Oliver B. here, revitalized and renewed, and ready to get back to what I enjoy most: discovering beauty. Ever checked out the new music artist on the scene, Lady Gaga? If so, you have obviously seen the outrageous fashions--well, perhaps it's better to say costumes--she wears. She is rave chic all the way, and artistically couture down to the shoes. She has been seen wearing tuxedo tails and panties, or a dress made out of bubbles. She is a walking art sculpture, and a testament to why I say fashion is beautiful . . . it is art.I have been wanting to write a blog about her for some time, but never could get going on a full discussion as she was brand new. I wanted to wait to see what she had to offer in terms of long-term fashion sense. Today she has proven that she is an icon in her own right. She has outdone herself in her new video, "Paparazzi," where she wears a gold armor outfit with crutches, and hobbles down the red carpet.
Aside from the obvious humor, there is an amazingly artful beauty in that scene. Imagine that you are the photographer for a high fashion photoshoot, and Lady Gaga is your model. Take some shots of her hobbling down the red carpet. Doesn't she have that broken down doll look that is so coveted on America's Next Top Model? Throughout the entire video she is in outfits that any average person off the street would call a costume. And of course they would hate what she has on. I love it! She is a cross of Joan Crawford, Alexis Carrington ("Dynasty" reference for those of you who never watched it), maybe even a little Yves Saint Laurent thrown in their as well, and then just a splash of club kid. If you are a fashion lover, then you will love her. I find her music does tend to take a backseat to her clothes though. I almost view her videos as a runway for what she wears rather than a video to promote her music. Am I the only one that feels that way? I do enjoy her music, though. I just find that her clothes are so bold and in your face that her music can't keep up. That's amazing to me that one of her arts can't keep up with the other, and yet both are ahead of the game.
I have to say that I find her looks, her videos, her music, all beautiful. They are creative. She touches on the past, reflects the present, and assaults us with the future. And audiences everywhere want more. In that sense, I suppose you can say she's timeless. I think of her as a new Madonna, a prime example of postmodernism. I can't wait to see what she does in the future.
Now I do understand that most of you out there are wondering why I'd ever create an entire article on Lady Gaga's fashion choices when clearly haute couture is not meant to move from the catwalk to the sidewalk. But, what I find so beautiful about her is the adventure in her choices. She isn't afraid to go overboard. And perhaps that's the lesson I have failed to impart on my readers. I always just tell everyone I love a certain style like chunky jewelry; I also remind you of Coco Chanel's rule to remove one accessory before you leave the house. I never just stated, only implied, that going big is great.
It is so much easier to subtract rather than add. In that respect, we can all extract a catwalk/sidewalk tip: go big or go home. Never be afraid to go for a look. Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't, but if you don't experiment you miss out.
Our lesson for today is this: fashion is a form of art, but it is fading. What keeps art moving is the discussion of the artists out there, and encouraging those provocative artists that revitalize the art world, and make you realize why you got interested in it in the first place.
So, Lady Gaga, "Just dress ... gonna be okay ..."
Here's to style. Cheers!
