It has been a while since my last posting (unfortunately), though it has been due to some very good reasons. For one, work has been getting a little busier for me and demanding a little more of my attention. But the (by far) more important reason is that I got married. Even though we eloped and avoided any big fanfare, I was still in the bridal zone, and had little energy to expend elsewhere.
Now, however, I am happily married and can get back down to it. Which leads to this posting about the wonderful, whimsical, and outrageous -- Betsey Johnson.
Before I started allowing myself to dive back into the world of fashion, designers, style, and the like, Betsey Johnson was easily a designer that excited me. It began with one dress -- prior to this dress (a birthday gift from my now-husband), I did not know that Betsey Johnson existed. That dress was the Evening Mariana Ruffled Corset Dress (pictured right).
This dress blew my mind. A dress, corset-top, ruffles --- not only just ruffles, but layers of ruffles, black. This dress provided me the opportunity to realize a childhood dream -- to be Lydia Deetze from Beetlejuice. This dress was what first made me realize what it means to wear something entirely beautiful, exquisitely unique, and a dress of real quality. Safe to say, with the exception of my prom dress, this was the most expensive dress that had ever graced my body.
After this dress, I decided to look more into this Betsey Johnson character and quickly fell in love with more and more of her creations. Betsey Johnson successfully creates clothing that celebrates life, beauty, femininity, and whimsy. And her magic doesn't stop at her dresses --- sweaters, jackets, jewelry, and belts -- all of them beautiful, unique pieces of art. I only wish that I could find the opportunity to test out one of her perfumes!
So when it came down to finding the perfect wedding dress for myself, I didn't bother really investing too much time in looking at anything else but Betsey Johnson. I debated the standard white gown -- though all of hers provided a little something special, but decided that white just wasn't going to cut it. Even with the Betsey Johnson touch, they just weren't really grabbing me. But then I stumbled across perfection in the form of a bright pink, poofy strapless gown known as her Evening Dahlia Strapless Dress (pictured left) -- again, allowing me a Lydia Deetze moment.
It embodied everything that I find to symbolize getting married -- vibrancy, celebration, and joy. I knew that getting married was going to be the most joyous and wonderful day of my life, so I wanted everything about the day (including how I was dressed) to speak that. So, that was the dress that I wore -- it freaked out the Justice of the Peace a little bit, but it was entirely perfect and it made me very happy to be able to have Betsey Johnson be a part of my special day.
Looking at a lot of the fashion out there -- however sexy, beautiful, or unique another designer's collection may be, there's just something about Betsey Johnson's designs that always make me happy and consistently excite me.
Shop for Betsey's designs at her official store: http://www.betseyjohnson.com/
As you all know by now, Alexander McQueen committed suicide recently. Celebrity deaths don't really impact me; I think the last one that really did was Chris Farley. I'll admit it -- I cried. But I was also in high school and incredibly more sensitive than I am now.
