Everyone I know has had a Vincent Gallo sighting at some point. Everyone always says he wears the tightest pants.* And I guess if I were Vincent Gallo, I'd wear the tightest pants too. And while I'll probably never turn into Vincent Gallo, I could potentially wear his actual pants, thanks to a new eBay auction from our buddy Kime Buzzelli (ex-proprietress of the sadly disappeared Show Pony boutique). Kime's selling a pair of white-leather bondage pants designed by the man himself (as you can tell by the stitching of his name in AC/DC-logo-esque font across the crotch, and maybe by the bunnies on the back pocket) - apparently Vincent gave her the pants 10 years ago, and now she's parting ways with them to raise money to get herself a new art studio (which we're stoked about, 'cause we love her pretty paintings). As of post time there's no bids yet, so fix yourself a Bloody Maria (aka the "Vincent Gallo of cocktails") and get going!
* Most people also say he smells really bad. I don't know if that changes your mind about the pants or not.
| Leave a comment | Comments (2) Friday , February 27, 2009
Christopher Kane: Still A Genius
Bro is seriously my favourite designer of all time. He really hit it out the ballpark (Shea Stadium, probably) with Fall/Winter 2009- what an impeccable balance between innovation and wearability! Not that I don't want to be rich and famous already, but looking at Christopher Kane's colleckshes always makes me want it a little badder, just so I can be his muse and ONLY EVER WEAR THIS STUFF:
Also: lookit how cute he is! I wish we could be best friends. I'd borrow his slammin' gorilla t-shirt, and we'd spend evenings sitting around watching Ready, Steady, Go! clips on Youtube, collaborating on psychedelic notebook doodles, and drinking Fuzzy Navel Boone's Farm. Christopher Kane + Laura Jane! The rhyme of our second syllables means it's meant to be.
| Leave a comment | Comments (1) Thursday , January 29, 2009
United Colors of Get Me the Hell Out of Winter: Stuff That Cheers Me Up In the Midst of All This Grey
I'm a big neutrals person when it comes to my own wardrobe: they just make everything easier, and together with pretty blues, mauves, and dusty, muddy roses, they make me feel calm, relaxed and practical, which are qualities I find more and more useful the more complicated life gets. Winter comes along with its relentless grey, though, and I find that it really messes with my commitment to my native palette. Suddenly I'm like: Pineapple yellow! Sherbet pink! Mint green! Cornflower blue! Usually I get my mid-winter color fix by buying super-bright knickers in crazy patterns, but lately I like the idea of these invading the sanctity of my carefully curated closet:
DAYDREAM NATION BRACELET, pixiemarket.com
This bracelet is ridiculously cool -- and who can argue with a company that names themselves after a famously great Sonic Youth album? Well, some of us here at nogoodforme can, because we have a semi-famously ambivalent relationship to Sonic Youth. But I theorize that we would all go somewhat nutsy over this bracelet -- I can see ALL THREE OF US rocking this piece. LJ and Liz, am I right? Or am I just hallucinating from my detox fast?
HAYDEN-HARNETT FOR TARGET CANVAS HOBO BAG, target.com
I love this bag. It makes me happy to look at the yellow and the blue flowers -- it's like a frickin' Bonnard painting. I'm thinking of getting it and using it as a laptop bag because mine currently sucks.
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| Leave a comment | Comments (2) Wednesday , December 10, 2008
Love (and a Q&A): complexgeometries
The first time I saw work by complexgeometries, I was amazed at how they took the simple, humble idea of a t-shirt and turned it into something infinitely more dramatic and intense. Putting on something by complexgeometries is an equally transformative experience: it's as full of ease and comfort as wearing a t-shirt or tank top, but you feel ten times more mysterious and poetic due to the beautiful draping and lines in many of the garments. It's perfect clothes for a sophisticated nomad or a couture skateboarder: wonderfully comfortable but genuinely compelling from a design point-of-view. Based in Montreal, complexgeometries is a relatively young operation, but they've found a good deal of success during their short time in existence thus far -- their clothes are carried in cool places all over the place, including my own beloved Oak in New York. (You can also buy from their own website online.) Clayton, the designer of complexgeometries, was super-kind enough to answer a few questions for us -- you can read more after the jump about the role that Buckminster Fuller played in the company, the importance of random Google searches and the beauty of Italian disco.
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| Leave a comment | Comments (1) Thursday , December 4, 2008
Fashion: When I Go to Paris, I Want to Meet The Kooples!
When I first heard of the new French label The Kooples via various French style blogs, I nearly flipped my shizzit when I saw how perfectly they do the whole "basics with a twist" thing that I love so much and never tire of. Here's what I can decipher: they're founded by the same folks that started Comptoir des Cottoniers, and like that label, they're aiming to create clothes that are seasonless, timeless, well-made -- only this time with a bit of a London-ish, rockerish, streetwear-ish slant to it. I'm in love with how well-cut it all seems, and I love the subtle details of it, like how the little metal buttons are imprinted with the trademark skull. Sadly, the stores are only in Paris, although there is online ordering through their website. I guess this means I have to go to Paris soon. God, why is life so HARD?
| Leave a comment | Comments (1) Tuesday , November 4, 2008
Alexander McQueen for Target!
It's been awhile since I've been excited about a designer collabo, but people, this is Alexander McQueen! From WWD:
Target in March will launch a new fashion initiative called Designer Collaborations. The program will bring the styles of well-established designers to the mass merchant at typical Target prices. Alexander McQueen is the first on deck and will design a version of his McQ collection called McQ Alexander McQueen for Target. The collection will have rock 'n' roll influences and edgy details such as studs and tattoo-print fabrics. Designer Initiative is a separate program from Target's Go International, which focuses on young or emerging designers. Target said additional Designer Collections will be announced in the future. Each collection will be available in stores for a limited time.
DUUUUUUUUDE!
| Leave a comment | Saturday , November 1, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Thirteen (RIP UFC)
In the grand tradition of 9 out of 12 UFC collages, my final UFC collage background is ripped from John Hopper's ever-amazing Textile Blog. It is Cosmic Fog by Robert Oerley. Cosmic Fog! How appropriate. The UFC itself has been one hell of a Cosmic Fog, to say the least.
PS: For those unfamiliar with the Ultimate Fashion Challenge: formal UFC rules, guidelines and regulations can be accessed HERE
PPS: Stay tuned for LJ'S UFC "LESSONS LEARNED" WRAP-UP, to be posted sometime this coming week.
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| Leave a comment | Comments (5) Sunday , October 12, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Ten
(this week's background image is by Astrid Sampe. It has something to do with IBM, which is similar to UFC in that they are both three-letter acronyms. How novel! It is taken from John Hopper's ever-amazing Textile Blog).
PS: For those unfamiliar with the Ultimate Fashion Challenge: formal UFC rules, guidelines and regulations can be accessed HERE.
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| Leave a comment | Comments (2) Sunday , October 5, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Nine
(this week's background image is by Helen Littmann of English Eccentrics, from 1984, when I was negative one years old. It is taken from John Hopper's ever-amazing Textile Blog).
PS: For those unfamiliar with the Ultimate Fashion Challenge: formal UFC rules, guidelines and regulations can be accessed HERE.
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| Leave a comment | Comments (5) Monday , September 29, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Eight
To keep myself from either getting deadly bored or going completely insane (whichever may happen to come first), this week I employed the creative talents of Kat Asharya, Meggy Wang, Laura Jane Faulds, Emily Richmond, the Oxford English Dictionary, Elizabeth Barker, and John Delk to act as Guest Conceptualizers. Each one of these people (or reference books) was assigned the task of coming up with a snappy idea for me to sartorially articulate. I wish there was a synonym for "sartorial" that wasn't "fashion-wise" or something equally lame. The Ultimate Fashion Challenge has forced me to overuse it. The Ultimate Fashion Challenge has forced me to do a lot of things. The Ultimate Fashion Challenge is my life. My life is the Ultimate Fashion Challenge. When it ends, do I die then? I hope not.
PS: For those unfamiliar with the Ultimate Fashion Challenge: formal UFC rules, guidelines and regulations can be accessed HERE.
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| Leave a comment | Comments (3) Sunday , September 28, 2008
You know the world is coming to an end...
...when the staff of Vogue Paris all wear flats to one of the most anticipated shows of Paris Fashion Week:
Sorry to be so Paris Vogue-centric these days, but yes, that's Carine Roitfeld, Geraldine Saglio and Emmanuelle Alt, all wearing black flats at the Gareth Pugh show! This, from the team that basically spearheaded the torturous, scary-sexy shoe trend. I think it's cute; I bet Carine issued a memo or something: "Come on, you guys, let's freak everyone out!! It'll be rad!" (The pic is from Jak and Jil, by the way -- a blog with some of the best shoe porn I've seen in ages.)
If Team NOGOODFORME were to show up at Paris Fashion Week, these are the shoes I'd bet we'd wear:
Laura Jane: Keep Company
Liz: Vans
Kat: Converse
Okay, I lied for me...I'd wear the Tashkent by Cheyenne boots I got from Clarabella on hella sale! I just like the idea of us all wearing quasi-athletic shoes to a fancy fashion show.
(By the way, that Gareth Pugh show in Paris seemed pretty effin' amazing!)
| Leave a comment | Saturday , September 27, 2008
I never thought I wanted red leopard skin pants...
...till I saw this photo of Emmanuelle Alt wearing them:
More proof that one of our bona fide Style Icons can get away with things few other women can. (And aren't she and Carine totally adorable here?)
| Leave a comment | Comments (3) Sunday , September 21, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Seven- the DEADLIEST Week
For those unfamiliar with the Ultimate Fashion Challenge: formal UFC rules, guidelines and regulations can be accessed HERE
(the image is one-third of Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights)
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| Leave a comment | Comments (7) Monday , September 15, 2008
Laura Jane is Totally Glamorous!
WOULD YOU FIRST-DATE ME????
(headband by Thelma Design; coral top by J.Crew; high-waisted Cheap Mondays; vintage gold bangle; Michael Kors boots)
I am super proud and pleased to report that I've been featured on Smitten, Glamour magazine's surprisingly killer sex & relationships blog. Myself and twenty-one other totally cute fashion bloggers all offered up our respective takes on what constitutes the perfect First Date outfit; mine is seen above. To quote myself:
The first-date look is all about striking the perfect balance: You should look coquettish but not tarty, casual but not schlumpy, elegant but playful. Jeans, a minorly-dressy top, and a focal-point accessory is always a safe bet. In my opinion, any first date worth its salt should conclude with sneaking and/or climbing in somewhere, so you gotta come prepared--no heels for me!
As awesome as it is to be featured on Smitten along with so many awesome girls, I must admit that this whole business really rubs salt (and rubbing alcohol, and citric acid) in my "I'll never go on a date again" wound. Oh, wellski. Here's hoping.
Oh! And here are my two other favorite date looks from the feature:
Seen above is Stacy from La Boudoir, who looks totally sweet and chill and like the kind of girl who dudes date instead of dating wackola me.
And here is Riikka of Only Shallow, who a) looks strikingly like Maggie Gyllenhaal, and b) manages to pull off a hyper-saccharine vintage-girly thing without looking costumey at all.
| Leave a comment | Comments (1) Sunday , September 14, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Six
(background image taken from The Textile Blog).
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| Leave a comment | Friday , September 12, 2008
nogoodforme.com presents: BEAUTIFULLY WORN
Oh, nogoodforme.com! Do you ever sleep? To be perfectly honest, NO. Three days after Spirit Animal House came, went, and RULED, we're so done with hibernating (We're not bears! We're wolves, turtles, alley cats, and Logan Echolls!), and are all impossibly excited for our next endeavor into the wild world of IRL: Beautifully Worn, the photo show we'll be curating at our beloved Clarabella.
In the grand tradition of nogoodforme.com, we hope that Beautifully Worn can provide the fashion blogosphere with a majorly subverted, hella scrappy, and decidedly AVANT-WACK take on the ever-entertaining format of "pictures of people wearing clothes" (not to be confused with "People Take Pictures of Eachother," which is a song by the Kinks).
You know how The Sartorialist is the most boring website on the entire Internet because everybody who makes it on is a fashion editor, and whenever you boredly e-wander onto it you just get irritated because it's like, "Well, yeah, no kidding Carine Roitfeld has good style!"- well, Beautifully Worn is going to be the exact opposite of that. Not only do we hope that YOU, our faithful readers, will send along photos of yourself in your favorite outfit to ngfmphotoshow (at) gmail.com, but we hope that you'll pass the word along to everybody you know, the weirder the better: we're talking dads, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, three-year-old cousins, hippie art teachers, therapists, grandmother's therapists, accountants, morticians, and (if at all possible) Michael Showalter.
All pertinent information can be found in the lovely image displayed below, and don't forget that the deadline for submissions is Saturday, September 20th (don't worry, I'm sure we'll remind you again).
PS: Because I am an incredibly nice person, here are some questions that might assist you in brainstorming up your perfect perspective on Beautifully Worn Chic:
-If you were turned into a cartoon character and could only be drawn wearing one outfit forever, what would it be?
-Which is more important: fashion or function?
-High-concept, low-concept, or no-concept?
-If you were stranded on the LOST desert island with only one outfit, what would you hope for it to be?
-If the love of your life showed up at your front door tomorrow morning and told you that you had five minutes to get ready for the date of your dreams, what would you grab?
Get snapping! Kat, Liz and myself are all chomping at the bit to see what you babes have in store.
| Leave a comment | Thursday , September 11, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Five
For those unfamiliar with the Ultimate Fashion Challenge: formal UFC rules, guidelines and regulations can be accessed HERE
(background image taken from The Textile Blog).
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| Leave a comment | Comments (2) Required Reading: "Emma's Dilemma," the Fall '08 Barneys Catalogue
I interrupt my little mini-hibernation to say that I am so utterly charmed by the Barneys fall catalogue. They've gone back to their little story format, and the result is a lovely little spread of Coco Rocha with some stunning dresses and, best of all, a darling little tale of a girl who can't seem to choose between two suitors for her heart. There's a teeny witty twist at the end, but I don't want to spoil it for you.
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Monday , September 8, 2008
Love: Laura Dawson
Laura Dawson started off as a stylist in the music industry and began her Brooklyn-based line in 2002. Since then, she's been featured all over the place, including mentions in Lucky, NYLON and other cool places. It's easy to see why her work's been getting tons of attention: her dresses, tops and bottoms are all youthful, kicky and eye-catching -- and pretty much guaranteed to get you all sorts of "I love that dress!" refrains when you're out and about at night. I love how her designs have a lot of clever detailing and favor unusual shapes and silhouettes, but they're still on the urbanely clean tip, making them completely wearable and enduring beyond the current season. City girls will love Laura Dawson, but so will funky librarians, studious rock stars and other gloriously contradictory creatures -- she's very versatile, and it will be exciting to see her grow and expand as a designer. We're so psyched that she is kindly donating her zebra dress to our event-only raffle drawing at Spirit Animal House this Tuesday night at Pianos -- this would be one of the top prizes I'd choose for myself, personally, because it's really just the best thing ever. You can be there to fight me for it, or you can just buy a ticket for the internet raffle and avoid reckoning with me 'cause I'm super-tough and will throw down.
| Leave a comment | Tuesday , September 2, 2008
Oh, the Hotness: "Lignes et Attitudes" editorial, Sept. 2008 Vogue Paris
Um, I never finished my unfortunate attempt at liveblogging the September 2008 issue of American Vogue because I basically died of boredom. I've never been so bludgeoned by mind death as when I was trying to slog through that issue. Seriously -- getting advice from socialites on how to budget-shop a wardrobe? Aforementioned socialites are slumming it and moving to Harlem and not going out as much? Are you for real? This is aspirational? This is the height of American fashion? This condescension and elitism is supposed to represent beauty and elegance? Gag! I've never been so dulled by a lack of imagination or true wit and whimsy in my fashion magazine-browsing life. (I honestly hold on because I like Sarah Mower's articles, but they seem to pop up less and less these days.)
On the other hand, leave it to the September issue of Vogue's Parisian counterpart to sex things up a bit. Take a look at this Emmanuelle Alt-styled editorial -- it's completely her style, and model Daria Werbowy has never looked cooler. It's pretty much visual proof that Alt is one of the masters of the style universe and offers further justification for her place in our pantheon of eternal nogoodforme.com Style Icons. An editorial like this is really the best kind of fashion insanity; you'd never consider Hammer pants to be the height of cool till you see them like this. And it makes me want a pair of fringed boots real, real bad. And maybe take Daria out for a croque-monsieur ou deux.
+ Continue reading "Oh, the Hotness: "Lignes et Attitudes" editorial, Sept. 2008 Vogue Paris"
| Leave a comment | Comments (1) Monday , September 1, 2008
Love: Virginia Johnson
After five long and arduous years spent abroad, braving either -4357485 billion degree winter days in Montreal or intense societal pressures to "network" and "make connections" in New York City, I am as happy as a mutated clam in Lake Ontario to be back in my hometown of Toronto. Toronto is by no means the greatest city in the world, I think it would be most appropriate to bestow that honor upon Tokyo, Marrakech or Savannah (Editor's note: I have never been to any of these cities. That statement is a "best guess"). Nevertheless, Toronto is a fantastic place to be in 2008. IT IS SO HAPPENING! It's chill, the perfect midpoint between large and small (I think they call that "medium"), super-supportive, affordable, has good vegan food, and has finally attained its twenty-year-long goal of becoming a World-Class City.
I am really excited by the heaping bounds of creativity that I see in the output of Toronto artists and designers these days. It's so nice to finally reside in a place that nurtures its artistic population, and where members of said population nurture and support one another. Virginia Johnson is one of my favorite fashion designers in the world right now, and I am SO PROUD that she hails from Toronto, which, for the record, is pronounced Trawna if you're from here.
After spending this weekend on an organic farm, I have been thinking a lot about all the brute force and highly-involved processes that go into the production and creation of pretty much anything. What I love the most about Johnson's designs is that these processes are highlighted and honored in the aesthetics of her end products. Her printed fabrics and textiles are perfectly flawed; Johnson is inspired primarily by organic patterns and shapes (pebbles, birds, animals, flowers, etc.), so her collections tend to have an Impressionistic, Art Deco-y feel to them. She works with yarn, viscose, knits, jacquards, and Austrian merinos- I LOVE that her fall collection actually looks like fall! I find that the differentiation between fall and spring collections can be pretty much nothing (except for maybe using pastels rather than muted tones), and I find it highly comforting to see clothing that looks so cozy and functional. VJ's autumn collection is really perfectly-suited to going on an apple-picking date with Michael Showalter, which is my big goal for this impending October.
Virginia has a really delightful little shoppe on Toronto's hopping Ossington Avenue (it's at 132 Ossington, to be precise). Expect an installment of nogoodforme.tv to be filmed there sometime before this year is done. Personally, I think I might die of a broken heart if I don't get to be wearing Virginia's tweed pullover (as seen below) in any context at all, even if it has to be imaginary.
Showcased below are some of my favorite items from Virginia's fall collecksh:
But the most exciting thing of all about Virginia Johnson is that she has super-kindly donated a turquoise fish-print scarf to the SPIRIT ANIMAL HOUSE RAFFLE, which you could totally win! I am presently holding onto said turquoise fish-print scarf, which is totally annoying because I want to wear it every single day of my life, but can't, because I'll probably spill food all over it and ruin the raffle for everybody. However, I selflessly took some time out of my day to show you what an awesomely versatile article of clothing this scarf is:
Isn't it gorgeous? Don't you want it? Wouldn't it make your life SO EASY? Well, my babies: it can be yours. Good Luck, Good-lookin'!
| Leave a comment | Comments (1) Sunday , August 31, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Four
For those unfamiliar with the Ultimate Fashion Challenge: formal UFC rules, guidelines and regulations can be accessed HERE.
(background image taken from The Textile Blog).
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| Leave a comment | Comments (2) Friday , August 29, 2008
Imaginary Shopping Spree SUPER SPECIAL: Thank Heavens for (J.Crew) Little Girls
Okay, if I can't squeeze my bony ass into a J.Crew Little Girls XXL, whatevs, that's fine, I'll move on with my life- but I sincerely hope that isn't the case. Seriously, homeboys: if some young, sexy Brooklyn-based design duo busted onto the scene with an S/S '09 collecksh anywhere near as straight-up luvverly, classic, fun and adorable (I italicized "adorable" to make clear that it is to be pronounced with a French accent), Anna Wintour would have a coronary and die. Then Anna Wintour would be dead, Plum Sykes would be appointed editor of US Vogue, and I'd shoot myself in the face. So there you go: THANK HEAVENS FOR J.CREW LITTLE GIRLS. I owe this shit my life!
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| Leave a comment | Comments (2) Sunday , August 24, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Three
For those unfamiliar with the Ultimate Fashion Challenge: formal UFC rules, guidelines and regulations can be accessed HERE.
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| Leave a comment | Comments (5) Monday , August 18, 2008
Page by Page: Liveblogging the Massive September Vogue Issue, Part 1
Ah, sometimes you need an excusion into the mundane. You know how people liveblog events in real-time? Why not record a running stream-of-consciousness of all the insidious, random thoughts that occur to me as I leaf through that bible of fashion known as the September issue of American Vogue -- probably the most BEHEMOTH-EST installment of fashion journalism at any time. I actually am going to savor this because basically these days I've let my subscriptions to nearly all fashion magazines lapse 'cause I'm lazy and have lazily embarked on this quest for true fashion independence. Whatever, man -- I do this so you don't have to spend $5 for a glorified doorstopper, like I did because I'm a chump.
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| Leave a comment | Comments (3) Sunday , August 17, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week Two
For those unfamiliar with the Ultimate Fashion Challenge: formal UFC rules, guidelines and regulations can be accessed HERE.
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| Leave a comment | Comments (3) Sunday , August 10, 2008
Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week One
If you had told me five years ago that in a half-decade's time, my claim-to-fame would be engaging in weird fashion challenges and posting them to the Internet, I probably would have found that strange, and remarked that I might possibly be wasting my full potential. But what can I say? Some people get wiser with age; some people throw it all to hell and decide that there is nothing cooler or more relevant for them to do than turn the often humdrum ritual of getting dressed in the morning into a never-ending conceptual art project. I fall into the second category of people.
My compulsion to monomaniacally document every single aspect of my life down to the nittiest-grittiest detail remains a mysterious and often frustrating enigma to me more than anyone (I'm assuming; I doubt anyone else really thinks that hard about me besides my good old egoist self), but I'm hoping that forcing myself to complete the Ultimate Fashion Challenge will perhaps lead me towards figuring it out.
So: what the Helen Keller is your Ultimate Fashion Challenge, Laura Jane?
Well, the most basal rule of the Ultimate Fashion Challenge is as follows:
EVERY SINGLE THING I OWN MUST BE WORN ONCE, BUT ONLY ONCE.
The Ultimate Fashion Challenge is designed to counteract two opposing forces in my life: 1) The urge to constantly waste money on avant-wack thrift scores and/or low-end children's sale rack items, and 2) The fact that despite my obsession with buying clothes constantly, I only ever wear the same five t-shirts, three cardigans, and two pairs of shorts every single day of my life. This makes up about 2.3% of my entire wardrobe. The Ultimate Fashion Challenge will be in effect for as long as it takes me to wear every single item of clothing I own, even (especially!) the ugliest, worst and most embarrassing crap of all. The Ultimate Fashion Challenge is highly strategic and highly stressful, but after one week of participation, I'm also finding it oddly freeing.
The knee-jerk reaction that most "smart people" (or, "people who fancy themselves to be smart") so cleverly fall back on when the subject of fashion comes up is that it is shallow, trite, snobby, superficial, et al. But anything can be shallow and trite if it is approached from a shallow and trite perspective. There are countless aspects of fashion and the fashion industry that I would literally rather shoot myself in the lower leg than condone or be affiliated with in any way (luxury branding; brand as identity; "size zero or kill yourself" mentality) but at once, fashion- particularly the act of dressing oneself- is psychological, political, creative, and a valid and massively important method of self-representation. In short: we all get dressed in the morning- what the hell does that mean?
I'm hoping that throwing myself outside of my comfort zone and introducing restrictions and limitations into an inescapable ritual that I suppose I do take for granted, will force me to think about things I never stop thinking about in ways I never would have considered without having those constraints pressed upon me. And if not, whatever, maybe I'll just come up with some cool outfits.
Tune in to nogoodforme.com every single Sunday for the next ten billion years for my weekly UFC re-cap; to bring you further up-to-date, here are some ground rules:
1. All jewelry and accessories count except my "Laura" necklace (because I never take it off), and shoes/bags/sunglasses (because I don't have enough).
2a) I have way more tops than bottoms in my wardrobe; let's just wait and see what happens before setting any rules in stone, but I imagine that I'm going to have to start a second shorts cycle at some point- I am NOT suffering through jeans in a heat wave all in the name of a pointless and self-governed task I invented for no reason.
2b) Complicated situations such as the aforementioned shorts dilemma or "I have to go somewhere fancy and only have scrapola tore-up junk left" will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
NOTE: Do not abuse these policies, Laura! They are meant to be used as sparingly as possible; in case of emergency ONLY
3a) Absolutely NO buying of new clothes!
3b) If I for some reason find an article of clothing so amazingly fabulous that I cannot live without it and will spend the rest of my life regretting not buying it, I can make an exception, but it cannot be worn until after the Ultimate Fashion Challenge is over, or else I am a big cheater.
4a) Pyjamas and underwear don't count.
4b) However, all pyjama-y items that pass as clothing can and MUST be included in the greater scope of the UFC.
5) If something can be worn in two ways (ie. headscarf vs. "neckscarf"), it can be worn twice (but only twice, or else I'm kind of pushing it) over the course of the UFC.
6) If for some reason I have to change outfits over the course of a day, I have to suck it up and cut my losses: it all counts.
I hope you all enjoy watching me wear progressively crappier and weirder outfits over the course of the next god-knows-how-many weeks. Months. Years. Click behind the jump for Week One's day-by-day recap.
+ Continue reading "Laura Jane's Ultimate Fashion Challenge: Week One"
| Leave a comment | Comments (15) Wednesday , July 30, 2008
Ask Us Anything: LJ's Headscarf Tying Technique
From Sarah:
HI! I love the scarfs that Laura Jane uses as headband type-things. I was just wondering how she ties them?
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| Leave a comment | Comments (3) Saturday , July 19, 2008
Thrift Scores with Laura Jane: Value Village, 07.18.08
Few things in this operatic escapade we call life are as straight-up awesome as having a killer thrift-shopping experience. It's impossible to predict precisely when a class-A Thrift Score Day is going to hit you; sometimes, all I want is to immerse myself in rack-scouring for hours on end, yet come up entirely empty-handed. On other occasions, I dip into a Sally Ann or Goodwill to kill a couple minutes and exit hours later, exhausted, red-eyed and reeking of mothballs, weighed down by two giant sacks of crap in either hand.
Thrift Scores with Laura Jane is a brand-spanking new feature dedicated to sharing the results of my positive thrift scoring adventures with the world. Yesterday ended up being one of the "Thrift Scorriest" days of my entire life; check the goods!
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| Leave a comment | Comments (6) Monday , July 14, 2008
Justice + Surface to Air = Leather jackets + jeans + $$$
Ah, the wonders of the designer collaboration never end. The market's a bit saturated now with them, but there are some out there that still manage to catch my attention: take, for instance, the collaboration between Surface to Air and electronic dance music duo Justice. I love that there are three different leather jackets, two pairs of jeans and pretty much nothing else. That's commitment to your aesthetic, my friends. It's all very limited edition and very expensive and still somewhat available even though it came out awhile ago. I don't know, though -- if you had about 800 euros on me, would you buy something from Justice? If you could engineer a collaboration that you'd happily blow your money on, what would it be?
| Leave a comment | Saturday , July 12, 2008
Maximum Imaginary Shopping Spree: Laura Jane takes on Resort 2009
Resort collections rule. I always enjoy them heaps more than I do ready-to-wear because:
1) There are less looks in the collections, so you get less bored scrolling through seventy-freaking-eight pictures of Chanel in the style.com pop-up window.
2) They take themselves way less seriously, which they should, because fashion is not all that serious (and to anyone who thinks otherwise- you take yourself too seriously, dude!)
3) The clothes are always more casual and therefore look more like things I could wear in my boring broke-ass life.
4) There is not so much of an emphasis on cohesion and so the garments look less branded and/or cookie-cutter, which makes them highly more appealing to this particular anti-fashion-fashionista. Dressing solely haute just seems like cheating somehow; well, of course you're going to have to good style if you only ever wear expensive clothes made by the cool-kid designers! I doubt you'd look so fly if you had to dress yourself out of trash bins and Old Navy sale racks, you boring Lagerfeld death-drones!
Oops. I digressed. What I meant to say is, here are my picks from the Resort 2009 collections. Enjoy!
Figure 1: What Rich Laura would wear to... Grab Morning Coffee Fabulously
1. ADAM; 2. Stella McCartney; 3. Nina Ricci; 4. Marc Jacobs; 5. Doo.Ri
+ Continue reading "Maximum Imaginary Shopping Spree: Laura Jane takes on Resort 2009"
| Leave a comment | Comments (4) Friday , June 27, 2008
Usually Just A T-shirt
I like t-shirts. I also like dresses. So when I found the stripey dream babe of a t-shirt dress (pictured at left) on sale for a scant ten buckaroos at my favorite store in the world, Uniqlo (I think everybody should be allowed to genuinely adore one cheapie-crappy High Street store of their choice. I think H&M and Zara are kind of stupid; therefore, I love Uniqlo). I wore it for the first time on Wednesday and, uh, WOW. I was on Cloud Nine to the power of nine: not only did I look hella cute, chill and scrappy, but I had also attained a level of comfort unrivaled by any other outfit I've worn over the past sixteen years.
Basically, wearing a t-shirt dress feels exactly like how you used to feel when you were six years old, playing outside at around 8 PM as the sun began to set, knowing that you'd be doomed to go to crappy bed in twenty minutes (which sucked), but it made you relish and appreciate your final moments of day. I don't know about you, but all the times I ever lived moments like those, I was necessarily clad in one of those flimsy t-shirt nightgowns decorated with a cartoon of Bugs Bunny or something similar. I do recall wanting to rock Bugs Bunny t-shirt nightgowns as daywear at that age, but that was way back when my mother still called the shots, and so I was relegated to continue wearing ever-restrictive shorts and t-shirts. Ew!
Anyway, now that I am grown, I have decided that my new look for summer is going to be: t-shirts, and only t-shirts. No shorts. Well, sometimes shorts, but hopefully as infrequently as possible. In short:
Usually just a t-shirt.
That first revelatory day I wore my Uniqlo t-shirt dress, I decided that I'd just buy some XL men's t-shirts and see what happened. Today, I did so. And the photograph at right illustrates what ended up happening. I cut off the sleeves of the t-shirt, and then tied some strips of leather around the shoulders. And in doing so, I made it official: I am the coolest person of all time. (take that, James Dean!)
Okay, I know that DIY t-shirt projects are kind of a dime a dozen in this clogged toilet of a fashion landscape we all live in. There's even that stupid book entitled 800 Billion Trillion Ways to Ruin a Perfectly Good T-shirt (maybe that's not what it's called, but whatevs), which I am not going to link to, because I hate it. I hate books that fall into the genre of "books that teach you how to be creative"; if you're not freaking creative, why don't you just shut up and wear a normal t-shirt like everybody else in the world??
Anyway, I think this mod/Grecian/punk rock masterpiece is one of the best items in my wardrobe. I am beyond stoked to wear it out; I really like to have fun in my life, and the fact that wearing either of these two rad t-shirt dresses makes me feel like I'm six years old again seems to pretty much guarantee an upward swing in general fun levels.
| Leave a comment | Comments (3) Thursday , June 5, 2008
Style Book X-Travaganza: Cheap Date, Rachel Zoe, Tim Gunn, Simon Doonan + More!
After classic fiction and sci-fi/fantasy novels, I love reading books on style. It's pretty much the nerdiest thing ever, way more geeky than reading The Silmarillion or something. Because why would you read a book on style when you have so many magazines out there that better capture fashion's ever-changing evanescence? Plus, it's kind of embarrassing to read these books -- I'm always sneaking them into some back corner of the bookstore, trying to avoid those gazes of pity, like "Oh, you poor thing, you don't know how to dress?" It doesn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying them, no matter how stupid or conservative or nonsensical they are. (In fact, I love collecting vintage style guides, because I love reading all the outdated advice. My favorite is one from the 50s called So, You're Going To Be A Teenager!, which has a chapter on how to take a proper bath.) The thing is, if magazines are like the perpetual practice of fashion, then books like these are the closest it gets to style philosophy. There's so, so many books with a dizzying array of approaches to the arts of getting dressed and shopping -- some fantastical, some practical, and some distinctively restrictive, annoying and boring. This is a round-up of the current crop of style books -- they're all as distinctive as their authors, but nearly all of them had a bit of knowledge to drop, no matter what your style orientation may be.
+ Continue reading "Style Book X-Travaganza: Cheap Date, Rachel Zoe, Tim Gunn, Simon Doonan + More!"
I Heart Ann Demeulemeester
Dazed Digital has a nice little interview with one of my greatest fashion loves, Ann Demeulemeester -- she of the original Antwerp Six, individualist extraordinaire, dark romantic and couturier to Patti Smith. Ann Demeulemeester was the first piece of "designer fashion" I ever bought (a gorgeous asymmetrical red dress with a slashed V in the back), and I still cherish each piece I so painstakingly gather. She rarely talks to press, so it's always a real pleasure to find an interview with her -- she always comes across as so genuine and thoughtful. I love how she refutes the interview's claim that her collection lacks sexuality -- if you've ever had the pleasure of wearing Demeulemeester, you know the clothes are some of the most genuinely erotic ones out there. They are avant-garde and challenge traditional vernaculars of dress, but they are always beautiful and wearable.
Monday , June 2, 2008
Summer Inspiration: Midnight Cowboy for City Girls meets Vogue Paris
I find the summer season fashion to be really hard to dress for and be inspired with. I can't rely on the things I love most about clothes -- boots, jeans, coats and jackets -- and most of the time I feel so uncomfortable in the humidity that I wish I could just do away with clothes altogether and die an icy cold death. My previous solution was just to wear a bunch of dresses and call it a day, but I find myself oddly less and less frock-inclined lately, and increasingly prints-averse for some reason. Which means the whole "throw on a sundress" approach is not going to work anymore. But this year's gonna be different, at least mentally -- I am not going to feel like a sweaty slob, but take some pleasure in the whole process of summer dressing. Take that, evil city heat! Call it a mental fashion challenge, I suppose. So of course I look into that fount of wisdom from which I cull much of my sartorial inspiration -- Vogue Paris -- and what do you know -- that pack of black-clad valkyries don't let me down with a little shopping editorial I found. It's equal parts Midnight Cowboy (fantastic movie, makes my heart break every time I watch it, plus Jon Voight is sooooo beautiful), scruffy rock festival fashion (which you know we love already) and a certain polish. I love the clean shapes and neutral colors livened up with eccentric, even cute accessories (love those star-covered Repettos!) and a bit of rock 'n roll. Half the stuff looks like what I have in my wardrobe already, which is the genius thing about really well-done fashion eds -- they help you look at what you already own and find new possibilities.
+ Continue reading "Summer Inspiration: Midnight Cowboy for City Girls meets Vogue Paris"
Wednesday , April 30, 2008
Naughty and Nice: Locher's
We get so much email that sometimes it's hard to wade through, much less read, but the press release from Locher's totally had me with this description: "[Locher's] new line captures the spirit of a rosy cheeked mountain vixen walking home after a night of rolling in the hay." Hmmm, nature nymphs, making out and rosy cheeks? Right up my alley, methinks! Locher's modus operandi is basic t-shirts, rendered in gentle shapes and colors, embellished with delicate touches of embroidery but spiked with touches of naughty cheekiness. A shirt by the Parisian label might have a gorgeous little flutter sleeve in dusty colors of candy, for example -- but also have a little phrase like "You suck" (or worse!) subtly embroidered amidst sweet little florals on the shoulder. The jewelry is also quite nice: very vintage-inspired and feminine, but with those naughty, potty-mouthed twists. In an era where a t-shirt is emblazoned with huge slogans, I love this subversively sweet yet saucy approach. It's charming and innocent but also devilishly flinty -- a rare combination, but perfect for rebellious sweethearts and charm-school dropouts everywhere.
Thursday , April 10, 2008
First Look: Rogan for Target! Not Just Swimwear, Thank God, But Still Organic
We thought we were exhausted from all the high/low collabos lately, but I guess not, because I got all zing-y when images from the Rogan for Target collection broke. Slated to come into stores on May 18th, it turns out that Rogan Gregory is doing a little more for Target than just swimwear, as he said. (Oh, Rogan, you cheeky monkey.) But! The line is still using 100% organic cotton, which is super-exciting; it's nice to see 'green consciousness' seeping into the mainstream, and hopefully it will pave the way for greener, longer-lasting initiatives to take root. Fashion-speaking, some people don't seem too excited by a 'safari-inspired' casual line which also features a lot of animal prints, but personally I like the indie Jane Goodall urban-explorer vibe and all the plaid-y things, which I'm periodically a sucker for. Most people will be able to pick a few pieces and integrate them into existing wardrobes, unless of course your aesthetic is "super-frilly cupcake princess" -- that might be a little harder to work with. We took a pic here from the always with-it nitrolicious, but you should take a gander over there for more images, and check out the ad below, which comes from Manila Fashion Observer.
Thursday , April 3, 2008
Rei Kawakubo for H&M
Yes, yes, we know: Rei Kawakubo is doing the next H&M collaboration for this November. It's going to be a huge thing; Kawakubo's probably one of the most revered designers in the world. Relevant details can be scoped here. Rei's always played around with commercialism, so it should be interesting to see what she comes up with; her collection for H&M promises to be one of the most extensive designer collaborations that the mass retailer has done. Being highly conceptual, I wouldn't put it past her to do just a bunch of irregular t-shirts and sell them for $99 and see who bites; but there has always been a playful side to the designs she's done with Comme des Garcons, so that could come out as well.
Friday , March 21, 2008
Oh, Snap! Anna Wintour's Fightin' Words
Have you read the editor's letter in the latest issue of Vogue? (It's the one with Gisele and LeBron James on the cover.) She talks about featuring certain models in the editorial pages of the Shape issue:
"...This month we also feature four newer models -- Caroline Trentini, Doutzen Kroes, Daria Werbowy, and Raquel Zimmermann -- who bring more to the profession than simply a long, lean body that can walk and pose.
I wish I could say the same for the young women who were just on the runways at the New York fall collections. Overall, they were pale and thin, and entirely lacking in the joyfulness and charm that once defined the supermodels. This is, of course, not their fault: Designers now near-uniformly favor a non-vivacious, homogenous ideal.
It's a strange time in the fashion industry. Our top talents, usually so adept at anticipating their public's preoccupations and desires, appear to me to be utterly disconnected from the cultural stream."
You can almost picture her staring down at the cowering designers over the tops of her dark sunglasses, icy disapproval dripping from her words! Still, she makes a point: past supermodels were a more diverse lot (and would look positively Amazonian and robust next to the whey-faced waifs of today). Fashion is often about fantasy, as always, but who dreams of looking like a sullen teenager who had her favorite toy taken away? I'd never thought I'd be saying this in reaction to Vogue's notoriously prickly editor-in-chief, but here it goes: amen and say it again!
Monday , March 17, 2008
Gap Design Editions Get 3.1 Phillip Lim, Band of Outsiders (Among Others) / Target Gets Botkier
+ Target, Gap, mass, class...I can barely keep all of this straight anymore! Anyway, many of you have probably remember when Gap lined up a pretty stellar line-up of design talent to create white shirts (and frocks) for their Design Editions initiative. Well, this year they're doing the same thing: they've got 3.1 Phillip Lim, Band of Outsiders, Michael Bastian, Philip Crangi and Threeasfour for this spring. There's a teeny pic over at WWD.com; The shirts will be available at Gap Adult stores from April 15. This time, there will be men's items and jewelry available, diversifying the selections from last time. Crangi, for instance, will be making jewelry for the line, Lim created four pieces, including a bell-sleeve ruched top (I love bell sleeves), and Band of Outsiders is doing a patchwork tunic (in all white, of course).This is the part where everyone gets all skeptical and stuff, but I have the Rodarte tank from the last go-round and it still rocks, so I'm excited to see what comes up with this.
+ In other news, sources say that Target has just signed Botkier to do an accessories line. At this point, they must be raffling off guest lines left and right, but Botkier is very much a "most wanted" type of accessories label and this is good news for those who have coveted a Botkier bag but don't have, oh, a month of New York rent for one. Again, the trick is always to wait for the items to come out in real life; till then, I'm curious to see what Botkier comes up with for the mass retailer.
Tuesday , March 11, 2008
Richard Chai for Target
This just in (via glamour.com): Richard Chai is the latest designer for Target's Go International initiative! A little unexpected, perhaps, but still a bit exciting, considering his fall collection really wowed the press with its meticulously slouchy "for the boys" feel while still retaining a sense of feminine grace and bits of quirky surprise. Should be interesting: unlike many of the past designers for Target, Chai makes clothes for decidedly grown-up women, so I'm personally curious to see if he retains his sophistication or if he gets all girlied-out on us when he attempts to shift his aesthetic to the Go customer's supposed 15-25 age bracket. The trick with Chai is that he's a bit of a minimalist, a direction that usually requires impeccable cuts and quality materials for the designs to make their impact -- and Target is definitely hit-or-miss on both. Chai's line will bow in August, so we shall see then.
Monday , February 18, 2008
Carine for President
Worker bees, enjoy your Presidents Day off! We're taking a bit of a breather for today, but if you're just starving for fashion reading, why not peruse this fantastic article from New York Magazine about one of our favorite fashion people ever, the indomitable Carine Roitfeld. While everyone's taking a gander at that nude Lindsay Lohan-as-Marilyn shoot, I am much more interested in La Roitfeld, who is way more idiosyncratically sexy. I always love interviews with her because she makes such pronouncements in the way that only the editor of a French fashion magazine can: "I am monster" and banning what she calls "Hugg boots" from her office because they are "hugly." But she doesn't weigh her girls! That's important to know. If there's any brand of fashion-insanity I'd like to be one day, it's hers.
Sunday , February 17, 2008
Skulls on Film
I never noticed before about thirteen minutes ago what a raging preoccupation I have with skulls in fashion. I never woulda guessed! I tend to associate the presence of skulls in streetwear with lame-o mall punk Pete Wentz kind of crap, so it came as quite a surprise to me when I took a step back and realized that I currently have no less than six, count 'em, six skull-centric items of clothing in heavy wardrobe rotation. I think I am mostly drawn to "The Skull" because of how clearly it communicates an anti-authority sentiment; also, I'm attracted to skull motifs more as a means of subversion than anything else. I coined the term "J. Crew on J. Crack" to describe my personal style quite a while ago, and what could embody this concept better than a pair of khaki shorts printed with skulls rather than the traditional anchor print? You know-- Alcatraz, not Connecticut.
Behold Thee Skeletor:
(from clockwise: purple See by Chloe sweater with crocheted skull-print; phony Alexander McQueen skull scarf bought off the street in London; the infamous "RIP John & George" tee; my Chronic Youth t-shirt, a Christmas present from Chelsea; Chief Skull Vans slip-ons; Ralph Lauren Rugby skull-print shorts)
Sadly for me, the coolest piece of skullery I've ever worn belongs to my friend Rachel. I seriously dream about this "Skull Hall of Fame" sweatshirt at least twice a week every week. Based on the above, I think it's obvious that I deserve it more than anyone in the world. But putting all feelings of entitlement aside- the image at below left is "The One That Got Away"; at right is the original drawing by girl punk cartoonist Shawn Kerri.
If anyone reading this happens upon a Skull Hall of Fame sweatshirt, please contact me at laura@nogoodforme.com. I'll give you my first-born son if you want, I swear it.
Sunday , February 10, 2008
Tees Please
My wardrobe is at this point so out-of-control ginormous that it takes three closets, a chest of drawers, and a fairly large trunk to contain it all. Nevertheless, I consistently choose to neglect 95% of it, opting instead to wear some variation on the classic formula of jeans/t-shirt/sweater every single day of my life.
This paradox has become a major bone of contention in my life, being a neurotic obsessive-type by nature. "Why, Laura, why?" I ask myself while dressing. "Why don't you wear a dress today? What about a blazer? A blouse, perhaps?"
Then I get fed up with myself, lose interest in the whole situation, and end up throwing on some stupid t-shirt.
But you know what? I wear a t-shirt every day because I have a really fabulous t-shirt collection. I have no time for bells and whistles in my life. T-shirts are the ultimate item of clothing for lazy people- if you've got a cool t-shirt on, you're totally off the hook with every other aspect of your outfit- the t-shirt does all the work for you!
So, this post is an ode to my favorite t-shirts. I love each and every one of you more than all the rest of my clothes put together. You improve the quality of my life immeasurably, and you always make sure I look fly. From my Lil' Nino tee I bought for $3 off the street in Bushwick to my overpriced and gorgeously tasteless send-up of With the Beatles, the whole lot of you say everything I never could. And I am so, so grateful. Cheers!
Thursday , February 7, 2008
Christopher Kane for Topshop Now Online...Maybe?
For those looking to get their fashionista-on-the-cheap fix, Topshop has released their Christopher Kane capsule collection on their website. Kind of? Maybe? Because there are no sizes and quantities available as of this New York morning, except for like a UK size 14 in the jacket and a few other random ones. Either the first run sold out (not entirely unlikely) or the release is just a bit premature, which happens often in the world of online fashion. (Target, after all, is sort of notorious for putting their Go International items online before their stated arrival date.) Either way, I'm not as fond of this collection as the last; I should be, because I do like goth and I do like prairie chic, but somehow the two aren't working for me in this particular remix -- there's something declawed about the pieces themselves, a bit flat and lacking in the fierce factor we all have come to expect from Kane. Still, I do love that skirt -- but for reals, is there only a UK size 8 left in it?
ETA: Seems all systems go now: sizes and quantities now available!
Monday , February 4, 2008
Reinventing the Gap?
Fashion-speaking, everyone knows the Gap is in trouble: retail flagging blah blah blah, boring and too basic blah blah blah, shops closing blah blah blah, lack of direction blah blah blah. They've been taking small steps towards turning it around: the Design Editions collections with designers like Rodarte and Doo.Ri, an upcoming shoe offering by Pierre Hardy and now they've just presented their Fall 2008 collection, the first one helmed by new creative director Patrick Robinson, he of the generally fabulous hair and demeanor. I have to say, there's a lot in this collection I'd wear: it has a type of grunge-y slouchiness I love, as well as a minimal yet pretty color palette and an almost European play with proportion and detail. It's all very casual, but still styled with sophistication. What with my usual sportswear love A.P.C. putting in some lackluster work the past few seasons (oh, the agony), can it be that Gap will jump in to take their place?
Some pics below; catch the whole presentation at style.com:
Tuesday , January 15, 2008
Jonathan Saunders for Target?
It's good to know that, through the wonders of the Internet, I can still keep apace with fashion news even when I'm traipsing through the dusty sois of Bangkok a whole hemisphere away. And the latest news for those interested in the next designer mass-market collaboration is how British designer Jonathan Saunders is rumored to be in talks with Target to be the next Go International designer. Saunders could follow in the footsteps of Erin Fetherston (from this winter) and Jovovich-Hawk (this upcoming spring); as you all well know, the likes of Proenza Schouler, Paul & Joe, Alice Temperley, Behnaz Sarafpour and Luella Bartley have all been alumni of the Go International banner, which highlights "emerging" talents in fashion (as opposed to the 'heavy-hitters' that H&M, for instance, tends to go after.) Saunders is best known for his unique prints, but if you've been keeping up with his shows, you know that a certain artful interpretation of body-con dressing has emerged as a constant in his designs, along with a bold use of color and a clean use of line. Should be interesting to see how Saunders interprets his aesthetic on the cheap, but we may have a bit of a preview, since he'll be doing a capsule collection for British retailer Topshop, set to bow later this month.
Below, some pics from his spring 2008 show:
Monday , December 17, 2007
Laura Jane's Easy Guide to Instant Class
Step One:
Go to a coffee shop (hopefully a cool one) and order nothing. Next, sit in a prominent location, preferably one close to the window so that more people can look at you. If you can't afford a Birkin bag, you should probably compensate by wearing red elbow-length kid leather gloves or pearl earrings or something.
Step Two:
Sip casually from a bottle of Vichy Celestins mineral water (it's the kind that tastes like salt, which is considerably chic-er than water that doesn't taste like salt).
Step Three:
Eat a Dolfin Noir Green Aniseed (A L'Anis Vert) chocolate bar, and make a big show of unwrapping it, as to show others just how sexy/elegant the packaging is (and, by proxy, how sexy/elegant you are for choosing to eat a Dolfin rather than, like, a Twix bar or whatever). Eat it slowly, savoring every bite, ensuring maximum jalouse-ity. You are also permitted to eat a Dolfin with Pink Peppercorn, Earl Grey Tea, or Crystallized Orange Peel. But no other flavours, sorry.
Step Four:
Write something really brilliant and/or sexy and/or tragic in your G. Lalo Verge de France writing tablet. You may use the writing implement of your choice, as I know that such matters are subjective and vary from person to person, but I beg you not to go and ruin it all by using some free ballpoint you stole from your dentist's office.
Have a lovely afternoon!
Tuesday , December 4, 2007
Excitement: Gryson for Target / Lady Amanda Harlech
Nitrolicious is reporting that, following the upcoming Loeffler Randall collection, the next accessories collaboration for Target will be Gryson, they of beautifully crafted and designed handbags and the like. Some may be going "mmmmm...who?" But Joy Gryson, the head designer, was a former head accessories designer for the one and only Marc Jacobs, during what I think of as the Stella era -- which to me is the best MJ accessories era because the Stella is really the best MJ bag, hands down. (Yes, the Stam is lovely, but I would rather just get a Chanel bag if you're going in for quilting.) Bag talk aside, Gryson's designs have an emphasis on hardware and detail, so if you're looking a dose of "It-ness" on the cheap, do check it out when it hits stores.
And to go to something else entirely unrelated, there's a fun article about the ever-fantastic Amanda Harlech in The Telegraph. Harlech is one of my favorite "characters" in fashion: the sort of beautiful, spirited, free-thinking displaced-aristo with an insanely glamorous life. (I always thought of her in the vein of Countess Ellen Olenska from The Age of Innocence.) She's got a suite at the Ritz in Paris! She's works for Chanel! She rides horses! God, who really lives like this? Still, I love her for her style, which is always elegant, impervious to trends and individualistic, and I love her more because she turns the whole sexist "muse" notion on its head: she's the type of character that usually has novels written about her, but the woman would rather write the book herself. And that is always eternally cool.
Thursday , November 8, 2007
Fashion, Crowds and Chaos: Roberto Cavalli at H&M and Supreme's Nike Air Trainer Launch
Dudes, I feel like it's "crowd chaos day" in the fashion world. Racked has tons of coverage of how nutsy the crowds got at the Roberto Cavalli for H&M and at Supreme for the launch of the Nike Air Trainers TWII. Fistfights? Police? "Bitch I'm gonna cut you"? It's all kind of disgusting, if you ask me.
I understand that these type of events are designed for publicity and make higher-end design more accessible to people. I'm all for fashion democracy, which is why we like to report on it. But there are ways of handling this sort of thing -- I think Uniqlo did a fine job when their Phillip Lim collaboration launched -- and H&M does it poorly. (I'm also a little surprised that H&M doesn't see the legal liability in all this.) I've been off H&M for awhile now, what with their higher prices, their shoddy construction and cheap fabrics and a disenchantment with fast fashion in general. (Plus, I hate that potato sack shit that's been in the stores for the past season.) I think this is pretty much the nail in the coffin for me and that store!
ETA: Oh, I just got an email from someone who said that a group of dudes came in, lifted an entire rack and ran off with it? No doubt Ebay pirates, who are probably the worst.
Tuesday , November 6, 2007
Get Your Art On: Cindy Sherman, Elizabeth Peyton, Jeff Koons, Kehinde Wiley and Target's Artist Towel Series
We're doing this thing lately of being mindful and all that in regards to all matters fashion. It means we buy a lot less a lot less often, but we still have the jones for beautiful, interesting design -- which has now been sublimated into thinking about stuff like dishes and bed linens and guitar straps. And we still love Target, so it all came nicely together when they announced their latest design endeavor: a series of limited edition fine-art towels designed by artists to benefit Art Production Fund's initiatives for major civic artwork projects. All part of a design to take art out of the white cube and into unexpected places, these aren't just any artists: they're genuine greats, like Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Kehinde Wiley and Elizabeth Peyton. (Part of the proceeds for the Koons towel will go to the Koons Family Institute, which is a resource of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.) You can peep the designs below; the towels are available on November 19 for $50 on target.com and worksonwhatever.com. (And at Art Basel Miami on December 5-9, if you're artsy and jet-settery that way.)
Elizabeth Peyton:
Cindy Sherman:
Jeff Koons:
Kehinde Wiley:
I don't know how they're going to get some of this detail on terrycloth, but that's part of the surprise, no? Naturally, our favorite is the Elizabeth Peyton towel; I like the idea of toweling off with Sid Vicious in a strange way.
Monday , October 29, 2007
Short Film: "Dollhouse," Featuring Erin Fetherston for Target
Have you seen "Dollhouse," a short film featuring clothes from the Erin Fetherston for Target line? It's odd, charming and slightly creepy, although the clothes have more of a "Wonderland" vibe to me. Don't touch the white powder...
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Wednesday , October 24, 2007
Coming Up: Cavalli, H&M, you know the drill...
Annie NYC has pics up of the full collection preview for the Roberto Cavalli for H&M collection, coming out this November 8. This collection is probably going to show up in the fewest amount of H&M stores of all the previous designer collections -- part of me wonders if they are deliberately tightening the supply in order to stimulate hype and demand. (You know how that goes -- wanting what you can't have, although if you saw it everywhere, you'd probably be all "meh.") At any rate, it will guarantee that the Ebay selling prices will be out of control.
The collection itself is glam in that red-carpet way, which is what Cavalli was going for. But I think I'm opting out of this one, not because I hate the clothes (I actually think some of the pieces look promising if you are a va-va-voom sort of lady) but because va-va-voom doesn't really have a place in my life these days. There are some pretty cool-looking jewelry pieces, however, particularly some snake bracelets. But is it worth dealing with the crowds and standing in line for a bracelet?
Monday , October 15, 2007
Bowie by Keanan Duffty
Okay, it's a rare thing when Pitchfork scoops us for fashion news -- we've had an off month, so there you go. But we're intrigued a bit by the Bowie by Keanan Duffty line that came out at Target last Sunday. (It's online for the strictly urban among you.) This one's for the lads, but I could be persuaded to raid the other side's closet on this one, if only to find that perfectly narrow yet slouchy jean that exists in my head. Maybe my Platonic denim ideal can be found in Duffty's offerings: skinny jeans, narrow cut blazers and tuxedo jackets and what looks like a wicked cool trench coat, all drawing inspiration from Bowie himself. Is the man an archangel or something? First he donates $11,000 to a legal defense fund for the Jena Six, next he'll make a guest appearance on "SpongeBob SquarePants" on November 11th. My favorite cameo of his was of course the walk-off emcee in Zoolander (we are a fashion blog, after all) but the man rules in any medium -- and of course is a muse for every hour.
Peep some images:
Oh, go ahead, just watch the walk-off scene from Zoolander already:
Monday , October 8, 2007
McQueen for the Win!
So, yes, we've been off the radar a bit: work, freelancing, dudes, post-production, travel and rehab will do that for you. (Just kidding on that last one!) A slowdown always seems to happen around various Fashion Weeks for us, which is sort of counter-intuitive since we're supposed to be a fashion blog -- but not so because most Fashion Weeks kind of don't intrigue us, partly because we're contrary that way and partly because they really do bore us. (I can say "us" because I suspect my compadres feel the same way. And I suspect my compadres are also more interested in what Carine Roitfeld and the whole Vogue Paris crew are wearing way more than what's actually on the runway. Would someone like to be part of my Vogue Paris group costume for Halloween with me? It's easy, just wear fierce heels, black clothes and tons of eyeliner.)
But then of course Alexander McQueen has to come around and make me eat my words because his show was so totally brilliant that even I had to bow down to its ingenuity and sheer, total dominant genius. It's a tribute to the late, great stylist Isabella Blow but it's more than that: a flight of fancy, a feast for the eyes, a spectacle of astonishment that combines incredible beauty and daredevil craftsmanship with the streak of savagery he's known for. Who cares if you can't wear most of it and ew, are those really dead birds? Just look at it, for God's sake! Check it:
(P.S. - I liked Balenciaga, too. And Limi Feu!)
Saturday , October 6, 2007
Riot in the Streets: London, Summer 2007
This past August, I was lucky enough to visit London, England, my favorite city in the world. While there, I decided to capitalize on the opportunity of my being surrounded by people who don't dress like boring garbage all the time, and document some of the best examples of personal style that I saw. I have been procrastinating posting them to this blog for the past two months, but, seeing as I haven't posted anything of note for weeks and weeks, I think it's time to return from my needless hiatus and unleash some of these hot babes upon the world.
I hope to make Riot in the Streets into a regular Street Style feature on this blog. Some detractors might argue that street style has been shot down dead by the Internet/H&M/Nicole Richie, but I disagree. The psychology of how people dress themselves every morning and why they do it the way they do is a subject I always seem to find myself contemplating. So many people can't be bothered to make themselves look anything but middling, and I feel that it is my obligation to congratulate and make known the rare few who turn the everyday ritual of getting dressed into something innovative and celebratory.
And with that, here are my London picks:
left to right:
1. This girl is a great example of why I find street style so much more compelling than high fashion. Casual daywear, when executed correctly, looks infinitely cooler than all-jazzed-up rich people garbage. First and foremost: nice bangs. Secondly, I appreciate the fact that this girl was intelligent enough to find the exact most flattering jeans for her body type. Not very many people are smart enough to do that, and I know this for a fact because I spend approximately 90% of my time selling jeans to idiots. Her outfit would look so much worse if she was wearing purple skinny jeans or whatever. And last but not least, this is one of the coolest hoodies I have ever seen in my life. Some mornings when I feel like I have nothing to wear I think about this hoody and how cool I'd look in it. Seriously.
2. I don't even know where to begin with this one. My boyfriend wants to marry this girl, and I want to be her BFF. Or maybe just be her? To be honest, I don't know if I've ever seen anyone look cooler (except for maybe Maurice Gibb in the music video for Stayin' Alive). Everything about this girl's outfit is perfect. She's perfect.
3. This girl actually just got off a motorbike about ten seconds before I took her picture. If I had just spent an extended amount of time Vespa-ing around London, I would probably have sweaty hair, a red face, and dirt all over my clothing. Yet this girl manages to look more put together than the entire Royal Family combined. She should be in a Zara ad. Or on the Sartorialist. But no! Just nogoodforme.com!
left to right:
1. Talk about Rupert Grint Chic done right! I saw this boy walking with two of his friends in Camden Town. When I asked if I could take his photo for a fashion blog, he acted all, "Why would you want to take my picture?" Yeah right! As if you don't wake up every morning and perfectly tousle your ginger mop, not to mention roll up your burgundy corduroy trousers to exact perfect mid-calf length. But that's great! It's all worth it, because he looks totally hot.
2. I saw this girl reading British Vogue (which is just called Vogue there) while waiting for the tube at Notting Hill Gate. I love England- if this girl were American, she'd probably be wearing pink sweatpants with the name of her university stitched on the butt. But since she's British, she looks like Gwyneth Paltrow's rascally little sister. I can totally picture this girl fighting with her boyfriend in their Ikea-furnished flat and then exclaiming "Kiss me, you gorgeous arsehole!". Totally irresistable.
3. Isn't this girl the cutest thing you've ever seen in your life? She's actually as cute as a baby animal. With those teeth, any outfit would look fabulous, but I like how she actually does not give a shit and just threw on some okay jeans and a boring t-shirt. If someone had told me six months ago that I would ever respond well to a dyed-burgundy asymmetrical haircut I would've laughed in their face, but this cutie-pie proved me way wrong. It's a clever strategy to have your haircut make such a strong statement that you can slack off entirely on your outfit and still look more exciting than any other person in your whole city.
Thursday , September 20, 2007
It's Donatella's World, We Just Live In It
Probably my favorite moment in the New Yorker's Style Issue profile of Donatella Versace:
Manolo Blahnik, the shoe designer, was in town and had decided to drop by the party. "Sorry, I been crazy," he said. "I been working all day, and I have twenty minutes to put on my little tie, wash my hair, and come down. I don't do that very often. For Donatella, I would." He went on, "I adore her. She is one of the few women I respect in fashion. I love the Versaces a million years ago. This is, by God, a proper Italian warm people. Donatella, with time, is going to be one of the few -- few! -- talents in fashion, I promise you. She has something that nobody has: talent." He began to yell. "Talent! Talento. Waa! Waa! Waa!Donatella approached, greeting him with a kiss on each cheek.
"Lady, lady, you see: this is Donatella," he said. "No time, always the future!"
"Don't believe Manolo. He knows me too much," Donatella demurred.
"Is the truth! Is the truth, you bitch!"
Man, I'm a screenwriter, but such brilliant dialogue can only really come from real life. No time, always the future!
Friday , September 14, 2007
Coming Soon: A New Contemporary Collection from Yohji Yamamoto
Announcements of secondary lines is so bread-and-butter these days that it's hard to get excited, but the "OMG! factor" definitely lit up our radar when we heard that Yohji Yamamoto is doing a contemporary line, set to be unveiled this January during men's fashion week in Milan. Called "Coming Soon," it lines up alongside Y-3 as one of the ways in which Yamamoto is branching out from his very expensive, very cultlike, very high-design main collection. The collection is described as "a mix-and-match collection of easy-to-wear styles, from blouson jackets to T-shirts and accessories" and prices will range from $96 to $300, with about $200 for jeans.
Thursday , September 13, 2007
First Look: Roberto Cavalli for H&M
So, yeah, we kind of blew off Fashion Week through a combination of being busy, technical difficulties, travel and good old-fashioned disinclination. It's probably sacrilege for a blog that covers fashion, but on my part I'm sort of into the idea of "slow fashion" these days and trying to take myself out of commercial cycles of fashion. Whimsy and instinct: that's kind of what we're about here. But I can't help but post this glimpse into the Roberto Cavalli for H&M collection coming in November, from UK Elle. (H&M may be blog haters, but whatever, we'll let them be boring that way.) A first look reveals not the fantasia of leopard print and va-va-voom lots were expecting, but some very wearable pieces. Enjoy!
Tuesday , September 4, 2007
I LOVE CAT PARTY
This is a picture of a textile I saw mounted on the wall of my cheapie local Indian restaurant. I think it's pretty beautiful. Wouldn't it be hot if someone got a tattoo of that spirograph-with-people thing in the middle?
I was inspired to post this photograph to nogoodforme because of CAT PARTY (http://ilovecatparty.blogspot.com), which is actually the whole point of this post (the Indian restaurant wall-art thing was just a cute little opener). CAT PARTY is a gorgeous, intelligent and unconventional new fashion blog run by three really cute girls: hardcore magazine-head Chelsea, self-proclaimed "textile geek" Joanna (she's the one I got my inspiration from), and vintage-obsessed Megan.
To truly capture my attention, a blog has to turn me on to cool things that I've never heard about, and wouldn't have without it. This boring e-Universe in which we live is chock-a-block with Cory Kennedy rip-offs posting blah photos of Nicole Richie and, like, a handbag, so happening upon a fashion blog that I find wholly educational is definitely a sweet deal. All CAT PARTY's writers share a snappy, pointed writing style, but differ in their self-assured and well-developed perspectives on "WHAT THEY DIG". So, the content ends up a juicy, eclectic melange, discussing everything from Cleopatra Jones-as-fashion-icon to girly Lyell separates to an ancient Indonesian dyeing technique called Ikat. The blog is also good for up-to-date news on things like Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony and etc.
Most importantly, however, CAT PARTY opened my eyes to Pancake Meow, a jewelry line devoted entirely to making charms that resemble decadent desserts. It's nice to know that now I can finally express my sweet tooth through accessorizing! The "Stack-o-pancakes" ring (which actually smells like maple) is my personal fave:
Saturday , September 1, 2007
Jovovich Hawk for Target
Those sneaky little fashion news pixies! Clever to leak this right on the holiday weekend, but luckily I'm an insomniac: According to latimes.com, Jovovich Hawk is set to be Target's next designer capsule collection for Spring 2008, most likely following the heels of Erin Fetherston, whose collection is set to bow for the holidays. Jovovich Hawk, of course, is model Milla Jovovich's baby in collaboration with Carmen Hawk, and the line is very vintage-influenced and feminine. They recently did a few dresses for Mango, but the Target line sounds more extensive. In the article, Jovovich says, "Our Target line will have all our classic pieces: smock dresses, tunics, minis, all vintage-inspired, great prints...We took the things that sold the best for us but we're doing it on a bigger scale. To be able to do it with a big company that can afford to do it for a good price so that real girls can afford it. That's the reason we were interested." I'm excited, being the proud owner of a few swishy Jovovich Hawk dresses, and can't wait for images to inevitably leak all over the blogosphere.
Monday , August 27, 2007
Sneak Peek: Kate Moss for Topshop, Fall 2007
God, I do my best not to be interested, to be full of jaded, proper, politically astute integrity and skeptical, sober critical thought -- and yet I'm still excited to see what everyone's favorite scandalous person, Kate Moss, is up to for fall, fashion-speaking. I thought we'd be Mossed out by now, but this Grazia article promises that the fall Kate Moss for Topshop collection is more trend-driven and confident. Does it really matter? People will still go nuts because I just looked at that crepe dress and felt that "I want that right now" instinct light up on the radar. Oh, Kate, what's in your water? Now if you could get Philip Green to look into those exploitative labor charges, pronto, because I know you probably have the power to save the world if you really wanted to. If you could do it before September 5th, when the fall collection is set to launch, that'd be even better.
Thursday , August 23, 2007
First Look: Loeffler Randall for Target
The news has scarcely been out on Loeffler Randall's collection for Target, and now the first sneak peek pictures have already leaked to the blogosphere! These come via Racked, who got them from Market Girl. (Oh, what a hall of mirrors we weave!) While these are not professional snaps, I'm still psyched about these: it looks like Loeffler Randall's sense of graceful proportion and attention to detail are still intact, even at a much lower price-point. Excitement! Now, to wait at least five months...
Wednesday , August 22, 2007
Free Irina?
Liz and I both noticed that we had a goodly amount of hits yesterday from searches for Irina Lazareanu, the model/muse du jour. She's got a record coming out soon, but we were still puzzled with the flurry of interest -- till we realized that she may have been arrested along with on/off/maybe-on-again (ex-)boyfriend Pete Doherty a few days ago. This begs a few questions:
1. What is going on with this Kate Moss/Pete Doherty/Irina Lazareanu triangle?
2. How does Pete Doherty continually elude jail?
3. And just "wtf" in general on the whole thing.
At any rate, it all points out the fact that we don't have nearly enough pictures of Ms. Lazareanu in this blog. We're not usually model-y people here, but she's just too cool-looking for us to be haters. So here is my favorite picture of her:
Tuesday , August 21, 2007
Be Still My Heart! Loeffler Randall To Do a Target Collection!
Gleaned via the ever-awesome Racked: fantastico-fabulous shoe and accessories designer Loeffler Randall to design a shoe line for Target in early 2008! While these "mass with class" collabos are coming on so fast-and-furious that we barely bat an eye these days, this one really sets the radar tingling because of how much we always seem to covet from Loeffler Randall's main collection. I really hope they just unabashedly rip themselves off and do a boot like these Sylvie ones from Shopbop:
Now all I need to make me completely fashion-apoplectic is to hear that Bing Bang will be doing a Target collection. Anyone from Target out there listening? Come on, really make my heart race!
First Look: Roberto Cavalli for H&M
The first images from Roberto Cavalli for H&M have leaked (via Cafe)! While it's hard to really glean a sense of the entire collection from these, the strongest impression I get is that the fashionable gents out there might be pleasantly surprised by this collection because the suits look kind of nice. Enjoy!
Monday , August 20, 2007
Isabel Marant for La Redoute...Kind Of
Sometimes the vagaries of global fashion conglomeration elude me. Why is it that Isabel Marant can do her usual ineffably chic thing for La Redoute in France, and not quite yet for the one for the U.S.? As modeled by the impeccably pedigreed Lou Doillon, what woman anywhere wouldn't want a perfectly draped dress or charmingly awkward wool coat for fall?
Sunday , August 12, 2007
Cat Power Models for Vanessa Bruno
Chan Marshall: such a fashionista. Not only is she in with Chanel, she's modelling for one of our favorite designers, Vanessa Bruno, in her catalog for fall. Shot by Mark Borthwick, who we've shown previous love for, the images are like outtakes from the photographs of our second-favorite Cat Power record, You Are Free. (The first would be the fragile, ghostly Moon Pix.)
Wednesday , August 8, 2007
Christian Lacroix for La Redoute
Have you checked out the capsule collection that famed couturier Christian Lacroix is doing for La Redoute? There's a fanciful take on the trench and a romantic silk taffeta dress among the offerings, but nothing truly strikes me, although I might put the dress on "online sales stalk" alert for the holidays. And at prices like $299, it's a fair bit pricier than usual for La Redoute, even for their previous designer collaborations...
Tuesday , July 17, 2007
Picks: Resort 2008
First Place: Lanvin
I've never even seen one wedding dress that I like before, let alone four that I love.
Second Place: Chloe
Paulo Andersson is really, really good. This little collection embodies everything about everything I want to wear. These garments are offbeat without being straight-up wack, girlish but still cerebral, totally wearable but not even close to boring. The scribbly dress at right is my particular fave.
Third Place (tie): Prada
After blowing everyone's mind with the extreme ugliness of Prada Fall 2008, Miuccia has redeemed herself with this soft-spoken stunner of a collection. I love the bobby-soxer silhouette, the heavy, textured florals, and the jammer chic vibe of the center look.
Third Place (tie): Stella McCartney
God Stella McCartney, why do you have to be SO CHILL? Oh right, because you were raised in the English countryside by Paul & Linda. That'll do it. Anyway, the little number at left looks like the most comfortable dress in the world, but it's still totally fly. You could just throw it on with wet hair, walk out the door, and look like a million bucks. The dress at right makes me want to be forty years old and a famous author; I'd wear this to the launch party of my seventh novel or whatever.
Runners-Up:
(from left) pink bridesmaid-y confection plus corsage by Doo.Ri; Balenciaga boots; chill daywear from Thakoon
Thursday , July 12, 2007
Pssst: Libertine for Target is Already in At Least One Store
New Yorkers looking to get a jump on the Libertine for Target collection, here's a hint: it's out on the floor right now at the Bronx Target on 225th Street. The racks are full, there are loads of sizes and plenty of customers looking with interest at the cute whale-printed skirts and screenprinted t-shirts. And while I'd dismissed this as kind of juvenile (and there are definitely a lot of candy punk-prep adorable pieces if that's your thing), there are some nice, sophisticated, even luxurious pieces. The black crepe dress with cream crocheted collar border is well-cut and the material much better than the $39.99 price tag, and the creme silk bolero with black edging is also well-done. Of course, the t-shirts are fun (especially the creme t-shirt with the tree), but a nice surprise were some of the accessories. Those looking for a quirky overnight bag could pick up the blue whale-print duffle, and there are three highly collectable scarves available: a royal blue with colorful border and a Libertine script written all over it, a solid grey with a pink border and a Libertine logo in the corner, and a black and creme one with printed birds, skulls, small Libertine script and other motifs dotted all over it. (It's pictured below.) Anyway, check it out and enjoy...
Saturday , July 7, 2007
Summer Longing
Many women venturing into the balmiest of seasons have in different ways waxed poetic about what might be the consummate summer dress. Well we've found a candidate, the elusive piece of clothing that seems to simplify one's life and have seemingly transformative powers. Many are simple brilliance, but rare is the one that is pure magic. Imagine it dressed up with classic skimmers or dressed down with either those canvas flats that all the kids (young and old) are sporting nowadays.
This gem is by NYC-based label, Flowers Of Romance, one to definitely keep an eye on as the warmth of summer gives way to the cool autumn air. If you can't afford this version, we recommend you keep an eye out at the vintage stores- this charming silhouette was popular in the seventies.
Thursday , July 5, 2007
Beth Ditto to Design for New Look
We'd be totally remiss if we didn't mention that Beth Ditto, the amazing lead singer of the Gossip, is in talks with British retailer New Look to design her own range. Blessed with a fantastic voice and major stage presence, Ditto made waves earlier this year by refusing to perform at an instore gig at Topshop because they don't make clothes for plus-sized women - so we're pretty sure her designs for New Look will be curvy-friendly. Most of all, we're just excited to be able to post the "Jealous Girls" video here:
Tuesday , July 3, 2007
Couture Me Up, Couture Me Down: Celeb Spotting at Dior's 60th Anniversary Couture Show
So I'm sure there must be loads of people writing and blogging about the 60th anniversary Dior couture show, and about how all the dresses were inspired by artists, and how there were real supermodels walking the runway, and, did you hear, Kate Moss pulled out at the last minute? and blah blah blah. Yeah, the dresses were pretty astonishing, but I was more interested in seeing what the celeb-packed audience were wearing. My personal favorites:
The incomparable Carine Roitfeld, legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris. I would like to be her when I grow up, thank you very much.
Sofia Coppola, both a fixation for me and Liz, wearing a dress from Dior's cruise line. (She's with her baby daddy, Thomas Mars of the pop band Phoenix. Is it just me, or does he always look slightly uncomfortable and bored at these fashion events?)
And Dita Von Teese, looking ever-immaculate and old-school glamorous in lilac. Marilyn who? (Am I the only one icked out by Marilyn Manson and Evan Rachel Wood? And how she's kind of starting to dress like Dita these days?)
And just for good measure, here's Kate Hudson in canary yellow. Don't ask me what's going on with that look on her face, but the dress is kind of groovy.
Friday , June 29, 2007
Take A Look: Erin Fetherston for Target
The first images from Erin Fetherston's line for Target's Go initiative have just leaked (these are from fashionista.com), and the word is girly, girly, girly. I almost got a toothache looking at these because everything is so sweet and innocent! This range hits squarely in Target's Go demographic (women and girls between the ages of 15 to 25). I find it tremendously cute and adorable but almost completely unwearable for me, having banned all traces of dollybird from my wardrobe. But it's just as well because it means I can spend more on Alice Temperley's Target line, which skewed unexpectedly darker and heroic than I'd expected. Fashion always has a silver lining...
Wednesday , June 27, 2007
Love Forever: Sophia Kokosalaki for Topshop
Words cannot express how much I love Sophia Kokosalaki. I kind of want her to take over the sartorial world and clad us all in the nonchalantly powerful dresses she does so well. She manages to combine so many things I love about clothes into one line: a bit of Greek, a classical, restrained sense of romance, touches of Victoriana and a sinister dash of S&M just to keep it all interesting. The result are pieces that make you feel elegant and even a bit heroic, and who doesn't want that? She keeps doing all these design collaborations (Nine West and La Redoute), and while some people are "over it," how can you not be excited when a designer you love is much more accessible and affordable? So all the haters can go ahead and ignore the upcoming mini-collection she's doing for Topshop, launching next week. Ah...now you're intrigued, no?
Thursday , June 21, 2007
Christian Joy at Topshop
Mostly variations on the same type of design (an intriguingly named "bean" dress), they're a little more restrained than the sort of "everything and the kitchen sink" thing she had going with the YYYs, but it's all still plenty cute for the summer. I'm fond of the pinstripe number with the rope belt: it fits in with the nautical note happening at the moment, but there's something classic-preppy about it as well, which should ideally give it a bit more life after the season's over.
(By the way, check out the People Tree stuff over at Topshop as well: fair trade cotton, hello! I have one of the tops, they are quite lovely.)
Wednesday , June 20, 2007
Bitten: A Q&A with Sarah Jessica Parker and Cathy Horyn
Whoever thought that a humble little line of sportswear could cause so much ruckus? That's what I kept thinking when I read the latest post on the incomparable Cathy Horyn's blog, a Q&A with Sarah Jessica Parker talking about Bitten, her line of sportswear for Steve & Barry's. It's a fascinating interview because Horyn, one of the great critical minds of fashion, dares to ask the pointed questions we all think deep down:
Q: Did you have any concern that maybe we don't need more stuff clogging the planet. There is H & M and Target, and Topshop wants to open here.A: Of course. I think I would have felt that if I didn't understand the Steve and Barry's customer. There aren't H & Ms everywhere. And that's very trendy fashion - it's not what every woman wants. I don't feel there is this surplus, in a way. To me, it's about access.
The result of Horyn's sharp questioning creates weird little fissures in the interview where it seems that SJP is spinning her wheels a little. It's clear, though, that SJP has good intentions and has her heart in the right place, but Horyn's summation of the line still stands: it's good for basics, but could use a little surprise here and there. (My own feelings and opinions are similar to Horyn's: great t-shirts and basics and jeans, could use a dash of eccentricity and they could be a little better in quality control.)
But lately, especially since writing about Vera Wang's line for Kohl's, I've been thinking beyond the clothes and trying to wrap my mind around why Bitten has become so controversial within certain fashion communities. (My thoughts are pretty scattered about it all, but I think it's worth putting down here if only because, well, where else am I going to put them?) There have been tons of other celebrity fashion lines, yet something about this particular and particularly non-exciting one, fronted by one of the most relatable and affable celebrities ever, has somehow sparked an interesting flurry of debate. For me, if you scan a lot of this gauntlet-throwing and discussion, I think I boil it down to a simple question of: Who does fashion belong to?
By "fashion," I don't just mean simply clothes, I mean the aura and pleasure that clothes confer to their wearers, and how that aura is created and by whom. A lot of it is marketing, and there's no doubt that Bitten gained a lot of attention from its association with SJP - it was a brilliant marketing move on Steve and Barry's part. And a lot of aura comes from the media, which we read to find out what has "it" and what doesn't. But a lot of "aura" comes from within a design itself: what tradition, lineage, history or narrative it evokes and how the wearer participates in that. And it's clear here that a lot of fashionista critics felt that the clothes had little "aura": they expected a lot more, perhaps more of the eccentricity that marked SJP's most famous character, the iconic Carrie Bradshaw. When SJP and Steve & Barry's defend themselves against these critics by saying that the line is not aimed at them, critics again countered that Bitten underestimates their customer, that they deserve more than t-shirts and jeans, that the people deserve fabulousness and fashion and are ready for it. (In fact, they would think of themselves as belonging to "the people," too.) What I don't think gets mentioned very often is that most of these design collaborations have been aimed at the fashionista segment, so I'm sure the expectation was there that they'd get the same strong design direction that Proenza Schouler or Viktor & Rolf gave for their respective retailers. But when they realized it was not aimed at them and they didn't get what they expected, well, we know how that went. And the result is an exhausting push-pull, where words like "elitist" and "charity" get thrown around unproductively and everyone trying to interpret what "the people" want to wear, what they should wear, what they deserve, etc.
Sometimes I think the fashionistas are right, and there could have been a bit more of an aesthetic risk. Because there could have been a few things that "pushed it," but I'll give them the possibility that they played it safe right out of the gate. And there's something to be said about broadening the imaginative possibilities of clothing whenever you can: after all, design is everywhere, and it wouldn't hurt to bring a flight of imagination, whimsy and even beauty in even the most humblest collection. Everyone deserves beauty and good, imaginative design, even at a low price point. But sometimes I think SJP is right, because deep down I believe most people in America opt out of "fashion" in the way that it's been conceived of by the fashion industry, the one that magazines like Vogue and most fashion blogs center around, and they just want to wear what is practical and what works. They don't keep up, they don't care about whether Kate Moss wears flares or not, they don't know who the hell Karl Lagerfeld is and if they did they'd think he was a real creep, and yeah, they don't have a lot of money to spend on clothes because they're for better or for worse paying for gas in their cars right now, or paying up their noses for health insurance, or paying off student loans that get more and more exorbitant, all in the middle of an incredibly consumerist society in which participation is equated with buying power, for better or for worse. But clothing is, after all, a necessity, and maybe "people" just want to be comfortable and wear cute things and go on with their lives like everyone else. You could shove all sorts of aspirational silhouettes in their faces, but they're not going to buy those damn skinny jeans as long as they still make bootcut ones because, well, people like what they like. They want to buy something that works and get on with it. And after all, as we all know, what (and who) the fashion industry thinks is beautiful can be incredibly narrow and confining. You could debate it, ad nauseum, really, and get no closer to the answer of "What should Bitten be?"
But this is a debate that characterizes a lot of fashion in America, so how was the case of Bitten different? Here's my theory: Maybe the sin of the "Bitten" line is that it knows that there are poor people in America, acknowledges this in the nicest way it can without saying "We know you're broke," and attempts to address it, albeit through selling things. And a lot of the debate surrounding Bitten is really a reflection on how we can and can't talk about the poor, or class (or its often unspoken correlative, race) in America, especially in a world like "fashion," with its ties to aspiration and fantasy and carefully cultivated "aura." And it's a reflection of how little or much we know of how "people" really live.
Either way, what I'm willing to bet throughout it all is that Steve & Barry's took a good look at the changing fashion marketplace, one marked by shorter and shorter production cycles in which jeans swing from bootleg to skinny to God knows where now faster than ever. They took a look at American casualwear and where most people buy it, and realized that those prices are escalating at a rate not commensurate with wages in America. Then they probably looked at the Gap and its troubles as a company and realized that they're not buying into these disposable production cycles and the punchy, trendier designs that serve these timeframes best. And they probably saw an opportunity because they knew they could make these clothes for a lot less, an opportunity they attached to an actress with a Q rating that is off the charts to get them some attention.
Ultimately, the debate will be resolved in the only way that a capitalist society can unfortunately manage: in the marketplace. And at the moment, the stuff is selling. So maybe the "people" are into it. But who knows how long? But I have a feeling that the line's inherent conservatism - its opting out of the "fast" fashion cycle - will end up being its strength, if it's truly well-made as SJP says it is (and the jury is still out on this.) It may not be exciting, but it just might hang in there.
All that said (sorry dudes), I think this bag looks kind of cool:
Roberto Cavalli for H&M
You can get your va-va-voom in a few months when Roberto Cavalli does the next H&M designer collection next winter. Following in the footsteps of Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and Viktor & Rolf, Cavalli will be doing a collection for the fast-fashion retailer that will feature womenswear, menswear, accessories. When I heard about this, I was a bit "meh," but I'm curious to see if it will be all wearable bling or if the Wild West note that popped up in his last collections will make it into the range. At any rate, you can watch a little video here with Cavalli discussing his collection and the collaboration. It's pretty sedate as far as fashion videos go, but I find him really funny, probably because something about him reminds me of my geography teacher in 7th grade and I love that when he says Beyonce, he says it like "Be-yon-SAY."
Sunday , June 17, 2007
Simply Vera for Kohls: A High-Low Tightrope
So it was with great interest that I read the long, informative New York Times article about Vera Wang's line for Kohl's, published in today's Business section. Not only did I learn some interesting facts (Isaac Mizrahi's line for Target brings in $100 million a year for them), but it was a glimpse into the process of a designer needing to think of a new customer beyond her own audience, as well as a corporation getting an education into the tricksy, flightly question of "What is fashionable?" What the article makes clear is that the venture is a huge risk for both, but with potential for great reward: Vera Wang gets her cash infusion to expand her rapidly growing brand, and Kohl's get a certain cachet and visibility that it didn't have before.
But what's really most fascinating about the article is the subtext of exactly who the Simply Vera customer is: is it the middle-American, budget-conscious, basics-loving suburban mother that shops at Kohls, or is it your typical rabid fashionista consumer, who has proven to trek almost anywhere in search of that perfect piece? The collection that Wang has designed for Kohls has generally gotten high marks by the fashion press, with WWD calling it "spectacular." (I already really adore the midnight blue chiffon dress with ribbon straps, and I know people are buzzing about the gold bubble skirt, which, by the way, will be made in limited quantities and available for $68.) And, over-cluttered styling aside, the pieces themselves have that "ballerina grunge" thing that Wang does so well in her ready-to-wear collection. The whole range promises to have a certain breadth to appeal not just to fashionistas, but to all sorts. But will Kohls' customer fall for it,or will she keep reaching for her sturdy, practical basics?
The whole thing, along with the recent Bitten range that Sarah Jessica Parker put out for discounter Steve and Barry's, got me thinking about the democratization of high-low fashion and the overall American aesthetic. The Target/Go collection have been highly successful because the projected customer for them (young women, generally) are for the most part pretty fashion-adventurous and aspirational, and their target audience already shop in the stores for daily, basic things like toothpaste, mouthwash and the like. And the various initiatives for H&M, Uniqlo and even the Gap have been aimed at gaining credibility among a very fashion-aware customer that either already shops there or shops at their rivals. Bitten seems to be successful in launching a womenswear component to a successful store that already sold men's casualwear, in part because it took no aesthetic risks but provided casual basics at a price that honestly beat all others for the most part. (I also think that a lot of people responded to its inclusive, "something for all women" democratic message.) But the Vera Wang/Kohls collaboration is interesting: it's not only probably going to get some people who have never stepped into the store to check it out, but is attempting in some way to broaden and widen its existing customers' "comfort level" with fashion, and the Times article underlines this subtext quite well. Here is an "auteur" designer on some level who wants to retain her signature while at the same time appeal to a somewhat conservative customer.
Or is she really that conservative? Fashion folks like to rank on Middle America, or rather the America that doesn't have so much disposable income at its fingertips, but the truth of the matter is that people dress like shit everywhere. And often what separates a fashionista from New York from one from, say, in some dinky town in Wisconsin are no longer questions of knowledge and information (knowing who did what dress and where to get it) but questions of actual access and price, a question which is rapidly changing with e-commerce and initiatives like this. (I was going to say the "realities of everyday life" makes an impact, but it's clear from seeing pictures of the likes of Ugg boots and winter coats in the summer that fashionistas don't let nature and reality get in the way of their outfits.) And I always keep in mind that one of the most lauded dressers in the world once said of growing up with her friends in her own suburban, blue-collar hometown, "They were really fashion-conscious because they were suburban, and that's the way suburban people are. They're more fashion-conscious, and they're more trendy." (The little philosopher's name is Kate Moss, by the way.) The truth is, the appetite for visually appealing, unique yet not stupid-looking design is strong everywhere, and the appeal and success of the Simply Vera will boil down to whether or not it looks good and makes a lady go "I want that," is of decent quality, and of a price where the old and new Kohls customer can feel like they can have a little fun and experiment without making their weekly budgets go haywire. It's a tricky tightrope to walk, but if it works, Vera Wang has expanded her brand into what could be potential Ralph Lauren territory, Kohls gets an identity facelift and everyone can be disheveled grunge ballerinas to their hearts' content.
Thursday , June 14, 2007
Confirmed: Erin Fetherston for Target
Via Racked and Slaves to Fashion, 'tis true: Erin Fetherston is doing a Go International collection for Target! Get ready for pretty...
Thursday , June 7, 2007
Sweet! Ice Cream T-Shirts from Brooklyn Industries
Liz likes beauty treats that are like ice cream. And I like t-shirts with ice cream on them, especially these ones from the ever-awesome Brooklyn Industries. Either way you go, it's a perfect summer motif!
The Dress of the Summer? The Saga of the Kate Moss for Topshop One-Shoulder Frock...
We've been watching the whole Kate Moss for Topshop phenomenon with the same fascination you'd have watching an incredibly slow-motion, multi-vehicle car crash: the hype, the slagging, the launch, the crowds. It's a retail soap opera, with heroines (our darling Kate), villains (those Ebay pirates), twists (the website doesn't work!) and a third-act reversal waiting to happen. However, I do concur: the one-shoulder dress is probably one of the line's standout signature pieces, and even though it's flooded Ebay at the moment, it's still a collectible. (Will it show up at Decades in a decade? And will Decades be called Eons by then?) Anyway, it launched yesterday, sold out of the smaller sizes and is restocked as of today. Better yet, psst: use this code (SCDS15) for £5 off. Sure, everyone will have it soon but you...can...not...resist.
Thursday , May 31, 2007
It's A Go? Erin Fetherston for Target...
Our dreams of Erin Fetherston for Target are becoming truer and truer: Fashionista.com is saying that the designer is very, very likely to be Target's Go designer for February 2008. Which is highly exciting, since Fetherston's the epitome of pretty, and a good dose of pretty would be a nice lift out of the winter doldrums, wouldn't it? In the meanwhile, it's all just an excuse for us to post the Ellen Von Unwerth-directed, Kirsten Dunst-starring short film "Wendybird," which shows Fetherston's designs in all their girlish glory.
Wednesday , May 23, 2007
Patrick Robinson...for Gap!
It's sort of an ongoing saga among fashion cognosceti...what to do with poor old behemoth Gap, widely acknowledged to be in a bit of a precarious position at the moment? Well, perhaps things are a bit on the up and up: first there was the Gap Design Editions project where Doo.Ri, Rodarte and Thakoon designed some super-popular white shirts, and now they've just announced that Patrick Robinson, fresh off his successful beachy bohemian capsule collection for Target's Go International initiative, has been named as executive vice president of design for the company. (They've also just signed with sustainability coalition Ceres as well, whoo hoo.) I think I'm just excited because I've got a bit of a crush on Patrick's awesome hair, and it's always good to see him in the news.
Tuesday , May 22, 2007
Rumors: Sophia Kokosalaki for Target?
The other game I like to play is called "Guess who's doing Target's next designer collaboration?" The latest thing I've heard buzzing about is Greek designer Sophia Kokosalaki, who recently just ended her stint at Vionnet. This wouldn't be a stretch by any means: she's already done small lines for both Nine West and mail-order catalog La Redoute. Personally I love, love, love Kokosalaki's beautifully artful line and her work at Vionnet was truly, truly gorgeous, so I would be completely psyched if this were true. (Although I think this makes more sense for the H&M customer than the usual Target Go International customer, which skews towards the junior end of things.)
Friday , May 18, 2007
First Look: Alice Temperley for Target
Okay, not exactly first -- we peeped these over at shopdiary.com. But have a look at the just-announced Alice Temperley for Target line, due out in September. There's lots of prettiness and several lovely dresses for frock fanatics such as myself, but it's all rendered in a relatively somber palette -- which gives it a broader appeal and makes it a bit more grown-up than the typical Go International line. There are also a nice array of basics that should work well for the girlie-inclined, including some cute little jackets and coats. Can't wait to see it in person...
Friday , May 4, 2007
Confirmed: Alice Temperley for Target
It's a deal: we mentioned early last month that Alice Temperley was rumored to be the next Target Go International designer, and now FWD is saying it's for real. Get ready for pretty this October!
Wednesday , May 2, 2007
See Waitress, Wear Loyale
The movie's a candy-colored fable that ends with a riot of colors that would make a Juicy Couture ad jealous and momentarily made me want to sell off all my black and neutral-colored clothes to run riot in all the bright spring dresses out now. The charming yellow Pasadena dress from one of our favorite new labels, Loyale, would fit the bill, but the frock is sold out everywhere, probably because not only is it pretty in the most relaxed way, but it's made out of organic cotton by a company known for its good-for-the-planet practices. If you find the dress, will you let us know? Because it's on our online fashion stalk list now.
Here's the trailer for Waitress:
Tuesday , May 1, 2007
Wow, That Was Fast: Kate Moss for Topshop
I was looking for ways to procrastinate from my television writing class assignment last night when I remembered that the Kate Moss for Topshop collection was set to launch. (Okay, I didn't remember...my computer's calendar program reminded me. Yay, technology.) So I checked it out, like any other interested fashion-type girl would, and boy, was the site going nutsy: slow, turgid, "generic errors" all over the place. (Even the U.S. government's site on tax day wasn't so crazy-slow!) I decided to buy one of the less publicized dresses, and it took me nearly forty minutes to get through the site's checkout madness. Luckily I did, because at this point in time, nearly everything is out of stock on the site, and there are already Ebay pirates at work. But don't worry, my pretties, there's still Barneys...
Tuesday , April 17, 2007
Available Now: Jovovich-Hawk for Mango / Rodarte, Doo.Ri and Thakoon for Gap / Courreges for La Redoute
On the other hand, Gap's campaign for its new Design Editions collections with Doo.Ri, Rodarte and Thakoon have no problem with bad visual representation, what with super-glossy photos, top models and great styling. For the collection, each designer was asked to reinvent the classic white shirt, and the results are distinctive and for the most part covetable. The troubled brand has been notoriously wobbly for the past few years, but the initiative is a small step in the right direction. Our favorite piece of the whole shebang is the Rodarte bow blouse, perhaps because it's the most whimsical-looking. (That's it over there on the left.)
Oh, and one last mention for Courreges at La Redoute. The futuristic/sporty thing is so not up my alley, but those of you who want to have their hand at the trend should check it out, if anything for the white shift dress. By the way, La Redoute, which has been using guest designers for ages before it became the latest thing, is also selling Paul & Joe Sister, not to mention this Sophia Kokosalaki dress for $55. (I personally have this dress, and it's very well-done.)
Jovovich-Hawk for Mango (the good photo with Lou Doillon!):
Thursday , April 5, 2007
Rumors: Alice Temperley for Target?
Word has it that Alice Temperley will be following in the footsteps of Proenza Schouler, Patrick Robinson and Libertine as the next designer in the Go International series. Temperley's unabashedly beautiful frocks have a cult following, and the company is slowly but solidly expanding into the U.S., what with a showroom opened up in New York recently. While designer collaborations have become dime a dozen these days, we're still excited if this is true, even more than the Erin Fetherston possibility we mentioned awhile back. It's certainly not the first designer collaboration that Temperley has done -- she designed a limited edition camera and case for Nikon last holiday season, and her company is certainly in a position to take advantage of the publicity that a Target collaboration would provide.
Sunday , March 25, 2007
First Look: Libertine for Target
If you haven't yet heard, Libertine will be Target's next GO Designer for fall in 2007, and you can peep the clothes over at Target's website. The pics are too teeny to really examine any details, but overall the collection veers away from the louche Victorian vibe that Libertine became famous for, and moves towards something not unlike the Luella Bartley for Target collection: punkish, bright, and very, very girlish. I think I'm feeling my age because the minute I saw these, I thought, "Oh! That's how I dressed when I was 18!" (You know, bright colors, cute little skirts, cardigans, secretary blouses and so much cute indie pop it could give you a toothache.) Alas, I'm not 18 anymore, so I doubt I will pick up much from this line, although the ruffle jacket is intriguing, and incidentally the closest thing to the aesthetic that Libertine rose to fame with. Now, if I could only get a good look at it to be sure...
Wednesday , March 7, 2007
Rumors: Erin Fetherston for Target?
So the blogosphere is already buzzing about Libertine doing a collection for Target, but the little whispers are lately revolving around the possibility of Erin Fetherston and Target teaming up. It would be an interesting step for the up-and-coming Fetherston, known primarily for her clean, floaty frocks and dollybird spirit, to do day and casual wear for the mass market. The idea is exciting, of course -- who wouldn't want one of Fetherston's pure, adorable dresses for a song? Of course, these are just rumors, but if it's true, it's great to see Target picking up on emerging talent in a business that can be all too precarious.
Something from her latest collection:
Wednesday , February 14, 2007
Take A Look: Patrick Robinson for Target
The frenzy around the Proenza Schouler for Target hasn't even died down yet, but Target has already released a small collection of images for their next designer collaboration with Patrick Robinson, current head designer at Paco Rabanne. Insiders may know Robinson's work from his previous tenure at Perry Ellis, where, if I remember correctly, his work was feminine, youthful and right up a Marc by Marc Jacobs girl's alley. His Target collection seems to take its inspiration from a certain beach hippie strand of style; I think any devotee of Jane Birkin would be especially into the medallion print tanks, skirts and dresses, not to mention the tunics and shorts. Should be a nice collection for summertime fun...
Wednesday , February 7, 2007
Fashion Week: Bits and Bobs
So we usually don't cover shows here because, well, tons of other people do it quite well and we would do it only half-assed because we're sleep-deprived, busy and are only going because we lucked into it and believe in not turning away random last-minute strokes of good fortune. Keep the good stuff coming, you know? But I did manage to get out to some very few shows, and here are our half-assed observations:
FAVORITE OVERHEARD QUOTATION: "What the fuck happened to flattering?" Please say this in the bitchiest tone you can muster and put it on a t-shirt, quick!
OTHER PHRASE WE LIKED AND HEARD A BIT OF: "Trapeze fatigue." Does this mean no more romper room type dresses?
SHOW WE LIKED THAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO LIKE: Behnaz Sarafpour. I'm not keen on the staid girlie vintage thing she usually does, but she turned out a great collection that was edgier than usual, very sophisticated and quite dark.
WHO WE WANTED TO COMPLETELY LOVE BUT CAN ONLY REALLY LIKE: Philip Lim. Still la la love him, but thought the collection a bit dowdy, though completely impeccable.
We didn't get to go to the Marc Jacobs show, but we saw the pics and we heart him for saving NY Fashion Week. While I doubt I'll wear anything from the collection, I love the old school YSL-ness of it and the slightly skewed 1930s influence and just the fact that so many people were just surprised by the graceful turn he's taken after being so grungetastic for a bit.
And on a completely random note: Look, Abaeté stole my winter uniform this year!
Thursday , November 9, 2006
Fast Fashion: Viktor & Rolf for H&M, Patrick Robinson for Target?
In other news, WWD reported today that Patrick Robinson is due to follow Proenza Schouler as the next Target Go International designer. Robinson is sort of a perpetual 'rising star' in fashion, having started at Anne Klein, had his own label, made his way to Perry Ellis and now is designing at Paco Rabanne. I haven't followed his Paco Rabanne work much, but his stuff at Perry Ellis always caught my eye for its flirty, feminine but not too fussy designs. He's had experience designing at a lower price point before, so it should be fun to see what he could come up with.
Thursday , October 12, 2006
Cat Power + Chanel
We would be completely remiss in our duties if we didn't note that Chan Marshall, known more widely by her stage name of Cat Power, has been signed as the new face for Chanel's jewelry line. Kind of awesome, no?
Wednesday , September 20, 2006
Kate Moss To Design Collection For Topshop
Thursday , September 14, 2006
Vena Cava Saves Our Fashion Week
Maybe it's because I'm in the middle of film editing, or maybe it's the start of school, but man, Fashion Week has been a bore, bore, bore. Even our darling Marc Jacobs couldn't get me excited (although the Marc by Marc line perked us up a little in parts), although I'm sure it will be influential and all that. So hallelujah for Fashion Geek, who blogged about the Vena Cava show. New York girls love Vena Cava, and I am no different: while the clothes are definitely vintage-inspired, the refined cuts and colors manage to be modern, and the result is something that is both sophisticated and quirky in a way that doesn't reduce a woman to childishness. Vena Cava customers are a wide range: I've spotted their clothes on everyone from your typical Brooklyn cool-girl-about-town to gallery grande dames and everyone in between. And best of all, the girls who design Vena Cava, Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock, have reps for being the sweetest, most gracious people ever. I've saving my pennies to buy myself a Vena Cava dress once my shopping fast is done, because who doesn't want to support two cool ladies who make clothes for other cool ladies?
(Picture from Fashion Geek!)
Sunday , September 3, 2006
Luella Rocks!
(Luella Bartley with M.I.A.!)
Kate Moss is Miss X: A Film for Agent Provocateur
Kate Moss watchers, you may want to take a gander at the Agent Provocateur website, where everyone's favorite rock-star-as-model appears in the first installment of a 4-minute "erotic film" for the lingerie brand, directed by Oscar-nominated director Mike Figgis. Titled "Dreams of Miss X" and shot in the dark, it's a hazy, sensuous black-and-white fever dream and a great advertisement for Agent Provocateur's sexy, saucy designs, in no large part to its alluring star.
Friday , August 25, 2006
Love: Ciel
Sometimes I get the random wedding dress help request but I'm always at a loss to help, having no inclination at all to promote the wedding industrial complex. But recently someone dropped a message asking for a very specific request: to help find a dress that was low-key, stylish, pretty, could be worn again, casual enough for a late-summer, last-minute garden wedding, not thousands upon thousands of dollars, and finally, eco-friendly in some way or another. And wouldn't you know, I actually know of such a dress: this lovely tea frock from Ciel, one of my favorite eco-fashion lines. Ciel is a British-based brand designed by Sarah Ratty, and from their selection of fabrics colored with azo free dyes to their use of factories that comply with fair labor practices, they're upstanding examples of sustainable, eco-friendly fashion. But just as important, Ciel makes some gorgeous, gorgeous clothes that are worthy of being heirlooms, to be passed on from one generation to the next - their romantically bohemian dresses, sweaters, skirts and tops have fans like Cate Blanchett and Sienna Miller.
Thursday , August 24, 2006
Obesity and Speed
We have a theory that Obesity and Speed has become the cult label of choice for ultra-cool types like Misshapes' Leigh Lezark because it's just so fun to say the name. Mordant toothlike graphics could also have to do with it, and maybe even the cobweb-like knits. But really, we think it's the name...it just rolls off the tongue, even after a white night out and following killer hangover.
Tuesday , August 22, 2006
Those Weird Juicy Couture Fall 2006 Ads
At first I hated them, but now I kind of dig them: whatever your opinion, you can't deny the new Juicy Couture fragrance ads are among the more visually distinctive of the season, a sort of acid-pop 80s Lisa Frank take on the whole Marie Antoinette thing happening right now, complete with the Laduree macaroon color scheme. (Curious aside: who else here has serious nostalgia pangs for Lisa Frank stationery and stickers sometimes? And who else craves Laduree's black currant violet macaroons, like, right now?) Psychedelic-sweet, aggressively girly, complete with Technicolor dogs and birds and old ladies with hair the color of cotton candy, it's like some old lost Prince video during the Around the World in a Day era or something. How wacky! At first I wanted to puke, but now they make me smile. Who would've thought?
Wednesday , August 16, 2006
Preview: Behnaz Sarafpour for Target
Some tiny pictures of Behnaz Sarafpour's collection for Target. Very lady, with lots of lace trimming and overlays, satin, 50s style shapes mixed with de rigueur skinny jeans and trouser-type shorts. I'm not very lady, but I do love some of the little dresses - there are a lot of them, including a few very Audrey Hepburnesque ones in black velvet.
Tuesday , August 15, 2006
Love: Avita
My search for the ultimate beautiful bamboo cloth top yielded lots of activewear (including companies that could give American Apparel a run for their money) but it was discouraging not to be able to find something that didn't take creative advantage of the supple qualities of the cloth. But then I found Avita. The brainchild of L.A. designer Amanda Shi, Avita first came onto the radar for using cashmere in an everyday, relaxed way to create their sort of California casual designs. As a company they've been adding earth-friendly materials to their repertoire, including organic cotton, recycled cashmere and now, bamboo. I really love this top, available at online boutique Vibe, which falls into the slightly medieval thing going on for autumn. Body-conscious yet flowing, restrained yet romantic, and it's sustainable, too - a great example of taking full advantage of the opportunity to make the utilitarian into something aesthetically interesting, which is what fashion is about, after all.
Friday , August 11, 2006
More Rock Festival Fashion: Jalouse, July/August 2006
As a sort of hangover to our momentary obsession with music festival fashion, we just wanted to post one of our favorite fashion editorials from this summer, "Summertime" in the July/August 2006 issue of Jalouse. Shot at Coachella this past April, it has that perfectly idealized Californian desert vibe. While the reality may have been hot, annoyingly crowded and slightly dehydrated, the shoot is pure backlit hippie grunge.
Tuesday , July 25, 2006
Fashion Distractions: Julia Restoin for Tom Ford, Pictures from Siren Music Festival and McCarren Pool Parties
Things are getting a little slow around here lately, either crazy-busy with other work or taking much-needed vacations. In the meantime, here's some fun things:
+ According to PAPER editor Kim Hastreiter, Julia Restoin, the daughter of Vogue Paris's editor, Carine Roitfeld, is said to be the new face for Tom Ford's fragrance, Black Orchid, coming out later in 2006. Famously stylish like her mother, Julia has been getting a lot of press lately celebrating her fashion pedigree, and it only looks like things will heat up for her.
+ Style.com has a street style feature on Siren Music Festival. Two observations: American hipster style is nearly the same everywhere, and Katrina Ford from Celebration (pictured below) looks consistently awesome, in that sort of citified grunge hippie vein that we know and love.
+ One of our favorite NYC music blogs, The Modern Age, has a fun bit about the style peeped at the McCarren Park Pool Parties and asks the eternal question: how do those dudes who wear long sleeves in the summer not sweat? Seriously, they mystify me and I really would like to know.
Monday , July 10, 2006
Look How You Listen: Geren Ford / Brightblack Morning Light
If every dress has a soundtrack, then the designs of Geren Ford would have music as relaxed and soft as her silhouettes. Ford first hit our radar by designing a kicky little lingerie line a few years ago, and then starting popping up more with a flattering, sought-after shorts design when the neglected clothing item began to resurge in popularity. Ready-to-wear followed not long after, and here's where her dresses come in: like many other items in her collection, they feature beautifully relaxed lines, draping elegantly over a woman's body in a subtle, understated way without over-revealing or over-obscuring. We love this kimono dress because it's just hippie enough to be nonchalant but still straight-up modern and cool.
Which is also how I'd describe the music of Brightblack Morning Light. These Northern Californian hippies don't hide their bohemian commitment to loose song structure and, yes, lyrics about owls and rainbows and earth, wind and fire. But there's enough of a serrated, My Bloody Valentine-type gauzy guitar texture, slo-mo postmod blues and narcoticized vibe to keep their music from falling into retro excess. Pick up their self-titled release on Matador, sit back in the grass, and bask in the sun in your favorite summer dress.
Friday , June 23, 2006
Francesca Lia Block's Fashion Quest
Last night I went to a reading at Skylight Books, the launch of the fifth edition of Black Clock. This issue’s all Los Angeles fiction, and there’s a story by Francesca Lia Block (who we have loved a long time, and will probably love forever). I stupidly got there late and missed her portion of the reading, but once I snaked my way into the crowded little reading space I spotted her right away: In a throng of black-clad bodies, she was all bright and shiny with her gauzy, peach, silver-sequin-adorned, near-sleeveless blouse and a gold skirt made of some luminous and crinkly fabric. Around her right wrist was a very long strand of pearls that haphazardly wound itself halfway up her forearm. I didn’t get a good look at her shoes but they seemed cream-colored and high-heeled.
So now I’ve just reread her years-old Fresh Yarn essay “Fashion Quest”, a personal history of style as told through her lifelong obsessions with fashion magazines, punk rock, and names like Pucci and Chanel and Dior. It’s my favorite kind of fashion writing, love-filled words that make you want to open your eyes a little wider to what’s beautiful and possible in your world.
Her piece in the new Black Clock is stunning too, by the way. Pick up the issue and you’ll also get stories by: Jonathan Lethem, Susan Straight, J. Albany, Rachel Resnick, and a slew of other Angelenos.
Wednesday , June 21, 2006
Ecoture by Deborah Milner & Aveda
We are so psyched about the news that designer Deborah Milner is teaming up with Aveda to create a line of sustainably crafted high-end fashions. Set to launch this summer in either London or Rome, Ecoture is taking Earth-friendly fashion to a whole new level: Instead of simply making stuff from eco-sensitive materials like bamboo, recycled fabrics, and organic fibers, Milner has spearheaded an effort to engineer new couture-quality textiles and dyes that won't harm the planet. Says Treehugger: "The standards for couture are extremely high - demanding that every sway of silk and drape of damask is perfect, not to mention that colors must be both vibrant and diverse. It isn't impossible to craft these materials from eco-friendly fibers and dyes, but filling the gap requires a lot of research and experimentation, both of which require fortitude and, of course, funding." With help from Aveda, Milner - who spent a year helping to preserve "natural areas and indigenous cultures" in Brazil - rounded up a group of textile experts and premiered a collection of Ecoture gowns last fall at Aveda's biannual Congress fashion show. Treehugger offers a sneak-peek at the Yawanawa Dress, "named for Brazil's Yawanawa tribe, inspiration for the intricate design embroidered on the dress" and made from silk duchess satin recycled-tie materials. Milner's now working on crafting a silk for which they won't need to rely on reused fabrics.
Wednesday , June 14, 2006
A Teensy Preview: Paul & Joe for Target, Fall 2006
I love Paul & Joe, so I was excited to get a small glimpse of some of the upcoming designs that the French label is doing for Target here. It's very true to the spirit of the label - a bit of pretty hippie, a bit of schoolgirl whimsy and very, very fun.
Tuesday , June 6, 2006
Louis Vuitton + Zaha Hadid
Louis Vuitton has yet another interesting collaboration up its sleeve: celebrated architect Zaha Hadid may be designing a "conceptual" handbag for the French luxury label. For those out here who follow architecture with as much avidity as fashion design, this is exciting, as Hadid, the only woman to have won architecture's prestigious Pritzker Prize, is known for the brilliance and audacity of her designs, many of which have only existed on the theoretical level. Hadid, whose work in the subject of an exhibition that recently opened at the Guggenheim here in New York, may be taking advantage of fashion's relative immediacy in the future - she counts designers such as Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Vivienne Tam as friends, is currently in talks with Stella McCartney to build a catwalk for a show and is working with Chanel to build a pavilion. It should be interesting if the Hadid/LV collaboration comes through to see what remains of the classically luxurious fashion brand after being put through the boundary-pushing deconstruction of Hadid's process.
Thursday , June 1, 2006
June Issue of N.E.E.T. Magazine Online!
Thursday , May 25, 2006
Kayrock Screenprinting, Inc.
Wednesday , May 17, 2006
Give a hoot
Owls are so having their moment. First, our very own Kat wrote about Keep Company’s Ashley Macomber-designed owl hoodie, which I contemplate buying every other day. Then Chocosho graced us with Three Delight’s silkscreened Hooty Hoo tee and Llama Yacht’s (sadly sold-out) vintage-corduroy and felt appliqué Owl Bag. And now I’ve just discovered FluffyCo’s owl night dress, a black American Apparel jersey-cotton t-dress emblazoned with silver bird-of-prey in flight. FluffyCo lists the supercheap dress in its “jammies” category, but we think it totally works as going-out attire for most any nocturnal wandering.
Here are some fun owl facts, courtesy (in part) of Defenders of Wildlife:
-Owls can turn their heads as much as 270 degrees in either direction.
-Owls’ eyes constitute up to 5 percent of their body weight, taking up so much skull space that there’s little room for gray matter.
-One of my favorite Mary Timony songs is “The Owl’s Escape,” off The Golden Dove
-Owls swallow their prey whole.
-According to Polish folklore, owls don’t come out during the day because their beauty would cause them to be mobbed by other jealous birds.
-These are the cutest owls I could find online:
Tuesday , May 16, 2006
Compare and Contrast: Viktor & Rolf for H&M, Tara Jarmon / Paul & Joe for Target
On the other hand, I've become more interested in how Target is proceeding with their effort to bring high(er) fashion to the masses. Granted, their goals are entirely different; in raising their profiles as fashion players, they don't aspire to be high fashion and frou-frou with super-limited editions and a high-visibility opening day, but bring cute clothes for a younger demographic to hopefully buy in droves. Their designers aren't so prestigious, but that isn't really their goal. But I think whatever they are going for is working - I checked out the Brooklyn outpost and the racks were picked clean of the Tara Jarmon stuff, and a manager I talked to mentioned how well it was selling. (I'll be headed out to the Midwest to work on some film stuff this summer, so I'm interested to see if that's the case in a place truly far from high fashion saturation.) Most of the clothes are way too juniors for me (although some of the Jarmon pieces seem more sophisticated than Bartley's collection), but I like how Target rolls out the pieces: over a period of time, and not everything at once. The slow and steady approach seems to serve both the company, the customer and the designer, not just the headlines, and it seems to make for a more respectful experience. (Unless you like a good catfight when you shop, of course.) Their next Go International designer is Paul & Joe, which is genuinely exciting to me, because I love their non-frilly yet feminine clothes. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open on this one, although I guarantee you I will never bitch-slap anyone in the name of fashion.
Tuesday , April 25, 2006
Celia Birtwell for Topshop Launches Today
Major jealousy fit coming on: Celia Birtwell for Topshop launches in Topshop's Oxford Circus flagship in London today. Birtwell, who did prints in the 1970s for the legendary Ossie Clark (who was also her former husband), designed an 11-piece collection full of floaty pieces in her signature feminine graphics, and the response has been huge. (It must be, judging from the number of hits I get from "Celia Birtwell for Topshop" searches.) Apparently there is already a wait list, according to WWD. Americans like me are completely jealous, but luckily the capsule collection is hitting NYC boutique Opening Ceremony in mid-June.
Below, some images of the collection:
Wednesday , April 19, 2006
Worn Free T-Shirts
Faux-vintage rock t-shirts can be such a horrid tease. We get so taken in by that authentically tuff-looking AC/DC emblem on snuggly, pseudo-faded cotton, and then our eyes wander over to the tag’s bubble-lettered Junk Food logo and it just sort of deflates our hearts. L.A.-based Worn Free takes an even trickier approach to “vintage-feel” tees, re-creating the shirts famously worn by rock stars past. Which means that, for 40 bucks, you can don a replica of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero” shirt, Frank Zappa’s “Radio Clyde 261” tee, or—thanks to an upcoming collection—a design worn by Joey Ramone or Gram Parsons. We still feel kinda itchy about the whole fake-out factor, but we do appreciate Worn Free’s “every t-shirt tells a story” philosophy (upon buying a shirt, you get to learn a little about its place in rock history). And we’re curious as to whether the label will ever replicate our favorite rock star tee ever, the “Who The Fuck Is Mick Jagger?” shirt so bitterly, awesomely flaunted by Keith Richards during the Rolling Stones’ infamous 1975 tour.
Tara Jarmon for Target / Sophia Kokosalaki, Thakoon and Vivienne Westwood for Nine West
It's been all over the fashion blogosphere, but Tara Jarmon's slated to be the next designer for Target's Go International collection, which bows May 1. (You can peep a preview of her designs in the May Teen Vogue, a scan of which is up at fashionologie.) The stuff is super-cute, and I do like the color block dress. (It's just too bad about their pesky pharmacy policy.)
In other 'masstige' news, shoe retailer Nine West has tapped Sophia Kokosalaki, Thakoon and fashion legend Vivienne Westwood to design collections for them, to be released this September. Each designer collection will be available only at Nine West's 20 top doors and Macy's 40 top doors, as well as through ninewest.com and macys.com. Now that should be exciting!
Tuesday , April 18, 2006
Love: Daryl K
This blog would be incomplete without proclaiming our love for the designs of Daryl K, the eponymous label of Daryl Kerrigan. When I first moved to New York in the late 1990s, I used to haunt her shop even though I couldn't afford any of her stuff because I was in love with her elegant yet postpunk clothing and in awe of the fearsomely hip salesgirls who worked there. (It was supposedly in Daryl K's shop that Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman, Karen O, first met her stage clothes designer/stylist Christian Joy - the sort of rock 'n roll fact we like.) I was bummed when she shuttered the shop and label, but in the past few years, Kerrigan resurrected her label and has been slowly but steadily expanding her collection. Her designs are slightly softer, but still impeccably cut, minimal with an edge that works both downtown and uptown. Some of her clothes are now available at shopbop.com, and her shop has reopened. I still can't afford the clothes (unless they're on sale) and the people who work there are still incredibly stylish, but happily Daryl K endures.
Thursday , April 13, 2006
Fancy Pony Land
Fancy Pony Land’s nautical-themed spring line was my favorite collection at Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion show last fall, which probably has lots to do with my kindergartener-esque predilection for big, bright color and sea creature imagery. Executing her mermaid, shark, and octopus appliqués with all the cheery simplicity of a coloring book illustration, designer Lorna Leedy identifies her fashions as “kids’ clothing for grown-ups” but never crosses over into gaudy cartoonishness. Leedy, a former zoo and aquarium exhibit designer who’s turned her Eurovan Camper into a mobile sewing studio so she can roam the country with her park ranger boyfriend, recently began supplementing her line of dresses, A-line skirts, and tops with Fancy Pony Land-customized jeans. Just send in your favorite pair, and Leedy will sew on silver leather appliqués of cowboy guns, pirate swords, or another bad-guy weapon of your choice.
Wednesday , April 12, 2006
Norma Kamali for Spiegel
Comme des Garcons + Topshop?
The faintest maybe-rumor has emerged: Rei Kawakubo, one of fashion's most maverick talents and the legend behind the Comme des Garcons line, could collaborate with British high street powerhouse Topshop. In a WWD.com article, a Topshop spokesperson was quoted as saying, "[Kawakubo] contacted us to say how much she liked the Topshop Unique fall/winter collection that she'd seen online, and to say she may be interested in some sort of future collaboration — though nothing's fixed." If this happens, I can only say wow. At any rate, Topshop isn't lacking for fantastic talent: its next collaborator will be Celia Birtwell, the famed print designer and ex-wife of Ossie Clark. The Celia Birtwell line is set to bow in Topshop on April 26 at its Oxford Circus store in London. And I am personally envious: prices will retail from $40 to $120.
Tuesday , April 11, 2006
Taking Excitement Lingerie to a Whole New Level: Agent Provocateur's New Maternity Line
(And yes, let's please stop using the word "bump," and just call it "preggers belly" or something. Or just "belly." Please.)
Friday , April 7, 2006
Bonnie Heart Clyde
Most of the mixtapes we made for our college boyfriends were full of not-so-hidden love/angst messages delivered by hyperconfessional songwriters like Juliana Hatfield and Mary Lou Lord. But because 23-year-old Emily Katz is either way subtler or more clever than we are, one of her college mixtapes for boyfriend Shaun Deller featured Serge Gainsbourg’s slinky-sly “Bonnie and Clyde,” a song that ultimately provoked the Portland-based couple to launch their own line of freehand-embroidered t-shirts, hoodies, dresses, oxford shirts, and blazers. Determined to “live the life of outlaws, but with sewing machines instead of tommy guns,” Bonnie Heart Clyde turns vintage, recycled, and American Apparel cottons into storybook scenes starring delicately rendered wolves and unicorns, birds and flowers, boys and girls, and the occasional skull and crossbones. Now helmed by Emily—with Shaun creating recycled cycling apparel at Deller Designs—Bonnie Heart Clyde next presents a fall/winter 2006 line “inspired by the woman who haunts rare bookstores, waiting to catch the eye of the man across the room reading 1st edition French fairytales.” So romantic, we feel compelled to track down some old Brigitte Bardot songs and compile a very come-hither mix CD for our number-one crushes of the moment.
Wednesday , April 5, 2006
Chulo Pony
When I told a friend that I was writing an entry on Chulo Pony, he laughed and joked that any label with a reference to horses and Mexican slang would be right up my alley. And while it's true that I do like the lingo and yes, horses are to fashion what wolves are to indie rock (i.e., very au courant at the moment), we would like Chulo Pony's designs and charming website no matter what. With a fresh color sense and adorable arty-crafty shirts, the Vancouver-based label has ties to the Nettwerk Music Group, and their designs possess clever little details and a youthful perspective on clothes that never takes itself too seriously. And yes, we love their name.
+ Buy Chulo Pony at Lisyb.com
Thursday , March 9, 2006
Norma Kamali for Everlast
A week ago I checked out the full collection of Norma Kamali for Everlast at Bloomingdales, and I have to say - it's amazing. Everything is cut superbly, amazingly comfortable and fits right into the whole grunge ballerina aesthetic that I love so dearly.
Wednesday , March 1, 2006
Best Scarf Ever: Mods Vs. Rockers 'Steve Perry' Scarf
Combining mod style with Journey: what could be better? Mods Vs. Rockers is the latest project from New York designer Shadrach Lindo of Monkey Club. Find out more about Mods Vs. Rockers' limited edition Steve Perry soccer/football scarf at http://www.oohoohaah.com.
Wednesday , February 1, 2006
Luella Bartley at Target
Stella McCartney: New Accessories Line in June
We interrupt our late-night editing session to bring you news of Stella McCartney's major new accessories line, due out in stores this June. Hot on the heels of a wildly successful partnership with H&M, McCartney's line will feature an extensive stable of bags, shoes, belts, jewelry--any bit of kit a Stellahead would desire. While there should be plenty of McCartney's dusky yet bold color sense and refined punk detail, what is unique about the line is its lack of leather or other animal product (although I'm sure the prices for high-end designer will remain the same.) Here's a bit of quirk: all the handbags will be named after breeds of horses, such as Appaloosa, Pinto, Palomino and Mustang. According to the label, the prices range from $95 for some of the jewelry to about $1,595 for some of the embroidered shoes.
The push has been long overdue for the label, which has yet to put out an "It" handbag or other 'must-have' luxury item and faces profitability expectations from Gucci Group by 2007. Will the typical luxury customer go for accessories made of nylon, satin, vinyl and the like? I hope so. A quick glance at some photos show that McCartney's attention to cool details (buckles, shirring, shredding, etc.) remains intact, and the mixture of textures is both bold, artful and refined. I'd like to think 'the leather factor' is a non-issue. Cool girls tend to dig McCartney's punk-rock attitude to swanky ethical fashion, and knowing the cult-like fervour surrounding her stuff, I'm sure they'll start saving their pennies now.
Wednesday , January 4, 2006
Proenza Schouler and Target?
I know it's been a good long while, but what can I say? Film school's a lot of work. Thought occurred to me to shut this down for good, but then when you hear a fun bit of news, you can't help but want to pass it on: Proenza Schouler is supposedly in talks to create a limited-edition collection for Target. WWD notes that the probable deal is months in the works, but if it goes through, it will be a huge coup for the retailer. (The Luella Bartley Target collection set to launch next month is nothing to sneer at, however.) Who knows? Maybe by the time it finally comes out, I may have some free time to go shopping.
Thursday , August 25, 2005
T-Shirts As Cultural Phenomenon
Thursday , July 21, 2005
Limited Edition T-Shirts + "Thinking Coolsters"
It's hard to think about fashion when you're more preoccupied with what clothes you can do without because it's so hot outside. But we hereby interrupt this heat wave to conjecture that the limited edition t-shirt designer is the new DJ (which was the new screenwriter way back when, I suppose.) But hurry up and place that wholesale American Apparel order, because the NYTimes just had an article on the artful t-shirt trend, so it's this close to mass trend saturation. My favorite part of the piece? Lucky editor Kim France's use of the term "thinking coolsters." Are you a thinking coolster? Does that mean you think about cool things? Can I put that down in my passport?
Thursday , June 2, 2005
I Heart Sampleline
Wednesday , June 1, 2005
Hmmmm: Marc Jacobs' Markenstocks
Some things just puzzle me: the curious and pervasive use of the "liger" in popular culture, the incredible shrinking starlet and Marc Jacobs' ironic foray into hippie fashion, in the form of the Markenstock, available at Satine.
The Markenstock:
The liger:
The incredible shrinking starlet:
Tuesday , May 31, 2005
Alexander McQueen + Puma
Just what the headline says: Alexander McQueen will be designing a line for Puma. Set to be unveiled in September, the as yet untitled collection of men's and women's footwear will be available in stores in spring 2006.
Monday , March 7, 2005
"Bobo" Style: Where "It's Perfectly Fine To Look Like a Bag Lady"
The NY Times had an article yesterday about the rise of Mary-Kate Olsen as a "fashion star" with her brand of "bobo" chic, which is basically boho thrift-store style but with luxurious touches like beat-up Chloe bags, expensive boots and cashmere scarves. (Funny, it's usually referred to as looking like a homeless person in other publications.) There's not much to say that hasn't already been said about the article by the likes of Gawker and others in the blog netherworld. I don't know why this stuff makes news anymore, as well; rich people have been dressing up in Third World/poor people's tatters for decades, only it used to be called "rich hippie" or "trustafarian" or what have you. It's more fun gleaning subtexts of post-Marxist frisson from the piece:
The look flies in the face of the conventions of elegance that dominated fashion runways as little as a year ago. More important, it seems to address the discomfort of a younger generation with overt displays of wealth.Leslie Savan, the author of "The Sponsored Life" (Temple University Press, 1994), about advertising and American culture, calls the Olsen-influenced Bobo style "forcefully unostentatious, dressing like an unmade bed." It works for some people as a kind of aesthetic corrective. "If you can't reform your social attitudes, you can at least reform your look," Ms. Savan said, adding that for devotees, mixing the inexpensive and the expensive, the old and the new "seems to make you more interesting, mysterious, textured."
"But of course," she noted, "you are buying those qualities."
It's interesting how everyone throws around the terms "bag lady" to describe this aesthetic - because, you know, if a bona-fide bag lady were running around with a Balenciaga bag, some would assume that she stole it. Really, the best accessory to the "bobo" style is an anorexic body, clear skin, good hygiene and perfectly disheveled yet painstakingly highlighted hair.
Tuesday , March 1, 2005
Oscars Post-Mortem / Balenciaga News
I thought the Oscars would revive my current fashion malaise but it only made it worse, what with the endless procession of strapless gowns, beige-y nude lipstick and fishtail hems. (Everyone looked lovely, blah, blah, blah, classy, elegant, Old Hollywood, stylist, blah, blah, blah, jewelry, brooches, the occasional odd frizzy hair, blah, blah, blah.) Not that I, or many other people, would have done better, of course; at this point the whole event is so over-saturated, over-orchestrated and over-predicted that people must be just paralyzed with style anxiety. So, sigh, the Oscars. Can someone have an awards show for awards show fashion and get it over with?
Happily, though, it takes a little article in WWD about one of my favorite designers to get me excited (and finally writing!) about fashion, at least for the moment. Entitled "Ghesquiere's Reality Check," at first I thought it would be one of those pre-death knells about the travails of a visionary talent at a brand mired in the politics of a conglomerate corporate structure. Nicolas Ghesquiere has been making headlines at Balenciaga since the start of his time at the luxury label, but has struggled at the retail level. (Granted, do you want to pay a month's rent for a scuba dress that could ruin your internal organs with compression after one evening out? And do you really want to wear a scuba dress?) Apparently, Ghesquiere has till 2007 to make the label profitable. Normally you would insert a lot of sniffling about the Corporate Man keepin' down the Artist here, but the designer is keen on meeting the breakeven deadline by July 2006, when his contract is up, and it sounds like he's quite eager to expand the brand from its cultlike level to something much bigger in the next year and a half. Look for more Balenciaga in the stores, more accessible product collections like pants and knits, focus on markets like Japan and perhaps the development of new fragrances, always the bread and butter of many fashion brands. (They're also hoping to keep that ubiquitous motorcycle bag in stock more.) Capsule collections will retail about about a third of the usual cost of Balenciaga - still pricey, but not unmanageable if you're wily on Ebay or with the sales - so that fans of Ghesquiere's severe, almost sci-fi take on fashion can build Balenciaga into their oh-so-mixed-up wardrobes.
It'll be interesting to follow Balenciaga as Ghesquiere and Gucci Group begin the process of building the venerable house into a brand with a strong contemporary presence and identity, especially with such a noted experimentalist in the head position. The tensions between art and commerce can destroy a designer's career as much as push it into unexpected, innovative directions, and it will be fascinating to see which way the wind blows for one of the most gifted designers going.
First Tilda, Now Tori: Viktor and Rolf's Newest Runway Inspiration
Those wacky boys at Viktor & Rolf - what will they think of next? Famous for their fruitful, complementary collaboration with actress Tilda Swinton, WWD reports that Tori Amos will be walking the runway for the Dutch design team this Wednesday as her music plays on the soundtrack. I don't know what slant the conceptual-leaning designers will take on this, but I'm sure it will be interesting.
Wednesday , February 9, 2005
Speaking of the Babydoll Dress...
I was selling some old clothes at the local consignment boutique when, out of curiosity, I asked the somewhat laconic buyer what people seemed to be picking up these days. After getting a rundown of the same old stuff (Jeans! Jeans! Jeans! Yes, I know!), I clarified my query and asked if there was anything new or unusual that she hadn't noticed before, especially for the student/younger crowd. And the answer was: babydoll dresses.
Just so you know...
Oh, That Crazy Marc Jacobs: Fall 2005
For a designer at the pinnacle of exposure and success, such a controversial change in direction must no doubt be causing LVMH to lose some sleep over how to sell such a collection to buyers and consumers. Though there were plenty of individual items that should sell, it's still a fantasy that people buy into, and who knows if such a maverick vision will lure in customers? Personally, the babydoll dresses, grandma coats, and black tights remind me of the 1990s, and I love it for that and its overall darker tone. (Then again, I was young enough to be excited by that infamous grunge collection; it was one of the first things that got me interested in "fashion-fashion" to begin with.) And while I don't see myself wearing a clown smock or doing the mid-calf length skirt (mini or ankle, thank you), I have to respect a designer who's adventurous enough to head off to a different direction when they could so easily keep garnering column inches and dollar signs doing the same, ultimately boring, thing again and again.
(Is this not grunge or what?!)
Monday , February 7, 2005
On the Radar: Tara Subkoff for Easy Spirit Gladiator Sandals
Last week a ton of people wrote in, asking about the Tara Subkoff for Easy Spirit gladiator sandals. Everyone wants to know, "Where can I get them? When are they out?" At first I was going to say this month at "better department stores" but now I can tell you to go here as well. How's that for know-how?
Tuesday , January 25, 2005
Jean-Paul Gaultier Does Nautical
Those of you who want to jump onboard for the nautical theme all over the place for spring (har har) would do well to check out the Jean-Paul Gaultier stuff up at LaRedoute.com. There are lots of pieces with his trademark corseting detail, and a little sailor hat for good measure. If anyone actually gets that hat and sends me a picture of them wearing it in the street, I will give you a prize. (It'll probably be one of those sailboats in a bottle, but still!)
Wednesday , December 8, 2004
Oh, Manolo!
I always appreciate a good humor/fashion blog. Hence, I give you the Manolo that the super-fantastic girl, she should read for the good time. The Manolo, he has merchandise and is most ambitious, too! Bring smile to your face, okay?
Tuesday , December 7, 2004
Pro-Faux (Fur)
In a season where fur vests, fur hats and fur-trimmed boots and coats are all over the place, it's nice to see that some retailers are declaring themselves firmly in the faux camp. British chain TopShop is featuring a display of their faux fur wares with a sign proclaiming "All our fur is fake." Competitors Zara and Mango are following suit, and are going real fur-free starting next January. But then, though, fashion will have probably moved on to a "hot" new material and customers will be wrinkling their noses and declaring "Fur is soooo 2004."
Monday , December 6, 2004
La Petite Coquette's Online Store
Lately I realized that my inadvertent "fashion concept" has been a sort of Wes Anderson-meets-girl-equestrienne sort of thing, partly because I'm lazy and partly because I've always liked the tomboy thing a lot. I'm undercutting the gamine/androgyne factor of shrunken blazers, boys' button-up shirts and riding boots with lots of eyeliner and the odd piece of estate jewelry. ("Odd" is the right word: my favorite piece looks like some silver rapper chains gone Victorian.) But the best way to stay in touch with your inner femme is to wear seriously girlish, expensive lingerie. So I was completely overjoyed to read that one of my favorite lingerie shops, La Petite Coquette on University Place in New York, now has an online boutique at thelittleflirt.com, which carries Araks, La Mystere, and Cosabella, among other top names in the unmentionables department.
Tuesday , November 30, 2004
Finger on the Pulse: Hong Kong
There's an interesting article up at International Herald Tribune about the "new Hong Kong woman" and her fashion aesthetic: it's no longer about the head-to-toe "trophy wife" labels, but the mixed-up "cool-edged" eclectic spirit. (Isn't that always the case? Perhaps the whole "eclectic" thing is a masterful visual reflection of transnationality, a cherry-picking of labels and aesthetics in the rubble of so many strands of capital colliding.)
The fashion industry is keeping a very close eye on the Asian consumer, and the Asian markets in general, what with top designers opening boutiques and laying the groundwork for inroads into this still-untapped source of possible profit. Obviously, the continuing sagas of globalization will no doubt throw a few twists into the tale. (And those WTO-approved trade sanctions on U.S. exports will probably cool things off for American companies for awhile; WWD reports, "The 148-member WTO last week gave the go-ahead for tariffs that could total $150 million if the U.S. does not immediately repeal the Byrd amendment, which levies dumping and antisubsidy duties on foreign companies that are selling goods below cost and distributes the proceeds to U.S. companies that are affected.") But certainly the information, awareness and desire is there at the consumer level.
I'm curious, myself, as to how the "expansion" into Asia will change fashion design and style in general. Too long has there been a perception of the Asian consumer as just a label freak in general (in other words, just a mindless consumer), but if Asia becomes a huge source of profit for labels, designers will no doubt start "speaking to" these audiences. It's interesting to speculate what they will say to a discerning new customer with different notions of the body, dress and cultural vocabularies.
Tuesday , November 23, 2004
You Want This T-Shirt: Blood Is the New Black
Stylishly macabre, darkly girlish, and both punk and glamorous, Blood Is the New Black's t-shirts featuring the work of artist and illustrator Keren Richter, whose images of zombie mod girls and dirty nurses have been appearing in magazines and galleries steadily for some time now. Coming soon to an Urban Outfitters near you, give into your dark side and get one pronto before they completely blow up.
Monday , November 22, 2004
Hate To Bust Your Party
All the December issues of the fashion mags are filled with loads of "party clothes," lots of fluffy dresses, glamorous gowns and what have you that are supposed to be festive and inspiring. But really, does this make any sense? Besides the fact that it's dead of winter and it makes more sense to concentrate on sweaters, coats and full-body Uggs or something like that, but most people I know make it to one, maybe two, parties around the holidays because they're too knackered or cold to go out more than that. And when they head out they're usually wearing much warmer clothes than a bit of chiffon with some sequins splashed across the hem. (Or, if it's New Year's Eve, something they can dance and drink in.) So the idea of a "party season" seems a bit overblown. The Guardian certainly thinks so, judging from this hilarious piece about the manufactured idea of the party season:
"The idea of a glittering cavalcade of stilettoes and Manhattans stretching from late November into January is absolute cobblers. The friends I have spoken to this week admit that the events for which they might actually bother donning some new 50s-style cocktail dress - that is, true mates' parties - are either all on the same night or likely to be cancelled as everyone sinks deeper into the alcohol-related exhaustion that only really dull parties can induce."
(Thanks for the heads-up, Mimi!)
Tuesday , November 16, 2004
Zvezdochka
Moss
146 Greene St.
at Houston St.
New York, NY
212-226-2190
Tuesday , September 21, 2004
Mean, Funny, And Often Way Too True
This site is hilarious. Of course, I do have a fondness for fashion criticism that makes clever references to the 80s sitcom "Golden Girls."
Tuesday , September 7, 2004
"It's Not Just a Poncho, But a Spiritual Experience!"
I'm always making excuses for my poncho. I'm usually the first to grumble about "those damn hippies," a tendency that has only intensified since living in the Bay Area. But I can't deny the innate hippie-ness of my own beloved poncho, bought in Austin and done up in thick black, textured yarn, cable knit and tassels. (I make sure that everyone knows that it's a goth poncho, and "ironic" and "very Stevie Nicks, you know, 'Gypsy!'") Instead of the waffling and excuse-making, maybe I should just buy me that Lutz & Patmos butterfly poncho that I've been obsessed with for about a year now, to the point of dropping by the store to try it on and feel sad that it will never be mine. While most ponchos have a strong hippie factor, this one is as sleek and sophisticated as its muse, Christy Turlington. I'm a little horrified at the idea of dropping one month's rent on cashmere, but if you can get over it, I can tell you that this item is like wrapping yourself up in a blanket of heaven.
Thursday , August 12, 2004
Yellow Fever: Canned Heat?
Whether it's on the cover of Nylon, written up in Vogue or on the bodies of celebutantes, all of the sudden fashion label Yellow Fever is everywhere in the press. I'm always curious about anything with a "cult following," and apparently Yellow Fever's Asian-inspired graphic t-shirts and splattered camouflage pants have a rabid one. But I've got to ask: what's up with this? Couldn't you find ripped-up shirts with screen-printed dragons in any Urban Outfitters-type store? Is it the slightly racy moniker? That said, designer Jamison Ernest dates a Chanel model and gets his clothes on the likes of Gisele Bundchen and friends, so there's no doubt that fine connections leads to fine word-of-mouth. I'm hoping Ernest's showmanship and fashion connections leads to some more interesting clothes, but then again, I never got down with those dragon-embroidered Maharishi pants, either.
Wednesday , July 28, 2004
Pretty White Dress: A Wedding Planning Blog
I get a good amount of email about wedding fashion, with questions ranging from non-heinous bridesmaid dresses to high-end gowns to appropriate attire at an ex's wedding. Since at this point in my life I'm only an attendee and the occasional bridesmaid, the best recommendation I can give to the matrimony-crazed is to refer to someone who's actually gone through the experience of planning a wedding. Enter Pretty White Dress, a blog devoted to wedding planning and all its arts and intricacies. Written by Drema Gross, it's got smarts, glamour, a steady dose of common sense and plenty of wit. And having done bridesmaid duty for Drema, I can officially attest that the woman can plan a wedding that is equal parts tasteful, fun and lovely.
Tuesday , May 11, 2004
Marc Jacobs + Louis Vuitton: Staying Together
Everyone can breathe easier now: Marc Jacobs renewed his commitment to Louis Vuitton, signing a new ten-year contract with LVMH with a focus on growing Jacobs' eponymous line into even more of a fashion force. Look for the Marc Jacobs brand to take over in a major way, as well as store openings in Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Paris, London and Chicago.
Friday , April 30, 2004
Pretty Things
Those out there who are beading fans or just like having a tiny bit of luxury in unexpected, casual places: check out Wifebeader.com for delicately beaded tank tops. My favorite is the burst-pattern tanks. Naturally they are the most expensive, even with the 10% discount you get through purchasing through the website. Why is my eye so pricey?
Thursday , April 29, 2004
Say No to Crack
I'm sure you've heard about proposed legislation in Louisiana that will make wearing low-rider jeans illegal. State representative Derrick Shepherd would like to ban the style and impose up to $500 in fines - or up to six months of jail time - for those caught revealing too much of their thong and/or boxer shorts.
While butt cleavage can be ridiculous, isn't this legal intervention even more so, especially there are a million other things that lawmakers could be worrying about? (Like, oh, education? Poverty? Health care?) And isn't Britney Spears from Louisiana? Wouldn't this make it impossible for her to come home?
Wednesday , April 28, 2004
The Wellington: The Next Chapter in the Annals of Gauche Footwear as Fashion Statement
Most girls I see wearing these have gone the shiny, happy route with their rubber boots, which is actually a nice visual lift on a grey, rainy day. However, most prints date themselves, so if you're looking to be a bit more practical (and not so cheesy), extend the fashion-forward life of your Wellies and get the classic outdoorsy look, which look a little more "authentic." The whole outdoor-lifestyle look seems to be a continuation of this odd hipster strain I've noticed for a few years now, in which these entry-level fashion industry chicks run around downtown in jeans, ratty hair, "earthy" shoes and no makeup as if they were ex-hippies living in Maine. Of course they're still slinging around Marc Jacobs bags and Balenciaga sunglasses - you can be ironic in either clothes or accessories, but at some point you have to mean it to be it.
Friday , April 23, 2004
"Summer" Report
Everyone wants to know "what's up for summer?" I wish I could tell you, but unfortunately I live in San Francisco (for now) and summer doesn't exist here. A few days ago at lunch, my friend and I spotted a girl wearing leg warmers and flip-flops and that pretty much epitomizes "summer" in SF: sunny but chilly. I do notice a few 70s-style sunglasses: round, big, something that Jodie Foster would have worn in Taxi Driver. The whole aviator "I'm a coke dealer" look isn't around as much except on the hipster boys, who are also still wearing the "I'm an 1980s tennis player named Bjorn" sunglasses. Why don't you tell me what you're spotting for summer in your city and let me dress vicariously through you for a season that never really happens here in the Bay Area?
Monday , April 12, 2004
Adventures in the Land of Savages
Last week I attended a W-sponsored "fashion presentation" at Neiman Marcus for Piazza Sempione here in San Francisco. The presentation was mostly models standing around and looking bored and hungry, wearing clothes by Piazza Sempione: think classic, slightly sporty shapes like shift dresses, capris and tanks in bright colors and bold floral prints. In addition to the usual spring/summer looking stuff, there was a nice equestrian note struck with some of the collection, with boots pulled over tight pants and sharp little mandarin collar jackets, particularly in a black-and-white color combination.
But let's face it, most people were there for the free cosmos and martinis, courtesy of Charbay Vodka. And what people! There were a few young hipster types gone uptown for the evening, the San Francisco Juicy-clad soccer moms were in abundance, but the crowning jewel was the preponderance of old-school socialites in furs, Chanel jackets, Gucci sunglasses, heavy perfume, often worn all at once. My favorite was a group of them that kept bellying up to the bar - butting in front of the line of patiently waiting people. Later in the evening, one shoved me aside to get to the waiter with the tray of what looked like tater tots. I haven't seen such action since early 90s mosh pits! It was like the fashion "Lord of the Flies" or something. It just goes to show you: money doesn't buy class, even if you swathe it in labels and cover it up in furs. And it doesn't matter who or what you are, free alcohol and no food during dinner hour makes everyone go a little nuts.
Thursday , April 8, 2004
Top Shop Taking Over
British trend factory to the masses, Top Shop, is set to deliver to the U.S. "later this year," according to what I read in the latest issue of Marie Claire. ("Reading Marie Claire" - now there's an oxymoron for you.) Does anyone know when, specifically, so I can pencil in Must wear a mishmash of street fashion and trendy shoes purchased at a lethal exchange rate in my planner?
(Personally, I also love Forever 21 when it comes to cheap, trendy clothing. Bring on the knockoff tweeds!)
Friday , April 2, 2004
Vivienne Westwood: Pirates, Sex and Cell Phones
If you can't make it to her retrospective in London, couldn't find a pair of Pirate boots, or can't dig up anything from her influential Sex or Seditionaries collection, here's another bit of Westwood that you may never get your hands on: the excellent gadget blog Engadget has an item about a Vivienne Westwood-designed Motorola phone. There's only 99 of them, and they're only sold in Vivienne Westwood shops in Italy and Britain. Oh, the torture! But you can try and win one at the exhibition site here.
Tuesday , March 2, 2004
Amen!
They don't pay me enough to make this stuff up:
Mel Gibson's The Passion sparks Christian fashion craze.
UPDATE: Link has been corrected! Thank you to Ashley for pointing it out to me!
Monday , February 2, 2004
Mags and Their Rags
There's a funny little style profile of various fashion magazines' staffs at fashionweekdaily.com. Nothing comes as a huge surprise if you're familiar with the fashion magazine ilk. (A preponderance of Chanel and Manolo Blahnik at Vogue? Quelle surprise.) But nothing in the rundown is as amusing as a photo of Paris Vogue's staff in the Fall 2003 issue of V - everyone dressed entirely in black and stilettos. A picture is truly worth a thousand words.
Here at No Good for Me headquarters (aka home, but sometimes at a cafe when I drag my laptop out), we're lucky if we even pull on jeans - with Ann Demeulemeester t-shirt and pointy-toe flats, of course.
Thursday , January 29, 2004
Only the Sexy (and Skinny) People
Can I just skip the girliness of spring and go straight to the flat-out cool of Dior Homme for fall? Yet another superb collection from Hedi Slimane, who's doing an impeccable Mick Jagger impersonation with this one, or rather a Mick Jagger as filtered through the Lower East Side impersonation. Only the tall and lanky need apply for this collection, unfortunately, but then again - women have been looking at Balenciaga collections for the past few years and wishing they had the very slight build (a la Charlotte Gainsbourg) that Balenciaga only seems to look good on. Exclusionary aesthetics for all genders! Now that's equality...
Monday , January 26, 2004
When Stylists Attack
There isn't much too say about the Golden Globes, fashionwise - it was very "L.A. starlet with lots of cleavage and skin and shiny, bouncy hair." It's not that I'm opposed to all of those elements, but just everything all at once! The aesthetic is attractive, sexy and safe, but snooze-inducing and strangely conservative. It's understandable that those in the public eye would succumb to safety when gaffes and follies are routinely ridiculed in the pages of Us Weekly and People, not to mention all over the Internet (ahem). But sometimes you'd wish they'd lock up all the stylists and let the stars wear what they want - and look more human and personal and a little less like an army of Hollywood automatons. (Although who knows? Maybe Hollywood is run by robots.)
The biggest risk-taker of the evening was, curiously enough, Nicole Kidman, with her gold-spangled Tom Ford (for YSL) gown with plunging neckline. Kidman's looked more matinee idol-like in the past, when she's proven herself to be very strict and classic in her choices as the modern day equivalent of Catherine Deneuve. At this occasion, she looked a little kooky with the headband, and I could have done without the nude fabric inset. (If you're going to show skin, well, show real skin and use the double-sided tape.) But there's no doubt that she has confidence and stature to take risks, and off or not, her dress will probably be the most talked about from the show.
Other random notes:
+ Charlize Theron wore Christian Dior and looked very au courant for the coming spring season - feminine, soft and colorful in soft canary yellow, with her hair in soft curls. (And also the complete opposite of her role in Monster as Aileen Wuornos, which justly won her the Best Actress in a Drama statue.) Jennifer Lopez also proves she reads the fashion press religiously with a tangerine goddess gown with silver straps that did nothing to lighten the storm cloud that was her grumpy expression in a lot of her photos.
+ Sofia Coppola wore a little black vintage Azzedine Alaia dress instead of the Marc Jacobs some had been predicting. I love how low-key she usually is, and I love Alaia, although I do wish she'd worn a bit of a heel. She did look utterly herself and very cool, and how great that Lost in Translation won one of the Best Picture awards? Vintage was also worn by Kim Cattrall (Valentino) and Christina Ricci (Madame Gres), which made her look like an old-school femme fatale in the very best way.
+ Chic maternity was repped by fashion risktaker Cate Blanchett, who wore a dark red satin gown with cap sleeves with a dazzling pair of earrings. Blanchett always goes her own path, in fashion as well as in her career, in a sort of "quiet maverick" way.
+ Sarah Jessica Parker always looks very belle-of-the-ball in full skirts and tall heels. It's prom queen all the way for Parker, but she always looks fun and comfortable. She wore Chanel, of course.
+ And how amazing did Mary-Louise Parker look when she picked up her award for her great performance in Angels in America? That woman had a baby two-and-a-half weeks ago!
+ Not to be a hater, but what was up with some of the hair? Gwen Stefani, I'm looking at you, although you probably get the "I'm a rock star and get to be outlandish" card, even with your classy, almost demure white dress - with a stunningly revealing back. But aren't there other ways for rock stars to signal "rawk" without bad hair? Boots? Death-defying shoes? Leather?
+ And no, I do not know why Fergie was at the Golden Globes.
Tuesday , December 9, 2003
Having and Hating: Crosscountry
Everyone loves to hate on the fashion industry, even if they're up to their gills in Prada or Marc Jacobs. The brilliant t-shirt from Crosscountry lets you have it both ways: you get the fancy designer logo, but you also get Calvin of Calvin & Hobbes taking, um, hygienic liberties on it. You know you want it! Available at the ultra-stylish Nom de Guerre in Manhattan.
Monday , December 8, 2003
Fashion is Dangerous
In a show of can't-be-helped schadenfreude, there's a rather hilarious item up at fashion.net about Chloe Sevigny falling off her Balenciaga boots and losing four of her teeth during a bout of "play-fighting" with Matt Damhave, formerly of Imitation of Christ. I wouldn't wish losing part of their skeleton on anyone, but it just goes to show you: suffering for fashion can be hazardous to your health. And by the way, it took all of my willpower not to put "All She Wants for Christmas is Her Two Front Teeth" as the headline of this item.
Tuesday , December 2, 2003
Uggs Take Manhattan
What's up with all the Ugg (and Ugglike) boots in New York these days? I was East Coast-y for Thanksgiving weekend, and in between running around finishing film school applications and relearning the peculiarities of New York weather, I noticed many people wearing the kinda schlumpy, now chic Australian boots. They've been big in California and a fixture in Los Angeles for quite awhile now, where every starlet and wannabe starlet pulls them on for Starbucks runs for decaf foam-free blah-blah-blah soy lattes. I had thought of them as a peculiarly West Coast eccentricity, but now they've taken over in places where it actually makes sense to wear them. Still, is this a sign of the increasing Californification of fashion? Will the Juicy velour sweatsuit ever go away? Does God wear the face of John Malkovich?
Thursday , November 13, 2003
Trend: A Shot of Citrus
Splashes of yellow, coral and orange were all over the runway for spring...
Roland Mouret
Donna Karan
Zac Posen
DKNY
Derek Lam
Blaak
Marc Jacobs
Kim Jones
Proenza Schouler
Monday , November 10, 2003
Marc Jacobs Day
Let it be Marc Jacobs Day today for No Good, which is fitting, since prowling the streets of Bangkok and Hong Kong reveals his aesthetic to be one of the most influential on global street fashion. More on that later, but his December ads have just come out for his new perfume offering, Marc Jacobs Essence, a floral distillation of the gardenia note in his Perfume. Packaged in a cheery yellow bottle that's more apt for spring than fall, the advert features a portrait of muse Sofia Coppola painted by Elizabeth Peyton, known for her dreamy, romantic portraits of icons ranging from Kurt Cobain to Napoleon. Marc Jacobs certainly associates himself with cool women, mostly young hip types like Coppola, but he'll be featuring a true icon soon: the great British actress Charlotte Rampling, who'll be lensed by Juergen Teller for the spring campaign.
THE LONG TRIP HOME...TO CHAOS?
I go away to Thailand for one month and look at what happens! My pipes burst, jet lag destroys my work ethic, Paris Hilton goes porno and Tom Ford has left Gucci...to do what? No one knows, although the most logical thing would be to start his own label. But Gucci Group isn't the only chaos in town. Fashion is a bandwagon, and there are rumors that LVMH is looking to join in on the shakedown. Donna Karan International is up for sale from them, but fashion.net reports that the big rumor is they'll be casting off Marc Jacobs, who would also be likely to leave his post at Louis Vuitton. Quelle horreur! And just when Mr. Jacobs was expanding into the home market and looking into competing at an even lower price point...
Monday , October 20, 2003
Trend: The Little White Dress
All-white dresses were a big part of spring this runway season. In honor of the rather old-school nurse aesthetic that all-white makes me think of, I'd like to suggest the following wacky fashion layout: why not have models wear all-white dresses standing around a hospital room, cowering in fear at a pint of blood waiting to go in the I.V.? Or how about a cafeteria in the middle of a food fight?
Miguel Adrover:
Zero Maria Cornejo:
Behnaz Sarafpour:
Matthew Williamson:
Wednesday , October 8, 2003
Notes From Faraway
This is your intrepid editor here, writing from an undisclosed location on a continent far, far away on a top-secret mission. Yeah, whatever, but I am very far, far away now, currently writing from Bangkok, which will be my homebase for the next three weeks as I attend to other projects. Which means that I won't be writing super-regularly during that time which is fine, since I'm finding it hard to be superfashionable in the heat and the rainy season humidity. I'm sad to miss writing about Paris spring 2004 ready-to-wear, which promises to be wildly imaginative and boundary-pushing, per its tradition. (A quick glance already has me reaffirming my love for the Belgians and Yohji, but then again, my passion for them has much outlasted many relationships in my life.) But they'll be a guest popping in and out during my absence - when and if he can pull himself away from his other gig - so I'll let him introduce himself when and if he comes around. Look for the occasional fashion-mad rambling in between bouts of tiger wrestling in the jungle and trips to the night market in Patpong in search of the most innovative Louis Vuitton counterfeiting ever...
Thursday , October 2, 2003
Pradaholics, Your Moment Has Come (Again)
Miuccia Prada came off with a superb show; a perusal of the runway photos shows once again that she's nailed the retro zeitgeist without being too costume-y or cute. The show was very 50s-inspired, with loose skirts and nipped waists a touch higher than normal, touching upon the relaxed silhouette that seems to be a cornerstone of the season. Even the little bits of fur (for spring!) have a light hand, but there's still an intelligent substantiality for those who like their fashion to be on the grown-up but still feminine side. You'll be seeing the photo of Elise Crombez in that fantastical green dress splattered all over the magazines in a few months. But even more, Prada has nailed what will be the shoe of the season:
There's something very cheerful about wearing the footwear equivalent of a children's book illustration on your toes. Even though I never wear anything but black and/or bootlike on my feet, it's still nice to dream...
Tuesday , September 30, 2003
The Constellation That is Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney's new store opened in LA, and it was a star-studded event. Sometimes the best accessories really are celebrities.
SMELLS LIKE SAME OLD, SAME OLD
See, I told you so: Grunge is coming back again. What do you think the popularity of Ugg boots and trucker hats was forecasting if not this? But I hardly think Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2004 picture that accompanied this NY Times article qualifies as a contribution in the grunge canon - it was way too 80s jailbait roller rink. Much more Eddie Van Halen instead of Eddie Vedder.
Thursday , September 25, 2003
London Style: Eley Kishimoto
New York was a riot of flapper girl femininity, but London is really just so cool. The events may be smaller and the shows sometimes uneven in quality, but there's a great eccentricity and creativity - a liveliness, which is what you'd expect from the city with the best fashion education in the world. The energy is epitomized in the artistic, daring prints of design duo (and partners in life) Eley Kishimoto, who have been around for ten years but are starting to get a lot of press over here at the moment. Some examples from their spring show:
There's also a series of short films inspired by their prints up at Nick Knight's website, showstudio.com.
Tuesday , September 23, 2003
The Medium is the Message - Or Maybe Not
From the Arkadius show in London:
The question isn't how capitalism and increasingly global structures of economies have contributed to the situation of the Middle East - the question is "Will I pop out of my dollar donut top?"
LONDON CALLING
London's already coming, already here. After the commercial femininity of New York, a good shot of eccentricity that London is known for is a much needed tonic. Style.com of course has the latest runway photos and reviews, but showstudio.com will be "broadcasting" from backstage and transmitting live photos as the shows happen. Sophia Kokosalaki's show is already up there: it's all thing Grecian, most of which are fantastic. Fashion UK is already covering off-schedule shows, including Ann-Sofie Back's conceptual cool that should have i-D and The Face ripping their kits off in anticipation. Of note was the much talked-about Boudicca show; the couple who design Boudicca received backing from American Express and have gained the same momentum that launched Alexander McQueen into the fashion business stratosphere. Like McQueen's fashions, Boudicca is slightly Goth, sharply cut and very sexy. Break out the whips and blast your Bauhaus records.
Monday , September 22, 2003
More NYC: Tess Giberson
My favorite show this season wasn't splashed all over the websites or buzzed about on bulletin boards or blogs. Tess Giberson has quietly been making her brand of homespun, modest fashion, using beautifully worn-in textiles and gentle applique and quilting touches in her dresses, blouses and jackets. Her clothes look intimate yet artful. She has just as quietly been building a following who seek out her fragile, gentle yet just edgy enough designs at hipster enclaves like Seven in New York's Lower East Side. (Her work has also impressed the influential buyer Julie Gilhart, who bought her collection for Barneys.) Giberson's spring show was pastoral and serene - a peaceful, quiet vintage contrast to the mish-mash of flapper girliness that was all over the place. Giberson's meditative vision may have been lost in the face of the sometimes forced "optimism" of the spring shows, but there's something more authentic and affectionate about her designs that should win over girls who don't want to look anything close to forced and contrived.
The Dark Side of Bling
An article in the New York Times about Derek Khan, the ghetto-fab stylist who was recently sentenced for a term in prison for fraud. It's a cautionary tale, folks, and remember: Friends Don't Let Friends Indulge in Bling.
Tokyo Shoes
One of my new favorite style blogs: tokyoshoes.com, featuring snapshots and commentary on the fashionable shoes popping up in Tokyo. Including photos of shoes by A Bathing Ape, one of my strangely enduring obsessions.
STRAGGLING IN: BITS AND PIECES FROM NEW YORK
Friday , September 19, 2003
GET IT TODAY: BIG SLOUCHY SWEATERS
With all the spring ready-to-wear shows happening, it's easy for the fashion flock to forget that it's September and not April out there. But fall is a season for sweaters, and big, slouchy ones are stellar this season. Cozy, huggable and menswear-inspired, wear one with some straight-legged trousers and stiletto pumps. This one by Nisa is a particularly excellent example - it's roomy, but cut narrow in the torso to avoid excess baggage in the middle, and the deep v-neck is flattering. Buy it at fabric8.com, an online catalog based in San Francisco dedicated to independent designers of all stripes.
Thursday , September 18, 2003
Q&As
My mail server just coughed up some very old messages. Many apologies if I haven't gotten back to you; I'll try to catch up next week. In the meanwhile, here are some questions some people have sent in...
Where can I buy DMX's clothing line for dogs?
Boomer129.com says the line will be launched in November at pet stores and mass-market stores. Prices will start at $29.99. Please send me your pictures! I just have to see a pitbull in a doorag and a camouflage coat!
Is it better to leave your jeans the way you bought them if they're too long, or have them fitted?
Leave them longish if they're straight-legged and you're going to wear stiletto pumps with them. Gives 'em a nice legwarmer type of effect. Have them fitted otherwise, making sure they just hit the top of your foot. Or leave them longish and open up the seams on the side so that they fit elegantly over your shoe.
I need some cool shoes. Any ideas?
(This question is from a 17-year old fashionable male.) If you're rich, get a pair of shoes from Premiata or Costume National. On a more casual side, lately I actually really like Clarks lately. And there's always Golas, Adidas, Campers, etc. Vans also have come back, but you know what they say: anything coming back will soon leave. It's a hard world. Impermanence is a fact.
Where can I get Saddlelite jeans?
Everyone keeps asking me this. The usual suspects: Barneys New York, Colette in Paris, Fred Segal and Ron Herman in Los Angeles, basically all the directional boutiques. It'll diffuse down into your local high-end stores in a few months; they're exclusively available right now at a very select amount of stores, no doubt to make your denim buds salivate with anticipation at not letting you have what you want right away. Bastards.
How do I become a fashion buyer?
I don't work in the fashion industry; I'm just an interested outsider. So I'm probably the last person to ask. I did ask around, though, and there are so many different routes to get to where you want to go that it is mind-boggling. Some studied marketing and got internships with fashion-minded companies, others went to fashion schools and made connections there, and still others started off as sales associates in department stores and worked their way into personal shopping services and then went into the buying department. It's probably best to find out where your interests in fashion lie and put yourself in situations where you can make connections, since, as with everything, connections are key in the industry.
I keep hearing about the demise of the low-rise pant. Is it going away?
Fashion people (as opposed to regular people) are bored with pants in general, which is why the last two seasons have been so skirt-centric and such. But lowriders and jeans won't go away anytime soon with the people who actually buy their clothes and keep up with style. There are few rules in fashion, but one of them has to be: "The key to a woman's credit card is to flatter the arse."
PROENZA SCHOULER, DARYL K AND "FASHION MATH"
The latest photos from the shows are up at style.com: Proenza Schouler, Anna Sui, Daryl K, and Michael Kors. It confirms what I've always suspected: Proenza Schouler is the new Marc Jacobs. (How's that for fashion math? Fashion math being, of course, the fun and ridiculous way some people like to make bizarre equations: "Pink is the new yellow" or "upside-down is the new asymmetrical" or "coked-up is the new neutral.") There was plenty of their trademark bustier style in their tops and bathing suits, as well as lots of floaty 1920s-inspired chiffon skirts and the nautical preppy shorts with sweaters thing that seems to be all over this season. I'm only equating Proenza Schouler with MJ to be crass, of course, but take a look at the picture on the left from the show and tell me I'm not entirely off mark. The hipster-ish faction will probably gravitate towards the sportier aspects of Proenza Schouler while the socialites who wish they were hipster-ish will be at the trunk shows for MJ. (The younger hipsters themselves will be scouring thrift stores and charity shops for pieces inspired by the 80s jailbait tone of Marc by Marc Jacobs, while the older hipsters who could care less about fashion will be homebrewing beer in their studios in Greenpoint.)
Daryl K's comeback show wasn't exactly a comeback, according to many of the fashion powers that be. (What exactly powers they wield, though, eludes me.) The silhouette was looser and layered with lots of tanks that expanded into dresses. And the palette was determinedly neutral, with greys, khakis, and blacks punctuated with occasional reds and oranges and subtle striping. The reports indicate a sort of letdown, since expectations were high for Daryl K's particular brand of cool urban chick magic. After all the color and movement of the previous shows, I'm sure that Daryl K's show would seem a bit muted. But I wouldn't exactly write the collection off. I'm sure that there will be plenty of women there who could care less about looking like a decoration out of an Easter basket for spring (or a prep with a yacht) and would welcome her postpunk brand of cool.
Wednesday , September 17, 2003
TRICKLE-DOWN FASHION
It also must be noted that since a former Marc Jacobs accessories designer decamped to the Gap, the Gap's bags are looking pretty awesome. There are glimpses of the Sofia bag here and there, of course, and the nylon hobo echoes the Balenciaga motorcycle bag...
ZALDY
Keep your eye on Zaldy. Not only is he going to be dressing alt rock goddess Melissa Auf Der Maur when her new album drops, but he'll be helping Gwen Stefani designer her LAMB clothing line next season. I'm not a huge fan of the LeSportsac bags, but if Zaldy has a hand in LAMB, it's guaranteed to make discerning rock fashionistas take note.
ASSORTED THOUGHTS ON CALVIN, NARCISO, MARC AND PETER SOM
Pfft, I've already had it with fashion week and all that chiffon and swishy skirtness and Easter egg colors! But I still manage to waste tons of time scouring photos like an addict. Some more notes on shows worth commenting on or strike my eye or fancy (or ire) right away:
+ Narciso Rodriguez is known for curve-hugging yet supremely flattering fit, and it looks like his latest collection doesn't depart. Not a ruffle in sight, thank God, but a warmer palette of colors and more natural fabrics soften Rodriguez's disciplined lines into something much warmer but still sexy in a restrained way.
+ Peter Som's show relaxes the socialite stereotype; his clothes are womanly and wouldn't look out of place on Babe Paley, but they're so much more relaxed and, um, not as uptight. There were lots of high Empire waistlines, which always make me a little nervous (you have to watch out for the whole baby smock effect - not good for a grown woman, or even a big girl!) But I love the overall quiet assurance of his fashions.
+ Marc by Marc Jacobs let loose with the hipsterisms, mashing together bright colors, teeny skirts, shruggable jackets, hacked-off-at-the-sleeves vests. It's a collection that could have been worn by the teenage older sister of my best friend in 1981; she wore little ankle socks with Candies sandals, denim or terrycloth shorts and a windbreaker, along with those feather clips in her hair and lots of eyeliner. (She once stole a car with her boyfriend and got dragged by home by the police in a blaze of Love's Baby Soft and a turquoise short-sleeved sweater, charm bracelets bangling around her wrists.) There's a Doc Martenesque boot thing going on as well, but in bright colors; Doc Martens have been trying to hip up their image again for some time now, what with the Rapture playing their parties and such, so perhaps the effort is working. Damn, I should have bought those silver metallic Doc disco boots in 1991 when I had the chance!
+ Calvin Klein unveils a new designer, but you can hardly notice. It's still very minimal, relaxed, above-it-all...but you have to admire the consistency of it all. But it's still very of this season, especially in the looseness of everything, and the appearance of this look, which I'm going to call "stuck at a frat party in Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard or whatever in the 1980s":
Gak! Basically it's long sleeve shirts or blazers over shorts, which seem to have popped up everywhere in all its preppy glory. Ebay folks, get your 1980s Banana Republic stuff ready...
Monday , September 15, 2003
MORE NYC STYLE
NYPost has a list up of their best-dressed women in New York, and being a sucker for a list, I had to post it here. It's a list that would make any media-savvy PR person swell with pride and any fashionista nod her head knowingly, but there are definitely some inspired choices (and omissions - no Gwyneth Paltrow, but she may be too busy being a Coldplay groupie to live in New York anymore.) I would have put Kazu Makino from Blonde Redhead on the list, but it was pretty exciting to see Elliott Puckette mentioned, who is not only stylish but is an incredibly talented painter.
Thursday , September 11, 2003
JELLY KELLYS IN THE STRANGEST PLACES
Why not continue in the random celebrity gossip vein, at least for today? Ted Casablancas, E's gossip columnist, is reporting that those controversial Jelly Kelly bags are part of the gift bag for J.Lo's and Ben Affleck's (delayed?) wedding. No word on whether or not they'll be served with cease-and-desist letters from Hermes.
ZZZZZZZ
It's a slow news day for fashion when you're reduced to model gossip for your top story!
GO GO GADGET FASHION
Wednesday , September 10, 2003
STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES
I'm not a huge beauty product person - "low maintenance" would be a good euphemism for me, although I profess being a sucker for all things Nars. But one thing that I am a huge, huge fanatic about is fragrance, and one thing I am obsessed with are fragrances based on the elusive, difficult rose. The flower is famously difficult to nail down in terms of fine fragrance; often it ends up smelling too light and chintzy or too acrid and fake-sweet. There's an abundance of rose-based perfumes this fall, along with the sparkling florals and sheer Orientals that seem to be the trend these days. Here are some of them, plus a few other rose fragrances that have been around for awhile now.
+ Stella McCartney's fragrance, simply named Stella, has a smoky, subtly sultry feel, balancing rose with amber and peony and just a hint of mandarin. It stays close to the skin (for the well-being of your fellow public transportation patrons, no doubt) and works well into the evening, drying down into a shadowy rose accord given heft by the amber base. I love the smoky plum colored glass bottle - it's reminiscent of both vintage Lalique designs and something more minimal and futuristic, which falls into McCartney's aesthetic quite well.
+ Givenchy Very Irresistible boasts Liv Tyler as its spokesperson (and unfortunately its name reminds me of that Robert Palmer song from the 80s.) It's a much lighter, fresh affair, with lots of citrus and green notes such as verbena and anise, and probably perfect for spring/summer and younger girls because it's incredibly crisp and fruity
+ Renowned Parisian company L'Artisan Parfumeur, known for its elegant, unique and extremely high quality blends, makes some wonderful rose-based scents. One of its most famous is Voleur de Rose, an earthy, almost masculine blend of patchouli, plum and rose. It's as far away from the rose caricature of femininity as one can get. Drole de Rose, on the other hand, is definitely womanly - it sweetens rose with notes of honey and violet into something soft and almost delicate.
+ Christiane Celle Calypso Rose, featuring the smell of berries and woods, goes on really tart and almost intensely green, but it dries down quickly to a musky rose that lasts for a long time. The floral fragrance is classically French, both sophisticated and pure, right down to the classic modern bottle.
+ Diptyque is more famous for its wonderful candles, but their fragrances also appeal to those who like scents off the beaten track, always being more unusual and original than "sexy" or "feminine." Their blends are for serious aficionados of the artful blend. Opone is their rose fragrance, blending Turkish and Bulgarian roses with plenty of spices and a touch of patchouli. If you tend towards serious Oriental fragrances, this may be a good, heady rose scent for you.
+ Penhaligon's makes a classically English rose - Elizabethan Rose is one of the purest rose fragrances, being very sweet and clear and incredibly girlish, right down to the girlish glass bottle.
+ Jo Malone is another English parfumeur, equally renown although much more modern. Jo Malone makes very fresh, clean scents, which are two words that the fragrance industry is currently profiting on these days. Her scent Red Roses is very clean and surprising, spiked with lemon and hints of violet to keep it from being too light. Tubereuse, on the other hand, is a very voluptuous affair, featuring the famously heady tuberose blended with sandalwood and moss.
+ Paula Dorf is more famous for her makeup, but she's created a fantastic rose fragrance, Zita, that stays true to rose from top all the way to the end of the day. Incredibly romantic, it stays rosy throughout but moves through peony, grass, peach with ease. Dorf's website sells it as an ideal bridal fragrance, and it is, with a Art Deco bottle complete with old fashioned atomizer.
+ Creed is a true legend of perfumery, featuring ingredients of the absolute highest quality and vibrant, artisanal blends. Their Fleur de Bulgarie is incredibly pricey, running at $138 for 2.5 ounces, but considering that it's made with the highest percentage of natural ingredients in the French fragrance industry, it's understandable. Fleur de Bulgarie blends roses with amber and musk; it's simple and beautiful, but of the highest quality.
+ Finally, one can't go on and on about rose-based fragrances without mentioning Jean Patou's Joy, the grande dame of them all. Joy was famous for being the costliest perfume in the world at one point; it still smells like something incredibly luxurious, spiked generously with jasmine and ylang-ylang. If you are looking for something lighter but just as luxurious, Enjoy is a lighter version of joy.
Most fragrances available at sephora.com; Creed, L'Artisan, Diptyque at aedes.com (a wonderful site for fragrance fiends); Penhaligon's; Paula Dorf; Stella McCartney available through saks.com.
Friday , September 5, 2003
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO ZAC
It's slow news time for fashion, it seems - the calm before the Fashion Week storm. No doubt there's a whole lot of spectacle planned, so everyone's waiting for fire their salvos when maximum amount of eyes are looking. There should be plenty of frisson: if anything, "conscious" eco-guru and former Imitation of Christ partner Danny Seo is launching his Veteran line with a show that reportedly will spin a rosy take on hunting and fishing, not to mention trying to "organize the elegance of white trash," according to his rep. (Sounds problematic and condescending, both ideologically and aesthetically.) Anyway, let's be somewhat entertained by Zac Posen's words as reported in vogue.co.uk, which can be paraphrased to the following:
1. British women dress to be cool, American women dress to get laid.
2. Retire your cargo pants.
3. Learn to walk in heels before you wear them.
Deep words for such difficult times.
Thursday , September 4, 2003
THE STYLISH LAST GASP OF THE CD PLAYER?
CDs are in a strange netherworld in terms of cultural terrain - neither the new standard like mp3s nor charmingly cultist like vinyl. Consequently it seems like most CD player design is stuck in the late 90s, either minimalist steel-looking or sporty and "hi-tech," which usually means bright garish colors and ugly buttons. A Hong Kong design collective, however, decided to transform this piece of equipment into something decidedly more groovy - the MonoOne Ice Cube CD player. Futuristic in a slightly 60s way, I have no idea whether this works well or not, but the acrylic encasing (available in amber or clear) looks incredibly cool, although unportable. Available at monoone.com.
FRESH TAKES ON AN OLD STANDBY
Freshloft.com invites people to submit designs for this ever-humble garment and then manufactures t-shirts featuring selected logos and graphics. If any t-shirt connoisseurs out there are in search of designs that aren't plastered across the torso of every body in the world, this site is for you: Freshloft.com only manufactures a limited quantity of each design. Right now there's five designs up (favorites are the evil Bambi and the girl in the bikini.) If you're not happy with any of the designs, submit your own! [From fuk.co.uk]
LET SOMEONE ELSE DO THE WORK
Most of us don't have the time (and some of us don't have the inclination) to go out to every boutique and store to peruse the latest offerings in fashion. I do buy most of my stuff online these days, simply because I'm chained to this damn computer either writing or designing or doing video-y things. (But even then I try not to scour the Internet for finds, a fine feat of discipline on my part.) So it's nice that mimastyle.com does all of that for time-starved people, whether it's hunting down spring shoes or luxurious bath oils. Site proprietor Michelle Madhok has feminine, appropriately au courant taste and an eye for many price ranges, which is nice and considerate.
Wednesday , September 3, 2003
FASHION'S GONE TO THE DOGS
The latest rapper to jump on the fashion bandwagon is DMX, but unlike his contemporaries Eve, Eminem, 50 Cent, P. Diddy or God knows who else, he won't be competing in any made-for-people arena. Devoted to his dearly departed pit bull, the growly, perpetually angry-sounding star is making clothes for dogs. His line, Boomer 129, is named after his late dog. Man, I hope there's a fashion show for this, just as long as they resist playing "Who Let the Dogs Out" for the runway music.
YEE HAW FOR HEE HAW
The smart, perceptive folks at Lookonline.com have a bit up about how cowgirl chic will reign in the upcoming Spring/Summer '04 fashion shows in New York. Certainly the rugged element of fashion never really seems to go away as long as Ralph Lauren remains in business, but I have managed to spot many a pair of cowboy boots on your run-of-the-mill hipster, whether at a show, at galleries or at hipster church. (Kidding on the last one - last I checked, spirituality wasn't in with the kids, even here in California.) Boots like these are mostly offset with punkier elements like deconstructed t-shirts or rustic British hippie elements like handmade-looking Fair Isle-type sweaters, which avoids the costume-y aspect that can take over if you're unfortunately enough to fall for a trend, hook line and sinker. I've also seen snug-fitting plaid cowboy shirts, the kind that Earl Jean have been making for a bit now. Members of the hiphopoisie, though, haven't really warmed to the cowboy look as far as I can observe; the adoption of fashion elements by hip hop stars is really the secret to wildfire commercial success, so we'll see if the dude ranch aesthetic lingers beyond the upcoming runway spectacles.
Tuesday , September 2, 2003
SUPER-MOD
Mod is one of many things happening this season, but there's been so many slavish Mary Quant imitations that it's a little unimaginative. In honor of the release of The Italian Job in England, scooter company Lambretta has come out with a contemporary take on mod that aligns more closely to the street spirit of the original mod look with the same clean lines and crisp colors. Check out some of the sweaters!
(Also, do check out modculture.com for all your mod info needs.)
BOMBER ROUND-UP
Someone wrote in and asked for a round-up of bomber jackets, which just happens to be my favorite style of coat for fall. (I'm favoring the whole warrior girl chic over the ladylike trend this season, and the bomber fits in nicely.) While I'd love a Balenciaga or Helmut Lang bomber, I'm pretty sure that most people out there won't be laying out the thousands to buy these, so here are some more realistic options:
+ Juicy Couture bomber, which is cut fairly straight in the torso, if you want to avoid the whole Bibendum silhouette. (But whatever you do, please do not embroider your initials, ai yi yi.)
+ American Eagle bomber, which has more volume above the waist than the Juicy jacket if you want to rock a slightly more 80s style. (It's also waaaaay cheaper.)
+ Delia's bomber, which is the cheapest of 'em all at $64.
Wednesday , August 27, 2003
EVEN MORE PINK
Whether it's at Office Holdings, Faith, Shellys, or Urban Outfitters, hot pink and stripes seem to be funky and available this season, along with all things Flashdance and 80s. All the above examples are available at Urban Outfitters. (I've seen some amazing shoes at stores here in San Francisco, but prefer to post more widely available stuff here.)
THINK PINK
+ Buy the Stella McCartney-designed Danskin t-shirt (seen here sported by Nicole Kidman) at Saks Fifth Avenue here. It's a trompe l'oeil design with a clever hot pink key that discreetly refers to its cause.
+ Buy the colorful Lily Pulitzer-designed scarf at Bloomingdales here. It's currently available to order by phone and is due to hit stores by 9/22; you can also order it online here. It's being worn by Sarah Michelle Gellar, among other actors, in the magazine ads.
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