There Are Layers to This
The line between genius and madness may be as thin as the fabric of a "Scottish saree."
Hello! Ever since my prippie episode, I’ve been feeling a renewed sense of enthusiasm and passion for clothing. Hooray! This post is about strategic and subversive layering, color combos, contrived textures, and the like, with references spanning from Al Pacino to archival Comme des Garçons plus a little scent-n-song rec at the end—I’ve been getting DEEP into the realm of fragrance. Let me know here or on Instagram if you’re interested in more smell writing!
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I’ve never seen a look quite like this before. Ghen, its creator and wearer, has somehow cracked a code I wasn’t aware even existed as to how cultural fusion can be deployed in a way that feels globalist in the worldly maverick sense, not in the vein of a beleaguered, misguided tourist accreting ersatz souvenirs as they stumble through the continents. I don’t know anything about Ghen’s background, and the more I investigate their profile, the greater the mystery grows, but circling back to this outfit, I think its power lies in the fact that it has a coherent internal logic, though upon first glance, it’s easy to assume it was created to cater toward whimsy, not sensibility.
However, thinking about it a bit further, the athleisure zip-up is designed to wick sweat and regulate temperature and sun exposure, as is the safari-like hat, the longline corset is a tool for support and compression, and the ippon ba geta sandals were traditionally used because the rigid wooden soles elevate the wearer’s feet out of rain and muck without flipping it onto the backs of their heels as contemporary rubbery sandals are wont to. Though I personally could not stand in geta for more than, to be generous, ten minutes, I have worn them before and the way they propel your feet forward as you cantilever off the elevated stilt sole before taking a step does make them feel quite athletic if you’re not floppy-arched like me. Aside from all these rather practical, albeit inspired elements, the brilliant lace-up tabi socks (I’m very unenthused by tabi shoes at the moment, but the silhouette came from these socks and I’ll always love them with a thonged sandal) and iridescent saree via Chidiya are flourishes that make the entire fit look like a sweeping gesture from the ground toward the sky while sad beige actually does a great job in this context, making every piece feel like it’s from the same aesthetic universe and grounding the fit in a sense of manufactured naturalism. Kudos, Ghen—this is a purely genius look.
Ghen’s futuristic globalist fits remind me of Paolina Russo’s neopagan casuals—from the vein of athleticism to the split-toed shoes, these looks share a swath of DNA. This fit also demonstrates two beautiful deployments of layering: a high-necked T-shirt under a tight-fitting hoodie unzipped to just below the bust to create a wide triangle of ad hoc color-blocking, and a flouncy, A-line micro-mini skirt atop jeans that mimic the A shape to a more subtle extent by fitting around the thighs and billowing slightly from knee to floor. The apparent lightness and top-heavy volume of the skirt harmonizes wonderfully with the heavy-seeming denim of the bottom-heavy jeans. The beaded belt is the perfect talismanic finishing touch here, adding clutter around the hips to ease the transition from hoodie into skirt—otherwise, that line would look rather abrupt and boring.
Yes, Al Pacino was hot, but what the hell was he DOING here, buttoning one layer (a vest?) to another (a linen sport coat?). All over a slutty ol’ white V-neck, mind you. I really think there’s something to this inter-dimensional button situation… any thoughts on your end? I might try it someday soon!