Marc is God.

This season, Marc Jacobs went romantic, quite opposite from his Fall/Winter collection, which was took us back to the Eighties. His clothes were inspired by opera, theater, dancer girls in their off-duty clothes. Sort of. I don't think I saw a single heel, but the flats were adorable. The girls wore ballerina buns and various types of pale theater makeup. There were nods to Japanese Opera (hello eyebrows) among other things. I, for one would be happy to take every single bag in this collection. Usually when I review runway shows, I select 3-5 looks to save on my computer and briefly talk about, but Marc outdid himself. I couldn't narrow it down past 21 looks. He's too genius.

This look, modeled by Jac, is one of my favorites. The ruffles are to die for. The styling in this show is incredible. Marc paired everyday garments with flouncy, theatrical pieces, and casual dancer wear.



AMAZING.

I don't love the raincoats all that much, but the ruffles erupting from the next and legs are beyond thrilling.



That bag... Love.

The prim-looking collared shirt with a satin bra detailing on Du Juan is so wonderfully perverted. I also like the criss-cross pattern on the skirt. Still dying over the flats.



And that bag... Shiny, over sized, amazing. If that doesn't say Stevie, I don't know what does. Die die die.

Iselin Steiro shows another odd mix of clothes. The shirt under the ruffled blouse/section of the dress(?) makes this look for me. It's very eccentrically pulled together.



Pinstripe always gives me weird flashbacks to tacky middle school dressing, though I'm not sure why. Marc has managed to take me out of that state of mind. This ruffled jacket is amazing and the collar sealed the deal for me. The navy is a great choice of color. Olga Sherer models.



The suiting continues with Chanel Iman in a bustier over a jacket with some fabulous ruffled pants. I'll have some, please and thank you. The contrast with the nude shirt and black jacket is great too. That fringed bag is killer... I need.



It was hard to tell at first whether Irina Kulikova was wearing a dress or something else. I think it's actually a jacket and shorts. That's part of why I think Marc is so talented. He almost re-defines the roles of garments. The ruffles are fantastic and the color is amazing.



A lot of these bags look like Louis Vuitton F/W 09, which is not a bad thing in my mind. Loved that collection.

From the waist up, I love this look, modeled by Taylor Kraemer. I'm not so keen on the skirt, but the ruffled, electric blue top and the scarf are both quite lovely.



Volume was a huge part of this show, and this look, modeled by Marike Le Roux, fully encapsulates that. The bra top over a shirt, the over sized coat, the beautiful scarf, and those printed pajama-looking pants have me drooling. If I owned those pants, I would wear them wherever I could.



Yulia Kharlaponova walked in a similar look that I still find worth noting. I also have MAJOR bag envy.



I'm not sure why I find Vlada Roslyakova so charming in this photo... Perhaps it's the pockets, or the gloves... I also adore the muted colors. Very beautiful.



Natasa Vojnovic looks very GaGa in this photo. The color may be a bit too soft for the Lady, but she has moments in which this would be appropriate. I wouldn't be suprised to see her in it especially since she sang at MJ's after party. I think my love of nude should go without saying by now... The flats are precious.



Natasha Poly is already a great model. This ruffled mini just compliments her more. I love the colors. Metallic gold bag... Love.



Again, it's difficult to tell what Ines Crnokrak is wearing, but in any case, the print is precious and the neckline is quite interesting. Love this.



As the show is coming to it's last twelve looks, there is a magnificent set of flowy, light dresses. Alyona Osmanova wears one of these said dresses. I love how it's pieced together and the print is lovely.



This has to be one of my favorite looks from this collection. The construction of this dress is very intriguing, and I love the pale turquoise print, as well as the bits of skin exposure. The scarf is to die for. I want I want. Anabela Belikova is quite striking. I'm looking forward to seeing her in more shows.



Karmen Pedaru wears a look that's a bit more casual than the two looks previously posted, but no less dreamy. The cut of the dress reminds me a bit of a fairy. Very pretty.



Inna Pilipenko wears an odd coat featuring diamond cut-outs and the collard shirt has returned. I really hope those are pants that she's wearing. I would love some, no matter how ridiculous I might look.



Jessica Stam wears the black counterpart of the above look. I really miss seeing Stam on the runway. I'm not sure if it's by her own choosing or not. Either way, tears. I love the jacket, the bra top, and white collar all together.



This looks like another possible GaGa look to me. The ruffles look like giant flowers. Love. Hannah Holman walks.



Kamila Filipcikova closed the show in this gorgeous sheer dress. I think the black threading is what makes this dress really special. It looks a bit like a ballet costume, but not in a bad way. Crazy amazing.



Marc really outdid himself with this show. There's a reason why everyone loves him. He's an absolute genius. A very talented artist. I think it's safe to say that I'm OBSESSED. A big X and O for Mr. Jacobs. Bravo.

(all photes by style.com)

Donna Karan

Donna Karan has an excellent way of creating clothes that are both sexy and sophisticated. This season, her very wearable collection included a lot of beautiful draping, which may come as a surprise to whoever taught her draping in high school. She failed.

Lily Donaldson looked positively sensual in this draped peach-toned dress.



Maryna Linchuk stunned in a draped blouse and pencil skirt.



I can't get over the top... Gorgeous.

Despite the fact that Sasha Pivovarova is in a sheer skirt, I don't see this look as over sexualized. Perhaps I'm not the best judge, but even so... The skirt is heavenly and the top complements it nicely.



These women look like urban goddesses. Edita Vilkeviciute is no exception in this outstanding grey number.



Karan used a lot of grey, but the collection is far from boring and dismal. I've never been a huge DK fan, but this collection has made me a believer. So beautiful.

Thakoon

This season, the newISH designer and master of prints did a lot of experimenting with texture and construction. Always using lots of color, Thakoon toughened up his girl a bit this season, making her a sort of urban warrior. His dresses are always the most impressive, but he had some great pant looks as well. The shoes within this collection are also something to note. Sexy and often printed, they were glorious.

The opening look, worn by Alla Kostromicheva, introduces the idea of mixing fabrics and textures.



I love the colors together and the contruction is great. It doesn't look crafty, which is a looming danger when designers choose to piece different fabrics together.

Chanel Iman walked in this dress.



I love the print and colors, but the silouette is lovely too. It looks super easy, but still a lot of fun.

I adore this bustier top paired with black harem pants on Marina Peres. The nude and print contrast, but go together beautifully. The contrast between top and bottom also works very well.



Finally, Abbey Lee is a knockout in this nude draped dress. I'm all over the nude trend, it's ridiculus. Those shoes look fantastic with the dress. DIE.



I hope to see Thakoon continue to be successful. As long as he keeps producing dresses that all the girls want, I think he'll be just fine.

All photos by style.com

Thakoon...soon.

It's 3am, which means I need to go to bed. Tomorrow I'll post on Thakoon, Donna Karan, and of course Marc Jacobs, whose show was AMAZING, as always. I just feel that I owe them all a well-rested mind that can properly describe the insanity of their collections. Goodnight loves.

Keep 'em coming: Zac Posen

As fashion week continues, I am trying my best to be up-to-date on the shows. I find myself concentrating on the already acclaimed designers, though I feel recognizing new talent is almost a responsibility. I've also been thinking more and more about how wonderful it would be to learn more about fashion history. I don't think there are any classes like that at the UW. Unfortunate. Anyways, one era I do know a little about is the 1960's. If I could go back in time, the 60's and 70's would be my place, followed shortly after by the 20's. Zac Posen's Spring/Summer 2010 collection was a bit 60's inspired with a bright color pallet and touches of pop art on the clothes. He seems to be stepping back from the world of glamor a bit to enjoy a playful, less mature aesthetic. He started the show off with some fun color blocked dresses, like this one, worn by Irina Lazareanu.



The cut outs, as well as the heart and lips are little details that excite me beyond words. I'm curious to know if those are brooches or actually sewn on the dress.

This maxi dress, worn by Marina Peres, also features pop art bits, but also an interesting print and green fringe detailing. It reminds me a bit of a monster, but I love it.



This transparent raincoat, worn by Tao Okamoto (who also closed the show), reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Dick. It's so delightful and girlish, I just want to skip around in one. Rain or shine.



Designers keep putting Abbey Lee in my favorite looks, and I'm loving it. Here she wears a sexy, nude dress, made less serious with lots of sparkles and metallic gold flowers. It's a perfect intersection of glamor and whimsy in my mind.



Also, I've decided to break up my posts a bit more, for organizational purposes. Not that I love Zac any more than Alex. It's for my own sanity.

All photos by style.com

Mmmm Fashion Week

With Fashion Week having started, I am compulsively checking style.com to see all of the top designer's Spring/Summer 2010 collections. A favorite designer of mine (and every it girl in the universe), Alexander Wang, showed on Saturday. I found his collection to be quite unexpected, inspired by varsity sports and a collegiate, Americana nostalgia. He took pieces that are rather standard and "classic" and Wanged them out of control. Despite the wholesome inspiration, Wang's collection still retained the rock and roll elements that make women (and men) swoon.

My favorite looks were....

Angela Lindvall in a gorgeous leather jacket



Abbey Lee in fantastic little leather lace-up shorts and a sweatshirt tee



Abbey Lee in a short-sleeve fur(?) sweater and bodysuit(?)



Abbey is a terrific model. I'm very happy to be seeing her back on the runway for Spring.

The Woman, the Legend, Diane Von Furstenberg showed on Sunday, serving up a collection inspired by Egypt and the desert.

I'm dying over Sessilee Lopez in this yellow draped dress over a tee.



Chanel Iman wore a delicious-looking dress/blazer combo. The color is insane.



Arlenis Sosa closed with a shiny, coin-laden number.



Jason Wu plesantly suprised me on Friday. I didn't find the dress he designed for Michelle Obama to be all that extraordinary, so I've held a small grudge. After seeing his collection, I can set that aside. There doesn't really seem to be a clear focus, but I adore quite a few of the looks he sent down the runway.

Chanel and Karlie look great in these lime green belts, and I died over the feathers.





Eniko Mihalik walked in a perfectly whimsical blouse and skirt. Again, the feathers have got me, but the top is amazing as well.



If I were a fabulous professional woman, I would wear that to work. I also loved Wu's use of mustard as a color. I have no idea why, but I love anything mustard. I feel like it's an odd color, but he made it so beautiful.

During this time of year, I spend more time on the computer than it is healthy, but it feeds my soul. I cannot wait to see what Marc Jacobs, Miuccia Prada, and others have in store. Now, it is my bed time. Or rather, if I don't go to bed, I will surely die. Perhaps not. Anyway, goodnight.

(all photos from style.com)

Fashion Week...

...is TOMORROW!

Well... It's almost 3am in New York now.

THE POINT IS,

I'm so so excited.

:)

Days Two and Three

After a reasonable night's sleep, I woke up around 10am, and watched episodes of That 70's Show, while feasting on a glorious bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. When that became a bore, I danced around the apartment with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' most recent album It's Blitz blaring in my ears. This of course was in preparation for their show later that day. Eventually, Ben, Julia, and Bridget met me at the apartment and we were on our way. Our first stop was the mainstage, which was crowded, just like the day before. Even so, we got a pretty good spot for The Cold War Kids. They were a talented bunch, but not so exciting. I don't know much of their music, so that probably didn't help. The crowd was lame as well.

As soon as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs came out, I knew I had to get closer. I'm not a person who can sit there while kids are dancing their lives away. I pushed my way into the madness, singing along to Karen O's wailing voice. Her outfit(s) were thrilling as well. She came out in an odd cape sort of thing, over a multicolored jumpsuit, which had fringe coming off the legs.



It was a delightful, multicolored mess. She also had a cool necklace/scarf hybrid, as well as additional cape/robe-like pieces she put on for various songs. Their show was insanity. A DJ who introduced them promised they would "melt your faces off", and they did just that. Included in the set was a moving acoustic rendition of "Maps", which Karen dedicated to all of us fans. Someone said she cried... I didn't see it... Anyhow, they closed with "Date with the Night" and left us all begging for more. Unfortunately Bumbershoot is a festival and time slots are time slots. Laaaame.

After those couple of shows, we were all bitchy and hungry. We grabbed some food and chilled out by the fountain again.



Shortly after arriving, we went to the Swollen Members show, followed by Vivian Girls, both which I found a bit disappointing. I guess when two of your favorite artists play, it's a tough act to follow. After Vivian Girls, I chatted with a friend, ran into another, and then went to Holy Fuck on the second's recommendation. A few other friends I had volunteered with at the Vera Project were there as well. Holy Fuck was an awesome electronic band, which had a lot of us dancing. I find the mix of moshing and dancing to be really incredible. You're in a group of people, most of whom you don't know, and you forge some kind of crazy community bond. Sometimes people at shows are assholes, but this group was truly amazing. Despite it being slightly similar to a giant fight, everyone was friendly. Holy Fuck was definitely a highlight of the festival.

Of course life isn't perfect. During Holy Fuck, my phone died. After, I couldn't find anyone. I walked around, found my friend Tim, walked around, found my friends Juan and Leland, made phone calls, walked around, ran into some girls from school, another phone call, and finally found success. Ben, Bridget, and I met by the E.M.P., stopped by a show, and went back to Ben's apartment. We all hung out and met Julia and Anna when Jason Mraz was done. Bridget went home, and the four of us grabbed Dick's, went back and pretty much crashed.

I didn't have a ticket for Day 3. I didn't buy one. I didn't get a 3 day pass. I'm just an idiot who bought Saturday, and then Sunday when I found out that the YYYs would be there. So in the morning on Monday, Anna and Julia left. Ben (who didn't have a ticket either) and I sat around, and finally decided to leave the apartment around 1. I got some breakfast and a coffee, and we explored the neighborhood. We made a stop at Easy Street, where I bought The Dead Weather's debut album Horehound and then met up with Bridget and Ellen. We all chilled at the apartment, they left, and then Ben played music for a while.



Sometimes, I wish I could have a musician on call for me...
We then watched Batman Begins, ate a PB&J, and then met the girls outside the festival. Julia, Anna, and I walked to the light rail and went home.

What a perfect weekend.

Bumbershoot 2009 Day One

My sort-of three day Bumbershoot extravaganza is the closets thing to homeless this middle-class white boy has ever experienced. Well, perhaps not. On second thought, there was the service project in Mexico years ago. In true Seattle style, the weather was completely bipolor, raining one second and burning me to a crisp the next. Even so, the festival was a fantastic time, and as always, an integral part of my summer.

I began day one waking up at the ungodly hour of 9:30am. Alas, I am a teenager and it is the summer. I frantically packed a bag to bring to my friend Ben's apartment, where I would be staying a night or so. My dad then drove me to the light rail, which is far too slow in my opinion. I got off sometime after 11 and started walking to Seattle Center from Westlake Center. I walked briskly-no maniacally, not only because the lovely Katy Perry was playing in just under three hours, but also because I am an impatient mess. I entered the festival and stumbled upon the line, which to my annoyance was already ridiculously long. I thought I was obsessed with Katy, but apparently some people were more intent on coming early. Of course plenty of irritating kids who no doubt did not appreciate the upcoming experience as much as I did, decided cutting in line was perfectly acceptable. After waiting and waiting, the line began to move. I showed security I wasn't carrying any guns, bombs, or god forbid a recording device and broke into a speed walk. Every now and then, when security didn't yell "No running!" I tried elusively jogging. My methods turned out to be quite effective and I got into the pit, one 14 year-old girl behind the fence before the stage. I probably should have been embarassed when someone next to me squealed "Happy 12th Birthday!", but I was not. This is something to expect at a Katy Perry concert. The set was decorated a bit like a suburban yard, with a white picket fence, flamingos, and lots of pink.



The photos in the One of the Boys album booklet are inspired by Lolita and summertime after all. After plenty of waiting and odd interaction with a middle-aged, over-friendly gay man, the show started. Katy came out in a ruffled romper, stunna shades, and a giant blow-up strawberry.



I'm already peeing my pants at this point... Kidding. Really.

The crowd was lame for the most part. I of course, knew all the words, danced the whole time, and ripped my bag in the process. Worth it. Whether she recognized me from the last show, or just appreciated my super fan status, Katy looked at me just as before. I'd like to think she remembered me as the gay kid in the gold sequined shirt. Who knows? Katy played most of her album, as well as a cover of Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now". Without them, she says her music career wouldn't exist. How very perfect. And gay. Love. She closed with "I Kissed a Girl" and of course, did so.



Yes, that is cherry chapstick in one hand (a prop) and a bra in the other (not).

She gave a farewell and I departed the pit (screw the All-American Rejects), met up with my friends Julia and Anna and went to see Natalie Portman's Shaved Head. Their set had started before the Katy show ended, but luckily we didn't miss "Sophisticated Side Ponytail" or "Me and Your Daughter", which are my personal favorite songs by the band.



They were a lot of fun, as always. Hooray for light-hearted, non-depressing local music! I still love you Death Cab...Nirvana...promise.

After, the girls and I decided to walk around, buy overpriced food, and relax/people-watch by the fountain. Some guy even climbed the fountain, with help from his buddy.




His landing was not so graceful.

Julia and I topped off the night with the Matt and Kim show. If you've never heard of this pair, I recommend checking them out ASAP.



The pit was packed and rowdy as hell. It was easily the craziest show I've been to in a long time. After, my feet were smashed and my shoes had gone from looking like sunshine to...not.



I even had grass-stained ankles. Ouch.
Julia and I made our way over to the Mural Ampitheater to meet Anna after Eric Hutchinson. After bidding the ladies adieu, I started walking towards Ben's apartment. Feeling nutrition-deprived, I grabbed a delicious vegan burger from one of the stands, making an absolute mess of myself, obviously not willing to stop to eat it. Once at Ben's, our friend Julie came over, and the three of us watched Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and ate cookie dough ice cream. I was exhausted from only having gotten 4 hours of sleep and walking/dancing all day, so I kept drifting off to sleep. Then, I passed out on Ben's floor.

(Because this post is ridiculously long, I've decided to tackle each day of my Labor Day Weekend, one post at a time. Xo.)

I realize I've been posting a lot about Lady GaGa over the past week, but it's as if she's trying to catch my attention... Either that, or she's just doing everything right. Apparently this image is from Vogue UK, which is quite obviously a serious fashion magazine.


(provided by gagadailiy.com)
The photo is fabulous, no? I don't remember the dress from F/W 09, but along with the bracelet and her hair, it looks absolutely stunning.
I feel as though a lot of the fashion media has been hesitant to include Lady GaGa in their coverage, some people even challenging her love of fashion, declaring that is in fact a love of show, not fashion. But dears, fashion is all-encompassing... Anything can be fashion... Even a sad t-shirt from Hot Topic. It's just like Miranda Priestly said, "...it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing a sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From a pile of stuff." This quote may not apply so aptly to Lady GaGa, whose outfits are often unique, one-of-a-kind, avant-garde pieces, but it does for every person who spends at Target or JC Penney or any other store we fashion-conscious people look so down upon...

That's all.

Jezebel just did a wonderful piece on Lady GaGa.

(image from maxim.com, obviously)

Sexuality in Fashion

It feels to me that Fashion has decided to embrace sexuality, for the time being. "Sexy" has always been an adjective used to describe certain garments, but never in my life have I seen sexuality so blatantly expressed nor accepted by the Fashion world. Even style.com has named lingerie-inspired dressing a key trend for Fall 2009, dubbing it "boudoir crossing". Bondage also found its way into the Fall collections. This may have been clear in my post about Paris Fashion week in the winter, but it seems to be popping up almost everywhere now that Fall is on its way. Some favorite designers of mine to participate in this slight sexual revolution are Marc Jacobs for Louis Viutton, Stefano Pilati for Yves San Laurent, Alexander Wang, and Nicholas Ghesquière for Balenciaga.

Marc Jacobs' collection for Louis Vuitton featured lots of lace, exposed bras, and thigh high leather boots. His first look was a lace blouse, exposing the models breasts. Now, Fashion is no stranger to nudity, but sometimes it can seem prudish.
I loved this look:


At YSL in Paris, Stefano Pilati showed a lot of leather and this little number:

The leather unitard(?) reminds me of a wicked and fashionable Playboy bunny. It's genius.

Alex Wang's clothes are always aggressive and sexy. I think his emergence as one of America's top new designers may have had an effect on his more experienced peers. Lily Donaldson look dashing in this perfectly evocative dress:


Finally, Balenciaga's entire collection was sexy, but in a very lady-like fashion. There were polka-dotted tights, velvet wrap dresses, exposed bras, and loads of satin.
I adore Raquel Zimmerman in this draped pant and jacket. The beautiful bra takes it to a whole nother level.

(all runway photos from style.com)

In addition to SEX walking the catwalk, some female celebrities have been photographed wearing arousing ensembles. Most recently, Rihanna posed for Italian Vogue.

(photo from Vogue Italia via worldofrihanna.ru)
And of course, Lady GaGa has been a diehard patron of sex whether it relates to fashion or not.


(photos from V Magazine via gagadaily.com)
Her interest in bondage wear is nothing new, but she's been appearing in several magazines dressed for the bedroom. And unlike Rihanna, Lady GaGa takes these looks to the streets.

(photo provided by igossip.com)
Rihanna did wear pasties out on the town recently, but GaGa has a leg up on her in terms of wearing underwear as outerwear, among other contraptions as you can see above.

So take heart prudes. This fall, a lovely assortment of sheer, lace, cutouts, and leather will be everywhere!

At times I forget that Lady GaGa is an artist and not just another chart-topper. I've been fascinated with the woman for over a year now, but for some reason I equate mainstream success with selling out. I therefore subconsciouly dismiss praise of her and her work. It doesn't really help that Perez Hilton is one of her most outspoken fans. The truth is, she hasn't created hardly any new music to sell out with, and her wardrobe gets more avant gard as the days go by. Watching this video made me very, very proud to be a GaGa fan.



Oh and remember those bunny ears I just posted about? Well, GaGa wore them much earlier than the Olsen twins did. I recognized them while scrolling through one of her fan sites.


She is wearing the ears as a sort of veil as well. The Olsens wore them reversed. I hate to be so assuming, but I don't take Mary-Kate and Ashley for Lady GaGa fans. You never know... I despise it when writers try to connect certain celebrity's personal styles to others, so forgive me for that slight slip.