MEAT SHOES

"I want to be a living work of art"

2011-04-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

Marchesa Luisa Casati uttered these words in regards to her outrageous fashion sense. She caught every eye of her public. She was rumored to walk two cheetahs on a leash, and wear snakes around her limbs as jewelry. She almost died from an electric shock due to a wardrobe malfunction, when there happened a short in the circuit of her literally electric outfit. The Marchesa was born into luxury in Milan, and died in London in poverty. Though her extremity was probably due to a personality disorder and large amounts of opium, she remains to this day a muse to designers. I believe that the inspiration surrounding The Marchesa is due to her impeccable understanding of what fashion is. It is a "living work of art". I think mass production and trend following has drained this idea and every bit of art from the purpose of fashion. Anyway, she has a really great style. A few of these photos were taken by renown Man Ray who was equally inspired.

Transformer Fashion Show

2011-04-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

This is one of the craziest pieces of fashion runway. Hussein Chalayan, who I mentioned in a previous entry is fascinating. I think this collection is a beautiful testament to the personalities our wardrobes can demonstrate

First spring Wish List

2011-04-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

So Here are the things that I want now to start progressing into spring. The sandals are VPL x LD Tuttle...of course. I thought since I have a fall pair and a winter pair may as well delve into the new season with a spring pair. They are BEAUTIFUL in person! The nude leather strip at the top of the foot really elongates the leg.
The white skirt is by Helmut Lang and has a large slit up the side with a tad bit of rouging for some needed hip flattery.
The swimsuit is also VPL. Basically I love most things VPL. I think the copper nude combo is nice for spring/summer.
The jeans are Rag and Bone. They remind me of the cherry red Acne used for spring 2011. I love it, so here is to the bright pop of color that I aspire to attempt.
The grey print pants are actually a hazy python print, and they are slightly sheer chiffon. They are great, so cool and light.
Photos: compliments of Kick Pleat and Barneys

Looklet

2011-03-21T14:01:00.001-07:00

Looklet is an amazing site that gives the designer inside me a chance to come out to play, even if its only virtually. Basically there are endless amounts of clothing, accessories, shoes, backgrounds, props and models. You get to be your own stylist. Its pretty challenging at times, but great. Here are a few of my favorite looks I created this past year

Colors

2011-03-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

Hussein Chalayan Spring RTW 2011
Acne Spring RTW 2011
Missoni Spring RTW 2011
QUEENS OF COLOR

I like black. I like grey. I like tan. I like white. These have been the colors of my wardrobe for the past mmm year probably. Lately I have been so afraid of color for some reason. Yet working in retail has led me to understand that more women than not are somewhat afraid of color as well. Perhaps it is the idea of standing out too much, being overly seen, or wanting to have a louder voice out of their mouth than their body. For me personally, I believe that the reason is simply that I have grown to love and sympathize with the humble colors. I always believed that grey was the most humble of all colors, because it has the ability to make every color that chooses to be its partner stand out with bold intensity. I like wearing this idea. Maybe my modest dress would make everything shine around me. Its not like I didn't experiment with crazy shapes, or wear fierce accessories to inspire intrigue in my ensemble, because I most assuredly believe in accessories. I guess I just like neutrals.
Ok, so, this blog is absolutely not aiming to be a keeping-up-with-the-ultimate-trend blog, but on colors, I do want to encourage (and I am also speaking to myself). Try a POP of color. Instead of thinking, "I am going to wear florescent yellow today," think about the juxtaposition of the yellow with a neutral, say a nude. How cool do these two hues look next to each other? Super cool!

And even more, how about putting color into artistic terms. Like if you decide to wear blue, try thinking about blue's opposite in the color wheel, orange. By wearing opposing colors you create a very interesting dynamic. This opposition creates balance.

Lastly, what if you were to try pairing several different shades of the same hue? I think this would be an interesting way to approach color. Even start with gray, varying shades as your wardrobe too, like mine, is a monochromatic scale. Anyway, despite the school lesson, I think that wearing color does not have to be as drab as merely choosing a purple skirt or a red top. Moreover, with this beautiful spring encouraging me to lighten my dreary wardrobe, I thought I would try to encourage the same. But don't be confused if you still see me in all black.

Masai Tribe

2011-02-16T17:12:00.000-08:00

Fashion week has once again come and gone...I remember a time I used to relish in the idea of fashion week. I was thrilled to look at blogs about who stole the show and who decided to mimic their previous collection, but possibly add a fur collar...
Here is the thing- I am pretty tired of fashion. Perhaps it is not fashion that irks me, only trends. There seems to me a huge gap from the runway to RTW, and even further, the mass production of design that inevitably follows. I think that somewhere down this fashion food train the creativity and originality that designers present to us get lost in translation. The solution? I have no idea...keep persuing creativity and originality I guess. But, here is a little taste of style still pure and wonderful and based on tradition-that is untouched by our societies hunger for seasonal trends.

***Each color in their handmade jewelry pieces represents something different. Like for example green is the hope for the land to grow and be plentiful for their cattle, which are almost sacred beings to their village.

2010-10-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Balenciaga FALL RTW 2010

Catherine Baba- Enough said

2010-10-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos of French stylist Catherine Baba that I promised on a previous post. I believe that she deserves a post entirely to herself...
Key characteristics of her fantastic ensembles:
-bangles
-Headress of some sort, usually a turban
-flowy and structured layers
-kimono
-Heels that could KILL
DONE

Mood Rings

2010-10-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

There is something happening with rings. Lately, or in the past year or two I guess, rings have started expanding in personality. No longer is the ring finger the primary spot for rings. In fact, not even the bottom of the finger by the crease is the primary placement for rings. Right now, with rings, anything goes. The more rings, the merrier the ensemble. About a month ago, I started wearing a ring an ex-boyfriend made me, but regrettably, as I have giant beast hands, the ring was too small. So, I decided to wear it above my knuckle hinge. Does that make sense? Its silver, and then I always couple it with this giant flat silver ring on my ring finger, that covers almost half of the actual finger. Then of course, the ring that I never take off...my thin gold band made by a Mississippi Amish couple. Its kind of a cool combination. I say, with rings wear as many or as mixed metals as possible.

I went to Round Top a couple of weeks ago, and the jewelry was OUT OF CONTROL. I am although most impressed by rough, natural and unusual stones, and the turquoise selection was no disappointment. Apparently the price of turquoise has gone up so much in the past ten years, because turquoise mines have all closed down. In fact, I believe the last turquoise mine left open in the U.S. is in Arizona, called the Sleeping Beauty. One turquoise vendor had ben collecting her pieces for 35 years. She was this sassy, southern woman with puffy blonde hair. She had an obese piece of turquoise on every finger. Some of her fingers were covered knuckle to nail in like three rings. The variation of turquoise ranged from rocky to smoothe, and from light green to a darker blue. I wanted to pluck every ring off her stuby fingers and put them in my deep harem pant pockets. Anyway, I recommend being creative with jewelry this Fall, namely with ring selection. If you dont think you could do stackable knuckle ring, or the double knuckle ring (I am uncomfortable with the double knuckle ring), then try stacking a couple thin bands on the usual ring finger. Or even choose a finger you don't usually wear rings on, and make a bold move. Alright, thats enough. Here are some photos...or there will be soon

Stories

2010-10-17T21:29:00.001-07:00

I went on a hike today...i was feeling under the weather the past 4 days and had not encountered the outdoors in around 60 hours, so i decided to take a walk. The awful 60 were spent indoors sipping mint tea and watching entirely too many romantic comedies that the sound of that genre even in my head, makes me want to throw up. Anyway I went on a walk. I did some yoga on top of a hill in the sun. My parents community of condos, where I now reside, tops a hill of cedars. There is a clearing, and a small trail that goes down the hill and into the woods.

After a few sun salutations ( I can never really take myself seriously when I am doing yoga alone), I wandered into the woods. This is the part that baffles me. NEVER, in the many years I have taken walks into the woods, do I cease to expect some sort of mystical creature to appear with a crystal scepter, point it towards the trail and turn the rocks to diamonds, or some crazy fairy story of the sort. What is that about?? I mean ALWAYS, every time I walk into a forest, I expect some sort of magic to occur. I guess I crave a story. I think this must be a similar sentiment that Blonde Redhead felt when they wrote the album, Misery is a Butterfly, particularly "Elephant Girl". This song sounds like a dream that could definitely take place in the woods. Blonde Redhead has a new album...I have not heard it yet, because I am scared. I have too high expectations I think. I will report when I give it a purchase and a listen.

Another great band, good for telling stories-Sunset Rubdown. Every song is like a complete novel. Their word choice is picturesque and always descriptive. The music unfolds, like with each verse you are turning a page...magical.

One stylista that tells a beautiful story with her wardrobe is my ultimate and most favorite style star...CATHERINE BABA...Is she a bohemian? A nomad? A woman who must wear all her possessions at once? Is she from the 20's era? The 70's? Or the 80's? Or is she simply a fantastic breath of fashion fresh air to the bore of fashion that has become our modern culture? Either way, je l'adore.

...more on BABA soon

2010-10-15T23:04:00.001-07:00

I bought this pair of expensive shoes from one of my favorite little boutiques, Kickpleat. The shoes are LD Tuttle. She is a cool designer, who does interesting things with Venetian leather, (wraps and twists and what not). Anyway, my friend and I always gush about our expensive purchases, like they're dark secrets or something, and I was telling him about my new shoes. He asked me what they looked like and I said, "they are a whole lot like lady gaga's meat shoes". He laughed and said he couldn't really picture them. Then, a week later we met for a drink, and he said, "those are the new shoes aren't they?? They look exactly like Lady Gaga's meat shoes!" So I thought, hmmm. Perhaps I have a talent. I am not quite sure what it is, possibly its visual descriptions? But either way I figured I would name this blog in honor of not only my fantastic shoes, but also the shoe description that prompted this idea...

2010-10-15T22:49:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to create a blog...I mean everyone else is doing it, right?? I am not going to preface this blog and be like, "here is what I am going to say" or anything, but basically, her is what I am going to say: Anything. I got the idea to start the blog when I realized that I contribute nothing to society. I don't know that much about any specific topic, but I do know a few things about a few topics. Mainly, getting down to the foundations of this new and exciting, although slightly miserable blog, this is a blog about style...the style that I like.