeZ_4LcLLPxtRACLcB/s640/11ACurrentAffairScoutHino%2526MaleeCoatIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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And here is what it looks like from the back. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ydqu0E_5Y4/V0zyY6rgWcI/AAAAAAAArA0/0Yjgd8sDIpgCu5phe4nNqT0GjpNGFP7GgCLcB/s1600/12ACurrentAffairScoutHino%2526MaleeBackIdiosyncraticFashionistas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--ydqu0E_5Y4/V0zyY6rgWcI/AAAAAAAArA0/0Yjgd8sDIpgCu5phe4nNqT0GjpNGFP7GgCLcB/s640/12ACurrentAffairScoutHino%2526MaleeBackIdiosyncraticFashionistas.jpg" /></a></div>
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Jane Yoo's hand-painted bag from Vintage Martini was beautiful and functional.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ8-v_NYswU/V0zyo6v50qI/AAAAAAAArA8/N2Zrtqpyki4ohSx64L1XsU6hCzyvnPjnQCLcB/s1600/13ACurrentAffairVintageMartiniJaneYooIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ8-v_NYswU/V0zyo6v50qI/AAAAAAAArA8/N2Zrtqpyki4ohSx64L1XsU6hCzyvnPjnQCLcB/s640/13ACurrentAffairVintageMartiniJaneYooIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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New York's andARCHIVE had this gauzy Comme des Garcons jacket with a woven inset back treatment.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gv-RmqIGNUw/V0zyp7M55xI/AAAAAAAArBA/4TeajJ2lUPw0WbhIYZTG1Cpsv3cbU2ISACLcB/s1600/14ACurrentAffairandARCHIVECdGIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gv-RmqIGNUw/V0zyp7M55xI/AAAAAAAArBA/4TeajJ2lUPw0WbhIYZTG1Cpsv3cbU2ISACLcB/s640/14ACurrentAffairandARCHIVECdGIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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Vintage Le Monde had his wrap coat with a whimsical print.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hquEZKc6wrg/V0zzxx3YIhI/AAAAAAAArBQ/fG5ePL6mpCY0WmZkBupN70d_bcfJ5jq-ACLcB/s1600/15ACurrentAffairVintageLeMondeCoatIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hquEZKc6wrg/V0zzxx3YIhI/AAAAAAAArBQ/fG5ePL6mpCY0WmZkBupN70d_bcfJ5jq-ACLcB/s640/15ACurrentAffairVintageLeMondeCoatIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here is a close-up of the print.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kq78gvfNLMg/V0zzzv_7J4I/AAAAAAAArBU/aisXp-IBC6UeQynWEQxvUM1n_slI_Y-gwCLcB/s1600/16ACurrentAffairVintageLeMondeCloseupIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kq78gvfNLMg/V0zzzv_7J4I/AAAAAAAArBU/aisXp-IBC6UeQynWEQxvUM1n_slI_Y-gwCLcB/s400/16ACurrentAffairVintageLeMondeCloseupIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Vintage Nomad's mannequin had a gauzy pleated embroidered ivory dress, green cape and green bird necklace.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MRT0cdpm1E8/V00l-h3CEMI/AAAAAAAArDg/W12Di80Xa201VL0cixmNEULI5a1UKm8VgCLcB/s1600/xACurrentAffairNomadVintageIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MRT0cdpm1E8/V00l-h3CEMI/AAAAAAAArDg/W12Di80Xa201VL0cixmNEULI5a1UKm8VgCLcB/s640/xACurrentAffairNomadVintageIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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PEOPLE:<br />
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Jean often stops by Joe Sundlie's intriguing shop called Vintedge in the Showplace Antique Center at 40 West 25th Street in NY. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eHRkOpQ7IB4/V0zwihzPjCI/AAAAAAAArAA/ODbnLJiWXYAQqmQypiBqt5m4rgxg5KOAwCLcB/s1600/1ACurrentAffairJoeSundlieVintedge%2526JeanIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eHRkOpQ7IB4/V0zwihzPjCI/AAAAAAAArAA/ODbnLJiWXYAQqmQypiBqt5m4rgxg5KOAwCLcB/s640/1ACurrentAffairJoeSundlieVintedge%2526JeanIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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Jean ran into Heidi Rosenau, whom we often feature because no one wears vintage better than she. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fIZ8w5zK9Q0/V00PXlWjWqI/AAAAAAAArCI/NffqNbqbpyk_3yCSRlfxZSCYAL4n7NQtACLcB/s1600/ACurrentAffairHeidiRosenauIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fIZ8w5zK9Q0/V00PXlWjWqI/AAAAAAAArCI/NffqNbqbpyk_3yCSRlfxZSCYAL4n7NQtACLcB/s640/ACurrentAffairHeidiRosenauIdiosyncraticFashionistas052216.jpg" /></a></div>
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Check out this stylish trio enjoying the show.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L49E-iIf4Ss/V00sh0yn_RI/AAAAAAAArEg/SaoHlPRUQQ8MzOSIGzhYWEtBsUFxImExQCLcB/s1600/6ACurrentAffairTrioIdiosyncraticFashionistas052116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L49E-iIf4Ss/V00sh0yn_RI/AAAAAAAArEg/SaoHlPRUQQ8MzOSIGzhYWEtBsUFxImExQCLcB/s400/6ACurrentAffairTrioIdiosyncraticFashionistas052116.jpg" width="284" /></a></div>
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Lana Turner showed up, looking smashing, as usual.<br />
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The ever-dapper Daniel doffed his tuxedo to try on a vintage suit that fit him quite well.<br />
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Vintage vendors Amanda Dolan and Megan Colby of Spark Pretty took the proverbial "busman's holiday" and came to the show.<br />
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On Sunday, Jean ran into Zondra Foxx who didn't let a little thing like a recent fall and dislocated shoulder prevent her from checking out the show.<br />
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Liz Baca and Mike and Boo Boo and friends posed for the camera.<br />
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Perhaps the best dressed vendor award goes to these two gents from James Veloria. (That's James on the left.)<br />
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"Talk to the hand." Jean ran into Tziporah Salamon on Saturday -- and again the next day. She was having a blast.<br />
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A Current Affair will be in Los Angeles on September 24th and 25th. If you're in LA, go to the show!<br />
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<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-15348631566538442562016-05-22T22:33:00.002-07:002016-05-30T18:56:08.701-07:00Jean's Excellent Spanish AdventureLast week at this time, Jean was hanging out with friends in Barcelona, Spain, after the Formula 1 Grand Prix race. (More about the race itself in a future posting.) Here is her story:<br />
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Here I am on the roof of Gaudi's Casa Mila listening to the audio-guide and contemplating my next move. The weather was spectacular: upper 60s during the day and mid- to upper 50s at night, with a mild breeze and low humidity.<br />
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Barcelona is in the Catalan region of Spain. Architect Antoni Gaudi's works dominate the city's psyche and its skyline. I met 3 friends from California for sightseeing and to see the Formula-1 Grand Prix race on May 15th. We stayed at a wonderful 4-star Hotel Murmuri (aka "Whisper") in a beautifully appointed two-bedroom apartment on a side street around the corner from the main hotel with living room, dinning area, outdoor terrace, full kitchen, washer and dryer and dishwasher.<br />
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Antoni Gaudi i Cornet was a Spanish Catalan architect from Reus and the best known practitioner of Catalan Modernism. Gaudi's works reflect an individualized and distinctive style. Most are located in Barcelona, including his magnum opus, the Sagrada Familia.<br />
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Influenced by architecture, nature and religion, Gaudi integrated crafts into his designs such as ceramics, stained glass, wrought ironwork forging, carpentry and plasterwork. One of the most iconic Gaudi buildings is Casa Mila at 92 Passeig de Gracia. Although revered today, Gaudi's work was very controversial at the time.<br />
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Nicknamed "La Pedrera" or "The Stone Quarry", Casa Mila is an apartment building commissioned by Pere Mila and Roser Segimon. As I toured it, my thought was "This man does not a straight line like." <i>Everything</i> is curved. Metalwork surrounds the balconies and the roof features stone and ceramic tile covered towers. His new techniques for treatment of materials included <i>trencadis</i> which used waste ceramic materials. Constructed from 1906 to 1912, the building still houses private apartments. The museum lobby on the first floor, the rooftop and the Mila family's apartment are open to the public. This model shows the rooftop towers.<br />
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A curved ceramic tile covered tower is in the background, while the towers in the foreground (some of which conceal stove pipes) have been described as topped by warriors' helmets or ladies' veils.<br />
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Many of the details in the family apartment like bed frames and furniture are also curved, echoing an art nouveau look. This curved tea set caught my eye.<br />
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Check out the curved plasterwork framing the door and the window and note the pocket doors. The woodwork in the flooring and the gramophone add warmth to the surroundings.<br />
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Next stop? We went to see Gaudi's still-incomplete basilica, Sagrada Familia, which is the most visited monument in Spain. Influenced by neo-Gothic and Oriental styles, Gaudi became part of the <i>Modernista</i> movement which peaked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He and his work eventually transcended mainstream <i>Modernisme</i>, creating an individualized and unique organic style influenced by nature.<br />
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Estimates are that construction will continue through 2026. [Valerie interjects: I was there in 1991, and it was replete with cranes even then, so that gives you some idea of the magnitude - or the endlessness - of this undertaking.] Although numerous parts of the exterior and interior are construction sites, crowds of visitors swarm the exterior and interior. Advice to travelers: If you are planning to visit Barcelona, book your tickets in advance online.<br />
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The interior of the basilica is illuminated by vibrant stained glass windows.<br />
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Although the altar area was walled off during our visit, the crucifix was visible overhead. One visitor commented that it looked like the cross was suspended from a giant, golden jelly fish.<br />
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Food in Barcelona features lots of ham -- and seafood. Restaurants are crowded with happy, satisfied, well-dressed diners. Outdoor cafes are also very popular spots for relaxing and people-watching. Nightlife is thriving. Lots of bars and nightclubs thrive in downtown Barcelona. <br />
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Men in kilts: Across the street from our apartment was Boca Grande - Boca Chica, which had a jam-packed rooftop bar filled with many race fans, including Fraser. Our quartet had spotted him earlier in the afternoon on the street. He's hard to miss, with long blond locks, kilt and boots. Fraser was sweet enough to pose for a photo. <br />
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After our rooftop nightcap, my friends and I descended in the elevator with these 3 adorable young ladies who insisted that I had to check out the ladies' room and escorted me there forthwith. The large, brightly lit white tile covered unisex space featured stand up cocktail tables, lots of big mirrors, communal sinks, large stalls and beautiful people.<br />
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Teaser for Wednesday night's Formula-1 race coverage: a group of more than a dozen British gents combined their trip to the race with a bachelor party. They chose a hilariously novel way to celebrate at the racetrack and after: dressing as matadors, flamenco dancers and senoritas. Tune in Thursday for the full story!<br />
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On a related note: On Sunday evening as we were walking home after dinner at Balthazar, we met this group of 5 ladies celebrating the upcoming nuptials of the lady in purple. The bridesmaids dressed in red outfits matching the bride's purple one, including net skirt, feather boa, headband and feather, combined with black sweaters and tights.<br />
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All good things must come to an end. All too soon, my trip was over. At the airport, waiting for my flight back to JFK, I was recognized and approached by Manuel who lives in Mexico City. That he would know me from our blog and from the Advanced Style documentary was wonderfully flattering and so much fun. His sister obliged by taking photos of us with both of our cell phones. What a sweet ending to a marvelous trip! <br />
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<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-20976948628301010632016-05-15T17:40:00.001-07:002016-05-15T17:40:20.960-07:00THE HAT CHALLENGE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are always puzzled when we hear our lady friends lament that they can't wear hats. Many say they don't have the right face or the right hair, when the obvious answer is that <b><i>they just don't have the right hat</i></b>. We were particularly puzzled when none other than Dayle of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/artfulcitystyle/">Artful City Style</a> said this. Dayle combines so many eclectic accessories with such style that we imagine her adding a hat with equal aplomb. So we threw down the gauntlet. Bring over any five outfits of your choice, we said, and we'll find a hat for it. <br />
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If you've been looking at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/idiosyncraticfashionistas/">our Instagram account</a> (what do you mean, you haven't?!), you know that Jean is away in Barcelona, so Valerie undertook to match up each of Dayle's outfits with an appropriate chapeau on her own. To keep it simple (that is, to minimize the amount of shlepping), all the photographs would be waist up or higher, so Dayle brought tops only - no pants, skirts, or shoes.<br />
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Dayle immediately presented Valerie with a challenge because their thought processes are at odds: Valerie thinks in terms of hats that match the outfit; Dayle wanted hats that contrasted. For her black and white outfit, she requested a red hat, but...<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3SBx4cKA_0g/VzflF3GUq_I/AAAAAAAAq5s/5YFCLi_Ldl88uA4o0-elQWqJb92EZmfjwCLcB/s1600/Dayle%2Bin%2Bblack%2Bfelt%2Bsaucer%2Bhat%252C%2Bred%2Brim%2BIMG_4725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3SBx4cKA_0g/VzflF3GUq_I/AAAAAAAAq5s/5YFCLi_Ldl88uA4o0-elQWqJb92EZmfjwCLcB/s400/Dayle%2Bin%2Bblack%2Bfelt%2Bsaucer%2Bhat%252C%2Bred%2Brim%2BIMG_4725.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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... the first red hats Valerie brought out did not meet with Dayle's approval. Then she saw this black saucer hat with the red trim, and asked to try that on. This worked quite well. Those of you who know Dayle know that she is closely identified with her wild curly blond hair. This hat didn't balance well with Dayle's lush head of hair, so Valerie convinced Dayle to pull most of it back. <i>Most</i> of it. Dayle wanted to keep a few tendrils (comfort tendrils? like comfort food?) to remain visible, and that worked quite well too.<br />
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Before we started, Dayle said that she envisioned herself in a broad hat with the brim turned up, and one was found for her in black and white, to match her outfit. In this picture, you get a better view of her wonderful contrasting earrings.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CDdvphEKfMs/VzfnTtSJURI/AAAAAAAAq54/wQ1rwzPTa-oR3041M7v5jMQA2CzWq_2ngCLcB/s1600/Dayle%2Bin%2Bbroad%2Bbrim%2Bwhite%2Bhat%252C%2Bblack%2Brim%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CDdvphEKfMs/VzfnTtSJURI/AAAAAAAAq54/wQ1rwzPTa-oR3041M7v5jMQA2CzWq_2ngCLcB/s400/Dayle%2Bin%2Bbroad%2Bbrim%2Bwhite%2Bhat%252C%2Bblack%2Brim%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4733.JPG" width="345" /></a></div>
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Dayle then brought out a turquoise jacket. <i>Another challenge</i>, thought Valerie, who doesn't have any turqoise hats. But Dayle, remember, didn't want a matching hat. She asked for an orange hat, to play off the small patch of orange on the turqoise. Valerie brought out a conical orange straw hat, but that turned out to be a challenge for Dayle, who nixed it as soon as she put it on. This is perfectly okay - you have to be comfortable in your hat. If you're not, you won't feel confident and you won't wear the hat. Because the jacket has a modified Chinese neckline, we tried a modified coolie hat, which looked great.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i92baIcOnU4/VzfpnlbYiKI/AAAAAAAAq6E/OQGUWjEWqHMVCzCZOA9x1WBEPbrRqEJMgCLcB/s1600/Dayle%2Bin%2Bsmall%2Bblack%2Bstraw%2Bcoolie%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i92baIcOnU4/VzfpnlbYiKI/AAAAAAAAq6E/OQGUWjEWqHMVCzCZOA9x1WBEPbrRqEJMgCLcB/s400/Dayle%2Bin%2Bsmall%2Bblack%2Bstraw%2Bcoolie%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4738.JPG" width="371" /></a></div>
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Valerie pulled out a forgotten but much loved small orange fascinator, although fearful that Dayle would find it too dramatic. But Dayle took to this hat, which allowed her to showcase her beautiful hair.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z0FG8semMfQ/Vzfqm8D4GUI/AAAAAAAAq6Q/MLXltfOXpII6D6igDlGGT30fgzT7DPE_wCLcB/s1600/Dayle%2Bin%2Borange%2Bstraw%2Bhorned%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4744%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z0FG8semMfQ/Vzfqm8D4GUI/AAAAAAAAq6Q/MLXltfOXpII6D6igDlGGT30fgzT7DPE_wCLcB/s400/Dayle%2Bin%2Borange%2Bstraw%2Bhorned%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4744%2B2.JPG" width="328" /></a></div>
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Then Dayle put on a purple jacket. Many women share a love of purple, but matching two shades of purple can be a challenge of its own. The purple of the Dayle's jacket and the purple of the hat don't match, but neither do they conflct, and the hat shape balances the jacket shape. Keep an eye on Dayle's eyeglasses, which she changes to suit her clothes. Those are purple frames she's wearing in this photo. Dayle is very drawn to color, and the big smile across her face is her initial reaction to the kimono in the background.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gbXqaPDEY8o/VzfrtlZ3WPI/AAAAAAAAq6c/cr8pnpuJzZQkaNQpeVCpaeT21-r-OmVcwCLcB/s1600/Dayle%2Bin%2Bpurple%2Bpancake%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gbXqaPDEY8o/VzfrtlZ3WPI/AAAAAAAAq6c/cr8pnpuJzZQkaNQpeVCpaeT21-r-OmVcwCLcB/s400/Dayle%2Bin%2Bpurple%2Bpancake%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4756.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Another challenge! Dayle's purple jacket is reversible to green with red polka dots. Valerie's initial reaction was 'I have a green hat to go with that', but Dayle wanted to bring out the contrasting red. What to do? Do both.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tFC6vQYcOKU/VzftZxBNpWI/AAAAAAAAq6o/VmNChV9cgBcHgda6e4SRQK3lV5NjrKSrwCLcB/s1600/Dayle%2Bin%2Bwide%2Bbrim%2Bgreen%2Bvelour%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tFC6vQYcOKU/VzftZxBNpWI/AAAAAAAAq6o/VmNChV9cgBcHgda6e4SRQK3lV5NjrKSrwCLcB/s400/Dayle%2Bin%2Bwide%2Bbrim%2Bgreen%2Bvelour%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4760.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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First, here's Dayle in a lush green velour hat. For the photograph, we kept the tilt to a minimum, so it wouldn't shade her face, but it also looked wonderful at a greater angle.<br />
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Throughout our hat challenge, we kept using the word 'experiment'. Try this shape, try that color, try a different angle, etc. And if we didn't like it, out it went. Sometimes you get lucky on the first try, sometimes you have to do a dozen experiments to get a winner. Valerie has quite a few red hats, but which one would work with this outfit? This little hat, which can be folded up and put in a pocket, did. And it looks better with this jacket than Valerie's first choice, the green hat.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qpG49xfsIRI/VzfvT_24bKI/AAAAAAAAq60/9w2FPLl71OIV76c_wgcGWJKnlW9-zQvDACLcB/s1600/Dayle%2Bin%2Bred%2B%2527fez%2527%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qpG49xfsIRI/VzfvT_24bKI/AAAAAAAAq60/9w2FPLl71OIV76c_wgcGWJKnlW9-zQvDACLcB/s400/Dayle%2Bin%2Bred%2B%2527fez%2527%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4775.JPG" width="282" /></a></div>
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Valerie was stumped by Dayle's final challenge. Dayle put on a yellow top, accessorized it with a green and red scarf, and challenged Valerie to find her a hat that matched the red of the scarf. We did try two red hats, but neither of them set the outfit off in a way we were happy with. Giving up on red, we tried three yellow hats - all nice, all inappropriate to the outfit. Finally Valerie pulled out an old green straw picture hat with a contrasting yellow ribbon from the early 50s, which Dayle loved.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qjUMOdAphHY/VzkQbYQqTQI/AAAAAAAAq78/L9BZU9vdUTkIUXicftcU4_YuEAXpVOXRgCLcB/s1600/Dayle%2Bin%2Bwide%2Bbrim%2Bgreen%2Bstraw%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4785%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qjUMOdAphHY/VzkQbYQqTQI/AAAAAAAAq78/L9BZU9vdUTkIUXicftcU4_YuEAXpVOXRgCLcB/s400/Dayle%2Bin%2Bwide%2Bbrim%2Bgreen%2Bstraw%2Bhat%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4785%2B2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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What are the results of The Hat Challenge? We've proven definitively that not only can Dayle wear hats, she can wear hats in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes. This is a very personal decision, and she may very well choose not to, but the fact is she could if she cared to. And why shouldn't Dayle show off her hair, rather than a hat? Just for example, Dayle said no to the three hats in the opening photo. They work for Valerie but not for Dayle, even though the colors go with the outfits. So if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again. Don't blame the hat, or your hair, or your face, or your outfit or your make-up. Just look for another hat, the way you would look for another dress if you didn't like the first one you tried on.<br />
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Not everyone can wear an Isabella Blow hat,<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--tJqY6pE70U/VzkVDFmLERI/AAAAAAAAq8I/L91xf0_9HgMbP0-F1Uz4BPhtc4FVBy6jgCLcB/s1600/Isabella%2BBlow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--tJqY6pE70U/VzkVDFmLERI/AAAAAAAAq8I/L91xf0_9HgMbP0-F1Uz4BPhtc4FVBy6jgCLcB/s320/Isabella%2BBlow.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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but everyone can wear a hat. (And that includes our men friend readers, too.)<br />
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In closing, we just want to take this opportunity to say - all of you ladies who have been complaining that you can't wear hats - we don't want to hear any more about it. Case closed!<br />
<br />Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4743631881054046577.post-24300934543309533852016-05-11T18:41:00.000-07:002016-05-12T08:34:28.587-07:00MANUS X MACHINA: Fashion in the Age of Technology<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week, we attended the press preview for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute's newest exhibition MANUS x MACHINA - FASHION IN THE AGE OF TECHNOLOGY on the morning of the day of the red carpet gala. <br />
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Andrew Bolton, Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute, who took up the reins after Harold Koda retired last year, has mounted the show which features exceptional fashions that reconcile traditional hand techniques with innovative machine technologies such as 3-D printing, laser cutting, circular knitting, computer modeling, bonding and laminating, and ultrasonic welding. <br />
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The exhibition opens with a Chanel bridal gown whose train alone, bedizened with countless Swarovski crystals, takes up most of the very large entrance hall.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v-WCFFPfyJY/VzPUJ7UMkQI/AAAAAAAAq28/fvAPiv0H7Wwk0AyurRAfLJOgBQrvnfaMACLcB/s1600/Chanel%2Bwedding%2Bdress%2B-%2Btrain%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v-WCFFPfyJY/VzPUJ7UMkQI/AAAAAAAAq28/fvAPiv0H7Wwk0AyurRAfLJOgBQrvnfaMACLcB/s400/Chanel%2Bwedding%2Bdress%2B-%2Btrain%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4572.jpg" width="361" /></a></div>
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In contrast to the mind boggling train, the design of the dress itself is classical, spare and simple, no doubt to heighten the surprise of viewers, slowly absorbing the pageantry of the bride as she passes. Your eyes do not deceive you - that is our friend Judith, The Style Crone, between us.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UoGsz0rLiYw/VzPV5fh8w-I/AAAAAAAAq3I/pFpAt77kpSYGqDGixx3f0kFD0uRsM1bwQCLcB/s1600/Chanel%2Bwedding%2Bdress%252C%2Bfront%253B%2BJean%252C%2BJudith%252C%2BValerie%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UoGsz0rLiYw/VzPV5fh8w-I/AAAAAAAAq3I/pFpAt77kpSYGqDGixx3f0kFD0uRsM1bwQCLcB/s640/Chanel%2Bwedding%2Bdress%252C%2Bfront%253B%2BJean%252C%2BJudith%252C%2BValerie%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4576.jpg" width="491" /></a></div>
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The show features ninety astonishing pieces ranging from Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel's iconic tweed suit to Karl Lagerfeld's 3-D-printed version. We often play a game at exhibitions called "If I could pick one thing, what would it be?" Jean's selection, hands down, is Thierry Mugler's A/W 1990-91 pret-a-porter "NEON DANS LA NUIT" suit. Made of machine-sewn black silk velvet, hand-embroidered with optical fluorescent stripes, the jacket and skirt's trim glows in the flash of the camera.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dbXNILrGJ-s/Vy-xjHym5QI/AAAAAAAAqyc/AS00LGkbFQIehbwhnm3gt1EPk2bx87lQgCLcB/s1600/2ManusxMachinaThieryMuglerAW90-91IdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dbXNILrGJ-s/Vy-xjHym5QI/AAAAAAAAqyc/AS00LGkbFQIehbwhnm3gt1EPk2bx87lQgCLcB/s640/2ManusxMachinaThieryMuglerAW90-91IdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Exhibit categories are delineated by method. For example, PLEATING clearly demonstrates major changes in processes over time. Case in point (below), Spanish designer Marion Fortuny's 1930's haute couture gown made of hand-pleated and hand-sewn red-purple silk charmeuse, hand-embroidered with Venetian glass beads. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SWPGS1_wfco/Vy-xktkIIYI/AAAAAAAAqyg/SD1xVFn8DMopRBbxiIpLV7rw0CuIuFL8QCLcB/s1600/3ManusxMachinaFortuny1930sIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SWPGS1_wfco/Vy-xktkIIYI/AAAAAAAAqyg/SD1xVFn8DMopRBbxiIpLV7rw0CuIuFL8QCLcB/s640/3ManusxMachinaFortuny1930sIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Mary McFadden's 1986 gown continues the pleating tradition while updating both fabrication and method of creation. Her machine-sewn and "Marii" machine-pleated green polyester charmeuse gown has hand-applied gold metallic passementerie. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-10Jx9agloMo/Vy-xsxBylvI/AAAAAAAAqyk/jcMeqjFBDRMy9QEAM45oO3zZT2Bdf6TFQCLcB/s1600/4ManusxMachinaMaryMcFadden1986IdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-10Jx9agloMo/Vy-xsxBylvI/AAAAAAAAqyk/jcMeqjFBDRMy9QEAM45oO3zZT2Bdf6TFQCLcB/s640/4ManusxMachinaMaryMcFadden1986IdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Miyake Design Studio, founded in 1970, is world famous for further automating the pleating process. This "RHYTHM PLEATS" gown, from Japanese designer Issey Miyake's S/S 1990 pret-a-porter collection, is machine-garment-pleated, machine-sewn yellow and red-purple polyester-linen plain weave. While it looks so three dimensional on the body, off the body, it is a flat rectangle. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-egRBckJT2a4/Vy-xwqwc9FI/AAAAAAAAqys/-sfRiz5X1PAITgWRyp92P0SVfHfbr22cACLcB/s1600/5ManusxMachinaIsseyMiyakeRhythmPleastsSS90IdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-egRBckJT2a4/Vy-xwqwc9FI/AAAAAAAAqys/-sfRiz5X1PAITgWRyp92P0SVfHfbr22cACLcB/s640/5ManusxMachinaIsseyMiyakeRhythmPleastsSS90IdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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In the "If I could pick one thing" game, this is what Valerie would probably wind up picking. You have to look really carefully, but you might be able to see that she's wearing a scale model copy of the dress as a necklace. (Try double clicking.)<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VibGIU5wAWs/VzQFIgGdMLI/AAAAAAAAq5I/mHMjIWRU_vE9gfRqeuzrtbmde4s7ImPfgCLcB/s1600/Valerie%2B-%2BIssey%2BMiyake%2Bflying%2Bsaucer%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VibGIU5wAWs/VzQFIgGdMLI/AAAAAAAAq5I/mHMjIWRU_vE9gfRqeuzrtbmde4s7ImPfgCLcB/s640/Valerie%2B-%2BIssey%2BMiyake%2Bflying%2Bsaucer%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4676.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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In its time, this dress design was considered so innovative that the Museum felt it necessary to show it in three stages - from left to right, its flat storage look to its on-the-body look.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SjxeMnYUZGQ/VzQGVWR77cI/AAAAAAAAq5U/7cWEOzIS-5kreXwcvc3TeoYxDxf9JvohwCLcB/s1600/Issey%2BMiyake%2Bdress%2Bin%2B3%2Bstages%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SjxeMnYUZGQ/VzQGVWR77cI/AAAAAAAAq5U/7cWEOzIS-5kreXwcvc3TeoYxDxf9JvohwCLcB/s400/Issey%2BMiyake%2Bdress%2Bin%2B3%2Bstages%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4677.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
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Also in the Pleats section was this oversized ruff by Comme des Garcons, large enough to extend to the elbows, reminiscent of the starchy ruffs worn by the Dutch, but taken to the requisite edgy CDG extreme.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EjG7vOtkWNs/VzQA_ryw_pI/AAAAAAAAq4w/6KcAqA7L9eEp5TdLC43ISRnF1YT87_JqgCLcB/s1600/CDG%252C%2BJ.%2BWatanabe%2Bruff%2Bpolyester%2Borganza%2Blaser%2Bfinished%2B%2BIdiosymcratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EjG7vOtkWNs/VzQA_ryw_pI/AAAAAAAAq4w/6KcAqA7L9eEp5TdLC43ISRnF1YT87_JqgCLcB/s640/CDG%252C%2BJ.%2BWatanabe%2Bruff%2Bpolyester%2Borganza%2Blaser%2Bfinished%2B%2BIdiosymcratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4682.jpg" width="336" /></a></div>
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Among the most exotic examples of machine-made attire is Hussein Chalayan's S/S 2009 pret-a-porter dress. It is made of white polyurethane foam, hand-painted and airbrushed with green, blue, brown, black and red crushed automobile imagery.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1OExsG4BmFc/Vy-yAmornPI/AAAAAAAAqy0/Z3bjL_a1RVY7Y7RfgSE9coCLQl3FXQzGwCLcB/s1600/6ManusxMachinaHusseinChalayanPolyurethaneDressIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1OExsG4BmFc/Vy-yAmornPI/AAAAAAAAqy0/Z3bjL_a1RVY7Y7RfgSE9coCLQl3FXQzGwCLcB/s640/6ManusxMachinaHusseinChalayanPolyurethaneDressIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Dutch designer Iris van Herpen's 3-D-printed silicone designs were arguably the most avant-garde, and certainly the most diverse, incorporating futuristic methods and techniques. From her Autumn 2012 haute couture collection, this 3-D-printed (stereolithography) dress of dark orange epoxy by Materialise is hand-sanded and hand-sprayed with a transparent resin. We both had the same reaction to this amazing dress, agreeing that while it is absolutely beautiful, it would be impossible to sit down or lie down in. If someone were to wear it to the gala that evening, they'd have to walk all the way from their hotel to the museum, remain standing all night and walk back or shed this amazing armature afterward. <i>But it would be so worth it!</i><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fxdK7MuBcjY/Vy-yDuKs3ZI/AAAAAAAAqy4/d3ikOfD9MogNfazVa0t22kNsZd4wy3NwQCLcB/s1600/7ManusxMachinaIrisvanHerpenIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fxdK7MuBcjY/Vy-yDuKs3ZI/AAAAAAAAqy4/d3ikOfD9MogNfazVa0t22kNsZd4wy3NwQCLcB/s400/7ManusxMachinaIrisvanHerpenIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
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We had to show you another of Iris's stunning creations. It's easy to see the source of her inspiration, to which Herpen has puckishly added a vestigial tailbone. The label reads (in part) 3-D-printed (selective laser sintering) white polyamide. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KzygnysV2Wg/VzPlA6WJUAI/AAAAAAAAq3Y/fySsWq09lHIBjWoJL800wV1OzWvlNbX6ACLcB/s1600/Iris%2Bvan%2Bherpen%2B3d%2Bwhite%2Bpolyamide%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KzygnysV2Wg/VzPlA6WJUAI/AAAAAAAAq3Y/fySsWq09lHIBjWoJL800wV1OzWvlNbX6ACLcB/s400/Iris%2Bvan%2Bherpen%2B3d%2Bwhite%2Bpolyamide%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4686.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>
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And finally, one last Iris creation, this one made of patent leather. The detail work, all done by laser, is extraordinary.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O1tRXnNq-Fg/VzPmhgO_w6I/AAAAAAAAq3k/iJFNy6RAtHYkSdmFQQkYF7ojZcT_NYxWQCLcB/s1600/Iris%2Bvan%2BHerpen%252C%2Bpatent%2Bleather%2B%2B%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O1tRXnNq-Fg/VzPmhgO_w6I/AAAAAAAAq3k/iJFNy6RAtHYkSdmFQQkYF7ojZcT_NYxWQCLcB/s640/Iris%2Bvan%2BHerpen%252C%2Bpatent%2Bleather%2B%2B%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4626.jpg" width="170" /></a></div>
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Flowers was another major theme. The shape of Hussein Chalayan's "DUCK" Dress from his S/S 2000 pret-a-porter collection resembles the bird's upturned tail. The combination of humor and exquisite tailoring makes for an outrageously gorgeous gown. It is machine-sewn pink polyester tulle, hand-gathered and sculpted into tufts and machine-stitched to pink cotton twill.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dNsofoi1uZg/Vy-yTP8keBI/AAAAAAAAqzA/x6OUL2ENNIkRw6nuLxDfUTBLNbIf3DBKQCLcB/s1600/8ManusxMachinaChalayanDuckDressIdiosyncraticFashionstas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dNsofoi1uZg/Vy-yTP8keBI/AAAAAAAAqzA/x6OUL2ENNIkRw6nuLxDfUTBLNbIf3DBKQCLcB/s640/8ManusxMachinaChalayanDuckDressIdiosyncraticFashionstas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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In an amazing 180<span style="background-color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">°</span> turnaround, Chalayan also made this dress, labeled as "cast fiberglass painted with gold metallic pigment, hung with Swarovski crystal and pearl paper "pollens," rear-entry panels with motorized hinges, radio-controlled digital handset".<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tbrna78rMLI/VzPrqcIgfhI/AAAAAAAAq30/wUQ27wpTMz0FURMPnHw_VK_ZreHzh9pqQCLcB/s1600/Hussein%2BChalayan%2B%2527floating%2Bdress%2527%2Bcast%2Bfiberglass%252C%2BSwarovski%2Bcrystals%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tbrna78rMLI/VzPrqcIgfhI/AAAAAAAAq30/wUQ27wpTMz0FURMPnHw_VK_ZreHzh9pqQCLcB/s640/Hussein%2BChalayan%2B%2527floating%2Bdress%2527%2Bcast%2Bfiberglass%252C%2BSwarovski%2Bcrystals%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4605.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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One thing we really liked about the exhibition was the way it bounced back and forth between the past and the present, showing old and new techniques, comparing and contrasting hand work and machine work. We were reminded during the press briefing that some techniques we consider to be old news were, in their time, hailed as innovations. This court presentation dress by Boue Soeurs, dated 1928, was made with a melange of hand- and machine-work.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XGoK1gVgv7I/VzP81cahh7I/AAAAAAAAq4Q/RQ-ojcpPgXQ3xjsFw4n3RhVl-_3Taf03gCLcB/s1600/Boue%2BSoeurs%2B1928%2Bcourt%2Bpresentation%2Bdress%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XGoK1gVgv7I/VzP81cahh7I/AAAAAAAAq4Q/RQ-ojcpPgXQ3xjsFw4n3RhVl-_3Taf03gCLcB/s640/Boue%2BSoeurs%2B1928%2Bcourt%2Bpresentation%2Bdress%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4583.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
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We have to show you some of the detail work to give you an inkling of the amount of labor that went into deceptively complicated dress. The label reads, in part, "hand-sewn ivory silk tulle, machine-embroidered with couched silver cord... metal lame with machine-picot edging; hand-appliqued with hand-embroidered white silk tulle with artificial flowers..."<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vq_OzAs599U/VzP9kkSnZjI/AAAAAAAAq4Y/26lwOSfa4XIQFGehqu5mjbpL5CVE-9KYwCLcB/s1600/Boue%2BSoeurs%2B1928%2Bcourt%2Bpresentation%2Bdress%2B-%2Bdetail%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vq_OzAs599U/VzP9kkSnZjI/AAAAAAAAq4Y/26lwOSfa4XIQFGehqu5mjbpL5CVE-9KYwCLcB/s400/Boue%2BSoeurs%2B1928%2Bcourt%2Bpresentation%2Bdress%2B-%2Bdetail%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4584.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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But back to Chalayan for a moment. Yet another extraordinary Chalayan dress was this post-<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jetsons">Jetsons</a> creation, which echoes the shape of the Dior suit on the left, and its material concept from the Paco Rabanne dress on the right, and is able to express both shapes with motorized panels. Don't believe us? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXaONmuCgWE">Watch this video</a> from 3:05 to 3:35 and see the dress - and a hat - metamorphose before your eyes.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AGLss2Ny_aE/VzP55beB-MI/AAAAAAAAq4E/tfkn2j6RVJ4bNmIirAFSOK-VSIAvk_-UQCLcB/s1600/Hussein%2BChalayan%2Bmechanical%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AGLss2Ny_aE/VzP55beB-MI/AAAAAAAAq4E/tfkn2j6RVJ4bNmIirAFSOK-VSIAvk_-UQCLcB/s400/Hussein%2BChalayan%2Bmechanical%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4689.jpg" width="385" /></a></div>
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Christian Dior's AW 1949-50 haute couture "JUNON" gown for House of Dior has a machine-sewn, hand-finished pale green silk faille and taffeta foundation, hand-sewn pale blue silk tulle embroidered with opalescent sequins, hand-appliqued with forty-five hand-cut pale blue silk tulle and horsehair petals, hand-embroidered with opalescent blue, green, and orange gelatin sequins. It faced its mirror image, with lighter sequins.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-91DP1VHcbqk/Vy-yVGys-NI/AAAAAAAAqzE/zfqYIQeyPDchjk2OzPfkG7SrOZlX57liQCLcB/s1600/9ManusxMachinaDiorDressIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-91DP1VHcbqk/Vy-yVGys-NI/AAAAAAAAqzE/zfqYIQeyPDchjk2OzPfkG7SrOZlX57liQCLcB/s640/9ManusxMachinaDiorDressIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Perhaps the most wonderfully unexpected is this dress by American designer Thom Browne, better known for his menswear line. Made of laser-cut white ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, it is from his SS 2013 pret-a-porter collection.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KjCJWHPgl2I/Vy-ypj265mI/AAAAAAAAqzQ/U1DTKiQM0xcWMiMgtWckwZX8dQtXfKJIgCLcB/s1600/10ManusxMachinaThomBrowneSS13DressIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KjCJWHPgl2I/Vy-ypj265mI/AAAAAAAAqzQ/U1DTKiQM0xcWMiMgtWckwZX8dQtXfKJIgCLcB/s640/10ManusxMachinaThomBrowneSS13DressIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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This was juxtaposed against a Paul Poiret coat dated 1919. The two white panels down the front are 'hand-appliqued' 'kidskin cutwork'. Cutwork existed before the use of lasers in fashion, but in Poiret's time each individual cut had to be made by expert hands.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v_ro_kSKjOg/VzP_NiMjGTI/AAAAAAAAq4k/qoxGP_Mrbhc8TdTG9Vql94b0Os4Ecwt3wCLcB/s1600/Paul%2BPoiret%2B1919%2Bcoat%2Bkidskin%2Bcutwork%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B%2BIMG_4633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v_ro_kSKjOg/VzP_NiMjGTI/AAAAAAAAq4k/qoxGP_Mrbhc8TdTG9Vql94b0Os4Ecwt3wCLcB/s640/Paul%2BPoiret%2B1919%2Bcoat%2Bkidskin%2Bcutwork%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B%2BIMG_4633.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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In the spirit of upcycling, we had to show you this Gareth Pugh dress, which the label tells us is created from transparent drinking straws.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hXsBfm9gff4/VzQCg2DY2jI/AAAAAAAAq48/VU5K--xEqow-EQe7udbEqvFjcuXPO-R2gCLcB/s1600/Gareth%2BPugh%2Bdrinking%2Bstraws%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B%2BIMG_4580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hXsBfm9gff4/VzQCg2DY2jI/AAAAAAAAq48/VU5K--xEqow-EQe7udbEqvFjcuXPO-R2gCLcB/s640/Gareth%2BPugh%2Bdrinking%2Bstraws%2Bdress%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2B%2BIMG_4580.jpg" width="388" /></a></div>
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PEOPLE:<br />
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Judith Boyd, aka <a href="http://stylecrone.com/">Style Crone</a>, in town from Denver for the <i>Advanced Style: Older and Wiser</i> book launch and for a number of get-togethers with friends, joined us for the press preview. Her striking red velvet turban is by Schiaparelli; Valerie's pale green straw boater is from her trip decades ago to Printemps in Paris; and Jean's straw hat by Ignatius Hats is from last November's Philadelphia Museum of Art's Craft Show.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vbvkkaIcYNg/Vy-xfzdRPuI/AAAAAAAAqyY/QiZpw8wyoV8ZLRSX77RgthcsxBjGUf9DwCLcB/s1600/1ManusxMachinaJudithStyleCroneJean%2526ValerieIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vbvkkaIcYNg/Vy-xfzdRPuI/AAAAAAAAqyY/QiZpw8wyoV8ZLRSX77RgthcsxBjGUf9DwCLcB/s400/1ManusxMachinaJudithStyleCroneJean%2526ValerieIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We got a brief glimpse of Vogue edtior Anna Wintour in a lovely colorful dress, and without her trademark sunglasses, before we were shooed away by a very zealous person. At left is Met Director Thomas Campbell.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LfaMfKbhYak/VzPJvut0KlI/AAAAAAAAq1s/MO4SeWpLoGIlRFHncJT-o-EPPcJzlkOqgCLcB/s1600/Anna%2BWintour%252C%2BThomas%2BCampbell%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LfaMfKbhYak/VzPJvut0KlI/AAAAAAAAq1s/MO4SeWpLoGIlRFHncJT-o-EPPcJzlkOqgCLcB/s640/Anna%2BWintour%252C%2BThomas%2BCampbell%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4661.jpg" width="435" /></a></div>
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Thom Browne, instantly recognizable for his fitted high-water pants and sock-less look, made an appearance at the press preview. Just the day before, The New York Times' Sunday Style Section featured an article about how Thom and the show's curator, Andrew Bolton, spend their Sundays. Click <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/nyregion/how-andrew-bolton-of-met-costume-institute-spends-his-sundays.html?_r=0">here</a> for the story. (Spoiler alert: they've been a couple for five years and devote much of their Sunday -- and, actually every day -- to spoiling Hector, their little wire-haired dachshund. ) Fashion note: both were wearing the high pants hem look you see here.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MKk7F1QvmSU/Vy-yuqDquSI/AAAAAAAAqzU/eq1ywewIAKcG0pa_TWdfZgtL0yLmkE11gCLcB/s1600/12ManusxMachinaThomBrowneIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MKk7F1QvmSU/Vy-yuqDquSI/AAAAAAAAqzU/eq1ywewIAKcG0pa_TWdfZgtL0yLmkE11gCLcB/s640/12ManusxMachinaThomBrowneIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Legendary designer Mary McFadden, whose iconic pleated designs appear in the show, was seated just two rows in front of us at the press conference. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2S1BC1psDNw/Vy-yxNncJKI/AAAAAAAAqzY/EdL_SU3V0A0X8H86T2IeqBZ6GgiGKd7ngCLcB/s1600/10aManusxMachinaMaryMcFaddenIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2S1BC1psDNw/Vy-yxNncJKI/AAAAAAAAqzY/EdL_SU3V0A0X8H86T2IeqBZ6GgiGKd7ngCLcB/s400/10aManusxMachinaMaryMcFaddenIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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TV fashion personality Joe Zee was also in the crowd for the press conference. When we emerged later after the show, he was on camera in front of his video crew, reporting about the show.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L-hRux0D-3w/Vy-zOevsfbI/AAAAAAAAqzs/aivViUjGZPI8Idd49tWVRyQE4Cf0ihC3wCLcB/s1600/14ManusxMachinaJoeZeeIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L-hRux0D-3w/Vy-zOevsfbI/AAAAAAAAqzs/aivViUjGZPI8Idd49tWVRyQE4Cf0ihC3wCLcB/s640/14ManusxMachinaJoeZeeIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Our pal, Gay City News writer David Noh, got into the act, combining a machine-made silver lame shirt with a cowboy hat and American flag scarf.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ipy9NtmFpZs/Vy-zOD_VTsI/AAAAAAAAqzo/KxeU5Fujc54dwidEp6ctomtd3eMs_fjNACLcB/s1600/ManusxMachinaDavidNohIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ipy9NtmFpZs/Vy-zOD_VTsI/AAAAAAAAqzo/KxeU5Fujc54dwidEp6ctomtd3eMs_fjNACLcB/s640/ManusxMachinaDavidNohIdiosyncraticFashionistas050216x.jpg" /></a></div>
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Before and during the welcoming remarks, w<span style="text-align: center;">e couldn't take our eyes off this woman's wonderful Comme des Garcons checked jacket with humongous 3D roses. (Yes, they're on the back, too.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UlE40ATI65s/VzPMHxjrcHI/AAAAAAAAq2M/nB9_1DYsJCg6oUgAQg7qXSRX0ImrPKq-wCKgB/s1600/woman%2Bin%2BCDG%2Bchecked%2Broses%2Bjacket%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UlE40ATI65s/VzPMHxjrcHI/AAAAAAAAq2M/nB9_1DYsJCg6oUgAQg7qXSRX0ImrPKq-wCKgB/s640/woman%2Bin%2BCDG%2Bchecked%2Broses%2Bjacket%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4658.jpg" width="380" /></a></div>
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Canny designers working in new technology brought and wore their own designs to show off. Alisha Trimble is flanked by two models wearing her designs.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8a3cnBaKbkU/VzPO4_y_iXI/AAAAAAAAq2Y/6ebAwagWsMoVGMvMaSaRWg_gI9y0c9YyACLcB/s1600/Alisha%2BTrimble%2B%2528ctr%2529%2Bw%2B2%2Bof%2Bher%2Bdesigns%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8a3cnBaKbkU/VzPO4_y_iXI/AAAAAAAAq2Y/6ebAwagWsMoVGMvMaSaRWg_gI9y0c9YyACLcB/s400/Alisha%2BTrimble%2B%2528ctr%2529%2Bw%2B2%2Bof%2Bher%2Bdesigns%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4696.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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This young woman wears a design of her own. The glossy silver material, laser-cut (we think) into diamond shapes, lies flat, but moves beautifully with the wearer's body. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQ_KEQLTTpM/VzPP9nom7cI/AAAAAAAAq2k/kgknmHYGsdwCz1BumOBflGErdGTzEKrsQCLcB/s1600/woman%2Bin%2Bshiny%2Btech%2Bskirt%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQ_KEQLTTpM/VzPP9nom7cI/AAAAAAAAq2k/kgknmHYGsdwCz1BumOBflGErdGTzEKrsQCLcB/s640/woman%2Bin%2Bshiny%2Btech%2Bskirt%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4692.jpg" width="330" /></a></div>
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But for us, the show stopper, the item-that-wasn't-in-the-show-but-should-have-been, was <a href="http://www.maikotakeda.com/">Maiko Takeda</a>'s headpiece.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oCNtzs74iP0/VzPRsCxlNmI/AAAAAAAAq2w/KAJgHhmr7iMke_YQlRCfIxw-pZBsGe_2QCLcB/s1600/Maiko%2BTakeda%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oCNtzs74iP0/VzPRsCxlNmI/AAAAAAAAq2w/KAJgHhmr7iMke_YQlRCfIxw-pZBsGe_2QCLcB/s400/Maiko%2BTakeda%2B%2BIdiosyncratic%2BFashionistas%2BIMG_4623.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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As outrageous fortune would have it, we just happened to be there as Takeda took the soft, lightweight jumble of prongs from her hand and slipped it over her head as easily as if it had been a plastic rain bonnet taken from her pocket. Takeda's name is listed in the Met credits as a contributor. We took the liberty of looking up her name to discover a stellar background: Takeda is a graduate of Central Saint Martin's, which seems to be graduating all the interesting designers these days, she has worked for both Stephen Jones and Philip Treacy, and is now designing accessories for Issey Miyake. <br />
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All in all, we were dazzled, and hope you have a chance to see this show.Idiosyncratic Fashionistashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989100142243084330noreply@blogger.com5