Fixin' to Get Ready ... or Why I Love the September Issues

I come by my fascination with process honestly. My grandmother used to announce that, when she was beginning to consider the steps necessary to even begin a process and before actually taking any action, she was "fixin' to get ready to" begin the whole thing. The women in our family break down the steps this way, I guess.

That's sort of where I am with the whole fall wardrobe thing. There's a process I construct for myself regarding the decisions I make about what I'll put on my back every fall. More than practicality, it's mostly to prolong the delicious sartorial pleasures that seem to belong especially to this time of year, and it starts with the knowledge that the September magazine issues are ready for my perusal. Anticipation is such a huge part of any pleasure, and fall outfits are right up there with all the things I most enjoy anticipating . It's way too hot to wear any of the fall and winter clothes that I see in the magazines even if I owned any, and the local stores are just beginning to show some limp-looking transitional items. So I begin with an eager appraisal of the ideas the designers are selling. First, it's all about the ideas.

For those who pay attention to such things, we saw the first versions of these concepts hatch months ago at the annual-seasonal string of international Fashion Weeks held in the great capital cities of style. These events are devoted exclusively to what designers had to say and show about what they hope to sell to the stores who will, in their turn, hope to sell to us in the coming weeks. I don't pay a lot of attention then because it's just too far away in time. There's another season or two of What I'll Wear to play with and figure out before the coming fall is imminent. But now, I'm fixin' to get ready to consider what they're saying. And the people who put these magazines together know how to talk to those of us who want to listen.

The delicious juiciness of this part of the process is that it's all potential. No money beyond the price of the magazine is required at this point ... and that's good because I'm squirreling my pennies away for later, but I can give my imagination a work out. Right now, it's not just about the stuff, the goods, the acquisitions to come. In the pages of the magazine, the efforts of lots and lots of very talented and highly creative people end up in my hands, for my evaluation and appreciation. Every coherent article or editorial photo spread is a further response to the creativity of designers that began months ago. For my nickel, this seat is better than any I could have wished for at any tent at NYFW.  It's all a distillation and interpretation of what a lot of passionate people in multiple arenas of contemporary design are thinking right now, and these narratives they create and display in the magazines are wonderful to me. I love a good narrative in a book, or a film, or in a song, but especially in a great pair of shoes.

Anyone reading here knows at least a little about the relationship of politics and social realities to fashion. A familiar example is how skirt hems went up in the last century during two World Wars. We're all familiar with examples of political and social ideas that resulted in world-defining, life and culture changing, post-war responses from all the arts. Some of the most controversial and subversive ideas of  past decades have shown up illustrated in September issues of the fashion glossies.  Our own generation's relationships are likewise producing similar responses by the arts in this information-saturated era,  right now, for us to see in an abundance of ways never before imagined.  It's all another way our history is reflected.

It isn't world peace, and it's isn't a cure for cancer, but there's a place for an appreciation for this kind of beauty and these visual ideas that help define who we are as part of popular culture. There's certainly room in my somewhat isolated world.

As an example, I'm seeing a ramping up of the 60s revival that's been going on for some time now. And it's not just the sweet flirtatiousness of the mod-mini and bright prints, although they are still there, front and center. I'm interested to see a substantial dose of Clockwork Orange - dystopian bootery worn with the girly minis and floaty prints. It's gone from workman-like, construction-inspired boots worn in contrast with sheers to paramilitary lace-ups with everything in a couple of seasons. Lots of narratives implied here, and much to be inferred from them, and all of it at least a little angst ridden. "Tough, street-stomping" lug soles (that description from an editor at Bazaar, last month's issue) are hot this year. That's in line with that implied social nervousness, feeling at best assertive and at worst a little defensive, frightened and aggressive. If that isn't a strong narrative, I don't know what is. But to the broader point, what is it that we fear and need to defend ourselves against?

Like Doctor Who warned, just last week, "Don't look in that mirror ... it's furious!"

I'm charmed and invigorated by the evolution of culturally specific fabrics, patterns and ideas that, in recent decades, we have ripped whole-cloth from cultures that we may or may not be insulting when we've cheerfully co-opted their traditions. Here's a distillation I can enjoy guilt free, because in returning traditional elements back to their originating cultures, we can say a belated thank you for the loan and allow the inspiration to remain in "tribe international" wovens and bulky knits.  This year, they're often rendered in non-traditional materials, but with a hand-crafted and sophisticated beauty we see in the best of traditional indigenous expression in textile art. It's not so much "a-cultural", but multi-mixy-cultural and satisfyingly blended. In an era where a lot of our political and social divisions around the world are fueled by our differences, it does my psyche no harm to indulge in the hope that we might be ready to celebrate such a cultural collaboration and lose some of our fears of blending.  (Ahem. I know that sounds pretentious, but that's what I think.)

All of the above is closely related to this year's fauve-like hand painting on luxury leathers and fabrics. To me, it translates into a beautiful iconoclasm, and I want to do some of that!

And big, hairy muppet-fur coats, this year in pastel and jewel-like tertiary colors. It's likely I won't indulge in this outerwear idea, but when I see anyone in the real world wearing one, I will think "more power to her!" and indulge in a few envious thoughts about the good time she's having wearing it. There's nothing to be understood about this idea beyond the desire for some fun while remaining cozy in the cold, and who can fault that? After the year I've had so far, I could use some fun when the winter skies inevitably turn gray.

And if those ideas don't grab you, consider the ramifications of Normcore as applied to the already presumably normal people we already are? What does all that mean? Am I the only one who is cracked up that Gap has a whole, huge ad campaign admonishing us all to "Dress Normal," with examples set for us and modeled by the celebrity-likes of Zosia Mamet (Girls) Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men) and the style-iconic Angelica Huston? 

Huh. There's a thing to ponder. But probably not for very long ...

So, as I look at the images, some of which are just so beautiful that, with or without the fashion context, they exist as their own separate pleasure, I begin to think about what I might like to say about myself this fall when I dress for the day. And what I don't want to say. It has been a year of a lot of changes for me here, and those reflect in what I'm thinking about, and that determines a lot of what I want to wear. I don't yet, can't yet make actual efforts in that direction, although I do admit to snagging a couple of pairs of serious fall shoes that were perfect bargains. 

This is the time to sit back, sip an apéritif, think about my appetites, eyeball the menu and put my napkin in my lap before the meal actually arrives. All fixin' to get ready for the actual feast, which can sometimes be as much fun as the consumption of the main dish.

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What? You say you want pictures illustrating those ideas above that I went on for so long about? Sorry, you will have to go look at a magazine or Google the Interwebs and see for yourself. I'd love to know if you are especially taken with any ideas for this fall.

 All you get today is a picture of me in late summer, in extra casual go-to-town togs. Too hot to dress up, too tired to think about it much, but wearing a combination of a few favorite this-summer pieces that I wanted to put on one more time.

 I haven't worn the cork clutch and shoes together before, but they hit it off pretty well, no?