These are my favourite and most inspirational images from the Spring/Fall 08 runways. Funnily enough, some of these shows are the ones that just got torn apart by the reviewers on style.com. But, I don't go for trends as much as get inspired by a girly/vintage aesthetic tempered by tougher & rocker influences.
Therefore, I love the Sass & Bide, Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs, Erin Fetherston, Luella, and Jovovich-Hawk (RIP) shows. They seemed to be inspired by sailor, frothy girly, bohemian, grunge, safari, school-girl/boy, rocker/punk, mod looks. Which, despite being all over the board, are all my favourites (in reference to the u in favourite, although I live in America now, I am a Canadian, and we use the British spelling, as much as my yankee boyfriend makes fun of me for it).
The only time I really look at fashion fashion is when the Spring and Fall shows come out, and I spend half an hour browsing my favourite designers on Style.com.
I'm someone who always appreciates things that are aesthetically pleasing, but I really don't like the disposable and unsustainable aspects of the fashion industry. Clothes used to be something I thought about a lot more- anyone remember when my collection of mod dresses basically overtook my room? But now, I'd rather spend my time reading about current events or watching films than wasting time and money shopping. also cannot buy copious amounts of clothing from unethical corporations any longer without it weighing on my conscience.
Living in the US, where all of these chain stores make mass-produced clothing so affordable, makes me think a lot about what the "real cost" of clothing is. If you haven't seen it, I recommend watching the documentary "Life and Debt," which discusses the effects of US business on the life of Jamaicans. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5277094596195828118
Although I do still buy mass-produced clothing, I make conscious effort to support local designers, buy second-hand, and sew using materials gathered from thrift stores. Although many people laugh at the amount of leather in my wardrobe since I'm a vegetarian, all of the leather jackets/boots I have are second-hand.
I used to be a total clothes-horse. But, moving all of the time made me realize how burdened I was with "stuff." I like to feel like I have an escape route and know that I am free to book a spontaneous one-way plane ticket (if my credit card's not maxed out) anytime I want to. In the last couple of years, I have donated or sold 75% of my wardrobe, and I don't regret it whatsoever. I also just don't care about putting in the effort to look like hot shit anymore. I would, simply, just rather have fun and not take clothing so seriously.It has also forced me to revisit my personal style and realize that it is unsustainable to jump on every hipster trend bandwagon (I am also getting a bit too old, admittedly. I can't dress Nu Rave when I was going to actual raves a decade ago and I'm not going to buy a Keffiyah from a mall and cheapen a cultural symbol).
So my personal style is a hodge podge of inspirations and eras- French films, bohemian, mod, skid (hah), punk, 1960s everywhere, old photos from the 1920s-1940s, etc. Yes, of course, I am still a little vintage clothing obsessed.
