FALL COUTURE : an art form, up close

the couture shows for winter were what they always are:

an unattainable, yet lovely,

expression of all that a couturier can dream of,

and then make real, for a moment.



most of us won't have lives where we ever wear this stuff,

(not the least reason being that it's women's clothing only . . .)

but it surely informs and influences every aspect of fashion downstream,

from colors to textures to lengths . . .



after all, that's what dreams are supposed to do,

seep into daily consciousness.



your homework here is to look closely,

and tell me what you see that inspires you.

what can men learn from a frothy, imaginative rundown of women's fantasies?



in some ways, guys need to spend more time seeking inspiration,

and less worrying about what works.



my mother (who, among other things, was a very successful interior designer in the eighties),

once made me pull every page from every kind of magazine that i liked,

then lay them on the floor,

step back,

and see what rose to the top.

that way, i would know what i consistently was drawn to,

be it color or shape or lighting.



for the record, i liked red sofas,

violet walls,

dark wood floors,

and alabaster.

(i've moved on.  but it was a stunning apartment.)



here, a few snippets from lacroix and chanel

that should make you yearn a bit

for reasons to keep this art form

alive: