Jane Fonda in Klute

I don't know if I'm right, but this looks a lot like a Norman Norell dress from the 1960's. I love Klute although I'm not as crazy for Jane Fonda's wardrobe in this film as other people are, except for this beautiful dress.

The Learning Curve: Paraphernalia

Paraphernalia was a hip concept boutique in New York that was opened by Paul Young in 1965. The in-house designers were Betsey Johnson and Joel Schumacher (yes, the same Joel Schumacher). This store basically helped to popularize mod fashion of London in the United States and catered to the youth culture of the 1960s and 1970s, it began in New York but was soon franchised and eventually collapsed in the late 1970s. Anyhow, I have been researching it as I found at a thrift store over the weekend a mini-skirt by Betsey Johnson for Paraphernalia. Pics to come soon! Here is a photo of Betsey in 1970.

More on Mociun

Might I also add that Mociun feels like an update on the hippie de luxe look of the 70s. Oh course the hippie de luxe was not the hippie in the park, the hippies I speak of were posh in their Moroccan mansions, and coffee shops on the left bank. They were fashionistas with a penchant for the exotic. Mociun feels like a return to lush fabrics and lifestyles, but also very wearable and affordable for today's lover of fashion.

Mociun

While I work on my Winter beach body, and look for that perfect swimsuit that says "Winter," I have to share my love of the label Mociun by Caitlin Mociun. These clothes are my favorite year round clothes, both because the material is heavy and warm but the cuts are summery, exactly the look that I have been searching for. Also, the cloths are so bizarre and stylish that they will outlast trend and withstand seasonal change. I only have one Mociun dress, and I am obsessed with it, it is a bold look but when I wear it I feel magical. Mociun is all about about exotic fabric, unusual shapes, and for me is timeless. I really feel thick fabrics cut for summer styles is the way L.A.ers should be going. For me, I usually wear an odd shaped dress with leggings and a cardigan in winter and it serves me well. Mociun is like an upgrade to my little strange cotton dresses. Also my theory is when buying clothes, buy classics (thank you Edith Head) or buy something unique and bizarre, both the classics and the bizarres (can't be trendy bizarre, it has to be something truly different) can be worn for years and years. Anyway just a thought.

Winter Beach Body

To clear up what I was trying to say in the earlier post, basically, what does one do when they live in a place with no seasons. Should one differentiate style with the change of seasons? Or, should one have the same style all year round? To illustrate thing point feast your eyes on this cover:

Avoid the disturbing vision of the octomom and look to the upper right corner - 32 Best and Worst WINTER Beach bodies. Winter Beach Bodies!

The Curse of the Strappy Sandal

Because Los Angeles usually has good weather, I am constantly wondering what appropriate seasonal attire is here. Most other places have weather and seasons and thus you know what to wear to be appropriate, not here. You see people in the summer in UGGs and shorts, and in the Winter flip flops and winter coats. My general rule has always been, no boots in summer, no flip flops in winter, and never never a track suit. However, having just come back from a cold climate and wanting to embrace the look of a tropical climate, last week I wore flat strappy sandals, I broke a rule, and thus the shoes broke on me. I know now that I was wrong. Even though there are no season us Angelinos should still have some rules. Most people will not obey, but hey, most people here wear track suits and Ed Hardy. Anyhow, it got me thinking about resort wear, which I always associate with a hippie de luxe style which is generally a style for all seasons. Is it possible to have resort wear for all seasons? I mean the point of resort wear is for warm climates and for the leisure class. However, what I would like to see is wearable resort wear for the locals of resort towns, beautiful and seasonless. Los Angeles needs something like this, cause the melange that happens in the warm Winter needs help!

I'm Gonna Wash Those Pants Right Out of My Hair!

With Joan Holloway...but to segway from pants into Joan...Betty Draper from Mad Men also has a good pant look, but I am more partial to Joan Holloway's form fitting style of dress, to say the least. So just for fun and to get rid of the pants taste in my mouth...

Pants Today

I have seen a lot of bad pants on celebrities lately, high waists, bunchy, bad prints and colors, pleats (which I admit have their merits occasionally), eww and the worst are adult jumpers and diaper pants (ok harem pants)! Take a look at gofugyourself.celebuzz.com and fashion-era.com/trends_2009/2009-fashion-trousers-spring.htm. It is like people are revolting against Lady Gaga's pantslessness by over compensating with loud excessive pants. For me I have a strange enough figure, so I avoid pants all together. I do however have some skinny pants from H&M that I like to wear under dresses in Winter. Nonetheless, until the perfect pants come along here is my dream of perfection in a pant look.

Going...going...

Selling on ebay, my oatmeal Steven Alan dress, I only wear my green version of this dress, I'm broke, so here we go again.

American Designer Norman Norell

Here are some images that I put on my wall during high school. I only realized it was Norman Norell and his designs on my recent trip to my parent's house, luckily these clippings made it back to CA. They are a treat, I think so anyway!

Going...going...

Though it breaks my heart, I am selling this bright pop orange Emanuel by Emanuel Ungaro high waist pencil skirt on ebay.