Martha Stewart Living launched a fashion section for the April issue. But don’t WTF just yet, because this was a long time coming. We see Martha at fashion shows and fashion parties regularly. And don’t forget — she used to be a model and even had Valentino on her talk show last week. So she likes making bumblebee cupcakes and growing herbs on her windowsill — she’s still a fashion lady. Not the same kind of fashion lady as Carine Roitfeld, but a fashion lady nonetheless.
Martha’s new fashion section could not be more MObama if the First Lady posed for it herself. And that’s a good thing. Even though we love the fantasy fashion no one would ever wear in real life that appears on the pages of French Vogue and W, we appreciate Martha’s mom-ish fashion philosophy. “I need my clothes to be wearable. I prefer unfussy pieces that are elegant in their simplicity,” she tells Stylelist. “My advice is to stick to classic styles that fit rather than getting caught up in trends. Remember, less is more. It is best to have a few pieces that fit well rather than a closet full of clothing that doesn’t!” Sound advice for so many working moms and women like MObama around the country, even if every Real Housewife in history disagrees (and who looks classier?).
Martha’s first spread, called Jackets Required, showcases spring blazers and short coats. Executive editor Vicky Lowry said the aim of the section is not to cover trends, but to problem-solve. Martha’s readers may go from the vegetable garden to the office to soccer practice to a dinner party, but that doesn’t mean they can’t and shouldn’t look good or that they should feel bad for caring about looking good. Instead of models, Martha shot her staff. Real people — imagine that! They selected pieces by designers ranging from Ralph Lauren to J.Crew — the classic MObama high-low mix.
So Martha’s delivering clothes for real women with the message that it’s okay — empowering even — to invest time in looking good, even if being a great mom and keeping an immaculate house are one’s highest priorities. Martha said she might model, herself, in a future spread. One thing’s for sure: She’d be remiss not to include a spread on dog fashion.
Martha Stewart Talks Fashion, Yoga and Modeling [Stylelist]
