Book Review - "My Journey" by Donna Karan (#10 - 2016)

My Journey by Donna Karan

I'm a HUGE Donna Karan fan (have been since day 1, oh yes, I remember when she showed her first collection), so I was eager to pick this one up.  Memoirs/biographies are sometimes a double edged sword.  On one side you are excited to find out more about the person and how they work/live and on the other side you are afraid that you might not like them and/or might not live up to your expectations of them.  There was a little of the latter in this book.  I loved finding out what inspires her and how she got her start but the way she treated and handled her first husband was appalling.  She's quite the character and honestly she would drive me nuts with all the mediums, psychics, retreats, etc. what she calls her "woo woos".  She is self-aware enough to admit that her late husband and daughter roll their eyes at that stuff too.  I most enjoyed the way she outlined how her business started and how it grew.  She really was doing stuff that was so groundbreaking, it's hard to describe it if you didn't live during that time, but she truly created clothes that were both feminine, easy and comfortable yet structured and powerful.  Her fabrics really played into that, I owned a pair of dress shorts by her (obtained at a major discount) that held their shape, moved with you, and I wore them until the fabric literally fell apart.  She knew how to cut a garment, how to drape, she knew what flattered a woman's body.  This is what is sorely missed now that she's not involved with the company.  I 'm not sure we will ever see someone like her again, which is very sad for me.  I know, you are thinking, but we see stuff like what she was doing everywhere now.  Yes and no.  We are seeing the "look" but we are not seeing the fit, the drape, the chic layers that all work together, the mindfulness of what women need.  Overall this book is totally worth your time if you are interested in Donna Karan or fashion history.  

Best Dressed - Met Ball 2013

Well, last night was the "Oscars" of fashion, the annual Met Ball gala for the Costume Institute.  This year's exhibition is "PUNK: Chaos to Couture".  From the pictures I've seen of the exhibit, it looks pretty weak, I feel like we've seen this before with the McQueen and the Anglophile shows of years past.  Time to do something completely different next year, please.  The red carpet looks were pretty weak too, not many brought the punk and those who did seemed a bit forced and random.  Anyway, here are the looks I liked (punk or not punk):

Naomie Harris in Donna Karan Atelier with an Edie Parker clutch (obsessed with these clutches) - hands down my favorite look of the night.

Jessica Pare in Jason Wu (with Jason Wu)

Blake Lively in Gucci Premiere

Honorable mention for actually bringing a punk vibe (in a high fashion way) - Sarah Jessica Parker in custom Giles, Philip Treacy headpiece and custom Louboutin shoes

What do you think?  Did you have any favorites?

Images via Style.com

My Five - Donna Karan Spring 2013

Once upon a time when I was a young teen I dreamed of being just like Donna Karan.  I just loved her, I loved her designs, I loved her ads, I loved the whole vibe that her brand gave off. I was mesmerized and obsessed with becoming a "Donna" woman.  That hasn't changed over the years.  I still find the idea of the "Donna" woman enchanting. Last Fall's super tailored collection was typical DK of old (anyone else remember her "seven easy pieces"?).  This collection is more DK of recent times.  A more relaxed, flowy, ethereal DK gal.  Make no mistake, it's still tailored, but in a more drapey way.  The palette was so gorgeous, soothing and sophisticated.  Hey Donna, feel free to send any of these my way! 

Images via Style.com

My Five - Donna Karan Resort 2013

Hi!  I'm back, we had a crazy, whirlwind travel weekend and I had to play catch up yesterday.  My little girl turned 4 this past week and it's so hard to believe.  She's not a toddler anymore, she's a little girl (with very strong opinions too - eek!).  Anyway let's get back to the 2013 Resort collections.  What I love about looking at the Resort lines is that it's sort of a crystal ball into what's going to be bridging Winter into Spring.  So take note of colors and lines and see what you can pick up this year (on sale maybe?) that will still be super-relevant and on trend next year! 

Let's talk about Donna Karan shall we?  This collection was chock full of dressy getups with her signature tailored draping.  She can make a structured blazer look like a cozy wrap.  That's what I love about her, her clothes are grown up, pulled together yet totally not stiff or stuffy.  She gets it!  Here are my many picks, enjoy!

Images via Style.com

My Five - Donna Karan Fall 2012

A very menswear inspired collection with lots of pinstripes.  Of course Donna mixed razor sharp tailoring with lovely draping and folding, it's what she does best.  I really loved the mixture of the fabric textures along with the pops of red and that golden/green/yellow that can be bold as well as a neutral at the same time.  Here are my (6) picks:

 Loving the shoes too!

Images via Vogue.com

My Five - Donna Karan Pre-Fall 2012

Lots of blazers in this collection in every variety from big to small.  The color story was navy, white, cobalt blues - a good mix of tailored and drapey.  Here are my picks from this collection.

Images via Style.com

My Five - Donna Karan Spring 2012

A collection inspired by Haiti where Donna has been spending a lot of time.  Lots of prints and a way more graphic feel than DK usually feels, which was refreshing.  She can still deliver ladylike and tailored in a very fun way.  I had to pick more than five, enjoy!

Images via Vogue.com

Random Bits

I'm having one of those weeks where I'm scattered and flustered and just in a funk.  Ever have one of those?  It's so darn hard to shake for some reason.  I think the best word to describe my mood would be "brooding" and not in a cool James Dean way.  Ah well, I'll get over it, in the meantime here are some random tidbits that have been floating around waiting for a post.

Remember that Friend Friday post when I referred to the old Donna Karan ads that I liked?  Well, before we packed up and moved I found the ads in my Donna Karan inspiration notebook (yeah, I have not one, but two Donna notebooks - there's over a decade of love in those).  Here are a few:

See what I mean?  So glam and  feminine yet so empowering - I mean with a tagline like "In Women We Trust" how can it not be?  Oh I love you Donna!

Check out how DKNY t-shirts used to be packaged when they first came out:

Yeah, in a giant tea bag - so cute!  (of course I kept one - how could you not?)

And here are some clothes that I had to pack up and put into storage - things I don't wear a lot, but just can't get rid of :o(

Wonder when I'll see these again (boo hoo).  Oh well, just call me a hoarder - lol!

Have a great week!

My Five - Donna Karan Fall 2011

Hmmm, this was a different sort of collection for Donna Karan.  A bit more "buttoned up" than usual, a very nipped-in waist/pencil skirt silhouette.  I loved the muted color palette, but overall the collection was not very "Donna".  I keep wanting her to build on the genius that was her Spring 2010 collection  (which was absolutely stunning).  I'll keep waiting, but in the meantime enjoy my five favorite looks from this collection.

Images via Style.com