a post about clothing

I know that the fact that I didn't blog once during NYFW makes me kind of a terrible fashion blogger but... school. I’m trying to figure out a new way to increase my productivity when it comes to this blog, so pretty soon I’ll be posting every few days. On to the actual post.

Is it at all strange that Marchesa’s SS 2014 collection reminded me so much of the Virgin Suicides. Maybe it has something to do with the effects of rereading the book a few days ago and subsequently feeling the need to do nothing but wear long lace and chiffon dresses, drape tulle over everything I own, wander through abandoned gardens, and notice the most mundane details of life. Lately I've been viewing everything through this sort of dreamy haze. I think my noticing such stark parallels between the book and Marchesa's designs also has something to do with the fact that they seem to share some themes.

For example, a Lux Lisbon-like combination of sensuality and innocence seen in looks  with beautiful and artful lace organza and tulle overlays that revealed full delicate, vintage lingerie or slip dresses underneath. These looks were all white, light blue, or faded yellow, adding to the innocence aspect.

The intricate embroideries and hand-made thread work reminded me of Jeffrey Eugenides's amazing attention to detail in the story. Around the middle, the looks in the collection took a sharp right turn away from the lace and white purity to a darker but equally beautiful set of looks that embodied the way that the girls’ story was also able to change so quickly into something darker. Some of the earlier concepts made their way into this section of the collection but it happened so beautifully that before you knew it, the light and the dark were one (another concept wonderfully shared with the Virgin Suicides) Traces of the Lisbon girls were also evident in the loose, flowing silhouettes of the looks and in the decidedly haphazard yet artful placement of straggly feathers in the models' hair

(somewhat similar to the description that Eugenides provides of the girls)and faux tattoos of butterflies on their shoulders arms and backs (the ways that the girls attempted to rebel against their environment)But the closing piece that solidified the lines between the story and the collection was look 13. I looked at it and I could have sworn it was Cecilia in her ripped up vintage 20s wedding dress. Nicely done Marchesa, you've just added one new fan.

After I was done obsessing over the collection’s collection to The Virgin Suicides, I started obsessing over the designs themselves.  Looks 2 and 3 were absolutely sheer beauty ( that was my attempt at a pun. no? no. ) The detailed embroidery traveling up and down and around the dresses and the elaborate drop waist silhouettes of the hemlines. I loved the design and print details of Look 4, but 5 was a bit off for me, I’m guessing it was because I’m not used to dresses with that neckline being so loose instead of Marchesa’s usual ultra-fitted designs. The peter pan collar and ruffled bottom of look 6 was absolutely wonderful but then they seemed to take the ruffles a bit too far with the layers and layers in look 7 and a jacket that I think would've looked much better separately. I liked the cropped top and long skirt looks of 8 and 9. The drapey-ness of the top in look 10 seemed to distract from the beauty of the skirt. 

Look 14 was a much more balanced, even version of the wilder looks 15 and 16. All of the darker looks were absolutely beautiful. Look 25 was my first time seeing a t-shirt dress that was actually quite couture-esque and I loved it. 26 gave off a lot of really rad flapper 20’s vintage vibes which I’ve really been getting into since we started studying jazz and other dances from that era in dance class. In my opinion, look 27 was a very elegant way to close the collection. I liked the mock corsetry, the full tulle skirt and the amazing floral embroidery.

(all looks I mentioned are shown below the description clockwise. all photos are from Vogue, I am really bad at editing things.)

Later lovelies.