Pretty Women
It has been noted that in times of instability, be it economic, political, or otherwise, designers err on the side of conservative dressing—we find safety by covering up. Whether that is true or not, the clothes speak for themselves.
It started with the glove-shaped invitations Betsey Johnson sent out for her School of Charm show, where the audience sat at four-person round tables and drank tea. Jill Stuart and Tracy Reese came out with black patent leather opera-length gloves. Similarly, Jayson Brunsdon chose silk and satin gloves studded with Swarvoski crystals for his classy collection. And Ralph Lauren paired short black and brown suede gloves with his classic suits and little black dresses. Meanwhile, Brooklyn duo Costello Tagliapietra finished off jersey numbers with short maroon gloves, lending the casual dresses an elegant finish.
The glove love was only one element of many ladylike looks that grazed the fall runways—bow accents on backs, bums, necks, and feet; high waists, pleats, and hats. Marc Jacobs’ collection was downright tame—long-sleeved dresses past the knees, suspiciously proper wide-rimmed hats? And did you get a look at that covered-up eveningwear? It looks as if the wild girls are growing up.
Just look at the glove creations of ladylike suit-and-pearls king Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel last year—fingerless gloves weighed down by metal charms, paired with short skirts and leather, and compare them to the elegant designs of, say, the usually adventurous Marc Jacobs for Fall ’07. The New York shows demonstrated a shift not only in what we wear, but also in how we wear it.
After seasons of imitating of other personas—the coquettish girl in the flirty chiffon dress, the granny underneath-layers of knits, or the cheeky tomboy in shorts and skinny jeans—now just might be the season when ladies dress as, and for, themselves.