SNOW DAY

Kim Beck, Total Sell Off (1), 2009

What do you wear on a snowy day in the park?  This ensemble was inspired by Kim Beck's Total Sell Off (1), which I found via Artsy.  Much of Beck's work deals with the financial crisis, using phrases related to liquidation and shut downs.  One of her projects involved planes that flew over Manhattan, releasing smoke that spelled out the words "Lost Our Lease".  I'm thankful to have a warm, happy home on this snowy day.

Scarf: thrifted

Leather jacket: DKNY, thrifted

Skirt: Courtesy of eShakti Custom

Gloves: Saks Fifth Avenue

Sunglasses: Linda Farrow

Photo by Kathy Paciello; Beck image via Artsy.

WATER LILIES

Claude Monet, Water Lilies (French, Paris 1840 - 1926 Giverny)

There are few more delightful ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than wandering through the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  On this particular Sunday, Monet's Water Lilies were especially beautiful as a contrast to the grey slush outside on Fifth Avenue.  According to Urban Dictionary, "Monet" can be used to describe someone who "looks good from afar, but far from good close up."  That is usually the case with my Sunday afternoon ensembles!

Coat: Free People

Sequin skirt: French Connection (thrifted)

Tights: Falke

Boots: DKNY

Sweatshirt: J. Crew

Snakeskin purse: Vintage (thrifted)

Necklace: H&M

Photo by Meri Feir.

CHRIS BURDEN: Extreme Measures.

I couldn't wait to see the Chris Burden retrospective at the New Museum.  Not only was I intrigued about the prospect of a full-career retrospective of an artist most well-known for performance, but also because the entire museum would be filled with just Burden's work.  I was particularly taken by the LA Police Uniforms, created in cooperation with the Fabric Workshop and Museum in 1993.

Made by the genuine factory that manufactures LAPD uniforms, these are slightly larger than lifesize (7 feet, four inches, to be exact), a detail which makes them both fascinating and unsettling.  A commentary on authority, specifically related to the brutal police beatings in LA in 1992, the uniforms remind us of our stature within society, and also recall the fear of the civil rights era.  In the words of Blake Gopnik:

They are perfect facsimiles of what was worn by the LAPD, although blown up to just about fit the largest humans ever born. They capture the inner image that we have of every police officer we have an encounter with – whether as savior or threat. 

Dress/Jacket: Marc Jacobs

Brooch: Vintage

Belt: Jodi Arnold

Boots: DKNY

See the exhibition through 1/12/14 at the New Museum.

Photos by Kathy Paciello.