Presidential goes high street
In the week following the excitement, buzz, flamboyancy and fabulousness of London Fashion Week, you'd think celebs and style queens everywhere would be gushing over and rushing to get themselves 'seen' in the latest hot and up-and-coming designer's clobber. And you'd think the style watchdogs would be keeping a close eye on which high street labels were doing the best copycats so those of us without a substantial bank balance can go and snap them up at a fraction of the price. You'd also think the big fashion houses would be celebrating another Fashion Week success and be busy trying to meet the demand for all those new orders that are coming flooding in....
Well, you're probably right. However if this week's "top" news stories are anything to go by, there were far bigger stories to report on!
First of all, Michelle Obama went on TV in a dress by none other than relatively cheap high street label H&M. Shocking isn't it. I mean, the wife of the US President being seen in something other than over-priced designer gear by lowering herself to mere mortal status and not only entering the realms of H&M (actually, I imagine she probably sent someone in for her, or ordered online) but actually buying something that we, yes we; you and me, either can afford or already have. Well knock me down and call me Bertie - Michelle Obama is normal, with fashion taste just like you and me. Incredible.
It's not just presidential ladies getting in on the "we're so high street and normal" act either; Natalie Portman dared to turn up to the Vanity Fair pre-Oscars party in a $50 H&M dress. Shock. Horror. No designer dress for a posh pre-Oscars party? Why, surely that's un-heard of? But wait.. it actually went down a storm, with her being praised for her style, especially considering it was just a cheap high street choice. Hmmm, in answer to that reaction, does this mean we all look cheap all of the time because we don't all wear designer? I don't think so. Money can buy a lot of things, but it can't buy you style. A stylist perhaps, but not style. It's not what you wear remember, it's how you wear it.
Bigger news than all of this of course, is John Galliano's sacking from Dior. Why? Because the flamboyant fashion genius, who somewhat resembles a pirate, decided it would be a good idea to appear on video saying "I love Hitler". Because that's not controversial at all. As much as I admire Galliano as a designer, right now I have one word for him: idiot.
Authors
Sarah Morris - the Sunday Mercury's resident fashionista: pulls no punches when it comes to style.
