Since I never expressly said, I ended up not taking the job at Saks Fifth Avenue…I decided, a commission only job was not what I had in mind when I said I’d try and find a “full-time” job. So instead, I’m back to working at my two jobs, thank God they loved me enough to take me back with my same hours and schedule. In the meantime, I’m working with a designer to help get her line of specialty bridal headpieces and veils, as well as trendy headbands, off to a good start. I’m looking forward to fashion shows and trade shows, where hopefully, she sells lots of merchandise!
Anyway, funny thing today…I’m at the consignment store, working of course, and despite the many unusual people who walk in and out, not including the junkies and drunks, I was most appalled today at a mispronunciation that left my jaw permanently glued to the floor. This woman walks in with 2 girls in tow. They perused every rack, the one with the blonde wig and missing tooth making my boss extremely nervous. One of the girls clearly hadn’t showered for days, her stench permeating everything she touched, including my precious designer clothing. As she picked up a pair of Antik denim jeans, I cringed. She later scoffed at the price. She clearly needed new jeans though, because the ones she was wearing bared so much ass that you would’ve thought she was a celebrity gone bad in a tabloid. Unfortunately, this was no Britney Spears.
Her friend, who smelled much more pleasant, came up to the counter and asked me to see a backpack. So I pulled down the black nylon Prada and handed it to her. She turned to her platinum haired companion and asked, “What’s P-ur-aye-da?” I stopped all thought processes and just stared as the response was, “I think it’s designer, ain’t it?” She says this to me as if this is something normal that everyone asks. All I could manage to say was, “Prada.” I pronounced it properly and attempted to unhinge my jaw from the floor.
My job puts “being fabulous and broke” in true perspective for me and constantly tests my patience. If nothing else, it keeps things interesting and drama infused for sure.
Yesterday I found myself throwing on the faux fur vest I thought I may never wear again. Pittsburgh weather, however, is incredibly unpredictable. It was the perfect thing to wear over long sleeves while I walked to work and even out to dinner.
The fur adds a luxe factor to even the most basic henley, jeans, and boots. Whether it’s real fur or faux, cropped or asymmetrical, a vest is an easy way out of choosing what to wear in the morning. As I said, it dresses up even the most basic turtleneck or tee. Depending on the style of the vest, whether it be sporty suede with a hood or sheared mink, it can pull just about any outfit together. It’s sort of like this year’s boyfriend blazer, you have it in several silhouettes and colors and you wear it over your favorite party dress, trousers to work, or with jeans out for drinks.
Depending on your love of real fur or not, this could be a costly item to buy in multiples, so just choose one. If you were buying one boyfriend blazer, you’d probably buy basic black, it goes with everything. So take into consideration your personality. Do you work 9-5? Are you out on the weekends or the evenings? Think about what’s already in your wardrobe and choose accordingly. This year, I’m still a big advocate of making purchases that coordinate or at least mingle with several other items I already own, it saves me time and LOTS of money. So do the same. A fur vest won’t go out of style but if you’re worried about being too trendy, then choose something basic that you know will look fab over all your jeans and that work appropriate sweater dress. While the boyfriend blazer will come and go, the fur vest has always been a part of fashion and has been played upon in different styles, colors, and textures for years and years.
Check out some of the styles below to give you an idea of what you might like…
3.1 Phillip Lim, Curly Lamb
Elizabeth and James, Wilderness Blazer with Rabbit Vest
Burberry has teamed up with Scott Schuman, world-renowned photographer and blogger of The Sartorialist, to create an essential visual “ode to the trench.” As the first photographer to take part in this special series, his photographs are beautifully candid and capture remarkable moments of Burberry wearers everywhere. Or, submit your own.
Plus, the soundtrack playing seriously inspires sifting through the traditional trenches.
This past year I’ve been interested in Marilyn Monroe: not so much as an actress but the idea of her and what it actually meant to be her.
I remembered a quote tonight from Miss Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel that not only conjured up the image of Marilyn herself, but evoked many other things about our society and how fashion truly makes any girl or woman feel beautiful.
So enjoy it, because I can’t think of any other quote that sums up my views of these two women or how women today should feel. Not just because of fashion but because of themselves….
“A girl should be two things: Classy and Fabulous” – Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel
Wearing Tory Burch, in a brand new saga, and more fashion to make me (and you) swoon all the way to the moon.
My training began this week, which basically consists of me sitting in a tiny room on a computer, which still insists on being air conditioned. Needless to say, I now have the flu after two days of the ‘ICE-OLATION BOX.’
So my story for today consists of major movies and a major celebrity.
In a nutshell, they’re filming yet again, another movie in Pittsburgh. And so, this particular celebrity comes to Saks, of course…
His body guards descend down the escalator and secures the perimeter while the men’s department phones security. Apparently, they felt the star’s group of body guards was actually a professional shopping ring, there to steal their livlihood.
Obviously, they were ashamed of themselves when Russell Crowe himself appeared before them and proceeded to spend a small fortune in like 20 minutes
Alas, my shopgirl days have not ended, they’ve just begun a crazy new chapter!
My quest for a new job literally caused me to have writer’s block. On top of that, I gained a cat…
My days as a shop girl, splitting my time between two different stores, one high end, one consignment, haven’t quite ended yet though. I write to you now, as an officially hired Saks Fifth Avenue girl…based out of shoes and handbags, of course. My search for a full-time position while I continue to finish my degree/decide what I want to be when I grow up has ended in a job that most people my age in the retail sector would kill for. Despite the daunting interview process and criminal background checks, I’m elated. SAKS FIFTH AVENUE!
There is, however, one drawback: Business Attire.
What does that mean? I did not sign on for an office job where cookie cutter black suits and standard computer job pumps were a part of my daily selling routine. So, I suppose I need a new wardrobe. I didn’t sign on for that either…at least not for one that I plan to change out of immediately after my last client leaves.
We’re not required to purchase clothing from Saks, leaving only business-like apparel to be the most appropriate option, I suppose.
Interview outfits, cover letters, resumes and job hunting have pretty much left me exhausted and at a loss for words. A full-time job (that I actually like) with benefits is difficult to come by these days and I was prepared to take what I could get it. I’m so lucky and thankful it was Saks…and to top it off, shoes and handbags. But it got me thinking, I had the resume and experience but with so many people to compete with, is all of the extra stuff necessary?
For each interview, I made absolutely certain that my resume was polished and presented in the most perfect way. My cover letters were thought out but creative, and my outfits were professional. I was in need of a job but in order to set myself apart, I realized I should save the skimping for later.
As I said before, I lucked out. And despite the business attire dress code, I am able to skimp now. A few, essential key pieces are necessary in order to start the job right but with a conservative dress code, I am able to mix and match those particular basics to create a classic look. While I noticed other employee’s frumpy trouser looks, I realized that I can manage the professional look with a few great jackets, white button downs, and an amazing pair of black pants.
I learned that a simple suit is always right and you can never go wrong. Don’t go for trendy, you’ll look over done and employers may only get one shot at finding the right employee. They want to know your creative AND professional. So go with the suit and kill them with an innovative cover letter and interview. It worked for me.
I work at Saks Fifth Avenue, frumpy is not a part of my vocabulary, in fact, I’m scratching it out of my Webster’s as we speak.
(A friend once told me you can never go wrong with a suit. He helped me get through my magazine internship interview, which I got, by the way. I was wearing a suit…he prepared me in every possible way, down to the presentation of my portfolio. I took all his advice and used it to get this job. So here’s to you, Christopher, even though you’re gone you’re still a part of my ‘every day.’)
I don’t know about you but I abide by the tradition of packing away my summer whites after Labor Day. Shorts, jeans, bermudas, sandals, and especially summer sundresses are pulled from my closet by the next day.
I noticed, however, that many people younger than me bypass this rule and continue to wear white until summer heat is overtaken by autumn weather. So I’m wondering, is this simply a new concept, wearing your white until it’s simply too chilly? Or does the tradition only apply with age?
Take the poll, I’m interested in what everyone thinks. And most of all, have an amazing Labor Day picnic/party, wear your whites one last time, and eat ribs if you can.
I’ll definitely post soon everyone. It’s been a busy week and a half. My mother, at 41, just had twins. A boy and a girl. So, you can imagine the craziness that is my life right now. In the meantime, say hello to Emma & Brandon.
Sometimes fall is so predictable with staples that include a sleek riding boot, belted trench coat, or a great black pant. This season’s trends are predictable but most cater to a classic quality and monotony in the best possible way. I recently read an article that touched on how designers have taken a more ‘grown-up’ approach to fashion and are targeting the 30 somethings and up, coming to the realization that most women in their twenties are not purchasing mini skirts priced at $900, at least not anymore.
Without sacrificing creativity many designers like Alber Elbaz from Lanvin managed to create clothing that is age appropriate for the women who can afford them. Not to say that some women don’t feel comfortable in the mini skirt but it’s important to create clothing that makes a woman look and feel beautiful about herself, that’s what makes a Chanel suit or Carolina Herrera dress worth the price tag.
Some of this year’s trends include animal prints, studs, and biker-chic, all of which have been used strategically placed throughout various lines. Designers, so it seemed to me at least, tried to take on this economically challenged season in one of two ways: Shock the customer with something over the top, perhaps too excessive for this period of time. Or provide them with a palette of silhouettes that at first glance seem muted but then you realize how ‘right on’ most of these designers are. They brought back the beauty to fashion. This was not a year of risk taking or designing an entire runway of unwearable pieces for the sake of art, these were well thought out, carefully constructed, gorgeous pieces that are designed for the ‘real’ woman of our times.
The one who’s a mother, CEO, bed-time story teller, wife, dog walker, excessive coffee drinker, and all the while still manages to take time out for herself.
The powerful ’super women’ of our times have spoken and this time, designers have listened.
Here are a few select looks from fall that anybody should and could pull off successfully:
Donna Karan
Yves Saint Laurent
Lanvin
Burberry Prorsum
Prada
Jil Sander
Burberry Prorsum
Visit www.style.comto view more of these collections from Fall RTW 2009.
While shopping for Sam Edelman shoes on Nordstrom’s website, I came across an advertisement for New Moon, as in the sequel to Twilight if you’re unfamiliar. On October 1st, new graphic tees will be available in stores and on-line. Despite the fact that I have read the ‘Twilight’ series, I do believe that we have crossed a line. A fine line between right and wrong, light and darkness.
My only comment is this- Burberry and Donald J. Pliner should never be available to purchase along side a “Team Edward” t-shirt.
And DuWop? Yes, DuWop, the makers of the famous Lip Venom have created this:
Sephora and Nordstrom’s are cashing in on this past year’s vampire trend and as far as I can see, there is no end in sight. With HBO’s ‘True Blood,’ the CW’s ‘Vampire Diaries,’ and two more ‘Twilight’ movies to go, the fashion and retail industry will be seeing red for awhile.
Recently I’ve been blogging about films or television related to fashion, most of them being at least somewhat noteworthy. So I thought it’d be fun to see what else is out there. I searched for films solely about fashion, whether it was a documentary on a designer or a movie based on a novel having to do with fashion. There are plenty of movies that inspired fashion sense or trends, like Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Annie Hall, but these are solely about fashion. So, while the list is sure to be incomplete, here’s what I came up with so far: (If you have any to add, please do so!)
Pret-a-Porter
Unzipped
Fashions of 1934
The Intern
Lagerfeld Confidential
Valentino: The Last Emperor
Seamless
American Gigolo
Yves Saint Laurent
Zoolander?
Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton
The Devil Wears Prada
Can we even include Confessions of a Shopaholic? Why not. It’s not a classic but it served it’s purpose.
September IS big this month, not just with the size of Vogue or cozy fall sweaters we wrap ourselves up in. No, this September is also the release month of ‘Coco Before Chanel’, the film starring Audrey Tautou. (Think Amelie, A Very Long Engagement)
The film was released in other countries back in April and has since been nagging at my conscience. Audrey Tautou is amazingly talented, one of my favorite modern day actresses, and a perfect choice for this role. Luckily for me, I will be in New York at this time and you can certainly expect an update on my reaction.
September 25, New York and Los Angeles.
You cannot pass up a film that chronicles the early years of one of the most famous, iconic women not just in fashion but also in history, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.
So does anyone have an opinion about the launching of Mr. Perez Hilton’s web-site www.cocoperez.com?
Today, the site was unveiled and will most likely be a portal of celebrity’s fashion follies and fabulous ensembles. While Perez has no fashion background, he will be injecting the site with opinions that often leave a sting. (Cokate?) However, I am impressed with the coverage of photo shoots and ad campaigns. If Perez treats this site anything like www.perezhilton.com, we can expect to see a fashion media whore emerge.
I just hit 1,001 views. And even though I love fashion and writing, I’m just getting the hang of how, when, and sometimes what I should blog about. But most times, I just write about what interests me and in the 2 months that I’ve been here so far, you guys are obviously reading, so thanks again!
In the words of Edina, “You can drop the attitude. You only work in a shop.” – Absolutely Fabulous
I have always coveted at least one graphic tee a year and at one point, my collection of ‘face’ t-shirts hit over 50. I’ve been slowly giving away and getting rid of my once cool collage of quirkiness. But this year, it seems that graphics, embroidered silhouettes, kicky slogans, mantras, and celebrity faces are reigning over the fun factor this season. So seriously, grab one that suits you, toss a slouchy blazer over it, and pair it with some great boyfriend jeans and flats. It sounds like you’ve got a great Sunday afternoon walk in the park outfit to me…
I feel like Rebecca Bloomwood today in “Confessions of a Shopaholic.”
It’s now day 8 of working and I’m at the consignment store today. And while the black Louis Vuitton wallet is calling me, egging me on, I can only give it those sad, dreamy, puppy dog eyes it deserves and leave it in the window for others to admire. I have put myself on some sort of leash, meaning: I’m skipping Starbucks, packing my lunch, and avoiding buying anything for the rest of the week.
But perhaps, like Rebecca, none of us who view shopping as a true companion are actual savers but are “Make More Money” gals instead. In real life though, after working for 8 days straight, I don’t believe that idea translates as well as it does in a book.
So for now, I’ll have to put up with the junkies buying sterling silver and hope that nobody buys my black Narciso Rodriguez pants, a perfect addition to my fall wardrobe. Training yourself not to purchase something each day, especially when you work in 2 clothing stores, is daunting. And if I appear overly dramatic about the situation, it’s simply because I really do love fashion, and also because I’m overly dramatic.
But seriously, all of my fall fashion issues are arriving and it’s such a tease…
If you’re reading my blog, chances are, you’re a Vogue reader. You unpatiently await for each month’s issue, especially September’s, to hit your mailbox so you can devour the advertisements, culture, witty antecdotes, and amazing photography. My guess is, you’ve already heard about the film ‘The September Issue’ as well, hitting theatres in New York City August 28th.
The film, by R.J. Cutler, will materialize the scenes we have all been imagining in our heads everytime we read Vogue- Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour and her staff creating our fall and winter fashion bible. We consistently bow down to the genius success of Wintour as she reigns over our fashion kingdom, one hand waving while the other holds her iconic pair of sunglasses.
So line up ladies, AND gents, because ‘The September Issue’ is here to curb our fashion appetites.
If I haven’t told you already, I also work at a women’s consignment store on top of the boutique I work at regularly. I’ve been working there for about a year now and I swear, I’ve had some of the strangest encounters with people there than I’ve had in my real life.
A public transportation stop, aka bus stop, is directly outside our door, making us like a fly stuck on one of those sticky traps. Sometimes when I arrive in the morning, ‘they’ are waiting outside our door. The worst though, is when they tell you they were supposed to be at the grocery store across the street because they have no food but instead, they’re buying some unnecessary piece of jewelry. Hey, it’s not my fault if their 3 kids starve, right? From the wealthy to the welfare, to the crack addicts and wives of Jewish Rabi’s, the consignment store spares no one. And lucky for us- we cater to everyone. Including yesterday, when a collection of clothing we were going through was deemed, “A slut’s wardrobe.”
Covered in rhinestones and glitter, hankerchief tops, low-cut lingerie style tanks, the list goes on. She even had some witty t-shirts about boys. Shocking. I find out that this woman, who only wore slut-gear, married an uber rich man from Fox Chapel. So, because the ladies at the country club would never dare allow her to play golf in an Apple Bottoms halter, she brought them to us. How nice of her…
We sifted through slut clothes, pitching most of them, and realizing that yes, some of these things would sell in a heartbeat. There are others like her, presenting themselves as a hooker in order to snag any rich, idiotic man who only thinks with his eyes.
Note: The clothing described in this story should never be worn, at least not on a real date, and Halloween being the exception.
I just saw the pictures of fans clad from head to toe in their chicest ensembles. The lines were long but the energy pulsated through the streets of Manhattan. 5,000 hopefuls stumbled in stilettos in the summer heat while waiting for their chance to become a part of the iconic chick flick.
No matter what the reasoning, it seemed as if everyone had one thing in common- Pay was never a motivator for this crowd, just getting to be a part of the treasure that has changed women for years now is enough.
We love the clothes, style, and the sisterhood bond between the 4 women we have come to identify ourselves with, so how do we feel about a sequel? Any thoughts on the matter?
Naomi Sims dies from cancer at the age of 61 on Saturday, August 1st.
Although I wasn’t alive to live in the moment of Naomi Sim’s influence and her triumph as an African American woman trying to get her foot in the door of the fashion world, I do know that her 1960’s cover appearance on ’Ladies Home Journal’ was the first time ever that an African American model was so highly publicized. “She was the first,” according to Halston in an interview with The New York Times in 1974. “She was the great ambassador for all black people. She broke down all the social barriers.”
A native of Pittsburgh, my current hometown, she made her way to New York City in order to attend the prominent Fashion Institute of Technology in 1966. Sims became desperate for cash though, after agency after agency turned her down, some even because of her dark skin tone. Nobody was interested in African American models in the 1960’s but Sims didn’t give up and eventually, she found a way in through a fellow model who was starting her own company, Wilhelmina modeling agency, of course.
It was a year later that the cover for “Ladies Home Journal” would propel the supermodel into the spotlight where she became highly sought after. Naomi rallied for herself and the African American community during her 5 year reign in the industry. As a result, today two of her magazine covers, one from the Times magazine and one from Life, are featured in the current “Model as a Muse” exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Both were firsts for African American models at the time.
“Modeling was never my ultimate goal,” she was quoted as saying in African American Business Leaders. “I started to model to supplement my income to go to college….But the idea of starting my own business had always appealed to me, and I was fortunate that my first career led to my second.” Sims, of course, went on to create her own line of wigs and later, Naomi Sims Beauty Products, which still exist today. She dabbled in writing and became a successful author of several well-known books, as well as articles featured in The New York Times. She was an accomplished woman, winning awards such as ‘Model of the Year’ in 1969 and the ‘New York City Board of Education Award’ in 1970.
Despite her distaste for modeling, it is clear that Naomi Sims was a grand asset. Because of her resilient attitude, she was able to give birth to a new community of African American models, changing the fashion world forever. If it wasn’t for her, models like Iman and Naomi Campbell would not exist. Here’s to you Naomi, thank you for the history making contributions.
On one last note:
Abel Rapp, a former model agent at Ford, recalled Sims’ early years in New York. “She was probably one of the most beautiful women I have seen in my life,” Rapp said. “One night, Harvey Boyd, the illustrator, and I were going to a restaurant on Second Avenue called Jack’s Nest,” Rapp recalled. They called Sims to invite her. “She said, ‘I can’t, I am not dressed.’ I told her to put on her f–k-me pumps, a tight pair of jeans, and a top and she would be fine. She showed up an hour late in a floor-length, purple jersey Halston gown. This was very much Naomi.”
Who doesn’t love a great trench coat? But better yet, one with supermodel Gisele Bundchen underneath it…and nothing else.
London Fog’s new campaign will be seen in magazines like Elle this fall. And as for the baby bump? It’s been masterfully edited over and out of the picture, just like most of Hollywood’s flaws. However, this one was for privacy, which I respect and admire Bundchen for.
Gisele, however, still looks stunning and makes London Fog trench coats look just as enticing as say, the new Burberry campaign with Emma Watson?
So who hasn’t heard about “The Beautiful Life,” starring Mischa Barton? The CW show, airing this fall, will revolve around three fictitious models all at different stages in their modeling careers. The characters, based off some of the real life experiences of model turned actor Ashton Kutcher, who is one of the creators of the show, will be fabulously clad from head to toe in supposed to-die-for fashion ensembles. So is this “just another show?” Or should fashionistas across the country mark their day planners and program their Tivos to record all future episodes?
The pilot, said to have a cameo with Zac Posen, is most likely worth watching. The majority of us may watch because of the recent drama surrounding Mischa Barton but aside from that, if the CW and creators of the show can manage more appearances from designers like Posen, then what’s not to watch?
The show could potentially set itself apart from the other drama infused shows like the poor remake of “90210″ or ugh, the up-and-coming “Melrose Place,” if it uses it’s story line wisely. It would be nice to see a realistic version of a model’s daily ins and outs versus the party pictures and representations of them in the media. Because the show isn’t reality, for once, but is based off some real life experiences of previous models, the show definitely stands out.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not necessarily looking forward to another flighty, air-filled television show. I want something with a bit of substance and if “The Beautiful Life” succeeds, I will program my TV every week for an hour of Mischa.
Fashion is definitely forward about where it’s headed this fall and textures and prints are headlining collections. While I’ve never embraced heavy metal adorned accessories and biker babe chic, I’m approaching cautiously this time and I’ve even eyed up a few key pieces that I’m sharing with you below.
The Stud Factor, as I’m calling it, is key this season to pull it altogether. You don’t have to be a trend-master to know it’s making a comeback. Ever since that Streets Ahead black leather studded belt seen on Carrie Bradshaw in the Sex and the City movie , we’ve been shifting to make room for more of it’s kind.
And this season, inspiration can be derived from puttin’ the petal to the metal. Paired with leather, dotted on stilettos, and monogrammed on minimalist handbags, this is the studlier version of fashion. One that’s weathering the economic hardships and fashion follies. Fashion is baring it’s teeth to the naysayers and becoming more bold in spirit. Embrace black leather and have drinks with the guy down the street who owns the roaring Harley. You’ll be the best dressed biker babe in the local dive bar with this season’s heavy metal trend.
I love that for this month’s issues, W magazine and Vogue both used models in the industry, rather than celebrities. A veteran, Christy Turlington’s story is amazing and if you don’t already subscribe to the magazine you should go out and pick up a copy. It’s the age issue and she was the perfect choice for 40: She’s a modern day Mom, elegance and glamour aside, and she’s accomplished. Working her way through school at Columbia to better herself, her family, and to fight for pregnant mother’s who receive little to no health care.
And W? Lara Stone is “Fashion’s It Girl.” Simply said. And if you’re unaware of the radiance she brings to her work, you should absolutely pick up a copy of W and get familiar because we may be seeing her for the long run…
Models have consistently graced our runways and even the majority of ad campaigns. But it’s been a long time since we’ve seen them on the cover of magazines. Models stopped selling fashion and news and celebrities became the new selling point. For what it’s worth, the fashion industry has been there and back and despite the recent economic setback, they’re taking the long road home. But at least they’re on their way back, right?
A model doesn’t need a cover story, when did that start happening? We idolize the model for becoming a walking art form after wearing Jil Sander down the runway or escaping to the beach in a half nude D&G campaign for summer. We don’t know their families, eating habits, or favorite movies. They do their job, they do it well, and while the industry may scrutinize every inch of their bodies, WE do not. They’re still people. I once worked with a model who clearly had cellulite. She wore Spanx over her long, thin legs for that show, it wasn’t even necessary. Celebrities have spider veins, get acne, and they do eat pizza. And despite the in-tolerances of some in the industry, models do the same. And if they don’t, then perhaps they should think about getting out. It’s the model’s distinctiveness, not necessarily their beauty that we covet. It’s their ability to go home at night and lead a life in the shadows after wearing $3,000 Chanel.
I love the comeback they’re making and I look forward to seeing more models ‘modeling’ clothes, because afterall, this is their industry, they aren’t a celebrity, they’re a MODEL.
My friend living in Brooklyn sent me a text message today that read: “A 45 year old woman just came into H&M wearing a ‘Barely Legal’ sparkle tee. I thought you would appreciate!…And she was with her two daughters.”
Intrigue. It made me think.
The H&M in Herald Square is unbelievably touristy, not to mention how irritating it must be to have to need a SWAT team of employees to clean up the fitting rooms. Even still, if the woman was a tourist, it doesn’t make it acceptable either way. But t-shirts adorned with rhinestones and glitter, outlining clever adjectives like, “Spoiled,” “Princess,” or even “Sexy,” say something about one’s self. And not just these, but my friends story of the day made me realize that we all own t-shirts we once purchased for a reason with clever or not-so-clever antecdotes. At one time they were a serious must-have, a prized possession perhaps. Now, however, their lack luster qualities and lame meaning behind their cute sayings sit in your bottom drawer taking up space. A memory from the beach or a trip to Vegas with the girls, (Thank God it was a t-shirt and not one of those matching group tattoos) clearly you’ve literally got a fashion “statement” on your hands and ultimately, your choices do say something about you.
For tees purchased at Rue 21, please put them in garbage bag immediately and don’t look back. Anything else, I suggest doing a double take. If glitter and rhinestones are involved, add them to the bag too. But if we’re talking about a “Team Paris” or Marilyn Monroe quote t-shirt, think about revamping them. Tees like that define your fashion personality and you should wear them for fun under a little blazer or with your boyfriend jeans. Absolutely change the neckline, add some embroidery and layer them up. You don’t have to give away your memories but you can definitely make them better, especially if you don’t remember much of that Vegas trip where you purchased $300 worth of Playboy tees. Ugh.
If you don’t own any of the above, lucky you. And if you feel out of the loop, below are a few places you can get your own and support a good cause. Not only will you look good but you won’t get flashbacks of you and your friends on the bar in Miami when you wear it. Instead, you can show your support for a cause that’s worth filling up a drawer full of t-shirts.
Visit www.vday.org for more information.
Visit www.invisiblechildren.com for more information.
Visit www.cafepress.com and check out the Darfur Store.
1. Sequins. Ugh. Though my recent fascination was most likely brought on by the famed Michael Jackson glove, they’ve been in the works for awhile. The piece I covet is a 3.1 Phillip Lim racerback dress. Do it right or dare to be a 1980’s fashion horror story.
2. Jimmy Choo crocodile embossed Hunter Wellington Boot. I’ve blogged about this before, and I must say, if rain is not a prominent feature in your weather forecast, just pretend. Justify your rain boot purchase by saying you often visit relatives and friends in places like say, Pennsylvania? And if you don’t, then plan a trip around your boots.
3. Eva Green. If you don’t recognize from previous Dior parfume campaigns, then you should pay closer attention. She is a force to be reckoned with. Look for the up and coming film ‘Cracks,’ she is sure to amaze and astound, just as she did in Bertolucci’s film ‘The Dreamers.’
4. Missoni Lavanda top. What can I say about this…I’m not usually a Missoni fan however, I like the silhouette of this piece.
This fall’s Haute Couture collection from Christian Lacroix was beautiful in more ways than one. The 32 year old fashion house had recently announced it may close if a buyer cannot be found, leaving Lacroix with little to nothing and his imagination to set his Couture collection apart. Lacroix, a creative genius, used fabric that he had left over or had never used to create one of the most important collections of his lifetime.
Each piece looks precise in all it’s glory with exquisite jackets that show-off his extraordinary craftsmanship. With virtually nothing to work with, Lacroix credited old Hollywood with a mixture of pieces that are glamorous in a very, “here and now” way. The recession has practically forced the house into bankruptcy but a true couturier’s talent, like Lacroix’s, will shine through with craftsmanship and creativity.
I am enamored with the collection because I realized that despite the slow fading of the over-the-top glitz that once went along with Haute Couture, the frugality of it all is bringing back the truly, beautiful pieces that will define designer’s collections and in essence, define themselves. To truly appreciate fashion, you must appreciate Haute Couture. To understand the reasoning behind a designer’s work and collection is amazing because they are literally creating walking forms of art, through inspiration that they find season after season. It’s houses like Lacroix that gave us fashionistas a reason to believe in the power of fashion in the first place. So, I’m rooting for Lacroix on this one and I’m praying that I’ll see his next RTW collection, perhaps more subdued, but even still, his works of art deserve to be displayed on a runway.
Like so many of us shop girls, I’m underpaid. Even with a hint of commission to boost my paycheck every other week, sometimes it’s not worth the countless perfect bodies who are in constant denial that they’re actually as thin as they are. In all actuality though, they know this, but they look to us for assurance or for their own ego boost every other week. We’re a customer’s ‘commission,’ so to speak, whether they suffer from low self-esteem or simply can’t get enough of themselves. But in this one particular incident most recently, my assistance was not needed or wanted, in the case of a woman, no older than 30.
She was accompanied by an older man, one who appeared distinguished but who clearly feared losing his age. He was dressed in a Hawaiin printed button down shirt, one that reminded you of something from the Tommy Bahama collection. He paired it with khaki shorts and leather loafers. His full head of white hair and distinct tan did not indicate that he was visiting because I had seen his ‘type’ before. People underestimate the shop girl, as if we don’t really know what’s going on?
The woman he was with tiptoed through the sale racks after I told her they were 50% off but after he announced that she’d never find anything to fit her in a sale rack, meanwhile she was a size 4, she retreated upstairs while he relaxed further into the chair.
The woman, of Asian descent, spoke plain as day while in the comfort of the second floor. She did not flounce about or tip toe. She behaved like any other woman, choosing the things she liked, without asking permission. It was not until her trip back down the stairs that it was clear she had no say in what she wore, how she dressed, and most likely, anything for that matter.
The distinguished man with a tan flipped through her clothing and immediately said ‘no’ to several items, much to the dismay on her face. She ran back to the fitting room, looking like a child coming down off of a sugar high, being told she could not have any more candy. She was adorable. But upstairs she was beautiful and well-spoken, a woman. In front of this smug man she pranced about in the navy silk blouse and funky Free People dress, all of which he said no to, explaining why they didn’t look right on her. She barely spoke in front of him, just pouted, and peered at me behind dancing eyes and a girlish smirk that played upon her lips as she made her way back to try on yet another ‘no.’
The woman, clearly intelligent and of sound mind, knew when to put on a show and she did just as she was taught. Like I said, I have seen this before. And if she wasn’t ordered in the mail, then I’d be shocked.
It’s constantly appalling to see a woman in society being dictated to, and in boutiques, us shop girls see plenty of men with opinions who degrade their women. They think that just because they carry the wallet that it gives them a right to dismiss a woman’s way to make themselves feel and look beautiful. While clothing is not the main concern, it is one of the many signs that women are bearing the brunt of an unhealthy relationship. I cannot stress enough how much I wanted to reach out my hand to this woman and explain to her how as a size 4, there was not an inch of fat on her body and that despite this man’s ridiculous notions, that she looked good in everything she tried on. But alas, I did not, because after all, I’m just shop girl, right?
Has anyone tuned into Bravo’s new reality TV show, ‘NYC Prep?’
I give you fair warning- while highly addictive this show may become, it is not, under any circumstances, even a Gossip Girl wanna-be.
The New York Times on-line recently published an article focused on the new reality show, premised on the lives of prep school teens. While the bitter rants of school administrators were dually noted, I was most interested in the interview with Victoria Goldman, who is the author of “The Manhattan Guide to Private Schools and Selective Public Schools.” According to the New York Times, she “…suggested that the teenagers’ behavior may have something to do with the private schools in the show — which she said are not top-shelf…The schools on this show are all at the bottom,” Ms. Goldman said. “There would never be a Brearley girl on this show.”
It appears that Ms. Goldman set out to prove a point but failed miserably. Her interview was infested with a haughty tone. This just proves the point that these types of schools continue to alienate themselves and push their students further from reality, on an elite conquest. But who’s to say that a student attending Brearley doesn’t drink martini’s and Manhattan’s or doesn’t spend thousands at Bendel’s with her clique of friends with equally impressive handbags? Or does a Brearley girl simply study and attend her bi-weekly piano lesson, while all the time in between making casual conversation with her parents over Scrabble? Doubtful. They’re all teenagers but with bigger bank accounts, making them perfect for a TV show thwarted by excess.
Despite all Manhattan prep-schoolers and upper-eastsiders not having a bit of reality TV drama of their own, my guess is, they still have drama. Life drama, wreaking havoc on their multi-million dollar high-school years. The show follows 6 students from the following schools: Nightingale-Bamford School, the Dwight School, the Birch Wathen Lenox School, the Ross School in East Hampton, and Stuyvesant High School, a public school?
The maturity, outlandish parties equipped with luscious cocktails, somewhat clever banter, to-die-for style and effortless ‘oomph’ and of course, the eye candy, all of which are a part of the CW’s ‘Gossip Girl,’ do not exist all at once or even at all sometimes in this knock-off. As I said before though, fair warning, because Bravo has a habit of bringing out the worst in your inner couch potato and trashy tabloid reading self.
I recently came home to visit with my grandparents, who I’m extremely close with. While I often turn their world upside down and cause my grandfather to worry uncontrollably, they accept me for who I am and typically keep their opinions to themselves. However, they are proud of me, whether they understand fashion or not.
On our drive back from Cracker Barrel, their favorite place, my grandfather attempted to humor me with fashion related advice as bluegrass played on their crisp white Jetta’s stereo. In order to paint the proper picture, y0u must know that his most notoriously known outfit is a pair of Levi’s with a tucked in Harley Davidson t-shirt.
After asking what I blog ab0utand me answering with “fashion,” he says to me, “Do you talk about those sack dresses and old-fashioned tennis shoes, you know they’re comin’ back in style. I saw em’, they were in the new JC Penney catalog we got in the mail. And those jeweled bands for your hair too.”
Bloody Hell.
It’s times like those that I actually wished he would’ve blasted the blue grass so that I didn’t have to hear my grandmother chime in from the back seat, “I thought those were called muu-muus!” It was too much to ask I guess, so I shuddered and put my head down. I was living in deplorable fashion conditions where inspiration was being derived from a JC Penney catalog.
This is out of my immediate platform of topics but I’m saying it anyway.
Whether you care or not, like it or not, I’m posting these new pictures of Marines and soldiers. I support the troops because the truth is, you don’t have to like why they’re over there, but you should pay some respect. We were attacked in 2005, it does not matter who attacked us, what matters is that these men AND women signed up to defend the United States of America, always knowing that war was a possibility.
Whether it’s because I’m feeling bitter tonight, I’m not sure, but I’m rather tired of the drama. Say what you want, but I don’t see people spending their life savings to illegally get into other countries, they’re doing it to come here because they want something better. Ironic isn’t it? I’m not a right wing conservative or homophobic pro-lifer, in fact, I’m just the opposite. But I feel like there are not enough people standing up for ANYTHING anymore. Someone who riots is seen as a ‘rebel’ or ‘hippie’ and so we make excuses as to why we say nothing. I’m guilty, we’re all guilty. No country is perfect. Let’s stop idealizing what we wish we could be and focus on the fact that people live here illegally because they’d rather be here than where they were and they risked their lives to get here. America is not made up of cowboys, racists, or even corrupt politicians, however, they do exist. Just like Europe is not made up of nobility, always fashionable people, and people who can speak several languages, however they do exist. The world stereotypes itself and countries speculate about one another and I’ve grown tired of all of the assumptions.
Support the troops because they’re doing what we’re not. They’re standing up for what they believe in or not. But at least they’re doing something.
#88772221 U.S. Marines Continue Suppression Of Insurgents By: Joe Raedle Getty Images News
#88787393 U.S. Marines Continue Suppression Of Insurgents By: Joe Raedle Getty Images News
#88787448 U.S. Marines Continue Suppression Of Insurgents By: Joe Raedle Getty Images News
#88787466 U.S. Marines Continue Suppression Of Insurgents By: Joe Raedle Getty Images News
#88789582 U.S. Marines Continue Suppression Of Insurgents By: Joe Raedle Getty Images News
Visit www.gettyimages.com for more information and photographs of these Marines.
Well, she’s covered up this time…shocking. In recent pictures, I have seen Madonna toting around her daughter and despite everything she is trying to accomplish, I am not impressed. However, this ad campaign is appropriate, rather fake looking as one source mentioned, but what stars, even at age 20 with flawless skin, aren’t photoshopped to death? Here’s a look at the new fall campaign below, what’s your take?
While not an avid reader of Vibe myself, I still appreciated the niche they created for themselves in the magazine industry. Times are tough and their departure from the scene leaves many to wonder who’s next and who, if anyone, is to fill their shoes? Interview continues to tottles back and forth, they of course, have created a unique niche in this industry for themselves as well. I hold my breath as Andy Warhol’s magazine attempts to regain it’s strength to continue on and I bid farewell to Vibe, a magazine with sharp insight into the world and style they created for themselves and their readers.
- On behalf the VIBE CONTENT staff (the best in this business), it is with great sadness, and with heads held high, that we leave the building today. We were assigning and editing a Michael Jackson tribute issue when we got the news. It’s a tragic week in overall, but as the doors of VIBE Media Group close, on the eve of the magazine’s sixteenth anniversary, it’s a sad day for music, for hip hop in particular, and for the millions of readers and users who have loved and who continue to love the VIBE brand. We thank you, we have served you with joy, pride and excellence, and we will miss you.
Danyel Smith
the former Chief Content Officer VIBE Media Group
& Editor in Chief, VIBE
This is an array of things I’m loving right now, sort of a jumbled mess, but I know you’ll understand…
1. A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon. I loved the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and so I am now just getting around to reading Haddon’s next book. Good so far.
2. 50% off sale at French Connection. Love it. Check out the great dresses like the one below at www.frenchconnection.com.
3. The new way to shop at Urban Outfitters via my Blackberry. You can now purchase items and check the status of your orders on the go. Yay! Visit www.urbanoutfitters.com for more information.
4. The Frye Harness Cuff Boot. I’m loving it now but looking forward to it for fall. Visit www.thefryecompany.com to get your own.
5. Donatella Versace is guest blogger for The Moment. “This is the city of Warhol, of Lou Reed, of Iggy Pop, of CBGB’s, of Basquiat, of Pollock and de Kooning, of rock music and passionate artists, of theater and film, of fashion on the street and in the clubs,” Versace says of New York City. (The Moment, June 30, 2009.)
I have just read Simon Van Booy’s article, “Raising a Princess Single-Handedly.” My eyes were brimming with tears as I finished the last paragraph, not because I was disheartened but because the reminder of how my own father is the polar opposite made me echo every memory of my plagued childhood.
Mr. Booy, the author of Love Begins in Winter, is a gifted storyteller and reminds us that however dysfunctional for a moment or time your life may be, from a distance laughter will prevail.
So despite my father’s swift disappearances into bars and facades of fatherhood, I will laugh at the moments in between despair rather than acknowledge what isn’t there.
As a child who once received a baby turkey as an Easter present, only for it to die days later because it was left outside and froze to death, I can appreciate a little laughter years later amidst all the sadness.
Please read Simon Van Booy’s “Raising a Princess Single-Handedly” at www.nytimes.com under Fashion & Style. And visit www.simonvanbooy.com for more information on his novels and himself.
Public enemy number one for small boutiques like the one I work at in Pittsburgh are shoplifters who are not even intelligent shoplifters but just happen to walk in on the right day and get you at a bad time.
I watched an extremely overweight woman, after she had left of course, hike up her skirt in front of our security camera and proceed to shove the orange Linea Pelle handbag down her pants or undergarments or…? She did several lunges to attempt her theft, while customers and an employee were down at the front desk, only several feet away.
Bloody Hell.
A $498 handbag gone all because we were helping our none predatory customers and assumed we didn’t need to tail her (and her daughter) as if we were on a high speed car chase.
My disgusted and horrified look contorted my face in such a way as I rewinded the security camera tape that I once again realized how unglamorous a shop girl’s job truly is.
I’ve read Steve Martin’s novel but then again, I’m also not in the market for a man more than a dozen years older than myself. If only we could all be Claire Danes in real life, then it possibly wouldn’t matter if we were standing behind glass display cases selling hand-rolled silk scarves for a living.
If you don’t follow menswear, you should. I don’t constantly keep myself updated but I do think it’s essential for any person in fashion to be able to acknowledge the best of what’s out there. I continue to be a Christopher Bailey fan and for spring, I love how he mixed that rugged look with tailored pants and jackets that are so precisely on the mark. At times bold, but tamed by the muddy tones streaked throughout the entire collection. The models looked effortless while maintaining a quiet chic about them.
Obviously I have problems with coffee consumption, tonight is no exception. It’s after 11 p.m. and I’m on my first cup of coffee. Not for the day of course…for the night.
I’m working on brainstorming for an on-line urban oriented magazine called Jenesis, check it out at www.jenesismagazine.com. The owners, creators and team of writers are all based out of Pittsburgh and have thus far done amazing things for their target market. They’re looking to take the on-line publication to a new place and hopefully I can help implement a new ‘lifestyle’ section, obviously adding some fashion in there. I’ve been researching…which takes forever. I need a better feel for men’s wear, I need more ideas for what kind of fashion people want to read about in Pittsburgh. I’ve been listening to hip-hop, trying to get inspired? I love Mos Def…
Tonight is classic ‘me,’ drinking coffee when I shouldn’t be. Hopefully Jenesis can handle my coffee drinking mantra.
Until then, check out www.jenesismagazine.com and I’ll update you more on my fashion contributions to the magazine.
I was a bit late this week, but here’s what I’m loving right now-
1. The mini pocket tee by ZOA. They’re fab, that’s all I can say. www.tee-zone.com, $29.00
2. W Magazine’s ‘Last Laugh.’ We all need a little intelligent and sporadic banter from Louise J. Esterhazy. www.wmagazine.com
3. A tour of Doris Duke’s estate in Newport, Rhode Island. The estate, deemed ‘Rough Point,’ has a new exhibit called Shop Like an Heiress: Buying Fashion in the 20th Century. I intend on taking a trip at the end of the summer, a chance to use my new boat shoes? I think yes.
4. “We’re thinking about the girl we know. Her life doesn’t depend on going to parties. All the girls we know work. They’re not wearing cocktail dresses in the afternoon.” – Lazaro Hernandez Love Love LOVE the double breasted coats from Proenza Schouler for fall.
As the fall ‘fashion’ season approaches and magazines fill our mailboxes with every must-have blazer, bag or or boot, I wanna take the opportunity to give my two cents on some of my favorite designers or at least the lines I deem admirable and ‘covetable’ this fall. So for now, my Fridays will be filled with fall fashion, good or bad.
For my first show, I thought I would admire Dolce & Gabbana, mostly because just this week they released a statement saying they would, “…shave prices by between 10 and 20 percent while maintaining creativity and quality. The initiative will begin with the upcoming spring season, but is a long-term one, said Gabbana. The price reductions will occur across the board for both the main and D&G lines and margins will be squeezed to help achieve them,” according to Women’s Wear Daily. (June 16 2009)
For the current fall season, though, price cuts were clearly not made and quality exceeded our imagination with the eccentric inspiration of Elsa Schiaparelli. The headpieces are to die for and the leg o’ mutton sleeves paired with mini skirts embellished with screen prints of Marilyn Monroe meet black and white perfectly. I am in love, once again, with Dolce & Gabbana.
While I am intrigued and in awe of their cutbacks for spring, I am still thankful that my Italian design team has pulled me through that ‘blah’ period, where we all held our breath and believed that fashion must go back to basics based on economic hardship. While I condone every designer for cutting back and getting creative during a time when our wallets are weary, I love that this fall is making great strides to bring back ‘why’ we love fashion. So, I applaud the fall Dolce & Gabbana line for being themselves and for taking inspiration from Schiaparelli, who never seemed to take notice of how other’s perceived her as well. This is a match made in heaven, sans the lobsters. Her inspiration came from surrealism and those thoughts and creative ideals were clearly transferred successfully in Dolce & Gabbana’s fall line. Shocking? No, just Shocking Pink.
Jimmy Choo, founded in 1996, and one of the most influential designers in RTW footwear has went mainstream twice this year. His first collaboration with Hunter Boots inspired a black boot with his signature crocodile print embossed onto the boot. The boots, sold exclusively in the UK and the United States, will be available this month, although a waiting list has already formed. While I generally dislike the idea of designers selling out to big box stores like Target, the collaboration between Jimmy Choo and Hunter is a sane one. Hunter Wellington boots are a British classic combined with traditional craftsmanship that has proved excellence over the years. It is only right that they would combine efforts with Choo, based out of London, to utilize his creative efforts that have given him his edge for the past 13 years.
Jimmy Choo for Hunter
Obviously he enjoyed his partnership with Hunter because for the 2009/2010 holiday season, Jimmy Choo will create a line of footwear for H&M. While fashionistas are rejoicing everywhere at the thought of being able to afford Mr. Choo’s designer duds, as he will also be creating a line of clothing to coordinate with the shoes, I cannot help but wonder where do you draw the line? I suppose as long as you are not compromising yourself and all that your brand stands for, that anything is possible, given some guidelines. But while familiarizing yourself/brand with the general public is a novel idea, so is maintaining a distance so that interest can be generated about your line. If you’re Jimmy Choo, I think it’s perfectly fine to mingle with the moderate lines but please maintain some nobility and mystique, after all, you’re Jimmy Choo for a reason. Quality can be compromised if you spread yourself too thin, but like many others, I will still be anxiously awaiting for the men and women’s line of shoes, handbags, accessories, and coordinating clothing to appear on November 14th.
A peek at what's to come for Jimmy Choo's H&M line
1. If you’re unfamiliar with New Zealand designer Karen Walker, then I suggest you take notice of her unconventional style. It’s simply chic and while it doesn’t appear to be trendy, it is, without actually ever going out of style. Visit www.karenwalker.com to shop and check out the new fall line.
2. ‘Spoiled,’ by Caitlin Macy. While typically this isn’t my genre of choice, I’ve been dying to read this novel.
3. Sperrytopsider.com. Forgive me, but I have a new, slight obsession with boat shoes and the plaid ones by Sperry Top-Sider (Since 1935) are too cute and look great with my summer shorts.
4. YAM jewelery.I recently purchased a leather ring with sterling silver and gemstone accompaniments that’s so simple but pretty that it goes with everything. I’d love to add more pieces to my collection, considering all of them are typically handcrafted and come from Israel.
5. Zipper leggings by LnA. Visit www.lnaclothing.com to see the whole collection.
My blogging will recommence on Monday, June 15th. I think I’ll be a little more thematic this time, with weekly blogs on specific topics, this way I’m not making you, or me, any crazier. Anyway, look for Monday’s blog on: What I Want in My Closet (Among other places…) Right Now.
Until Monday then….
Eddy – ‘I was taken up sweetie. I spoke to god.’
Saffy – ‘What about?’
Eddy – ‘Well shopping mostly’
I adore Christopher Bailey. And not even necessarily for his long list of achievements before turning Burberry chic, once again. Classic Burberry plaid is still very much essential though, and in my opinion, is very ecclectically cool in times like these when we’re putting our death grip on past must haves, afraid to part with items we may not be able to replace. Why bother, though, Burberry lasts a lifetime. The iconic plaid is what created the brand, it does not go out of style people.
Anyhow, I’m more interested in the new Burberry campaign featuring Emma Watson. Good Choice? Why not. She’s thoroughly British and beautifully Burberry. I have never been a fan, nor will be, of celebrities taking over ad campaigns and as we saw this past year, more and more models staked their claim to fame and reminded us all that Kate Moss isn’t the only model, child in tow, who lands campaigns. As New York Magazine points out, the campaign was shot nearby in London and it appears they’re underlining and emphasizing this in order to take a new stance. Emma Watson is not the young actress in Harry Potter in this campaign, she is the face of Burberry, the traditional, classic, and now effortlessly updated line that clings to it’s roots. And make no mistake, Christopher Bailey isn’t clinging in fear, just emphasizing and underlining.
If you thought this past Spring’s campaign was kicky and too perfect with models like Lily Donaldson, then please, see for yourself. Not only do I recommend the fall rtw collection from Burberry Prorsum for being bold in black and silhouette but the ad campaign captures the essence of the new fall line. Enjoy.
I hardly watch television, and as far as comedies go, rarely do I laugh at anything that debuts in the U.S. If you love fashion then you should at least watch the first episode of season one, titled “Fashion.” The actresses are classic and are beyond comparison in any type of sitcom on television now. I adore them. The last thing on your mind is dysfunctional family when you see this show, which would be your first thought if it aired in the U.S. The English have a way of making ordinary, untouched upon subjects that are not touched upon here seem hysterical in a very normal way. Anyway, check it out, or go to bbc.com for other British TV shows.
When you live in a studio apartment and are afforded the luxury of a small walk-in closet, even if it doesn’t hold that much, you should never treat it like I do. I covet fashion, and therefore still have three other dressers, plus places for shoes all packed into my tiny hole of a living space. I vow to do my laundry more often but somehow, I end up opening my closet door each morning to a stack of dirty laundry that stands up to my waist. In between doing life things, getting my life together, and dealing with the people who cause drama in my life that it needs putting back together, why would laundry be a priority?
Today, I did the same thing I usually do. I opened up my closet door as linen skirts and boyfriend jeans tumbled onto my feet and I sifted through the massive pile of my spring/summer wardrobe. It’s never really ‘ok’ to wear clothes that smell like old socks to work or anywhere for that matter but I was too desperate.
Because of my lack of laundry doing, I was also forced to wear clothes that I never would have put together out that evening. Ugh. Not doing my laundry does usually cause me to look at other things in my wardrobe, things I thought I hated, were out of season, etc. and honestly, sometimes it’s a nice change of pace. But in last night’s case, I ended up wanting to look chicer than words and in reality, I ended up looking like I was ‘trying’ to be chic and it failed miserably, ending with me being a drunk mess standing near Heinz Ward at the bar wearing a skirt my grandmother might own.
Moral of the Story: Do your laundry. You never know when NFL players will be standing near you.
It’s after 8 pm and I’m breaking down and having coffee.
After a day filled with shop lifters, a ghetto-fabulous woman with yellow glow n’ the dark nails, and someone’s unpedicured feet in my face as she asked me to attempt to secure an ankle bracelet on her ankle, ( P.S. Don’t wear ankle bracelets, unless they’re tattooed on) I swear to the heavens that some people have no shame. Forgive me for being slightly insensitive, but when you say to me,”I always lose my ankle bracelets, I never take them off and I’m always lookin’ for em’ in my sheets the next day,” and the woman next to you tells you not to sleep in them, you should never answer with, “Oh please, I never take em’ off, I change my ankle bracelets just about as much as I change my panties.”
Bloody hell.
If for no other reason than not wanting to be this woman who wore no bra, pretended she shopped at Saks 5th Avenue, and tried on a Michael Kors dress 4 sizes too small, do not purchase ankle bracelets. And if you do, please don’t sleep in them.
It’s now after 8:30, and I know I’ll regret it later tonight when I can’t sleep, but my God, you can always count on coffee to wash away the aromas of ghetto-fabulous cracked toe skin.
Alright, so I’m not a music critic nor do I claim to listen to the best music in the world either. I go through phases, just like everyone else. Recently I discovered that Rob Pattinson, Twilight, can sing…interesting. I had no idea that song I fawned over in the movie was him crooning along side his guitar. Nonetheless, his song ‘Never Think’ makes me feel like I literally have the blues, like whiskey never sounded so good. (However, I do love a good Jim Morisson) Nonetheless, here’s to you, Rob, for continuing to not bat an eye at the public’s perception of your personality and your voice, because it made me ache for more. It conjured up my forlorn memories and made me get lost, just for a moment, in things I’d thought I’d forgotten. Sometimes, it’s not just lyrics that make a person stop and listen. Perhaps we’ll hear more of this in the future?
I was sitting here this morning, finishing a press release as my coffee was brewing. I was deliberating how good it would taste, since the last week or so I refused to visit the grocery store and was forced to buy Starbucks. Just this last week I also noticed the pangs I’d get, whether in my head or stomach, which both ached for the caffeine that it did not receive just as I rolled out of bed. I recently stopped drinking coffee in the evening, something I was advised to do in order to get a better night’s sleep. Honestly though, the agony is not worth it. I enjoy coffee. I love it. It’s my personality to drink coffee at all times of the day and not feel guilty about it. Or at least it was- Now I’m down to half a pot in the morning.
I decided to find a little research on caffeine addiction, mostly because I know the reaction I have to not having coffee but others around me find it funny, as if not having my coffee could cause such pangs of distress. Well, I assure you, my pangs of death are real. One of the articles I came across was from National Geographic, they had put together a study about caffeine addiction that will hopefully be published in 2010. What I found most interesting about this study is the fact that they comare heroin addicts to one who needs caffeine in the morning, saying, “They are tending to their addiction—keeping the physical devils of drug withdrawal at bay.” (nationalgeographic.com, 2005.) http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/01/0119_050119_ngm_caffeine.html
Nice. This, of course, gives me all the more reason to continue not drinking coffee in the evening. In fact, whatever happened to tea time? Afternoon tea sounds cultured and rather delicate. Another reason to dress up and of course, embrace the hint of caffeine that lives in Earl Grey. I think I’ll try it, headband and pencil skirt intact, and get back to you.
I recently went home this weekend, ‘home’ as in where my family lives, for a graduation party. I have a small circle of best friends, ones who remind you of Sex and the City, the Women, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, you get the picture and I’m sure most of you can relate. My friend had graduated from Boston University…I came home, not because I needed to be there, but because she’s my best friend, because no matter how far apart we’ve been, when we see each other it’s as if time stood still and held us all in a bubble to preserve our youth while the world rushed by.
I grew up in a small town and I came to the conclusion that no matter how far I go or how many places I see, my mind was more at ease around the camp fire with the people who matter the most in my life. My friends are my family because after years of putting up with one another, there isn’t one single event that could tear us apart…for too long anyway.
Gina is flamboyantly eccentric, an artist at the very least. Sarah rambles beyond reason but does have a point…she’s also smart, although an art history major during a recession wasn’t her most intelligent idea. And Emily, well let’s just say she’s her mom all over again, but it makes perfect sense. She’ll attend grad school soon and get the hell out of that small town we all seem to miss and hate simultaneously.
During a time when most of us have taken a hiatus from spending, whether it be eating out, shopping, or simply cutting back on morning lattes and muffins, the majority of us are still feeling cautious and therefore, have cut back in at least one area of our budget. In times like these, its nice to know that despite everything, you’ll always have that tight knit group of girls you can call on, even if it is to commiserate about not being able to stock your wardrobe this summer. Your girlfriends get ‘you,’ so even if you seem silly or selfish, you know that at the end of the day they’ll let you borrow whatever you need from their closet in order to get you through it. The recession may tighten our funds and we may miss out on things as they come and go, but our friends are here for the long run and I’m looking forward to making my own fun, even if it means lending out my closet….
So, I’m new here and I thought I’d start off with something that still intrigues me about living in Pittsburgh for the last two years- the concept of ‘bleeding black & gold.’ Essentially, it’s a fan who is so beyond the realms of real life that they truly do believe they see life through a black and gold colored lense.
At first, the very idea of this fan, their painted faces, tail-gaiting techniques, play-off beard rituals, overwhelming abilities to drink more beer than the average person, and rather sadistic view of the Cleveland Browns, had me running for any other city in the entire country. More often than not, I stayed home alone during Steeler games, considering my unwanted dirty looks were not invited out to Carson street. I was entirely intolerable of Steeler fans, radio stations who created parodys for the team, and The Terrible Towel that inevitably waved in every resident of Pittsburgh’s hand. I avoided bleeding Black & Gold like the plague.
Yes, these are friends of mine...
‘Sixburgh,’ as they so cleverly call themselves, has made a friend of me though, because despite their lack of intelligence during football and hockey season, I realized that you cannot underestimate a Pittsburgh fan as a person. Although it may exist on a smaller level, and I feel my heart belongs somewhere else, culture does indeed thrive in the steel town. The only difference is, the Steeler’s fan doesn’t change his/her persona when they enter The Wine Loft to dine on tapas and Merlot, instead, they have created a city for themselves that revolves around who THEY are, rather than adapting to the idea of how people feel they should act.
Some of my very own friends bleed black and gold, and while I still sit at home during Steeler games and cheer silently for the Pens to win the Stanley Cup, I am a victim of drinking too much in other cities and ranting aloud to passersby about bleeding the colors that represent my city, an inevitable result of living in Pittsburgh where gin & tonics cost $5.00. To my dismay, I have crossed ever so slightly over to the dark side, which means despite my distaste for beer, Pittsburgh will always have a piece of me, for opening up my eyes, as they open up their arms to embrace the newest member of their black and gold bleeding culture.
I hardly watch television, and as far as comedies go, rarely do I laugh at anything that debuts in the U.S. If you love fashion then you should at least watch the first episode of season one, titled “Fashion.” The actresses are classic and are beyond comparison in any type of sitcom on television now. I adore them. The last thing on your mind is dysfunctional family when you see this show, which would be your first thought if it aired in the U.S. The English have a way of making ordinary, untouched upon subjects that are not touched upon here seem hysterical in a very normal way. Anyway, check it out, or go to bbc.com for other British TV shows.
