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.

“All those old skanks in these tabloids all wear bikinis. Don’t you want to be different? Don’t you want to look more fabulous and glamorous? Aren’t you sick of the bikini?” - Simon Doonan

I couldn’t agree more, and yet I couldn’t pinpoint it before this bold, genius gay said it in this perfect way.

I still wonder what will be in next year, which will likely mark my return to bikini-ready-dom. (My decision on what to wear vs. trends or personal style combined with how often I go to the beach merely to show off, when I hate the beach, should say a lot about me, no? Who cares - fun fun it will be.)

So what about you, if you’ve got it to flaunt, is the one-piece good enough still?

My Twitter has become something very dear, and very personal for me; an outlet for deep thoughts. This has also led to me using the service so much I thought I’d plant seeds now to hope grow a Twitter section of our financial business. (Search Google if you don’t think Twitter can be monetized, that’s off-topic here.)

Up and pretty-much running is our fashion Tweet for Kiss Me Stace; located at: http://twitter.com/FashionBytes

I’ll update with a full list of our coming Twitter accounts when they’re all running. I will also set up a FriendFeed to “hub” them all.

Note, if your own Twitter messages are unrelated to fashion, I may still follow you, however from my personal username: laurelbyanyname.

Hope to see you @round! (Get it?!)

According to WWD, most magazines are selling fewer ad pages for their upcoming issues. This comes after years(?) of ads taking over magazines to the extreme points of there being more ad pages than content; huge, heavy books even bigger some months with no extra articles; and even Vogue, in my humble opinion, holds half its appeal in the beauty of ad photography and eye candy of the fashion accessories (handbags do it for me).

While an overabundance of visual stimulation when there are quality photographs in the ads, like with the case of Vogue, is perfect for fashion magazines and possibly other visually-centric entertainment, this “trend” is usually ridiculous. For months I didn’t even notice Vogue contained good content because those candy-licious designer ads were so shiny and distracting. I could probably continue subscribing only to those, but that’s me - I’m visual.

Even with targeted and artistically visually appealing adverts, ads competing with content space is a bad thing to most readers, and when it’s not, it speaks of a sad time in our society’s development.

Sure, the magazines may be in a rough spot initially as companies withhold their sponsorships, but there’s an equalizing factor when it comes to paying customers versus advertisers. Isn’t it true that customers are happier with a service displaying fewer ads, and shouldn’t that increase actual circulation? I do happen to have inside experience that printing magazines is costly, and therefore the profit in this product doesn’t come directly from selling the product, itself … but shouldn’t a higher subscription base attract advertisers again? This business, like others, has a built-in check and balance factor.

Also, this could inspire more magazines to offer subscriptions to their issues via the web, which is a much more cost effective means of distribution. So in the end, it won’t mean disaster, or even moot as things settle through their cycle, it could open more opportunities for both businesses and those of us who prefer the web or wish to save trees. Wow, so … this “crisis” could help the planet?

Perhaps everything does happen for a reason.

I’m amusing myself with ridiculousness this afternoon. Labeling it and putting it away, not to worry over but placing it in a file for chuckles when needed. Why obsess over media icons - why force one’s body to the pain over footwear with spikes to the rear of the soles - why does a fashionista have to love shoes at all—or even follow a single rule of our couture culture - why not let go of any girlish trappings you never wanted? And yes! Hold on to one’s website when the site-mistress’s feelings toward the subject changes - why can’t a blog be living and growing as well the human behind it?

You know this is where I’ve been for a while (and it has nothing to do with most recent silence - that I think is busy-ness, health and different types of changes - irrelevant in the long-run, don’t worry) - BUT have I mentioned that I now, well, can’t stand shoes? Mm Hmm. This site started as purely (and fluffily) a shoe blog. With “candy” and star ratings (wow I purchased too many pairs if I was able to serially review them—but it was Zappos with their return policy..). I still could never have too many bags if I were true to my heart and had the magic powers to defy capitolism…. but shoes, well they’re necessary, and I wear them of course …. OK not all the time, I will hop in a car to my best friend’s house without ever changing from terry slippers! But yes, I even still INSIST I MUST wear CUTE shoes … and now living in Florida, it’s easier. I pretty much only wear/buy Easy Spirit sandals and wedges (yes, wedges my friends, their WEDGES are more comfortable than most flats!) and I don’t have to worry about widths. But god - the last time I bought shoes was after moving (and thus needing more of those sandals) last Fall. (And I only plan on one new pair in the recent future - I want sandals in pink!)

So yes, I’ve sworn off heels, and all designer shoes forever, and will only maintain a mild affection—purely aesthetic and on the Internet — it’s still fashion, it’s visual art.

And yet (here we are after an insanely long intro) I have a new blog among my favorites, and it’s a shoe blog. How writer, Katie, from Shoe La La, can call herself a shoeaholic when each of her posts are so wittily spot-on with their critiques of the silliness of this crazed-after accessory and are so “shamelessly” reasonable (”Oh no she di’in’t just type a synonym for “practical”? Oh girlfriend!), yes, reasonable. A woman - a shoeaholic woman. Dissing the glass slipper (even I love the glass slipper at heart - my name is a Cinderella pun, doi) was the post I first discovered thanks to Google images, with her words mimicking my feelings so deeply—and then recent posts—confessions on walking in high heels and sexy-exercising—graphic-edits and craft-name dropping while she unmasks the label “hobby” from the shopaholic disease (shushies!)—and more! *Thump-thump. Thump-thump.* She has my heart and sole.

Her bio confesses how her guilty pleasure developed, and assures, even furthers my blog crush (coining a term here, folks, pay attention) for her. I bet, for her, when the shoe fits she does buy it in every color and wears it happily, for she can appreciate the rarity. *Swoon.*

Yes, blog crush! I want to give her presents … like hosting where she can earn money from Google Adsense and a divine header logo and custom blog template…. (and not to mention the Google link juice I’m now gving.) I want to claim her with the roses of the Internet! And not just to gain benefit, but because I like her!

Oh but I know she’s too good for me - SEO be damned her blog titles are short and merely perfectly creative with not one keyword a necessity. Sighhh.. She smells so sweetly of integrity and perhaps even “not for profit”…

But as I continue to follow her posts, there will always be something. I don’t even know where she lives in the real world, but in my heart it works. We have that olive (insert any food here) love/hate thing. I will consume handbags and she will consume shoes. And I know we’d both wear pants. Mine will mostly be sweatpants and even pajama pants, whether it’s that same slippers-day or even walking up the street to my friend’s house. “Cause rules be damned when you don’t even pass anyone on the way - this is a new world of freedom in gender roles! (A world where a woman was a huge candidate for President, and although that goal’s ruled out again for a while longer, at least the pantsuits are gone. Roles/schmoles, a woman can’t deny her hips!)

Oh and speaking of pants - get your butt over there to read every last post of Shoe La La now. Whether you love shoes or hate them, too, whether your blog-sexuality is straight or what — I know you will love this blog as much as I do!

Just don’t like the blogger as much as I do - ok?

… I guess this is women taking fashion back from the gays?

What do you think?

According to this article, the show is being opened up to more middle-aged designers, as well. Fits with Lifetime, right? Right on for all ages, but I hope the show and the styles don’t turn into the carp-hole that is the Lifetime Network. Television for feminist housewives.

Also, big bitch slap to the Style Network and WE, huh? Snap.

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?