Hello from DC!

I am having a fantastic time. I'm visiting museums, taking long walks, eating decadent meals, and basically spoiling myself with culture. Tonight I saw Les Miz; it was amazing.

I leave tomorrow night. I'll begin posting again soon after, but maybe not until 2009 (!)

Grunge, Glorious Grunge

Source

Oh hello, winter uniform!

What is it about soft, baggy plaid? I am so obsessed.

Grunge is my homeboy.

Off to visit family in NY, and then to do some touristy things in DC. I should have access to internet unless my computer decides to hate me. Anything fashion-y I absolutely must see in the American capital?

Kicksss

Hello, lovelies. These are my new kicks:

I found them on sale at Urban Outfitters, with my size just sitting there waiting for me. Since I've spent about five years wearing various Chuck Taylor All Stars, it felt like a good idea to switch it up a bit. So I did. The silver is more silver-y in real life than in the picture, by the way.

Anyway, I took some photos of them. You may think the girl in the photos looks like me, but I assure you she is not. She is named Danielle Jones. She likes to be called DJ, but most people call her Dani J. 

Her favorite activity is dancing, and she often dances instead of walking. Therefore, she dresses so she can move easily and well. Her favorite color is purple. She likes to stand out, and so above is quite a typical outfit; her signature Nike kicks, black-and-silver-striped Hot Topic romper folded to look like a skirt, Zara T-shirt, Wet Seal silver leggings, and a rhinestone-encrusted cap worn sideways. 

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She loves standing out, which means lots of wild colors and patterns. Her idols are MC Hammer and Lil Mama. She abhors mp3 players and maintains that a big ghetto-blaster-style boom box is the only way to go. She often carries her boom box with her so she can dance. Above she is wearing a Zara tunic, Old Navy men's flannel shirt, Forever 21 pants, her signature Nike kicks, and a studded headband from Delia*s.

Fine, you caught me - DJ is today's alter ego. 

Background images: 1, 2. 

Shoe picture: Zappos

Artwork

Oh, you pretty, pretty pictures of pretty, pretty girls. 

Sorry, I'm too lazy to upload this on Photobucket where it will be a decent size, so just click for a bigger version. Also too lazy to do the promised kicks photo shoot just yet. I spent the day snowed in, running around in the geekiest of snow hats. I buy 'em geeky on purpose; if the hat is cool, I'm not interested. Do not ask why. 

Thanks for the birthday wishes yesterday! I had a really great day, and I'm pretty happy with things in general at the moment. Also, happy Hannukah! I now have a bit of holiday cash to spend, so I'm thinking it may be time to take advantage of the 50% off sale at Karmaloop. Maybe a bit of Tarina Tarantino, Betsey Johnson, Cheap Monday, or the like will find a way into my wardrobe. . .

It's My Birthday

I turned 19 years old today, woot!

I'm giving myself the day with my friends, but you should probably know I bought myself some sweet new kicks. Will share later/tomorrow.

If a dress had an answering machine

Hi dress,

It's me. I know you probably have a lot of admirers right now, but hear me out. I'll be good to you, baby; I can promise you that. If you'll be mine, I swear to adore and cherish you. We'll go to all the best parties together. You can rest on my shoulder whenever things get hard or whenever you feel like it, and I'll never push you away. Ever. In the winter I'll cover you with a jacket so you don't catch a chill, and in the summer I'll let you fly free. I'll bathe you gently when you need it, and make sure you don't sit in gum or wet paint or that kind of thing. I'll watch out for you. I'll love you. I'll treat you right.

Think about it, okay? We could be so good together. I just know it.

A Quick Break from Working

I'm looking through some old posts, and here are two reader comments I want to share:

"I mean, the way some people . . . have hacked at their faces. . . makes you realize that all of the money in the world can't fix self-hatred. And God forbid I be that way." - Ambika

"I was driving down the street and noticed a very glamorous-looking lady walking down the sidewalk. Then I noticed that her thighs were about twice the size of mine. That's when I figured out that nobody is staring at my thighs, thinking I look fat, everyday like I am." - Rebecca

Wise, eh? Those ladies always seem to know what they're talking about.

EDIT: I did not take the first quote as a racist comment, but I realize now that it can be easily misinterpreted. I am incredibly sorry if you were offended by this. I have removed the parts of the quote that offended, and I hope everyone's okay with that. And, for the record, I am not racist. I love diversity and all it stands for, and one of my favorite things about living in America is that it is such a melting pot of race, culture, ethnicity, religion, etc. 

Oh, and I know Ambika's not racist either.

Inspiration 'n Things

I haven't died, I swear. I'm just working very, very hard to finish up my college applications and that kind of thing. I promise the posting will return to a more regular schedule when I emerge from the depths of my (looooong) to-do list!

In the meanwhile, here are some things I've found inspiring lately:

Sources: Style on Track, Pixie Market, Mixologies, Dirrty Glam, ru_glamour, heatherjoy, Arvida, Arvida, ru_glamour, Lullie Vintage, Sandra Freij, Glam Canyon, Altamira NYC.

Mmm. I see some major outfit experimentation in my future. And perhaps some post-holiday shopping sprees.

Two Things

I'm lying here in a plaid flannel men's button-down, short flaired denim skirt, and grey zebra-striped Rogan for Target leggings. If this sounds ridiculous, it is. But it's also comfy as hell. When I walked into bio class this morning, a few older girls exclaimed, "Aw, look at you in your little skirt!" and I felt remotely patronized (even though the intention was to flatter), but it's all good. Icy days make me want to feel warm 'n cozy.

Two things:

♥ I have a Twitter account as of about 30 minutes ago. Yes, I totally jumped on the bandwagon. Look me up, lovelies; right now I am lonely and  Twitterfriendless!

♥ This is more exciting, which is why I'm writing about it second. I Heart Daily is an adorable new site run by Anne Ichikawa and Melissa Walker, former editors for ELLEgirl (RIP.) I think they explain the idea behind the site better than I could:

"I Heart Daily is a free newsletter of stuff we like. Each day, you’ll find out about one thing: The band you should hear, the girl who’s kicking ass in the world, the lipstick color that looks good on everyone, the designer who doesn’t have a fashion show yet but is completely amazing… you get the idea.You’ll never hear about stuff we hate, just stuff we heart. We’re nice that way."

It's a fun read, and even more fun is the fact that today's feature is me! There's a totally flattering article (thanks so much, Anne!) and an interview, so check it out.

Okay, back to work. Or, you know, putting off work to play with Twitter. (Just kidding, mom!)

T to da Hakoon fo' Targizzle

Ooh, rap title! Ya betta dig it, yo. 

Ahem.

I haven't been too excited about Thakoon for Target, to be honest. It just seems a bit silly to put out a resort line at a bargain store during an economic recession. Sure, the kind of people who shop at, say, Neiman Marcus may need to buy some pieces for a trip to the Caribbean, but the timing just seems odd when these pieces are sold at Target instead. Well, maybe I'm just a bit bitter because a portion of my winter vacation will be spent in Washington, D.C. instead of someplace warm (note: am actually excited about this trip; am seeing les Miz), but mostly I think it's just frustrating that I won't be able to wear some of the things I buy until the season changes. That said, this presents an interesting styling challenge should I choose to wear the pieces at the end of December.

Anyway, I kind of went off on a tangent. This post was meant to say something like, "The preview photos of Thakoon for Target weren't so impressive to me, but check out this majorly cute video!"

Anyway, I am now more excited for the collection, and since my birthday is coming up (the 20th! Yay!) I should have some birthday cash to drop on any Thakoon items that catch my eye.

Well, only three more weeks til we can make a more comprehensive judgement. Poor Thakoon; the Alexander McQueen and Rogan Loomstate for Target collections are kind of stealing his thunder.

P.S. I realize I've been really bad about replying to your wonderful comments lately. I just responded to all the comments from the last page of articles or so; I really do appreciate what you have to say!

Le New Bag

I have a confession to make. On a day-to-day basis, the bag I most often carry is... deep breath... a knockoff. I didn't realize this when I bought it, but my crappy black $20 bag with its fetching gold hardware is a dead ringer for the Balenciaga Motorcycle Bag. Well, design-wise, I mean. It is clearly lacking in the real-looking leather and workmanship departments. Anyway, I've been meaning to replace it for ages, and the fact that the PVC exterior started peeling away from the lining was just the impetus I needed to find a replacement. 

I'm very particular about my bags, though, and the faux Balenciaga had really been working out for me. The replacement, I decided, had to be the same colors and roughly the same size. In the end, I lucked out when a return trip (as in, I was making returns) to Zara yielded just the purse I was looking for. Look how pretty:

It may be faux leather too, but it looks quite real. Not to mention the quality is eons better, and the fact that it has a sweet vintage design and adjustable strap. I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself; can you tell?

Also, this is my first fashion-y purchase in ages, and I do believe I've missed that having-new-things-to-wear/carry feeling.

Anyone else buy something great recently?

Roar, I'm a Shoe Bully

I like (some) avant garde shoes as much as the next girl, but today it occurred to me that the completely-out-of-my-price-range-and-therefore-bitterness-causing things are have a host of problems.

What's that you say? Am I not interpreting them correctly? Har har, I may possibly crack myself up. . .

But in all seriousness, this post stemmed from my train of thought while looking at the "Crippled Shoe." It went something like this: Dear God, someone help that poor shoe up before the heel snaps and it falls and dies! It really does look like it's on crutches or something, doesn't it? Poor, poor crippled shoe.

On a related note, these Wunderkind shoes should be mine:

I don't care that I would most likely sustain injuries from an inability to walk in these babies. Just place them by the hospital bed for me to admire and I'll be happy as a barrel of monkeys on crack. Or so I imagine.

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving break! I know I did. Back to work!

Time to Be Thankful

I've never really bought into the whole one-day-a-year-to-give-thanks thing. It's a nice idea, but. . . well, doesn't giving thanks feel like something one should do a bit more often? Gala and the iCiNG community do this every Thursday, and even though I don't participate on my blog, I like to keep the "Things I Love Thursday" badge on my sidebar to show my support and whatnot. But, since today is both Thanksgiving and a Thursday, I think it's time to run the first ever Fashion-y Blog TILT. It will be body-related and not in list form, but it's a TILT all the same. Can you dig it?

Today I am thankful for my appearance. It sounds vain, I know, and it pretty much is, but let me explain.

This photo is a bit of an older one (hence the bangs and sandals that would allow for frostbite should I wear them now); details on the outfit can be found here.

Over the past few years, I've become a lot more comfortable with my body. I was never one of those girls who stands in front of the mirror for the sole purpose of bashing every body part, but I've definitely had a mental list of my physical "flaws"at any given time - large nose, knobby knees, a non-flat stomach, over-large boobs - but nothing I've ever found particularly horrific. It may seem weird to list those "flaws" here where everyone can look at my photos and critique how I look, but the fact is I've been appreciating these so-called physical imperfections a lot more lately. Large nose? Not such a deformity after all. Gives my face character, I think. Knobby knees? I think I'm the only one who even notices these, to be honest. I am now nonplussed by them. Non-flat stomach? It's not really natural for most women to have flat stomachs. Even with large amounts of exercise I've never been able to achieve this, because it's a tiny curve I'm meant to have. And curves are a pleasing shape, after all. And my boobs? Again, curves are pleasing to the eye. I think I like 'em after all, even if they make bikini shopping quite difficult.

Yes, I feel a little awkward having written about my chest size knowing that classmates, family members, friends, and the like read this, but I'll let it be. Not something to be embarassed about, really. I've been thinking a lot about body image and how it shouldn't be considered vain or taboo to appreciate the way we look in all its uniqueness. Why should it be? Isn't it a much healthier mindset to find the beauty in ourselves and be proud of that than to be vocal about our hated features while keeping quiet about our loved features? I think so. And for that matter, since I'm spewing out random thoughts as it is, I wish compliments could be given more freely in our society. I often compliment strangers on their clothing or accessories, which never fails to elicit a smile and some friendly vibes (if not friendly conversation), but why is it inappropriate to tell a stranger, "Hi, I just wanted to say I think you have the most amazing legs"? Why can't we receive compliments like these without feeling overly scrutinized or hit on? The fact is, we all notice the way people look, albeit not to the same degree we notice our personal appearances, and it would be good for us to be more vocal about this in a positive way when we live in a society full of eating disorders, idolized stick-thin models, and obesity.

For now, I stick to the safe appearance-related compliments when I want to brighten someone else's day. Eyes and hair, folks, eyes and hair.

I would also like to add that, having spent the last 20 minutes or so ranting about body image, I think the preoccupation our society has with physical appearance is kind of ridiculous. Let's also take the time to appreciate the fact that our bodies are the vessels that keep us alive, that they pump blood, take in oxygen, fight illness, allow us to move and think and experience joy, and generally give us everything we have.

That's my long, rambling, tangent-filled TILT. I hope it didn't make me sound disgustingly positive, disgustingly appearance-obsessed, or disgustingly vain.

What do you love and appreciate about your body? It's a great exercise to list your "flaws" and then think of reasons to appreciate them, but I would also love to hear about what you find absolutely gorgeous about yourself. A collection of positive comments always seems to induce extreme happiness (another reason why Miss Gala's site is so fantastic), so let's make it happen. Go forth and comment, anonymously if you so choose, or proudly under your name. I am thankful for this in advance, haha.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Have a good night! And if you want more positive reading material, check out SARK. I'm currently reading her book Succulent Wild Woman (in tandem with Joseph Campbell's fascinating The Power of Myth, which you should also take a look at) and wow is that woman incredible.

Let's Be Unreasonable, Shall We?

The economy is enough to bring a brave (wo)man to his/her knees. Good ole recession is upon us once more. People are throwing about the term "Depression," often accompanied by a "Great," and possibly a "Second". . .

. . . And I am making an unreasonably expensive hypothetical wish list. What else is a girl to do?

Let's take it from the top, y'all.

♥ Studded bracelets a la Lanphear? Yes please!
Single, double, or triple studded cuff by Made Her Think.

♥ A nice combination of some of my current favorite kinds of shoes. Lace up? Check. Clunky wedge? Check. Quirky details? Check. Ankle height? Check.
Laced wedge boots by Opening Ceremony.

♥ I love the long, loose silhouette, and the attached shawl-like thing looks fantastic when draped over the head.
Karin dress by Cheap Monday.

♥ Pretty much nothing beats a good t-shirt. I adore these two and they would get such good wear.
"Stop Making Sense" and faux Chanel t-shirt by 5 Pre View.

♥ You know I'm all over the studs 'n leather, especially when the two are combined to make fingerless gloves, the likes of which I've been desiring for ages.
Studded fingerless gloves by ASOS.

♥ More studded wrist candy, only this time with an actual time-telling function.
Studs square watch by Bezel (Urban Vogue.)

♥ Oh man, I somehow lost the link for these sneakers and am currently too tired to think of it. Will try to remember/update tomorrow.
Silver high top sneakers by Nike.

♥ I've been eyeing these rings for the longest time. Itty bitty vampire fangs, anyone? Mmm.
Baby vamp rings by Bittersweets NY.

Maybe making a feasible wish list of reasonably priced items would be a better use of my time? Nah!

MCQUEENFORTARGETMCQUEENFORTARGET

I'm finding it hard to believe images from Alexander McQueen's Target line are already out, but they are. Well, two of them anyway.

The first image doesn't do much for me, but the second one. . .Well, I quite like it.

And the rest of the collection, as described by WWD, sounds promising:

"The collection has a muted color palette of black, white, gray and tan with accents of cobalt blue and bright pink. Studs and mesh give items an edge. There are studded jeans, shorts and denim jackets with asymmetrical closures, short tuxedo jackets and matching shorts, dresses in a blue and white painterly fabric, a one-shoulder dress in a gray-and-black zigzag pattern with a thick black belt, and a T-shirt with the image of Moss. 'The manufacturing is well finished and second to none in that price point,' McQueen said of the collection. 'It’s not expensive at all, but you get the execution of a well-designed collection. Because of the use of materials and the feeling, [Target] knew where the collection would go.' The designer’s favorite pieces in the line include 'the pink and black pieces and the little prom dresses.'"

Excited yet? I know I am!

Project East

Saturday night, as planned, I headed out into Cambridge for the Project East fashion show.

These are the only photos I managed to get of my outfit before it got wet and windblown. Apologies for the crappy quality and my terrifying expression on the right. . . My father has officially lost photo-taking privileges. I wore a Forever 21 fedora, a handmade top purchased in Jackson Heights, Forever 21 harem pants, Payless ankle boots, and a bag from a cute little boutique in Harvard Square. The top had a lot more volume than appears in the picture, keeping it from having a generic babydoll silhouette. I was comfy, weather-appropriate (the hat kept the rain from ruining my hair, always a plus), and felt good about the look.

But of course the actual show was far more fascinating than my outfit.

I had a great view from the second row, and I was so thankful to be there. The show kicked off with looks from Parsons designers Jisun Yoon, Kim Taeyeon, Lisa Ou, Sarah Law, Wen Shi, Yoon Nam, Aiden Yoo, Angela Gao, Bo Bae Lee, and Heezu Hwang. After a short intermission, professional designers Angel Chen, Chris Han, Giuliano Fujiwara, Jen Kao, Lydia Park, Manish Arora, Monique Pean, and Soojin Kang showed their looks.

The large number of designers made for a huge variety of styles, so I'm sure there was something for everyone. I unfortunately no longer remember the specifics of who showed which looks, but the overall impression I got was extremely positive.

The last designer to go was the legendary Issey Miyake. When his name came up over the head of the runway, the crowd went wild.

The talent of the other designers was undeniable, but wow; Miyake was on a whole different level. I believe, apart from a few frowns when my snapping camera failed to capture the occasional outfit, I had a had a large goofy grin plastered to my face for the entirety of the Miyake portion.

As the last models' heels clicked off the runway, the designers and models came out for the finale. Timothy Parent, Harvard senior and founder of Project East, strutted along with them sporting an edgy hairstyle and zipper-studded leather top.

I spoke to him briefly during the post-show auction, and there's an interview in the works. He seems like a pretty amazing guy!

Then it was off into the night once more, muddied boots making a quick detour to Urban Outfitters before heading home. An amazing night indeed.

Woohoo!

Whoops, I should probably have mentioned this earlier.

Tonight, in good ole Cambridge, MA, the Project East fashion show will be going on. I'll be there, as will numerous Asian fashion designers. The "headline act" - so to speak - will be Issey Miyake, appearing to show his designs for the first time somewhere other than his Paris runway. Yay!

Anyone else coming? I'd LOVE to meet you!!! Comment here or drop me and email, will ya?

Love,
Kori

Patty Does It Again

Walking past the Payless at the mall, I did a literal double-take when I saw these shoes in the window. After that, it was only a matter of two seconds of gawking before I wrapped a hand around my friend's wrist and yanked her toward the entryway of the store.

The Patricia Field label made sense. The platform, the super-high heel, and the studs certainly meshed with her fashion sensibilities, not to mention that had the shoes been a typical Payless brand I would have been absolutely shocked. The shoes look good in person; the leather is clearly faux up close, but the design appeals to me regardless. What can I say; when it comes to boots, I'm all for studs and leather. And the fact that the strap on the heel reminds me of the visor on a knight's helmet? That's just a plus.

You know with that heel height I will not be walking in these, but I still plan to try these on the next chance I get, just in case. They aren't available on the Payless site yet, but you can find them on Patricia Field's site, along with the rest of her new Payless collection (which, to be honest, isn't that impressive). And if you happen to be in the area, they are currently on sale at the Natick Collection.

Random addition: Rumi could make these absolutely killer.

Deep Red

Lately I've been noticing girls with hair dyed a deep, unnatural red popping up on street style blogs.

Photo sources: Dropsnap.jp, The Fashionist, Style Sightings, Dropsnap.jp

I have to say, I think it looks really good. It's definitely a statement since the color is clearly straight from a dye bottle, but it's a lot more subtle than, say, neon tresses.

I love how the top two girls styled it in a way that's classic yet modern. A bit of ladylike demeanor, some hints at vintage luxury, and a quirky sense of humor are great companions to the deep red bob. Of course, if you know me at all, then you can be sure that the bottom two girls share my style sensibilities to a greater extent. Whether rocking extremely long (left) or extremely short (right) locks, these girls were sure to don all black to add a nice contrast between hair and clothing. Killer shoes, sleek tight-clad legs, and a pinch of punky attitude finish off the look nicely.

Yeah, I'll probably be taking periodic breaks from my bio-studying to peer at myself in the mirror and contemplate whether it's a good idea to give my dark brown waves a bit of a reddish tint. Something darker than the girls in the photos, mind you, because my vampire-pale skin actually has an olive undertone, but I can't help but wonder whether I should give it a try. Just for fun. Then all I need is those studded boots and the leopard-print coat. . .

Fashion Inspiration: Drue Kataoka

Wow, what a night last night, huh? Obama's victory struck me a lot more intensely than I had anticipated, and I was whooping and dancing for joy with the best of them. More than just relief, I felt some distinct jubilation. This will be an interesting term, and I have a lot of hope for America.

Of course, this morning found me waking with a giddy emotion I can only compare to that of a child the day after their birthday when the party's over but there are still presents to unwrap and leftover cake to munch. Not to be too specific or anything. But I flipped open my laptop, set Obama's speech to play in the background, and like the true fashion geek that I am, clicked through to Mrs. O. Mrs. O is a fun blog documenting Michelle Obama's style, and I was a bit anxious to see who had made her dress from election night. (Narcisso Rodriguez, Spring '09, by the way.) Anyway, scrolling further, my eyes were met by this photo:

I like Michelle's style for the most part, I really do, but who could concentrate on her sober suit when the woman beside her was rocking a beflagged dress in a fresh, edgy way? Certainly not me!

It turns out this woman is a well-known artist named Drue Kataoka. Her artwork is definitely noteworthy, but so is her style.

I think Drue does a really good job balancing funky and classic pieces. Her signature sleek '20s-style bob, bright red lipstick, and matching nail polish always make a statement, and she clearly isn't afraid to stand out.

Whether she's clad in a form-fitting black dress, shimmering floor length gown, or silver pants, she seems to have definite flair for the dramatic, as is probably befitting an artist. I really am smitten with her fashion sense; she's one to watch!

That said, I am kind of psyched to see what Michelle Obama wears to the inaugural ball.

And also, don't you think Drue could pull off that YSL bob with fantastic success?

I Vote McQueen

I'm sitting here doing homework (well, okay, I was doing homework up until I checked my email and decided to share my findings) and feeling a bit nervous about the election. I voted this morning; you should too! America is a democracy, so vote for the man you believe will be the best president. . .as long as that man is Obama. Ha, I slightly jest.

Anyway, if Mccain-Palin win the race and we all have to flee the country, we can at least cheer ourselves up with this news, which I just found in 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."

!!!!!!!!!!!!

McQueen for Target. Obama for America?

One can only hope.

Happy Halloween

I ended up having a fairly nontraditional Halloween last night. With only a few hours available for celebration, and having rejected all of the costumes at the local iParty, I culled a fairly lame costume from the depths of my closet with intentions of attending a Halloween party.

I guess I was trying to be some sort of "punk rocker chick," but when I made my way to the door, studded purse in hand, and my mom stopped me to ask why I wasn't dressed up, it became clear that I was dressed in the kind of outfit I would wear on a normal day. Whoops. I did make the mistake of taking inspiration from this outfit of Gala's, which wasn't exactly a costume. But at least I have some sweet ripped tights now! And since I ended up skipping the party in favor of a dinner out with friends, the fairly normal costume turned out to be a blessing in disguise (pun intended.)

My Halloween look was fairly uninspiring, so why don't you look at these instead:

♥ Louise amidst skulls . . . spooky . . .

♥ Alix is the classic witch in a perfect location

♥ thegreatdawn made this amazing Bjork dress! (found in this BlackCigarette post.)

♥ Ooh! Ooh! I want Hermes sneakers too!

♥ Taghrid clearly has a knack for fantastic costumes. Can you say wow?

♥ And also, wow?

Cobrasnake has posted tons of Halloween pics since I last looked, so I'm off to take a peek! The actual holiday may be over, but I still have a bucket full of leftover candy to munch on, faux spiderwebs adorning my doorway, and some crazy party photos to live vicariously through. Hope everyone had an amazing day/night!

Autumn

Here's some proof that I'm sometimes pretty low maintenance:

I went for the most beautiful hike today, dog in tow (or rather racing through the pond muck ahead of me), without a care for my appearance. I really think it's important for everyone, fashion-obsessed as they might be, to have some time off from worrying about that stuff. You don't need to look perfect all the time. So when I'm off to the forest, it's on with a comfy Alternative Apparel top, faded jeans, and torn up Chucks. Today I accessorized by throwing an '80s scarf around my head to keep my hair out of my face and slinging the trusty camera bag over my shoulder. Tres walking chic. Ahem. Well, at least tres walking. The chic part is debatable.

But honestly, was there even a point in trying to compete with the splendor of my surroundings?

I'm pretty sure it couldn't have been done. Ahh, I love autumn in Massachusetts.

At the moment, I'm planning to attend a party to celebrate the opening of the Achilles Project's new online boutique tomorrow night. It's open to the public, so let me know if you're going to be there and maybe we can meet up! It should be fun and a good place to encounter fashionable Bostonians. I've been meaning to check out the Achilles Project for ages, anyway. New Brahmin has the details about the party if you're interested. I'll try to take some photos and get a real feel for the boutique; after all, even if you can't make it to the brick-and-mortar Boston location, you'll soon be able to shop online. . .

Global Americans

There was an interesting article in today's Boston Globe about photographer Augustus F. Sherman. Sherman was an amateur photographer working at Ellis Island in the early 1900s. He snapped pictures of immigrants of questionable status (those who were in danger of being deported) in their native costume, and the results are both haunting and sartorially pleasing. Globe writer Mark Feeney points out that the photographs seem to depict the people as "types rather than individuals," as if wearing "sartorial passports." To me, it does seem a bit ironic to capture images of prospective Americans facing the possibility of being sent back to their original countries in their native costumes; it feels almost like a sinister mockery of their precarious position.

That said, the pictures are also incredibly inspiring style-wise. The clothing is intricate, beautiful, and not at all costume-y in the sense that its wearers look completely at home in it. I like that a lot of aspects of these outfits can be found on modern day runways; it just goes to show that America, and the world for that matter, is truly a giant melting pot. So for now, let's try to put aside misgivings about the photographer's intentions and just enjoy his work for what it is - a much older, much less spontaneous, yet just as inspiring version of The Sartorialist.

"Three Women from Gaudeloupe"

"Pipers"

"Hindoo Boy"

"Ruthenian Woman"

"Gypsy Family"

"Girl from Rattvik, Province of Dalarna, Sweden"

"Gaudeloupean Woman"

"Greek Woman"

What are your favorite pieces in these photos? I'm absolutely loving the Greek woman's jewelry (seriously, wow) and the Gaudeloupean women's ultra-chic combo of printed dresses and turban-like hats.

[Photo source]

New Stuff

Well, grasshoppers, there's nothing like a bit of bio studying to encourage me to lug out my tripod and take a few shots of some new purchases. I realize that terrible lighting, a camera that can't focus on what I want it to, and practically nonexistent editing software do not great photos make, but I did my best.

Yesterday I hit the mall for a few hours, and walked away with two things I was pretty excited about. The first item was a pair of ankle boots. Black buckled leather with chunky 2.5 inch heels I can actually walk in . . . from Payless, of all places. Yes, apparently you can buy actual leather at Payless now. And they're comfy too! I realize higher heels would look much better, but I am a firm believer that constantly falling on my face would be far less attractive.

The second item was clearly fated to be mine. I had been eyeing this dress at Gap since the preview in the spring, and when I popped into the store yesterday, there was one left. In my size, and marked down from $58 to $23. It may not have been my original color choice, but that didn't stop me from gleefully rushing it over to the cash register and paying up. No, it's not flattering, but I like it anyway. Hooray!

Happily, my two buys look quite cute together, if I do say so myself.

Let's ignore the fact that I didn't brush my hair today.

In reality, I'm thinking the dress, with its easy, cozy feel, will be worn with sweater leggings, the trusty combats, and a bomber jacket on frigid winter days.

In this photo, we can ignore both the unbrushed hair and my disturbing facial expression, k? I knew you would understand. . .

Photos of my pretty new blazer are still forthcoming. I need to get back to that scintillating (I jest) bio studying. Believe me, I'd rather take photographs.

Pixies: In Which the Readers Write

Photos (L->R from top): The gorgeous Angela, Garance Dore, the Streetwalker, Garance Dore, Altamira NYC

Right now I'm full of ideas and reaping the benefits of a few successful shopping trips, so hopefully I'll have a bunch of articles to post up over the next few days. But for now. . .

As always, my most popular article is Getting the Perfect Pixie, which I wrote in July of '07. I still get regular comments on that one, actually, even though it is over a year old. I often get "Thanks so much; your article has inspired me to get a pixie cut" comments, which both delights and floors me because it feels crazy that people actually listen to what I say to that extent. I hope my advice paid off for these girls/women! The other kind of comment I tend to get a lot of is one with advice. I love these, because I think it's fantastic that people genuinely want to help each other out, and I'm glad my blog has given them a place to do so. These comments are sweet, insightful, and definitely worth reading - here are a few of my favorites:

♥ I think hair type was far from adequately covered in my original article, because I honestly wasn't sure what would happen were a curly-haired girl to chop it all off. But a commenter tells us:

"I have ringlet curls and last year I sported a pixie cut, and it actually worked really well. Curly hair just gives it a bit of a wilder, less plastered look."

So now you know.

♥ Now here's something that didn't even occur to me until I read this comment:

"Without having hair to hide behind, I've found that it helps a LOT to have well manicured brows. You don't need to get a really thin brow - just clean them up a little and define the arch you have. It, along with the new, shorter hair, will make your eyes really stand out."

Hm, I wish I'd realized this when my hair was really short. But then again, I am a bit lazy when it comes to grooming the brows; in fact, my favorite part of having bangs was that they covered my eyebrows so I didn't have to deal with them.

♥ Now here's a bit of a confidence-booster for those who are nervous about drastically changing hairstyles:

"If you do something weird, like dye hair hair crazy or shave it or something, people will always say 'Wow, I could never pull that off, your so lucky that you can! Your face shape is perfect' or whatever bla bla bla. The point is, just do it, and show confidence in your new hairstyle and people will think you look good. With all the experiments I have done, I have heard 'wow you are the only one that could pull that off' way to many times. And I know that it is not true. All you need to pull something off is confidence in it."

Fantastic advice, no? I love this.

♥ And finally, pilfered from the comment section of my follow-up post The Pixie Cut: Growing Out, is a comment meant to spare readers the painful post-pixie growing out process that I suffered through:

"I got a pixie cut last August and I kept cutting it shorter and shorter until November of last year. Growing it out actually wasn't so bad, but every once and a while I'd get into a mood where I felt hideous and I had to get a trim. Mostly, I just kept getting the back by my neck cut so that the sides of my hair would catch up. Also, I dyed my hair bright red because I felt that it would make me feel less bored and more feminine as I entered the awkward stages. I used product to make my hair look messier when it was growing out so that it was harder to notice when it got mullet-ish. Also, when my hair was at its strangest stage in May, parts were chin length, some parts much shorter, I curled my hair in a 50's, Marilyn Monroe-esque way. The good part about going through this experience was that I got to try tons of different short hair cuts because I would get my hair cut reshaped into a different style every few months."

Um, wow. Wish I'd done that.

That's it for now, but I'd like to say again HOW MUCH I ADORE MY READERS! You guys are too great, seriously. Keep the thoughts, personal experiences, opinions, etc. coming, and not just on my pixie cut articles. I'm no expert when it comes to fashion, and I don't claim to be. Sometimes the best material on this blog comes from the likes of you. Group hug?

The World is Spinning Fashion

I'm sitting here feeling horrifically dizzy and mighty pissed about it, but I've decided the show must go on. I've been dying to get a good post up here for days, so I'm not going to let a freak vertigo-ish attack keep me from it. I'm warning you, though; I might be skimping on pictures. And possibly on writing quality. In fact, this is basically a "Hey, look what I'm finding exciting right now" link list with a bit of loopy commentary. But since I am fighting my body's protests to write it, I command you to read and enjoy and comment as you will. And I apologize ahead of time for the disjointed rambling that is no doubt to come.

♥ I've been meaning to mention this one for a while: Frankie B, a clothing line that until recently has escaped my notice, just released a gorgeous short film called "Let's Get Lost."

It has this hazy, dreamy quality that I always adore; in fact, it reminds me a bit of Lula, if Lula were a California Girl of My Dreams. And the clothes - wow, am I dying to get my hands on them! Hippie meets rocker meets laid back Rumi-esque styling = I want.

♥ Maybe everyone else has already realized this and I'm just a bit slow on the uptake, but WHOAH AGATHE IS BACK! That's right - the beloved, mysteriously gone missing, Norwegian style genius is actually posting photos occasionally.

I am so relieved and ridiculously thrilled. Oh, how stalker-y fashion blogging makes a person! I find myself thinking of her as a long lost friend, and yet I am having trouble remembering if I ever even commented on her blog, despite its (lofty) position on my daily reading list. But Agathe, if you ever read this, I'm so glad you're okay, and welcome back!

♥ I bought the cutest Converse blazer at Target the other day. It was going to premiere here in a self-styled and shot photo shoot, but that's going to have to wait. Instead, I'll link to the obnoxious photo of it on the Target website. Actually, I'll post a picture of the back of the blazer, just to show the really nice cut, but for the front you'll need to look elsewhere. The model wearing it is all wrong, and I will not endorse her blazer-butchering on this blog.

You should note that this blazer looks significantly different in real life - a lot less polished and much more rock 'n roll. Very Converse, actually. I am seriously in love. That photo shoot will happen, people. Just not while my brain feels like it's being stirred 'round and 'round by a malicious spoon. (I did warn you my commentary would be loopy, didn't I?)

♥ When I realized Comme des Garcons for H&M wouldn't be available in Boston, my sadness and agitation possibly even rivaled that of the lovely Dreamecho, especially since I was planning on actually stooping low enough to wait outside of the store the day the collection dropped. But now, having seen Erin Wasson's self-styled photos of herself clad in CDG for H&M, I am even more upset.

The preview photos of the line (which you can find all over this tFS thread) had definitely captured my attention and desire, but seeing how fantastically cool those pieces look on Erin just ups my need to wrap my greedy fingers around some polkadot tops and drop-crotch bottoms, cackling evilly with the knowledge that they will be mine. Yes, I am a wee bit of a fanatic. I hope H&M realizes that its turning me into a crazy person.

Okay, I (as always) have lots more to say, but I think I really need to close my eyes for a bit. Still, I'm already feeling a bit better, so hopefully the dizziness is passing. Hmm, maybe fashion was the cure?

Shame? What's that?

Just a quick session of shameless bragging before I'm off to tour Tufts -

Look who got published in Daily Candy Boston:

What's that you say? There's no byline? Well in that case, the author in question would be moi!

Hopefully this article will be the first of many. . I'm so excited to be part of such a great newsletter. . .

Oh, and go here to see the actual article with actual links. Amy Nguyen's stuff is super-beautiful; I'd recommend a look (which will no doubt turn into an ogle) at her pieces.

College Revelations

I think I forgot to mention that I would be spending the last few days touring colleges. Well, that's where I was, for the curious. I'm not sure what one is supposed to learn from these visits, but while spending the night in my friend Sherry's dorm, I learned that my glasses are supremely more flattering than those Buddy Holly geek-chic frames favored by so many hipsters. Shame. They are so fun to wear.

Other fashion tidbits I picked up? Well, one of my tours boasted a few stylish girls who almost manged to steal my attention from the gorgeous campus. One girl, a New Yorker (of course), wore flat, black, vintage lace up booties, ripped red tights, a sweet floral dress, and a baggy plaid jacket. Topped with a blond bob cut completely straight across on the bangs and tips, she looked achingly cool. Another look that captured my attention wasn't unique enough to bother sharing, but the girl wearing it had drawn wingtip, brogue-like styling across the toes of her Keds, and I thought they looked amazing. And my tour guide had the most perfect pixie cut I've seen in ages.

Don't worry about me, grasshoppers; most of my focus was on the schools I visited. But fashion doesn't tremble in the light of higher education, and neither does my style-watching brain.

America, Politics, and Fashion

If you read a book on the history of fashion, it's impossible not to recognize the effects that politics have on fashion. Wars inspire minimalist styles, politicians set trends, and the people dress to show support for their country.

I do find it very interesting how prominent America and American politics are in fashion today. That short phase where everyone was traipsing around in red, white, and blue clothing plastered with stars and stripes has mostly ended, but there's still a lot of the sentiment if you know where to look.

So maybe this photo isn't so political, but it's definitely American. I love how that good ole home-on-the-range mentality is shown. The photo shoot is called Urban Cowboy and really has nothing to do with America, but of course the flag was thrown into the shot to offset that quintessential Western cowboy look.

Then, of course, there's the more blatant political statement:

Steven Meisel shot this controversial Make Love Not War editorial. The message is pretty obvious. I'm not sure that it influenced people's views on whether or not to end the war, but it did call attention to the matter, which is not something fashion is generally given credit for.

Last but not least, the fashion world has been very involved in the Obama campaign.

Sonia Rykiel and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac sent Obama-emblazoned looks down the runway, as did Nicole Farhi, while many famous names designed pieces to be sold in the Obama store. In addition, I quite like the Obama Baggu Bags. And of course, the fact that the candidate himself graces the cover of Men's Vogue just goes to show that politics and fashion do, after all, mesh quite well.

Note to the non-fashion crowd: Fashion isn't as shallow as you think.

. . . And Breathe. . .

Phew! The SAT's have been taken (by moi, of course) and I am finally a (mostly) free woman! Or girl, rather, but that didn't fit so well into the sentence.

Last night I bullied my father into picking up Lula Magazine at Border's on his way home from work, so when I woke up in a panic at 5:30 this morning, I calmed myself with a leisurely flip through its bewitching pages. Because my brain lacked coherency at such an ungodly hour, I can only remember those glorious photo shoots as a hauntingly beautiful, ethereal jumble - whoops, guess I'll have to read it again! And again, and again, and again. . . One can never read Lula too many times.

I will say this, though:

Ali Michael is my modelsoulmate. This is not just because we are both freakishly pale with fine brown hair, nor is it because my eyebrows bring hers to mind when I hold off on the tweezing. No, Ali Michael is my superfantasticmodelBFF because we both survived the harrowing experience of being run over by a horse. You may laugh, but I feel that bonds us together like - oh, I don't know, hydrogen and oxygen? Heh, bio is ruining my similes.

Okay, more posts to come now that I'm no longer in SAT crunch mode, although maybe not this weekend. I am in dire need of non-academic socializing, and possibly a riffle through the SoWa Open Market on Sunday. Vintage clothing, indie designer lines, art, live music, and giveaways make it high on my list. If you're in the Boston area, you should make it high on your list as well. Maybe I'll even run into a few of you! Let me know if you'll be there, k?

And now I sleep. I'm beat. Hooray for naps!

Thoughts of a Stressed Out Blogger

What's on my mind this week? Well, aside from a huge bio test tomorrow, the SATs on Saturday, and a huge amount of college application-related work:

♥ When it comes to Fashion Week(s), it seems all the bloggers are raving about Balmain. So even though I would like to do some raving on the topic myself (because honestly, what a fantastic collection), I'm going to point of Vivianne Westwood's Gold Label instead.

Mmm, how great is that? Everything is so different, yet still quintessentially Vivianne. And those shoes on the left? Absolutely killer. I bet Queen Michelle could work styling wonders with them, as good as she is with all that is tough and made of leather. I also bet I could work wonders with them; my head is swimming with millions of outfit ideas. . .

If it weren't for that bio test, I would definitely have some more collections to share with you, seeing as some of my favorites (Comme des Garcons, for example) showed today. But alas, studying comes first.

♥ I've also been thinking about what the addition of these things would do to my fall wardrobe. Here's a hint - very, very good things:

1. Knee-high boots. Love the exposed zipper. Hot.

2. My dream Docs. The only non-affordable things on this list, but so, so amazing.

3. A bit of bling. Cheap statement necklaces can really transform an outfit.

4. Like sneakers, only with a bit of a wedge to give you longer legs and a bit of height.

5. The first inexpensive driving gloves I've found. Man, I've been wanting a pair of these forever.

6. I want a leather jacket, but this faux leather hoodie is a nice twist on a classic.

Oh yum, plenty of clothing to prance 'round my dreams; that is, if thoughts of Oxidative Phosphorylation and Glycolysis don't drive it away. . .