Westfield Group
WHAT'S NOT: RED CARPET CONSERVATISM
Something is wrong in Hollywood. Glittering, narrow, shiny, jewel coloured evening gowns that remind one of DALLAS (but in a bad way) continue to sculpt and mar the bodies of the famous.
It's prom night via a Hong Kong sequin factory. Its high heels, hair spray and SPANX. It's frozen smiles and fatuous details like big boofy bows or droopy shoulder ruffles and even the most stylish stars on earth stand accused. Oh, Sarah Jessica Parker! What's with the ball gowns and mad mermaid hair at both SITC premiers? We wanted leopard or tartan or even polka dots for Carrie's night of nights.
The safety of the Oscars and the sameness of red carpet gloss shots week after week makes me want to bring back Bjork and her murderous swan or even Vivienne Westwood with her skirt blowing in the wind and a shameless lack of knickers. Perhaps one thinks that these forced frocks have no impact on contemporary fashion, but where the A-list tread a million brides unwittingly follow. If you find yourself reaching for a strapless satin corset for your formal or get the urge to put bridesmaids in silver mesh...STOP and add a touch of madness. Real glamour is looking as if you don't care one way or the other.
WHATS HOT: BLACK IS THE INEVITABLE NEW BLACK
Invest in black for winter but do so in pieces. We are not talking about your mother's little black dress here or even a big fat "French fashion editor" sensible noir overcoat but clever little investment pieces with lots of texture and soul. The new LBD has strange shoulders: round like Minnie Mouse or frilled or ornamented with fringe, beads or bizarre night blooms. The perfect example is Collette Dinnigan's very edgy cocktail dress for Fall 2008 with sophisticated ruched black lame with a BIG spooky felt flower like a Goth corsage.
The look of a vampish dress in an unexpected array of textures (including matte tights and suede shoes) is exactly the spirit of the new black. As is the notion at Chloe to wear a swingy jacket with a fragile blouse with a funny little skirt and embellished leggings, you can be as tricky as you like with detail if it's all in one dark tone. I'd apply the exact same logic to midnight blue, the most refined alternative to all black and especially kind to fragile redheads and moody blondes.
P.S. What to do if all black makes you feel morbid? Break it up with a long sleeved modern white blouse, with a sleeve blooming out from an elbow length jumper, or a ruffled bit of starch merely flirting over the collar of a tailored black jacket. Messy hair. No lipstick. Dark revolution!
