Define Beauty

My wardrobe tends to consist of anything beautiful and this includes beauty on all levels, whether it be the beauty in construction, beauty in fabrics, or even the beauty of the price; it is all there. However, in terms of physical beauty, I have to say that Chloe’s Fall 2008 collection was just spectacular. The intricate details of beading and embroidery meshed with delicate chiffon and silk fabrics made this collection so incredibly delectable and very beautiful (if I may say so). The gorgeous shades of powder blue floral chiffons contrasted fabulously to the slicker tailored tweed oversized coats and the look was made beautifully complete through the amazing signature chunky heels which added a hint of dimension and toughened up the pretty look. This collection epitomised romantic elements combined with youthful sophistication through the immaculate details and the re-vamp of the classic Chloe styles.

The bold navy blue/black tones were just impeccable in creating timelessly gorgeous pieces with the help of sparkly silver and black embellishments to create that extra emphasis and provide that something special to the garment. I just love the youthfulness of the Chloe label which was something extremely well exemplified in this Fall 2008 collection designed by Melim Andersson with the gorgeous pussy bow blouses, pleated chiffon skirts, oversized box coats and embellished jackets finished with a pair of florally cascaded white stockings accompanied with pointed toe heels featuring leaves which ran up the sides or a pair of patent grey ankle boots.

I personally adore the beautifully designed dress worn by Shannon Click which was a fulfilling combination of all things beautiful and had elements which just screamed out ‘Chloe!’ only in a more subtle way. The navy colours featured had never been of any interest to me but the navy dress featuring the magnificent lace sleeves, detailed appliqué and silver decorative pieces combined with the futuristic tones of the loosely ruffled skirt really did it to me as it was just so fabulously designed with the never-ending detail being priceless in achieving the effectiveness of the look. Overall, I just loved this collection as it was youthful and very beautiful, and exceptionally ‘Chloe’ in the process.

Written by Lisa Chau. Images courtesy of style.com

Fall/Winter 2008 Update: Ugly is the New Beautiful.

I have to say, no actually warn you that before you turn and gasp excitedly about this Autumn/Winter 2008 fashions, I should let you in on something. This “Something” is different and explicitly so. This something is the very thing all fashionistas are hearing about, talking about and even worse, wearing, and no, it is not the new pretty polka-dot rockabilly dresses you can get off the internet for just $50 a pop, but rather, it is the confusing and disturbing yet accepted notion of Ugly. Yes, that’s right, the word even deserves a capital letter. This seasons’ fashion is not pretty, it is not glamorous, and it is not even interesting. It is boring and ugly, and no, I am not talking about Carine Roitfeld’s face.

Personally, I have got to admit that when I get dressed on the weekend, I know I shall put on my oversized mini dress, a black wet-look plastic vinyl anorak style coat, some black opaque tights, and a pair of classic Louboutin Mary Jane’s before accessorising it with an overlarge but extremely ugly Yves Saint Laurent Tribute bag which I happily purchased off eBay. Funny how I mention my so-called ‘fashionable outfit’ [notice inverted commas], but what’s funnier is the fact that if it was not to be considered at any point ‘fashionable’, the next word closest to describe it is ‘ugly’. I mean; the mismatched textures? The mismatched fabrics? The strange and awkward colour combinations? Oh my goodness, I think I may have just had an epiphany because I actually DO look like a walking disaster, and yet again, that’s what I tell everyone else to wear on the fashion page at the back of the College Crow newspaper. Ironic? I think not.

This had made me think that perhaps, that the designers such as Prada and Balenciaga [which practically dictated this season’s look of contrasts and wet-look anoraks so thank them] have given up on the pretty dainty fashions where we would all wear and imagine that we were skipping in a field of daisies with pretty bows in our hair and dolly socks with our pretty little peep toe heels and princessy pink purses and as a result or a rebound, one might argue, they had to introduce the Ugly look of the future. They call it futuristic, and just because we are not in the future yet, I won’t object to this relatively subtle word. I suppose the time has come. It is now the time to embrace fashion, not because of how pretty it is, or how wearable it is, or not even because I can wear it out and my mother can be all “I remember back in my day, I wore that in hot pink and it was so cool” but rather because of how, un-pretty it is. Isn’t it interesting that the weird fashions like these which are trying to deliberately set us all to become so-called individuals before we all go into David Jones and pick up the same ugly Ferragamo brogues and the same ugly Mimco patent purse in the same ugly colours and even uglier fabrics?

And I know that you might all say to yourselves now “Oh I am not wearing that revolting plastic raincoat over my unflattering dress and my boring stockings and those weird platform heels” but trust me, everyone will fall victim to fashion in one point of their lives, and girls, prepare yourself because, this could be it. So the next time you see me walk into a department store or some other boutique in the city, why not give me a tap on the back and say ‘Hi Lisa, what do you think is hot this season?’ and be prepared as I whinge and tell you how awful everything looks before going to the counter and paying $250 for a pair of suede and patent leather high heeled brogues which do nothing to flatter my legs, as I look back at you and smile before I say goodbye.

Yes, even I have fallen as a victim of fashion as I do every time New York or Paris fashion week comes about and I see something so mesmerizing off the catwalk, so I suppose my conclusion is that even though this season’s look is incredibly unattractive and strange…I am sure that it’s not going to stop you from gazing longingly at some fabulously ugly window display before strutting in to buy that ‘thing’ and walking out with it and wearing it on the weekend, is it? Oh well, If you just did, I suppose that’s what fashion is all about.