Rain(boots), Rain(boots) Go Away!

I don't know about where you guys are, but here in NYC it's a gloomy rainy day. Personally, I like the rain. Especially on days like today - don't have anywhere to be, can stay at home, watch Weeds, write and work on my shirts (yeah, I'm designing shirts now, y'all) and drink a smoothie. It's when I have to go out in this weather that I take issue with it. Luckily I finally got the Sorel's...I'm set for rain, snow, wind, avalanches...you name it. I'll admit, they're not the most feminine of rain boots, but really, rain boots are rain boots...should they really be that feminine?

Here in New York City you see it all. Women will go to great lengths to be "fashionable", but the majority of us know that living in an on-the-move city like this requires practicality as well. For instance, women in midtown can be seen on the way to work carrying their $400 heels in their $600 totes, running across the street in their beat up Nike running shoes...nothing worse than breaking a heel or scuffing a pointy toe. There's a similar issue when it comes to winter coats. New York winter is effing freezing, yet we can't just throw on a bigass bubble jacket and call it a day. A woman needs to have a defined waist, can't be too long because it'll make your legs look 6 inches long, and can't be too short because it will distort your hips. But damn!! A girl's gotta stay warm right? So, I can somewhat sympathize with the business woman and her "commuter shoes", and I can definitely sympathize with the jacket issue. I absolutely cannot sympathize with women who try to reconcile fashion and practicality when it comes to the rain boot.

Let me show you some examples of no-no's that I've been seeing around:

The Marc Jacobs Patent Rain Boot ($900)...Marc you know I love you but you're doing me real durrty here.

Paul Smith Swirl Rubber Rain Boot - You can get these puppies at Neiman Marcus for a cool $115...matching umbrella for sale as well.

Dr. Scholl's Original Women's Aquarius Rain Boot - vomit.

Ok? Are you starting to feel me on this? Whatever happened to the good old days of plain black rubber or little yellow ducks or stripes or polka dots? I suppose they disappeared along with our innocence when we moved to the big bad city. At least now I have one more excuse to stay inside in this weather...it's warm and dry inside, I have a Weeds marathon to get to on Netflix, must attend to the shirts, and I cannot be exposed to any more terrible rain footwear or else I might be forced to return to the suburbs.


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All-Black is the New Black

My latest obsession is the self proclaimed "seance de travail" ("work in progress") fashion blog, Jak & Jil - where every day is fashion week. It is essentially a photo blog that follows fashion, models and industry bigwigs to fashion shows all around the world. Not only are the clothes and shoes and people so fresh and sassy, but the quality of the photos themselves are stunningly crisp and vivid. The site has several parts: HERE is the main page where you can choose to follow particular models and worship their styles, go inside the fashion shows, or browse the "special features" where you can find topics like "shoe gazing @ NY fashion week" or "london style 2006-2007". Then there's THE BLOG - this is the one I usually follow...and by usually I mean religiously.

In my time browsing this blog, something very important has come to my attention - the fashion industry is calling out something new. Or maybe it's not new...but it's hot, and I plan on figuring out a way to make it work on me. Let me show you a few pictures (source Jak & Jil):

Do you get it yet? No? Want more pictures? Okfine.

I'm assuming you get it now. The All-Black outfit. And though the majority of these photos feature ladies, this post is for the dudes too. Anybody with the right state of mind can and should partake.

I Googled "how to wear an all black outfit" to see if there were rules I didn't know about, but it turns out there aren't, so I'm going to have to write them myself. So without further ado...

The SND Guide to Wearing All Black:

1) All black articles of clothing are not created equally - Just because we're saying All-Black is Back, doesn't mean you should run out and get anything black you can find. You are not a stagehand and you are not a gothic angsty teenager.

NO TO THIS:
AND NO TO THIS: 2) Pieces can be classic or unique and funky - It is perfectly ok, even encouraged, to go for classic all-black looks (black jeans, black boots, black wool sweater) or more whimsical ones (black dress with insanely tall shoes with an embellished black coat)...or to find a way to combine them!
3) TEXTURE TEXTURE TEXTURE - This is perhaps the most important piece of information when it comes to wearing all black. The texture of each piece of clothing must be different from one another. What do I mean? Leather, lace, denim, suede, knit, silk, fur/feathers, sheer, velvet, plain cotton, metallic...catch my drift? Great.
4) Don't forget the accessories - Those can be all-black too if you really wanna go for it, or you can use them to spice up the outfit. Scarves, gloves, jewelry, bags, hats, sunglasses...here are some good examples:

5) Be practical - Is the all-black ensemble appropriate for where you're going and what you're doing? It's a statement. It's slightly rebellious, it's sexy, it's a little moody, it's mysterious...I think in most situations it is appropriate and you should be fine, but always double check with yourself just to make sure.
And last but not least 6) Own it - Like I just said, wearing all-black is indeed a statement. Just like plaid shirts with skinny jeans and converse, just like sweatpants and a college sweatshirt, like Uggs and miniskirts (cough cough), like tie dye shirts and corduroys, like leather and...whips? Everything you put on yourself means something - there is no such thing as accidental dressing. So if you're going to wear all black, wear it, walk it, work it.

Well there it is, my dear readers. We'll be experimenting more and more with it ourselves...so if we come up with anything interesting we'll be sure to report back. Brace yourselves for this one:

Until the next one - stay stylish, stay hungry, stay black.


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Broke girls are still allowed to fantasize...right?

I just canceled my cable, because frankly in these tough economic times, a girl's gotta prioritize. I signed up for netflix though, and I own all of the Sex and the City dvd's (who says you can't watch each episode 89 times?) so I think I'll be ok. And though I've pretty much axed all excess spending - buying clothes, going out to dinner, buying clothes - I can't seem to get my mind out of the spending gutter when it comes to shoes. Why is that??? I just want more and more and more. And my not-yet-acquired shoe collection just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and more and more adventurous, and more and more out of my non-existent price range! Bah. Here's a taste of what I'm coveting...some semi-doable...most of them absolutely not.

1) I need snow/rain boots...and I would like them to be these Sorels:

There's really no explaining the logic. I want them big, I want them floppy, I want them dirty...like a lumberjack in the snow.

2) I need more ankle/just-above-the-ankle boots and I believe these Sam Edelman Balenciaga knock-offs would do the trick:

They can be seen here worn by Rumi on her blog Fashion Toast. Ok they're not Balenciaga...do I care? No. Would I accept the Balenciaga's as a gift? YesIwould. But sometimes I'm more than happy with knock-offs. I would take really good care of them...alas I can't find them anywhere.

Speaking of knock-offs I came across something pretty fabulous/terrible not too long ago while searching on ebay for a wildly cheap and beautiful pair of Louboutins (obviously I didn't find any because cheap Loub's don't exist) I came across these:

HERE is the link that goes with the photo. If you'll take note, the shoes are not what's being sold here, but rather the soles. The 1.00 mm thin red soles that you can pay a cobbler to attach to your heels so people think you're wearing the real deal. Sigh, I'm all about good lookin' knock-offs, but really? I should start selling them just so I can make fun of the people who buy them.

Needless to say, I'm always in a state of coveting (covetation?) over the real thing...
3) Even though they're totally not my estilo, I've always been drawn to the Louboutin Petal Sandal:

They have them in black too...I feel really good about both of them. And ain't nothin like a flesh colored shoe to make your legs look super long (assuming that's the color of your flesh...if not, sorry).

4) Though I've somewhat outgrown my sneaker phase, I will never turn my back on Supras and these are no exception. The Purple Supra Soprano Highs:

They look like sexy superhero wonderwoman shoes...and I feel as though they belong just south of my ankles, paired with some really skinny, really stiff dark denim Levis.

Well I'm going to stop there, because I'm salivating all over my computer and the keys are starting to stick. I had a birthday recently so if you feel so inclined...you know. If not no biggie, have a safe and sexy new year, see you in the oh-nine!


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I'm sorry, did you say Hobo?

10:28 AM me: ps do you know what a hobo bag is?

10:29 AM Maiah: yes ma'am, they're my favorite shape of bag

me: ok so i had never heard of them, but i'm gonna get a bag for my bday, so i been researching diff kinds

10:30 AM and i keep seeing "hobo" on all the sites - saks, etc. - and i'm like what the fuck is hobo

then i looked it up

you know WHY they're called hobo??

Maiah: why?

me: lol because the shape is reminiscent of the hankies that hobos hang from long sticks and carry their shit in

Maiah: HAHAHAHAHAHA

10:31 AM that is inappropriate!

me: i'm like, must. post.

Maiah: hahahahahahaha

omg

me: that's just too effing strange!

Maiah: so, since that's the case, why aren't hobo's more affordable?

what designer said ima capitalize on this hobo's purse?

10:32 AM me: it's such a werid mix of high and low culture

Maiah: lol

when you say it like that it makes me feel like the hobo is the signature hollywood bag

10:33 AM with thrift store dresses and $500 hobo bags

target tshirts and manolos

lol
So that's the intro. For those of you who are still confused, let me elaborate. Here are some examples of "The Hobo Bag":

Maison Martin Margiela - Oversized Hobo Bag

Jimmy Choo - Diane Kid Fringe Hobo

Gucci - Pelham Medium Hobo

Fendi - Gathered Hobo

Where does this term come from? Even though I already told you, the wikipedia definition of "Hobo Bag" is as follows:

The hobo bag is a style of handbag or purse that is typically large and characterized by a crescent shape, a slouchy posture and a long strap designed to wear over the shoulder. Hobo bags are made out of soft, flexible materials and tend to slump, or slouch, when set down. There are many different sizes and shapes of this popular woman's fashion accessory.

This style of purse is called a hobo bag because it resembles the shape of the bindle on a stick that hobos are portrayed as carrying over their shoulder in drawings and cartoons.

Uhh hello?? They're talking about this:

Designer bags + Hobos = Really well accessorized women...observe:

Cindy Crawford with Christian Louboutin Metallic Hobo Bag

Sienna Miller

Rihanna

Ashley Olson with Givenchy

Kate Moss

So I mean, I guess there's not much else to say. The Hobo Bag is a strange meshing of the "go low or go high" phenomenon - because even though all of these designer hobo bags are thousands of dollars and totally unattainable to most, they're based on an "accessory" belonging to those without - money, luxury, whatever. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE them, and I WANT them. But c'mon, talk about irony!! Can't we call them "The Floppy" or "NoShapey" or "Diaper Bag" or "Boneless Bag"? No? Ok, fine.

There will probably be more to come on this Hobo-Chic/High-Low factor, it's something the SND duo is quite fond of/fascinated with. Until then, stay shabby yo.


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Mommy...where does style come from?

I've been doing some thinking. It's nothing radical, actually it's just more of the usual - style...fashion...style vs. fashion...I love clothes...I want clothes...my credit card statements...the new pumps I just got for 50% off...the friend who encouraged me to buy them (oh hey girl, hey!)...my friends with style...my friends without style - you get the point, that's the Mihal train of thought.

So somehow this led to something a little bit more concrete - thinking about the people in my life and how they relate to my thoughts on style. If you do not yet understand the different between style and fashion, now would be a good time to refer to a previous Snaps and Daps post, called "Inbe-teen Fashion and Style". It essentially outlines fashion as understanding what’s vogue, what’s in, what’s current. It's a following-the-leader game that requires little skill and that anybody can partake in with the right means. Style, however, is a personal reflection; a personal rendering of fashion. It's creativity, the ability to make something your own - and even if somebody else is wearing the same coat, it looks different on you because you wear it in a way that only you can.

Now I'm about to make 2 statements that might be controversial:
#1: People are born with style. You either have it in your soul or you don't.
#2: Just because you don't have it yet, it doesn't mean you never will - because style can be in your soul but remain untapped...unexplored without the right inspiration.

I have have 3 examples to prove my point. Person number one is my sassy 13 year old cousin, person number two is my lovely boyfriend, and person number three is my unfortunately clothed friend who shall, for obvious reasons, remain nameless.

Let's begin with my little 13 year old cousin, a girl who proves my first point - she was born with style. Before I go on, allow me show you a few pictures so you can get a visual (in case you don't know me personally, little cousin's on the left, I'm on the right).

Even though, to my horror, this girl doesn't know who or what TLC is, if it were super important to me I could break out Crazy. Sexy. Cool. or YouTube the videos and sit her down and make her learn. This cannot be said of style, and lucky for her, she don't need no lessons (that's supposed to be said with the nuance of "I don't want no scrubs", but I don't think it translates in writing, womp). I visited with the family over Thanksgiving and over those few days I witnessed some great moments in style from this little chick. Turquoise jeans, cute little earflap hats, printed tops, and layers and layers and layers. We even flipped through my Vogue together, oogling some things and trash talking others while discussing the difference between fashion and style. The moment I knew this girl was on the right path was when her mom brought her a peacoat home from Old Navy. Black, waist length, cute enough but normal.

She eyed it up and down, tried it on, said "it's a little boxy but I guess it's ok"...then said, "but it's black, everybody has a black peacoat, don't they have it in like red?" Let me remind you that this girl is in middle school - a time when fitting in is crucial - and she's relishing in the unique. I'm very pleased with this comment...especially at the ripe age of 13, the perfect time to experiment with clothes and try new things. The style is in her and it has already started to take form. It is an innate force that will continue to grow and will continue to be inspired - you can't instill that in somebody and you can't take it a way. And she'll grow out of her Jonas Brothers obsession soon enough.

The second person I'd like to mention is my boyfriend, we'll call him J. He epitomizes the second point that I made previously, being that just because you don't have style now, doesn't mean you'll never have it. If it's hidden inside you, it will come out with the right inspiration and guidance. (Disclaimer: I'm not a total bitch, I got his permission to be one of my examples). Let me start this tale by stating that my boyfriend is really attractive - so attractive in fact that he could really wear anything and people probs wouldn't notice because they'd be captivated by his face. However, soon into the relationship I decided that just because he could wear anything doesn't mean he should wear just anything. I tried to Google pics resembling his mid-90's Ecko sweaters and oversized button up t-shirts with crazy prints, but since I couldn't find any I'll move on. The outfits were just...the way boys dress when they don't know there's more out there. Here are some examples (I don't know any of these people, I literally just Googled "guys" and these are the images that popped up):

You know what I mean?? The transition began about a year ago when J bought his first couple pairs of kicks:


I was quite pleased because not only did I now have something nice to look at on his feet, but I was finally able to suggeeeest that when you wear kicks like that, you should prooooobably have skinny jeans to complete the look. He agreed and promptly bought some for himself at H&M. Hmmmm, not skinny enough, boo...so Dushane and I escorted him to Uniqlo for some super skinny show-them-legs off jeans. This was the beginning of the emergence of his style. It didn't happen quickly and he didn't do it alone, but after several group shopping trips and many clothing-oriented conversations, dear J was learning to shop and put outfits together. He came into his look and into his style that for so long had been hidden and underutilized. Skinny ties, cardigans, sweaters, layers...it's a beautiful thing. Yes, let me acknowledge here that it could have gone the other way...he could have just not gotten it. He could have bought what he was told and worn it all, but that wouldn't have made him the stylish, clothing-consuming thing he is today. Luckily for all of us, this boy dug deep and found the inner funk, the freshness and the flare to work his style - and to do it up himself. And it's only gonna get better, because all any of us can do is grow.

Well, all any of us with style can do is grow. Because for my friend, let's call her...Taquisha? Tammy? ...yeah let's do Tammy, no matter how much guidance she gets, her outifts will be forever wrong-looking. As an example, I'm going to use Britney Spears, because no matter how many designer duds this lady has, she can't seem to put a cohesive outfit together to save her life:

See, Tammy has a problem that most fashion-minded people have, which is that she can look at women on the street or mannequins, or she can flip through magazines to find out what's "in". But if one doesn't have the style filter in which she can process the "fashion", she will simply be left with garments. And when a style-less person is left with garments, she is left to put together outfits at her own discretion. Even though Tammy sometimes gets one or two of the outfit elements right, there is always something about it that is, well...off. The earrings, the pants being bootcut when they should be skinny, the shoes being flats when they should be stiletto - these are fashion calls that people with style can make on their own, it's called putting together a fly outfit. And sorry, you can have all the fashionable garments in the world, but if you don't know how to work them and make them all they can be, you might as well not spend your money on them in the first place.

Soooo there you have it. The cousin who was born with style, the boyfriend who found his inner style, and the friend who doesn't have it and never will. Harsh? Maybe. True? Yup. If you think you might be one of these people sans style and wanna know if it's there deep down or not, I say move away from the magazines and stick with the buddy system - ask your friends with style for help...because believe me, there's nothing more gratifying than bringing somebody's inner style to the surface (yes I'm implying that I have it, sue me). If you don't have friends with style, you're probably screwed...so gohead with those boot cut jeans, asymmetrical shirt and glittery shoes, and good luck to you and yours.


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