Style Icon: Emilie Flöge and Wiener Werkstätte

The most I ever spent on a piece of clothing was $130 (including shipping from China) for my wedding dress. My second most expensive clothing is a vintage kaftan by a vintage designer I like called B. Cohen Originals. It's actually a giant square that looks like it was painted by a 4 year old, but it really struck me. I am too cheap to collect canvas artwork yet, but some of my clothes feel like artwork to me. 

That kaftan reminds me a bit of Emilie Floge and Gustav Klimt's work, of which I am a huge fan. Klimt is of course famous for his painting "The Kiss" and others, but Emilie is less known today. She was his lifelong friend, lover, muse, and colleague to Klimt, and a well known fashion designer in Vienna at the time (early 1900s). The 1910s is my favorite era in fashion apart from the late 60s. Oddly enough, 2018 is 100 years since Gustav Klimt's death and 50 years since my favorite year in fashion, 1968. Anyway, despite my love for classic 1910s styles, Emilie and Gustav's designs were not typical for the time and were called "reform dress". They're incredible to look at because they still have appeal today, but they don't really seem to belong to any specific time. 

Many of the clothes in Klimt's paintings were real garments that she designed, and likewise, some of the most striking clothing she made was designed by him. There are limited photos of her work and even fewer surviving garments due to a fire, but the modern high fashion brand Valentino (founded 1960) made their Fall 2015 collection a homage to Emilie Floge and her work. Gustav took most of the photos that we have of Emilie and she almost always looks so happy and mischievous.

I just finished reading a novel called the Painted Kiss (by Elizabeth Hickey) that was a fictionalized account of their relationship. It was such an interesting period for art, producing Egon Schiele (another favorite of mine) and other strange visionaries surrounding the Art Nouveau movement and its offshoots, namely the Wiener Werkstätte group. There seems to have been a bit of a free love philosophy going on in that group and their patrons, which is always something that sort of fascinates me. It is suspected that the famous "Kiss" painting is modeled after Emilie and Gustav. He was a troubling character in the book and probably in real life, having fathered at least 14 children by a variety of women and not really taking responsibility for any of them. 

This robe (above) reminds me of the B. Cohen one I just bought! I like Gustav's robes too.

The whole idea of an artist's collective (especially one that was so avante-garde and eventually hugely successful) is alluring to me because it seems like we don't have that kind of thing anymore where there's specific places and times where like-minded artists or writers create a movement that changes....everything. Maybe those movements only appear in hindsight? Anyway, according to the novel, Emilie and Gustav's personal lives were a bit tortured, but/and there work remains some some of the most inspiring to me in my own work. 

I am unsure which details in the novel are real and which are not, but most of the Wiener Werkstatte group died or left Austria right around the beginning of the first World War, and their work was confiscated or destroyed during the second World War. It makes me so sad to think of what was lost and how surviving members, such as Emilie (who died in 1952) must have felt like that exciting, fruitful time of their artist's movement was dead and gone in so many ways, locked in her past. That sort of thing resonates with me so much, when a chapter in your life is closed and you can never revisit it. 

One of the most influential members of the Wiener Werkstatte group was Joseph Hoffman, an architect. It's fascinating to look at the work of all the members and see how they overlap and inspired one another. Hoffman's jewelry (although not this particular piece - it just happens to be my favorite) looks like Klimt's paintings which look like Emilie's clothing, etc. Hoffman designed a fantastically beautiful mansion for a banker, called the Palais Stoclet. Klimt helped design it and many of his paintings decorate the inside. (The interior shown below is not from the palace, but gives you an idea of the style and shows how Klimt's artwork hung in the spaces his friends designed. I'm crazy about it!)

Emilie was known for hand-painted silk. At the time, whale bone corsets were still worn regularly, but Emilie pioneered "the house dress", which still looks pretty fancy to us today! One of the blog posts about her I was looking through called her an "anarchist of style", and it makes me fall in love.

I really wish I could see this last one in color.

Once you start poking around in the Wiener Werkstatte movement, you start seeing its influence on designers like John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Tim Walker, and others. I love learning about these things and letting them affect me. It makes me feel a part of something old, new, and secret all at the same time. I have never been a minimalist, and I love the complexity and meaning in that turn-of-the-century style. In some ways I don't "believe" in minimalism because reality is not simple to me. I guess minimalism would be escapism for me, but I have no desire to escape there most of the time. Order yes, simplicity never. Now I just need to save up my pennies to fill my art gallery (er...closet) with Emilie inspired pieces. 

Unmellow Yellow

My favorite color is not a concrete thing. In the last few years, it's hovered around gold, pink, and purple. But recently my eye is drawn to YELLOW. Not the mellow variety. It's bold, and I'm into that. 

I've noted that yellow items in my clothing shop(s) have been selling well. I think yellow is a loud announcement that winter is over, and we're all so ready for that! I even want to paint stuff yellow right now, but I do wonder whether it would just seem ludicrous in the winter months and winter light? 

Here are some images that have jumped out at me recently. 

Fashion by Emilio Pucci, 1960s 

From Martha Stewart Magazine, photographed by Johnny Miller

Charles Martin illustration for 1934 Harpers Bazaar

Delpozo Pre-Fall 2018 Fashion Show Collection

Book by Blair Imani

Guo Pei Spring 2016 Couture (same designer that made that 

hugeeee yellow cape for Rihanna at the Met Gala a few years ago)

WANT. Passionfruit drink. I really like the Chinese newspaper underneath. 

Vintage Pierre Cardin

Envelope decorated by Henri Matisse

Style Icon: Amal Clooney

I didn't watch the Golden Globes and I don't know that much about Oprah, but whether it was a joke or for real that she is considering running for the presidency in 2020, it made me realize with sadness and faint horror that we will probably never have another president who isn't a celebrity in media or politics. Name recognition is everything, and while there are exceptions I'm sure, gaining name recognition often seems to go with losing some integrity.

That said, one of my dream presidential candidates is Amal Clooney (nee Alamuddin). I have given this enough serious thought that I looked up her political record (knowing she is a human rights lawyer), and realized she is not American, but British-Lebanese. In fact, she is Druze, a minority group within Islam that I did my undergrad thesis on. Under current US laws, Amal can never be the president, but one can dream! She's still an amazing woman that I admire. Among other high-profile cases and clients, one of her primary career objectives is to hold ISIS accountable for its actions (war crimes) in legal terms. Having a basset hound is a huge plus too. :D Not to mention 70s street-style vibes.

She is also a very stylish women, and mom of twins. She's not the most creative dresser, but I can get behind sleek and classic for sure. Her hair is flawless all the time, and I just think she's beautiful in general. I like it when celebrities (George Clooney) marry "real world" people, and human rights lawyers are my favorite kind of celebrities. In other exciting fashion/celebrity news, Amal will be co-chairing the 2018 Met Gala, which is themed "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." It has the potential be truly weird and wonderful, which is just what the Met Gala should be! I can't wait to see the decor and how the guests, including Amal, interpret the theme. I'm envisioning lots of gilded looks inspired by iconography or the robes of officials in the church.

Here are some of my favorite looks of hers. I think the purple gown is lovely, and it illustrates how well she does old-school Hollywood, but it is on the safe side for sure. I wish her Halloween costume with the big hair was a look she wore at other times in the year too. The black overlay on that sequin gown is beautiful and edging into creative territory, but my favorite of these four looks is the retro silver two-piece with pink fur. It really suits her.

Here are some more of my favorite examples of how elegant and classic her style is, also both reminiscent of earlier eras.

I always approve of a good jumpsuit, I think the turban is SO chic (not crazy about the dress), and this last look is a perfectly updated nod to mod (even the earrings are on point). Which is your favorite of her looks?

Whose style have you been admiring lately, and which women would you vote for in 2020? 

2017 trends

I feel a little silly talking about this stuff while my country is carelessly killing civilians left and right half way across the world (I don't think it's too harsh to put it in those terms), but I honestly don't know how to process every day being full of appalling news and yet living in a world where it doesn't directly affect me. I will let it rest for the moment, extremely grateful that I even have the option to drown out the horror of what's going on around me. 

I'm not sure that I'm any good at predicting or noticing trends, but it's fun to try. Here are some things I think might be associated with 2017 when we look back, in terms of the design world. 

I tried to pick fashion trends that weren't extremely obvious (like patches and pins on everything - as much as I love them!), but I started writing this list at the beginning of the year and a few of things already seem to have left "the scene", so maybe they weren't true trends after all? I also tried to pick trends (fashion and lifestyle both) that weren't already a big thing last year (or else I would have included the amazing and prolific use of tropical plants in the world of home decor).

Loose-fitting tailored pants for women seem to be in lots of street style looks and editorials, but unfortunately it's an expensive trend to emulate well. I was also noticing a lot of "robe jackets" - the one in the picture above is particularly night-robey, but in general, there seem to be trench-like jackets that are less structured than a classic trench and lighter weight. Slicked-back, wet looking hair was having a moment, and I'd like to try it out again because it's pretty easy and it looks very sleek. Ribbon-laced heels add a touch of interest in the shoe department, but I don't think I ever saw this style hit main-stream store shelves. Then again, I mostly shop second hand, so maybe I just missed them? Those early 2000s chunky-heeled wide-strap slip on heels are back, but I hate them, so I'm not going to include them on this list. I'm obsessed with all things holographic and it's a trend that is in stores like H&M so I can easily access it and incorporate some pieces without spending big bucks on something that will be out of style by next year. I pretty much wear what I want when I want anyway, but I appreciate the playfulness of iridescence. Finally, feather trim has exploded in the past few months. It's so diva-like, I love it. And I happened to find some vintage pieces at an estate sale recently that very much resemble some pieces from high fashion runways right now, so I was pretty excited about that!

Here are some non-fashion related things that are creating a buzz at the moment.

Oman and Canada have been mentioned a lot as travel destinations of late. Canada has been in the spotlight because of the burning-pile-of-poo that is American politics right now, but I think that recognition (and their hip Prime Minister!) has boosted interest in non-political tourism as well. Oman isn't mentioned a lot, actually, but trying to find obscure travel destinations definitely holds some status in the realm of people who like to travel, and Oman seems like a hidden gem. It's definitely on my list! // Ikebana floral arrangements are showing up more and more, and I am thrilled. It's a Japanese tradition, characterized by spidery and sparse shapes. It's a fantastic way to draw attention to a few particularly beautiful blooms, and it's also easy (at least in theory) for those of us who only have a handful of flowers to work with in the first place (as opposed to the buckets full that florists are working with). // The world of food definitely has trends, but they're hard for me to spot sometimes since I don't eat out a ton and there aren't a lot of progressive eateries in our area. However, I have noticed that vinegar seems to be popping up in many (and some unusual) places in cooking, and apple cider vinegar in particular is a big trend in the health-food world (dare I say, the new coconut oil?). Shishito peppers finalllly became available at some local groceries in our area, though I've been seeing them praised for a year or two now. When I looked up a recipe for how to cook them, Bon Appetit magazine actually said they were one of the 2016 trends they wouldn't miss, haha! But Jonas and I are obsessed with them, so I thought it was worth a share. You basically just blister them in a cast iron and salt them! We add a dash of sesame oil, soy sauce, and sesame seeds. // I didn't put this in my collage, but doesn't it seem like all of a sudden, all electronics work with voice command? It's still something I find super dorky and it's hard for me to imagine it being something that sticks around as the new normal, but who knows?!

Have you noticed anything that's a craze recently? Things you like? Things you can't wait to see disappear (revival of the the worst parts of 90s fashion, anyone?!)? 

Style Icon: It's All Gucci!

Well kids, this is my 401st blog post. Thanks for sticking with me. This space is such a fun outlet for me and it has pushed me to be bolder, louder, honest-er. And that in turn has started so many conversations behind the scenes that have genuinely changed my life. This girl right here used to be as introverted as they come, and maybe I still am, but I never thought I'd have more true friends than I could keep up with. What a lovely problem to have. So once again, thank you all for being a part of this blog and the conversations that spring from it. Stick around for 400 more! 

I can't get enough of the 1970s revival going on in high fashion right now. Colorful, flowly, sexy, girly, edgy, and flattering to mom bodies. What could be better? My entire wardrobe is basically genuine 1970s, but a lot of the design houses have tweaked the color pallet just a bit this season and added some tropical elements. I'm loving that too.

Gucci is not a fashion house that I've thought of as "my style" before. Gucci bags are the pits. But as I looked through photos of the past several shows, my blood pressure starts to rise from the all-encompassing awe of how deeply exciting I find it.

I'm just going to throw a bunch of gorgeous pictures at you now, and hope you're catching all these glory rays. [some sheer tops going on, fair warning]

If this were all one big dreamy catwalk, pretend we were sipping girly cocktails in the front row and listening to this:

What's your favorite piece? The green wedge sandals, the mega eye brooch, the gold gloves, and the moto jacket.... I start picking my favorites and then I've picked every single piece. HEARTS FOR EYES.

Elements to look for when jamming your drawers with the fabulous 70s: plastic shades with big, colorful, and round lenses, strappy platform heels, embroidery, fringe, lame, 2010s do 1970s do 1900s (Victorian revival, rows of buttons/pompoms), boho, turbans, pastels, huge bow blouses, straight hair with bangs, nude lips, over the top sequins, pattern mixing, pant suits, velvet and big beads. In short: all my favorite things.

Evolution of a Wedding Dress

I'm forever grateful not to be planning my own wedding anymore, but I never tire of building weddings in my head. I never found The One, in terms of my wedding dress, though I had been dreaming of wedding dresses since I was quite young. My fourth anniversary with Jonas is coming right up, so I thought I'd do a little wedding-themed post and chose to look back on some of my dream dresses from various periods in my life. You'll find a lot of links sprinkled throughout that you can follow to see second-tier favorites or dresses that inspired me along the way.

The first dress I fell in love with was from Reem Acra's Spring 2006 collection. They even made a Barbie with this dress! I have the oldschool paper-copy ad saved and everything! The only detail I'm not crazy about (then or now) is those swirls on the front of the skirt.



I didn't start really looking at dresses again until I was engaged, and I settled on this dress by the Spanish design house Pronovias (2011). This dress went perfectly with the wedding theme I was planning for my real wedding, but the whole thing became too stressful and I called off the wedding (not the marriage). I decided I just wanted to go to the courthouse instead, but as it happens, our county courthouse in Santa Barbara is incredibly beautiful and my mom talked me back in to having a very small wedding. The only available size left in the US was a 14, and it was in New York, so that wasn't very practical.

I never found anything I liked in Bridal shops (I'm a professional pain in the butt), so I decided to build my own dress through a service in China. To keep cost and confusion down, I chose something really simple. I wanted to wear pants or something colorful that would show my personality or at least show off my legs (just being truthful...) but that was a little too wild for some of my immediate family (and fiance), so I decided on a sheer-skirted dress, which was very fashion forward at the beginning of 2012. ;) The image I worked off of was this 1999 Vogue editorial - the dress is Chanel.

The whole dress cost me $180 (including international shipping) plus about $50 in alterations.  It still didn't fit in the bodice after alterations and it was almost impossible to sit down in. I actually requested that the netting have swiss dots, but that wasn't an available fabric. I also changed the neckline to make it less 90s. I wish I'd splurged a bit on the quality of the dress and got some beading  or something other than mosquito netting. I loved the look of my cape-train, but again, it was the absolute cheapest sari I could find. Here's me in my custom wedding dress.

If I had to pick today, I might wear this ensemble, by Amsale (I love every dress in this spread, a true rarity!). I'm going to call 2016 as the year that Bridal HATS make a comeback. So Bianca Jagger, amiright?!

But more practically, I would wear vintage (one of a kind and generally cheaper!). I think Shop Gossamer has incredible dresses, including ones you can rent. Edwardian (1910s), 60s and 70s are my favorite vintage eras. I think I would strongly consider a dress with floral elements as well.

You can see all the bridal looks that I'm fond of on my Pinterest board Best Dressed Bride.

I'm not as attached to my wedding dress as I used to be - and I wasn't all that attached to begin with - but I still have it and I wonder about whether I should upcycle it or try and alter it again so that it will fit my post-baby hips. It would make a fun outfit for a special anniversary!

What kind of dress did you wear? Would you wear something different if you had to choose again? Where is your wedding dress now?

Photo sources: 1, 2, 3, 5

Met Gala 2015 - Chinese Fashion

The Met Gala is a party held every year at - you guessed it - the Metropolitan museum in NYC, for purposes that I'm not altogether clear on. Promoting the arts? An excuse to dress up? Money changing hands between rich people? I don't really know why they do it, but what I DO know is that it's one of the most fabulous nights in fashion of the year. This year, the theme is China, and I am on my tiptoes, so excited to see what people wear. 

Can you imagine how fabulous it would be to go decked out in king fisher jewelry?! 

However, when I googled it to find out when the gala is this year (coming right up, May 4) I came upon this article that is kind of scathing, but probably correct in that this could easily become a very culturally insensitive evening: "[The] smart [attendees] will likely honor the theme by wearing Chinese designers while resisting the urge to put chopsticks in their hair." I totally get this (in fact, I've written before about how culturally insensitive the fashion industry in the US can be), but I really, really want to see a lot of exquisite Chinese robes. But I agree, no chopsticks in anyone's hair. I have seen chopsticks-hair-of-the-90s on precisely zero Chinese people. At least one of the co-chairs for this year's gala is Chinese. along side all-American girl Jennifer Lawrence. Le sigh... (No hard feelings, J-Law). 

Just as an aside, May 4 is a Monday. You know what I'm doing this Monday? I have a jury summons and it's the first day of a new class I'm taking. And we wonder what is so captivating about celebrities...

So, what's a girl to do? Create a virtual wardrobe for Met Gala attendees to choose from, of course! Lest anyone think I don't know the difference between China and Japan (God forbid...), I DO realize that many of these photos have Japanese influences or would be all the things that the Jezebel article was talking about being bad, but a) can we please not be offended by EVERYTHING and b) they're just so pretty!

Without further ado, let me school you, oh Katy Perry, in what to wear to the Met Gala 2015. Feel free to toss a couple 1000 in my direction if you happen to see this. ;) 

Regal kaftans are always a yes. // Or how about an antique paired with some knock out tailored pants (not flares, because that would be too literal).

Gold is always good. Though it's too gimmicky to actually do (assuming you just got a sticker), how impressive would a full-back Asian-themed tattoo be in a backless gold dress?! // Linda Fargo at the 2012 Met Ball already nailed it. 

This look is clearly Japanese, but I love the whimsical touch of feathers, and that sort of detail could definitely be carried over to modernize that typical Chinese "frog button" dress. // Another way to spice up the classic Chinese cut dress would be to add a dramatic red veil.

Here's something we might actually see a celebrity wearing. // I can also imagine this red sequined gown being worn on Monday, but the choppy bob styling gives it a great edge.

This look would be on the costumey side (I never do understand why that's a bad thing in fashion), but I'm a goner for a good headdress. Paired with something monochromatic and sleek. // Then there's the a modern take, almost a sophisticated Lady Gaga.

To really get thinking outside the box, a Victorian outfit with chinoiserie details would be fabulous. // An outfit celebrating Chinese ethnic embroidery would be a true nod to Chinese art, as well.

And to complete the look, how about updated Beijing Opera (or in this case, Geisha) makeup? // I definitely want to see this Pucci clutch in someone's hand, too.

In case you want to know why I'm so enamored with this annual party, "educate yourself"!

What's your favorite look? What would you wear to the Met Gala?