It wouldn’t be Fashion Week if the attire on attendees was always tamer than that on the runways. Crazy and awkward things we’ve seen on showgoers this week include a turquoise corduroy jumpsuit at Preen, a giant fur hat that resembled a cactus at Alexander Wang, and a turban on Tavi, also at Wang. Save Tavi, the most bizarrely dressed people seem to be relegated to the back rows and standing section, which leaves them with little industry cred to help them make the crazy work. However Sex and the City stylist Patricia Field has been running around lately wearing a giant witch hat. She wore it to her Keith Haring party on Thursday, and around the tents all day yesterday. At Diane Von Furstenberg, the hat and her giant red hair made her impossible to miss on the front row. When DVF went down the runway to take her bow, pick up a bouquet, and greet her grandkids, as she always does, Field stood up when she passed by and clinked an empty plastic cup against her flowers. DVF, caught off guard, glanced at her and kept walking.
We applaud Field for her originality. Turbans and cactus furs have been done, but witch gear has hardly received any consideration recently by the fashion industry, many members of which wouldn’t be caught dead near a broom. Besides, nothing says “power stylist” like a hat that no one else would think to wear and that is almost guaranteed to make you taller than any drag queen. Thank you, Pat, for keeping things fresh on the front row. We’d be no less than thrilled to have your new favorite accessory obstruct our view at a show this week.
