brief note on Oscar/red carpet fashion

[anotheranon]

I don't usually watch the Oscars, which may be surprising given my fashion nerdery - wouldn't I WANT to see all the celebs in their fantastic gowns?

And yeah - I love a pretty dress as much as anyone else who cares about such things, but one after another perfect porcelain beauty gets really dull. Short version: A lot of what La Garconniere says about the catty fashion-policing of any woman who doesn't fit a very narrow definition of on-trend, mainstream beauty resonates with me, as much for aesthetic reasons as social/feminist/political ones.

Growing up in the shoulder-padded, acid washed jeans suburban fashion wasteland, I fantasized about a fashion world that encouraged expression and exploration, clothes as toys instead of rigorous enforcers of normality. Working retail kind of shattered that illusion, as retailers are in the business of making money, and selling a safe definition is easier than selling endless options.

As relief, I leave you with On This Day in Fashion's Rachel’s Top-10 “F*ck It” Oscar Outfits. Again, love 'em or 'hate 'em, Diane Keaton's real-life Annie Hall and Bjork's "swan dress" are a welcome change from unrelenting, unchallenging perfection.

Comments

[belfebe.livejournal.com]

Again, love 'em or 'hate 'em, Diane Keaton's real-life Annie Hall and Bjork's "swan dress" are a welcome change from unrelenting, unchallenging perfection.

I agree. What would the red carpet be without Diane Keaton, Bjork, Cher, Helena Bonham Carter, and Tilda Swindon, to mention some? Who remembers who was best dressed in 1999? Probably no one. But no one will forget J-Lo's green Versace dress, or Barbra Streisand naked getup with two hands cleverly placed where her boobs were, or Bjork's swan dress, or anything that Cher wore or ... [insert unforgettable monstrosity here]

So yeah. Bow to the awesomeness of those women, biatches! We are not worthy to sweep the ground they walk on! :-)

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

I'm actually surprised Tilda Swinton wasn't mentioned at the link above - she always looks fantastic and totally herself.

[belfebe.livejournal.com]

I adore her. She can do no wrong. :-)

oooh, just found this!

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

...googling for "Tilda Swinton red carpet" found me Tilda Swinton: Red carpet maverick slideshow (http://www.ocregister.com/articles/-253875--.html?pic=1). It's nice to know at least one fashion(?) journalist "gets" her. Enjoy!

[dustdaughter.livejournal.com]

Oh, I still love the credit card dress! Someone could say it's an indirect statement on consumerism but I mostly wonder if it was uncomfortable to sit in for hours at a time.

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

That didn't occur to me though it's an excellent point.

Lemme see - wear heels for hours or sit on credit cards for hours - which would be more uncomfortable?

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Hurrah!!! for the whatever you call the opposite of fashion victims ... they're usually the greatest talents as well as the most fun to look at. :-)

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I miss the days when starts didn't have stylists and you would get some really bizarre things on the red carpet.

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

That's another thing that intrigued me about the La Garconniere post above: I knew that Hollywood stars employed stylists, but thought the stylists were hired by stars to help them do what they were already doing better, instead of craft an industry/public friendly image. As I type that I realize how naive it is; so much of what celebrities do is careful media manipulation so it shouldn't be surprising that what they wear is is carefully crafted as well.