American Women

(Images from style.com)

The annual Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala was held this past Monday, May 3rd.  Everyone in the industry was a-buzz the week prior and even up to the last minute, trying to figure out what to wear to what has been the most vague theme in some years now: American Woman:  Fashioning a National Identity.  "American woman" can mean many things, but Vogue/Met narrowed it down to the era between the 1890s and the 1930s, including five distinct categories:  "The Gibson Girl", "The Bohemian", "The Screen Siren", "The Flapper", "The Patriot", "The Suffragist", and "The Heiress", all corresponding to their respective decade. 

How did the crowd turn out?  Well, it has been my opinion (and many others in the industry, as well) that most of the red carpet starlets just didn't "get it" this time around.  It is hard to pinpoint the most appropriate look for the evening when such diversity exists within its theme.  How do you balance vintage American fashion with today's fashion?  Do you go full on vintage in a Charles James 30's couture frock or do you don a Poiret-inspired Halston Heritage dress (a la Sarah Jessica Parker)?  Should you stay in the confines of American designers, past and present, or break out into the world of designers all together?

We are all fully aware that many of these stars (and industry execs) do not solely choose their own looks; extensive research from celebrity stylists on available samples coupled with artistic collaboration with hair and makeup teams ultimately bring together the final look.  So, how much of what we see is truly the expression of the woman behind all of this outsourced effort?

It would be most obvious to me that the phrase "American Woman" would translate into a theme to stay true to what it means to be an American woman: to express yourself regardless of constraints or preconceived notions.  This may have been too much for most stylists to handle--to allow the girl behind the makeup to express her own opinion.

(Images from style.com)

That being said, the ones who did get it right looked relevant and radiant. They chose the Spring 2010 trends as their focus, most prominently seen in Fendi's Spring show. After all, SS 2010 was about la femme revealed, unobstructed and bare, showcasing the woman underneath her clothing (both physically and personally) as the true expression of her own beauty—the very facet of real American feminist ideals. All of this was enhanced by nude palettes emulating supple skin color, transparency and lightness of fabrics, and lingerie detailing. The in-trend nude palette was the most interesting of the night with its sun-kissed shimmer and shine, while the a la mode soft, billowy Grecian silhouettes offered a subtle "vintage" reveal of the feminine form underneath.