Gingham Dog and Calico Cat

Erin snapped this picture of me on my first day in New York for fashion week; just an hour or so off the train it was time for Lauren Moffatt's presentation and then there was Erin Fetherston's presentation and so on--it was a crazy day. The week was also sweltering, so I was glad to have packed mostly easy dresses and comfy ballet flats. I've had this Shakuhachi dress for a couple of years now and I've worn it before (also in NY interestingly enough). I really enjoy dresses re-working gingham in interesting ways. I mean originally and commonly it's been used for children's clothes; one can site Judy Garland's portrayal of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz as an example--paired with pig tails it is the epitome of innocence. Even when not worn by children it was as wholesome as apple pies and picnic blankets, but then Brigitte Bardot displayed a penchant for the fabric and gave it a heavy dose of sex appeal. She wore a gingham bikini at Cannes and later was married in a pastel gingham dress. Awhile back Commes des Garcons gave it yet another spin with padded sections distorting the body beneath and it's been fairly popular on the runways since then (Christopher Kane's oversized gingham for spring 2010 still haunts me). Anyway, it's just interesting to see something that once carried such specific connotations slowly develop into something else.