Patent leather explodes on fashion scene

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Back in the old, old days, patent leather was for the Mary Janes little girls wore on Sunday and tuxedo shoes men wore to weddings.
But patent has exploded recently across the fashion scene, splattering eye-catching shine that's glamorous and appealing.
As this month's Elle Decor magazine notes, patent is treading the line between home and runway style trends. For fall clothing, it is popping out of Tommy Hilfiger's "Matrix" collection or is fashioned into a clutch handbag at high and low prices. Even more significant, on New York's Fashion Week runways in September, it was a big factor in spring clothes. At Ralph Rucci's Chado show, it was a delicate touch in a bib or collars with the artistry usually reserved for diamond jewelry.
And for home, Elle Decor reports, it's used in sophisticated pillows and even lamps.
Do we like patent because it reminds us of those tap-dancing classes and Mary Janes? Or does credit go to its futuristic, modern, Matrix aesthetic? Perhaps it's both.