There was great buzz about the very 1st virtual fashion week held in Second Life last February, but where is the 2nd Second Life Fashion Week in the uber-important fall showings?

A Fashion Runway in Second Life

It’s not much publicized, but thanks to Second Life’s equivalent to Vogue, Second Style, I have the schedule for at least a few shows (fashionably late, I must apologize):

• Sunday, 9/7 - The Art of Autumn Fashion Show, 1 p.m. Too late, sorry.
• Saturday, 9/13 - Styles for Seduction Fashion Show - 2 p.m. again, sorry.
• Sunday, 9/14 - Frida’s Fine Fall Fashion Show - 12 p.m. VISIT LIVE!*
• Sunday, 9/14 - Mondira Fashion - 1 p.m. VISIT LIVE!
• Friday, 9/26-Sun. 28 - Impressione Weekend of Beauty - more info

*You must be registered as an avatar and have Second Life installed on your machine to visit the live links.

By the way, I’m working on creating a public calendar
for Lipped Media so both I and any of you may follow
and better remember fashion events!

That is all that seems to be scheduled. The lack of a “hoopla”, especially compared to that of the last SLFW, is due to the 1st being sponsored by iVillage, a big company, which for some reason did not continue their involvement. It’s sad that support for underground and mass-participation / social/equality is low after initial *shiny* novelty wears off. It’s equality sad that a grassroots campaign didn’t keep what could have been (and I pray still will be someday) a phenomenon from growing, let alone prevent from shrinking.

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Like a good story, but unlike journalistic-style, you must read ’til the end for the “climax” of “drama”.

WireImage.com - Posh New 'Do Dominates News

Her very name-of-fame is literally defined as, “elegant and fashionable”, but Posh (Spice), or Victoria Beckham, gathered more media buzz attending events^ with her new* pixie cut hairstyle than her own debut high fashion collection - both of which went public the same day; Sept. 8th^.

*I do wonder what the daze is about, since the pop star is easily remembered as always sportin’ a similar coif in the 1990s with the Spice Girls. I’m also amazed at all the polls passing through the blogosphere questioning the style, for IMHO Vic is one of the few grown women who can pull off a lack of mane without looking boyish - maybe it’s because she truly does always dress so posh.

Perhaps there should be more stories about the first showing of her very own signature collection:

Sample…

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Following conventions, Mercedes-Benz (or their marketing team, or they being a namesake [for IMG Fashion if you're counting], the real fashion team’s marketing team) is campaigning this (New York Fashion) week to be election-themed. But will it be unconventional? Does the business of fashion want change and democracy? Are we to see indie designers given big shots, or fan submissions down the catwalks?

What the industry wants is not exactly inspired by Obama’s hope for change. Their idea of changing is putting on decade old trends anew, buying enough purses to swap daily, etc. Recycling and upgrading isn’t change, it’s all more of the same.

© 2008 IMG Fashion

The only thing I can say is this is a cute marketing play with colorful graphics.

There’s rarely even innovation among the favored fashion, when even most glorified designers put out nothing much that’s unique, freshly-flattering, or jaw-droppingly intricate. The IT bags today are mostly 2, 3, 4.0s of yesteryear.

Some of this is fine, and a lot of fashion is fun, but I do wonder, with slogans such as, “Hope. Change. Shoes.” which party, aside from coke-floating after-parties, no which political party is the fashion industry a part of? Hint: it’s a big business.

I suppose that’s why it’s all likely to be the same, because conservatism is that, and they do “proclaim” experience matters. New styles from fresh faces - why - those designers have no “foreign policy experience” (outsourcing to China for the cheaps), “no executive experience” (owning companies or just plain having wealth) - and in the economy we’ve been in — fair-trade, handmade, eco-grade, or any other trademarks of the (aspiring) leaders of our (fashion) future — can’t be done.

Does this mean Obama would help aspiring designers and even those wanting to dress with individuality? Well, it should help us afford our groceries, at least, which can’t hurt our business or shopping pursuits - except our chances at modeling - but supermodels are “huge” (tiny) members of the conservative big business of apparel, anyway - we don’t want to be that.

So as the fashion new media, what should bloggers cover in the coming weeks of elegance-on-parade? Would you review in the same old voice as the others of past, or reach for significant inspiration? Perhaps since the powers-that-be decided to - almost naively - dress the event in flags vs. cashmere, in message buttons vs. billboards or leaderboards - in this time of progressive change — should we show the same scrutiny as to presidential candidates? Even less strictly would be harsher than usual. I say so, because this is our business, our livelihoods, our class standing, our passion, and what we hope to be art - it’s important to us and it impacts us, but also the rest of the economy - and is therefore important to our nation, world, and this actual historic election.

The trend for males from Miami Swim this past weekend, showcasing designer swimwear for Summer ‘09, is definitely a fright of sorts. Every designer that included men’s swim trunks (or lack of trunks) included short shorts.

Short shorts.

On guys. Male short shorts.

Every guy I know only wears shorts down to his knees, and swimwear is no exception. I don’t think any straight men, at least American ones, will adopt this look. First of all, straight men don’t follow trends in fashion, and boy do I love them for that! Consdering that, this isn’t such an actual fright with any danger to impact our view at the beach, right?

Yes, but it’s still a fright in and of looking at the photos, itself. If you look closely at the pictures, you should notice not only do these men wear short shorts, but they actually “nair” for short shorts.

Another thing one could never get any straight man I’ve ever known to do is to consider shaving at all, at least when it comes to their own legs. (I happen to wish men would shave their armpits, and have vocalized this to men in my life. 100% of them firmly rejected the idea, period [even trimming, silly boys].)

So either the designer fashion world’s male aspect is pure fantasy, product-less eye candy for girls’ dreams (I think most secretly do hate overly hairy bodies - no fair!), or actually all for gay men. I’m sure designer/expensive men’s apparel is actually all aimed to gay men, because straight men wouldn’t pay for it. I wouldn’t even ever subject a boyfriend to it with gifts, I see no need. Except there’s one sad flaw in this - in that the women looking at fashion shows and ads hope to be looking at straight men when it is men they see, right?, and they’re clearly not, at least not the character these models portray in these getups. So do women actually enjoy looking at the male models? (I don’t, but I personally am not attracted to the muscular type and even the rugged or pretty-boy types anyway.) I hope this doesn’t mess with women’s avoiding-gay-dar. Ouch.

If you’ve had enough cerebral discussion on silly fashion, or are just still interested or want a different view, especially one from a male himself, stay tuned for a snarky straight male’s POV on this “trend” a bit later!

It’s so important to do. It could help this “career” and improve chances (at least from 0.001%) of attending shows. It’s expected, prudent, required(???) and I’m crazy not to.

Blog about the shows during the fashion weeks. And why the heck have I mostly not blogged ‘t all?! (With just one post on a show, and nothing about my Marc Jacobs!!!)

I’m sick of it. What’s expected, what’s done by everyone … and like our current subtitle reads, a basic issue with the “style-us quo.” It’s no good excuse, really, I know. But I couldn’t bring myself, somehow, to do it.

And why not just blog about other things? Possibly the guilt of not doing what I should be doing … and probably the fact that runway shows are unavoidable.

I don’t even really support my decision … I’m just burnt out - yes, burnt out from past years. Back when I covered as much as possible while attending college. With that issue behind me, what the fab is my un-fabbing problem??!

I’m working on thinking of creative alternatives to mass-produced, media-marketed, model-splayed, over-saturation of the mundane and force-fed. Posts in the near future (not long term 100%) will feature the anti all-that. See what’s caused my ill-feelings toward prêt-a-porter is my resurrection of crafting and designing bags after being moved into my apartment enough to justify the extra time spent. Recently, I’ve taken up my destiny-craft; weaving, and it’s allowing me to work faster and I feel confident I can produce purses on a regular basis from now on. Even though I make negative money from it so far, it’s what I really-really-really wish I could be doing full time.

And that interest in indie flows into almost every part of my life, which causes a desire to blog differently. Yet I know that’s not what my long-time — and new-discoverers through old-style posts — want. I need to maintain a balance, and most importantly, just publish. It is my hope I can do it regularly again.

As for the past few weeks, I’m sure many of you understand my woes. Anyone feel similarly?

A brief look at what BCBG Max Azria is putting forth for apparel in Fall 2008 gives me a sense of disregard for the usually appealed-to northern weather of Fall and Winter. Funny thing.

Not even my recent move down south to Florida changes my mind about this being a slightly negative thing, but c’est la vie. Enjoy the shows!

 What happened to Vera Wang’s skills as a top wedding gown designer? Her entire collection for Spring/Summer 2008 is a bunch of *Sad Sacks*! It’s like “burlap chic” with better fabrics but equally bad colours, oh and sans chic. *Snort* Puh-leaze! Next!