Zoe Bradley is a designer who does a variety of editorial and exhibition work with gorgeous displays made from paper. "Luxury" paper, but paper nonetheless. As in, those beautiful dresses are made of paper. Mindboggling to me!
- I wasn't a big fan of the prints that Alexander McQueen used this season, but I really like the sheer body pieces and dresses that had coverings of lace. He also exaggerated the woman's figure this season and I am a big fan. He made Karlie Kloss look curvy! I made a little before and after comparison picture so you can all share in my excitement. (Pictures from Style.com, click to enlarge)
This 2 part study by Jennifer McWhirter, of Belle IQ, challenges the preconceived notions that models as a whole are more likely to have eating disorders. It's a fairly quick read with some surprising statistics. The second part to the study can be found here.
We've gone through a bit of a rough patch, haven't we? I admit to being less than tolerant to begin with, but you have been especially trying this year. I'm not even really talking about the overall fact that there have been record levels of precipitation, or that there are mini ski hills piled up in parking lots, or at random points along sidewalks. No, I'm talking about the little things you do that wear against me. Like when you wait until after I've cleared the driveway to have the snow plow pass, leaving me with a knee high snow bank to deal with. Or when you cause an all wheel drive truck to get stuck in a ditch leaving us to dig it out in blowing snow. Or when the bus is an extra 30 minutes late, the temperature magically drops to -30 degrees Celsius. Or, my personal favourite, when you send that face numbing blasting wind that consistently changes direction with me so that it is always blowing in my face. You see how those things might have come off as especially spiteful? Don't you? But don't worry, now I have seen the light, all this is not your fault. You don't deserve to be blamed. After all without you I would not be able to wear my new winter boots, which I sort of adore. And that homemade scarf I got from those old ladies at the mall would never work during the summer. And every now and again you look so beautiful that I can't help but feel bad for wishing you didn't exist. So I'm willing to embrace you again and stop hibernating. However, please remember, I'm still fragile. Be careful with me.
Thanks, Jill
The boots are from Costa Blanca X and are seriously the only things I wear now. They are suede so I was especially dainty with them at first, but they are wearing down in a nice way, and aren't looking scruffy, as I had worried they might. They aren't very warm, but I just layer up with thick socks and I'm fine. The scarf is so colourful I can wear it with everything and it is the perfect length for wrapping around multiple times. These are my new major wardrobe additions that are spicing up my winter wardrobe relationship. Do you have any items that have reignited a love for the wintertime?
1. Moan, Groan, Complain. (You're sick, you can gripe if you want to.) 2. Think of all the things you could be eating, if you could actually eat. 3. Collapse on couch/bed/floor. (The fetal position is quite nice) 4. Tempt fate by eating grapes. 5. Regret decision immediately. 6. Take long warm baths with calming bath salts. 7. Spend some valuable face time with toilet bowl. (Good day to you!) 8. Troll your house in comfortable clothing. (Loathe those who can eat) 9. Try to trick your stomach into accepting some toast. 10. Fail. (Miss me yet, toilet bowl?) 11. Relegate yourself to the couch. 12. Drink gallons of tea. 13. Deliriously half watch terrible TV. (Case in point: Dr Quinn) 14. Think about all the food you will eat once you are better. 15. Curse all those whose digestive systems continue to thrive. 16. Eat Tums like Tic Tacs. 17. Power sleep. 18. Open fridge, think of all the possibilities. 19. Weigh the merits of brushing your teeth if you are not eating. 20. Accept and try all offered remedies.
Repeat cycle for several days on end.
Thankfully I am now free of this vicious cycle and have eaten a house and a half to make up for it. The world is right again. That being said I have sorely missed you all and have spent quite some time catching up on the thousands of things I have missed. You may have noticed there was nothing vaguely fashion related in that cycle, so all I have to offer you is the only real outfit I've worn since I've fallen sick.
I seriously missed this jacket and skirt-dress and only just (re)discovered them deep within the depths of my closet. I am doing a closet overhaul and it is a lovely surprise to find things you had really and truly forgotten you owned. More exciting discoveries to come, hopefully! Question for one and all: What is your trusted lip balm for the wintertime? Any moisturizing tips to share? I am seriously in need of something to save my lips from self destructing. Thanks in advance!
Kate Somers was born in Toronto,Canada and is only 16, but already she has walked many big name shows, Jil Sander, Margiela and Lacroix, and gotten featured in some prominent magazines and campaigns, Dazed & Confused cover and Lord & Taylor ad campaign. She came on scene after coming in as runner up in the Ford Supermodels of the World competition. After the fact she was signed by Ford and since then has only done bigger and better things. Keep an eye on this one, I think she is moving on up!
Pictures from Kate Somer's TFS thread.
ALSO on an unrelated note: Makool, the brand from Portland I've mentioned before, has launched a new website/webstore. In honour of that there are some discounts to be had!
You will receive 20% off all items that are regular price, from now until January 27th
Just enter the word: couture at check out.
Which means you could get 20% off this:
or this: So get shopping! US Shipping is free and international shipping is $13.
I've always liked that androgynous look in Men's fashion, but really I've never been too picky. But I'm beginning to notice a trend and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet. Men's fashion has always been (in my opinion) more conservative than women's. So I am glad to see that designers are stepping out of the box, but I don't know how I feel about some of the items.
I don't mind shorts on men in general, but these short shorts from Gucci?...I don't know.
This skirt seen on a man at the Sartorialist just looks a little strange to me.
These supposed sartorial meets street look from Spurr doesn't work for me, those bleach blotches scare me a bit.
And these from Romain Kremer? I don't even know what to think about these. (Believe it or not his fall 08 season was really nice. Tailored suit jackets, bulky scarves and the like.)
All that being said looks like these 2, from Robert Geller and Marc Jacobs respectively, both give a nod to the trends while still being appealing. The slight ombré on the pants from the former and some layering with rolled up pants from the latter are tasteful to me but still trendy enough.
What do you think? Are some of the looks a bit much? Or am I just old fashioned?
Welcome to the ultimate catchup post. Summary of pictures from before Christmas up until now. Sweet? Sweet.
I was completely into the hot chocolate/sugar cookie/candy cane binging before Christmas because I wasn't spending Christmas in Canada and I didn't know when next I might have the opportunity.
Clotheswise this is my Christmas haul(Minus these great boots, but more on that in a later post). Apparently those around me have decided I need more hot pink in my life.
Below are 2 of my pictures from my holiday. I am seriously lacking in this respect because most pictures taken are of family and friends, and less than usual of scenery etc.
Random outfits since I've been back.
So now that we're caught up, how were your holidays?
I'm back from vacation! I figured it was important that I get one last post in before the New Year, so this will be the standard New Year's resolution list post. For me it is not quite so standard, because instead of making crazy resolutions that I won't stick to I'm trying to do little things that I think I can handle, which is the best way to do it. My overall purpose with all my resolutions is to be happier, not necessarily more learned, neater, more fit (although hopefully I will accomplish all these things), but just happier. This can be a lot harder than it seems, but I'm hoping it will work out for me. So without anymore explanation, my resolutions:
1. Collect reminders of beauty and joy. With the world in a little bit of a slump, it can be easy to get down, but by collecting little things that make you smile, you can remind yourself that the world is a lovely place, even if it royally sucks some of the time. This is especially easy to do with blogs. If a blog makes you feel warm on the inside and hopeful for humanity, save it. It's what I plan to do in the New Year, because I have lost way too many good blogs by forgetting to bookmark. Cutesy thing, meaningful things, things that make you want to get up and dance, it doesn't matter! Some of the blogs that give me that warm, fuzzy feeling: I Wrote This For You Hula Seventy Including Color me Katie where the video is from.
2. Pare down my closet. I am a hoarder, big time and this makes me messy. So instead of the normal, get neater I am going to be honest and say, get rid of some junk. I can't be neat with the amount of stuff I have, most of which doesn't fit and goes unworn. I failed with the closet organizer if any of you remember that, but lately I have been using it again, but only with clothes that I actually wear and it seems to be working. Hopefully in the new year I will begin to have a set of clothes that work for me, rather than the sort of grab bag/pile of clothes system I work with now. (photo from here)
3. Keep in touch with family and friends. Part of the reason for the vacation trip was for a family event. On Christmas day there was a huge family reunion and it seriously stuns me how many relatives I never knew I had. I had lots of fun, especially seeing cousins (some who I seriously did not remember/ had never seen) and I want to make sure we keep close although we are a plane ride away, because family is fun. (photo from here)
4. Bake more. It's fun. It's worth it. It's so much fun to share. My family likes it. It puts people in good moods. It makes the house smell nice. Because I can do it! Do I need anymore reasons? (photo from here)
5. Put more effort into posts. I've been trying to do this lately and I think it has made a difference. (Yes? No? You tell me.) Rather than focusing on post frequency I've been focusing on content, not posting until I really have something worthwhile to say or show. I hope i can kep on track with this in the New Year, and you all can tell me if I'm doing alright. (photo from here)
So in the New Year, what are your resolutions? How do you plan on being happier in the New Year?
Jill is the feeling that someone is watching you. She is the shadow at the end of the alley. She is the light at the end of the tunnel. She never speaks in third person and she is almost always listening. She is the shortcut and the longest route, your warm bed and the reason you stubbed your toe. She is the joke that makes you laugh when you are all alone. She is the one who caught you talking to yourself that one time. She is never there and always there. She is the song you can’t get out of your head. She contains 20% less sugar. She works better than a band-aid. She belongs to you.
