I won’t wear logos, why should
I wear labels? |
| How’s your sense of age appropriateness? I groan as I type
the term; there has to be a better expression. More often these days
I find columns about “dressing well at any age” in almost
any fashion magazine I pick up. They seem to have replaced the columns
on “dressing well at any weight” that used to be the monthly
standard in fashion glossies. Age appropriateness is also a favourite
topic of most make-over shows. |
| I think these fashion mavens miss the point. I don’t think
that most sartorial sins come from trying to look too young or too
old, but just plain lack of fashion sense or common sense. |
Taste is formed early. Unfortunately so is a lack of it. Granted,
the teens and twenties are a time to experiment, but also to find
a sense of style. If you are dowdy then you’ll most likely be
so later, barring intervention. If you tend to look too risqué
or garish, alas, it simply will not age well. The sin, however, is
not in the age but in the esthetic.
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| Karin and Sophia Pacione share classic style and
timeless beauty! |
|
| I have seen it time and time again. You can check my theory by simply
looking at Hollywood. In spite of all the stylists, there are those
who always get it right, and those who always go over the top. A tacky
star at 20 is not elegant at 40. Having a great sense of style is
a lot like perfect pitch - you have it or you don’t. A good
teacher can help you to stay in tune, but you if no one tells you
your notes have fallen flat, you are doomed to sing off key. |
| All this talk about “aging elegantly” and dressing “age
appropriately” just reinforces ageism. Fashion and beauty have
to work for you, your body, age, coloring and life. To focus on age
even in a positive way is crazy and negative. Personally darlings,
it gives me a headache. I resented the concept when I was a well-dressed
20-something and I resent it now. It’s just another tricky label,
like “too sexy” or “too feminine” that some
not so fabulous people use to put women down. Unfortunately sometimes,
it is other women doing the putting down. |
| How a woman puts herself together, her attitude and demeanor at
all stages of her life, should be elegant, warm, and positive. Her
look should reflect how she feels “bien dans sa peau,”
or “good in her skin”. Granted her look should also reflect
intelligence and a sense of occasion too. |
| Too many constraints on style and expression based on age hurt all
women. Worrying about such things when you are young can really clip
your creative wings. When you are older it can just suck the last
of the life force from you. So darlings, I say if you have good taste
and you know you look fabulous, then to hell with fashion ageism at
any age. If you know your taste is not so hot, then you are smart
enough to get some help. Good taste, elegance, kindness, and feeling
fabulous are always stylish and appropriate at any age in my book.
After all darlings, if I don’t wear logos, why should I wear
labels? |
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Marcella St. Amant in Toronto, 2007
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Fashion meets Art as the Bastion of
True Luxury
An exclusive interview with artisan, designer, and former top-model
Marcella St. Amant. |
| In fashion’s never-ending search for what is new and exciting,
designers and editors are turning to art and artisans in attempt to
create and showcase products that are unique and luxurious. From Mucia
Prada to Dior's John Galliano,
the one-of-a-kind art piece has arrived. |
| Canadian artisan Marcella St. Amant has
always been part of both creative worlds as an international model
and designer. Marcella has a unique understanding of luxury and creativity.
During her modeling career she worked with legendary photographer
Richard Avedon and the house of Chanel,
among others. As an actress, she worked in the Beverly Hills’s
actor’s workshop, with luminaries such as George
Clooney and Richard Dreyfuss.
Marcella has now launched a new, very personal design venture. She
shares her thoughts on design, the creative process, and her new projects
with DolceDolce. |
| DD: You were a successful model in the 60s and 70s. You were even
one of the famous mod “Yardley Girls”. You have also always
been a crafts person. How did you develop your love of design and
craft? |
| M. St. A: Both my parents were very artistic. There was not much
my mother couldn't do. She was a fabulous stylist. She knew how to
make patterns, sewed beautifully, was a great knitter, and made her
own knitting patterns as well. She was also a great embroiderer. She
loved what she did, loved people and was very successful at earning
a good living. Her passion was very contagious. Therefore I started
learning from her when I was about four years old. |
| DD: You are well-known as a designer of high-end boxes. You supplied
boxes for many high profile clients? Why boxes, and why did you stop
designing boxes? |
M. St. A.: Boxes represent secrets to me. It's very personal. One
would not open a box on a coffee table at someone's place. I've always
been fascinated by them. Then one day toying with an empty cigar box
and trying to dress it up it developed into what became the business
I had. I stopped making them following an accident where I could not
use my left hand for a long time. Given that it was a handmade product;
although my employees were well trained they could not create the
decorating element. So I closed the company and when I thought of
picking it up again I realized that it had had a good run. It had
been very successful and I did not feel like investing the hundred
of hours it took to get it back to the top. I was very happy to have
had Harrods, The Saudi Royal Family, and
Fauchon, among others as customers. I felt
like moving on.
|
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Marcella St. Amant and her new one-of-a-kind knits.
|
| DD: You are now working on a small line of knit accessories as well
as accepting private commissions. Can you describe your scarves and
the inspiration for them? |
| M. St.A.: The inspiration comes as I am working. The yarns I use
are very luxurious. I feel if one is to go through the trouble of
doing something by hand it's not worth the trouble if one is going
to use synthetics. Therefore I use wonderful textures - mostly mixes
of mohairs, angora, merino wool. I also use 100 percent alpaca imported
from Peru. It is extremely soft. |
| Some of the styles evoke a corkscrew. When one puts the scarf around
the next it frames the face beautifully. It's also very warm and elegant.
Some styles are knitted horizontally, which is very interesting. They
are very long, about 72" and about 5" wide - ll knitted
in a very simple stitch in order to show off the great yarn better.
One can do a lot of things with them. Other styles are knitted horizontally,
also very long and with a long fringe at the bottom. |
| DD: As the popularity of “luxury” items and inevitable
knock-offs increases, many in search of a higher standard of luxury
are seeking handmade or art-inspired fashion. Do you see your work
following this trend? |
| M. St. A.: Absolutely! Machines don't get inspired and there's also
a limit to what can be done by machines. The most extraordinary of
yarns cannot be worked on industrial machines. I also find that the
old saying "you get what you pay for" is truer than ever.
If, in this case, one buys a scarf, made on an industrial machine,
for $20 to $35 which I have seen a lot of lately, you’ll find
that it will not last the season looking good. On the other hand,
if one invests in a handmade scarf done with fabulous yarn and for
prices ranging between $45 to $125, it not only will last but one
cannot compare the styles and look - not to mention the pleasure of
the feeling of them. |
| DD: In the past you have designed patterns for commercial knitwear
and also made many of your own exclusive garments. Are you excited
about accepting private commissions for knitwear? |
| M. St. A.: This is an understatement. I am flying. The word has
gotten around fast and a number of people who have acquired items
I made in the past have ordered sight unseen - simply trusting me.
People are not only ordering for themselves but also for Christmas
presents. I'm having a ball! |
| Marcella will be having a small show November 9th at 1071 King Street
West, Toronto, from 4 pm -9 pm. Or contact her at
marcella@colosseum.com for more information. |
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| Not registered yet to receive DolceDolce’s
free weekly email newsletter? Help us grow; sign-up
today, and forward
to your friends. Because life should be sweet. |
|
|
Go mod, go green, go shopping! |
Do you love Hermes’s collapsible paisley shopping
bag. We did! But do you find the $1,000-plus price tag a bit out of
your budget this year? Well the Mini Maxi Shopper
from Reisenthel may be your bag. It folds
up into its own little case, comes in hip prints, and is super mod
-- all for under $10. How fabulous is that? Ditch the plastic and
get your mod on! Exclusive to the Container Store. www.containerstore.com
|
Olive oil isn’t
just for salads anymore |
Pure olive oil cosmetics are one of the hottest trends
in the beauty industry now - and with good reason. Olive oil is full
of antioxidants and is known as a super moisturizers. Legendary Italian
beauties have used olive oil for centuries. Now you can have all the
benefits and none of the mess with Go Natural Go Luca.
This luxe line is rich, simple, and effective. info@gonaturalgoluca.com
|
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Marie Antoinette wasn’t perfect
but she was a rock star |
We love fashion and we admit we have a soft spot for
poor and much maligned Marie Antoinette.
She was only a teen queen – think of Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton,
or your favourite fashion mad teen as a ruler – quelle horror!
She looked fab, the French hated her and she couldn’t get a
break, but she looked divine! Want to gift the fashion mad young women
on your list with a historical tome they will actually read? Marie
Antoinette, Queen of Fashion
by Caroline Weber now in paperback is the
perfect read. Buy a few and save one for yourself! I love this book.
Seriously, our young correspondent Anne Gravel loved getting this
book. We also loved Sophia Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette -
a modern classic for the fashionista! Think stocking stuffers!
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Curried Butternut
Squash Soup
Golden goodness in a bowl!
|
| This tasty golden soup redolent with a hint of curry
and sweetened with just a touch of maple syrup has converted even
diehard vegetable-haters to squash-lovers. There as many versions
of this now popular soup. This version is easy, delicious, and the
seasoning sets it apart from blander versions. |
| 1 large onion chopped |
| 2 cloves of garlic minced |
| 1-2 inches of ginger grated (use more if you like it
hot and spicy.) |
| For the curry powder use your own blend or any good
store blend you like. Again this is soup not Indian cooking, so a
store blend is fine if you like it. Sherwood’s madras curry
mild or a Jamaican curry work well. |
| 2 boxes of good stock. I used chicken, but you can use
vegetable stock if you have a vegetarian in the house! |
| 5 cups of butternut squash, peeled and chopped into
cubes. About 1-2 inches. |
| Use pre-peeled fresh or frozen squash. I prefer peeled
and cut squash as butternut are very hard to cut and peel. Frozen
is fine for soup. |
| Sauté your onions, garlic and ginger. Do not
brown. Add to this 1 heaping tbsp. of curry powder and stir. Add the
curry powder one tsp. at a time if you are not familiar with it. You
don’t want it too hot and spicy. Go slow -you can add more,
but it is hard to take out. Add the squash and cover with the stock.
Simmer until the squash is tender. After 30 minutes, check the squash
with a fork. Turn off the heat when the squash is tender, mash with
a potato masher. Really go at it, the makes the soup easier to blend.
|
| If you want to finish the soup in the pot with a stick
blender, begin to add more stock until the soup is a nice thick consistency.
If you intend to purée the soup in a food processor or blender,
it is easier without additional stock in the pot to splash at you
and then transfer the puree back to the pot to be thinned. After you
thin the soup with additional stock; add 1- 2 tbsp. of maple syrup.
Stir and taste. Also correct and add salt and pepper. I often add
the juice of half of a lemon as well as an additional tsp. of curry
powder. |
| This soup is a crowd pleaser served on it’s own
with a few fresh cilantro leaves on top or a dollop of low fat sour
cream or yogurt. Everyone loves it, including picky children. It makes
a grand lunch or light supper with any type of sandwich or salad.
The only problem is that the pot seldom lasts out the day, even in
my small household. |
| As thoughts of holiday shopping begin to dance through
my head and frost dusts even the South, I think of the joy of the
season ahead. The holidays are always bittersweet as we miss those
who are far away or no longer with us. But they are also a special
time to create special and loving memories for those dear to us. I
don’t think we all have to be domestic goddesses to make the
holidays special, but every special thought, card, and cookie will
be remembered. These days finding the time for a drink and chat might
be the most special gift of all. |
| So my darlings until next week know I think of you fondly
and until the holidays I’ll be here with many ways to make things
simple, memorable, and above all sweet. And if you have a special
thought, idea, or recipe to share, please take a minute and do send
it along. Until next week, please sign-up
if you haven’t already – DolceDolce is
always free! And forward
us on to all your friends. Because life should be sweet. |
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| Gracey Hitchcock |
| Editor |
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