Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Yves Saint Laurent et Pierre Berge Auction at Christie's

PIET MONDRIAN (1872-1944) Composition avec bleu, rouge, jaune et noir

HENRI MATISSE (1869-1954) Les coucous, tapis bleu et rose


MARCEL DUCHAMP (1887-1968) Belle haleine - Eau de voilette

The much buzzed-about Christie's auction happening in Paris right now [and going through tomorrow] features the personal art collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge and is reportedly the most valuable private collection ever sold at an auction. At least 8 of the works for sale are set at over 5 million dollars! I wish I could be there just to gawk at the array of gorgeous, rare artifacts they collected over the years before it all gets spread around to buyers across world. Check out the link -- you can look through the entire catalog online as well as highlights and prices.

Bridesmaid Dress Dilemma?



My friend Sara suggested I take a brief break from my studying madness and help her pick out shoes and accessories for some weddings she will be attending. Not one to ever turn down an opportunity for fantasy-shopping, I gladly accepted. Strangely, she is going to be a bridesmaid in two upcoming weddings, and she has to buy the same dress, but in a different (yet very similar) color for both events! I think the goal in this situation should be to find items that she can use for both weddings. It is already hard enough to find extra cash to splurge on new goodies when you've already spent money on new dresses, so I think she needs to find shoes, a handbag, and hair accessories that are inexpensive...and that she can wear again and again. Do my lovely readers have any suggestions, as well?

Bridesmaid accessories
Bridesmaid accessories - by Tara71 on Polyvore.com

[Click on the Polyvore link to see details about the items]

The key when buying for special occasions is to not lose sight of your own style -- remember, if you prefer wearing flats (like Sara), don't spend money on heels you'll never wear again! But, also remember to step out of your own comfort zone a bit -- if you've been wanting to try a funky headband, this is a great excuse to try one out. There are plenty of options at discount boutiques, like Forever 21, that allow you to try something new without breaking the bank. And like Sara, many ladies attend more than one wedding [or formal event] each year, so pick out items that you can mix and match -- metallics are great because you can wear them with almost anything.

I hope this gives you some inspiration Sara...and anyone else who might be dealing with a similar dilemma!!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Mannequins on Parade

Sorry I've been a bit "absent" over the past few days -- both literally and figuratively! But, I wanted to end this stressful work week with a post and some photos inspired by all of the exciting buzz on NYC fashion week. I just found out my sister will be going to some of the shows tonight and I am JEALOUS! [If you are reading this Lindsay, I am holding up my fist in the air and shaking it angrily as I sit at my desk studying on a Friday night!] I wonder who she will run into?? I have to be honest, I've lost interest in current models for the most part [I just care about the clothes nowadays], but I am fascinated by the history of runway shows and "mannequin parades," as they were called up through the 1950's.



The stern, but elegant lady pictured above is Lady Duff Gordon [or Lucile, as she called herself], and she is widely known as the inventor of the fashion show. She trained the first professional models (the mannequins) beginning in 1897, as well as staging the first runway, or "catwalk," style shows.




French designer Jean Patou was also an innovator of the fashion show. He marketed his clothing to wealthy American women in the 20's and 30's and would often recruit American models for his Paris fashion shows. Isn't he dapper?



And of course, the incomparable Coco Chanel, whose designs were integral to the creation of the image of the Flapper in the 1920's, helped to standardize the look and walk of models during the period. [Chanel is pictured seated above with her mannequins and wearing her famous black jersey suit].



Models were always somewhat controversial ; though the level of undress during the early 20th century fashion shows was nothing compared to those of today, many people were shocked by their appearance.



According to fashion historian Caroline Evans, "The very uniformity of 1920s fashions was disturbing to some critics, and the New Woman's appearance increasingly troubled moralists in the 1920s precisely because, masked in heavy make-up, with shingled hair and "flapper" mannerisms, the wife of the respectable industrialist could no longer be distinguished from the working girl.



Like the fake jewelry that Chanel popularized in the 1920s, the fashion show strung the mannequins together like false pearls: too lustrous, too uniform, and too perfect for plausibility, they incarnated the treacherous and uncanny instability of appearances."

Here are some more photos of early mannequin parades:








Have a lovely weekend everyone...and don't forget to strut your stuff a little...who needs a runway!? Teehee.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Bib Necklaces: Aranaz out of Manila







Little Miss Dress Up posted about her family's accessory business Aranaz, based out of Manila, and I immediately fell head-over-heels for these amazing floral bib-necklaces...

No wonder the Little Miss girls are so stylish -- it's in their blood!!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Monday Mischief: Valentine in Fur

I had two eye-opening revelations this weekend:

1. If you wear two pairs of tights, they will keep you warm AND they will look completely opaque! I'm a little sad it took me 30+ years to come to this realization.

2. Dying my hair a bright red is going to take a lot of upkeep: I dyed my hair barely two weeks ago and already had to do it again! Does anyone have a suggestion for a good drugstore hair dye that looks good and lasts longer????

This is what I wore for Valentine's dinner; not quite as fabulous as my dream outfit, but inspired by it nonetheless [click to enlarge images]. I finally got to wear the dress that I bought at H&M in NYC last Fall...it is a wonderfully silky, nude-pink color that I'm in love with right now. I'm also digging this Target jacket with pointy little shoulders [and it cost $5!!!]. I also carried my great-grandmother's vintage beaded purse and donned my big red rose ring and favorite vintage necklace that doubles as a timepiece.

After a delicious and insanely filling Valentine's dinner at the new local restaurant, Oscar's Gastropub, my BF and I met met up with our always-fun friends Sarah and Ryan. Sarah and I were both wearing our vintage-faux-furs... it's all about being tactile on the day of love, right??

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Sunday, February 15, 2009

The Curious Case of the Creepy Shoe Psychic

These two pairs of shoes featured on Fashion156's monthly "Most Wanted" list make me feel a little violated, as if someone has been spying on me and my boyfriend and secretly making a checklist of the ingredients we imagine our perfect dream shoe to be made up of...

His Checklist:
1. Must be something that Crockett on Miami Vice would wear.
2. Must be something a color-blind old man would wear.
3. Or, must simply be pink.

My Checklist:
1. Must be black or gray; splash of color is a bonus.
2. Must look like something a time-travelling flapper or a Gibson Girl might wear.
3. Or, must look like something a librarian-by-day / dominatrix-by-night would wear.

Creepy.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Have a Loving Weekend...

[Man combing girl's hair, c. 1960's. Source unknown]

Weekend Reads: Links to the Strange and the Beautiful

Valerie Steele --Fashion historian, genius, and my new idol.

♥ This post by Ashe Mischief lead me to the amazing discovery of the medieval dancing plague [the greatest way to die I can imagine].

♥ Next to the beat-up Joy Division t-shirt I used to wear in high school, this tee from Every Little Counts is probably the coolest ever!

♥A streetstyle blog for HAIR styles!!!! MopShots is a genius idea!

Chicago Chic exhibit runs through July and features amazing dresses from 1861 to 2004.



♥ In honor of Black History Month, Edwardian Promenade looks at the interesting history of the popular early twentieth-century dance, The Cakewalk.

♥ Nick Olsen [formerly known as The Deal Hunter] from my beloved deceased Domino looks as if he is starting his own blog here.

♥ Blogtrepreneur just published a list of 100 Must Read Blogs by Women -- so much good stuff to explore!

Mutual Makeovers...

My BF and I have changed up our looks quite dramatically these past few weeks: I have red hair now, and he got new glasses and chopped off his shaggy locks! [I snapped a picture of him after his hair appointment yesterday.] Looking snazzy!! What better excuse to play around with the the new Poladroid program for PC!?

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Send a Cheeky Valentine...

If you're like me, you don't send many letters or cards to faraway friends and family via the postal service any more. Whether this hints at an inherent thoughtlessnes, or simply laziness on my part, I'm not sure...either way, I DO TRY! And by trying, I mean sending cute e-greetings! Kate Spade has some adorable, quirky [and free] e-Valentines on their website. So, my fellow lazy-bugs, don't forget to send a cute, cheeky, sexy, funny greeting to your loved one[s] this V-Day. Or, if your honey lives with you, you could just write a dirty note on a napkin...

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

If I Were a Room, I Would Wear...

Here is a bit of eye-candy and random inspiration that has been collecting in my "rooms" folder... I'm coming to realize if I were a room, I would be quite garish & eclectic. What would you wear if you were a room??

I would wear black walls:




A mix of eclectic art, from floor to ceiling:






Or, a giant statement piece:




Splashes of luscious pink and purple:









Books galore:


A mish-mash of floral patterns:









Folky touches and lots of fresh plants and flowers:





Or, over-the-top glamour, with lots of shine:




Bold & classic black-and-white: