I didn’t give a damn about going to the party or being at the party, it was getting dressed for the party.~ Iris Apel
In the new documentary Iris by the late Albert Maysles, Iris’s blunt and honest statement summed up her philosophy on life and her fashion sense. Life is the journey not the destination.
Iris was told from an early age that she wasn’t very pretty. A comment that would drive many woman to seek alternative methods to achieve ideal beauty, but not Iris.
For women lining up to see this fascinating documentary, the take away is not dress differently to be fashionable but dress for you. If it looks good and feels good that should be the start of finding your look.
There were some tips Iris gives throughout her time in the spotlight in this documentary that are listed below to help guide your fashion journey.
1. Look in all venues for undiscovered items. Iris took the viewer on trips to Harlem in New York. This was not seen as a high fashion area but for Iris the colors and styles created some interesting style options. Iris also traveled all over the world going to bazaars. Looking at small boutiques and flea markets can lead to fun experiences and unique accessories.
2. For clothes pick quality pieces in a size you will fit in long after the style fades. Iris has seen styles fade and be revived decades later so having your clothes in material that will last to the next recycled trend makes investing in a pricier piece seem more as a value. Also Iris mentioned that staying around her same size helped her keep and reuse her clothes, another good benefit of being fit.
3. Don’t pay full price for an item. Iris told a story about her trips abroad and haggling for better deals on her treasures. She told of someone who paid the first price quoted by the merchant selling the item, instead of being happy about the sale the merchant was sad. When he was asked why so sad after the sale he replied to the effect, ‘if I knew he was going to pay the first price I asked, I would have asked for more.’ In some cultures Iris informed the viewer it is insulting to not ask for a better price. A thought when you feel less than sure about haggling when out shopping in an environment that allows it. Iris’s thoughts on not paying full price are also attributed to living through the depression and stretching your money.
4. Have a variety of interests, besides fashion. Another aspect of Iris’s life to look at is that she had a job as an interior designer, not just being a socialite. Iris worked with her husband in creating beautiful designs to adorn walls, furniture and other interior decorations.
I think her work outside of fashion is one of the many novel and interesting facts that make her the fascinating and rare bird that she is. Fashion she claims is an important part of her life but it was only about her feeling good, not to gain attention. This documentary looking at her work with museums, designing windows at Bergdorf Goodman, and selling her own jewelry line on the Home Shopping Network shows how being yourself can bring these opportunities but looking closer you witness someone whom even without this fame has lived a happy and exciting life something many of us can appreciate.