GAGA, OH NO NO

I think I've hit my Lady Gaga limit. Sarah, I know you're gonna love this one.

Anyone who knows me knows that I worship all that is fierce. I idolize strong, powerful women who are unique and independent and kick major ass. So naturally I've been a huge Gaga fan since she appeared on the scene two years ago. Her crazy ass fashion, her powerful pipes, impressive piano skills and weirdo catchy tunes were exactly what I thought the pop music world needed. I'm so damn tired of the Britney leftovers who can't really sing and don't write their own stuff (stop me if you've heard this rant before). I inadvertently cajoled a poor hapless gentleman into buying two tickets to La Gaga's most recent concert tour and I was in absolute euphoria throughout the entire show at the Rosemont Theatre just outside Chicago. Seeing the Bad Romance video for the first time was quite possibly the artistic height of my life.

But, oh Gaga, how you've let me down. First you release the single most boring song on your album (Alejandro) as the follow up to the mastery that is Bad Romance. Then you make the most abhorrent, offensive, grotesque, god-awful, Madonna wannabe video of all time (Sarah, this would be where you chime in with "I told you so"). Should I even bother listing all the obvious and yet overdone Madonna references? Can we start with the machine gun bra? (a) How horribly offensive and just so so wrong. (b) Could you more blatantly rip off the once envelope-pushing cone bra?

What about the last dance scenes done in black and white fuzzy photography where Gaga dances in a short blonde wig and a black suit. I mean, Vogue much?! Gaga even does the hands-wrap-around-the-head dance move a few too many times for it to be a coincidence. The blasphemous religious stuff has already been done too. Remember the Like a Prayer video?! And one more thing - I have no idea why the bondage sex scenes were necessary. I don't want to sound like a prude, but for god sake is there no decency left in America? Soft core pornography is showing up in our music videos now?! Gaga, darling, I really don't want to see that much of you...

True, Madonna couldn't really sing at all, but at least her artistic expression was original and meant something to her and her viewers. Her outrageousness never felt forced or like it was done for pure shock value - which is exactly how the last 2 years of Gaga seemed to me. But the Alejandro video has crossed the line into what to me appears to be pure famewhoring showmanship. Anything to get a gasp out of the public and get your name in the papers. That video as has abso-fucking-lutely NOTHING to do with the song. She just wanted to make a splash.

And even more to the point, when Madonna did all her crazy shiz, it was groundbreaking and original and shocking and empowering for women in the 80's who weren't allowed to express themselves sexually. Madonna changed the whole game and showed women how to use their sexuality and power over men. Gaga wouldn't be able to bare her ass on the cover of Rolling Stone if it weren't for the almighty Madge.

Whew, I'm out of breath.

BELATED 2010 CFDA AWARDS REVIEW

Though I may not care much about Resort fashion, I never get tired of red carpet watching. I know this is belated, but I have been itching to gush about the McQueen dress Sarah Jessica Parker wore to the annual awards event for the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Tommy Ton of Jak and Jill took the most amazing photograph of it here, but I can't seem to steal the picture so you'll have to check out the link yourself. His photo really does the dress better justice. It looks so much more amazing in motion that when SJP is just standing. But oh my god, it is beautiful. I still cannot believe the world will no longer be blessed with Lee Alexander's beautiful creations. Also, I wish I could go back in time and wear this to prom. Or my wedding...

Also, can I get a big "Hell Yeah!" for the astoundingly talented and ever so dashing Marc Jacobs finally winning Womenswear Designer of the Year?! It's about damn time. His clothes continually bring me joy and make me excited about being a woman, and I feel he really does a lot to evolve the idea of what it means to be a woman in today's society. Hands-down one of my favorite fashion moments of the last decade (since I started caring) was the Louis Vuitton show this year. I'm so thrilled that Marc is pioneering the comeback of curves and healthy, beautiful, sexy women we can all look up to (instead of bony skeletors who make us feel bad about ourselves and want to destroy every piece of chocolate cake on the planet). Actually, let me clarify that statement: I know some incredibly lovely women with thin, athletic bodies and miniature curves who I admire immensely. I guess my point is that I enjoy the transition to a varied runway in which all women can find role models who fit their natural body types. And above all, that all women find inspiration, beauty, and power in the clothes we wear.

Other favorite looks from the CFDA awards:

Vogue's Tonne Goodman Richard Chai & Hayden Christensen

For full coverage of the event, check out Style.com

RESORT, SHMESORT

I've never really understood Resort season. I just can't relate to it. I don't own a yacht, I don't vacation in St. Barth's. When and where am I going to wear this clothing? You've got Spring and Fall RTW, which to me make sense as they are actual seasons that correspond to weather conditions and color pallets, and it's like the fashion industry needed to squeeze even more money out of consumers so it created this additional season that doesn't quite fit. Can't you wear spring clothes on your yacht? Do you need an entirely new wardrobe for your 2-week vacation (or 3 months, I suppose, depending on your income level and job flexibility)? Are you so terribly wealthy that you simply can't think of anywhere else to spend your money? I'm sorry, but it all seems a little too bourgeois for me. For heaven's sake, donate that cash to charity! (Or to me, so I can buy my own spring wardrobe).

And artistically speaking, please tell me when a Resort has ever been groundbreaking or innovative. Tailored neutral-hued pants, check. Flowy, breezy dresses, check. Floppy straw hats, check. Blah, blah, blah. Even the Balenciaga show was boring, if not downright ugly. (See above).

I will, however, admit that Carlos Miele made some beautiful gowns (right). But I still do not understand how they fit in the "Resort" category. Why does this gown belong in resort season instead of Spring? Or Fall, for that matter? Do gowns have seasons? Am I missing something?

And Sarah, to answer your question, I believe lady hats are appropriate in three situations: (1) on a yacht, to shield your beautiful, delicate skin from the harsh rays, (2) at a polo match a la Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, and (3) to Sunday church service if you live in the deep south. Am I right?

mmm resort...

Soo...I've been an absentee member here, thanks CG for continuing to post in spite of your acrimonious feelings towards the formatting tool ;) I hate it too.

I have a lot that I want to post, but first, I've actually been meaning to make pretty and post my thoughts on the Resort 2011 shows. The overall impression I got from looking at the majority of the collections on Style.com is the tug of war between masculine and feminine. Perhaps this is always the case on some level with high fashion- they tend to have a thing for androgyny - but what I've been noticing is the collections really working to take menswear and give it a good feminine twist. I've jumped on this bandwagon and got myself a lovely new black blazer on sale from Target ($15, woot!). As for color, yellow and gray really jumped out at me- and I love these two colors together. I also liked the lady hats, but if I may ask, when is it apropos to wear the lady hat?? Where and when do you wear hats besides to keep warm and how do you do it??

Moving along...
(keeping in mind that I have not looked at ALL posted collections) here is my list of hits and misses for Resort 2011

HITS

Oscar de la Renta: Love, love love. This is how I pictured country club women when I was a kid and really, really poor. I'm not a fan of the deep red bubble dress. I’m feelin' the hats. This collection also seemed to have every body-type in mind. It maintained a lot of the ODLR feel at heart with jabs of trendiness, and I’m definitely okay with that. And my favorite? The polka-dot full skirt with the lace bodice.
Erin Fetherston: I really liked this collection. It was ladylike, but not demure. I felt inspiration from each decade from the 30s-60s (again the hats) and while I personally am not a big follower of the black skinny leg pant (if I haven’t made that clear enough), here they give these vintage looks a modern and more masculine twist. (above)
Rag and Bone:  This collection conjured up the image of the private school girls smoking in the bathroom. I loved the sweaters tied on the hip- sideways: the only way I’ve ever seen that worn and look cool. 

MISSES

Michael Kors: Yuck! What happened? Where is his resort, anyway, the arctic circle? I appreciate his personal take on Resort with his "destination" theme, but come on.

 Chloe Sevigny: I’m not sure if it’s the model, the background, or the clothes themselves, but it just comes off as trying too hard to be cool and hip- like someone trying to imitate Betsey Johnson - and not having the guts to go all the way over the top, so it’s stuck in this clumsy middleground.

 Givenchy: It wasn't all bad, but the opening look and the leopard print made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. (Money saving tip: This + a jacket from grandma's closet = This)

The rest of what I saw only had a few noteworthy pieces (Marc Jacobs, Versace, for Donna Karen), and the others were just plain boring. What do you think?

CHICAGO FASHION?

#1: omg how cool!

#2: OMG HOW COOL!!! I had no idea Chicago fashion blogs existed! It is now my ultimate goal to appear on this website. Although hopefully not like this lady...

Actually I think I like this one much better. Much more high fashiony, Sartorialist-ish. Thoughts?

I have to say, living in Chicago and being a painfully poor student really neutralizes you to the fabulousness of this city. It's like, I live here every day, our fashion week isn't even a real thing, what's the big deal? It's not like it's New York or anything. But like Cheryl says in the Fashionista blog post, Chicago is fashionable in a different sense from NYC. The people are more down to earth, I think, and a lot prefer to shop in one of the many many small, privately owned boutique shops instead of the at big boxes like Macy's. I'm so jaded by taking the stupid tourist-filled 151 bus down Michigan Avenue on the way to and from school every day that I forget how my family and I used to vacation here and spend entire weekends shopping. I'm sorry I've taken it for granted. I here and now vow to start respecting the fashion clout of my fair city! And I'll start living out my fashion fantasies here just as soon as my bank account rebounds from the security deposit I put down on my new apartment (also: eeek! So very exciting!)