Fashion of the Future

I'm no prophet, nor a daughter of one. I just married a macro-economist who predicts the future (granted, economic) for a living. But at dinner last weekend with IV's husband we got to talking about which technology is poised to bring the most radical change to our future lives. That conversation popped up in my mind today as I read that scientists can now clone adult stem cells - a breakthrough that promises cure but also inherent danger. Cloning, thought prediction, selective memory erasure - these frighten me. 3D printing seems rather less dangerous in comparison, but only at first glance. It was, indeed, 3D printing that was was voted as the most life-caltering technology at our dinner table.

Think about it - once 3D printing becomes less economically prohibitive and more readily available we will be able, supposedly, to print anything by our very selves, and I do mean anything. Dutch architects are already developing the 3D printing of a house (that seems to be my only chance of owning real estate in greater Boston); scientists are working on 3D printing of human organs (happily rendering obsolete Kazuo Ishiguro's dystopic vision in "Never Let Me Go"); and fashion - yes fashion! - has waded into this new field as well.

Footwear:

Potentially foot-ache ending customized shoes.

We have the rather clunky yet foldable sneaker:

And a whole slew of various high fashion experimentation:

The first pic, for example, is of a product of a collaboration with Rem Koolhaas (a celebrity architect). I wonder - do they come in S, M, L, XL?

Clothing:

Iris van Herpen (aka Bjork's favorite) is probably the fashion designer working extensively with 3D printing as of now. Here are a couple of her ideas:

Michael Schmidt, of the Lady Gaga bubble dress fame, designed this:

And there are more of these out there in the vast space of the internets.

So what's my point, ye ask?

As it stands right now, the fashion industry is roughly divided into two strata:
- cheap (made in China)
- luxury (made in Italy).
There is, of course, the most rarified strata as well - couture - made in house, often in Paris.

I don't think that the 3D printing revolution will take out the two top layers. The demand for personalized, old style craftsmanship will remain a luxury, much like it is today. What this technology will alter, however, is mass manufacturing. If every family has a printer - or easy access to one - for all their daily needs manufacturing as it exists today will no longer be needed. What will be needed are design ideas.

Is this the future? Designer coming up with and selling their patented design ideas straight to the public, which, after purchasing the raw materials, will be able to manufacture the items themselves. It will be a kind of a future where clothing is purchased the way music is now - no longer through the hard copy of a CD but as a file.

I am not a prophet, nor the daughter of one. So I wonder.

From the annals of over-thought fashion

It pains me. You're a young, gorgeous, popular actress with a great face and body. And you want to wear clothes that stand out from the pack, show that you are into difficult, directional, interesting fashion. But instead you fall into the trap of over-complicated, over-thought, over-designed.

Like so:

Emma Stone in Rome in Valentino:

Interesting skirt, should have been paired with something decidedly less busy.
Terrible shirt, should not be worn unless its a 70s costume piece.

Or, like so, Emma Stone again, this time in Berlin in Erdem (a designer I usually like a lot):

Cape, red stones, black collar -- how many embellishments can one dress take???

OH NO! - Orange

Solange, Beyonce's sister, stepped out for a Jimmy Choo launch party dressed in head to toe orange:

Oh No.

Its not even that this is an orange overload (it is).

Its that none of these items should have ever been put together, no matter their color.

Too much of a good thing is real, ladies. And it hurts your eyeballs.

The Ultimate: A Black Skirt

After black pants, the ultimate heave lifter in every woman's closet, the black skirt is indubitably the most multi-tasking, versatile, and frequently worn item of clothing.

It can be dressed up (higher heels, dressier top, brighter lipsitck) or down (no heels, casual top, pale lipstick); it can go from an office (with a blazer and pumps) to the beach (loose shirt and flipflops); and it can be equally useful in winter (with a sweater, opaque black tights, and boots) as in the summer (Tshirt, nude legs, and sandals) as well as any weather in between.

Bear with me as we run down the basic guidelines in searching for the ultimate black skirt.

There are three maxims you need to remember when choosing a black skirt:

Precisely because the black skirt promises and delivers such extreme use-value I believe that you should invest in it. Get something that's made well and it will remain in constant rotation in your closet for a long time.

Precisely because the black skirt  serves many functions and situations I believe that it should remain relatively simple in cut, timeless, without distracting and quickly outdated design elements. This is not your faddish item.

Precisely because the black skirt gets so much wearing time it should be maximally flattering to your figure. Like so:

CUT:
The cut almost universally flattering is a pencil skirt - ideally from a material with some stretch in it but also a decent weight. The skirt must be tapered close to the figure throughout.

Fuller, pleated skirts are fun but they are tougher to pair correctly and many feel they are a dressier, fussier choice.

An uneven hem (either a tulip cut, or a modified wrap) can be flattering as well. Depends on the execution.

Yes, this is the best cut even if you are not as trim as you would wish to be or if you have a muffin top that you hate. The best skirts will keep your flab in check and if you calibrate the top correctly and/or wear proper foundation garments you avoid a muffin top.
(check out Mindy Kailing, definitely not the slimmest lady around, rocking it:

LENGTH:
The length almost universally flattering is right at the knee bone, not above and not below it, obscuring half the knee cap. I would not suggest going any longer unless you're tall. Shorter, on the other hand, can be great if:
- you are narrow hipped
- you have enviable legs that you want to show off

SLIT:
I am biased against front-placed slits. Don't know why. Feel free to overlook said preference.

COST:
There are plenty great, well executed black skirts in the mid-price range (WANT). If you go higher I suggest going for some unexpected detail/

All this in mind, take a look at some suggestions, ladies:

DREAM

1) The Row:

2) Max Mara:

3) Narciso, a less traditional option: 

4) Alexander Wang, likewise less traditional:

WISH:

1) Ted Baker, perfect tailoring & seams:

2) Vince:

3) Alexander Wang - with pockets!!

WANT:

1) DKNY: 

2) Shorter:

3) Tahari

Seasonal Dressing - The Spring Shoe III

The last of the seasonal shoes we will discuss here today, ladies, is the loafer. That staple of preppy closets for generations has been on the outs with the fashion world until recently. It has been making a steady comeback over the past couple of years.  Slightly more substantial than the ubiquitous ballet flat, it can be very serviceable in a closet..

What do we want in a loafer?

- not too delicate but neither too cloggy of a shape. You don't want to look like an accountant (not that there is anything wrong with it).
- some elevation.
- black black black. Although an introduction of another color in addition is welcome. If well done.
- avoid the cousin of the loafer, the moccasin, like the plague.

Like so (and in this case, ladies, the WANT is better than all other price point categories!):

Dream:
1) Lim, at Barney's:

2)  Barney's:

Wish:

1) ASOS:

Want:

1) Zara:

2) Zara: 

Seasonal Dressing - The Spring Shoe II

The problem with ankle boots is, of course, that they should never, ever, be worn with skirts.

I don't care how great your legs are. It is just a lousy look.

So what to do, ye ask?

Oxfords. Or, as they are known in the UK - brogues.  Oxfords paired with even dark hoisery still manage to look lighter and more season-appropriate. And they have that slight gender-bending aspect that is a huge positive in my book.

I love oxfords.

That said, not all oxfords are created equal.

Some ground rules:
- A shape close to menswear, but not too clunky and heavy OR not too delicate is the best.
- Avoid Avoid Avoid anything that looks like bear paws, anything that reads 'comfort'!
-  Don't go for the flattest heel - some elevation always helps.
- Color? I usually vote for black, and recent injections of color into the sole make it even better.

Here are some options, ladies, in our usual gradation of price and lust:

Dream:

1) Church, Barneys: 

2) Church, Barneys - with a punk twist:

3) Acne, Barney' (lust): 

Wish:

1) Beau Coop, Shopbop:

2) Cole Haan

or, same in different color:

Want:

1) Bass, Nordstrom's:

2) ASOS:

3) Born, Zappos:

Seasonal Dressing: The Spring Shoe

Spring, as lovely as it is, is a tricky season to dress for - as witnessed by the many missteps in  looks put together by professional stylists and as discussed in the pages of this young blog.

What makes it so tough?

The weather, for one. Its sheer unpredictability, the rapid change from sun to rain, from warm to cold, make it super rough on planning a good look - an outfit perfectly appropriate for dreary chill will not only feel but also look out of place if the weather turns.

The other problem is shoes. We are all sick by now of knee high boots, the staple of winter-time. What to wear then? The problem is especially acute if you're inclined to wearing skirts. Too cold for sandals it is too warm for knee-highs, and what is left in between?

There are, of course, pumps. And for those who work in an atmosphere where pumps do not appear overly dressy - you are in luck. The rest of us, however, need a substitution.

There are, of course, flats. But flats look good only on a bare foot. And sometimes you need a sock in this weather!

Solution 1: The Ankle Bootie.

Especially in a paler shade than black.
But not brown.
A more versatile tan or gray.

And not too-cowboy-like one.

A little rough, a little refined. Like so:

Dream:

1) Alexander Wang at Shopbop (LUST):

2) Rachel Comey (a brand I love) at Creatures of Comfort (a store I adore) :

3) Barneys NY:

Wish:

Beau Coop at Shopbop (great color):

Want:

1) Sam Edelman at Shopbop

2) DV at Nordstrom: 

3) Steve Madden at Nordstrom: