"Feeling unique is a habit you shouldn't give up."

- Alberto Fermani



"Anyone can get all dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress in their off days that is the most intriguing."

-Alexander Wang



9.28.2010

Tavi is a Fashion Genius?


Have any of you heard of Style Rookie? It is a blog by this 13 (maybe 14 now) year old girl (Tavi Gevinson) who started it when she was 11. She is obsessed with fashion and has a really impressive knowledge base about fashion history. She's also clearly a smart and interesting girl who references a lot of cool stuff in her blog. She's become really famous probaby mostly because she's so young. She become so famous that major designers (Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano, the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte to name a few) have invited her to see their runway shows... in Paris! She's been travelling the world, doing speaking engagements on teenage marketing, collaborating with designers and magazines on ad campaigns and fashion layouts. I mean, she is amazing. The New Yorker just did a big article on her and the uproar her cult status is causing. As you might expect, some fashion big-wigs are totally put off by the whole idea of this kid as a fashion genius. Some people even suggest that she's selling out for accepting gifts and money from designers, brands, selling tee shirts, etc. I think that is totally hilarious. I mean, what's the problem with the kid figuring out how to cash in? Was Mark Zuckerberg a sell-out because he found a way to get rich young? Or, to keep it more on the creative industry-front, any musician who gets a big record deal when they are a kid (Britney, Rihanna, David Archuleta)? Ridiculous.

Here's what I do question, though. Is Tavi really such a fashion goddess herself? I've seen a hundred young people over the years rocking this exact same look. Part vintage/thrift store, part clashing patterns and colors, part purposefully messy bag lady. As a matter of fact, she's like a cross between Mary Kate Olsen meets Susie Bubble meets Lisa Loeb. Not that original. What I like about her much more than her personal style is her personality. She's very self aware and world aware, too. Like most kids, her innocence gives her great (and brutally truthful!) insight. Long live Style Rookie. Check her out and see what you think. www.thestylerookie.com
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9.27.2010

Keeping Clean

As I mentioned in my very short post last night, I just finished a big relay race. I'm not one to mention beauty products very often, mostly because I don't consider myself to be a real product junkie, but I do have my favorites. Now I have one more to add to the list.

Showers (and sinks and beds, for that matter) were generally unavailable for my 32 hour adventure. 6 of us were packed into an SUV and so packing had to be minimal at best. We had a big box of baby wipes to clean up with after each of our runs (thank God since it was 100 degrees on the first day) but you didn't exactly want to be cleaning your face with a baby wipe. I had brought along these facial cleansing wipes that I found by British beauty brand Boots and I'm so happy I did. The smell is fantastic, they are totally refreshing, and they got my face really clean. The fact that I didn't break out at all without my normal skincare regimen and was sweating profusely all the while getting absolutely no sleep is a testament to their effectiveness. LOVE!

Boots Time Dimensions Cleansing Wipes- available at Target
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9.26.2010

Sunday, Comfy Sunday

What do you wear the day after running a 33 hour, 201.5 mile relay race? Something very, very comfortable.

Shout out to my teammates!

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9.21.2010

Caught Unawares at a Hip Bar

Tonight I went to see my brother-in-law, Matt Martin, on Jeopardy (Matt- you were awesome!). We went to this place in Arlington that I had never been to or heard of. I got there right on time because I had the kids with me and they needed to eat dinner, blah, blah, blah. Oops. I realized immediately that I had underestimated the hip factor. First, I had two little kids with me. The twenty-somethings streaming in did not necessarily think that was cool. Second, I had not realized that this place was really cool and my very casual outfit of cargo pants, black tee shirt, and some jewelry was not totally cutting it. Thank god I had put on some cute black wedges instead of just flip flops (which had crossed my mind since I knew I'd be chasing my adoreable little monsters). Of course, since I always accessorize, I was safe. But, if I had planned a little better, I would have looked more like this...

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9.19.2010

Over-the-Knee-Boots Come to D.C.




I so clearly remember several years ago when over-the-knee boots came into "style." They were showing them in the fashion mags and they were supposedly the hot thing. I laughed at the time thinking, "Who in Washington, DC is going to wear these and WHERE?!" I knew one woman who had them and saw her wear them once. I thought it was kind of hilarious.

Fast-forward 11 years... I just purchased a pair of over-the-knee boots. Here I am, that much older and I think NOW is the time? Hmmmm.... Well, let me just tell you why it's working for me now.

First, I have tried them with several shorter skirts in my closet. There are one or two that, with tights, I think I can pull off. Without tights it is NOT happening. (I kind of look like a cross between a hooker and a pirate although hopefully of the Julia Roberts Pretty Woman variety:)). But what I actually like is the boots over skinny jeans and skinny cargos. It's not really a far cry from the whole pants tucked into boots thing anyway; it just looks a little edgier. And, while I thought they made my legs look bigger when I didn't have tights on, I think they make my legs look skinnier when they are paired with the pants. On top, I have fuller or blousier pieces and layers like a long cardigan or jacket over a longer top and a great scarf, etc. So I'm keeping them. In the end, I decided my cost per wear wasn't going to be great but it will be better than a lot of other shoes I have and the pair I found was very reasonably priced. Try some on with a bunch of things in your closet and see if they work for you.

One more thing- I ended up with black because that works back to the most in my wardrobe. But I love the taupe and gray versions I've seen and a lighter color is less-piratey, too.

--all of the above-pictured boots are available at www.piperlime.com.
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9.16.2010

She Did It Again!!




One of the many things I love about Isabel Marant is that she is relatively affordable in the context of higher-end fashion. Her fall season is totally different than spring and it is very cool. There is a not-so-subtle nod to 50's good girl/bad girl fashion. Very Rizzo from Grease. Very cool. So I rushed over to net-a-porter to check out what they had from the line. And look what I found- the perfect black top that will make my jeans look hip, my circle skirts look modern, my white trousers look like a cocktail party tuxedo, and so on. Next, the belt. They say no idea is original and I guess they're right because I have been dreaming of a belt JUST like this. I should mention that, technically, the top is Etoile Isabel Marant, her second line, which is even better because it is even less expensive. Love that! The jacket, which will not be making its way to my closet due to a pricey price tag, is the epitome of perfect. I'll just dream about that one. Anyway, so much good stuff, so little time.
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9.14.2010

Shoes for Spring??


Don't kill me for blogging about this before Fall has officially gotten started BUT- I just found out that Suno (one of my favorite lines that is most known for its unique tribal prints) collaborated with Loeffler Randall (one of my all-time favorite shoe AND clothing lines) for their runway shoes for the Loeffler spring show. Sometimes these shoes don't get produced. But it sounds like these are. They will be sold at loefflerrandall.com and Opening Ceremony in New York beginning in February. Mark your calendars now so you don't forget!

P.S.- I know they're insanely high but sometimes we must suffer for fashion, don't you think!

P.P.S.- Not sure why I've never blogged about Suno. I'll get on that.
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9.12.2010

To Fur or Not to Fur (That is... to Faux Fur)



All fur, faux or not, is not created equal. Your options are plentiful. Your decisions should be easy. First, real or faux. Your faux options are amazing so you will have no problem finding something gorgeous if you are opposed to the real thing. I love the vests for a layering piece but I like the shorter jackets just as much. My favorites somehow look warm and cuddly but manage to still show you have a shape. They lack a bulkiness that is key if you are trying to layer. These are actually attractive enough that you don't feel sad to wear them over your amazing outfit because you look just as good with the coat on as you do with it off.

I love these options, both real and faux, except for one. I'll give you a hint. The model looks like she is growing hair out of her torso. Ugh.

SOLFEGE JACKET
1,317 GBP - mytheresa.com
Fur jacket »

Burberry Prorsum Fox fur jacket
4,995 GBP - brownsfashion.com
Fox fur jacket »

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9.10.2010

Fashion Night Out

Yes, even D.C. celebrates Fashion Night Out. Neiman's has stuff going on at Mazza and Georgetown stores are celebrating, too. Not like New York and Paris of course but, hey, what do we expect? As for me, I did my part yesterday at Intermix. Yikes. But they had some really great stuff.

So today is my birthday and I am most definitely NOT wearing a fabulous birthday outfit (who needs one when they're laying on the couch watching tv?) Tomorrow night is my fun dinner out (Peacock Cafe in G'town- I love this place!) and I'm looking foward to being able to have some fun with my outfit. This is a pretty close copy of what I think I'll wear. Unless I change my mind at the last minute which then means I'll be pulling everything I own out of my closet and probably end up in the first thing I tried on.

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9.07.2010

Vintage Shopping

As I've been making a list of the pieces from this season I want to add to my wardrobe, I've also been doing a little vintage shopping on line and in stores for a 70's costume party I'm going to. I've loved vintage for a long time now especially stuff from the 1950's. I love to get vintage evening bags, jewelry, and even gloves to accessorize with. And, probably the easiest thing to purchase in vintage, coats. But I feel like I've gotten away from it a bit the past couple of years since my favorite vintage store, The Remix, moved out of Alexandria into D.C. I wasn't able to just pop in anymore and peruse the racks. That's the best way to find great stuff- stopping in frequently. But like I said, I've been in several stores lately and have been really inspired.

Annie Cream Cheese in Georgetown is probably the best known vintage store in the D.C. area. And for good reason. The 50's and 60's dresses are to die for, there are tons of high end designer pieces, and pretty much everything in between. Today, I fell in love with a fur shrug from the 60's, a white cotton peasant dress from the 70's and a pendant necklace from the 70's which is perfect for my costume and for half my current wardrobe!

I also stopped in Antics in Charlottesville, Va (105 5th St. SE, downtown mall) this past weekend and was really impressed with the high quality of the clothing. The selection from the 1930's to the 1980's was impressive, in great condition, and very fairly priced (something Annie Cream Cheese cannot necessarily say!). A red and navy one-shoulder disco dress from the 70's definitely caught my eye as well as a beautiful pair of gold heels from the 20's in a size 9N!!! Really old vintage shoes run very small and you almost never find a size like 9. Too bad for my wide feet they were a narrow. Oh, did I mention the isanely hilarious bell bottom jeans and boots my husband got for his 70's costume! They were perfect!

Long story short, before I blow all my cash on items from current stores, I'll be doing some serious looking at these stores when I DON'T have my kids and I can really get down to business!
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