so much for minimalism

Today, the things I like best in the world are fur, feathers, patterns, velvet, chiffon, heels, wedges and serious glamour. Must be Friday.

Tangentially, if you haven't seen The Graduate, it is really one of those classics that is worth your time. Just thinking about Dustin Hoffman floating in that pool makes me want to rub coconut oil all over myself and wear diamond earrings - might be a worthy weekend endeavour.

-Gentian
.x.

What was I thinking? Of course Givenchy was amazing! It just took video, rather than pictures, to change my mind. Phew.

(it's canadian thanksgiving)

I'm back from a fun couple of days in Dublin (where true to form I never got around to stalking the Sartorialist), a city that I enjoyed but found a little... odd. It's put me in a strange mood, and has got me imagining strange Alexa Chung-ish outfits. Or that might be my slight, persistent hangover.

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for RyanAir, intrepid Australians, 2 for 1 deals at Tescoe, scholarships, cheese strings, and Skype. But really - who isn't?


-Gentian
.x.

Going to Dublin today!
The Sartorialist is there this weekend, too, so I may go to Harvey Nichols for the purpose of stalkage.

thinking out loud

Rick Owens

Of the Spring 2010 RTW, I'm loving Celine, YSL, Marni, Calvin Klein, Dries van Noten, Hussein Chalayan and about half of Vena Cava. None of them without reservations, though. I mean, Mr. Chalayan, retro influences? Are we doing this now? You are saved by those sheer black and white stripes I loved. And Style.com's Nicole Phelps made a very apt point about Francisco Costa's collection for CK being designed for sylphs - too true, I'm afraid, on anyone larger than a size 2 (maybe 4) the dresses would have nothing like the same effect.

The prevailing theme for what I'm liking seems to be a little older, more sophisticated, pretty utilitarian, and generally neutrals (minus Dries' sick patterns - which I will never describe as "tribal" - and Marni's muted colour palette). I wish I was actually the thirty-something I am in my mind, so I could really go to town on that Celine new-minimalist look.

Immersing myself in photos and video from the shows is making me appreciate them all more - even the ones I didn't like. I can't even talk about Margiela (without crying), but there was that one long, nude column dress that I am dreaming about. Alexander Wang really said nothing to me, but I find myself thinking quite a bit about all that caramel-coloured leather, while Christopher Kane, if nothing else, has certainly got me thinking about gingham. And although Ann Demuelemeester didn't really do the collection I was hoping for (I don't know what that was exactly - but I'd have known if I saw it), that skimpy-top with voluminous-trousers combination was well-executed and felt new to me. And the bird-print trousers were lovely. Balmain didn't have that "I want to be the girl who wears those clothes" feeling that I look for, but I still thought it was a pretty great collection. Kind of like Rick Owens, my eternal love, who put out a fantastic collection that for some reason just didn't really resonate with me. I think it was the futuristic vibe I'm just not feeling at the moment.

I'm on the fence about both Missoni and Proenza Schouler. I think I need another look.

(clockwise from left) joie lace-up boot, alexander wang dress, maison martin margiela messenger bag, delightfully boxy MMM trench, and MMM (of course) wedge ankle boots.

I want those wedge ankle boots quite a lot.

It's got to be a bad sign when even Riccardo Tisci is leaving me unmoved.

Well, minus a couple pieces that I would just like to have on me right now - but overall, this collection made me go "meh."