I Dream of Grace Jones

You know when you hear a word or a phrase one day and then it seems like for weeks after that it keeps popping up everywhere? Well I've always known who Grace Jones was, I think maybe my mom had the Nightclubbing album and I remember this cover vividly:

Lately, homegirl has been popping up everywhere I go and in everything I read! This almost 5'11" singer/model/actress has re-defined the word "fierce" in her career. From her outfits, to her oddly low voice, to her makeup to her public scandals - and the only thing I can think of when I look at her is what a piece of art she is. Like Marilyn Monroe, this woman isn't just an icon because of the career she's had...she's a symbol. Rock 'n' roll, glamor, androgyny, individuality. I feel more badass even just looking at her photos...does it work on you too?




I could keep going and going and going. Everything about Grace Jones is provocative and artistic and it just keeps me wanting more. The fashion industry wants more too! Many of the pieces in Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring 2009 Couture show were beyond reminiscent of this chick and her 80's style:

Images from Style.com

The collection is fabulous and I'm loving every minute of the Grace Jones vibe (it also doesn't hurt that the model, Sessilee Lopez, bears an uncanny resemblance to the icon herself).

Sigh...that's really all I can say. There are tons of images out there of this woman, I think if I covered my walls with them I'd be a better, more inspired person. I encourage you to google image this one, put on some old school rock (the New York Dolls might be a good look?) and click away. If that doesn't work, feel free to re-visit Erin Wasson, wink wink.

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WWII Style

Guess what...I saw a really underwhelming movie the other day. "Defiance", starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber, is a WWII story about Jews on the run from the Germans and living in the woods. More and more fleeing Jews join the group throughout the movie, and they all work together in their effort to survive - find food, build shelter, etc. etc. People get sick, people get preggers, people fall in love, people die...I could keep going, but well...I'd really rather not because the plot isn't the point.

There were many lame things about the movie, but one interesting thing that caught my eye (which probably shouldn't have, but I couldn't help but notice) was the wardrobe. These on-the-run folks were supposed to be dirty, worn down, disheveled, but somehow all I could think was - these outfits are hot, and they look like the getups on the runways now! Observe, images from the film:

Big wool coats with wide collars? Worn leather jackets? Belted outerwear? Newsboy hats? Tons of layers? Earth tones earth tones earth tones!! Now observe the runways:

(Men's fashion pics from The Fashionisto)

Whoa, see what I'm saying?? I can't help but dig it. I guess it's fitting really. We're all dressing for "hard times" - oh wait, they didn't pay thousands of dollars to look like fugitives with no hope and no means. Still...I'm down with the WWII wardrobe, and you? Shalom, dear readers.


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The Coach Club

Yesterday I had some time to kill before a salon appointment, so I went to the Coach store nearby. I had been there before (since I'm chronically 20 minutes early to everything, sigh), but this time something was different.

FIRST TIME:
- My outfit: Converse, grey jeans, black wool sweater, black leather jacket, canvas bag
- My internal monologue: Wow these bags are really nice and way too expensive, it's nice to be inside on such a rainy, windy day
- Sales clerks' internal monologues: This girl is clearly killing time, she obviously doesn't intend on buying anything, so I'll politely say "Hi, let me know if I can help you with anything" and be on my way to help out the real customers.

SECOND TIME (Yesterday):
- My outfit: Converse (yeah, I wear them too much), dark levis, colorful scarf, bigass black Calvin Klein winter coat, and my Coach bag.
- My internal monologue: Wow these bags are really nice and way too expensive, it's nice to be inside on such a frigid, windy day.
- Sales clerks' internal monologues: SHE'S WEARING A COACH BAG SHE'S WEARING A COACH BAG DING DING DING!!!

The result of my wearing a Coach bag into the Coach store was that I was instantly catapulted into royalty status. I feel like this is maybe how celebs feel when they go...anywhere. Every one of the clerks grinned at me and praised "nice bag!!" - to which I responded with a wink and a giggle, "thanks!". They thought I was rich and I felt on top of the world. At one point I floated to the top floor and encountered a woman who seemed to be the mother of all Coach sales clerks. "Beautiful bag," she says, "I have the same one." This one, I felt, demanded a bit more respect, so I switched up my response with "I love it too," and I smiled. Then I picked up the brown Leather Kristin bag from the Soho collection:
We talked about the bag for a little while - I fell in love with her as she spoke about the leather and the shape and the smell, and how sometimes she takes her charms from her Coach bags and puts them on her other non-designer bags to "dress them up." Her voice was deep and mellifluous. She took out the bag for me to try it on. "Oh it's a bit out of my price range," I said (a cool $598 plus tax, blech). "Well it's not too bad," the Coach mother said, "besides, Valentines Day is coming up, maybe you can get that special someone to buy it for you. Pretty girls like you deserve nice boys who buy them bags."

Andjustlikethat...

I was jolted out of my Coach fantasy - I'm not a celebrity, and unfortunately I don't have $600 at my disposal. Maybe I was better off walking in there with my canvas bag. Maybe I belong riding in coach class, rather than buying class with a Coach. Regardless, I will continue to carry my bag, because it's beautiful and fabulous. And now we know, if you have a Coach bag and you need a pick-me-up, the store on 57th and Madison is a surefire way to make you feel...something.


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Erin Wasson + Johnny Cash...my muses for the night

It's 11:41pm on a Monday night, I'm listening to Johnny Cash (the only man who truly understands me right now), and I'm browsing the fashion and scene sites. I end up looking at whowhatwear, where I see THIS PICTURE of my fav model Erin Wasson from the Louis Vuitton Tribute to Stephen Sprouse party. I can't stop there, I need more. So I wander over to HER SITE and start browsing her photos. Before I get to those though, I should give her props for the music she has in the background...Steppenwolf's "The Pusher":



And while I love her, and I was totally feeling that song, I had already established Johnny Cash as my Erin Wasson looking music - and I suppose it's fitting really, them both being way-too-hip southerners - so I had to mute the Steppenwolf and turn up the Cash:



(I encourage you to listen to the Cash while you look at the following pics of my girlfriend):

photos courtesy of RVCA and erinwasson.com

Believe me I could post hundreds more...but to be honest all this saving and uploading is getting a little cumbersome. Anyway, hope that combo gives you as much happiness as it does me. Keep it country y'all.


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Is Fat the New Skinny??

I've been doing some shopping the last few days. Running around NYC with my girl MJ like we're the Hiltons...errrr Kardashians...errrr Olsens! - all the way downtown to Century 21, all around the the village, the LES - a brunch here, a dinner there, shop shop shop. Why? No idea...but 1) we can't stop ourselves, and 2) it just felt really right...so we indulged.

In my ongoing quest to find the perfect pair of skinny jeans that won't stretch after 1-2 wears, are moderately priced, are the perfect wash, perfect proportions and, of course, flatter the booty, I've been searching through my fair share of denim racks the past few days. In Century 21 I was flooded in Wranglers, DVB, Hudsons and Rock & Republic, we stopped in Atrium (god knows why), wandered up and down Broadway, even making our way east into the Patricia Fields store (where I almost bought a faux fur coat because it was $14, until my friends talked me down).

Do you know what concerned me in all this denim browsing? Not a pair of skinny jeans in sight!! Wideleg, flare, bootcut, baggy - nothing was skinny...in fact, everything was the opposite of skinny...they were all...fat. This is what I'm talking about:



Where's all the skinnies??!! While a wide leg jean (the last photo) is ok from time to time - good to dress jeans up for the office or whatever - I'm going to state on record that I'm not ok with this shift in focus. Skinny is still the jam!! Let's re-live some nice times in skinny pants moments:
Right? Are we on the same page now? The flare thing was sooo 9th-12th grade (though I'll admit I took it a few years past that...shouldn't have). One thing that I am ready to accept, however, is the comeback of the "boyfriend jean". I think I did it inadvertently in like 6th and 7th grades, when I was listening to Nirvana and wearing a lot of plaid, but I'm ok with the idea of bringing it back on a more intentional, self-aware level. For those of you who don't know, the "boyfriend jean" is a pair of jeans that is literally supposed to look like a girl took it from her man's closet. But ladies, before you go violating his wardrobe, let me assure you that this look is not as effortless as it appears. Observe, boyfriend jean-wearing gone WRONG:


Eek!! Here are some GOOD examples:


Yall with me? Rolled up, tattered, holes, low crotch, it's all good. Just be sure it doesn't make you look like a full-on dude. No need to steal his hoodie and his Carhartt jacket too. You're still a woman, you are still feminine, make sure something in your outfit says it. Oh, and for those of you who date men who wear skinny jeans (because, thankfully, a good many of them do now) and who are skinnier than you...a safe and economical way to experiment with this look is to get yourself to the nearest Salvation Army/Goodwill and find your way to the men's section.

Oh, and for those of you who are wondering if I ever did find those skinny jeans. Thankfully Uniqlo and Levis can still be counted on for skyscraper shelves filled with skinnies (and Uniqulo hems them for free!!). I'm still on the hunt for the perfect pair...I'll keep you abreast of my progress.


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Fashion Meets Politics...Part 3

I was debating whether or not to post on this, but I think the relevancy of the inauguration alone calls for its acknowledgment.

Michelle Obama - WHAT SHE WORE. Daytime, as we all know was a sparkly yellow Isabel Toledo ensemble with green Jimmy Choo and matching J. Crew gloves. For the ball later on in the evening she donned a one-strap Jason Wu gown, that in some lighting looked ivory and in other lighting looked off-white.


Ok, I'm gonna say this: I think Michelle Obama is great...all that huplah about her being the comback of fashion in America? Eh. As I put it to a friend, while I'm not swooning over either of her outfits, I think they're both very New-First Lady. They're modern, they're young, they both have movement and joy, they're both bright and unique. Are they particularly flattering? Meh, I've seen better (although the evening gown really showed off her arms, and goodness knows I like a woman with nice guns). Are the designs themselves that great? Shrug. A little flashy for my taste. I think the majority of her admirers are mostly admiring her chutzpah and her youth...and of course her passion for fashion, which clearly she has.

On Huffington Post, Bonnie Fuller asks "the experts" and here's what some of them have to say:

"I think she is a very independent woman who can carry off wearing something new as long as it's colorful. She may start a trend bringing color to the forefront! Color itself is adventurous, and she IS supporting American Design!!!" - Tommy Hilfiger, designer

"I liked it-they looked like normal people getting dressed up. Michelle never looks like a Stepford Wife. I liked the daytime sparkle - it was a sparkly occasion. Everyone was laughing and happy. She was uplifting in a good mood celebratory way." - Patricia Fields, stylist

"The Isabel Toledo suit that Michelle Obama wore was the color of a ray of sunshine -- an apt metaphor for the brand-new day we have been waiting for. And I love the fact that Isabel lined it in pashmina to keep her warm. It just goes to show that style can go hand-in-hand with intelligence and innovation." - Glenda Bailey, editor-in-chief at Harper's Bazaar

Seems like I'm pretty much on the same page as these guys. So who do I think won the inauguration fashion race? Well it's a 3 way tie:

Sasha and Malia Obama

AND

Aretha Franklin's Hat
(which apparently costs $179 and is customized with Swarovski crystals)

Well there's my two cents. I couldn't be happier that Bushface is gone and that Obama is in. And Michelle, if you need a little help spicing up your look, hit me up.


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Dear Converse, I really like you but WTF?

I looove Chuck Taylor Converse.

I'm pretty partial to the off-white, low top ones myself. They're preppy but kinda punk, you can wear them with anything, they're classic. And I feel fairly certain when I say, they're a pretty all-around shoe. Anybody can wear them, and most people like them - if they don't actively like them, they feel fine about them. Because really, you can't not like these shoes.

Sounds perfect right? Like a fairytale shoe. But in every fairytale, there must be an evil villain. I saw the evil villain on the train this morning on the way to Trader Joes (fyi, NEVER go to TJ's on a federal holiday...I'll have nightmares about it for weeks). Anyway, I've always known that I disliked this evil villain shoe...but I didn't realize how much until I felt the rage I did toward the woman sporting them this morning. Kids, hold on to your teddybears...I bring you the Converse No Lace All-Star Slip-Ons...IN GREEN:

To the untrained eye, these might look like the same shoe as the one above. If this eye is you, get outta my face.
A) They're casual shoe slip-ons...which I'm all about in MANY other kinds of casual shoes (TOPSIDERS, KEDS, VANS, or anything that resembles those shoes) . But these Converse have shoelace holes with no laces. Remove the holes, close the gap in the middle, and maybe I'd be open to working something out.
B) They have no laces - which might seem the same as the first point...but look at them! They have no laces. They look like a person with no eyebrows:
It's awkward and it's just not right.
C) They're green. A terrible green. On the verge of mint-green...which should never be a color for a shoe.

I'm all worked up, gotta go hit the gym before I implode.


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