Smell

I love Blockbusters. They're part of the 90's we won't ever get back. So naturally when the nearest Blockbuster closed, I was very sad. Nostalgia is everything to me and I remember being so excited to visit Blockbuster as a little girl. I love movies so much- they're library books to me.

In a world where Netflix and Redbox exist, Blockbuster cannot. But in reality, people lose the ability to walk through aisles of boxes screaming out for your attention; thousands of titles and pictures and couples and cops and villains and fairies competing for your attention. The popcorn and coke fridge on your way out.. It's an entire experience no other movie-renting company could create for you. 

I almost felt like I wanted to tree-hug the store- I feel like Blockbuster is a landmark in my neighborhood they're taking away from me. 

I did though, take advantage of the horrid situation and purchased the last season of Sex and The City.

Remember when in the Sex and The City movie, Big asked Carrie if she was the last person in New York taking out library books? 

She just said "I love the smell."

Me too, Carrie. Me too. 

Knock

If "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.."

Would a crop top by any other label look as cute? 

I was on the Urban Outfitters website the other day thinking I'd take advantage of the rare free-shipping deal and stumbled across this little number: 

 

Just a simple crop top right? 

I loved it as soon as I saw it but couldn't help asking myself why I loved it so much.. I know my taste very well and...It's not really my taste. Paired with the black pants, it rang a familiar bell: 

Kristen Stewart wore this Balenciaga two-piece on the red carpet. I remember seeing this look on her and thinking how refreshing it was. I'm so used to seeing her in a printed, lacy number that her stylist obviously handpicks for her. This suit was very editorial, but very ready-to-wear at the same time. It's so simple: black and white, but the tailoring was impeccable on her and it did so much for her figure- she looked timeless and stunning and it was the perfect balance of femininity and masculinity. 

Here is Gwyneth Paltrow in the same suit on the cover of Harper's Bazaar US:

Is the only reason we buy certain clothes because they remind us of the designer staples? Yes. Would we buy the same knock-off piece if it we had never seen it originally on the runway? No.

As a female who loves fashion, I know that every time I see any piece of clothing, I don't like the piece itself. I like the idea of the piece as an outfit. I imagine those leather pants with a beige slouchy sweater or that graphic tee with some great faded blue jean shorts. That's why you always hear women say "Wouldn't this look great with that amazing ( ________ ) I have?!" 

Without the designer influence and imagination, some of the things we buy would be so banal.. There would be no backstory there, no great idea. I wouldn't buy this top because Balenciaga wouldn't have made it as a suit. It wouldn't have looked amazing on the runway. It wouldn't do wonders for Kristen Stewart. 

But Balenciaga did. And it did look amazing. And now when I buy this and wear it I will have an idea in my head about how great it looked as a suit and how beautiful Kristen looked in it and how great I want to make it look on me. 

And that's the power of the fashion industry wrapped up in a white little crop top.