Culture vs. Conformity

Editorial: 60 Memorable Fashion Moments, Magazine: Vogue China October 2009,  Model: Du Juan, Photographer: Chen Man, Stylist: Ling Wu

Location: Ditan Park, Bejing, China, Photographer: Reinhard Krause

Location: Youngor Textiles, Ningbo, China, Photographer: Edward Burtynsky

Acute Angles

Outer Cardigan by Autumn Cashmere, Inner Cardigan and T-Shirt by Banana Republic, Belt by Kenneth Jay Lane, Tights by Trasparenze, Shoes by BCBG Max Azria

I’ve been eying Missoni knits for a while but most of their zigzags, as fashion and as stock market reports, do not jibe well. On top of that, some of their colors outdo military camouflage in blending someone in. I got an Autumn Cashmere cardigan instead, layering it into a waterfall for this look. The outfit plays many angles off each other for a crash course in trigonometry. I held everything together with a belt and appropriately enough, its buckle is of a fish. A bigger buckle would have worked better but sadly, I don’t have enough belts to be truly stylish and more than enough to be a dominatrix. Further down, the tights continue the theme. Somehow, they have a smell that’s so strong, it would not be killed in a shootout of perfume spritzes. Below, I have on another pair of studded strappy heels. Except this one gives you bruises that’d reassure coaches the training was tough enough.

Bite Without the Posion

Cardigan by Banana Republic, Top by Va Va Voom, Belts by Kenneth Jay Lane and Danier, Skirts by H&M and Forever 21, Shoes by Latitude Femme

The cardigan reveals the organza ruffles from my top by way of an open popup storybook. The ruffles that slither around my neck make a cheap street performer out of me. One who’s afraid to use real snakes. The ruffles make me really itchy for some reason. At least, I would never be short on anti-anxiety drugs with a top that can cause hive breakouts at anytime. I doubled up the belts for thickness. I’ve come across so many great chunky belts but I would have needed a Siamese twin to fit into most of them. Skirts complete the look. I layered them for better aesthetics but I just realized the open diagonal zipper and the peek of red actually distances the skirts from their full potential. A distance covered by the length of a stripper pole. I have on studded lattice strap heels that were surprisingly on sale. It’s evident several customers test drove these babies but I was the one who, cheered up by its blues, took the shoes home. The best part is, I can walk five whole hours in them and still have enough feeling in my toes to pick up a chopstick.