I Parked My Heart at the Harvard Yard

Okay so I didn't actually have my heart stolen by Harvard , but I do admit that it was beautiful and if I had decided to spend my high school years locked in my room studying then I might have a chance of getting in there. Alas, I chose to have a social life and play sports and while I completely back my decision Harvard made me regret it just a little bit. Harvard is the kind of place where I feel like I would stand out like Elle Woods. People there not only dress in what was probably the first thing they laid eyes on in the morning, they could also probably kick my sad little booty in a debate over the importance of fashion. And while there may be an Urban Outfitters in Harvard Square only minutes away from campus I doubt there are many Harvard students shopping there, but who am I to judge?

Gaga for Gaga

I am pretty sure that it was fate that Lady Gaga performed in Seattle on my birthday, or at least really really lucky. While I had heard most of her hit songs on the radio in the last couple of months I didn't really know much about her. And let me tell you from the first hand experience I had last night, she is a freak. Not a freak as in a socially awkward person who doesn't know how to interact, she's a freak in more of an Andy-Warhol-spread-rumors-to-your-dogs kind of way, and almost gulitily I admit that I loved it. In fact, I think that she is smart, much much smarter than the average celebrity. She never lets up the facade and I don't think I would want her to either.

Because We Love the Rain

Some days I love Seattle and I can't picture myself anywhere else on the planet. Seattle is the perfect combination of city and nature and just really chill people who have time to write some great literature and non-fiction, to create some great art, and to make some kick-ass music as well. We do accredit ourselves to starting the entire 90s grunge trend and of course being the hometown to Kurt Cobain.

On other days all I want to do is get out of here and move somewhere where people don't wear socks with Tevas to the theater and don't think that REI is for everyday wear. These days usually are accompanied by copious amounts of rain and wind. Even worse is high school where Seattle children still think that Juicy Couture is couture at its highest and that Uggs still deserve a waiting list.

Yet as I searched all the people from Seattle on lookbook I realized that I'm not alone in this city, that there do exist people with some great style, I just need to find them.

Michelle Moore and her amazing photography make Seattle that nuch better.

Do you prefer Blondes or Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

Celebrities Natalie Portman and Lindsay Lohan portraying the ladies in question.

In second grade I was Marilyn Monroe for Halloween. Most second graders do not know who Marilyn Monroe is nor would they care, and although I am not quite sure how I knew who she was at the tender age of seven, I can tell you this, I wanted to be Marilyn real bad. So of course I commissioned my mom to make me a white dress, lathered on the red lipstick, curled my hair, and penciled on her signature mole.

There I stood, seven years old, the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe, except not quite. Yet it was still a defining moment in my life, I had officially established myself as a Marilyn person. There are two types of people in this world: Marilyn people and Audrey people.

Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn represent two of the most iconic actresses, beauties, and paragons of style in American history. These two women define an era of glamour and extravagance, yet they both stand for such different things.

While Marilyn was the classic blonde bombshell, Audrey represented a more refined and elegant woman. Yet, Andy Warhol never did prints of Audrey’s face and Marilyn never won an Oscar (though to her credit she did receive a Golden Globe nomination). Marilyn is an idol to curvy women everywhere, where as the fashion world associates more with Audrey and her model thinness. Marilyn died young at the height of her career, while Audrey lived into the 1990s, involving herself in humanitarian work.

So where do your loyalties lie? I will leave that that for you to decide, because while my appreciation for each has become almost equal I remain true to my seven year old self and declare my loyalty to Marilyn.

note: article written originally for school newspaper

Let Them Eat Cupcakes

So every year my birthday rolls around and I begin thinking about what it is that I want most and I've realized that there is never just a one-word answer to this question. In fact, it is more often that I dream big and want it all and this year is no exception. So while the $1500 Chloe bag and the frothy Fendi sundress are a little far-fetched, last time I checked I'm allowed to dream. Yet, I do get one wish when I blow my candles out next Monday, and right now I can't decide between Coachella tickets or some new additions to my spring wardrobe. Admittedly, I would be happy with either (or both!).

Hip-Hop, You Saved My Life

So I used to do the whole dance thing and take regular classes and have recitals in which I would ultimately mess up and regret it until the next year when I had the opportunity to redeem myself, yet like all childhood pastimes my dancing days regrettably ended. And tonight, for the first time in years, on a whim I decided to take another class: a hip-hop class. The class, while making me sweat and realize why I quit dancing in the first place, made me reflect upon the great influence that hip-hop has on fashion and just pop culture in general, an influence underrated by most.

No one started wearing those ridiculously cool ‘Kanye’ glasses until the aforementioned was seen wearing them, and no one wore genie pants until MC Hammer was deemed untouchable in them, hip-hop’s role in fashion has been unwavering for years and until recently I have been quite blind to it. But now that I am newly inspired all I want to do is go out and buy some really cool Urban Outfitters men’s graphic tees and Nike high-tops, so that way if I make a fool of myself dancing at least I have my outfit to back me up.

So if I look as good as they do will it matter if I can dance or not?

Lookbook

Okay I have a confession to make, I am obsessed with lookbook. I just recently got invited and when I saw the invitation in my inbox I became weirdly giddy. There is just something so appealing to me about the idea of an entire network of people who love combinations of quirky style and photography as much as I do. And because I now feel obligated to take cool photos of my outfits and then post them on lookbook I will also be sure to post them here too. Now that I am an official member I feel obligated to addict as many others as possible.

Reasons to love lookbook.nu:

Look and Listen: Instant Inspiration

Waste away your day looking at cobrasnake party pictures and listening to good music.

You and I- Ingrid Michaelson

Details in the Fabric- Jason Mraz

Time to Pretend- MGMT

The King of Carrot Flowers, Part 1- Neutral Milk Hotel

You, Me and the Bourgeoisie- The Submarines

Jailer- Asa

Golden- Bear Hands

Supermassive Black Hole- Muse

The End of Summer Song- The Billionaires

L.E.S. Artistes- Santogold

Crash and Burn Girl- Robyn

The Billionaires Are Cool

So it's not what it sounds like. While I am sure actual billionaires like Bill Gates or Donald Trump would not necessarily be classified as the coolest kids on the block, the band The Billionaires just might. With a very New York hipster scene sound, I find their songs on constant repeat on iTunes. My two current favorites are: "The End of Summer Song" and "NYCab". So give them a listen, it's definitely worth it.

Call Me Crazy

I recently fell in love with this bright blue dress with a zipper from Target ($35) and then I just found an equally fabulous bag by Patrick Sweeney ($1400) that is bright blue and has zippers. Am I sensing a trend, or do I just have a knack for finding bright blue zippered objects?

Sparkle and Fade

So as I watched the musical Once on this Island today I noticed the amount of sparkles and glitter and sequins the costumer had chosen to use in the show, and while if these pieces were worn in real life they might be a bit tacky I realized I like the general idea of being "sparkly". Of course the first thing I decide to do is find dress possibilities to satisfy my new obsession with all things that sparkle. As we are still in the cold days of winter here in Seattle, my wadrobe consists of more monochromatic colors (although my yellow shoes have made a couple of appearances), and I can't think a better way to wear black than in sequin form. And until I can bring out my brightest brights for spring I plan on making my dress sparkle rather than the ice on the road.

Anna in Real Life

They may be old and look a bit withered (a sort of what-heroin-really-does-to-you kind of chic), but the top dogs at Vogue know how to make a magazine. The September Issue, a documentary following Anna Wintour and her colleagues in the making of the legendary September issue of Vogue, gives us a real look at some of our favorite eccentrics (i.e. Grace Coddington). Now we don't have to land that impossible personal assistant job that The Devil Wears Prada made so famous to get a backstage pass to the world's most renowned fashion magazine. Thanks to R.J. Cutler we can just watch watch a feature length documentary featuring fashion’s infamous Anna Wintour. While I would never have the guts to do what Cutler did, and from what he has said it was no easy task, I do commend him for his efforts and what might possibly be an excellent documentary. As for Anna Wintour (who I have idolized for all the wrong reasons since I started reading Vogue), the book may be titled The Devil Wears Prada, yet she definitely wears a lot more Chanel.

The Future Looks Bright (at least with Luisa Beccaria)

After skimming through photo after photo of fall's monochromatic and dark moods, my eyes started to glaze over while the different collections began to blend together making fall 2009 look like nothing more than a dark grey blur, that is until I stumbled across Luisa Beccaria's fall collection. I just finished reading The Great Gatsby and I feel as though Beccaria's dresses would be the types worn to one of the fabulous dinner parties hosted by Gatsby. While I normally dread putting away all my summer dresses and reestablishing my black and grey basics for fall, Luisa Beccaria has given me some hope that this year it may not be so hard. In fact, I may not put away those summer dresses at all.