July 2008 Archives

Ever wonder how your favorite Editor-in-Chief lives? Carine Roitfeld's Paris home is pure chic. Just like Carine herself, this apartment is tasteful, perfectly streamlined, and has not one hair out of place. But strangely, I could imagine Anna Wintour living here instead of Carine. I couldn't help but wonder at how airy, minimal, and beige everything was, for a woman who loves to be glamorous in her all-black dresses with her rocker eyebrows. Maybe it's just me projecting, but I always imagined Carine Roitfeld living in a place just a little more dramatic.

Lemon Magazine is pretty much my new obsession. Lemon 3 is $8.95, and this fine periodical is available at Borders, Barnes & Noble, and  newsstands nationwide. According to the website: "LEMON is "Pop Culture With A Twist": a new breed of magazine that stakes its claim at the intersection of 60s-70s Pop and 21st century hyper-culture. Designed and produced with obsessive attention to every last detail, each issue of LEMON is pure Pop Art."

A blood drenched Leelee Sobieski holds an ax on the cover? A tribute to Clockwork Orange? I need a subscription.

Oh, and did I mention if you follow these directions at UnBeige, you'll receive a subscription for yourself - for free?

Chado Ralph Rucci

Gareth Pugh

Alexander McQueen

Giles

Yohji Yamamoto

Images courtesy of Style.com 

 

 

Images courtesy of Harper's Bazaar

 

Click at your own peril. This brings a whole new meaning to shoe porn.

Image source: W Magazine

Viktor and Rolf are coming out with three different styles of women's eyelashes, which will drop this August at Shu Uemera.

The eyelashes are Swirl, Wing, and Rhombus. Swirl is a girly fringe of flirty lashes, Wing is inspired by a dove's white feathers, and Rhombus is all drama: wild lashes rimmed with diamond-shaped, mirrored gold sequins.

The designers were inspired by Pierrot, a stock character in French miming art - ie, the sad clown.

According to W Magazine:

And yes, the designers do imagine real women wearing the lashes. "They can be worn as an accessory, when a woman is feeling festive," said Snoeren of the flutterers, which will be available in August ($95 per pair, shuuemura-usa.com). Then again, nothing's quite ordinary in their world. "We rarely have the feeling that anything is too much," he admitted.

Bebe hops on the ankle purse bandwagon, a year after it was introduced by Chanel (below). Bebe's are $119, on their website.

 

Would you wear an ankle purse? What are they for? If you had an ankle purse, what kind of stuff would you put in it? Band-aids for heel blisters? A lipstick and a tiny mirror? A light afternoon snack?

Bolded names mean I agree, yes, this person is extremely well-dressed and I totally see why you'd add them to any best dressed list because they're the cat's pajamas and I adore everything they wear.

Names striked through means WTF. No.

Names with a (?) after them mean, who has ever heard of this person? Is this person relevant? Who the hell?

Names left alone mean, yeah this is a well-dressed person, but I mean, maybe not best dressed. I don't have any beef with this individual, so I'll just let it slide, despite the fact that this person bores me. Neutral.

Women

• Ivanka Trump
• Michelle Obama
• Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
• Kate Middleton
• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Diana Taylor (?)
  
• Julia Koch (?)
  
• Tilda Swinton
• H. R. H. Crown Princess Mathild of Belgium (?)
  
• Evelyn Lauder
  
• Fran Lebowitz
  
• Sisters Alexandra Kotur and Fiona Kotur Marin (?)
  
• Iris Apfel
  
• Sydney Finch (?)
• Angelina Jolie
• Kelly Lynch (?)
  
• Christy Turlington
• Carine Roitfeld
• Katherine Ross (?)
  
• Stacy Bendet
  

Men

• Zac Goldsmith (?)
  
• Daniel Craig
• Matt Lauer
• David Beckham
• Lapo Elkann
• H.S.H. Prince Heinrich von und zu Furstenberg (?)
  
• Count Manfredi della Gherardesca (?)
  
• Kanye West
• Morley Safer (?)
  
• Bryan Lourd (?)
  
• Brothers Rafael, the Duke of Feria, and Don Luis Medina (?)
  
• Brothers Andrea and Pietro Clemente (?)
  
• Karl Lagerfeld
• Julian Schnabel
• Charles Finch (?)
  
• Brad Pitt
• Mitch Glazer (?)
  
• H.R. H. Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece
• Jonathan Becker

What do YOU think of Vanity Fair's list? Inoffensive for the most part. But not particularly progressive, or fashion forward. My general response is merely, "meh." Click here to read more about these "fashionable" people. Glaring omissions = Tara Subkoff, Zac Posen.

The folks at Jezebel have done what SBA is too lazy to do, which is make a graph of the people on this list. Data representation = hardcore. Thanks to Jezebel for this awesome breakdown. According to them, the list comprises of "17% royalty, 100% rich people, 0% blogger."

First of all, these leggings are made by Members Only. Members Only - you know, of the ubiquitous Members Only jackets as seen on pretty boys in tight pants everywhere.

Second of all, they're rubber. Yes, rubber.

Third of all, Faran Krentcil (my idol) at Nylon Magazine did a write up on them:

"PVC leggings are so 2006... at least according to Members Only and their latest invention.

Today the hipster label releases rubber leggings, which are cut skinny and shiny for optimum hotness.

The tights-are-not-pants stick very close to the skin, but unlike PVC, you won't have to coat your legs with baby powder before you pull them on (though if you want to, it's actually not a bad idea)."

I'm definitely going to snag a pair of rubber leggings. They're $88 at Urban Outfitters. Can you imagine the possibilities?

Meow.

A type of carp called garra rufa, or doctor fish, nibble on toes during a fish pedicure treatment. These fish pedicures are becoming huge in the DC area, after a place called "Yvonne Hair and Nails salon" started offering them earlier this year. Do you think fish pedicures will take off in SF? So far, none are available here.

Hunger is the biggest cause of death in the developing world, killing more people than AIDS, TB, and malaria combined. Child hunger is particularly devastating, and more than 50 million children in the world are starving and not receiving any aid. By buying a FEED bag, you feed 1 child in the world for an entire year. Caring is always in style, and you can get your FEED bag today, here.

"In 74 countries, the UN World Food Program (WFP) offers a nutrient-packed meal to children in school. This food gets kids to school, who might not attend otherwise, and gives them the energy to learn and empowers them to better their lives." "FEED Projects goal is to reach hungry children through the sales of our FEED bags. FEED bags raise much-needed funds for WFP school-feeding operations and awareness of the problem of child hunger."

"All FEED products are made as eco-friendly and fairly as possible. Our bags are produced with high-quality,100% organic cotton and natural burlap.  We work with only audited and certified fair labor facilities. It's important to us to visit the places our products are made AND the places our donations are going."

Have you seen a cuter bunny? These bunnies model Proenza Schouler. Fifi Lapin is a blog I found via Coquette and which I've been addicted to ever since.

FASHION SHOW at Lime SF. Two collections will be shown, Sweet Marie by Kaylin Marie Andres and Busted by Jany Nicole.

SWEET MARIE
Sweet Marie's latest collection is named Precious Metal" and is inspired by 'visceral excess'. Look out for her great use of contrasting ideas and materials. She'll show leather gloves (handmade, metallic) styled with "delicate floral silks, exaggerated silhouettes, and massive knit chains that seem to engulf the wearer". Visit www. hellosweetmarie. com for more info.

BUSTED
JanyNicole started her Busted fashion line in June of 2007 in North Beach San Francisco, an area known for its strip clubs. JanyNicole is inspired by the local party scene "to create styles that make you want to take your clothes off have a pants off dance off". Busted uses bold colors and sexy silhouettes to make "garments bursting with energy and oozing back alley sex appeal". This is definitely some club style that's worth looking into.

She speaks with the husky tones of a girl from Croydon who has smoked Marlboro Lights since she was fourteen. When asked if she has any intention of quitting, she replies, "No, because it's who I am. I don't want to create a phony facade. I think I just have to be myself; otherwise, I'd be a paranoid mess."

Read Kate Moss's Vogue interview. Read it now, and read it because she is quite possibly the most fabulous woman on the planet.

There is a perception that heavy draping (the kind that swaddles you in some places, and parachutes you in others; that inarticulable kind of draping that makes you look like you're halfway between actually being an inpatient at a halfway home) does not look good on anyone unless they are pencil slim and six feet tall.

As a petite lady myself, I think oversized and slouchy clothing has the ability to be extremely cute on small women if it is done correctly. For petite women, the key to wearing oversized clothing is to draw attention to the waist, and to make sure that at lease some of the arm and leg is visible. A slender forearm peeping out of a 3/4 sleeve can be chic - sleeves that roll over the hands like you're in feudal Russia is not chic whatsoever. When I wear a voluminous dress without giving a silhouette to my body at all, I look like a child in a burlap sack. You really can't tell what's going on under there. Not attractive.

This dress is a perfect example of where cinching at the waist comes into play, with its sash belt. It also has a rolled sleeve, and a heavy drape to the shoulder, which draws attention to the shape of the upper body. Though this dress looks sack-like, it has enough architecture to still bring attention to the body's form. Tres chic, and completely wearable, no matter how tall you are. No wonder it's $725.

StyleShake is an ingenius idea that has finally come into being. In fact, I wonder at how no one thought of this earlier! StyleShake allows you to go online and design your own clothing, by picking the color, choosing the cut, the length, the design - as well as your individual measurements so that the garment fits exactly as you desire. You plug the info into the site, and presto! 10 days later, your design has been ready made and arrives in the mail. If the dress isn't what you wanted, they will do alterations on it for you, free of charge. The above dresses are just some of the looks that have come out of the site. It's not that expensive either. Dresses go from 85 pounds, and shirts and skirts each go from 49 pounds. Cheers!

Sebastic lingerie for men, via Diane, a Shaded View.

A friend sent me this article from Lesbiatopia today, and I was struck by some of the coincidences between lesbian fashion and that of modern day Mission hipsters. I mean, mullets, fauxhawks, wifebeaters, and flannel (staples of lesbian fashion) are all wardrobe staples among the unwashed and emaciated youth of San Francisco. The mullet and flannel combination is the most popular of all - near fatally hipster and most of the time, completely unbearable.

According to Lesbiatopia: "Flannel. Finally, the paradigm of lesbian fashion stereotypes. Thank god this specific trend has mostly died out."

Well, what's old news to lesbians has become the look du jour amongst shaggy haired boys in tight pants, as well as Mary Kate Olson. One of the first people to really showcase the flannel trend was Mary Kate Olson, who wore flannel before anyone else even knew it was cool.

 

Taking cues from the ladies, boys have jumped on the flannel bandwagon.



Angela Chase wasn't a lesbian, but I always thought she looked like one. Lately, I've been seeing guys dressed like Angela Chase and even donning Angela Chase haircuts, like Jackson Pollis.



Let's face it. Lesbians have a way bigger influence on fashion than people realize. I hope the next lesbian trend to come back in style is Stephane Audran's late 60s-era powersuits in the film Les Biches. They are totally ferocious.



Stephane Audran, in fur and fedora (obivously).

The Wall Street Journal reports that Vogue and IMG are teaming up to create a reality series called Model.Live, and according to the journal, "The show, called Model.Live, tracks three models as they navigate casting calls, catwalks and airports for fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris. The first of 12 eight-minute episodes will debut Aug. 19 on-demand on Vogue.tv, a site that runs advertiser-sponsored videos and allows consumers to buy the featured products. The shows will also be syndicated on sites such as Veoh.com and hulu.com. From Vogue.tv, viewers can connect to Bebo.com, a video-based social-networking hub, to watch updates and interact with the show's stars."

"The Model.Live series cost $3 million -- about $31,000 a minute -- to produce. That puts it among the biggest-budget Web-TV projects to date. By contrast, marketers spent an average of $4,500 for an online video in 2007, according to Forrester Research." Express, the clothing line, is the show's lead sponsor, and the models will be given closets of Express clothing - though, for the sake of authenticity, they will not be required to wear them (hah!).

Unlike airbrushed reality television, this online show promises to deliver the goods. In the sense that we will be privy to these models' insecurities, depressions, unhealthy eating (should it arise, which is inevitably will), castings, successes, and rejections. But this is Vogue. I doubt we'll see the crying, catfights, and drama of trashy television. In real life, models are friends. And this show also merely tracks them - it does not pit them in competition against one another. I'm really looking forward to seeing the result.

According to the De Young's website, "In the 1960s Yves Saint Laurent made an indelible mark on fashion with clothing emblematic of the new modernity. Yves Saint Laurent, organized by FAMSF and The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in collaboration with the Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent, explores the designs that made Saint Laurent famous, and his inspirations drawn from art, theatre, history, literature, and nature. This exhibition contains more than 100 accessorized garments and sketches illustrating the lines, colors, and fundamentals of Saint Laurent's work. This is the only U.S. venue."

The exhibit will be divided into four main themes. La pointe du crayon (the pencil tip) will look at the progression of design from the starting point of a YSL sketch. La révolution Yves Saint Laurent (The YSL revolution) will examine the designer's menswear inspiration for his womenswear - i.e. Le Smoking. La Palette will look at his métissage and use of color. Les sources lyriques (The lyrical sources) explores his inspirations, literary and otherwise, for his designs.

It gets even better. On the opening day, the museum will host a symposium of speakers, including Hamish Bowles. Yep, I'll be there. You better be, too.

So the much hyped V magazine, graced by the buttocks of cover girl Gisele Bundchen, is finally here. Photographed by Mario Testino, Gisele's spread consists of a variety of NSFW pictures of her wearing clothes shredded to near invisibility. V magazine is one of my favorite periodicals, because it publishes pictures no other periodical would. But I'm not sure what I think about this photo.

Regardless, Gisele looks stunning in anything she wears, and she had some very interesting things to reveal about herself (besides her derriere).

On Mario Testino
"Only Mario [Testino] could make me take those pictures. Ah! The only person that can get me to do stuff like this is Mario. You know what he's like . . ."

On revealing her backside
"You know, people are going to say my butt is showing too much in these -- but, I'm sorry, my butt showed more in Victoria's Secret. For seven years my butt was in every catalog. It's hypocrisy: those [paparazzi] pictures ran everywhere, and everyone was talking about my butt. This is V Magazine--if you're going to do something like that, you do it for V."

On not wanting attention
"I've been a model for ten years and . . . I am the only person I know that does not have [a publicist]. Do you know why? Because I don't want them to talk about me. For my job I need an agent. Where am I going? What time is my flight? Who am I working with? That's what I need to know. I have nothing to say to people who gossip about me."

I have a serious thing for white jeans. I've loved white denim since I was in elementary school when all the trashy ladies with mullets would wear white Guess jeans at the bowling alley. The cutest way to wear white jeans is to unapologetically trash it up.

Tease your hair until it's enormous, throw on a pair of sky high ankle boots, and throw on your ex-boyfriend's holey Axl Rose t-shirt and you're good to go. Because, let's be real, white jeans will never be a classy form of denim. White linen slacks are classy, so are white crinoline nightgowns, starchy white shirts, and white cap-sleeved sundresses. White jeans? Not so much.

These jeans, by House of Cassette, a brand from LA, are on sale at Revolve Clothing for $127 (marked down from $253). I like these jeans because they're extra long at the ankle. I would never wear white jeans that are the perfect length at the ankle, because white jeans will make you look fatter than you are. I like white jeans - they look great if they're cut right - but they will never be as figure flattering as black pants or anything in a dark color, and that's something that just comes with the territory. When you bunch up your skinnies a little at the ankle, it makes the rest of your legs look thinner. I love skinny jeans, but they have the ability to make women a tad bit carrot shaped. This can easily be avoided with just a little bit of strategic bunching at the ankle, which helps balance out the size difference between your thighs and your calves.

I absolutely cannot get enough of the gorgeous architecture of this dress. It is so incredibly stunning. For her exquisite collection, Iris van Herpen was influenced by the crow - a mysterious, intelligent, dark animal.  Her golden dress comes from the old alchemists' idea that it is possible to turn lead into gold - thus, she has turned crows into gold. Under the golden rods, there is another dress made of black leather, and like the flap of a bird's wing, the golden neck of the dress comes detached and forms folded wings on the body to reveal the black dress beneath. The brass spokes on this dress were gathered from children's umbrellas and give the appearance of a finely-boned bird's skeleton. It's as if Herpen is creating a golden crow from the inside out, and in revealing the concealed, she creates something magical and golden for out of air - an alchemist's tale. The collection is called Chemical Crows.

I really like dresses that have an interesting print, like this bird-printed dress from McQ, by Alexander McQueen. For $545, it's a bit pricey, but if you've got the dough to spend, you can snag one of these bad boys at ShopJake Online. It's got adorable detailing, like the blouson sleeves and the gathered drop-waist, as well as the wide-boat neck.

You could wear this casually as a day-dress, or spice it up with a pair of black ankle boots and chunky silver jewelry for going out at night.

If you are mad about bird prints but don't want to spend 6 hundee on a McQ number, Mara Hoffman makes a cute bird printed gray tunic that goes for $173 at Singer22. Kerrigan makes a side-snap tunic dress in a birds and barbed wire print (how rock and roll is that?) for $94 at Tobi.

I'm not a print girl (you'll rarely see me wear flowers) but if there is a weird, kinda creepy print out there (strange birds, odd vegetation, snakes, rats) you bet I'll find a way to integrate it into my wardrobe...

Would you dine in the dark? Darkdining is the newest trend to hit the San Francisco dining scene, and it consists of a meal eaten entirely in pitch black. According to their website, "Opaque - Dining in the Dark - will seat you in a literally pitch-black dining room where you will be guided and served by blind or visually impaired individuals that have been specially trained to serve meals in the dark, casually and comfortably offering guidance and reassurance for sighted guests."

While the gimmick is definitely interesting, I'm wondering about the practicality of eating in the dark. How do you know where your food is? How do you guarantee that your food ends up in your mouth and not all over your lap? Is food really better when you are visually impaired?  And at $95/meal, are they jacking up the price in exchange for a gag, a curio? I don't know the answers to these questions. If you ever feel like going to 689 McAllister Street for Dining in the Dark at Crimson Lounge, contact me and let me know about your experience.

The Belljar is pretty much the most precious little boutique I've ever set foot inside. This art gallery, curiosity shop, and clothing boutique has an absolutely amazing selection of things (and "things" being the operative word), from fashion to knick knacks to apothecary to candles to artwork.

Located at 3187 16th Street in San Francisco, this lovely store - all eggshell white walls and hardwood floors and airily high ceilings - is a must see for everyone, from the casual windowshopper to the serious buyer. But buyers beware. You will spend some cash at this place, though it will be well-worth it for the goods. Check out their beautiful selection of little blouses and jackets. Belljar carries whimsical and feminine clothing lines like Jovovich-Hawk and Eskell, which go along with the rest of the store.

I love French clothing, cinema, cuisine, art, music, and culture. I'm a Francophile and unashamed to admit it. Today is Bastille Day, and I finally have a reason to celebrate some of the things I love so much about French culture. Like caviar, Gitanes, Francois Truffaut, croissants, champagne, Marcel Proust, frilly underwear, French poodles, Albert Camus and, most of all, Coco Chanel.

I think I may just have found the perfect little black dress of the moment. This LBD designed by Sea is on sale for $175 (marked down from $438) at Gargyle and it's totally fierce.

It combines two of my favorite materials - sequins and silk - and it has an adorable mesh detail at the neck, which, if it's not your thing, you can just cut out. I am a huge proponent of altering your own clothes to your specifications. I like that it hugs the waist and is short at the hem (this is my favorite silhouette). Combine the sexiness of the dress with the adorable vintage-throwback cap sleeves and you've got yourself a combination that's both sexy and demure.

I've always been a little wary of wearing a potato sack dress, because I'm petite and not rail thin. Unless you're the approximate shape of Lily Donaldson, it will always be a better idea for your clothes to provide some structure or shape. I love the theoretical idea of dresses that flow and swathe and balloon, but at the end of the day, I only like those dresses on other people. For myself, I'm most comfortable when the world knows I have a waist.

The black and white graphic thing has been done so many times before, but Without Backbones just does it so well I've been lured in all over again. I like the fact that these tops are on the looser end. I'm a little bit sick of seeing boys wearing clothes that are all completely skin-tight. It's just so yucky to me. So few people are actually thin enough to get away with it, that most of the time it's just embarrassing and makes you want to avert your eyes. Kind of like what happens when I see bros wearing keffiyehs and white Wayfarers - ugh.

Hurrah for Project Runway! In two days I will officially have a new television obsession - that is, until Gossip Girl comes back on air this fall.

The cast for the 5th season of Project Runway is finally revealed on Bravo's website. The fashion hopefuls are:

• Blayne, 23, Seattle, WA
• Daniel, 25, Brooklyn, NY
• Emily, 27, Los Angeles, CA
• Jennifer, 27, Pistoia, Italy
• Jerell, 28-year-old, Los Angeles, CA
• Jerry, 32, New York City, NY
• Joe, 41, Troy, MI
• Keith, 26, Salt Lake City, UT
• Kelli, 27, Columbus, OH
• Kenley, 25, Brooklyn, NY
• Korto, 33, Mabelvale, AR
• Leanne, 27, Portland, OR
• Stella, 42, New York City, NY
• Suede, 37, Barryville, NY
• Terri, 39, Columbus, OH
• Wesley, 23, New York City

Some of these designers had god awful personal style on their Bravo photos. Some of the particularly terrible ones were Stella, Suede, and Kelli. I'm talking just awful - bleach splattered light-denim bootleg jeans type awful (Kelli). I'm not too fond of Blayne or Daniel either. Obviously, I can't draw judgment before I've eve seen the show (well, actually yes I can), so I'm going to wait and see. I think I already like Leanne and Emily though. They were adorable in their photos and had the cutest shoes.

Above is a suede leather jacket that is entirely bulletproof. Bogota bulletproof fashion is taking off in England, and Miguel Caballero, the designer of Bogota, is opening up an outlet at high-end department store Harrods this week. According to the Telegraph UK, "His collection, which includes suede jackets, blazers and raincoats, arrives amid a big increase in sales of personal security products aimed at Russian oligarchs, Arab sheikhs and city financiers."

"Buyers choose from three levels of protection - the lowest guarantees cover against handguns and the highest against automatic weapons. The composition of the lining is a closely guarded secret, but it is not the traditional Kevlar body armour. Mr Caballero is not likely to be short of customers. London's super-wealthy feel they need protection."

His clients include Hugo Chavez, King Abdullah of Jordan, and Stephen Seagal. Hugo Chavez and King Abdullah, I understand, but why Stephen Seagal needs bulletproof clothing, I have no idea. Get over it Stephen. You aren't that important.

Michelle Obama or Cindy McCain? --Sharlin Aldao MIAMI LAKES, FLA.
Michelle Obama. Absolutely. She looks so comfortable and relaxed in her style, in her fashion, and she exudes that. She has a presence that gives you confidence in her.

With which designer, dead or alive, would you like to spend a lunch dishing fashion ideas? --Milo Keilo, MILILANI, HAWAII
Oh, the first really seminal designer of the 20th century: Coco Chanel. That would be some lunch. If it were a living designer, there's no one more fabulous to have lunch with than Diane von Furstenberg.

What is your favorite decade of fashion? --Kim Ho, DENVER
The '60s. I don't think we've ever seen in any decade as much of a transition in how people dress. From the Kennedy years--very polished, very sophisticated--we go to Woodstock and hippiedom and Carnaby Street and Twiggy and the mini. Quite a lot of drama happened.

For more of the always fabulous Tim Gunn, check out 10 Questions for Tim Gunn on TIME Online.

Because it's cold in San Francisco, sometimes I wear a fur coat out at night. Okay, sometimes I wear them during the day as well. I am an unapologetic fur lover.

And because this is San Francisco after all, I sometimes get the stare of death for wearing fur.

I like animals as much as anyone else, and even more so in certain cases, as I don't eat meat. And my furs are vintage - I would never buy a new fur coat. I believe in recycling clothes, so why throw away or boycott perfectly usable old fur coats?

Fur is the ultimate crazy old lady accessory. Sometimes I like to put on my floor length mink with a nightgown under it, and walk around my apartment smoking cloves and drinking champagne out of the bottle, listening to old showtunes. I don't know. Fur just gets me in that crazy old lady mindset. Think Miss Haversham from Great Expectations or Norma Desmond from Sunset Blvd. "All right, Mister DeVille. I'm ready for my close-up." Pair your fur with pantyhose worn with sandals, like Mary Kate, plus big sunglasses and an enormous It-Bag, for the ultimate in summer chic. And yes, fur in summer. You are a crazy old lady, remember?

So I just found out what Ikat (or Ikkat) print means. Ikat - which means 'to tie' or 'to bind' in the Mayan language, is a print traditionally seen on wall-hangings, which is created by dying portions of thread and then weaving them into a cloth. Ikat print actually exists in many different cultures, and from South American to Southeast Asian to European (Spanish) textile making, Ikat lays a part in each culture independent of the others.

So of course it was only a matter of time before Ikat became the next big thing in contemporary fashion. Ikat is huge for summer, and ShopBop even has an entire section designated for Ikat print clothing.

Ikat usually brings to mind couches in an Aspen ski lodge, or a horse blanket, but it's actually transformed into something super chic. I've been digging Gucci's Native American inspired sneaker, and I think an Ikat minidress would look so cute paired with them.

Would you wear Ikat?

Would you tie a long t-shirt and make it like this dress?

I really like the way this looks and I'm thinking of trying this look out for a casual weekend day, perhaps while chilling at Dolores Park or going to brunch with a friend. I like how tying the bottom instantly gives the t-shirt dress structure, draping, and shape. Something so simple can make a normally drab outfit so much more unique and interesting. This dress is by Obesity and Speed, and retails for $295 at Seven New York. Since I don't have $295 to spare on a knotted t-shirt, I think I'm going to do this look myself on a cheap $2 purple tee that I got at Thrift Town. Wear it with a pair of vintage Keds or gladiator sandals for the day, then switch it up with some sexy black heels for night. The great thing with t-shirt dresses is that they're incredibly versatile, depending on what you style them with.

And there is no secret surrounding my obsession with bows. The more, the merrier.

I love bows. I love bows on every last thing. I want to wear bows around my neck, bows around my waist, bows in my hair, bows on my feet,  bows around my wrists, Clara Bow, bows around a gift bottle of Veuve Clicquot, and bows on my purse.

The bow is one of the biggest trends this fall. Have you seen the Lanvin collection for fall 2008?

So don't feel shy about putting bows around anything and everything. It's the time for the bow to shine. Celebrate it!

Suspenders are good. Suspenders on boys are better. Chain link suspenders on boys OR girls are the best. I love this look, part of the Dsquared Fall 2008 collection.

Jeans are good. High water jeans are even better. High water skinny ACID WASH jeans are so good, I can't even articulate how good they are. Pretty boys and girls should always wear acid wash skinny jeans. I loves.

And HAH to the lit cigarette in his hand. (Note: smoking kills, and StyleBayArea in no way endorses smoking unless you are aware of the risks and are of a legal age, but StyleBayArea might partake of a social smoke every now and again, plus wearing acid washed jeans with chain link suspenders makes you kind of want to smoke cuz you look like a badass 80s rebel anyway)

I would probably not wear this with a turtleneck sweater though. I don't think turtlenecks flatter anybody, and rib knit sweaters are so ten years ago.

Loves the wing tips. I see boys wearing wingtips with skinny jeans and it looks so good. And this is a look that looks good with girls as well. Just look at Aggy. Suspenders, skinnies, wingtips. Check check check.

E: I bought a Clarisonic.

StyleGirl: What's that?

E: Skin water brush thingy. It's amaaaaazing!!!!

StyleGirl: My skin hates me. Maybe I need a Clarisonic.

E: Everyone needs one. I was having crazy stress skin. Now I emphatically don't.

StyleGirl: Ohmigod. I'm ordering one.

E: It made my skin feel like newly skinned skin.

StyleGirl: Really?

E: Like, you wash your face and you see the makeup come off and you're like, "Oh, my face is clean." Well guess what. It's NOT. Then you use the clarisonic and you're like, DUDE MY FACE HAS NEVER BEEN CLEAN AND NOW IT IS.

StyleGirl: (Stunned silence)

J goes and orders a Clarisonic. Two weeks later -->J's skin feels like a skin transplant from a baby's bottom. Job done. Je t'aime, Clarisonic, je t'aime.

The 5th Annual Fashion on the Square is around the corner, on this Saturday, July 19th at Union Square in downtown SF. It is the largest outdoor fashion show on the West Coast and is expected to bring in 5,000 viewers. Tickets are $40-$75 and the proceeds benefit the Fashion Group International.

I've never been to Fashion on the Square before, but judging from the pictures on the site, it's not really my cup of tea.

I would fight, tooth and claw, to get into any of the tents at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Bryant Park, but Fashion on the Square - on the other hand - seems like an over-produced, over-hyped event without much to show for itself. The picture at the right was the best image in their gallery, but the skirt still looks ill-fitting (bunched at the hips) and I am still trying to figure out what that thing is, resting on the model's shoulder. A bird's nest, with an egg in it? The bad stitching at the bottom of the skirt is absurdly visible. Also, the website had the audacity to state that they are featuring "8-10 of the best designers nationwide" on the runway, though they are designers like Nine West and The Children's Place. When I think of the best designers nationwide I think of people like Marc Jacobs and Donna Karen. Not Apple Bottom Jeans, which also showed at FOTS in the past. If you want to pay the $40 it takes to see the show, get them here.

Shop at Minnie Wilde. Seriously. This boutique is just one of the most adorable places I've ever seen. Even the logo and the red and white peppermint storefront is so cute, it brings to mind technicolor movies The Umbrellas of Cherbourg where shops are universally beautiful places with immaculate glass windows and pretty awnings in all the colors on the spectrum.

And even cuter than the physical store itself are the clothes that are presented inside. Everything at Minnie Wilde is designed and manufactured in San Francisco. How's that for local? Terri Olson and Ann D'Apice founded the line in 2001 and the store has been going strong for 7 years. Terri Olson, designer of the Minnie Wilde line, is inspired by "vintage textiles, classic film, the French, sailboats and show ponies." The Minnie Wilde girl is, according to the website, someone who "can mix a dash of vintage with a bit of designer and top it all off with something she might have made herself!"

Sounds like most of my friends.

What's not to love? The clothes are new and modern, but created with an eye towards the retro. I like the mix between old and new design, and I love the unapologetically girly nature of the boutique. For those who can't make it to 3166 21st Street, check out their online store. You can get some of their pieces online and have them shipped right to you!

YES. YES YES YES YES YES YES YES. This is great news for two reasons. First, people don't get more gorgeous than Takeshi Kaneshiro, and we can see him modeling Armani underwear. Second, it shows that the modeling world is slowly becoming more diversified (or such is the trend right now with the all-black Vogue Italia and more South and East Asian models coming onto the scene). I really hope the fashion industry continues to highlight more minority faces.

Congrats to Takeshi - who's pretty much a household name in Asian cinema - for being named the new face of Emporio Armani.

"I am excited to collaborate with Takeshi on this new advertising campaign. He is a film and style icon in Asia where his fame transcends cultures both East and West. His sense of effortless style is very contemporary and sophisticated and together with his good look makes him the ideal testimonial for Emporio Armani," says designer Giorgio Armani.
 
In the meantime, for your Takeshi needs, catch some of his movies, listed here on IMDB.

Dear Eric Damon,

I know that the next season of Gossip Girl starts in the Hamptons, but... my dear Blair Waldorf is NOT a Desperate Housewife!!! She is decided not Eva Longoria, so please refrain from putting her in clothes that are 100 years too old and too tacky for her and return her to the days of THIS, when she was fresh faced and age appropriate.

I mean, ewww. What couch cover did you put her in? And the pink belt? With the pink matchy matchy handle of the straw bag? Is it the Kentucky Derby? Leighton Meester is too pretty to dress like someone's deranged aunt. You know, the one who still sleeps with her hair in rollers and keeps an ashtray above the fake-wood-paneled television, and who listens to old Judy Garland records and makes weird eyes at the paper boy.

Thank you so much!!!! XOXO

StyleGirl

Daul Kim is one of my favorite models. The Korean beauty is a lean mean modeling machine, plus she's got brains (and totally crazy brains to boot). She's one of my favorite models because she just seems so un-modely. You'll know what I'm talking about if you've seen her blog. Her writing reads like an abstract, absurd monologue that surprisingly makes sense when you stop and think about where she's coming from (a magical land somewhere far in the reaches of her head). Like this gem:

in korea

they say one's soul returns as a bird

i hate birds

i hate birds eyes

they are so cold

my friend kicked a piegeon

and it died.

Calvin Klein is re-releasing CK One and instead of using Kate Moss and Marky Mark in the ads, he'll be using Kristen Owen (minimalist 90s darling), Guinevere van Seenus (she just looks grunge rock). and Agyness Dean (London punk glam). I love this pairing. I've always thought Aggy had a serious 90s look to her, probably because the lead singer of The Offspring was the only person with bleach blond hair I was familiar with in my childhood, which was (and now I'm giving away my age) in the 90s. I'm so old! And I'm still in my early twenties!!!

I know one thing's for sure. I'm old enough to remember the original CK One androgyny ads. And I have to say, they've picked the three fiercest and most androgynous female models out there to represent the brand. The 90s are officially back folks.

Do you remember when you were in high school and you carried a $1,600 Gucci handbag and stomped around in vintage YSL pumps? Me neither. Because when I was in high school, I carried a backpack and stomped around in Chuck Taylors. But maybe the reason I lacked a haute sense of style back then was because Gossip Girl wasn't around to influence me. According to The New York Times, Gossip Girl is having a huge impact on retail, with brands like Priorities - which sells at Dillard's - using GG as an inspiration for their mass market back-to-school lines. The NY Times writes that we'll be seeing a lot of "trim blazers lined in men's tie fabric, oversized cardigans and ruffled plaid shirts with gold buttons" and "patrician staples like crested blazers, layered polo shirts and kilts" not to mention "argyle sweaters, knee socks and high boots" on suburban teens everywhere - which, in SF terms, means we'll be seeing the styles also on grown women in the Marina.

I love GG for the fantasy it evokes. I mean, these kids are in high school and are carrying handbags that cost more than most peoples' college loans. They are also going all-the-way with one another in limos and on bartops - without using protection - plus they get too drunk to take the SATs, slit their own wrists, and die from overdosing on blow. With that kind of bad attitude, even the preppiest and most buttoned-up of ensembles comes across as a contradiction and, in all the propriety they evoke, transform by association into something deviant and fetishistic, like strippers who dress up like schoolgirls. Mmmm. I like fashion that isn't all what it seems.

Yes, it's true. I am slowly getting over my love affair with skinny jeans.

I started wearing slim, barely boot-cut denims in 2005, which slowly progressed into a cigarette cut in 2006, and finally into to the "so slim everywhere that I can't even breathe" jean in 2007. I love skinny jeans in all of their forms - from the basic, to the ankle-zippered, to the stirruped, to the high-waisted, to the brightly colored.

And while I still love them, I'm becoming more and more intrigued with wide-legged trousers. Specifically, I am obsessed with wide-legged jumpsuits that gather at the ankles, like this amazing Zoe's Tees jumpsuit.

I get a strong "It's the early 70s and I party in YSL at Studio 54 but it's July and I'm going to be in Majorca this month" message from a black harem jumpsuit.

Mixed with some lace-up gladiator sandals, it's definitely a look for summer vacation.

Glory be Hallelujah. Luella Bartley is bringing her creative genius to Urban Oufitters! Can we get a collective "Yay"?

Of course, like all the best diffusion lines, this collection hits stores in London first, but I expect we'll see some of Bartley's creations in the USA after not too long. The collection will feature Bartley's signature whimsy and feminine detailing.

Prices start at £39, and as there is only one Urban Outfitters in downtown San Francisco, I expect it's going to be a fight to the death for the best pieces.

Also, can the people at Luella Bartley take a request? Can you bring a version of the Batman shirt to Urban Outfitters? Pretty pretty please?

StyleGirl loves Batman. LOVES.

      PRESSE IS HAVING A SALE. You're welcome.



Proenza Schouler blazer. Originally $973. Now $293.



Richard Chai blouse. Originally $325. Now $98.



Yigal Azrouel dress. Originally $1020. Now $306.



Rogan anorak. Originally $450. Now $135.



Valerj Pobega evening gown. Originally $995. Now $299.

I'm sort of obsessed with social shopping. It makes the whole process of buying things more fun when you have the opportunity to compare and look at things with other people. It's like having a constant shopping buddy, without the hassle of having to go shopping with someone else that you know personally. There are many kinds of social shopping sites, and as this is a relatively new market, there is a lot of room for this industry to grow.

Here are some of my favorite social shopping start-ups:

• Kaboodle. You find products from other people with similar taste and can recommend products, stores, and make lists online. This is the most popular social shopping network currently on the web.
  
• This Next. Basic concept as Kaboodle but with a more elaborate organizing system, that sorts items according to their category (green, clothing, home, sports, etc). It's also got a more attractive interface than Kaboodle.
  
• StyleHive. You can bookmark products you like and share them with friends on the site. You can build a profile and add friends as if it were a MySpace, and you can even follow fellow shoppers kind of like at Twitter.

There are also awesome sites that are location specific and talk about businesses and stores in your general area, like Yelp and Guidespot.

We live in San Francisco, the city of start-ups. Support your local businesses - not just to boutiques in the area, but the shopping online start-ups, like ShopStyle, that are based in our fair city!

I love crazy BIG hair, and I think for those brave enough, this haircut is perfect for summer. This hair cut is low maintenance, there is no hair at the nape of your neck bothering you in the heat, and she's got the perfect amount of enormous "Something About Mary" flip going on in the front to get her noticed. I am half-tempted to dye my hair platinum blond.

Aggy is so huge that now that faux-Aggys are popping up everywhere.

As she's getting more and more emulated, I wonder if this will push her into doing more and more extreme things with her appearance to set her apart from the crowd. Even men are copying her appearance now.

Is this kind of exposure good or bad for her career? It's sure caused some rivalries. Kate Moss, if we're to believe the reports, can't stand the younger model. Christopher Bailey dropped Agyness from being the face of Burberry due to what he called "overexposure." Not good. Then again, Aggy just replaced Angelina Jolie as the new face of Shiseido. Looks like things are still all good in Aggy's house.

Honey Ryder is one of my favorite Bond girls (played by the inimitably sexy Ursula Andress). Honey Ryder is also one of my favorite boutiques in San Francisco, named after the bond girl herself. This adorable boutique has sexy-but-classic pieces from brands like Black Halo, Kim White, and Smoke & Mirrors. Their great selection and local feel has gotten them written up in The New York Times, Daily Candy, and Lonely Planet, just to name a few.

Best of all, Honey Ryder is having a HUGE sale starting at 5 PM today. Tons of spring and summer merchandise from 20% to 50% off. They close at 7 PM. Go!!! 

 

Way back in April, Alber Elbaz announced that he was collaborating with the Swedish jean company Acne to create a line of denim. Those jeans are finally here!! Check out the photos from the Acne/Lanvin launch party.

"What if you don't want to wear a skinny jean? It's time to go back to a product that has a dream to it. I asked myself, 'What kind of jeans can I bring that will be a Lanvin jean and Acne spirit infused in one?'"

The great thing is that Lanvin + denim = genius. The bad thing is that Lanvin + denim = expensive. At between $550 and $1550, this is not cheap denim. I covet the denim dress to the left, but the most I would ever pay for a denim dress is still far, far below $500.

Dommage.

The Lanvin + Acne 28-piece denim collection drops this fall. Instead of getting my Lanvin jeans at Barney's, I think I'll wait a few months and then look for a pair on eBay.

In the meantime, I'll be saving up for those oh-so-sexy Acne heels.
 

Click here for the most painful fashion reporting I have ever witnessed. Bill Cunningham has been doing features on street fashion for the New York Times before anyone knew or cared about street fashion. He was the admirable figure who first saw street style as something that merited serious reporting. I admit, I'm a huge fan. But now he is in his 70s, and he is so disconnected from modern trends that listening to him talk about fashion is like listening to your grandfather talk about Radiohead - it just doesn't go.

In the current New York Times style online, Bill talks about how the "new" baggy pant trend (also - baggy pants are far from new and at this point they're absolutely archaic). The photo below epitomizes the baggy pant trend. It is a screen shot from the movie Clueless (how apropos) which came out in 1995.


Bemoans Bill, "The trousers are going down so quick, it's frightening." Sidenote: He called them trousers.

He continues: "It absolutely defies gravity how they keep them on... in the prisons, when they took the belts away, then it became a style... and what's happening now is they're wearing these glittery, glittery belts. You see them here, with the huge stones. And the skull. The skull is absolutely between goth and street, but without the bones. There's a lot going on here...his pants are gonna fall off! It hasn't happened. It's just terrible. I've waited and waited. He wears boxers under them."

What is the reasoning behind this terrifying baggy pant craze? Well, according to Bill, it's because of the Dow. "Fashion seems to be reflecting the ups and downs of the stock market... if now, what are we, almost 80s years from the depression, and here it will be men's trousers going down instead of women's skirts going down." Then, inexplicably, he starts laughing and states, "A truck went by covered in graffiti. Graffiti hasn't ended."

Skulls? Am I the only one who is getting a Bill Cunningham should probably retire vibe?

Thrift Town, on the corner of 17th and Mission, is my all-time favorite thrift store in the universe.

And, for your ears only, Thrift Town (Thrift Tizzle) is having a 30% of all merchandise sale on Thursday July 3rd and a 50% off everything sale on the 4th of July. Now's the time to furnish your apartment and buy a fur coat at the same time. You might even have money left over to get a super burrito at Taqueria Cancun down the street. God I love the Mission.

I am very proud of some of the things I've purchased at this divine establishment. Among them are the following godsends:



From left to right: gold belt ($2), teal leather purse ($5), black and white pleated dress ($6), neon fanny pack ($2), purple t-shirt dress ($3), floral sequined yellow t-shirt ($6).

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get some cool stuff. All those items cost $24 collectively, but had I purchase them on July 4, I could have saved $12. That's enough for a six pack of Red Stripe and a veggie taco! Spend wisely, learn how to budget, and shop at Thrift Town in two days. Ya heard?

Anne Valerie Hash



Christian Dior

 
Givenchy

 
Armani Prive

 
Christian Lacroix

We definitely spot a couture trend. Expect to see lots of black Victorian lace on the red carpets this fall.

OMG SO CUTE. I am in love with ToyWatch. I have been looking for the girly glam version of a Darth Vader watch my whole life and I am so grateful that ToyWatch makes one for $425.

Ever sinced ToyWatch dropped in 2006 by Italian designer Marco Mavilla, it's been gracing the wrists of fashionistas everywhere. These are lightweight, durable plastic watches that are inspired by high design timepieces (gold and diamond Rolexes) except made with an irreverent, fashion-for-the-masses ideal in mind. Their website calls it an "anti-luxury statement in a luxury obsessed culture."

I love the idea of fashion for the people, but at $425, these watches aren't exactly affordable like Swatches. Still, they are so adorable, and like I said, I have been looking for a Darth Vader watch for years.

I think it might be time I traded in my own timepiece for something new.

John Galliano is going through a serious 50s kick in his 2009 Dior Couture collection. This collection all about wasp-waisted refinery - swanky, polished, and glossed with vintage chic to an inch of its life. Galliano had two muses for this show: Lisa Fonssagrives (wife of Irving Penn and Dior model herself) and the First Lady of France, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

What I love about Galliano is that he can take a basic template - like wholesome 50s conventionality - and tinker with it until it becomes something different, strange, and even deviant (in a delightful way). The perversions are apparent here: in the see-through skirts, the gauche make-up, the ultrafeminine waist-hugging coats, and heels so sky-high they'd please the most finicky of fetishists.

This ensemble worn by the inimitable Coco Rocha obviously draws some elements from the wicked witch of the west, as well as Gareth Pugh's Fall 2008 ready-to-wear goat's fur coat, but I think it's one of the most representative in his entire collection of the aforementioned aesthetic that governs Galliano's work. It's theatrical - yes - and anachronistic - double yes - but in its own way, it's absolutely wearable and, despite being couture, shockingly appropriate for the day-to-day. Can I envision Carla in this look, standing next to her husband on a stage? Not really, but I can definitely see where Galliano is going in his wishful thinking.

Join Billion Dollar Babes to get free membership at Rue La La until July 6 and take advantage of their huge sales. Shop on.