#5 Alexander McQueen & High Fashion

Today was an incredibly magical day. Not only did I get to walk through basically ALL of Central Park, eat at the Shake Shack AND Magnolia Bakery (both on Columbus Avenue), I was lucky enough to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (and cut in front of the huge line with a member's card, thanks to my brother's girlfriend). Not to sound like a fashion freak, but I was literally brought to tears by the exhibit. Never have I seen so many incredible costumes, pieces, works of art. The level of craftsmanship, each intricate detail, the subtle (and not so subtle) commentary on the world around us, the immense passion woven into every stitch-- this is what truly made Alexander McQueen a genius. Consider my mind changed about high fashion.

I had always believed that high fashion was some pretentious form of clothing that could never be worn in "normal" life and certainly could never be afforded by "normal" people. While that may or may not be true, today I've come to understand that fashion can truly be an art form meant to express emotion, criticism, history, and beauty, like any other art form that can be appreciated. If you are in the NYC area or if you are planning on visiting before the end of August, I highly HIGHLY recommend you check out this exhibit. It is truly mind blowing.

“There is no way back for me now. I am going to take you on journeys you’ve never dreamed were possible.” – Alexander McQueen

Sadly, no photos were allowed in the exhibit, but there is a whole article about the exhibit with photos on The Met Blog. Here are some photos from that article:

“You’ve got to know the rules to break them. That’s what I’m here for, to demolish the rules but to keep the tradition.” —Alexander McQueen

“I want to be honest about the world that we live in, and sometimes my political persuasions come through in my work. Fashion can be really racist, looking at the clothes of other cultures as costumes. . . . That’s mundane and it’s old hat. Let’s break down some barriers.” —Alexander McQueen

“I try to push the silhouette. To change the silhouette is to change the thinking of how we look." —Alexander McQueen


“I have always loved the mechanics of nature and to a greater or lesser extent my work is always informed by that.” —Alexander McQueen



So I may have just dug myself into a hole, posting all those Alexander McQueen photos BEFORE I posted my outfit for the day, which sadly pales in comparison...







DRESS Pussybow Polka Dot Navy & Green Dress, Forever 21| SHOES Bling Leather Gladiators, Sam Edelman | BAG Vietnam War Era Gas Mask Bag, Vintage

Pardon the quality of the photos, especially the cell phone photo! I left my camera at home today, but my boyfriend was kind enough to lend me his. Since I'm traveling out of town, I have limited access to accessories, shoes, and outfits and it's getting harder to vary my combinations each day. However, I'm kind of enjoying the challenge! I love, love, love this dress and I'm looking forward to wearing it to work as well-- it's so hard to find stylish work-appropriate clothes (no cleavage, not too short) and this dress is perfect and affordable!

Hope you all enjoyed the Alexander McQueen photos as much as I enjoyed the exhibit. I'm feeling truly inspired!