Fall 2008 Fashion Review: Marni

Images courtesy of Style.com

There are many collections this fall that I enjoy, but I think my absolute favorite is Marni’s AW08 collection. Consuelo Castiglioni returned to her minimalist designs from last season, but I feel she refined this season’s work by taking out the fluff and truly letting the fabrics and the shapes of the garments take the forefront. Whereas in the spring/summer collection Castiglioni used a good deal of printing and unique, quirky fabrics, this season centers around the old classics: tweeds, silk, printed knits and fur in a stunning palette of pastel shades and muted colors.


Images courtesy of Style.com

The entire collection seems to take a strong influence from the 1920’s and art nouveau. The silhouettes are long and straight, with skirts resting just below the knee. Blouses and dresses drape loosely over the forms, incorporating a good amount of fabric. All the pieces include beautiful striped stockings or knee socks, and platform shoes ending in a square toe – an ideal touch for such an architectural collection.


Images courtesy of Style.com

Fabric effects are brought to a minimum in this collection, but when they are used they are broad statements that encompass the entire garment. Particular favorites of mine are the mustard yellow and black checkered skirt and the wonderful diamond lattice texture in the duotone skirt suit. Particular interest can be taken in the pieces that employ the most unique patterns in the collection – as these are the ones that seem to embody art nouveau. Not only are the models adorned in these nostalgic, graceful patterns, but the headpieces that adorn their heads are highly reminiscent of the wreaths of fruit and flowers that often garland the heads of female archetypes depicted in the period work.


Images courtesy of Style.com

Integrate Marni style into your wardrobe this season by opting for loose trousers and blouses in pastel and muted colors. Trousers should end a little above the ankle, to prevent them from looking baggy. Choose colors that compliment each other, but do not be afraid of adding a third or fourth flash of color to make the look “pop.” A cardigan or light jacket can be worn over the outfir, cinched in place with a sleek belt. Accessorize your outfit with striped socks, and vintage headband and maryjanes, and you are ready to hit the streets in your modern classic style.

Fall 2008 Fashion Review: Gucci

Images courtesy of Style.com

When I think of Gucci, I think of luxury, sexiness, sumptuousness – and maybe ladies blinged out to the max. I think this has a lot to do with my eighties upbringing, a time when sophistication and lavishing in the expensive reached new heights, with Gucci the call to arms of affluence in fashion. But looking at Gucci’s stunning AW08 collection, I am forced to reassess my former opinion. Frida Giannini has done a remarkable job taking a brand that had a high potential of becoming dated after its rise as the hallmark of opulence, and bringing into the new age of cultural assimilation and bohemian sensibility, all the while preserving that sense of sumptuousness that makes Gucci Gucci.

This collection is a perfect example of her accomplishment. Giannini has pulled from bohemian, folk and middle-eastern influences to create outfits that feel sleek, sexy, yet culturally relevant, well-traveled and ethnic. The result is what I like to think of as a “sexy matroshka” – outfits that feel smart, sophisticated, yet down-to-earth and traditionally aware.


Images courtesy of Style.com

Many of the ensembles in the collection have an almost uniform-like composition: black slacks, black boots, beautiful belt scarves, decadent waistcoats over blouses and turtlenecks that provide vivacious punches of color. The pieces all carry old-world embellishments that make them feel rooted in tradition – particularly the gypsy belt-scarves and the waistcoats, which vary from caftan-esque knits to carefully embroidered coats, finished with military buttons.


Images courtesy of Style.com

The footwear in this collection is particularly appealing. Many pieces incorporate long-fringed boots, which add a wonderful movement to the costumes. Others incorporate heavily studded ankle boots, which look both traditional in their decoration, but entirely new and unique in their construction. I am quite smitten with these beauties.



Incorporate Gucci’s style into your fall wardrobe by opting for form-fitting leggings, waistcoats and tops that pop with color. Wrap a large, ethnic scarf around your waist to add a dash of color, and don’t be afraid to pile on the belts. Finish the look with fringed boots, and chunky, ethnic gold jewelry. A no-nonsense black bag and dark sunglasses brings the whole thing together.

Fall 2008 Review: Dries Van Noten

Images courtesy of Style.com

Dries Van Noten has been quickly ascending as one of the most applauded designers today, particularly in the department of footwear, in which his shoes have garnered an almost cult-like following, However, Van Noten’s AW08 collection shows us that his sense of garment design is just as acute as his panache for sharp footware.


Images courtesy of Style.com

Van Noten’s collection seems inspired by a trip into your rich Grandma’s attic: vintage furs, chunky oversized sweaters, embroidered Eastern coats from long-ago travels, brought together with modern-art inspired prints on blouses, skirts and slacks. Throw in some men’s trouser socks to ground the entire look with a smart black base, and a look is created that is eclectic, romantic and divine.


Images courtesy of Style.com

The look is one of elegant clutter - a variation of prints and textures brought together with a careful eye. diaphanous skirts and slacks are mingled with coarser, knobby knitting and fur that is spiky or textured. But my absolute favorite touch are the necklaces - whose beads are so loud and pronounced they appear to be numerous bangles strung together. A smaller accessory would be completely drowned out in these outfits, and I admire that Van Noten created a unique accessory that could compete with such ensembles and be entirely captivating in its own right.

Work this look into your fall apparel by being bold - don't be afraid to mix strong prints and textures against one another. Mix your floral print skirts from the summer with large, heavy sweaters. Printed fabrics brought together can be married with the right accessories -- a neutral fur vest, black scarves, and of course, black shoes and black trouser socks. Find the chunkiest necklace you can get your hands on to complete the look, or better yet, make your own from cheap bangles (which is what I am sure to do).

Fall 2008 Fashion Review: Stella McCartney

If your personal sense of style revolves around comfort, like mine, then Stella McCartney is the ideal designer. Her pieces always carry a sense of grace and elegance in even the most casual fabrics. Her AW08 collection once more delves into pushing the envelope on couture and comfort, this time through a greyscale color palette, heavy knits, and loose, billowing, one-piece garments that almost cocoon the wearer in the material. The effect is altogether elegant, sensual and stunning.


Images courtesy ofStyle.com

Many of the pieces in McCartney's collection utilize elaborate intarsia (a flat knit fabric with patterns knitted in solid colors), but unlike the chunky, kitsch effect that the style is often associated with, McCartney adds refinement by using loose-form patterns, or elaborate patterns rendered in a grey color palette, which creates a more subtle, sophisticated effect. This successfully translates the look into a much higher caliber, turning a style rather charming and folksy into one of the utmost elegance.


Images courtesy ofStyle.com

In my opinion, an almost Elizabethan influence can be found in several pieces of the collection, particularly the evening wear piece above. Again, these two dresses are examples of the way McCartney can take the most simple, casual ideas – in this case, a nightgown and an oversized sweater, and turn them into sheer elegance through shaping and details. The effect is almost geisha-like and old world – the beauty of the woman lies in what is hidden rather than what is revealed. The sexiness of the female in repose, if you will.

You can capture McCartney's cool comfort by sticking to greys and blacks, and donning uncluttered, large, simple knits. Keep the look uncluttered with accessories -- in this case, something soft like a scarf is more appropriate than jewelry. Pair an oversized sweater with another large knit piece (like a vest or cardigan), simple black leggings and black accessories. The look will leave you looking elegant and ready for the elements, while feeling comfy to the max.

In Love With Ombre

I have a brand new obsession - ombre. Ombre is a French term that means "shaded". As it refers to textiles, it is used to describe fabrics "with a dyed, printed, or woven design in which the color is graduated from light to dark and often into stripes of varying shades" (Fibre2Fashion.com). The effect of this gradation is a smooth, liquid-like fabric that blends colors in rather magical way.

I think my obsession began with this stunning dress worn by Angelina Jolie last year:



Ever since, I have been seeing ombre everywhere, and I cannot get enough of it. I have always been drawn to muted colors, and it delights me that ombre is an effect that really shines in a more neutral, toned-down color palette.

Below are some of my personal favorite ombre pieces:


Missoni Ombre-Striped Cape & Dress



Anthropologie Cool Dip Chemise



Prada Ombre Leather Handbag




Vince Ombre Cashmere Cardigan



Badgley Mischka Gathered Ombre Halter Gown


I can't wait to get my hands on a few pieces of my own.
What do you think of ombre? Love or hate?

Spat Attack

I have been trying to figure out what to do about my little shoe problem. I love, love, love shoes. The simple fact is that I can always justify a shoe purchase due to their practicality - I mean, I can't go about barefoot, can I? However, I live in a little place, and my shoe fetish, combined with Boyfriend Kaboom's policy of buying any footwear that fits, is leading to a bit of a shoe-alanche in the apartment. How can I curb my love for footwear, but still fulfill my love for foot-decor?

I have found the answer - and that answer is SPATS.

Spats/Gaiters are a piece of apparel that most people associate with the 19th and early 20th century, and most often kindle in the mind visions of men in three-piece suits, along with jodhpurs, pince-nez and top hats. However, I am pleased to report that spats are making a new, glorious comeback. And for a space-constrained city girl, they can prove the solution to switching up styles on your peds, without shelling out the money or room for more shoes. Several designers are making the style their own, and doing some glorious things with this fashion throwback. Here are some of my favs...


Maide Spats
Maide is a German-based designer of spats so decked out and resplendent in lace, frills, ribbons and detail that you may just feel your feet are simply to precious to touch the ground. Not only that, but all of her work is animal-friendly and vegan.


Fancy Leather Gaiterettes by LesFrivolites
LesFrivolites Etsy shop is full of delightful objects, but these cut leather gaiterettes are simple swoon-worthy. Turn any shoe into an elaborate, fanciful vessel for your feet!


"The Preacher" and "The Sound" by Posso the Spat
Posso the Spat takes a fantastic, futuristic take on the spat, crafting them in killer black leathers, gold, silver, and snakeskin. These are guaranteed to make even the plainest pair of shoes a piece of coveted couture.


Givenchy
Givenchy's latest collection features these supple, long gaiters. Elle described them as making the models look like Clydesdale horses, and I couldn't agree (or love it) more.


For more spat love, read:

"Spats - A Return to Civilized Attire" by Paul Kiernan (Atomic Magazine)

"Spats!" by jitterbugbaby (Shoeblog.com)

Spat How-to by Minnie (Thank you for not being perky)

"Lace Up Some Sexy Spats"(telegraph.co.uk)

Feeling Like a Hussy

The hot, hot summer has finally hit the Big Apple, and it is KILLER. It's hard to resist the urge to morph into a puddle of goo on the way to work and just slide into a sewer. New York heat is brutal and unyielding, with nary a tree or breeze in sight to offer some respite.

Still, every heat wave has a silver lining, and for me, that lining is Hussy apparel. Created by Australian designer Marie Hatzis, Hussy's line is chock full of slinky dresses, breezy frocks, and sweet little jumpers that dare the heat to make the wearer look anything but hot, cool and comfortable. Crafted with light fabrics and adoring details, Hussy's styles blend the very best of vintage accents with modern cuts, for an effect the is so fun yet so classic.

Gazing upon outfits like, the prospect of a never-ending heat wave doesn't seem that bad at all.











See the full summer collection here.
I wonder if I can swap my air conditioner for a dress...

mo mo mociun

mocuin collection

I love the homespun, colorful look of mocuin, the designs of Caitlin Mociun. A native Californian and graduate of RISD, Caitlin creates work that is heavily based on arts & crafts, creating pieces with couture detail but heavily grounded in the tactile realm of patterns, fabric and material. The result is a collection that is natural, personal, and longing for you to reach out and touch it.









See the full collection here

Snatched from Allure

Claimed! Jodhpur Pant by Orphan

I have found the pants of my dreams. I want to marry these pants, move to the country, and have a family of shorts with them.

They are Orphan Jodhpur Pants and I CANNOT get enough of them.



I will be honest, I was rather nervous about these pants. Sure, they looked amazing on the model, but a garbage bag full of banana peels can look good on a model with the right stuff. Could I really pull these off? I decided to give it a shot, and I am sooooo happy I did.

The pants are the most tailored piece of clothing I have ever owned. The amount of craft and detail put into them is simply breathtaking, and makes me feel like I really own a piece that has a lot of love poured into it.



There are large sectional pieces placed through the seat of the pant, so the result isn't just a saggy bag, but a carefully dropped seat that drapes just right.



To counter the looseness of the seat, the legs are tapered to within an inch of their lives, in an incredibly clever way. The buttons along the side allow the wearer to make these pants as form-fitting as possible, without going through hours of trying to wriggle yourself into a leg with the aid of Crisco.



But the piece de resistance is certainly the buttons in the crouch. Running the entire drop of the crouch to the top of the waist, and peeking just so from the cover cloth for an effect that is divinely sweet and fun. The effect is simply glorious.

I have a feeling these guys are gonna be my uniform this autumn. Thank you, Pixie Market!

My Bug About Bags.

"Designer Handbags" by allaboutreplica

As well as being shoe crazy, I am rather bag crazy, though in a different way. I love many, many shoes, but I love very few bags. I am a bag snob, a bag elitest, a bag snubber.

My main bug with bags is that there are far too few that accomplish being both functional AND stylish. I do not understand why this combination is so tricky to perform - maybe I have a different set of standards than those of the rest of the world. But it seems to me that any sane-minded person would desire an ultra-compartmental, ultra-pocketed bag that is also stylish enough that it doesn't look like I am dragging around a glorified pocket protector. Is this so wrong?

Far too often I eye a gloriously constructed bag from across a store, only to be sorely disappointed when I pull back the zipper, clasp, or other closure device. Whether it is big and chunky, small and dainty, or mid-sized and manageable, exteriors aside, designer bags are often just a sack, and that bothers me deeply.


"Louis Vuitton Voyager Handbag, Prague" by julie3jax

My bag must be so much more than a sack. It is my life containment unit, the vessel for which I choose to carry all the accruments i deem necessary in my daily life. That means books, wallet, technology and a variety of tiny implements. When you toss all of those into a simple sack, do you know what you have?

A nightmare, that is what you have.

Similarly, every time I find a bag that can actually add a little order to my life, it tends to be hideous. On several occasions I have found myself contemplating the purchase of a piss poor looking bag, simply because those are the ones that tend to be organizational miracles. They also look like the equivalent of wearing a non-ironic fanny pack. And it is not a question of lack of talent - because there is a rising market of bags coming out that ARE incredibly compartmental - they are just not being marketed to me. I was recently admiring the computer bag my CD picked up. It was super - it had pen and pencil holders, and was riddled with compartments and sections galore. It was also pvc - a charcoal black, bulky man-bag, and a very nice one at that. It's great for guys, but there's no way I would be caught carry one.


"jimmy-choo-face-bag" by Kevin the Collie

Designers of the world, hear me. I believe we can DO THIS. We have the technology. We have the wallets. The modern woman of today is carrying hella' more than a compact and handkerchief. We are professionals, students, mothers. We have a MOUNTAIN of stuff to carry around, and we have no time to waste rifling in our purses looking for lost lip gloss.

We love your bags. Love them so much we will go as far as to LEASE them, like they were Buicks. But you have to do something for us in return - make bags that fit our needs. Next time you make one of those giant sack-purses that are all the rage, try chucking a divider or two in that thing, maybe even more than a single zippered pocket. Why must my cell phone, keys and Altoids all vie for that coveted pocket? Is there a moratorium on zippers??

I dream of a day, not too far in the future, when I can have a bag as beautiful on the inside, as it is on the outside. Like Oprah Winfrey, except with a convenient shoulder strap.

Claimed! Miss Sixty Adrian Boots

I love buying things out of season. Nothing makes me happier for the upcoming weather than picking up something warm in the cold months and cold in the warm ones. Well ok, there is one other thing that is as wonderful: the fact that the particular item is usually over 50% off its original price!

So, you can only imagine my sheer, unadulterated joy when I picked up these babies at a sample sale a few weeks ago:



I have long been in need of a pair of big, black boots. These Miss Sixty Adrian boots are simply amazing, and everything I was coveting. The leather is the softest stuff I have ever encountered, and they are super tall and super comfy. My wallet would have been hurting something awful picking them up at their retail price, but I managed to snatch these up for a song.



My particular favorite part about these boots is the detailing around the ankle. I love the straps, buckles, but especially the charm that hangs from one of the shoes. It is such a cute and sweet little detail, and even makes a chiming click when I walk about. I actually have become rather inspired with the idea charms on boots: perhaps I will decorate the entire pair with little gold and silver charms along the straps. You will then hear me coming from a mile away.



I can barely wait until the weather cools down so I can start stomping around in these beauts. I am a summer child, but there's nothing like a good pair of boots to help heal that hurt round end of the season.

Flikr Fan: anneso_cachemireet soie

Anne-Solange, is a french writer and journalist. Since discovering her on wardrobe_remix, I have been completely smitten with her photostream. Not only is her sense of style completely wonderful, but her photographs are excellently shot.

Solange's style is a mix of elegant and playful, full of lovely muted hues and delightful details. Just looking at her photos makes me long to visit to France, where I have come to believe that sunlight is lemon-colored, and everyone dresses amazing all the time.












See her entire photostream here.

Once Upon A Time...

Collection of Fairy tale inspired fashion sets by Jillian

Fairy tales are the myths of our society, stories that have become as integral to our culture as our history and morals. The first stories we learn as children are often our culture's fairy tales, often the same stories that our parents heard when they were young.

I've always been fascinated with fairy tales; how they came to be and how they have evolved through time. The characters themselves as archetypes: are you a vulnerable Riding Hood, or a curious Aurora? An overworked Cinderella, or a hunted Snow White? A boyish Peter Pan, or a devilish Captain Hook?

You get the idea.

Here are some links on fairy tales that are particularly intriguing...

"The Fairy Tale Life" by Jillian: A great article about fashion and fairy tales.

"The Science of Fairy Tales" by Chris Gorski: An amusing article on the real-life science behind our oldest tales.

"Folklore, Myth and Legend": A wonderful resource of folk and fairy tale archives available online.

"HiveSlides: Fairy Tale Fashion": A collection of styles that are fairytale-inspired.

Mag-Tear 1

Are you a mag-tearer? Do you dismantle your magazines to pull out your favorite images? Or does the idea of marring that Vogue bring you to tears?

I am a little of both - in the past, I have torn my mags asunder (a huge binder in my office filled to the brim is the result of these massacres), but lately I just can't bring myself to do it - the bibliophile in me simply shudders at the prospect.

Fortunately, the powers of the internet once again save the day! No longer must I damage my fav mags to snatch up those images I adore. There are now entire communities dedicated to this endeavor! It's like I've died and gone to mag-tear heaven!

Here are some of the recent favs I've come across...


Kate Moss For Vogue Paris
This Kate Moss cover is seventies-errific!


Sasha Pivovarova in Vogue Russia August 2007
Ph: Migeul Riveriego
A new application of makeup: the human palette.


Catherine McNeil, "Cowboy Cat" Ph: Greg kadel
Numero #90 February 2008
Smolderin looks, slim lines, long dresses and legwarmers: It's like Sophia Loren meets Flashdance.


Olga Sherer in Numero 93
I love how hair becomes an environment in this set. Simply stunning.


Han Hye-Jin, & Eugenia M, “Ethereal Romance” Ph: Will Davidson, Vogue China March 2008
An utterly inspiring color palette, landscape, and costume.

Do you mag-tear or mag-save? If you know any good mag-tear sites, holla!

Court Life vs. Club Land

Lauren of "Marie Antoinette's Gossip Guide" has written a fantastic comparison between 18th century aristocratic culture and the club scene in the 1980's. As an avid fan of both periods, I feel she did a wonderful job assessing the principal overlaps between the two cultures: extreme vanity, excessive spending, and utter abandonment into fantastic hedonism, among others.

Read the whole article here. And then admit to yourself that you'd like to don pink lipstick, a pompadour and rock like a noble until the sun comes up.

There Be Hair, Both Here and There, In the Shape of...A Bear?

Let me tell you a little bit about Nagi Noda. Nagi is a Japanese designer, and dominating nominee for "Person I Would Most Care to be When I Grow Up." An art director who became known for her cutting-edge work in print design, Noda was soon drafted by the big boys, specifically, Nike and the famed Laforet. More recently, Noda has moved into video, where she has proceeded to sweep awards with her music videos and commercials.

Nagi Noda's work is simply stunning: based deeply in surrealism, she makes whimsical works that are as beautiful as they are mind-bending; whether it's costume bags or poodle aerobics or carnivorous flower bunnies. She is also so prolific with these new ideas it is liable to make ones head spin. I could fill this blog for a month with her awesome projects and achievements. But I'm here to talk about my favorite project of hers, HAIR, and the wondrous things Nagi Noda has done with it...




These hair styles are so amazing. I long for a world where we all sculpt our hair into the animal we feel most inclined to that day. Feeling freaky? French braid a ferret. A bit bland? Bouffant a toucan. Full of pity? Plait a kitty.




















See the rest of the ferocious styles here.

Roots Picnic

This weekend, me and Boyfriend Kaboom headed down to my old stomping grounds in Philadelphia for the Roots Picnic. Philadelphia was the first city I ever lived in on my own, and I think that in a sense there will always be a part of me that is a Philly girl. Philadelphia has this lifestyle that is unique to anywhere i have been, a result of awesome people, a close-knit community and lots of trees (it's also the only city you'll see kids hanging out on horses). More than anything, the thing I miss most is Philly's sense of style: a independence and trust in personal wardrobe free of any constraint but whim. While at the show, I couldn't resist snapping a few shots of some of the fantastic individuals who caught my eye.


Ayana M. Case is a stylist and publicist from New York, who knows how to do some glorious things with a wrap dress.


It was a scorching day, but Mia looked cool and pretty in a polka-dot dress and Alphonse Mucha-inspired parasol (that I fought the urge to snatch!)


Tomia & Jordan played under the hose to stay cool, and their bohemian outfits were lovely, even drenched!


Sarah chilled in an ensemble as easy in the heat as it was on the eye. Touches of colorful luminescence in the bag and shoes are my favorite part.

Somehow, I even managed to get a shot of Boyfriend Kaboom making a somewhat tolerable face:

Felipe Oliveira Baptista's Supergirls

I am completely smitten with Portuguese designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista's 2008 Summer Collection. It is bursting with such luscious colors, shapes and a sense of fun that it just makes me giddy to gaze upon. Baptista succeeds in using large geometric shapes and strong colors while maintaining a soft, feminine grace, a rather tricky and remarkably impressive endeavor. The color-play across the entire collection is not only insanely fun and vibrant, but succeeds in marrying many different styles under one collection: from punk-rock lightning bolts to peasant capes to hippy fringe to frock coats.













See the entire colection here.

The superhero-esque masks are simply too sweet, and the icing on the cake of this amazing collection. Do you think I can get away with wearing one this summer?

(snatched from Allure)

Light and Dots and Stripes O My!

Is it just me, or is fashion photography getting better? These images by Solve Sundsbo are simply brilliant. I love it when someone creates something amazing from something simple, and it's amazing how simple light can create such a wonderful transcendent effect.











See the rest of the set here.
(Snatched from Gala)

Brigid McLaughlin's Summer Rush

With summer just around the corner, I start longing for light, diaphanous fabrics; clothes that allow those warm breezes to reach my skin. The summer is the time when I feel closest to nature - when the elements are no longer something to contend with, but delight in, particularly through my wardrobe. If the time I get to wear such light garments is still several weeks away, then looking at Brigid McLaughlin's collection is a close second. Brigid is an Australian designer who launched her independent collection in 2006, and when I gaze upon her summer collection I can almost taste the sea-salt in the air, and the sand between my toes...











Summer, you can't come fast enough.

Grand Imaginers: James Jean & Prada Make Some Magic

By far, my favorite professional artist in the field today is James Jean. I have been a die-hard fan since I picked up the first edition of his art book, “Process Recess”, on a whim at the MOCCA comic art fest several years ago. I was immediately captivated by his style - an ability to make drawings that combine the immediacy of a chaotic sketch with some of the cleanest drawn lines I have ever seen. The man simply cannot put down a stray line. Add to that the fact that he is a pop-whiz at digital editing, and I was smitten.



That he also happens to make the covers of my favorite comic book, “Fables,” is simply the icing on the cake.



Recently, James Jean paired up with Prada in the creation of their Spring 2008 line. The results are nothing short of wonderous.







Along with apparel and illustrations, Jean created a wallpaper for Prada (I believe to be used as the background for the product line). It is currently hanging in Prada’s Beverly Hills and Soho Epicenter stores, and is a whopping 17 x 200 feet. NotCot has the entire incredible wallpaper in digital format on their site, here.


Excerpt of the wallpaper James Jean created for Prada. Click here to see the whole piece.

If all this wasn’t enough, Jean and Prada put together this short film promoting the line, featuring the music of the sister duo, CocoRosie. One of my favorite bands, backing my favorite artist, and collaborating with one of my favorite fashion houses. Someone please get behind me – I feel a swoon coming on…

My Daily Covet: Jean Paul Gaultier Open Toe Ankle Strap Pump

Torn between a pump or an oxford?
Why not wear BOTH.


Jean Paul Gaultier Open Toe Ankle Strap Pump

Prairie Underground

Prairie Underground is the brainchild of Seattle-based designers Davora Lindner and Camilla Eckersley. I have been a huge fan of this design duo for some time now, and it seems every season their collection is better than the last. But this Spring collection simply has me floored. The pieces are divinely elegant and full of whimsical detail, yet preserve the soft, comfy knits that made me fall in love with the line in the first place.


blitz knit dress



jazzy jersey dress



funnel dress, denim street girdle



cloak hoodie



long cloak hoodie, craft tunic, rauched legging

I foresee a season of treasure-hunting to get a hold of many of these pieces for my own closet.

Site Luv: Polyvore

I love...

this site...

so much!


Polyvore allows its users to build outfits, using the ENTIRE INTERNET as your closet. It’s as if someone took my forgotten love of doll-dressing and my present-love of computers and made them get it on, and this divine love child was the result of the pairing. I have not had this much fun playing with a toy since I was six, wearing scrunchies and eating mayonnaise sandwiches while getting the crap beaten out of me by my little sister (too much info, huh?).

After you make these outfits, you can post them for display on the
Polyvore community, where others can “Ooooo” and “Ahhh” over your latest masterpiece. And if you have deep enough pockets, you could even go ahead and BUY all the stuff you made the outfit with, since the images still DIRECTLY LINK to the original websites. How’s that for marketing? Particularly when said marketing is defined as, “Making me strongly consider that maybe I CAN afford a Stella McCartney piece, and that food is a rather overrated commodity.”

I could tell you that this site has not taken over every spare minute of my life. But then I would be a filthy, filthy liar. And I would never lie to you, baby.