Androgyny Me

It has taken the greater fashion-sphere to take notice of something that I have always known and that is: its better on the other side, of the gender dress code, that is. With more "mainstream" males and females co-opting articles of clothing from each other and wearing them with their own style, it was bound to become de riguer (almost) for the masses to take note and follow.

I have always loved that, through fashion, you can come to express yourself and carve out a sartorial definition of yourself, no matter how you chart the course. If you want to wear a tailored suit head-to-toe, or a prim and pretty dress with matching accessories, its all good. As long as you stay within the lines? Um, no thanks. We all have to remember that fashion is an outlet, a creative process, used for express of the craft/art and of the individual. It allows us to pick and choose and carve out our own individual display by offering us the multitude of choice. For men nowadays to wear women's clothes shouldn't be outrageous or strange, or for women to do the same thing as sexy and defiant. It should be, I feel, natural and unexpectedly expected of anyone to choose any style of dress or any item of clothing from any gender closet to express who they are.

So what if Kanye wore a woman's shirt (er, blouse)? He saw the art in it and wanted to wear it. And rock it. So what if Janelle Monae wore a tuxedo to the Grammys?? She wore it with gusto and damned well showed all of us a thing or two about tailoring. So what if Blake Lively wore a super mini pair of shorts to the Chanel Resort show in Cannes? She was wearing Chanel!

We all have choices. Pick and choose your own, and wear them because it makes you feel good, and look good, in your very own, gender-you style.

-fggofstyle

It is not the Future, it is the Now!!:

Is Gender-Neutral Fashion The Future?: style file: daily fashion, party, and model news

The Future of Award Show Dressing: Met Gala Ball 2011

Janelle Monae

Madonna in Stella McCartney with Guy O' Seary

Brooke Luger and Zoe Saldana in Calvin Klein

Fashion's annual "Academy Awards" event, the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala, this year presented in celebration of Alexander McQueen's "Savage Beauty" exhibition at the museum, is usually an indication of how Hollywood will be dressing during its annual Awards Season. This year at the Met, the starlets and fashion darlings took their gowns to body-conscious heights and skin-baring points of fancy. The gown shape most prevalent was close to the body and fitted, while the usual "sexy" element of lace was used in a similarly fitting and sexy way as the peek-a-boo surprise of skin. Also prevalent was the high slit, which is a surprising and daring element for gowns. And finally, color, bold and bright and beautiful, wasn't shied away from. I hope that come Awards Season, the stylists-that be and their star clients will take major cues from the Met Gala and incorporate most of these great gown looks into their event selections. Its time that we get sexiness, glamour, and daring drama during Awards Season. Take a peek at some of my favorites, and be sure to click the links below for more.

-fggofstyle

Ginnifer Goodwin in TopShop

Tony Awards and Emmy Awards Alert: Sheath Gowns With High Slits Up the Side | Fashion Rules!

The Top 21 Best Dressed at the Met Costume Institute Gala – Fashionista: Fashion Industry News, Designers, Runway Shows, Style Advice

Cristina Ricci in Zac Posen

Diana Kruger in Jason Wu

"There Is Only One Kate in London"

Kate Moss for Agent Provacateur
(photo via fashionista.com)

This amazing and bold image is from an Agent Provocateur Bridal ad done a few years ago.
If there ever was a statement about the recent Royal Wedding...

-fggofstyle

Ramblin' Rosy

As a personal stylist and retail expert, I get called upon to assist with some serious shopping for a wide range of clients. I have had the most distinct pleasure of making the acquaintance of a fashion savvy and in-the-know client known as Rosy, who was in town on her "Rosy Reports" assignment for the well known and renown website "Love always, Bear". She was shopping with her Mom and celebrity stylist Sydne Summer. Rosy is one fantastically stylish "gal". Thanks so much and the pleasure was all mine!

-fggofstyle

The Dress We All Waited For

Princess Catherine in her wedding gown, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
(photo via CBS.com)

It was the dress that we all waited for and, in my opinion, it did not disappoint. Elegant, intricate, masterly crafted, and simply beautiful, Princess Catherine chose a dress for the history books. It is also a much deserved and honored tribute to Britian's premier designer, the late Alexander McQueen and an evolutionary push toward the future for his design house's new designer, Sarah Burton. By wearing a gown by such a prolific modern designer/label as McQueen, the Princess is saying oodles to the public: she will be on the cusp and of-the-moment but also classic and fun. Taking many cues from Princess Diana's designer sartorial leanings is a good call, and it will be fun and interesting to see how Princess Catherine grows in her style. Her first step, seen here, is a fabulous one.

-fggofstyle

Related articles

• Details: Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen Dress (time.com)

Coachella--Fashion's Spring Carnival

Kirsten Dunst and Alexander Skaarsgard at Coachella
(photo via fashionindie.com)

Has the annual Spring music festival become a carnival of sorts for Spring fashion? It's been a few years now that the fun music event held annually in Palm Springs has garnered a look here and there from the fashion eyes but I truly believe this year it has come to a culmination. Perhaps because more celebs and more musical artists are participating and/or attending Coachella, the style barometer has risen on what and who is wearing (or barely wearing) to the event. Take a look at two of my favorite slideshows of the sartorial selections from this year's Coachella and see if you can see the trends and what we will all most likely be wearing this summer. As the fashion radar focuses in more and more on Coachella, the event may just be the trend forecasting of our collective summer wardrobes, pasties and all...

Slideshow: See What Kanye West, Dita Von Teese, Kate Bosworth, and Other Famous People Sweated In at Coachella This Weekend -- The Cut

Coachella 2011 Street Style -- FashionIndie

Enjoy!
-fggofstyle

Inès De La Fressange brings the "Chic"

Ines De La Fressange
(photo via Huffington Post) 

Ever chic, and tres French, model and Chanel muse Inès De La Fressange can do no wrong in this cover shot for French magazine "Madame Figaro".

This woman is truly, quintessentially, stylish and chic. Maybe the definition of it, at least in the white hot moment of now as far as "French style" is concerned. Writing a best seller also helps ("Parisian Chic: A Style Guide"), and being a long time model also adds to the panache and allure. I think it is because she is herself and true to her own style that makes Inès  a fashion luminary and an icon.

-fggofstyle

Related articles

• This Is What 'Parisienne' Looks Like (nytimes.com)

Video: Tyra and ALT Play with Shoes (Fa Fa Fa Fashion!)

Fun and silliness abound in this funny "fashion learning course" video from Tyra Banks and Andre Leon Talley, who are hamming it up but giving us a lesson on the stiletto shoe. One of a number of videos from Tyra's newest venture, Fa Fa Fa Fashion , in which she gives "retired supermodel" tips on all things fashion, in a funny and tongue-in-cheek, total Tyra style. The best quips and quotes come from Andre ("fashion is pain" LOL) which is no surprise. Take a peek and have a laugh and learn a thing or two about a shoe. Enjoy!

-fggofstyle

The Stiletto -- powered by TYPEF.COM

"When Tommy Met Anna": A Fashionista's Exhibit

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

a preview photo from "When Tommy Met Anna" exhibition
(photo via www.annadellorusso.com)

I have been watching the friendship between Anna Dello Russo and Jak & Jil's Tommy Ton develop for a few seasons now and enjoying it. It is great to see how much Anna "plays" for Tommy's camera and how Tommy captures every fantastical fashion moment that she delivers during the European shows. It is no wonder that ADR has become one of the most photographed, followed, and influential of the editors who attend the shows each season. ADR has allowed herself to become accessible because she herself has allowed access to "her world" through the eyes and lens of Tommy Ton.
In this day when fashion has finally been worthy of artistic exhibition, a new exhibit pops up on the regular. Fashion is rooted in design, execution, and display and done in many different mediums, with photography as its long-time partner. Tommy Ton's photos of ADR have helped to push street style blog sites to the forefront and have elevated fashion photography by adding realism to the genre. It is no wonder that a new exhibition entitled "When Tommy Met Anna" is now on view in Toronto department store the Bay. This may be Ton's first exhibition but I hope it is a sign of things to come. His images have inspired me (and you as well I'm sure) and his eye is crafted and honed because he sees the fashion world as this dazzling circus with lots of eye candy to share. I think a travelling collection of his images should make the rounds next. My fingers crossed, in hopes of this, but I'll take "When Tommy Met Anna" for now, because there is no fashion subject more fun and polarizing as ADR, and she gives good "show". She continues to push her own envelope and shares with us her love of style and lives her fashion as art, doing it all for us and her beloved Tommy Ton.

-fggofstyle

Related articles

• Anna Dello Russo Wears Abercrombie at Home?! (nymag.com)

Cover Commando: Prada Spring 2011

It's no wonder Prada can command the presence of a major fashion magazine cover because, in every sense of the word, Miuccia Prada can make even burlap the height of fashion, because she is this generation's fashion style savant. Collection after collection comes out in stellar form, devoid of pretense and full of promise and, no doubt style. The Spring 2011 Collection continues to fuel the Prada machine, landing what could be a record number of covers, 48 and counting. Aside from the sheer number, I think we need to examine what the point is being made here by fashion, Prada, and pop culture right now. To me, I feel that this may be the point, or, rather, my interpretation of it (suffice it to say this all comes from viewing a collection with a certain eye and a certain psychology, and gosh-darn-it a "I covet that" desire):

"Avenuel" Magazine
(photo via fashionista.com)

1. I hope its not lost on the masses the true appeal and fun of colorful dressing

2. shows that stylists do in fact share a collective thought-sense with a common vision of moving a fashion consciousness into the public stream of style development

3. injects whimsy and lightens our mood and approach to Spring dressing

4. everyone gets that its fun to get dressed always (and again).

5. Miuccia has a damn good PR firm spinning the wheels

6. start wearing more color NOW

I was telling someone just today that I could be getting close to being over seeing this collection all over the place but honestly I was just projecting how I am over wearing dark colors. Seeing the Spring collection all over the place is perhaps just the reminder that we all need to break free of the dark and step into the color and the bright...

-fggofstyle

Prada’s Spring Collection Lands 48 Covers (Way More Than We Originally Counted) – Fashionista: Fashion Industry News, Designers, Runway Shows, Style Advice