August 2008 Archives

Nicholas Kirkwood designs some of the most architecturally beautiful and SEXY shoes I've ever seen in my life. This man understands what it takes to make a woman feel sexy, and it starts with a five inch heel. Nicholas Kirkwood came out of no where in Spring 2008 and I am so excited for Fashion Week to begin so that I can see more of what genius designs he has to offer. Can you imagine slipping your foot into one of these creations? Talk about shoe HEAVEN.
     

The Painted Bird, at 1201A Guerrero Street (X Street is 24th) in the Mission, is a one stop shop when you need new used-clothes. Their selection is ridiculously awesome. Their prices are amazing too. Like, boots are $25. Shirts can go for $5. And everything is pre-selected to be majorly wearable. While it takes eons to dig through the racks at Thrift Town and Community Thrift, going to a second-hand vintage store like the Painted Bird is worth it, because the value of your money should also account for the time it takes to find something, and while you may go through thrift stores and dig for hours and come up with nothing, one stop at a vintage gem like The Painted Bird will yield major results. MAJOR. Trust. Their look is heavily 60s and 70s (which means: fantastic prints) and everything here, even if you don't want to buy it, is fun to look at - this store really captures the imagination, and for those like me who live in a cloud of nostalgia, this store is perfect. Everyday should be a day you dress in a schoolteacher or secretary or psychedelic grandma costume.

Look at the gorgeous and ethereal model, Tanya D, wearing Giambattista Valli's angelic frock. She's got the face of a Valentine's Day cupid, and the delicately perfect feature needed to pull off this dress. Now, brace yourselves, and glance at the horror below.
 


While I applaud Victoria for putting her, um, unique twist on things, you do not wear a dress that is intended to evoke ANGELS in a manner like this. The sky high silver Louboutin "Pigalles"? Really? And the oppressive make-up, that ludicrous pose, and the strange thing in her hair that makes her look more like an alien with an antenna coming out of her head than ever before? Ugh. I know she's selling her jeans at Harvey Nichols now and she's trying to be more high fashion, but she's doing a really bad job at it. For someone with all the money in the world to buy beautiful Giambattista Valli dresses, she doesn't have a clue how to pull it off. Poor (rich) thing.

I read an interesting article in The New Yorker yesterday - "Sole Sisters" by Patricia Marx - where she lists more types of shoes (the article is literally six magazine pages long) than I've ever seen in one article before, in my entire life. She talks about Roger Vivier kitten heels, Dolce & Gabbana gladiator sandals, Tod's loafers, Masai Barefoot Technology sandals, Cole Haan tortoise-patterned patent leather OT Air Pumps, d'Orsay pumps at Dusica Dusica, Taryn Rose chocolate-colored ankle boots with a padded foot bed, a whole slew of Louboutins, John Fluevog's upturned booties, R. Crumb capitalist oxfords, Sigerson Morrison desert boots, trompe l'oeil patched shoes at Berluti, ribboned heels from Irregular Choice, Guiseppe Zanotti silver stiletto sandals, Jimmy Choo lizzie pierced-toe pumps, millions of dollars worth of Blahnik strappy sandals, Mobius shoes by Rem Koolhaas that are formed by a single band of carbon fibre, Belgian Shoes from the Upper East Side Belgian shoe boutique, Swarovski-crystal-studded sneakers by Christian Audigier, and even shoes from Payless -- AMONG MUCH MUCH MORE.

When I think of lace-up boots, I think:

(1) cyberpunk - envision Neo in the Matrix in those metal-rimmed sunglasses, that overly-serious black trench, and those 'fighting' boots. Sadly, the Bay Area has not yet shrugged off the cyberpunk trend. Go to any Burning Man type party and you'll see people dressed like they're in the Matrix for no apparent reason.

(2) goth - think Marilyn Manson in the heyday of his leather-panted, dog-collared, combat booted over-the-top-ness. Goth can be chic if done correctly (Leigh Lezark) but wearing combat boots with grunge clothing tears down the chic factor in my opinion. If I'm wearing a corseted Alexander McQueen gown, you better believe it won't be with combat boots but with spikey, sky-high Louboutins.

(3) military - a primarily hip hop centered fashion trend... remember that awful Destiny's Child video for "Survivor" where they get washed up on the shore of some island and suddenly appear in these combat boot accessorized outfits, dancing on what looks to be Mayan ruins? Yeah.

(4) grunge - perhaps the ONLY acceptable way to wear combat boots in my opinion, grunge brings to mind flannels, Doc Martins, My So-Called Life... such a wealth of 90s nostalgia and anti-fashion, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this fashion movement. Just thinking about it makes me want to dig up my Pearl Jam CDs and write poetry in my Mead notebook with the Marvin the Martian doodles on the cover.

For just one shoe, lace up boots are quite versatile, no? However, most of the variations in which they are worn are unattractive and unappealing.

Combat boots are, however, coming through a reinvention period. They're being transformed, through the mysteries of fashion and taste-making, into a haute accessory. Here are some of my favorite combat boots for Fall 2008.


Ann Demeulemeester triple lace up flat boots. A lot chic, a little scary, and super hip.

 
Alexander McQueen's Victorian lace-up heel boots. I'm getting a witchy vibe from these and I love it. So Salem witch trials, I'd wear these with a long black dress and a scowl.



Marc by Marc Jacobs gray lace up patent leather booties. Subtle, simple, youthful. These plus black tights plus a little baby doll dress and you're channeling Debbie Harry.



Prada lace-up booties. Bronzed leather, cut at the ankle, sculpted heel, enough said.

In a sea of Ebay vintage boutiques, Fancy Finds is one of my favorites. Fancy Finds specializes in super feminine and flirty clothing that fulfills the psychedelic schoolgirl in all of us. I recently had the chance to sit down with Jamie O (the owner and headmistress of the Fancy Finds establishment) and ask her ten questions about running her business. Here's what Jamie had to say about a love of bows, her own fascination with clothes from the 50s, and being inspired by Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz! Read it, and then check out Jamie's unique wares. Snatch up the pretty suede cape she bought with Kate Moss in mind before I do - I dare you.

10. How/why did you decide to start going into the Ebay vintage business?
-- First off, fashion is an industry that excites me terribly and is my field of study. After working for a major retailer for years and learning a lot about the business, I decided to try to start my own venture with an online vintage business. Yes, it's no new concept, but I thought that I could bring my own concept to the table and at least have some fun along the way! And it truly has been nothing but!

9. How would you describe the aesthetic, or 'look,' of Fancy Finds? Who is the Fancy Finds girl?
--Having a shoot yesterday, I was joking with a model that Fancy Finds was all about BOWS. But really, aside from my love for styling with bows and ties, it's about an ultra-feminine look with a touch of storybook fantasy. Mixing oversized bows and bright colors with a feminine silhouette gives a modern update to a classic retro look. The Fancy Finds girl is someone who appreciates this feminine fantasy and wears it confidently.

8. When you go on buying trips, what sorts of clothes catch your eye? How do you decide what to buy?
--I always look for special pieces in great quality. I look for things that have a really great fit, great color, trend sensibility, and also for unique pieces that make a great statement. Almost everything I buy is going to be a statement piece in someone's wardrobe.

7. What are some of your favorite aspects of running Fancy Finds?
--There really is so much to love about running an online shop! I love doing photoshoots and styling models, collaborating on future projects with creative people, coming up with concepts for design and presentation...it goes on. The best part is working with a great team and having no boundries with how I want to direct the shop: start a blog, do fashion shows, meet people all over the world...

6. What era or eras inspire you the most?
--I love the buttoned-up style and silhouette of the 1950s with a little mix of the 1960s in color, proportion, and print. I love all of the great classic accessories from the 1940s like detailed wire floral brooches, feather hats, and sweater guards!

5. Why should we keep wearing vintage clothing? What are the advantages of recycling past styles?
--Vintage clothing will always be relevant and modern! That is the greatest thing about fashion: it always goes in cycles. In today's disposable clothing era, it's easy to look chic simply by wearing classic vintage pieces. Vintage pieces are usually made well and have lots of great detail and charm.

4. How do you keep vintage clothing new again? How do you keep it fresh?
--To update vintage clothing, it's easy: just infuse your own style! Add print and color to give some funk to classic pieces, and with the louder pieces like avant garde jackets or loud skirts, just honor the volume by pairing them with tailored denim or well-cut knit tops. If you love a piece but the fit is off, take it in on the sides in a 10-minute project or a $10 alteration. Same goes with long dresses, most can have some length taken off for an instant update. Find what you like and make it work! It makes the clothes you wear that much more special and your style of your own signature.

3. My own fascination with vintage clothing is deeply rooted in film and music, and past fashionistas like Jane Birkin and Penelope Treet who remain my style icons to this day. Who are your icons?
--Oh I am not sure my inspirations are so much people, but characters like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, Alice from Wonderland, and Mary Poppins. To me, the fantasy is much more iconic than reality.

2. Who are some celebrities you'd like to dress in Fancy Finds? What would you put them in?
--I would DEFINITELY put Mary-Kate in this oversized crochet cardigan because I bought the piece with her in mind! There is so much detail in the cardigan, you don't need to wear much else but some great platform booties and dark shades with some leather leggings. I can see Mary Kate adding some chunky bracelets and a Venti Latte into the look, too.

After that, I would put Blake Lively, as Serena van der Woodsen, in these great grey gauchos! It fits in cozily with her school attire and she can prep-it-up properly with a button-up under a short sleeve v-neck cardigan and a pair of her infamous sky-high boots a la Marc by Marc Jacobs.

Finally, I would like to see Kate Moss photographed in this suede cape while walking with Lila through the wood. She can it wear it effortlessly with some cut-off Calvins and dusty cognac motorcycle boots.

1. Anything else you'd like to tell us?
--Fancy Finds is just getting warmed up! There is so much to expect from us! We are in the works of two fabulous editorial-style photoshoots, some fashion shows in San Francisco and San Jose, and a great Fancy Finds Autumn/Winter Presentation video. We would also love to interact with our clients worldwide by doing a styling advice column in the blog.

How can one man be so quotable in just one article?

• "I'm mad for books. It is a disease I won't recover from. They are the tragedy of my life. I want to learn about everything. I want to know everything, but I'm not an intellectual, and I don't like their company. I'm the most superficial man on Earth."
• "I buy my shoes a size too small. I like the way it feels."
• "I have no problem with journalists - many are friends. Only if they are really stupid, or if they've got bad breath, or if they smell. Yesterday I had a problem. I said, 'I'm sorry, you've got to tell this woman that she needs to be taken away. Her smell is not possible.' "
• "They sent a private jet. I said, 'It's too small. I need a bigger plane.' It's fun, no?"
• "My sisters were sent away because my mother thought they were boring. I was not boring."
• "Chanel is an institution, and you have to treat an institution like a whore - and then you get something out of her."
• "My mentality has a touch of the professional killer. I'm like a mercenary, hired to kill."
• "I don't need meetings. I'm only interested in my own opinion anyway."

This man is insane. I loves!!!!

...she was this.
 

Too bad she still looks adorable, even with that ridiculous hat. Nevertheless, I'm glad she's transformed from that to...THIS:

"Hey Upper East Siders, Justin here. And I'm seriously inspired by Ed Westwick's character from Gossip Girl - Chuck Bass if you didn't know - so much that I'm going to pose myself as him in a William Rast blazer (William Rast is the LA-based clothing company I founded, FYI) on my new cover of Vanity Fair's Fashion Rocks supplement!"

Is it me, or does this cover SERIOUSLY channel Chuck Bass? Look at the dandified bow tie, the tuxedo shirt, and even that sexy squinty pout thing Justin as going on... CHUCK BASS!

I've been seeing Chuck Bass inspired clothing everywhere lately. And it's a good thing. Men, keep it coming.

And in case you didn't know - which you DO know - season 2 of Gossip Girl airs next Monday.

Party at my house?

Question: would you want to wear a dress you saw on a cartoon? Especially a cartoon who needs to get her teeth fixed?

Answer: actually, yes!

Wallace, Gromit, and Lady Campanula Trottington are the newly signed models for Harvey Nichols' upcoming fashion campaign, and the result is pretty damn cute. Doesn't the Lady look hot in her Alexander McQueen black draped dress, patent leather Loubs and a metallic Zagliani bag?

To be honest, it's refreshing seeing these claymation characters model some of these clothes. They're all so charming and unthreatening - it's great!

The department store chose to use the cartoon characters for a new store they're opening in Bristol, the city where the cartoons were created by Nick Park.

This is the new cover of the upcoming Purple magazine for Fall 08/Winter 09, photographed by Mario Sorrenti.

The website Tights Are Not Pants is funny. On it, you can even download a press kit with printable fliers, decrying the cause that tights are not pants. According to the site, "Tights as pants leave nothing to the imagination. Tights as pants are an affront to those who prefer not to know the intimate details of their neighbors' bodies. Tights as pants are the fashion equivalent of too much information."

These people must hate me because I wear tights as pants all the time. I know tights might fall into the "non-native clothing category" but I can't help it. I did ballet as a child. My parents dragged me to Shakespeare theater where men wore tights as pants. I was obsessed with Cher and Madonna when I was an impressionable age, and they wore tights as pants all the time. I am part of that generation of lost souls raised in the 80s with the "tights ARE pants" tattoo in my brain. I can't change. I can't transform. Short of submitting myself to electroshock therapy, I will probably always think tights are pants. And I'm proud to admit it!

Whoa. According to NY Mag, this is an "ass bra". This piece of machinery is made by a company called Bubbles, and they've labeled this the "OO push-up control brief." According to the Bubbles website: The "OO-Brief" provides maximum push-up effect with minimum booty coverage. Features a pretty lace detail at the base of each leg piece.

Hrmph. Okaaaay. I was still puzlzing over this garment when I realized there is an entire OO collection of undergarments, like the OO push-up High-Waisted Girdle Thong, the OO push-up control panty thong, OO butt booster derriere bands booty capris, and the OO butt bra bands thigh shapers, among others.

Aggressive! But smart too, in a way. Find a niche clientele of people with saggy butts, and squeeze every last dime out of them.

Have you ever wondered what it is like to go into some of your favorite fashion peoples' homes? Like Alexander Wang, for instance?



Or Erin Wasson?


Or Brian Lichtenberg?


Then check out The Selby. Voyeurism as art.

Women's Wear Daily is reporting that CVS is planning to open upscale beauty superstores, which they've named Beauty 360, where they will sell upscale department store brands. Basically, Beauty 360 will be something like a Sephora, attached to a CVS.

WWD states: The Beauty 360 units will range between 2,500 and 4,000 square feet in size, and will either be housed in an adjacent store, accessible to CVS shoppers via a breezeway, or a separate store within a CVS store.

StyleBayArea states: YESYESYES. I live across from a CVS. Think about how great it would be if all CVS' came with makeup counters where you could get your Lorac, your Makeup Forever, your Bare Minerals, your Guerlain and Chanel and Christian Dior makeup, all in one trip along with the toilet paper, the toothpaste, and the Advil. We are coming into a time of uber-convenience. I'm a slave to convenience, and this makes life so much easier for me. Another great thing about Beauty 360 is that you can get your drugstore brands AND your department store brands together. Makeup should be democratic and why should people have to make 2 trips, one to a Rite Aid to get their Maybeline mascara and another to Nordstrom's to get their Philosophy face scrub? This is better for customers as a whole. "Consumers may see gray when shopping for beauty products -- democratically filling their makeup bags with items from Target, CVS and Neiman Marcus, for instance." I think this is a great idea!

This YSL Mombasa murse, in buffalo Africa leather with deer horn handle, is beyond cute.

I remember back when murses were considered to be silly - but now, if I were to see a guy carrying this $995 bag around town, I wouldn't even blink an eye. Men with purses have entered our collective consciousness to such a degree that their presence is not only expected, but actually comforting. I wouldn't feel so bad spending so much on my own purse if I knew men out there were willing to do the same.

Sometimes, I even cannot tell the difference between a "guy" bag and a "girl" bag. This D & G embellished bag, on sale at Saks for $1519.42, would not strike me as a "guy" bag, though it is on sale in the men's department.

I think the next trend in murses is that men will start carrying women's handbags all together. Any why shouldn't they? Women's handbags are cuter. They're smaller and more portable. They come in a wider variety of colors. Men, take note.

Would you pay $198 for a boater hat? This Brooks Brothers hat is so cute - I'd totally wear it, except I don't want to pay $198 and I'd definitely not want to shop at Brooks Brothers prepster central.



















I just think boater hats are so cute on girls like Filippa Berg at right. That outfit is like fancy pants Great Gatsby meets I-want-to-look-like-I-am-really-broke and it just works. I'm a total fan of the everything at the kitchen sink aesthetic, so if I can pile on a scarf and necklaces and a huge back and a jacket over a cardigan AND a boater hat, I'd do it.

I just need to find the perfect boater hat first!

I think this will be one of those things on my wishlist that I'll just have to sit on until that perfect day I'm walking through Thrift Town in the middle of the afternoon and WHAM it's just there, in all its glory, for my greedy eyes and mine alone. Because I'm not going to Brooks Brothers.

Hahahaha! From Purseblog.

I am literally obsessed with bracelets. I love bangles, cuffs, charm bracelets, and arm bands all. I like to pile on bracelets until my arm looks like a robot arm.

That's why I'm super sad I don't have a CHANEL bangle, but not really all that sad because if I had one, it'd mean I'd have paid $140 for a plastic bracelet.

I will, however, pay $5 for a black plastic bracelet at Forever 21 and write stuff on it in French with a white out pen and pretend... DIY right?

Helena Christensen looks ferosh on the new cover of Dansk. At 40, she looks simply amazing.

Helena is one of my favorite models because (1) she was one of the founders of Nylon magazine - bet you didn't know that! and (2) because she epitomizes bohemian chic and even sells antique furniture in her own New York boutique and (3) because in the 90s she didn't quite have the fame meter of models like Cindy or Christy or Naomi but her career has had greater longevity anyway and at 40 she's still totally still in the biz!

According to Dansk: "We say NO NO" is the theme of the next issue of Dansk, out 14 August 2008. From the very first page, the word no rules supreme. We love to say no. A big no to all things we really didn't want to do -- and to all those situations it's normally considered polite to say yes to.

Rather than featuring yet another teenage model with next to no life experience, our chosen cover girl is supermodel/mother/photographer and shop owner, Helena Christensen. In a personal interview, Helena talks about the things she's had to say no to, and what it's like to always be the centre of attention.

I don't know about you, but I personally say YES to Helena.

Did you read the hipster hookers article in Radar today? It caught me off guard. Hipster hookers??? What is that?!?!?!? So juicy!! Also, the article came with photographs by Jessica-Craig Martin, whom I gushed about last week.

 

Are there hipster hookers in San Francisco?

Fashionista has transcribed the entire Kate Moss interview in this month's Interview magazine. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Highlights:

"I wasn't the Amazonian girl that everyone in fashion was used to, with the big tits, all curvy and tall. I was small in comparison. It's funny, though, because I always thought I was as tall as, like, Christy, and then I'd be doing her makeup in the mirror and realize that I was 5 inches shorter."

"I wouldn't know what to do with a B cup."

"I hate dentists. That's why my tooth fell out. I was in the middle of a root canal and wouldn't go back, so it just dropped out when I was in the middle of Fifth Avenue. I had to do the Calvin Klein show without the tooth."

"I met James Brown! I danced with him on the runway at one of Thierry Mugler's shows. He was singing "Sex Machine" and I was dancing in a ball gown, and he turned around and danced with me. It took me a second to realize I was dancing with James Brown, I froze. His teeth were so white. He wasn't really singing. He was lip-synching. But he was incredible. And he was so nice. He said later, " You've got to come to my 50th-birthday party." I was thinking, Fifty? Right? I think he had lost count."

Carine Roitfeld. She epitomizes bad gal radiance. Such a different style than our own Anna Wintour! These images are via Jak & Jil, one of my new favorite websites out there documenting high street fashion.

  

Carine Roitfeld is possibly the best dressed woman on the planet. I adore her rigid, intellectual approach to fashion that is still 100% body conscious and sensual despite the severity. I also love how she speaks her mind. On Anna Wintour: "Anna becomes so iconic that she becomes like a puppet. I don't want to be like that. I don't want to wear this uniform. I don't want to be just an envelope." Another favorite quote? "I love pills. I cannot sleep, so I love pills. My doctor, he tells me that I begin to lose my vision because of the pills."

Artist Terence Koh is a huge fashion inspiration for me. His style is avant-garde but still accessible, and his clothes are just over-the-top enough without going over the edge. He's definitely one of the best dressed men out there.

 

I am sort of obsessed with the original 90210. Seeing so much acid wash, so many scrunchies, and all that Esprit sends me into such a nostalgic tizzy, I get motivated to go thrift store hunting every time I so much as hear the opening guitar bars of the opening credits. The new 90210 promises not to disappoint by being so LA. On the show's very first episode, none other than Cory Kennedy, LA scenester extraordinaire, and Mark Hunter, aka the Cobrasnake, will make appearances. With Cory and Mark going on 90210 and Tinsley and Michael (Kors, that is) going on Gossip Girl, television promises to be pretty juicy this upcoming season.

Tavi is a 12-year-old fashion blogger who recently became the subject of an Associated Press article about why parents should protect their children from fashion blogging because it attracts unwanted attention from potential "predators." According to the AP: "To some wary adults, she's in a world where she doesn't belong. Unlike a typical social network page, a blog can be seen by anyone. At least one young fashion blogger says she's been recognized by strangers on the street -- a worrisome turn for adults worried about privacy and predators." The blogosphere can be a weird place, but Tavi is a sharp cookie with a very intelligent grasp of fashion - she can handle herself just fine out there. I just think it's awesome that blogging has provided her the arena to showcase her talent with style. She dresses better than most people in their 20s. As for the ludicrous AP article (which for some strange reason disapproves entirely of fashion blogging), it goes on to state: "You are what you post online. Are you posing in a more provocative way? Is it how you want to be remembered when your next boyfriend sees it or your future mother-in-law sees it or your tuition scholarship person's going to review you for Dartmouth?" Tavi, from a fellow style blogger who actually went to Dartmouth, if you ever need a recommendation, just ask.

Oh no! First, Jovovich-Hawk, now Mayle. Jane Mayle is closing Mayle after ten years of business. I love Mayle, and I especially love the British 'magpie aesthetic', so this is really sad news. Her line was a favorite amongst fashionable women like Sofia Coppola, Helena Christensen, and Rachel Bilson. According to WWD, "The economy, the challenges of running a fashion business, debt and the inability to secure financial backing can all factor into a designer's decision to close shop, but for Jane Mayle, an out-of-control fashion system was the ultimate trigger behind calling it quits on her business after 10 years."

This means that now is your last chance to snag that adorable Itati camisole top. Or one of my favorite dresses, the Ninel dress with its beautiful geometric design. Throw on the eclectic satchi paradisco jacket and you'll be turning heads left and right. Mayle will be no longer come February, so what are you waiting for?

This blouse is too cute for words. I want it! But it's $695 at Shop Jake. Who can afford that? There are, however, alternatives to spending $695 on a blouse.

My new project is to make a blouse that looks like this one, with my own materials. First, I'll have to go to the fabric store. Then, I need a pattern. You can buy vintage patterns online, like these pattern books for 1950s style blouson-sleeved, bib-yoked blouses. The Chris Benz blouse at left as a modified bib-yoke, and you can use a basic pattern as a drawing board to build off of, as you make your blouse more elaborate.

It's not very difficult to make your own clothes. Of course they won't come out looking couture - at least, not at first. There will be some funkiness going on in the beginning. But after the first project, things get easier and easier.

If you're interested in making clothes, you can take sewing lessons right here in San Francisco. The Sewing Workshop has a lot of classes geared towards beginners - like me. Come take a class and run into me!

My stylish friend J was wearing these white Bally's yesterday, and I freaked out over them. With the right outfit, white shoes can look really hip and cool - not remotely orthopedeique as they often have the undeserved reputation of being.
 

These Bally's are available at Zappos for $237. So cute! He was wearing them with black skinny jeans, a black sweater, and a black nautical style peacoat. If I were a boy, I would have worn them exactly the same way.

I read this article today in the Chronicle, and to be honest, I read this with a skeptical mind:

"But when Silicon Valley entrepreneur Rob Meadows thought about fashion, he imagined a purple-green halter dress and shiny suits of gold lace. So after he sold his mobile software company, Lumitrend Inc., in 2006 for millions of dollars (the amount was not disclosed), he decided to start his own clothing line rather than create another tech company."

First of all, tech geeks aren't exactly known for being fashion forward. They are known for carrying Timbuk2 bags and wearing Crocs. Secondly, what is a purple-green halter dress? What is purple-green?? But, when I looked up his clothing line, Thrive, I was shocked. Meadows' line is really cute. No, more than that. It was progressive, modern, and I would personally wear anything from his collections.




 

Cindy Sherman is a fashion icon, and my idol. She is a photographer best known for dressing up in elaborate costumes and taking pictures of herself. I admire her because, in all her photos, Cindy Sherman has such an instinctual understanding of fashion. Her costumes are perfect. Her clothes absolutely execute with razor-like precision the ideas and images she wants to evoke. For instance, look at the first photo, a black and white from one of her Untitled Film Still series. Does she not capture, so uncannily, the slightly lost expression of the secretarial heroine of a film noir movie? With just herself, she does the work of an entire editorial staff for a fashion spread. She models, she styles, she does lighting, she does makeup, and she does photography - all on her own. Talented, beautiful, iconic.

The Academy of Art in here in San Francisco is the ONLY school that shows at New York's fashion week at the Bryant Park tents. For fashion students, this is a HUGE deal. Check out their video from last year.

If you're going to be in New York City on September 5, at 8:00 PM, check out their show! It promises to be innovative, fresh, and interesting. You can RSVP here through the Academy's website.

When: September 5, 2009

Time: 8:00 PM

At: Bryant Park

I just may have to fly out to New York for the occassion. See you there!

Boho, a new fashion magazine devoted solely to green fashion, has arrived. This magazine highlights news and trends in the ecofashion industry, and it's also uses biodegradable soy-based inks, printed on 100% recycled paper.

"Boho is a green fashion-lifestyle magazine founded on the freedom to express your own personal style and live the life you want. Each issue offers the latest in fashion, beauty, and more, while inspiring you to help make a difference in the world by giving back and going green. Inside you¹ll find its content focuses on both the inner and outer you, infused with new ideas that will fill your spirit and empower you to put your own stamp on things while making the world a prettier place.

Boho is an eco-friendly publication. We are the first fashion magazine to be 100% recycled in our paper, packaging and inks."

Sounds good to me! The girls at Boho share my love of thrift store shopping, eco-friendly shoes, and green high fashion. I think this will be a match made in eco-heaven.

Gareth Pugh's black lamb leather jacket is 50% off at Seven New York. 50% off of $3950. That is more than my monthly rent. But a girl can dream, right?

Another initative to ban too-thin models from the runways bites the dust. Snore. From the Associated Press: London Fashion Week organizers have dropped plans that likely would have barred many size zero models from the catwalk, saying industry executives around the world felt they were not needed.

The idea of having such certificates grew out of an industry commission set up last year to address public concerns that excessive dieting damages the health of models and creates unrealistic expectations for young women.

I cannot foresee any sort of weight-based initiative actually passing amongst fashion week organizers. I will be the first to agree that some of the models out there look frighteningly, dangerously thin, and their presence does send the message that extreme thinness is the standard of beauty... But this is a societal problem, because despite decrying this standard of thinness, we are still snapping up fashion magazines with teeny models on the cover and funneling millions of dollars into the same industry that promotes these images. We are image obsessed, and we graviate towards the image that is most difficult to obtain. Because of our own twisted fascination, the fashion industry keeps feeding (unintended pun) us these unattainable fantasies. And because the fashion industry presents these fantasies to us, we keep feeding our own fascination. I don't want to sound cynical but this is a vicous cycle which I don't think will end any time soon. Before any sort of initiative on body image can pass, society as a whole has to really rethink our values.  

Jessica Craig-Martin is a famous fashion photographer, known for her less-than-glamorous depiction of the beau monde in party photographs that artfully capture the artlessness of people. Perhaps because her subjects are so rich, so ostensibly glamorous, and so spectacularly dressed that their more unpolished moments come off as that much more ludicrous, vulgar, and even monstrous.

As the New York Observer writes: Ms. Craig-Martin has a keen eye for the grotesque. One of her favorite pictures is of a disembodied arm. The liver-spotted flesh is so old it's practically dripping off the bone. "That's Nan Kempner's elbow," she said of the slim septuagenarian socialite's joint. "It's really scary."
 

She may have an eye for the flamboyant and the grotesque and be desensitized to random genitalia and bodily secretions, but she still enjoys the trappings of the good life. A "totally admitted Prada whore"-albeit one who has admitted to using fashion as a "means of subterfuge" and a way to blend in at parties-she's exceptionally fit and blond, and looks about 25. Lately she's been lusting after a $6,000 mink sweatshirt. "You can just throw it on with jeans," she said, adding, "In fact, that might be the only way to wear it."

I recently discovered Jessica Craig-Martin's work and I couldn't help being seduced by it. If there was one sentence that described her entire approach to party photography, it'd be "underneath everything, we're all just animals." Yet, despite her predilection for amplifying the garish and the ridiculous, nothing comes off as misanthropic or cynical. There's still, in the artist's words, a "hope for glamor." I appreciate that aspect of her photography. Her pictures are the work of a pretty, talented girl who likes Prada as much as the rest of us, but who is able to see that the excess of fashion does not mask any of our innate human failings - if anything, superficiality makes our shortcomings more apparent.

I love this romper by Samantha Peet. It looks like the mix between a Civil War uniform, a Victorian bathing suit, and a young English boy's boarding school uniform. It's so ugly-beautiful that it's amazing! I'd pair it with a straw fedora, a pair of super high-heeled spectator pumps, a thin gold belt, and a boxy vintage handbag. I have a lot of things in my wardrobe, but I have yet to include a turquoise corduroy romper. After seeing this weirdness, I think that will have to change. I also need to get asked out on a date so that I can wear this and thoroughly creep the boy out.

I am in love with this lavender bag by Be and D.  Lavender patent leather is and will always be A OK with me. Rock and roll, girly, accentuated with vaguely vaginal folds... (did you know that Sigmund Freud believed handbags are vaginal symbols?) Anyway, statement bags like this are great, because you don't have to worry about the rest of your outfit when you have a bag this cute. Just throw on a black pair of skinnies, a white t-shirt, and a hot pair of scuffed up ankle boots, and you're ready to channel your inner good girl gone bad.

At right is a Hockley advertisement for a fur coat, worn with a Stella McCartney bra. Apparently when Stella McCartney saw this ad, she went "absolutely ballistic when she saw it" according to the Daily Mail.

Designer Stella McCartney has furiously demanded that a leading fashion house drop one of its adverts - because it features a model wearing lingerie from her collection beneath a mink fur coat.

Ms McCartney - an ardent supporter of animal rights who refuses to use fur or leather in her own designs - is said to have hit the roof and threatened legal action after spotting one of her bras in the advert for Hockley, a fur boutique based in Mayfair.

It's interesting that Stella was so dogmatic about pulling the advertisements for Hockley. Her items are often styled with leather and fur for magazines like Vogue and Harper's, but the spreads still run with her permission. Stores like Neiman and Saks sell Stella McCartney but they also sell fur - and she has no problem with that.

However, Stella is so adamant about her beliefs that she refuses to use any animal products in her designs. According to insiders, she even gives her friends like Madonna a hard time for wearing fur.

Stella has told reporters before, "Madonna won't wear anything she doesn't eat. But the other day she was wearing this coat made from baby lambs that hadn't even been born. So I said: 'I didn't know you ate foetuses.'"

I am really into these Giuseppe Zanotti mirrored ankle boots. They are gaudy, they are goth, they're so Elvira. They bring new meaning to "silver tranny ferocia." Who's going to give me $995 so I can get them at Net-a-Porter? Any takers?

Van Cleef & Aprels' new scent is called Féerie, and it is meant to evoke the world of high jewelry. "At the heart of Van Cleef & Arpels fine jewelry, the good fairy symbolizes the poetry of a luxury universe unlike any other."

No wonder, just take a look at the beautiful bottle. I actually love the design of the bottle, with the little Tinkerbell-esque fairy perched on the branch. It reminds me of Lolita Lempicka's beautiful enchanted forest aesthetic.

As for the scent, it is violet (violently), and the top notes hit the olfactory glands all at once. I'm not sure what I think of the scent. But oh, did I mention I love the precious little bottle?

The company lists the notes as the following:
Top: violet, red berries (black currant), Italian mandarin
Heart: Bulgarian rose and Egyptian jasmine
Base: Iris butter and vetiver

It retails for $110.00 per 1.7 ounces and you can get it online at Neiman Marcus.

Juergen Teller is one of my favorite fashion photographers. He uses simple point and shoot cameras and works with overexposure, discoloration, and dishevelment to create a look that is entirely his own. His photos are spontaneous, raw, and somewhat eerie. There is an extraordinary level of expressiveness in his photos and, for lack of a better word, his photos evoke a sense of 'nakedness,' even though his subjects are usually fully clothed - as if his camera has brought to light what was previously concealed. These photos are courtesy of W Magazine.

Keira Knightly is on the cover of US Vogue's September Issue. And you know what pops into my mind? What is she wearing??? WHO did her hair and makeup? With hair that plastered (and still, inexplicably, frizzly), she looks like she just got done with soccer practice! What's going on in the background? Is she wearing two belts? Is it really necessary to coordinate both your bracelets AND your necklace? Why is the Vogue cover letting us know you can "Lose Inches in Minutes"? This cover is not acceptable. I mean, this is Vogue. I, for one, am questioning the continued use of actresses rather than models on the covers of Vogue. But my argument is one that has been hashed and rehashed more times than the question of why MTV stopped playing music videos.

American Apparel goes gay and it's not bad. But the ads for the womenswear line of American Apparel are so provocative that, in comparison, this ad featuring two men cuddling with just barely a crotch shot seems positively bland and snore-inducing. Am I wrong? I think I'd have liked the ad better if it looked more like this. This AA ad leaves me wanting more. More groin, more leg, more pelvis - and much more hairy. When I saw the above banner image today on BryanBoy I thought it was the first time AA was venturing into the gay territory, until I discovered this absolute gem.




The above is an ad American Apparel ran in Butt magazine, and I give it my resounding YES.

This woman - who is featured on Hel-Looks - is 42. Yes, 42. How is it possible to look so progressive at that age? She is an inspiration to us all. She is wearing a ridiculously hot pair of Martin Margiela heels that I am drooling over through the screen. It's good to know that there are people out there who can stay young forever. How you accomplish this feat is you refuse to go into early hibernation and stay as far away from Talbott's or L.L. Bean as you can. You throw on Jeremy Scott sunglasses instead, carry a gorgeous YSL bag, and dye your hair a ferocious shade of red that tells the world you are not afraid to be yourself at any age.

When I read this interview in Paper Magazine from earlier this year, I developed a massive girlcrush on Filippa Berg. She's not only gorgeous and stylish, but she's successful too - a fashion editor for iCity, a free Stockholm magazine with some seriously progressive style.

Filippa's look is pure vintage whimsy. She describes her personal style as "psychedelic schoolgirl" and I couldn't agree more. She's the living embodiment of how Kirsten Dunst dressed in The Virgin Suicides. Everything is deliberate, tasteful, and oh so cool, and she totally gets that insanely-hard-to-attain balance between girly and edgy that works just right. Fabulous.

My friend Brent puts it this way: "I love girls who really play with fashion. She truly makes it into an art form, not something trendy. You get the vibe she's having fun and being herself. It's really refreshing. Fashion should not be about wearing gladiator sandals and being a part of trends or trying to be the most fashionable. It's about staying true to yourself and putting together pieces that express a little about you as a person. This is why I adore her."
 
The best part about Filippa's interview? When Paper asked "If you could live anywhere, which would you choose?" Filippa answered: "I haven't been there yet, but I think San Francisco would suit me."

So the Olympics start today! Hurrah. I'll be watching the Opening Ceremony in Chinatown right after I finish these blog entries. Which brings me to the topic of - no, not men's swimming but, like, yum - Olympic fashion. I'm not one to dress up for a sporting event (the last time I did that, it was a Zidane jersey during the World Cup) but with the influx of cute new Olympics-themed clothes popping up everywhere, I might just change my mind.

I like this 1976 Montreal Olympics shirt available at Delia's. With all the controversy over the Beijing Olympics, wearing a Montreal shirt is a way to show your support for the Olympic spirit without offending anyone.

If Canada isn't your thing, Ralph Lauren has an entire collection of Olympics-inspired clothes, like this blue label Olympic games polo with printed Chinese characters.

Forever 21 has an old school 1984 LA Olympics t-shirt available on their site.

Nike also has a hoodie with an embroidered Chinese symbol to commemorate the Beijing Olympics.

Go team!

Luella Bartley's Urban Outfitters line is finally available! In case you didn't know, Luella Bartley is an extremely influential British designer who is known for designing beautiful clothes that are just a little bit twisted. In the words of the designer herself, the clothes she makes are "cute but always a little sick--that's my girl." That's my girl indeed. I love her decidedly unheimlich approach to style. The orange plaid pieces above perfectly display the designer's fascination with that which is "a little sick" - orange plaid always makes me think Halloween, which in turn makes me think of witches and goblins that poison little children in the night.

The bad news is that none of these pieces are available in the USA - yet. Urban Outfitters UK doesn't deliver internationally. Boo. But, as if I could afford the exchange rate anyway!

Michael Kors is going on Gossip Girl! Whoa! Big news. According to the designer himself:

I was glued into 'Gossip Girl' from Day One...I think it truly is the 'car-crash-that's-glamourous.' Probably to the consternation of certain people on the Upper East Side, they really get it. It's a pretty clear picture of how a lot of these kids really are... I love the clothes, everyone is good-looking, the plot line is a riot. I love the show. They called and said, 'You are very Gossip Girl.' I thought, 'Finally, I am a teenager.'

The new season of Gossip Girl starts September 1. I'm so excited to see what Michael has to offer. Season 2 of my favorite show promises to be rife with celebrity, celebutante, socialite, and designer cameos. Like Tinsley Mortimer, who was spotted filming on the Hamptons set of Gossip Girl. I wonder who they'll play? Possibly they'll just play themselves. But even better! Lend some credibility to the show.

One tiny request. Can we have a cameo by Michael Kors' mom too? Because ever since seeing Joan Kors on Project Runway, I've thought she was seriously awesome. She's like the chain smoking older female version of Michael himself, and someone has got to get her on Gossip Girl, maybe as Blair Waldorf's grandmother or something. I can totally see that.

Kate Hudson or Nadja Auermann? At right, the current cover of W Magazine. At left, a September 1994 cover of Harper's Bazaar. Was it intentional? Blonde bombshells with vampy cat eye and scarlet lip makeup, with windblown hair, and a light blue shirt? My vote goes to Nadja all the way.

James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem DJing disco at the Mighty. $10 at the door. **Edit: $15 at the door, thanks to Tumbledore for pointing that out! Be there!

I love Bond no. 9 fragrances. (My go-to fragrance these days is Chinatown - a sultry peace blossom perfume with hints of tuberose, gardenia, and spicy patchouli. When I'm feeling in a dreamier mood, I use their Saks Fifth Avenue scent, an updated white flora with bursts of gardenia, vanilla, and vetiver.)

But this post is not about Chinatown or Saks Fifth Avenue. It's about my new obsession - Coney Island. Coney Island is an aquamarine dream, with a seductive top note of tequila margarita mix (for real), mixed with the other smells of endless summer, like sweet chocolate and caramel to evoke the childhood pleasures of going to the carnival, sun-baked cedarwood to remind you of an afternoon boardwalk, and delicious summer fruits like guava and melon so that when you spray it on, it's always 80 degrees and sunny. The blue bottle was chosen to evoke the nexus between sky and sea, and the gold neck represents the electric lights that lit up the old Coney Island's night sky during the heydays of its reputation as a pleasure palace - resplendent with rollar coasters, parachute jumps, wonder wheels, and gilded bath houses. This is a nostalgic scent - it is the scent of an adult remembering his childhood. The best part about it is that it's a properly unisex scent. While a little too unisex for me, I gave a small perfume sample to one of my male friends, and it fits him just perfectly. This is one of my top cologne picks for summer.

I wish all editorials look like this. This set of photos is called "Suite Suit." Ethereal, minimal, metaphysical (a photo within a photo), gorgeously shot and styled -- this is one of the best catalog editorials I've seen in a while.

Milla Jovovich explains to Lucky magazine that Jovovich-Hawk, the fashion line she started with model friend Carmen Hawk five years ago, is over: "It's like, when one door closes ... I'm in a time of rediscovery, from my career to my personal style." I have no idea why it's all coming to an end, because it seemed for a while like Jovovich-Hawk was so popular. All the it-girls were wearing Jovovich-Hawk on the town and the clothes were flying off the racks at high end department stores and luxury online boutiques. It was even nominated for a CFDA award for best new design line. The two designers ladies got so big they even created a diffusion line for Target - along with designers like Proenza Schouler and Behnaz Sarafpour.

I guess what this means is that you'll have to snap up all the Jovovich-Hawk you can before it all goes off the assembly line. Like this adorable 70s inspired white pleated minidress.

Or this precious floral number that just screams 'first date'.

Or this sexy cut-out blouse with the vroom vroom factor.

Ok so you get the point, which is that now's the time to get it cuz it's not here to stay. Sob.

Kate Holmes loves mom jeans. She even goes as far as to pair her mom jeans with sandals worn with socks. I'm just going to pretend this is Evil Tom's doing.

Eco Citizen is a boutique that sells fashionable and eco-friendly clothing, like the Edun dress to the left.

According to their site: "Eco Citizen strives to offer high quality, fair trade, classic fashion design and construction to the eco-conscious consumer. Our mission is to support the planet and its people while encouraging and implementing fair trade practices, sweatshop-free merchandise, and organic fashion products. Eco Citizen promotes a lifestyle choice that goes beyond the traditional allure of fashion, by transcending the self through transparent business practices, while providing fashion-forward and classic clothing for the 21st century woman."

I am always looking to find eco friendly alternatives to great style. I love this Edun dress because it's got flirty sleeves and a cute print. Always a plus by me!

This Linda Loudermilk dress is also super cute.

Eco Citizen also has eco-friendly shoes, like these cute vegetable-tanned leather boots.

And boys don't need to be left out, because Eco Citizen has a menswear department too.

The best part about Eco Citizen is that it's conveniently located here in San Francisco (though you can order their clothing online as well) at 1488 Vallejo St. The store is open from 11am-7pm Monday through Saturday, and from 12-6pm on Sundays.

I remember back in the day, the only fashion term that evolved out of some signification of the male gender was the "man thong." Nowadays, with the explosion of metrosexual fashion, we have "mandal," "guyliner," "manscara," "murse," "manpri," "mansturizer," among a host of others. And we also have "mannyhose."



e-Mancipate is a site that encourages "the acceptance of male pantyhose as a regular clothing item." According to the site, "Any man can wear them beneath his trousers without anyone knowing...Men's tights are breathable and do not hold in moisture so they can be comfortably worn indoors and won't cause chafing or ingrown hairs." What are your thoughts on mannyhose? I'm all for the metrosexual movement, and I just love it when guys express their feminine side, but if my guy wore mannyhose and I found out, I'd probably emancipate myself out of the relationship.

I am really not the t-shirt kind of girl. You will never see me in a short, tight white teeshirt over a low slung pair of jeans. That's why I LOOOOOVE this Elizabeth and James white tee at Revolve Clothing. It's the t-shirt for those who hate t-shirts.

First, it's baggy, which I love. I like my tops to have a bit of a sag to them, so the volume of this tee really appeals to me. It's got holes in it too, which is totally fun and rock'n'roll. I love the studded leather detailing at the neck and shoulder. It reminds me of the straps on those glorious Rodarte spike heels that were designed by Louboutin. Because this white tee looks so edgy and different that even if you spilled something on it like ketchup or coffee, you can probably just brush it off by saying, "That's just part of the design."

Other white tees I love:

Alexander Wang's scoop neck tee at Barney's.

Monrow shirred tee at Revolve Clothing.

LnA deep scoop neck tee at eLuxury.

3.1 Philip Lim stone cluster tee at Barney's.

Karl Lagerfeld's Guide to Life is a hilarious blog written in the voice of "Fake Karl Lagerfeld," a man modeled after my very own favorite fashion couturier. While he pokes fun at the real KL, it's all in good fun and very tongue-in-cheek. The faux raconteur drops some gems like, "God, I hate the smell of food. It's almost as bad as eating it. So I'm not really eating, but you know what I mean. Other people are. Well. Other people, being one person. And he's fat, hmm?"

Fake Karl is now being interviewed for fashion blogs like The Fashion Time. Maybe I can arrange an interview with Fake Karl for Style Bay Area?

Some highlights of the FT interview:

The Karl hair is in the air, it is part of the very fabric of fashion. One does not "get" Karl hair, one obtains it from being fashion.

I keep personal life personal and private life private, hmmm? When you are as busy as me- work is sex. Oh, the chiffon.

The Prada women...she's like the god of the homeless. Yohji Yamamoto...the god of the rain. Tom Ford...the god of plucked eyebrows. Oh, most of the designers are gods. Even Yves is a kind of god. But it doesn't mean you have to worship them, hmm? Look at the churches of Chanel- and then the cold, cold churches of Gucci.

All the band members of Kajagoogoo had some pretty wild hair, but of all, Limahi's hair is by far the best. It's like he's wearing a toupee on top of a mullet, and the result is astounding, spectacular. There's nothing "Too Shy" about this hairstyle.

Let me preface this by saying that I adore SJP.

But Jezebel's article is just too incisive not to link.

But whatever the reason for men's 'viciousness' towards the actress, why do we care? Why are we so defensive about her? Why do we get so outraged when Maxim calls her unsexy? I think it's because she kind of epitomizes that, at the end of the day, men have very traditional standards of attractiveness and nothing we can do can change that. And it's infuriating. "But...she's chic!" We cry. "She's fun! She's darling! She's unconventionally attractive! What more need we do? Why won't you get the message? " We can laud her all we want, call her 'best-dressed,' make Carrie Bradshaw our role model. Men just aren't into her.

Superdrug, the high-street cosmetics retailer, has produced something called Guyliner, which is eyeliner for all the beauty conscious men out there. "This soft, smooth kohl pencil can give an accurate, subtle defined look to the contour of the eye, making them appear larger, more distinct and seductive, is he or isn't he wearing it? Or smudged, it can be more dramatic for a grungy rock-star look."

Will eyeliner take off with the men out there, or is it just too metrosexual? I kind of like the idea of guyliner. It brings back the whole Adam and the Ants look, and girls and boys alike loved Adam. Not to mention Johnny Depp, David Bowee, and all the makeup wearing pretty boys of the New Romantic movement. Maybe you shouldn't wear guyliner to the office, but why not try some at the club?

There's something so romantic about dark undereyes. It's like, you have better things to do than sleep. 

Chaiken is relocating its headquarters to San Francisco. This is big news for Bay Area fashion, because the historically, New York has been stereotyped as the headquarters of relevant American fashion. Julie Chaiken, a San Francisco native, is changing that notion by transferring her business back to her home city. According to the WWD article, Julie Chaiken, chief executive officer, designer and owner of the contemporary firm she founded in 1994, will close her New York showroom next month and move all operations to San Francisco, where the company is based. Chaiken said that since she lives in San Francisco and has two small children, she made the decision to close her New York office in order to spend more time near her home."

Chaiken's presence in San Francisco gives much credibility to San Francisco being a serious fashion city and the fashion center of the West Coast.

What do you hate most about living in New York?
That the subway system is not exactly like Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in Northern California.

- Danyel Smith Editor-in-chief, Vibe magazine; vice-president/editorial director, Vibe Media Group, in an interview with New York Magazine