There exist dresses made of air and bubbles...

There is a space between fashion and art perfectly occupied by these lighter than air creations.  Artist Rie Hosokai's work with balloons is uplifting and whimsical.  Knowing this exists in the world gives me a sense of peace. One may use one's hands for any task. Hosokai makes bubble dresses.

Gareth Pugh? Oh MY, yes.

Practical? No. Figure flattering? Mmmm, only occasionally...... Perfectly wonderful? Uh-huh, yup. I have fallen deeply, madly, 100% in love with Gareth Pugh. He is certainly my pick for fav designer  of 2013, though I hope I don't ever have to say his last name until I hear it out loud first *blushes*.

Let them eat couture!

Painter Will Cotton expresses a very sweet fantasy world inhabited by actress Elle Fanning for New York Magazine's Spring Fashion 2013 Issue.  All the clothes -- and food! -- are real.... I find this a sinfully delicious combination of some of my favorite things: fashion, art, beauty and, of course, petit fours!

Jaipur at Holi & Elephant Festival Time.... Maybe the prettiest holiday on the planet

Is there any more beautiful and colorful celebration on Earth than Holi in Jaipur?  I don't know....   I only hope the elephants don't mind their couture and make-up.  I saw one painted like this last March when I was in Goa and he (or she?) seemed pretty content.

Head Games

Hair jewelry! I insist this runway trend be here to stay and I take personal responsibility to rock it in a wearable way.  These gems are a staple in the definition of how to be postmodern royalty-- every queen  or princess needs a crown after all.  I love the east meets west vibe too, because fashion 2013 is all about a global sense of style.

The keys to unlocking the way to make this look work are dark, black eyeliner and even more attitude.  For inspiration think Nicole Richie, Aishwarya Rai, Marie Antoinette and 20s flappers.....

Modern haute boho

This is how to work bohemian like true postmodern royalty.  Photography by Hans Withoo, I find typifies the haute hippie of my soul: sultry, mysterious, chic and with a laissez faire attitude.  Everything about these photos is unexpected and full of life.  Each one tells a story of love, sadness and navigation through wonderful danger of life, but always with beauty and style.

Giant pearls, gold plate and bizarre heels

Wear only art. Shoes by Alexander McQueen.

Postmodern Royal Cavalli = rhapsody in white.... or any color you like

Fringes, lace and classic, with silhouettes both ultra-femme and menswear-inspired, are just a few words I would use to embody Roberto Cavalli's exquisite collection for Spring/Summer 2013.  The incredible craftsmanship and detail of each individual piece is indicative of the conceptual artistry employed in the creative process. In most cases my attitude towards much that appears in couture runway shows tends towards admiration of the gifted marketing, models and showmanship used to essentially add more value to the various products displayed.  This line, however, is proof that you can, in fact, still get what you pay for.  I tried to provide the largest possible images to fully highlight the depth of the spectacular textures(!)

The samples here are only a small taste of the genius of Cavalli.  They inspire me because they allow me to make additional leaps of my own imagination.  I can picture them in any color on the spectrum..... The fringe leggings in neon pink.....  The lace, smock-front blouse in oceanic turquoise..... Simply view the rest of the the collection for a rich palette to choose from for your own musings..... *heart skips a beat*