Cream Dior and Turquoise Helmut Lang

Last weekend, before I flew out early Sunday morning to head to Chicago, the filmmaker and I went out for a quick drink; given the beautifully warm temperatures, I chose a freshly and individually crafted glass of sangria at a relatively new place in town. I spent a summer in Ithaca, before my senior year, and spent many a lazy evening sipping sangria by the pitcher with friends, old and new. Always a summer classic, I am always on the prowl for a delicious recipe for home; the only thing I am lacking is a porch.



These photographs were captured hastily by the filmmaker while strolling along the sidewalk to the bar, a place called David Todd's; when at a loss of inspiration for restaurant names, marrying two ambivalent and vague male names seems to be an appropriate strategy.

I was running a bit late in getting dressed and pulling myself together, having agreed to meet up with the filmmaker near the train station in my town, as he was heading back from the city from a job. Admittedly, I did not put much thought to this look, and with those running late molecules of adrenaline coursing through my network of veins and arteries, simply pulled together some pieces that I was interested in wearing. I was rather surprised with how happy I was with the outcome; the turquoise dress is a sheer Helmut Lang number, and it is notably difficult to determine how to wear in a flattering and appropriate manner. The dress, in addition to being sheer, has an asymmetrical gather of fabric off on one side, giving the piece an interesting structure and draping, but also throwing a figurative monkey wrench into the whole situation. My solution to these fabric and cut issues: a cream colored American Apparel piece, which dips low in the back. To match the cream background dress, I chose a vintage 1970s Christian Dior blazer with muff-length, three-quarter sleeves



This is certainly a very interesting dress, particularly in how it is tailored, but it is far from a versatile, necessity piece for the wardrobe. Again, I have frequently struggled with how to wear it appropriately; I will definitely find another occasion to be able to showcase the cream and turquoise interplay, along with the subtle flash of skin in the back afforded by the cut of the American Apparel dress with the sheer sheath.


Orange and gold earrings, to complete the look; there is something incredible about turquoise and orange together, that complementary color dynamic, especially in the summer.