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Vivienne Westwood Collaborates

26 May

shoes

So, what you’re looking at are my big feet (which my Dad always teasingly told me were like a clowns ::frowing::). I wear a size ten. I can’t change this, I’m not sure I would because I like my feet for the most part, except when I can’t find my size. Size five and ten are on the outer limits of a shoe line up and therefore, stores are offered only one or two boxes of these sizes instead of the three or four they get in size eight. It’s an injustice, I know. ::shaking head:: I wore these pieces of art to work today. Let’s see if I get away with it. As in, what colleague might procure the most awkward “compliment”. Plastic shoes are a bit “out-there” I suppose.

What did I say? Gilt.com can be a PROBLEM. Hence, the plastic Vivienne Westwood Melissa shoes. With bows. These shoes have surprisingly good padding, which I wish more women’s shoe manufacturers would use in their shoes. I can’t imagine how much less pain I’d be in if more designers would jump on the designing-for-comfort-and-function shoe wagon. However, I think this is how Crocs came about, and maybe loafers, also Uggs (which it turns out might give you a pigeon walk, if not a penguin. It’s all that shuffling. I pity the sorority girls in their denim skirts). It’s not pretty; but damn, there’s gotta be a way to work a shoe that’s beautiful and one you can walk in for eight hours. We’ll see if I still love these at the end of the day, or if they end up making my feet sweat.

The Melin Oxford

25 May

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May I just say that I’m in love with Gilt.com. It can be mighty pricey but when it’s good, it’s really good, and score!! I hate paying full price for anything, and having worked in wholesale, I know I’m being ripped off anyway, no matter how deeply discounted an item is nor where I’m buying it. However, I always would rather buy something very nice for a discount than to buy something cheap that will fall apart in a year, especially shoes (well, there are exceptions like a simple tee or socks…but I digress). Gilt, quite nicely, is akin to a continuous sample sale of goodies on trend (and items currently in the stores – yay!!). Combine that with quick shipping and a $25 credit when you sign your friends up, it’s pretty much a go – though I can attest, if you’re prone to being a shopaholic, you might want to steer clear.

Though I may wrinkle my nose at wearing trends, I’m pretty psyched about the oxford. I’ve searched in vain for a pretty pair for years, and was fairly certain they might not make their way back into fashionable circles. Which is why, however much my nose may wrinkle, I’m willing to jump on this particular item of the moment. I’m pretty sure I wore a pair like these, which may be why I’m particularly drawn to them in a child-like way. But, upon receiving them, despite my excitement at their shiny, leather soled, two-tone glory (and the fact that someone asked if I was wearing tap shoes), I thought, what the hell does one wear with these? Socks (too clunky?), but maybe hosiery? Bare ankles probably look the best…??? I thought I’d give it some google research and voila! Check out the link for some perfect examples (I especially love Sienna Miller’s yellow brouges). I am not alone in my obsession.

Farmer’s Market

17 May

Farmer's Market

I love the farmer’s market. I love everything about the way the herbs smell when you’re walking through the market (and that those herbs are only $1 for a bundle), the children laughing, the neighbors catching up, the yelling vendors, the sampling customers, the bongo players, blue-grass trios, acoustic guitar solos – all singing for a buck – the fresh fish, the even fresher olive oil (Verni’s – you MUST try it, tastes like it’s straight from Italy and pressed just the week before. $17 for a bottle, just $20 for the bottle and fresh olives) – all sitting in simple lines down two streets every Sunday morning.

The market will always remind me of home, those foothills of Colorado, the birthplace of Alfalfa’s, Whole Foods, etc. Growing up, people who chose organic foods were called “tree huggers” and “granolas” but as evidenced by the throngs of people purchasing organic produce today, general cultural concerns and tastes are shifting. Buying hemp clothing and organic fruit is no longer just for “tree huggers.”

The crowd is luxurious and uplifting in colorful knits and Breton tees, pink lipsticks and flowing skirts, camper shoes and hipster gear. My favorite part is the music, and mostly an older gentleman who plays the accordion, sending squeezebox melodies through the array. He is just as handsome and charming now as he must have been in his younger days.

Farmer's Market

Farmer's Market

Farmer's Market

Farmer's Market

Farmer's Market

FACEHUNTED – L.A.

13 May

If you’re an avid fashion consumer, then you’ll no doubt be acquainted with those photographer bloggers who so aptly capture the stylish women across the globe. If you’re fans of The Sartorialist, Garance Dore, Style/Click, Mr. Newton, JAK & JIL, or any number of street style blogs out there, you’ll find a kindred spirit in Yvan Rodic of Facehunter, who recently spent a few days in L.A. Most of his photos were taken right around my neighborhood, on rooftops right above Hollywood Blvd. Enjoy!!

FACEHUNTER in L.A.

International Trending

9 Dec

I think my initial hesitation about wearing shoes that truly belong in the nineties is starting to wane. I’m gonna run with this particular nostalgic trend. I’ve been beat to it anyway, so I’m not alone here. PAR EXEMPLE:

PARIS: STREET CHIC/PARIS DEUXIEME
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SPAIN: GALA GONZALEZ
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Bess NYC
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A Fine Vintage: Take Two

30 Nov

Alongside the mundane tourist shops shelling out sparkly Ed Hardy, gothic Doc Martens and tiny skirts, there are a few stores worth a trip to Melrose Avenue. Don’t be fooled here, Melrose Avenue is a cornucopia of crap (but is still well-known as a destination). Be prepared to step inside multiple stores to see the same fluorescent jersey, the same shiny gold lingerie, newsboy caps and pleather bags for fifty dollars; I don’t know anyone who lives here that buys into the idea that to buy good, you buy new. Buying designer labels doesn’t make you a fashion icon here, it’s about personal style. Apart from the earlier mentioned ‘Thrift Store’ there are a few other stops along the way that make shopping in L.A. a shopper’s paradise. First stop, Crossroads Trading Company. Vista Boulevard and Melrose Avenue:

The store’s selection usually consists of worn-in vintage tees, designer bags and shoes (from size six to ten), lots of dresses, lots of pants, jackets, shorts and skirts – all arranged according to the color scheme they fit into.  The inventory has a heavy dose of seventies glam, but the buyers here seem to know what sells, what’s trending and what’s quality (up to a point).   The best assets of the store are usually hanging above the fray (i.e. Marc Jacobs dresses, James Perse tees, etc.).  Just ask a clerk to get them and they’ll happily oblige you.  Most pieces remain below the $50 dollar mark and the average cost is only $10 – $20.  Remember that their inventory is always changing but once you’ve visited, two weeks time until your next visit will allow the store to restock with new inventory.

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Second stop: Wasteland.   Wasteland is a stone’s throw from Crossroads and on another level.  Here, the buyers always select the best stuff, bring in the priciest designers and ensure that their inventory offers original and new pieces each day.   It is (of course) more expensive here than any of the other vintage stores, but you’ll still be able to find edgy bags and romantic dresses from designer stock well below $100.   Shoes here are also an inviting situation: all sizes, both men’s and women’s, boots, sneakers and heels.  The music is pumping, and the store vast, so be prepared to spend some time here.

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A Fine Vintage

23 Nov

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Armed with new shoes! LET’S HIT THE STREETS.

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As a known thrift store junkie, my Sister rolls her eyes when I tell her I want to go shopping. I lived at thrift stores in Miami! Like an archeological dig, finding the store with the great stuff and good prices is always a Voila! moment. So, when the undistinguished “Thrift Store” popped up on Fairfax with a rack full of 99 cent t-shirts and pastel shorts in front, just a block from the Jewish eatery Canter’s, I was elated. I’m not sure if at first start the owner of this particular panoply of wares knew the what she really had in stock – designer coats, shoes and bags were often marked below their market value – but with time however, prices have slowly crept upwards. Fortunately, prices are in accordance to the pieces’ state and (if applicable) label. Sigh. Still, this modest store that sits alongside Jewish bakeries, skate/surf retailers and stale newspaper stands is usually worth a visit for blazers, skirts and dresses (and shoes if you’re a size six).

 

LET’S TAKE A LOOK:

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Bally for $40
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Glamour for $55
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Red leather Calvin Klein Jacket $25
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My Sister loved this jacket, and therefore bought it. See, I told her it was worth the trip, even if the place smells like dusty shelves and febreeze.

Windows

22 Nov

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Creepers

17 Nov

For some time now, I’ve been staring at this:

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Though Erin Wasson once said that she admired the homeless for their personal style, I regularly agree with her wardrobe choices, and therefore commit many of her pieces to memory in hopes of finding something similarly inspiring from my own closet. Likewise, Noot Seear, a model-cum-actress starring in the upcoming (opening release today maybe? Yes?) New Moon, a chess junkie and chunky jewelry addict, is also an inspirational muse. On Modelinia.com, she personally takes you through her closet – her leather jackets, her vests, her buckets of bags and piles of shoes – and amongst that divine mess is a pair of black and white low ‘creepers.’

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Creepers are an interesting lot. According to Wikipedia, “they found their beginnings in the years following the WWII: Soldiers based in the deserts in North Africa wore suede boots with hardwearing crepe soles because of the climate and environment. Having left the army, many of these ex-soldiers found their way to the disreputable nightspots of London (Kings Cross and Soho) wearing the same crepe soled shoes. Those became known as Brothel Creepers.” Afterward, they got picked up by emerging subcultures – ska, punk, new waver, greasers, goths and the Japanese Visual Kei (known for their visual dramatics). Though I’d hardly throw myself into the closet with the skuzzy kids hanging out at The Knitting Factory – the all-black ensembles, glue-formed Mohawks and numerous piercings – I’m not above a little grunge. Like Alexa Chung says ‘I’m allergic to hairbrushes.’ I like a little bitter with my sweet.

So, after several rewinds of Noot’s closet spectaculaire, I wanted my own ‘creepers.’ Which brings me to shoe shopping, which brings me to this: though my budget for shoes is miniscule (I have bilz), the inspiration of an outfit or piece is never truly forgotten; the minute I lay my green eyes on something inspiring, I’m done for, which is why Karmaloop.com never treated me so good. Thank you Jeffrey Campbell. The black and white is gone but the shape of both Noot’s and Erin’s kicks is prominent, and with studs to boot, I’m sold. The ‘wrinkle studded creeper’:

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Zara Love

11 Nov

Though I’m feeling under the weather, no flu could dampen my spirits when I see these on my feet:

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The first night I had them, I tried to wear them to bed; but I was afraid I’d kick the dog in the head and that conjures unfathomable nightmares, so I tucked them away to sleep. I think of Amelia Earhart and stories of her wearing her leather jacket to bed because she wanted that ‘slept in’ look…I never wanted to take them off.

Nothing parts me with money so fast as a good pair of boots both redeemable for the material used and its reasonable price. Suede gets too dirty and looks too used too fast, and pleather seems to be the inexpensive alternative brands turn to when sizing up something they can sell for under $100. But, Zara, the imported Spanish brand, often has a qualifiable pairing; but alas, with size ten feet, what’s a girl to do but pay full price when she sets eyes on the only pair of shoes in her size and the perfect grommet/zipper/leather pairing?! If only I could wear them to work. Sigh.

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I mean…look at the back. Beautiful.