Thoughts from the Dirty City

I’m not generally a huge fan of Spring lines. Too many frills and lace for my taste. This year I’m a bit buzzed about it though. I think maybe it has something to do with the extreme gray of the weather lately. Ohio feels like a science fiction movie with the total lack of sun these days. Right, fashion.

Last week in Paris designers took to the catwalk with their couture lines. Regardless of season, I am in general a fan of couture. Not so much for the pomp that surrounds it. More over, I love the artistic flair these lines tend to have. The designers aren’t super hung up on making the lines mass producible, and highly marketable. These tend to be the lines that really show off what the labels are about.  This means they can also tend to be the absolute ugliest.

This time around, I decided to do something a bit different. I’m not going through each designers line and picking through them piece by piece. Instead, I’m just making one post about the entire season summing up each label in one or two sentences.

Adeline Andre

Look guys! A couture snuggie!!!!

Anne Valerie Hash

…and all that jazz. Suddenly I miss the glory days of Liza Minnelli.

Armani Preve Couture

It is what it always is, amazing and perfectly assymilated with the label. This time with a pinch of sci-fi and a dash of just not my thing.

Boudicca

Looks like Little Bo Peep lost a little more than her sheep this round.

Chado Ralph Rucci

A really pretty line. Nothing super extraordinary, but pretty! Personally, I think it would have made a really marketable RTW line. Maybe the designer just really needed to feel fancy for a bit. We’ve all been there.

Chanel*

I am so over Chanel. Yes the clothes are amazing, but Karl Lagerfeld is such a douche that it kinda ruins it for me.

Christian Dior

It’s like Marry Poppins fell down the rabit hole and landed on Dita Von Tease. Amazing!

Elie Saab

While this isn’t really my style, I totally get it. And I don’t imagine there is a woman on earth that wouldn’t feel down right pretty in his dresses.

Givenchy Couture

The line started out so great! Dark and moody and totally glam couture. But then it just sort of fell apart for me. I dig this look though. The rest, I’m just going to pretend I walked away and didn’t see the end.

Jean Paul Gaultier Couture

Stole the mutha-flippin show. Seriously. The entire Spring 2010 Couture season now belongs to JPG. Totally haute.

Maison Martin Margeila

I don’t get it. I think maybe this is a punchline to a joke I missed or something.
*shrug*

Valentino Couture

Totally different for this label. It looks like the new designer for Valentino is finally coming into their own. I like it. Fresh and bright and… wait…hold on. I just read that it was inspired by the movie Avatar.

That is it.

I give up.

All photos courtesy of New York Mag.

*If I am going to be totally honest. Chanel was truly amazing. Breathtaking really. Especially the accesories. I just wish they would put Lagerfeld in a burka or something. Just the sight of him makes me all fighty.

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Even as a student I was told that when you show a client multiple designs they are almost always going to choose the design you like the least. It was a lesson they taught us early to prevent us from even showing a design we weren’t happy or at least comfortable with. It’s like magic, no matter what you say or do the design you prefer the least will always end up being the final layout. Knowing this I stuck to the plan of never passing a design draft I wasn’t okay with. However, that means that I am almost always passing up designs I preferred to go with the one the client chose.

It got to the point that I started having long discussions trying to persuade clients to choose the design I preferred. It was during one of these conversations I realized there was an easier way around all of this. Stop showing clients anything other than the design I feel works best for the current project.  It isn’t like most clients request several rough drafts or concepts. It is just something I have always offered. It seemed like the best way to ensure the client was getting exactly what they were looking for. But the truth is, most of the time they aren’t exactly sure what they are looking for. That is why they hired a designer in the first place.

Part of being a designer is opening up dialog and figuring out what would work best for the clients situation. With good communication early on there should be no need for multiple design concepts to be passed to the client initially.

With this in mind I have been trying out a little experiment. I have only been sending what I view as the most successful concept initially. Since I have started doing this I haven’t gotten any complaints. Nor have any of the folks I am working with asked that I completely rework the design. Minor changes, especially in regards to copy are made, but for the most part almost all the concepts I have sent out have remained (for the most part) visually unchanged.

I would like to clarify that in no way does this mean I am only creating one layout and sending it off, fingers crossed that is gets approved. The only change I have made in the approach I have with each project is the initial drafting process. Where once I would send two or three initial concepts, now I only send the one I think works the best.

I can’t tell you how refreshing it has been. The clients are happy and so am I. The truth is, if you have a clear idea of what the client is looking for there is no need for multiple drafts. They just slow down the process and muddy things up. I am sure there are situations that require lost of concepts being shared (logos come to mind),  but for the most part I have found it isn’t necessary.

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I think that we are all biased to the staple looks that date to our own coming of age. It was the time we really started to define our character and personal style so it is only natural that the basic/popular looks of those times will always be appealing. I’m not saying we can’t all see the error of our ways when it came to the extreme trends. No one looked good in the workout wear of the 80’s. Remember the saying, spandex is a privilege, not a right. And for the exact opposite reasons there was nothing flattering about the 90’s borrowing of dad’s flannel and pairing it with the baggiest dress one could find. This was my own personal coming of age look, paired of course with some authentic combat boots purchased at the local army surplus, the craziest most clashing tights I could find and a  dog collar (to keep it real – obviously).

While I no longer feel a need to dress in the extremes of my youth, the general feel of that era still defines my personal style. I love wearing a mixture of textures and layering in unexpected ways. And yes, I still own (and wear) Doc Martins.  Sometimes I feel a bit guilty about this and wonder if my look and taste is becoming laughably dated. I make an effort to incorporate new looks and trends into my wardrobe to keep it fresh, but still sometimes I wonder. Then the new lines start coming out and it seems there is always at least one or two pieces that give me hope that I am not in fact turning into an old fuddy duddy. This year some of my favorites included:

Proenza Schouler

and Tracy Reese

Not that everything I love has to be a throwback to the grunge era…but it doesn’t hurt.

Images from www.nymag.com
click on image for slide show of complete line

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If you thought I was done talking about OPI for at least a season, well, think again. To be honest, I thought I was done for a while myself. I had my new shade to get me through fall, possibly even winter. I wasn’t even remotely considering aquiring more new polish until a friend insisted I look at Suzi Ski’s in the Perinees to see if she should buy it. That is when I first discovered it. The strangeness on the website. The shade was listed twice…and some of my other favorites were listed three time. The normal listing and then others ending in “matte” and “suede”. It was confusing, the site is all in flash and I was just trying to get a quick looksee so I didn’t realy do a lot of investigating to figure out what was up. Until this weekend that is.

So, said friend and I offed to the mall to make her purchase of  “Suzi Ski’s in the Perinees” and generally waste a weekend afternoon. I was determinded not to even really look at the display. I was just along for the ride. Then it caught my attention. A new display, NEXT to the new display. I HAD to at least look…right?! There they were, some of my favorite shades lined up in two’s. One the normal shade, and the other a Matte version. There was “Russian Navy” and “You Don’t Know Jaque” and of course, the one thing that I just couldn’t resist…”Lincoln Park After Dark”.

I know it seems silly, and a total waste of money, and maybe it was. But the idea of my all time favorite shade of nailpolish available for a limited time in a matte finish…how could I not. I mean it’s matte for crying out loud. It just ads to the dark and complex nature of the color. It de-polishes the polish!! I waivered and then finally caved in. I was sort of just about convinced that I wasn’t being a total crazy for buying yet ANOTHER bottle of nail polish when the sales girl (who, yes in fact remembers me and now knows be by name) told me that they are coming out with another variation on the best sellers. A line called Suede. It’s a matte polish with glitter. The line won’t be out in the store until next month. I keep telling myself no. No way. No how is there any way to justify yet another purchase…but only time will tell if I will actually be able to hold out. Until then, a little preview.

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So, I’m still in a complete tailspin trying to catch up with all the Spring fashion goings on. I am starting to accept that I will never really be “caught up”. That’s ok though. It will give me something to do until another round of new lines comes out…right!? OK, I’m rambling.

Anyway, I’m still sifting through the shows of New York fashion week as well as moving on and ahead to the many other shows happening accross the pond. In my parusing of New Yorks offerings a few things became clear; pants are out, the 80’s are in and all my fashion sense is seemingly out the window. It was a bit harsh to realize that all the things about my own personal style may be completely unacceptable now. Usually there is room enough for everyone in fashion…well, almost everyone. Everything coming down the runway was so…classic, romantic and way, way over the top girly. I was begining to think that I was either going to have to change my ways or accept the fact that I would be completely out of the fashion loop (not that I am ever what one would call “stylish” but, whatever, you get my drift). Those that know me, know that I would rather be outcast than put on a frilly dress. But then it happened, and all my fears and quandries were

put to rest.

The Rodarte show.

I fell in love with the entire line almost immediately. Now, I’m no fool. I know I couldn’t get away with actually wearing most of the line, but that doesn’t stop me from loving it. (is this how people feel about the pantslessness? still, not acceptable) Everything about the show was the complete opposite of everything else I had seen all season. The dry ice pouring over the acid green and black runway. The gothy make-up and webish netting of the models hair all added to the extreme, bold  feel of the line.

If I had to label it, I would call it a mix of tribal and goth (but I hate labels so forget that nonsense). Each piece looked so fierce and edgy coming down the runway, and yet had the air of being incredibly delicate. It looked as if each piece was constructed on the model and would immediately fall to bits the second it was removed. The mixed uses of materials from felts, knits, leather and well pretty much everything else in between gave the line a tactile quality making it seem that much more art than clothing. And yet if I step back from the designers current presentation, I can see how these peices could work in the real word, mixed with other more conservative peices.

Now I’m not saying this is the most wearable of the lines I have seen. It was just the most appealing to me visually. Maybe it was a standout becuase it was so different from the rest of the shows, or maybe I am just a creature of habbit and tend to stick with the kinds of things I have always been drawn to. No matter why, or what made this show such a standout for me I’m glad it was there to quell my wories that come spring we will all be strutin’ around wearing shoulder pads and little else.

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From the late 1970’s through present day, Take Back The Night events have been held by college and university women’s centers, YWCA’s, rape crisis centers, community centers, high school student groups, battered women’s shelters, …and other organizations dedicated to helping women achieve safety and empowerment. Events have been held in England, Belgium, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean Islands, the United States, and likely other corners of the globe. PLEASE JOIN US THIS YEAR AS WE CELEBRATE THE RAPE CRISIS CENTER’S 35TH ANNIVERSARY!

Take Back The Night March/Rally

show up, stand up, walk out AGAINST rape & sexual assault!

Time:6:00PM Friday, October 9th

Location:Firestone Park Community Center

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So I am way the fuck behind. Not only is New York Fashion week over, but the London shows just wrapped up as well and the Paris shows are starting. Ugh. I have been working on a few posts covering my thoughts on the New York showings. My plan was to break it up into a few posts. One of the stuff I liked, one of the stuff I hated and the other would be for shoes and such. After starting each I realized they were starting to read like War and Peace and there was no way I was ever really going to wrap them up. There is just way too many great (and terrible) designers out there. It was making me crazy…and the posts were going  no where. So I scraped all three and have decided to take an entirely different approach. I am just going to start randomly posting about the shows a few designers at a time. In no certain order…mostly just as I remember them or stumble upon them again. I will try to remember to post what city the shows were in and all that good stuff.

To kick it all off I am going to start with the bad. The really, really, really bad. Something is happening in the fashion world. Something very vexing. There is a new trend (there usually is) to replace last years legging debacle (thank LaLohan for that one). I’m not sure how to even phrase this. It seems that designers have decided that clothing is now optional in the fashion world. You heard me correctly. It seemed like every show I watched had at least one model strutting her stuff down the runway sans pants or nipples blazing (sometimes, god forbid, both). You know that old saying show leg or cleavage, never both. Well it seems the new rule should be pants or shirt, take your pick.

I know this probably makes me seem like a complete prude but I don’t care. Who, aside from Lady GaGa, leaves the house without pants? I know that lives and schedules get busier by the day, and we have to make sacrifices to squeeze it all in, but are we really going so far as to sacrifice pants? I mean really. I don’t know a single person that would feel comfortable walking down the street in any of these gettups.  And for the ladies contemplating such gettups, cudos to your for being so balsey and confident. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you when dudes start hitting you up for your hourly rate. Personally, I’m sticking with pants.

All images are from www.nymag.com
and are from the Spring 2010 New York Fashion Week. Designers listed from left to right: Tony Cohen, Thom Brown, Julian Louie, Donna Karan, Charlotte Ronsen, Carmen Marc Valvo.

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It may have come to some of your attention that I have not posted anything about my OPI addiction/collection in quite some time. Ok, probably not.  But for the purposes of my ego we will say you did. Perhaps some of you thought I kicked the habit?  Or maybe I was just so busy with my exciting and adventurous life that I just didn’t have the time to blog about my newest additions? Sadly, none of these things are true. I’m just lazy. It is shameful, but true. Well, that and I was thoroughly uninspired by the summer line. Not really all that surprising. Summer is nice and all, but fall will always have my heart.

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Most people get an itch to dust out the old and make room for the new around spring time. Makes sense. Windows have been closed for months and the long winter months give everything a packed away feel. This year, I couldn’t wait for spring and the gutting of closets and sorting of old stuffs has been consuming my evenings all week. Perhaps it was the onset of fashion week, or the shift the weather has taken, promising an end to summer and the arrival of fall. Fall always inspires me to do extremely random things. Wherever the inspiration came from I have been riding the roller coaster for days.

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I’m no great photographer by any stretch, but it seems that when I spend time taking pictures it feeds the creativity in all the other parts of my life. Not to mention there is just something wonderful in the instant gratification of photography. And nothing tops getting a great shot that completely captures a moment…or someone you really care about. Having said all that…why am I so shy about busting out my camera?

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1. motivation. mainly for my art (and the confidence to call it that without feeling like a douche)

2. laughter. you know – the kind that takes over your whole body and makes your tummy ache and your eyes water

3. to get over all my stupid fears that hold me back from trying new things

4. organization. perhaps if I could find a bit more order my time wouldn’t feel so thinly spread

5. sleep. I don’t feel like I ever really get enough

6. vacation. (and not just time off. a real trip or something closely resembling one)

7. adventure. this probably could be tied into getting over my stupid fears, but my life feels like it could really use a heavy dose of adventure

8. Waking up and looking forward to going to work. I want to have a job that I love as much as weekends.

9. hugs. cause there can never really be enough

10. a puppy. I love love love the puppies, but my life isn’t really set up to properly care for one right now. soon though!

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In case you didn’t know, today is St. Patty’s Day. That has never really meant much to me. I have always had to go to class or work so I have never really participated in the day long pub crawl for green beer. And I never cared enough to use vacation time to spend a day drinking myself sick. It sort of perplexed me why anyone would want to do that to themselves. It isn’t like they are really celebrating an Irish heritage…it is just about spending a day getting tanked. Honestly, I always thought it was just stupid. Just yesterday I was questioning the point of such a stupid holiday.

Today though, for some strange reason the celebration kinda makes sense to me. Now, I still don’t really have a clue what St. Patty’s day is about, nor do I care enough to google it. What I get is why people get so caught up in it. I think it is just a way to shake off the doldrums of winter and gear up for spring. This is a way to celebrate the end of a cold, gray, dank world without sky. February is historically one of the most depressing months of the year, maybe St. Patty’s day is a way to celebrate surviving the worst of it. Or maybe I have just had a really rough winter and am desperate to cling to anything with a shiny happy sentiment. In any case it makes me happy to know that the world is out there celebrating nothing at all.

So, to all those folks out there whooping it up today, have one for me!

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I spend the bulk of my day sitting in a desk chair, though I hadn’t really given a whole lot of thought as to it’s comfort until recently. My first day here I sat down, adjusted the height and tested the lean to ensure I wouldn’t end up on the floor. Aside from that moment the chair wasn’t even a thought, it is just here, under my rear, day in and day out.

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Help support The Rape Crisis Center of Summit and Medina County and Join us
for the Take Back The Night Walk in Akron!
When: Friday, October 10 @ 6-9pm
Where: First Grace United Church of Christ — 350 S. Portage Path, Akron

By the by – I did the design work and would love to know what everyone thinks (I am very insecure and need lots and lots of praise for my work….hehe)

Community to march to protest violence against women

HIGHLAND SQUARE — The Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit Counties, Summit County Sexual Assault Coalition, University of Akron Women’s Studies Program, Akron Area NOW, Liberation in Progress (LIP) Service and members of the surrounding community will rally and march for “Take Back the Night” tonight, Oct. 10, in Highland Square.

“Take Back the Night” is an international movement that raises awareness and breaks the silence about oppression and violence against women, according to organizers.

The event is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at First Grace United Church of Christ, 350 S. Portage Path.

The evening will feature Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh delivering the keynote address and Plain Dealer journalist Joanna Connors and local arts advocate Ericka Abrams sharing their personal experiences. An interpretive dance piece by choreographer Sara Schwendeman also will be featured.

Following the rally, participants will march through Highland Square and return to First Grace Church for refreshments.

This year, the event also will include children’s activities, a meditative labyrinth experience, the Clothesline Project — a visual art display created by women whose lives have been touched by violence — and the documentary film “No! Confronting Sexual Assault in Our Community,” which deals with sexual violence issues in the African-American community.

The event is free and open to the public.

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Parking Tickets

Make no mistake about it; a parking lot is a battlefield. Armed with this bad boy, you can now let your enemies know exactly how you feel about their crappy parking. All without talking to them or keying their cars.

Check them, and all the Ready Booklets out at Shinebox Print

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I stumbled on this site today while doing some random googling about building WordPress themes and my heart began to sing. As a designer with little background in programing a tool like this could change the way I do business. The next few weeks are going to be crazy for me, and I don’t want to download the free trial until I know I will be able to really sink my teeth into it. However, the second I start to see some time on the horizon this will be my first task. I will let you all know how it goes, and if it does all it promises.

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Alice came to a fork in the road.  “Which road do I take?” she asked.
“Where do you want to go?” responded the Cheshire cat.
“I don’t know,” Alice answered.
“Then,” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter.”
~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

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By this point we all know I have a kind of fetish when it comes to OPI nail polish. What you might not know is that I am almost equally obsessed with checking out fashion shows. Unlike OPI, you aren’t going to find any Anna Sui in my closet but it isn’t for lack of want. So when I heard that the new OPI line was an homage to the French Couture lines I couldn’t get to the store fast enough. So fast in fact that I bought before I blogged.

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Redesigning something as ubiquitous as the milk jug is a daring move. It is almost a given that the majority of people are going to find reasons for hating it. I remember not long ago the milk jugs stopped being clear. Yellow and clear jugs started appearing everywhere, and I hated it. I remember saying, “a yellow milk jug, it’s just weird”. But then I discovered the reasoning behind the change: it makes the milk last longer. So what are the benefits of the new “square” jugs?

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On Monday Walmart announced it will update store logos as part of an ongoing evolution of its overall brand.

This is what the new logo looks like. From what I can gather the plan is to implement this little by little in stores across the country. The new signs will be a rusty orange color with the logo reversed out in white.

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