Practical Joker

Desmond Jones

Acne "Extreme Stripe" Jersey Dress - $199 at Acne
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Coclico "Nuance" Sandal - $315 at ShopBop
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Clover "Web" Bracelet - $50 at Bona Drag
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Alexander Wang "Rocco Baby Duffel" - $695 at ShopBop
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My little doggie is all snuggled up in a ball in the blankets, looking at me like he didn't just do that thing on the carpet over there. No animal on the planet has mastered the true puppy dog eyes the way my Desi has. We will forgive him just this once because of his charming character. But only this once. Of course if he pulls those big eyes out again, I cannot be held accountable for my caving of will.

Desi is all black and white. And so today's look will follow suit, though I did throw in yellow to increase heart rates ever so slightly. But the dress...ah, the dress. New out from Acne for this season, it needs to be in all of our closets. Especially considering the $199 price tag. Please do not shy away from the stripes - none are quite straight, none are truly vertical. These are friendly stripes. Even slightly Beetlejuice-esque in the most right of ways. A bracelet that is also rings can be done here. So can Alexander Wang's tiny little mini duffle with studded bottom. I am so terribly fond of this bag that I believe it will be at the very top of my birthday wish list (2 months til my last year as a twentysomething - anxiety is a growing rubber band ball in my stomach).

It just struck me that this outfit could also meet the requirements of a very strange wedding. Let's recap: something old (that duffle, in various sizes and colors, has been around for a couple of seasons now), something new (Acne dress), something borrowed (black and white inspiration from dear old Desi Jones) and something...poo? Thanks Des.

Until next time,
The Gatherer

Using Steam Power To Hit The Nail On The Head

Looks like someone knows what she is talking about...I swear I really am quite humble in real life.

Ebay's VERY cool online fashion mag - The Inside Source - posted a wonderful article on the current magics of Steampunk. Read it here. Love Amy Flurry (author). Hate to tell you all that I told you so. But I did.

Also, if you are wanting to brush up more on Steampunk, you can read an engaging article here all about the new Sherlock Holmes movie and its immersion in the genre. Or absolutely ANYTHING related to the subject here, at SteamPunk Invention. Even funny little comic strips!

So continue your dreaming of the way the world could be if only... and keep on SteamPunking!

Waiting For The Crickets To Come Back Into My Life

Lyell Tweed Scalloped Shorts - On Sale For $225
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Forever21 "Brushstroke Woven Tunic" - $32.80 at Forever21
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Miss Sixty "Giuditta" Wedges - $299 at Ssense
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Ginnette NY (One of My Fave Go To Jewelry Designers) "Straw" Bracelet - $145 at ShopBop
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Vintage Leather Clutch - $16 on Etsy
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I won't complain because I live in Atlanta - winter here is a blessed, not-too-cold-except-for-this-year type of season. Growing up in Chicago and various other northern East Coast cities, I do know just exactly how punishing the middle of January can be. Nevertheless, my longing for spring and the chirping of crickets is kicking in. I am sure that I cannot be the only one who is now antsy for the frost on the ground to go away, allowing the grass to grow back green and lush, perfect for a good towel and prone-positioned bikini-clad body. Sadly, the changing of the seasons is one of the few elements of life that we have no control over. Anticipation certainly makes the realization that much better. It will be a glorious day when the Orthoptera mating calls fill the air.

I can get ready for Spring now though. And to do that, I am first calling out my love to these shorts that remind me of Chloe's scalloped shorts of last year's Spring collection. Lyell made a sweet enough pair that happen to be on sale right now, which is clearly a bonus. Then I went a little out of my standard comfort zone and into the realm of Cali-breezy. I picked a top from Forever 21 (which this is only the second time I have ever visited their site, but I was inspired to look because I found a new bloglove to follow - FashionToast - and she picked rad stuff from there). Something needed to ground the lightness of the top and shorts, to keep them from floating away, so the heavies were brought in in the form of black wedge sandals. Not too much; just the right amount of leather to pull it all together.

Soon the day will come when the crickets chirp. And I will run through the warm air with my hair flapping behind me, barefoot and delighted.

Until that day and until next time,
The Gatherer

Repressing A Knee-Jerk Reaction

Reading the New York Times fashion review this morning (from yesterday's paper) by Cathy Horyn, I bit my lip and furrowed my brow. I became angry at her Dior jabs (did you read my post from two days ago?!) and her incessant obsession with newness. Of course I like unheard of style as much as the next fashion geek but I have no issue with nods to bygone eras. And I thought, 'What is this girl's problem?' In fact, this post was initially going to be completely dedicated to all the reasons she was wrong in what she said. But I like to think before I write and the more I thought about it all, the more I was able to wear two pairs of glasses at once. Or rather, one extremely strong pair of bifocals.

My near to irrepressible, instinctive kick to her shins was going to come in the form of an attack that centered around the core of fashion - giving us what we love. That couture was meant to showcase the impeccable craftsmanship of garments in any manner that came off as beautiful and worthy of paying the amount of money it would cost to wear one of these creations. That couture was not always meant to push boundaries - that is what we have RTW for, right? That it was not, ultimately, who or where or when the cues for the dresses were referenced from but rather that we wanted them. Wasn't that the bottom line? Yes. And no.

I began to think more on the origins of couture. How it gave us the original fashion designers, in the form of dressmakers and seamstresses. Women went to these artisans, selected patterns that appealed to them in pleasing colors of their choice, and then waited while their goods were painstakingly produced. The creations these women chose to don were a complexity in fashion because they were of-the-moment and yet not ready at the moment. And were the patterns fashionable when designed or did they become fashionable once worn? Were dressmakers pushing into new territories or were they creating new versions of old classics? Both, truthfully. But push some of them did. And the desire, the display of talent, the invention is all how we sum up fashion today. And how these design houses all got their start. Runway Ready-to-Wear is the accessible sister to haute couture. The two are related in blood, though often not in looks. But family name allows little sister RTW to pull off insane stunts while still enticing buyers. Where one has evolved into fantasies gone wild, the other has remained founded in showcasing family heritage.

So I see what she means when she wants new. If I were living in the days of original couture, being wealthy enough to order a new wardrobe for the following year (yes, the completion time was that far out) then I would damn well want my one-of-a-kind pieces to be just that.

Until next time,
The Gatherer

Death By Dior

Christian Dior circa 1954 Haute Couture Gown - Rare Vintage on 1st Dibs
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Falke Lace Hold Ups in "Cocoon" - $17.74 at Sock Shop
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Chloe Suede Sandals - $745 at Net-A-Porter
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KT Jewel "Carved Cross Tourmaline" Necklace - $701.09 at Kabiri
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The title of this post is meant to be a play on that silly old phrase - "Death By Chocolate" - that every other restaurant uses as a title for some signature dessert that generally never lives up to the standard of inducing cardiac arrest. But in the case of John Galliano's haute couture collection for Dior, my heart did stop. Silk spilled all over the floor in crunchy, rich colors. Black netting became an accessory not for legs but for heads, covering caps and volumizing hair. Some girls seemed to have gotten their fingers into electrical sockets, as they displayed shocks of white hair running through perfectly tatty manes. And speaking of manes...riding jackets, crops, top hats; even Dear John came out to take his bow (kneel) in full dressage regalia. Tears were shed from this blogger at the sight of such beauty and at the reminder that I have not donned my own dressage wear in nigh on three years.

Missing something in my own world, I am glad to see that the ladies of the couture world won't have a thing to lack for in theirs.

Though new couture may not be feasible for me, vintage sometimes is. I came across a vintage Dior haute couture gown that not only looks relevant today but just flat out looks smashing. Something about the red made me want to pair it with a kind of coffee color. The inspiration most likely came from Galliano's mixmaster perfect pairings (navy jacket with avocado green print panels and sumptuous shoes!?!)

Needing somewhere to go in this gown, I feel as if I could at least walk to the dressage arena, smell the sawdust, see the muscles bunching on the hindquarters of a Warmblood and be happy for a little while. Thank you Mr. Galliano.

Until next time,
The Gatherer

Oh Dear, That Was Naughty Of Me

Oak "Drop Crotch" Sweatpant - $128
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Oak "Deep Cowl" Tee - $76
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Diane von Furstenberg "Aegean Suede Sandals" - $375 at Shopbop
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Givenchy "Medium Old Pepe Nightingale" Bag in Petrol Blue - $1,815 at Barneys
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Alexis Bittar "Large Rhodium Bow" Cuff - $445 at Alexis Bittar
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Yes, dear friends, and so sorry to animal activists - I ate veal last night. After a long-standing veal fast (out of protestation of wanting the animals to live as much of life as possible, though my boyfriend continually reminds me that chickens and pigs don't live much longer than veal calves; and sometimes I do wonder: if the cows would just be living a longer life in the form of a feedlot then maybe I am showing them mercy by sparing them that kind of life) I caved in to my friend's ordering of the dish. Veal cheek to be exact. I figured that, if it was being ordered anyways then the best thing I could do would be to help her finish the dish off completely so that nothing went to waste. And let me tell you - it was rather divine. It melted against our tongues and slid smoothly down our throats. I certainly don't regret the bites I took. I am not an overnight veal-aholic. Far from it. But from now I am going to take off the blinders I put on at restaurants that allow me to skip over certain menu items based on ingredients. Veal was one. Tripe has been another. And will continue to be another.

For some reason, I do not yet own a pair of drop crotch (what a lewd sounding category) pants. Not for lack of wanting them. I love them. I guess I have just been too picky - "This one doesn't give me enough crotch", "these look like Hammer pants", etc. - and so nothing has stuck. But I found the pair that I am ready to get. Oak makes them under their own label and they are Goldilocks - just right. Not too much crotch but enough to get the point across. Originally I was going to pair them pack to a similar style heel that is shown on the model with the pants, because I like that overall look. But, as I was web-window shopping for shoes I happened across a neat pair of suede DVF shoes that I think will work just as well. And then I headed back to Oak for the top because the uniqueness of this one had caught my eye earlier. Though white and simple, it can be quite sexy. A deep back cowl for a sexy exposed back or a front droop for a more traditional, albeit exposing, look. Givenchy's insanely gorgeous bag looks like the Caribbean Sea. Lastly, Alexis Bittar is doing this wonderful thing on his website where ALL online sales proceeeds go towards a relief fund for Haiti. That is going on now through the 22nd of January, so I encourage you all to go there and support Haiti while supporting your fashion habit.

Until next time,
The Gatherer

Hugs And Kisses: Thank You Sami

Sami Chu of A Glimpse of Glamour blog wrote the sweetest things about my paper project. See it here. And save in your blogroll. She has the best, smartest posts!

Oh Yeah

Vanessa Bruno "Cropped Jacquard" Jacket - $607 at La Garconne
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Vintage Fendi White Silk Top - $77 on Ebay
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Wundervoll "Shelley" Bra - On Sale For $111.30 at Journelle
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J Peterman "Pleat Front" Pants - On Sale For $124 at J Peterman
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Vintage Spectator Pumps - $24 on Etsy
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Piaget Watch - $4,600 on Portero
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I am not even 30 yet and already previous fashion cycles of my youth are coming 'round again. This morning on The Sartorialist there was the sweetest picture from Milan of three ladies laughing and walking down the street. The girl on the left looked so fantastic in her palazzo pants that I felt I needed to use them in today's outfit. I have though of these pants in at least 15 years but I do feel that I could be ready to think about them again.

I found a great pair on the J. Peterman website (no, it is not a Seinfeld creation; it truly does exist!) and really they will be quite flattering on most body shapes - loose, higher waistline, meant to be roomy. Rather than flout out copying the Milan look I decided on a shorter, open front jacket that is hot off the presses from Vanessa Bruno. Underneath I felt that a vintage blouse would play up the vibe of the pants. The shoes as well bring one back in time (to the cycle before my young palazzo cycle). And a dazzling watch to keep up with the cycles of time.

Until next time,
The Gatherer

Forecast For Fall: Its Going To Be Grey Out

Its not one of those trends that only a few designers pick up on. Its one of those trends that every designer puts into their lineup. Taking a look at the Pre-Fall 2010 collections, the absolute protagonist of the season was: grey. The lovechild of King Black and Mother White, Grey showed that, should anything happen to her long hallowed parents, she could easily, readily and competantly take the helm of Ship Fashion. For this pre-season, she slipped into every lineup in all conceivable ways. More commonly she was a fur (EVERYWHERE) or flannel or knit. But more surprisingly and less expected she walked amongst red, black and bunny rabbits with Mr. Posen and rigidly took her place aside ally King Midas at Matthew Williamson. In fact, Grey was so revered, she was honored by being showcased in head-to-toe looks on no less than thirteen runways! Here are a few memorable moments from her world tour (see more at style.com):

Balenciaga - Obscuring the definition of upper arms (in true house fashion) and mingling in paint palette fashion with green.

Celine - Knit with red and black about the body and down the legs.

Givenchy - Coming in as fur and flannel in true steampunk fashion.

Lanvin - A warm wool trench, replete with bandana cap.

Nina Ricci - Flannel shoes, beautiful pants, belts, fur trim; she was treated well here.

Matthew Williamson - Navajo and fur mania!

Preen - Sleekly draped to caress the body chest, waist, calf and toe.

Missoni - Playing gypsy with all her other little color friends.

Thakoon - Would flannel harem pants and a sheer crossover blouse work in any other hue variation?

More was seen, but you get the point and my fingers begin to cramp. Needless to say, you see the coming import of Lady Grey in the year 2010. Smile fondly upon her as she approaches and she will treat you well for decades to come.

Until next time,
The Gatherer

Pushing Past The Present

Cooperative Cardigan - $48 at Urban Outfitters
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Marni Belt - On Sale For $200 At The Corner
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J Brand "912 Low Rise Pencil Jean" In X-Ray - $158 at J Brand
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Acne "Atacoma" Wedge - $599 at Acne
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I realized something yesterday: I want, almost too eagerly, to know what tomorrow will bring. Too much I worry about the future to pay attention to the present. This present-time deficit disorder causes me to miss moments that I should be catching. How frustrating to pass through life and realize that while trying to put one foot forward in front of the other I am walking over giant chasms of life.

I think I don't want to do that anymore and I am going to try standing still for just a moment. A mental R&R if you will. I am optimistic that it will be just what my swiss-cheese brain needs.

Speaking of sticking in the present, presently Acne has a hot ass pair of wedge shoes. We are talking grey, suede, laces - all delicious things I want to devour at this fashion moment in time. Wanting to really play on that neutrality I picked J Brand's skinny grey jeans. A nude colored cardigan tucked into those with a slightly nautical belt means business. Life doesn't always have to be so dark or difficult and this look shows us exactly why.

Bring on inertia! I am ready for the static change.

Until next time,
The Gatherer

Shock, Crackle, Pop

Beyond Vintage Silk Dress - $286 at Revolve Clothing
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Jimmy Choo "Dexter" Suede Sandals - $845 at Net-A-Porter
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Cindy Chao "Four Seasons Ring" With White Diamonds - $14,608.34 at Kabiri
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Cindy Chao "Four Seasons Brooch" - $95,502.45
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Sheer Insanity (Taken From Frank Talk)

I swear that the more brightly colored an edible item is, the more I want it. Cupcakes - give me the most red dye #40; Kool Aid - I only have eyes for Purplesaurus Rex. I guess it must have something to do with the excitement of ingesting something that you know is so inherently wrong. Why is my ketchup green? I don't know but I like it.

So when I saw these Jimmy Choos, I felt like I was in candy aisle heaven. Intense pink coloring, luscious suede straps, all bursting with sexiness. Do I sound like a Starburst ad yet? Maybe my description is not quite up to the wholesome standards of Wrigley but it does get the message across: I WANT.

Pairing those shoes with something not color-related I think really helps to put the shoes in the spotlight (show of hands for how many people actually used to eat the neutrally tan styrofoam safety cones; I am convinced those were created solely to make the double fudge scoops on top look that much more appealing). A black and white dress works here and will continue to work for you throughout the summer (pair it back to a cute pair of sneakers or go barefoot on the beach). Again, I wanted to stick with non-colors for jewlery and nearly fell over onto my keyboard in a faint at the sight of these lovely offerings by East/West jewelry designer Cindy Chao. Something about the dark beauty of these enchants me. Hypnotic and breathtaking, they lose nothing due to lack of color.

So maybe color isn't everything in the fashion world. Black has reigned as the undesputed fashion king for a very long time and all subjects to his law are quite faithful (I am a devoted and worshipful subject). But then again, why does my heart race at the sight of a sublimely Slimer-esque bag? Do sugar highs translate to fashion?

Until next time,
The Gatherer

Onions Are Surprisingly Emotional

An Onion

Zadig & Voltaire "Parka Katerina" - On Sale For $396 at Zadig & Voltaire
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Zadig & Voltaire "TYA" Shirt - $130 at Zadig & Voltaire
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Zadig & Voltaire "Dita" Tank - $116 at Zadig & Voltaire
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Daftbird "Drop Pants" - On Sale For $59 at Ron Herman
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Nike "Dunk Hi Skinny" Sneakers - On Sale For $108 at Ssense
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Campise "Love" Necklace - $648 at Ron Herman
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There is that cliched analogy that flits from lip to breathy lip (and I'll admit that I have used it before as well) that likens humans unto onions, citing layers as the link between the two. I do suppose that I like this analogy, though I would like to take it one step further. I think that every morning, when we wake up, we are a different onion. Maybe an unpeeled onion, papered in a shell that requires coffee, sugar and companionship to disarm. Or perhaps a partially peeled onion, open to criticism but not in the mood to be diced any further. Or a bruised onion, tender to the touch but willing to be cut in order to be better. I felt like this morning I was maybe an onion that was peeled already but had a divot cut out of it (accidentally from a very sharp knife?); my slash exposed a fraction of all my inner workings, leaving me feeling vulnerable yet ready. I am hoping that tomorrow I wake up as a fully diced onion: ready to go as the key ingredient in a brilliant recipe.

Layers work their way into fashion as well, especially right now. Cold weather pleads for piles of warmth. Zadig & Voltaire has all of these papery tops that can easily be worn in multiples without conjuring up the dreaded marshmallow puff effect. I then love the idea of jersey pants and sneakers to have a cool kid kind of kicking aroung vibe. Like you could have this grumpy look on your face and people would really want to be your friend. The necklace shows another layer, one that would normally need to be unpeeled to be exposed but is immediately today bared to all.

Today I am an onion, tomorrow I will be an onion. Forever I will have my layers.
Until next time,
The Gatherer

Vroom Vroom Pahtay Stahtah

ASOS Stripe Bodycon Dress - $44.19 at ASOS
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TopShop Black Tights - $8 at TopShop
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Seychelles "Belle" Peep Toe - On Sale for $89.99 at Need Supply Co.
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Mulberry "The Bayswater" - $950 at LaGarconne
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Agrigento Cuff - $675 at Fragments
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Something isn't registering for me: why is Conan slowly sinking in the ratings? They want to bring Jay back? Has anyone seen Jay? Did they actually laugh? What I really want to know is: Has anyone who would vote for Jay or David as being funnier than Conan ever seen the following clip from Conan's show? I suppose that if you can watch that skit and not crack a smile then you deserve a lifetime of happiness and headlines. For me, I will take the man who made The Simpsons funny.

Today's look is no laughing matter. A seriously chic body-con sheath gets nautical at ASOS. I liked what they did with the black tights so I kept those and then thought a great off-white peep-toe sealed the deal nicely. Silver seemed in order on the arms so I found these laser cutout-esque cuffs that I feel like I need ten of. Think two at least on each wrist.

And remember: Good things come in packages wrapped like 6' 4" irishmen.

Until next time,
The Gatherer

A Theory Of Light, Relativity, And Relevance

Missoni Strapless Jumper - On Sale for $568.40 at Net-A-Porter
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Chloe Wedge - $650 at Barneys
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Nixon "Small Ticket" Watch - $240 at Nixon
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Maria Rudman Bracelet - $350 at Twist
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Who is to say what is right and what is wrong?
Who points the finger and says, "That no longer makes sense here"?
Who dictates time? And who's choices are idiosyncratic?
Could you guess that maybe both points of view are right? That correctness is in the eyes of both beholders?
String theory is not something to learn in one sentence. Lets just extract a foundation principle from it: two objects in different states of motion may pass through time differently. Meaning what is relevant for one is either in the future or in the past for the other.
Can fashion be explained using physics? If I buy a jumpsuit that I love and it just happens to be from last season, am I "out of date"? I don't know, because I love it. It is relevant to me and thus, current. But it is no longer right for you. It was at one point in time. You did it, you loved it, you wore it, and then you moved on. And it was right for a lot of other people about thirty years ago as well.
We are each moving through our own space in time. Moving at a different speed from you, my choices might seem passe but they are truly prompt for me.

A jumpsuit: time warp or fashion forward? I am choosing neither and instead opting for: current. As in, "I currently want a Missoni jumpsuit." Net-A-Porter happens to have one on sale (apparently this is old in their sense of time) and I am scooping it up. The pattern and colors dictate that I pair it to something neutral. Chloe's new wedges are in the right non-color range that I am looking for and I like that they also add a slightly utilitarian feel to the otherwise non-muscular feel of the clothing. A black watch and black cuff bring in spots of darkness.

One more lesson in physics for you to ponder: Supposedly nothing moves faster than the speed of light. But I wonder. Does fashion?

Until next time,
The Gatherer