Here's a little dose of naughty to spice up your Tuesday morning, courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld, who recently shot a clever co-branded web campaign for sister brands Chanel and Eres. Upon entering the microsite, all you see are cheeky, Chanel-clad ladies posing with a pole (alternately perched on or dangling from it), but click your mouse over different body parts and the beautiful clothes give way to reveal skin-baring looks from the Eres S/S 2010 swimwear collection.
Enjoy!
I've been busy enjoying an extended bday week/end so I have left the blogging on the backburner. I promise I'll be back in action tomorrow! The celebration kicked off a couple of days early, with a suprise present from the boy on Thursday (orange stacking boxes from Jonathan Adler -- picked 'em out all by himself!) and party on Saturday at an undisclosed location, which must remain so because I wish to keep it all to myself, as there aren't many places in NYC where you can escape the awful Saturday night crowds and party it up with a handful of your favorite people, dancing the night away as your friends man the turntables and crank out jam after jam. My favorite cake was had (a decadent Brooklyn Blackout from Two Little Red Hens), Easter eggs were hunted, and a set of bunny ears made the rounds through the course of the evening.
Today was nothing short of blissful. I managed to get out of work at 6PM (woohoo!) and went out for juicy burgers with coworkers, followed by a picturesque stroll through the West Village in the most beautiful weather we've seen this year. Once home, my adorable family crowded around the speakerphone to call and wish me. My sweet little gran, who is pushing 90, sang me a warbly happy birthday (in English!), which was the cutest, heart-meltingest thing ever -- I wish I'd been able to record it.
The only thing that put a damper on my birthday high was the fact that I had not one, but two pairs of shoes stolen on the night of my party. I'd worn sky high birthday Loubs and brought my favorite grey suede everyday heels as backup for when my feet gave out, as well as a pair of beautiful, green suede Vanessa Bruno Athe flats trimmed with gold studs (which I'd pined away for in the window at Ludivine for months before finally being able to make the purchase). When I went to retrieve my belongings at the end of the night, both pairs were missing, never to be seen again. I sincerely hope that whoever would be so evil as to steal the birthday girl's beloved shoes trips in them and has a nasty fall/develops fiery, blistering bunions, but I'm content to know that there is a special place reserved in hell for such persons.
Until the morrow, I leave you with some pretty, birthday-themed snaps, via A Field Journal and The Thinking Tank:
My friend Shyema over at Beauty and the Feast reported this morning that cult Japanese beauty brand Shu Uemura will be saying sayonara to the US market, closing all American doors within a matter of months. Products will remain available for purchase online, but where's a gal to turn when she needs a killer pair of false lashes on short notice for a last minute costume party/photoshoot/dress-up sesh? And what of their famed eyelash curler, a universal makeup bag staple? I suggest you start stockpiling now.
Besides the aforementioned essentials, I've always coveted their hot red blush brush, $48. Now's the time.
It's been a while since I caught the lovely, long-haired ladies of Au Revoir Simone in concert (2007 to be exact), but catching sight of Miss Annie Hart in Sublet's Fall/Winter 2010 lookbook made me love anew. The fledgling, eco-friendly label could not have made a better choice -- she just looks so comfortable in their clothes. Perhaps the setting -- Annie's own Brooklyn apartment -- had something to do with it.
A couple of weeks ago I quietly posted a new banner for the blog and crafted a business card design, which I'm really excited about. Like a teenager who just got her braces off, I've been hoping people would notice. Since many of you are email or RSS subscribers, you probabtly haven't seen it because it doesn't show up in emails or feed readers. If you have a moment to weigh in, I'd really appreciate it!
I came up with the concept a while ago, but it only came to life with the help of my very nice friends. Ali lensed countless shots, and Pierre worked his Photoshop magic, tweaking until everything was just so. I'm sure I annoyed the hell out of them during the process, but I'm oh so happy with the result and hope that's a teeny, tiny consolation for their time and efforts!
Here's the front of the b card . . .
The folks at Refinery29 are drooling over the styling in J.Crew's Spring 2010 lookbook, and for good reason. Though it may seem counterintuitive to take style cues from a mass retailer, J.Crew has been on a hot streak, rapidly building cred among the fashion cognoscenti. You might want to start stalking your local store for some of these spring arrivals.
I need that white blazer in my life, and armloads of costume baubles.
It was a big day for New York's fashion fiends, as both Fall 2010 Fashion Week and the hotly-anticipated Barney's Warehouse Sale kicked off today. However, all was eclipsed by the tragic news of Alexander McQueen's untimely death. As I'm sure you've heard, via your television, online news sources, twitterstream, and barrage of Facebook status updates, one of the industry's boldest, brightest and most immensely talented stars took his own life today, leaving family, friends, and fans shocked, saddened, and confused. I'm not going to write a tribute as so many journalists and bloggers have so lovingly and eloquently done, but I do want to relay this wonderful anecdote, which my coworker Philipp passed along today:
RIP: Alexander McQueen. We'll keep thinking of him in happier times. Like when he got the job at Givenchy. When meeting the starchy Parisian studio staff for the first time, he got his cock out, peed on the cutting table, and said, 'See the future!'
If you have yet to get in on the online sample sale game, I've just created invite links to four of my favorite flash sale sites. These will live in the (new!) "Under-the-Counter Hookups" section at right, so have at it if you wish.
Though Gilt Groupe is still my reigning favorite, lately HauteLook has been giving it a run for its money. While both recently featured heavily discounted Herve Leger, the latter had better selections, which included a gorgeous knit pencil skirt I missed out on. Sigh.
The one I lost:
It's hard to think of much else at the moment, so I've compiled a list of ways to donate to the earthquake relief effort in Haiti.
I'm spent, in every sense of the word, but if you've got any energy left post-holiday and are looking to score a bargain buy, here's what I've got so far.
Hope everyone had a lovely holiday with loved ones. Though mine was Christmas-free (tear), I thoroughly enjoyed relaxing in the company of my parents, brothers, cousins, and an adorable nephew. Nestled in the snow-covered suburbs of DC, thoughts far removed from my day-to-day, I slipped into warm, fuzzy reverie, reflecting on the scene before me. The fireplace roared as laughter rang, comfort food and sweets were devoured, current affairs discussed, movies watched, and baking plans outlined for the remainder of our vacances. Despite the fact that my family doesn't celebrate Christmas, we love that the holiday gives us an excuse to get together like this. The sentiment can't really be articulated, but I've come across some photos that do a great job of capturing what it feels like.
Elements of an imaginary Christmas:
Over at A Field Journal, the amazingly talented Livy constructed a Christmas village inspired by vintage glitter houses, and the results are just breathtaking. Go on and head over for the full story, more pictures, as well as instructions for making your own.
The cutest little church
Last week, Refinery29 unveiled images from Lauren Moffatt's Spring 2010 lookbook, for which the designer collaborated with Elle Style Director Kate Lanphear. Under the direction of the edgy, preternaturally chic editrix, Moffatt's sweet, girly-girl looks came to life in a whole new way. Lanphear's styling lends an unfussy look to a very polished collection, and the result is just pure fun. Rumpled straw hats, denim pencil skirts with woven insets, and oversized blazers thrown over colorful silken minidresses have me yearning for spring. Here are some highlights, but you can view the whole assemblage at R29.
It seems Sir Paul Smith is quite collab-savvy. We've seen Evian bottles and motorbikes, Japanese headphones and bicycle seats, fine china and upholstery. His brand of British quirk can now be seen emblazoned on Apple accessories, such as this laptop bag, which marries my love of the Mini Cooper and PS signature stripes. Good day, incase. I've found a new home for my Mac.
Paul Smith, pretty please won't you do a diffusion menswear collection for Target next?
13" Mini Cooper Sleeve, £ 79
The blog will be on auto pilot for a few days, as I've just received some bad news and will be heading home to be with my family. I've got enough posts scheduled to tide you over through the weekend, but I apologize in advance for not being able to respond to your comments, tweets, and emails right away.
I'm not in the habit of writing depressing posts, as this blog is purely meant for frivolous, materialistic fun, but I felt like giving a public shout out to my late great uncle, who will be dearly missed not only for his unbelievable generosity, infectious warmth, heart-melting kindnesses, and uncommon brilliance, but also for his taste. I've mentioned it before, but the man possessed charm, wit, and style in spades. A learned scholar and former university professor, he ardently extolled the virtues of education and culture without seeming the least bit preachy, and on our visits to Pakistan, would always be excited to talk about what we were learning in school, where we'd been traveling, the books we were reading, the music we loved. Energized by conversations with young minds, he was always ready to proffer a fresh, keenly insightful perspective and lend a philosophical bent to just about any topic we could dream up. Leading by example, he encouraged us to soak up as much of knowledge, language, and relationships as we could, and the gleam in his eye promised us that our lives would be richer for it.
We grew up seeing photographs of him fashionably gallivanting about London in the 50's, heard tales of his exploits in Paris in the 60's, and watched him ripen into old age with enviable elegance and admirable grace. Though his health deteriorated, old age didn't seem to tear down the legend he'd become in our minds. In memory, I suppose he will remain the spirited, charismatic, wickedly dapper curiosity-seeker we all aim to be. I wish I had a photo to show you -- I'll try to pick one up to scan when I go home.
During one of my last conversations with him (shouted into speakerphone, as is my family's custom for calls to Pakistan), he asked me if I had a fresh flower in my apartment. When I replied in the negative, he insisted that I should always keep a single flower in a glass, explaining that all the girls in Paris, way back when, had them in their single lady apartments. It made me laugh out loud and wonder just how well he'd gotten to know all those Parisiennes. I liked the idea, however, and I think I'll take his suggestion.
Some fields of inspiration, via A Field Journal:
