Through the closet door and into dreams: Ralph Rucci Fall 2010

 I've been cleaning out my closet.  This time I am being really brutal.  I must love it.  I must love it on.  No settling.

I am finding that I had forgotten how nice I feel in nice clothes, that I like tailoring, that I love a beautiful dress and heels, nice ladylike flats too, but especially heels.  I like dressing up.  Where have I been?  How could I forget?

Oh yes, I remember now.  Caregiver.  What a terrible word.  What a terrible style.

 I want to repudiate caregiver style.  Oh wearing jeans has been good for me.  I have learned to be casual; this took a long time, and there are days this is all I want.  But more often I want to be in a suit or dress and heels even though this is not the wardrobe expected in my life.  

One must gauge the climate.  One must also gauge the temperature of the woman, and find a meeting point where both coexist in comfort.  I am working on this; slowly yet, but working nonetheless.

I want to wear what I want simply because I want to wear it.

 I'm not far enough along in the closet restructuring to report anything, but I have been inspired to look at the fall collections.  Of course I started at the top, with my favorite, Chado by Ralph Rucci.  You must go look at the collection.  It is amazing.  Almost every piece is gorgeous.  The man is a genious.  Obviously I am stark-raving-mad for this collection.  I like it so much I have looked at it over and over.  I like it so much I haven't looked at anything else.

 I am so inspired I'm loopy.

 There are so many things here that speak to me.  Some are ideas for things to make.  I'm not really planning direct knock-offs.  I stopped that years ago, I'm more interested in stealing inspiration, and Ralph Rucci's work is all inspiration.  Besides, my skills aren't up to creating some of these things, not yet, perhaps not ever.  

But my love of this collection goes beyond just wanting the clothes, and yes I do want them.  It goes beyond just dreaming of making the clothes, or using them for inspiration.  This collection reminds me of something fundamental and basic that is in my style, something with which I had floundered for a while. 

If style is also a reflection of who you are, of the place you want to mark in the world, when the world throws you for a loop it is conceivable that even style can get lost.    But to deny one's style is to deny a fundamental piece of oneself, whether that style be "high" or "low", combat boots or Christian Louboutin.

I love these garments in and of themselves.  They are perfection.  They remind me of what I like, they remind me not to go down frivolous paths following whims.  

Sometimes I just look at something and say that is how I wish clothing could be, how I wish life could be, the life for those clothing.  

Aspirational.  

 Inspirational.

Clothing that makes me wax philosophic. Not a good sign.  Did I not tell you I was loopy? We all know I am not good at philosophy, and I am worse at writing about it.  

Did you know that in college I was told that I "write badly very well", and that I should write the blurbs that you find on the back of novels, enticing the reader to open the pages?  

It is true.  But it is not correct.  I let my mind wander far too freely to write blurbs.

Even in the context of these fabulous clothes my mind wanders beyond "where could I wear this" and "how could I reproduce that" and thinks of blurbs.

These are dream clothes.  They are not clothes for driving the garbage cans up the hill, or doing all those other practical things.  I don't think dreams need to be practical.

Comments

[Mardel]

Thank you Myrna. 
It is my tendency to ramble, at least here, where I give myself free reign.  It is tough sometimes to hold onto what
is important to oneself, not what others deem frivolous or important, while
still doing what is necessary.

 

Isn’t it a fabulous collection Carolyn?  I love the way he makes garments that
real women can actually think about wearing, and many of them are actually
appropriate for life, life of a person who has a job or places to be and things
to do, other than just get dressed and look pretty.

[Mardel]

Thank you Bev, Ive been
feeling more myself lately, and it is so nice of you to notice.  I think
nice clothes are good if that is what one likes (me! me!) although I also balk
at high heels while scrubbing kitchen floors, or shoveling snow come to think of
it.  I have been known to work in the yard in a skirt or dress, but I only
run the tiller using steel-toed boots. It is good to have a few well chosen
practical items for when they are needed. 

 

Thank you Vicki, I do think
this is a fabulous collection, I have to admit classics with a twist is my
favorite.

 

Gigi, I’d love to be able
to dress like that also, but it sure is nice to dream.

[sdBev]

Mardel

I feel like I'm witnessing the rebirth of your personality. I have to share, that I decided more than 2 years ago, that it is OK to like nice clothing and wear nice clothing for almost all occasions. I balk at scrubbing kitchen floors while wearing high heels. But why not while watching TV? I'm so looking forward to seeing your new style.

[Vicky F]

Wow, love your picks from this collection! Classics with a twist.
See, you're not loopy, you're twisted...
Take care.
Vicky F

[Gigi]

Oh, what lovely, lovely clothes! I'd love to be able to dress like that even just once a week, sigh. And, yes, the days are too short, aren't they?

[Myrna]

You write philosophy well. You put your finger right on what I'm dealing with - caregiver style. The care of the caregiver is so often overlooked. In the process of being all things to other people, there is this loss of self that is very difficult to re-attain.

I particularily related to this paragraph...

If style is also a reflection of who you are, of the place you want to mark in the world, when the world throws you for a loop it is conceivable that even style can get lost. But to deny one's style is to deny a fundamental piece of oneself, whether that style be "high" or "low", combat boots or Christian Louboutin.

... Thanks. I don't know your story but I've been there, done that, am doing it. Nice to know I'm not alone.

- Myrna

[Carolyn]

I loved so many things in this collection too! So I totally understand your fixation with it! He does create the most amazing garments for women ~ doesn't he?!