Marie Antoinette Costume

That post I did on the costumes in Pride & Prejudice got me interested in costume design in other movies. And of course, the first movie that popped into my head was Marie Antoinette. I found this amazing website about the costumes and costume design in the movie.

Highlights include:

Design sketches by costume designer Milena Canonero:

(Check out this interview to hear what Canonero had to say about the design process.)

Pictures from the Vogue shoot by Annie Liebovitz:


Close-ups of the fabulous shoes Manolo Blahnik designed for the movie:

This ended up being my favorite part of the website. Blahnik talked about designing the shoes, saying, "When the producers called, I dropped everything. When I was a boy, my mother read a Marie-Antoinette biography, and I have read Antonia Fraser's version. I can't wait to see it. They said 'make them sexy', but I wanted to do something very academic." He researched the original 18th century shoes before making these beauties.

Aaah, to be a young queen with beautiful clothes and shoes....

Having just watched the Madonna documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare before looking at all the beautiful costumes, I've had kind of an overload of fabulousness. Must go to bed.

Some Linkage

I haven't done one of these posts in a while...

♥ Not only does Gilda of Holiday in the Sun draw amazing swimsuits with inspiration like "Napoleon Goes to Tokyo" and "Betty Boop & the Harajuku Girls Drink Vodka in Moscow," but the girl actually ran into Patricia Field! Jealous!

♥ Sophia of Chic & Charming shows you how to strut your stuff on the street!

♥ Ashley of Dramatis Personae did a guest post on corsets! Yes, I'm allowed to link to my own blog.

♥ Agathe of Style Bytes unintentionally demonstrates two things: a) the perfect cold-weather picnic, and b) how to winterize a summer dress.

♥ Veronica Webb of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style also unintentionally demonstrates something -- how to have the least flattering haircut EVER.

Guest Post: The Corset

A while back, I made a ... shall we say ... controversial post about corsets. It made for a good discussion, but I ultimately recognized that as a non-corset-wearer, I'm not the best source of corset information. However, Ashley of Dramatis Personae does, in fact, wear corsets. She agreed to do a guest post, because she is totally amazing and wants to educate everyone who is ooked out at the idea of corsets. Mallory of Miss Malaprop was also a contributing writer. Thanks so much, guys! Here's the post:

Originally I had intended to seek the advice of more experienced corset-makers and wearers when writing this post. But the more I thought about it, the sillier I realized that idea was. Why give experienced and expert opinions to a person who may be looking to buy their first corset ever, or just interested in learning more about this fashion device. So instead I thought that my own experiences would mean more to you, and be more relatable to you, and will hopefully demystify this garment. Many thanks, again, to Kori, for giving me this opportunity.

The first corset I ever wore was god-awful. It was for a production of Much Ado About Nothing, and it couldn't have been more problematic-- the costume designer had me wearing it upside down, so that these spiked pieces were cutting in to my legs as I had to run, jump, and move around with supposed ease. The experience turned me off of corsets quite a bit. Not too long after this, my best friend (the delightful Mallory of Miss Malaprop and Dismantled Designs) bought her first corset. I was intrigued-- it was a garment that accentuated her body beautifully (which I took advantage of many times during the height of my photography days) and she seemed comfortable in it. But I wasn't ready to return to the corset-- I didn't think my style was developed enough yet.

After Hurricane Katrina, I returned to visit New Orleans, where I felt I was ready to acquire my first corset. I went to Trashy Diva, where I tried on many, many styles. This experience was completely invaluable in so many ways, as it really gave me a great idea of what worked best and worst with my figure. At the time, I had a 32" waist, which meant that ideally a 28" corset would be perfect; however, I settled on a 26" blue and black brocade piece by Sue Nice-- the corset looked like it was built especially for my body.

I had the opportunity to really test out the corset on my following trip home, during Mardis Gras. Mind you, during one day, I wore the corset for approximately 12+ hours, sat, ate, ran, jumped, frolicked, walked, bent, danced, rode in the car, and much more in the corset (and heels!). And because the corset was well-built and designed, because it was the right size, it restricted me not much more than wearing a heavy winter coat would (around your middle).

A few months later, I invested in my second corset, a custom built corset by Chantal at House of Worship. This piece was built specifically to my measurements, but with spring steel instead of flat steel (which my Sue Nice corset had). What a difference the change in steel made! Now I felt I had even more flexibility to bed (at my sides) and dance in the piece. At this point, I was hooked. I find several opportunities throughout the year to wear my corsets-- they dress up beautifully, are great pieces for club-wear, and can easily be made business-friendly.

There are people who want to know, "but won't wearing a corset mess up your ribs/organs/body?" Generally, corset-wearing, especially on an irregular basis, will not cause permanent deformation to your body. Your body is very elastic, and in a good fitting corset, will suffer little damage to wear. There are debates as to the effects of tightlacing (restricting your waist very, very small on a 20-22/7 basis), but none of us are to that point yet, are we? As long as your body has finished growing, you'll find the effects of corset wear minimal at most. Most corsetmakers refuse to make corsets for those under 18 or 16, specifically to avoid any chance that there may be a change in the bone and organ development to a growing young adult's body.

Guidelines for Corset Buying and Wearing:

♥ Generally, it's ideal to buy a corset 2-4" smaller than your natural waist. If you have a 30" waist, then typically a 26-28" corset is best for starting out. However, your waist measurement is not the only one to consider-- bust, ribs, and hips, along with the length of belly to ribs and belly to hips all can factor in.

♥ Squish Matters! The above rule can be broken, based on how much "squish" your body has. Heavier set women (with more fat) often can naturally lace themselves beyond the 4" because fat is easily redistributed on your body. If you're more muscular, you'll find that your corset will not constrict you as much.

♥ Plastic is a No-No! Do not ever, ever buy a plastic boned corset. This is where you're asking for bruises and damage! Plastic bends naturally to the body in very unnatural ways. The heat of the corset will cause it to bend in jarring angles, that will most likely drive in to your skin. Steel, typically in spring, spiral, or flat forms, will bend naturally to the curves of your body, making the fit even more customized. Your first time wearing a corset with steel will result in it being "broken in," whereas plastic is mostly likely just going to be "broken."

♥ Typically corsets are made with 3 to 4 layers of fabric, although some fabrics (like leather) may require fewer.

♥ When putting on your corset, I always recommend lacing it halfway up, then stretching and reaching a bit. Then I lace the remainder of the way. This helps prevent "back cleavage" and ensures the corset is wear it is meant to go (that your waist ends at your waist, etc.).

♥ Don't try to cinch yourself down all four inches on your first go! Start out with what feels most comfortable, and gradually tighten it throughout the night. As the corset adapts to your body, and your body to the corset, you'll be able to tighten it up.

And a few resources:

♥ Timeless Trends
♥ Electra Designs: I recommend her economy cinchers, both sites for high quality, low cost corsets (great for first time buyers).
♥ Corsetry and Corsetmakers on Livejournal are excellent resources for information, images, ideas, and more!

I Should Be on the Discovery Channel

The Eiffel Tower bag is a exceptional breed of handbag that is rarely seen outside of its natural habitat. It mostly resides in the hand of Ms. Carrie Bradshaw, although it tends to migrate south for the winter. An avid bag-watcher will be lucky to see one of these rare and mysterious creatures in the wild (unless they are a crazed SJP-stalker), but, wonderful fashion blogger/Discovery channel host that I am, I have located this phenomenon in Patricia Field's lovely online store.



That will be $2,100. It's a rare breed, after all.

Two Jackets + Two Skirts = Happiness

I have recently acquired two skirts and two jackets. Today I was delighted to find that they look great paired together! For the first outfit, I wore a vintage wrap skirt (given to me by that lady I met at a dinner party) as a dress. Over it, I wore my Alice Temperly jacket. The other outfit includes a skirt I recieved in a swap (also worn as a dress) underneath my Luella for Target motorcycle jacket. Two secondhand skirts with two Target GO jackets? Unintentional, I promise. I feel good in these outfits, though. I like how the first outfit looks ladylike on top, then sort of ethnic when you see the skirt, and then Superman-ish when you look at my feet. Contrast, children! And the other outfit makes me feel badass and romantic at the same time, since the colors and the skirt are romantic, but the boots and cut of the jacket are badass. Playing dressup is so much fun!

P.S. The reason my head is tilted strangely in the second picture is because I was attempting to show off the single silvery earring I was sporting. You can barely see the earring in the picture, though.

I Wanna Be a Fred Flare Girl

Really, I do. I would wear this outfit all winter and be blissfully happy.

All these lovely items are from Fred Flare. If I had money to spare, I'd buy them all, wear them to NYC for Teen Vogue Fashion U, and no doubt be snapped by The Sartorialist. Or not. I just, y'know, would like an excuse to by them.

Oh, come on. How could you not want that hat. And that coat! Sigh...

Twelve by Twelve

From left to right: Chic chiffon bubble dress ($24), Vintage lace top w/ back ($34), Mod sequined knit dress ($36)

For some reason I was under the impression that Forever 21's Twelve by Twelve was going to be hideously expensive. But when I checked out the site today, I was pleasantly surprised! Nothing is too unreasonable, and if we're lucky, the quality will be good, too. I like the descriptions of the categories that the clothes are broken up into, and I like a lot of the clothes themselves. Let me know what the clothes are like if you ever see them in person!

Let's Get Crafty!

Free People is having another craft swap! The theme is Dark Fairy, and it should be tons of fun. I participated in the last (travel-themed) swap and ended up making a travel journal that made me feel very crafty (Click for a bigger version):



Anyway, the point is that the swap should make for a good time, and you should sign up for it! We might even end up being swap partners!

Fashion Inspiration: Pride & Prejudice

Today I watched the newest version of Pride & Prejudice. For about the millionth time, might I add. I always enjoy the clothing - the empire waists, the long skirts, the ribbons. Keira Knightly's coats (left) are the items that I always specifically envy. They're long and flowy and wonderful, and if I had one, I would wear it all the time. And of course, I always appreciate the beauty of the pearl-studded hairstyle on the right. I will not let the fact that my brother, while passing through the room where I was watching tv, said, "What's that in her hair? Dandruff?" deter me. (Oh come on, it does not look like dandruff!)

I found an interview with Jacqueline Durran, the costume designer for the movie, which you can read here. I wish the interview got into more detail, but it was interesting to learn a bit about what was going on behind the beautiful wardrobes. For, example, "most film versions of the book were set in and around 1815. The director decided that this version would be set in 1796/7, so we were talking about a different era of fashion." Hmm. It never even occurred to me to think about that. I found a better interview here that delved a little deeper into Durran's mind. My favorite questions/answers were:

"How did you differentiate between the five sisters, costume-wise?

Lizzie Bennet was the tomboy, and wore earth colours because she loved the countryside. Jane was the most refined, and yet it's still all a bit slapdash and homemade, because the Bennets have no money. One of the main things Joe wanted was for the whole thing to have a provincial feel. Mary is the bluestocking: serious and practical. And then Lydia and Kitty are a bit Tweedledum and Tweedledee in a kind of teenage way. I tried to make it so that they'd be sort of mirror images. If one's wearing a green dress, the other will wear a green jacket; so you always have a visual asymmetry between the two.

And Darcy?

His costume had a series of stages. The first time we see him he's at Meriton, where he has a very stiffly tailored jacket on, and he's quite contained and rigid. He stays in that rigid form for the first part of the film. By the time we get to the proposal that goes wrong in the rain, we move to a similar cut, but a much softer fabric. And then later he's got a completely different cut of coat, not interlined, and he wears it undone. The nth degree is him walking through the mist in the morning, completely undressed by 18th-century standards. It's absolutely unlikely, but then Lizzie's in her nightie, so what can you say?"

Interesting stuff, no?

Oh dear. I have a sudden desire to go to a ball and find my Mr. Darcy.

A Balenciaga Incident

Scene: I walk into my mother's room this afternoon to see her posing in front of the mirror in some clothing she just bought. "Show me the goods!" I tell her, and she turns around. Her outfit? A navy blue fitted blazer, capris gathered below the knees, and an ethnic scarf around her neck.

"Oooh," I say, "very Balenciaga!"

"Very what?"

"Balenciaga."

A pause. Then, "What's Balenciaga?"

She may be clueless about designers, but she's got the look down pat.

I can't decide whether this is laughable, unfair, or a sign that my fashion inclinations do, in fact, come from my family.

How to Get the Balenciaga Look Without Being a Clone

Everyone has been raving about that ethnic-preppy Balenciaga look for fall. And I have to admit, I like it a whole lot. The thing is, it can be kind of tricky to copy a runway look for less without looking like a clone. You don't want to look exactly like the runway look, and you don't want to look like all of the other people attempting to copy the runway look. It's a fine line.

Well, how do you get the Balenciaga look, then, without pulling a copycat? Here's how I would go about it.


The striped blazer is a key part of the look. I'm partial to this Urban Outfitters one, especially in the purple.

Next come the johdpurs. I like them as much as the next person, but they can be kind of hard to find. And hard to pull off. Instead, I'd go for these:

They have a jhodpur-like shape when worn over tights, but they're actually more on the breeches side of the spectrum. Which is good, because not only are they easier to pull off than jhodpurs, but they also keep you from looking like you're completely copying Balenciaga because they're, well, not jhodpurs.

Next comes the ethnic scarf. This should be easy to find at a thrift store, but if you'd rather buy new, this scarf from ASOS does the trick:


Finally, you've got to find some shoes. Unless you're planning to build shoes out of Leggos, you're not going to be able to find shoes that mimic the Balenciaga ones. I think that brogues would replace them very nicely, though:

These ones from Delia*s would do the trick.

And there you have it - Balenciaga Fall '07 in a nutshell. Go forth, grasshoppers, and find your inner ethnic prep!

A Fashionable Dinner Party

I went to a dinner party tonight that I expected to be boring. How wrong I was! I ended up chatting with three women about fashion. One of them promised me all the glorious clothing that no longer fit her. Another offered to teach me how to sew clothing, something she was very skilled at. And the third, an 82 year old woman from Vienna, told me of how she used to be friends with Rudi Gernreigh (the man who designed the first topless swimsuit) as a child. Apparently he used to draw fashion designs to entertain her. How cool is that?

That's all. I just thought I would share.

Cavalli for H&M Sketches

Oooh! Aren't the Cavalli for H&M sketches wonderful?! Excitement!

Girls Gone Styled: Mooka Kinney

I hope you've all been watching Fashionista's Girls Gone Styled. It's so addictive and fun; I love it!

Anyway, today's episode was about Mooka Kinney, whose clothing I absolutely adore. It turns out the girls are cute, fun, quirky, and have a great sense of style. I love it when the designers are just how I imagined! Check it out!

My First Sewing Project

Before I reach the point of this post, I want to say that I almost didn't include the picture on the far left because I was a little worried it would end up on Daddy Likey's Don't Show-cha Your Chocha. But then I thought, to hell with it. I stand by my decision to wear the shirt as a dress. My tights are opaque and my intention is pure! Take that, Winona! (P.S. Love the chocha-showing series, brilliant idea)

Anyway, this post is about my plaid top/sort-of-dress. It used to be this horribly baggy button-down tunic with slits on the side and long sleeves. I think my mom wore it in the 80's. I've been wearing it as pajamas, but yesterday I pulled it out, looked at it, and decided I could make it wearable outside the house.

This was easier said than done, because I am not a sewer. The extent of my sewing abilities have been gleaned from hand-stitching a lavender pillow at summer camp when I was about 10 years old. But I pulled out the family sewing machine, taught myself how to use it (which would have been easier if the instuction manual hadn't been misplaced), and got to work. I gave it a babydoll shape, a bit of pleating, and short, puffy, cuffed sleeves. I got rid of the old buttons, stitched most of the front shut, and sewed on some new buttons. And I stitched up the slitted sides. It's not great, and the inside is a mess (but no one's gonna be inspecting the inside of my shirt, right?), but I don't think it's too bad for a first-time sewing project. Especially since I had to teach myself how to use the sewing machine and do the pleating and all. I'm very proud.

February Payless Collections (Yay Alice + Olivia!)

Fabsugar has pictures of Payless's new designer collections due out in February. Abaete and Lela Rose have fairly nice collections, but my favorite is by newcomer Alice + Olivia:









I also quite like these shoes from Abaete for Payless:


And these from Lela Rose:


See the rest of the Payless collections here.

Ebay is Dangerous

Oh, I am bad. I just bought an Anna Sui Scarf and Luella for Target jacket on Ebay.


I got this for a fraction of the original price! (It was originally $140ish, but I paid $26ish, uncluding shipping.) It's pink suede, and it has wonderful detailing. I think it will look so cute over dresses.


Um. I don't know how I'll even wear this. I realized it was really short after I paid for it. So that was kind of stupid. It's really cute, though. But yeah, this was a mistake. At least it was pretty cheap.

Ebay is so dangerous. I hate and love it.

Life's Deeper Questions

The most recent photos from Facehunter have me pondering life's deepest questions.


How come blond girls can wear head-to-toe black without looking goth? Why does this girl look so infinitely cool?



How does this woman, despite wearing head-to-toe gold and a dress that exposes most of her thighs and the center of her chest down to her waist, manage to look classy?

Will we ever know the answer?

Eley Kishimoto Spring/Summer 2008

Check out Eley Kishimoto's Spring/Summer '08 collection, shown recently at London Fashion Week:



Isn't it wonderful?! I am such an Eley Kishimoto fan. The patterns, the colors, the complete tendency to stand out - It's always present in the clothing, and it's always bewitching. See the rest of the collection here.

I want the entire collection, but I would be content with just that belt in the bottom center. Le sigh...

The Hottest Socks

Oh, how cute would these Betsey Johnson socks look paired with girly heels? Freaking adorable! They're $10 from Fred Flare and I want them!

Tyra Banks Show Covers Fashion Week

To be honest, Tyra Banks kind of pisses me off.

I just get the feeling that she's very fake for reasons that I have observed on America's Next Top Model, which I am shamefully obsessed with.

However, I still plan to tune into Tyra's talk show tomorrow. Why? Look at the show description:

"Move your furniture to the side, because Fashion Week is taking over your living room! Tyra brings the famed New York Fashion Week to you when she spends the hour showing the craziness that happens backstage as fashion designers reveal their new creations to the world. An aspiring designer gets the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shadow Amir Slama, a well-known designer for Rosa Cha to learn what Fashion Week is really like. Tyra emcees a fashion show when she and designer Tracy Reese bring Reese's Spring 2008 collection to unsuspecting daily commuters in New York's Port Authority. Tyra and her fabulous best friend Kimora Lee Simmons explain how fashion forward designs seen on the runway trickle down to the everyday clothes we buy in department stores. Plus, Tyra presents an award at VH1's Fashion Rocks, an event that kicks off Fashion Week, and "Tyra" correspondent Danielle Fishel gets interviews with your favorite celebs on the red carpet. Then, Stacey Bendet, designer for Alice + Olivia, brings the newest collection to Tyra's runway for an up-close fashion show. "

Tyra's finally using her fashion connections for something good! I'm excited.

Boots Botanics Hair Minimizing Lotion

Has anyone heard of something like this before? I was looking up the Boots moisturizer I got at Target today to see if there were any reviews of it when I came across this Boots Botanics Hair Minimizing Lotion. Supposedly it "not only softens your skin but also softens hairs, making hair feel softer, finer and less noticeable," with the result being that "you don't need to shave as often." Legitimate product that will save you time and razor nicks, or total bullshit? It seems unlikely that it could actually make body hair less noticeable, but not impossible.

So what do you think? Is it a waste of money, or a little-known gem? Has anyone tried it? I'm intrigued...

Alice Temperly's Target Collection

Today I went to Kohl's to check out Simply Vera, and then to Target to see if Alice Temperly's line had hit stores yet. Like many others, I wasn't impressed with Vera's collection. The fabrics were just icky and the quality was clearly poor. I couldn't bring myself to try on any of the clothing, but I slipped on a pair of flats and found them to be stiff, cheap, and uncomfortable. And that was that. I spent about 10 minutes in Kohl's and felt like it was a waste of time.

Target was another story. A somewhat picked-over Alice Temperly collection was in the store, and I loved almost everything! Usually the Go collections aren't very nice in person, but this was an exception. After heart brokenly figuring out that a gorgeous ruffled grey Temperly dress was no longer available in my size, I loaded several items of clothing into my arms and tried them on. I ended up with the above blue jacket and sweater. The jacket has some really nice details, like the buttons, polka-dot lining, and ruffles, and I love the cape-like shape of the sleeves. Very ladylike, I think. It's not quite as blue as is appears in the photo, and I wouldn't normally wear it over a black shirt like that. I also picked up a cute printed sweater. It's very comfortable, and the cut is very flattering around the neck.

All in all, I'm a pretty happy camper. I'll have to check back to see if my local store gets more of that dress in, though. I recommend the collection - go check it out!

Urban Warrior

My cousin first introduced me to Flare Magazine (A Canadian fashion magazine) about two years ago. She was interning there at the time (lucky girl), and she gave me several copies of it to flip through. I loved it, because it was full of eye candy for anyone with an eye for aesthetic - both beautiful fashion spreads/editorials and beautiful home goods. It featured some quirky things that you wouldn't see in Elle or Vogue. I devoured the magazines, put them on my bookshelf, and forgot about them.

Just today, I suddenly remembered Flare. I went online, and was once again intrigued. I especially enjoyed the editorial Urban Warrior. Full of tough black boots and jackets mixed with colored tights and playful extras, it's pure inspiration. Badass meets fun. I want to create my own Urban Warrior look! Take a peek:

Great, huh? I wish larger images were available. Find the rest of the editorial here.

Other highlights of the fashion section include dreamy photographs, affordable looks, and an interesting article on Japanese street style. Check it out!

Score!

Teen Vogue has been my friend recently.

First there was my acceptance to Fashion U.

Then there was the email I just found in my inbox: "Congratulations! Based on your recent submission on the It Girls Web site [note: I occasionally sign up to win stuff and then totally forget about it], Teen Vogue and Marc Jacobs have selected you to be one of 20 It girls to try out the latest Marc Jacobs fragrance - Marc Jacobs Daisy."

Score!!!

I have to give feedback, but other than that, I'm pretty sure I get a whole bottle free! This is perfect, since I recently figured out I like some perfumes. Supposedly "The Daisy fragrance, developed by perfumer Alberto Morillas, includes notes of wild strawberry, violet leaves, red grapefruit, gardenia, violet, jasmine, musk, vanilla and white woods. " Mmm. Sounds nice, no?

I'm not trying to brag or anything, I'm just excited. And none of my friends or family are into any of this kind of stuff (although my dad pretends to and is threatening to do a guest post), so I wanted to share my excitement with you all instead.

Fred Flare Love

Fred Flare never fails to delight me. It's always chock-full of the cute, the quirky, and the whimsical. But while it's well known for it's adorable bags, fun shades, and little trinkets, I've never thought of it as a place where you could actually buy clothing. Accessories, maybe, but not clothing. Fred Flare is stepping it up, though! Wouldn't this be such a great fall outfit? Chic, classic, comfortable, and versatile. Plus, while it's out of my price range, it's not outrageously expensive.

Oh Fred Flare, I love you. Please pick my book for the Fred Flare book club so I can afford this outfit!

Burlesque Style

You know how I said I was going to keep burlesque style in mind when getting dressed today? Well, I did! It was fun! I feel totally fabulous right now.

• T-shirt (Nubby Twiglet) - Seemed like the obvious choice...
• Leopard print mini skirt (swap) - Reminded me of Betty Page's famous leopard print bikini
• Pointelle tights (Urban Outfitters) - Fishnet-esque without actually being fishnets
• Shoes - You gotta wear heels for a burlesque inspired look (Duh!)
• Earrings (Walmart) - The girl on them looked kinda burlesque-y to me
• Bag (Little Pink Dress) - Ladylike and classic
• Red lips
• Red nails
• Pomp-y hair style - Reference to 40's hair styles

That's all, folks. Here's the article that inspired me. And also, here's Gala's article on the same subject, which is something you should definitely read if you plan to go burlesque style-wise. I recommend it - tres fun! And fabulously glamorous, of course.

Now excuse me. I have some vamping to do.

"The Indie Bible for Babes with Attitude"

Okay, I just discovered this fantastic online magazine Mookychick, and I am totally enamored with it. I love the style section, which is unique, fun, creative, and informative; it boasts articles on everything from Harajuku fashion and making your own hair falls to burlesque style, colored contact lenses, and the art of corsetry. Love! The health and beauty section is equally wonderful. On a non fashion-y side note, I am completely intrigued by the spirituality section (I am a nut who is always experimenting with that kind of stuff), and all of the other sections are amazing. I love Mookychick, and as far as I'm concerned, it can do no wrong. Which is saying a lot, since I first read it today.

Well, in honor of all the articles I've read today on Mookychick, I'm off to take a spiritual bath! And tomorrow, I think I'll keep burlesque style in mind when getting dressed. Red lips and nails, baby!

Issues come out every wednesday, so I will definitely be checking back next week.

Delicious Fragrance

I'm not a big perfume person. I tend to loathe the scents hidden in magazine perfume adds. My eyes tear up just from walking through the heavily perfumed section of a department store. In fact, until recently, I would have told you that the only perfume I could tolerate was my best friend's bottle of So Delicious. So that's why I was a little aprehensive when I put in an order for two perfume samples at Lucky Scent. They arrived today in tiny little vials, and I timidly dipped into Serendipity 3's Serendipitous.

Let me just say YUM.

It's a sticky-sweet, but not overpowering scent. I don't smell too much chocolate, but it brings to mind that lovely waffle cone smell that wafts in as you enter Ben & Jerry's. With a touch of melted vanilla and chocolate ice cream. Delicious. I keep wanting to eat my wrists.

My other perfume was Pilar & Lucy's The Exact Friction of Stars. I haven't tried it yet, but we shall see...

In honor of my newly found love for perfume, I thought I'd pick out some fragrances that would be perfect for Rosh Hashona, which starts tonight for us Jews.





What else could I pick besides apples and honey? Above you can see Gathering Apples by CB I Hate Perfume and Honey by Demeter Fragrances.

Gathering Apples supposedly smells like "thousands of ripe red Mackintosh apples and a bit of old weathered wood from the bushel baskets" ... "It's a happy fragrance, a day spent in an apple orchard dancing around the apples trees and sneaking bites of crisp, juicy fruit."

Honey is "Sex in a bottle. Sugary dripping nectar..."

Mmmmm. Tasty, religious, and seasonally appropriate. If you needed an excuse to buy perfume, this is it.

Girly Bling Bling

I'm baaack! Did you miss me?

Let's just pretend you said "YES!!!" and move on.

I have a confession: My love of Gala Darling and her glorious site borders on idol worship. Embarrassing, since proclaiming your love of a total stranger usually is, but totally true. (And also inexcusable, since I'm Jewish. Golden calf, anyone?) Things she features on her blog tend to end up on my credit card bill before I even know what happened (like those perfume samples last week), and I never even regret my purchases, since they're always fabulous. What is wrong with me?

So that's why, upon seeing this picture of Miss Darling's beautiful Betsey Johnson earrings (so fitting, seriously), I immediately desired a similar pair.



I am so easily influenced.

Seeing as I can't easily afford Betsey Johnson jewelry, and I don't really want the exact same earrings anyway (too copycat-y), I was thrilled to see this pair at Urban Outfitters.



The same girly bling vibe, but for less. When my will power dies (any day now), I'll probably buy them and wear them with pride.

Sorry If My Blog Has Been Shoe-Heavy Lately...

I'm off to upstate NY early tomorrow morning, and I'll be back on Monday. I'm not expecting to find internet access, so no posts tomorrow.

I have a question for all my stylish readers, so I guess I'll leave you with it.

First of all, you should know that my brain immediately went to that what-do-I-wear place after registering for Teen Vogue's Fashion U. It made me realize that my shoe wardrobe is pitifully inadequite for this kind of event. My only comfortable shoes are my three pairs of Chuck Taylor All Stars. I have a few other pairs of shoes, but they are cheap and uncomfortable. I can almost hear you gasping in horror right now. But yes, I must admit that my shoe wardrobe is just sad. It's easy to pick up a ton of cheap dresses and still feel comfortable, but cheap shoes? Not so much. I think it's time to invest in a pair that costs more than $20. I want a beautiful, comfortable pair of shoes. I think my limit price-wise is about $70, since I'm kinda broke, but I think I can do a lot with that. I want to order online, which is always risky, since you can't try them on first, and I want to avoid huge Zappos-type websites that are just overwhelming. So, my question to you is this: Where can I find cute, comfortable shoes online for $70 or under? Any specific pairs you'd suggest? Be a doll and help me out. Please and thank you!

I don't know about comfortable, but I do know about beautiful. Ideally, I'd sport these:



They have a very low heel that I know I could walk around the city in (which is very important) and are this rich, gorgeous purple. I've definitely been feeling purple lately. Not just any purple, but the kind of deep purple that evokes mystery and luxury. So these, if they were comfortable (and I have no idea as to their comfort level), would be excellent.

Oh, I don't know. See you all Monday!

Teen Vogue's Fashion U - Feel The Excitement!

So I signed up for my Teen Vogue Fashion U. classes! I'm going to a Locksley concert (I think...Are they any good?), an Erin Fetherston for Target fashion show, The Editors: Teen Vogue 101, Winning Style: Doo.Ri Talks Fashion, Vena Cava on Fashion, Dooney & Bourke: Exclusive Teen Vogue Edit Floor Tour, Fashioning Your Career with Tim Gunn, Tiffany & Co.: A Night of Style, and the Graduation Event at Bloomingdales. Eeep! I'm so excited! I would've liked to see Vera Wang and Cynthia Rowley, but their talks interfered with the Edit Floor Tour, which I really wanted to go to. But I'm excited to meet Doo.Ri and Tim Gunn and Erin Fetherston and the girls of Vena Cava! And it will be so great to see the Teen Vogue offices! Plus, the Tiffany's after party sounds tres fun - Tiffany blue mocktails, a fashion week-inspired menu, and a screening of Seamless. Plus, I get to see my first fashion show ever!

Can you tell I'm jazzed?

Eww, did I just say jazzed?

Will I see any of you there? Please say yes! I'd like to meet you!

AAAAAA!!!!!!

YAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!

I've been accepted to Teen Vogue's Fashion University!!!!

I hope I can go! I'm in party mode! The classes sound great!

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

I'm sorry Ambika....

Shoes have been on the brain lately. They're definitely a neglected part of my wardrobe. I'm very picky about foot comfort, but I just love to look at them. They can be so pretty! I'm especially liking the Bobbi Blu shoes that have been popping up at Lulu's. So whimsical and quirky and lovely. I want them all!



I love how they all have that classic Mary Jane shape -- with a twist. The contrasting colors and materials, the little details, the wearable chunky heels....Well, let's just say I wouldn't mind getting a pair or two (or six!) of these as a gift.

I went to the Bobbi Blu website and found a poem describing the brand:

That's not the whole poem, but I just wanted to give you a sense of the brand. Sigh. Hannukah can't come soon enough.

Lela Rose for Payless is Here

Ughhh! How could I have forgotten about the debut of Lela Rose for Payless? My favorite shoe in the collection (The Birchin T-strap Pump) is already sold out! For shame!

Those boots you all loved (I love them too) are still available, however. Scoop 'em up!