You may ask, "What does this have to do with me?"

Comme des Garçons, A/W 2012-13, Photo: Mark Segal, Model: Monika Sawicka

ModeMuseum, the fashion museum in Antwerp, had an exhibition last year “Game Changers: Reinventing the 20th Century Silhouette.” It's a fascinating study of fashion design that was new and different from anything before. In the 1950's and 1960's, Cristóbal Balenciaga took the emphasis away from the waist, creating architectural shapes that were flattering and elegant. In the 1980's, young Japanese designers, Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo and Issey Miyake, were a shocking sensation in Paris with their loose fitting, oversized layers. They in turn influenced the young Belgium designers, Antwerp Six +1. The concepts of these designers are influencing designers today.

With our eyes accustomed to a daily onslaught of the same jeans and t-shirts on every woman, man and child on the street, even the mildest style difference can be shocking. The images below are from the "Game Changers" exhibit and they are extreme. But it's fun to suspend judgement for the moment and enjoy the colors and the shapes.

But I hear you ask, “What does this have to do with me getting dressed for the day?” Think of this like a aperitif, but instead of waking up your tastebuds, it stimulates your eyes and you might see your old closet contents in a new way.

Webster’s defines silhouette as “the outline of a body viewed as circumscribing a mass.” It’s the shape and overall volume of clothing on the body. It’s the difference of having a defined waist or no waist. It’s wearing wide-legged pants or wearing skinny jeans. We all present a silhouette whether we choose to be aware of it or not. Studying this exhibit has heightened my awareness of the silhouette. I usually go no farther than asking myself (or hubby Matt) whether something makes me look heavier or thinner. But for conscious dressing, I'm discovering that there’s more to it than that. 

Comme des Garçons, A/W 2012-13, Photo: Mark Segal, Model: Monika Sawicka

Iris Van Herpen, ‘Micro’, haute couture S/S 2012, Photo: Ronald Stoops

Cristobal Balenciaga, A/W 1958, Photo: Tom Kublin, Courtsey: Balenciaga Archives

Cristobal Balenciaga, A/W 1967, Photo: Balenciaga Archives

Cristobal Balenciaga, A/W 1958, Photo: Tom Kublin, Courtesy: Balenciaga Archives

Maison Martin Margiela, A/W 2000-01, Photo: Marina Faust

Comme des Garçons, ‘Body meets Dress, Dress meets Body’, S/S 1997, Photo: Yannis Vlamos

Comme des Garçons, A/W 2012-13, Photo: Sophie Delaporte

Dries Van Noten, S/S 2012, Photo: Patrice Stable

Issey Miyake, 1990-2015, Photo: Francis Giacobetti

Issey Miyake, 1990-2015, Photo: Francis Giacobetti

Ann Demeulemeester, S/S 2009, Photo: Dan & Corinne Lecca

Maison Martin Margiela, S/S 1989, Photo: Tatsuya Kitayama

Georgina Godley, Sport Couture, A/W 1990, Photo: Georgina Godley

Game Changers: Reinventing the 20th Century Silhouette, MOMU Fashion Museum, Antwerp

Game Changers: Reinventing the 20th Century Silhouette, MOMU Fashion Museum, Antwerp

Game Changers: Reinventing the 20th Century Silhouette, MOMU Fashion Museum, Antwerp

Push it

You've probably seen this photo of Pharrell Williams at this year's Grammy Awards. 

Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.

Sometimes I enjoy pushing my look a bit by wearing shapes, patterns or colors that are a little exaggerated and unexpected. I do this intentionally because I like to think it gives people pleasure to see something that's more visually exciting than the norm. And it adds fun to my day. Especially since I work in a corporate office, it doesn't take much and it adds some spark to my day to play with that. Most of the time the reactions are positive and if they're not, that's fine too.

I love to see other people pushing the style envelope. Like Pharrell when he wore the Vivienne Westwood hat to the Grammy's. At first glance, it is a bit ludicrous. But when looking closer, one can see that the shape and proportions were created by an expert designer. And Pharrell wears it with such aplomb that he makes it work. It caused a huge social media reaction, crashing the grammy.com site. Isn't that funny, that today when we see so many images of celebrities wearing extreme Lady Gaga styles that a hat, just an artistic and sculptural hat, can cause such a flurry? I like that.

These Balenciaga shoes cause a reaction everytime I wear them. I fell in love with them when I saw them on the sale shelves at Barney's.  Nicolas Ghesquiére took a basic black pump and arted it up with a swath of textured leather and added a sculptural detail to the heel. When I wear them, someone usually asks if they can try them on. When I'm not wearing them, I like to keep them out on a shelf because I enjoy looking at them. And that's a big point. When wearing something extreme, it needs to be something that you sincerely love and that makes you feel good wearing it.

On a foggy San Francisco day, wearing this coat makes me happy and the smiles I see on people as I pass them on the street leads me to believe that it makes them happy too. When I first wore it to work, my UK-born boss, looked up from her desk and said, "My, that's a jolly jacket!" Which made me laugh and now that's its official name. Because the pattern is so bold and memorable, I don't wear it that often. But I have fun with when I do. And I always think, since we have to wear clothes everyday, we might as well have some fun with what we wear and give others a little fun too.

Devil and the Blue Dress

I just had a wrestle with the dress devil and I won. Sometimes I fall in love with a dress and that can be a pricey thing. Last September when Matt and I were in Germany, my friend Judith took me to Fryda*s, her favorite boutique in Weisbaden. I wrote about the thrill of trying on several Balenciaga dresses that all fit perfectly. Luckily enough, one was on sale at a great price, which I giddily bought and have worn several times. There was also this metallic blue dress. It wasn't on sale so I prudently did not bring it home with me. But this dress has stayed in my mind and imagination ever since.

Mr. Matt and I were just given two tickets to the San Francisco MOMA Post-Modern Party this Wednesday. My first question, what to wear? It's a hip, late night event, so I thought dressy but fun. This blue dress from Fryda*s came to mind. Would it still be there? How much would it be now? How would it get here? Should I even try to find out? I had to, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I emailed the shop's owner, Herr Mueller. He quickly replied that yes, he still had the dress and the price had been 2295, but now it was 700. I was thrilled that the dress was still there. But I did a quick euro to dollar conversion and that's $920 US! Plus goodness knows how much the shipping would be.

I took a day to respond to Herr Mueller. Just pretending to myself that this purchase was actually something I could consider. I even did a quick run through Neiman Marcus. Information gathering, I told myself. All the Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Marni dresses were over $2200. So the blue dress was a bargain! And I rationalized that in addition to the Post-Modern party, I could think of two more events to wear the dress, bringing the CPW (cost per wear) down to $300! I floated down the escalator imagining myself looking dazzling in the metallic blue (Balenciaga!) dress.

As soon as Neiman's revolving door landed me on the sidewalk with a blast of chilly SF wind, I realized I didn't want to part with that many scoots for one dress. I could buy three or more dresses at that price. But they wouldn't be Balenciaga! But before I could torture myself with any more back-and-forth thinking, I emailed Herr Mueller and said danke, but the dress would have to remain a dream.

I've decided to wear something I already have, an arty body-con Isabel de Pedro dress with my "I'm the boss of me" thigh-high Versace boots that Matt gave me several years ago.

Stay tuned for full reportage after Wednesday!

P.S. I was gratified to find an interesting scientific study related to my experience. In The Decisive Moment by Jonah Lehrer he writes, "But then came the price tag. When the experimental subject was exposed to the cost of the product, the insula and prefrontal cortex were activated. The insula produces aversive feelings and is triggered by things like nicotine withdrawal and pictures of people in pain. In general, we try to avoid anything that makes our insulas excited. This includes spending money. The prefrontal cortex was activated, scientists speculated, because this rational area was computing the numbers, trying to figure out if the product was actually a good deal. The prefrontal cortex got most excited during the experiment when the cost of the item on display was significantly lower than normal."

That's the problem with designer dresses, even on sale the price is painful!