La Nouvelle Epoque

I already mentioned how bummed I am to have missed the Nouvelle Èpoque Cabaret-Salon at The Players NYC, but I'm confident this won't be the last the world sees of Belle Epoque fashion. As the Times wrote in its review, "the 1920's to 40's are so totally over, darling." It pains me to say goodbye to the Mary Janes of the twenties and drop-waist sashes, to utility clothing and rag curls, but the early 1900's are so hot right now.

Look, here's how I see it: the farther forward in time the edgy designers take their inspiration, the farther back in time the nostalgic designers go. (And you probably don't even need me to tell you which designers I like better.)

There has to be an equilibrium, you see: with all these bleached eyebrows and shrouded faces and bizarre lace-up pumps on one side, there has to be some hardcore antiquey-ness going on at the other extreme, to balance it out. So bring on the corsets, the bustles, the plumes, the poufs, the tea gowns, the Edwardian hats. Let's give a nice, hearty shout-out to the turn of the twentieth century before we wrap up the turn of the twenty-first.