Yves Saint Laurent et Pierre Berge Auction at Christie's

PIET MONDRIAN (1872-1944) Composition avec bleu, rouge, jaune et noir

HENRI MATISSE (1869-1954) Les coucous, tapis bleu et rose

MARCEL DUCHAMP (1887-1968) Belle haleine - Eau de voilette

The much buzzed-about Christie's auction happening in Paris right now [and going through tomorrow] features the personal art collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge and is reportedly the most valuable private collection ever sold at an auction. At least 8 of the works for sale are set at over 5 million dollars! I wish I could be there just to gawk at the array of gorgeous, rare artifacts they collected over the years before it all gets spread around to buyers across world. Check out the link -- you can look through the entire catalog online as well as highlights and prices.

Bridesmaid Dress Dilemma?

My friend Sara suggested I take a brief break from my studying madness and help her pick out shoes and accessories for some weddings she will be attending. Not one to ever turn down an opportunity for fantasy-shopping, I gladly accepted. Strangely, she is going to be a bridesmaid in two upcoming weddings, and she has to buy the same dress, but in a different (yet very similar) color for both events! I think the goal in this situation should be to find items that she can use for both weddings. It is already hard enough to find extra cash to splurge on new goodies when you've already spent money on new dresses, so I think she needs to find shoes, a handbag, and hair accessories that are inexpensive...and that she can wear again and again. Do my lovely readers have any suggestions, as well?

Bridesmaid accessories - by Tara71 on Polyvore.com

[Click on the Polyvore link to see details about the items]

The key when buying for special occasions is to not lose sight of your own style -- remember, if you prefer wearing flats (like Sara), don't spend money on heels you'll never wear again! But, also remember to step out of your own comfort zone a bit -- if you've been wanting to try a funky headband, this is a great excuse to try one out. There are plenty of options at discount boutiques, like Forever 21, that allow you to try something new without breaking the bank. And like Sara, many ladies attend more than one wedding [or formal event] each year, so pick out items that you can mix and match -- metallics are great because you can wear them with almost anything.

I hope this gives you some inspiration Sara...and anyone else who might be dealing with a similar dilemma!!

Mannequins on Parade

Sorry I've been a bit "absent" over the past few days -- both literally and figuratively! But, I wanted to end this stressful work week with a post and some photos inspired by all of the exciting buzz on NYC fashion week. I just found out my sister will be going to some of the shows tonight and I am JEALOUS! [If you are reading this Lindsay, I am holding up my fist in the air and shaking it angrily as I sit at my desk studying on a Friday night!] I wonder who she will run into?? I have to be honest, I've lost interest in current models for the most part [I just care about the clothes nowadays], but I am fascinated by the history of runway shows and "mannequin parades," as they were called up through the 1950's.

The stern, but elegant lady pictured above is Lady Duff Gordon [or Lucile, as she called herself], and she is widely known as the inventor of the fashion show. She trained the first professional models (the mannequins) beginning in 1897, as well as staging the first runway, or "catwalk," style shows.




French designer Jean Patou was also an innovator of the fashion show. He marketed his clothing to wealthy American women in the 20's and 30's and would often recruit American models for his Paris fashion shows. Isn't he dapper?

And of course, the incomparable Coco Chanel, whose designs were integral to the creation of the image of the Flapper in the 1920's, helped to standardize the look and walk of models during the period. [Chanel is pictured seated above with her mannequins and wearing her famous black jersey suit].

Models were always somewhat controversial ; though the level of undress during the early 20th century fashion shows was nothing compared to those of today, many people were shocked by their appearance.

According to fashion historian Caroline Evans, "The very uniformity of 1920s fashions was disturbing to some critics, and the New Woman's appearance increasingly troubled moralists in the 1920s precisely because, masked in heavy make-up, with shingled hair and "flapper" mannerisms, the wife of the respectable industrialist could no longer be distinguished from the working girl.

Like the fake jewelry that Chanel popularized in the 1920s, the fashion show strung the mannequins together like false pearls: too lustrous, too uniform, and too perfect for plausibility, they incarnated the treacherous and uncanny instability of appearances."

Here are some more photos of early mannequin parades:

Have a lovely weekend everyone...and don't forget to strut your stuff a little...who needs a runway!? Teehee.