I was reading Harper’s Bazaar the other day and came across an interview with Karl Lagerfeld. He is one of my favorite fashion designers and an aspiration to many people. Why shouldn’t he anyways? At the age of 70 Karl Lagerfeld is still kicking ass! Considering that he designs for Chanel, Fendi, and his own brand: Karl Lagerfeld. Talk about a workaholic…
So here are three great advices (with my opinions in between) from the interview that I would like to share to all of my readers from the Harper’s Bazaar interview:
Harper’s Bazaar Q: The recession is keeping me up at night. My husband tells me I have o cut back on spending, but I’m anxious about shopping on a budget. Can I still look chic while buying cheap?
Karl Lagerfeld: The most imortant thing is to sleep well. Try to have sweet dreams and no recession nightmares. You have to find out if your husband is telling you to spend less during the crisis as an excuse. Never use the word cheap. Today everybody can look chic in inexpensive clothes (the rich buy them too). There is a good clothing design on every level today. You can be the chicest thing in the world in a T-shirt and jeans-it’s up to you.
Don’t use expensive clothes as a screen for your personal doubts. Be proud of yourself and not only because you wear expneisve designer clothes. They are great, but lots of people are happy without them. Don’t play the victim: It’s too easy. You come first, the clothes later. Reinvent new combintations of what you already own. Play with it. Improvise. Become more creative. Not because you want to. Evolution is the secret for the next step.
(I agree with Karl Lagerfeld. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I don’t believe in expensive clothing. I do believe in expensive shoes – mainly because of comfort and the quality. Fashion is ever changing, so why would anyone want to purchase expensive clothing unless you know that piece will become a classic for the next 20+ years?)
Harper’s Bazaar Q: My head is in the clouds. I am constatntly distracted thinking about my next purchase: a new tuxedo jacket, a ruffled blouse, a strand of peals. Am I a shopaholic? What should I be buying, anyway?
Karl Lagerfeld: First, look at the tuxedo you already own. The same goes for the ruffled blouse and the strand of pearls. They all look the same anyway, and they can wait because they’re not new. Buy what you don’t have yet, or what you really want, which can be mixed with what you already own. Buy only because something excites you, not just for the simple act of shopping. That’s a little childish. Going from shop to shop is, perhaps, today considered a form of cultural anxiety. There are more consructive and intelligent ways to spend your time.
(Bravo! I am constantly thinking about something that I don’t have in my closet. When I go shopping, nowadays, I usually have a mindset of what I know I’m looking for. For the longest time I wanted a colorful maxi dress and searched all over online to find the perfect maxi dress. I think I obsessed about it for two weeks until I finally bought one. Or if I’m trying to complete an overall outfit with a shirt, sweater, belt, or pants. Always have a goal when shopping.)
Harper’s Bazaar Q: I would love to sport a pair of extra-high sandals to a party, but will I be albe to walk in them after a couple of drinks? Some of the models on the runways couldn’t stay on their feet!
Karl Lagerfeld: Please, your question is childish. Don’t drink when you wear stilettos. I can’t advise you to get drunk at home to find out if you would be able to walk in them at a party. Plus, you aren’t on the runway. Life should not be a fashion show. Only the girls in the shows have to wear unfinished prototypes. What you see later in the shops are safe-or safer. Naomi Campbell became a showstopper when she fell in her Vivienne Westwood platforms during a show. You don’t have to go that high. If you’re short, you can look out of proportion. Very high heels actually look better on tall girls, but men hate to walk around with giants who make them feel like midgets.
(This last question I just shared, well, I just thought his answer was awesome and hilarious! I guess we don’t always have to be tall.)
Taken from Harper’s Bazaar: Spring Fashion Issue, March 2009, pg 388.
Filed under: Random Fashion Snaps
