True Confessions from a Fashion Freak

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening. – Coco Chanel (French Fashion designer who ruled over Parisian haute couture for almost six decades, 1883-1971)

My daughter-in-law, the lovely J i Girard, who writes a fashion column for Cascade A&E posted in this issue on page 13, says new style trends arrive every season, but that doesn’t mean everybody can wear every trend. Heeding her advice has helped me, more often than not I hope, to make good fashion choices.

I confess. I love fashion. Well, at least I love what I love that may be in fashion or it may not. Right now a lot of the stuff I love happens to be in fashion, but next week, perhaps not.

For instance, I love pointed-toe high heels (I used to love them not too high, but now I love them not too low). I don’t care for anything ‘tennis-like’ except when golfing, dog walking or playing tennis. I really like cowboy boots, especially the rough outs I’ve nearly worn out.

I covet skinny, stretch jeans plain or with sequins. My all time favorite ‘ensembles’ that I keep the longest usually wear out, are suits — pretty much black ones in all shapes designs. I adore shawl collars, white silk blouses prefer pants with slim legs longer jackets.

I don’t wear sweaters because they’re usually too hot. I love hats (bad hair days abound): cowboy, straw, felt, knit baseball caps.

I am really pleased that fake fur now looks like fur.

I’m attracted to most creations by Cole Haan, Jimmy Choo Kate Spade, but can’t deal with the prices.

And I absolutely love designed to wear fashions created by artists who are imaginative clever people who design something that could be construed as art — art it may be to many a ‘beholder.’

Local clothing accessory designers inspire me with their creations their bravo including Allison Murphy (wearable fiber art from previously worn clothing), Linda Spring (ready-to-wear leg warmers, scarves h painted silks), Ellen Gienger of EGO Designs, Sara Wiener of Sara Bella (who converts waste materials/plastic bags into fun, fashionable functional items such as tote bags, aprons, wallets, belts) Wendy Hill (quilted fiber art).

I like to think of fashion as your inner child skipping down the block unveiling your creative self. Some of your clothes should make you feel like dancing unabashedly. After all, isn’t it about time we all lightened up? So fashion this: wear something creative this spring — you deserve it!

And in doing so I invite you to stop by Art in the Atrium at Franklin Crossing, on First Friday, April 1, 5–8pm with fiber art by local artists Wendy Hill, the Lubbesmeyer twins Linda Spring with Alice Van Luenen from the Willamette Valley.

Designer/stylist Allison Murphy presents Borrowed Experience, a fashion show of locally made garments using previously worn clothing. According to Billye Turner, who curates the fiber exhibition, Murphy reinterprets the prior story of each piece through a modern lens transforms them into wearable fiber art. Also incorporated are Spring’s Hill’s fashion accessories. Runway times are 6:30, 7 7:30pm. See you there.

by PAMELA HULSE ANDREWS Cascade A&E Publisher