Love the photo, freaking amazing. I really have no description or very much to say besides oh, damn. In case you guys wanted a backstory, Nadal and Kobe are promoting Nike Sportswear, current emphasis on sweatpants/sweats in general. Yeah, I know you didn't read that as you're prbably still chcking out Nadal's cheekbones. It's ok, I understand.
There's plenty of us who dream to be a rocker-chick with a motorcycle, leather jacket, and a body covered in tattooes (somewhat like Angelina Jolie in "Wanted", I suppose). But then there's reality, where we need to look clean and polished for our day job and carpool to work. So how does one find a little bit of wild to add to their closet? Let me introduce...tattoo tights!
[Floral tattoo tights. post @ etsy. $23.]
I know what you're thinking. Ridiculous, right? Yet...ingenius! For those who dream of that sexy calf tattoo but most definitely can't get it (how do you wear an evening gown with that?) pull on these tights for a costumed evening or just to add a bit of edge to your outfit. Personally, I don't think I'll be donning these anytime soon, but I can definitely see the appeal! What's your take?
Even though I've been in the great Pacific Northwest since...'98...my heart still lies in NYC. Once you're from the Bronx, you're from the Bronx, you know? Anyway, as I was browsing Etsy for some NY photographs to decorate my apartment I came across this little stunner.
[NY Skyline Ring. Imontoya on Etsy. $98.]
Wow, what a piece of work. Such delicate craftsmanship, not to mention creativity! It's pieces like these that make me want to get into metalworking. The Empire State Building, of course, is the centerpiece of this ring but the rest of the skyline looks legitimately accurate, too! This is the perfect gift for a gal who's dreaming of NY.
We've all been in situations where our usual beauty routine had to be compromised. Whether it was because we decided to spend the nights with our significant other, crashed at a friend's place, went camping, just moved in to a new place, or got all our stuff confiscated at airport security there are days where our set of shampoo/conditioner/lotions weren't available.
What to do in these setups? It's simple--carry a small 3oz container of Dr. B's castille soap. Not only can you use it as shampoo and body wash, it also doubles up as a fruit/vegetable wash and (possibly, though not explicitly stated) dish fluid. Now that's some serious multi-tasking. All organic with scents of peppermint, eucalyptus, almond, rose, citrus, lavender, and tea tree! I seriously survived on this stuff for a week while traveling round Venice/Milan/Bologna/Cinque Terre.
[Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap. $2.49]
If you're super cheap you can even buy the Trader Joe's peppermint version (I do!)
Needless to say, I haven't been very impressed with Banana Republic lately. Even after switching to Simon Kneen I only wanted a few pieces of the Spring/Summer 2009 collection and actually only bought...2? I know, it's really shocking, and my track to Luxe status is deteriorating rapidly. But today I was browsing the website and found my definite favorite piece(s) -- 1 from BR and 1 from BR Monogram -- for the Fall.
[Sweater jacket. Merino Wool. $125.]
This might have something to do with my recent obsession with capes (I bought 2 within a couple days of each other) but I love this piece. First, I love that Banana is sticking with merino wool (albeit lesser quality than previous years) instead of acrylic. I love the loose cut and the foldover collar. I do not, however, love the cheap buttons--but those can be easily replaced. Go to any fabric store and get some nice shell buttons. This look is very Parisan and simple to me, good for a fall day with wool shorts and black tights, perhaps rich purple suede boots and a cloche to top it off. For a more glamours appeal I would suggest stacking on some gold bracelets, but we all know how terribly impractical that is.
[Pleated skirt. Acetate. BR Monogram. $125.]
I adore this skirt. Not only does it have that classic tulip finish but it has the asymmetrical band and pleats for an updated, modern look. As a disclaimer, I never have (and never will) believe tulip skirts work for all body types, but for the women who can wear them I suggest going out to invest in this. Ok, I'm not very happy it is acetate and not silk for the price it's retailing for, but this piece will go with pretty much anything in the black or neutrals family. Even animal prints I disapprove of could match this skirt! Imagine this in the fall or spring with a loose black silk top and a long delicate gold necklace with black heels. What a gorgeous, timeless look. And just because I have issues deciding my other 'favorite' from the BR Monogram was this dress.
So the fashion business isn't exactly turning great ROI right now. For Valentino in particular, having your head guru leave makes everything a bit harder. Well imagine how delighted I was when I went through some old runway archives and noticed Valentino's Fall 2009 collection...I have no idea how I missed this first time but goshdarn, I'm glad I found it (again)!
(Pictures courtesy of Coutorture)
This is black done perfect. I would kill to have that amazing asymmetrical piece, face mask included. I loved the lace, loved the ruffles, loved the weird face masks, loved the feathers--basically everything. I like the crisp, simple backdrop it was shown in, too--way to keep it classy Valentino!
I'm all about the dainty, elegant designs that suit small women so well. Imagine my joy when I came across Whiteowl on Etsy--these two designers make jewelry from a collection of floral lace, pearls, tulle, sequins, and beads. Sound like a lot? Well take a look for yourself. They are just showy, statement-necklace enough but not gaudy. We've seen a lot of big and bold necklaces this season, so I love how these lace necklaces are subtly different from that trend but still totally fabulous. The prices can't be beat either for this high level of craftsmanship!
[Mariachelle lace necklace. Whiteowl @ Etsy.com]
I'm grabbing myself one of these before they sell out--which nearly of 1/3 of the store already has since the last time I checked (which was yesterday)! Hurry up before they're gone and you're left with a sad feeling you're missing something. Just imagine what you could dress up with this little gem! A strapless black dress in only the beginning...
As much as I love fashion in general, sometimes people give in to the crowd and peer pressure. This is exactly what I think happens every season when some designer brings out some ridiculous idea and suddenly it's all the rage. Your friends think YOU'RE crazy for being the only sane one in the mess. Remember Crocs? UGG's? The skinny-jeans-for-all campaign (absolutely not true)? I can't even begin to list the numbers of faux pas' made by devoted fashionistas; If we all run with the crowd we'd just be like those idiots cutting up the boob section of their teeshrits in Mean Girls--and no one wants to be them. So I thought I'd dedicate part of my blog to certain upcoming trends--and my take on them. I'd love to see readers disagree or agree...let me hear it!
So let's take a look at an upcoming trend: the "cold shoulder" as Fabsugar described. Sound like some poor romance advice? It's an even poorer choice of clothing. Take a look at this gal styling the most hip of the hip dresses:
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First of all, she looks like Lauren Conrad. Minus 500 points. Secondly, it looks as if an angry bird came and ate part of her sleeves and she was too dumb to notice. I know women are more perceptive about fashion and we are 52% of the population but seriously, this is one thing the other 48% will just gawk at confusedly. If I wore this home my parents would ask me if I got it at Goodwill. Imagine their surprise if I told them I got it for over $300! I must say, even reputable designers can cave into this sort of stupidity. Look at poor Yves Saint Laurent (RIP), what are those designers doing!
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Oh well. For all those who willingly suffered the puffy shoulders era, this may be right up your alley. For those who like their clothes intact and not ridiculous, I'd stick to clothes...with shoulders. I hear it comes dignity.
Ok, so I know this deal rolled out everywhere last year. I know I totally missed the boat then, but better late than never right? I have to admit I have a huge itsy bitsy crush on Nadal and we all know I'm a big fan of Lanvin. So together, I am actually sort of convinced to buy cologne...and I hate the perfume business.
Um, hello. Who wouldn't buy a couple thousand mL's of eau de toilette after taking a look at this? Huge fan of this photo, costume, and of course the man himself. Congratulations Lanvin.
So maybe I'm just a cynical person, but after reading this article in The Cut today I nearly exploded with "What the FUCK?" at work. Of course I work in the quiet finance offices of Amazon so I didn't, so I thought to channel my confusion towards you, my readers, and see what you think of the topic.
As we all know runway models are not the only models out there making a living (they just get most of the spotlight). There are commercial models, face models, and parts models. Recently NY Mag interviewed a couple of hand models on their life situation and alas they told us all the woes of their job. One hand model said:
"Most people can walk away from work when they're done with a job, but parts models can't, because [our parts] have to be flawless. I moisturize 20 to 30 times a day, and wear gloves 90 percent of the time."
(I know, lathering is SO much more difficult than analyzing data!)
Another said:
"I was doing a shoot where I had to pick up a cheeseburger and bring it to camera, but they wanted it to be the most delectable cheeseburger...so I said 'mmmm,' and really conveyed the emotion entirely to get it reflected in my hands."
(Really? You can do that? Can I try?)
Well obviously these gals have got something I don't, because if I had what it takes to make $1,200 a day lathering my body with cherry blossom lotion I'd signed up when I was 8. To top it off, the hand model of the "Twilight" books is semi-famous now! She even "recreates" her pose for fans! Wow! Isn't that just how you want to go down in the history books? (Let's not get started on the ridiculousness that is the Twilight fandom).
So please tell me--am I just secretly jealous and taking out my anger on these people? Or is their jobs seriously just laughable because they haven't experienced a day's of extremely hard work to think wearing gloves is a chore? Is it right for them to sit around feeling sorry for themself when others are making minimum wage bussing tables or hauling carts to meet the mortgage and feed the kids?
