The question that keeps coming up again and again with regards to the Eldorado, Texas branch of the FLDS isn't "Where are all the men?" or even "Where's Sarah?" but rather, "Have you noticed what the women are wearing?" The media has even dubbed the phenomenon, somewhat crassly, "polygamist fashion", and the stories have multiplied in such a way that we figured we should take a look. What we learned is that there actually isn't anything that odd about the sect's sartorial choices — we've seen weirder on the runways of Gaultier. And speaking of high-minded fashion, a few designers (most notably Marc Jacobs) seem to have anticipated (or rather, copied) the FLDS aesthetic. After the jump, selected looks from various designers whose recent wares look most similar (in modest silhouette and tonal palette) to that of the FLDS females.





L & C: Chris Benz SS08, R: Behnaz Sarafpour SS08


Benz's tone-on-tone palette and long, loose cuts were one of the most championed styles of the season. Behnaz Sarafpour uses the same 1950's shirtdress modelings as that of the FLDS uniforms.

L & C: Behnaz Sarafpour SS08, R: Angel Chang SS08

In trenches and dresses alike, Sarafpour underscores the feminine by obscuring the body. Angel Chang's muted colors and conservative hem and necklines make modesty modern.

L to R: Vera Wang SS08, Abaete SS08, Marc Jacobs FW08.

Vera Wang goes bold in rich jewel tone that is as shocking in its proportion as its shade. Abaete uses the shift and lightened earth tones to allow her model to all but disappear. Marc Jacobs' "Paul Revere" collection was a masterwork in the kind of color and proportion play found in the compound, repeated musings on one central concept.

[Images via Elle.com.]

Polygamists Make Their Own Fashion Statement [MSNBC]