Tag: things that make you go hmmm

Things That Make You Go Hmmm: Kim Kardashian at the Met Costume Institute Ball

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There are many things I could say about outfits worn by various guests at last night’s Costume Institute gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The title of this spring’s Costume Institute exhibition is “PUNK: Chaos to Couture,” and invitees were encouraged to dress accordingly.

Kim Kardashian, who is the very first person I think of when I think of art, culture, and fashion history, showed up wearing a floral gown designed by Givenchy.

Not very punk, you might say. Not at all transgressive or deconstructed or what have you. And then again. . . .could she possibly have been making an obscure allusion to a costume worn to the Met by another risk-taking visitor, some twenty years ago?

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Things That Make You Go “Hmmm”: Burberry Prorsum “Trench Kisses” Collection

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I’ve been sick with the flu for the past four days, so I’m a bit bleary-eyed. But I’m finally wading through the accumulated e-mails in my inbox, and I just came across a press release from Burberry that made me think I was still slightly feverish. Apparently the new Autumn-Winter 2013 collection from Burberry Prorsum (the really, really expensive Burberry line) is called “Trench Kisses.”

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Things That Make You Go “Hmmm”: Allure Magazine, November 2012

When I first looked at the cover Allure’s November 2012 issue, I laughed at the apparent contradiction between two headlines. The first reads, “Haven’t Slept In Forever? Cures For Dark Circles, Page 186.” Immediately below this, a second headline promises, “Makeup Artist All-Stars Reveal Their Best Tricks (#1: Get Naughty Black Eyes).”

So, which is it? Dark/black circles/eyes or not? Yes or no?

On second thought, I was bothered by that second line.

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Things That Make You Go “Hmmm”: Estee Lauder Violet Underground (Fall 2012)

I had an unusually busy August and September, so I missed the announcement of Estée Lauder’s fall color collection, a limited edition range of eye shadows and eyeliner, lipsticks and glosses, and nail polishes called Violet Underground.

Yes, Violet Underground. Because of all the purple shades.

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Things That Make You Go “Hmmm”: Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme Perfume Ad

I’ve been a fan of Atelier Cologne since its line arrived in New York in 2010. I like several of the fragrances and I also admire the beautifully photographed object-collages that accompany each scent, to set a mood and tell a story.

Those visuals usually seem quite personal, as though the owners of Atelier had composed them from favorite possessions. (In fact, I believe they did do this for the initial group of fragrances, at least.) However, the photograph for recent launch Rose Anonyme has me raising an eyebrow. One one hand, it’s a bit generic: the items don’t really seem to belong to anyone. On the other hand, there’s something oddly familiar about the appearance of a mask, a set of handcuffs, and a key, all processed into grisaille.

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