Archive for June 2008
Jun 18 2008
My Mother’s Wisdom
Mint Main - 2 years ago - Kathryn Lovell
“I base my fashion sense on what doesn’t itch.”
Gilda Radner, 1946 – 1989
| Yesterday was my mother’s birthday. (Happy Birthday Mom!) She is a lady of many talents- she can skunk you at cards, turn out a perfect meal for 30 guests and finish the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle. Style wise, my mother taught me to have fun with fashion and to always keep it in perspective. A fancy pair of shoes might make your outfit better, but they won’t make you a better person. The best dressed woman in the room is always the one with the warmest smile. Here’s some more of her style wisdom.
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Personality  My mother tells a story about her sister, Meri, buying a used raccoon fur coat that was full of holes. Their father was horrified by the cost and condition, until Meri finally cried “But Dad, I paid extra for the holes!” So go ahead- wear the piece you think is borderline ridiculous. Fashion should have a sense of humor.
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Appropriate?  “Nipples are not appropriate for every situation.” That is a direct quote from my mother to me at 19. And she’s right. Invest in undergarments. Find a lingerie boutique or department that you like, get fitted and start developing your lingerie wardrobe. You need something nude, something black and something with convertible straps.
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Iron Woman  Proper ironing can make an inexpensive item look couture. Either have your clothes laundered or invest in a good iron. Here’s a cheater trick from my mom- if you’re going to keep your sweater or jacket on all day, you only have to iron the cuffs and collar. |
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Jun 4 2008
Yves Saint Laurent
Mint Main - 2 years ago - Kathryn Lovell
“Fashion is not only supposed to make women beautiful, but to reassure them, to give them confidence, to allow them to come to terms with themselves.”
Yves Saint Laurent, 1936 – 2008
| Pea coats. Trench coats. Trapeze dresses. Safari chic. Pants. They are all part of Yves Saint Laurent legacy. He brought feminism, pop art and multiculturalism to fashion. He was the last of the great designers and his death on Sunday marks the official end of an era. No other designer had a long enough career to have so many renaissances. Lucky for us, his influence lives on in almost every fashion line today.
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Mondrian Collection  The sack dress evolved into the shift dress and St. Laurent saw the planarity of the silhouette as a perfect modern canvas for Mondrian’s geometric painting. The genius of his craftsmanship is that the dresses aren’t printed. Each color is a separate piece and the dresses are shaped through the black grid of seams.
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Le Smoking  If you have ever worn black pants to an evening event, you can thank YSL. Pants never really took off (outside weekend wear and factory work during WWII) until he debuted Le Smoking in 1966. The female tuxedo was an instant sensation, and pant suits became all the rage.
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YSL  Yves Saint Laurent with Betty Catroux and Loulou de la Falaise, all in his designs, outside his new London boutique in 1969. If you open any fashion magazine you’ll see A-line skirts, safari jackets, crazy prints, platform shoes and flowing dresses. It’s all there and it’s all him.
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I'm Kathryn Lovell, aka "Kathryn the Stylist". I've designed, sewn, repaired and restored. I've been a buyer, merchandiser, sales associate and retail consultant. I've coordinated fashion shows and costumes for theater productions. I've been a key note speaker, emcee and a corporate presenter. And I've been a stylist for almost a decade. Whew!
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