Mila Kunis in Nylon December 2010

Numero China eh?

A beautiful shoot featuring Balenciaga, Miu Miu, Prada and Lanvin with Australian model Catherine McNeil shot by Anthony Maule for Numero China December 2010. Courtesy of Fashion Gone Rogue

Collegiate Hippy: Topshop Picks

The word hippie used to strike fear into my heart. Just because I live on the West Coast doesn't mean I make my own granola okay? I have flirted with the idea of Birkenstocks before, even buying a pair one day after work while I was weak with hunger. Such are the dangers of low carbing. Collegiate hippie is more about balancing casual elements like tartan and rugged hiking boots with a draped flowy skirt and  throwing some preppy pieces in the mix. Pair a simple black dress with a tartan cross-body bag and 70s style tweed jacket.

Mmm burger bed

In fashion, home decor and accessories, I always wish I was attracted to sleek, minimalist things. A simple leather biker jacket, a long grey cashmere cardigan, a simple bed with clean lines that looks both modern and streamlined. Unfortunately I am not this person. I naturally gravitate towards loud prints, bright colours, stripes, polka dots, peter pan collars and things that most people would find nauseatingly cutesy. Empire waists, donut shaped change purse and patent black Mary Janes? Yes please! Mature clothing to suit my age? Oh no I couldn't possibly.

So when I saw this burger bed, my first thought wasn't "Oh how childish and juvenile!". I wanted to get inside this bed and make it my own. I want to rest my head on those lettuce leaf pillows and be warmed by the toasted sesame bun comforter. I am positive that I would get tired of having such a bed in my main bedroom area but maybe in the guest room? 


"Oh yes, put her things in the burger room please - I do hope someone had the decency to air out the padded cheese layer."

Erin Wasson is derelicte

One of my favourite quotes from Erin Wasson:
"When I go down to Venice Beach and I see the homeless, like, I'm like 'Oh my God, they're pulling out, like, crazy looks and they, like, pulled shit out of like garbage cans.'" 


Here is Erin exuding the cool and sexy disheveled vibe she does so welll . Who hasn't always wanted a pair of crotchless jeans?

Jalouse Magazine - November 2010

Photographer: Mason Poole

Stylist: Jennifer Eymere

Courtesy of FashionGoneRogue.com

The perfect chunky Mary Janes

I love these shoes! They are the perfect chunky black heeled Mary Jane style shoes from the new Fall 2010 Chie Mihara. I can see myself stomping around in these in an array of different colored and textured tights. But definitely not with those weird grey ribbed tights in this picture. Hmmm. Which reminds me that I still have a huge box of tights in my friend's shed in London. Oops.

Yes, blueberries make you fat

A quick nip into the local Tim Horton's donut shop and I saw this delectable thing in the window. It does look a bit gross. The sugar crystals assault my tooth enamel even from afar. But I must go back to sink my teeth into this ASAP. It's called the Blueberry Bloom and it's filled with blueberry filling (duh) and topped with blueberry sprinkles.Potentially foul but look how pretty......also it's limited edition so sharpen your teeth.

Madewell has arrived in Seattle

I had no idea there was a Madewell store that had recently opened in Seattle until my friend B told me she wanted to go. Apparently a sister store to J.Crew, I'm interested in seeing Alexa Chung's collection that she did for Madewell in person. Could a non-beanpole wear designs of Alexa Chung without straining the seams to bursting? A glance at the denim hotpants and noodle leg skinny jeans says no. But a quick perusal online unearths the following desirables:

Sketchbook tee dress, $58

Tennessee velvet dress, $168. This is SOLD OUT. Would have been perfect for the Wednesday Addams section of my closet. Sob sob.

Annie blouse, $128 - adorable tucked into a high waisted denim skirt or with black leggings and biker boots.

Lydia Coat, $295

Tabby Chic

Alana Zimmer for Vogue Spain. Notice the attractive tabby cat strolling in the photo.

Stylehopper is launching soon in Canada! Wheee!

Finally Canada gets a new private sale luxury e-boutique - Stylehopper! With brands like Frye boots, Joe Jeans, Paige Premium Denim, Earnest Sewn and Stella McCartney - finally we don't have to beg American websites to ship to us for an exorbitant fee. Hurrah! First sale due to land on November 1st, 2010 and signing up is FREE. Stay tuned for more info! I only wish we had this when I was a crazed shopaholic in my early twenties. The moderation and restraint of my fading youth is so boring. 

A cat head shaped hole in my wardrobe

I was innocently compiling an edit of best scarves for a teen fashion website when I stumbled upon this furry cat hat on ModCloth.com. For anyone not familiar with this website, it's a very cute shopping site that stocks clothing, accessories and homeware for the "vintage hipster". It's where to go if you're searching for a poufy circle skirt and also black rimmed eyeglasses and a slightly obnoxious sofa cushion shaped like a cupcake. You know what I mean. For $68.99 this glorious "Cat in the Hood" hat can be all mine. Unfortunately it's OUT OF STOCK. That's right. Enough people own this hat to make it completely sell out on the website. I don't do this often on the blog but LOL. 

The description claims that "if you want to have fun and look good, all you have to do is put on this haute hood". If that doesn't reel you in then maybe the zebra-satin lining will? Nevertheless I have put my name down to be notified when it comes back into stock. I really am not sure where I would wear this but if winter this year is going to be as cold as reported by the local news channel, I will have no choice but to put this cat hat on for survival purposes. Yes. I have no choice. 

Ahoy! J.Crew is actually cool.

When I was a teenager J.Crew was the epitome of preppiness. It was pricey, country club attire that Muffy Von Beaverhausen wore to the yacht club. Creative Director Jenna Lyons has really breathed some new life into an American brand that didn't have much fashion cred before. On a recent visit I saw sequined shorts, boyfriend blazers and tribal printed scarves - stuff I would actually wear! Nowhere does this become more apparent than in J.Crew's new Fall 2010 Lookbook. Featuring Norwegian high fashion model Siri Tollerod, (who's been shot for everyone including I.D, Dazed and Confused and British Vogue), the entire lookbook makes me want to count down for winter. Where is the snowfall and frostbite??

There's an insightful article on Style.com about Jenna Lyons, who's been with the company for 20 years, about making a personal connection with her customer base. I love what she says when asked about designer collaborations with mass retailers (although I still wear my Alice Temperley for Target dress to interviews, pssssht).

"What do you think about top designers making “affordable” lines for mass retailers?
What I appreciate about it is someone like Rodarte or Proenza Schouler maybe gets more mindshare from people who might not have known who they are. But I think it’s a little flash-in-the-pan, and the quality, a lot of times, is really not great. That, to me, is for the young little fashion girl who’s obsessed with Proenza and Rodarte and who can’t afford it. For someone who just wants to look good on a day-to-day basis, it’s not a strategy for how to dress."

Back to the collection, there are some really unique pieces  including black sequin harem-lite pants, sequin black shorts, a black slouchy leather jacket, a black oversized leather bag that is very YSL-esque, a tweed blazer in a modern shape and my personal favourite - a furry black vest! MUST HAVE ALL FUR AND FURRY LOOKING BY PRODUCTS. 


And as usual, J Crew does not disappoint with their coat selection....behold some select images:

images via http://www.theglamazondiaries.com

Lazy Oaf

I discovered this website when I came into work one morning and spotted the online editor of Sugar Magazine at the time, Alex Z, wearing the most adorable sweatshirt. It was medium heather grey, had a drawing of the eiffel tower on it and just said J'AIME PARIS. I know stuff like this can be annoying but trust me, this was on the right side of cute. Alex had ordered it from Lazyoaf.co.uk - a website that is mainly aimed towards teens but actually has some things that are cute and that I'd be seen in public wearing. I went to buy the t-shirt version of the sweatshirt and got complimented on it by loads of people (HONEST!). Unfortunately a trip to Busaba Eathai (the best Thai calamari in London) caused me to ruin it by dropping food on it (as per usual). My J'AIME PARIS tshirt is no longer sold on the website or in their Carnaby Street store in central London but I found a few other things on there that might console me. Sob.

Pierot t-shirt 

Honky Tonk t-shirt

Polka dot reversible oversized t-shirt

Designer Outlet badges. 

I love HUGE ASS BOSS

www.lazyoaf.co.uk

Cobrasnake and Cadenet

I heard about Mark Cobrasnake a couple of years ago from Emma Sells, Shopping Editor of Elle UK's website.  His photos are famous for capturing scenes at parties which happen to have celebrities in them. An L.A. native, he is described on the LA Times blog as being the "definitive photographer of hipster culture worldwide". Also credited with helping Nylon Magazine's It girl Cory Kennedy her start, I wouldn't doubt that he just might be.

He's recently done a photoshoot with EXIT Magazine with Atlanta De Cadenet that reminds me of Coney Island, tour buses and the Fourth of July and the 70s. And it's styled by the girls from Wildfox Couture. What could be cooler really? Oh and the model is Amanda de Cadenet and John Taylor's daughter. She also looks eerily similar to Rachel Bilson. The celebrity gene pool is apparently quite limited.

For those of you not born in the 1990s, you may remember Amanda as being the former flame of Keanu Reeves. Party on Bill and Ted (you won't understand if you were born in 1995).

CREDITS:
Photos: Mark the Cobrasnake
Makeup: Amy Chance for Chanel at Celestine Agency
Hair: Christian Maro for Renee Furtere at Celestine Agency
Styling: Emily Faulstein and Kimberley Gordon, Wildfox couture
Model: Atlanta de Cadenet

Outtakes from the shoot - Source: The Cobrasnake