(cough… me.)

[View with PicLens]

CHICAGO –April 5, 2009 – Nobody Dances Here wraps up its first season with a no holds barred discussion about the annoying things about life in the Second City.  Visit www.nobodydanceshere.com to listen in on this hilarious banter featuring Elise, Quintin, and new co-host Crystal Joy. 

Crystal Joy is a undergraduate student in Chicago studying journalism.  She’s fiesty, sexy, and has a style that no one can touch.  More information about Crystal Joy can be found at www.nobodydanceshere.com as she will be a new regular in season 2. 

NOBODOYDANCESHERE is the brainchild blog /radio show of creator Quintin X. Roper. Quintin’s blog and radio show, co-hosted by Elise Merriman is a lifestyle and entertainment blog that focuses on current and popular issues such as fashion, music, politics, and film.

Check out the PODCAST on iTUNES.

Subscribe to the BLOG.

Radio show PR courtesy of Courtney Williams.
Tweet

CHICAGO –March 24, 2009 – Before logging hours and countless search terms into the Google search engine on fashion, visit www.nobodydanceshere.com to listen in on the radio interview featuring local fashionistas Jenny Fine and Kari Skaflen.

Jenny Fine is a local aspiring designer who is self taught. Not just limited to fashion design, Ms. Fine also does sculpting, jewelry design, and choreography. Ms. Fine has created costume designs for the Latin Dance studio here in Chicago and is currently working on a series of two-dimensional designs she will be shopping around shortly.

“The fashions I create are very much in the style of Imitation of Christ, a design house that came up in the nineties that reworked vintage, thrift store clothing and put it on the runways…,” Ms. Fine states.

Kari Skaflen is editor and founder of Above the Fray Magazine and also runs a blog in connection to the magazine. Ms. Skaflen comes from a very diverse background, having a BA in French, an MA in European Studies, and has also lived in France.

According to Ms. Skaflen, “I am constantly inspired by the creativity fashion embodies. I see it as a social mirror that reflects a collective mood and says far more than most imagine.”

Jenny Fine and Kari Skaflen, both making Chicago as their home base, embrace both their diverse backgrounds while also incorporating the Chicago essence into their work in fashion.

For additional Information on Kari Skaflen, visit www.abovethefray.com.

Check out the PODCAST on iTUNES.

Subscribe to the BLOG.

Radio show PR courtesy of Courtney Williams.Tweet

[View with PicLens]

The Chicago History Museum is exhibiting “Chic Chicago”: its one of a kind collection of historical costumes that date from 1861 to 2008, all worn by Chicago women. Curated by Timothy Long, the exhibit displays the most breathtakingly beautiful garments you will ever get the opportunity to see in this city.

What first struck me about this show was Tracy Gerladez’s smart layout of mannequins in the calm gallery space, which immediately made me feel as though I had entered a safe place where my curiosities and need for inspiration were caringly fulfilled. The dresses are grouped by key eras of fashion, and the transitions between trends are cleverly placed along a runway. It is easy to navigate, with detailed literature provided about each garment, its creator and the person who wore it.

All of the costumes had interesting details, innovative shapes and illuminating textures. Roy Halston’s orange off-the-shoulder silk jersey evening gown (made in 1970) bestowed the most beautiful draping techniques I have ever seen: the energy of the gown spirals into the left hip as the fabric gracefully falls to the floor. Visually, Halston’s dress has a lot of movement while impressively maintaining a simple goddess silhouette.

Paul Poiret’s 1913 “Sorbet Dress”—probably the most famous dress in the entire collection—is a black and white satin masterpiece. Noted for being the first of the modern era, the Japanese inspired garment did away with the notion that women should be in corsets. Instead, Poiret offers a comfortable and cute alternative, complete with chiffon and glass beads.

Another piece that would cause anyone’s jaw to drop is Charles James’s “Butterfly” ball gown. Ironically, if you look hard enough at it, you can see that James literally created a wrapped cocoon body for the main piece and completed it with a lavish cape of wings. The bone and tan color used for the 17 pound piece is stunning, but you are left concerned about the comfort of the lucky woman wearing it.

While you are not allowed to touch the garments, some offer miniature components so that you can see how the garment was technically crafted. The exhibition and catalogue designers managed to made everything look so…. sexy. Overall, “Chic Chicago” displays an unusual level of elegance, and it was very pleasing to know that in a non-fashion capital, the city still has highly sophisticated fashion etiquette.

This piece is also featured in the upcoming issue of F News Magazine!
Tweet

First to hit the runway was The School of the Art Institute Chicago. Known for their overly conceptual work, the collections presented were well tailored and “interesting”. Tyler Coughlin presented an explosive fireball of clothes that looked like satanic Halloween costumes. Adorned with sharp red, enameled gold, and jet black the variety of his collection seemed limited and didn’t have the wearability that the common folk long for. On the complete opposite end, Moriko Golden showcased a softer palette of earth tones and funk that drew inspiration from the mystery of gardens. Each piece had a story that was related to mother nature and was tastefully executed. Her models did not wear shoes, which was a powerful statement as most of the designers insisted on using heels to support their work. At times during the beginning of the show, one could feel a sudden jolt of confusion when the garments appeared on stage. When Min Jeong Ko presented her collection of scraps it definitely reemphasized SAIC’s tendency to choose concept over aesthetic.

The showstopper was perhaps Columbia College who was able to tone down concept to appease the audiences. Cute skirts, luxurious evening gowns, hot denim, and unbelievable footwear made is seem like these students were better prepared for the business of fashion. Liz Klimek presented a lavender sundress with budding pink and yellow flowers trimming it and it received the first applause of the night; a kick in the face to the misunderstood SAIC. It happened again throughout Yuka Tekada’s presentation. She proved her genius with a very witty use of lace and purple fabric. A conservative high-waisted plaid skirt, with rocker black lace gloves oooo’d as couture purple and brown business skirt and top awed. Her clothing was both fresh and contemporary, leaving many to wonder when they could purchase. Columbia was not all glory that night. Reginald Ilagen managed to provide the tackiness for the evening; a cliché collection of black dresses with leopard print. Although his draping technique was interesting, and his silhouettes professional, it did not encourage the same level of amazement or adventure that the designers had before him. One might suggest that Ilagen perhaps should have gone first for the evening.

The International Acadmey of Design & Technology had a few good pieces come down the runway. Fraley Le who had a natural ability to experiment with the female form. She took risks, especially in one garment were a dress had a detailed exaggeration at the hips, which might have been ill fitting but looked absolutely amazing on the model. It was clear that her vision on the collection was an interpretation of the safe “little black dress”. But the concepts of her classmates were messy and had a noticeable ego.

Once Columbia had wrapped up, the show went down hill. And it was a mighty big hill.

The Illinois Institute of Art showcased a collection of boxy and poorly executed work. It was embarrassing to watch. The clothing did not fit and was not innovative in its presentation. Common things like plaid pants or the over used “flower-as-blouse” seemed like these students allowed too many things to inspire them. At times there were hopeful moments as the models first stepped on to the runway. But the optimism was ruined by clothing falling off, string flapping around, or the apparent discomfort of the model attempting to make the garment look good. Adriana Gonzalez was mildly impressive with her conceptual work of sienna grey gowns. But it begs the question, “What are you in school for?”

In all, the fashion show was a success in it’s attempt to convey Chicago as a fashion capital. There were a few moments of annoyance, like the added finale of the “Make Me a Model” search where one of the runway models won an official contract, which cheapened the night. But events like this are absolutely necessary to redefine Chicago’s ability to be an art center.

[View with PicLens]

Tweet

Every morning, if it is a normal morning, I give great thought to what I will wear. This is a habit that I have had since age 5 when I was deemed old enough by the mums to pick out my own clothes and put them on.

Yet every normal morning, I walk outside to find myself alone. No one is speaking to me. No one bothered to prepare. This is a typical day in Chicago, a land where few people think of clothing as a form of expression. The dress of the city is as expressive as a turtle. Emotionless, mute, and bored.

My judgment does not come without justification. This past year I have had Mayor Daley beat the idea of “Chicago as a Fashion Capitol” into my head. But something does not seem right. Does Chicago lack the history? Did the great fire really put an end to what could have been this great fashion Mecca? I do not believe that the city’s history is relevant. I would dare say that most people here are lazy. Why would you buy pants that stop at the ankle or sagged on top of your shoes? Because you are lazy. Why would you attempt to wear high heels if you were not properly trained to do so? Yeah, chick. You missed orientation.

Wearing clothing is indeed an active art form, a scientific conglomerate of ideas about yourself and the image of you. I do not write this to pass criticism on “Joe the Plumber” who could give two shits about what he is wearing… (pun intended) but to present an argument to the discriminatory shopper; the person who believes that he or she has a keen eye for fashion. They have the money to purchase and the time to browse so I have been a little confused about this decision making process. People in Chicago aim to look average.

As I walk to work every week through the financial district, that point hits even harder. You have highly paid business men wearing suits that do not fit. They do not fit. They do not fit. Now, if buying a suit proved to be a challenge I could understand the assembly of pawns marching down LaSalle and Adams in their balloon pants and clown jackets but there are tons of shops, dedicated to suiting men, throughout the loop and downtown. And it does not stop here, even in “trendy” neighborhoods like Lincoln Park or even Wicker Park, young people indulge in visual torture. In Lincoln, it seems appropriate to go out in Birkenstocks and an oversized collar shirt suffocated by a sweater. In Wicker Park, where everyone is too cool for their mommas, skinny jeans and oversized glasses are the dress code, no exceptions. We will forget the fact that skinny jeans require a certain type of legs and that the glasses should fit the shape of your face, because those are details and Chicago does not like details.

And even I have fallen victim to this laziness. I do not have many normal mornings in Chicago anymore. When there is effort I find myself overdressed in the environment and uncomfortable. When there is no effort I feel sick to my stomach. I avoid my reflection and thank god that I can spend most of my day in workout clothes because I work in fitness, and that is my lazy excuse. But I most admit that recently I have been feeling more empowered with my decisions to dress up. Clothing is the book cover of a very complex and ravishing tale. Why cheapen it with thoughtless choices.

And speaking of cheap, currently, Macy’s has a special department in it’s clothing stores that features the garments of current Chicago designers. These designers live and work out of Chicago and with this exception only sell their work in private boutiques. I took an opportunity to view some dresses and blouses, Macy’s of course has a very exclusive (AKA limited and boring) selection. Pardon my frankness, but I wondered how many privileged white folk it took to stitch this vomit together. It was offensive.

Mayor Daley has a better chance of hosting the Olympics three times in a row than he does turning this pile into a fashion center. It just won’t happen. The talented student designers are moving to bigger cities, and the city could not handle the demand of production because there are no textile factories. More importantly, if the people do not want it, you can’t give it to them.

Chicago is lazy...