Saturday, February 27, 2010

Dressing for a Gallery Opening

When I was an art student, it was exciting to attend gallery openings. We'd dress up the way we thought art students should look --- black tites and dangling earrings were a must. And although we hadn't been specifically invited and were certainly not potential art buyers, we mixed with the crowd, drinking wine and feeling awfully sophisticated.

At a recent Art Walk, it was interesting to see that 50 years later, black tites and dangling earrings are still a classic, especially when paired with black form-fitting, long-sleeved T and a black mini-skirt, though more of the younger artists favor an eclectic look: puffed sleeves with denim and combat boots, or satin with retro wool plaid.

Of particular interest to me is the uniform of middle-aged "arty" women: dark, drapey clothing --- cloaks, capes, shawls and the like are popular --- necklaces with BIG beads, often of semi-precious stones or silver, and carefully tousled hair. Oh, and dangling earrings.