Starry Vibes

The outfit is a triumph of modern technology. The crop top, with its swirling blues and yellows, is a masterpiece of the designer’s art: a tribute to Van Gogh without the ear. The jeans, meanwhile, are a marvel of engineering. They are high-waisted: an expression of the tailor’s art that lends itself to the legs, creating the illusion that they go all the way up to where the top starts. The top, meanwhile, is cropped, the better to reveal the waist and emphasize the jeans. The top and the jeans together form an ensemble that combines in an almost magical way to make the wearer look as if she has made an effort without trying too hard. And the effect is not only visual. The fabric is stretchy, making movement easy; the materials are both modern and traditional, reminding us that we don’t have to choose between the past and the future, and that we can even be in both places at once.