the challenging world of color

So for the majority of my life...whenever people asked me "what is your favorite color?"...i always respond "black".

And they would retort "black isn't a color...check the rainbow girl".

Well excusez-moi but who needs rainbows when you can look chic. Coco Chanel never believed in color and her achromatic palette is still the epitome of anything even remotely fashionable.

Dressing head to toe in black (as long as you dont have an excess of visible tattooage and/or facial piercings nor would you be channeling a vampiress) guarantees that you will look stunning and mysterious and alluring. You will just ooze that je ne sais quoi that will make all others want to know you...or better yet be you.

Which is why Emmanuele Alt NEVER WEARS COLOR (except the occasional olive cargo pant )...and everybody wants to be her. Except that i want to be her THE MOST!!!! Especially when she wears a leopard coat with her all black (which is a color-ish but the fact that is was once a living animal that is now sashaying on her back re-fiercifies it and compensates for the less black hue).

Actually...now that I think about it, every single fashion editor+assistant's wardrobe is entirely devoid of color. So that must be the ticket to working for Paris Vogue...have a closet entirely full of neutrals: Black, Charcoal, Grey, Dove, Mouse, Ink, Navy, Blush, Khaki, Nude, Ivory, Écru, White. There are dozens more choices (black, dark black, light black, lighter black) there than the strict selections of the rainbow.

Here are some prime examples of how this Oath to Vogue:

Thou shalt not feign vitality in the coloration of their external costume. Public displays of animation will be strictly prohibited. And if thou must smile thou must overcompensate in their dress by utilization of sheer materials, leather leggage or balmain

...has perpetuated throughout all of eternity.

5 various points in the world's development...following the life cycle of the Vogue Paris girls and thus supporting with archaeological fact and photographical artifacts (thanks tommy!) to support my thesis.

1. Late Upper Paleolithic Period, Stone Age, c. 19,000 BP

Europe witnesses the heelprints of a new culture, The Magdelenians. Their leader was said to be called Magdelena Frackowiak. Evidence of a special scripture commonly referred to as Vogueus Modeus has been found buried deep under the Jardin de Tuileries. Presumably there was some colossal event that took place in the region as thousands of stone carved footwear has been recently recovered.

2. 2000 BCE: The invention of the spoked wheel and ultra shiny chariot

This enabled the people to further elevate themselves towards their sacred gods as they no longer had to walk. Mass chiseling of footwear ensued and Hephaestus explored the daunting domain of patent leather.

3. 1890: Battle of Booted Knee... the last armed conflict of Colonel Routniwanna from the USA vs. Chief Black Blazer of the Haute Nation in the longstanding Kaftan Wars between native peoples.

But thankfully Chief Black Blazer aka Yves Saint Laurent suited his tribe up in the most protective armor available and warded off evil spirits. So they continued to be fabulous. :)

4. 1973. The mobile phone was invented.

Offering this beautiful culture hours and hours of entertainment during intermittent fashion month breaks. Also catalyzes the worldwide pandemic of online mobile shopping.

5. 1978, The common tanning bed aka melanoma machine was brought to America

Enabling the classiest and trashiest photograph to ever surface the globe to exist.

And lastly 2009...where the next clan of Paris Voguettes will be born onto this glittery globe.

Thus starting the cycle all over again. But this time with more options..as the artisians and craftsman of the earth are creating increasingly more shades of black.

(Note. these dates-via wikipedia- and these quotes-via me- are highly fictionalized and should never be quoted in any veritable or serious subject matter)

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And despite this protocol set by these lovely ladies before me...one day I ventured out of the darkness and took a stroll into the challening world of color.

And let me tell you...it is a trippy place. People are happier. They wear lightweight fabrics and tend to perspire less. The majority of society happens to veer towards this land and deem those in all black as bizarre.

A few months ago, March 24, 2010 to be exact, a little birdie told me that Simon Doonan was hosting a little afternoon soirée in the shoe salon at the new 7-story Barneys in Chicago. As the creative director for the most fabulous place on earth (not breakfast at barneys but THE Barneys) and the KING of Window Dressing, as well as the cheekiest author I have ever read...I had to pay my respects.

I know that he is a flamboyant color loving fellow...so I sacrificed everything I was used to (neutrals) and wore the boldest color of them all-orange.

history: It was a dress I had bought on a thrift excursion 5+ years ago...I was in a 60s phase and the trapeze shape was all I could think about. It felt amazing and for like $4 who was I to say no. It has these great tennis skirt-esque pockets and the label said "Colette" who is my favorite author...and so it was mine.

I wore it once in high school with black tights, my fendi peep toe oxfords and was called "a pumpkin". I said something rather vulgar in return (oops). And I wore it to my first fashion show with my best (equally fashion-obsessed) friend becuase "I wanted to be noticed".

After those two instances this dress has been pushed further and further back in the abyss of my closet. Until Doonan.

Everything else was still black-ish obviously....but the effect was unexpected. I walked in and suddenly was greeted by millions of flashes and journalists hovering over me...and shoppers whispering with a twinkle of green in their eyes who is she?

Okay so it wasn't that dramatic ;) but kinda true. a little.

I was photographed by two glossies...partly because i finally debuted my ysl tribooties. After days of practicing on the staircase in my house (i find those shoes are debilitating and i normally skip, frolic and even do jumping jacks in heels) I felt ready to use them on...the street. And chicago's version of the sartorialist "the midwasteland" noticed that I perfectly complemented the newcoming Hermes boutique across the street (who took over the old barneys store) and suggested she snapped me there.

Et voilà:

link it.

oooh i just noticed my lost ring right there in that picture :(

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So the moral of this story is...wearing colors an get you far in the fashion community...but only if everything else is in the black family...or if it is a kaftan or resort/summer season. Color is best used subtlety in accessories or on the sole of the shoe (red louboutins, blue/yellow ysl tribs).

For those of you in the black camp like me usually I suggest you journey into the vibrancy offered by modern man. And for the others who already experience this polychromatic actuality on a regular basis...I invite you to the dark side.

xxx,

mlle. mode