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Runway December 14, 2018

Malamute Spring 2019 Shows Us the Meaning of Knitted Perfection

While everyone is moving their attention towards the incoming Pre-Fall 2019 collections, I’m still caught up on Spring/Summer 2019. There were so many amazing collections, and many of the smaller ones did not receive the recognition they deserve. One of my favorite small collections from the season was Malamute Spring/Summer 2019 which brought us a cultivated collection of fun, preppy looks mixed with impeccable knits all inspired by Christopher Nolan’s movie Memento which explored the thread of memory and repetition.

Although this was Mari Odaka’s ninth collection with Malamute, this collection was the runway debut of her stunning knits and gorgeously-tailored dresses that perfectly suit the female form. The looks that shone the most, in my opinion, were the retro-looking linen dresses with fringe across the bodice- they had such a charming, western vibe that was hard not to admire.

Other standouts included two fitted knit dresses and plenty of distressed denim outfits to inspire my off-duty wardrobe. And the red details sprinkled throughout the looks really served to bring everything together into one refreshing collection of western-inspired looks to lust after. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more from Odaka’s Malamute in the years to come!

Check out a few of my favorite looks from the collection below:

All photos found on Vogue.com

Fashion December 9, 2018

Giftable Accessories Your Fashionable Friends Will Adore

It’s the season of gifting and that means it’s also the season of not knowing what to give anyone! If you’re like me, you have to ask at least five different people for an opinion before you settle on a gift for somebody.

Gifting is stressful! It’s hard to find gifts for people that don’t want or need anything and it’s even harder to know where to start looking because there’s just so much out there! But today you’re in luck because you’ve found this article, presumably because you would like a few ideas on what to gift a fashionable friend or family member.

I crawled the web- all of my favorite sites, and found some trendy accessories I think any fashion-lover would jump at the chance to add to their wardrobes. Check out and shop my picks below:

Lovely Little Belt

Heart motifs never fail to make a big statement. Help your friend cinch their waist in style with this chic and adorable belt. The black and gold coloring ensure it will match nearly any wardrobe!

Cleo Belt, $78 via Anthropologie

Blue Velvet Belt Bag

The belt bag is the chic update to the much renowned and equally reviled fanny pack- and I love it! Not only is it super convenient for holding your phone, keys and wallet, the simple addition of a bold, blue bag can instantly elevate your outfit.

WANT Quilt for Stamina Velvet Belt Bag, $36 via Nasty Gal

Artsy Pearl Earrings

Earrings are such a great, subtle way to inject more style into even simple outfits. I love these danglers because gold and pearl is such an elegant pairing- plus the asymmetry makes them look like a wearable piece of art!

Pearl Detail Asymmetric Earrings, $29.99 via Mango

Funky A-Okay Hand Cuff

While we’re on the topic of artsy accessories, check out these fun hand cuffs (ha!). If your friend is a fan of adding interesting little details to their looks, then these unique bracelets will certainly come in HANDy (I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop myself!).

Hand Jive Hinge Cuff Bracelet by Madewell, $28 via Nordstrom

Extra-Long, Extra-Stylish Gloves

A lot of times gloves are an afterthought, just something used to keep you warm, but that’s not how it has to be! Get your friend a pair of gloves they can be proud of- like these glamorous stunners that go all the way up the arm.

Long Wool Gloves, $99 via Cos

Charming Statement Sandals

While I don’t consider shoes to be an accessory per se, these pretty little block heeled sandals certainly caught my attention. Whether you choose glitter or feathers, these shoes will add all of the charm an outfit requires.

Block-Heeled Sandals, $29.99 via H&M

Personalized Preppy Hair Ribbon

Spruce up your friends’ ponytails with a neat, embroidered hair ribbon. Such a silky bow will add some prep to any look. Plus, each of these beauties comes embroidered with your friends’ initials for a personal touch.

Embroidered Satin Hair Tie by Lelet NY, $70 via Net-A-Porter

Edgy Carabiner Necklace

Normal, dangly necklaces have never been all that appealing to me. A necklace should add interest to an outfit, another layer of style. I think all of your fashionable friends would appreciate this interesting necklace made from different sorts of clasps, making fashion out of everyday objects.

Carabiner Necklace, $29.90 via Zara

Colorful Printed Silk Scarf

Everyone needs a good silk scarf in their wardrobe because it’s simply one of the most versatile accessories. Wear it around the neck, tied to a purse strap, around the waist as a belt, in the hair as a hair tie or headband… the options are nearly endless. I love one that can add a pop of color, like this Gucci one.

Printed Silk-Twill Scarf by Gucci, $195 via Net-A-Porter

Plaid Winter Cap

If you and your friends live in a cold region, there is one thing you all need to get through the winter: a good, warm cap. I fell in love with this one because it doesn’t look like your normal warm hat, but it features ear flaps and an under-chin ribbon to keep it fastened to your head. And the plaid is just so cute!

Thinking Cap, $70 via Man Repeller

Expressive Hair Clips

I became totally obsessed with these hair clips from the first time I saw them on the runway- they’re just so bold and fun! If your friends are looking for a daring way to spice up their hair game, then these clips might be just what they’re looking for.

Transparent Hair Clips by Ashley Williams London, $102-$131 via Ssense

Extreme Cat-Eye Sunglasses

A good pair of sunglasses can make any outfit more chic. Lately eyewear trends have been all over the place, and one of the most prominent trends I’ve noticed is the retro cat eye shape, but over-the-top. Any fan of retro/vintage style will love these!

The Wild Gift Sunglasses, $79 via Crap Eyewear

I hope this gave you some ideas to help combat the stress of finding a gift for somebody who seemingly has everything! Stay tuned for more holiday content coming soon!

Runway December 7, 2018

Ancient Egypt Gets a Makeover with Chanel Pre-Fall 2019

The Chanel Pre-Fall 2019, Métiers d’Art show was a momentous event that transported viewers back to ancient Egypt with a catwalk that appropriately took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Temple of Dendur exhibit. Models slunk across the runway shimmering in all manner of gold and adorned in accessories that nodded to ancient Egyptian culture (see scarab beetles galore, pyramid-shaped purses, round hats and elaborate collars.)

chanel pre-fall 2019 métiers d’art fashion runway egypt style — A shendyt-inspired skirt and large, sweeping collar/shoulder silhouette gave this classic Chanel Tweed suit an Egyptian twist. Plus those gold tights- wow! (Photo: Vogue.com)

While the clothing certainly looked striking on screen, the pieces are best appreciated up close, as to observe the great amount of handmade detail that went into them. The gold-woven tweeds were made with tulle, sequin and metallic ribbon, while some gauzy gold materials are an elaborate mesh of tiny golden beads and each knit is encrusted with shimmering paillettes to imitate ancient Egyptian jewelry. Each look in the collection is an impressive work of art that deserves appreciation.

While ancient Egypt has had its influence in popular culture throughout the past century, this collection has brought many interesting aspects of Egyptian style back into the limelight, including skirts with a slight rise in the front in imitation of the Egyptian kilt-style wrap skirts. One of the styling choices that interested me the most was the layering of the classic Chanel tweed suits over the ankle-length wispy, white skirts that nodded back to the styles worn by Cleopatra and her women.

The collection also managed to meld aspects of 1980s NYC (Chanel’s showing in New York was a first for the brand)- with wide, sweeping shoulders, oversized blazers and loud prints that echo back to those popular in the ’80s, which were also a celebration of graffiti art.

While this collection was a triumph of artistic endeavor and luxurious craftsmanship, it didn’t pique my interest aesthetically. Although the liquid-y, gold tights were gorgeous, I’m not the biggest fan of gold in fashion, as I believe it can easily look cheap, tawdry and make any well-meaning outfit look like a costume. I do believe some of the gold details in this collection cheapened the looks, but perhaps that is because I didn’t experience the show in-person and was not able to see the work put into each piece. Pictures can only show so much!

Overall, I do think it was a success. Fashion should transport and delight the senses, just like any other art form- and even if this collection doesn’t interest me on a personal level, I appreciate what it has done in bringing ancient Egypt back to life.

Check out some of my favorite looks from the collection below:

All images found on Vogue.com

Poem Of The Week December 5, 2018

nausea or nostalgia

where is all of the seafoam green
inside of me, i know it used to be there
all built up like muck, brick-a-brack
teenage brat pack, angst is not black
it is the seafoam green of the old prom dress
crumpled in the closet, closed
shut tight like a virgin’s lips
and pink like her treacherous tongue.
the heat is a gun
is a bullet
is a hand that stroked my downy halo
blonde with thick eyelashes
rouged cheeks, or roughed?
milked flat and blue,
that seafoam is my dream
and my dream is the birth
of venus, of pearls,
you lick me clean and dry
and my baby skin grows over
ripe flesh and taught scars
a billion stars, a navy, navel orange.
hey that tan was a bad idea
and the acrylic nails, those too.

Submit your original poetry to anna@theyoungeclectic.com to be featured! Poetry is very important to me, so I would love to take any chance I can get to share the work of other poets and creators!

Runway December 5, 2018

The Mythos of Artful Layering With Givenchy Pre-Fall 2019

The beauty in myth is that they all serve to teach us a valuable lesson- Icarus let his hubris launch him into the sky, only for him to come crashing back down, a beautiful, blazing glory. While Clare Waight Keller used Icarus to inspire the Givenchy Pre-Fall 2019 collection, it did not fly too high for its own good. In fact, it too, has a valuable lesson to teach- the art of layering.

In the Fall and Winter seasons, it may be tempting to put style aside and just focus on keeping warm, but this collection serves as a reminder that Winter fashion is just so damn fun, so why not take advantage of it? One look sees a cinched dress pulled over a high-neck collared top for a prim, pressed style. Another pairs a soft, slouchy knit sweater with a crisp, pleated skirt. Every outfit plays with your expectations of color, pattern, line, material- begetting looks that are chicly unique.

Perhaps one of my favorite looks sees a structured, super-cropped jacket paired nicely with a long, classic-looking, yellow dress, creating a stimulating juxtaposition of length. Plus, the collection employs one of my all-time favorite shoe looks- a tall, slouchy boot coupled with a long, flowing dress.

While myth and legend can serve as muses for the most dramatic of collections, Givenchy’s newest collection is understated and sleek- a modern crash course in how to put together a thoughtful outfit. I was struck and inspired by the smart use of length and layers, married gorgeously with architectural lines and varying delightful textures. This collection proposes a thesis we should all heed- when consideration goes into the choice of each piece in an ensemble, the results will be nothing short of elegance. Excellent tailoring helps too.

Check out a few of my favorite looks from the collection below:

All photos found on Vogue.com courtesy of Givenchy.

Read My Thoughts December 4, 2018

Christmas Bums Me Out

Stress, Materialism and Selfishness During the Most Joyful Time of the Year

My childhood memories of Christmas play out like a movie- snow, pulling mittens over cold hands, getting snow up the sleeve of my coat, winding neighborhoods of colored light, Christmas carols, sleds, New Hampshire frozen lakes, hot cocoa and marshmallows, never enough marshmallows, A Christmas Carol, The Grinch, Santa Claus, reindeer hooves beating against the roof, Christmas cookies, milk in mugs… and presents. Wrapped in shimmering bows and pretty patterned paper, they held everything I dreamed of, and made the season magical.

For young ones lucky enough to receive gifts for the holidays, Christmas seems like a dream, the most joyful time of the year, accompanied by a fleeting sadness the day after because we would have to wait a whole year to sense the magic again. Eventually that magic fades. Slowly, first with the realization that Santa isn’t real (a fact that my parents have never wanted to tell us) and then with the onset of adulthood, where Christmas becomes much more about giving gifts than receiving them.

When I started to buy gifts for others, Christmas lost its luster. I don’t mean to make myself sound like a selfish jerk who only loves to receive and never wants to return the favor- no, that’s not what I mean. I love giving gifts, especially ones that have a lot of meaning that I know the recipient will truly appreciate. What bums me out about Christmas is the fact that gift giving is expected and anybody that doesn’t participate is hailed a Scrooge and painted as a greedy, joyless miser.

What do you get someone who doesn’t need or want anything? Something they don’t want or need. How many holiday gifts have you gotten that you had to pretend you were grateful for? How many gifts have you re-gifted? Yeah, we’ve all probably gotten plenty of presents that were basically meaningless junk all in the name of ~Christmas~. The evening of Thanksgiving, a day we are supposed to spend being thankful for what we have, thousands flock to big box stores to buy even more stuff! And a lot of the time they aren’t even buying gifts, but taking advantage of the mediocre deals for themselves It’s materialism on steroids. Overindulgent and selfish.

Then there’s the stress of it all, my least favorite part of the Christmas season. Trying to figure out what to get someone who doesn’t want anything is stress. Trying to mail the gifts on time is stress. Managing finances is stress. And at the end of the day it seems like it’s all in the name of stuff rather than loving and appreciating your family and friends and significant others.

I would much rather have a thoughtful, well-cooked meal, or a nice trip to a fun place than things that will line my shelves and gather dust. I guess that’s why we can make Christmas whatever we want it to be, despite companies trying to push their rampant waste and materialism upon us. I know the Christmas magic is still there somewhere, I just have to dig a little deeper to find it.

Fashion December 2, 2018

Green Is the New Millennial Pink

Millennial pink- that powdery, light, almost-salmon pink that projects a sense of innocence, purity and ironic prettiness- has been all over the runway and in every fashion magazine and blog for the last couple of years. It’s chic, yet playful- polished, yet accessible. Then, what Man Repeller dubbed “Gen Z” yellow came along- a more, bright, fun and laid back shade that gave millennial pink a run for its money. Now, a new color has arrived that may just dethrone them both and become the new *it* color.

Green- a natural, fresh shade that begets an attitude of renewal and growth- the perfect shade for this generation of movers and shakers. Green has been burning up the runway, and not just any green- a light, lime, almost-neon green, an eye-popping shade that will imbue any ‘fit with a chic trendiness and a streetwear-cool vibe.

All of this to say, you need to get this color in your wardrobe ASAP because it will be the next big shade. Here are some of the best “futura” green (hey, every new trendy shade needs a name, right?) looks seen on the Spring 2019 runways:

Emanuel Ungaro
Mulberry
The Gigi Collection
Veronique Leroy
Veronique Leroy
Anais Jourden
Balenciaga
Beautiful People
Blumarine
Gucci
Hermes
Maison Margiela
Manish Arora
Paul and Joe
Saint Laurent
Stella McCartney
Thom Browne
Valentin Yudashkin
Valentino
Versace

All photos found on Vogue.com.

Runway November 30, 2018

The Art of Imperfection in Valentino Pre-Fall 2019

It was easy to fall in love with Pierpaolo Piccioli’s latest collection for Valentino- a sharp, red collection rife with snappy pleats and plenty of Valentino’s signature ruffles. And while the fashion world reels in the wake of the Dolce & Gabbana controversy, Valentino’s show was a rousing success, leaving the crowd awestruck at the finale, as red petals rained from the ceiling.

valentino pre-fall 2019 tokyo fashion show runway — Valentino’s crisp Pre-Fall 2019 collection emphasized the beauty in imperfection and featured plenty of pretty pleats and ruffles. (Photo: Fashionista.com)

Shown in Tokyo, a first for Valentino, this collection celebrated the intricacies of Japanese culture by honoring the concept of wabi-sabi, or finding beauty in imperfection, and kintsugi, the art of repairing broken porcelain with molten gold, a theme that Piccioli feels is very timely.

“Western culture is about symmetry, perfection, static beauty, while wabi-sabi is more close to the idea of harmony, of inner grace. Time goes by and it adds, it doesn’t take away. It’s really interesting for this moment—in the past, beauty was perfection, but I really feel beauty is about diversity, that this idea of wabi-sabi is very modern in this moment.”

The show itself thrived off its many juxtapositions- the bright red printed against a deep black, the neutral makeup with the blue lip, the extravagant quality of the clothing and the plainness of the industrial warehouse venue. Every aspect of the collection served to bring to light another feature, making the clothing a joy to bring the eyes across.

And while much of the collection was rendered in a pure and piercing red, there were many moments of softness and pause, like with a short baby-blue dress and another soft, millennial pink ensemble. And while there were a ton of frills and downy jackets that floated down the runway like a puff of smoke, the looks were almost always grounded with some sturdy-looking shoes- another detail to fascinate the gaze.

Check out some of my favorite looks from the show below:

All photos found on Fashionista.com, courtesy of Valentino.

Poem Of The Week November 28, 2018

girl looking for man seeking muse:

You should know I stare long

And let my hair grow out all year

Before cutting it, almost ceremoniously.

Sometimes I wonder if smoking tastes romantic

Or just like death actually.

I use words as weapons and wishes.

I won’t suck the poison from your wound,

But I will run my fingers through your hair before you close your eyes.

I like to smell like flowers to simulate some kind of chemical reaction akin to lust.

Nobody misses me.

In the evening, when the lights are out

And the sound of traffic outside my shitty apartment window seems to slow to nothing

I look at my fingers in the dim

And think

Yes, this is me. Yes, I am alive

Before plunging into a sleep from which I wish

I would never wake.

Serious inquiries only.

Yuri Bodrikhin

Fashion November 28, 2018

Dolce & Gabbana’s Great Fail & Why Stefano Gabbana Is Garbage

If you are in any way connected to the fashion realm, then you’ve probably already heard all about Dolce & Gabbana’s latest blunder with their Great Show planned in Shanghai, China. An enormous fashion show was planned, boasting over 300 models with thousands of Chinese stars and Key Opinion Leaders (their term for influencers) set to attend. Unfortunately for Dolce and Gabbana, the universe had other things in mind.

Leading up to the show, Dolce and Gabbana released a series of three promotional videos on Chinese social media and their Instagram that featured a Chinese model attempting to eat oversized Italian cuisine with chopsticks, all while a male voiceover attempted to tell the model how to eat the food in a very patronizing, and semi-creepy-sexual tone. As you might expect, this did not go over well, as Chinese people took to social media to denounce the videos as racist because they relied wholly on stereotyping and infantilized the model and Chinese people overall by suggesting that they would not know how to eat foreign foods if presented with them.

View this post on Instagram

#DGlovesChina ? More like #DGdesperateforthatChineseRMB lol. In a bid to further appeal to luxury’s covetable Chinese consumers, @dolcegabbana released some hella offensive “instructional” videos on the usage of chopsticks. Pandering at it’s finest, but taken up a notch by painting their target demographic as a tired and false stereotype of a people lacking refinement/culture to understand how to eat foreign foods and an over-the-top embellishment of cliché ambient music, comical pronunciations of foreign names/words, and Chinese subtitles (English added by us), which begs the question—who is this video actually for? It attempts to target China, but instead mocks them with a parodied vision of what modern China is not…a gag for amusement. Dolce & Gabbana have already removed the videos from their Chinese social media channels, but not Instagram. Stefano Gabbana has been on a much-needed social media cleanse (up until November 2nd), so maybe he kept himself busy by meddling with the marketing department for this series. Who wants to bet the XL cannoli “size” innuendos were his idea? Lmao. • #dolceandgabbana #altamoda #rtw #dgmillennials #stefanogabbana #shanghai #chinese #italian #cannoli #meme #wtf #dumb #lame #chopsticks #foodie #tutorial #cuisine #italianfood #asianmodel #asian #chinesefood #dietprada

A post shared by Diet Prada ™ (@diet_prada) on Nov 19, 2018 at 6:39am PST

Enter Stefano Gabbana- the decidedly filter-less cofounder of the label that has a long history with taking criticism poorly… really poorly. In response to someone letting him know why the campaign was racist, Gabbana responded by saying that China is a “country of s***” and that Chinese people eat dogs. Apparently he didn’t get the memo that blatant racism isn’t good for PR.

In another amateur bad PR move, Gabbana later claimed that those comments were not made by him because his account was hacked, even though, as the much-revered Instagram fashion blog @diet_prada pointed out, Gabbana posted screencaps of the very same Instagram DM conversation on his stories. Mixed messages much?

After enormous outcry and an onslaught of entertaining videos of Chinese influencers destroying their D&G goods in a variety of ways, Dolce and Gabbana’s dreams of holding their “Great Show” died, leaving us with a half-assed apology video and a ton of questions like “Why do we even still put up with them?”

That’s right, folks- the fact that Dolce & Gabbana is problematic isn’t news. The infamous duo (but mostly Stefano Gabbana) has been offending various audiences for years and here are a few of the best (worst) examples:

5 Reasons Why Dolce & Gabbana (But Mostly Gabbana) Are Trash

1. Internalized Homophobia and War On IVF Children

In 2015, Dolce & Gabbana showed their blatant homophobia when they stated that they do not believe that gay people should be able to have and raise children because it went against nature. To make matters worse, they also referred to children conceived via IVF as “synthetic.” Yikes!

Elton John, who had two beautiful sons with his husband through IVF clapped back- “…Shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children.”

2. #DGHatesNaples

In 2016, Dolce & Gabbana created the #DGLovesNaples campaign, where they photographed a slew of models dressed to the nines in D&G with Naples locals. While the idea seems charming in concept, it was deemed offensive in its execution because it often showed the models photographed with Neopolitans in stereotypical roles like pizza maker or peasant.

When the Neoploitan people pointed out why they didn’t appreciate the campaign, Stefano Gabbana responded in the only way he knew how, by further insulting them, saying he will never visit Naples again and that Neopolitans are “the disgusting of Italy.” The D&G PR department should really consider taking Gabbana’s social media privileges away.

dolce and gabbana naples italy fashion editorial

One of the images from the Dolce & Gabbana Napoli campaign that featured a Neopolitan pizza maker.

3. Even More Racism

In a recent interview, Stefano Gabbana admitted that after he and Dolce are finished, he does not want a Japanese designer to design for the label. And this comment came soon after the label staged a show in Japan to court the Japanese public. Gabbana really has a terrible track record for showing basic human decency.

4. Body Shaming Lady Gaga

After Lady Gaga’s dynamite halftime performance in 2017, Stefano Gabbana took to social media to criticize her choice in showing her stomach, later retracting his comment and issuing an apology: “I know it’s strange, but finally something real not retouched! The truth, reality. Yesterday I criticized it too, but I thought about it and I was wrong!!!”

While some may credit him for issuing an apology, that doesn’t change the fact that he found the need to comment on Lady Gaga’s stomach to be more important than commenting on her abilities and her outstanding performance- a common issue for women in many industries.

lady gaga super bowl halftime performance music popstar

Lady Gaga put on a spectacular show during the 2017 Super Bowl halftime show, yet received a ton of unwarranted comments about her body, rather than her kick-ass performance. (Photo: Ben Liebenberg/NFL)

5. Fatphobic Sneakers

How could you go wrong with a pair of sneakers? If anyone could find a way, it’s good ol’ Dolce & Gabbana. They released a pair of sneakers with the phrase ” I’m Thin & Gorgeous” printed on them, something that many people found to be a subtle way of pushing a fatphobic message.

So what did Gabbana do when faced with criticism? You guessed it- he made matters worse with more hateful comments like:

“u think is better to be fat full of hamburger??? Stupid” and

“When idiocy distorts reality!!! incredibile!!!! Next time we’ll write LOVE TO BE FAT AND FULL OF CHOLESTEROL.”

dolce and gabbana fashion sneakers fatphobic

The infamous sneakers that boasted the questionable phrase “I’m Thin & Gorgeous.” (Photo: Dolce & Gabbana)

You can’t make this stuff up, folks. If you decide to support Dolce & Gabbana, then that’s your decision, but in my personal opinion, jerks like Gabbana don’t need anybody to stroke their ego. Just let it die.