Say hi to the high-low dress
I guess I’m out of touch with fashion, because somehow I missed the advent (or is it the return?) of the high-low dress.
Also known as the mullet. Ouch.
I was at a wedding recently, and that’s where I noticed its prevalence. Among the many young women there, a large percentage sported the leg-framing style.
I don’t particularly care for it; it looks like the wearer couldn’t make up her mind, or got her garment caught in a door and half of it tore off. But hey, no one’s asking me.
Plain and elegant (my preference):
Or froufrou:
The latter reminds me of the can-can, back when showing a little leg meant something:
Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there……….
At the copa, Copacabana
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the copa, Copacabana
Music and passion were always in fashion
At the copa…. they fell in love
dress length is correlated with economics
The idea behind this theory is that shorter skirts tend to appear in times when general consumer confidence and excitement is high, meaning the markets are bullish. In contrast, the theory says long skirts are worn more in times of fear and general gloom, indicating that things are bearish.
though you cant/dont trade on it..
All I can think of when I see such dresses is how do they get in and out of cars in them. I am only willing to sacrifice a certain amount of practicality for fashion, and that was true even when I was young.
I don’t have to sacrifice anything to appreciate a woman looking terrific, which the top one does. And, I think this fashion does reflect the market; stocks are bullish high, but there’s much bearish fear in general.
this style should appeal to Kate Middleton, she can simultaneously show her butt (courtesy of a wind gust)
& not show her butt.
As a man, a plain man, I’ve long considered fashion and practicality mutually exclusive. This particular style is proof of that thesis.
There is much to be said for the elegance in simplicity.
On the other hand, we were all once young, and full of hope and life and dreams of pleasant and happy things and dressed to express that exuberance. Now a grandfather, I watch as these kids grow through those same feelings and I can only hope they find happiness and joy and peace wherever they can and share it with as many as possible for as long as possible.
Maybe I’m just getting soft.
I’ve never cared for frou frou, yet once wore bell bottoms. When you’re young, looking cool in the eyes of your peers can be an inordinate concern. Do women dress for men? I think yes and suspect that they do so equally to impress and create envy in the eyes of other women.
Those model gals got no calves!
Nor shoulders to speak of.
You could fit their whole bodies in one ordinary-size pant leg. Say 36 x 31.
I dunno why you’d do that, but the point is, you could.
mike f
your not off… there is a certain concept within fashion and status that does do what you say.
women (in the modern era mostly) have commonly adapted the fashions and items that declare their lack of working. which was the point of the emperors long nails, where the colors denoted rank. heels started as a way to step over muck and men also wore them. the point is that she is fun, she does not work so is available, and then things accentuate the secondary sxual characteristics or interest. like bella donna being used to make the pupils large so as to appear in love with everything.
Van Morrison sings, “All the girls walk by dressed up for each other… ”
Straight men typically have little interest in female fashion. They are far more interested in what is underneath female fashion. 😉
This style is almost an affectation of a (short) dress with a train.
Pastiche couture?
&&&
When out of ideas: stir!
The only thing sure about what a woman will wear is that, if she can, what she wears tomorrow will be little like what she wears today. For my part, it depends on my mood and whether the woman can pull it off. It’s not quite subjective, nor fully objective, but there are elements of each. As a sinner, more leg is dandy. As a saint, what type of clothing would I suggest a women wear in the presence of angels, or more, Christ Himself? More the latter, than the former, in these times, I have no love of this return to the dark side. However, I always did have a thing for can-cans. So if she must, she should at least… entice, offer youthful nostalgia. Yum.
I’ve seen them around, and on women out in the real world, whether elegant or frou-frou, the ate not very flattering. The woman in the top photo can pull it off because she is a model, very pretty, and the photo isa single frozen moment, and one photo out of probably 1000. Bit these dresses in person look… Odd. The v lower priced ones aren’t well tailored. And even on thin women, the skirts look weird.
Lee, a lot less than 1000…
pros dont take as many as pros in movies do. they usually have a clear vision, and move from point to point quite fast. surprisingly fast.
i may take 300 shots for one fashion show, but there are almost 40 dresses and they are coming out at very high speed. thats less than 10 frames per dress, and not only that, but have to time where their foot and arms are, and if needed do some close ups of accessories, shoes, etc.. then you get up and move to the next venue. wait a while, and do it again.
grueling and more physical than anyone realizes
dont forget some also go back stage before, and after a show, and that you have to edit the shots and send them out to the agency as well.
these things have gotten easier with wifi enabled digitals. as they are taking the pics the images are xmitted to a laptop (and saved to a card).. there someone takes them as they are shot, and edits and balances, and crops them, and sends them out
time is the enemy
and with that, top models are freaking expensive.
i remember one girl that blew off a gig and she asked me would she get another shoot, i told her probably not.
pros are pros, and a shoot is an expensive gig. there is usually an art director who has drawn mock ups which they used to judge what points to take… if not, and its just fashion, then you will also have a stylist, racks of clothes, lighting assistants, several cameras depending on whats needed (with many still using full format)… then there is choices of background which range from the white to black,to on location.
everyone is paid whether there is a shoot or not. your burning money and so 1000 shots takes way to long. but that would look boring in film an movies…
while lots of photogs and professionals chimp, lots dont.
Chimping is a colloquial term used in digital photography to describe the habit of checking every photo on the camera display (LCD) immediately after capture.
Some photographers use the term in a derogatory sense to describe the actions of amateur photographers, but the act of reviewing images on-camera is not necessarily frowned upon by professional or experienced photographer
its mostly derogatory.. as is shooting high speed to pick the one shot out of the group. other than action and sports, thats pretty lame as well…
photogs know what they intend to do, and generally what to expect. their looking down tends not to be about checking every image, but to check parts for content, how wide, how much background (controlled with the kind of lens), what the light distribution of the image is, etc… though if they shoot raw, they can get a way with a bit in post production.
but this is frowned upon as this all has to do with time.
time is money and people in photography dont make a lot.
a few on the top do, but even those dont make as much as people fantasize they do.
i no longer do that any more..
though i get invited back.
my images are all over, but i am cheated out of the money made on them… not right, but what can one do?
Hi style for the rape culture.
“Also known as the mullet”
That should be enough to kill it right there.
http://www.classicmarry.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/chinese-traditional-dresses-qipao-cheongsam.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SB6o2917tJw/TaAIfpQNHSI/AAAAAAAAAGk/ORJkCeF8HT0/s1600/2.jpg
Looks better that way.
“Plain and elegant” looks insipid, bored and boring. “Frou frou” looks like she might be fun.
Just don’t bring back shoulder pads and I’ll be happy. Let’s see, ’40’s, ’80’s, I guess they’re due in the ’20’s.
High-lows have been around the tango scene for quite a while, since they add interest and movement to the woman’s steps. Here’s Natasha Poberaj in 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r62RFvikMZY
Fausta:
The fashion makes a great deal of sense for the tango (as it did for the can-can). It fulfills the need to free the legs for quick and unfettered movement while it preserves the need for elegance.
Also, tango dancers look good in anything.
I’ve always loved the shoes.
Also, tango dancers look good in anything.
The pros do, but some of the women who go to milongas don’t have a good friend that stop them from going out in some of their get ups!
The shoes are fabulous, yes.
Fausta:
I meant the pros. Although for the amateurs, attitude will take you pretty far.
But only so far.