medium rare

I’m settling into work and my new schedule.  Here’s another onesie to hold you all over!  This one’s from Forevs — you rike?

i b

Tags: Forever 21.

Post-graduation blues are the best.

I have a few vague goals in life and very little idea of how to get there, but it’s really alright.  I’m loaded with a fabulous arsenal of family, friends and my dearest companion who has been with me through my darkest times, my private confidant with whom I share every nasty face and secret aspiration, a lover who can only betray me when I betray myself, the means through which I experience creativity, freedom and the world — yes, you’ve got it!  Fashion!

Thank you all for your patience during my hiatus. Between graduation, hospitalization and a trip to California, I could do little more than catch my breath. For the next week I’ll be enjoying the California sun with my true raison d’être.

Be back in June!

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(Made by Nikki via notcouture.com)

An interest in lingerie shouldn’t be resigned to the trashy, tasteless and tarts.  Though it’s the less disciplined sides of ourselves that tend to enjoy it the most, let’s not forget the waist trainers, performers and even the generations prior that relied on undergarments as a source of strength and support.

Technology freed us from girdles.  Women’s liberation freed us from bras.  Bless them both, but the result is that more restrictive lingerie is no longer a necessity.  And when something is no longer a necessity it becomes a frivolity.  And those who love the frivolous?  Why, tarts of course.

I’m not proposing that we stuff ourselves into corsets and girdles again.  I just like the idea of wearing lingerie to express discipline.  When we think of a girl who loves lingerie, she’s usually not an ascetic.  She may be dark and aggresive á la Helmut Newton, but disciplined?  Could be a fun idea!  It’s also a bit of a the vibe I get from today’s images.

The Made by Nikki piece above has such great seam lines, and that extra bit of flare really goes a long way.  (Thank you, notcouture for the fun lead!)  The cropped shots of Richard Nicoll’s Fall 2009 RTW line below are among my favorite details from the show.  I love how garters are used in two fundamentally different ways.  The first is that they’re found in completely unexpected places, such as on a severe little cropped shirt and an eye mask.  The other is that they are exactly where they belong in terms of placement but still out of place in terms of function, like on the skirt below.  Another bit I like: It’s hard to see, but there is boning on the cropped shirt just above the wearer’s breasts, which — of course — is not where boning normally belongs.  It’s as if he deconstructed (a word I probably use too liberally — yikes) an innerwear ensemble and rearranged it as outerwear.  Not the first time it’s been done as our beloved Jean Paul Gaultier has robbed everybody of the opportunity of doing anything new, but still fantastic.

By the way, the trashy, tasteless and tarts are my favorites among our population.

(images via style.com)

Tags: Made by Nikki, notcouture, Richard Nicoll.

Since we don’t get to celebrate May Day here in the US, today is my self declared Play Day!  Who better to spend the day with than my beautiful Brown Nose Bear, who is not a brown noser.  His brown nose is of natural origins.

I recently had a conversation with a friend about how one benefit of aging is growing into one’s jewelry and accessories.  Age lends a look of worldliness that really legitimizes clusters of baubles, doodads and whatnots.  Unfortunately (or fortunately!?), I’m not there yet, so today I tried to wear a few pieces that are a bit youthful and inane.  I think they sit pretty well together.  The rest of the outfit is built for fun.  The silk-chiffon top is from a great French website that no longer sells to the US, and I got the skirt with suspenders from a market in Beijing last summer.  A simple replacement of the terrible glittery plastic buttons with the simple wooden buttons you see now… and VOILA!  A wearable skirt!

Here’s a closer look… grouse foot kilt pin from eBay, thrifted enamel gold ring, thrifted leaf/stone necklace, thrifted screw necklace (formerly plated in 24k gold).  I got the kilt pin at a steep discount because it’s pretty old and it shows.  I’m really happy with the creepy old vibe it gives off.  Plus, ones in mint condition will run you around $180.

Tags: eBay, grouse foot, kilt pin, night market, thrift.

Friend with an engagement party in Connecticut.  Less than half an hour to get ready.  An aversion to the pink of her newly purchased vintage Halston IV dress.  Whatever in the world to do?

1. Remind her that Salmon Pink isn’t bubble pink!  It actually looks ultramodern with sea-foam green, silver or powder blue.
2. Don’t fudge with the classic, already-in-place jewelry.
3. Pair with silver shoes that feel light.  Black comes off too heavy and trying too hard to have an edge; gold comes off too pseudo-ritzy and saccharine.
4. Last but not least, tell her to channel her inner Liza Minelli!

I want to thank Josephine (my lovely model, roommate and fashion blog confidante), all my friends and new readers for supporting my fledgling blog.  Your comments really do fill my wee li’l heart with joy.

Tags: vintage Halston.

Don’t you love the hat?  My inspirational, muse-worthy friend Jiao not only makes couture gowns, she does hats too.  And I’m the first lady in town to own a Jiao orignal, which makes me special by extension.  So much is right about it: the volume just quirky enough, the small tailored bow the perfect finishing touch.  And the handwork is nothing short of heartbreaking.  Watch out world!  Jiao Xiang is a woman on a mission.

The rest of my outfit is just accessory to the hat.  It was a warm day out so I put on organic linen pants from H&M (a recent under $50 buy — run out while you can!), white t-shirt from the Gap and Nine West shoes.  I felt a little mannish, so I added a soft bow to lend the look a more womanly touch and to emphasize my waist.  I think it reads more French than it does GO USA.  Or at least I hope it does.

I actually felt kinda like a thug-pirate — especially while I was walking home to 2Pac’s “To Live and Die in LA” through the streets of New York City.  It’s really not the most photogenic outfit, but I felt chic as hell knowing that it took me five minutes to dress, very little money and that I was comfy as, well, a thug-pirate.

Tags: H&M, Jiao Xiang, Nine West, the Gap.

When I say this Vivienne Tam HP Mini 1000 is an interesting intersection, I’m referring to more than just fashion and technology.  Its relevance in my life is pretty high too!  As I’m blogging more aggressively and considering just how WiFi of a hunny I need to be, here it comes, sauntering down the runway, a chic-as-can-be clutch-top (yes, a clutch-top).  Small enough to be a clutch; not quite big enough to be a laptop.  It one-ups our phones in terms of blogability yet can slip into just about anything.  A truly noteworthy in-between.

(image via Shiny Shiny: A girl’s guide to gadgets.)

When I received a call to discuss meeting with a rep from Intel to review the product, I had just visited the second floor of Macy’s Herald Square where I noticed that they had purchased a good amount of Vivienne Tam’s apparel for spring.  I was pretty impressed with their floaty tops and dresses because they were in this unique and unusual peony print.  I always keep my eye out for Vivienne Tam, as I spent an eventful summer interning there, so I was naturally delighted to give the HP Mini a gander.

Let me say one thing: I’m so thankful that this thing isn’t hot pink and bedazzled.  I appreciate that HP chose not to insult fashion lovers by producing some grossly girly monstrosity or commissioning some over-the-top designer.  Though florals do read super girly, it’s an unusual color combination and an all around excellent print.

In terms of breathtaking industrial design, nobody make ‘em like Apple.  It’s just a given, but that doesn’t mean that this little mama doesn’t offer a beauty all its own.  It feels substantial without being overly precious, which is ideal for something you plan on carrying with you everywhere.  Also, the red of the plastic is impressive — really deep yet brilliant, a feat I can’t imagine being easy.  In terms of usability, it runs Windows XP on a formidable Intel processor.  Not too shabby!

See how happily she sits in Madison Square Park?  I can really see myself lounging there with this thing, especially as spring rolls ’round.  Notice the reflection of my Subway fountain drink on the monitor?  I told you it’s not too precious!  Grab a foot long and fountain drink, then eat and blog in the park.  Sounds like a pretty ideal day to me.   Ok, now the product placement in this post is out of control and irrelevant.  Just check the darling out.  It’s a truly interesting step in the right direction.  I can’t wait to see what these HP Minis evolve into over time.

Also available at Neiman’s!

Tags: HP Mini, HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition, Vivienne Tam.

Why, virtue is nothing but a chimera, whose cult consists of perpetual immolations, countless revolts against the inspirations of the temperament.  Can such processes be natural?  Does nature advise us to do something outrageous?  Don’t be the dupe, Eugenie, of those women who you hear are virtuous.  It is not, if you like, the same passions as we whom they serve — they’ve got other ones, which are often far more horrible.  These passions are pride, ambition, greed, frequently just the coldness of a temperament that never counsels them.  I ask you: Do we owe anything to such creatures?  Don’t they follow purely the impressions of vanity?  Is it therefore better, wiser, more appropriate to sacrifice to egotism rather than to the passions?  For myself, I believe that either is as valid as the other.  The person who harks only to the latter voice is probably more rational, because reason alone is the organ of nature; whereas the former voice is the voice of stupidiy and prejudice.  A single drop of come ejaculated by this member, Eugenie, is more precious to me than the sublimest acts of a virtue that I despise.

- Philosophy in the Boudoir, the Marquis de Sade

Clockwise from top left

1. Ankle pony boots from Punitive Shoes.  All leather and made in Italy.  Keeps the wearer in a constant state of submission — just one step away from the ballet shoe but with a more fashion-y edge
2. Horn mask from Kiki de Montparnasse.  Handcrafted, super surreal cool and beautiful.  Masks have the strongest transformative powers out of anything a person can wear
3. Leather cuffs by Fleet Ilya available at CoCo de Mer.  For the girl who likes to do more than just look tough
4. Silver leather dog mask also by Fleet Ilya and available at CoCo de Mer. A space age take on bondage and puppy love
5. Massage ring by Betony Vernon available at CoCo de Mer. Fashion, meet function.  Function, be nice
6. Again, leather harness by Fleet Ilya available at CoCo de Mer.  Doesn’t have to read bondage if worn over a crisp white shirt.  You can be a modern lady Indiana Jones or achieve that dapper vibe without resorting to suspenders

Kiki de Montparnasse and Coco de Mer are, in my humble opinion, the best retailers of premium filth. Sex shops range from exquisite to tasteless, and I’m a fan of the whole shebang.  You guys should check out Trashy.com if you have a good sense of humor or Azalease in NYC (at which I used to work!) for fun, flirty loungewear and lingerie.  I’m on a bit of a filth kick as I’ve been thumbing through Philosophy in the Boudoir, of which Penguin has published a beautiful deluxe edition complete with French flaps and Tomer Hanuka cover illustration. Hope you guys enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed researching it!

Tags: Betony Vernon, Coco de Mer, Fleet Ilya, Kiki de Montparnasse, Marquis de Sade, Philosophy in the Boudoir, Punitive Shoes.

So, here it is… my ubertrendy outfit.  The jumpsuit is an impulsive $50 buy from H&M dressed up with a Forever 21 necklace, light wool jacket from Angel Street Thrift Shop, and — of course — my A Détacher shoes!  The belt came free with one of my favorite sweaters.  I’m sure I’ll be photographing the jacket again sometime soon as it’s in heavy rotation these days.  I love the way I feel when I wear it… like pure 90s Armani.

I like monochromatic dressing because it’s easy, chic and luxurious.  I actually felt quite luxe today despite the small price tag, probably thanks to the many textures.  Gotta love wool flannel, cotton jersey and supple suede paired with plastic belts and beads galore.

I promise the next look won’t be as obnoxiously trendy!  Or maybe it will be…

Tags: Angel Street Thirft Shop, Forever 21, H&M.

It’s been a crazy week for the kids at FIT.  The senior class presented their garments for judging today.  I’m always so impressed with what we manage to whip out in the final hour.  Best of luck to my dear friends!

In true masochistic form, instead of catching up on all the other work in my life, I decided to play dress up.  The weather in New York City can be described in one word: bipolar.  Our fair City’s mood today?  Chilly, windy, a bit of rain… really a little bit of a bitch.  My reaction?  A final huzzah for wool pants and gray sweaters of course!

I’ve had these pieces for quite some time now.  The cropped gray sweater is Sisley.  I remember purchasing it in 1999!  The belt is thrifted from somewhere in the Haight, also many years old now, and the wool trousers are Allan Waller — a great Loehmann’s find from 2005/6.  Today is an oldies but goodies kind of day.

I initially styled this look with the following accessories but axed them when I felt cluttered.  The earrings and necklace are Givenchy fashion jewelry.  Though most people under 40 hate the DTM look, I believe that sets have their place.  Case in point being my little set right here.  That and amazing women in amazing power suits.  Someday I’ll get me that bright blue Thierry Mugler skirt and jacket from Amacord Vintage to join the ranks of those women…

Tags: Allan Waller, Givenchy, Sisley, thrift.