dance, dance

 
I used to really keep my eye on Natasha Poly because of her sunken in cheeks and sort of Russian flair.  But then she kind of stopped doing exciting work for me and I wasn't as interested...especially since newer models came around like Iekeliene and Agyness who are so out there.  But, I've realized from this picture backstage at michael kors (and recent updates to her thread at the fashion spot) that she's got a spunk all her own.  enjoy!

Also, I need to mention that on my flight coming back from Hawai'i my computer had an unfortunate incident with a can of Sprite and now it is in the Apple Headquarters somewhere being taken apart and restored to newness.  I am struggling with this other family PC, and since I take my pictures using my mac, I may not be able to post an outfit for, according to the mac man, '7 to 10 days'. Bear with me, I'll definitely still update, just not with my outfits. And soon I'll have myhands on all the Hawai'i pictures and I will be able to put those up.  get excited!

ph, thefashionspot

Do you Feel...Lucky?

My friends and I are silly and take pictures without faces.

These are some of my besties, in full documentation of their fabulosity. You might remember this outfit from a while ago, but maybe not.  Since this picture makes me smile I figured it deserves 100% a spot on my blogspot.

Shave Ice, Black Sand Beaches, and Flip Flops all day Long

Today:

yesterday:

the day before!

Please excuse the fact the the bathroom (the only place to balance my camera!) has horrible lighting.  It's rather early and I'm being hassled by my family to get ready, as we're going on numerous adventures today.  

Anyway, my vacation outfits rarely seem good enough to post (wet bathingsuit, matted hair, sand everywhere, and big baggy t-shirts when I'm trying to hide y super-pale skin from the sun).  However, I thought I'd post a few of the better ones just for documentation purposes and because I want to maintain some sense of style no matter what I'm doing or what tropical locale I am visiting. Anyway, gotta eat some breakfast. Be back later!

jack and jill went up the hill...

  

Here I am, taking an afternoon break from all the sun I've been getting here in Hawai'i.  I've got on a bathing suit (urban outfitters) and a t shirt (american apparel), but I find myself being drawn back to these images from jakandjil.com which feature (from left) Irina Lazareanu, Maryna Linchuk, and Emina Cunmulaj bundled up during fashion week...almost certainly facing chillier temperatures than what I am experiencing at this very moment.

I just think that regardless of season, certain looks can be extremely inspiring, and as Scott Schuman the Sartorialist talks about all the time in his blog, a look may not be sartorial in the WHOLE, but certain elements of it can stand out as something to be remembered.  So starting with Irina, I seem to find myself daydreaming regularly about this shiny top/tattered denim shorts combo. Especially with the beat up shoes.  I'm constantly trying to figure out a way to wear what would usually be considered nightwear (for clubbing etc) in my daywear.  I think Irina has provided a wonderful example of how to dress down a glitzy top and make it perfect for day.  The big black bag is lustworthy as well.

  

Second is Maryna's outfit that is quite wintry but so classy and chic and yet youthful that I can't seem to take my chlorine-saturated eyes off it, no matter how much it hurts to look at the screen after a few hours at the pool.  I love the way she mixed up her layers with the tank and the shorter (luxurious, gold-emblazoned, zipper-saturated, totally worn in the perfect amount) leather jacket.  She wrapped that scarf expertly (i'm still trying to get it right!) and has a commanding presence that doesn't really let up.  I suppose maybe that's one of the many reasons that she's in both DSquared2 and Mulberry campaigns this season...not to mention a few other that I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Finally is Emina, rocking shiny leggings, menswear, a vest, leather, and a fedora...and completely doing it un-ironically.  She's wearing an outfit that has probably been worn in one way or another by every teenager and young hipster.  However, I think it's the little things in this look that make it work.  The well-painted nails (although she probably didn't paint them herself considering this is show season), the big sneakers probably worn for comfort and yet looking like a million bucks, and the wispies sticking out of her fedora (fedora's definitely call for softer hair). I just like how it looks like she threw this on before or after a show and managed to catch my eye in a way that some of the looks on the runway have failed to do.

all pics, jakandjil

Bucky Done Gun

I admire the way this girl can work it.  Whether she is pulling off the shredded-beyond-practicality Maison Margiela shredded jeans or modeling in an unusually demure (for Juergen Teller) ad for Marc by Marc Jacobs, she always seems to be a step ahead of the rest.  Her Sri Lankan roots and fiery reggae infused music have given her the image of a partying rock star but I think, beyond that, she is completely fashionable in a really sartorial sense of the word.  I admire her daring and her totally committed way of living (and i envy those lips...), and I think that, listening to her music or seeing her face staring out at me from the newest TeenVogue, she's got an appeal beyond the mischa's or lindsay's of the world.  Something more, I say.

I was reading on the extremely reliable fashionspot that she may be abandoning music because her heart is not fully in it, as well as the fact that she has directorial aspirations and is maybe hoping to reverse the scenes she's been surrounded by and take a seat in the directors' chair herself.  No matter what happens, she's one to keep your eye on.

Photos, tfs, flickr, juno.co.uk

  

New Shoes!

I was talking about the new pair of shoes I got at urban outfitters a few posts back, and I can finally show you.  I've been trying to pull them off a la Ashley Olsen and her well-worn Jil Sander flats sort of like these ones.  Loose american apparel tees, cardigans, plaid, and cuffed pants or shorts galore!

Meanwhile, I'm really feeling the intense desire to own a new pair of strappy high heels like the Givenchy or chunky Chloe heels we saw this past season.  The number of heels I can actually wear out for a night (call me crazy, but wearability is actually really important to me) is down to..2. One by BCBG and one by Betsey Johnson.  And while flat shoes may be way more of my tendency, I'm still feeling the need for height and glamour to go along with some of the new dresses I've picked up recently.  The hunt begins!

Concerning Ashley Olsen's Jil Sander flats, see:

photos: urbanoutfitters, olsen-files.

SASHA

            

Sasha Pivovarova in the newest Paris Vogue, photographed by Hedi Slimane (ultimate super-crush).    I love thinking about Hedi behind this lens, and I love Sasha Pivovarova and her crazy posing...she's got it down.  Sasha's fearless open-mouthed posing and lithe frame join here to create a seriously hard-rock and playful attitude that has the styling of my dreams.

I might actually have to pick up this issue!

all photos, thefashionspot.

Embroidery

Talk about comfy. These jeans from J.Crew were a total impulse buy and yet have totally served me well. The top I just bought (for my trip to Hawai'i!) from Urban Outfitters and the bag is vintage, from Paris.

I guess this day was very simple...just errands and such.  The shoes are the best part haha...but I'm sure I'll be wearing them again.

How Could I Not!?

This woman, Melanie Huynh, who I'm sure you are all extremely familiar with (if not, hit up thefashionspot.com!) is too irresistably fabulous not to give an homage to here. 

She is a junior editor at french vogue, and whenever she is photographed about town her looks are always so youthful and fun and yet extremely put together. Brava Melanie, you are an inspiration!

I think it's the mixture of masculine elements, like the oversized blazers that she seems to throw over everything are what help her stand out in a crowd of overly feminine and every-hair-in-place type of women.

all photos, thesartorialist.

The Key to my Heart

I found this dress yesterday with a friend and immediately fell in love with the keyhole detailing and nautical vibes that it has.  It's an amazing summer dress and I'm very excited for the wears I'll get out of this.  Definitely worth the mini-dent that it placed in my bank account.

dress , urbn. bag, moms. bolero, vintage.

Polyvore!

shooos.

I'm really into these fashion-y NYT photos...for some reason the photogs over at the times seem to capture the best moments...it's quite inspiring.  It helps that I reeeallly dig the studs on those shoes and the way they look.  Now, to get my hands on them!

photo, nyt

Stripes and Florals

Today:

Yesterday, in COSTUME (just so you know) for my play.  I loved my flower petal skirt too much to not post it!

..

Monochromatic

I'm currently enrolled in an art class and I just finished this monochromatic painting of top-model Suvi Koponen.  I thought I'd post to show you all!

What Fun, Lily Donaldson!

  

..Well, praaactically.

I can't stop staring at this lovely English Rose's off-work streetstyle.  She is one of the blessed who really DO roll out of bed looking like that.  I envy her collection of perfect white tees, leather jackets, and denim in every shape and form.

I'm off to grow 6 inches....

photos, facebook, tfs.

A New Goth

I think I'm a day behind! Sorry about that everyone..you know those days when you barely have time to eat and sleep!?  It's kind of been like that recently.

But tonight, as I reclined (finally!) to watch America's Next Top Model and American Idol (GO DAVID ARCHULETA! (and jason castro, second fave))...I decided to make a new collage based on my inspirations this week. I know, telling, right?  It's gloomy and cloudy, but I guess that sort of modern-goth look has been really inspiring to me recently.

AND..top 5 tracks of the week.

1. me and julio down by the schoolyard--simon&garfunkel

2. breakin' up--rilo kiley

3. du og meg--of montreal

4. opus 36--dustin o'halloran

5. my mom was a lamppost--the exfriends

enjoy!

photos, nytimes, thefashionspot, style

Fashion Bible

I've decided that I absolutely 100% consider UK VOGUE my Fashion Bible.

I have every issue from mid-2006 (not a lot, I guess, but considering my age it's not bad)...and I have read them all (or at lease leafed through the pages of them all) what seems like a hundred times.

I thought it would be neat to photo-document and show you all.

What are your fashion bibles?

I Love Her

1. this woman has got it--the attitude, the Eurpoean sensibility, the look.
2. where do i buy perfectly straight legged, but not emo hipster squeeze-me-into-em pants like that!?
3. Thank you Scott Schuman

photo credits, the sartorialist. (or as my friends like to call him, the STARtorialist)

Art School

If you have been living under a rock for the past 6 months, you may not understand my reference here.  However, I don't think any of you have been living in that unfortunate situation.  As you know, art is EVERYWHERE for spring.  Designers referenced everyone from Pollock to De Kooning throughout their collections, and I've bought into it, big time.

Dress, Anthropologie. Bag, Marc Jacobs

B is for Basics

After reading this wondrous post 

by my fellow blogger Fashion Toast (see links), I was completely inspired to do a basics post of my own.  I really had to think about the things that I couldn't live without, and so here's a breakdown of what I need in sunny Southern California...

Denim...

Jeans are hand-in-hand with my identity, methinks.  I know that without these, I wouldn't know what to do every morning!  I tend to go for darker washes, but a couple of pairs (maybe 4 or so) are the ones that I wear on a regular rotation.

Clockwise, from lower left corner: Joe's Jeans, Lucky Brand, AE, AE, J.Crew, Anthropologie

Dresses...

Okay, well I am mildly obsessed with anything feminine, swingy, and breezy (ie..almost any dress).  I've collected them over the years and I rely on them for those days when I need to just throw something on and be ready to walk out the door.  Also, colors in this category are crucial.  I don't think I even own an LBD. Hm, I've gotta get on that.

From left: Anthro, Anthro, Anthro, F21, F21, Anthro, thrifted.

Note to Self: Maybe branch out from buying all dresses at Anthropologie!

American Apparel Hoodies...

I bought my first one of these when I came back from Europe this summer and realized that I was seriously low on basics.  The purple one was inducted into my closet and was quickly worn to shreds.  Then, I received two more for Christmas and haven't stopped the spree of wearing them...anywhere and everywhere.  They are admittedly a bit sloppy, but I mean, every once and a while that's needed (for me at least...)

All three, AA

Stripes...

I just don't think the world would be as happy without stripes.  Black and white, blue and white, brown and white, pink and grey, the list goes on and on.  Some say that stripes make a person look wider, but I think they, conversely, can really flaunt anyones shape! I can dig it, for sure.

From left to right: Urban, J.Crew, Target, Anthro, Urban, Urban.

V-Neck's...

I can't even wear crew necks anymore! I especially like my neck and collar-bone area anyway, so if there's a shirt especially made to flaunt it, I'm all for it!

the white one is Hanes, the rest AA

Scarves...

A key hipster staple, if I say so myself.  I just love giving an outfit that extra flair by wrapping a cozy pashmina or wrap around me.  They are, admittedly everywhere, but I don't mind, especially because I try and make them my own each time I wear them

From left: thrifted, J.Crew, thrifted, ebay.

Cardigans..!

I guess I'm just a sweater type of gal.  I know these colors in this photo are slightly neutral (minus the obvious), but the rest of my sweaters are being washed atm.  I enjoy bright colors as well as greys and blacks and tans, every kind of sweater under the sun.  I'm constantly on that hunt for the perfect sweater, so if you see any special ones...let me know!

Clockwise from top left: AA, Target, Lucky Brand, AA

Headbands...

ANYONE who knows me can vouch for the fact that I wear one of these every day, to any event, anywhere!  Mostly I can just use ribbons or a strip of fabric, but every once in a while I'll buy something actually designated to go around my head.  Without these, I feel like my general appearance would be so bland!

In this selection: H&M, AA, Anthro, Urban, Nordstrom.