Lectura de sambata dimineata

Haideti sa incepem cu lucrurile mici, dar dragute si feminine. French Style este cartea pe care v-o ofera luna aceasta Books Express si nu, nu este doar pentru francofile! Este o carte incantatoare, eu m-am pierdut intre paginile ei glossy si colorate, este perfecta pentru dimineti de sambata cu cafea si croissant, mai ales daca vreti sa aduceti Parisul la Bucuresti… Daca o biblioteca plina de carti nu este your cup of tea, poate va surade ideea unei garderobe de 2,000 de euro? La asta s-a gandit Colgate, drept pentru care au construit o aplicatie cu care va puteti juca pe facebook. Iar apoi va invit sa reveniti aici, sa imi impartasiti stilul vostru si sa primiti un mic cadou.

Hai sa vorbim si despre lucrurile importante. Cum v-ati propus sa terminati anul? Cum va imaginati ca il veti incepe pe urmatorul? Stiti ce vreti sa faceti, cine vreti sa deveniti, cum vreti sa aratati?

Chestia cu rezolutiile de inceput de an este ca nu ar trebui sa fie „lista interminabila, nesfarsita a tuturor lucrurilor la care visati”, ci ar trebui sa fie doar cele mai importante – lucruri, momente, obiective -, cele care v-ar schimba viata, al caror impact ar fi fantastic si v-ar aduce lacrimi de bucurie in ochi: sa invatati sa spuneti „nu”, sa cantati karaoke in public, sa faceti turul lumii in balon, sa slabiti 20 de kilograme, sa parasiti casa parinteasca si sa deveniti independente, sa iertati oameni din trecut, sa strangeti bani pentru vacanta visurilor voastre, sa va dati demisia, sa invatati ceva nou, sa faceti un copil, sa va schimbati radical stilul vestimentar…

Speaking of which, am dat de curand peste un citat al lui Colin McDowell, care mi-a ramas intiparit in minte. Poate va inspira…

 „To some extent, all dress is fancy dress, unless it is purely practical. Once anyone owns more than one set of garments, dressing for the day becomes a series of decisions  – conscious or otherwise – about how to present oneself to the world. The clothes become part of whatever character it is wished to create. Thus, in a psychological sense, the adult’s wardrobe remains an echo of the child’s dressing-up box.

The power of clothes is that they are tools in our constant quest to find a personality with which we are comfortable. They are like the decorative and often concealing masks that liberate revelers from the responsibilities and repressions of daily life. They allow a new spirit to take over. We can be bold where we are normally shy, flirtatious when usually modest, provocative instead of correct.”

Ganditi-va cine sunteti si cine vreti sa deveniti. Inainte sa va las cu recomandarile de lectura ale acestei saptamani, spun „La Multi Ani!” tuturor Andrelor si Andreelor care ma citesc!

Lessons from the stylish: Jenna Lyons – „The creative director and president of J.Crew does have a distinctive look: boy meets girlie, with those supersize-me spectacles that have now become so mainstream she thinks she may have to rethink that detail. Not that she’s precious about her style.” In The Telegraph.

How Alyssa Milano created a fan-gear fashion empire for women – “‘My idea was to make Touch fashionable enough for women to wear outside the arena,’ Milano says. The line, which was launched in 2008, now includes $85 quilted jackets in team colors, $45 jeans with logos on the back pockets, and $30 pendant necklaces with the logo in a crystal-lined silver heart.” In Business Week.

As the clothes come off, the magazines dress up – „In a sudden surge of upscale pornography, Treats is among several erotic publications that aim to titillate and provoke.” In NY Times.

Top luxury brands are losing their shine in China – “As China’s market for luxury goods matures, some second-tier brands are seeing an opportunity. Demand for luxury goods is set to slow this year, hurt by Beijing’s anticorruption drive, decelerating economic growth and increasingly discerning shoppers. Top brands can no longer figure that whatever they ship to China will be snapped up.” In Wall Street Journal.

The investment dresser: Tux Redux – „Not so long ago tuxedo dressing was considered a bit of a butch option. You had to be very vampy (Bianca Jagger), trampy (a lady doesn’t name names) or French to negate the macho vibes. Or you could take the cartoonishly feminine road to counteract the blokeishness. But not hour-glass.” In The Telegraph.

Norma Kamali is playing dress up with sweatshirts – “Who could have predicted a couple of years ago that the homebody sweatshirt would attain high-fashion status? Well, Norma Kamali, for one. It was, after all, Ms. Kamali who in the late 70s transformed this downtime staple, linked with the locker room and the living room couch, into a fashion trophy.” In NY Times.

How old-school shoe brand Allen Edmonds reinvented its image – “Management at Allen Edmonds used to joke that when they saw a hearse go by, they knew they’d lost a customer. That was then. Here’s how the Wisconsin-based shoemaker played up its heritage for a new generation.” In Fast Company.

The J.Crew invasion – “With prices hovering above fast-fashion chains such as Zara and H&M but below designer lines such as Alexander Wang and Thom Browne, J.Crew has found a lucrative niche as an aspirational destination for younger shoppers and the go-to store for wealthy customers seeking wardrobe staples. ‘I don’t want to risk being arrogant, but I think a lot of what we’ve done has connected emotionally with America,’ says Drexler.” In Business Week.

The rise of the accessories designer: who’s got the power? – “We all know accessories – which is to say, bags – are the golden brick upon which so many luxury brands’ profits are built, and it is an open secret that every house has its own accessory team, with leader. However, traditionally those teams-and-leaders have been largely nameless and unrecognised; the ‘creative director’ given the credit for all such product successes.” In Financial Times.

In London, a cult fashion boutique with lofty aspirations – “Since opening in 2010 in a Victorian building on Redchurch Street in London’s Shoreditch district, the men’s wear boutique Hostem has become a favorite for its bold, deconstructed offerings from designers like Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens and Visvim, as well as its striking, somewhat Dickensian interiors.” In T Magazine.

Denim’s opposing forces – „Faded and distressed? Or dark and pristine? Denim lovers (and designers) are taking sides.” In Wall Street Journal.

Evening’s new high glamour – „The high-low era of making your gown look downtown has had its moment. The new rebellion: wearing your party best, from head to toe.” In Wall Street Journal.