Scatter #16

   Its Saturday, and do you know what that means, Boys and Girls?

   Its Scatterday!

    First up, this crazy surrealist hat.  It just made me smile really big when I saw it. Sure, its nutty, but its also really fun.  Isabella Blow could have rocked the hell out of that hat.  I'm also loving that the model resembles the face on the dress, and the eye on the hat could be hers as well.  Its as though she has been fractured and reassembled. Fascinating.

    This moody menswear image caught my attention, partly because of the kilt, (naturally)  and mostly because of the pairings with it.  The skinny pants and the tank top give it a sleekness that isn't usually part of the kilt vibe.  I found this whole ensemble intriguing to look at, and I wanted to see more.  There's also an artfulness to the image that I find attractive.  A dancer caught in motion.

    This 1905 image is of Marchesa Luisa Casati, who lived from 1881 to 1957. Marchesa Luisa was a major art patron and influential woman in her society. She was also one of the first women to have the word Dandy attached to her, and she was quoted as saying, "I want to be a living work of art."  I think in this remarkable re-embroidered lace dress she succeeded admirably.  For all its visual complexity and texture, the dress manages to retain an airiness that keeps it from weigh her down visually.  That coupled with the knowing intellect in her intent gaze, and the simplicity of her other adornment, the strand of pearls in her hair, create an arresting portrait.  Plus, for me, I so want to examine that garment in detail.

    Its all about what works for you, no?  This image of two models from a fashion show indicates how well some things work for one over another.  The foreground man is well served by the sprayed on makeup design and the narrow, high rolled hairstyle.  Everything works to elevate his attractiveness.  The background fellow is not being well served by the same treatments.  Perhaps if his hair had been as perfectly controlled, and if they had done a dark spray on instead of the light, it might have worked.

    I've always been attracted to the tunic and pants thing. I think it can serve a huge range of people, female and male.  This effort by Barbara Bui is one I especially like.  The tunic shape, which could be bland and easily forgotten becomes something you want to see closer, and to touch.  It becomes a whole conversation by itself.  In addition, Its clear that that tunic could adapt itself to use in many ways.  I could see it over a long knitted skirt, or worn open over a long dress as a vest.  I can also imagine it being layered over a jacket.  Versatility of Attire words is a major advantage.

    Speaking of dandies, here's a perfectly turned out fellow from the 1900s attired entirely in narrow stripes. I love everything about this, but especially the double double-breasted look.  Not a look most men could pull off, but hugely appropriate on this fella.  It may actually be a stage costume, if so, its immaculately done.  Other interesting details are that the sleeves of jackets were cut much more fully, sleeve heads were inserted with more roundness at the top edge, and pant hems were finished with a downward angle towards the back.

    A nice big splash of bling for you to feast your eyes on here.  This astonishing necklace comes from the collection of Marjorie Merriweather Post.  It was made for her by Cartier in the Deco style, and its composed entirely of diamonds and sapphires in platinum setting.  Superb workmanship and overall design.

    And as a parting image, this haunting, curiously sexy, but ambiguous person.  Is this a man we are looking at, a woman?  Does it matter in the end?  What does matter is that the attire engages our imaginations and we want to know more, much more.

That's it for this week's Scatter.
Have an Awesome Weekend!