What I Wore: Hard and Soft

Silk Cardigan: Banana Republic

Dress: Max Azria

Chain Necklace: H&M

Stingray Belt: Luca Luca
Tights: Spanx

Platforms: YSL

As you've probably noticed, I'm not exactly a chains/ripped clothes/leather kind of girl, but I try incorporating those elements in a softer--dare I say "ladylike"--way. I usually pair this dress, which reminds me of a worn '70s rug, with a edgier belt, like my black and gold stud belt or my medallion belt. The necklace, however, was edgy enough for the look so I chose a softer belt.

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On a different note, I'd like to know what you would like to see more of in this blog: editorials? more "What I Wore" segments? advice? trend reporting? I'd like to know what I can do to keep you coming back and commenting! Thanks and have a great evening!

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*UPDATE: Thanks for all of your wonderful, constructive advice. I will try and see how I can best make these improvements!

What I Wore: Cut-Outs

Bell-sleeved Blouse (with sleeves pinned down): Zara

Chain Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Skirt: Zac Posen

Boots: Chanel

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Happy St. Patrick's Day! I tried to convince my students that the skirt was green...they weren't buying it.

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I planned on pinning down the voluminous sleeves with pins, but apparently I gave all of my good ones to my mother, thinking I'd never use them. I like the idea of using matching (or mismatching for a quirky look) pins as accents/fake decorative buttons on plain blouses.

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The boots are actually 3 1/2" high, but oddly enough they look really low in the photo. After wearing 4" heel the other day, 3 1/2" didn't feel too high anymore. You can also barely tell from the photo, but the logo is quietly placed one inch above the end of the heel in a tiny gold swath.

What I Wore: Corseted and Caged

The same look, only with cuffed jeans:

Which look do you prefer?

Maroon Cashmere Sweater: Vince

Black Sweater: Club Monaco

Belt: YSL

Jeans: MiH

Sandal-Booties: Guiseppe Zanotti

I used my points on my Amex to purchase this belt, which features corseting details on the back (I apologize for not taking a photo of it):

And I finally took the plunge with the 4" shoes! While I wouldn't traipse around Manhattan with these, I'd have to say that the front part of the shoe (along the rim where the leather first hits my foot) created only a slight bother, and the heel height wasn't as bad as I had expected. I really didn't have any pain from the heel height.

On Fashion's Fetishized Use of All Things "Fierce"

Photo Credit: Jak & Jil

Alexander McQueen Fall 2009

Photo Credit: Jak & Jil Blog

Perhaps it was Christian Siriano's repetitive and catchy use of the word that started it. Or perhaps it was the oft-photographed fashion editors in various daily blogs wearing a copious amount of space-agey, mechanical, and fetishized shoes. Or perhaps it was the resurgence of all things Eighties and Nineties: exaggerated shoulders, DIY projects, shredding, distressing, studding, and bondage. In any case, fashion has a newfound obsession with all things "fierce."

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According to the dictionary, the adjective "fierce" is associated with something menacing, savage, violent, and severe. The look certainly conveys all of this, but more: the shiny leather, the ripped clothing, and the multiple straps evoke a highly fetishized version of the female ready to engage in S&M, or, sexuality aside, it is reminiscent of the angry goth/punk ready to battle the establishment. Of course, these two versions are extremes of this emerging trend, and while women may only dabble in these personas, the reasons behind its appeal are more revealing than the sartorial items themselves.

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With all of the gloom and doom that has been dominating the airwaves, it is hardly surprising that fashion has reflected this growing anger. We are constantly being told that our "recession" is nearing levels akin to the Great Depression, that jobs are at an all-time low, that shantytowns are starting to spring up in Middle America, that banks are no longer reliable, and that our houses, our livelihoods, and our retirement are being threatened. And apparently, this sentiment is also shared by designers. Sarah Mower eloquently noted that Alexander McQueen's recent collection was a backlash against the staid commercialism that bullies designers: "This is a designer who has drawn so much poetry out of the past, yet this time his backward look appeared to be in something like anger, defiance, or possibly gallows humor." While many designers felt browbeatened into creating conservative collections--after all, they're told that women in a recession want "sensible," "classic," "trend-proof clothes"--, many rebelled and voiced that rebellion with a barrage of fierce clothing fit for the urban warrior. In some paradoxical way, this look simultaneously speaks of weakness and strength, for the costume indicates that a threat exists (otherwise, why would the wearer don it?) and that the wearer is capable of challenging--and perhaps defeating--that threat.

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Many of the fall trends that have emerged reflect the wearer's need for protection: thigh-high leather boots, fur, leather leggings, long black capes. One must feel psychologically protected in order to begin to have hope. It reminds me of something Arthur Miller wrote in his brilliant essay "Tragedy and the Common Man": "But tragedy requires a nicer balance between what is possible and what is impossible. And it is curious, although edifying, that the plays we revere, century after century, are the tragedies. In them, and in them alone, lies the belief--optimistic, if you will, in the perfectibility of man. It is time, I think, that we who are without kings, took up this bright thread of our history and followed it to the only place it can possible lead in our time--the heart and spirit of the average man." Miller's message, however ironic, enables us to embrace the fierceness we feel and wear, knowing that it ultimately points to the perseverance and hope that we have deep within.

4" Is The New 3"

Guiseppe Zanotti Crisscross Zip-Back Pump

Guiseppe Zanotti Pebbled Leather Boots

Maison Martin Margiela Ovine Wedge Sandals

Not long ago, the highest heel height that a woman had to contend with was the now-paltry 3-inch heel. I remember the slight mental discomfort I had to confront when purchasing a pair that high and the mental discipline it took to habituate myself to the strain of walking all day in them. Now, those memories are almost ridiculous in light of the new trend in fashion: sky-high heel heights. Now, wherever I look, I can hardly find anything in the formerly-intimidating 3" heel; all of the above lust-worthy sandals are at least 4" and many even boast a crippling 5" or 6" heel height.

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It is true that there are the brave bloggers and women out there who can actually walk miles in these shoes. I see and am in awe. But unfortunately, I am not one of them. It is the nature of my beloved city, but I am forced to walk--and walk. (I can't remember the last time I drove anywhere myself.) It is also the nature of my job that I am on my feet constantly, running from floor to floor or pacing to and fro in my classroom. Since I rarely go to the gym, walking is my form of exercise, which I always do rigorously. As a result of these factors, I am loathe to subject my heavily-relied upon feet to hours of fashionable torture.

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However, as Yeats slyly reminded us, "a woman must labor to be beautiful." Or one must adapt to one's changing environment. Or perhaps a pair of shoes is too stunning to pass up--pain or no pain. I tell myself these things, and wonder if it is merely a mental impasse (rather than a physical one) that is causing this internal debate. Yes, the times they are a-changin', and it appears that I must change along with them. Thankfully, at least designers haven't given up the emancipating flat, which fits easily and neatly into my oversized bag, and which I can pull out when the hard, cracked, merciless streets of New York demand them.

What I Wore: Seasonal Confusion

Linen Jacket with Detachable Rabbit Fur Collar: Ya-Ya

Blouse: Lemon

Navy Jeans: MiH

Platform Sandals: YSL Tribute

The weather in NYC has been quite erratic. Last week, we went from a blizzard on Monday to 65 degree weather on Saturday; this week, the weather has ranged anywhere from 30 degrees to 55 degrees. I like the seasonal contradictions in this outfit: fur with linen, sandals with fur.

The YSL Tribute platforms in black have proven themselves indispensable; I figured a tan/brown sandal version would be, too. For some reason, the back straps were loose on my feet, so the saleslady at my local store kindly had extra holes punched in, solving the problem. I can't tell you how much I love these shoes!

What I Wore: Texture II (Black and Gold)

Leather Jacket: Mason

Short-sleeve sweater (underneath jacket): Club Monaco

Skirt: Oscar de la Renta

Croc Boots: Dior

When following a simple silhouette, I like to vary the textures of the garments I choose to complicate what initially appears simple.

A close up of the boots:

What I Wore: Texture

Jacket: Proenza Schouler

Jeans: James

Booties: Prada

Here's the same jacket on the runway:

What I Wore: Monochrome

Jacket: Club Monaco
Blouse: Fendi
Geode Necklace: Club Monaco
Jeans: Silence + Noise
Pumps: Moschino

A close up of the pumps, which are made of tweed, leather, pearls, and rhinestones:

What I Wore: Black and Blue

Dress: Mother's vintage dress from the 1960s

Cage Belt: YSL
Eel Boots: Devi Kroell

I've inherited several custom-made vintage pieces from my mother, and I like the slightly-puffed sleeves and large lapel on this dress. I find it pretty amazing that I can fit into everything she wore when she was my age.

The Saks Fifth Avenue Nazi Campaign

From the Saks Spring Catalog:

Actual Nazi Propaganda Posters:

When I received my Saks catalog this evening, my immediate reaction to the cover page was almost visceral: the bellicose, primal colors of red, black, and white conjured up images of Nazi Germany. I opened the catalogue to find a barrage of like images, with one notably disturbing image of the young model positioning her arm like a naive and passionate Nazi recruit saluting Hitler. Suddenly, the usually satisfying act of flipping through a store catalogue became increasingly discomfiting.

Like all high-end department stores, Saks reported a marked sales decrease of 23.7% in February. As if in an attempt to combat the growing resistance of women to invest in impractical and expensive clothes, they recently launched a "Wear" campaign of everyday basics, conveniently ordered for the woman who wants quick and easy styling tips for everyday wear. Unlike Barneys and Bergdorf's, Saks has, at least to me, begun to resemble another faltering Fifth Avenue department store: Lord & Taylor. Its selection seems more staid, more conservative, and when I curiously watched its Wear video on its website, I was quickly bored. Instead of seeming practical, it seemed trite.

It appears that this version of their recycled "Want It" campaign is an embarrassing attempt at reviving a dying megachain. Unfortunately, its marketing department has lost sight of its customer base in an almost bipolar frenzy. Women want to feel passionately about clothing, and any attempt at a thinly-veiled, ironic allusion to the 1930s and 40s only leaves the customer rebuffed and offended. After all, economists may talk of the Great Depression with legitimate alarm, but when its cruelest images merge with high fashion, the message may indeed cause the death of its messenger.

What I Wore: Harlequin Romance

Harlequin Jacket: Miu Miu

Leather Pants: Zara

Croc-Embossed Booties: Ann Taylor

The weather remains brutal, but the weatherman promises 50 degree weather by the weekend (that's NYC for you--you never quite know what to expect). These leather pants from Zara are quite reasonably priced, but I admit that the fit is somewhat problematic (you most likely will have to go up a size), and the legs are super tight. Despite that, they kept me warm. This piece from Miu Miu is one of my favorites--it adds some cheer on a blustery, somber day.

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The booties are, no doubt, my cheapest pair of shoes as I bought them on sale at Ann Taylor. I like to have a few inexpensive pairs on hand on terrible weather days when slush and ice attack. That way, I don't feel bad if they are ruined.

What I Wore: Casual Suiting

Jacket: Zara

Gray Cardigan: J. Crew

Belt: Fendi

Jeans: Silence + Noise

Platforms: YSL

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For those of you outside the NYC area, I was ecstatic to discover that we actually had a snow day yesterday. We haven't had one in years (somehow, Mother Nature always knows when to strike when it is least conducive to snow days, like on the weekend, a holiday weekend, or during the day). Like a wee child of eight, I felt as if I suddenly won the lottery and attempted to go back to bed (after all, part of the pleasure in a snow day is gluttonous sleeping). The unfortunate part of all of this is the cosmopolitan ugliness that almost immediately follows the beautiful snow: blackish-gray snow, slushy rivulets of grime and ice water, and nearly impassable streets. This morning it was a frigid 12 degrees here in the Big Apple, so my clothing choices were severely restricted.

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For this look, I combined a suit jacket with jeans in the same shade as a casual suit look. In school, I often receive puzzled looks from boys, and today, one in particular said, "That's an interesting contraption" when staring at my belt. It's made of lizard skin and semi-precious stones (one is tiger's eye...the other is unknown to me. Any guesses?).

For those of you who sat marveling at my braving the city streets with my YSLs...think again. I wore my ugg-ly Uggs to school and changed when I got there. I have terrible blood circulation and so these industrial-strength boots are absolutely my form of urban survival:

They're the least Ugg-looking Uggs I could find!

At Acquilano.Rimondi, It's the City of the Big Shoulders

It's a testament to Balmain's Christophe Decarnin that so many of fall's looks feature the same sharp-shouldered silhouette that is the hot shape right now. Of course, Balmain's much-coveted looks are limited to fashion royalty (check out Jack & Jil's blog to see some of them sporting these astronomically-priced jackets), a select group of celebrities and a few lucky commoners willing to forgo their mortgage in favor of high fashion. Acquilano.Rimondi's collection, no doubt, will be pricey, but it'll certainly be significantly lower than Balmain's prices. And with the passage of time comes cheaper incarnations for the hoi polloi.

Once again the collective geniuses Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi have churned out a drool-worthy collection fit for the seriously fashion-minded. And unlike Balmain's spring collection, this one is more sophisticated and less rocker, which is an aesthetic that I can personally relate to more. The highlights of the stunning collection:

1. Although this particular dress reminds me a little too much of Dolce and Gabbana's current spring collection, it nevertheless wins my approval. The bat-like sleeves, the carmine peeks of color from the origami folds, and the dark, Forties sensibility all stand out as stunning details:


2. It may not be apparent from the small photo, but this jacket features a dramatic inward fold on both sides of the shoulders. It's an investment piece that I would turn to time and time again, but with a slimmer bottom:

3. I am making a mental note to buy this dress in September. It's absolutely divine, from the subtle black and navy-gray shading to the complex combination of textures:

4. The perfect white tuxedo jacket, to be worn at a white-tie event or to work for the daring among us:

5. This dress/coat is quietly constructed but conspicuously chic:

6. A basic is basic no longer in Acquilano.Rimondi's capable hands: