Showing at Atelier

Today we have another trip report from Marguerite Swope, designer and owner of Ivy Reed who's writing of her experiences showing at Atelier. By the way, Atelier is based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico. And people say there's no fashion industry here. Thanks Marguerite (also a fellow New Mexican)!

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The Atelier Designers Show is a hotel show in New York (Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square), and I showed in it for the first time just this past 4th -6th of May. These are my experiences pre-show, during the show, and post-show.

I first applied for the February show. There are several steps to getting accepted into Atelier. The first step is to fill in the contact form on the website, and then they contact you. If you have a website, they look at that before they contact you. They liked what they saw on my website and encouraged my application. In the application you have to list other designers you hang with in stores and other shows you’ve been in. I’m not sure the weight these have in the decision, but I was confident about this part of my application.

The next step -if they like what they see so far- is to send a sample box. I made it this far and sent a box of samples. I was surprised not to be accepted, but they wrote a very thoughtful and helpful rejection and told me they wanted to keep my application on file because they knew my line was young and they thought I could be a fit later. So, I called and asked if I could walk the February show.

Fashion Mad Libs: Are Presbyterians getting their annual pancakes?

I am SO sorry for the massive Mad Libs delay. I got suddenly and extremely ill on Tuesday night and was unable to perform my blogging duties (or, for that matter, any duty that involved getting up off the bathroom floor). From now on, I will be sure to appoint a Daddy Likey Vice President who can fulfill posting duties in case I am sick, killed, or entranced by an Elimidate marathon.

Anyway, back to the long-awaited Fashion Mad Libs results! This week I borrowed a post on Reiss skirts from everyone's favorite fashion blog, Style Bubble. I figured Susie wouldn't notice because she is currently in France covering some totally boring fashion thing (in case I threw up my writing skills: yes, I'm being sarcastic).

And so, without further ado, our sometimes creepily perfect (the adjective "blue" in a string of color descriptions?), sometimes creepily odd (fucking into Reiss and shrieking at lemurs?) Mad Libs collaboration:

I think we have established that I eat skirts but we haven't gone to the lengths of moist skirts. Now I'm a kitchen sink who doesn't often go pass the £50 mark to buy just the bottom half of my artichoke which is why once again, I find myself faced with the kangaroo of Reiss. Their set of skirts for a millisecond are once again stinky...all irregular ruffles/meerkats and curvy/voluptuous highlighters in blue, pink and yellow and elderly taupe/white. It would really make a lot more sense if I was a Louvre high-flyer who talks of Disney World and um... that sort of stuff... I could fuck into Reiss and take a bunch of the clothes and shriek down at the lemur without so much as looking at the yetis.

So as pungent as french fries are, Reiss will glamorously make me feel like I should be exchanging alligators with fellow hairs and exploding fingernail clippers about whether Presbyterians will be getting their annual pancakes.... and as I embark on new safaris in about a month's time, plonking down the prism for some sticky buys at Reiss seem even further away from the fetus.

D'Lovely

I try to look at every bag not as just something I would carry (if I did, then chances are this would be hobos and totes every day) but something I can appreciate, or might notice if I saw someone else carrying it. And once in a while, I come across a bag that I'd love to carry, even though it is so very not my style.

The D'Bour flap bag is one of the loveliest bags I've seen of late. In lipstick red leather which has a croco print (not embossed, it is a raised print) body, and a wrinkled leather overlay, it is a fabulous study in tone on tone. The textures make you want to just reach out and touch. There is minimal hardware, which avoids what could have been a busy look.
The bag is a square shape, which feels very fresh to me, on a handle that is stiff enough to hold it's shape, but long enough to be used as a satchel or in the crook of your arm (the bag is a bit boxy to rest comfortably on the shoulder, it seems).
While I think it would work well with jeans or dressier clothes, the one caveat is neatness...this is the sort of bag that instantly makes any look more polished. I think it a fantastic option for anyone who loves the look of a structured bag, but wants to stand apart from the big brand designer flock.
The Flap Bag from D'Bour looks as expensive as those big designer bags, but is pretty reasonable at $590. It is also available in cream croco, and 3 unprinted colors from D'BOUR.
Note: the online store is not working currently, e-mail them at sales@dbour.com.

What the Manolo Is…

Manolo says, it is Tuesday, time to see what the Manolo is...

Reading...

Listening to...

Watching...

The Manolo is shocked, shocked indeed, that Julian Schnabel turned out to be such the powerful and sensitive filmmaker.

My Workout Picks!

Vest: Ribbed Tank Top, $6.50, www.wetseal.com; Hoodie: Stripe Tunic Hoodie, $39.50, www.delais.com; Sneakers: Puma Women's Complete Magnetist, $129.99, www.footlocker.com; Shorts: California Athletic Short, $10.80, www.forever21.com; Gym Bag: adidas Ultimate Rendezvous Duffel II, $60, www.ebags.com

Top: Nike Paris Tennis Tank, $55, www.nike.com; Skirt: Nike Control Pleated Women's Tennis Skirt, $41.99, www.nike.com; Bag: Nike Premium Shoulder Bag, $21.99, www.nike.com; Sneakers: Nike Free, $76.50, www.activa.com; Cap: Nike Feather Light Reflective Women's Golf Hat, $25, www.nike.com

Pants: Gray Yoga Pants, $30, www.laduchess.com; Hoodie: Halter Hoodies, $24.50, www.oldnavy.com; Top: Champion Powerlite Seamless Empire Tech Tank, $36, www.championcatalo.com; Headband: Vinyl Headband, $4.80, www.forever21.com; Sneakers: Asics Metallic Ultimate 81, $29.99, www.urbanoutfitters.com; Gym bag: Puma Women's Phantom Grip Bag, $64.99, www.footlocker.com

It goes without saying but pick the most appropiate outfit for your exercise of choice. Skirts and yoga don't go well together - we don't need to see all of that! Similarly, wearing pants to a tennis match may cause you to heat up prematurely. I'm a big advocate for looking good on and off "the field" so throw on a cute hoodie, grab your stylish gym bag and strut home with the new found energy your workout has given you!

Blog the Blogger: Shoegal

Cheers, dear readers. Hope you're having a jolly good Friday morning. What's with all this Brit talk? Well that's because today's Blog the Blogger comes to us from across the pond. (Oh, if you need to know how to draw the Union Jack, the Cheltenham Borough Council has a guide, at right. Just sayin'.)

Shoegal lives in Yorkshire, UK, and almost daily blogs about what she's wearing, especially her - big surprise here - shoes. She's super-tall like the DC Goodwill Fashionista, so we're kindred spirits in that way. Enjoy her wacky British spelling and terminology (I kid!) as she answers the DCGF's soon-to-be-famous five (plus one) questions...

1. What is the first article of clothing you remember that you loved to wear? Oh this is a tough one. I remember I had a pink dress when I was about 8 or 9. It was made of heavy cotton, kind of like denim, with elastic ribbing on the cuffs, hem and roll neck, like the cuff on a sweatshirt. It was a drop waist style with a button on either side. It was given to me by my older (and therefore far cooler than me) neighbour. She would pass on many of her old clothes over the years and I loved getting a bag of them, it was so exciting to see what was inside. Sadly I don’t think there are any photos of me wearing the dress otherwise of course I’d share.

2. Where is your favorite place to shop for a fashion bargain in the DC area? I’ve never been to DC so I can’t answer this one! Can I tell you about my favourite place to shop in the UK? [Well, okay... -the DCGF] It has to be Long Tall Sally. When they have a sale on. Regular readers of my blog will know I am a big fan of this shop and its website as I am so tall. There’s always something here to fit and the styles are not limited to black trousers and jeans as so many other tall ranges on the British high street seem to be. [I found the cute dress at left on sale for ?40, or about US$80. -the DCGF] Tall ladies of the US, you don’t know how lucky you are – there are so many more retailers over there carrying tall styles than there are in the UK.

3. Where is your favorite place to shop for a fashion bargain outside of DC? I think I covered that in question 2 but for a real bargain, it has to be one of the many, many charity shops that can be found in my home town and local to where I live now. I am a particular fan of the fact that you can buy shoes for ?2.99 (US$6 ish) that would have cost much more than that new. My favourite pair is these black and cream ones worth ?45 (US$90).

4. Who is your current favorite designer? I have to say I tend to watch what is going on on the high street [Translation: the general shopping district in a town in the UK... -the DCGF] more than on the catwalks, but Alberta Ferretti can always come up with a pretty frock or two. [And a great shoe; see left. -the DCGF] And of course, being Shoegal, it’s got to be Christian Louboutin or Manolo Blahnik for the high end shoes and boots.

5. If you could own any single item from fashion past or present - money is no object! - what would it be? This is hard. I am totally in love with these NYLA over the knee suede boots. Of course my legs are so long they’d be just up to the knee on me – the perfect length. They come in red too if you’re feeling really daring...

Bonus Question: How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop? My typically British answer: What is a Tootsie Pop? Wait, I’ll Google it…. Good old Wikipedia! But I’m still not sure – do they have a hard sugar coating? If they do it’ll take me ages to get to the centre – those boiled sweet lollies always took me ages to eat – I’d get bored and crunch it in the end.

Ahaha - boiled sweet lollies! Delicious! I love it. Isn't it great to get an international perspective? And Shoegal just did this fun thing on her blog where she listed where here readers come from around the world. It's always fun as bloggers to know where our readers our reading the blog.

Well, dear readers, I have a nasty cold and am out of clever things to say. Don't forget to "Show Us Your Denim" (see yesterday's post) and drop off your gently used jeans at a participating Levi's retail store near you, if you live in San Fran, L.A., Chicago, NYC, or the D.C. metro area. Have a great weekend...

Goodwill’s fashion blog provides detailed knowledge and insight on vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories that are valuable to fashion shoppers. The facts and opinions shared present readers with entertaining, exciting and value based information on vintage and contemporary fashion and shopping trends.

Free stuff is cool!

Friends of ours let us have an old china cupboard. At first we had nowhere to put it, so it spent a month out in the garage. Then I had the idea that we could put all of our Strathmere stuff in it. We collect old postcards and things about our house and the town. So we cleared all of the things that my Dad had piled on the cupboard during the short time that it was in the garage (tools, a radiator, car fender etc.) and carried into the house and up the steps (my legs are aching today from moving it) Cleaned it up and turned it into a perfect display case for our treasures!

eVintage Blog Tag - the 1960s

Today’s theme for the eVintage Blog Tag ...the 60’s. I was tagged by Vintage Joy

Are you a MAD MEN kinda gal (ritzy cocktail dresses, wiggle silhouette, draped and ruched silk chiffon, pointy toe stilettos, a cigarette and martini) or a MOD dolly (sleek lines, go go boots, oversize sunglasses, pilgrim buckle square toe shoes, paper dresses, micro mini skirts, patterened tights, white lipstick and fake lashes)? Do tell.

MOD OR MAD MEN?
Mad Men.

FAVE PIECE IN YOUR INVENTORY FITTING THE BILL?
For a Day at the office - a cute Purple Wool Shift Dress
For night - a simple but sexy Black Strappy Cocktail Dress



ICONIC EARLY 60s STARLET?
Ann-Margret



LATE 60’s?
Pattie Boyd -



SINATRA OR THE SWINGIN’ 60s SCENE?
Swinging 60s Scene

Follow the tag over to Diary of a Mad Vintage Addict

SizeAppeal.com

Above: April, $48, www.sizeappel.com

Left to right: Malin, $28; Aziza, $28; Alice in Mint, $29, all available at www.sizeappeal.com

So the other day my co-worker and I were having yet another frustrated conversation about how stores don’t carry pants wide enough for our hips or jeans big enough for our booty. Then my other co-worker yelled “shut the hell up” from down the hallway since none of us knew what it was like to be over a size 14 trying to shop at the local mall. Granted she had a point but what’s up with all the hostility? I’m just playin’! This sista is always dressed to impress. You would never know the trouble she goes through trying to find clothes that flatter her figure. It was her who suggested I do a write up on www.sizeappeal.com. She’s bought many of her summer items from this online store and I can tell you first hand that the stuff is cute! Now I have another place to complain about. Can a sista get that green dress in a size 8?!

Asch Grossbardt Jewelry

Fine Gold Inlay Jewelry

For over two centuries, the Asch and Grossbardt families have been a meaningful presence in the fine jewelry industry. Today, the Asch Grossbardt company is world renowned as the premier manufacturer of fine gold inlay jewelry. Based on the ancient jewelry-making tradition of mosaics, which was developed and perfected by Florentine craftsmen during the Renaissance, this exquisitely-executed jewelry resembles the stained glass windows of a glorious European cathedral.





Yellow Gold and Sterling Silver Inlay Bracelet

18k Yellow gold and sterling silver rubber cord bracelet with mixed mother of pearl inlay.



Examining the creations of Asch Grossbardt is very much like admiring a celebrated private art collection. Each piece is a remarkably precise execution of an artistic vision. Tiny pieces of spectacular gemstones - Mother-of-Pearl, Black Onyx, Lapis, Sugilite, Coral, Turquoise, Malachite, and Australian Opal - are transformed into seamless, beautiful patterns, in the nearly forgotten art of inlay.



Unlike enamel, which is applied on top of the metal, inlay jewelry involves hand-cutting and hand-setting small pieces of semi-precious stones to create an intricate, predetermined mosaic pattern. Highly skilled artisans follow the designer's illustrations with painstaking precision. Each piece of Asch Grossbardt inlay jewelry is a study in superb craftsmanship.





Inlay Necklace and Earrings



Once every stone is set, the piece is lapped on a wheel until it is so smooth that if you close your eyes and run your finger over the surface, it is impossible to tell where one stone ends and another begins. Although they are works of art, these pieces are also extremely durable and are guaranteed to withstand ordinary everyday wear.



Striking color combinations are a signature design element of the collection. These unique combinations include the sophistication of jet black Onyx paired with white Mother-of-Pearl, the majestic look of marine blue Lapis side-by-side with purple Sugilite, and the bright exotic hues of Coral, Turquoise, Malachite, and Australian Opal.





Mother of Pearl Inlay Ring

Sterling Silver and 18k Gold



Often referred to as collectors' jewelry, each Asch Grossbardt piece is not only a distinctive adornment, but also a wonderful representation of a lost art, featuring breath-taking color and meticulous craftsmanship. These unique qualities have placed Asch Grossbardt on the short list of the most-coveted collections by true connoisseurs of fine jewelry. Like any other art form, the fine inlay jewelry created by Asch Grossbardt has meaning far beyond its intrinsic value.

See full article.





Related Entries:

Jewelry Career Resources - 08 August 2006

Dawn Vertrees Jewelry Designer - 14 March 2008

Alexis Bittar Jewelry Designer - 14 April 2008

Lori Bonn Jewelry Designer - 17 April 2008

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Fantasy Fashion Doc Films...

I don’t mean to be constantly aping content from the new issue of Let Them Eat Cake today. Blame it on the fact that the new issue is packed with the good stuff in a way that I never expected it to be considering the first issue was an A5 pamphlet affair. An interesting article about the growing number of fashion documentaries being made which concluded that though films like Rudolphe Marconi’s Lagerfeld Confidential or Loïc Prigent’s Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton were never going to be massive box office hits, but that the niche audience and the demand for them is never going to go away. It raised the obvious points that for fashion lovers, a lot of designers tend to be enigmas and beyond that bow at the end of their catwalk show, we’re not exactly saturated with their exposure in the public eye. Of course we get a wee bit curious about those people who create the stuff we dissect and lust after, and perhaps it is a little shameful that when I see an interview with Stefano Pilati in a magazine, I devour it in an instant. I say shameful only because I get the feeling that a lot of designers don’t want to be ‘devoured’ in that way and only want their work to do the talking...

This was even more apparent when I went to see a screening of Roger Burton’s Vive le Punk at The Horse Hospital on Tuesday. It is the only recorded interview of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, filmed in 1993 at the opening of the Vive Le Punk exhibition which effectively started The Horse Hospital venue. It was slightly eerie that the interview was filmed in the very room I was watching it in but even more remarkable that the interview was MOSTLY very candid. Both McLaren and Westwood talking about the beginnings of their store Let it Rock on Kings Road, turning into SEX, Seditionaries and eventually Worlds End (the store was designed by Roger Burton). The camera work is very basic to say the least, the sound quality isn’t great but all in all, it’s perfectly imperfect because those tidbits were all there. The teddy boys who came to the Let it Rock store and trashed the place. The pedantic people who would come to the store not to buy anything but just to say that teddy boy fluorescent socks were the wrong shade of pink. The chicken bones that Vivienne laboriously boiled up so that they would crystalise and she could use them to make slogan t-shirts. The SEX store appealing to fetish groups who organised days of walking around London in full on fetish gear. The obscene t-shirts that got Westwood and McLaren arrested. A genuine speech by Westwood that was full of genuine feeling about the environmental state of the world, taking into account she said this 15 years ago which she has now doctored into something of a manifesto.

Reading the article in LTEC, and having seen all the aforementioned fashion documentaries, it does strike me that trying to cream the truth from a designer isn’t easy. There are very noticeable flaws within all those films in their representations of the designers and this is down to of course what facets the designers themselves deem ‘screenable’. Even in Vive Le Punk, something very VERY fly-on-the-wall, I could see a little of McLaren checking himself before he said something. So, if the truth is never going to out, and we only get beautiful facets along with facts that the designers themselves want to showcase in these films, then beautiful visions of designers by various film directors is the best we can hope for and I for one am clamouring for more...

So much so that I came up with some fantasy fashion film combos that would really get the DVD expenditure going...
Alber Elbaz directed by Sofia Coppola – Coppola might only be interested in telling stories about girls in different transient stages in their lives but I think she’d have a thing or two to say about a man who many many women want to be dressed by. Plus, I feel like there’d be many a quirk to come from this teddy bear of a man that would make compelling viewing.

Boudicca directed by Anton Corbijn – So ‘Control’ got panned as a bit too ‘style-over-substance’but since I feel Boudicca has A LOT of substance behind their designs (delve into their website and you’ll see what I mean...), I think a deft stylish hand from Corbijn would strike a perfect balance.

Gareth Pugh directed by Alistair Allan – The Dirty Dirty Dancing photographer is actually embarking on his first film project this year and seeing as the two are familiar with each other, it would seem almost a piece of cake to get a film together that flowed and speeded through London’s East End.

Bernhard Willhelm directed by Michel Gondry – I get the feeling Gondry’s imagination would go into overdrive once Willhelm lets him into his Antwerpian world. I want crafty DIY projects made by both director and designer and the clothes to be animated in the way that I always imagine whenever I see a Bernhard Willhelm collection.

Rodarte directed by Rian Johnson – They’re both delightfully unexpected surprises from America and up and coming. They both take dark subject matter and make them look beautiful. Something amazing could happen here and I feel it in my distressed holey crocheted tights-clad legs.

Peter Jensen directed by Wes Anderson – I’m thinking they both share a love of moleskin notebads filled with sketches. Jensen could provide Anderson with a lot of superb props that he has a knack of employing as one of the characters in his films. I’d look forward to buying a carefully selected soundtrack.

Pray tell, what would be your fantasy fashion doc?

Five Men's Fashion First Impressions

The lovely Pam from Square Old Soul found this $495 Hollywould bag in the May edition of Elle's online shopping guide (in fact, it's listed under the category "What to buy RIGHT NOW"), and had to know what the Five Men thought of it.

I second that emotion, so here we go:

Brother, age 13: Is it a tree or some sort of handbag? It looks like one of those trolls with the crazy hair.

Brother, age 18: I don't know....but it would make a good friend if I was stranded on an island.

Brother, age 21: This is it? This is a purse??? Hmmm... (makes a series of confused grunts and sighs) It's interesting. It looks like that character from the Muppets. It's decent. I like it.

Father: (Laughs) Oh god. It is a self-referential non sequitur and nobody cares.

Boyfriend: I could see the professor from Gilligan's Island making that as a contraption to get in touch with the mainland. (Starts walking away) What is it, by the way?
Me: It's a bag.
Boyfriend: It's a bag?? I thought it was, like, a GMO pineapple.

Dying to hear the men's thoughts (or, more specifically, their confusion/rage) on a particular fashion item? Email me! daddylikeyblog@gmail.com

Linktastic Friday No. 4: The Return of Linktastic Friday

Tina at What-I-Found sent me a link to the pillow above; I need to put it on my couch and sit next to it wearing my letter/number dress, don't I?

Dilly sent a link to these sewing-themed shoes from the UK chain Office, which makes it very difficult for people to grab their pics. I guess you'll have to click on the link if you want to see them.

Remember those "Four Yard Line" patterns? There's also a One Yard Line line: check out this skirt and blouse pattern (Butterick 9475), sent by Myra.

Ann sent a great link to a post by Babazeka, where she quotes an old sewing manual about how to be properly dressed when you sit down at the machine. Priceless. (Ann also sent a link to Donate My Dress, which passes along gently used prom dresses to girls who need them.)

Hana in Brno sent a link to this dress -- a wedding dress made completely of dollar store materials. It looks pretty good!

I know I haven't said much about the wiki lately (I think we need to have another contest), but we have another seller who is happy to have her images loaded up into it: Vintage Swampcrone.

Blogreader Carol has a wonderful blog about papercraft. Check it out!

Kristine sent this, which is up right now on eBay (click the image). Isn't it cute?




Doug (yeah, I said Doug) sent this link to a site called Unraveling Histories, which features dresses made from silk RAF parachutists' maps. The site is hard to navigate and even harder to pull pics from but it's definitely worth a link! And there's a Dutch version.

Lee (at when she was knitting) sent in pictures of her Duro! And it's her first dress! You should click the link and check it out, her color choice is beautiful.

Stephanie sent in this Whole Food halter dress, in the front of her local WF in Oakland:



The *very* funny Jonathan Caws-Elwitt has made up these t-shirts (click the image to visit his CafePress store):




Whew! I think that's it for this Friday. Wouldn't want to break the internet ...

Snob Worthy Links May 20th 2008

Jewel Snob glitters with Louis Vuitton Clous Bracelets!

Huge Net a porter sale at Bag Snob!

Tot Snob has a mom snob-worthy bag from Le Sports Sac!

The Thoughtful Dresser with a case study in thoughtful dressing.

Purse Blog ponders Balenciaga Giant City Bag.

Bella Sugar Tour of Beauty in LA!

How Not To Respond To Criticism

Has everyone heard about the Butterick 6015/St. Louis Fashion week kerfuffle by now? If not, I will give you a precis.

-- St. Louis recently had a Fashion Week. (They sent me the release and a gazillion large jpgs. I don't really cover fashion shows, so I didn't post about it.)
-- A blogger (who asked me not to use her name) did look at the photos, and noticed right away that one of the dresses was line-for-line a copy of Butterick 6015, aka the Walkaway Dress. See it here?




-- The blogger tries to find out who the designer was that submitted such an iconic dress to a fashion show.
-- She finds the designer, Ashley Dayley, and talks with her. Ms. Dayley doesn't seem to think there's anything wrong with just making a dress from a vintage pattern and submitting it to a show.
-- She posts all this on her blog. In her post, she gives Ms. Dayley the benefit of the doubt, calling her "young" and "enthusiastic".

Now here's where the story gets interesting -- the last three comments on that blog, before the post was taken down, were from anonymous "friends" of the "designer", calling the blogger out for posting about this. They were so nasty that the blogger took down the post.

Dumb. Don't those "friends" know (or doesn't the "designer" know) that the best and ONLY thing to do when you've done something dumb is to take your lumps and own up? Why not say "I didn't know?" Why not say "I won't do it again?" Why not say (as hard as it is, through gritted teeth) "Thanks for letting me know?"

Instead they decided to wear their matching "I'm a Bully" t-shirts (which are probably pink, with sequins) and harass the person who had the temerity to call them on their misdeeds. The commenters, if they are the designer's friends, were just making her look MORE clueless. (If they're her enemies, they're doing a stand-up job.)

Now, I'm not saying that fashion doesn't tolerate knockoffs. (Victor Costa, anyone?) But a fashion show, especially one that was put on to feature "independent designers" is not the place for knockoffs; it's the place for original work.

The best part is the commenters saying that the original blogger didn't have the right to post the pictures of the show. So ... let me get this straight: she can't post images that were widely distributed to bloggers just for that purpose, but "designers" can knock off old patterns and that's just fine?

The best way to fix this would be for Ms. Dayley to issue a formal letter of apology to the show's organizers and post it somewhere public online. Then at least the first hit for her might show her doing something thoughtful and grown-up instead of something clueless.

[On a happier note, Marge of Born Too Late Vintage is turning 49, and is offering 50% off shipping on all items in her store to US and international customers from April 18 up to and including April 24th. On everything: patterns, clothes, accessories ... Use the code "49 and holding."]

The Hill’s (and feud’s) Co-Star, Heidi’s Fashion Line

Celebutante see, celebutante do. Isn't that the way it always is? And The Hill's not being true fiction makes its biggest stars, Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag both just celebutantes (who “worked” for it).

Months after Lauren's handbag line came out with Linea Pelle, Montag's fashion collection has just debuted with Anchor Blue, an equally obscure house to this quarter-aged fart.

If you're wondering whether Heidi has the chops to design clothing. I'm going to take her own quote to say, “No”.

“I love zebra print!” she said. “I’m obsessed with it!”

And it's all over her collection. Yayyy, she follows one trend. I love zebra print myself right now. Oh but didn't that start at least back in the Fall? Like on this handbag from Dooney & Bourke (actually a 2008 edition, but still).

What more in the advancement of design could we expect from a girl who named her line Heidiwood, with the tagline, “Welcome to La La Land!“? Mmmmmmmmm, those Las are supposed to stand for L and A, but okay... We know you live there, anyway, Heidi!

Source

Fare thee well, old friend.

Last Friday night was one of my best and oldest friend's going-away party. He leaves tomorrow for boot camp. :( Here's some photographic eye candy from the event.


My BFFL looking lovely in my clothes.


Ralph, declaring his undying love for his penis.


Brittney making an attempt to dodge my camera.


Randall and Ralph looking debonair in my accessories. (Ralph has a strange drunk eye.)


Kori and I got our revenge by gaffling some of Jose's hats. (Please disregard that I look creepy.)


A hat theif and a funny asian.

I like my friends.

Done & done.

PSA time

Here at In My Bag, I like to take a moment once in a while to give public service advice.
If you happen to go to a party, and see a coat you like better than the one you arrived in it is not OK to take it anyway, even if you are Lindsay Lohan.

And if you do take it, maybe because you are Lindsay Lohan, try to remember that as a famous train wreck, you will be photographed and busted.
This was just too good to not share. The full story can be read here: New York Post. In Lindsay's defense, I'm sure it was very dark, and sometimes after a few probably-not-so-mock-tails a pile of other peoples' coats can resemble a SWAG suite...it's hard to be a star you know.

When is a lip plumper like an ab machine?

When it works, you've got to *feel the burn*.? According to AOL readers, Lip Injection Extreme by Too Faced ($28 at Sephora.com) really works, better than any other they tested for the network. The only issue was a long-lasting slight burn. Still, I've found this more of a success than those that only showed results for 30 minutes. (What good is that, without constant “freshening up”?)

This makes me think ... it's too bad a girl can't just do exercies to plump up lip muscles, instead, for permanent results!

Jules Smith Jewelry

Gina Nigrelli Jewelry Designer



Gina's jewelry is feminine and functional with each piece rooted to her life in the Virgin Islands. The azure waters and Caribbean culture offer a compelling setting for unburdened creativity, while her frequent travels to New York City keep her on the beat and pulse of the industry. Her goal is to create pieces that express her adoration for the natural beauty that surrounds her while representing her personal style and her love for everything fashionable.



I love these! They look like satin.





Solera Bangle Bracelets

Shimmer and shine in these new bangles. In sterling silver, 18k gold vermeil, or 14k rose gold vermeil. Sold individually.



Inspired by the sugar sand, cobalt blue skies, and lush landscaping of their home in the Virgin Islands, Jules Smith Designs creates luxe resort jewelry. The collections tell the story of a fashion forward soul bridging the gap between metropolitan trends and the laid-back organic vibe of the Caribbean.





Skin's In Ring

Effortlessly sexy, understated glamour in a style essential. In sterling silver, 18k yellow gold, or 14k rose gold.



Drawing from a myriad of life experiences, Gina Nigrelli's appreciation for adventure and natural beauty began while studying abroad in Harare, Zimbabwe. She began her fashion career at Diesel in Las Vegas where she was a manager and merchandiser. It was the exposure to the strong brand identity and cutting edge fashion philosophy of Diesel that motivated her to take the next step in her career.





Whale Wishes Pendant

Pendant measures approximately 2x2 inches on 18" cable chain. In sterling silver or 18k yellow gold.



Always willing to take a leap of faith, Gina moved to Chicago to pursue a degree in fashion design. While in school, Gina held the post of Director of Marketing and Events for a national online shopping destination. In 2006, Gina and her husband relocated to the Virgin Islands. It was in this exotic environment that Gina was finally able to pursue her lifelong dream of designing her own collection. Jules Smith was established later that year.

See full article.





Related Entries:

Jewelry Career Resources - 08 August 2006

Couture Jewelry Awards - 04 March 2007

Jewelry Designer for Princesses - 08 March 2007

Smith Wraps it Up - 20 August 2007

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Natalie Portman Wears Ugly Wayfarer Ray-Bans

The appearance of Wayfarer Ray-Bans on celebrities, or anyone else, has not left me grinning.

These sunglasses did not look good on Tom Cruise in the movie Rain Man and they do not look good on Natalie Portman or Keira Knightley now.

It seems that the 80’s made a comeback a few years ago and is currently trying to butt its little head back into fashion.

You can see 80’s punk inspiration popping up all over T-shirts, sunglasses and jeans with the help of super models like Agyness Deyn, celebrities and individualistic designers.

In some cases retro punk can look fabulous but when I start seeing these ridiculous Ray- Bans, I am not happy.

These style of glasses have only looked good on one person and that was Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.