Gossamer Paradise

When the summer started, I was determined to make it my summer. I thought I could find inspiration in solitude and pensive midnights, but instead, I stumbled upon heartache. Lonely days faded into lonelier nights. Before I knew it, summer had passed me by.

Yet somehow, I now look back at the past two months fondly. Even though I recall few singular moments of happiness, I still think of the larger picture as laced with tranquil and harmonious overtones. And that was my summer-- a land of demolition beneath a translucent layer of gossamer paradise.

Until next time, August.

Fashion Changes When the World Changes

(Note: I do not own any of the images in this post)

Let's consider the 1920s in America. World War I had ended. It was a cause for celebration. Partying. But not the kind of partying that set you free. It was the kind that made you temporarily forget about the sadness that was like icicles in your heart. Hemlines rose. Women did all sorts of things that were considered taboo. People enjoyed their lives because these were the lives that their husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons died to give them.

The 1930s weren't much better. The stock market crash of 1929 meant that one day people had a place to stay, food in their bellies and a life to live, and the next, people lost their home, fed on scraps, and instead of living, all they could wish for was to stay alive. Just like the stocks, hemlines plummeted overnight. When you were frightened, you clung on to what was familiar to you-- tradition. We left the ways of the 1920s, not only because your average American couldn't afford it, but because we thought we were punished for being so bad. The light was shrouded.

When the 1940s came, our men left for war again. Women were burdened with the weight of the world for the first time and we were determined to carry it. How? By wearing the suits our husbands left behind with broad, defined shoulders, of course! As factories became filled up with real-life Rosie the Riveters and the troops welcomed women to help out wherever they could, it was a decade of pure empowerment.

As we came out on the winning end of World War II, but not without a massive cost, families became reunited in the 1950s and the American ideal of the perfect family was born. A house with a white picket fence, 2 and 1/2 children, and 1 dog. People really lived like that. It was the time of suburban homes and automobiles and television. It was the time when women wanted to feel feminine again. The hourglass figure was the most obvious indicator of womanhood, so we squeezed ourselves back into corsets. Ew. But who cares? After all, we've had decades of turmoil, and now our biggest problem was having our abdomens being uncomfortably tightened. Not complaining. 

Of course, there are many examples, and the ones I gave above are only simplified versions of the complicated relationship between fashion and everything that's going on in the world at the time, and boy, is that a lot to consider.

So let's consider now. The present.

Getting the Koons Look

As my teacher Amanda Hallay taught me, fashion is influenced by everything else that's going on in the world-- art, film, culture, etc. With the recent launch of Jeff Koons: A Retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art (for my review of the exhibition, please click here), surely it's going to impact the way people think and dress. So, why not get ahead of the fashion, and rock that Koons look today?

Superhero Craze

All of us have a DC/Marvel fangirl inside of us. Clearly, Koons is not an exception. Superheroes are a recurring subject in his work. The two pieces above are from the series Popeye and Hulk Elvis respectively.
(I personally think that DC > Marvel, but hey, each woman to her own)

Left: Marvel Characters Collage Hair Bow; Right: Fancy Superman Tee Bonus: The Superman symbol is covered in tiny rhinestones!

Like the keyboards in that second piece? Opt for a piano dress. Very classy and unique.



Flowers in Heaven



In his series, Made in Heaven, an exploration of human desire, Koons' former wife Ilona is shown wearing a flower crown. For my take on flower crowns, please click here.


In general, a lot of Koons' work involves bringing together very unrelated elements to form strong juxtaposition and visual interest. To recreate his aesthetic, don't be afraid to mix and match colors and prints. In particular, look out for graphic shirts if you want to incorporate some pop art into your wardrobe. You can also channel Koons in your makeup looks.

Left: Koons' Magenta Balloon Dog (Not shown at the Whitney Museum), Right: MAC Flat Out Fabulous lipstick.

Here's some Koons fashion inspiration.

 Left: Mary Katrantzou Spring 2012, Right: Moschino Fall 2014

Susie Bubble Street Style