June 2008 Archives

Sophie Dahl, the beautiful model and granddaughter of Ronald Dahl is now a writer herself. According to her Bloomsbury author's biography, Sophie was immortalized in the Ronald Dahl novel, The BFG. Word!

Her new book is called Playing with the Grown-Ups, and the Independent UK gave it this review: "Call it unreasonable, but a 'somewhat autobiographical' first novel by a supermodel whose grandfather happened to be a good writer doesn't always fill the heart with joy. Envy, perhaps. Schadenfreude. But not joy. Particularly when the cover glitters with fairies. And the blurb describes a character as a 'silver-eyed beauty'. This is a shame, because this novel is really not bad. Which obviously doesn't help the envy or the schadenfreude."

Of course Dahl pales in comparison to her famous grandfather, but her first novel wasn't exactly bad in my book. Trite, yes - sentimental, yes - but not unreadable. I did experience schadenfreude while I read it, but not enough for me to hate it (although, seriously, who describes themselves in an autobiographical novel as a 'silver-eyed beauty'). I could have done without Sophie calling herself beautiful in every other page, but her novel is a good summer read for those Dolores Park afternoons or while sunning on Baker Beach.

Thierry Mugler closed up shop for the last five years, but he's back with a new capsule collection. Thierry left fashion to focus on perfume, which makes up 80% of his company's revenue, but he is back to clothes. Naomi Watts donned one of Mugler's designs to the last MET gala, and a new interest in Mugler has surged through the fashion industry. The capsule collection is designed by Rosemary Rodriguez, who worked closely with the company between 1994-1999 as artistic director.

That is all okay and well, but does anyone remember when Thierry Mugler gave himself a makeover back in June 2007 and transformed himself into a horrifying, completely NSFW monster?

Maybe with the help of beautiful and classy Naomi Watts, as she steps in as the new face of Angel perfume, Mugler can bring himself back to A-status in the fashion industry.

I was in the Mission for the Dyke March, and I saw her strolling in this ensemble like it was any other Saturday afternoon. She looks like a Victorian magician robot. I love her Geordi La Forge inspired sunglasses, the coattails, the cane, and the skintight spandex hot pants. My favorite thing about this look? The top hat. One of my favorite trends in womenswear.  

Ruslana Korshunova, the beautiful Vogue and Elle cover model from Russia, died yesterday in a fall from her Water Street apartment in New York City in an apparent suicide.

Born in the Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, Ruslana became a successful model who has worked for Marc Jacobs, Donna Karen, Vera Wang and Nina Ricci.

She has been described as having a face out of a fairy tale. She was only 20 years old.

 

It's Pride this weekend in San Francisco, and you know what that means. Besides drama, parties, sequins, glitter, and memories, it means wearing over the top makeup! Or, at least for me it does. The pictures above are from Christian Dior's couture shows, and I've been dying for an opportunity to try some of those looks myself. The models are just gorgeous and the makeup, despite being decidedly trannilicious, is really intricate and - in my opinion - quite beautiful.

Pride weekend reminds me of why I love living in a city like San Francisco. It's going to be a crazy weekend and much of the fun is just dressing up in celebratory duds with your friends. I will be fore sure rocking some ridiculous eye glitter tonight at Sweet Beast at the Transfer, a once a year party where everyone dons animal costumes. My animal? A French poodle.

Photos courtesy of Style.com

Candy Kitchen Lingerie sells the kind of lingerie that's almost too pretty to wear. It's my new favorite lingerie boutique in SF. Located at 2807 24th Street, between Bryant & York, they sell all my favorite lines of lingerie, like Cosabella, Mary Green, and Betsy Johnson, and everything they offer is tasteful, girly, and so absolutely sweet they're like edible underwear, minus the edible part and the vulgar part.

Stepping into Candy Kitchen reminds me of that scene in Gone with the Wind when Scarlett just gets married to Rhett, and is preparing for her honeymoon, and a montage of all her adorable new lingerie flashes before the screen, reminding us of how amazing her life is.

Get 15% off your first purchase if you print out the coupon to the right and bring it in before June 30!

Does anyone read The Economist? My father got me a subscription for my birthday (um, thanks Dad) and I have been known to peruse it from time to time. In the latest issue of the mag, something interesting caught my eye. A new bill is going to allocate more visas be given to fashion models looking to work in the US. A lot of foreign models are denied entry to the USA because of the limited number of H-1B (temporary work) visas the government issues. Anthony Weiner, the NY congressman, promised a bill that allows models to get their own special classification and would free up more visas. Should the bill pass, 1,000 models will be allowed to walk US runways each year as opposed to just 349 in 2007. Critics are accusing Weiner - a bachelor himself - of proposing the bill just so he can land a hot date. Steve King, the Iowa congressman, nicknamed the bill "The Ugly American Act," because it sends the message that America doesn't have enough attractive people. I don't know if the bill will pass - The Economist predicts it will be a long shot. According to the magazine, "Luckily though, supermodels like Gisele Bundchen are in the clear. They are eligible for O-1 visas, given to those with 'extraordinary ability,' like Nobel laureates."

Richard Chai's new diffusion collection for Target is my favorite of all the GO International collections yet. NYLON has the first look, and you can 8 Chai outfits previewed on their site. The outfits cost about $90 for the ENTIRE head to toe look, and the clothes are so so so cute.

I especially like this look to the right. Rich yet muted colors are a theme in Chai's Target line, and I love the way the purple on the vest pairs with the dusty lavender of the skirt. The geometric tank is also adorable. I can see it dressed up with a skirt, like in this picture, but also casually thrown over a pair of skinny jeans and some ankle boots for a more rock'n'roll vibe. The collection drops at Target in August. In the meantime, get the new NYLON for the in depth article about Chai's collaboration.

Dear Richard Chai and Target. I love you.

Jacob the Jeweler, the famed New York based jewelry maker and self-proclaimed 'King of Bling', was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison yesterday for his involvement in a drug ring run by the violent Black Mafia family of Detroit. Jacob was also dealing with Newark drug trafficker Hakeem Curry, who was last year sentenced last year to life in prison. Beginning in 2000, about 1,100 pounds of the Peruvian marching dust had been confiscated from the Black Mafia family, in addition to $19 million in cash.

Jacob Arobov is a popular jeweler amongst the rap and hip hop community, having clients like 50 Cent, Diddy, Jay-Z, Beyonce, L L Cool J, Mya, and Lil Kim. But his watches weren't just worn by people in that industry. Leo, Bono, Shaq, J Lo, Paris Hilton, and Elton John all wore his watches.

His tale reads like a sad rags to riches story. Arobov moved to the United States from Uzbekistan when he was just 14 years old, and opened his first jewelry stall in the Diamond District's Kaplan Jewelry Exchange, in Manhattan, when he was just 21.

Michael Jackson is coming out with his own clothing line. I predict they will be as, um, 'eccentric' as the singer himself. I cannot help wondering if we'll see the usual MJ fare of epaulets, white socks with loafers, single gloves, and SARS masks. 

His friend Christian Audigier, a designer at Ed Hardy, will be his collaborator. Their line will be sold exclusively at Kitson this fall.

I admittedly love Michael Jackson, despite his bizarre lifestyle and shady past, because I focus on his music and avert all of my attention away from the way he looks/dresses/behaves. This fashion line, in my opinion, is a terrible idea because it channels all of the world's attention back toward the most disturbing thing about the singer himself: the way he looks. Unless he designs clothes that give no hint of that special MJ touch (ew) on them, like plain white t-shirts (which I highly doubt given the singer's complete devotion over the years to his idiosyncratic style of dress) the public probably doesn't want to be reminded of the more unsavory and unsettling aspects of the famous chanteur/chanteuse.

I predict, however, that some of the clothes may take off if for no other reason than irony value. They may get a cult following from the hipster community. His die-hard fans (which, yes, are still out there) will probably support the line as well. But between a few niches of consumers, do you think it will be enough to sell a collection? Would you wear Michael Jackson's clothing?

Oh my GOD! Yes! Vivienne Westwood sent us a bear on her runway show in Milan. I love it!!!! Not that I don't love the parade of svelte, petal-faced Eastern European boys who sashay down the catwalks in skintight pants, but the hirsute Sergio Lo Re (a model and bodyguard, no less) shows us fashion from a different, meatier perspective - and it's fantastic. He's even wearing mandals, a favorite look in my heart for summer. It just goes to show, you can still be a macho man and still wear buttery brown, ankle-strap sandals in the summer. Now - men - please do us all a favor and throw away those gnarly Reefs and Rainbows. Invest in something that will make you look like less of a San Diego frat boy and more like a Greek sailor.

I could only wear this if I had done several rounds of tequila shots and lost all my public inhibitions am decidedly not the type of person who could wear this bodysuit without feeling desperately self-conscious, but part of me (the masochistic instinct) likes this look somewhat. I can sort of see where Alexander McQueen is going with this - it combines the idea of protective body armor (scuba gear or spacesuit) with the naked, obvious vulnerability of exposing the body itself. The model appears as strong as a new age space cadet, and as defenseless as an acrobat suspended in the air, without a net. The play on significations and contradictory suggestions is, admittedly, interesting.

However, as appealing as the theoretical explorations of this ensemble happen to be, it's an entirely unwearable piece of art. I mean, you'd practically have to get naked just to use the loo, and it presents an abominably unrealistic expectation of what a woman's body ought to look like - flat of stomach, trim of thigh, protruding of hipbone, and all around reed thin. I can see this being layered under, say, a diaphanous high waisted skirt, but by itself, it makes the model look like a very big orange salamander.

Not to mention, if you wore such an outfit, you'd run the risk of alienating everyone around you. No matter how many protestations of "but it's McQueen" you sputtered, you'd still be wearing a bodysuit in public, and that may - the some people - be labeled as arrogant and overly self-certain inappropriate.

Frida Kahlo is a serious style icon. The Frida Kahlo exhibit at the SF MoMA plays as a stunning tribute to Frida's artistic genius, and everyone in SF ought to make time to go. The exhibit will be at the museum until September 28.

Frida has always inspired me with her dark, brooding beauty. Whereas some women give the impression of being generically ethereal, Frida's beauty stems from being the exactly opposite of that; she is handsome, somber, swarthy, and categorically earthy. Her beauty always struck me as being so metaphorically heavy. From the heavy headdresses she favored, to her enormous, pendulous jewelry (particularly earrings), to the reams of fabric she liked to heap upon her body - those cumbersome floor length skirts and thick shawls despite the balmy Mexican weather - and even to the thick body hair she refused to remove, Frida was absolutely weighed down physically, perhaps as a symbol of the ways in which she was weighed down spiritually, with her husband's multiple affairs catalyzing the depression she long suffered from, to her recurring miscarriages, near fatal accidents, and congenital illnesses that plagued her throughout her life. Yet, despite all the tumult and sadness, her beauty still managed to make itself apparent, not just in her art, but in her person. That same heaviness, those same burdens, inspired the way Frida dressed and presented herself, and in doing so, have made her physically iconic in addition to being artistically genius.

New York Ranger Sean Avery is guest editing Men's Vogue this week. While on break from hockey, Avery fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams of working in fashion by interning at Vogue magazine. Despite already making millions of dollars every year playing professional sports, Avery spent his summer making minimum wage at Vogue,  doing tasks like printing copies for his bosses and assisting photographers and stylists at fashion shoots.

Says Avery, "I like clothes. Always have. What started innocently enough with my first tie-dyed Chip & Pepper shirt at age 12 has evolved over a decade and a half into a closet full of Dries Van Noten, YSL, Dior, and Costume National, to name just a few."

"I don't watch sports. I don't read about sports. Generally, other than spending a lot of time in dressing rooms both at home and on the road, I don't hang out with other athletes. Over breakfast in hotels when the Rangers are on the road, I read the Style section in The New York Times."

Avery cautions people about teasing him for his unconventional interests. "If you feel like teasing this hockey player about an obsession of his that you might think is a little unusual, go right ahead. Just know that you may get your ass kicked by a very expensive pair of shoes -- and that they'll probably match both my belt and my shirt."

Sean Avery makes $2 million dollars a year playing for the Rangers. Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief at Vogue, makes the same amount each year, heading the Fashion Bible of the World.

Lulu Frost, the high end jewelry line, is collaborating with Urban Outfitters to create a five-piece collection, entitled "Secret Garden," that will retail from $18 - $48. Lisa Salzer, creator of Lulu Frost, says, "We're doing a lot of charms that allude to the theme, like a crystal ball, a bug, a leaf and a lock and key,"

Salzer founded the line in 2005, while she was a senior at Dartmouth (your StyleGirl's alma mater). Lisa and I were both at Dartmouth in 2005 but I never had the pleasure of meeting her. I am excited that her line has expanded so much!

Lulu Frost jewelry has leaped from behind the counters at Bergdorf Goodman into the mass market, and in addition to collaborating with Urban Outfitters, Salzer is working with the Plaza Hotel's new boutique to create a line of pendants, each with a number that represents the Plaza Hotel's room numbers. The charms are seen to the right.

People generally think that high fashion always trickles down to street fashion, and never vice versa. In many peoples' minds, YSL or Dior or Chanel walks something on a catwalk in Paris, and two years later, replicas are sold in suburban malls all across the world. But fashion is also very much inspired by street culture and the idea of 'youth culture.' Designers are constantly ripping off trends they see on the streets (and now, in street fashion blogs) and marketing them to the masses. These clothes from the Gucci Spring 2009 collection, which debuted yesterday in Milan, show this phenomenon. Models strolled down the catwalk to the tunes of MGMT, and the press notes called this show an exploration of "the new way in which youth and luxury can seamlessly coexist." Gucci is obviously jumping on the hipster fashion bandwagon.



In true Gucci fashion, everything was completely over-the-top and accessorized beyond an inch of its life. Also, I don't know what their market is going to think about this. When I think about guys who wear Gucci, the idea of urban hipster doesn't exactly come into mind. If you want to dress like a hipster that badly, just keep your wallet safe and shop at thrift stores.

Gargyle is having a sale! Their fabulous clothes are marked 30% to 50% off!!!



Was: $354. Now: $141.



Was: $485. Now: $242.
 

Was: $330. Now: $132.

BRB -- I'm going shopping.

"Above all, remember that the most important thing you can take anywhere is not a Gucci bag or French-cut jeans; it's an open mind."

I've been looking for the perfect black strapless jumpsuit for the past two months and it looks like she's found it first. Since I don't want to be a copycat, I guess I'll just have to get this equally cute one instead. Note, ladies: it's finally getting warm enough to bare your shoulders in San Francisco! I'm digging her stunna shades and blue fixie, but my only question is, there are still people out there who listen to cassettes?

Here are the gorgeous Sienna Miller and the stunning Keira Knightley at the Edge of Love premiere. They starred in the film together, and it appears that working on the film has made them friends. I love it when beautiful Hollywood actresses are friends with one another (Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman) rather than foes (Lindsay Lohan and Scarlett Johansson).

Of course, just because you're friends doesn't mean you want the other person to outshine you at the premiere. Sienna Miller is not a tall girl, but she gives herself the illusion of height in this photo with Keira Knightley. The long black dress elongates her figure, and to even up the space above her head where Keira towers over her, she wears a hat. When I first looked at this photo, it didn't immediately occur to the that Sienna is a lot shorter than Keira. The hat really does the trick! Also, by wearing a long maxi dress, you can't tell exactly where Sienna's legs begin. It's no secret she's not as leggy as her brunette counterpart, and it's genius the way she works with what she has.

My pick for best dressed? Definitely Sienna.

For those sick of the Wayfayers, vintage lenses, aviators, or shutter shades (ew) there are plenty of sunglasses out there that provide a quirky, fashionable alternative to some overplayed trends.

I adore these Slow and Steady Wins the Race glasses, below. They are just comic book enough to be strange, without overdoing it, and I like the interesting square shape and large size. The size gives them a geometric "Jackie O" feel. Weirdly classic, for such a futuristic design.

HauteLook is my an amazing place to online shop if you like designer sales - all they sell are things on sale! Register online and shop sales at up to 75% off. They announce their sales one week ahead of time, and you can hear about them on the website. Right now, there's a Foley + Corinna sale I'm absolutely digging.

This dress above retails for $495 and sells on HauteLook for $173.

Quick - go register on HauteLook now!!

Kate Moss wore this see through dress on a night out in Istanbul earlier this week. She is attending an exhibit of the works of late fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. She is accompanied by her daughter, Lila Grace. When you were Lila Grace's age, did you see your mother wearing anything quite this revealing? Kate is wearing a tiny thong and decided to leave the bra at home. Lila is only five years old. At least Lila is wearing an age appropriate frock. Kate is 34.


Whatever. We all love to party!

Guys, would you rock a pair of loud shorts this summer? We're entering an unexpected heat wave in San Francisco, so take advantage of the weather while you can. These are definitely shorts that will turn some heads, and they look great styled with a pair of high-top sneaks. If you go for the bright shorts, remember to pair it with something simple on top. It's 91 degrees today in SF, so bare those legs! These Jeremy Scott men's collection shorts are both on sale for $192 at Seven New York.

I'm not usually one to spew statistics about the state of our economy, but when I read this in Reuters today, I perked my ears up: "Women's clothing, usually the backbone of the $200 billion U.S. apparel industry, is faring worse, due not only to the economy, but also to a lack of innovative and fun styles. 'The biggest problem facing women's isn't the economy, it's the lack of newness, the lack of compelling fashion,' said Paul Rosengard, group president of premium brands for Perry Ellis International. 'There's more newness in men's right now.' U.S. consumers, both male and female, have fewer discretionary dollars in this weak economy and are spending their money on increasingly expensive gasoline and food, rather than fashion."

It makes sense that women are spending less money on clothing, given the rise in the price of more important necessities. But what struck my attention was the fact that men are spending more on clothing than ever before, despite the depressed economy. It could be because men make more money than women, but then why would they chose to spend more of their discretionary income on clothing rather than, say, video games or electronics?

According to the research, it's because menswear is changing and innovating at a faster pace than womenswear right now. In the past year or so, womenswear has been recycling the same trends. Consequently, women don't feel as much pressure to change their clothing in relation to trends, as they're staying the same.

In Italian Vogue's July issue, photographer Stephen Meisel was given 100 pages of photos to fill, and chose fill them using only photographs of black models. This is a reversal of most fashion magazines, who routinely feature only white models in their spreads. The new issue of Vogue Italia hits American and European newsstands later this month. The four beautiful models that grace the fold out cover are, from left to right: Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn, and Naomi Campbell.

Cathy Horyn, fashion editor of the New York Times, states: "The irony in fashion is that it loves change but it can't actually change anything. It can only reflect a change in the air. But what changes fashion? What would finally move American designers to include more black models on their runways? That 30 percent of the country is nonwhite? That black women spend $20 billion a year on clothes? That an African-American is the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party?"

Hopefully, this new Stephen Meisel spread will help change some of fashion's ingrained prejudices and allow us all to recognize that beauty is an international concept and comes in every color, shape, and size.