Fix Me, Please

I had debated whether I wanted to write this post.  Lena Dunham for Vogue...it's not along the lines of what I usually blog about.  I never bother with celebrity fashion, and I don't often cover controversial topics (mainly because there are always two sides to a coin, and respecting those who don't share your opinion is a key quality many people seem to forget when typing fuming, accusatory comments online).  However, on the topic of photoshopping in the fashion industry, there's something very interesting about Dunham's situation that captured my attention over the usual photoshopping scandals.

So the story is this: Dunham's images for Vogue February 2014 were released, and Jezebel, a women's blog, offered $10,000 for the unretouched versions of the images. Within two hours of the bounty, six unaltered photos were received.  The kicker is the photos turned out to be not that heavily photoshopped, and fire has actually come under Jezebel for offering such an amount of money for images they thought would be shockingly different.  As the critics say, Jezebel has merely succeeded in implying they thought Dunham's actual body would be less attractive. I like to think how funny it would be if the unnamed source behind the unretouched images was Anna Wintour herself, who pocketed the pretty $10,000 and is snickering in her office as we speak.

Looking at these GIFs, however, I want to address something other than Jezebel.  We've all seen those photoshop videos and images where an "average" girl is digitally transformed into a glowing goddess, so much so that sometimes I just want to throw my hands up and say, "All right!  I get it!" What's funny is how these dramatic photoshop before-and-afters have lost their effect.  We all know the fashion industry favours tiny waists, long legs, sharp faces and impossibly smooth, flawless skin. Does that really stop us from wanting to look like that gorgeous model on the cover?  No, because a size 0 figure is so desirable editors are willing to cut inches off a model in order to achieve it.

Dunham's before-and-afters, on the other hand, are different.  Here we see adjustments to lighting, clothing, and posture.  The puckered shoulder on the cover photo is evened out. The sagging wide-neck on her dress is brought up and tightened.  The waistline of the coat is lifted to give better shape, while the legs peeking out are repositioned to heighten the glamour. You might not agree with all of these adjustments, but all in all, these are fairly mundane changes.  Sure, her hunched neck has been straightened, her chin defined and her eyebags removed, but is this different from posing and filtering yourself in your Instagram selfies?  If you were going to be featured on the cover of Vogue - the bible of the industry - wouldn't you want to look your best?  Based on Dunham's reaction to this whole incident, seems like she doesn't mind looking her best. The main point here is that Vogue has featured a different body shape in its issue, and lo and behold, with minimal touch up.

While those dramatic photoshop transformations have never really affected me, it's these minor adjustments to Dunham's photos that truly help me realize perfection is futile. I look at fashion images and envy how the clothing always fits perfectly on the body, yet when I try the pieces on in stores, there are lumps, wrinkles, and bunches in all the wrong places. Looking at Dunham's photos, turns out high fashion pieces lump, wrinkle, and bunch during photoshoots too.  I used to envy how models and celebrities were always perfectly positioned in photos and managed to achieve such high glamour. Why can't I look as glamorous just standing there?  Turns out a little fixing of posture can hide the fact models don't get their poses right from head to toe all the time either.  Thanks to Dunham's photos, I can finally fully accept that as stunning as fashion images are, in reality, they start with a model standing against a dim background with her neckline sagging as she attempts to find the best angle, yet may not manage to achieve it.

How peculiar it is that exposing heavily photoshopped images has less of an impact than simply revealing the amount of effort we're willing to put into erasing the minor inconveniences of life.  Fashion images are meant to bring us to a heightened dimension of fantasy (and goodness, we can't have a dress sagging in fantasyland!), and that's why photo editing will never go out of practice, but it's nice to know that behind every flawless image, there was an ordinary, mundane reality.

Image Source: Jezebel

Viktor & Rolf Spring 2014 Couture

I used to take ballet lessons when I was younger.  I loved (and still love) dancing (at one point in my childhood, I wanted to be a ballet teacher), but I never quite had the discipline, flexibility or physical strength to be an outstanding ballerina.  I quit right before pointe; however, that didn't prevent me from appreciating the incredible amount of physical stamina ballerinas require.  Ballerinas are powerhouses - they need to be constantly aware of every muscle, every joint, every movement, while making it appear as if they gracefully aren't aware at all.

This elegant form of power is evident in Viktor & Rolf's Spring 2014 Couture presentation. The tense leg muscles of the passing ballerinas (who shuffled across the entire runway on their toes) was contrasted against the fluid, latex leotards that practically blended into the skin. There was a serene beauty in the bare purity of the clothing, but truthfully, the dresses paled against the dancers' presence.  When the ballerinas took long strides en pointe, it was the most graceful runway walk I have ever seen.  After all, is en pointe not the ultimate high heel?

A silencing, almost haunting, show that was only broken at the end by the gaudy promotion of the label's latest fragrance, Bonbon.  A cheeky maneuver, surely, but one that ruined what promised to be a good show.

Watch the entire show here.

Image Source: Style.com

The Language of Arm Candy

When I was younger, I used to hate carrying a handbag.  I reveled in my freedom of movement and lightness of step.  Besides, my mom always had her handbag, and all I ever needed could be found in that magical, bottomless vortex.  But as I got older and started going out by myself, a handbag became essential. Since then, I've realized there is a certain art to carrying a handbag; how you carry it says something about your character.  A quick Google search confirmed there are actually names for each method, but I think the names I've come up with get straight to the point:


The Civilian

I call this The Civilian because this is probably how most people carry their bags - over the shoulder. It's a good way of keeping both hands free and it adds a bit of decoration around the torso area. However, shoulder aches and annoying strap slippage which require constant adjusting are common. For me, I'm only comfortable slinging my handbag over my right shoulder.  A bag on my left feels strangely awkward.

"Can these straps be velcroed to my shoulder or something?"


The Multitasker

This is another common position, especially with the popularity of cross-body handbags. Slung over one shoulder and across the torso, this is the most practical of all methods. Both hands are free to do whatever else (sifting through racks of clothes, for example), and there is no risk of a strap falling off your shoulder. This is my go-to, but it unfortunately only works for small to medium sized bags. Lipstick, phone and wallet...that's pretty much all you can handle.

"Handbag?  What handbag?"


The Dare Devil

In a variation of The Multitasker, The Dare Devil skips the cross-body step.  This insouciant method sees a cross-body bag hung precariously from one shoulder.  Bags are positioned behind the hip, a prime spot for bag thieves, as my mom likes to remind me.  When walking, bags get quite a beating against the hip, and any movement in the wrong direction can see your bag flying off your shoulder, but hey, it looks cool.

"Sorry, can you pick that up for me?  I have to stay vertical."


The Swinger

Girls with short legs (like me) tend to have problems with this one.  Handbags are simply grasped by the handle and left to rest around your knee area.  With this method, the axis of movement increases significantly, and accidentally hitting people with your bag when you walk a little too excitedly is not uncommon.  Skipping and swinging at the same time is not recommended.

"La-di-da-di-da."


The Contortionist

These girls are of utmost trendiness.  They're always one step ahead of you, and the way they hold their handbag says so too.  Handles for the hand?  Pfft.  Obviously handles are for your arm to thread through so you can clutch the bottom of your bag.  This may not be the most comfortable way of holding a bag, and it could come off as trying too hard, but you've got to admit, you want to be this girl.

"You can stop staring now."


The Celebrity

This is the most common method for the rich and the famous (and one I admittedly love doing, even though I'm neither rich nor famous).  Handles are pinched by the crook of the elbow, and the bag rests in front of your hip for full exposure.  The more you bend your elbow, the more high fashion you become.  Extra points for dark shades, 5-inch heels, and a death stare hot enough to blaze away a path worthy of your runway walk.  But if your fingertips start touching your shoulder, stop.  Only models can pull that off.

"Ugh, where is my limo?!"


The Protector

This method has its roots in Prada's Fall/Winter 2011 collection.  Clutched desperately against the chest, this is the best position for keeping things safe away from potential thieves.  It's also a stylish safety blanket that makes being uncomfortable in social situations look so much cooler.  If both hands are free, however, and the bag is pinched underneath the arm, you know you're dealing with The Fitness Buff, whose incredible upper arm strength (you think just anyone can hold their bag with no hands?) screams "I work out".

"How much longer before I can leave..."


The One-Hand Cramp

This is basically the only way a clutch can be held and is likely among the most impractical of methods.  With no straps of any sorts, one hand is forced to grasp despairingly onto the bag day and night.  Living life with one hand while the other suffers from a major cramp is tough.  Someone offers a handshake while you're holding a drink with your free hand? Forget it.  You've reached maximum capacity.

"Sorry, my hands are full."


The Declaration of Independence

Handbags are a symbol of femininity, and you won't fall for social constructs!  What a commoditized world we live in when we're told we need to buy something in order to hold all of our other things. Has no one ever thought that we simply lug around too many inessential things?  You've declared independence from your handbag. You're a free woman.

"Mom, can you give me my sunglasses?  They're in your bag."


Image Source: Style Caster, Styleoholic, Pinger, Kiirby, Telegraph.co.uk, Hypebeast, Pinterest, Favim, You Are The One, Stylelist

A Pairing of Equals

I don't often post "fashion don't"s on this blog because it's one thing to give discreet once-overs (I admit, I'm guilty of it!), but it's a completely different matter to give full, public once-overs.  However, I'm breaking my rule today so that I can get across a niggling point concerning designer handbags.

You know how I am with fakes and obvious imitations in fashion.  I despise them.  I don't understand how your conscience can be comfortable when you buy a counterfeit so obviously of inferior quality. Disgust runs through me when I see that plastic stuff they try to pass as leather, that unparalleled stitching that's already coming apart before I hit the cash register (realistically, I would never even consider hitting the register with that thing), and that dull fabric I know will warp after only a couple washes.  Sure, you may have shelled out significantly less money, but in the process, you've lost a valuable connection to the original designer's time and care.

On that note, for those that actually buy authentic pieces - especially handbags - congratulations!  I only feel bad when you've bought an authentic handbag, and it's monogrammed or logo-ed (blame the pitiful mentality that if you're going to buy designer, people must know).  These kind of bags are the target of choice for counterfeiters. Monogrammed fakes are so common that even if you're carrying a real one, people tend to assume you're carrying a fake.  When it comes down to it, avoiding this situation is all too simple: don't pull on a pair of sweats if you know you're going to carry an obviously designer bag!

Sweatpants and a several thousand dollar bag.  Why...why?!  I can't wrap my head around any logical explanation.  Some people think that mixing a designer handbag in with an ugly outfit will somehow make the outfit look better.  Trust me, it never works that way.  The outfit just ends up dragging the handbag down.

While it is possible to make the fox tails from Louis Vuitton look amazing even off the runway, pairing them up with an outfit like this is roadkill:

And, just for the record, a horrible outfit and a bad handbag to begin with won't work magic.  Two wrongs don't make a right, especially in this case:

So what to do?  It's simple: just spend a little more time on your outfit.  Your high quality bags need high quality clothes.  Don't let velour tracksuits get anywhere near your designer handbags, or you run the risk of looking like you bought your bag off the streets.  In this case, a nice outfit will elevate even the ugliest of handbags.

You're a good woman who's decided to give herself a splurge with a luxury bag.  Don't make it look as if you purchased that bag for the sake of owning something designer to flaunt. You're better than that.  Pick the right outfit, and do your purchase justice.

Image Source: Photo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

I Hear You

A friend of mine revealed to me today that she read through my blog over the holiday break. I was surprised and deeply honoured (honestly, I can't fathom why you people read this nonsense of mine). However, what flattered me more was when she said my writing was "elegant with a bit of sass...enjoyable".  In my Hey there, pretty lady. post, I explored how the best compliment a fashion lover can receive is on her outfit. Well, as you know, I'm both a fashion lover and a writer, and the biggest compliment the writer side of me can receive is knowing the words I string together are actually worth reading.  So, a huge thank you to my friend.

What really struck me about her comment was how she nailed exactly the tone I try to get across on my blog.  I won't lie - I do get sassy on here.  I'm opinionated, I go against the grain when I want to, and sometimes, I'm even outright judgmental.  I lay bare my thoughts on this blog; what you read is exactly what goes through my mind.  But as snarky as I get, I never criticize without solid reason.  I always back up my opinions with thorough explanations, and I always, always write as properly and as elegantly as I can.  A snide comment can be made worthy when carried out with class.

I've always believed writers can never truly identify their own writer's voice, and despite the eclectic madness I perceive my blog to be, it's nice to know other people do see a clear tone and style. This is not journalistic writing, this is not academic writing...it's my writing. And if there's one place I'm glad I've successfully showcased my writer's signature, it's here, where I divulge my frankest fashion thoughts.

Image Source: Photo1

Boy Meets Girl

A friend of mine inspired this post when she commented on how she would have preferred a gender neutral pronoun in reference to "designer" in my Am I Materialistic? post. This lead to a brief, but interesting, discussion on how most designers in fashion are actually male. My friend was skeptical of my claim, and I don't blame her. It only makes sense that women should be succeeding in an industry that caters so dominantly to other women.

This is a topic that has been flushed out many times over, but as I did some research, I came across truly fascinating stats on Daily Life:

• While male designers have taken home the Vogue Fashion Fund/CDFA Awards' Womenswear Award 13 out of 18 times, a woman has never won the Menswear Award.
• The most fast-rising under-30 designer success stories all belong to men.
• 70% of fashion graduates are female, yet the majority of them don't make it to the top.  High street, fast fashion is comprised proportionally of more women than the luxury fashion sector.

So why is this?  Obviously history of a male-orientated culture has driven this trend, with a lot of today's biggest, most historical labels having been started by men.  Yet, there were still women who made a name for themselves (Coco Chanel, Madame Grès, Elsa Schiaparelli), and the numerous designer changeovers we've had over the years should have evened out the gender disparity by now. Could it be true that men know what we want better than we do?  That we aspire to fashion ourselves into the image men expect of us? Or, as another argument goes, that because men tend to be more extravagant, whereas women tend to be more practical and functional, we just find ourselves more attracted to male designers?

Men don't live the life of a woman, but they go out of their way to understand what it is we want. Their efforts don't always translate into complete success (Christian Louboutin...your shoes are amazing, but goodness, that heel.  Made for walking 5 steps, at most), but when they do, the results are astonishing.  The way I see it, it's not that male designers know us better than we do, but that they give us what we need and want, along with what we didn't know we wanted.  They give us the functionality and female flair that we require, along with the titillating freshness of an outside perspective.  However, I don't believe this is a result of men being more fantastical than women; that's too much of an over-generalization.  The way I see it, women know exactly what it is other women want, which makes them more accessible to the average consumer, and thus, more successful in the realm of fast fashion.

Then the next obvious question is: why aren't women dominating menswear?  Men and fashion have a rocky relationship.  Fashion is something we realistically deal with everyday as we get dressed, but it just isn't "masculine" to care about the way you look.  No matter how much we try to understand men, the way a girl thinks/wants a man should dress isn't always what a man is willing to wear.  Women effortlessly step into androgyny, but that step is more of a leap for men.  However, with male designers actually making menswear more feminine, creating society's new "metrosexual", it's now quite admirable to see a man who puts a little effort into how he looks (girls, rejoice with me).  So whether it's menswear designed by men, or menswear designed by women, it really shouldn't matter moving forward.

Even as I sit here speculating the reason why men dominate the upper echelons of fashion, I'm already a step behind, because women are quickly rising to the top. There's digital-print queen Mary Katrantzou, wildly successful Miuccia Prada, celebrity favourites Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig of Marchesa, and unconventional talents Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, among many, many others.  It won't be long before female designers even out the gender imbalance, and show the world that both men and women have equal chance of making it to the top.

Image Source: Photo 1, 2, 3, 4. 5

Burberry Prorsum Pre-Fall 2014

I never used to pay attention to Pre-Fall collections, but they're really starting to grow on me. Spring/Summer is a great season - it's a study in colour, print, gossamer fabric, and lace as far as the eye can see - but there's something about combining Spring/Summer with Fall/Winter to form a sublime mélange of textures that's undeniably fascinating. Chiffon leads gracefully into thick angora, fur mingles with filmy t-shirts, and winterwear is finally done in colour.  The last time I talked about Pre-Fall was in 2012, but let's pick it up again with Burberry Prorsum Pre-Fall 2014.

For me, it's all about texture.  Texture, texture, texture!  Christopher Bailey mixes them so expertly in this collection, creating looks that are truly multi-dimensional.  Fur, leather, knit...you name it. Besides incredible cocoon coats, Bailey gives us jacquard cigarette pants in rich emerald tones.  So rich I can taste it.

The aforementioned duality of Pre-Fall is evident in this collection.  When dresses are long-sleeved, they display a plunging neckline.  When dresses are sleeveless, they hit high on the neck.  Thigh-high slits find their place alongside knee-length coats, and colours finally alleviate the mundanity of all-black winterwear.   A lot of the times, it's juxtaposition that makes fashion so intriguing, and Pre-Fall is the perfect embodiment of this allure.

See the full collection here.

Note: Just wanted to give a shout-out to my Secret Santa for the thoughtful gift - a phone holder in the shape of a high heel...with a red sole!  Perfection.  I've always considered Red-Soled Fashionista as simply the name of my blog, but now I realize in some ways people see me as Red-Soled Fashionista. I am Red-Soled Fashionista.  Truly, I can never say this enough: thank you everyone for your support.  Much love!    

Image Source: Style.com