The Other Chic

Tumble me over.

2010-11-11T07:26:00.000-08:00

Visit me now on tumblr.

gypysummers.tumblr.com

The blog will eventually be rekindled.

I just don't have an exact date yet.

For now, I hope my tumblr can occupy you.

Back again...

2010-09-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time. A really long time to put it in even more honest terms. Yet, something brings me back to blogging time and time again. Is it the clothes? Is it the photography? Is it inspiring styles of my fellow college students? I'm not sure.

A couple things have changed since my last post; I am now a college student; I now live in the unfamiliar world of the east coast; I own Wildfox; I have considered wearing flannel. But, these are just minor details. I am still in pursuit of that ultimate chic and through blogging am hoping that I can come somewhere near it.

For the moment being here are a few pictures (all from Marchesa Spring RTW 2011) to keep the imagination at bay. Enjoy.

Ma vie a Paris

2010-04-23T02:07:00.001-07:00

I am stuck in Europe because of this terrible (not actually that terrible) volcano in Iceland. I promise gobs of pictures and updates when I get home. As for now...enjoy the April sunshine (or rain) and get excited for the lazy days of May to arrive all too quickly.

Whenever I feel afraid I whistle a happy tune

2010-03-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

I am officially the worst blogger ever. I don't know why, but recently blogging has just not made it to my to-do list and I feel terribly about it. Often times I start projects and never complete them and I desperately don't want this blog to turn out that way. To rekindle the flame I think a music post is in order. To be honest, I really have no authority in music posts whatsoever, yet nothing compares to the feeling that rises inside you when a really really good song comes on the radio and dramatically alters your mood. Also, nothing compares with the immense satisfaction of knowing you were the first one to listen to some indie artist when their music gets played on MTV. So here it goes, please enjoy.

Please Don't Touch - Polly Scattergood

And We Danced... - Macklemore

Brighter Than Sunshine - Aqualung

Toothpaste Kisses - The Maccabees

Introducing Palace Players - Mew

Golden Train - Justin Nozuka

One Week of Danger - The Virgins

Walls of Jericho - Animal Kingdom

Lights & Music - Cut Copy

Beach Baby - Bon Iver

Time On Your Side - Emily Jane White

Shout Out Loud - Amos Lee

Healing Hands - Citizen Cope

Rumble+tumble

2010-03-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

I now have a tumblr. It's a bit of a work in progress and I am not completely sure how it works, but if my terribly long musings on fashion bore you, it is mostly pretty pictures I love.

Paying homage to the most fabulous sisters ever

2010-03-21T21:55:00.000-07:00

I have been infatuated with the Olsens since I was seven years old singing the 'great Hope diamond what's in your brother's dresser drawers' songs to their little detective series. After that I hopelessly copied all of their mannerisms from Passport to Paris and When in Rome. When Mary Kate pioneered the 'hobo chic' look I wasn't all too certain how I felt about this extremely striking girl dressing herself in layer upon layer of thrifted sweaters and topping it off with glasses bigger than her face. What I did admire though was the panache these girls always have seemed to have for being stylistically different than most of their mainstream counterparts.

The evolution of their style is really something for record books as both of them went from label mavens to full-on bohemian goddesses. I also admire their prerogative to be individuals in their style. Ashley definitely has more refined, elegant taste and Mary Kate is a bit more rock 'n roll, but this is what makes them so perfect. If you don't like what Mary Kate wears to the after party, then you'll probably like what Ashley wears and vice versa. Basically, if you think you're too good for the Olsens you should really check this out and then reconsider your decision.

Why Vogue remains a necessity

2010-03-14T22:56:00.001-07:00

Enough said. Her pale pink one shoulder Valentino dress is the 'if I could only have one dress in the entire world it would be this one' dress.

Boldness stands alone among the wreck

2010-03-08T21:58:00.000-08:00

I get irrationally excited when my Urban Outfitters catalog arrives in the mail. The whimsical photography and wildly hip clothes are too perfect to not devote hours to appreciating. While right now I don't really have hours, let alone minutes, I will share my four favorites from the Spring 2010 catalog.

Also, if you're looking for some wonderful new music, I have been listening to Mumford and Sons as of late and they are wonderful. Try "Awake My Soul" and "Little Lion Man" as starters, I promise that you won't regret it.

Oh Sandy,

2010-03-07T22:26:00.000-08:00

I distinctly remember the first time I watched Miss Congeniality; it was during my geek-to-hottie-transfomation-movie obsession (think Grease and The Princess Diaries) and I knew from the moment she snorted while laughing that this actress was not only brilliant, but fearless. From Miss Congeniality to Hope Floats to The Proposal Sandra Bullock has had me laughing and crying for years, yet something really special happened in The Blind Side.

Tonight when Ryan Seacrest intereviewed her, Sandra commented that she's incredibly pessimissitic when it comes to herself and that she's always the first person to "poo poo" her work. Incredibly pessimisstic or incredibly humble? Her performance in The Blind Side left me with tears in my eyes and hairs standing up on my arms. The poise and determination she exuded in this role should be an inspiration to aspiring actresses everywhere and a lesson that sometimes you must be silly first in order to be taken seriously later.

I also commend Sandra Bullock for her wise fashion choice tonight. She radiated a calm beauty with her incredible Marchesa gown that matched perfectly with her golden statuette. Also noteworthy was her hair which was center-parted straight perfection that lended the focus to the gown instead of some outrageous hairdo. I could not be happier that Sandra Bullock won the award Best Actress tonight nor could I be happier that she did so in a stunning, refined, and elegant gown that will have fashionistas everywhere trying hard to stop the drool from running down their chins.

Why tomorrow will be a good day

2010-03-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

Not only are the Academy Awards tomorrow night which promises lots of beautiful gowns to swoon over and lots of train wrecks to make fun of, tomorrow the Jean Paul Gaultier for Target collection hits stores. A little preview of my favorite looks below:

Because I'm a gypsy...

2010-03-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

A friend introduced me to this Shakira video and my combined love for Rafael Nadal and all things bohemian made me fall in love with it. Enjoy!

If Anna Wintour is God then I'm an atheist

2010-03-05T23:03:00.000-08:00

The real star of The September Issue: Grace Coddington.

I just finished watching The September Issue and ended the movie with an all too quick proclamation of my love for, not Anna Wintour, but Grace Coddington. I used to view her as merely the lady whose featured picture in Vogue would also include a cat and a lot of bushy red hair, yet I now know her to be a woman of incredible strength with true knack for aesthetics.

The movie surprisingly was a type of tell-all for the Vogue set which depicted Anna in an excruciatingly honest light. The brutal cut-throat honesty of the documentary highlighted exactly why Anna is at the top of the fashion world; she takes no prisoners. Aliken her to that girl in high school that you hated for her better-than-thou attitude, but befriended all the same to ensure your place on the social ladder.

Working at Vogue, like living the sorority life, spills over with catty behavior and fabulous clothing. Contrary to the typical sorority girls though Vogue women are trained professionals constantly reestablishing the importance of fashion in a world that as Anna so succinctly sums up "most people fear."

Gilded and guilty

2010-03-04T21:33:00.000-08:00

As I spend hours perusing all of the fall 2010 runway collections I must admit that more often than not I shake my head in disappointment at safe and typical collections that each designer seemed to settle for this season. Balenciaga elicited yawns from me, Nina Ricci failed to make me smile. Something obviously was wrong.

The exception this time is Balmain. Oh Balmain! Balmain evoked the devilish adolescent inside of me and made me want to immediately act out in immature and rebellious ways. While most designers appealed to an older age group with more office-appropriate garb, Balmain made his statement clear. What's the point of being young and fabulous if you're going to wear a butter yellow pinstripe skirt with a white skirt? There isn't one.

Balmain captures the grandeur of 17th century French royalty while maintaining relevance in today's society. The gold dresses were (of course) my personal favorites. If you're going to rebel and do crazy things because you can you might as well look as great as possible. And if you do decide to drain yourself of all that teenage angst you may need a little help from Balmain.

The powers that be

2010-02-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

I started out February strong with so much enthusiasm about blogging everyday and whatnot. Posting everyday, obviously, didn't happen. So to end a month of lackluster blogging is hopefully what will be a luster-filled post of inspiration.

Pair this with "Last Leaf" by OK Go.

Pair this with "Floorplan" by Tegan and Sara.

Pair this with "Get It Like You Like It" by Ben Harper.

Pair this with "Aluminum Park" by My Morning Jacket.

Pair this with "Dancin' in the Moonlight" by Toploader.

The girl's got pizazz

2010-02-24T22:54:00.000-08:00

I am officially declaring my love for the Korean Olympic skater Kim Yu-Na. When she skates she commands the audience's attention like no one else that graces the Canadian ice. Normally, I yawn in boredom at the music choices of the figure skaters. While they might be classical masterpieces, they fail to ignite any fire in the skaters. Yu-Na doesn't skate to Bach or Beethoven, she skates to James Bond, which in case she was lacking any fire before the music started would provide any supplemental.

She's a bonafide celebrity in her native Korea, something that we, as Americans, try hard to understand considering that we place our movie stars on national pedestals instead of our athletes. More than all of this though, she has the "it" factor that I spend so much time trying to comprehend. Just like that absolutely perfect spring trenchcoat you see at the department store, Kim Yu-Na will remain in our minds for a lot longer than the Olympics covers alpine skiing.

The luck of the stylish

2010-02-15T20:40:00.000-08:00

Do clothes really bring us good luck? Some athletes have socks they wear for every game and others have that lucky pair of underwear that has never failed a test. I swear that I always play better when I don a certain white tennis skirt. Yet, whether these clothes really bring us luck or not no one will ever know.

On the other hand, can clothes bring us bad luck? A couple days ago my mom wore the same sweater that she wore when I had jaw surgery and, wearing that same blue and brown awfully knit sweater, she ended up having to spend a bit of time in the hospital again. We collectively decided to burn the sweater. Of course it can all be chalked up to a bizarre coincidence, but I certainly do not think that continuing to wear the sweater will do anyone any good.

Somehow, we allow ourselves to attribute bad or good luck to our clothes. After having the best college interview ever, I decided to replicate the same outfit to all other college interviews because, what harm could it do:? I desperately want to let go of my modish superstitions, but something, something that no one can quite seem to put a finger on, keeps us wearing the same pair of socks on game day.

When the legends die

2010-02-12T17:11:00.000-08:00

I am still in a bit of shock that Alexander McQueen died. It seems as if all the real fashion legends are croaking, but at least they're leaving us with an inundation of young talent. Don't get me wrong this isn't a bad thing; the music world is paralleling the fashion world in this sense. What used to be the ten designers that ruled the world has turned into a broader array of a new generation who will succeed in their own little way.

Nevertheless, it's always hard to see someone as revolutionary as Alexander McQueen go. Everything he touched transformed from ordinary into fantastical. Yet, I have faith that his vision will live on in the clothes of this new brood of designers. Long live McQueen!

After seeing these shoes how can you not mourn his death?

In love you have loosened yourself like sea water

2010-02-08T23:16:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty sure I may be the only person in the world who becomes giddy at the sound of the words 'bilingual edition,' but regardless this may be the best Valentine's Day present I will ever receive (ironically it is a self-gift); no more chalky, flavorless hearts. My love for poetry will overpower my love for any one person this holiday; and I'm not sure this is any particular form of a travesty.

Young adult friction

2010-02-07T21:57:00.000-08:00

Music worth a listen (or two)...

Talking Hotel Arbat Blues- Handsome Furs

Before Destruction- Spoon

She Is Love (Acoustic)- Parachute

Stay Alive - Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Wait To You See Me Smile- Alicia Keys

Black and Gold- Katy Perry

Norway- Beach House

Here We Go Again- Angu & Julia Stone

Humming Bird- Born Ruffians

Jolene- Ray LaMontagne

Julianna- Audrye Sessions

Early Morning Rain- Richard Hawley

Love Song- Death Cab for Cutie

Song 2- Blur

Is Love Forever?- Spoon

Young Adult Friction- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Bookish pleasures

2010-02-06T22:19:00.000-08:00

A complete bookworm at heart, I have a penchant for old books. So naturally when I found this Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll in my grandmother's house that is more than a hundred years old I became ecstatic. The worn edges and easy-to-flip pages conjure up images of children a hundred years ago sneaking away to their parents' study to read Alice. Also, with the movie coming out in March this find could not have more appropriate timing. I can only hope that the next person to possess this book can appreciate its sophisticated fun.

The sticker on the back of the front cover says it's from the private library of A. Florence Grant which was founded in 1889. It also says "Read slowly; pause frequently; think seriously; return duly' with the corners of the leaves not turned down." The nineteenth century elegance of the whole book just makes swoon.

I love this illustration with all the cards flying up at Alice; the newer edition I have of the book doesn't have this one. The details are hard to see from this distance, but the animals as well as Alice are running away from the cards.

Today and creme brulee

2010-02-04T23:27:00.000-08:00

I made lavender creme brulee for my mama's birthday today and it was so delicious. I attempted to make a photo journal of the process, yet ultimately it transformed into more of a before-and-after shoot. Also, rocked my new pink blazer today. I used to think that pink was too girly to wear for statement pieces like this blazer, but obviously I've changed my mind.

Recycled relevance

2010-02-03T23:39:00.000-08:00

Like any good art history student with a sense of style I without a doubt spend more time than necessary studying the clothing of the subjects of the piece. Tonight as I vehemently studied I noticed the very bohemian style of Boticelli's characters. In Primavera Flora, the goddess of spring, wears a dress that (with a few minor alterations) could be in my closet in a snap. Another great aspect of this painting that is extremely relevant is the Avatar-like figure on the right, Zephyrus. Was James Cameron an art history major? Highly unlikely, yet what the more relevant point of this piece is that our bohemian dresses are a lot more timeless than the "timeless Chanel tweed suit."

LOSTLOSTLOST

2010-02-02T23:01:00.000-08:00

Charlie!

No tv show plays with my mind like Lost does. In tonight's season premiere two of my favorite characters, Charlie and Boone, were brought back. Needless to say I was pretty excited. If haven't already become addicted and/or obsessed with Lost, I would highly reccommend it.

The homework coma

2010-02-01T23:42:00.001-08:00

Wearing: hand-made scarf, D&G glasses, Urban Outfitters sweaters and boots, tights and skirt from Nordstroms

Homework is like the sand bags they put in hot-air balloons so that they don't go too high. The scene in The Wizard of Oz when the wizard desperately throws the sand bags out of the balloon perfectly compliments this scenario. Without those sand bags we too could fly like the wizard. Or maybe the sand bags are there to hold us down until we learn how to fly: intellectual training wheels.

P.S. My goal is to post everyday this month...wish me luck!

Collegiate couture

2010-01-29T19:00:00.000-08:00

I decided to take some artistic liberties and chose what college each pre-fall 2010 collection corresponds to...it's completely unrealistic that any college student would be wearing designer duds, but imagining is so much fun.
The feminine and elegant clothes of this collection could easily make its way into any fashion-savvy Vassar student's closet. The red lips are another nice touch that speak to Vassar's dramatic flair.

A paisely jumpsuit? Yes, it would indeed be Berkley student who would line up to purchase this look...if only it was made of recycled hemp instead of silk.

These clothes definitely have an urban minimalist vibe, and if you're student at U of Chicago the chances of having extraneous time to conjure up elaborate outfits would be limited, so Devi Kroell would be an excellent option.

The Chloé pre-fall just screams East coast preppiness, and what better a school than Princeton to find that nerdy sophistication? The jackets should have a minimum IQ requirement to avoid posers.

Young, fresh, and so L.A. ADAM's pre-fall collection could seamlessly weave its way into the Calfornian Occidental culture; too bad the bags are too small to hold textbooks.

The sunglasses, the too-cool-for-school looks, the bold fabric and color choices clearly belong in the city, New York City to be exact.
My absolute favorite pre-fall collection: Proenza Schouler can do no wrong. The clothes are trendy, yet preppy and translate perfectly for the senatorial internships of Georgetown students.

Airplane poetry

2010-01-25T23:12:00.000-08:00

Last year four scared kids sat next to each other on a plane ride to Panama, the country they would be living in for the next six months or a year. They passed around my orange leather journal taking turns writing lines of poetry. What we got was experimental, at times cheesy, yet bursting with raw emotion. What we got was this:

The softness of the morning

echoes off the stark darkness of night.

Dreams rewind into reali life.

Remembering is like riding a

bike; you never forget

the stick aroma of nightmares

constrasting the bittersweet feeling

of good dreams ending.

Some dreams won't end soon

enough.

You wanted it to last forever, but

nothing lasts forever...so it's your nothing

your only escape from

your safe haven, your perfect insanity.

Mysteries are there forever

never to be answered or never

to be questioned

like the time capsule nestled deep

within your mind

that spreads thoughts of uncertainty,

of forgetting regrets,

remembering mistakes, unpaid debts.

The lights flicker, you're pitched into

the opaque.

Your only glimmer of hope is the shining

crescent moon.

Release your memories, your dreams;

don't regret, repent.

The shallow waters of joy never satisfy.

The hungers of sin are never sated, yet

the dark tip of guilt relaxes you,

takes you back to the impish pleasures

of childhood when

ignorance truly was bliss.

The innocence triumphs with a resounding cry.

Why must we battle the monsters

that impossibly exist?

We battle the parietal sanctuary

we live in, desperately seeking solace

in the caverns of those who wound us.

Snail mail

2010-01-24T20:54:00.000-08:00

Before there was myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, G-mail, and cell phones there were letters. Imagine if in The Notebook Ally's mom had been deleting Noah's e-mails professing his love instead of confiscating his letters, how completely unromantic. In this era where it takes five seconds to write on someone's wall on Facebook and it instantaneously becomes available to them, letter writing seems tedious and unnecessary. Yet, the higher the number of unread e-mails I have in my inbox, the more I dread reading them. Contrarily, when I get a letter from a friend (not the bank mind you) I literally want to jump up and down. The tangibility of the letter, the time it took for someone to write it, the 44 cents they spent to send it holds an amount of meaning exponentially greater than that of an e-mail or Facebook message.

So I've decided to try my hardest to shun Facebook and alternatively turn to letter writing. I will try to post any especially noteworthy creations as all of the letters I send are in envelopes I make from recycled magazines. I like imagining the smiles a mere envelope can elicit from friends all over the world.

If dreams came true...

2010-01-21T22:50:00.000-08:00

My hands down favorite dress from the Golden Globes. Chloe Sevigny and Maggie Gyllenhaal looked stunning as well, but Anna Paquin's gold Stella McCartney left me in modish shock. If only my prom dress could look like this...

Shades of grey

2010-01-20T22:09:00.000-08:00

January classically has been a dull month, usually full of unmotivated students returning from the holiday break facing the monotony of schedules and homework. I find that my wardrobe choices often mirrors this mindset as well as the gloomy weather. When I first put this on I didn't even bother with the blue scarf and immediately my sister gave me the once over that alerted me that something was definitely missing from my ensemble. Why do we fear color during the winter months? Why must we confine color to specific times of the year? So in the midst of daunting school papers and finnicky weather color should be a necessity, not a sometimes treat. And like everyone else, I plead guilty to the shades of grey syndrome.

For minds cluttered with imagination

2010-01-18T19:35:00.000-08:00

I am doing horribly with my resolution to have more outfit posts, nevertheless; they are coming! In the meantime, after many mindless hours scouring weheartit, tumblr, and vi.susualize.us I have found some gems. I find that beautiful photographs are often accidental. Often times I click five photos within ten seconds of one another and they are all completely different and unique. Anyways, I can only hope that these photos aren't just products of excellent photo editing, but rather those precious accidental moments of camera genius.

What do we stand for anymore?

2010-01-13T17:53:00.000-08:00

A long time ago, youth culture and rebellion meant something. There was a cause. In the sixties and the seventies people protested against the war; the clothing connected with the hippies symbolized their belonging to a certain cultural group. In the summer of 1967 over 100,000 people flocked to the San Francisco area to celebrate the cultural and political revolution that had they, the youth population, had begun. Celebrating the freedom of youth, hippies created an unprecedented cultural phenomenon.

Nowadays American youth sit locked in their bedrooms spending mindless hours on Facebook and texting. Everything is hand-fed to us and no one appreciates any of it; we really are the 'teacup' generation. Political activism is no longer for the hipsters, but for the debate geeks. Fashion itself is an entire new culture thanks to online blogging and sites like Lookbook.nu.

It may just be that I feel guilty (guilty!) writing and blogging about fashion when people in Haiti struggle to find a clean water source. But this is a call to arms for the fashion world, an encouragement to make fashion the vessel through which you promote your cause. Because without a cause, what do we stand for anymore?

Sleep is for the weak

2010-01-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

Urban Outfitters top, F21 dress, Jeffrey Campbell boots, vintage tights and ring, H&M flower

The dean of students recently made an announcement to my school body that you need 9.25 hours of sleep a night for your brain to function at its highest potential. I rarely, if ever, get that much sleep. This fun little fact made me wonder what would happen if I started to make a concerted effort to sleep more and tinker less. Would I get better grades? Would I make better decisions? Probably not. As I read the Twilight books the one thing that stuck with me the most was the jealousy I felt for the vampires who never had to sleep. Yet, the amount of time I spend sleeping isn't wasted time at all. Sometimes, dreams can be the most inspiring media. Other times you go to bed with that one lingering question and in the morning you know the answer. While I will never commit to sleeping 9.25 hours a night, I can recognize that, whether I like it or not, some of the best things happen while sleeping.

The daily inspirational

2010-01-08T22:05:00.000-08:00

This photo is too amazing not to share.

Some songs to make your January that much better...

Cousins - Vampire Weekend

How Lucky We Are - Meiko

Audience - Cold War Kids

Fried My Little Brains - The Kills

Electric Twist - A Fine Frenzy

Juicebox - The Strokes

The General Specific - Band of Horses

I and Love and You -The Avett Brothers

Sometime Around Midnight - The Airborne Toxic Event

Pushing Oars - Whispertown 2000

Messages - Xavier Rudd

Natural Disaster - Andrew Bird

I've rediscovered how much I love the sound of acoustic guitar. I can sit at my computer listening to my iTunes and feel like there is someone sitting next to me playing the guitar. Okay, that's a little exaggerated, but on rainy nights nothing seems homier than the sound of acoustic guitar.

How ugly must it be to be pretty?

2010-01-05T19:33:00.000-08:00

The hat I am wearing in this photo is ugly. It may seem awkwardly blunt to say, but I don't don the hat thinking 'what a beautiful accessory this is' or 'this really highlights my hair color.' In the airport a couple of days ago I was reading about how these hats are one of the ugliest trends right now and that they flatter virtually no one. That being said, I like the challenge of pulling one off, even if it is ugly.

For your information

2010-01-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

One of my style icons, Twiggy

Since I have spent hours upon hours in the past few months on college applications and unfortunately significantly less time on my blog, I thought I would share one of my essays that really explicates the purposes of my blog. Like regifting, I normally frown upon 'rewriting', but this time it is just too perfect. I hope you like it...

The film director Sofia Coppola said “you’re considered superficial and silly if you’re interested in fashion, but I think you can be substantial and still be interested in frivolity.” I completely agree with her. Regardless of whether it makes me superficial, I am obsessed with aesthetics, particularly fashion. After I returned home from spending a semester abroad in Panamá someone asked my father if I had changed and he responded by saying “Well, she still cares about fashion.” This comment surprised me; I knew I had indeed changed, but I also knew that my anticipation for picking out tomorrow’s outfit would never dissipate. My unique personal style is a crucial part of who I am, in fact I wouldn’t be Stephanie Roush without it. While most of my friends wear Lululemon sweats and American Apparel hoodies to school everyday, I wear a smorgasbord of ridiculous, pretty, and glamorous outfits because, well, I can. Sometimes I wish I could let my clothes do the talking for me, but I cannot suppress the need to express myself literarily as well. Last year, in an attempt to channel my enthusiasm and passion for style, I created a blog. When faced with hours of homework, long sports practices, and drama rehearsals, I use my blog as a creative outlet through which I can express myself as well as have fun writing about something I love. While many people in the fashion industry are deeply superficial, I am not. To me, style doesn’t mean donning designer jeans or wearing $500 shoes; fashion is most fun when an eclectic combination of thrift store finds and items found in my mother’s closet can become something fabulous. Wearing a pink silk tulip skirt and a leopard sweater with chunky suede heels accented with a zipper I must try twice as hard to prove that caring about what I wear doesn’t make me a less intelligent or substantial person, it just makes me a more interesting one.

Twist and shout

2010-01-02T11:26:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday. Here is a sampling of my outfit for new year's eve. The lady at the organic grocery store in southern California told me I looked like a princess; I was pretty happy about it. Albeit, I was a little disappointed in myself for not wearing any sequins or sparkles or glitter. The bracelet I'm wearing here (which you can barely see in this photo) currently has me under its spell. Goal for 2010: more outfit posts.

The outfit that determines the rest of the year

2009-12-30T12:50:00.000-08:00

Admittedly, I can be a bit superstitous at times. New Year's Eve is definitely one of these times. In my mind the way you start a year determines how the rest of the year will play out. That is to say, if I were to celebrate New Years in sweats and a grimy t-shirt I would be condemning myself to a year of ugly (yet, comfortable) clothes. The New Years outfit must be carefully chosen. It must be festive and fun, yet a little refined as well. It must be something newish and definitely something memorable. Here are some outfit ideas I've had...

The irony of ripped jeans

2009-12-28T11:35:00.001-08:00

In middle school I remember begging my mom to buy me a pair of Abercrombie ripped jeans like all the cool high school girls wore. My mother did not understand. The ripped jeans cost more than the normal jeans and she was not about to pay extra for clothing with holes in it. The devastation it caused me was more than I could handle. Therefore, I decided to take matters into my own hands and created ripped jeans myself. I used a razor and some bleach and tried unsuccessfully of course to mimick the Abercrombie pair I had been lusting after for so long.

Needless to say, I was a bit shocked to open a pair of the Joe's Jeans black ripped jean leggings this Christmas. My middle school memories rushed back as I forced the leggings on (it really does require a great deal of work) and I felt exactly how I wanted to feel in middle school: a little rebellious. So I am still not sure how much I actually like the look of ripped jeans, or leggings in this case, but I do know that I do like how they feel.

Too much eggnog

2009-12-26T18:19:00.000-08:00

This is my Christmas outfit from last night. Ironically, nothing I'm wearing is new except for the gray boots which I am completely smitten with. I recently discovered the red flower which I hadn't worn for ages. I have that weird feeling today that makes it seem like Christmas was a mirage and didn't really happen. Hope everyone's holiday was as merry as mine.

The most fabulous of 2009 (shoes)

2009-12-23T20:34:00.000-08:00

I have decided to start a series dedicated to reflecting on the best things of 2009. To start it all off I have chosen (surprise, surprise) shoes. 2009 was literally a year of highs and lows for footwear. I painstakingly chose five favorites from the year and am excited to share them with everyone.

From top to bottom: BCBG 'Mendel' wedge, Chloe, Alexander McQueen, the infamous Chanel clog, Marc Jacobs heart sandal.

Bright lights, The City

2009-12-22T22:08:00.000-08:00

Today I had the privilege of spending a few mindless hours watching reality television, "The City" to be specific. I was less than impressed by the bitchy behavior and seemingly scripted lives of the characters who use the word 'like' too much. The show should really be renamed "Watch Girls in Pretty Clothes Fight with Eachother". Regardless of the nonexistent plotline, the clothes are indeed fabulous with a capital F. Whitney seems to be the only grounded character who doesn't completely sell herself out for the drama factor of the show. She also has the most covetable wardrobe of the cast.

Rodarte party

2009-12-20T17:31:00.000-08:00

I am in love with the new Target collection by Rodarte. I thought that Target's collaborations with designers had peaked with Erin Fetherston, yet Rodarte may prove me wrong. The collection's subtle hues and girly touches make the clothes extremely wearable for any occasion. My two favorite looks are the black slip dress and the tulle navy skirt with the jean jacket. The black bows on the shoulder of the slip dress make it irresistable, and the jean jacket is such a nineties throwback. In short, something has just sky-rocketed to the top of my Christmas list.

Le beurre, le beurre, le beurre

2009-12-19T21:19:00.000-08:00

Julia Childs made cooking with pearls a classic.

I just finished watching Julie & Julia and I absolutely loved it. I was so endeared by how Julie Powell questioned the existence of any readers of her blog and also when she freaked out for getting 53 comments on 'the lobster post'. It made me realize the connections between all bloggers who pretend like they write for themselves and don't really care whether anyone is reading their blog or not.

I am here to say that I do care. I want people to read what I write and I want people to like it. Lately I have been feeling guilty for writing too little and posting too many pictures. I don't want to become one of those fashion blogs that only posts pictures and forgets the writing part altogether (not that there is anything inherently wrong with this). Julie Powell had a project that gave her something to write about daily. I keep trying to think of a way to apply the basis of what she did to fashion, yet my creative juices are failing me...I will keep you posted if I think of anything particularly special.

As for the time being, I am now out of school for the rest of the holidays so I promise daily posts filled with pretty things. Tonight, if you in for the evening I suggest a big glass of eggnog, a foreign Vogue (preferably French or Japanese), and the new Alicia Keys album.

Love actually

2009-12-14T22:44:00.000-08:00

I have finals this week, so new posts may not be an option, but here are some lovely Lady Gaga pics from the new Elle issue for you to view in the meantime.

Hey, I put some new shoes on today

2009-12-08T22:59:00.000-08:00

I went to Urban Outfitters today to buy my sister this mug that we have been referring to as the "dog bowl" for Christmas, when I spotted these shoes on sale. As you can see from the visual evidence they were impossible for me to resist. Now I just need place to wear them!

Happiness runs in a circular motion

2009-12-06T23:45:00.001-08:00

I cannot find enough words of adulation to describe how much I love this photo. The buttons on Sienna's coat have me drooling.

Maybe you would have been something I'd be good at

2009-12-05T16:41:00.000-08:00

A bad day can always become a good one with the right amount of Kate Moss editorial. I particularly like this one's Grecian goddess vibe. The horse was also a brilliant touch, the most beautiful of models with the most beautiful of beasts. Pair these photos with Tegan and Sara's album The Con (favorites are "Hop a Plane" and "Call It Off") and you've created the perfect early December pick-me-up.

Lost in translation

2009-12-04T17:30:00.001-08:00

I might frequently and openly profess my love for Karl Lagerfeld, yet this time I simply cannot. He staged Chanel's 2010 pre-fall showing in Shanghai which, to me, seems incredibly strategic on his part. After all, America is over, Europe is over, it's all about China. The setting of the show proved to be breathtaking; each model walked before a backdrop of Shanghai's skyline.

While Karl hit it spot on with the location, he failed to impress me with the clothes. Heavily influenced by the Chinese culture, he showed a new found penchant for boxy items. The dresses didn't flatter the models and at times the dresses swallowed the models whole. They became lost in an abyss of embroidered silk.

Though the clothes didn't deliver, the shoes did. The shoes more than delivered. Utilizing bright accent colors like yellow and red, the shoes were my favorite part of the collection by a long shot. So maybe Karl is saying something, maybe he satisfies the Chinese by staging his show in their homeland and paying homage to their cultural legacies through the clothing, and then makes the shoes spectacular so all the snotty American girls aren't left heartbroken. Shoes are the most important part, right?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2009-12-01T20:09:00.000-08:00

The stores are playing Christmas music, people are putting lights up, and they're selling eggnog at Whole Foods; the holiday season seems to have sprung out of nowhere this year, and for some reason I'm left feeling a bit uneasy. Sometimes, Christmas grows a little superficial. We buy people gifts because we feel obligated not because we actually want to give them a gift. We get fat from too much chocolate and stressed out from last minute gift buying and wrapping. While all that might sound like I detest the holidays, I actually enjoy them despite their obvious flaws. In honor of the beginning of December I will share the things that make the holiday season worthwhile.

Things I am looking forward to this holiday season:

-wearing my new Urban Outfitters dress to holiday parties

-peppermint ice cream

-ice skating

-bundling up in cozy scarves

-sparkly tights

-new clothes (hopefully!)

-time with the family

-new years!

-being done with final exams

-cheesy Christmas movies

Playing the pity card

2009-11-29T20:58:00.000-08:00

So sorry blog readers for not notifying you ahead of time, but you can attribute the lack of posting recently to the major jaw surgery I just had. Alas, I am getting better and will be posting regularly very, very soon. So sorry, but this time I am playing the pity card!

They wander the world spreading their bread crumbs

2009-11-18T20:50:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, Vogue overdoes the fairy-tale editorial, yet I fall for it everytime. This one, Hansel and Gretel in honor of the Metropolitan Opera's rendition of the Anderson tale, especially excites me because of the inclusion of Lady Gaga. So far no one has truly bridged the gap between art, fashion, and music and LG just might do it. Stay tuned. In the mean time, enjoy another fabulous Leibovitz shoot.

Hail to the king and queen

2009-11-17T21:34:00.001-08:00

American royal portraits taken by Annie Leibovitz or Mario Testino...

I have been nursing the idea of American royalty for quite some time now. In all honesty, I think it's quite brilliant. Look at Great Britain, they spend copious amounts of time meticulously watching the same five or so people do completely ordinary (or in some cases extraordinary) things and then they publish it all over the tabloids and "royal watch" blogs (yes, these do exist).

Then again, an American king and queen would contradict the founding principles of our country, but don't we already revere certain celebrities as if they had royal blood? The British royals spend years in the highest forms of education and take lessons in manners and hone their social graces in their spare time. I can't quite say the same for people like Megan Fox or Robet Pattinson. If I were to decide, I would choose Meryl Streep as queen and Chuck Palahniuk as king. They would make am odd pair, but just imagine the literary masterpieces and stunning speeches that could be produced.

The deepest darkest secrets

2009-11-11T18:59:00.000-08:00

PostSecret: it's probably the most brilliant idea for an art project/blog ever. People mail their secrets illustrated or depicted in whatever fashion they see fit and then they are posted. I am still deciding what secret I want to mail in.

Older, wiser, crazier

2009-11-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

Photo from weheartit.

I have accepted my fate. I know I will probably end up as the cat lady who wears too much lipstick and has fabulous dinner parties. That being said, I am perfectly okay with this. I've never had the lovey-dovey type grandma, the one who bakes you cookies and knits you hats. My grandmothers are independent, spunky women who don't let anyone boss them around. And I like that.

The old woman that sits in his rocker reading the Sunday New York Times on a Wednesday morning cursing the "punk" that made the crossword puzzle especially difficult, I love her. I love her for her sadistic sense of humor and superb wit. I saw the most fabulous old lady at Whole Foods the other day. She must have been at least seventy, and yet there was in her pumpkin orange knitted poncho and grey wedge boots. Growing old shouldn't be something we dread, it should be an excuse to be/dress even crazier and get away with it.

The boys we love(d)

2009-11-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

Robert Pattinson, in the eyes of many, is a god. Teenage girls everywhere swoon over his very existence, yet so much of his appeal has nothing to do with who Robert Pattinson really is. In fact, they're not smitten with Robert Pattinson, these screaming fans of his, they're smitten with Edward Cullen. I'm no Twilight afficionado nore do I claim to be one, but I guiltily admit to having read all the books and while I don't find them to have anything truly significant to say they do hold your interest. These portraits from the latest Vanity Fair I think are so beautiful of Robert, the Robert without fangs that is.

This phenomenon Pattinson has caused reminds me of a similar one a little over ten years ago, Leonard Di Caprio. Just as Twilight captured viewers worldwide, so did Titanic. In 1998, probably fifty percent of American teenage girls had a poster of Leo up in their bedroom, now it's Robert. And just like Edward Cullen, Jack Dawes breaks hearts and inspires tears in Titanic. The real difference is, to me at least, that Titanic won Oscars, Twilight won Teen Choice Awards. Regardless of your choice man, I think the beauty of these Vanity Fair photographs of each one in their prime speak for themselves.

Adrenaline rush

2009-11-05T22:54:00.000-08:00

Shaun White is, as cliche as it might sound, awesome. With his flaming red hair, obvious snowboarding talent, and surfer-like attitude I can't help but laugh when I recall his feature in Vogue a couple of years ago with Daria Werbowy. Just imagine Anna Wintour saying to Grace Coddington, "Get that red-head who was in the Olympics in the magazine, he's not exactly attractive, but I think it might appeal to our younger generation of readers." Shaun seems to me the kind of person morally opposed to such an archaic institution like American Vogue. Nonetheless, he did appear in the magazine (to Wintour's horror I am sure), and I rather like the results.

A bit disappointed

2009-11-04T23:48:00.000-08:00

I am not going to pretend that I watch or follow baseball, because I don't. Yet, I did manage to flip on the tv at the exact moment that the Yankees won the World Series. I don't like the Yankees. In all honesty I have absolutely no reason to dislike the Yankees, but somehow any time the team is mentioned I feel compelled to make some negative comment as if it is my duty. That aside, here is a photo I've been wanting to post for a while. It's just so happy.

In defense of fashion

2009-11-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

Italian Vogue's "models in rehab" editorial is the perfect example of fashion as social commentary.

In theory, I shouldn't have to do this. Defending fashion on a fashion blog? It's a tad ridiculous. Despite the obvious absurdity, I remain with the feeling that every once in a while we should defend what we do, just to make sure we can defend what we do.

Recently, someone accused my writing of being shallow, useless fodder for teenage girls who have nothing better to occupy themselves with. This made me reread my past articles searching for any flagrant superficiality, and while I do apologize for some mediocre writing lately, I'm not going to change any material posted.

Fashion doesn't have any rules. It's a work in progress, just like this blog. It's funny too because if this blog were about music instead of fashion no one would question me, yet it's not. I chose fashion for a specific reason, I wanted to show the quirky alternative side of a too often generalized industry. And because whether you think it's shallow or not, I care about what I wear. We all have to wear clothes anyways so why not make it memorable? Everything you put on your body becomes a reflection of you; fashion is unavoidable.

Some people abhor the idea of supporting something so reliant on aesthetic, so they wear the same shirt and jeans everyday or simple look sloppy because they can. This is one end of the spectrum. I, along with all the other fashion lovers in this world, am at the other end. Fashion isn't about who wears the most expensive dress to the formal or who has the designer bag, fashion is about creativity. The fashion world's greatest visionaries experiment, recycle, take risks. Fashion itself is a reflection of society, just like music.

This blog isn't about mainstream fashion. This blog is about street style, experimentation with clothes and colors, and most of all creativity. Many people look to art or music as their creative outlet, I look to fashion.

All Hallows Eve

2009-10-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking of dressing up as Carrie Bradshaw.

Ever since I was a small child I have been pretty much obsessed with Halloween. It's the one night of the year where you can wear whatever you want and get away with it. As Cady in Mean Girls so famously remarked, "Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it." Of course I am not advocating dressing in an obscene costume just because you can, I am advocating going all out with whatever it is you decide to be. I am still in the throes of what to wear tonight, but I do promise to make it fabulous. So happy Halloween to everyone dressing up, and for those too cool to put on a costume I send my condolences.

Coco does Korea

2009-10-28T22:06:00.000-07:00

These are all absolutely stunning photos of one of my favorite models of the moment, Coco Rocha. The images are from the October issue of Korean Vogue, which only adds to my argument that American Vogue is diminuized by its global counterparts. I am currently lusting over the hair.

Unless you love someone, nothing else makes any sense.

2009-10-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

I cannot claim to be a fashion blogger without writing a post about the beauty that was Johnny Depp and Kate Moss...together. Normally, I would reject the notion of conformity and steer clear from a trite subject, but this time I have conceded. Johnny Depp is brilliant. Kate Moss is brilliant (in a different sense than Johnny though). Together they exceed the earthly capacity for collective edginess and make everyone else feel inadequate.

And, like all good things, they came to an end. I don't think it's appropriate to continue mourning their break up, in fact I think we should celebrate that they came together in the first place. One thing I love about the picture above is the youth in Kate's face. She seems to have a look of adolescence rebellion, we're young and in love so no one can stop us. The fashion world still daydreams about their relationship and I can only hope that two equally incredible people like Kate and Johnny can get together sometime soon and give us bloggers something new to talk about.

*please note that the post title is an e.e. cummings quote and not of my original creation

Best friends

2009-10-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

We say we don't need them, we say that's it's just an elementary label, but inside we know we can't live without them. A best friend is the person you call when you're laying on your bed on the verge of tears because you simply cannot decide what to wear to the party. A best friend is the person who never needs to say even a word because one look reveals everything. A best friend is the person who sits patiently and listens to all of your problems without passing judgement. Most of all though, a best friend is with you for the long run.

Some of the world's most famous best friends are the ecletic pairing of designers who produce year after year of flawless work (ie. Proenza Schouler). Between best friends exists some undeniable chemistry that can create the most brilliant works of art, sports teams, and literary masterpieces. Sometimes, I feel as though we too often celebrate our family in lieu of our friendships, and although family is critically important, so is friendship. After all, we do get to choose our friends.

Ladies and gentleman, the beautiful Marion Cotillard

2009-10-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

I must admit that lately I have been boycotting American Vogue. I feel as though it is so outshined by its European counterparts that I can no longer afford to spend five dollars on something not wholly fabulous. This said, I almost died when I saw Marion Cotillard on the cover of the November issue. She represents that small percentage of actresses who are real. Her performance in La Vie en Rose was incredible, and if you haven't seen the movie I highly reccomend you do. The photos above are from French Elle of May 2009 (more proof that European magazines put American ones to shame). Enjoy. And be sure to say a little prayer that Anna Wintour will stop playing Oprah and start becoming a little (dare I say?) edgier.

And my apologies for not writing for a while, life sometimes just gets in the way.

Gone too soon

2009-10-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

For some reason, some of the world's most iconic figures have died prematurely (ie. Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain, Heath Ledger, JFK, Albert Camus, Princess Diana, Michael Jackson). International phenomenons occur when these already famous people die and their stardom rockets from mediocrity into the stuff of legends. We imagine all the additional great things these people could have done if they had lived longer. We allow our minds to place these people on a pedestal because of their potential. Often, when celebrities fade out of their prime and grow old we forget about them. Yet, when their latent health problems emerge from the closet and kill them or when their car crashes suddenly, society sanctifies them.

I am not sure why this interests me so much, but talking about Albert Camus' premature death today in English made me think about all the other cult figures of modern history who also died in their prime. I wonder if it's some kind of cult itself, these young deaths. Just imagine the world's most famous people sitting at a table with one another planning out their deaths to ensure their iconic status. (P.S. John and Kate, Octomom, and Balloon Boy you would definitely not be invited to these meetings. To be an icon you must make an actual contribution to society.) It's an absurd idea, I know, but isn't the entire notion of celebrity absurd as well?

NERD

2009-10-19T23:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Nerd Day at school and I am at a bit of a loss as to what I should wear. Should I go for the classic Erkel look of suspenders and cropped pants, or should I dress a la Dwight and don a tie and tortoise-rimmed glasses? In theory, Nerd Day would require no dressing up because the wardrobe is not what makes a nerd. Yet, I will eventually put together some ensemble and only hope that I can properly pay homage to all those that are responsible for modern technology.

These boots were made for walking

2009-10-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

Contrary to the title of this post, I doubt I could actually walk in these boots (let alone afford them, they are $1200). Yet, all it took was one look at these Christian Louboutins on the Barney's website and I knew I was in love. There is something so striking about these shoes. They immediately make me think of something out of Charles Dicken's Great Expectations in the way that they scream 17th century England. Despite the historical references nothing could be more modern than a throwback to the footwear of centuries past. And although this exact pair won't be residing in my closet any time soon I can be placated with thoughts of all the extremely intelligent conversations (in British accents of course) these boots could instigate.

Follow the yellow brick road...

2009-10-15T22:53:00.001-07:00

I am beginning to feel as Dorothy must have felt as she gazed upon the yellow brick road for the first time, not knowing what lay ahead of her. So far, senior year has just made me realize how much I still have left to accomplish. I also hope that at the end of the yellow brick road that is the college application process I will find myself in my own Emerald City (and by Emerald City I do not mean Seattle).

While I cannot wait to finish high school and just move on, I also know that this is the year during which everything changes. I can only hope that the scarecrow, the tin man, and the cowardly lion will be waiting on my path to help lead the way because let’s face it, I am going to need all the support I can get. So for all the other high school seniors out there faced with application deadlines and AP classes, just know that we’re not alone, and that at the end of the road something worthwhile awaits us.

Just do it.

2009-10-14T22:39:00.000-07:00

Only good can come of it.

Currently Reading:

The Stranger by Albert Camus

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Scarlett and Pete make an album.

2009-10-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

If solely the cover photo doesn't make you want to buy the album, than the music should. While I am often skeptical of the singer-actress types (ie. Hilary Duff, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus), Scarlett proves over and over again that she can easily shake the stereotypes being imposed on her. Like fellow singer-actress Zooey Deschanel, Scarlett's voice has an ethereal yet raw quality not heard often enough in today's music. As of right now my two favorite tracks are "Relator" (the album's first single) and "Clean". If you are a fan of Zooey's collaboration project that is She & Him then I promise that you will love Scarlett and Pete. You can see that life's for us to talk about...

He who makes the good girls go bad

2009-10-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

There is no better example of the ultimate bad boy than Gossip Girl's Chuck Bass. While we try to pretend that we aren't a little bit attracted to his slime ball of a character, we secretly swoon at his slick delivery of lines and impeccable suits. Although in real life the bad boys may not always be the best of ideas, Chuck Bass gives a perfect mixture of distance and temptation. This is exactly why Gossip Girl is my most guilty pleasure.

Let your imagination run wild and frolic with the monsters

2009-10-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

On a scale of one to ten I would rate my excitement for Where the Wild Things Are as about an eleven give or take. Of course I loved the book as a child (and still love it), but rereading it made me rediscover the beauty of imagination. In fact, imagination is central to fashion. One might even argue that fashion is imagination materialized. We all have our own little worlds to some extent, those little places we go in our daydreams where the sun shines brighter and anything is possible. I even had imaginary friends as a child: Pally and Olivia. I can still tell you exactly how they looked and their little quirks because for me they were far from imaginary. So, where do we draw the line between imagination and reality? I hope that Where the Wild Things Are will blur that line a little and revert me back to my childish dreams of magical places. And if this doesn't happen, well at least I have the incredible soundtrack to listen to.

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

2009-10-08T22:40:00.000-07:00

Louise Gray's debut collection was amazing. In fact, the Scottish designer who I had never heard of before a couple of days ago put together an astounding collection (note the shoes and eye make-up). Here are a few little ditties to go along with this wonderfully eccentric collection.

revolver- madonna (ft. lil wayne)

all is love- karen o and the kids

relator- pete yorn & scarlett johansson

furr- blitzen trapper

hang you from the heavens- the dead weather

dying is fine- ra ra riot

sleepyhead- passion pit

blame it on the girls- mika

little bit- lykke li

kids- mgmt

ob-la-di, ob-la-da- the beatles

up, up, and away- kid cudi

daylight- matt and kim

Rest in peace Irving

2009-10-07T21:31:00.000-07:00

I just found out that Irving Penn died today. It has left me a little speechless (a rare occasion I assure you). He revolutionized fashion photography by creating an unprecented aesthetic in his photos. May his legacy live on in his art.

The girl that looks like a boy that looks like a girl that looks like a boy

2009-10-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Coco.

Classic Annie Hall.

The one and only Ashley Olsen.

Girls can wear jeans
And cut their hair short
Wear shirts and boots
'Cause it's okay to be a boy

-Madonna

I have always held some inexplicable fascination for women dressing in menswear and pulling it off. There is something so powerful about a woman comfortable enough with her feminity to be able to supress it by wearing something masculine. The two people that immediately rush into my mind are Coco Chanel and Diane Keaton. Coco obviously was the pioneer of the entire menswear movement in women's fashion, yet Diane Keaton and Ashley Olsen make it more modern and relevant. So, please, empower yourself. Wear a tie to work, wear pants with an button down to a formal event, do something different. I think sometimes we forget to make a statement with what we wear and no one wants to slide softly into the background.

For the cynical romantics

2009-10-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

I saw this photo earlier today and it reminded me of my favorite Billy Collins poem (and maybe even all-time favorite poem), "Vade Mecum".

I want the scissors to be sharp

and the table to be perfectly level

when you cut me out of my life

and paste me in that book you always carry.

What's your crime?

2009-10-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

I think there is something so genuine about people admitting their guilty pleasures or flaws publicly. So of course I immediately fell in love with the Jane Magazine (which unfortunately went under) photo shoot at the Sundance Film Festival which asked actors the telling question, what's your crime? I think my favorites are Zooey Deschanel and Danny Masterson, but they are all quite striking. As for my crime...I am not sure I am ready to admit it quite yet.

Dear Mr. Lagerfeld,

2009-10-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

I am perpetually in awe of both your work and your being. You always seem to be able to capture the most authentic version of both culture and youth in your clothes and to say that I am envious would be an understatement. Your most current collection from Paris for Spring 2010 is, in my humble opinion, your best work yet. While at a first glance the collection may seem to be a visionary minimalistic approach to spring fashion, a second glance betrays that first assumption because this collection is all about the details. These details are in fact extraordinary metal details that denote the heavy metal images you evoked with your fashion week invitation. I hope that I am not alone when I say that your fashion genius is unmatched in the business.

Sincerely,
the girl you sent spinning into dreams of heavy metal and tangerine colored jumpsuits

La vie Parisienne

2009-10-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

My favorite time of the year has finally rolled around; it's Paris fashion week. And while admittedly the shows themselves excite me, what excites me more is the street style. Somehow the Parisians manage to wear clothes better than the models do, a true accomplishment in the fashion world. I am beginning to think there is something in the French blood that makes them so intrinsically well dressed. So while I still sit here attempting to figure out the French secret to style, I have included three of my favorite photos so far from fashion week. Enjoy.

I want to be like them when I grow up.

Follow the white rabbit

2009-09-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

So my Alice in Wonderland obsession will undoubtedly reach an all-time high this May when Tim Burton's new rendition of the classic tale hits theaters (watch the trailer). And it really is as if Tim Burton took my fantasy team of actors and put them all into this movie. Of course he has his regulars (Johnny and Helena), but he has also included Anne Hathaway which really excites me. These photos are from the August edition of Vanity Fair which only had a small featurette about the movie, but at least they supply me with some sort of appeasement until March...

Contemporary is calling my name

2009-09-01T22:24:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I have been gone for the last five weeks at camp (the most amazing place in the whole world), but I just caught up on all the SYTYCD episodes that I missed while I was gone and so I am posting my two favorite routines.

Bad Bruno

2009-07-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

"It is a know fact that no suicide bombers wear Marc Jacobs."

I made the mistake of seeing the midnight showing of Bruno last night. And let me tell you it really was a mistake. Maybe my humor just isn't compatible with Sacha Baron Cohen's or maybe I was being too narrow minded, but Bruno really disturbed me. The movie was even more vulgar than Borat and even a bit horrifying at times.

That being said, I do give kudos to Sacha for both his commitment to his character as well as the balls to direct such a politically incorrect movie. I love the fact that he does all his interviews in character; he was hilarious on the Today show. So if I were you I would enjoy the funny trailers for Bruno and leave it at that, but if you loved Borat then maybe just maybe Bruno will be the movie for you.

Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy.

2009-07-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

Outfit from a couple of days ago...I'm wearing Urban Outfitter's boots, sunglasses, and tank with vintage belt and shorts and the white overshirt is from Gap and the scarf I bought at the Zara in Panama. I love the denim cutoff and boots look for summer, there is something very whimsical about it.

SYTYCD week 4.

2009-07-06T10:29:00.001-07:00

Obsessed. They were in the bottom three and I just don't understand why. Watch the dance and you will be confused too.

America the beautiful.

2009-07-06T10:03:00.000-07:00

Karl Lagefeld once paid homage to America by featuring stars and stripes in his Spring 2008 collection.

I send my apologies for my lack of posts recently, I took the weekend off and enjoyed the uncharacteristically good weather here in the Pacific Northwest. Somehow the weather gods were on our side this year and decided to put off the overcast skies and drizzly rain until today, which is just fine with me because the fourth was just lovely.

Fourth of July always reminds me of how much I really do love this country although sometimes it may seem otherwise. Nothing beats the good 'ole family barbeque with hamburgers (veggie burgers for me), watermelon, corn on the cob, and baked beans. While our classicly American meals may seem to be an oddball mix, our classic principles always make sense. We are a nation built on strong personalities and strong beliefs, and I am always proud to be a part of that.

I hope everyone dressed in their greatest red, white, and blue ensembles and enjoyed a good parade and some fireworks, after all it only happens once a year.

Tidbits for today.

2009-06-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

Johnny Depp's new movie Public Enemies comes out tomorrow.

Hunter boots: everybody at Glastonbury wore them and these silver ones are especially great.

It's summer and it's hot outside; treat yourself to a bowl of gelato.

Wilco's new album came out today, and now is playing on repeat on my iTunes.

Game. Set. Match.

2009-06-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

Summer is the time for tennis. And while my passion for the sport exists year long no other time of the year does it shine so brightly as in the summer. Right now my favorite professional tournament, Wimbledon, is going on and I am constantly in awe of the glamour that tennis can have.

Wimbledon is my favorite for many reasons, and the all-white attire contributes to this greatly. White shows no sweat and makes players become even more creative to wear the outfit that everyone talks about (hello, Nadal's pink shirt at the French Open?).

Right now I am hoping for a Williams sisters final and maybe an Andy R-Andy M final on the men's side, although this would mean Roger losing in the semis to Andy Murray. Tennis will always be stylish as Wimbledon proves to me every year, now I am just more motivated than ever to go pick up my racket and play.

Melanie Oudin the 17 year old American made me believe that maybe American tennis has a future after Venus and Serena.

Roger never fails to make it look effortless.

SYTYCD week 3.

2009-06-25T22:43:00.000-07:00

The title of this post should really be 'Mia Michaels is a goddess': my favorite dance from this week.

And then we all melt into the eternal sunshine.

2009-06-24T22:23:00.000-07:00

I was bored last night so I made a pretty collage.

Summer nights and I'm dreaming.

2009-06-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

The outfit I'm dreaming of this summer:

1. Miu Miu leather jacket
2. Anya Hindmarch patent clutch
3. See by Chloé dress
4. RetroSun shades
5. Giuseppe Zanotti gladiators

Posting the prices of these would be ridiculous and depressing, but you can find all of these fabulous items on net-a-porter.

Is Karl referencing American history?

2009-06-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

While the clothes themselves did not impress me that much, the entire Chanel 2009-10 resort show did. After watching the first minute of the show on youtube I was a bit puzzled to say the least. The show begins with a model in a black cape and baroque-style cap running onto the runway. This image struck me as an odd homage to Paul Revere and the way that he warned people that something grand and big and massive was coming. Was the model giving the audience the same warning? So I don't exactly have Karl on speed dial to ask him about his intentions for the opening of his show, but I do think he might have just made some American history buffs like me very happy indeed.

Jack and Lazaro do Resort.

2009-06-20T23:20:00.000-07:00

And they do it well. Previously, I thought that the Proenza Schouler aesthetic wouldn't translate well for a resort collection, yet obviously I have been proven very very wrong (see evidence below). I have posted my six favorite looks from the collection and the place I would want to wear each one. It's like a combination of Vogue and Travel + Leisure!

Very surfer, a little dark: Tofino, Canada

Beachy and fabric with Asian vibes: Koh Phi Phi Island, Thailand

The villa is all that is missing: Lake Como, Italy

Urban and modern: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Sophisticated with some Spanish subtleties: Barcelona, Spain

Hip, young, too cool to be bothered: Mailbu, California

Most definitely Scandinavian: Inari Lake, Finland

I can't help myself

2009-06-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

This dance is too sick not to be posted. Watch Ade, he is incredible.

There's something in the coffee.

2009-06-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is about coffee, there must be some secret ingredient in it that only industry insiders are privvy while the whole world sips obliviously. As a stereotypical Seattlelite, my day is not complete without a Starbucks. And while I admit to liking Peets better than Starbucks, I continue to religiously drink Starbucks. "The Way I See It" quotes on the back of cups combined with free iTunes songs keeps me going back day after day. Coffee brings us together in silly idiosyncratic ways, yet it does it nonetheless. Maybe it's best that we remain ignorant of coffee's secret ingredient and just let it work its magic.

The Way I See It #154

Big things start small. Rather than getting overwhelmed with the thought of changing the world, there are small steps we can take in our lives and communities that can have a real impact. Music is just one way of making change. What will you choose?

-Goapele

So You Think You Can Dance week 2

2009-06-18T23:58:00.000-07:00

At this point I have probably seen this dance ten times. Not only is the dancing superb, but the costumes and the music contribute heftily as well. I love Melissa and Ade: incredible dancers.

Now I just need to know where I can get a pair of neon pink side ripped leggings.

Under the influence

2009-06-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

So after lusting after Influence on bookstore bookshelves for months and months I finally bought it today and it was worth every penny. I may have thought I liked the Olsens before I bought their book about the people that have influenced them and really just life and fashion in general, yet I realize now how much more admiration I have for them after just barely scratching the surface of their book. If you haven't already, I would highly reccomend rushing to your nearest bookstore and purchasing a copy.

I wanna be at Bonnarooooooo

2009-06-15T23:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I was telling a friend that all I want to do this summer is go to music festivals and wear flowers in my hair. Here are some pics of the well-dresssed ladies at Bonnaroo Music Festival living my dream.

The soundtrack to my summer.

2009-06-14T17:15:00.000-07:00

Dont you love her already?

I just added a playlist to the blog (see panel on right) so that there will be something nice for you to listen to as you peer and peruse. My new musical obsession is the Swedish Lykke Li. Every summer I always have that one song or smattering of a few songs that define the summer. This summer Little Bit by Lykke Li may just be that song.

My shirt is a kaleidoscope of your mind.

2009-06-12T22:44:00.000-07:00

No summer can be complete without a tie-dying session. So of course my sister and I took advantage of the Orange County sunshine and made some white garb prettier.

Friends make friends wear Chloé

2009-06-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

I love Chloe Sevigny. I love Kate Bosworth (and she looks fabulous). I love Chloe's combination of the navy blue silk and ruffly romper with the tailored men's jacket. And of course the red lipstick doesn't hurt either. I could just stare at this photo all day long...

SYTYCD week 1 favorite.

2009-06-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

So my favorite summer tv show, So You Think You Can Dance, has officially started and I couldn't be more excited. Last night's dances made me want to leap from my couch and do a split leap, unfortunately I am not that talented. Overall though, Philip and Jeanine take home my prize for the best dance of the week. Jeanine is gorgeous and incredibly talented and Phillip is just out of this world. Sickkk dance.