Transitioning to Spring: A Formula

by Maria 

Nothing quite like Polar Vortex II: Return of the Polar Vortex to get me thinking about my early Springtime aesthetic. If my spending habits were as carefully curated as my virtual moodboards, this is the precise sartorial formula I'd have to show for it: 

20% 1980s supermodel (with about 90% of that 20% being Monica Bellucci) 

January 10th in History and What You Should Wear About It

by Maria 

49 BCE

Julius Caesar marches his 13th Legion across the Rubicon from Cisalpine Gaul into Italy, signaling the start of the Great Roman Civil War. So dice earrings. A wrap sweater AND a wrap skirt. Those deep muted jewel tones on that Roland Mouret skirt seem to have been carefully chosen with such a power play in mind. Military coat. This ensemble is best paired with a soiree you're certain that guy who wasn't quite your boyfriend but managed to keep you in the dark for too long will also be attending. Et tu, sorry what was your name again? 

1810

Napoleon, desperate for an heir, divorces his beloved Joséphine. The ceremony was a grand affair, with both swearing they'll totally still be friends.  Channel the fallen Empress and dig that empire waist frock out of a dark corner of your wardrobe. Remember the empire waist? Brave polar vortex 2.0 with your most opulent yet functional coat. Give your low heels a last hurrah. 

1927 

Fritz Lang's science fiction film Metropolis is released in Weimar Germany. A long structured waistcoat evokes Italian futurism and flared cerulean leather trousers scream German expressionism. Read up on both movements in relation to the film and era and use liberally as buzzwords. Best if worn to "some performance art thing, idk." Just go. I bet they have craft cocktails. 

Be nice, have fun, don't drink and drive. Or text and drive. Or drink and text. Happy Saturday! 

Saturated Primary Colors vs. Soft Muted Neutrals: An Early Springtime Dilemma

by Maria

I've always been inclined toward black on black on black no matter the season, but lately I've come to embrace browns and navies. In the season to come, I'd like to push myself even further. The extremist in me wants to dive headfirst into a Bauhaus wet dream with ultra-saturated yellows, cobalts, vermillions. Another side longs to be a soft, approachable Olivia Pope circa 1983 in the Hamptons, probably. 

Can it be both? Would combining elements from the two cheapen the effect of each? 

Five Outfits for Five Christmases

by Maria 

1. This Christmas, it's just you, Mom, and Dad. Everyone else seemed to have their own plans, or perhaps it's always been just the three of you. You'll probably end up at midnight mass or one of those nativity pageants with live camels and donkeys at your local megachurch depending on your religious affiliations. Cords are generally foolproof. Heeled boots are equal parts fancy and conducive to frequent sitting and standing if it's mass and walking form the stadium-sized parking lot if its the pageant. A fur headband is just a cossack hat gateway drug but Mom might side-eye this one a little less. Military outerwear because you'd have rather gone to see The Nutcracker but were overruled. 

2. You're attending the same extended family Christmas in small town hell that you've rejected since your terrible twos. Prepare for lectures from Grandma about the True Meaning of Christmas poorly planned gift exchange games. Wear a blazer to remind everyone you're an adult but flats and distressed jeans because you're still fun and cool. Yes, you have to listen to your racist uncle's annual tirade but there are babies and probably a dog or two you get to play with as a consolation prize for maintaining the peace. 

3. A new significant other invited you to spend the holidays with his family and you are most certainly neither Christian nor Not Religious But Spiritual person that still buys a tree and bakes sugar cookies each year. I wouldn't overdo it with an theme-party quality ugly Christmas sweater or gratuitous red and green. I'd keep it conservative with a crew-neck sweater in a muted jewel tone and a skirt that goes at least to the knee. Low heels. Peacoat. A sense of humor. I believe in you. 

4. For whatever reason, you either couldn't or chose not to return to your hometown for the holidays. Instead, you and the few friends who have also stayed behind put on a celebration of your own. Alternatively known as Friendsgiving's edgier sister, or the guilt-trip Christmas. This is where you take the sartorial risks. Clashing colors. Crop tops. Lucky, lucky you. 

5. You're a newly settled, well-established, bonafide adult and deeply regret your decision to host family Christmas for the first time. A brand new apron, obviously. Sleeveless dress because you're going to get hot with all of that cooking and running about. A cardigan for when you can sit for long enough to cool down and remember it is indeed December. 

However you do or don't celebrate, we hope you do it happily and safely. 

This Day in History and What You Should Wear Out Tonight

by Maria

2000
The Texas 7 escape from prison and go on a high-profile crime spree. This calls for a simple orange blouse for obvious reasons. Western ankle booties for equal parts rustic mobility and pizzaz. Let  your y2k alter-ego run amok with bell bottoms and the Louis Vuitton monogrammed clutch you know you still have in some dark corner of your closet.

1972
On this day the last humans-- Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt of NASA's Apollo 17 program-- set foot on the moon. Cultivate a subtle astronaut vibe. Now would be a good time to break out those silver pants you just knew you needed at the time but haven't worn since. White turtleneck. Moonstone. Red white and blue color scheme. Failure is not an option.

1545
The Council of Trent marks the beginning of the Catholic counterreformation. If you're anything like me, you know you can take the girl out of Catholic school but can't take the Catholic school out of the girl. Own it. Interpret it. But throw a conservative priestly robe coat over the ensemble for balance. Take offense to accusations of decadence as you clutch your statement necklace. Also, heeled loafers.

P.S. if you'd like to make me a happy woman this holiday season would you please track down that Alexander Wang polo-sweater contraption featured in the last outfit (which seems to be sold out everywhere) and gift it my way xo

New Mexico Wardrobe Concept

by Maria

As soon as I finish the exam that brings my penultimate fall semester to a close, I'm making a beeline Southwest. This is my first proper winter vacation so I'm certainly not making informed decisions as I pack and shop.  Instead, I'm relying on my daydreamy visions of that cozy mountain aesthetic as exemplified by:

Wraps, ponchos, fluffy blanket scarves

xxxx

Turtlenecks

xxxxx

Parkas, tall boots, white sneakers

xxxx

Long cardigans, cozy socks

xx

Denim & Corduroy

xxxxxx

Cossack Hats, naturally 

This Guy 

Edward S. Curtis, An Apsaroke man on horseback on snow-covered ground, probably in the Pryor Mountains, Montana, 1908

Why Are You so Obsessed with Me?: An Open Letter to Karl Lagerfeld

By Maria 

I hate to be dramatic, but I have a bone to pick with yesterday's Chanel's Métier d'Art show in which Karl Lagerfeld premiered his undeniably stunning Pre-Fall '15 Salzburg collection. His designs drew inspiration from Austria's Empress Elisabeth, who was endearingly known by many as simply Sissi. You may remember her as played by Romy Schneider in the 1950s biopic trilogy, but if you need a refresher course, you've come to the right place. 

Our girl was born a Bavarian duchess before marrying into the Austrian royal family at age 16. Renowned for her beauty and personal style (and that hair), she quickly became the toast of mid-19th century Central Europe. However, Sissi was also the first Archetypal Trendy Sad Girl. The Lana del Rey of 1855, if you will. She even expressed her inner demons though sad girl poetry:

Years have gone and drawn away,

but they will never unite us two again.
Questioning at night I look at the stars,
none gave me back help or answer.
Soon I came near to you, soon again far away.
Are you already lingering on another star?

Begs to be put to a melancholy harp melody á la Video Games, no? In addition, she may or may not have had an illicit affair with a Hungarian count, and was STABBED TO DEATH by an assassin but played it so cool that no one realized it until she died hours later. 

So what's my issue with Lagerfeld? Not to toot my own horn here, but my dad has been telling me I resemble Empress Elisabeth for years. I've taken a whole lot of pride in that. Had a major Sissi moment last January, as a matter of fact. 

Stop stealing my thunder, Mr. Lagerfeld. Sissi was my thing. And this isn't your first offense. Remember your 2011 Paris Byzance show, which just happened to follow my 10th grade Byzantine phase? I thought I was Theodora reincarnated and you took that away from me.  

Have you been stalking me all this time? Would you stop designing collections that appropriate my otherwise obscure historical doppelgängers/lady obsessions without at least consulting me first? Who's next? Peggy O'Neal? Mata Hari?

And while I'm not sure how I feel about Delevingne's portrayal of the Empress, Pharrell as Franz Joseph is SO GOOD. It's all so good. Your collection is brilliant and I'm salty about it. Good day, sir.

Cossack Hat Season

Julie Christie behind the scenes of Doctor Zhivago (1965) 

by Maria 

I'm no hat person. I'd restrain with a messy bun before I'd cover with a baseball cap.  My hair could keep a small village warm without the help of your beanies and berets. Keep your earmuffs. Furthermore,  my multifunctional mane lends itself to my aversion to over-accessorizing. I've never met a wide-brimmed fedora I didn't remove before arriving at the intended destination, because it was just too much

She naively thought to herself, as the polar vortex of anguish and gloom swirled somewhere in the not-so-far-off distance, unbeknownst to our hatless wonder. 

Yes, this season I am proactively investing ("investing") in a faux fur cossack hat. It will accompany the periwinkle hand-me-down that became the star of my Cold War spy Halloween costume all the way back in 2011, when I was living in New Orleans and knew nothing of parkas. I invite you all to join me in this luxurious preemptive strike. 

New York Fashion Week AW 2013...Sung Hee Kim | Vanessa Jackman 

Paris Fashion Week AW 2014...Eva | Vanessa Jackman

The above look is one I intend to replicate a hundred times over as I narrowly avoid cabin fever in the mountains of New Mexico with my boyfriend and my senior thesis side-piece. Festive pajama sets. Stans. The gang's all here. 

Saoirse Ronan in Hanna (2011)

Both Topshop and Asos have several reasonably-priced variations on the theme. Grab winter by the balls for under $50. 

I'll bring the vodka. 

Are Bootcut Jeans the Real Mom Jeans? and Other Burning Questions

by Maria

On a Thursday in November I wondered

The term basic has comfortably eased its way into our vernacular. While the archetypal basic is easier to identify than, say, the hipster of years passed, some undeniably gray areas remain. But for simplicity's sake, let's define the basic as one who unapologetically subscribes to mainstream trends and culture. 

Now, enter normcore. This term, while less ubiquitous, is a bit easier to pin down. Its early proponents claimed to dress in a way that was accessible, not overly fashionable, and did not stand out. Normcore was regarded as backlash to the millennial brand of narcissism and individuality. This mission statement says nothing of a particular look, but term has become synonymous with 90s high-waisted "mom" jeans, white turtlenecks & sneakers, and anything else the cast of Seinfeld would deem wearable in its heyday. As overalls and denim-on-demin are now favorites among the trendiest streetstyle stars, subscription to this trend (subculture? movement?) would hardly mean that you'd blend.  If that were the case, we wouldn't need the normcore/basic distinction in the first place. 

Normcore can realistically be defined as an appropriation of the most dressed-down mainstream trends of the early 1990s. But that same aesthetic continues to creep its way into mainstream culture, or in mainstream fashion circles at the very least. After all, when was the last time you saw a suburban mom actually wearing mom jeans? We're going to assume in the meantime you've seen a light-wash pair on sale at Urban Outfitters, or on that one sorority sister regarded to be a little more offbeat than the rest. So what do overworked moms of two under three really wear? 

Bootcut jeans. 

As the 90s-- mom jeans included-- become solidified in mainstream style, should we look to the early-mid 2000s for inspiration? And who gets to claim cozy sweaters? 

I am left with more questions than answers. 

This Week in History and What you Should be Wearing

by Maria 

Unorthodox sources of sartorial inspiration tend to be the best sources. Cashmere trousers have everything to do with John Adams. Find out why.

Tuesday, November 25

The Hollywood Ten were blacklisted today in 1947 for refusing to comply with questioning by the House Un-American Activity Committee for alleged communist leanings. This calls for some red on red, with a little envelope bag to hide your secrets. Look suspicious. Or don’t, if you’re engaging in pre-Thanksgiving air travel. Or do.