This young woman from 1955 certainly knew how to strike a pose, and that brings us to the inescapable fact that this is New York Fashion Week. I generally do not care what people in New York are doing while I’m not there, but NYFW is a pain because my usually calm twitter feed becomes overloaded by fuzzy photos from runways and reports of who is attending what show. And these tweets are not from fashion bloggers – they are from the New York Times.
There is increasing evidence that people are suffering from fashion week overload. It might just be that what is happening on the runway has been taking second place to the buzz of activity surrounding the runway. Could we just get back to fashion, please, without the party and celebrity reports?
* Eric Wilson of the New York Times weighs in on the topic.
* And there was an article at IFB (International Fashion Bloggers) about why one blogger was skipping fashion week this fall. She gave five reasons, but I suspect she’s actually just bored with it.
* On a more serious note, Robin Givhan of the Washington Post examines the fashion industry and social responsibility.
* The Costume Institute at the Met must be listening to people like me bemoaning the lack of the stars of their collection not being included in their shows, because the exhibition next spring is all Charles James.
* Joe Zee, creative director at Elle magazine will be hosting four documentaries on fashion for the Sundance Channel over the next year. The first, Revealing: Extravagance, airs September 20, and “Explores the Impact of Society’s Obsession with High End Fashion.”
* Messy Nessy Chic has a fun feature on a circa 1910 camping trip of friends, both male and female with some incredible photos. In the comments, some posters point out that the caption “My Victorian Camping Trip” should actually be “My Edwardian Camping Trip.”
* A new e-commerce site Zady, is attempting to make clothing production totally transparent.
* The Charleston Museum has just opened their latest clothing exhibition, Positively Paisley. Through January 5, 2014.
The Vintage Traveler 
Thank you for all of these great links. I used to love to shop, but the awfulness of the current fashion industry has completely turned me off. The horrible working conditions, the reliance on cheap fabrics and unskilled labor, and the poor design, construction and fit, the sheer amount of fabric heading into the landfill…don’t get me started! When I shop now I try to support companies that are attempting ethical manufacturing, such as Eileen Fisher and Patagonia. For luxury items I buy or sew vintage!
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I’m really not much of a shopper any more either, especially since I’ve gotten back into sewing my clothes. I’m really glad that more companies are seeing the importance of more ethical practices. As consumers, we need to support those who are making gains in that area.
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Great miscellany Lizzie with a notable thread running through it. I don’t look at many mainstream fashion bloggers but it’s good to see that they appear to realise that as conduits for the fashion industry they are feeding the frenzy. Those 1910 camping trips photos were just the best!
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I read very few blogs except those that deal with vintage and fashion history, or that talk about textiles and clothing manufacturing. Too many fashion blogs are just thinly disguised advertisements.
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It’s interesting you say that. I’ve been on a quest to seek out other “vintage” blogs (mine is kind of advertising for my novel, but the blog is stand alone). Anyway, I’m not sure I understand some of the “vintage fashion blogs” out there.
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I don’t mind vintage blogs that advertise their vintage that is for sale; I’ve found a lot of great things that way. I don’t mind bloggers that sometimes show an item they have been given by a company. Unfortunately, many blogs are now nothing but gifted and sponsored posts, and to me that crosses the line from a blog to an advertisement.
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Julie, I agree with your comments. I don’t like to shop anymore; it has become a choking sea of offshore cheapy ugliness. There are generations now who don’t know quality fabrics nor construction. Our buy-and-throw-away society has wrought this. Lizzie’s picture of the young lady in jaunty white shirt and (what looks like) jeans is a testament to some styles that are timeless. She’s classic, elegant, and well-put together. What more should we strive for?
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Yes, she’s casual, but still manages to be elegant.
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I nominated you for a Liebster Award! http://ascrapbookforjenny.wordpress.com/2013/09/09/being-bloggy/
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Thanks so much!
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I love the picture and love vintage (wrote a vintage novel girlinthejitterbugdress.com), but this year there is a LOT of inspired vintage looks. I think because of The Great Gatsby? Although I do sew, and am very thrifty, I like the trickle down effect of vintage inspired clothing being available. Thanks for the links and picture. I’m going to poke around some more 🙂
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It doesn’t seem long ago when the designers and fashion editors were THE fashion week celebrities and rightfully so. Although there are some wonderful bloggers who do know their fashion history and report on the shows beautifully, they are far and few between.
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Great point. It is the designer who should be highlighted here.
One blogger that tells it straight is http://emperorsoldclothes.blogspot.com/
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