Why does everybody have to be naked these days, well, figuratively speaking? Kim and the entire Kardashian clan are beautiful enough without side boobs at the Met Gala and showcasing all their, ahem, assets, everywhere they go. The gowns keep getting more risque by the minute. With all the yards and yards of fabric, you would think the designers could cover more than the red carpet with a train. Celebrities are an enigma, I get that, but leave something to the imagination, J.Lo.
Some of my favorite designers always know how to dress a lady. Zac Posen, for instance, is a young designer who embodies old world glamour, wrapping the female body in the most luxurious of fabrics from head-to-toe for scene-stealing moments. I love when he asks his muse, whether it’s Katie Holmes or Natalie Portman, to stand back and twirl. I love a girl who can twirl! The late Oscar de la Renta was a name synonymous with elegance, creating gowns that took our breath away. We miss you, Oscar.
It’s all about art, vision and perspective. Stylists are swooning over young Hollywood, presenting them with jaw-dropping fashion choices pulled from the most elite fashion houses. The late Yves Saint Laurent said it best, “Fashions fade. Style is eternal.” I agree with Yves. A woman should know her style, her own point of view, then dress accordingly in fashions that accentuate the feminine curves of the body without being too suggestive.
I will always cheer on the dames and mademoiselles with more clothing on than off, admiring the cut of a gown and its ability to move with the body. Of course, to each her own. Sophia Loren once said, “A woman’s dress should be like a barbed-wire fence; serving its purpose without obstructing the view.” I guess when one has Sophia’s legendary curves it is especially important to show them off. It’s not like runway nakedness is a totally new thing, is it Cher, but is it finally out of control?
Fashion legend Iris Apfel got it so right when she quipped, “More is more and less is a bore.” Well, less might not always be boring, but is it tasteful? Call it vanity, name it ego, censor it or not … for many, skin is the new accessory of the most famous women of our time, but shall we label them “well-dressed”? I wonder what Coco Chanel and Vivian Leigh would say to Miley Cyrus and Rhianna.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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