In 2004, I had gained some weight, and was not looking forward to going shopping. So I thought long and hard about what would be a satisfying purchase, given that I was larger than I wanted to be (size 14), and not particularly thrilled about committing to a size I didn't want to be in the first place. Once you get to that size, your wardrobe options are reduced dramatically.
Nakedness was not an option, even though I found that I looked better naked than I did in most of what was on the market - thankfully. But what was I going to do outdoors?
The "muffin top" and "butt-crack" epidemics were in full swing, and I was not planning on participating. It's so frustrating when there's nothing out there you want to spend your money on! I began wishing that I could get the last great thing that so-and-so made, rather than the current offerings, which I found unsuitable.
I ended up deciding to invest in some fabulous size neutral garments that would take me through this period, and still work once I got back to my regular size (10). I bought three Madame T's by
Issey Miyake, my favorite architects, and some great Italian pieces at A-
Uno, also in
Tribeca (neither place ever disappointments). The stuff was $$$, but I had no reservations about making the purchases, because the silhouettes were timeless and sculptural, and I could go anywhere in those garments: client meetings, art openings, trips to the supermarket - you name it! I wanted to start organizing Madame T parties!
And they were so simple: two pieces of fabric sewn together into a gigantic rectangle, with an off-centered slit you could put your head or arm through. The possibilities were endless! I was beside myself with glee, because now I was more focused what sorts of interesting shapes I could make around my body, than what size I was - what a relief! I also designed an amazing calorie budget for myself, so the weight was coming off at the pace I had planned. More on that later....
After a while, I started documenting my favorite looks, so I would remember how to do them. (I never actually referred to them though, because I was quite taken with the idea of starting fresh each time) The garments actually came with a small book, but somehow I never got one until much later. (Most of the styles were for petite Japanese woman anyway, so I just went for it).
Neck: fabulous sterling silver cuff by a British designer at
AUno. Top: silver Madame T (arm through slit, tied on the side) over a one shoulder black stretch top from some cheapo company.
Top: brassy colored Madame T - short length (arm though slit, wrapped in front) Bottom: Editor pants from Express.
everyone's butt looks good in these. I bought about seven pairs in various fabrics, since I didn't plan on going through any fitting room trauma for a while). Bag: Tab clinch L-tote by yours truly.
Top: Black Madame T (head though slit, sleeves and bodice tied in the back). Skirt: French Connection.
Top: Black Madame T (wrapped without the use of the slit). Skirt:
DKNY.
Top: black Madame T (head through slit, tied in back). Skirt: Aimee G, one of my favorite local designers I met at the
MarketNYC.
Top: black Madame T (arm through slit, tied in back to one side). Editor pants in lightweight denim from express. These were my fake jeans. I swore off jeans in 1997, because while they were very utilitarian, they were not particularly comfortable (more on psychological comfort vs. physiological comfort later). Never actually left the apartment in this number - not a "belly-out" kind of girl, especially since my belly would be on top of the waistband if I sat down.
I did wear it like this though.
So the "Miyake madness" was a large part of what helped me get through my transitional period. it was so much fun! Sometimes I didn't even get where I was supposed to go because I was having so much fun already.
Another line from his collection that I found quite inspiring was the APOC (a piece of cloth) line. These garments were stretchy filmy numbers that were made using Whole Garment Construction. Issey Miyake and Dai Fujiwara were making some really fabulous textiles in the most efficient manner possible. The Madame Ts were also zero waste garments, but the APOC was more low key and casual, since none of the colors were shiny. (Shiny was my favorite color at the time). I'll do my best to find the photo of the one apoc garment that I bought. I lost it in a laundry mishap one day, and of course was not able to purchase it again. The
half temaki came really close, except I made it asymmetrical.
So this was one aspect of the beginning. The others were through a
screening element I was working on at the time, and a Dance Africa performance I saw at
BAM in 2005. More on that later....
She does such amazing things with the garments, and she owns almost every style.
Jennie came back from her trip to Bermuda to show us how she wore her kit, and brought her mom Dorothy along. They're both wearing shrugs, but Jennie is wearing hers as a halter for her beach coverup look, and Dorothy is wearing the poffy sleeve version. We had a lovely picnic on 'Pick & Nick' by German designer Raumgestalt.
Here she's going at it with the Kimono Shrug over her tube dress.
She completely blew us away with all the styles she had for the Frilly halter, worn with leggings.
Then she showed us how she does the Frilly Belt with her tube dress.
And she certainly did some numbers with Jin's 'T' and her tube dress.
