JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

"I think the way people dress today is a form of artistic expression… Art lies in the way the whole outfit is put together.  Take Jean Paul Gaultier.  What he does is really art." --Andy Warhol, 1984

Today is your last chance to see The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk at the Brooklyn Museum.  It was one of the best fashion exhibitions I have ever seen, from the interactive mannequins to the gorgeous array of avant garde and ready-to-wear designs spanning Gaultier's illustrious career.  Did you have a chance to see the exhibition?  What did you think?

Dress: Jean Paul Gaultier

Boots: Dr. Martens

Necklace: Vintage

See my other Gaultier posts here and here.

Photo of me by Kathy Paciello; other photos by me.

JOHN SINGER SARGENT

Watercolor is a medium that is often relegated to the realm of studies or prepaintings. Because of its swift, permanent nature, the use of watercolors can easily capture a subject within a few broad, well-handled strokes.

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), most known for his portraits in oil, particularly the sensational Madame X, completed over 2,000 watercolors during his artistic career.

Though his portraits exhibited intense control and uncanny likeness (bordering on flattery) his watercolors exhibit a tendency toward impressionism and an affinity for working en plein air.

Sargent traveled through England, France, Italy, and the Americas, and his oeuvre exhibits quite a wide array of landscape subjects.

When asked about his strategy in watercolor painting, Sargent replied, "Make the best of an emergency."

I'm wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier sarong dress over and H&M swimsuit, Marc by Marc Jacobs leather sandals, and a straw hat by Scala.

[John Singer Sargent images from wallcoo.net.]

PEN AND INK

If I had to choose my favorite medium of art, it would probably be pen and ink. It's so quick and bold, and I love the different textures you can achieve by varying paper and nib. I think that's why I like this Jean Paul Gaultier dress so much. It's like a bunch of different ink drawings sewn together somewhat haphazardly, but the result is quite a work of art! [Click photos to enlarge.]

I wore the Jean Paul Gaultier dress with an Izod bandeau and Sam Edelman espadrilles. The nail polish is "Pretty Edgy" by Essie. These photos were taken at the Ashley Inn in Charleston, SC.

GAUGUIN/GAULTIER

I love Jean Paul Gaultier's tribal collections. The colors, the prints, the gauzy fabrics--to me, the perfect summer wear. The palette and the subject matter are so similar to Paul Gauguin's paintings from his time in Tahiti, and it's no secret that I'm obsessed with expressionist painting as well.

Paul Gauguin's Ia Orana Maria (1891), Where Are You Going (1893), and Mahana No Atua (1894).

I'm wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier swimsuit, mesh miniskirt from the Salvation Army, and a Zuba Africa hat. These pictures were taken on the pier in Minnesott Beach, North Carolina.

[Gauguin images from janesoceania.com.]