Friday, August 15, 2008

pretty . little . street . style


^^Face Hunter


^^Modette


^^Copenhagan Street Style

Fall . Into . The . Gap

I used to like shopping for things at The Gap - they were always a good go-to store for basics. But the last time I remember having this feeling was a good five years ago. One day The Gap just became frumpy and way too overpriced for what they had.

Cut to: Fall 08.

I don't know if it's recent collaborations with designers like Philip Lim, or if Patrick Robinson has finally found his footing, but The Gap has two things going for them this fall: A killer print ad campaign, and **gulp** cute clothes.




...also, who knew that Amanda Peet's husband (screenwriter David Benioff, second photo) was so gorgeous??!!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Fall . Boots

While I don't know that I'm entirely ready for fall (I could use just a quick weekend at the lake), it is that time of year when I start to get excited about fall fashion.

Just trying to change your closet from summer to fall using the pieces that you already own can be daunting enough, nevermind the task of having to decide what new pieces you need to buy.

So after a lot of trial and error (I can't even begin to say how many sweaters I've ended up never wearing because the fall mood struck me and they just looked cute in the store), I've discovered it's best to start from the ground up.

Boots.

New boots are the one staple that absolutely everyone needs each fall, and this year there's a crop of lovely ones that will go with everything from dresses to denim.






(1) Frye Paige Cuff Boot, $398 (2) Frye Owen Lace Boot, $298, both at Urban Outfitters (3) Coach Whitley Boot, $398, at Coach.com (4) Turbo Over-the-Knee Boot, $149, at ChineseLaundry.com (5) Marc by Marc Jacobs Crackled Leather Boot, $695, at eLuxury.com

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

I . want . to . believe...

...that there are new ideas in fashion. Honest to goodness, real, brand spankin' new ideas.

But then I flip through the ads in my newest issue of Vogue and feel instantly deflated. Here's what I see:

(1) New Burberry ad (which is gorgeous looking). Wow, that Fall 08 dress looks strangely similar to...


...the 3.1 Philip Lim Spring/Summer 08 dress (which is on sale now at Net-a-Porter)...


(2) Dolce and Gabbana (another gorg. ad campaign). But hey, that girl in the middle - where have I seen her outfit before?


...oh, right. Prada, SS 08...




This is not unlike when Marc Jacobs unveiled the Manhattan bags (which I love) for Louis Vuitton. The Manhattan GM is simply his Venetia bag in LV canvas:


I do realize that when you're designing RTW, there's a certain limit to what can be done. But is it too much to ask that designers not rip each other off in back-to-back seasons?

At least when things stay the same, it's easier on the wallet!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Shopping . in . Seoul ... What . I . learned

There are several different types of clothing/accessories shopping in Seoul:

(1) High-end department stores (of which there is no shortage); look for familiar brands like Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Marni, as well as some newer Asian designers.

(2) Malls. Shopping in malls is a totally different experience in S. Korea, and one that didn't really appeal to me. It's sort of like walking into a beehive but with disco lighting and loud music.

(3) Underground arcades. These are located at the subway stations; made up of different booths of clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc.


What I learned:

(1) If you live in the States, do not buy luxury goods in Seoul. Even tax free, the prices were outrageous. The Chanel Jumbo Classic bag that I've been lusting over: in the states, $2700.00; in Seoul, $3400.00. This price difference was true in pretty much all of the boutiques. A LV Azur Speedy: here, ~$700.00; there, $815.00.

(2) The Cyndi Tote by Chloe is more gorgeous in person than I'd imagined, but totally impractical - empty it weighs a good 10 pounds.


(3) Malls in Seoul make me physically ill -- dizzieness and nausea included.

(4) A lot of places don't have fitting rooms, so you definitely have to learn to eyeball what's going to work on you and what isn't.

(5) Girls there dress impeccably. Not once did I see someone in sweats that had something spelled out on the behind. Dress code: ruffly blouses over tasteful mini skirts, shift dresses, floucy skirts with cap sleeve blouses, expensive bags.

(6) And last but not least, jewelry, jewelry, jewelry. At some of the smaller antique stores and embroidery shops, I really had to reign myself in - I love oversized rings and there were some truly beatiful pieces. The rings made use of Amethyst (the national stone), Jade, and Amber. Most were set in silver, with lots of intricate detail and carvings. In the end I settled on this one -- it was so unusual and I couldn't stop thinking about it!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Signs

I got back to the States from Seoul yesterday evening (unfortunately I brought a cold back with me!). On the luckier side, the trip was wonderful, and I've also got loads of pretty little pictures to share!

One of the quirkiest things about Seoul is that there's no shortage of completely adorable signs/wall drawings around. Granted, I don't know what some of them say, but they were all too cute to totally leave behind!





More to come this week!!