It's a sandal! It's a boot! It's .. sasquatch? How these shoes by Etro don't get less praise and more jabs than Uggs is beyond me. I didn't pay them much mind until I read recent reports saying these ... yes, these hair-like fringy tall shoes, are the IT shoe of Spring 2008.
Ummmm at least they conceal those missed patches??
Setting- Paying for newspapers at a market stand.
I just spent the last week in Florida! How wonderful is that? It was business as usual with the work laptop and almost the entire jewelry inventory along for the ride, but somehow business is quite different with waves frothing on white sand and people you love all around you.
It's funny that I made so much blue-toned jewelry before going to Florida - I'm sure it was my subconscious anticipating the sea. The top lapis bracelet with two strands of lapis is a blue that mimics the dark blue of the ocean close to the horizon; the necklace (of Swarovski crystals entirely) has that clear turquoise that you see closer to the shore as does the bottom bracelet made of Peruvian blue opals. The two Swarovski starfish are just a nice bonus! The lampwork bracelet that you see immediately below is a bit of an anomaly, but still somehow seemed to fit into the sea/beach theme.
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That's right. I said concrete. Every year in Las Vegas the World of Concrete hosts an Artistry in Concrete event. Why do am I so interested in this? Because my parents finally broke down and replaced their crumbling driveway two years back with - get this - a decorative concrete one, replete with colors, and the Notre Dame insignia (my sister graduated from there) in one corner. Crazy, I thought.
For those of us living in tiny city apartments, however, a massive concrete driveway is only appealing in the abstract. I wanted something more tangible to connect me to the trend. I found it in Oso Industries "Pine Bench," which, of course, is made out of anything but. Yep, the awesome bench to the left is cast out of a single piece of concrete, using a rubber mold of an actual tree to create the amazingly realistic finish.
But maybe it can be. Konzuk, a jewelry company out of Canada, is making truly innovative pieces out of - let's say it all together, shall we? - concrete.Fashion history video sequences such as the Mode en France one I posted a while back seem to be mighty popular with the clip having garnered over 50,000 views. So, I wonder what will people make of this short film 'The Phenomenology of the Body', directed by Daphne Guinness which premiered on NYTimes T Magazine today and will also be presented during Paris Couture Fashion Week at the Hotel Crillon. It features 13 historical female figures/roles, including Joan of Arc, Marie Antoinette (played by Guinness herself), the flapper, the commissar, the housewife all spinning on a turn table in the dark to an LCD Soundsystem soundtrack and finally ends with a veiled woman stripping of her red burka. "It's about the body and the soul, concealing and revealing, empowerment; clothing has always been so political," said Guinness.
It's a somewhat evasive piece but as Guinness says herself,
"Really, the piece is a revolving passage, a voyage of the female form canceling or revealing. Is it a birth, a death, an arrival, a departure? I don’t really know."
Then the message isn't entirely clear but for me, it's interesting that a peak and trough cycle develops in the film as womens' attire becomes more and more shackled with weight and heaviness and then that slowly ebbs away until we are hit with a striking image of a completely veiled woman. It's a commentary on East-West divisions as well as development with time.
In relation to Guinness herself who was told by a journalist "You are no longer a person; you are a concept!", whilst she presents these historical feminine identities that are heavily defined by the way they dress, does she see herself in the same way, defined by the way she dresses or does she embody the spirit of freedom seen in the last few second of the film, the freedom to dress as she pleases, wear two different coloured shoes, silver armour on her hands and don haute couture like no other? Again hard to say...
Gavin Douglas and a model at his Spring 2008 Ready-to-Wear collection during London Fashion Week. 
How many young designers can debut a collection in 2006 and by 2007 say that they’ve won a prestigious fashion award, secured a deal to sell their collection in U.K.’s most exclusive department store Harrods and have Tom Ford (savior of Gucci) take them out for a drink? Meet Gavin Davis, the U.K. designer who can claim all of the above. He’s clearly on the come up! With professional qualifications and training in the fashion and textile industry, Douglas is a dynamic, young designer who carefully researches, designs and crafts each individual piece of clothing, ensuring its uniqueness and quality.I'm a forward thinking kinda gal. I well and truly anticipate my landing on the moon during my life time. It will happen and when it does, I'd very much like to wear Liam Fahy's design that won him the Fashion Fringe Shoe competition, bagging him a paid internship with Rupert Sanderson. The white shiny plastic/patent and the way it is cut up into pieces and overlaps and also the non-clompy wedge makes it the ideal shoe to take my first moon steps. Yes, I am eliminating any rules of physics in this space-shoe equation. Me thinks my chances of walking in the shoes as opposed to the moon are slightly bigger so I'll also happily take pairing the shoes with a pair of skinny ruched black satin trousers, a white boiled wool big shouldered cape top and some Martin Margiela visor sunglasses as a sensible alternative.
The official DKNY literature will tell you that this thong has a “sensual, feminine vibe” because of its lace side panels and tiny ribbons. Those of us who read into things a little too much know, however, that its true femininity lies in the well framed chalice symbol centered on the front panel. The thong is made from comfortable stretch fabric and like any thong offers minimal coverage in the rear. It comes in nude and black. It's feminine on so many different levels. How can you resist?
So,
the U.S. is teetering on the brink of a recession. While there is a
smattering of financial advice scattered throughout the July issues,
the magazines focus on something far more important than investments
and job security: looking good! Priorities! The best investment to
weather an economic crisis is, apparently, your wardrobe. I’m no
financial expert, but based on what’s in the magazines this month, I
will say this: If Forever 21 ever goes public, buy.
Nearly all the
magazines offer looks at lower prices, but considering the source,
lower-priced is not necessarily low-end. Here’s a breakdown of the
style sticker shock:
Bazaar
One page of “Hottest,
Newest, Latest” is devoted to “fashion at AFFORDABLE prices.” It was
wise to emphasize the word “affordable,” because otherwise—well, see
for yourself.
Total number of deals: 6
Their idea of dirt cheap: A $69 Banana Republic scarf
Most expensive bargain: A $395 Elie Tahari clutch
Cheapest item elsewhere in the magazine: $140 J. Crew flats
Priciest item elsewhere in the magazine: A $450,000 Neil Lane for De Beers bracelet
Item whose price makes
me question the wisdom of capitalism: A $46,650 Balenciaga dress. No,
it isn’t woven from gold. Why do you ask?
Cosmopolitan
“How to Shop Summer
Sales” blends fashion with suggestions to befriend a saleswoman and
keep your receipts for price adjustments. Original!
Total number of deals: 14
Their idea of dirt cheap: A $49 dress from Macy’s
Most expensive bargain: A $158 necklace, Marc by Marc Jacobs
Cheapest item elsewhere in the magazine: $48 DKNY jeans
Priciest item elsewhere in the magazine: A $575 3.1 Philip Lim dress
Item whose price makes
me question the wisdom of capitalism: Cosmo neglects to list prices for
the most expensive items, like the YSL cardigan worn by a model riding
a jetski. Where else would you wear such a sweater?
Elle
An eight-page spread, “Le Cheap, C’est Chic!,” is annoyingly teased on the cover with the line “No She Didn’t!” Because, you know, spending less than $150 on an item of clothing is totally a novel lifestyle choice and not a necessity!
Total number of deals: Who can tell what Elle thinks is “cheap”? They’ve got Forever 21 mixed with Burberry.
Their idea of dirt
cheap: A $6 bead necklace and, the fashion find of the century, a $7
Hanes t-shirt. Thanks for uncovering that hidden gem, Elle!
Most expensive bargain: Elle’s
“inexpensive” clothes are paired with thousands of dollars of jewelry,
as if that’s the only way to redeem them. The highest-priced piece in
“Le Cheap” is a $3,990 diamond ring.
Cheapest item elsewhere in the magazine: $48 Levi’s denim shorts worn by Mary-Kate Olsen
Priciest item elsewhere in the magazine: A $5,600 Marchesa satin dress
Item whose price makes
me question the wisdom of capitalism: Ludicrous $300 square sunglasses
by Luella by Linda Farrow. People aren’t actually going to buy those,
right? Right?
Glamour
Bargains are splashed across one page, “Summery work stuff—all less than $40,” and a high-low feature, “Your Summer Extras.”
Total number of deals: 12 for sure; the high-low feature doesn’t designate what is what. A $40 scarf could go either way.
Their idea of dirt cheap: A $10 Shop Suey ring
Most expensive bargain: A $70 Roberta Freymann tote (assuming this is what counts for low-end in Glamour’s universe. Since another page in the same story features a $795 straw hat, I think it must.)
Cheapest item elsewhere in the magazine: A $25 Chinese Laundry belt
Priciest item elsewhere in the magazine: The $12,000 Louis Vuitton Speedy mentioned here
Item whose price makes me question the wisdom of capitalism: Gotta be that hat.
InStyle
An anemic single page is devoted to “Deals & Steals.”
Total number of deals: 7
Their idea of dirt cheap: $14 aviator sunglasses by Shop Suey
Most expensive bargain: A $139 MNG by Mango dress
Cheapest item elsewhere in the magazine: An $18 American Apparel t-shirt
Priciest item elsewhere in the magazine: An $88,000 Van Cleef and Arpels ring
Item whose price makes me question the wisdom of capitalism: An $18,000 Donna Karan crocodile bag. It’s just a purse.
Lucky
An entire feature, “The Season’s Best Looks Under $100,” is given over to low-price style.
Total number of deals: 67
Their idea of dirt cheap: An $18 Mossimo for Target top
Most expensive bargain: Tie: at $99, a “tiered maxiskirt” by WDNY International and a Tommy Hilfiger cotton dress
Cheapest item elsewhere in the magazine: A $7 Metro 7 tank top
Priciest item elsewhere in the magazine: A $1,465 bracelet by Steven Dweck
Item whose price makes
me question the wisdom of capitalism: Chanel charges $1,225 for a belt.
A belt! I regret not launching a career in luxury fashion.
Marie Claire
They’ve spread the
discounts throughout: there’s one page of “101 Ideas,” one page of
“Splurge vs. Steal,” and a feature, “Black & White,” that’s
high-low.
Total number of deals: 40
Their idea of dirt cheap: $7 Hue socks (Thanks, Marie Claire, I was really overspending on socks.)
Most expensive bargain: $300 Marciano shoes (worn with the $7 Hue socks, natch)
Cheapest item elsewhere in the magazine: $5.80 Forever 21 sunglasses
Priciest item elsewhere in the magazine: An $18,800 Cartier ring
Item whose price makes
me question the wisdom of capitalism: A Chanel top and skirt set that
retails for the low, low price of $10,745.
Self
Looks like all the clothes shown in the ; fashion features under $100, which is excellent.
Total number of deals: 100, according to the cover
Their idea of dirt cheap: It’s a tie at $8 for a Forever 21 necklace and Old Navy earrings
Most expensive bargain:
Another tie, this one at $99, for a Nahui Ollin tote, an RJ Graziano
necklace, and a $99 Tommy Hilfiger clutch. Those are special prices for
Self readers, however, so this hews dangerously close to cheating.
Cheapest item elsewhere in the magazine: See above for $8 jewelry.
Priciest item elsewhere
in the magazine: That tank top Anne Hathaway is wearing on the cover?
Yeah. It’s $845, and she’s wearing it with necklaces whose combined
total is $5,300.
Item whose price makes
me question the wisdom of capitalism: $49 jelly shoes, but probably
only because I’m old enough to remember buying jellies the first time
around.
Vogue
In “The Economists,” Vogue
editors offer “inspired finds under $500 (plus one key investment
piece).” Oh, thank god, because I needed help to find clothes that cost
so little.
Total number of deals: 31, not counting the home décor and investment pieces
Their idea of dirt cheap: A $127 Sykes London belt
Most expensive bargain:
Seven items retail for $495, including a John Varvatos coat, a Moschino
Cheap and Chic skirt, and a ; 3.1 Philip Lim dress. (You didn’t think
they’d go four whole pages without mentioning Lim, did you?)
Cheapest item elsewhere in the magazine: A $150 YSL dickey
Priciest item elsewhere in the magazine: A $16,600 Cartier watch
Item whose price makes
me question the wisdom of capitalism: Hands down, the dickeys were the
most egregiously priced items I saw in any of the magazines. Vogue
featured two: a $150 YSL version and a $395 Prada one. That’s an awful
lot of scratch for something that isn’t even a real shirt.
Yes, we almost broke up.
