In Spades

Style... in abundance

Fashion Friday

Jeffrey Campbell Lita

Lindsay Lohan image via Zimbio; Jeffrey Campbell 2010 ad campaign

It came to my attention that this week marks the 10 year anniversary of the Jeffrey Campbell Lita.  If you’re not familiar with this ridiculous platform shoe by name, don’t worry.  I wasn’t either until I saw the 10th anniversary article.

But like me, I’m sure you ARE incredibly familiar with this shoe.  It dominated the early 2010’s.  Lindsay Lohan had them.  Jessica Alba had them.  Just about everybody had them.

Why am I devoting a Fashion Friday to these little monsters?  Well, you know I love an ugly shoe.  But really, this shoe represents a lot of firsts for me.

It was the first item I ever sold on Poshmark.  It was the shoe that first introduced me to LF Stores.  But most importantly, it was the first item that I was ever influenced to buy.

Let me explain.

I have been a devout reader of fashion blogs since they came on the scene in the mid 2000’s.  I stalked photos on Tumblr and graduated to blogs when I discovered the now defunct Closet Therapy.  That blog led me to Fashion Toast and Rumi Neely quickly became one of my favorite bloggers.  She was from San Diego.  She had a whimsical, quirky way of writing.  And she didn’t give a f*ck.  She wore what she wanted to.  She wore what spoke to her.  Back then, she actually wore clothes.

Then one day I saw them.  Towering, chunky lace-up platforms.  She owned them in at least three colors and they made her look SO COOL.

I had to have them.  I called every stockist listed on their website to find out how I could get my hands on them.  YES, this was before e-commerce was a thing and finding them online was quite the feat.

LF Stores carried them and there happened to be a store near me.  I immediately drove there.  They didn’t have any in stock, but when I referenced Rumi Neely they told me she shopped there frequently – I almost died.

I was able to locate them online and almost bought them in blueberry colored leather.  After hemming and hawing for a week, I finally decided I should be “practical” and bought them in sand colored suede.

The first time I wore them was to meet my best friend for lunch.  We’re the same height, and when she showed up in flats, our welcome hug was like Andre the giant hugging a small child.

Once home, I almost twisted my ankle getting out of the car.

I probably only wore them three times before selling them on Poshmark years later.

They were weird, ugly and I 100% fell into the hype, but they were FUN.  Being mesmerized the first time I saw them on a blogger, the quest to find them and finally owning them was a sartorial rite of passage.

So cheers to you the Jeffrey Campbell Lita.  Happy 10 years.  May you live on in fashion infamy.

Fashion Friday

AGOLDE Jamie jeansJeans // Top // Platforms // Sunglasses

Well friends, we’ve reached the end of another week.  You know what that means.  Fashion Friday!

Fashion in Film

I listened to the first episode of this podcast co-hosted by Mark-Paul Gosselaar of Saved by the Bell.  Yep, Zack is back! This was such an iconic show for me and it got me thinking of all my favorite fashion moments from TV and film.

The Calvin Klein dress in Clueless.

The red gown in Pretty Woman.

Marilyn’s halter dress in The Seven Year Itch.

Anything Audrey Hepburn ever wore on screen.

There’s a reason people win Oscars for costume design.  Clothes are like another character; they help bring the story to life.

If you’ve never seen Down With Love, you must watch it.  I ADORE the costumes in this movie!

What are your favorite fashion moments in film?

Are People Still Shopping?

I’m sure this comes as no surprise to you, but the fashion industry is not doing well.  In store traffic is virtually non-existent, stores are filing for bankruptcy left and right and the industry as a whole is having to rethink the fashion system.

So what is actually selling?  Where are people shopping?

Unsurprisingly, athletic wear and loungewear are the two categories that remain unscathed by the pandemic.  They’re thriving, in fact.  Lululemon, Nike, Adidas and Under Armor increased their sales by almost 50% year-over-year.  Any store offering deep discounts is doing well too.  Zara, LL Bean and J. Crew also reported good sales last month, thanks mostly to their almost 80% off discounts.

Are you still shopping?  If so, what are you shopping for?

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

And that brings me to the frenzy-inducing Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.  If one sale gets people out of bed to shop, it’s this one.  While I ADORE Nordstrom, this sale is not for me.  It discounts upcoming fall merchandise and does a good job of offering wardrobe basics.  While basics are important, I’m a treasure hunter.  I’m not interested in the same cardigan that 10 million other people have.

While I have covered this sale for the past 4 years, I will not be covering it this year.  There are, however, some great deals on beauty and loungewear I’ll be shopping.

Specifically, I’ll be restocking:

Beauty: this and this

Home: this and this

The best bra ever

The best undies ever

Will you be shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?

Fashion Friday

This past week was crazy, so today I bring you Fashion Friday… on a Sunday!  Check out my Fashion Friday IGTV here.

There are three topics I want to chat about today.  First…

Prada’s “The Show That Never Happened”

Prada SS21 Prada SS21Photos via Prada.com

Prada debuted their S/S21 collection in a “runway show” they dubbed The Show That Never Happened.  Five artists contributed their perspective of the collection each with their own unique bent.  This was a lot like watching the Instagram Stories of those normally seated in the front row, but elevated.  Susie Bubble and Chriselle Lim are two that always share a unique perspective on their Instas and I loved how Prada took this concept to the next level.

As Miuccia’s last solo collection before Raf Simons comes on board as Co-Creative Director, the collection was especially poignant.

You know I’m a Prada girl for life, and I adored it.  Miuccia said it was important for her to infuse the reflecting she’s done during quarantine with a bit of fun.  The result was quintessential fashion meets function.  Every single piece was super wearable and can be interchanged a million different ways to achieve different looks.

I loved the simple ballet flats and stirrup pants she paired with cocktail dresses.  It grounded them in a way that was cheeky and fun.  Tried and true Miuccia.

Of course I would wear 100% of the men’s looks as well.  Sleek tailoring juxtaposed in certain looks with long or oversizes proportions.

Need Supply and Totokaelo

If you’re not familiar with Need Supply and Totokaelo, now is the time to get acquainted.  They are sister boutiques with a robust online and brick-and-mortar presence.  Both offer a unique curation of designer brands.

Sadly, it has been announced that both will close up shop as a result of the coronavirus.

Need Supply has a great mix of advanced contemporary brands and luxury designers.  They also have 3 in-house lines at super affordable price points – NEED, Stelen and Farrow.

Totokaelo is super bad ass in that the major of what they carry is hard-to-find designer brands.  Founded by the super stylish Jill Wenger, the coolest of the cool take their styles notes from Totokaelo.

Both stores are currently having sales of up to 80% off.  Stay tuned tomorrow for my top sale picks from each.

Influencer Fashion Lines

This past week mega-influencer Arielle Charnas of Something Navy launched her first standalone fashion line.  She had previously collaborated with Nordstrom (a la Blaire Eadie) on a collection, but that partnership ended after Arielle’s snafu in the press after contracting COVID-19.

Her standalone line is offered solely on her website and sold out within a day.  The next drop will happen later this month and the frenzy surrounding it has me wondering…

Do you shop blogger fashion lines?

What’s unique about Arielle’s launch is the way she polled her followers.  Her original launch date was in March 2020, but due to the pandemic, it got pushed back.  In that time, Arielle regularly asked her follower’s opinions on fit, colorways and what else they wanted to see in the collection.  The result is a data-crunch of consumer opinions morphed into a clothing line.  Smart?  Yes.  A great revenue stream for Arielle?  Of course.

But I’m so curious about her long-term goals for the line.  Could she be like Victoria Beckham and transcend from celebrity to bona fide designer?  I doubt it.

Questions I’m pondering:

Does she wear these pieces herself (and not just for marketing photos)?  Who is driving the creativity – Arielle or her followers?  Finally, this begs the question, is she a designer or a marketing machine?

My point in covering this story is not to knock her hustle.  Clearly tons of effort goes into creating something like this.  But the fashion nerd in me wants to know… what’s the long term angle and who really buys this stuff?

Fashion Friday

Viktor&Rolf coutureViktor & Rolf couture F/W20

This week the world’s top fashion designers showed their couture collections.  Before we get into how different the shows were this season, let’s break down this oft misunderstood category.

What is Haute Couture?

Alexandre Vauthier coutureAlexandre Vauthier couture F/W20

Haute couture translates to “high dressmaking”. It’s made-to-order clothing for a specific client – a very wealthy one. There are stringent standards a design house must follow to classify as a haute couture.  Namely, their clients must visit their atelier for private fittings and they must employ 15 fulltime staff as well as 20 fulltime technical workers.  These are the people that make the clothes by hand.  Their craft is passed down, generation to generation, and highly specific.  They truly are some of the most skilled artisans in the world.  Couture gowns can take over 1000 hours to create, all by hand!

Giambattista Valli F/W20 coutureGiambattista Valli couture F/W20

In the documentary Dior and I, a haute couture client almost derailed Raf Simons’ first show for the brand.  The show took place in Paris, but a New York client needed a fitting and took priority.  When you buy couture, a seamstress from the house is assigned to you.  Talk about customer service.

It was crazy to see this seamstress jet between Paris and New York and arrive hours before the show walked the runway.  In the film you see her rush in to put the finishing touches on gowns while Raf looks on, incredibly relieved.  Truly extraordinary.

Chanel coutureChanel couture F/W20. Regarded as a success and Virginie Viard’s first homage to Karl rather than Coco.

Speaking of Dior, they won haute couture F/W 2020.

Due to the pandemic, designers got creative on how they showcased their collections.  Some just did sketches, a la Schiaparelli, others showed teaser films with promises of full collections later in the month (Valentino, Margiela).

Schiaparelli coutureSchiaparelli couture sketch F/W20

Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato reworked classic white shirts, donated by 25 acquaintances, into one-of-a-kind garments.

But Dior created miniature versions of the real thing, presented to private clients in massive trunk.  Can you image receiving one of these?!  A socialite I follow, Elena Perminova, (read her story, it’s incredible) surely received one. All I kept thinking is that her daughter is going to have the most LEGIT Barbie clothes in the history of the universe.

Dior couture F/W 20Dior couture F/W20

The collection was shot in a fairytale esque film.  Although stunning, it lacked diversity.  Not one person of color was included in the cast.

Why is Couture Important?

Haute couture is the top tier of fashion.  Without it, designers wouldn’t be pushed to create masterpieces.  This painstaking work, with its beauty, detail and monumental effort, is paramount to continuation of the craft.

Everything we buy as “average consumers” is inspired by couture.  It’s a trickledown effect of the designer’s highest vision. Like the famous “cerulean blue” speech in The Devil Wears Prada, eventually, it affects us all.

The Future of Fashion Week

This season’s move to digital was hit and miss.  As Tim Blanks expertly expressed in his article for BoF, the power of a live runway show will never be paralleled.

“A fashion show can be something so profoundly ceremonial that it attains the peculiar power of an occult ritual.”
– Tim Blanks

I will never forget the first fashion show I attended.  There is an otherworldly magic to it.  Clothes are meant to be worn.  To see them move on the body, how they change a person and the mood they create… that’s true magic.

While the future of the fashion show doesn’t remain bright in the pandemic, I’m confident this stalwart will return to us.  It’s the only way to truly see a designer’s innermost visions come to life.

Images via IMAXTREE

Fashion Friday

Pink Givenchy loafersHappy, Fashion Friday!

Earlier this week I talked about how I’m coveting a pair of platform sneakers.  This got me thinking about the world of sneakerheads (avid sneaker collectors known to go to extreme lengths for their hobby). With the highly coveted drop of Dior x Air Jordan this week, I’m curious…

What Lengths Will You Go To For Fashion?

Would you camp out for an exclusive drop like the Dior x Jordan fans?  Spend more than you normally would for a collector’s item?

If you haven’t seen this documentary about sneakerheads you must watch it.  SO fascinating.

What is Happening with The Gap?

My fondest memories of The Gap are the commercials from the 90s (hello, Depeche Mode), their Long & Lean jeans (they made EVERYONE’s legs look amazing) and the fact that I spent my first ever paycheck on a baby blue corduroy jacket from The Gap.

The struggling retailer announced this week that Kanye West will be coming on as a long-term creative partner.  Yeezy x The Gap will debut in 2021.  Will this strategy save the brand?  When asked why The Gap, Kanye said he wanted to bring his design prowess “to the masses”.

Oy.

What do you think of celebrity designers?

Suzy Menkes steps down from Vogue

When I started In Spades I fancied myself a fashion journalist.  I desperately wanted to convey the educational side of fashion – the interworkings of a collection, what makes a designer tick and how this form of artistic expression is so much more than mere necessity.

One of the stalwarts of the industry, someone I greatly revere, Suzy Menkes, has stepped down from Vogue.  I had the pleasure of seeing Suzy in person several times at NYFW.  With her signature bangs, she always carried herself with grace and her insight into the fashion world is unparalleled.

She spent almost 30 years at the International Herald Tribune before starting at Vogue.  Her interviews with designers always drew out their idiosyncrasies in beautiful ways, highlighting just how much work goes into creating multiple collections per year.

When such an influential contributor steps down, it’s important to honor their work.  The fashion world certainly benefitted from Suzy’s intellect.  I hope this won’t be the last we hear from her.

May you all have a happy holiday weekend!