LOOKS I LOVE...recreating natural/kinda ugly lineage and patterns to create beautiful and significantly less ugly/glorious garments!

     One monotonous summer day, I was sitting home watching one of a mere million recorded episodes of past Project Runways when I was presented with a concept that happened to tickle my fancy even more so than did several other of the contestants' challenges. In season 2, Andre, a flamboyant favorite of mine, took inspiration for an evening gown from the very streets of New York City-literally. He found a grimy, water filled crack in the ground that cast him into making a gorgeously embellished, sparkling garment that won the judges over. Of course I was inspired a great deal by this piece of city street-I love nothing more than a beautifully obscure piece of geometry that I turn into a clearly directed idea.
     These gorgeous looks from Prabal Gurung's Fall 2011 collection, though they may not seem directly related to this concept, are more closely related than a set of siamese twins. One idea Andre played with that I loved was the use of shimmer, sequins, and embellishment to achieve a "divided" look. Gurung played with sectioning and division by mixing different textures, directions, densities, and shades with each other to create a slew of shining (literally) masterpieces. Many times, the heavy use of such embellishments can visually and physically weigh down a garment. Who wants to drag themselves down  the street and be reminded of their pre-pound shedding times with nonsense like that? Apparently, not Mr. Gurung.
     Interested in taking inspiration from grime and turning it into full on glory? Want to play with lines? Mix "aged/weathered-looking" jewelry with a prim LBD or LCD (Little Colored Dress-not a light!) and top it off with an extra sheer layer (drawstring "tent" coat, scarf, or cardigan to add texture and depth. Use a few different lengths and cuts in your outfit to keep the eye wandering!

Warning: Too much of a good thing is always a bad thing. If you choose to try these looks out, actually wearing something dirty or layering too many chunky articles of clothing will leave you looking like a homeless marshmallow. If those existed, I assure you they would be quite a bad thing. We do not strive to look like nomadic foods and neither should you.