crashin' fashion
My rise and fall from fashion producer to unemployed. I once crashed the fashion segments, then I worked my way to running them and had an affair with the fashion world that I can’t seem to divorce. Here I hope you find not only fashionable inspiration, but the inspiration to find something you love.
Behind the scenes at fall 2011 haute couture fashion week, there are many things to be learned.
Every summer, I complain about the heat. I just don’t understand how women can look so gorgeous even in pants when it’s 93 degrees and rising like it is today. My cheeks get red and splotchy; I’m a sweaty mess the second I step out of the shower. It’s just so unfair.
elle: Photo: Courtney D’Alesio
In the summer of 2003, I had already spent six months at East LA College after having dropped out of UC Santa Cruz (half-assedly completing just one quarter there; the Cruz just wasn’t doing it for me - I’m all for protesting solidarity until I find out that you have no idea which campaign you’re yelling about, which actually happened while I was there). I was down on my luck, out on just a buck and felt completely incompetent when I reunited with my friends who had just come back from their first years at Berkeley, Michigan, Syracuse, and other far off places.
I spent a lot of time reading the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, LA Weekly, Pasadena Weekly, The Fountainhead, Bukowski and in those works I was trying to narrow down what it was I was supposed to be doing with my life. And then the best distraction came - The OC where the famous “Welcome to the OC, bitch!” and “Chino? Ew!” and “Pittsburgh? That’s like the 909 of the east!” were born. I’m not from Orange County. I find Orange County dreadful. But damn, I loved that show. Intense high school dramas, corrupt adult dramas, fun music, pretty people, Adam Brody, amazing clothes!
Fashion crash: true, some of the fashions of 2003 must die with 2003 - trucker hats, Uggs, vintage tees with everything, expensive designer everything. But it’s because of that show that I started wearing belts again (both around my pants and low around the hips), I’m bold enough to layer a strapless dress or top over a button down or another top, I color-block, I wear hats, I pair yellow with blue and red and I don’t care what anyone else says. Yes, The OC is still very influential in my life.
(I’d still wear any of these outfits except Kirsten’s. What’s she doing?)
This summer of 2011, I’m seeing a lot of myself in 2003: down on my luck, scraping by on just a buck and feeling a little lost when I think about my friends who are buying houses, getting married, having babies, graduating with master’s degrees. I’m reading a lot and back to trying to figure out what the hell I’m supposed to do with my life while I spend a lot of time at home watching replays of The OC season one online. Welcome to New York City, bitch. This is what dreams are made of.
Now is the time that I should be thriftiest but I know how discouraging vintage and thrift shops can be. Foxtail + Fern’s 11 Tips for Thrifting reminded me of how much I love my one-of-a-kind finds that I’ve collected over the years digging through thrift shops, vintage stores, flea markets, stoop sales, my mother and father’s closets. Most of my thrifted items have outlasted tons of my off-the-rack retail buys so maybe this is the way to go during these unemployed days. Below are a few of my vintage favorites.
Brown saddle bag and eel skin envelope clutch from Daha Vintage; red suede chain strap purse and beaded clutch from Thrift for the Cure
Suede oxfords thrifted at Hester Street Fair; my dad’s cowboy boots; vintage peep-toe pumps from Daha Vintage; my mother’s boots; bench thrifted at Brooklyn Flea
Silk drape neck blouse from Donna Karan closet sale and silk button-down from Daha Vintage
The Gap denim jacket from Housing Works; vintage silk floral and stripe midi skirt (that I wear as a dress sometimes) from Daha Vintage; vintage creme beaded and crochet midi skirt from LES shop (I can’t remember which); military jacket from Thrift for the Cure; hooks from Anthropologie
Elastic and gold bow belt from Zachary’s Smile; my mother’s skinny tan belt; navy suede belt from Goodwill in Connecticut; my mother’s skinny red belt; purple croc-ish skin belt from Goodwill in LA; my mother’s navy leather belt
Vintage me circa December 2007 wearing my favorite vintage boots from a thrift store in Marlybone, London. I still wear those boots most every day in the fall, winter and spring.
Outfit inspiration; both color and pattern.
(via honestly-wtf)
This weekend, I went to a friend’s graduation party at the SoHo Gallery for Digital Art. He went all out inviting his friends and family to tons of Puerto Rican and Italian food, a mini bar served by the nicest impromptu bartender and a dance floor. It’s rare that I’m able to attend big family parties in New York like back home so it was an amazing feeling to be welcomed by a family.
On my way there, I stopped by the tables on Houston and Sullivan Street where I fell in love with AMMA, a mother-daughter crafting team selling this amazing metal neclace:
At $128, I walked away and just thought I’d ogle the chains online. I turned the corner and at another table met Bobby who had a vest that was instantly reeling me. (Backstory: for some reason, I was dreaming about buying a denim vest the night before and had begun researching where I’d find one for cheap, even thinking about buying a kid’s denim jacket and cutting the sleeves to cut costs. Bobby’s wasn’t denim but it was better!) Amazing tan suede, cropped (to pair with all my high waist bottoms), and a higher neckline perfect for wearing alone or over dresses in the summer and layering in the fall. The best part: $10. I’m so excited about this vest.
Seventy years later and I have all the items to put together the look on the left. Is that wrong?
demiilauren: Guy & Gals looking cool in the 40’s.
Even though I’ve seen the new Evian commercial more than a dozen times by now, rocking out and singing to the tracks every time, I didn’t notice till last night that that’s the commercial Ben has been talking about for months. (Ben: friend and former roommate aspiring to break out of theatre and into the big time - and who I’ve seen walking around in his stretchy underwear way too many times.)
This is Ben. And this is great.
On top of this Evian commercial break, he was also in my Memorial Day fashion segment on MTV’s The Seven a couple months ago where he fashioned an all-white look.
Two television appearances for Ben. Now, how do I get back behind the scenes?
The Clothes Horse recently posted about wanting a new bike. I’d love to use bike riding as my mode of transportation. But ask anyone who knows me and they’ll wince. The idea of me riding a bike around New York City is just dangerous, not even just for my own life but for the public’s. Riding a bike down the beach boardwalk or around a quiet little suburb is one thing (I can do that) but I am completely envious of all these fabulously dressed women riding their bikes around major cities wearing heels and dresses and carrying things. Calivintage even has a blog dedicated to the biking babes. HOW?
I once pitched bike fashion as a topic for one of my fashion segments. My executive producer laughed at me. But seriously: how do you ride a bike and still look so fashionable?
