Once, Alex Kuczynski asked everyone to call her crazy. And we happily obliged. Today, without her even having to ask, we may have to do it again.

Though, to be fair, AK may not be any more crazy than the rest of the media people, who are just trying to figure out the difference between gay and straight — and all the Bowies and Chers, Details, and GQs of the world really aren’t helping anybody.

But we can only imagine how particularaly murky things can get when a nice WASPy gal like Alex runs into some (possible) drag queens, who (possibly) don’t speak English, standing outside of Patricia Fields.

The boutique, in fact, sits beneath a fa????ade that reads “Pat’s Restaurant Equip. Sales Repairs & Parts. Se Habla Espa????ol.” In lighter lettering it reads “Patricia Field,” and only the girls wearing curlicues of metallic green eye shadow and smoking cigarettes out front give away the shop’s true identity. (Upon closer inspection, it was not entirely clear they were girls, nor that they could habla Espa????ol.)

Who would have thought a mere shopping expedition would force a fashion reporter to contribute to the cultural consciousness of our grand city? (Upon closer inspection, it is not entirely clear that Alex took her meds, or contributed to the deeper understanding of anything that day.)

Patricia Field Gives New Meaning to the Changing Room [Alex Kuczynski, New York Times]