Things I never got

On the Spring/Summer collections

By Neslihan

Let me sum up Dolce and Gabbana in a couple of words for you: boring you with one print which is being used for three kinds of clothing pieces. Because re-using this print for a midi dress, mini dress and midi skirt totally refreshes things. NOT. I am so damn bored of the classy, stiff, Sicilian mater familias theme. "Hey, we're Italians and we like to create the stereotype of the southern woman: which is sexy, sophisticated and a bit stiff." Upperclass boredom. And aren't you hating those chunky golden earrings already? Fuck your sophistication, Domenico and Stefano, we're all up for the next phase.

I used to worship Karl Lagerfeld until he totally started to hate on women being women (read not a size 0). He's just puking tweed in everything he does for Chanel. Okay, we get it, it was Gabrielle's signature but damn, man, can we move on now? Tweed aint no rock and roll. Tweed aint young. And tweed definitely aint an all year material. Who the hell wears tweed when it's 40°C out there? Exactly what I thought. And looking at his last collection I decided that I didn't wanna look like my grandmother's curtain.

Hey, it's Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy before he went totally hipster cool with his Disney deers and sensual orchids. But this is not Riccardo, it's that other motherfucker. The motherfucker named Marc Jacobs creating his last collection for Louis Vuitton. And this kind of breaks my heart because boy, have I enjoyed Marc's designs for the French luxury house blossoming since forever. It was a symbolic collection but not as touching as Raf's last collection for Jil Sander. Marc had created this powerful atmosphere of mourning, or that's what we, bloggers, make out of it. However I'd liked it more if Marc dearest would've gone all quirky on his last one for Vuitton but he didn't and that's a lost cause, my friend.        
    

   
Elie Saab is one of the things you can't hate. It's beautifully elegant and perfectly tailored but I always feel so out of place when I'm looking at his clothes. Also I always kind of feel like he creates the same dresses over and over again with adjusting minor details like colour, sleeves and split. It's crazy classy but so-oh boring. Perfect for bridesmaids and brides but we girls are more than only fragile. Give me some dirt to plunge my trainers in.

All fashion journalists write about Dior is the decor. Like seriously am I reading a fashion magazine or a DIY garden section in some lousy hobby magazine? Ofcourse it looks magical and touching but it's bad when the review on the decor is bigger than the review on the clothes. And I think that's a pity since I was so excited on Raf's take over at Dior's. Give the man some credit, and by the man, I mean his fashion and not on his roses, peonies et cetera.

You only hate on Kenzo because you're not part of the cool gang. So there is no legitimate excuse on hating Kenzo except one: the tiger sweater, which was literally on every blog that could afford one. But you got to be fair in your confessions: I'm totally in love with the shark theme but I'm totally gonna hate it if the sweater above appears on every blog like earlier the already mentioned tiger sweater.

Innocense Lost

By Neslihan

source

I feel like Lana Del Rey always captures this suburban melancholia, a place between hopelessness and forgotten ambition. A place between dreaming and surviving. A place where the future doesn't excist, it's about the now and here and tomorrow's another story. It's the moment, it's an instance of youthful recklessness. It's about falling and messing up inexcusably because we're young. Because we know we can go wrong at 18 knowing we'll be conformist adults at 33. And that somehow is a sad yet comforting (?) thought.
It's like the 60's generation. They all did drugs and alcohol. They were rebellious and were almost against everything but at 40 they had a job, a house, kids, two dogs and a car. They turned into conformists and forgot about capitalism, feminism, the Vietnam war. And I think that's what Lana Del Rey tried to show us because no one's gonna take her soul away, she's living like Jim Morrison.

And I have created a couple of outfits to accompany that vibe. I tried to incorporate black in every outfit because that's just the chiquest colour to wear and because I hardly wear anything else. I also wanted gold, roses and underwear with screamy logos. I felt like staying close to the 90's vibe, hence Calvin Klein and that ying yang necklace. And deep burgundies were also absolutely necessary to create that extra dimension of drama.

The non-existing perks of being a nobody

By Neslihan
I mean yes, there's a lot to talk about. The absence, the exams, New Year, the sales, my reluctant attempts in updating this blog... If I really have to be honest, I'm a little disappointed in the blogging traffic I have gained (or not) after I changed my URL. I've always said that I blogged for myself because to me it was important to have this online diary in which I could record momentary highlights in the fashion buz. It was this kind of inspirational fridge in which I stored my fashion food but as it turns out it feels like I'm only talking to this white wall and I don't get anything out of it. I've created this 'ique feeling' towards my blog because of the lack of traffic AND my missing enthusiasm AND inspiration. I feel like I have to take a new direction to keep things fresh and interesting. I have to find my will to blog again. To feel the blood rushing through my veins when I find a new blog topic. I have to sort things out, you know? I have to awaken the fashion cemetry that I've caused on this blog lately. So, let me do that first. I created this collage in order to accompany my depressing mood, well ehrm, enjoy.

1) 'Welcome to the fake world' editorial, unknown from tumblr
2) '(S)laughter', unknown from tumblr
3) 'Okay, let's satisfy the masses', a still from 'Accattone' by Pier Paolo Pasolini (1961)
4) Girl and typewriter, unknown from tumblr
5) Dita von Teese during the Haute Couture S/S 2007 Jean Paul Gaultier show
6) Yours truly in her most optimistic mood, NOT
7) 'Black is such a happy colour', a still from 'The Addams Family' (AKA my favourite quote)
8) Virgin Mary candles (GIMME, GIMME, GIMME)
9) Audrey Marnay by Peter Lindbergh for Vogue Italia February 1997
10) Drinking and smoking kids, 'Princess Yvonne and Prince Alexander', 1955 by Marianne Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn
11) Editorial from Vogue Korea, January 2013
12) Frida Kahlo's death in 1954
13) Marion Cotillard for Vogue Paris, September 2010
14) 'She's morphine, the queen of my vaccine', Alt-J 'Breezeblocks' lyrics

Good Taste/Bad Taste

By Neslihan
Every season there are some remarkable trends/clothing pieces. Pieces that make you think: ew no, I will never wear this. You have to get used to the ugliness and/or oddity of those pieces. Once your eyes get used to it, you fall in love though. And only you get this love, you cannot explain. You cannot make others love it too. They won't understand. No one will but you don't care because the joy those pieces bring is worth every strange look you're given in the streets. It becomes your favourite piece and you wear it, you cherish it. You live it until the next season brings something else. It's time to let go. Some of us do and think: what was I thinking? Others don't and that item becomes a part of thier lives. It becomes a historical item. Something to pass on to the next generation.

Baggy luxurious sweaters

Absolute talk of the town are Balenciaga's excentric yet very cool sweaters. They have those strange 80's pictures and crazy laserish effects on them. Purple, pink, red: you name it, Balenciaga has it. Those chic sweaters were also spotted on Hakaan's runway but he went for a chilly metallic version. The sleeves were equally puffy. (Both fall/winter 2012 RTW)

Metallic patchwork

A little shimmer a day keeps the doctor away. I think sparkles, glitters, metallics certainly light up your outfit and even your mood. I like how a little bit of the previous can give your outfit this playful naiveté. As if you stepped right into your childhood again. And that was just what Huseyin Chalayan evoked in me. You cannot put Chalayan's dress as simply childish patchwork though because it's too sophisticated for that. Look at that finishing and the fit of the dress. See how he has used beige to keep the whole outfit in balance. It's kindergarten for grown-ups. The second dress is not from this season but it belongs to s/s 2013. This actually shows us that metallics are a keeper this year. Thank you, Hugo Boss.

Layering

While Marni kept it simple, A.F. Vandervorst went in overdrive. Marni was about taking 'colourblocking' to the next level. See how every piece totally 'stands' on its own and how it -at the same time- blends in with the other pieces. It's all about layers and neutral colours making the totality wearable. 'Wearable' is not a disgusting word. Repeat after me: WEAR-ABLE. Good girl/boy. We saw something else on the A.F. Vandervorst runway though. The Belgian couple played hide and seek with us and were inspired by Joseph Beuys. Google this man and you'll get the hats. Fashion was never this anonymous. (Both fall/winter 2013 RTW)

Living sculptures

You can interpret this one as wide as you want. Maison Martin Margiela never disappoints me, that's one thing I can say. When haute couture was about the amazing diamond masks, ready to wear is a little less freaky. You'd almost say 'civilian' if you didn't look past the three first looks because those skirts are divine, you've got to admit. Creating a new meaning for two previous trends (peplum and asymmetrical skirts) in only one show? I'd say genius. Look at that gorgeous fish tail/peplummed skirt. Look at the rich fabric and prints. See how this image clashes with the image underneath it (read 'Viktor and Rolf'). The Dutch duo based their collection on strong women. "Oh, how original." Stop right there. They went for femme fatales and actual female warriors (the red faces say it all). Look at the coat, it looks like it's made from shiny grey, handicraft paper. The gear wheels are murderous. (Both fall/winter 2013 RTW)

A lesson in history

Dries Van Noten had access to the archives of the Victoria and Albert Museum. He used Japanese and Chinese images and mixed them with his well-known abstract prints. This created new prints of course. And aren't amazing prints Van Notens trademark? While Dries focussed on the Eastern history, the Italian fashion duo, Dolce & Gabbana, chose the Sistine Chapel as inspiration. The embellishments combined all together were at times too much but the prints are definitely something to think about. (Both fall/winter 2013 RTW)

No go?

H&M 39.90 EUR

Marc Jacob's pelgrim shoes (fall/winter 2013 RTW)

Christopher Kane's flat sandals (spring/summer 2012 RTW)

Backstage at Chanel (fall/winter 2013)

Pictures: Vogue Paris