047. Evaluating the eccentric (revisited).

Every once in awhile, I have this recurring conversation with myself. It goes like this:

"That has got to be the most bizarre thing I've ever seen.

"...But...I love it.

"Yeah, it's definitely kind of weird--but--"

"I MUST OWN THIS."

I will admit that a significant number of clothing and accessories I own have sprung from the resolution of this particular dialogue. And no, I'm not going to be ashamed about it, because I am most passionate about clothing that is practically offensive in its bombasticness. I'm not talking about a god-awful Gucci monogrammed pair of pants; no, that's just shockingly repulsive (unless you are able to work wonders with the rest of the outfit). When things are shockingly bizarre, at first sight, I am fascinated with them. As I begin to unravel what makes them so unusual, I realize it is the tiny elements which are beautiful and the combination which is odd. And by this time, I've decided whether you like the item, or if it's been badly done.

I'm currently trying to decide whether I like these Marc Jacobs flats.


ShopBop.com
Okay, so there are probably two potential reactions that people would have for these shoes: 1) Omigod, do we really need more Sesame Street in fashion? Down with the clown shoes! 2) What a beautiful color palette for shoes! I like how playful these look. They would definitely be a signature piece for one of my outfits.

I happen to situate myself closer to the latter camp, but I have a few complaints:

1) Suede sucks. In my experience, suede is even worse than wearing white, because at least you can get something white washed, bleached, or dry cleaned, but suede has this annoying habit of not only attracting dirt, but adhering to it. And let's not de-emphasize the fact that suede also seems to carry static electricity; it picks up everything. And then of course you must remember that suede has that annoying two-tone quality where you have to, like, rub it all in the same direction or it's going to look spotty. Don't get me wrong, I love suede and I wish I could wear it all the time! But it isn't durable. I mean, it is, but it doesn't look good for too long.

2) Marc Jacobs shoes are rarely comfortable. I've tried on so many pairs and, well, this is what I know. My feet have been in bad shape since the beginning of the summer, and for this I will not blame a shoe company, but could a little padding a la Seychelles really hurt? I don't understand why shoemakers don't consider comfort. I hate having to earn my way into a pair of shoes via trial by fire.

3) Is the pom-pom really all that endearing? Hey, I am totally up for pom-poms. I had this teacher in elementary school who endeared me to pom-poms by passing them out in class as a reward for good behavior. She invented this myth about these special pom-poms where they each had a personality and were afraid of the light, so you had to cup them in your hands. So I have a soft spot in my heart for the secret lives of pom-poms. But at a closer look, these particular pom-poms just aren't that great. They're kind of shabby-looking. By which I mean cheap. I am absolutely certain that you could find these pom-poms for five cents at a crafts store. In which case, I might as well just buy a suede shoe from J.Crew for half the price, and superglue the accessory on it. This would cost FAR less, plus the shoe might even be of better quality. Yes, I suppose I'm just a pom-pom elitist at heart.

So, even though my observations here are unavoidably negative, I don't mind this shoe...I'd just rather see it on someone else's foot than mine. Let bygones be bygones, Marc. Since your derivative collection is evolving very well, I'll simply expect better from you next season.

Oh, and I promise to update more. I'm not sure how well I'll live up to this promise, however, because law school starts on Monday...

041. Revisiting un objet d'art.

I snapped this of the BFF when we were trying on clothes at CUSP.



It's a good thing neither of us actually wanted to front the cash for this dress because we might have had to fight to the death for it.

Oh, Marc by Marc Jacobs SS08.

038. Marc by Marc Jacobs, redux.

With the recent explosion of fashion qua pop culture, many designers have jumped on the bandwagon to create diffusion lines. After all, everyone wants something with a designer logo on it, and designers can easily take advantage of this by creating a cheaper line. There are only so many wealthy clientele who can afford your $3000 dresses; why not make an additional profit? It's a quick fix for both consumer and producer, although I myself am getting a little disturbed at how mainstream designer goods are getting. The label isn't worth shit if you can buy a piece of Mizrahi on sale for $3.29. (That decimal point is not displaced. Although, diffusion lines usually range from the $90-$600 price range these days, and Isaac Mizrahi for Target isn’t technically a "diffusion" line, just a sponsored collection.)

Marc by Marc Jacobs has been a source of frustration for me for quite a while. I used to really adore Marc Jacobs. His collections were fantastic a few years ago, he was definitely one of my favorite American designers.

But my dislike of Jacobs' most recent work is a different subject entirely. I couldn't stand Marc by Marc Jacobs when it first started showing, for two reasons. First, the line wasn't even designed by Jacobs, so what was the point? Okay, so this apparently happens a lot - but honestly, it didn't seem to have any relevancy to the real Marc Jacobs line! It was just him stamping his name onto these cheaper, unrelated outfits! Second, the clothing and bags were literally cheap. I've been to MMJ stores, I've seen the clothes in person, the buttons are badly sewn, the seams are nothing like regular Marc Jacobs RTW.

I also thought most of the clothing was heinously ugly.

But recently, MMJ has been shaping up. Every season I notice more things I like. The prices have begun to reflect the improving quality and taste of the garments; I also like the bags more. I do find it hilarious that the so-called MMJ shoes are just as expensive as, say, a pair of Miu Mius. That will never cease to amuse me. Anyway, the clothing and bags are achieving more recognition as times goes on.

From MMJ Spring 2008:


Style.com
Um, how fabulous is this outfit? It’s quirky and adorable and all kinds of pretty. I must have it!...After I sell my soul on eBay.


Style.com
Available here at ShopBop
After traipsing around Neiman’s, Bloomie’s, and Cusp all evening eyeing the MMJ displays, I finally tried on this dress and fell in love. Well, I already knew I wanted it. But now I know I have to have it. "Sale" being the operative word here. If only ShopBop would make some obscene error and accidentally mark down this dress to 75% off, or better, 95% off, or…well, I can dream, damnit.

I know that dress has been splattered all over the pages of every fashion magazine that has enough revenue to print in color, but whatever, you’re seeing it again because it’s AMAZING.


Style.com
And finally, for a peek at fall's MMJ collection. Also looking quite good. Some designers have been focusing on the tailoring of garments lately, or the texture or shape of the clothing. Marc by Marc Jacobs' most noticeable feature is patterning. And who doesn't love a smattering of polka dots on a eentsy little black-collared cream blouse and criss-cross stitching on a pencil skirt?

Shaddup!