Fighting Fashionista

Fall is nearly upon us, and I cannot wait to don my cozy brown corduroys, retro orange cowl-neck sweater, and olive green shirt-dress. The hues are some comfort as we’re forced to say goodbye to summer. But history has shown via orange shag rugs and that very special green couch that my mother once owned that we can take earth tones too far. So what attracts us to these colors, and what’s makes them hip one decade but hideous the next?

Blame evolutionary history, not bohemian bad taste. Fall colors trigger feelings of intimacy and authenticity in our brains—something scientists say we crave in the face of this modern world’s mass production of everything from food to art.

Our attraction is evident each autumn when people spend billions to fly from China and beyond just to look at leaves. Growing on trees. Actually, dying on trees—as chlorophyll drains from the leaves of deciduous oaks and maples, their foliage turns shades of yellow, orange, and red before dying and falling to the ground. Scientists disagree on why a tree would use precious energy to produce such a spectacle—is it to deter aphids, which are repelled by red? Or do the colors provide sunscreen while trees fortify themselves for a long, cold winter? Whatever the tree’s motives, we regard autumn colors in American’s Northeast as brilliant, vivid, amazing. But compare the tones to today’s super-saturated digital photography and video, and nature pales in comparison. Still, we’re transfixed.

That’s because we see our own evolution reflected in autumn’s show, says neuroscientist and artist Bevil Conway. Sixty million or so years ago, primates evolved a third vision cone that allowed them—and allows humans—to distinguish yellow from red and green (other mammals like cats and horses have just two cone types that distinguish blue from yellow but not yellow from red and green. They don’t care about fall foliage.). The new cone was handy for distinguishing ripe fruit from the green leaves surrounding it. The third cone also helps us interpret non-verbal communications like a face red with anger, the yellow pallor of jaundice, or the red genitals of a monkey in estrus.
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Another reason why I love Lucky magazine: they dig up things like this, an awesome bag from an unlikely source with an unbelievable price tag. Source: web site that sells guns (dixiegunworks.com). Price: $179.

… for not wearing pantsuits. Loved the floral dress she wore tonight for her husband’s acceptance speech. And Malia and Sasha looked adorable in coordinating, but not too matchy, pink-hued dresses. Michelle’s green dress the night she  gave her own speech also warmed my heart.

I couldn’t help but notice the Mad Men direction the new August Anthropologie catalog is taking. This blue, belted sweater is very Joan Holloway. The red hair and make-up also evoke the steamy “office manager.” And check out this dress (love) and this one too (double love).

Maybe I’m just seeing it because I’m obsessed with Mad Men fashion — but I bet you anything all the bespectacled dudes in your office will be wearing black-framed glasses by Christmas.

Like the rest of the country, my husband and I are obsessed with Mad Men. It’s in no small part because of the show’s amazing wardrobe. From hottie Joan to prim but sexy Betty, not to mention the men’s buttery suits, the aesthetic is captivating.

AMC knows what’s up. They’ve launched a new blog to discuss Mad Men (and women) fashion every week. It’s written by Fashionista blogger Faran Krentcil, and she gives helpful tips about how to duplicate the show’s sartorial artistry. My recent favorite was Betty’s riding outfit:

maybe the most interesting scene of Betty’s is when she’s horse-bound. Her boots and blazer could have been a uniform, except for the gleam of red lipstick under Betty’s helmet. That turned the whole thing from sportswear into showmanship, the same way Betty can slice her domestic duties into something less chore and more art. Hermes reinvented the horseman’s uniform by doing just that, but a boy’s blazer from Brooks Brothers will work too (it’ll look shrunken on you - very sexy), and try Sigerson Morrison for those impossibly straight and tall boots.

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If you’re in the San Francisco area, you must check out the Goldenbleu sale tonight. I went to the last one, and that’s why I’m grounded from going to this one. Goldenbleu’s shoes and bags aren’t eco, unfortunately, but they are damn gorgeous, and you’re guaranteed to have a new favorite item that has longevity. And buying things that you’ll love and want to keep for a long time, rather than thinking of clothing as disposable, is earth-loving behavior, n’est-ce pas? This has been your public service shopping rationalization for July 30, 2008, thank you!

This is who I want to be when I’m of a certain age. Iris Apfel, “geriatric starlet and founder of Old World Weavers” is badass. The necklace. The glasses. She’s rocking that cane like nobody’s business. Apfel is 86, and she’s on Vanity Fair’s 2008 international best dressed list in its 69th year running, which was released Tuesday. Quotable quote when asked what fashion item she cannot live without: “Do you have a favorite child?” Let’s assume the fur is faux, shall we?

Another favorite is Carine Roitfeld, French Vogue’s editor in chief. She was already one of my favorite style icons, but I love her all the more now that I know her style icon is Christopher Walken.

After perusing the Nimli site, I had to show you these awesome clutches from Mad Imports (top) and Raw Bags. So much cuteness. And they’re made of natural, fairly traded, recycled and handmade materials. Picture yourself a la plage in your maxi dress, accessorized by a little handful of love. To complete your tropical vision: Begooddesigns recycled leather flat woven and petal sandals.

I just found this adorable bamboo top by Pamplemosses on StyleHive. I would, of course, wear it with pants. But I love the swooping back and the pattern around the bottom. Plus, pamplemousse is my favorite foreign word, and the brand is a cute play on the Frenchy word for grapefruit. I also love the off-the-shoulder tee — I love an exposed shoulder — on their site (see below). The brand doesn’t have a ton of outlets (you can buy this shirt here on sale for $66), but when I emailed their info

address about where to buy their garments, they promptly returned a very nice email saying they could ship whatever I wanted directly to me, and even send me pics of their new Fall line, which isn’t on the site yet (I’ll post them when I get them!)

This ring by Alkemie jewelry is gigantic, flowery, and eco-friendly (made from reclaimed metal) — three of my top cravings in any jewelry. The latter characteristic is probably the hardest to find but most important. Mining silver and gold, sadly, is not so nice to the environment (mining enough gold for a a .33-ounce, 18-karat gold band produces 20 tons of cyanide-contaminated waste, according to Men’s Health).

In a world shrouded in sunglasses that make women look like children playing dress-up with mommy’s shades, I’m loving the retro look of Ray-Ban aviators. They make a women’s size so they’re not too wide, as well as the wraparound version which look a little more modern. I love them both but I went full-on seventies and got the more traditional ones. AND, I’m so excited, I got them fitted with prescription lenses. Now I can finish Diablo Cody’s Candy Girl by the pool without squinting.

Forever 21 has two organic cotton T-shirts, and they’re cheap! $15. Compare that to Loomstate’s $55 T-shirts (which, I hate to say it, are not as soft as F21’s). F21 says their (really cute, check out the cheetah one too) T’s were “inspired by the Planet Earth television series,” (which rocked, did you see those wild dogs work that crazy formation? and that shark just mow on that poor seal? What a showboat, right? He couldn’t just eat the poor thing, he had to launch himself completely out of the water and down it in one mouthful!) so points for F21 even though their sales people are not helpful and shopping there makes me feel like I should report directly to Leisure World.

It’s awesome that so many online shops are featuring “eco-chic” boutiques. But why do they have to put those ridiculous headbands on the models? All the kids at SXSW were wearing those things. Maybe I’m just getting old but they make me think of dressing up for Halloween as Sacagawea.

According to this article, headband sales at Goody increased 52 percent in 2006. Let’s hope that means the trend is on its way out!

The Budget Fashionista did a poll last week to find out whether her readers had purchased “Green/Eco-friendly fashion.” The results say that 48 percent have, but 51 percent think it’s “too granola.” I’m not that surprised by the results, but I am surprised by the granola categorization. I think most fashionistas these days know that most eco-fashion is no longer made of burlap-like materials, but gorgeous, soft fabrics like bamboo and tencel (although arguments exist about how “eco” these fabrics really are. let’s face it, fashion is by definition not a very earth-friendly pursuit). And there’s plenty of evidence out there that modern eco-style is anything but hippie-dippy. Case in point here is Lara Miller’s bamboo “silvia blouse,” made of bamboo and available at Style Scene.

Steve & Barry’s, the insanely inexpensive ($9 dresses) retail chain that sells Jessica Parker’s line, demands ethical practices from its subcontractors, according to a New York Times story published yesterday. How is it possible that a $9 dresses were not made in a sweatshop by 11-year-olds in Bangladesh? The article quoted the owners of the billion-dollar company, Steve Shore and Barry Prevor as well as “chief partnership officer,” who it seems would be responsible if Barry and Steve found themselves in a Kathy Lee Gifford-style debacle. Prevor said the key is the razor-thin profit margins.

No eco lines yet, but it can only be a matter of time. And my excuse for not previously knowing anything about Steve & Barry’s was that they don’t have a story in San Francisco. But, alas, they do indeed.