AnotherMan's Dream

AnotherMan's latest editorial uses painting, the time honored method of image capturing, in place of the sleek customary fashion snapshots presenting moments of momentary beauty and commercialism (conveniently placed vitamin enhanced water!), and has been stewing in my head over the past few weeks. I've been swimming in the hazy-dreamy quality of Christian Schoeler's work and love the use of a slower and more indistinct method of fashion presentation.


Sometimes it's just about the feeling you get from a model's general "look", not the sharply defined things and obvious references (we get it, she's wearing a lot of eyeliner, must be in a punk phase) that are cobbled together for a story. My favorite fashion editorials have stuck in my head with images as blurred as AnotherMan's, still retaining the strongest spirit of the piece.


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Bat for Lashes Love Bug

I too have been bitten by the Bat for Lashes love bug. It started with a slight obsession with anything feathered, caressing feathered headbands at Anthropologie for hours at a time. Then I knew I needed to spice up my makeup routine and add sparkles, the next logical step in my uber basic cat-eye kohl sweep on my top eyelids, to my cheeks or a dab of electric blue body paint coyly striped by one eye. And then I started to talk in an adorable british accent and refuse to switch back, to the dismay of the few friends I had left by this point.

I've recovered from my almost dangerously obsessive fan-girlism, thankfully, but not from Natasha Khan's chillingly beautiful voice and her music is still on constant repeat on my ipod, especially after seeing her show on Friday and realizing that the mp3 is just not not a powerful enough format to bottle up her stage presence and exquisitely tuned but powerful voice. It was vaguely religious since she was performing in the sanctuary of a Philadelphia church and we all just swayed to her voice washing over us.

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Malick Sidibé's Printed Revolution

I was clicking through a black and white slideshow, in last week's NYTime's Sunday Magazine, called "Prints and the Revolution" and was impressed by the photographer's ability to recreate Malick Sidibé's studio portraits of Malian men and women.

The Tate Modern in London had an exhibit this past summer called Street & Studio: An Urban History of Photography that I dragged my cousins to (thanks guys!) and I remember seeing Sidibé's work in person for the first time and naturally drifting towards the portraits of men and women formally dressed and standing on a patterned floor, with a slight smile, seemingly sharing an elaborate joke with Sidibé.

Others showed a more complicated view of Malian life. Young men sheepishly grinning and posing with prestige items in their flip flops in front of a cityscape facade.

My favorite phographs by Sidibe are his energetic and exuberant snapshots of Malian nightlife.

After clicking through the slideshow, I looked at the credits and realized that Sidibé had recreated his own work!
And even more exciting was the use of Western designer clothing obviously inspired by traditional African prints. The styling is so clever, I had to do a double take when I read the labels and then found the pieces that when put together seamlessly create an authentic Malian "look" (obviously for a non-Malian observer, me).

Marni polka-dot top. Christian Lacroix striped top. Marc Jacobs dress. Christian Louboutin shoes. Dries Van Noten bracelet.

How wonderfully confusing. Western designers mish-mashed together to create an African look recreating studio photographs by the photographer who created the inspiration.

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Au Revoir Simone at Topshop

One of my favorite dreamy-pop, keyboarding girl groups, Au Revoir Simone, showed up at the Topshop New York opening yesterday. (hold your squeals, it's finally stateside!)

Heather D'Angelo (on the right) showed up in heels that looked, on first glance, suspiciously like the Christian Louboutin for Phillip Lim Spring '09 collaborations that every woman (and adventurous male) has been swearing to sell kidneys, friendships or diginity for.

On closer look, however, I think they're probably some tamed down Topshop concotion that are alas, not online yet.

The real deal. I wonder if Barney's will accept the promise of my first born as a suitable barter?

Pictures: style.com

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A Persol Birthday

My lovely friend SM of papermoon inspired me last year to start a list called "Things I want that I'm not buying myself" to keep track of the various random and occasionally absurd accoutrements that catch my eye. Highlights on my current list, safely housed on a tiny yellow stickie note on my computer dashboard, include a Lomo camera, Sabon bath soaps and a gold waist purse (I promise it's not in the "Intrepid American goes to Europe" style).

For my 22nd birthday yesterday, I was able to strike off one of my wishes.

I'm a bit sunglasses obsessed and if one ray of sun pierces through a fiercely cloudy day it's reason enough to whip out one of my extremely tinted pairs. I've been attached to my Rayban Wayfarers (real unique, I know) for over a year now but when I found Persol's folding 714 sunglasses I knew they were my next want-need item.

This isn't the best picture of me ever, but ignore that. I am just the mannequin so focus on the gorgeous example of plastic and metal before you.


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Chalayan for your Wall

I'm always looking for small things to enliven my little studio from its Scandinavian sameness and found this eerily beautiful limited edition poster from the Design Museum's Shop for about 20 bucks.

Hussein Chalayan has an exhibit showcasing his techno-sexy creations at London's Design Museum and if you're short of the necessary funds to jet over to see his wondrous designs in person, this poster could stem some of your intense Chalayan longing.

She looks like she's about to meld with the wall, stationary but seemingly in motion, propelled by the same force whipping her dress into sleekly streamlined points.


Here's a close-up on a similar Chalayan creation so you can better admire the molded tail.

(style.com)

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Kane plays Peek-a-Boo

This dress will haunt me until I find it again in 2050 at a vintage store in New York, throw over my millions of yuan or rupees (by then we'll be using Asian currencies) and then giggle hysterically with joy when I realize that 60 year old SB looks just as wonderful in this elegantly fitted dress as I vainly believe 20something SB would, but also feels like a cheeky 20something due to the peek-a-boo nature of the frock.

The nude coloring accentuates the affected simplicity of this dress and lets the black piping stand out, leading your gaze down the front.

It reminds me of NY's Guggenheim museum and the winding staircase that imbues your art viewing experience with a vaguely religious sensation because of your paced circumabulation.

Who would have ever thought that the shoulder blade would become the new collarbone?

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Missoni Piles it on

Anyone who has had the dubious honor of witnessing me dress in temperatures under 30 degrees has probably laughed at my methodical layering of piece upon piece of clothing.

Each coat of clothing is strategically placed to ensure maximum warmth and quickest removal with minimal rumpling potential when I arrive at my warm destination.

Angela Missoni has basically created my perfect winter wardrobe with her Fall'09 collection.

I love the thin gold chains against the delicate sweater just barely peeping out of the wrapped scarf and giant cardigan. Proof that you can still have sweet feminine details when swathed in figure concealing layers.

Intense fur hat, perfect for when you're trying to get around incognito (or hide the bags under your eyes).


Love this blue.


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Doo.Ri's bejeweled tights

In These Economic Times (to steal from NYmag's daily intel's somber titling and ponderous capitalization of our current era) every woman needs to get a bit inventive with her glitter.

Observe Doo.Ri's bejeweled tights. The best use of sequins and sparkle I've seen this fashion week weaved into patterened crocheted tights.
An easy way to enliven your LBD from last year (or you know, the same one you've been wearing for the past four years...)

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1970 Saudi Style Inspiration

I spent this past July in Abu Dhabi working until the early afternoon and spent the rest of the hours before sunset figuring out how to spend my time without melting into a puddle of goo.

I watched so bad it's good re-runs on TV, planned my solo August European voyage (read: made lists of boutiques and museums) and read every book within Abu Dhabi's city limits.

One of the books was Inside the Kingdom: My life in Saudi Arabia by Carmen Bin Ladin, the former Swiss-Persian wife of a half-brother of that Bin Laden.

The story was interesting enough but what really caught my attention was the inset of pictures of the gorgeous young Carmen and her family.

This one is my favorite. She looks so modernly disheveled it's almost surprising that this was taken in 1973. Seems like Summer '08 took quite a few cues from Summer '73....

I love the fit of the high waisted pants on the far right. The proportions are so glamorous. Fitted from the waist down, slowly crescendoing at the knee and ending with a wide flare.
After flipping through these photos I became obsessed with finding the perfect pair of wide-legged jeans to emulate Carmen's boho-luxe 70s style. And in London, I found them at the Oxford Circus Topshop.

I wore them in the summer and fall with the complicated straps of my black gladiator sandals peeping out the front of my jeans and a blouse tucked in with a vintage pendant dangling down my chest.

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(p.s. apologies for the grainy quality of the photos)

Lanvin's Narcissus

If I were lucky enough to spend my day in a Lanvin mini dress I'd have the exact same reaction.


She's a modern Narcissus, completely entranced by her own beauty and incapable of rational thought. She grasps the couch, perhaps her last effort to remind her senses of what is tangible, to lean into the mirror to embrace her reflection. She's immobilized by herself.



Perhaps Alber is reminding us that this uncontrollable feeling of self adoration is the the most important reason you should wear Lanvin.

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Alexander Wang DIY

I'm not an Alexander Wang girl.

A complete Wang look requires you to ooze the mussy sexiness that looks like the smudged kohl rimming your eyes after you wake up in the morning without washing your face .

It requires your pencil thin arms to jut out of the sides of your cavernously large dress when you hold your Marlboro Red out for a light.

And when you dress to go out, your natural inclination is allow your midriff to feel the evening air or pair that blazer with a sheer bra.



Regardless of my lack of grungy insouciance, one element of A.Wang's Pre-Fall'09 looks caught my eye.

I love the length of his sheer tight shorts, especially when paired with the casual jersey shorts on the right. It's the perfect length for spring.

I fully intend on trying to recreate the look myself with in March (I promise to detail this experiment in full) and layering it with some of my more mini dresses and skirts.


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Pretty Porn

If you're SM, I sent you the link to this hilariously wonderful article in the Huffington Post titled Addicted to (Pretty)Porn.

"Here are some of the things that figure largely in PrettyPorn: scanned Polaroids of cozy-looking disheveled beds; charmingly messy dinner tables post-dinner;high quality jpegs of romantic braided hair; skinny women's pale backs; cats; cups of tea/wine; fields of wildflowers. Lot's of French things." E.A. Hanks

I fully admit to my own addiction to ethereal shots of charming settings and even more charmingly pretty people.

These photos of Lou Doillon, from her S/S'09 ad campaign for Vanessa Bruno fall comfortably within pretty porn's aesthetic.

French? check. Disheveled model in beautifully crafted clothing? check. Dreamily artsy photography? check.


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Feb.10

I've never posted a picture of myself on my blog before but I am going to start posting looks I liked that vary from my usual studious uniform of Converse shoes, J brand jeans and assorted variety of colorful sweaters coupled with immaturely chipping nailpolish in a variety of garish or somber tones.

If I start to feel shy about putting my visage and style on the www (or more likely, insecure compared to the wonderful styles of my favorite fashion bloggers Susie and Jane), this feature will cease to exist!

No matter, from now I will place myself at the mercy of my four readers (Hi mom!) and show off my outfit from yesterday.

chunky scarf: zara
layered sweater/tshirt: target
blazer: j.crew
cropped pants: urban outfitters
brogues: unidentifiable repetto knockoffs

I love the winter combination of olive, gray and black and I felt like Oliver Twist all day in my slouchy cropped pants. I've been craving menswear in my look lately and this outfit fulfilled my tomboyishly dapper fantasies. The pants are actually very thin and I wore them over break in Abu Dhabi with a gray t-shirt, flat sandals and my Wayfarers and felt very casually cool.


This is what my hair has been doing lately when I put it in my regular chignon. I rather like the wispiness in front. (excuse the vanity, please)

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Fr.Vogue '08

I've been incapable of getting this image from French Vogue's October '08 issue out of my head.

Yasmin Warsame looks so incredibly badass, head tilted just so, as she lets a slight stream of smoke float out of her mouth while priming her pointer finger to ash her cigarette in her uber-luxe bag, daring you to gasp at her nonchalance.



Her irreverence, trashy-couture look and obviously, her absurdly architectural heels have been egging me on to dress with a little more disdain, a little more humor.

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Michelle in Vogue (pun intended)

I can not wait for the March issue of Vogue to hit my local Barnes so I can pick up the Michelle Obama cover and following article. I read style.com's edited version of Andre Leon Talley's article and loved the way he weaved his own experience on the campaign trail with his family, and America's, history with Michelle's interview. He's a wonderful storyteller and you should all run out and get your own copy!



I just love this picture from the upcoming issue. Michelle looks so strong and elegant. I'm enamored with her ability to mix Alaia with J.Crew and her confidence to eschew tradition (read: staid, elaborately boring concoctions) for a young Taiwanese-American's frothy, one shouldered gown for the Inaugural Balls.

She's basically my adult sartorial dream.

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