Simon Doonan is a feminist

The titular conclusion is the result of my reading Simon Doonan's ECCENTRIC GLAMOUR: Creating an Insanely More Fabulous You. As the name suggest, this is a book on style, but it is oh so much more than that.

First of all, Mr. Doonan is a clever man who enjoys a well-turned phrase, and who is honest to a fault. After lamenting pornification of mass culture in general and women's fashion in particular, he presents a shocking notion: that women should dress to please themselves rather than men around them. He talks about his experience on America's Next Top Model, and observes that it has never occurred to the contestants that a) clothes send a message about who you are and thus a prime vehicle for personal expression; b) clothes can express anything other than sexual availability or "a general commitment to porn industry".

He then takes a few swipes at the multitude of products that promise to reduce fine wrinkles and lines, and correctly traces the problem to Hollywood. He also points out that Hollywood actresses/models HAVE to look young, otherwise their careers are over -- a limitation most regular women do not have (although he DOES overlook the fact that even for the regular women so much value is placed on looks that this pressure exists -- although not in terms of employment.)

He talks about the looks-ist fashion industry and the loss of joy in fashion, and all the while encourages the reader to develop on individual (preferably eccentric) personal style -- and as such, the book is light on practical advice (because how do you write a How-To for something so deeply personal?), but offers a few well-chosen and startlingly appealing suggestions, like buying a crate of lipstick. Why? Read the book, he explains it better than I could. He advocates including burritos with goody bags at fashion shows and discourages female proctologists from wearing Comme des Garcons while on duty. Believe me, it all makes sense.

Then there are interviews with people who achieved that fabulously individual eccentric glamour -- Tilda Swinton and Isabel Toledo, my personal favorites, were included and their interviews (as well as a slew of others, not limited to women -- Hamish Bowles, for one, is also featured) offered a marvelous perspective on style and individuality, and the relation between the two.

So the book is funny (with chapters titled "Frenchwomen Don't Know Diddly" and "Dressing Down Is a Crime Against Humanity", how could it not be?) and cooky and all sorts of cool, but what struck me after I finished it is how deeply and unconsciously feminist it is. Mr. Doonan doesn't dwell much on patriarchal oppression -- he only encourages women to focus on expressing themselves rather than pleasing others, on shunning all sorts of mandates; he talks about exercise but doesn't demand weight loss, he seems frustrated with fashion industry's self-importance and disdain for regular women. And regardless of whether one might get inspired to start wearing conceptual fashion or decide that self-expression through clothes is not one's thing, one can take away from this book a firm believe that it is all right to buckle the trends and go against the mainstream.

(Thanks a lot to Deb Layne for the tip).

Friday Miscellannea

1. LAST DRINK BIRD HEAD is a charity anthology, available for pre-order here



It features EIGHTY amazing writers (Peter Straub, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Brian Evenson, Henry Kaiser, Gene Wolfe, Hal Duncan, Rikki Ducornet, Holly Phillips, Stephen R. Donaldson, K.J. Bishop, Michael Swanwick, Ellen Kushner, Daniel Abraham, Jay Lake, Liz Williams, Tanith Lee, Sarah Monette, Conrad Williams, Marly Youmans, Jeff Ford among others), is edited by the power duo of Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, and contains my story based on an actual Coptic recipe for curing blindness. It's gruesome!

2. Last night's episode of Project Runway demonstrated several things: first, designers are usually not good at storytelling. Seriously, people. Vampires? Alien females looking for men? Ugh. Second, despite a bad story, Ra'mon's dress suited his concept and he didn't deserve to go home. As much as it pains me to admit, Louise (who was one of my early favorites) didn't come through this week. Thirdly, judges should lay off Gordana. The woman can sew, her personality comes across in her workmanship, and... at this point it looks like they're just picking at her for NO REASON. Fourthly, there was one good concept paired with the design that should've won: Epperson's. Loved the deconstructed denim ball gown with a corset/obi belt and a gun hidden in the ruffly underskirts. Looooved it. You go, Epperson!

Monday and PR

1. Project Runway: Johnny learned the hard way that lying when a) cameras are rolling and b) a bunch of people are witnessing the lie tends to not work out. Irina won -- I liked her coat on principle although I wish she painted it.



Gordana should've been in top three, not the bottom three, as her garment was pretty and really well made, and didn't look like paper.




I also like Logan's bamboo dress, but not as much as Ra'mon's patterened separates, with a really interesting color combo:




I didn't like Johnny's and Nicolas's (Nicolas should be next to go), and Epperson's looked ok close up, but walking down the runway it looked like a poncho/cape thing a kid would make by folding a newspaper in half.



Shirin's thing could've been ok with application of some color (also, she is chatty. The rest of the designers: get over it. I felt awful for Shirin when everything she said was met with stony silence, and it in turn made her to talk more -- totally a nervous thing, looks like.) The rest were not memorable enough to comment upon.

2. I have a new favorite designer -- Marcus Constable. Just look at his latest collection, inspired by Aubrey Beardsley (according to Fashionista). I love Beardsley -- in fact, have loved him since I was sixteen, and learned to draw by copying (not tracing) his drawings by hand. Anyway, here's the Constable show:



3. I finished the longest short story I've ever written -- 9,000 words. I also like it a lot. Hope it sells.

New story is up

"Fungal Gardens" is up at Apex Magazine website. It's mostly about evil fungi. People told me it's creepy.

Oh, Project Runway.

So last night episode sported a bizarre judging panel: first, Michael Kors is gone, and now Nina Garcia sent in a replacement (I did watch "Running in Heels", so seeing Zoe Glassner gave me warm fuzzies). But designer-wise, could they find someone less obscure? Who was that guy?

Anyway, important part:

Althea won with this:



I do really like the cut of this little jacket, although am less crazy about the skirt. Also, a grey top is perhaps safe, but I love grey-black combo.

However, the two dresses that I liked a lot didn't make it into top three. Clearly, the judges fault.

First, Gordana surprised and delighted with this peach dress:



I like the simplicity of the cut a lot, as well as the braided detailing in the center. It also moved really well. Lovely, all in all.

Finally, Nicolas also surpassed my expectations. Until last night, I didn't like any of his designs, but this is just so classic and pretty. The tall collar is an especially great detail.

Short Story Sale

My story "You Dream" will appear in DARK FAITH anthology, edited by the illustrious Maurice Broaddus.

Around the blogosphere: an irregular series

One of my favorite fashion blogs is The Sartorialist, who recently posted some commentary regarding Lizzy Miller, a plus-sized model who made an appearance in Glamour.

As expected, the responses ranged from "good for her" to "OMG she's so unhealthy" (because you can totally determine someone's state of health just by looking at them. Take note, medical establishment). However, I would like to skirt around the Miller herself (who is a beautiful person) and talk a little bit about a) the role fashion models are currently playing in the society; b) the relationship between fashion industry and a (larger) female body.

a) There seems to be quite a bit of angst directed at models -- for being too thin, for not being thin enough, for being unhealthy, for setting an unrealistic ideal etc etc. And the "ideal" bit is, IMO, the core of the issue -- we have elevated models from their job of looking on runway and having their picture taken while showcasing clothing to role models. And this is really it: we don't feel anxious and inadequate when faced with doctors, for example, because there's no expectation for us all to be able to perform an occasional surgery. However, models shifted from representatives of a certain profession to representatives of the entire womankind.

And once that happens, arguments that "models should be thin to walk runway and make clothes look pretty" become moot: we've decided that they are more than that. So if we're going to treat models as representatives of all women, yes, more size diversity would be awesome. OTOH, if they are just to do their modeling job, than one body type best suited for it is perfectly fine. It's when we conflate the two that the anxieties start.

b) Another question asked in The Sartorialist post is "However, do you think that this economic crisis has forced the fashion community to open it's eyes a little bit to what the customers want?"

Which is a good question, but the underlying assumption seems to be that models are intermediaries between the consumer and the fashion industry -- ambassadors if you will, and a plus-sized model is ostensibly a signal that the industry is ready to embrace a larger consumer.

Which is a terribly roundabout way, don't you think? How about making clothes in sizes bigger than 10 (a common cutoff point for many designers.) Women in sizes 12+ might not necessarily NEED a model representing them, although that part is nice. What they need are clothes they can fit into. And as one retailer after another is dropping plus sizes or moves them to internet only status (looking at you, Old Navy), the message is clearly the opposite:fashion industry hates fat so much that it would shoot itself in the foot. Instead of reaching out to potential consumers, they tell women in sizes 12+: "You are so disgusting that I would rather go out of business than dress you." So their pleas about suffering under recession will ring hollow, as long as they continue to ignore a significant portion of their customers. As much as I like Lizzie Miller, I don't think she can change that -- the fashion industry has to go beyond gestures to actual, you know, clothes.

Cheap thrills on Etsy

Ten items under $20, in no particular order:

1. Armani skirt:



2. Tahari jacket:



3. A cute cotton blouse:



4. Colorblock shoes:



5. Button-up cowl/scarf:




6. Vintage oyster leather clutch:



7. Chinese pottery shard earrings:



8. Steampunk earrings:



9. Victorian gloves



10. Handmade necklace:

Best sentence ever!

"One of the first things I did for [Beyoncé] was put her in a special corset and wrap her in aluminum foil and then wrap a warm plastic around her" -- Chris March via The Cut. Read the rest here.

Step aside, Roy Orbison!

Project Runway

So after the first two episodes, I have some things to say.

1) I liked the all-female panel discussing maternity wear last night; I was surprised that none of them mentioned how many of the outfits had halter tops or spaghetti straps, which would seem like a BAD thing -- a supportive bra would be impossible to wear under those.

2) I'm glad that Shirin won -- Shirin, Irina, and Louise are my current faves. I'm happy to see young female designers putting together things that are so nice and pretty and yet interesting. I also like Epperson and Ra'mon, and I'm very curious to see more from Qristyl.

3) Malvin shouldn't have gone home. Yes, his outfit was not great and the chicken and egg concept was hilarious -- I mean, how many chickens walk around with their eggs strapped to their belly? -- but the man knows how to sew and has ideas. Mitchell, on the other hand, supplements mediocre ideas with poor sewing and model-blaming.

4) Unexpectedly, I'm liking Models of the Runway show. I like that they are so outspoken and there's no stupid fighting (they seem to be aiming to amp up the drama in the next one, sadly.) I find it really endearing, really -- all these nice articulate young women who are so open about liking and disliking designers. I loved the collective groan of disappointment when Malvin was kicked off, I loved how supportive they were of their designers. I'm not loving the elimination, but it is definitely an interesting dynamics that gives some insight into designer minds. Fatma is awesome, and Katie/Tara duo is adorkable.

Cool designers

We all have our favorite designers, and there are many established/timeless ones that achieved an iconic status. I mean, who haven't heard of YSL, Chanel, Dior, Versace, Armani... the list goes on. However, there are many others besides the really big names who are developing or have developed a unique esthetic, a recognizable sensibility -- things one can build one's style around. When it comes to building and developing style, I think it is important to identify specific designers/labels that appeal to you, as well as particular pieces that either embody this individual esthetic or at the very least punctuate it.

So here's my Top 12 list (in no particular order), pieces by established and emerging designers I happen to particularly like. I limited myself to pieces that are available for sale. This is where to find them: Mick Margo (Rachel Comey), Rewind (Steve J& Yoni P, Vivienne Westwood), Revolve (Charlotte Ronson), Shopbop (T by Alexander Wang, Derek Lam, Catherine Malandrino, rag&bone, See by Chloe, Diane von Furstenberg), Net-a-Porter (Sonia by Sonia Rykiel) and Neiman Marcus (3.1 Phillip Lim).

This fall I'm really drawn to charcoal grays, paired with black and white, an an occasional colorful piece. This Sonia by Sonia Rykiel dress is cozy, warm and classic. The fabric also looks quite drapey and nice, while maintaining a well-shaped silhouette.



The trademark heart, albeit cutesy, gives it a recognizable twist.

The next dress (T by Alexander Wang) is a basic -- a dress or a tunic, with a slouchy, slinky cut. It is made of rayon, which is thinner than cotton and drapes better, making it ideal for layering. It would look amazing with a long jacket and leggings or skinny jeans, and nice heels.




Speaking of heels:



Marcy clog by Rachel Comey looks so comfy, with its thick platform and chunky heel. Combines the appeal of the shoe with the comfort of a clog, and the wonderful twist on the familiar that is fresh and wearable that I associate with Rachel Comey.

Fall is my favorite time of year, partially because of jackets. I love jackets, and would wear them every day if it wasn't for the ridiculous New Jersey summers. This little bomber by Charlotte Ronson is adorable and basic, and goes with everything:



On the other hand, this jacket (Vivienne Westwood's Anglomania) is very idiosyncratic, with its distinctive sleeves and cut. This is something I would wear forever, because it is a) amazing and b) tweed. Yes, I love tweed, because I'm secretly a British schoolmarm at heart. A schoolmarm who would wear this:



Possibly with these granny boots by Diane von Furstenberg:



Another favorite piece of clothing is a pencil skirt. I'm crazy about them because they are comfortable, look amazing on just about everyone, and a good designer can easily turn one from a basic into an art piece. Consider this one by Derek Lam:



Not only it is classic and beautiful, it gets bonus points for being tweed. On a dressier side, here's one from rag&bone:



Now, blouses. I'm especially taken with this one (See by Chloe) because of an interesting ruffle placement:



And SteveJ&YoniP make me instantly like pink:



The pleating and draping on it is just amazing, and the smocked back offers this amazingly soft yet fitted silhouette. I mean, LOVE.

And finally, dressy dresses, something for evening/special occasion wear. Phillip Lim and Catherine Malandrino have both consistently provided great great collections, very traditionally feminine and yet always with an interesting twist. Yet, both are very distinctive, and these are probably the two designers I get most enthusiastic about. First, Malandrino:



Beautiful draping and very flattering neckline, a simple silhouette with great color.

Now, Lim:



Check out the gathering and the ruching, as well as the asymmetrical cut. Just amazing dress, in beautiful gray.

Eleven Minutes

Eleven Minutes (directed by Michael Selditch, Robert Tate) is a 2008 documentary about Project Runway Season 1 winner, Jay McCarroll, preparing his first collection to be shown in NY Fashion Week. What an interesting film! It played on Style channel this afternoon, and I can't believe I haven't seen it until today. What a fascinating look into the heart of fashion industry, and at how TV fame translates into success in a real world.

Jay McCarroll is a very talented designer, and I loved the collection -- it was themed largely around hot air balloons (and other things, but mostly balloons), as can be seen in this top:



Balloons also pervaded the show's color palette, from blues to yellows to reds:



But pretty clothes were only a small bit of the story -- I got some real appreciation of how much goes into putting a fashion show together, how much work; Jay was propped largely by volunteer labor of his friends, and their dedication (despite the occasionally flaring tempers). There was some backing from Humane Society and a strong anti-fur message; thumbs up on that! Then there was the casual racism and misogyny of the fashion insiders. Then there was the difficulty that went into not only launching the show (for those who'd forgotten, Jay turned down Project Runway money because of a really horrible contract clause) and the uncertainty of any results even if the show is successful -- behold the meeting with Urban Outfitters and the consequent falling through of the deal.

I was really amazed at the role of buyers -- and I really shouldn't be, because it is the same with publishing. The interest from the B&N and Borders buyers often determines the print run of a book, and if chains do not order, it is a real disaster. Buyers appear to wield a lot of power in fashion as well, and that was quite eye-opening. Just to think that someone can spend so much money and effort and heartache and it still may come to nothing if buyers are not impressed. Stuff nightmares are made of, this.

As moody and often cranky (understandably) as Jay was throughout the documentary, one thing really drew my attention: how important it was for him to stop being a TV reality person and to become a bona fide fashion designer. And with all the setbacks and annoyances, that seemed to be the yardstick by which he measured his achievement. I was sad that the collection didn't make it to UO; then again, a few pieces sold on QVC apparently, and McCarroll has an online boutique now. But I hope he has another fashion show soon -- with color and neat shapes and fantastic silhouettes, retro and modern. And, I hope, with more balloons.

Back to school shopping

Sure sure, most normal people get over the whole back to school thing by their mid-twenties (for themselves, at least.) I, however, work in academia, which prolongs the excitement all the way to retirement. And it seems like such a good time to update one's wardrobe with a few basics! So, these are the things on my list -- or they would be if I had an unlimited budget. As is, it's a mix of needs and wants.

1) Tights -- nothing is better for reviving the wardrobe on the cheap. Cheap and colorful can always be found at Hue. For more fancy options, Sockdreams are a reliable favorite. For unusual and a tad more pricey, nothing beats Vivienne Westwood tights, which are notoriously difficult to track down. Thankfully, there's Matsu Ladies that carries a great selection of those. Like these, for example:



Worth every penny!

2) Layering basics. T-shirts and tanktops are always welcome, and places like Target etc stock a good range of cheap options. If, however, one feels like spending $20 on a T-shirt, one should try Royalton -- extra-soft, very slinky, do not add bulk, and their organic sea cotton is whispery and is like nothing in the world.

3) Actual clothes.


This skirt from Martin+Osa is a steal, and it is perfect for my wardrobe. They have a bunch of other nice things for sale, too. A great place for low-key basics, including cardigans.

I already rhapsodized Victoria's Secret fall line, and there are a few pieces I am loving. This scoopneck sweater is beautiful but probably unrealistic. This leather jacket, however, looks like something I can get tons of mileage out of:



4) A bag.


I splurged on this from Blowfish. It fits everything I need, plus whatever student papers I need to bring home and back. It also comes in three different colors; I went with yellow because this fall I'm planning on the overall black-white-grey scheme with bright yellows and blues and purples.

5) Boots.

I really want these from Blowfish (I seem to develop a great affinity to Blowfish). They are simultaneously classic, weird, slouchy, funky and go with everything. I would wear them with jeans or pencil skirts, no question.

So, is there anything you're considering for fall?

WFA Nomination

Paper Cities: An Anthology of Urban Fantasy I edited was nominated for a World Fantasy Award. Many congrats to the publisher, Matt Kressel of Senses Five Press, and all the contributors.

New anthology: RUNNING WITH THE PACK

I'm editing an anthology for Prime, called RUNNING WITH THE PACK. It is an anthology of urban fantasy focused on werewolves, and I am still looking for reprint suggestions. Email or leave comments.

Details

So recently I was thinking about importance of details in both fiction and clothing design. I guess it could be said about just any art, but these two have been on my mind lately.

Just reading work by the beginning writers, one notices that very frequently there's lack of texture -- that is, the details that would make story alive and interesting are not there. There are houses instead of, say, three story brownstones, and the protagonists get into cars instead of beat up hutchbacks with busted shocks. Everything is so vague and generic that there's nothing for the reader's mind to catch onto, words and sentence slide in and out meaningless, impressionless. Details not only give the fiction the sense of veracity, but also texture -- that variation between the piercing and soft, rough and smooth -- that makes any story worth reading.

Now, texture of course is very important in clothing. Textile arts, for example are pretty much entirely dedicated to texture and patterns, as can be seen here:



This is a shawl made by Vilte, a Lithuanian fiber artist who employs a unique felting technique to create this incredible detailed landscapes, using only one color. This is what texture does. And in fiction, one has to create texture with words -- that is, by definition, a very uniform medium. So the variation in texture -- syntax, sentence length, etc. is necessary to make the work interesting.

And I know I've been talking a lot about designer wear, and what makes it different. Attention to detail is what sets apart really special items of clothing, and designers who become famous do just that. For example, take this simple woolen shirt by Catherine Malandrino:



What makes it truly amazing is the sleeve detail, enlarged here:



The ruching there is just exquisite, and it's a small detail that makes this piece so different from everything else. Lesson for a fiction writer: a single embellishment may have a great impact.

Same idea here, on this Olga Kapustina's skirt: very simple silhouette, but notice the stitching on the waist:



Now look at this coat by Alexander Wang:



It's a woolen peacoat that drapes absolutely beautifully. The appeal here is in unexpected combination of a traditionally coat-like silhouette with a more sweater fabric. This little jolt of unexpected elevates both items of clothing and short stories above the average. A beautiful shape is a must. (mickmargo.com)

Embellishments in both fiction and design can get excessive, and in both cases the lavish decorations might work. For example, a blouse by Anna Sui:




Lots of lace and pleating and a bow. It works because the details, even though abundant, are not slapped on randomly but rather are very intentional:



Notice the curving edge of the lace, and how accurately it is fitted. (BTW, this blouse is being sold on ebay as we speak. Just saying.)

On the opposite end, something very spare can be very beautiful -- your simple prose equivalent:



This dress by Ports 1961 is very simply and cleanly cut, but also it has this cowl on the back:



(mickmargo.com)

Now, this is important for writers too: not all the work you've put into something should be out there, slapping the reader in the face. Some things will be subtle, visible only from certain angles, and yet it is those underpinnings, this almost-hidden craftsmanship that makes the whole hang together.

And some details remain hidden entirely, only to be discovered once one gets very close to a particular item. In fiction, we call them Easter eggs -- little unexpected surprises, inside jokes for those who are paying attention. You can get the same in clothing -- Betsey Johnson's work is a great example of little hidden images. This is what's on the lining of one of her raincoats:

The Fashion Show post-mortem

Well, I am pleased that Anna has won. I was a fan since show 2 and the pleated pencil skirt (to be fair, I am such a sucker for pencil skirts), and I was happy to see her get her due. A few pieces from the final collection are being sold on Bravo website, except that the dress I loved last week isn't there. Not that I would actually buy it, but I'm surprised that it was overlooked.

I was a bit sad for James-Paul, who is adorkable. I also loved him when he said that there's plenty of time to make sensible wearable clothes, but the runway show was his one chance to show his vision. I have a lot of respect for his integrity; I also liked how he resisted being molded, and that he was very explicit about how his cultural heritage and being a PoC affected his aesthetic sensibility. I sincerely hope that Comme des Garcons hires him. It's the house that comes to mind in terms of fitting his sensibilities without demanding a compromise. This is what I mean:




The rest of Fall 2009 RTW collection -- seriously, take a gander. Monochromatic and beautiful.

I was frankly surprised that Daniella was the judges' choices. I mean, I understand why -- she is young, she's on trend, and her clothes could be sold at Forever 21 tomorrow. And the show was supposed to be about wearability and daily utility (incidentally, this why it's not Project Runway -- totally different point). Still, while Anna stuff was beautifully constructed and pretty and fun and James-Paul's was just interesting and genius, Daniella's was neither. It was all right. She did a lot of shoulder pads, and she's 22 -- too young to actually remember the eighties. I don't think anyone who does could wear shoulder pads non-ironically. I guess at a show like that I want to see people either bucking the trend or inventing their own, not catering to the most recent and the most uninspired.

Overall, I enjoyed this season and I hope they come back. I also hope that they will learn not to make fun of people with accents. Seriously, Isaac Mizrahi.