70's hair

I had written down who this was, but I misplaced that somewhere. Regardless, I think this woman nails my idealized version of the 70's hair.

Mad Men

today's the premiere of the second season of mad men. this show has been getting an insane amount of press, but it's no wonder- visually appealing, intellectually stimulating.
i'm not the only fan- on style.com michael kors confirms that he based his whole fall 2008 collection around the show!




my personal style is a bit bipolar. currently i'm on a bit of an alexander wang, grungy kick (v-necks, ripped jean shorts and studs). but it's hard to ignore the appeal of the more glamorous style of the 1950's. When Joannie swishes through the office of sterling-cooper you can tell that her outfit was not something she rolled out of bed in. effortlessly cool has been replaced by perfectly chic.

some real live women channeling the spirit of the show:

summer color

During the summer I frequently feel the urge to ditch the black and to incorporate some color into my wardrobe. I can remember my southern grandmother telling me that she got her nails done in lighter, brighter colors for summer, and I guess that's still stuck in the back of my head, even after all of these years because I feel a little inappropriate wearing all black all summer long.
That's why it's nice to see Julia Von Boehm, fashion stylist and former assistant to Carine Roitfeld, break out and wear some color for a little bit. The Paris Vogue team is notorious for it's all black wardrobe. Whenever they arrive it's like a team of arachnids have descended. While that look is definitely inspiring and has spawned millions of copy-cats around the world, it's nice every once in a while to see them push their boundaries. Julia's bright persimmon color sweater really hits the spot.

battle of the vogues

throughout the blogosphere the carine roitfeld vs. anna wintour match up has been thoroughly dissected. The general consensus is that french vogue is younger, hipper, takes more risks and has more creative editorials. They've even had a transvestite on their cover! All american vogue has to boast of is a bunch of bland socialites writing irrelevent columns, airbrushed celebrities and a lot of caroline trentini jumping in front of a grey background.

But what about US Vogue's brother: Men's vogue? I kind of expect french vogue to be cooler because it's well, french. But why is our american counterpoint doing such a better job?


vs.

vs.


Their style is topnotch, and their articles are actually interesting. Instead of offering reviews of the newest plastic surgery options, they actually cover areas that are relevent. For example, this month's magazine featured "Beggars & Choosers: why the quest for a second-in-command is the biggest gamble in presidential politics."

I think it's time for vogue to step up their game if they want to stay on top

Fast Fashion

Every time I step into f21 or one of it's fellow fast-fashion stores, a (small) part of me feels guilty. As a rational human being, I know that there is no way they could produce clothes this cheap without some ethically questionable practices. Today's news of a sweatshop right in nyc has made me return once more to these slightly somber thoughts, and made fast fashion seem even less appetizing.

There are other problems with this cheap clothing besides the sweatshops. The nyt a while ago had an article that discussed the environmental footprint that accompanies such cheap, disposable fashion.

I try to keep my lifestyle as sustainable as possible, so why do I stop with fashion? This summer I was lucky enough to travel through europe, and while in italy i noticed that even the lowliest bus driver would wear gucci loafers. I asked him where he got them from hoping to find some secret gucci outlet that only the italians knew about. Unfortunately unfortunately there's no steep discount in the brand's native land. He bought the gucci loafers not because they were at some super secret discount, but rather due to a different ethos over there. They choose quality over quantity. They don't have much, but what they wear is stylish, flattering, and built to last.

Designer labels don't always equal quality, and it's hard to completely resist the magnetic pull of F21, but iIm trying my best. What's not to like about a lighter conscience and stylish staples?

Summer

a bunch of my favorite fashion bloggers have proclaimed that they are over summer. they watch with excitement as september grows nearer and they can get back to their favorite, the fashionable layers of fall.

I have to say I don't share their excitement.

There is nothing i love more than long days of lazy picnics with my friend, the sensation of the sun on my skin and the texture of my salty hair after a day at the beach.

summer don't leave me yet!

BLAZERS ARE BIG

blazers are big. blazers are everywhere

there was balenciaga, etro, stella mccarthy... pretty much every designer has done their take on blazers

So far i have only done the slouchy boyfriend blazer look (trying my best alexander wang impression), but that's because that's what i could come up with after scrounging around the house. I took a blazer from my mom's closet (totally amazing- she doesn't buy much, but she also she doesn't throw much out, so her closet is like my own vintage store) and rolled up the sleeves, trying my best to look like an olsen or erin wasson.

unfortunately i don't have a younger brother, so i'm going to have to do some shopping in order to try the more shrunken, fitted blazer style. So far the good old goodwill has yet to yield any great finds, so i'm thinking about branching out to ebay...

michelle williams and alexa chung looking cute in their little blazers...

WAYFARERS

I remembering opening up the back of T magazine a little more than 3 years ago and seeing a pair of wayfarers. Something about their classic, strong design resonated deeply with me, and I remember showing the image to my friends who reactions were general confusement and bemusement. But one of them saw a pair in longs drugs and got them for me (what good friends i have!) so i spent the entire summer wearing too-large mens sunglasses and loving it.

Next thing i knew they were everywhere. it was the invasion of the wayfarers. But somewhere along the way they had lost their charm. While their ubiquity definitely contributed to my aversion, what I disliked the most was their transformation. They had lost their cool, debonair, masculine roots and instead had become part of the brooklyn-ite uniform. From sturdy and sea-worthy to shaggy and smelly.

I've put the wayfarers away, but then i see images like these and all of my distaste for them drains away

I mean if they're good enough for kennedy, they're good enough for me?

DIY STUDS

recently i have been on a major all things studded fixation. I think it started with the givenchy leather jacket, or maybe with those amazing louboutains, and next thing i knew i was reaching for that studded belt in the dusty corner of my closet where i think it had been sitting ever since 7th grade. Yesterday i wore it with my high waisted levis, which i think helped take the jeans out of the 90's.

But my appetite for studs has grown and that old belt is not enough to keep me satiated. Luckily i have come across a couple of studding diy projects on the web. How about this belt turned baracelet (PrincessMLim on Cictopia), or these fabulous studded ballet shoes which strike just the right balance of sweet and tough?

a quick search found studsandspikes.com, a slightly terrifying store where you can buy 50 5/8" studs for only $7.22. the possibilities seem endless- the lapels of a vest, a studded hem of a skirt, or a necklace with a single suspended stud...

Floral

as everyone has probably noticed by now, have been big a big trend for this spring and summer. in my mind ghesquire really kicked things off at balenciaga- though luella showed a smattering of floral on her spring/summer runway as well.

the look has quickly spread down to the street, where both large graphic prints a la balenciaga and the luella-like smaller prints have been well represented. above are two skirts from f21 representing the two main takes on the trend.

while f21 is pretty darn cheap (19.80), i still think i can do better. I'm heading to the fabric store this afternoon in hopes of buying some fabric and making my own skirt. I haven't decided which type of floral pattern i'll get as i can imagine both meshing well with my wardrobe. The smaller 90's floral pattern i could pair with white tank tops and pastel cardigans, and a light-wash jean jacket. On the flipside i could imagine a bold big print pairing well with a bright orange cardigan. either way i see myself getting a lot of use out of it!

edit: sorry the image is blurry- still trying to get a hang of things

photos from balenciaga (left) and luella (right) are from style.com, shoot with caroline trentini is from vogue australia july 2008 'fantasy blooms', chictopia-loops, and f21

it's been a while since the last time i posted, but this summer i've been spending a lot of time looking at other blogs, and i've decided to give it another go. we'll see how it goes!



to get things started i'll leave you with these bruce weber's summer camp spread from w. (i've got them taped up in my room because everytime i see them i feel the spirit of summer)