Better late than never

Ok, I don't actually have the time to write this, but today has been a crazy, weird, alarming, joyous, fun, terribly sad, day. And that's not my dramatic side, today really has fit all those descriptions, so I feel entitled to take a little time off to write this entry. Oh, but I am writing tomorrow's to-do list and doing a bunch of other things while I write this, so forgive me any typos.

Now, I know that it's way late to comment on this, but since I don't actually think that anyone reads this, I'm going to do what I want. Plus, it's still gotta be fashion week somewhere--right? Looking at the shows has made me realize exactly how much I love Blumarine. Now, I've always liked Blumarine (and Blugirl!), but I'm not sure if I ever realized the true extent of Anna Molinari's genius before. I mean, tons of Italian designers have become massive icons, and with good cause. Italian fashion is usually flashy, splashy, unapologetically sexy. completely without subtlety, and incredibly indulgent. This is why, of course, everyone wants it. Anna Molinari obeys all the major tenets of Italian fashion without losing her sense of humor. Her clothes are fun. Her clothing can be excessive and sexy and cute. If clothes were boys, then Gucci and Fendi would be the silent, dashingly attractive boys that sit in the front (though not center, of course), of the room arrogantly and don't even bother to look at the girls who are staring, because they know that they're staring, and that they'll keep staring. Blumarine would be the boy with sexy, sexy floppy hair who keeps shooting you wicked looks and making you giggle right under your composition professor's nose. Missoni would be the overconfident individulist in the corner that everyone tries to talk to.


Wow, that was bad.

Oh well.

One issue, though--and this isn't only a question for Blumarine, but, um, everyone else as well. Why are all the models white? I mean, I do that it reflects badly on our societ, but just from the point of view of the aesthetics of the show, isn't variety the spice of life? Come on! All the models looks the same!

Still, though. Great clothes.

Um, ick

In the most sinister turn of events yet (it really is sinister, I'm in a play that's rehearsing every night, and I have a massive paper due soon), I woke up sick with a sore throat this morning. As fortune would have it, I really can't afford to miss any classes today, so I dragged myself out of bed to face a day of quiet (louder, if I could manage it, but my throat hurts a lot. . .) complaining.

But since I had to get out of bed at all, I decided I might as well look presentable. I switched the stilletto boots that I was planning to wear for my trusty pumas, and I'll be bundling up to the nth degree before I go out side, but the real trick is that when you look run-down, nothing makes you look better than a shot of bright pink blush. Don't overdo makeup when you're tired (it'll just accentuate bags and lines), but don't be afraid of a little mascara, and ALWAYS remember the blush.

See, Gwyneth's got it down.

I really hate to say it, but. . . coolio!!

Honestly, I do hate teeny-bopper speak, I do, but these are SO DAMN COOL:

http://cgi.ebay.com/40s-Vintage-Tooled-Leather-Mexican-Heels-Shoes-8-8-5_W0QQitemZ8385109910QQcategoryZ74979QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And they're my size.

And I promised myself that I couldn't buy any new clothes until March!

And I'm somewhat broke anyway.

Well, it'll at least be cool to see how expensive they get, right? My guess is between sixty and a hundred dollars. Any other betters? Any?

The great question

Ok, I know I'm late to comment on this, but people just can't seem to stop talking about how Karl Lagerfeld, visionary designer for, most notably, Chanel and Fendi, is starting his own line. I mean, sure, he continues to modernize iconically classic Chanel, and Fendi is only one of the most famously sexy Italian lines ever, and his line for H&M created a mere uproar in the fashion world, but the question remains: if Karl Lagerfeld attaches his own name to a line, will it sell?

Um, the answer is yes.

If you haven't seen. . .

. . . the most recent episode of project runway, than DON'T READ THIS, because I don't want to spoil any surprises.

Well, not that there were any surprises. After Nick went home (damn damn damn damn damn), I think that we all knew who was going to fashion week, and who wasn't. Well, actually, all four of them went to fashion week--after all, they didn't want us to know who the final three were before the show aired. Only three of them got to compete at fashion week, but at least (here's the spoiler) Kara got to go.

Now, I think that Kara did some nice work (flower dress) and some terrible god-awful work (traffic dress) on the show, but her collection really surprised me. Not only is it just flat-out cute, it definitely has a vision and an aesthetic to it that none of her clothing on the show really did.

Sooo, I'm going to talk about it, seeing as, chances are, no one else will. Let's start with the dress at right, above. I mean, it's pretty, right? I, personally, hate yellow clothes, but she definitely chose the right model to wear it, because it looks gorgeous. The top is nicely structural without being severe, and the chiffon is pretty and romantic, and they work together. Now, this next dress looks an awful lot like the dress that Kara herself was wearing on the final episode, but I'd wear it, so I'll let that slide. Once again, lovely color.

Hey, do you guys remember how, on the last season, Jay McCaroll spray-painted all these aviator earguard thingies different colors and then put them on his models and it was really cool because it sort of tied all of these different design concepts together? Well, I just found that so original, and I think that it's really respectable that no one has tried to imitate him to acheive the same effect. . .

. . . oh, no, wait. . .

Well, aviator earguards didn't catch on as the next must-have accessory last year, so I don't imagine that weird chunky knit hats will exactly be the hit of the season. But still.

But I don't mean to be too hard on Kara. I mean, like I said, she deserves some credit. Granted, a lot of the dresses look alike, and none of them are exactly well-made or fit the models, but c'mon, she doesn't get to compete, so I doubt she wanted to put too much effort into the clothes. Still, she did some great work. I mean, look at the dress at left--I looooove the combination of satin and flannel-ish fabric, and the deep purple and grey plaid are a lovely, darling, pair. I give this dress five stars. I want one. Now, if I can just resist looking at the real finalists' dresses, I'll be in great shape for the next episode(s). No spoilers, I promise.

Fashion Nostalgia

Nostalgia is nothing new in the fashion world. After all, few sane designers don't consider vintage looks and fashion history before designing a new collection. I, however, have fashion nostalgia on a personal level. Sure, when I see fabulous vintage Roger Vivier shoes or something, I wish that I had lived in the era when I could wear them (and by wear them, I mean afford them), but it's such a hopeless, intangible wish that it doesn't mean much to me.

Things that I've owned are different. My earliest case of fashion nostalgia dates back to the late eighties/early nineties when I was but a wee girl with lots of stirrup leggings (why, Mom, why?). On top of all the puffy-sleeved blouses and land's end turtlenecks, I had a t-shirt with a sketched-looking picture of cats on it, very tastefully accented with silver glitter. Oh, and the sleeves were day-glo pink and green. Of course, seeing as I was in kindergarten or preschool when I had that top, it's not as though I could wear it if it hadn't gotten lost in the shuffle somewhere; still, it would be comforting to have around.

Another early memory is a pair of green rainboots with kermit the frog's face on the toes. Strangely enough, I don't recall particularly loving them at the time; although I currently have quite the shoe fetish, the only shoes from my childhood that I remember truly adoring were a pair of velcro sneakers with cat faces (do we see a pattern here?) over the velcro part. Of course, those were run over by the lawnmower (why, dad, why?), so I didn't get to wear them for long. The significance of the kermit boots is that I'd really kind of like to own them now. Hey, don't laugh. That's not nice. I mean, come on, they're a lot more interesting than everyone else's patterned wellies! Hmph.

But perhaps my most severe case of fashion nostalgia dates back to my sophomore or junior year of highschool. I had a pair of light twill khaki-colored pants that had sort of a relaxed, slouchy fit, though they were still fitted through the thigh, and a drawstring waist. I know that they sound like something that you could probably find at Kohl's or somewhere equally generic and ubiquitous, but what set these pants apart were the tiny little drawstrings around the ankle--I never wore the ankle drawstring tied so tightly that they were genie pants, but they always had a very unique (but incredibly flattering) silhouette. But all good things must come to an end--I lost some weight and they got too big, and to put the final nail in the coffin, something funny happened to them in the wash. Dear, sweet pants, I'll never forget you.

Ok, so to make a long story short (no, wait; this is more of a to-make-a-long-story-slightly-longer-type thing), I think that these pants are certainly going to become a nostalgia piece (and please don't ask about how the picture was taken):

And they've already been attacked by mayonnaise.

Twice.

I don't even really eat mayonnaise.

The epic debate...

Ok readers (do I have readers? Do I? Do I?), I need an opinion.

*Ahem*

Between pair of boots A:



and pair of boots B:



which is better? To me, both have clear advantages and disadvantages, but one of them will be given to a dear friend of mine, and one will be kept. Since one pair puts just a little too much pressure on one of my toes (I'm a dancer--I notice these things), I'm actually pretty sure which pair will get the chopping block (or, tradeaway, as it were), but I am extremely vain, so opinions will help me make a decision.

Oh, and the reason that I'm just not keeping both is that I don't have enough storage space. Duh.

If anyone wants to do their daily good deed...

So if anyone actually reads this, would you perchance want to make me an icon/tell me how to upload it to the blog? I'd really like for it to be more interesting, but I can't figure out how! Thanks to everyone who loves me :)

I hate to use a tired, pun, but. . . ugg-ly!

Ok.

I'm all for a live-and-let-live philosophy, but I can stay quiet on this no longer. I really am sorry to have to bring it up, but something must be said...

UGGS.

Ugh!!! I think that the fashion world (and pretty much everyone else) has agreed that Ugg boots are over and have been for a while. Yet nonetheless, people sell them. People buy them. And, in the most shocking turn of events yet, People WEAR them! Why? WHY?

I know that amists all the clean lines of suits and other fashionable minimalism in 2003, Uggs looked, if not good, then at least different. And I'm not knocking 2003--plenty of things from 2003, like the mini skirts and the embroidered dresses, are still perfectly wearable. Uggs, however, are not. Now that every foot on the planet has effectively been covered in their chunky-suede-and-fleece look, not only are they no longer different, they're tired, and yes, ok, I'm going to say it, they're ugly.

I mean, granted, boots should keep your feet warm and dry, but you don't have to look like a muppet from the knee down in order to do it.

Alright, so do we agree? No more uggs, ever again? Good. I'm glad we had this chat.