blogger interview

Fashion She Says

posted nov 22 2009 by suzanne

weardrobe profile: FashionSheSays

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m a born & bred NYC girl who recently graduated college with a double major in English/Art History. I’ve been fascinated by fashion ever since I scrutinized the pictures in my mom’s magazines as a little girl; when I was older, I read these glossies cover-to-cover monthly, clipped my favorite editorials & collaged them into inspiration-boards.

I’m old fashioned/love the print medium but became enamored of street style/girls’ blogs upon exploring online fashion avenues. They prompted me to start my own blog as the next step from my inspiration-boards; accordingly, I began posting my outfits a few months ago. Artist Noah Kalina’s Noah K. Everyday (a daily self-portrait project) informed the other component of my blog, which is an attempt to capture time… If all of my posts were lined up chronologically, it would reveal an ever-evolving self-portrait.

2. You say that you've liked fashion ever since you were a little girl. Has your style sense changed a lot during the years?

My style sense hasn’t changed much since I was a little girl; unabashedly girlie, I love dresses & rarely wear pants. I secretly played with dolls long past the age my peers stopped because I was enchanted with changing my dolls’ clothes. I read in a magazine awhile ago that women dress either for men or other women. I suppose I fall into the latter category, but ultimately I value clothes as a mode of self-expression that’s as compelling as any art form.

I had a fashion epiphany during the 2004 Golden Globe Awards when Sofia Coppola wore a black Azzedine Alaïa cocktail dress with a pair of flats… It was the first time I remember seeing someone sport a fancy frock sans heels; I was so bowled over by Ms. Coppola’s insouciance that her look from that night became my uniform.

Another watershed moment occurred during the 2007 Costume Institute at the Met’s exhibit on Nan Kempner... She was quoted as saying: “The best part of a party is getting dressed to go”. Dressing is my favorite part of each day & I feel a connection with Ms. Kempner for voicing my feelings so succinctly.

3. Who are your style icons and how have they affected your aesthetic?

My seminal sartorial moment was when Almost Famous’ Penny Lane (played by Kate Hudson) walked on screen... I fell in love with everything about her character (from her clothes to her charm) & my style choices have been informed by her ever since then. Almost Famous is still my favorite film & I can cite the scenes according to Ms. Hudson’s wardrobe (which is also how I remember the events of my own life – according to what I wore).

Desiring the heroine’s wardrobe directly correlates with my opinion of a movie. Some of my film icons are: Kirsten Dunst as an inhabitant of Sofia Coppola’s world (Lux in The Virgin Suicides & the protagonist of Marie Antoinette), Gwyneth Paltrow as Margot in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums, Audrey Hepburn in How to Steal a Million/Two for the Road, Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief, Catherine Deneuve as the titular Belle de Jour, Jean Seberg in Breathless…

Most of my style icons are women circa the 1960’s: two Edie’s (Sedgwick & Beale), Jean Shrimpton, Jane Birkin (& her daughter, Lou Dillon)... They affect my aesthetic predominantly because these ladies dressed to LIVE, not simply to be clothes-hangers; they were essentially living/breathing expressions of art.

4. You have so many beautiful vintage finds, what do you look for when you go vintage shopping and do you have any tips to share with others who are just starting?

Thank you! I’ve shopped for vintage ever since high school when a friend introduced me to the wonders of the lower Eastside. Additionally, my family has a house in northwestern CT (my vintage sweet spot), where I visit estate sales/town fairs.

I shop for vintage as I do anything else: I pick up everything I’m attracted to, try it on & usually buy it if I see its potential/it won’t require extensive alterations. Vintage generally means it won’t be available anywhere else, so it requires snap decisions.

Here are some of my best tips:
• Try everything on… Vintage is notoriously cut smaller than contemporary sizes, so don’t be dismayed at what’s marked on the tag (or no tag at all).
•Don’t focus on designers… Vintage is lauded for its superior craftsmanship (to contemporary mass fashion) – you’re essentially guaranteed a well-made/unique piece regardless of who designed it all those years ago.
•Shop in the middle of nowhere… While cities house great vintage stores, rural areas are the great untapped treasure troves of America.
•A word about repairs… Some people advise against buying ripped/stained vintage, but I disagree. A good tailor plus some TLC works miracles on beautiful pieces that can’t be abandoned.

5. You say that the person you most admire is your mom; can you tell us more about her?

My mom’s my best friend; we’re an amalgam of Gilmore Girls, Heartbreakers & Grey Gardens… She runs her own business & has the sartorial superpower to maintain her femininity while simultaneously being taken seriously by the corporate world. My mom’s style is strictly power-suits (jackets over skirts/shift dresses – never slacks) paired with quirky accessories (silk scarves/brooches); her favorite designers run the gamut from Giorgio Armani to Ralph Lauren & Michael Kors to Moschino.

Some of my earliest memories of my mom are shopping at Bergdorf Goodman – apparently she wheeled me into dressing rooms around town in my carriage. While my mom mostly adheres to her abovementioned uniform, some of my bohemian sensibility nonetheless influenced her: weekends find her in J Brand jeans & Delman ballet flats.

6. What do you wish you saw more if in the fashion world?

I love learning about new designers & seeing them succeed; while Project Runway-esque TV shows are entertaining, outlets such as the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund gives designers credibility – I wish there were more legitimate forums to help emerging artists. Additionally, while there are many brilliant male high-end women’s-wear designers, I wish there were more females (especially heading up the major houses – i.e. Chanel/YSL/Louis Vuitton); I would like to see how a woman could further these established brands’ stories.

Finally, I love it when peoples’ individuality shines through in their sartorial choices… Fashion excites me because there’s the potential for so much innovation/beauty – it allows us to showcase who we are (or at least who we’re channeling) on a daily basis. I’m grateful to the fashion world for giving me the opportunity to dream myself someone new everyday.

Gallery: Fashion She Says