One of my happy places has always been The Met Fifth Avenue. I get particularly happy when they are having any type of fashion exhibit. This summer there is a two-part exhibit. Part One, In America: A Lexicon of Fasion and Part Two, In America: An Anthology of Fashion.

Lexicon is defined as a dictionary or vocabulary of a language, a people or a subject. The first signage you see for this exhibit is: In America A Lexicon of Fashion with a large “flag” made in denim.

“American fashion has traditionally been described through the language of sportwear and ready-to-wear, emphasizing principles of simplicity, practicality, functionality, and egalitarianism. Generally denied the emotional rhetoric applied to European fashion, its vernacular tends to sit in direct opposition to that of the haute couture. In America: A Lexicon of Fashion addresses this linguistic imbalance by presenting a revised vocabulary of American fashion based on its expressive qualities. This reappraisal coincides with the Costume Institute’s seventy-fifth anniversary, offering an opportunity to also celebrate the creativity and originally of designers working in the United States.

The exhibition takes inspiration from Jesse Jackson’s invocation of the patchwork quilt as a metaphor for this country and its unique cultural identities. The encased garments represent patches, which are organized into twelve sections that explore defining emotional qualities of American fashion: nostalgia, belonging, delight, joy, wonder, affinity, confidence, strength, desire, assurance, comfort and consciousness. The individual costumes reflect various expressions of these sentiments, as conveyed in the form of word-bubble headpieces. While each of these words is distinct to the associated design, they are stitched together through their emotional resonance, resulting in a richly textured quilt of American fashion that is as diverse, multifaceted, and heterogeneous as the nation itself.” (The Met)

There are 100 ensembles in this exhibit. All of the ensembles were fabulous to view. I have selected seven to share with you.

Part Two: In America: An Anthology of Fashion

Here we see fashion’s role in shaping American identity from the 19th to mid-late 20th century.

In this exhibit we get to see some of the American fashions coming to life. Individual names were known, and their designs were shaping American fashion and what women wanted to be wearing. Lord & Taylor’s campaign was evolving to reflect the changes in the social and professional roles for women. The campaign was “American Fashions for American Women”. Here are a couple of photos to show how American fashions started to develop. Lord & Taylor was truly responsible for promoting American designers.

These two dresses were from 1945.

Both Carolyn Schnurer (dress 1952) and Anne Fogarty (dress 1950-51) were both promoted in Lord & Taylor’s Young New Yorker Shop. And so began the Junior Market.

“Playsuits” Left- Claire McCardell-1950, Right- Bonnie Cashin-1946. These innovated looks were examples of the “American Look”. Looking at McCardell’s playsuits made me think of what we had to wear for gym class in the 60’s!

The portion of the exhibit that explored defining moments in nineteenth and twentieth century American fashion was done with individual vignettes produced by notable film directors who told the stories. Directors are Martin Scorsese, Chloe Zhao, Sofia Coppola, Radha Blank, Janicza Bravo, Julia Dash, Autumn de Wilde, Regina King and Tom Ford. Each one of these rooms was fascinating. My favorite was The Battle of Versailles. Tom Ford tells the story. It was November 28, 1973. It was conceived by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert and palace curator Gerald Van der Kamp as a fund raiser for the Palace. Five couturiers from France Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, Pierre Cardin, Hubert de Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Emanuel Ungaro were pitted against U.S. ready-to-wear designers Bill Blass, Stephen Burows, Halston, Anne Klein and Oscar de la Renta. The Americans won over the audience with the modernity of their designs. This event shifted the dynamic of French haute couture and emerging American sportswear. The pictures are hard to see because of all of the reflections but try to tap on the photo and zoom in to see the designs.

Both parts of this exhibit were very interesting. It was much more cerebral than most fashion exhibits. All of this shows us that American sportswear and fashion is NOT just a pretty frock. If you have a chance to go, I think you will enjoy it. The exhibit runs until September 5, 2022.

On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a fashion show at Nordstrom. It was by invitation, so I was very impressed to be included. I am certain that it had something to do with my spending habits, so there is no need to be impressed!

I happen to love Nordstrom. For many years it has been my favorite store. In previous blogs I have referred to the store as “the Mothership”. I always think that something good will come out of a day when I shop at Nordstrom. My husband always said that I actually glowed when I stepped into the store. It’s true. And it has rarely disappointed me. I can always find some treasure there. And when I leave, I feel that I have found something I will love forever. As a fashion lover there is always something for me to learn about. It can be a new brand line for me or a new interpretation of a look.

Saturday was the beginning of the major store event-The Anniversary Sale. This sale opens to everyone on 7/15 and ends 7/31. Prices go up on 8/1. There are many top brands and customer favorites on sale. It is a good time to find some very exciting things for fall purchases.

Guests were invited to the fashion show to kick off the sale. It was held from 8:00-10:00 AM before the store opened. I got there a little before 8:00. I walked in through the entrance to the accessory department (my personal favorite) to the sound of a DJ playing Uptown Funk. I mean, honestly, could you not get happy and feel like dancing and smiling and taking out your credit card? There were associates all around asking if you needed any help and to tell you where to get something to eat. Or would you like coffee or a mimosa? There were 2 stations on the 1st floor and 2 stations on the 2nd floor. The new store manager, Carlin Eberhart, was circulating and introducing herself to her customers. This made the day even more personal for me. It added to the welcoming feeling at “the Mothership”.

The selection of edibles was outrageous- avocado toast, some creamy egg dish, a shrimp and avocado and greens dish, yogurt and toppings, fresh fruit, all kinds of pastry and fruit bars, water, juices, coffee, mimosas and more. The service was incredible and all at no charge.

The show ran twice, once at 8:30 and again at 9:15. I loved the way it was done. There was a flow of models by theme and after a few moments of the models together, they were then replaced one position at a time for the next themed group. There was no commentary. It kept your attention and gave you enough time to focus on something you might want to find later in the store.

I did of course find a couple of things to purchase and will go shopping again before the sale is over.

Oh, what a beautiful morning!

Summer is coming on fast and furious. There wasn’t enough Spring for me. Remember when we had coats and jackets specifically for Spring? Now we jump from Winter to Summer.

Here are a few suggestions for Summer 2022.

1) Retire and store rigid denim for Summer 2022 and replace with baggy jeans.

2) Consider letting go of basic leggings and look for split hems. Moving into Fall you will see stirrup pants surfacing again.

3) For Summer, less neutrals, more color.

4) Big this year- linen and linen blends in pants, shorts, tanks and button up shirts.

5) Tiered dresses and Slip dresses for those who have the body for it.

6) Jewelry- ankle bracelets and hoop earrings.

7) LOTS of color. The color that appears to be dominating this summer is Cobalt blue which is a great color for all complexions.

8) Handbags- Fringe on handbags is trending this year. This look will also carry over into the Fall. I love fringed trims. I have two bags with serious fringe that I would never retire in my collection. One is a bright green leather that will be perfect this Summer for both the fringe and the color. I have had this bag for over 15 years, and it is still a beauty. The second fringed bag I have will be great for this Fall. It is chocolate brown suede. This bag is probably 20 years old and is also still stunning. It is very bohemian. Another look that is happening in bags is beading. And Summer is always about straw bags. Bags with round handles are prominent this year.

9) Shoes- heeled sandals with “glass heels” are very “in”. Can you say Disney Princess?? The heels are opaque acrylic, Lucite or vinyl. The trick here is to wear the sandals as an everyday shoe. Sneakers are still very “in” for any type of outfit or outing.

10) Always for Summer- straw hats and sunglasses.

Here are some photos of displays at Bloomingdales for May and June

Spring is a long time coming this year! I kept waiting for the season to “bloom” to write this blog. Now, I’m thinking I better get this spring blog out because I think we are going to jump right onto summer. This morning I left the house in a sweater and a quilted jacket. May arrives this weekend! This weather is crazy.

Time to bring your closet forward. Here’s what to look for and what to add.

Bright, Bold colors are everywhere. Add orange, yellow, pink or green for every day. Think Kool-Aid colors. Bright prints are a great addition. Psychedelic prints are surfacing. Tie-dye prints and florals continue to be strong. Feeling retro? Go for Gingham checks. All of these colors and prints go back to crisp white. For the faint of heart, this color explosion can be achieved with accessories. Simultaneously neutrals and soft shades are around in head-to-toe dressing for a monochromatic look.

Handbags: seen in all of these bold colors and there are also a lot of prints available in handbags this season.

Shoes: there are statement embellished shoes, open back and open toe. There are styles with both open toe and open backs. Mary Jane flats are trending. Retro sneakers are all over being worn with denim or dresses.

Pants: wide leg trousers, lots with cargo pockets and pleated fronts. Denim is also shown with wide legs or flared legs. Lots of white denim in both straight leg of flared.

Dresses: lots of dresses; feminine maxi dresses, midi length dresses, an abundance of white, and lots of prints.

Details: all over lace, eyelet, sequins and shine. Blouses are loose fitting, peasant styles, asymmetric hems, beaded tassels as neck strings, puff sleeves. Ruching details are on dresses, blouses, skirts, jackets and even on shoes and handbags. Cut-outs are being done either at the shoulder, waist or back.

Must have accessories: oversized hoop earring, a bucket hat and a headband.

Here are some floor displays for early spring at Bloomingdale’s.

Next up: summer fashions

My nephew Dennis and Donna sent me a gift from Breck”s Gifts. It is a bulb garden. It has been a source of joy since I opened the box.

At first, I thought they had sent me a basket of dirt! And I said to myself, that’s OK, it’s the thought that counts.

Each morning it was my first stop when I came downstairs.

left to right: 2/16, 2/19, 2/20

left to right: 2/22, 2/26, 3/2

And here it is on 3/5. Tulips, hyacinths, mini stars of Bethlehem. I added the Butterflies because I like Butterflies and they give the stems support.

Imagine, a whole garden in my living room in 18 days. And it is still blooming! The Gift That Keeps on Giving. I thank them every day when I send them a photo of the garden’s progress.

Sounds pretty fancy, right? For those lucky enough or daring enough to be planning a trip you need to know what’s up for trends for this bonus season.

For 2022…

The Bright Stripe. Go for absolutely joyous combinations of colors and sizes of stripes. This is a fun dressing trend. Everything is bright and beautiful.

And on the other hand…

Neutrals. Tonal dressing. Designs for this category have clean lines, and different textures are layered all in the same neutral shades.

And the third category is “Sense of Craft” according to Bazaar. Kick up everyday style with handmade accessory details such as crochet, beading and leatherwork. Best pieces for this category to work are hats, bags and jewelry.

All this is fun to think about as a Nor’easter rolls in tonight.

And always remember

How To Wow Now, Transitioning in Style by Elaine. I have been blogging since May 2015 and I have been through many transitions. My personal transitions have been retiring from a 43-year career in fashion, the death of my parents, selling the family home and the ultimate transition that I am going through now, the death of my husband.

I’ve kept you in the loop on colors for each season, fashion “must haves” and what gifts to give to everyone. I’ve shared trips to my favorite retailers, including Nordstrom AKA “the Mothership”

You have traveled with us on road trips in the states and I shared our European adventures with you, including portals from all over Europe. Portals are my favorite thing to photograph.

Over all, LIFE has been very good to me. I have had my share of bumps in the road, but my life with Tom was about as perfect as it gets. For that I am grateful. Right now, I am going through this huge transition of not having Tom with me and it is a long and thorny road that I’m on. So far, this is not my decade, but I have HOPE that this will improve.

For my 100th blog I have chosen a piece of graphic art I purchased as a potential tee shirt screen print for the company I worked for. I kept a copy of the art and I have it taped on the inside door of a kitchen cabinet. I see it daily as I reach for a cup for my coffee each morning. I think it is one of the best things I have ever read, and it has carried me through all of the transitions in my life. As You Go Through Life Make This Your Goal, Keep Your Eye On The Doughnut Not On The Hole. I hope that it resonates with you. I look forward to writing and sharing many more blogs with you in the years ahead. I hope that you enjoy them.

I have decided that my word for 2022 is HOPE.

I always reflect on my life at the end of one year and the beginning of another. I am sure that most of us do. 2021 was another year of heartache for many and certainly a traumatic year for most. It was not a year that you could make plans for anything. And just when you think it is getting a little safer to resume activities, BAM! here’s another variant. Or something else gets thrown at you that can be life-altering.

One can read from a variety of sources that what you think, you become; what you feel, you attract; what you imagine, you create. Jude King, PhD says “Where Your Thoughts Go, Your Life Follows”.

Be kind, sit in stillness and HOPE for the best.

I intend on starting and ending each day with HOPE in my head and HOPE in my heart. Anyone want to join me?

I always give you a heads up for color each season. The color palette has been out for several months. It is determined months ahead of the season so that companies can plan their colors and have time to produce fabrics and merchandise. Let’s hope all of the supply chain problems are resolved before you want to add to your wardrobe for Spring 2022.

Pantone is the best source for color. Leatrice Eisman is the Executive Director of the Pantone Institute. For 2022, “Diverse and distinctive colors come together to create a palette blending comfort and familiarity with unexpected delight”.

I have already shared with you the color Very Peri as THE color for 2022. (See blog from December 12, 2021). Here is the palette for Spring/Summer 2022 New York. I think that it is a great mix of soft and saturated colors.