I recently went on my FIRST trip to New York!! WHAT?! Yes, after many years of anticipation and dreaming I finally made it. Naturally, I did the typical “first time in New York” site seeing, which was fantastic. However, the ONE place that really was on my bucket list was visiting the Patricia Field boutique.
“Patricia Field is the hand behind dressing so MANY influential fashion icons in my life. She was the costume designer for Ugly Betty, the Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City.”
We tend to forget that Carrie Bradshaw isn’t a real person and she didn’t dress herself. Patricia was the artist behind creating this image, personality and brand that we fell in love with. She is the reason we wear tutus with tank tops, flowers pinned to dresses, and believe a great pair of shoes can change your life. Maybe Cinderella helped us believe that too. Most importantly to me, her influence further stamped my desire and strength to dress unapologetically, for myself and to not give a damn if I blended in amongst the crowd or not. If you read the google reviews on her store one states, “Great if you are betty boop or a drag queen”. YOU HAD ME AT HELLO!!! I mean, that was the only review I needed. The boutique often features artist spotlights and pieces that were specially made for the store.
When preparing for the trip I looked the boutique up and noticed a big sale. However, when I arrived on Saturday, February 20th I was met with hot pink tape on the windows that read the store was closing February 28th. WHAT?! Oh my god!!! I literally, ran in the store and started grabbing shit like a gorilla. Like a gorilla that had been punched in the face. (I can’t take credit for that comparison, a friend of mine said it once and I almost peed my pants when she said it.)
When I walked in everything already looked a bit picked over so I started to feel discouraged. In my mind I had built up this moment that I was going to walk in, meet Patricia, instantly become bffs, try on clothes like the montage in the Sex and the City movie when they’re cleaning out Carrie’s closet and then probably go to lunch together and get drunk. And maybe get matching tattoos together, I don’t know, I wasn’t going to completely rule it out.
I picked up a few dresses and headed back to the fitting room. They weren’t really knocking my socks off and believe me I was TRYING to make it WERK. And then on the “go-back”rack I saw a vibrant, busy, one shoulder dress with a flower pinned on the shoulder. I grabbed it and threw that thing on. THE HEAVENS PARTED and I fell in love.
“My dress is by David Dalrymple, who designed the EXTRAORDINARY Swarovski Nude Illusion costume for Britney Spears at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. How crazy is that?! Do you remember that performance?! ”
It was everything I wanted!!! To some it might just be a dress, however to me it was art, it was history, and an amazing craft to appreciate. I wanted to go home with a part of the store and to feel apart of the woman who influenced me in such a tremendous way. And now to have a piece of art created by a man who has designed for performances of such extravagant nature, it was all meant to be. I didn't get to meet Patricia that day, but I didn't need to. That moment was everything I thought it would be and I am forever grateful I walked into those doors on Bowery Street before the moment passed. Patricia I cannot express how your fingerprint has molded the fashion industry and lives of so many just trying to find their place in the world. Thank you for showing me how to walk into a room with my shoulders back and not give a damn. You. Rock.
-LYV.ROX.STYLE