The Mad Men world makes a fetish of ornamentation and deifies mysterious artifice. For those of us who grew up in the subsequent era of Gap-sponsored khaki casualness and fast food, Mad Men represents a glamor lacking in our lives today. Let’s bring back some of the flourishes that made the 1960s glamorous: fedoras, supper clubs, red lipstick, and much more. My front page feature on The Huffington Post.
My front-page article about how style icon Josephine Baker became a post-war savior of the House of Dior, who really invented her deliciously scandalous string of bananas, and how she became a “guest editor” at Vogue (without the in-house editors ever knowing it).
Gazing at the glamorous finery of eras past in the Costume Institute’s new ‘American Woman’ exhibit, as usual I found myself wishing back certain flourishes and trappings, from hand-held fans to white gloves to turbans. So, I decided, why not do a special Let’s Bring Back edition, devoted to the historical fashions showcased in the show?
Tonight Vogue and the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute will co-host their annual gala—this time celebrating their new exhibit “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.” In this front-page feature, I celebrate fifteen of my favorite trailblazing ladies, each of whom exudes that quintessentially American sense of strength, resilient spirit, and crossed-frontiers.
Today’s adrenaline-pumped fashion shows are a relatively recent phenomenon. In eras past, designs were presented to clients at chic poolside presentations or at delightful little department store luncheons (Waldorf salad, rather than global outreach, was the order of the day). In this special edition of Let’s Bring Back, I look at the fascinating evolution of the American fashion show.
While not exactly a rags-to-riches tale (since no one could ever imagine designers Brian Wolk and Claude Morais in rags, for goodness sake), the story behind the emergence of New York City-based fashion house Ruffian is evidence that the American dream is still alive and kicking.
The death of British designer Alexander McQueen makes me wonder if there simply isn’t a place in contemporary culture for his brand of theatrical creativity anymore—especially in an era in which fashion houses rely on corporate ownership to survive and thrive. My front-page feature from The Huffington Post.
Some Hollywood stars seem to shimmer on the horizon forever, and Audrey Hepburn is one of them. Reverence for her style still runs deep, as evidenced by the recent $96,000 auction sale of a black cocktail dress she donned in 1966 film How to Steal a Million. Now a newly-released book showcases rare cover images of the actress, and here are some of the loveliest, most amusing, and insight-giving shots.
Hopefully the recession has immunized us to blowsy marketing, and made us smarter and more thoughtful about the way that we express our holiday appreciation for our loved ones. Last year, we ran a recession-friendly list of holiday gift suggestions. Without further ado, we present the 2009 edition. As usual, it is long on whimsy and easy on the pocketbook.
While Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour has been making the magazine powerful over the last two decades, Creative Director Grace Coddington has been making it beautiful. Meet the lady with the best job in the fashion industry.
Will Conde Nast keep Vogue’s lavishly creative spreads and more eccentric elements intact as the publisher seeks to make the magazine’s business-model more efficient? Unfortunately, the signs are not encouraging.
In which we discuss the rage and desire that propelled Chanel to the pinnacle of the fashion world, and how long it took the actress to perfect Coco’s famous cigarette dangle.
Fashion Week is underway in New York City, and American designers are showcasing their visions of the future. I’m watching the proceedings with great interest, but also thinking about celebrated designers of bygone eras, whose works once shimmered on runways. In this special edition of Let’s Bring Back ..., let’s wind back the clock and spend some time with Paul Poiret, Elsa Schiaparelli, Oleg Cassini, and six other colorful designers of yesterday.
The designer at Chanel puts his well-clad foot in his mouth when he calls feminists “ugly” in the September issue of Harper’s Bazaar. This “ugly feminist” would expect more from the ambassador of a brand supposedly devoted to elegance.
Being a “smart-value shopper” is the new chic, according to luxury goods brands. When the Louis Vuittons of the world co-opt the lingo of Walmart, you know you’re in the middle of a business-culture shake-up. A cover feature from The Big Money.
This special edition of Let’s Bring Back—my recurring column that celebrates personae and rituals from past eras—looks at some of the twentieth century’s most prominent models, from Lisa Fonssagrives to Twiggy to Iman.
The Gilt Groupe, an online designer discount site with daily sales at noon, has a million members and caused an epic shopping craze - even in a recession. Why are women so obsessed? A front page feature from The Daily Beast.
Americans have always had a tenuous relationship with the idea of eccentricity. With a new Grey Gardens film premiering tonight, will this generation hold Little Edie and Big Edie up as objects of fascination - or ridicule?
In a front-page piece from the Huffington Post, overnight sensation designer Jason Wu talks about America’s new first lady, his favorite Old Hollywood stars, and the item of clothing that no woman should go without.
Penury is the new glamour. Squirrel-hide stoles and wonderbread-bag-bustiers are the new emblems of chic. A satirical slideshow of Depression-friendly fashion. Illustrations by Maddy Simpson.
Those phonebook-sized September issues of Vogue and Elle scare the hell out of me. So to learn more about what the fashion world has dished up for us this fall, I took the easy way out and called up A-list stylist Kate Schelter. Prepare to feel fat—very fat.
On why American men hate fashion. Barney’s Creative Director Simon Doonan, designer John Varvatos, and Men’s Vogue editor Jay Fielden weigh in on the thorny psychology behind male adornment.
How to conquer the following:
* Fat Days
* Bad-Hair Days
* Airport-Counter traumas
... and many other daily catastrophies.
Ms. Price discusses the childlike genius of Marc Jacobs, compliments Michelle Obama’s style, and uses the words “glamour” and “whole-roasted chicken” in the same sentence.
Everyone claims to be going green these days. But for the few fashion houses and designers who are truly dedicated to environmentally and socially responsible principles, it’s a huge commitment that requires tremendous dedication and patience.
If the television series was label-heavy, Sex and the City the movie is positively heaving. But the zeitgeist has moved on, taking consumers with it.
The frivolity of fashion may die hard in a recession. Today’s top editors and buyers discuss how jewelry, separates, and aggressive sales may carry the industry through choppy waters.
A lovely slideshow: this is the third installment of my series showcasing and celebrating women who embody individualistic style, boldness, and creativity.
Photographed by Stephan Wurth.
Slideshow: The second installment of my series showcasing and celebrating women who embody individualistic style, boldness, and creativity.
Photographed by Stephan Wurth.
American women shouldn’t be hang those navy blue power-suits just yet. We’ve made many advances, but let’s not delude ourselves: the world still has very masculine associations with success and leadership.
Who wouldn’t rather wash New Year’s resolutions down with a glass of champagne rather instead of a spoonful of castor oil? A list of ten painless, luxurious, yet self-improving New Year’s resolutions.
Slideshow: The first installment of my series showcasing and celebrating women who embody individualistic style, boldness, and creativity.
Written, produced, and photographed by Lesley M. M. Blume.
The economy’s in the toilet. Suddenly the $250 oxygen facial or that nose job/boob job/knee job doesn’t seem so necessary after all. My present to you: a list of simple recession-proof beauty tips, borrowed from Jackie Kennedy, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, and other ladies who knew best.
Marc Jacobs shocks and appalls at Fashion Week. Is his collection an example of Emperor’s New Clothes, or the start of a new style revolution? An article detailing unlikely watershed moments in fashion history.
Our physical appearances are our outermost frontiers of identity. And anything on this level of importance deserves to be intellectualized and strategically used to our advantage. An article about style as persona.
June 03, 2010
Taki magazine profiles Ms. Blume’s Dietrich-inspired style
March 03, 2010
Vogue documents Ms. Blume’s latest fashion statement
January 20, 2010
New book deal with Knopf!
December 04, 2009
Curiously attired, Ms. Blume turns up in Vanity Fair
September 21, 2009
Elle magazine spotlights Ms. Blume
Lesley M.M. Blume is an author, journalist, columnist, cultural observer, and bon vivant based in New York City, where she was born. Learn more about her after the leap.
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Hiding in plain view: an article on America’s lax war on counterfeit luxury goods.