In a Fashion State of Mind...

Oh New York, London, Milan, how I wish I was at each fall fashion collection showing in each city. Due to time and financial constraints, I had to settle on viewing the collections on line. Here are a few of my favorites...

Jason Wu in NYC

I love any collection that has that timeless Audrey Hepburn appeal.

Ports 1961

Ohhhh, the delicate leather overlay details in this skirt! Leather has never been so feminine.

Marc Jacobs, NYC

 Well hello, futuristic 1940's. There would be no ignoring these ladies if seen walking down the street in these threads.

Preen, NYC

I love the asymmetrical skirts and the lovely details. The last picture is origami hip granny style. Love it. 

Carolina Herrera, NYC

Carolina, such an elegant woman with an amazing style. The top two are on my must buy list. I think her collection is my absolute favorite collection of fall 2011 so far (of course, eagerly awaiting Paris).

Diane Von Furstenberg, NYC
I always think of 70's inspired amazing printed dresses when I think of DVF, but I also love this!

Vera Wang, NYC

Feathers, leather, chiffon, oh la la...

Jill Stuart, NYC

There were so many owl prints in this collection...love, love, love. Reminds me of the movie Labyrinth when David Bowie turned into a white owl. It was a fantasy retro 70's collection.  And this yellow, metallic, feminine goddess number? So modern, yet so delicate. I would invent an occasion any day of the week just to wear this dress.

Prabal Gurung, NYC

This is classic with a bold edge. For my strong confident side...

Rodarte, NYC

 But I am a romantic at heart. I am such a fan of Rodarte! A tribute to the fall harvest at your feet and
wrapped luxuriously in these two amazing sisters vision of the sky. The entire collection was like remembering my childhood days on the farm in Iowa...I WISH!!! It almost makes me nostalgic for time I spent on my aunt's farm. Unfortunately, there were less fashionable, wandering through the fields, singing, dressed amazingly moments and more getting up at the ass crack of dawn to do hard labor as a young child rather than playing moments. Nonetheless, it takes me back with fond memories. That's how amazing of a collection this is.

Alberta Ferretti, NYC

I love that early 60's look, when Audrey Hepburn was the screen goddess, there were no paparazzi, women wore hats, and everyone wrote hand written thank yous instead of emails. I was born in the wrong era...

Etro, Milan

I am such a romantic bohemian. I am so in love with the tribal spring/summer prints of Etro. So glad
to see more amazing patterns in the fall collection. I really adore the Asian/SE Asian inspiration.

Gucci, Milan

 Oh, the Italians and their flair for drama. Annoying in soccer games, outstanding on the runway (and on any woman's body)!

Bottega Veneta, Milan

I cannot get enough! Another homage to the lovely 60's. Adore, adore, adore.

Mary Katrantzou, London

So artistic and amazing! I love the print, the shape, and can just imagine the luxurious feel of the silk. She looks like a collectible tea cup!

 I cannot wait until the shows Paris! I am counting the days!!!

Pictures from fashiongonerogue.com

Dream of the 90's lives on.

Oh the 90's...spoken word by guys in goatees wearing docs and flannel shirts performing in packed coffee houses. And thankfully, this exists today in Portlandia. Only now its called poetry slam, a mix of ladies and gents wearing vintage clothing, skinny jeans, and converses, and last night it was dominated by lovely, loquacious lesbians.

I went to the poetry slam last night at Backspace in old town. Evan (a female) Pritchard and Libby Howard (spellings?) were the clear winners to me, two amazing women.  Listening to them made me feel as if I was knocked unconscious and breathless, and awoke to a sharp clarity.  Love, Hate, dying parents, addiction...there are no taboos on the subjects of their poetry, and the artists do not hold back.

I greatly admire these artists, I am amazed at the courage they have to figuratively strip naked and expose their most vulnerable selves.  Their cadence is like a literal war, just unabashedly shooting away until exhaustion, victory, or death.  I ordered a glass of wine at the beginning, and 2 hours later noticed I had been too mesmerized by their performance to even take a drink.  Not even a drop of wine with the glass in my hand? Now that is a new measure of captivation for me.

The joy of travel...

What in life inspires you, tests your limits and comfort zones, makes you question your views of life and the world more than traveling to a different country? As I write, my husband is in India, then off to Sri Lanka, and finally China. I was supposed to be by his side, but foolishly opted not to go since we have traveled so much in the past 6 months. Just back from a trip the end of December, when we were making the plans and buying the tickets, the thought of getting on a plane again in the beginning of February and taking off for a month sounded exhausting. Now, as I sit home (actually, I am working my arse off at the hospital more than anything), I realize what a big mistake I made. Missing my Habibi (husband) greatly and longing to see a new part of the world.

Sri Lanka, you see, has been on the top of my list to travel. I have been to India a few times, and of course, who wouldn't want to see the Great Wall of China? But Sri Lanka has held a special place in my heart since 7th grade. My great aunt and uncle lived for a few years in India and had me mesmerized with the stories and art they came back with (though also a bit terrified of the struggle and conflict). So in 7th grade when faced with choosing a country to write about, I thought, why not the lovely island off of the most religiously and ethnically diverse country I can think of? An India with less strife, I imagined, and even more natural beauty. Indian food, perhaps similar culture, but with mostly lush green jungles and lazy, warm beaches, winding rivers, safaris, and ancient temples. I imagined it like a smaller India, easier to navigate, and more laid back.

Less than a year ago my husband and I promised we would never travel without each other again. And now I sit in the cold, rainy northwest, missing my beloved while he plays Indian Jones searching for antiques for his family's business. And I must wait until the fall, when we plan to return to India and Sri Lanka. I must suppress the urge to step onto the soil of a new land, breath the air of a new place, discover the smells and colors of a village unknown to me. Counting the sleeps until my husband returns to my arms, and then the weeks until our next adventure.