Homework!

Back in the day,  the school library carried all these magazines.  I really wanted to peruse through "Vogue" and "Bazaar".  

That was just like categorically unacceptable for boys.  

So I was reduced to pretending to be totally absorbed in an issue of "Car and Driver" or "Sports Illustrated"!

YUCK!

Well that was grade school/junior high.  Things changed rapidly.  Fashion became very, Very, VERY important.  

By high school, MTV wasn't just a music video showcase, it was a living and breathing fashion magazine.  

Elsa Klensch was my hero as a fashion journalist that covered fashion designers and fashion shows across the country.  She taught me who the pioneers and designers were like Chanel, Donna Karen, Ralph Lauren, and Calvin Klein.  

I learned terms like 'haute couture', 'basic black', 'classic style', 'cut on the bias', 'hounds tooth', and 'paisley'.   

By college, I knew who all the supermodels were, what was happening in fashion and the  powerful influence of Madonna and Michael Jackson on what us ordinary people wore.  

Today, I am just short of clueless on what is considered the latest and greatest fashions.  I THINK skinny jeans, jeggings and burnout t's are the style of the day.  

I'd look silly in some of today's styles. But since I learned at an early age what 'classic style' is, I just wear the basic classics so I don't get laughed out of social situations.

I did my homework.  ;-)

Diva Sightings

Asheville is a fashion show.  I guess I'm so used to the abundance of creativity.  I forget sometimes.

I think Asheville has this reputation for being 'the mountains.'  Which it is. But the visual is very hiking, camping, REI.

And there is so much Much MUCH more to Asheville than hiking, camping,  and related.

When I think of Asheville, I think of the downtown scene with its artists, theaters, dance clubs, bars, restaurants, night life, tourists, eye candy and individuality.    And what better way to express it than with your own diva style.

Take these shoes:

This fetching little kitten was serving me up some caffeine in the form of an iced mocha when I happened to look down and see these beauties.

Are they not adorable?!  I know the whole gladiator look in heels is still going strong.  Funny how folks act like it was only popular for the past few years.  

I remember Thierry Mugler  had all the supermodels sashaying down runways and George Michael videos in those fierce little numbers back in the 90s.  I think they were so far ahead of their time that it was more like haute couture for art versus reality.

On this little lady, they're paired down to almost a sandal.  But they're actually part kitten heels, part sandal and part dress shoe. 

Regardless, they're 100% cute.  Very individual.  Very Asheville.  

Very diva!  :-)

Sashay Shante

Doodle Diva favorites never cease to amaze me. Just when I
think I have a handle on what people prefer, I'm wrong.

Like this little gem. I couldn't keep this one around. It really started it all as far as mass appeal. 

There was this contest. I entered this picture. It was featured on Facebook. I won a little prize for my efforts.

The end.

Nope.

The beginning.

The majority of interest was for these girls doing their catwalk strut. And of course when I made enough prints to handle the requests, folks had moved on to the other divas.

Oh well. Any Diva can tell you. Eventually, folks always go back to the classics! ;-)