Acid Yellow Glamour

Wow, this dress (at Lucite Box Vintage) is over-the-top, in the best possible way. I love the two-tone, the glass buttons, and the belt, which has either a moustache or lips on it. For reals:



I am a huge fan of the different-colored sleeves poking out of a dark top. This looks fantastic.

I don't want to hear that you can't wear this color. Anyone can wear any color if they want to badly enough. All you have to do is care more about your own pleasure in the color than about other people's pleasure in looking at you. This is one arena where I say you should be absolutely selfish. You think that yellow washes you out and makes you look funny? If yellow makes you happy, wear it! Happiness is more important. (And you can always add some lipstick, right?)

The Dress

There was no way I wasn't going to love this dress. First of all, I love that color. Secondly, I love Isabel Toledo. (I actually met her -- and her fantastic husband -- once. She's even better in person.) Then, when you add in that she is wearing all that as THE FIRST LADY, well, you can see how one might become a bit overwhelmed.

And then those fantastic gloves! Swoon. [Disclosure: I have a vintage pair in just that color.]

I read a couple of pages of people's comments on this on the NYT caucus blog, and was disappointed that no one seemed to realize that Michelle Obama does what I advocate everyone should do: she wears what makes her happy. Could she have worn some boring royal-blue, be-Spanx-ed sheath, by Oscar de la Renta (no offense, Oscar, but you know what I'm talking about) and gotten relieved and approving nods from the Fashion Commentariat? You know she could. But she obviously loves those gloves: they made her happy, so she wore them. WITH a yellow wool lace Isabel Toledo!

The thing is, you can't please everyone all of the time. You can't even please most of the people most of the time. Which is why, especially when it comes to clothes, you have to please yourself. You're the one wearing them; you're the one in the pictures; you're the only one whose happiness is even remotely under your own control: so do what feels right!



I like this one too, even though it's not my taste. (In other words, I don't have a tulle-laden Jason Wu in my closet next to my green gloves.) I do think it looked great. But even if I didn't, I'd see that Michelle Obama is accessorizing it with the only things that really matter: confidence, happiness, and the kind of ease that comes from having made one's own decisions.

And that, my friends, is something that I hope the new First Lady brings firmly into fashion.

Now y'all are starting to scare me ...

Now, I know that I have posted a LOT here, and that I have, um, distinctive (not to say eccentric) tastes, but -- damn -- it's a little scary when random strangers (Mojogeno in this case) on the internet can pinpoint my reaction with such accuracy! Don't you agree?

(Do food bloggers have people tell them "you'll really love the duck-fat fries at place X?" Do music bloggers have people send them great new bands? And more to the point: are they right? Inquiring minds, etc.)

Anyway, this dress (not Mojogeno's, by the way, but from seller Bebop-a-Diva) is B36 and has a starting bid of about $35 (but there is a reserve).

Here's a closeup of the bodice, just because it is gorgeous:




I suppose I really don't have to worry until y'all can predict what I am having for breakfast (although, since pretty much every cold day I have the breakfast of champions -- organic maple oatmeal and Diet Coke -- that's not too hard)!