Fashion Icon: Patty Smith

Who knew?

Patty Smith, style insurrectionist--in that she has always resolutely dressed to please herself and no-one else, and insodoing inspired generations of rocker-chic imitators--absolutely loves clothes.

She tells of her ardor in this month's British Vogue

"As a young girl growing up in modest circumstances in Camden, New Jersey, [Smith] found copies of Vogue in some rubbish near her home. 'There were Irving Penn pictures of his wife, Lisa Fonssagrives, with her pencil-thin neck, three-cornered hat and gloves. These magazines really attracted me; I began to hoard them and I learnt a lot of things -- what to wear at a fox hunt and so on. But I also learnt about art, because they'd have articles about Dalí or Picasso, and I developed a sense of style.' Camden was also where Philadelphia's wealthy sent their clothes to charity shops. 'So I knew what Dior was, what Balenciaga was, the other great houses. I scouted out the labels. I learned how to put together my look. I was a teenager working in a factory wearing a cashmere Balenciaga jacket, flannel and work boots.'"

R.I.P. Alexander McQueen

The greatest designer of our time is dead at 40. The story here. He compulsively and relentlessly broadened the boundaries of his art and craft, and his influence on young designers past, present, and future will be everlasting.



(photos of Alexander McQueen Fall 2006 ready-to-wear via Style.com, by Marcio Madeira)

Classic Vintage Scents: Chasing Cary Grant

Last night I inhaled the scent of Cary Grant. It was delightful.

His cologne, I mean. № 89 from Floris, the British perfume house, which has been perfuming the great and good and best-not-to-say since 1730. My friend Richard entered the shop--in 89 Jermyn Street--specifically to buy Cary Grant's preferred cologne. He made inquiries about which one that might be. The woman behind the counter wasn't sure, but Floris remains a family business (nearly three centuries! amazing) so she called one of the scions to find out. He apparently wasn't sure either, so the decision was taken to "call the old man."

"№ 89!" the old man responded. He divulged that this was also the favorite fragrance of Ian Fleming, notoriously meticulous about dress and grooming. And so Richard claimed his prize and brought it to our dinner table. We all spritzed liberally. The scent, as the company tells, is:

"Orange and bergamot blended with lavender and neroli . . . warmed with a touch of spicy nutmeg, the floral heart is underscored by the dominant woody accord of sandalwood, cedarwood and vetiver in this quintessentially English gentleman’s fragrance."

In the words of the lass in the Irish Spring soap ads, I like it too. And come this spring, when an eau de cologne seems the best way to scent linen and lace, quintessential English gentlemen might have some company.

How to Dress for Valentine's Day

This old-time madrigal beautifully sums mens' attitudes on the outfit you so feverishly select for the big day:

My Love in her attire doth show her wit,
It doth so well become her;
For every season she hath dressings fit,
For Winter, Spring, and Summer.
No beauty she doth miss
When all her robes are on;
But Beauty's self is she
When all her robes are gone.

International Harvester

I'm still feeling soothed and enchanted by the Chanel Spring 2010 details video, below. The wheat-embroidered fabric is a standout (for Lagerfeld as well? Was this the underlying inspiration for the show's barnyard theme?).

Whatever. Here's Chanel's version (click to see detail).


And here is a vintage original--which I reckon to be '60s era, by the master beaders in Hong Kong--that is much of like, at least in its whole-grain goodness. Update it with a pair of skinnies for spring, and know that you are wearing the very chicest of forage.



(photo of Chanel jacket via Style.com by Monica Feudi / GoRunway.com)

A Closer Look at Vintage Shooting Glasses

Whether you're an actual hunter, or your first name is Hunter, or you simply want a supercool twist on the usual sunnies, you can do no wrong with a pair of vintage shooting glasses, like the marvelous 1920s version below from Etsy.

The amber-tinted lenses heighten contrast when conditions are hazy, overcast or glareful. (You can actually see the effect in the photo -- note the greater clarity of the pearls and starfish behind the glass.)

For stalking big game or living life as fashion shoot, specs like these, or later versions, as illustrated in the ad below, are right on target.

Chanel Details, Spring 2010

I case you haven't seen it, here is a wonderful silent film from Youtube showing Chanel's spring line, with a focus on the details that make it special. For me, the high points are the raw-edged chiffon (which could so easily be replicated with an inexpensive vintage scarf and a sharp pair of scissors), the lovely floral embellishment on the straps of a dress (here, all you'd need is a length of decorative ribbon and an ability to tack with needle and thread), and the gorgeous wheaten embroidery in gold against black velvet (don't try this at home, guys, leave it to the experts at Lesage . . . )



(many thanks to AdoreVintage for the tip!)