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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SB

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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