Brutalism Part II

We at the FAD Palm Beach are proud to be ahead of the curve.  Our recent reappraisal of West Palm Beach brutalism may have surprised those who hate the concrete-laden architectural style. But as it happens, we are not alone - our discussion foreshadowed this interesting commentary from Slate:

Brutalism is probably what comes to mind when people are presented with the term high modernism in the context of architecture.

Three cheers to J. Bryan Lowder of Slate, then, for his erudite defense of brutalism. High modernism? Maybe. More likely, we just like to see buildings that look like alien fortresses.  Check out this beauty from Toronto - would you believe it's a library?

On a less serious note, we can also note the similarity between the Toronto library and the iconic Turkeytron character, of Aqua Teen fame:

Mixology

Do you know what I'd like to see more of in South Florida? Print Mixing. Print on print just screams tropics.   It sounds like an intimidating look to pull off, but there are a few ways to ensure your outfit looks polished and fashionable.  It's worth noting that if you're not careful, you could end up looking like you got dressed on laundry day in the dark.

The Fashionable Wife

First thing to think of when it comes to figuring out if two prints match is color.  Second is pattern.   Black and white is the easiest to start with.   If you start with a black and white piece, you can bring in another black and white piece or use color in your other printed piece.  With black and white any color would work well. The look to the right is an example of that look.   The pattern is also important. As you see here, she paired a black and white striped top with a colorful, floral bottom.  This look would be perfect for fall in West Palm Beach.  The stripes keep it simple and the floral print pops. 

Project Runway Avante Garde 

Now if you want to be fancy and show off those fashionista skills, you can attempt to mix two prints. Start by finding a color scheme that works.  The above look is from the Project Runway avante garde challenge, in which Season 12 Winner Dom Streater paired navy and red violet.   She went with a bold larger abstract print on the bottom and a smaller, yet busier, floral print on top.  But it works together beautifully.  The clothes are a little more than we are used to wearing in South, Florida but the patterns are perfect.  Think large and small in the same color scheme.

Sorry for the
 angry look 

Today, I paired a green and navy, floral printed top with a green and white, striped scarf and black pants.  I have also used this same scarf with a black and white striped dress. If you start small with accessories, the style will be simple and less stressful.  I will keep you posted on when I try a bold night look.  

Using Color in Your Wardrobe

So in addition to me covering fashion  here in South Florida, I would like to give out some tips for the fashionably challenged and just generally.  

As I scanned my Florida wardrobe to pick out an outfit for a party, I realized that I have really stepped it up when it comes to one color; coral.  I have bought multiple coral pieces this season and they are either black, white, tan, or coral.  Or at least in that tone. I use a pop color as my guide when I go shopping.  It's very South Florida. 

After working in retail and styling women's wardrobes for the season, I've realized it's much easier to pick outfits when everything matches.  You can still wear other colors you already own when the mood strikes, but your pop color is a shopping guide. 

Colors of the season are expressed through ready to wear collections across the globe. I pick a trendy color for the season and run with it.  It makes my shopping much less schizophrenic.   When I was younger, I would just buy anything; anything I liked.  Yet now I will not make a purchase, unless it's in my color tone of the season or I just love it.  

Another way color guides me is that I tend to buy a lot of black, white, gray and other base colors which you can wear with any pop color you choose  during any season. 

Now I've got to figure out what I will use as my fall pop color.  What color do you like for fall?

Lake Worth Guerrilla Art

This, from "O" street in downtown Lake Worth, on a property that has long been abandoned.
Love it. More please.

Florida Art History, the Materios, & A Manufactured Controversy

       Generating a little controversy through art, whatever the medium, is quite entertaining, especially in a local arts scene dominated by the mundane.  So it was with much anticipation that I attended the recent exhibition of collector Phil Materio’s compendium of Florida art, as part of the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority’s series exhibiting on Clematis in the heart of West Palm Beach.

                “Foul play!”, shouted one pedantic local blogger, the self-styled “FireAnt” of the Broward/Palm Beach New Times.  It seems that this “FireAnt” felt that Materio’s exhibition violated “fair dealing,” as he is the husband of West Palm Beach City Commissioner Shannon Materio, and his exhibition may somehow generate business for Mr. and Mrs. Materio's McMow Art Glass business.

                We at the FAD blog compliment the anonymous “FireAnt” on his dizzying intellect – suggesting that somehow Mr. Materio was given preferential treatment for exhibition is surely worthy of a journalistic prize of some third world country or cow town. Bravo for Holmes-like deduction skills.

                For our purposes, and for our readers, who presumably are concerned more with the aesthetic than with scoring minor political points, we will judge the exhibit on its own merits. Spanning a range from 1890 to the present day, Materio’s collection was an impressive tutorial on the history of certain schools of regional Florida art.

                Included were examples of the Flagler-funded art colony of St. Augustine, the traveling Black artists dubbed the "Highwaymen", and tourist and local art ranging nearly the entire 20^th century.

        Some of the tourist art seemed to almost revel in its saleable tackiness:

      What exactly are we to make of number six in this set of tourist art from the 1920's to the 1940's?  To this critic, #6 calls to mind a nuclear meltdown at Hialeah Park.  Yet while this set of paintings might not exactly make the heart sing, Materio's historical notes explained that such works enabled artists to earn their living from painting and selling their finished products to tourists flooding Florida and searching for a little reminder of paradise to bring home.

      I most enjoyed the earliest paintings from Flagler-era artists in and around St. Augustine.  Flamingos and crocodiles call hotel art to my mind, but depictions of the winding Spanish influenced architecture of St. Augustine represent something more substantial and timeless:

        

      So in totality, Materio's exhibition was an enjoyable immersion into several schools of regional art in Florida.  Whether Materio had an inside track to display his collection (or if the exhibition generated publicity for his art glass business) is of no consequence: hopefully, the manufactured controversy surrounding his exhibition publicized even further - and generated higher attendance at - this impressive array of schools of art we may not have previously been aware of.  If such a refreshing experience is the consequence of benevolent cronyism, we at the FAD blog can only say, "More, please."     

Team Fashion in South Florida

You know, I've never really been into watching televised sports of any kind.  I am, however, working on it.  I've been told that I will never get a man to commit if I don't adopt a team; any team.   I've at least started tolerating watching a basketball game here or soccer game there.  

In Houston, I only went Astro's games; as a patron a few times and as a waitress.  So I was either in a sundress or a uniform.  I never really put much thought into my outfit in relation to a sports team, well other than my uniform.  I did purchase some cute Astro's earrings once.   However, living in Florida during the era of the Miami Heat, has really made me pay attention to sports fashion in a way that went unnoticed in Houston.  

Floridians get dressed in team regalia just to watch the game at home.  And if they have tickets to a game they will most definitely don their flyest team sportswear. That's dedication to support your team through fashion, even when the can't see you. Sports fans are intense and in Palm Beach County that intensity permeates their fashion choices on game day.  I am in  South Florida so I see either Miami Heat or Miami Dolphins tank tops, hats, t-shirts and everything else. Oh also plenty of soccer jerseys.  

I have yet to adopt a Florida team, and really don't plan on feeding the franchise machine.   The only time you will catch me dressing for a team is when I am going to work, or are playing for that team.   I may wear a team shirt that someone gave me if I so happen to be going to a game.  But it better be a Texas team.  

Team fashion in Palm Beach will give you an easy way to ALWAYS be in style.  It is an easy trend to keep up and can be like a uniform in your wardrobe rotation.  Additionally, there are higher fashion options when it comes to team wear for fashionistas.
   

Miami Trends

So I hate to insult you by blogging about The Real Housewives of Miami, but I must.  I know the Housewives are trivial and most likely all have social disorders, yet in fashion land they rule. They are true Florida fashionistas. 

The fashion on the show is impeccable.  I am sure they have stylists for the show, because all of the Wives' looks are polished.  The fashion on the show really speaks to the style in Miami.   Miami is full of beautiful people who are willing to take the risk and wear something trendy and expensive.  Dare I say, trends are created in Miami. 

Alexia, the blond on the right with neon green top, and black and white horizontally striped skirt, created an incredibly sexy look for the daytime.  I am a fan of pairing black and white with a color in any manner. And in South Florida, especially in Miami, why not make it a neon color?  The outfit is trendy, polished, sexy and remains classy. Not much skin is showing and if you have the figure you can pull it off at any age.  What you can't see is that the skirt is high wasted, and the shirt is a crop top.   

And then there's the white.  If ever in doubt when picking a daytime look, wear white.  Two of the 'Wives' wore all white to this daytime event, and the other two sported white bottoms.  Short white dresses are the best.  All white is all over the South Florida fashion scene.    

When I go to Miami, I am always looking to do a trendy style.   I once made the mistake of going to Miami dressed down, once.  Housewives of Miami gives me unexpected inspiration for how to dress, and how not to behave.