Staple Pieces

It's November and I live in Florida.  So it's not really autumn, just November.  But as a fashionista I like to stay true to picking my colors of the season, even if I live in this tropical season-less paradise.  I've chosen blues for my fall color; deeper blues from navy to cobalt to electric and royal blue.   Like with color, I am also guided in my shopping and my styling by scarves and hair accessories. They are my staple pieces.  I am usually always wearing one or the other, if not both. 

As you see above I have on a printed, navy and warm toned scarf.  I am also sporting a tweed camel flower in my hair.  I think it personalizes my look because the majority of people neither wear scarves, nor hair accessories.  But because I do like to wear a scarf and hair accessory, I keep it simple with my jewelry. I have to wear earrings, but usually just simple hoops Nothing to detailed. The scarf along with the colors gave me a fall look without the heavy layers.  I was at the beach and it was warm. 

My co-blogger Dustin Zacks, took the picture of me as we were at the "Lake Worth Beach" ArtFest. When he considered what his staple piece was, he settled upon his gold chain and bracelet. 

After talking with festival attendee Marilyn (pictured left), I realized that many people settle on jewelry for staples. Marilyn's staple was her scorpio necklace, because she's a Scorpio.   I suppose you could look at my scarves and hair accessories as jewelry.  

But a staple could be anything.  What do you wear most?  What's your staple?  Jeans?  Black pants?  A particular belt?  

Albany is Brutal: Brutalism, Art Deco, and the Empire State Plaza

Attending a recent wedding for a longtime friend, I was pleasantly surprised at the architectural specimens to examine in Albany, New York's relatively unimposing skyline:

Who would think that this modest upstate town would hold a feast for the eyes of brutalism fans?

Consider, for example, the Empire State Plaza, directly across the street from the State Capitol.  This, I can tell you, is my kind of public space:

More closely resembling a North Korean parade ground, this concrete wonderland, laced by modernist buildings on all sides, naturally lead the pedestrian's eyes to the borderline brutalist Cultural Education Center.  Yes, even the name of the building replicates a militant, unapologetic governmental stance. A gathering place for the community, or an indoctrination center to praise the dear leader?

Even better, step back a few steps to the Northern entrance to the plaza, and look to your left and right: 

First, the Robert Abrams Justice center:

Who wants a justice building to look friendly and welcoming? Brutalism tells the man on the street: don't mess with Albany - we will crush you.

Turn your head and it's the suitably stark "legislative office building." (above). Wouldn't you shudder at the thought of trying to find a bureaucratic solution upon being faced with walking under the massive concrete slabs, or with trying to find your friendly state senator or representative to seek some redress? 

All the while, across the street behind you, you see where we came from, in the face of the ornate capitol building:

So on one end of the plaza we have the Capitol building, completed between 1867 and 1899.  And we have a plaza lined with stark 1970's modernist and brutalist timepieces.  So what about the time frame in between?  Just gaze up the street for a handsome art deco palace, the 1928 Alfred E. Smith State Office Building:

 So who would have thought, in Albany of all remote earthly places, we could encounter such impressive takes on modernism and brutalism, all within a stone's throw of some delicate antiques? Bravo, Albany, bravo.

Halloween Fashion

Should adults dress up for Halloween?  Well yea, if you have somewhere to wear a costume.  In fact, this Halloween I had three costumes.   The Saturday before Halloween, which fell on a Thursday this year, I attended a house party in Miami as Janelle Monae.  On Halloween Day, I wore a witches outfit to work.  I was a professional witch, that you could only tell was a witch because she wore a witch's hat.  And on Halloween night when I went trick-or-treating with my implant family, we were all zombies.  In fact, this was my most fashionable Halloween, and by most fashionable, I mean the most outfits.

There are many things to consider when choosing a costume.  Do you want to be clever?  Do you want to be scary? Do you want to be sexy?  Sexy costumes are almost a given for a woman.  But I always respect a woman who steps out of the norm and get creative or even scary.  I loved when Lindsey Lohan's Mean Girls character, Cady showed up to a Halloween party full of girls in their underwear with a scary mask on. I also love wordplay costumes.

Here are range of adult outfits from this Halloween. Don't feel like you can't have fun, just because you are not trick or treating or 20.  

Group Photo

Japan, then and now

Wednesday Adams in Houston, TX

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.