That's exactly what my boss said to me
the other morning as I planned my ensemble.
After weeks of temperatures below normal
New Yorkers are finally able to trot out their
spring togs. The best thing about Manhattan
is that fashion is social theater. The simple
act of walking to work is a style statement.
All of a sudden I'm seeing color rather than
a sea of black. Frankly, it's quite entertaining,
often inspiring, and occasionally surprising!
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What is most wonderful about the urban
runway is that it democratizes fashion.
Any woman or man can be exposed to
the best if they simply are observant.
Stand on the right corner and you'll see
Chanel, Lanvin, and Pucci on parade
right in front of you. Cross the street
and stand on the opposite side to view
something edgy, young, and unique.
It's a veritable l'ecole de la mode.
Caution, not everything you see while
out and about will be pleasing to the
eye. This morning I saw a young lady
wearing a chic head to toe black
ensemble accented with neon yellow
flats and piquant canary scarf. While
her look certainly garnered my attention,
it's impact was actually quite "stinging".
Along with errant fashionistas one may
also meet quite a few fashion victims.
Their bold and provocative style
statements startle due to their obvious
lack of knowledge or restraint.
One of the treasures of Manhattan is it's department stores. Where else can a young lady on a limited income look, touch, and don couture? If she is bold enough to enter the inner sanctum of Bergdorf, any girl can intimately view the intricate internal construction of a designer gown. Quickly one learns what separates Zara from Prada.
Once you leave the city streets, where
else can one strut their stuff? Sadly
America has become a vast sea of
"comfort". Our national uniform seems
to have become tees, denim, and a
designer handbag. I often wonder what
might happen if these ladies had access
to as much fashion as the average
New Yorker sees on the street in one day?
Dubuque Iowa might be a prettier place.