Pour Porter

Can I talk about short hair for a minute? Yes, it’s everywhere at the moment (Agyness Deyn, anyone?). The short hair trend seems to hit about every five years or so, at least here in the U.S. where long hair is as American as the proverbial apple pie. In Europe, it would seem that short hair is simply another style option.

I discovered in 1997 that short hair worked best for me, and I’ve been rocking varying versions of the cut ever since. It started out longish, then got super short and dyed, then went longish a la Stella Tennant in the MaxMara F/W 03 ad campaign, then fauxhawkish, and finally ended up with where it is now – asymmetrical.

Who knows how long this will last with my day job and horse keeping me busy, but I’d like to add a few entries discussing my personal inspirations and/or reflections of style and the daily practice of getting dressed, when I can.

Of course, most of what I post here is inspiring in some way or another to me, but I oftentimes draw inspiration from things completely separate from clothing, and ‘fashion’ itself.

I’m currently in the midst of completing 10 pieces for a little local fashion show. This has been very good for me in a multitude of ways, but the presence of a deadline and audience has had the largest impact, namely on my motivation to complete what I start! Pattern drafting has also been quite the challenge, but again it’s been an excellent experience.

Anyways, as far as my personal creative process goes, I find that the things that I am attracted to at a specific time, or that feel particularly relevant are purely the product of a visceral reaction. Suddenly something feels ‘right’. I cannot think of a rational reason for why something suddenly becomes appealing, and I think for many creative people this is the case.

Moving right along! For the past few years I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect pair of moccasins. Comfy, not too granny, not too granola, and not designer. Driving mocs have been around for a long time, but I didn’t want something so WASPY traditional. I was amused to see A.P.C.’s $250 moccasins, which frankly I find pretty silly considering the large selection of comparable versions for far less. We are just talking about suede and a gum sole here!

Moccasins seem to have been popping up quite a bit in recent years, especially with the whole tribal vibe that has been dominating a lot of collections lately. I mean who hasn’t seen the marc by marc jacobs S/S 07 versions?

Really, regardless of whether or not they’re present on the runway or on the fashion radar, moccasins are plainly, classic.

Personally, I decided to go with minnetonkas. They’re inexpensive, comfortable, and easily replaceable. Well, and let’s not forget that they’re damn cute, too.

Yara Flinn channels a tomboyish vision with her tiny Nomia collection. Flinn’s sculptor background factors heavily into her design process. As with most of what I feature on the blog, it all seems incredibly simple until you look a little more closely.

I haven’t posted anything from personal favourite, Maria Cornejo, lately, as I’ve been somewhat uninspired by her more recent collections. Fortunately, her S/S 08 collection is chock full of beautiful, muted prints, and the expert draping that has come to define her modern aesthetic (F/W 08 is wonderful, too). She’s also expanded her accessories, and those pieces are just as nice.

Two more after the jump

left: $389 right: $218

left: $608 right: $447

left: $474 right: $585

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tags: expert draping, muted prints

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Time for another Magda Berliner post. Thankfully she's returned to modeling her clothing, something I've always found charming. Berliner's most recent pieces feel a bit more streamlined, but she still retains her characteristic silhouette and affinity for white crochet. Summer 08 saw her dabbling in metallics, brocade, leopard print, tie dye, as well as fleece. I like her playful reference to cut-offs with pockets that extend beyond the hems of several of the tops, dresses, and shorts.

The first four pieces are from her S/S 08 collection, photos five and six are from F/W 08, and the last four are from her smaller Holiday 08 collection.

Six more photos after the jump

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