Recently I was approached to write a fashion and style column for "Frontiers" magazine. This is my first article that was published in the June 20th "Pride" issue. Unfortunately, it isn't available on their website online, so I thought I would share it here. Hope you enjoy it!
After taking a look at some photos of the fabulously dressed guests arriving to the recent
Metropolitan Museum of Art’s party for “Anglo Mania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion”, an obvious trend emerged:
Gay Designers as the new Accessory. They are the new Hermes Jane Birkin bag.
John Galliano, the designer for Dior, looking like a drunken tranny from the island of Cyprus, with
Charlize Theron;
Alexander MacQueen dressed as a Scottish Highlander with his arm-candy, the fabulous
Sarah Jessica Parker;
Michael Kors (wearing aviator sunglasses at night!) with the beautiful
Angie Harmon. The designers, of course, are trying to suggest to us that these actresses are “clients” and/or friends. Please! It does not hurt that they might be the face (as in Charlize Theron’s case) of the company’s perfume ad campaign.
The best however was
Donatella Versace. Leave it to her to take this trend to a whole new level. She arrived with
Rupert Everett, the “out” gay actor. Donatella trumped them all! She gets instant “Atta girl!” points in my book. I quickly pondered the idea, “I need to be some actress’
Rent-A-Date.” It would make my entire life come full circle. Back in high school I was the quintessential Rent-A-Date for the local all-girls Catholic School where I lived. Now all I need is the perfect outfit and a multi-million dollar cosmetic contract to lure in the ideal A-list actress. I would probably wear a tuxedo jacket, a vest, a slim tie and a pair of those
new skinny jeans.
The skinny on the jeans: On the subject of skinny jeans, I recently decided to take the leap of transitioning from wearing my boot-cut
True Religion and
Rock and Republic jeans to skinny ones. I began paying attention to these jeans as I noticed them on the “Rock En Espanol” and “Faux Goth” kids on the streets of
Mexico City. Then, more recently, I saw more of these styles on the young Latino kids walking around my hood in
Echo Park and
Silverlake. I consequently thought that they were cute, sexy, and a great alternative to a sea of boot-cut/flared jeans. Soon enough, skinny jeans would become the latest must-have for the stylish young woman (and now man). I just got back from
New York City and EVERY girl had on a pair. It seemed as if any girl worth their “fashion salt” in NY received the following e-mail memo: Put Those Boot-Cut, Low-Slung Jeans AWAY and Get Thee a Pair of Skinny Ones ASAP! I decided to experiment. I bought a pair at
H&M, where you can pick up a pair of jeans for under 50 bucks. H&M is the perfect place to test out those questionable trends without breaking the bank. On the pricier side, True Religion also makes a great style for men.
Do-it-yourself skinnies: Another option, if you are not ready to put down $200+ for an item that might be “done” when Fall rolls around, is the following (Warning: Sewing/Fashion Industry terms on the horizon!): Take a pair of jeans that you stopped wearing because you bought a newer pair and turn them inside out, pin the excess at the inseam (inner leg) and in the crotch (just grab that extra fabric!) and turn on your sewing machine. Yes, this requires some sewing. Sew the pinned area and Voila: “Breakfast is served” (stealing a line from Sixteen Candles), you have skinny jeans. If you are not the sewing type, then you can go to your local Tailor or Dry Cleaner and have someone else alter your jeans for you at a price much lower than purchasing a new pair of
Chip And Pepper. As
Tim Gunn would say: Make It Work.
HANGING OUT
After spending all day doing patterns, cutting dresses and preparing for the Trunk_Show I will be a part of in NY in two weeks (more on that soon!), I sometimes just want to end my day hanging out with friends. And if there is a special event that I get invited to, then all the better the excuse to go out!
Last week, I attended a special party for "The Devil Wears Prada" held at ICandy, the West Hollywood bar featured in the Logo show, "Open Bar". I cannot wait to see the film and its depiction of a ruthless fashion magazine editor(fabulously played by Meryl Streep I hear) 
and her assistant. I am also curious to see Patricia Field's (of Sex And The City fame) costume and wardrobe styling. I went shopping at one of my favorite stores, Marc by Marc Jacobs, on Melrose Avenue(the good side!) and got myself a great "Al Gore" T-shirt , with the assistance of my friend John Wade, who works there and does all the wondrous windows for the store(he really would have kicked butt in the "Banana Republic" Window Display Challenge by the way!) To the left are photos from this event, in which John Wade attended, as well as producer and friend, Woodie Woodbeck , friend Luca Guzman and others.
Also, in a recent Chicago Magazine, in the "Party Pix" section, they featured a photo of myself with Chicago Gen Art Director, Kelly Ryan O'Brien. This photo was taken on the day of the Chicago Casting Judging that occurred several months back. I was her date for the Chicago Magazine Summer Fashion "Backstage" Party. It reminded me of how much fun I had judging all the hopeful Project Runway 3 Designers and the great time I enjoyed during my sojourn in Chicago . I wish I would have had more time there. But I will be going back to the "Windy City" soon!!
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These students are interested in fashion and FIDM does a great job of introducing the school as a viable option post high school.
I spoke to about 300 students about my experience and what made me not go to fashion school right after high school and what to expect if and when they attended the school. It's not at all like the MTV show, "The Hills" presents. It's a lot of hard work ! So I hope I didn't scare any kids away from pursuing their dream. My favorite part was afterwards I got to sign A LOT of the kids' bags and as a special surprise, I sketched fashion illustrations on them too. I warned them that I would be looking out on EBay if anybody tried to sell them!
Tomorrow night, I have been invited to judge the American InterContinental University Final Portfolio Fashion Show Gala at The Avalon in Hollywood and I am very excited to see the final collections of these up-and-coming student-designers. I will have photos of this event soon!It seems that Summer Break for me means School and more School!!!! Happy School Daze!!!
