Black and White and Chic

Lulue has already appeared on the pages of SNAP a number of times, but only in the capacity of a model. One night after a boxing session, I took her to a bar, sat her down with a nice glass of red, and grilled her about fashion.

I love this black and white outfit of yours Lulue! I don’t often see you this dressed up either.

Thanks. I did come straight from work, although this is more dressy than usual for me. Actually, when I was putting the outfit together this morning, it was even dressier, and I had to pare it back. I originally tried a belt with the dress, but it looked too formal. It also made the dress much shorter, and inappropriate for work.

Let’s back up a bit. Did the outfit start with the dress? What inspired you?

Yes, the outfit started with the dress, as the weather was so gorgeous. In winter I wear this dress with tights and boots, but today in honour of the sunshine I went with bare legs (spray-tanned!) and heels. I decided to be more casual and ‘let it flow’, so I dropped the belt.

The dress has a really unusual shape, and I love the print – it’s so elegant.

I was pretty pleased today when someone thought it was by Scanlan & Theodore! It’s from a boutique in Canterbury I often shop in, Inzagi. It has an unusual triangular shape that forms these gathers on the sides, which I wasn’t sure about at first as I normally go for more classic styles. 

I was pretty pleased today when
someone thought it [the dress] was by Scanlan & Theodore!

It’s very cute – I love a bit of volume. The cardigan is certainly a classic though.

That’s from Country Road. I wore it for extra warmth, as the showroom can be quite cool. It has batwings, and bell-shaped sleeves that I really like. I’ve had the cardi for quite a long time, and it goes with everything.

Everyone needs at least one classic black cardigan in their wardrobe. I have at least two – one long, one short. I really like how well your accessories work too. It’s a great collection of jewellery.

The black bangle [not shown – Lulue brings the wrong bangles to the shoot!] is from Hawaii, and was a present from my sister who lives in Tahiti. It’s made from some kind of seeds – not sure if it should have made it through quarantine! It ties with a ribbon that matches the ribbon on the wooden chain necklace – also a gift, from a friend who bought it in a boutique on Chapel St. The black onyx pebble earrings are from Palm Beads in Greville St.

It’s great how all the jewellery matches so well, considering it all comes from different places. How about the shoes?

I don’t have as many shoes as you, and these were the only ones that complemented the outfit. The shoes are classic black pumps from Nine West, and were a bargain, reduced to $50. Eighty per cent of my shoes are from Nine West.

I love a good pair of jeans and a
t-shirt – anything comfortable
and casual.

I’m the same, but it’s Wittner in my case. How would you describe your style in general?

I would say very classic. I love a good pair of jeans and a t-shirt – anything comfortable and casual. I’m not into high-end trends – or at least, it takes me a while to catch up. I’m not really very extravagant – most of the time!

Is there anything that particularly tempts you to extravagance?

I have my eye on another pair of shoes from Nine West. I also love scarves and belts, although these days I tend to wear scarves only on the weekend, not at work. Otherwise I just wait until something catches my eye, and I’ll think about it for a while before I take the plunge.

So chic and classic, with a dash of discretion and a hint of sexy. Lulue is French after all. … Another glass of wine?

Thanks Lulue for swishing onto SNAP’s pages once more. 

Ménage à Trois

What a sublime trio: Mats Gustafson, Patrick Demarchelier and Linda Evangelista are brought together by Harpers Bazaar (US) for a special fashion sitting.

Gustafson’s work is simply breathtaking, the spare lines and minimal colour deliver fashion in the purest form possible.

The legendary Linda Evangelista (“We don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day”) is the muse inhabiting this extraordinary (and envy-making) studio, and Patrick Demarchelier documents the event with an unerring eye for detail and beautiful composition. 

Click on the images and enjoy the images – arranged on the page like works of art – at full size. 

What I Actually Wore #0041

Serial #: 0041
Date: 17/06/2010
Weather: forecast 14°, cold cold and yet more cold
Time Allowed: 8 minutes

It is true that the temperature of the inner city is always a couple of degrees warmer than outer suburbs. Although I do not live in the CBD, I did find when travelling to Thornbury for work this winter it was always far more freezing when I got off the bus than when I boarded.

So this cold day I picked out a warm wool dress by BCBG, and wore it with long boots and black opaques. The necklace – one I made myself from large textured beads strung on brown leather – was picked out to add a bit of colour.

I bought this dress from a shop on eBay. I was originally attracted by the fact that it was 100% wool and pleated. I have a little thing for pleats which is rarely indulged – when factoring in pleats x cost and the sum comes out $$$$$$$$. This time it came out as $$, so I treated myself.

I have a little thing for pleats which is rarely indulged…

The colour was described as cranberry, and looked ‘crimsoner’ in the photos. I was a little disappointed when it arrived to discover it had more purple tone in it, and was in fact the more mundane ‘maroon’ – not a colour that particularly favours my complexion. This exact same thing has happened before with another purchase on eBay. … You’d think I’d learn, but no.

Add to this that the dress has since become somewhat pilled, and eaten by evil moths in a number of places, and it might be time to retire it from active service. So if I now apply yet another fashion equation to it: cost x wear, the total probably adds up to $$$$.

Hmmm, in summary (excuse the pun): pleats x cost x wear – bad colour = $$$. Not too bad.

The necklace is made from wood and resin beads, and orange and hot pink Indian ‘beaded beads’ strung on knotted brown leather cord.

Items:

Dress: BCBG
Necklace: handmade by me
Earrings: Vietnamese souvenir
Rings: Roun
Watch: Kenneth Cole
Boots: Nine West

Valentino, Retrospective: a hothouse of heady blooms

Well, now I’m back in overcast Melbourne, you might ask: was it worth flying to Brisbane to see the Valentino exhibition? Although he has never been a favourite haute couturier of mine, the chance to see a fashion designer’s life’s work was not to be missed. … So yes, it was worth even the harrowing flight home.

My friend and I expected to see a long queue when we arrived at Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art, and we were not disappointed. We patiently waited along with everyone else: a well-dressed crowd of mostly women.

 

Evening ensemble Haute Couture A/W 2007/“08Cocktail dress Haute Couture S/S 1960

Fittingly, the entrance to Valentino, Retrospective: Past/Present/Future was grand: a black hall with two mannequins on glowing pedestals, backed with mirrors that reflected the breathtaking gowns – and the excited women teeming about, waiting for their turn to approach them. The first, a vivid red strapless cocktail dress of roses swathed in chiffon did not excite me as much as the second. A flamingo pink column topped with a cape that could only be described as fabric sculpture: it was stunning. Thousands of petals seemingly sewn on end that I imagine must flutter like a sea anemone in motion. 

Evening ensemble Haute Couture A/W 2007/“08

There were froth, frills and roses in exuberant overabundance, like a hothouse filled with heady blooms to overpower the senses.

Afterwards, we passed on into a larger room, filled with extraordinary ensembles – mostly evening gowns. Although I did not like everything I saw, the exquisite detail and construction of every piece was fascinating, distinguished by the most extraordinary fabrics and textures. The overwhelming impression was one of richness: minimalist garments that relied on graphic shapes and simple blocks of colour vied with gowns that writhed with an excess of textured fabrics; embellished patterns; riotous colour! There were froth, frills and roses in exuberant overabundance, like a hothouse filled with heady blooms to overpower the senses.

L-R: Asymmetric evening gown S/S 2008; evening gown Haute Couture S/S 2008; evening gown Haute Couture A/W 2007/08Several garments stand out (good and bad) in my mind: the extraordinary embroidered red and white gown, with its matching hand-made lace stole, worn by a Bulgarian princess; graphic black and white animal prints on shapes to soothe a graphic designer’s soul; a frivolous and delightful bohemian outfit consisting of an orange tunic and frilled trousers, worn by Princess Grace to a ball; an outfit of rose-pinks, the lining of the coat a geometric pattern of amazing appliqué; a simple 60s floor-length short-sleeved gown made from luxurious satin, featuring rolled trim on neckline and sleeves – but utterly ruined (in my opinion) by a poorly executed hand-painted coral pattern. It didn’t need it: the gown would have stood up by itself easily.

L-R: evening ensemble Haute Couture S/S 1998 – worn by a Bulgarian princess; graphic impact in black and white; evening ensemble Haute Couture A/W 1990-91; bohemian fringe and frills worn by Princess Grace.I liked least the gowns and outfits trimmed to within an inch of their life with rose motifs – some of these reminded me of nothing so much as those kitsch dolls in crinolines, used to hold rolls of toiletpaper back in the 70s. There was a blouse and pants combination that struck my friend and myself as rather odd: was it the flat front of the devoré velvet trousers, or the enormous sash that trailed the floor? Or was it the enormous roses tucked inside the balloon sleeves of the quite beautiful lace blouse? They could be quite irritating to the wearer, brushing against her wrists as she moved. I imagined her ripping them out at the end of the night when she undressed. There was another black 60s cocktail dress with a double balloon-puff skirt – the pink roses stuffed under the hem seemed another unnecessary last-minute addition to me.

Too much? Balloon sleeves filled with roses; more roses peeking beneath a bouffant skirt; hand-painted coral on a 60s gown.Soothing, simple black and white, distinguished by shape and texture.Eye-catching spots and a faultless column of black chiffon and vertical beading.At the other end of the spectrum were the simple gowns that relied on more subtle decorative effects; these appealed much more to me. Slim columns with vertical piping or beading; monochromatic outfits so beautifully designed, relying on contrasting shapes and proportions for impact. Memorable were the lace appliqué stockings of the 60s; a black and white trapeze-shaped coat entirely worked over with Battenberg lace; a little pale pink suit from from the S/S 2008 collection, worn with matching elbow-length gloves – its entire surface was decorated with tiny triangular petals forming squares. I wanted to touch it, to ruffle its feathers. For maximum impact, the displays in the second room were arranged in colour groups: white, black, black and white, and the signature Valentino red.

Evening suit Haute Couture S/S 2008The exhibition itself was well-designed: two rooms of gowns divided by a third room exhibiting archival photographs and magazines, and video displays of the haute couture A/W 09-10 runway show and also the recent film (well worth seeing): Valentino: the Last Emperor, (2009) produced and directed by Matt Tyrnauer. It’s a great pity the exhibition catalogue was sold out however, and photography was forbidden.

V is for Valentino redAfterwards, my friend and I walked out, considerably enriched by the experience fantasising how wonderful it would be to wear some of these gowns. Then we sat down and swapped our heels for flats, for as my friend declared, we had paid respect to the Maestro.

~

Images of exhibition from Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, The Brisbane Times and The Australian. 

Kitty Come Home

That’s just the cutest name for a boutique, isn’t it? My friend, the ‘Canarean’ (she’s a Korean-Canadian) was given this wallet for a birthday present by a friend who loves shopping. (The Canarean most certainly does not.)

The Canarean loves it because it’s waterproof (to a point) – she can put it on the bar and it will survive beer spillage. It fits everything she needs – even her phone, at a pinch, which is great, as in her own words she ‘never carries a purse like a normal chick’.

I like it because it’s blue and red, it’s made from a cute print, and above all: it’s shiny!