Despite my laptop depressions, it’s onwards and upwards (no, I’m not bitter that I’ve lost over 4 GB worth of beloved Style Bubble pics… it’s no biggie at all….). I ventured out shopping but as I still had RAM and hard disk matters on my mind, I was in ‘Super Critical Shopping Mode’. i.e. under normal circumstances, I’d be enthusiastic and gung-ho about buying everything in sight as the prices were of course very reasonable given the exchange rate but I was in an annoyingly nit picking frame of mind and really, though the shops I went to in Soho and Nolita etc (haven’t done LES yet…. so let’s see what that yields!), were lovely and readers’ recommendations were pretty brilliant in terms of aesthetics (my my…. New York really does excel in creating credit-card inducing shop atmospheres), nothing particularly caught my eye or I reasoned that it seemed silly to buy European labels in New York. So my shopping attitude is now pretty much ‘I’m only buying it if I can’t buy it in London’ (I’m sure I’ll snap out of that…. doing the ‘Burg today…. ho ho ho)
I came across a shop on Lafayette Street that wasn’t on my list but the designs in the window intrigued me so in I went. Excuse the British ignoramus here if Label is very much well-established (with collections spanning from 1991 and having shown at New York Fashion Week, perhaps it is!) but Laura Whitcomb who I believe is still studying art has a penchant for adding depth to her clothes, inspired by politics and philosophy which probably makes you look twice at a garment. Pairing tradition and the future is what the website says Label is about and in the shapes that Whitcomb creates you can definitely pick out something of a historical reference, without knowing exactly what it is Whitcomb is referencing. Philosophising and theoreticising about clothes is all very well but the main thing is that the ONE singular thing I bought was a dress by Label so as much as a designer could wax lyrical about his/her lofty intentions, in the end, consumer me bought into it because of the design. I may have dumbed down the tone by wearing it without a slip dress here and with a tired expresison (blame lack of preparation and jet lag…) but it is beautiful. A white velvet dress with a cape and a faded black print. The velvet is also flocked to reveal dancing figurines on the back of the dress.
I’m hoping I’ll fare better today…
Oh dear….I’m hope the pics you lost were things you’ve already posted on Style Bubble- but the dress is lovely. Besides, buying things because of a designer’s talking-up and not because you love it is definitely not the way to shop- so it’s good you do love this (of course, it’s always helpful to understand what someone’s trying to say, but first and foremost should be the ‘want’ impulse’!)
Beautiful dress Susie…..hmmmmm…..shopping in NY…..heaven!!!
Even with jetleg you look good 🙂 I’m sorry to hear about your laptop, I had a smiliar thing happen to mine about 6 months ago and I was devastated.
I haven’t seen anything I love that much in ages, it looks amazing! The dancing figurines are just marvy
It looks great with the shoes, especially. You look great in white.
I am sitting here marveling at how you have the energy to keep up your usual blogging pace, but then I snap out of it and realize it’s SB we’re talking about. And let SB loose in Manhattan and she finds a find with wonderful fluttery sleeves, and is wearing it with what I think may be my very favorite pair of shoes ever.
Oh, well, if the selection of apparel is thus far a bit redundant, don’t you worry. It wasn’t Manhattan Dr. Johnson was referring to.
Am staying tuned for more adventures and biting of big apples.
That dress is absolutely beautiful! I love the cape… It seems that a lot of us have caught the velvet-bug! I can’t resist it. I need more!
this dress is so gorgeous!i’m always hesitant to wear sheer materials but it looks so chic on you.
i’m also super envious of how the exchange rate must be amazing for you. i would love to get everything half price in the u.s. (you pay about 50 pence for 1 dollar or something like that?)
xoxo
wow…this dress is beautiful..
and sometimes i wonder if technology is worth it.
i always come out with yes, but it is frustrating and upsetting most of the time !
the dress is very nice, but i feel like i should point out (in case you didn’t already realize it) that it’s quite see-through… on both top and bottom counts, if you know what i mean. so definitely wear a slip!
Oh it is lovely! The cape is a great touch.
It’s wonderful to know you’re strolling our streets (on such a beautiful day for it as today!) and casting those keen, perceptive eyes of yours over things. Can only imagine what you’ll make of Williamsburg…and can’t wait to hear. So, has the mix of the glorious and the grimy calmed you at all yet about “the big event”?…..you see, it’s mostly anything but intimidating here, which is why I love it so.
That dress is gorgeous. I am deep in clothes envy right now.
beautiful dress!!! (and shoes)
I myself have recently ventured into the blog world…I would be honored if you (or any reaers) would check it out and let me know what you think…radicalproper.blogspot.com
fashion blog:
radicalproper.blogspot.com
what a gorgeous dress! it’s beautiful
cute outfit 🙂 i love the dress plus the shoes &hearts
she shoots and she scores! a lovely dress indeed.
Gorgeous dress. I lucked upon Label a few months after moving to New York a year + ago- just as they were having a mega sale to make room for their store expansion. I got some great items at a steal. I love her strange constructions.
I love this shop I have been shopping at Label for over ten years. It has always remained an enigma of brilliance and never compromised its integrity and the best bit maintained its standing as one of the best kept secrets in Manhatten. The designer Laura Whitcomb makes one off pieces all the time so I pop in their often to snag them before they go. Right now they have these gorgeous belt hand crafted and carved with self made buckles owe and some dazzling silk gowns.
What a lovely unique dress. thanks for sharing this.
-mikee