City Style and Living - Winter 2008/2009 - (Page 4)

FROM THE EDITORS e were recently at a tradeshow when a lady came by our booth. She was wearing the most distinctive black boots – they had a European flair and a youthful rebellious chic. She felt they marked her, made her stand out. We saw something else entirely. To us, they were a trademark of style – an item so unique and defining that they made all the difference in her look. Jackie Kennedy Onassis’ sunglasses, Anna Wintour’s bangs, Karl Lagerfeld’s predilection for black and white all come to mind as notable trademarks of style. During the course of our conversation it became evident to us that fashion was something real and important. It was not, as it is often depicted, a frivolous and petty pastime. Fashion, and more particularly, style, we came to understand, is an interface between an individual and the world, perception and reality. Fashion has nothing to do with trends or the latest ‘it’ bag or following celebrity dress. It has to do with a feeling – how you feel about yourself. In Europe, a few weeks later, we observed the style on the streets – black or brown boots worn over pants or jeans, so that they reached almost to the knees. In every store there were boots for sale and because, in Europe, fashion is ubiquity, absolutely every single woman was wearing boots. Of course, the season and weather do, to a large extent, dictate fashion. Boots are to be expected in fall and winter. This year though, boots in varying sizes and shapes were worn in a singular fash- W Welcome ion on the runway. Alice Temperley paired them with evening wear, houses such as Lanvin offset ruffles with ankle boots and Oscar de la Renta showed full skirts with boots. As we toured an old town, we saw a single gold boot hung above the entranceway of a shop. At one time perhaps, it was a cobbler’s shop. Its shape reminded us of a Monopoly playing figure. This surfeit of boots made us feel like we were receiving an unexpected message about style. The message was coming at the right time – news about a worsening economy was broadcast every day. The fashion industry was not immune. We read something from an avid fashion enthusiast that said in an economy like this we are starved for glamour. It reminded us of a quote from a movie based on Thomas Hardy’s The Return of the Native. Eustacia Vye, struggling to escape from her fate, proclaims “my imagination is starved here.” There are countless pains more immediate and dire, but to be starved for glamour, well, that is an affliction that strikes the imagination, and what sort of life can come from that? Style is an exercise in imagination. It does not matter if it is black boots, oversized sunglasses, thick bangs or black jackets and white shirts; signature style is lauded not because it conforms to the whims and cycles of fashion but because in its very predictability there is a revealing audacity. That’s why boots are the ultimate statement for making your mark on the world. CSL Kailash and Shivana HAVE A QUESTION, COMMENT OR SUGGESTION FOR CITY STYLE AND LIVING? WRITE TO US AT: editors@citystyleandliving.com WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! 4 | WINTER 2008/09 | citystyleandliving.com ERIC STENBERG http://www.citystyleandliving.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of City Style and Living - Winter 2008/2009

City Style and Living - Winter 2008/2009 Contents Editor's Note Behind the Cover The District Events Wrap It Up To Market To Market Culinary Conversation Need It Want It Kitchen Restaurant Inspiration Dancing the Cocoa Covet Prêt-à-porter Inspired By... Giving Anatomy Of... Casanova Fragrance Profile Focal Pointe Passport 24 Hours In... The Staycation Ombudsperson Horoscopes Final Thought

City Style and Living - Winter 2008/2009

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