STYLELABS

Author: tanya

  • “WANNE-BE” (STYLISH) CHALLANGE

    I would like to invite you to enjoy a book that is not about style at all. And yet, it is 100%.

    It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden.

    This tiny book was a present from my good friend, a renown designer. She gave it to me at the point in time when I was so busy with my studies that reading anything else rather than books on qualitative research seemed impossible. Yet, the title and the cover seemed almost authoritative. So, I indulged myself and sunk into what seemed to be a very challenging promise.

    The book consists of several chapters divided into small entries, each of them can boast a motivating headline, great typography and a witty illustration that sticks. All these visual means serve a purpose – the book definitely forms (re-forms!) an attitude to one’s life and work, what one shares with the world.

    “I want to be as famous as Persil Automatic”

    – Victoria Beckham

    But for me, from the first page, this book was about one’s style. I believe that how we dress also starts with an attitude, even if we don’t want to admit it.

    If you don’t believe me, just ask a very good friend to comment on your looks – critically, without reservation and absolutely honestly. It doesn’t matter who is right, and who of you has a more exquisite taste, that’s not the point. The point is to see that there is a huge deal of attitude behind what you chose to put on. I can guarantee that in the end of this experiment (if you dare to make it, of course!) you will find yourself justifying every garment that you are wearing, and it’s very likely that you will spend the rest of the day continuing this dialogue in your head. That’s how our brain works. It justifies. That is normal. And, perhaps, you do have a great style, but then, what is it that you want to improve? What makes you look critically in the mirror, avoid shops or spend hours in the search for new things? Our attitude can be a huge obstacle when we are seeking for a change or are stuck with solutions that used to work, but are about to stop because our life is changing.

    So, if you want to be more, to look better or bolder, to challenge and shake your self-perception, give Paul Arden a try.

  • A TINY GOLDEN BARBELL FOR YOUR STYLE MUSCLE AND PERFECT FIT

    Imagine that you pass by the shop window and see this amazing… let’s say a pair of trousers. They are very trendy, you totally love the color, the fabric, and the price is just within your budget. Your size is there, so you hastily try them on. Oh-la-la! Your desire object is paid for, nicely packed and you can’t wait to put it on and show it off. As you start wearing it, you get a strange feeling, that something isn’t quite right. It’s your size, perfectly comfortable, but still a bit irritating… And then suddenly you see yourself on the picture made by your friend and start thinking that you need to do something about your body because you are not happy with the way you look.

    As you start wearing it, you get a strange feeling, that something isn’t quite right.

    There is a high chance that your body is fine, but the fit is not. The proportion created by your outfit doesn’t do a good job, visually enlarging what you want to make look smaller, elongating what you want to look shorter or vice versa. Next step you start searching for your body-type and feeling confused with all those fruit/letter/geometry typologies. Soon enough you reassure yourself that you are some unique passionfruit that was not described by any existing typology (honestly, I find letters and geometry shapes even more confusing because they are flat, and our bodies are three-dimensional…) You end up with the said idea that until you have lost/gained some weight or somehow modified your body you are doomed.

    I find letters and geometry shapes even more confusing because they are flat, and our bodies are three-dimensional.

    To avoid such painful experiences or at least diminish them, I invite you to my bookshelf with my little “oldie but goldie” – WHAT NOT TO WEAR: THE RULES by Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine. I bought this book many years ago, and it has served me really well ever since. It was published at the dawn of the Trinny&Susannah era at BBC. It can be still found on Amazon.com and is totally worth adding to one’s style library.

    Why? Because it’s not about trends or style! It shows (literally) how outfits influence proportions. Strictly speaking, it’s a slightly simplified version of visual correction techniques based on composition and visual perception. No magic.

    What I like about this book: First and foremost, there is no typology – all the recommendations are given with the focus on a certain area. The book is visual, every piece of advice that the authors give comes as two juxtaposed pictures that do talk louder than words. For those who like words, there are concise explanations for every picture as well. No water, to the point.

    All the recommendations are given with the focus on a certain area.

    Besides, Trinny and Susannah have an amazing sense of humor and self-irony, which is contagious. After reading their comments, one starts to look at things easier and shakes off some of the tired austerity. Getting dressed is only a game, finding the right fit needs to be fun, not corporal punishment.

    Today, when the body-positive movement is gathering pace, a lot of what is said in this tiny book might cause a debate. But to be honest, at least from time to time, we all want to look our best, to make the most of what we have. We can be “loud and proud” and make statements showing off our imperfections in a form of a social protest against cultural standards of beauty, but at the end of the day, there are moments when we just want to look in the mirror and enjoy what we see.

    PS: When I was considering which of my books I wanted to review, “the rules” were one of the first in the queue. Naturally, I’ve got interested – what Trinny and Susannah are up to today. I was really fascinated to discover Trinny’s Instagram. This lady rocks! Check her OUTFIT OF THE DAY on Instagram!

  • AN INVITATION TO CARE

    When I’m 98 (if I would even last that long) I want to be like Iris Apfel – amazing, strong, with a clear mind, aims in life, loving people around, and with an amazing sense of humor. And wise. The wisdom doesn’t come for granted, it has to be earned. And it can be learned.

    As I was watching a documentary about her, I wanted to take a pencil and write down every word that she said. Yet, there was one idea that made me smile on the inside. As she was getting read of some of her treasures, she mentioned that we all are temporarily here. Thus, things do not really belong to us, and it’s better if some things find a better owner before meanwhile they can be used.

    “We all are temporarily here… things do not really belong to us.”

    Iris Apfel

    I can imagine, that for Iris, who has been collecting beautiful things her entire life and takes good care of them, parting with her treasures was not easy at all. But she did it. I can imagine that people who bought her things at the auction felt excited because they weren’t buying just things, they were touching the legend, things-Iris. I hope that we can also learn from this wisdom. How to find treasures among the stuff, preserve them, and pass them on with a feeling of magic rather than getting read of our consumer mistakes.

  • A DELICIOUS CANDY FOR YOUR EYES AND A GREAT GUIDE FOR YOUR SENSE OF STYLE

    Marnie Fogg

    What makes great fashion: 80 Masterpieces Explained

    I would like to invite you to my fashion bookshelf with a book that I got almost accidentally, and that has become one of my treasures.

    Last year my birthday was not going quite as fun as I have imagined – I literally spent four hours in a dental chair (that’s exhausting!), half of my face was numb of anesthesia, and on my way to my little birthday party I came to a bookstore to pick up pre-ordered books that were supposed to be my birthday present… Only to discover that they were shipped to the wrong shop. Upset and already late for my own birthday party, I decided to make myself a cheer-up treat and within seconds picked a book from the art and fashion department. Because of the cover used in a Russian edition, I have mistaken it for another book. I was sure that I bought a compact version of The definitive History of Costume and Style and I didn’t even bother to look at the title as my head was busy with other thoughts. As you can understand, it was Marnie Fogg’s “What makes great fashion”.

    Now, to the book itself. The author, Marnie Fogg has published several books related to fashion history. She is a university lecturer on Visual Studies and Fashion and works as a fashion consultant. Trustworthy.

    The title… Honestly, I found the title misleading. What makes a great fashion – if one is looking for an answer to this question, thie book will be a disappointment. It will not help you to find a so-called “investment piece” that would serve you and will be inherited by your grandchildren, neither will it guide you to a great fashion collection, nor help to understand why some dresses become a masterpiece and others don’t. It does though describe 80 interesting fashion designs shortly, but I do believe that a different title could work better. Much better.

    The book itself is very pleasant to look at and hold in hand. I have read it in Russian translation, but the publisher kept the design (except for the cover) and quality similar to the original UK edition. Richly illustrated and easy to read, this book can serve as a nice coffee table book, and thanks to compact format (13×18 cm) it can reside on the smallest coffee tables, or become “a cherry on top of the cake” if you like to stack beautiful books as interior decoration.

    Content wise, the book explores 80 iconic outfits that have changed fashion and influenced our culture, yet what makes this edition a masterpiece among other books with a similar content, is the author’s style typology. “What makes a great fashion” is a compendium. Marnie groups the styles thematically into chapters (revivalism, exoticism, rebellion etc) that are conveniently color-marked. Each thematic group is represented through eight styles or core stylistic ideas. Thus, the 80 explained masterpieces serve as an example of a certain style. Each entry has two to four extra references of the outfits representing the described stylistic idea. Podium, archive and museum photos or snapshots from movies in a great quality, often with a focus on details provide great visual illustrations. Most entries have three concise texts that are marked with a corresponding icon: the quote section helps to grasp an overall feeling, the mannequin section describes the stylistic context and may contain cultural or historic references, and the zoom section pays attention to the most outstanding details of the outfit.

    In the end of the book you will find short information about mentioned brands and fashion designers, a chronology and a list of references.

    Why do I think this book is worth reading? It provides a typology and definitions of styles. Try to google a style. Any style. You will most likely end up with a cocktail of images that are very loosely connected and a bunch of articles, blog entries or books that do not make sense. Yet, we all communicate about it somehow – “boho style”, “business style”, “preppy”, “French style”, “romantic style”, “rebel style”, “casual style”… We sincerely believe that we understand what it means, when in reality we often use some cultural stereotypes. And to be honest, even those stereotypes can seldom boast an actual definition. Since fashion is only starting to be considered a form of art and theory of fashion is just emerging, most information on styles in fashion comes either from the history of costume, or from the history of fashion, or from art and culture studies. Thus, styles are often presented in a linear perspective, for example as style of a certain decade (the 50-s style, the 90-s style) or linked to the name of a fashion designer or his/her collection (Dior’s “new look” or Saint Laurent’s safari).  In the XXth century some of the styles got names that are still in use, but the content has changed – let’s say, sports style, but think Edwardian sports jackets and today’s athleisure. At the same time due to post-modern quotations, multitude of co-existing styles and revivals, borders between so-called styles get blurry and eroded. That is why I find Marnie Fogg’s attempt to give names and add structure brilliant, although I do not always agree with how she does it, and I find this typology incomplete.  

    For whom:

    For the general audience I find this book totally worth reading. Instead of browsing the internet, you get a solid foundation for your own judgment and numerous examples of each style done by a genius designer rather than a so-so version by a mass producer. After reading this book you will inevitably start thinking more carefully about meanings and associations beyond garments that you are choosing to wear. Because fashion trickles down, and what starts as a masterpiece with a powerful vision and meaning often ends up as “the stuff”, just another skirt, one of the seasonal must-have that needs to make way into our wardrobes after being worn by our favorite influencer.

    If you are a professional working in fashion industry (fashion designer, stylist, fashion journalist, design student, researcher etc.) this book may seem a bit shallow at first site because you have seen the described outfits and read about them elsewhere. It may be quite informative though if you studying or if you haven’t had an extensive course in fashion history (for example, you are writing about fashion, but you were majoring in another subject). Yet, as I’ve mentioned before, this book is precious in terms of defining styles and binding definitions with outstanding fashion designs. Thus, if you are working in a team or with clients, it can serve as a medium for finding common grounds and making yourself understood through words as well as images. For example, some of my clients and friends, when looking through this book start almost intuitively “trying on” all that they see. “Oh, that is lovely! How can one wear that?! I like the idea but I would never wear such things…”  I see it as a great starting point to talk about stylistic preferences and dislikes. It can help to figure out and negotiate certain things at the initial stage and choose direction. The book also does a good work expanding vocabulary, helping to make a bridge from the imagery and the world of ideas to their verbal equivalents and back. A great reference book – short, illustrated, to the point.

  • ABOUT FBOOKSHELF

    Style and fashion are visual, no denying that. But beyond every impressive style and unforgettable image there are stories and knowledge. In the age of visual overload, it is so tempting to just stare at pictures and look without thinking. We are lured by the idea that whatever image we see, can be copied and make us fabulous, beautiful, stylish, noticed by others, loved, perhaps… So, why bother reading books? I believe that books are precious – they slow us down; they make us concentrate on something longer than a blog entry. But what’s more important when it comes to our personal style and fashion, the books have a power of changing the way we perceive ourselves and the world around us – they change the perception angle and we start looking for different imagery and with a different purpose.

    My bookshelf is a part of STYLELABS where I share books that, in my humble opinion, may have a powerful impact on our sense of style. Thus, some of the books will be not about fashion or style at all.

  • ABOUT META (POST-WHATEVER) FASHION

    Fashion-style-beauty, things-that-matter… Here comes Anna Wintour dressed in Prada head to toes (with that paper bag on her head saying PRADA). She keeps a Prada diet (check it out!) – every day adding a bit of Prada to her Starbucks… Well of course! Because if you add Starbucks to your Prada, the dress is completely ruined with the coffee stains and it costs a fortune! So here comes Anna, and explains to you why this blue cardigan (cerulean!) you are wearing was picked up by her in that same room… Hold on, it wasn’t Anna, it was Meryl Streep dressed in Anna Wintour head to toe with a Prada bag on her head. Oh no! It was the Devil himself; he was wearing something unsustainable, perhaps real fur… wait, it was all the artificial fur, but they haven’t discovered it until the end of the next SS/2021 season when it suddenly went out of fashion and was dumped in the ocean! And you have watched way too many beauty vloggers on the Instagram, looking into your selfie camera you start talking to yourself (guess what, audible selfie-mode appeared before actual selfies… just as radio was there before the photography or the movies) So you start asking yourself, “Mirror-mirror on the wall! Why on earth is the prettiest of them all looking so weird?” Because as the Russian proverb goes, you can’t blame the mirror.

    Wait, what?!?!?!?!

    Anyway, if you are still reading this, I welcome you to meta-post-whatever fashion where I try to catch our reflections in the mirror of fashion. And if that doesn’t make sense, at least one can always have some fun. Get on board!

  • ABOUT WEARAWARE

    Do you want to look amazing? To go beyond fashion trends or maybe one step ahead? To feel comfortable in your clothes? To have the wardrobe that meets your everyday needs and works wonders? To see your own reflection in the mirrors and always feel empowered and satisfied? To have the most pleasant and efficient shopping? To make the right impression on your audience?

    We all want that. Every garment that we put on, every fashion blogpost or magazine entry that we read, every Instagram picture that we save or like (I mean actually like, when we think “I wish I could look like that”) is our attempt to satisfy those needs.

    Yet, often we feel disappointed, almost fooled. Do you know this awkward feeling when something is missing, lacking or failing? Resulting in wardrobes filled with things we don’t like, books and posts that did not help, must-haves and must-reads that have stolen our time or money (or both), workshops that promised to turn us into beautiful swans, but instead left us with deepening feeling that we are the same ugly ducklings. It drives us mad, forcing to look for reasons: perhaps, these jeans just do not fit, those shoes are outdated, the color-type theory just doesn’t work on me…

    I know what it feels like. I know the frustration of looking in the mirror or on the pictures and asking myself – is that me? And I have seen it too many times with my friends and customers – when any attempt to find an outfit, a bag, a pair of shoes stumbles. Why do we stumble? How is it possible when we are surrounded with such versatility of beautiful things and endless manuals on how to put it together in the best way according to the latest fashion or one’s personal color, shape or even horoscope?

    There are no right answers to wrong questions. Moreover, there are no right answers before there are questions. Sucking irritation from exhausting shopping experience, wrong purchase or time wasted on some subjectively useless “what-to-wear-how”, often roots in our inability to hear ourselves, define our own needs and fear to face our own wishes and desires. What does “looking amazing” mean to me? Is my vision of “amazing” achievable with my actual appearance? If not, how on earth did I end up excluding myself from my own concept of beautiful? Do I actually want to be unique or fit in? Is my “comfortable” limited by physical sensations or is there something else to it? Am I shopping for clothes or for the glimpse of novelty, or just because I am sad and trying to fix it with a ban-aid from ZARA or something pricier and more exquisite? Why is there a need for upgrade? Why am I so sure something would look terrible before even trying it on? How can I look different when I keep choosing the same?

    With WEARAWARE, the essence of STYLELABS, I invite you to join me on a journey to self-awareness as a key to one’s personal style. The mission of WEARAWARE is to help you ask questions before looking for answers. Let the adventure begin!

  • ABOUT DARETOCARE

    My client and I were on a hunt for a pair of shoes to match her incredible dress for a gala dinner at a Milano Design Award Ceremony. We have planned a sufficient budget and literally spent hours trying to find a pair in the right color and size, that would be also some sort of comfortable. Tired, devasted, and disappointed we were passing by some mass-market shoe store that was way below the entry-level for us. In desperation, we gave it a try and to our surprise found what we were looking for. A perfect pair of shoes for less than a tenth of what we were intending to spend.

    As she was about to pay for them, I told her, “From now on I appoint these shoes to be your Manolo Blahniks. Please treat them as if they are.”  She still does, and they serve her well. Carefully cleaned and wrapped in tissue, with wooden shoe stretcher they rest in a box waiting for their next special event.

    This story sounds like a fairy tale. More often what I face is slightly different. Garments, often of decent quality, end up in the bottom of a wardrobe in a miserable condition. And as we go through the pile of clothes many of them go to a garbage bag because “they don’t sparkle joy anymore”. In fact, they don’t sparkle anything.

    We often blame it on fashion, especially the fast-fashion. On one hand, who of us isn’t tempted to buy a trendy T-shirt or a pair of jeans on a winter sale for the price of espresso?! On the other hand, we are encouraged to be responsible consumers.  Fast-fashion is grouse! Local, sustainable, eco-friendly… We need to consume wiser, smarter better, and from chosen sustainable brands. I don’t mind. In fact, I am all for it.  But at the same time, I often get annoyed, because the hidden message is the same –  “Consume more!”.

    So, as consumers, we are the ones who have to either buy “the non-evil” (read local-eco-whatever-sustainable), or make purchase loaded with guilt, or pretend that it doesn’t matter. Amazing!

    At the end of the day we come to Marie Kondo who indulges us with her magic tidying method helping to get read of mountains of clothes (among other things) that do not sparkle joy. Not anymore. Every stylist offering a service of wardrobe sorting comes to share the burden helping to “say goodbye” to clothes. Sparkle – sparkle me not… It doesn’t sparkle – it has to leave. How come?

    I don’t like “sparkles of joy”. I like the flames. You can make so much more with flames – you can keep yourself warm, cook food, scare off the beasts, and have as many sparkles as you want. I’m talking metaphorically. Yet there is a challenge – one needs to keep the flame burning, make sure that the sparkle is there. It takes time, it takes effort, sometimes it takes money.

    Throughout my life, I have helped my friends and clients to return the sparkle to their clothes. Sometimes it would mean almost a resurrection – many have seen me running around with an iron, needles, paints, and lint-remover. Sometimes keeping the flame – the magic and the function of a garment – means passing it to a better owner who would love it and take care of it.  I have seen items becoming a sort of Olympic fire that is being passed from one person to another.

    So, here is my statement – dare to care.

    It always brings change. It fills with love.

    Let’s tackle this challenge together. For the love of beautiful things, or for the sake of keeping our wardrobes organized and running smoothly, in order to save some money or save the planet… Lets’ dare to care!

    DARE TO CARE is a part of Stylelabs dedicated to taking care of clothes for clothes’ sake that explores care rituals and procedures to keep your attire in great shape and serve you well.