Jazz-Age Lawn Party Style

Love flapper fashion? Gatsby? Downton Abbey? Boardwalk Empire?  You saw all of these style influences at last weekend's Jazz-Age Lawn Party over at NYC's Governor's Island.  The fashionable summer event is in it eighth year, anchored by the festive Michael Arenella and his Dreamland Orchestra.

With all of the vintage fashion inspiration in movies and film, the music-inspired event brings out bigger and bigger crowds of garb-enthusiastic fashionistas.  I love that men and children are as lavishly attired as the ladies.  The fans are so brilliantly detailed that the aesthetic is followed through to even the picnic settings and vehicles.

You would think that everyone would have shown up in beaded flapper dresses after this summer's Great Gatsby movie premiered (especially with director Baz Luhrman in attendance).  However, the crowd was beautifully creative taking looks from all sorts of themes, from musicians, charleston dancers, retro swimwear, tea dresses, domestic servants or co-opting the vintage look with contemporary punk.

If you missed the party in June, rouge your knees for the next party on August 17th and 18th of 2013. More information here.

photos Patrick Michael Hughes,Faran Krentcil for Elle.com, Katie Sokoler

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TORONTO FASHION WEEK: Korhani Home Spring 2013

photos by Hing Ching Leung

The most dramatic fashion show at World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto has got to be Korhani Home.  Ironic as it is a carpet and home decor company and not one whose business is clothing.

They had the most buzzed about show last season in Toronto Fashion Week for their mix of piglets and punks on the runway, Venetian carnivale and Japanese elegance.  This year, they did not disappoint, with 1920's flappers, island Goddesses and 1980's bombshells.  Parrots replaced the teacup pigs as the animal fashion accessory of choice this season.

It is a unique way to showcase the graphic, trendy patterns of a rug company.  Designer Kirsten Korhani was inspired by the eras and home accessories produced by her firm.  The press generated by putting her home collection on the runway is a brilliant publicity move where few competitors could hope to achieve.  

For the guests, it was an entertaining show that inspired many to "cut a rug" and party

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American Woman at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

What is American style? While the FIT museum recently held an exhibition "American Beauty"
showcasing the best of American designers, the Met exhibit examines the woman who wears them.
What is the culture behind the uniquely American look? It looks at the Gibson Girl, suffragettes, and women who were early pioneers in politics and equality. With American jazz came the flappers of the 1920's. Hollywood came to prominence a few decades later with glamorous screen sirens like Rita Hayworth.

Who are our modern icons? The movies and tv series Sex and the City was quite the influence in the last few years. (Sarah Jessica Parker also does the audio for the exhibit tour). Michelle Obama is a contemporary symbol of democracy in politics and fashion. Her signature style is a mix of high/low American designers from J. Crew to indie innovators like Jason Wu.

The Metropolitan Costume Gala is one of the hottest social events of NYC and will kick off the show Monday, May 3. The Brooklyn museum will host a sister exhibition, American High Style

featuring their new department and acquisitions.

Photos by Kyle Ericksen,Dan Kitwood

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