Stylish with Substance

The news I'm referencing is definitely too much for some sensitive people to take. You can read about it online, for example on the Huffington Post.

Note: part of what I'm about to write may also be a bit much for some!

I know this instance is not "unique", and maybe not even rare - I can't "get into" all the stories of the world, but somehow there are certain moments in time that strike one a bit harder. Sadly, there have been other recent events similar in scope, yet this is merely the one that caused me to start typing ... and I did not want to stop at something like a Facebook status update.

Also, please be aware that I know of the existence of sociopaths and understand what they are. My words are merely the utterance of shock, compassion and emotion; sensitivity; we need more of it.

I wanted to preface with this notes, but know I still welcome any genuine comments about anything - except detailing violent specifics, of course.  (I just happened to foresee some cynical questioning. Cynics are great; they are literally some of my best friends, including my soul mate; but you guessed it, that's not me.)

Do not copy! -- 2011 - Elle

For Maria Elizabeth Macias Castro

... Read my thoughts after the jump.

The I am Fashion girls are hosting the Carnivale of Couture, this week, with the topic:

Surprise, darling! You have just won the lottery! How will you, the super fabulous fashionable blogger, spend your US$10m winnings? Tell us all about your money-spending plan!!

Diddle-ee-oup! diddle-ee-oup! ...

• Save!


• Invest in personal interests, like Google and Disney.


• Help my friends and family, support my mums.


• A townhouse in my home town, a cottage on Cape Cod, and a condo in Boca Raton (and maybe the house nextdoor to my B.F.F.).


• Buy a Passat or a hybrid for my mums. (We need a new car, and maybe, just maybe, I'll learn to drive.)
  
• Join the Disney Vacation Club.


• Invest some money into this blogging network, get PR, a web coder, etc.


• Start my own handbag design line. (I'm not going to go into details, or I'll get too excited over a bunch of actually-broke, then get sad!)


• Learn to sew.


• Work toward branching out my designs into clothing and shoes, because while handbags are more of a passion, I really want to help the world by offering shorter length pants and wider calfed boots, et cetera. I want that higher purpose in life.


• Give money to animal and nature organizations.


• Personal trainer to get fit (to wear my new clothes).


• Bags! Gucci Medium Boston Bag (Green/Logo), Gucci Guccissima, Gucci Hobo, Burberry Prorsum, Dior, Fendi Spy with Flowers, Chloé Washed Lizard Paddington, Chloé Paddington Hobo, Luella Suzy, Coach, Marc Jacobs, Fendi Chef, Bottega Veneta, Elliot Lucca woven leather, Isabella Fiore, Andrea Brueckner, an ostrich (embossed) bag, exotic & green, all-python bag, cashmere/knit, Brighton Straw Tote, Mary Frances, even Dooney & Bourke, and I'd have to get a Birkin or Kelly.


• This company, Manolucci, will make custom handbags. If I can't make my own handbag designs (or before I get that going) I'd get like ... at least 10 of my own designs created. ;-)


• A collection of Burberry London accessories in different colors/checks.


• Manolo Blahnik basic cute kitten heels/mid heels and flats.


• Christian Louboutin!


• Complete my dream shoe list.


• Marc Jacobs clothing. (And some Dior, Yves, and Oscar.)


• Anything Rebecca Taylor and Nanette Lepore that I want.


• Antik Denim dark wash jeans.


• My signature The Limited "L" pocket jeans in black, dark and medium washes, and a rhinestone back pocket pair. (Yes, I am quite into showing off my sweet asset.)


• Cashmere sweaters.


• A bigger collection of blazers.


• Tons of full and other skirts.


• Little Black Dresses in different styles that suit my taste and body.


• A green dress. (But not a real green dress, that's cruel.)


• More dresses! 50s, red, sweet heart neck ...


• A right-hand ring.


• Complete my dream wardrobe and perfect the look I want to forge: feminine romantic & prim sophisticate slash nerd chic.


• Get everything tailored for my petite body!

Have I blown too much away? Honestly, while feeling some freedom to spend on truly dream items, I would feel too afraid of using it up. (I think I'd even hand over control to my best friend, he's all math and responsibility and practicality. And scary.) I would mostly try to secure a future and move into my dream home.

If you don't have a blog, feel free to sound off in my comments. If you have a fashion blog, participate by contacting Barneys Girl and Harrods Girl!

So, who else got drearily sick of Fashion Week? Well, it's over, right? ... Next, there's London, Milan, Paris and then Toronto ... Toronto??!! Ah, yes. Last and least.

Although I love discussing in length the shows I find most noteworthy, and I still have Oscar and Nanette, I couldn't push myself to stomach it, since Friday. I need something else.

Also, clothes-overload led me to quite obsessively need to shop.

This week was the odd fast forward of seasons, which both puts a higher focus on and a greater disregard for it, at once. I applaud any attention to the importance of warmth in the colder months, but I can't get excited about it when Spring is on its way. But wait---we're still mid-winter here (6 more weeks!) so shouldn't I be much more into it?

This was all enough to confuse me so much, I felt it physically: twisted stomach and blurry eyes.

We the fashionable follow style changes, seasonally. There are the color rules: no white after labor day, but winter white rocks-us (leaving people confused about cutoffs and just plain why this all is "so"). There is the odd color leeway: "Spring" pastels and brights for all!!!---despite skin tone or personality.

It makes sense for seasonal climates to at least change top thickness and bottom lengths, but then why do we make any allowance to excuse open-toed high heels all year round?

This is, you may not know, strictly for the fashion-conscious areas of the world (even this country). Outside of urban and suburban areas, sure, it's different. It's also different for season-free locations. Of course, you'd figure people in Florida wear shorts whatever the month (and natives wear pants and sweaters when tourists don capris and 3/4 length sleeves). But colors, prints, and styles are like a free-for-all! Late Autumn is still a Summerland with neon shades, Bermuda anything, even Hawaii prints. It's quite as frightening as it sounds. I blame the vacationers, but I see no proper excuse ... because I always followed the seasonal colors and trends. That's even a little scary, as well.

This year, I'm breaking out a little. At the end of last Summer, I bought new bags for the upcoming season, and kept them in my closet for weeks, even months. A couple I no longer wanted when it was time to bring them out. Crazy.

Now, I have a whole feeling I think I'll stick with for a while (and that means longer than three months). And color rules are a strictly personal thing, mostly based on my "coloring." I will never buy a "cool" wardrobe that's pastel, ever again; I can't do it. I want to wear what flatters me, so I'll stick to my rules.

It might be hard with magazines and catwalks doing what they've always done---and the trendy stores in February stocked with Easter candy, baby-mature toned clothing. But not for me, it's all revolting, because I have conviction.

So, this argument is for style over fashion. No, what does that even mean? It's a certain thing to me, but could be different for any of us. I suggest for everyone to do what is right for the individual. But then again, maybe it's not completely an argument; I just want to encourage thinking.

Thanks to Fashion Tribes and thanks that this tired-me put in a hard-worked piece and that it actually fits with Fashion Week. Ha ha!

Remember when shoes were supposed to fit? We were little girls, and stylish meant Mary Janes when youngest and sneakers, when a little older. Your mum or the store clerk would push down on your toe, after trying on a pretty pair. If you yelped in always-surprised pain, then it meant you would outgrow the shoe too quickly. A good fit meant room to breathe, room for freedom.

Today, we still prefer toe room, but in the form of points, with yet narrow and ever-narrowing sides. Pointy-toed shoes. Often the torture device, yet sometimes still "doable". Our adult shoes, today, leave no consideration for realistic lifestyles.

And still we love shoes. We especially like buying new shoes. No one pokes at us any longer. We have the legs to show off struts in the mirror, and feel high while heels seem to float us across the carpeted rows of stands and seats. And -- and our credit cards always seem so forgiving at the register. Then we breeze out of the stores, on an energetic high; we can carry any amount of bags, a coat, and do a little more walking to ensure our designer purse is seen. Retail therapy is real, and lasts through surveying our catch once in our bedrooms.

Ah, yes. Then, when these shoes meet reality and test uncomfortable, they stay as displays on shelves in our closets.

But we still love them.

A recent look into the entertainment media's portrayal of fashionistas has lately gotten me frustrated and fired up. "We" are being portrayed as shallow and "female dogs," for one thing. Another thing is that when writers and creators of entertainment geared toward fashionistas, is that the characters are still no better---they are inexplicably rich, with only shopping---and men---on the mind. I find myself not even able to grasp the long list of designer garments in these novels (blogs fare better for the pictures). What happened to creative descriptions that make readers feel like we are there? Writers assume we know everything Balenciaga has ever made, and therefore can take shortcuts and cut out detail. The worst parts of these stories is their endings, with the characters learning nothing throughout their plotless foibles.

A rerun of an earlier episode of ER, just this Thursday, showed a woman in a cute suit (first notice) and her fashionable friend whisper over a doctors' chunky shoes. I was overjoyed when Abby served that brat a good *zing!*, and gladly sided with the picked-on women, despite their unfortunate comfortable footwear. Fabulous female doctors? They've earned the right to wear sensible shoes.

And that brings me to *it*; the way fashionistas can avoid the trappings of materialism and shallow attitudes: be flexible and versatile. Have varied interests, read something intellectual on occasion, and show a little forgiveness in opinions. Be kind and be beautiful on the inside as well as out. I'm sure it's all natural to the fabulous you!

. . .

Thanks for the props, Almost Girl and Fashion Tribes Blog. Special thanks to Almost Girl for mixing intellectualism with style.