Catch Ya Later, Alligator

Patience is a virtue, as they say. And I have no problem waiting out the crowds to score at end-of-season clearance sales, especially since spring is still months away. Today I stopped by Topshop, and they were clearing out their winter stock to make room for tank tops and floaty dresses (a.k.a. nothing I'll be wearing anytime soon). I crossed my fingers, wished on a star, and found the Christopher Kane crocodile dress I wanted when the collection debuted. I got it for $20, and – trust me – I'll be wearing it well past spring.

Barney's Warehouse Sale

It seem like there are so many firsts for the new blog. For instance, tonight I shopped the Barney's Warehouse Sale. Last year I avoided it since I basically live at the poverty level, working in publishing. This year, I figured I could spend a little money on highly discounted designer clothing, but I still left empty handed.

Here are my lessons learned:

1. My taste level is still higher than my income.

2. If you don't plan to lay down $250 for a pair of last season's Proenza Schouler heels, then this sale isn't for you. (Side note: I seriously wanted those shoes.)

3. The feel of a Lanvin dress (or bag or shoes) is unparalleled to anything you can buy anywhere else.

4. My life goal is to be Alber Elbaz's muse.

5. I'm definitely going back next year.

The Commons

At work, I've been doing a little photo research for my stories on Flickr's The Commons. I understand that I'm probably the last one to know about this amazing archive, but I'm still so excited that I had to share some gems I found yesterday.

 

 

Arts for Transit

"Tacky" only begins to describe my feelings for the work that comes out of the MTA's Arts for Transit program. That said, I'm kinda loving this poster by Julia Rotham.

Crystal Caves

Even with my new dreams of becoming a geologist, I had never read about crystal caves before. This picture is from a cave in Mexico, which would be a great vacay spot. But even better, there's a crystal cave in Pennsylvania – only one state away! I'm already planning a weekend getaway, flashlight in hand.

Reem Acra Fall/Winter 2010

Since I always associate Reem Acra with wedding dresses, I never really gave much thought to her ready-to-wear collections. But I loved her glamorous looks for fall. Probably because the colors, textures, and shapes reminded me of my hands-down favorite collection in the last several years: Vera Wang fall/winter 2007. Wedding dress designers, unite!








photos via style.com

Tim Burton Exhibition

I finally saw the Tim Burton exhibition at the MoMA today. The crowds didn't make for the most pleasant viewing experience, but I would still highly recommend it. I left excited to re-watch old favorites, like Edward Scissorhands and Nightmare Before Christmas, and watch other classics for the first time.

Falling with Grace

Poor Agyness Deyn fell twice during Naomi Campbell's Haiti relief fundraiser fashion show. It seems like the most embarrassing thing that could happen to a model, but she carried it off well. In fact, I might love her even more now.

Backstage Beauty Shots

I can't believe I never saw the Model Morphosis feature on T Magazine before today. Drag the bag from left to right or top to bottom to see models go from ho-hum to runway ready. I'm hooked.





photos via T Magazine

Karen Walker Fall/Winter 2010

I attended my first ever New York Fashion Week show last Saturday at the Altman Building in Chelsea. The first look in Karen Walker's collection had me a little nervous (matching jacket-trouser combo in a Von Trapp-family print), but then I saw the sheepskin. Read my full musings here, and check out some of my favorite looks from the collection below.

All hail The Sound of Music.








photos via style.com

Happy Valentine's Day

In Memory of Alexander McQueen

Adventures in Fashionland

My first New York Fashion Week got off to a shaky start when the news of Alexander McQueen's death broke in our office this morning. And, as always happens in times of crisis, our Getty Images subscription had lapsed the day before.

Later in the day, I went over to the Vena Cava show at Milk Studios, and I spotted Bryanboy wearing space-age style sunglasses and smoking a cigarette. Right before I passed him, he screamed, "Tommy!" So, naturally, I looked over and spotted Tommy Ton standing right next to me, camera in hand. They hugged, and Bryanboy said, "Did you see Vogue?" in reference to the March 2010 Power Issue, which named Bryanboy and Tommy Ton as two of the most influential fashion bloggers in the world. Of course. I had forgotten that I was living in surreal fashion world this week.

We ended up missing the Vena Cava show, but we got our Getty Images back up before the end of the day. So you win some, you lose some. I'm just looking forward to more adventures in fashionland tomorrow.

An Education

I had listened to and dismissed all the hype surrounding Carey Mulligan and An Education months ago. Yet I saw this Oscar-nominated movie over the weekend, and I can't stop talking about it. The movie itself was perfect – from the length (95 minutes) to the costumes to the acting. And, of course, Carey Mulligan's performance as a love-sick schoolgirl in 1960's England was so touching and genuine. You must go see it!