The Maxi-Dress Moment, Pt 2
Manolo says, it is the summer of the Maxi-Dress! Here is the Regan Maxi-Dress from Lilly Pulitzer , the white strapless maxi with the so-called “burnout” tropical leaf pattern. And now, we must need some colorful shoes to add interest and flavor to the dish. The Manolo recommends pink! On the left is the Metro T-Strap Wedge Sandals from Kate Spade . On the right is the Dolce & Gabanna Estelle Wedge Sandal (which you may recognize as having been recommended by the Manolo in the green color the couple months ago). Of the course, you are not limited to pink with the dress such as this. Indeed, almost any vibrantly happy color will work.
The Maxi-Dress Moment
Manolo says, unless you are perhaps living in the cave in the Hindu Kush, you will be aware that one of the better trends of this season is the maxi-dress. Here is the single shoulder, beautifully draped, Theo Maxi-Dress from Joie that will have you looking like the Pallas Athena! And, for the shoes, pay no attention to what the model is wearing, you, of the course, will require sandals of great simplicity and unusual beauty. Sandals such as the Blaze from Elizabeth and James , which have imbibed the spirit of classical antiquity, and yet suggest not the placid classicism of Attica, but the energetic rusticity of Macedonia. And thus not peaceable Pallas Athena, but Athena Nike, resting confidently at the head of Phillip’s horsemen.
Sweatpants for the High Fashion Slobs!
Manolo says, finally, the People of Walmart people are at the head of the fashion parade ! Taking casual chic to its extreme, a number of established designers including Michael Kors, Thakoon and Jean Paul Gaultier are touting versions of the slouchy pant usually associated with stay-at-home sick days. Gussied up with expensive materials, some tailoring details and price tags as high as $1,000, this new breed of sweatpant is intended to be worn proudly in public with blazers, dressy tops and high heels. Designers say their customers are looking for fashion that’s less flashy, more practical. Plus, in shaky economic times, swanky sweatpants are viewed as a safe bet. “Look, whenever you can combine fashion, style and comfort in one item, it’s going to work at retail,” says Mr. Kors, whose cashmere versions will sell for $995. Sally Lohan, a trend expert at fashion-consulting service WGSN, also says the sweatpant trend will have legs. “We really balked at wearing leggings but eventually we all did—they were a good comfortable item to wear,” she says. Sigh…. Katine Holmes, on her way to Sam’s Club for some bulk chicken wings.
Diary of the Shoe Collector
Manolo says, the website Collector’s Weekly has the interview with the super fantastic John Walford, author of the book The Seductive Shoe and shoe collector extraordinaire. Here is the very tasty excerpt. Collectors Weekly: What were women wearing at the beginning of the 20th century? Walford: This was just around the period when hemlines were beginning to creep up. Interestingly, shoes were almost a reaction to the fashions of the time. A lot of the Edwardian turn-of-the-century fashions were dripping in lace and making the most of the feminine figure, with padded buttocks, a padded bosom, and a tight waist. The look was ultra feminine. In contrast, shoes were often very masculine—little, tight Oxford shoes with low heels, very suffragette in comparison to the elaborate femininity of the costume itself. Even in eveningwear or with very fancy dresses, the footwear was still quite practical and masculine. All that changed in the 1910s with the rise of the hem. There was the introduction of straps and color in womens footwear. Of course the leg was still not supposed to be seen in its naked form, so stockings were opaque. But the shoes themselves brought attention to the leg and the foot. Shoe design took off in the 1920s and ’30s when bare legs and translucent stockings became acceptable. Suddenly shoes were brightly colored and highly decorated. French shoe designer André Perugia got his start in the 1920s, doing fantastical designs and colors and patterns for Paul Poiret. Roger Vivier designed shoes for Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1930s. This is when shoe design as we know it really began. And now you must go read the whole thing , as it is remarkably informative and lengthy.