jay mccarroll unveils latest fashion trends for red carpet trick-or-treaters

Oh my.

Somebody has spent a little too much time getting high and watching Nickelodeon.

And it doesn't help that the models all have that "I'm deep / who farted" look on their faces. Like if they appeared deadly serious this would make us forget the fact that they looked like cartoons.

The welder's mask? All I can think of is Flashdance.

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I guess it is just that time of year.

That is, the time of year to put together these sorts of outfits:

But it needs more -- there's something missing . . .

That's it. Now no one will ask him "what are you supposed to be?" when he shows up at the door with his trick-or-treat bag.

That is where he's supposed to be going, right?

But he wouldn't want to go alone.


And, of course, it's always fun to dress up the dog for Halloween.


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Okay. Just because comic books are all the rage doesn't necessarily mean that they can be translated literally into high fashion.


Perhaps Jay McC thought this collection was hipster-manga but it is more like a grade school halloween party: cute, very silly and there's always a few cases that are little sad. And after all the indulgence everyone feels a bit quesy.


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a quiz:
are the two outfits below from the 2006 runway or . . .
. . . are they an Easter dress and pajamas from the girls section of the 1972 Sears Catalogue?
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It is unfortunate that the cartoonish hair and glasses just detracts from the fashions. Some of them are very appealing. There are designs in this collection that I think are wonderful. Here are three:






In the first photo you can see that with the right model the clothes convey an updated mod look that is both global and out-of-this-world. The image is gorgeous.








The second look is mod (with colors that evoke the seventies) updated to contemporary street-inspired sportswear.









The third is more of a 60' mod look but it doesn't look dated -- like one is dressing up and going to a 60s theme party -- and the palette of blue and brown is very current.


All three of these fashions are exciting -- although I can't see myself wearing the first as a dress -- I'd wear it as a top.


The second and third looks are the kinds of clothes that I'd live in.


I admire JMcC's support for animal causes and especially his vocal position against the fur industry. He's a talented designer who deserves all of the good reviews he is getting. But I also feel like there is a bit of the "Emperor's New Clothes" syndrome. People who watch PR are too fond of him to evaluate his fashions critically.

No one wants to say, "what the bloody buggery bullocks is this?"

Maybe they think that if they say it looks stupid people will think they just "don't get it." You know: "It's an artistic statement, you rube!"

But the silly hats and glasses and hair seems more desperate than daring. It strikes me as a sophomoric attempt at trying to be outrageous. Like people aren't going to pay attention to him (!). He doesn't need to do this. His clothes are fabulous. He should let them stand -- or strut -- for themselves and not distract us with gimmicks.

In the fashion world there is a sense that it isn't "high fashion" if the clothes are too appealing and wearable. Perhaps JMcC did this to make his work seem more avant-garde. He has said that this collection was inspired by Archigram. It sounds interesting although the jewellery and air balloon prints didn't really excite me. It seems to me that his best work has more in common with Futurism, the avant-garde movement that was a more significant precurser to -- and inspiration for Archigram. Futurism had a more exciting aesthetic in all areas of art and design, including some very innovative fashion.

Sketch for a man's waistcoat. Giacomo Balla. 1930.