Mid-Century Modern…Me?

A few nights ago my “day-job” took me to Los Angeles with the lovely and much younger Emily to start immersing ourselves in all things Trina Turk, a new client. This being a fashion blog and my clear love of fashion, working with a fashion brand of such stature and vision is a dream come true. This also being a fashion blog for woman of a certain age means I was stressed about what to wear to a “fashion client” as to not appear mid-century, which I am. I must have tried on 20 outfits to arrive at something that felt modern and me (see photo.)

My meeting outfit: Organic by John Patrick T-Shirt layered over a Helmut Lang asymmetrical tank dress, Altuzarra for Kirna Zabete pink rubber necklace, Trina Turk Dome Ring, Chanel plaform sandals.

Emily is exactly 20 years younger than myself and could easily be my daughter, which is depressing. She can also wear anything and look spectacular. Since I don’t drive (long story for another time) I warn her ahead of time that she will be in “Driving Miss Daisy” mode, which she claims to not mind but I am dubious. And makes me feel even older.

Anyway. At 10am we attended a store managers’ meeting where all the attendees were Emily’s age, while the glamorous Trina Turk presented a slide show of how the Trina Turk brand was born, and what has inspired her company, designs, and retail stores along the way, which happens to be Mid-Century Modernism and Palm Springs pool party culture.

Mid-Century furniture in lobby of Trina Turk corporate office, Alhambra, California.

Besides fashion, Mid-Century design is a huge passion of mine and my San Francisco Edwardian flat is stuffed with Verner Panton Chairs, George Nelson Clocks, Melamine plates and shag carpets.  Needless to say, I was mesmerized by her presentation and Trina Turk herself, who at my age looks amazing and oozes a warm self-confidence and happy calm. She made me feel, for at least awhile, not like Emily’s “mom” but someone with cool contemporaries.

Trina’s presentation of modern design marvels, including Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House, reminded me how timeless great design is, and that no matter how trends change, whether they be in architecture or fashion (which change every week it seems) great, well-thought-out design endures. I slunk into the meeting feeling that mid-century was tired and bad, and left energized by the imagery of mid-century marvels that are more modern and young and lovely than most things more current, trendy and poorly made.

Your architectural and design taste may run more Deco or Shabby-Chic or Baroque, but learn to love your own inner Mid-Century Modern you.