“Creative” and “eccentric” are adjectives that pretty much go hand-in-hand, so it’s hardly a surprise when clothing designers get a bit quirky with their creations. It’s almost never a bad thing — in a profession devoted to the manufacturing of wearable works of art, an odd bent here and there is not only appreciated but encouraged. Some designers take their whims to dresses, but for others, it’s shoes. Some of the world’s most renowned visionaries are responsible for kicks that you’d hesitate to put on, lest they bite your foot off. Many are incredible and inspired, while others are just weird. One thing is for certain: these designer deviations are not cheap. Looking extra avant garde comes at a price.
Profile for Rachel Krause
Would You Wear: Floral Pants?
As anyone who’s flipped through a fashion magazine in the past month will know, florals are really happening right now. The pattern formerly reserved for tapestries and the old pillows at your grandmother’s house has reclaimed its glory and is being worn in all its incarnations. One garment in particular became ubiquitous on the spring/summer runway, and now it’s popping up on fashion editors and celebrities alike. The unexpected rise of the floral pant is inescapable: they’re everywhere, so you may as well embrace it, even (and especially!) if they’re out of your usual comfort zone. Personally, I think they’re an awesome look, particularly when worn with an otherwise neutral, streamlined outfit. What do you think: would you wear them? If you’re looking to get your hands on a pair, check out my picks after the jump. Keep reading »
Shopping Guide: Punchy Silk Scarves
My amassment of scarves is one of the most important components in my wardrobe. A good scarf changes any outfit, but it serves especially well if you’re prone to head-to-toe monochrome … and I am. If you were to sift through my closet, you’d find black, gray, more black, white, dark gray, heather gray, maybe some navy blue here and there… and a veritable kaleidoscope of colorful scarves. They’re mainly silk, which is a good indicator as to the time of year they favor: winter calls for thick, dark knits, but come March I’m busting out the flashy accessories left and right. If you don’t own a springtime scarf, now would be the time to invest in a really, really amazing one, because you’ll be wearing it for the next couple of months, right up until things start to get steamy. Here are my picks for silky scarves in punchy hues — I promise they will give any and all of your outfits an instant, seasonally appropriate facelift.
Shopping Guide: Lightweight Transitional Jackets
Okay, so it seems like spring is actually coming. We’ve had a few false starts (i.e. the entire winter), but now March is upon us and it’s only a matter of time before we’re breaking out those bathing suits. Just kidding, I won’t be because I hate swimming. I will be breaking out my … cutoffs.
Anyway, we’ve come to that sort of in-between stage where it isn’t truly warm yet you’re still sweating in your peacoat after a few blocks. This is where lightweight outerwear comes in. You can add hefty layers beneath it for warmth on cooler days or boil it down to just a T-shirt on warmer ones. Airy jackets were made for this purpose: the piece should casually wink at early springtime, but it shouldn’t make things traumatic should you get caught in serendipitous downpour (no silk!). Without further ado, here’s my roundup of seven buoyant layers perfectly suited for this transitional time.
Makeup Bag: Put Some Spring On Your Lips
Is it still winter? I don’t even know anymore. The calendar says early March, a time of year that’s supposed to be defined by rain, slush, and extreme wind chill, but the weather has been saying 55 degrees and sunny. What?! For all intents and purposes, I have deemed that it is spring. It might as well be, anyway.
You could say I’m in a big hurry to bring out my spring clothes, which may not be the best or most informed decision as this capricious East Coast weather has been known to drop twenty degrees overnight. I’m clinging to my opaque black tights and boots for the time being, but the time has come for spring makeup: I can’t hold off on my hot pinks, eye-searing corals, and glossy nudes any longer. Here are my top picks for spring lip colors, so we can all channel a little bit of May in March.
The 5 Pairs Of Shoes Every Woman Should Own
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An outfit isn’t an outfit without the right shoes. The wrong pair can turn an otherwise show-stopping ensemble into something subpar, but there are no written rules — choosing is trial and error. Regardless, there are a few basic varieties of shoes that every woman should have in her closet for different reasons. Sure, they may be “safe” choices, but having a solid arsenal of standby kicks and knowing what to wear them with can make getting dressed in the morning that much easier.
Los Angeles Bakery To Open 24-Hour Cupcake ATM
Delicious news! If, per chance, you’ve been considering a move to the City of Angels, this should seal the deal: a cupcake bakery by the name of Sprinkles has clinched my wildest childhood hopes and dreams with a 24-hour cupcake ATM. “In the heart of Bevery Hills nestled between Sprinkles Cupcakes and the brand new Sprinkles Ice Cream, 24 Hour Sprinkles will be continuously restocked day and night with a variety of freshly baked cupcake flavors,” reads the press release. This is probably the best thing ever, and I’m legitimately baffled as to why New York didn’t think of it first. This is the city that never sleeps; people need cupcakes at all hours! I hope someone around here catches wind of the idea and opens up a copycat … preferably Buttercup. I love those. [Perez Hilton]
Carré Otis Gives Her Support To The Model Alliance
For as long as the modeling industry has boomed, there has been tales of abuse exacted upon fashion models. In some ways, it comes with the territory: it’s a business that banks upon barely nubile girls, frequently but not always sourced from poverty-stricken backgrounds in foreign countries, valued solely for their competency as human clothes hangers. It takes a rare voice to come forward and express the severity of the mistreatment and exploitation, sexual and otherwise, in a production that values above all other things being seen and not heard. Keep reading »
Taylor Swift Covers Harper’s Bazaar Australia
Not only can Taylor Swift sing, but she can also own the hell out of a magazine cover, as evidenced in both the February issue of Vogue and her latest turn on the front of Harper’s Bazaar Australia. I’m always pleasantly surprised by just how beautifully she photographs for high fashion; it really is kind of a paradox considering the brand of sweet country music she creates. She looks grown-up and believable in the clothes that she’s wearing, not at all like she’s playing dress up. It makes me want to like her more than I do… which is not that much, especially now that she’s rumored to be courting Tim Tebow, who makes me feel like crying. [Celebitchy]
The Connection Between Wealth And Wanton
The term “classy” winks at, well, the upper class. When we say someone has “class,” we mean to say that such a person is refined or even elegant in their behavior and the way they carry themselves, in a manner that’s typical of a higher caste. It suggests that people who are born into, or climb into, a higher social echelon are better-behaved, have better taste, and are all-around better.
As anyone who’s ever read an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel or grown up in a wealthy setting can attest, that belief is downright laughable. Keep reading »
