This week I got to reap the benefits of fashion slavery!
You think I'm joking but I was literally doing manual labor at the plantation on the floor.
Monday I spent the entire day on my feet, lifting and reorganizing all the dresses- there's a bridal section, a gown section, a black dress section and of course a regular dress section, all organized by designer.
Every dress I touch I still kind of die inside.
One of the most valuable things I'm gaining is to hear everyone else's opinion of designers.
I'm the kinda girl who loves and can appreciate every designer piece.
Besides the usual favorites (McQueen, Marc Jacobs, Chanel...) I'm was always in love with Marchesa.
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| Blake Lively in Marchesa on Gossip Girl |
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| A favorite look from Marchesa fall 2010 |
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| Marchesa Fall 2010 |
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| Marchesa Fall 2010 |
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| Marchesa Fall 2011 |
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| Marchesa Fall 2011 |
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| Marchesa Fall 2011 |
These dresses are still phenomenal and hold a gigantic place in my heart, and I always knew that Marchesa had a "red carpet" design perspective, but sorting through all the dresses made me realize how many tacky tacky prom looks are ripped from them. The long patterned maxi dress with the empire waist, the asymmetrical dress with the floral strap, the drapey grecian gown with the gathered bodice. It really is kind of sickening!
That still doesn't change my mind about their runway looks, to Neil's disgust!
That still doesn't change my mind about their runway looks, to Neil's disgust!
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| Real-live Marchesa dress. My heart just palpitated. |
See I started writing that and was about to say how my opinion changed...but it really didn't.
It's still great to hear what all the other stylists think of designers.
Going through the Gaultier section, I was actually a bit disgusted.
I felt like everything he touched was trashy- an overall jumper with a realllly short skirt, a netted cover-up with rips in the knitted bottom band. I just couldn't see a classy woman wearing his stuff, it seemed more Baby Phat than Balenciaga.
When I brought it up, one of the stylists jumped to his defense, saying he admired Gaultier's creativity and clever use of material.
Still unconvinced, I took a lunch break.
When I got back, the stylist was dressing a mannequin in a pretty frilly shirtdress.
I touched a ruffle admiringly and asked who it was.
The stylist turned to me as he said with a smile "Gaultier"
Okay! Mind changed.
Its so important to have an open mind when it comes to fashion.
It's also wildly important to have an extensive knowledge of fashion history, as I'm finding out.
It's important to know why Fendi loves Fur and Gucci uses the horse bit motif, why Prada loves ruching and how to identify a YSL gown by the seams.
I can't even begin to tell you all the things I've learned- about fine garment construction by peeking at the hems of all the gowns, about how guess who made the dress the client is trying on even if I've never seen it, about how real people in the industry view designers I admire, and whether I really want to be a stylist or not.
I really look up to all of the stylists, I feel like I'm totally in the right place.
I dress myself every day thinking about what earrings I'm gonna wear right down to what nail polish is on my nails.
I love how they all notice my choices- "Vogue came in the other day looking for those bamboo bangles! Where did you get them?"
^Favorite quote of the week. I've had them since the sixth grade, they're from the vendors at the ITALIAN FESTIVAL.
And now, amateur pictures galore!
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| The dress section! |
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| The stylist who changed my mind about Gaultier wearing studded Louboutin sneakers. |
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| A myriad of fur coats |
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| Remember the Michael Kors neon fur moment? |
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| One of my favorite sections- bra tops, corsets, and waistpieces! |
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| Please just laugh at this. I DID. |
Until next week, when I'll be as buff as Madonna from lifting sequined full length gowns all day!
