Before we get started here, I need to come clean about something else (just call this blog my little confessional apparently): I am a night owl and subsequently terrible at doing ANYTHING in the morning. I blame this on being a student, and not having any commitments until noon most days (yet another reason I'm feeling so ready to say 'toodles!' to college life and my zombieqsque appearance (not the trendy kind), and hello to a career, and a schedule). Anyway, now that that's out there, onto bigger and better things...
Chloé is undoubtedly one of my favorite fashion houses, but admittedly this has not been the case for that long. Aesthetics develop over time, and mine have really started going bonkers in the past few months as I've been immersing myself in more and more fashion blogs. I swear I am infinitely less stressed when it comes to putting together an outfit in a bind than I was before I really started examining fashionable outfits and what makes them work (unintentional Tim Gunn allusion).
*If I can recommend one thing to other pseudo-fashionistas out there, it's to spend even just 15 minutes of your day checking out well put together outfits (on blogs, magazines, TV or wherever) and thinking about why they look so damn good! *
Anyway, I think what makes Chloé so accessible, especially to a novice like myself, is the ready to wear aspect it possesses, or, in other words (french words) 'prêt-à-porter.' Yes, I've unveiled the big mystery! Prêt-à-porter = ready to wear. So, what does this mean in the fashion world? It means if you go to the runway show (you know, just walk in there and grab a seat, hardy har har) that you won't be looking at naked stick figures stomping down the catwalk in Cirque du Soleil style shoulder pads and Queen Victoria's petticoat (okay, perhaps a bit hyperbolic).
You get the idea though right? It's something an everyday woman could take off the runway to go to work, hang out with her friends, or go out for drinks. ALSO, get this, the sizes are even made for more of an average woman (i.e NOT 'made to measure') so the standard sizes should fit most people (whatever 'most people' means to designers). Ready-to-wear is also the cheapest designer clothing you will find (which by no means implies that I can afford it), as designers use standard materials and equipment to make the clothing. Ultimately, it's the opposite of 'haute couture,' it's more practical and less ballroom-with-the-prince. Here are some examples from the Spring/Summer 2012 collection (abbreviated SS12 by those 'in the know') of some looks that I think really encapsulate the prêt-à-porter vibe that Chloé pulls off so effortlessly:
You get the idea though right? It's something an everyday woman could take off the runway to go to work, hang out with her friends, or go out for drinks. ALSO, get this, the sizes are even made for more of an average woman (i.e NOT 'made to measure') so the standard sizes should fit most people (whatever 'most people' means to designers). Ready-to-wear is also the cheapest designer clothing you will find (which by no means implies that I can afford it), as designers use standard materials and equipment to make the clothing. Ultimately, it's the opposite of 'haute couture,' it's more practical and less ballroom-with-the-prince. Here are some examples from the Spring/Summer 2012 collection (abbreviated SS12 by those 'in the know') of some looks that I think really encapsulate the prêt-à-porter vibe that Chloé pulls off so effortlessly:
I'll give you a second to wipe off that drool...
Gorgeous right?! So clean and fresh and colorful all at the same time, how is it possible?? Well, that in summation is why I love Chloé; I'm far more impressed when simplicity is just as gorgeous and show-stopping as over the top. Tailoring is a big part of that, as well as shape, textures and color. I could've easily posted that whole show, but I think I demonstrated some great self restraint. If you want to see the whole collection, check it out here (you won't regret it).
So, I think that pretty much sums up what I wanted to cover today. We have the whole week to faun over Chloé, so we'll take it one step at a time (keep in mind that I'm learning as I write, so we're all in the same boat here). Stay tuned, tomorrow we'll take a trip down memory lane and learn about Chloé's history, starting in 1952 all the way up to today!
Also!! Tomorrow marks the first day that I brush the dust off of the old D40 and attempt to deliver some Montreal street style as promised! This week I'll be featuring young ladies who embody the Chloé style; fresh, clean, tailored and just plain gorgeous! I'm excited to see what happens...
Ciao for now xx
No comments:
Post a Comment