Fashion Blog

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 20:50:15 GMT

Bratz

Here''s the good news - the little skank-dolls with awful fashion (when has one of those "poor-boy" hats ever looked good?) has been forced to stop production. A judge ordered the company to stop manufacturing the dolls and went so far as to order a recall of the plastic hookers from toy stores beginning in the new year.

Here''s the bad news - they were ordered to stop production because Mattel was found to be the original creators of the dolls. Now all the money will go to them when they start making the dolls again.

At least there will be a small window of whore-free children''s toys!

Posted by: Kevin      Read more     Source

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 21:51:06 GMT

Mama Needs a Brand New Bag

I'm not one of those women who loves handbags so much that she has fifty or so in rotation. For me, it's just too troublesome to have to transfer all my junk stuff from one bag to another every time I want to change. So yes, I carry the same handbag nearly every single day. Shocking, isn't it?

Now, however, I've had to face the music and realize that I really, really need a new purse. Since I carry the same one frequently, mine has to be fairly neutral for year-round use. I found this candidate from Coach:



While it comes in a very fetching pink and even my favorite color red, it also comes in black and brown. It's a good size for me (I'm petite, so I can't carry anything huge that's going to overwhelm my frame), pretty simple in design and looks perfect for what I need on a day-to-day basis.

I've already put in a request to Santa that I'd love to see this under the Christmas tree this year. Posted by: Del       Read more     Source

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:40:39 GMT

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. Posted by: Kori      Read more     Source

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:20:47 GMT

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. Posted by: Kori      Read more     Source

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:59:44 GMT

Ladybuds earrings

If I were to tell you that I have wished a thousand times to cut out all the background noise while on a commute, I am wrong. The wish count is actually in the order of millions. The noise pollution in my erstwhile "garden" city has increased so much in the recent months that I have also given up my favorite pasttime of reading a book while I am traveling within the city, as it is almost impossible for me to focus on the reading.

But recently, a cute little innovation (patent pending) caught my eye - one that can help harried women like me under such circumstances. It is called Ladybuds and happens to be an interesting combination of earrings and earplugs fused within a single design. The reusable, noise-eliminating earplugs blend smoothly into the earrings and make no revelation of their true purpose - simultaneously ensuring that you won''t have to rummage around in your handbag for them. The earrings are available in gold-fill and sterling-silver earhooks encrusted with Swarovski crystals. A pair will cost you $30 - a small investment to obtain some peace and quiet, in style.

Via InventorSpot. Posted by: Sarah      Read more     Source

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:59:10 GMT

Men's Fashion Spot: bblessing

This shop for guys is cool because it's not just a basic Urban Outfitters stop. You've got eclectic brands and plenty of looks to satisfy a hip taste, and I keep coming back to shop for my brother, husband, and nephew. If you're a guy, make a wish list and pass it on: just be careful, because their 'sold out' labels are really hard to see.

It's time to shop. Posted by: Meieli Sawyer Detoni      Read more     Source

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:39:24 GMT

Ack

Movies in which characters dress in curtains:

1. The Sound of Music. It''s okay ''cause the movie is quintessentially hokey. Plus, Maria is totally a curtain-ripping, guitar-strumming, convent-leaving rebel. Roar.

2. Cinderella. Again, allowed. It''s a Disney movie, for chrissake. And let''s face it - when mice and birds can sew a gown more quickly than Christian Siriano, no one cares that they used the window drapes.

3. Enchanted. Clearly allowed, since it''s a parody of Disney princess movies. Not to mention that the resulting dress was adorable.

4. Lifetime''s Coco Chanel.

That''s right, you read correctly. Picture me, mouth wide open with shock, watching as a badly cast Coco Chanel spends a minute tearing apart a dress, pairing it with a piece of her own curtains, and talking solely in quotes from the real Chanel. Yep, the movie was that bad.

Oh, and did I mention the mystery of the ever-disappearing, horrifically fake French accents? And the stiff, terrible acting?

Then again, I must commend Shirley Maclaine for keeping a straight face while spewing out more quotes in a single breath than most people hear in a lifetime. Bravo, weirdly Americanized Coco!

Final consensus: Watch only for laughs. Posted by: Kori      Read more     Source

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:22:11 GMT

Lincoln Looks Forward With New Museum

Lincoln is one of America's truly great marques, but recent years have found it becoming more of an orphan at Ford, to the point where people were doubting its survival. Fortunately Lincoln seems to be rediscovering its identity with at least one new model, the MKZ, showing promise. Perhaps the best indicator that Lincoln has a future is Ford's willingness to invest in its history by supporting the new Lincoln Museum in partnership with the Lincoln Motor Car Foundation. (The Foundation was formed in 1999 by members of various Lincoln owner's clubs and retired Ford Motor Company Executives.)

A new, 20,000 square foot dedicated building is to be constructed on the campus of the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan, a 90 acre park-like setting midway between Chicago and Detroit, also the setting for the Classic Car Club of America Museum, the Tucker Historical Collection and the Pierce-Arrow Museum. "This is a long overdue initiative," said Peter Horbury, Ford Executive Director, Design, The Americas. "Lincoln represents over eighty years of wonderful history and fantastic automobiles. From the early, elegant cars of the 1920s to the pure and simple Continentals of the 1960s, Lincoln has a wonderful story to tell. We look forward to helping the new Lincoln museum become an exciting and educational destination."

[Source: Hemmings eWeekly Newsletter] Posted by: Philip Powell      Read more     Source

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:34:56 GMT

Suit Up

Finally - a real post! I''m ashamed that it''s taken me so long, seeing as this blog is in no way a chore.

I''m slightly under the weather today, so I spent the afternoon ogling photos from magazine editorials at Faking Fashion. A particular Vogue Russia shoot featuring Ali Michael at her most adorable caught my eye:

At first, the thought that dominated my brain was, "Awwww," but after a moment I was able to look beyond Ali''s cute antics and the tux-clad chimp, finally noticing the way the clothes were styled.

Business suits carry a lot of stigma for me. They make me think of dull office jobs, of uniformity and dress codes, of clunky briefcases and murky cups of coffee. Therefore, the fact that the above photos, all of which feature suits, are undeniably fun sets off a bit of a you-better-take-note-of-this alarm in my head.

So, how does one spice up a suit?

♥ A good start is to get yourself a brightly colored suit. Not absolutely necessary, but every little bit helps.

♥ Ditch the plain shirt underneath the jacket for a graphic t-shirt, or layer the t-shirt over the plain collared shirt. Please note that the look is now casual, and no longer appropriate for certain jobs.

♥ Accessorize! Driving gloves, chunky jewelry, belts, ties and bowties, hats - pile ''em on! I especially like a long belt looped around a pencil skirt and brightly colored fingerless driving gloves.

♥ Wearing basic pumps? Swap ''em for something wild to complete the look.

I was determined to take my own advice, so I dragged out my mom''s old collection of ''80s suits for a bit of experimentation. No pictures, because my room was sweltering and I gave up before I was satisfied with any one outfit, but I did learn that a fairly wide, below-the-knee length pencil skirt looks amazing with a studded belt giving it a paper bag waist. Yowza.

To make up for my lack of photos, I did a bit of editing to show you how much cooler Vivian could look in Pretty Woman. I mean, I liked the original outfit, but it didn''t have a lot of personality. . .

See what I mean? I''ve gotta do some more experimenting. . . Posted by: Kori      Read more     Source

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:50:24 GMT

Fall 2008 Trend: Plaids

If you're mad about plaid, then your season is coming up. Plaid is a big trend for fall 2008. While every designer didn't take part in it, here's some who did in a really cool way.

ADAM showcases this adorable skirt ensemble in typical fall colors. Unless you've got ultra-skinny thighs like the model, you may want to stick with black or charcoal tights (I know I would, anyway!).



Next up, D&G, who showed a lot of plaid. This isn't my favorite outfit, but I like the sweater vest a lot. I'm more crazy about the argyle in this ensemble than the Little House on the Prairie dress.




Finally, one of my faves, Ralph Lauren. This look is very classic, very Americana. I would wear this one "as is." And I absolutely adore that bag.



What I really like is that although plaid was a hit, none of these are school-girlish at all, which only belongs on parochial school playgrounds. Posted by: Del       Read more     Source