WWD’S Top Ten
I’m going to venture out with an opinion that may not be popular….I was not particularly “wowed” by the runway shows of 2022. Is that just me? (I hope you take this opportunity to reach out, via this blog, or my Insta, or my Facebook….I would truly love to hear your thoughts!)
Perhaps it’s because, now that we’re back to pseudo-normal, I’ve had my own career, my own family, my own so-called Life, to think about. As opposed to the Pandemic Years in which I downloaded show after show on YouTube, or anywhere I could get them, and fantasize about a life away from the monotony of being stuck in the house 24-7.
That being said, I feel like fashion has returned to “normalcy” as well - which, in this case, means as far from normal as possible! Now, I am not a proponent of the Lululemon, athleisure trend….however, I do appreciate a style that is wearable, that I can actually wear to work (on the few days I actually go into an office) or, more often, wear at home. Again, I do prefer to get dressed, but there is something in-between a multi-layered sci-fi skateboarding outfit (sorry, Ghesquiere!) and the ultra-casual looks in denim seen on Blazy’s runway (sorry again!). I remember immediately post-pandemic, as designers attempted to ease clients out of their sweat pants, there was an entrée into fashion that included oversize tailoring (which is still a thing) and oversized, cozy, teddy coats (less of a thing). The SS2022 season, by contrast, consisted of slip dresses (hello, Prada!) and as much skin as can be revealed while still wearing a semblance of clothing (cut-outs, here we come!). These last examples were largely attributed to a nostalgia for the 90’s. If you’ve followed me at all (if not, please read my previous pieces) you’ll know that during the 90’s I was far from the fashionista I have now become! Yes, I wore plaid…..yes, I wore jeans….but that’s about where it ended for me, in terms of fashion sense. This is a long way to say that I’m no expert on what was actually “poplar” in the 90’s, even though technically I lived it. So I’ll trust my sources when they say that slip dresses + combat boots (actually, I do remember the landmark film “Amelie,” starring Audrey Tatou) were in then and are in again now. That is fine with me, because I happen to have both in my closet. As opposed to some of the other styles I’ve seen this year, which frankly, I do not have readily available and would not go out of my way to purchase.
But, this is me. What I truly love about Fashion - with a capital “F” - is that it can be whatever you want it to be (no disrespect to the “Lego Movie” franchise). I love that we can all express our own tastes, our own individuality, through fashion. Isn’t that really the point? We all have different tastes, in music, art, film, literature….and, of course, fashion. Fashion is surely art that you can wear, which perhaps ties it even more closely to our identity. And isn’t that a beautiful thing??
