Ready-to-wear

Boing Boing links to a sufficiently bizarre outfit that seems to be a rip-off of something else, but when you get there, do continue with the rest of the collection.

Something for the weekend?

Condom Wedding Dress

Shoulders

Bare shoulders. It took me until a week or two ago to notice that the defining note of current bridal and formal isn't the absence of glop but the absence of sleeves. Strapless or sleeveless is how most posh frocks look at the moment. Why? I have no idea, except to parody the evolutionary psychologists and suggest that lithe limbs are the last measure of fitness that can't be enhanced, and in the nature of the case, legs have to be covered, so ... it's another twist in the arms race.

A flick through a recent British Brides suggests, though, that the tectonic plates may be shifting. The fashion pages look very different from the cookie-cutter corset-top ads. Lots of seventies boho chic, in white, as well as more distant influences. The cover model is wearing a high-necked, long-sleeved lace jacket. Tellingly, one of the mag's own editorial staff married in a very forties-looking number, fitted at the bodice yes, but with no boning and lots of flow, a narrow-frilled hem, and gigot sleeves. Her bridesmaids wear pale pink frocks - straight skirts, wrapover bodices, little cap sleeves - that have a charity shop in their very near future.

Alice in Vogue

Vogue story: Alice in Wonderland

Slideshow: Photos by Annie Leibovitz illustrate various scenes from Alice in Wonderland if she was dressed up in a lot of fussy designer stuff.

Stocks and skirts

Apropos of Avedon's post below. If hemlines rise or fall with stock prices, now might be a good time to sell. Stocks are high. Hemlines are low. In Edinburgh last night I was at the Book Festival launch party and waiting for a bus afterwards, at a busy corner. In the whole evening I saw two miniskirts, an endless swirl of mid-calf, several ankle-length numbers, and the first maxi I've seen since the early 70s. A maxi isn't just a long skirt: it's like a short or medium skirt with the downward lines extended. It uses darts rather than gathers, often because it's made of heavy material. Its pattern is usually big and simple. This one had six-inch squares made by criss-crossing diagonal lines. To me it shouts of slump.

But most styles recall the hot summers of 76 and 77. White frills, tiers, lace and eyelet are seen far more often on the street than in bridal shop windows. It'll be curious to see if there's a later wave of this flutter and clutter in bridal. For now, good taste prevails: corset tops and satin sweeps.

Stockmarket Skirt

Watch the hemline rise and fall.

More weird ladies' wear

I don't know how to describe this outfit, so just go here and scroll down.

Dior death debutante

Boing Boing links to an unusual Dior item, but it's not necessarily the weirdest item in the collection. When you've gone through the steps to see the details for that dress, click on the slideshow and see what else is there. Ranges from nearly-wearable to deeply unattractive.

Pink Satin Toolbelt

New frontiers in lingerie.

Obviously costumers in the making.

Duct tape prom dresses. No, really.

I kinda like this dress Shirl is wearing, too.

Fashion Curse: Go Fug Yourself provides the fashion, and Wage Slave Journal provides the curse.

From John Baker, a book that might be of interest:

1st February 2003.
I'm reading A Second Skin, edited by Kirsty Dunseath. A collection of stories and essays by women about clothes. Research. Wonderful. Some of the women involved: Joyce Carol Oates, Carol Shields, AL Kennedy, Helen Dunmore, Freya North and Margaret Atwood. Lots of others, not such big names but great writers. It's a book about silver shoes and stripy socks, purple crimplene, cashmere coats, blouses, zippers, basques and handbags.

I spent last weekend looking round Glasgow for the sort of place that Worldcon-going fans might want to visit next year. Mostly, of course, I was hunting down second hand bookstores. But Ken directed me to a place called Starry, Starry Night, a vintage clothing shop close to Hillhead subway station. Sadly I didn't have a lot of time to look around, and it wasn't one of Glasgow's better weather days, but I certainly want to go back and browse. I think our American friends will like it. There's a good combination of tartan non-tat and elegant 1920's dresses, tea rooms for the visiting of in.

I'm not going to post the picture this time, but check it out.

From here.

Can we blame Donna Haraway for this? Cyborgs R Us?

LiveJournal user 'jwz' has found a fashion atrocity. He comments I would have expected that one couldn't go wrong with chicks wearing tv parts. I was mistaken.

Office Blossom Gear

What I was saying about Japan's being weird ... BoingBoing reports Office lady uniform catologues.

A super full-color publication documenting the cutest blazers, skirts, outfits and different uniform styles as introduced to you by the hottest current race queens.

This and lots more curious cutenes here.