Ruth La Ferla discusses the fall’s biggest looks (New York Times video)
An awesome fashion show by The Blonds (Elle fashion blog)
Couples who dress alike—a trend? (Lemondrop)
Fun jewelry stores on Etsy: inkstrand and Anomaly Jewelry
A good recap of episode 5 of Project Runway, wherein Tim Gunn gets really pissed off (NYMag’s The Cut)
Yesterday was a beautiful New York day, the kind where everyone’s out enjoying themselves and the heat is nothing a cold beer can’t fix. And with Sonic Youth taking the stage at the Celebrate Brooklyn bandshell, Prospect Park was the place to be. I was surprised to find that the fashion on display at the show was tame by Brooklyn standards. Maybe it was an older crowd than I’m used to, what with the band playing, but people seemed to be dressing more for comfort than to be seen. Regardless, I managed to spot a few summer trends, such as bright exotic patterns, cuffed jeans, 90s-style oversized flannel shirts, and even, yes, fanny packs. I didn’t say all the trends were good.
Now that it’s officially beach season, it’s time to let your individuality shine with a bathing suit that makes a statement. And nothing says summer cuteness like a retro swimsuit like these ones from Unique Vintage. This pinup-style beach look is very Katy Perry, and best of all, the cuts flatter all types of figures, from thin to voluptuous.
These images are the property of Unique Vintage.
It’s rare to see an old-fashioned milliner in business these days, so I was excited to find out about Milli Starr, a custom hat-maker that is currently operating online but plans to open a storefront in Austin, Texas.
Just looking at these hats makes me wish I was an elegant lady going to galas and lunching on finger sandwiches while shopping at Barney’s. One day, when I live on the Upper East Side, I will have a hat for every occasion, but until then, I will browse the Milli Starr website and dream.
In what I believe could very well be a reference to the recent Lost series finale, Sarah Jessica Parker decided to step out wearing this hat, which could only be described as Smoke Monster-esque. Fashion-wise it’s a disaster, so I certainly hope it is simply a testament to SJP’s love of evil godlike beings who make cab meter sounds.
The guys over at Debonair Magazine, a wonderful men’s fashion and lifestyle guide, have started publishing street style shots, and I couldn’t be happier. If anyone is equipped to pick out the sharpest dressed man on the street, it’s these guys. The new column, called Best Dressed: Street Style, will be published weekly, and the first edition features contributing photographer Karl Edwin Guerre’s beautiful pictures (see above and below).
Click here to view this week’s Best Dressed: Street Style.
Like many ladies, I love playing with nail polish. When I was little, I had this peel-off polish for kids that was so much fun to play with, and I never understood why adult nail polish had to be so hard to take off. The noncommittal peel-off way seemed so much easier to deal with. Then I went through my middle- and high-school phase where I liked to do my nails with unconventional materials, i.e. white-out, markers and masking tape. This usually stemmed from extreme boredom and not having any money. Around the same time, glitter polish, crackle polish and crazy colors were all the rage (this was in the late 90s), and I had a lot of fun layering colors as well (something I wrote about in a previous post).
Nowadays, it seems like everyone I know pays more attention to their nails than me. I only rarely indulge in painting them (badly, I might add), and I’ve only gotten like two manicures in my life. When I do paint my nails, they chip so fast I feel like it’s barely worth it. As for fakes, I played with press-on nails once or twice in my childhood, but I can’t get into going to a nail parlor and getting acrylics put on. Also, there’s the whole typing and doing things with your hands aspect that makes fake nails difficult to live with.
That’s why I’m happy to find that there are all sorts of new nail products that allow non-experts like me to experiment with different looks without a hefty investment or a visit to the beauty salon. Here are some of my favorites.
Soak-off gels
Yesterday’s New York Times featured an interesting article about these acetone-soluble temporary gel nails. I guess the alternative used to be much more painstaking and damaging to your nails. Ouch!
Nail art pens
If you love the look of professional nail art but don’t have the cash to invest in something so temporary, these affordable nail art pens are a good solution. If you find it hard to paint on your own hands, you can have a nail painting party with artistic friends! By the way, the pen and brush combo pictured above is $6 at Delia’s, and comes in a bunch of different colors. Sally Hansen also makes its own version, available in stores.
Peel-off polish
It would seem that the blog BellaSugar agreed with me about missing peel-off polish, and they reported that the cosmetic company Sula was reviving the trend with its Paint & Peel polish line ($9 a bottle). I can’t wait to try it out myself!
Stick-on nail patches
These nail stickers from Sephora are like the grown-up equivalent of putting masking tape on your nails and coloring it with a sharpie. The technology is pretty much the same, and at $5 (discounted from $10), you can’t go wrong. Black glitter seems to be the only color available right now, but that would be my choice anyway. You can also get a French manicure-style version for $12.
Skull press-on nails
For a slightly more edgy and youthful alternative to the nail patches above, Sephora also carries these Dashing Diva Design Nails On the Go ($10). Skulls! Diamonds! I never thought I’d say, “I want those press-on nails.”
Indie artist Santigold (or Santogold, before a pesky lawsuit caused her to change her stage name) has a captivating musical style and a fine voice, but what always catches my eye is her unique fashion sense. Take a look!
A magazine spread?
I like how Peg Bundy this outfit is.
At the Fall 2009 Fashion Week in NYC.
This dress is kinda tin foil-y but I can see how it would be cute in person.
Love those fishnets!
A fun outfit that’s typical of Santigold’s creative, sometimes MIA-ish stage persona.
Looking very elegant at some sort of event.
The yellow gloves and old-fashioned dress make this look very housewife chic to me.