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· July 13, 2007 1:33 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
· July 13, 2007 4:02 PM by
Dain
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Posted by Dain, Thursday, July 12, 2007 12:27 AM (Eastern)
I can't afford most of what I recommend. Nor do I, at heart, insist upon everyone's wearing of designer fashion. Designer fashion is not supposed to be proletarian, it's elite by nature. By "elite", I do not mean, as most people (i.e. American Vogue) do, merely "money"; beautiful things ought to belong to people who can appreciate beautiful things. A limited budget hones one's taste, sharpened (if you please) by hunger. You learn the value of an investment, and that is what designer fashion is in a purely economic sense, an investment.
This is why for classic clothing and accessories, you should never buy cheap. It simply isn't worth it. I don't mean that you won't find deals, because with perseverance, you can, rather that you should not shy away from an investment when it is something you will wear often and well. Let me give you an example.
Last year, I purchased a pair of classic black suede pumps, Carmila from Steve Madden. They were $80, which is standard for a pair of shoes these days. I was happy to pay for such a useful shoe. In fact, they were a steal. They drew many compliments, some even asked me if they were designer. Sexy and elegant and surprisingly comfortable, I wore them with everything and everywhere. But by the end of the year, they were done. Though they looked perfectly fine, the support started coming apart, and they were painful to wear. If I have to buy a new pair at $80 a pop every year (in fact, it was less than that, a school year), the expense is actually comparable to a $560 pair of well made shoes. I'll know better next time. Next time, I will buy these from Christian Louboutin (from sakfifthavenue.com), which has the same simplicity, black suede, and blunted pointy toe that I adored.
The next classic I wish to discuss is the blazer, or suit jacket, in a neutral color. It does not bother me if there is no matching bottom, and as I doubt I'll ever be in a conservative corporate environment except in visitation mode, one impeccably tailored blazer in grey is enough to get me by, and it doesn't get any better than Martin Margiela, which clocks in at $848 (on discount at yoox.com).
In time, I'd supplement it with another classic jacket, something softer like a Chanel bouclé, perhaps in a textured navy. As a summer alternative, a white or cream jacket in ultrafeminine silk, so that I can take it to evening.
A jacket does not stand alone; one needs tops and bottoms too. I rather like skirts from Banana Republic and pants from J. Crew and Express, but for a designer option, there are no better trousers than Balenciaga's (I'm not sure how much these cost, they're £170 on brownsfashion.com), which have attained something akin to legendary status.
As for shirts, there's nothing more classic than a white buttondown. It's the last word in chic, and it suits everyone and always looks appropriate. Thomas Pink makes the best shirts, and this one is particularly lovely with its subtle embroidery ($195). For warmth, cashmere is the supreme fiber, and nobody does cashmere better than Loro Piana. Here, a beautiful turtleneck, like a strawberry milkshake ($398 from yoox.com).
Maybe it's my New England upbringing, but I feel obligated to include cold-weather classics. This classic trench coat from Giorgio Armani is rendered a little more unique in creamy leather (a whopping $8250 from neimanmarcus.com, cloth varieties will be more palatably priced, of course) and a pair of impeccable* flat boots by Prada ($950 from saksfifthavenue.com), are the perfect thing for trudging through the snow in style and comfort. Very expensive, admittedly, but then, these are lifetime investments that will never fail you—what you are purchasing is not only something beautiful, but also peace of mind.
*I've used this word twice, but I wanted to use it describe every single item on this page. Really, that is the key to choosing a classic: impeccable tailoring. Impeccability is always tasteful, ageless, and appropriate—it defies trends, and indeed, that is exactly what a classic is, the opposite of a trend.
Labels: balenciaga, christian louboutin, classics, fashion guide, fashion notes, giorgio armani, loro piana, martin margiela, prada, thomas pink
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July 13, 2007 1:33 PM,
A couple of things come to mind...
One is the old saying: "I can't afford to buy cheap clothes."
The other--I've thought this for a long time--is that you have to factor the time and gas you spend shopping--into the cost of what you buy.
i.e. if you find a whole lot of something, that never goes out of style, at a good price--it's worth it to buy a lot of it. Just stash it in your closet and take it out and use it, as you need to.
The money you put up front into it, is worth it, because you won't need to shop for item x for years.
Now I wouldn't pay $560 for shoes. The logic is, if that's the level of shoe you want, it might be cheaper to plan a trip to Italy...or France, or New York City...and do all of your clothes and shoe shopping there. Go every few years, and just replace stuff like tee shirts here, more cheaply, as needed.
July 13, 2007 4:02 PM,
The problem is that Louboutin is extremely popular these days. A few years ago, those shoes would have been closer to $350 or something, which is still expensive, but much more reasonable for a basic pair of shoes.
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