Patricia Field Inspires Happy Clothes at Tribeca

Invited to a party to celebrate designer/ costumer Patricia Field and the fine documentary about her life and career premiering at Tribeca, one ponders the question: what to wear? After the Tribeca screening of Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Field directed by Michael Selditch, a colorful romp through her decades-long career in the business of fashion: the 8^th Street retail shop, her genius pattern combinations (plaids with florals that work) and accessories for the cultural icons starring in Sex & the City and The Devil Wore Prada, the better question is, is my outfit happy enough?

We all accepted Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw in a tutu, making it New York street attire no less, awkwardly avoiding a splashing puddle; that image adorned the sides of buses for years, and the tasteful matching of Anne Hathaway’s dressy shirts with giant cuffs and mini-pleated skirts, curated by Stanley Tucci for the pleasure of a white haired Miranda Priestly—that is, Meryl Streep styled to look like the supermodel Carmen dell Orifice, not Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Even the detail-oriented Darren Star capitulated to Field’s eye, her unique combos and stylings—for the diva and Everywoman, trans or not.

Early on, her boutique was a haven for many one-of-a-kind talents. Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat traded their art in a backroom. Laverne Cox worked there, as did Daphne Rubin-Vega.

At Gigino Trattoria last week, Patricia Field in purples setting off her flame red hair was quickly ushered through the wall-to-wall crowd, where a person wore an entire polka dotted dress in black & white sewn to the lapel of a suit jacket. While it flapped against others, looking disastrously askew, old friends like Bruce Weber in his signature headkerchief looked utterly himself, illustrating the ultimate secret to happy clothes.

P. S. Content, I settled on the new neutral: Barbie pink