“Trend” Report: The Kooks

April 3, 2008 by Morgan  Send to a Friend

Things are a little off in fashion right now, and I mean that in a good way. From light and airy tulle-puff headbands at Marc Jacobs to surreal harlequin influences at Miu Miu, eccentricity is all around us. It could be the inevitable byproduct of all those small-print florals (how else to keep from looking granny?) or just a bit of artful comic relief from the seriously dark color palettes of the last few seasons; whatever the reason, the new eccentric style is a much-needed breath of fresh air. Not that things were too dark, perse, but for every tough black-mini-dress of Alexander Wang’s, an oversized violin necklace at Viktor & Rolf is almost necessary, no?

The look is nothing new - and while the great arbiters of kook are the very British Vivienne Westwood, Zandra Rhodes, and Isabella Blow; the Italian Anna Piaggi and Americans Betsey Johnson, Patricia Field, and Little Edie Beale stand out as well. The tie that binds, of course, is their age - they’re all older women who don’t dress old - in fact, they don’t really dress “appropriately” for any age. These women stand out simply because, at some point or another, they decided to dress exclusively for themselves. So while trend might dictate NOW that we turn an eye to these style setters, how nice to consider it more of a license - or even a lesson - rather than a fleeting moment in style.

While ideally we’ll all take to heart this whole “wear whatever the hell you want” trick, the key to pulling it all off is making it look fashionable and cohesive. Ignoring the “lose one accessory before you leave the house rule” (a la Iekeliene Stange) and blatant pattern-mixing (see: Duro Olowu; this season’s clashing florals) work only when the result seems effortless, not forced or careless. A sense of humor goes a long way when giving into these kind of sensibilities; keeping even your “strange” kook lighthearted and pretty is a much more effective style statement than piling on one seriously overwhelming accessory after another. Great examples of odd-but-endearing are Lou Doillon’s Sartorialist-featured suspenders and Kelley’s (from local band the Multi-V’s) homemade googly-eye pin.

Regardless of whether your interpretation of kook involves immensely oversized ribbons and bows, wearing the entire color wheel at once, or busting out that Stella McCartney-approved teddybear backpack you’ve had in storage since ‘94, total indulgence of your most off-the-wall fashion whims really has only one requirement: that you wear what you love, with conviction. Kook may be having its moment this season, but - as the aforementioned women have proved - its the appreciation for the oddball that makes a certain kind of style icon, and for my money someone like Rachel Feinstein is far more interesting to spend time looking at than an immaculately-groomed Jackie O. YOUR thoughts?

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