D&G's wintery mix

Over in Milan, fall 2010 shows have been pretty promising. Prada and DSquared² both had excellent shows, and gave me a lot to look forward to this fall. D&G, on the other hand, was kind of a head-scratcher. This isn't to say I didn't like it, because I'd take outrageous yet interesting over wearable but boring any day--but these pieces aren't functional by any stretch of the imagination. If I had to name the collection, I'd call it "Sexy Snow Bunnies", which really doesn't work because even snow bunnies need to stay warm. Bare legs don't fare so well on the ski slopes.

style.com  

The knits are cute enough, but why isn't there a little more to them? The reindeer and snowflakes scream "winter" but I wouldn't wear a dress that length outdoors in December--unless I lived in Southern California. And speaking of SoCal... I couldn't help but notice the collection's striking resemblance to Seth Cohen's Chrismukkah sweater.

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Time to buy a trench coat

After drooling over Burberry Prorsum outwear the other day, I became obsessed with the idea of getting a trench coat for the spring. Luckily, trenches seem to be one of the leading trends for spring, so there is no shortage of adorable, reasonably priced coats choose from right now. Since I shop at the same five stores every day (and I think you can all guess what they are by now), my choices come from the places I frequent the most. But whether you shop at Saks or H&M, I have no doubt the perfect trench is out there waiting for you.

 

forever21.com 

Can we all take a moment and applaud Forever 21 for the awesomeness of these trench coats? Just look at them! There's one trimmed with a checked pattern, a more traditional one with ruffles and a floral trench. And they're all under $50.

target.com  

The above trenches are from Target, and they certainly aren't the only ones the super store has to offer. On the right is a playful pink trench that's $49.99. On the right is a trench from Jean Paul Gaultier's upcoming line at Target, available March 7. I have a feeling that trench will be one of the most in-demand items from the collection.

 

urbanoutfitters.com

And, finally, because Urban Outfitters can't say no to a trend, we have the BDG Twill Trench, the most expensive at $98. But good trench coats should last forever, and this is one trend that will likely never go out of style.

burberry prorsum fall 2010: an exercise in outwear perfection

style.com

Yesterday, Burberry's Prorsum show was taken in around the world. In a fashion first, the show was streamed in 3D--and was also available to watch live on the company's web site. I'm so glad these brands are making the shows more accessible to average citizens who most likely won't find themselves sitting in the front row any time soon. Although I have to admit, when I watch the shows online, I'm often more concerned with what celebs and editors I can spot than what the models are wearing.
Burberry's show was great, most notably their signature outerwear. The coats above are gorgeous, and it looks like the thigh-high boot trend will be staying on for another season. Check out the trench in the middle, above. There appears to be a zipper around the waist, so the bottom can be zipped off to shorten the length of the jacket. Very inventive, and I'm sure the piece will be in demand this fall. You can see the full collection here and watch the entire runway show here.

olympics fever

It's hard to know where to divert my attention these days--Fashion Week or the Winter Olympics? Both events are full of spectacle and shock. But watching Lindsey Vonn conquer the mountain is slightly more uplifting than watching Karlie Kloss conquer the runway. Either way, I've been busy keeping up with both events.
I recently jumped on the bandwagon and began a Tumblr, which can be found here. Don't get jealous, Blogger! I'll just be using the Tumblr to supplement this blog and post things I don't really have words for. Like the stills released from Lady Gaga's "Telephone" video.
So, tonight, you can rest assured I will be sitting on my couch cheering for Evan Lysacek to bring home the gold in men's skating. Hopefully, he'll be wearing another fab Vera Wang creation like he did on Tuesday.

 

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rodarte fall/winter 2010

The Rodarte sisters' Fall/Winter 2010 line showed today at New York Fashion week. I've come to expect a lot from Rodarte, and they always end up exceeding my expectations. This line is incredibly soft and feminine, especially compared to the edginess of Spring/Summer 2010's collection.
Luckily for us non-insiders, the show was streamed live today on SHOWstudio--and is available to watch there now. There's tons of floral prints, draping and delicate white dresses. The models are almost zombie-like, wearing practically no makeup and dead expressions. Here's a quick preview, but you can see stills of the entire line here.

photo collage by me, stills from coutorture.com

long live mcqueen

The fashion world is still mourning the loss of British designer Alexander McQueen. He was a favorite of many, and will certainly not ever be forgotten. At this time, I'm sure everyone's thoughts are with his family and friends--though one can't help but wonder what fashion will be like without his unique voice. 

On a personal note, Alexander McQueen was one of the first designers I really loved. I remember flipping through an issue of Vogue towards the end of high school and seeing the white and blue dress from his fall 2008 collection. I fell in love with the shiny blue fabric, the pouf of white skirt, and had to know who this Alexander McQueen person was. Ever since then, I've anxiously awaited his next collection and always hoped I'd own something of his design one day. This is a great loss--such a young talent with so much more to create. In his honor, in my own small way, I'd like to pay tribute to his short time with us. 

He made actresses take fashion chances. This is only a small sampling of the many McQueen dresses that have found their way onto the red carpet. Actresses who wanted to wear something a little different, a little daring, might choose to don McQueen at a premiere or awards show. They might have gotten ripped apart by the fashion police (who tend to favor bland, middle of the road dresses that lack imagination), but they always got a gold star from me for taking a chance and making the parade of beautiful but ordinary dresses that much more interesting.

He gave us a good reason to join corporate America. Suits are boring, right? Not when Alexander McQueen designs them. Whether they're plaid or houndstooth, trimmed with fur or paired with a plunging neckline, McQueen made woman want to put on a suit. Michelle Obama knows--she's wearing a McQueen pinstriped suit in the photo above. Clothing should never be boring, even in the boardroom, and McQueen made it possible for fashionistas to bring it at the office.

 

He brought the crazy. As long as your name isn't Lady Gaga or Daphne Guinness, chances are you wouldn't be caught dead in any of the ensembles above. But they are SO interesting to look at! One of the things I love about McQueen is that he can outfit the First Lady of the United States in a tasteful suit, and then turn around and provide the jaw-dropping costumes for Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" video. McQueen was truly imaginative and versatile. 

 

  

You can't beat his runway shows. Each time McQueen premiered a new collection on the runway, the fashion world held its breath. He's made his models chess pieces, aliens and dancers. His sets have been beautiful, bizarre and creepy--usually all at once. He was one of the first designers to stream his show live on the web, making him an innovator with an eye towards the future. 

There isn't much I can say that hasn't been covered elsewhere, but I had to take a moment to look back at McQueen's astounding career. As upsetting as it is that we will never see a McQueen show again, I take comfort in knowing we have what he gave us while he was here, and hope that wherever he is now, he is at peace. 

mcqueen

 

  

  

So sad to hear the news about Alexander McQueen's suicide. His fall 2008 collection is one of my all-time favorites, so I leave you with a few images to appreciate. 

snow day

 

 

My snow day consisted of: baking brownies, watching Fear and shoveling snow with a dustpan cause I don't have a real shovel. Hope everyone's snow day was safe and enjoyable!

monday march 8, monday march 8, monday march 8!

It cannot come soon enough!

rodarte for vancouver

Sometimes, the stars align and two things you love dearly join forces and the results are amazing in ways you couldn't have ever predicted. Like Lady Gaga and Beyonce.  Or chocolate and peanut butter. Or Forever 21 and my clothing budget.
Added to the list: figure skating and the Rodarte sisters. Yes, you read that right. Fresh off the success of their diffusion line with Target, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the sisters behind Rodarte, designed outfits for a select few Olympians in a New York Times Style Magazine photo shoot. The most notable outfit was the one donned by Johnny Weir, the ice dancer who freaking skated to "Poker Face" dressed like Edward Scissorhands. I imagine he'd be a little chilly wearing this outfit on the ice, but it's fabulous nonetheless:

 

In addition to providing ice skaters with something a little more Vogue-worthy than short, sassy skirts and sparkly unitards, they also outfitted freestyle skier Jeret Peterson in this stylish sweater:

 

Check out the magazine for more shots from the editorial--they're pretty great. Meanwhile, I'll be practicing my triple axel, since it now seems to be a reasonable way to ensure some Rodarte in my future. 

another cooking journey

Since my cinnamon bun adventure turned out so well,  I figured, I'd consult my Vegan Brunch cookbook again and try my hand at making bagels from scratch.
While it was still fun, I had a harder time with the bagels than the buns. There are fewer steps, and it takes a lot less time, but you'll see where I slipped up as I take you along my cooking journey...

 

First you put the basic mixture (yeast, flour, yadda, yadda) in a bowl and knead the dough. This is another one of those recipes where flour will be your best friend because sticky dough = bad baking experience. 

 

Then, like normal, you let the dough rise--this one sat for about an hour, covered by plastic wrap. 

 

I used parchment paper to turn out my dough, cut it into 12 pieces and molded them into little balls. If the dough is sticky, get out the flour!

 

Then you gently make a hole in the dough ball and shape it into a bagel. If you please, you can then dip it in sesame seeds or poppy seeds or what have you.

Then you boil a huge pot of water and drop a few bagels in at a time. The recipe said the dough would float to the surface of the water, but mine didn't. I can't image this altered the quality of the bagels significantly. 

 

Where I really went wrong was when I stuck the bagels in the oven. I didn't spray the pan (I know, I know!), so the bagels were basically superglued to the baking sheets I used. This made for a fun 20 minutes or so of scraping. Also, my overly-sensitive smoke detector went off just as I was pulling them out of the oven, which scared the bejesus out of me. But, these things happen, and now I know for future bagel baking to spray the pan! Above is a pile of the few undamaged bagels. Now, who has some cream cheese?

olsenboye launched today!

I know I told y'all about this line back in October, but just to recap: Mary-Kate and Ashley launched a low-priced JCPenney line aimed at teens several months ago, and the line is officially available in stores today. No one (I hope) was expecting anything as exquisite as their luxury line, The Row, or even its trendier little sister, Elizabeth and James, but I think Olsenboye deserves credit for being a cute, wearable line for teens and people who think they're still teens (i.e., me). So what pieces will fly off the racks first? Here are my predictions:

Boyfriend Blazer: I can't resist a good blazer, and this navy number is very Blair Waldorf, don't you think?

Denim Jacket: Cute denim jackets like this one are going to be all the rage this spring, so I have a feeling the item will be in high demand. Details like the pink stitching on the front and three-quarter length sleeves add a little something extra to this find.

Bow Skirt: This girly pink pleated skirt is one of my favorite items from the collection. It can be dressed up or down--or worn with the denim jacket above.

Madeline Shoe: SHOES! These lovely pink bow heels are animal-friendly and have a zipper in the back for easy on-off action. If I could pull off heels, I'd so get these.

Foldover Xbody Tote: I absolutely love this tote bag. As I've mentioned before, I tend to carry most of my possessions along with me when I leave the house, so giant bags with long shoulder straps are always welcome. This bag has handles, so you can carry it, in addition to a shoulder strap. Versatile, cute, and Olsen-approved.

Of course, there are a few misses in the collection, especially the graphic logo tees, but you can decide that for yourselves. So either head to your local JCPenney, or shop online here.

i just did your valentine's day shopping for you

Now that February has arrived, we can begin to focus on that oh-so-controversial Hallmark holiday, Valentine's Day. Whether you love it or hate it, you have to at least kind of enjoy a holiday that's focused purely on candy, cupcakes, the color red and this movie.
Don't indulge in sleazy-looking undergarments or calorie-packed confections for V-Day gifts--I did all the heavy lifting for you and perused the home of all things cute and quirky: Etsy. So, now I will share with you some potential gifts for yourself or your significant other--and I dare you not to "aw" over at least ONE of these items:

 

First, we have cards and their sickeningly sweet statements. In this day and age, this I love you more than twitter card means a lot coming from a Web-obsessed friend or significant other. Don't tweet? This seller, the UK-based Storeyshop has tons of other cut-out cards declaring love greater than Facebook, ketchup, payday and other modern-day necessities.

Who can forget the "I Choo Choo Choose You" Valentine? There's a wealth of cards, shirts and other paraphernalia declaring this statement, but I particularly loved this I choo choo choose you French bulldog card. Come on, he's dressed as a train conductor!

 

Let's not forget the prevalence of jewelry as a Valentine's Day surprise. But instead of a boring diamond or ruby, how about an emoticon? You know you've used the "<3" symbol to express your love for someone or something, so here you go, a less than 3 ring!

Don't like symbolic representations of the heart? Why not present your lady with the real deal? This what's in your heart? ring looks more like a science textbook drawing of the heart, but still has love inside of it. Say it with me: "Awww..."

This haz todo con amor wall art brings El Dio de los Muertos and the day of cupid together. The combination of grim-looking skeletons and sweet "Do Everything with Love" message is the perfect mixture of macabre and romantic.

The most important issue to address on Valentine's Day is not what type of flowers to order or what romantic restaurant to dine at, but what to wear! What could be more darling for a night out than this 1950s party dress?

If that frock is too precious for you, this 1960s mod dress looks like something right out of Meg White's red, white and black-filled closet.

And, finally, I couldn't resist including this beyond adorable 1970s sweater.

OK, guys and gals, I've done all the hard work for you--so get shopping! See you in line for Valentine's Day February 12!