Uh, oh. J. Crew is back in the hot seat — and not just here at Catalog Police. The fashion world was abuzz with the news that J. Crew is actually recommending $450 “wedding shorts.” Normally, I’d fear that such a desperately out-of-touch design meant that J. Crew was on the fast-track to the land of Cache. But […]
Fashion Critique
The Best Fashion Book, Period
A person’s bookshelf is like the Myers-Briggs — it’s a reasonably accurate prediction into the subject’s passions and tics. There’s a reason why so many bankers love Liar’s Poker or why urban planning junkies adore The Power Broker. Fashion lovers are no different. If a woman loves her clothes, there’s a strong likelihood that she’s got a […]
Why are Superbowl Halftime Costumes SO Bad?
Even as a child, I never wanted to be a pop star. For one, I had terrible stage fright. (And I couldn’t actually sing.) But mostly, I never connected with the rockstar “look.” Like it or not, the overwhelming majority of pop stars are incredibly unsophisticated when it comes to their clothes. There’s no cleverness in the […]
Nasty Gal: The Name Says It All
Two weeks ago, self-appointed “Girl Boss” Sophia Amoruso surprised retail industry hawks when she left her CEO post at Nasty Gal, the e-commerce company she founded in 2006. Amoruso’s abdication of her self-built throne was all the more surprising because Amoruso made herself a household name when she authored the leadership tome #GirlBoss. (It’s a bit like Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean […]
Why Are Pandora Bracelets So Popular?
Until last month, Pandora bracelets were a phenomenon I knew nothing about. That is, until I saw an enormous line of Pandora worshippers queuing for a chance to shop at the Pandora in Miami’s Aventura Mall. (I felt the same bewilderment when I saw a throng of shoppers waiting patiently to shop at Abercrombie and Fitch — in Paris.) I was […]
Critique: Galliano’s Debut at Maison Martin Margiela
Yesterday, John Galliano finally returned the fashion world after years of industry-imposed exile. Galliano’s comeback collection, a couture “Artisanal” show for Maison Martin Margiela, was critically celebrated as a successful melding of Margiela’s anonymity-cloaked proclivity for deconstruction and Galliano’s unrestrained exuberance for all things frilly and frothy. I’ve already discussed some initial thoughts on Margiela’s design philosophy […]
The Good, the Bad & the Rest: Golden Globes 2015
When I watch awards shows, I never actually watch the awards. Once the millionaires start congratulating themselves, I fast-track to takeout and Netflix. But I ALWAYS tune in for fashion parade. Awards show selections tell us a lot about the personalities of the celebrities wearing them — and even a little about where prom fashion is […]