Fashion is Weird. But we had an All-Black Attire party in Minneapolis

Fashion is weird. Around 15-years-ago during a TV interview Project Runway mentor Tim Gunn admitted that “no one needs fashion”. Nonetheless, in Western society people wear clothes. These reflect his or her choices, and express meaning. This is fashion.

Consider that few Twin Citians dress to make entrances, to be dapper or to be remembered. To go to a fashion event (or the notion of this) is exciting. On Weds evening, September 20th, I saw that Richard Moody, a retired model, and event planner, would present the All-Black Attire Party for the sixth time. This would be at Martin Patrick3 in Minneapolis. Needing a social outlet, I decided to go.

In my opinion, hoodies, Crocs and the ilk, while common, are not choices to be praised. To dress to blend in, or mistake slovenliness with comfort don’t interest me.

A common quirk about runway shows showed itself; People dressed with undue flair. As with entertainment industry award shows, many who go are intent on competing among one another for human attention and camera lenses. Neither subtlety nor nuance are seen as sartorial virtues. 

Standing behind the show (I hadn’t paid for the premium of a chair!), getting competent shots of the models as they strode by happened only, by accident, at best.

A further consequence of being frugal, instead of paying for a seat, were sore knees. Being older than other peoples suffered. Some people adorn themselves with such zeal that it’s clear they’re over compensating, competing with other viewers or both. People often dress with layer upon layer of flair. 

For example, a tall white man wore a green furry and fringy coal, dramatic wrap-around metal-colored shades and fingernail polish. He was a zealous guest. The metallic and furry colors clashed with one another so that the other layers of line and color he chose to wear evaded my attention and memory.

One of the rare clear photos my device caught was of a young Black man with his hair in dreadlocks. He wore a short-sleeve shirt with what resembled an Africa-inspired adornment, and a pendant. The pairing was handsome.

Although as the event title told us, the dress code was all-Black, I wore a long-sleeve pink linen shirt atop a blue-and-cream striped cotton trousers, and tan Chukka boots. At 85 degrees that day, I knew it would be foolish to ear wear all-Black! (Nonetheless, I was wrong; most other guests wore Black.)