Monday, 28 April 2008

BOOK REVIEW: "The end of fashion" by Teri Agins


Inspired by the lack of daily intellectual activity and the pile up of thoughts and ideas in my rather creative head with the limited information storage space (and probably inability to find a person who would be willing to hear all of the above, other than my boyfriend who doesn't count as he has no other choice)I decided to start writing this blog. This way, I can bother all of you willing to read it, with my daily dilemmas, worries and observations.

So,today, on my day off work I woke up 100% PMSal ready to scream at, cry to and complain to the first person I see, as my boyfriend ran out to work before I fully regained my conscious my first victim was my mother. Which is great since she must always understand and forgive, she has to! That's her "mother duty"-Mother's Law 1252.1 :"Never take anything your PMSal daughter saids to heart".

Next, I talked to my GF and BFF, we discussed rather important issues with finalizing her wedding plans and she educated me on "The American Weeding Traditions" which are soooo damn confusing! Gosh!!!! I miss Croatian good old "cash in the envelope" kind of gift giving.

As I finished my conversation I finally started reading Teri Agins's "The End of Fashion" and sinfully indulged in my 654 Calorie Grande Fat Free Pepermint Mocha (God Bless Starbucks on the first day of PMS and damn you New York City officials for showing the calorie count in my face).

Recently, I started to research fashion history and fashion business to help me decide if I should go to fashion graduate school or not. So far, the more I read the more I am realizing that my view of fashion is very naive and romantic. I have been living in an "isolated bubble".
In my little bubble, fashion is still painfully gorgeous, impractically fabulous and totally unwearable, and I love it like that! I seem to be one of a dying kind. I learned that those who would agree with my views and who would share my mindset died in 60's (Dior, Chanel) or are alive but severely drugged and medicated (but still very successful) and have no connection to the reality what so ever (John Galliano).


Please don't get me wrong, I am not comparing myself with their geniusness but simply realizing that I myself think of fashion garment as little pieces of art, rather that a pieces of fabric stitched together by a 10 year old factory worker in China. As Teri Agins realistically noted the fashion has ended as it existed before and became a mass-pleasing part of entertainment industry :(

Obviously, I have just started reading this book but I am hungrily turning its pages, praying to find a thread of hope to grip on, hoping to learn that it is not all about money and catering to couture illiterate sloppy dressing masses and that there is still interest in fashion in form it has once existed: exclusive, reserved for sizes 6 and under ,fabulous, expensive, glamorous, uncomfortable and painful to wear but stunning to look at and a privilege to wear.


PUSA.

Tuesday, 1 April 2008

DISCLOSURE POLICY



I wrote this post in order to provide transparency between my readers and companies I may work with now or in the future and in accordance with newly published FTC rules. 

PRODUCT REVIEWS
Occasionally I will receive products for free from a company in exchange for a review of their merchandise. I accept and promote only the products from the companies which I use myself and believe in it's good quality.

I always disclose to the PR person contacting me that I will make an honest assessment of the product on the site with clearly stating that I have got this product for free to review it from the respective company, or if I really don't like it I will not post about it at all.  

If you have questions about whether the product was given to me or purchased by me, and if you are unsure about which post is sponsored please email me or leave me a comment, and I will be more than happy to explain.

SPONSORS
I work very closely and develop relationships with companies, independent small business, retailers and young designers which I myself support and trust. Sponsors and I develop a relationship to provide great advertising space for them on my blog, often times in exchange for product goods as these small business mostly do not have disposable advertising and marketing budget. I view this as a win-win situation, and many times it is because of prior posts or an interview that the relationship with the business person happens.

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I do participate in a limited number of Affiliate programs, who's banners are disclosed in the right sidebar of my blog.  There are, on occasion, links within my posts to products on these sites.  All affiliate links are for products that I own, I bought myself and liked.



Katarina Štimac 
Founder & editor
Email: katarina@lapassionpourlafashion.com