….to the Nines

It is believed that the term, ‘dressed to the nines’ originated in  the Middle Ages when women would often wear fashionable gloves as part of their formal wear. These gloves were said to contain nine buttons from wrist to elbow, so if a woman was said to be “dressed to the nines”, she would be wearing her most formal evening wear.  There is also another theory stating the expression “dressed to the nines” is somehow related to the expression “the whole nine yards.” Each was once thought to originate in the tailoring profession, where it was believed that a quality suit or gown required nine yards of material.  However the term came about, thankfully a resurgence is quickly on the rise.

In the past 10 years or so, the way we dressed on a daily basis went from stylish to carefree–too carefree.  Fashion is an expression, but the basis of expressing one’s fashion choice should always remain stylish.  There is nothing stylish about looking drab.  Nicely fit clothing, being well-groomed, adequate accessories–that is style. Being stylish will never be outdated and you don’t have to have tons of money either.  When I see the comeback of men bow-ties and tailored suits, it brings a smile to my face. The comeback of pure femininity in women clothing is refreshing.

I only hope that we go back to dressing dapper, stylish, and elegant.  Let’s go back dressing to the nines!

Published in: on February 3, 2011 at 1:56 pm  Leave a Comment  

Gender-Bending Fashion

Fashion is being taken to a whole new level thanks to Mr. Marc Jacobs!  The new chosen face for Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 collection has the bone structure of Cindy Crawford, the pouty lips of Megan Fox and a body similar to Keira Knightley, but he is all man.  Andrej Pejic is a 19-year-old young man from Serbia and he is at the forefront of the fashion industry’s androgynous new trend.

Photo: Turkish Vogue

Andrej Pejic was first seen in a  Jean-Paul Gaultier’s Paris runway show.  Since then he has appeared in three consecutive spreads in French Vogue, Italian Vogue, and Turkish Vogue. Recently, he was unveiled as the face of Marc Jacobs’ spring 2011 campaign and will appear in Gaultier’s spring ads alongside the supermodel Karolina Kurkova. According to an article written by Isabel Wilkinson, in which she interviews Pejic, she writes ‘Pejic is part of fashion’s new “femiman” trend, the latest in a new crop of gender-bending models who have risen to prominence in the past few seasons. …Fashion has embraced the gender-bending model—but Pejic stands for something larger, and is not just the face of a passing trend or a controversial ad campaign. He’s the leader of a new gender fluidity in fashion, in which traditional male and female attitudes are starting to matter less. It’s a message that is being slowly adapted industry-wide—and is resonating with consumers.’

 

I think that this new message is coming at the right time.  With all of the recent suicides being committed by children because homophobic bullying, this new attitude of  ’embracing one’s difference’ is much needed. Maybe Calvin Klein was ahead of his time when using androgynous models for his early CK One ad campaigns.  Or maybe the public just wasn’t ready for it, but my how times have changed.  A change that was long overdue has now arrived-and it’s about time!

 

 

Published in: on January 12, 2011 at 10:09 am  Leave a Comment  
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