Tuesday, November 4, 2008

*****BEWARE***** ANTI-BALMAIN POST AHEAD

I know most people love the general Balmain "look", but my refusal to buy into the hype has led me to see things in a different light.




I fail to see where all the excitement is. These outfits don't make me swoon, dream, smile, gasp, or fan myself with my hand. I most certainly expect the getups of the "powers that be" in fashion to cause these effects.

I used to appreciate Emmanuelle Alt's understated outfits but as soon as she became the Balmain guru, she has been in the most uninspired rut I've seen in awhile. Does she have some kind of exclusivity contract? It's head-to-toe Balmain every time we see her.

Barbara Martelo's (middle) outfit is just absurd. That skirt can have all the detailing it wants, but from where this picture was taken the shirt+skirt combo could've been hanging on the rack of Hot Topic.

"OH, BUT IT'S BALMAIN!! IT'S EDGY, EFFORTLESS PARISIAN CHIC! 1300 EUROS WELL SPENT FOR A 100% COTTON TEE!"


As is tradition, here is today's cheap ebay alternative to Balmain:


$3.99 at ebay


$50
^^okay, not exactly the same but she could've been wearing this exact thing.


/ENDRANT!


-----
edit:
FIERCE OR FARCE has helped me with the ebay searching and has come up with some delightful Balmainy gems...I love how everything we find is always less than $50!!


$11.99


16.95



$10.95



$49.00



$45



$12.86



$10.00


and, to complete your look... a boy's tuxedo jacket:


$10.00


Never again spend 20,000 euros for a basic print t-shirt and grey skinny jeans! The cookie jar has come to your rescue.

4 comments:

Pillole Di Moda said...

100% with you on this one. His shows had very interesting styling but nothing more than that. The last show in particular was groundbreaking to me for the use of encrusted shiny diamonds, but nothing I couldn't achieve with the clothes i already have in my closet.

I think what people like more is this new aggressive, powerful woman with a rock'n'roll vibe his collections represent (as is the case with many of the most followed designers these days)

Unknown said...

I have a tendency to dislike things that EVERYONE loves.

Balmain and Obama are on the top of my list this fall...

Balmain is effortless sexy and people really just want to look sexy most of the time. But he also is a parisian designers who knows his couture, so it's more "right" to wear it than other "sexy" brands like Dolce&Gabbana and Versace.

Gerry said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't bought (sorry for the double negative) into the hype that Decarnin is the Jesus of fashion. I don't even find it sexy... Just trashy.

D. Flex said...

you wrote my thoughts right now.

seriously, everyblogger is a Balmain lover, i dont buy this.