"Once Upon A Time..." by Karl Lagerfeld

In his latest foray into short film, Karl Lagerfeld offers us a glimpse into Chanel's past. Kiera Knightly stars as Coco Chanel selling hats in her very first shop. I wonder if Karl enjoys the notoriety he has been getting for calling people (Adele, for instance) fat, as he did sneak another little dig in here. Nonetheless, the film is charmingly awkward and pretty to look at, like most period films, and there is a parade of models as guest stars.

Lucinda's Quick and Dirty Guide to Thrift-Store Clothing

I love to shop garage sales, vintage boutiques and thrift stores. It started when I was a starving artist, and my choices were to either hit the Goodwill or run around in rags.  Now that I am a bit better off as an artist, I do it for the thrill of the hunt. I love finding unique pieces that are pleasant surprises, and I feel a little victory when I score a hidden treasure or a designer piece at a steal. I recently scored three regular dresses, one maternity dress, a skirt, ten shirts, two chain belts, a designer sweater, and a handbag...for about $110. That is a huge savings. Heck, I paid far less for all of it than I would have buying just the sweater new. Besides the money I save is money I can apply to buying new supplies for my makeup artistry or my other arts. Maybe I'll spend it on a martini with friends (vodka, dirty).

My little excursions have become almost legendary among my friends and I have had many people ask how I do it. Here are my tips for thrifting but keeping it sharp.

Make time: I make a day of it and eat a lunch first. Being rushed and hangry (hungry+angry) is no way to shop. You'll end up with purchases you'll regret. Some people don't like to eat before trying on clothes, but I'd rather go in with a full belly and know that whatever I try on will still fit well even after I hit the all-you-can-eat sushi joint

Willpower? What is that? There's fish involved!

Look closely at the fabric: How much life is really left in it? Check for wear, especially at seams and areas that tend to rub, like knees, elbows, and butt. Hold pants up to the light and look for any thin spots in the seat or thigh area where the light shines through. Check the color for fading or pit stains. Make sure the knits aren't covered in pills. Also inspect buttons and zippers to make sure they are present and work.

Inspect embellishments:  Is the beading or embroidery stable? Are the buttons chipped or falling off? Can you do a quick fix, and do you have supplies at home to repair it if needed? When it comes to secondhand clothing, simple is often better, as the clothing has already been worn and embellishment takes the most abuse.  Can you tack town the edges with a few stitches, or are you going to have reinforce everything? Of course if you find some gorgeous, sturdy, and flawless embellishment, by all means snap that up.

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15 minute mend: Unless you have the evening after your shopping trip set aside for the express purpose of watching trashy TV and mending clothing, don't buy anything requiring more than a 15 minute mend. It will just end up in a pile somewhere for you to get to...eventually...when you think about it.

Keep the clothing classic, chase the trends with the accessories: Part of this is my own personal taste. I like classic lines. If I'm buying, I don't want something that will rapidly look dated. I want clothing that will stick around a while, but I can update and revamp with my accessory choices.

Buy for the body you have: Don't get wrapped up in "almost there". Buy what fits and is flattering in the moment you are standing there. Clothing is easier to take in than let out. If you are trying to lose inches and need a visual motivation to slim down, make it a piggybank full of cash for tailoring or another shopping trip when you reach your goal. Don't let it be a pile of clothing that will stress you out when you look at it and that may not actually fit right even if you reach that size. I learned this through experience. I have purchased clothing for a smaller size only to find that when I was smaller the chest didn't fit right, or that no amount of diet or exercise would change the fundamental shape of my butt. The majority of those purchases were destined for the scrap pile or a clothing exchange, and never worn by me.

Really look at yourself:  There were a couple of pieces I loved on the hanger. One was a warm and elegant navy blue nautical sweater, from a high-end retail designer. This was perfect on the hanger. On me, however, the collar was not wide or small enough. It rested in a weird middle ground that made my strong shoulders and larger chest look matronly. On the other hand, another sweater I tried on made me look like an elegant power bitch, and another made me look like a romance novel heroine. My body didn't change in those five minutes, the cut of the clothing did. Look for puckers or gaps. See if it's riding up in your armpit or if the sleeve is a bit too short. Can you bend down without flashing anyone. Can you move your arms without popping a button? What features are being accentuated?

Nonattachment: if it won't work on you, throw it back to another. I know sometimes it can be hard to set aside that incredible item that is almost right on you, but perfect on the hanger.  Look at it as shopping karma. Someone else will find a treasure that may be made for them and they will adore it.

Enjoy your treasure-hunting!

Definitions and Pronunciation in the Image Industries

These should come in handy for anyone interested in working in the industry. It always helps to speak the language, and it makes a difference when you present yourself in a professional setting. It makes you appear more polished and knowledgeable.

Makeup artist Barry M Robinson put together a wonderful PDF of industry definitions that are commonly confused or misused. "Glossary for Photographers, Models, Makeup Artists, and Stylists"

Paula's Choice "Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary". The "Cosmetics Cop" explains not only what the ingredients are and what they do, but evaluates them for safety.

Glamazon Diaries presents their "Lesson in Designer Name Pronunciation". This is very handy. Though there is debate on a couple of the pronunciations, it is a good starting-point. I better not hear anyone I know mispronouncing haute couture after this.

"It's 'La-kwah' sweetie"

Don't worry, stylists and designers I didn't forget about you. Bizchickblogs has two glossaries that are right up your alley. "A Complete Guide to Styles, Cuts, & Fit" and "A complete guide to Fabrics".

For anyone working in film, IMDB has posted their extensive "Movie Terminology Glossary".

These resources are all worth a look. Our studying doesn't stop once we're out of school, and these combined are a wonderful refresher course.

Markus Klinko on Skinny Models

I was just reading this article and I was struck by how intense Mr Klinko's feelings were on the topic of skinny models.

from the cover of Markus Klinko's book, "Icons"

  "I like to talk about this actually. Maybe we’ve talked about this before, but specifically about the body shape of a girl like Kate Upton. She is a real woman with curves; she’s not a skinny, anorexic, 90-lb 6ft tall girl. Let me be more clear though. I am not against skinny girls. If a girl is naturally skinny, they can be very sexy and very beautiful, but what I don’t like is all these modeling agents and all these designers pushing these poor 14 and 15-year-old girls, who happen to be very tall and very thin already, to become anorexic and be so unattractively skinny. I just don’t understand why and who wants that. I think that this is why celebrities have taken over the covers of fashion magazines because I think that people aren’t interested in skeletons. People want real women.
  I can tell you for sure that women with curves are hotter than women that are sticks. But again, when Kate Moss first started out, she was very skinny and yet attractive. However, when you look at girls who are naturally a little bit curvy and they are forced to become so skinny that they are no longer themselves, then I get very upset.
  To all the designers out there: If girls don’t fit the sample size, just make the sample bigger. That’s it. That’s the solution. Why do the samples have to be so small that no normal woman can fit into it? I just don’t get it. Take the biggest stars of today–none of them are super skinny and they look fantastic in designer clothes. Why do we need girls who model them to be insanely unhealthy? This is another reason why we dedicated our book, Icons, to celebrities and women who are real trendsetters, like Beyonce, Eva Mendes, Lindsay Lohan–those are real women with real bodies.
  I wish that the modeling world would be a bit more diverse. I think that it’s good that Model Mayhem exists. I think at least it gives a chance to girls who are not necessarily 5’11″ and ultra thin to start modeling and they can do different kind of photos and maybe even get discovered. They may end up on the cover of Sports Illustrated, because clearly they are not looking for skeletons and I think Kate Upton is a very good example. I’m sorry for the long answer, but I’m very passionate about this."

Read more of the interview here.



As for myself, I would take his premise a step further than his mention of sizes 4-6 and welcome a return to the golden age of the supermodel, when sizes 6-10 (US) were the norm for models. They were gorgeous, yet still provided a more attainable and healthier influence for women. Cindy Crawford has been wonderfully outspoken about healthy body image and in her heyday she was a 6-8. I find it absurd that she would be considered "plus-sized" in today's industry. You'll never convince me that this is fat. "I would not have become a supermodel in 2009, I look too healthy. A body like mine with big breasts, normal thighs and toned upper arms would not be tailored for today's runways."

What size am I again?

As anyone who knows me can attest, I have a curvy figure, Not "curvy" as a euphamism for plus-sized, but curvy in the sense that I have a round butt, larger chest and a medium-sized waist. "Baby Got Back" is a part of the soundtrack of my life.

Shopping for pants is a nightmare that usually involves packing a lunch, calling my mom up to say "you did this to me!" and sniffling into a dirty martini after spending a handful of hours to find two pairs that might be passable. Shopping for dresses or tops usually involve buying a size too big and nipping it in at the waist...eventually...when I have time. You know, when I'm not working, cleaning, sleeping, spending time with my fiance or pets, or typing away...eventually (*looks at looming mending pile*). I had to learn to sew as a form of self-defense or resign myself to a fate of a closet full of clothing devoted to making me look frumpy-dumpy or to having my cups runneth over with very little wiggle room in between the extremes.

Off-the-rack clothes often have little love to show for the hourglass girls. Working in fashion has helped me learn to make some passable choices, but it its still a battle to face the closet each evening to lay out the next day's clothing.

This handy chart from the New York Times may make it a bit easier:




This is from an article on the sizing differences for women's clothing between companies and how we are trying to sort through the confusion through innovation and ideas like body scanners and standardized sizing. Read more here.


Note, "My Best Fit" referenced in the article has now been rebranded as Me-ality. Now if only we can get some of these machines at the Mall of America, where they can reach a broader audience.

Aging Fashionably

Refinery 29 has a fabulous photo collection of Stylin' 70-Year olds. Who says that fashion is just for teenagers? Look at these grand old dames! My favorite has to be Beatrix Ost, the woman in her brocade coat, emerald turban, and fishnet gloves. I hope I can look this colorfully elegant when I'm 70.

Mary's quote is wonderful " "A good pair of sunglasses is better than a facelift. It hides the ravages of time and lets you spy on people."

Whenever I get nervous about getting older, I turn to Helen Mirren for inspiration. She is always elegant, always radiant, and always age appropriate. See her here, looking fabulous as ever on a scooter.

Here is a feature on Carmen Dell'Orefice, 80 years old and one of the hottest-ticket models out there. Stunning. Absolutely stunning. As much as I value the young models I work on, it also does my heart good to see an older model completely owning the runway and fashion spreads. There is a depth of character that cannot be faked, and that shows in the resulting work.

Photographer Ari Seth Cohen roams the streets of New York, looking for the most fashionable older ladies for his blog, Advanced Style. The vibrancy behind the images and within the women themselves is completely inspiring.

For more inspiration, I recommend visiting Judith at the Style Crone.

While exploring these sites, I am struck by how unique each of these women are, even more so than their younger counterparts in fashion. These ladies all teach us that aging is simply an opportunity to know yourself on a deeper level, and a chance to refine your personal style in fashion and in life.

Bring on my next birthday. I'm ready.

100 Years of fashion

This is impressive, not just from a fashion and choreography standpoint, but from a continuity one. The flow is beautifully done.