Manish Arora At Paris Fashion Week

When the catwalk features black, grey, and more black when color stomps the runway I take notice. In Paris earlier this month there was the rainbow presented by Manish Arora.

I was amazed at the beautiful colors that made my think "Tiffany Windows!" Every single look sparkled, shined, or featured beautiful stained glass looks. The models wore futuristic wigs in neon colors and some carried motorcycle helmets that matched their clothing.

In an AP interview Arora commented, "We took familiar codes of the Art Deco period and, in a word, messed them up. We pushed everything so far into the future that it's hardly recognizable." The Delhi, India, based designer explained that he was partly inspired by stills from Fritz Lang's Metropolis (one of the great silent films).

You can view the Paris runway show here:

Wearing The Military Look

Been there done that. When you reach a certain age you see trends coming in and out of style. In the case of the Military Look I've literally been there and done that. Having served in the Army for 6 years donning fatigues and camo doesn't have quite the same attraction that it does for others.

I remember when in the 80s fatigue pants were all the rage. I wore a pair of my old pants, with holes in the pockets and no longer acceptable for work. I was out and about one weekend when a man in his early 30s approached me. He chastised me for taking something he wore to defend the US and trivializing it. I calmly pulled my Army ID from my pocket. He apologized and we laughed over the incident.

So....if you decide to wear camouflage or other aspects of the Military Look make sure you do it respectfully. A way to embrace this look is to think more marching band than battle uniform. Beyonce in this Balmain jacket is the perfect balance. The style is more Crimean War than Operation Enduring Freedom.