As you gussie up for a night on the town, it is The Blog’s most absolute pleasure and thrill to accompany you in your boudoir. We’ve invited none other than (a pretend) Ms. Prada to help you in this fascinating intellectual process of dressing oneself.

A toast (cin-cin, in Italian)! And with the spark from our champagne’s fizz, our commentary (likely) flows as follows:

Miuccia: Lo sai (you well know), clothes are a marvelous excuse for investigating, learning and experiencing yourself and the world.

Me: Certo (certainly), it’s fascinating the inner-dialogue that occurs in the way we present ourselves through clothing and the way others do to us.

Miuccia: Siii, it’s important never to become too smug. The only way to evolve is to work against what you did before, even against your taste sometimes.

Me: And what a relief to let go of imposed (especially self-imposed) notions of “how-to.” It’s so freeing to give in to our instinct, in dressing, expressing, being. Nothing like the joy of creative exploration, especially with material props to feed the hungry eye. No one knows it better than you Miuccia.

Miuccia: Grazie cara (thank you dear), this delicate balance between physical appeal—everything material—and intellectual challenge is really an attempt to embed the theoretical in the worldly.

Me: Ma si (but yes!)! I don’t find dressing to be at all something mundane that we have to repeat every day. I see it as a great opportunity for an intellectual challenge. A challenge because we have to reconnect with ourselves every day to understand what look vibes with our mood and with the occasion at hand. I think people unknowingly—or perhaps secretly—crave a challenge, and dressing offers the opportunity. Una bella sfida ci fa bene a tutti! (A challenge does us all some good!)

Miuccia: E poi (and then), the basic style conundrums: when is it too much, or not enough? Is it in exquisite taste, poor taste, or post-taste?

Me: Giusto (Exactly)! 😆, post-taste is very apropos to such avant-guardians as yourself. I simply strive to be I-candy, that is eye-candy for myself. And to act on my own strange quirks. And if it inspires others to do the same, then all the better.

Miuccia: Some often don’t want to admit that they like fashion, though. And yet fashion enthralls everyone, from the taxi-driver to the mega-intellectual.

Me: Quanto è vero (so true). That is why we should push to be even a bit more contradictory, more unexpected, more intriguing, more daring… If anything than for the sheer amusement of seeing others’ response.

Miuccia: Birichina 😂😉 (“you menace”). In fact, to be truly modern is to boldly exist outside of what is considered mainstream ideology.

Me: D’accordissimo (“fully agree”). And it is especially fun to play with contrasts: masculine with feminine, hard with soft, modern with retro. Either/or is never as fun as AND. The fun is in the mix!

Miuccia: Caspita (“oof!”)! Imagine what that communicates! Fashion truly is instant language.

Me: That’s precisely why I always ask my heart what I should wear. It takes the load off. And it’s more honest.

Cin-cin a te Miuccia, sei formidabile. Un mito dei miti!
“Another toast to you, Miuccia, a star among the legendary!”