We're Back!

Did you miss me?? Well put away your tissues because I Style is back for the new year!

2008 was a rough one for me, both life-wise and fashion-wise. I engaged in this project last year, styling for a magazine shoot, that just went awry and really brought down my enthusiasm for being involved in the fashion industry. Then this financial crisis hit, which hurt revenues at pretty much all fashion magazines and fashion houses. Vera Wang and Betsey are going to hold their fall fashion shows in boutiques! Just this past week Chanel has laid off, I believe, 250 workers! My magazines subscriptions to ELLE and In Style were being offered renewal at much discounted prices. Premium brands such as Vogue are losing meaning. Sirens, Costa Blanca, and friends have become knock off centrals. EVERYONE LOOKS THE SAME.

The outlook was bleak! But, I've decided that for myself fashion is more than a commodity. It is an art form, and one that I happen to love dearly. I simply can't turn my back on it. In fact, I think that modern-day fashionistas have a responsibility to save this dying craft. I'm sick of celebrities co-opting everything around us, including fashion, and I can't believe that we're buying into it. Celebrities are fake. They have stylists, personal trainers, make-up artists, etc. And, in fact, many of them use the same ones, so there are only a handful of people dictating to us what is "in" and "out".

Of course we will always take inspiration from celebrities, and celebrities wear designer clothing, but I hope that 2009 will be a year of experimentation. You can wear things that other people wear, but at least try to do it different. The era of fashion is over..at least for now. It has simply become too accessible. I'm not against that at all. But I'm tired of the clones! Do NOT leave your house ever again in Uggs, tights, a jeans skirt, and a skinny knitted scarf (especially in November!). We live in Toronto, not California!

I'm not sure what direction this blog will take in the new year, but if you're a fan, please let me know what you want to see, and feel free to contribute! Let me know what's hot in the streets. And do leave comments! People send me emails or message me, but sometimes these discussions would serve a greater purpose in a public forum. I thank you all for reading and supporting I Style. We back b*tches!

Love always,

Jaye