Steal the Look: Paris Fashion Week SS18 Edition
In a city where I'm given a double take for wearing ripped jeans, I'm hesitant to accept the practicality of some of the outfits presented at the SS18 Paris Fashion Week. However, I'm a reasonable woman and know I shouldn't judge too quickly, so I put my theory to the test and let the designers of fashion week inspire six new looks for me to try.
I decided to start with a look that only broke one of my usual fashion rules: denim on denim. Vanessa Seward sent model Birgit Kos down the runway in a "Canadian tuxedo". I gave it a chance and dared to go denim.
Image Credit: Jacqueline Wegwerth
Though probably not the worst thing I've ever worn (my mind immediately goes back to my middle school days), I don't think it's particularly Paris appropriate. Seward made it look cute, but I'm going to have to stay true to my original rules and avoid the clashing of materials.
Next on my radar was Kenzo's Spring 2018 Ready-to-Wear collection. The first look I decided to try was reminiscent of the aforementioned middle school days when the principal demanded we layer our spaghetti strapped clothes with thicker sleeves underneath.
Image Credit: Jacqueline Wegwerth
It was definitely an outfit that I had tried in the past, and certainly, one that should have stayed in the past. It didn't work for me then, and it's not working for me now. However, I wasn't giving up on Kenzo's line too quickly. My forgiving self offered the spring collection an additional chance to impress me.
Figuring that I had similar items in my closet and that, therefore, it must be adjacent to my taste, I decided to put together articles of clothing that I liked individually. Although, the result was a combination that was more questionable than the pineapple on pizza debacle. For the original look, here's Kenzo's model making it look fashionable.
Image Credit: Jacqueline Wegwerth
Maybe it would be acceptable if I had put on the clothes in a different order (shirt usually on top of my bra), but I think that this look could use some rethinking. I can reassure my worried mother that this look, in particular, is "just a phase", and I will not be seen in public in a similar outfit anytime soon.
I decided to give Kenzo a break and see what the Saint Laurent's show had to offer. The first look I attempted (seen here), seemed easy enough.
Image Credit: Jacqueline Wegwerth
For what I lacked in chunky jewelry to complete the outfit, I made up for in copious amounts of camera equipment, namely a spare flash. Not pictured here is what I dubbed the "cringe fringe" on the boots in the original look. Not only did I lack the fabric necessary to achieve those boots, but I also lacked the bravery to allow myself to be seen in a shin-length of fringed boots. The result was a look that wasn't quite my taste, but also not completely repulsive to me.
For the next look, I decided to stay 'truer' to myself. I'm a woman who dresses for comfort, so this next Saint Laurent ensemble immediately caught my attention when Celine Bouly wore it here.
Image Credit: Jacqueline Wegwerth
I didn't have an outfit that looked exactly like the one Saint Laurent sent down the runway - or so I thought. I was lying in bed thinking how a college student on a budget, like myself, could achieve a high-fashion look, but then it dawned on me; a blanket reminiscent of the texture of the Saint Laurent look made the perfect dupe. It's a look that I probably wouldn't make it out the door in, but it's the perfect nap time ensemble. It receives a score of 10 out of 10 for comfort, but a zero out of 10 for the potential of me walking the streets in it.
The rest of Saint Laurent's line proved to be equally challenging to pull together. As a shameless "Maxxinista" who gets the majority of her clothes from bargain stores, it's no surprise that my wardrobe wasn't up to date with the latest fashion trends. But that didn't mean I wouldn't still attempt to achieve the look.
The little black dress is a closet staple. Of course, I have one, but not with the volume of the skirt that Saint Laurent showed here. Again, I had to improvise.
Image Credit: Jacqueline Wegwerth
I considered this look breathtaking, mostly due to the material I used to achieve it. What started as empty garbage bags to fill the skirt soon turned into filled ones, as I realized I had not gone to the store to replenish my supply in a while. And this is where the breathtaking component comes in, as the outfit got rather stinky rather fast. A few things came from this experience. The first being a realization of what it means to dress trashy, and the second being the newfound knowledge that I'm a size 30 (gallon). It's not a look I could wear, but it offered me some ideas of high-end ways to take the trash outside.
My creativity was now at an all-time high, and I looked to Saint Laurent for one final challenge. Sure enough, I found it.
Usually, I stay away from white on account of my very nature of being an absolute slob and prone to staining any light color I attempt to wear (always armed with a Tide to Go-stick), but this was a look I couldn't resist. Maria Miguel wore it well here, but Jacqueline Wegwerth was about to wear it even better.
Image Credit: Jacqueline Wegwerth
The immediate reaction from this outfit when I let my Snapchat followers see it, was laughter, but I believe I'll be the one laughing when my superior fashion sense is finally noticed and appreciated. It's not a look I could practically wear, as it would result in me sleeping on a bare mattress afterward, but these sheets were rather comfortable and could potentially make the base for a wearable outfit.
Overall, I'm impressed and inspired by the fresh perspective on fashion offered by the designers showing at Paris Fashion Week. However, though captivating on the runway, I'm not convinced that the streets of Paris are ready for these looks, quite yet.
