FROM LEFT: At Vanity Fair's Oscar party with New York's best-dressed gent, Lapo Elkann (see our 2009 Best Dressed New Yorkers list in this issue) and longtime pal Alex von Furstenberg with his fiancée, Ali Kay; with my sister, Andrea, in matching outfits.
Closet Confidential
Although I don't pretend to be a fashion scholar, I do have 30-some years of high-low dressing under my belt (no pun intended). From Brazilian ruched sleeveless pinafores as an infant and Lilly Pulitzer bathing suits as a toddler, I moved on to smocks with matching bloomers when I turned six. (In honor of A.A. Milne’s Now We Are Six, I vowed I’d stay that age forever.) My mother often outfitted my sister and me in matching shorts and shirts, jumpers, even nightgowns, and by the time I’d discovered To Kill a Mockingbird I found myself in a long rebellious tomboy Scout phase, lazing around in cords or jeans, T-shirts and thick belts while listening to the Pretenders on my eight-track. (I’m not sure I ever left that stage.) We wore army-green medic bags messenger-style, and my friend Fernanda kept a large bottle of Sebastian aerosol in hers so we could keep our hair teased. Conveniently, it also doubled as a weapon.
My teen years included a brief foray into Madonna territory circa “Lucky Star”—the black rubber bracelets, headbands and heavy eye makeup that, sadly, didn’t suit flat-chested skinny girls with long brown hair. I was obsessed with The Police and wore many tees decaled with the band’s logo and photos, twisted bandanas à la Karate Kid, Day-Glo nail polish from Patricia Field’s store and Fiorucci sweaterdresses. We slept in braids to create a crimped St. Elmo’s Fire Demi Moore look. We rocked out at a Violent Femmes concert at Carnegie Hall in shoulder pads and spiky heels, and by college had graduated to the Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers, sporting tie-dyes, sandals and stuffed pockets since we eschewed handbags.
In a nod to my Brazilian roots I spent my 20s with a perpetual tan (minus the toplessness and tangas), my more conservative German heritage shining through in my penchant for Adrienne Vittadini. Eventually I settled into a bohemian-chic style with Anna Sui or vintage.
All these trends helped shape who I am today. I learned that when I feel comfortable, even in platforms, it’s a Goldie Locks moment—it feels just right. And when I miss those days of wild experimentation, I always have dress-up time with my daughter. There are still mishaps, but I do my best not to try too hard or appear too trendy. But who can resist Louboutin shoes, Gucci and Hermès bags, anything Prada, Marc Jacobs, or Bottega Veneta, and Oscar de la Renta evening dresses? Those are the staples— that and anything my kids don’t destroy first.
Enjoy this fashion issue! I’m looking forward to the shows moving to Lincoln Center next year.
CRISTINA GREEVEN CUOMO
PHOTOGRAPH BY PATRICK MCMULLAN/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COM (VANITY FAIR)
