There’s never been a better time to dress up in neon tulle. When the world is a mystery and every day seems like something worse might happen (War! The collapse of the environment! A recession!) the answer is quite obviously, neon tulle.
Wearing tulle all on its own has a fantasy element. It’s what little girls dream of and at the bare minimum, serves as a frothy concoction of joy. Some of the most conventionally emblematic moments of women’s lives are ingrained with tulle (marriage, prom if you’re into that, maybe even death, if you’re lucky). But you only have to look at the intro of Sex and the City to see that tulle represents the key to elation in fashion. Carrie Bradshaw’s tulle tutu was controversial based purely on taste, but what I loved most, was that it was uncompromising, and took up space. Anything that makes you take up more space as a woman is revolutionary in 2023.
When I recently interviewed Andreas Kronthaler, Vivienne’s Westwood’s life and work partner, at his first show since Westwood’s passing, he told me what symbolized Westwood most were the big skirts–because of how they took up so much volume, especially when one sits down. I like to think that neon tulle is the epitome of that concept in every single way.
Neon, in its own way, dominates a different kind of space. In another life, neon tulle could look cheap–dated, or harsh even–but today, there’s something that feels so right about it. I love it worn to the beach on a rainy day, over jeans, or with a silly vintage hat. It’s the most unserious serious fashion there is. And how can you argue if both Molly Goddard and Norma Kamali are doing neon tulle for spring? Choose your fighter–a highlighter ballgown or a ruched bathing suit.
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