Tuco the Trendsetter

This summer, warm reds, browns and everything in between were in fashion. Normally these would be autumn colours, which is a curious thing to sell in July. 

Maybe someone somewhere decided it was a pretty color to sell in clothing chains everywhere. And I mean everywhere: Topshop, Zara, Banana Republic, TJ Max, Forever 21, you name it! 

All the stores were unseasonably selling this color palette!
Harper's Bazaar says, "Mustard, ocher, brown, and orange were splashed all over the fall runways." http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/trends/a11072/how-to-wear-color-0615/

weconnectfashion.com apparently predicted this. "Rust presents itself as the most forward fashion color in Desert Neutrals." And they're right. It is a very versatile palette that can be worn all year.

The one on the far right is probably the best example of what I'm talking about. Also, IT'S ON THE FRIGGIN' RUNWAY! How cool is that?!

It had usually been displayed in palettes involving white, brown, tan, sandy yellow, rusty reds and deep, rich burgundy reds. White tops on rust-coloured skirts or trousers, or vice versa, maybe adding sandy yellow to the mix of fashion. 

I owe this palette to a certain bandito character I fell hopelessly for this year. 

It was October before last when I first laid eyes on Tuco Ramírez. A University classmate had shown us the final shootout scene from the 1966 Film The Good, The Bad And The Ugly as inspiration for creating a short animation. this was after  Ramírez's Actor's, Eli Wallach, died of natural causes at 98. Watching all his roles last year was a missed opportunity, and Tuco  was the first role I ever saw from him.

The bandito had me entranced. I watched his frantic eyes darting back and forth, gradually widening at each sign of dangers, and I found myself seriously wanting him to live. Long story short, he did ... sort of.

The beautiful, expressive eyes bugged me for months. Wallach was unconventionally handsome in his younger days, and the eyes had it.

Seven months later, I watched the film and properly got to know Ramírez, falling in love with character and actor alike. He was wild, energetic, hilarious and sympathetic. He became one of my favourite movie characters of all time.

To me it was unfair that Clint Eastwood’s Blondie got all the attention, when Tuco was the interesting one, and I daresay the sole protagonist of the film. As a foolish, rambunctious idiot myself, I identified personally with this character. I wanted to dress like him. 

So I found myself tracking down the pants, wearing rings in a similar way he did, and finding a jacket like his. I asked Spylight for advice but their search result was too expensive. I found myself finding more or less his palette, though.  Nice, reddish brown short dresses to go with those brownish trousers, white tank tops, brown jackets, etc.

I didn’t have to dress exactly like him. These were bright, bold, flamboyant colours, perfect for one so fiery and energetic. That reddish brown jacket of his was a lovely colour. It wasn’t as though he randomly nicked it and thought, “Wow, this jacket looks great with my complexion” !  It was a scruffy jacket, just like the rest of him. dirty, ripped at the shoulder and in the back. His whole outfit was intended to look run-down and dumpy.

That didn’t stop me. I wanted those colours so I could display myself for the oafish, confrontational oddball I knew I was inside.

Damn, all those clothes looked good.

They looked even better with black boots and a thin black choker.

Who'd have thought- a character with the designation, "The Ugly" would have inspired the palette for women’s summer fashion, huh?

I mean, Blondie contributed a bit to the summer fashion as well, with all the ponchos and that.  So why Tuco? Why does his influence on the fashion world mean so much to me? Because he has a larger than life personality that I can relate to and emulating his style makes me feel comfortable with being myself. And in all honesty, he's the easiest character ever to dress up as. 

That's the thing. I do find myself a trendsetter. I obsess over a certain palette or style of clothing and suddenly it's in fashion! Spooky, huh? 

Maybe it should be Tamsin the Trendsetter?

And weconnectfashion.com may have forecasted the trend, so why did it become a trend at the same time I properly got into Spaghetti Westerns and developed such a liking for this rascal? Maybe it was fated? Who knows?

That said, I'm proud of him.

If you're looking for ways to wear rusty red in spite of this fella, check out websites like this one:

http://www.fashionfademagazine.co.uk/2015/07/ways-to-wear-hot-colour-trend-rust.html

Here's what it says: This burnt orange shade looks amazing with denim, white, tan and plenty of other pretty summer colours too. Despite being a seemingly autumnal shade, it seems like this colour trend can be worked all year round.