where are the stars tonight?

I'm always influenced by the styles of other people. I go to the usual style blogs, like the facehunter, etc. but I visit teenvogue's snapshot section sometimes, and lately it's been pretty interesting.

who gives a fuck about an oxford comma?

Ali Michael first publicly spoke about the pressures she felt to lose weight in the june/july issue of teenvogue. now, Coco Rocha is following suit. but even if every other it-girl model speaks out on the subject, would the fashion industry remain the same, or would it finally change?

_________________

normally, i don't post covers or editorials of fashion magazines on my blog, strictly because you'll find the same thing on a thousand other blogs -- but this one just screamed for me to showcase it.

Velvet - July 2008

model: Tiiu Kuik

ph: Enrique Badulescu

with birds i share this lonely view

another reason to love new york: topshop. it should be open by the end of the year. i can't wait =D

i feel like the resort collections just swept by. i didn't even know they'd started until a week after Chanel showed. but Stella McCartney did the best, no surprise there. here's proof:

season after season, i find myself wishing i could get my hands on Stella's entire collection. i even want the random pink flower in the model's hair.

wouldn't it be nice if american mainstream magazine covers looked like this? (it's GQ Style Italy)

on a more random note, i think i'm in need of more friends who are girls; i'm sick of hanging out with guys all the time. i've been around guys my whole life -- i have two older brothers, and they often bring their friends to the house (i even consider one of them another older brother to me). i think it benefits me, though, because i'm not as prissy as some other girls. i wear clothes like four or five times before washing them, and i never brush my hair. i like action movies, and i actually know some things about cars. i know what guys like and don't like. i know what makes a guy complain about his girlfriend.

but nevertheless, it would be a pleasant change to go shopping and actually take my time, especially in sephora.

shadowplay

so i've got the dress (by a.b.s.), the shoes (from bakers), the date (who's really cute), the dinner and afterparty plans, and whatever else there is all down. there are two things missing there, though: my hair and my makeup (for which i've hunted down countless photos of people with similar looks as me, namely the long, wavy dark hair and tan skin, i.e. vanessa hudgens and miranda kerr ... because i'm a dork) and i'm torn between wearing my hair straight or wavy, and my makeup neutral or dramatic. i know it's stupid, and prom is still like 3 and a half weeks away so i have plenty of time to decide, but i'm one of those people who like to know every single detail (perfectionist much?). 

i need a second opinion, care to help?

makeup: pick a number

hair: pick one (sorry i forgot to number them, oh well)

photos: bluefly, style, bakers, vanessa hudgens fansite, miranda kerr fansite, asos

a cloudy saturday afternoon

spring's off to a decent start, its been a bit rainy lately (bad) but i haven't had to wear a jacket or a hoodie in a while (good). it's not at all humid and the breeze doesn't flow too soft or too hard. the weather's near perfect right now. and i've had a good week. i went to target to see if they had any of the jovovich-hawk peasant tops in stock, which they didn't except for one in a size L, but i still bought a pair of blue acid-wash drainpipes that only cost $20. acid-wash jeans are that kind of thing that are a hit or a miss ... in this case, they're a hit, and they're comfy, too. then my mom and i decided to cruise on over to a discount store and i scored this too faced make-up palette for like, $7. i also got my driver's license =D but nope, no car yet.

and i love how the transition between winter and spring brings warm days with cool winds, and i can drink hot tea and eat an ice cold mint chocolate chip sundae in like the same hour, without feeling like its too cold or too warm for either of them.

i've also watched Hollywoodland, the Black Dahlia, and Atonement (after reading the book ... it was depressing, i even cried a little, and i don't ever cry over books) and i realized how much i love the glamour of the '40s, the red lips and the winged liner and the deeply parted hair, and i understand Gwen Stefani's obsession with that era. you know, a lot of celebrities are following suit, i.e. Christina, Scarlett, etc. but still, Gwen does it best. looks like some designers are with me (and said celebrities):

betsey johnson, christian lacroix - both fall '08

ideas for prom. sweet.

a restaurant dilemma, bad hair, and a maltepoo

spring break is here! unfortunately, my brother just left about a minute ago to go to Hooters with a friend and i didn't know that he was going, and i really want some wings; but tomorrow is Easter, which means that my family and i, and some friends, will be having brunch somewhere with really good food. P.F. Chang's, perhaps? whatever the deal is, i know exactly what i'll be wearing: a light, lavender cotton mini-dress, a black leather jacket, and brown strappy sandals.

a few hits from this past week:

lauren conrad, blake lively, vanessa hudgens

and speaking of mini-dresses, i would love to raid Lauren's closet. i don't think i've really disliked any dress she's worn yet. Blake/Serena's looking pretty cheesy, and the schoolgirl uniform isn't new to any of us, except for the bright red, slouchy boots. while i wish i had a pair like that, it would be pretty senseless to invest in one now, all things considered. but isn't her maltepoo (the dog) adorable? and lastly, Vanessa's getting more and more effortlessly chic every time i see a picture of her, and i love her jacket+scarf combo.

but enough of the good stuff.

according to the new Marc Jacobs ad, Victoria Beckham wouldn't look good with a short fringe, complete with a bow. and for his new movie, Chapter 27, Jared Leto gained so much weight that he kind of looks like Perez Hilton in the poster. the movie is about the murder of John Lennon, and even though it also stars Lindsay Lohan, it looks promising.

photos: justjared.com

dazed&confused: madonna

pushing 50 and still looking good. botox and yoga do wonders!! she does look pretty fabulous though, huh? especially her hair. that's how i'll look when i turn half a century old. alive and kickin'.

the issue comes out sometime next month and probably really soon, and of course, like any other cover star of any american magazine, she has something new to promote. in this case it's her new album Hard Candy, which comes out April 29th. the first single, "Four Minutes," will be released soon and features Justin Timberlake. i haven't heard it yet, but after seeing this cover shot and knowing that the song is a Madonna+JT collaboration, i can't wait.

chanel

a carrousel at a fashion show? can't say it hasn't been done before, but Karl definitely knows how to please a crowd, and of course neither Mary-Kate nor Ashley could miss it.

i'm completely in love with those half sunglasses. (all photos from popsugar.com)

back to black

ann demeulemeester, jean paul gaultier, christian dior, jean paul gaultier

i understand that these are the fall shows and the colors are meant to be darker, but seriously i'm getting a little bored. i like the clothes though, don't get me wrong.

by the way, if you like listening to acoustic, down-tempo music when you're just hanging out at home, download Amy Winehouse's b-side edition of Back to Black. the first two tracks have been played over and over again on my playlist for some time now and i'm still not sick of them.

as for me, well, i'm still bed-ridden. i feel like a couch potato ... i watched so much TV last night, and i slept so long, it's not even funny. and i'll probably do the same thing tonight.

u.r.a. fever

i was thinking about staying in bed all day. i woke up and my throat was itchy, my head was spinning, and my back hurt, but stupid me decided, "oh i'll be fine," and i went to school, only to go home two hours later. but anyways.

a milan recap should help me feel better:

dolce & gabbana

versace

roberto cavalli

etro

moschino

missoni

giorgio armani

i hope you noticed the david bowie tee at Dolce & Gabbana, i love it. i think the designers are starting to take note of the climate change; bare legs in minidresses in the winter, like at Versace, look a little more "vegas in the summer" than "its snowing outside." i'm not complaining though, spring-y and summer-y clothes are more fun.

alexander wang + waterproof jeans

we all know of the comfortably chic designer Alexander Wang, but not many of us know about Storm Denim Technology, a finish for denim fabrics (including jeans) that pretty much makes them storm-proof -- they provide "water-repellency, protection from the cold and damp, and breathability." sounds ideal for the man who works outside a lot or the girl who's always on the go. Wang debuted his line of Storm Denim-treated jeans during NYFW and they'll be available in Barney's this fall. check out his demonstration in this Nylon tv video, also featuring his model muse Erin Wasson:

click here to see the full article

rules of nonconformity

Gareth Pugh and Vivienne Westwood livened up the London runways this past week:

gareth pugh

vivienne westwood red
i know i'm posting a little late for London fashion week, but i've been gone all weekend, hence the lack of updates

en vague

notice a trend here? yup, that's Paris, then Cory Kennedy, then Paris again, all wearing tees with their faces plastered on them. Cory (in her limited edition Ksubi tee) even has Paris' face on her shirt. stylish? obnoxious? statement-making? i don't even know how i feel about this trend. and while i would probably never wear a shirt with my own face on it, i do like tees that are "different" from the usual solid, striped, or Hollister Co. basics (but i'll admit i own quite a few of each -- easy dressing, duh). urban outfitters has a bunch, and nope, no Parises or Corys in sight. but you can proclaim your love for Jesus for around $34.

laziness is a virtue

so, the rounded corners on pictures thing got really annoying; back to normal ...

colors varied in the collections this past week in new york. muted or bold? neutral or neon? case in point: Scott Sternberg (Boy by Band of Outsiders) and Chris Benz.

boy by band of outsiders

Sternberg took the typical preppy schoolgirl's outfit and mixed it up with menswear, with plenty of dark grays and fur hats, which is why B.B.O. is now one of my favorite labels.

chris benz

yeah, these looks are a little more fitting for spring (just take out the hat and the coat), but i love the idea of a bright+neutral palette. very fitting for my neutral+pastel color taste, no?

oh and, what's with all the fur hats? i'm hoping two things: 1) that they're fake, and 2) that they won't become a big trend. my friend has the kind with the fur on the inside and the ear flaps, like in the second picture above, and that's enough for me.

and it comes to a close

from the recent mens' and new york fashion weeks:

dsquared2, obedient sons, alexander wang

laragh outside a show, john varvatos, narciso rodriguez

badgley mischka, derek lam

all: diesel

badgley mischka, lacoste

jessica stam outside a show, oscar de la renta, sasha pivovarova backstage

superbowl ads + the eye

i'm one of those people who only watches the superbowl for the commercials. so here i am, in the den with my dad, and the pepsi max with ginseng commercial just came on, where everyone was dancing to "what is love." it was hilarious. see? the commercials are obviously the real reason why anyone watches. =)

i saw The Eye last night, and i'm glad i only paid $7 for my ticket. it could have been an actual horror movie if it wasn't for the ghosts popping up, like, every 3 seconds. Jessica Alba really hasn't been in any memorable movies lately (except Good Luck Chuck -- totally funny). i love the red printed jacket she's been wearing lately though:

it does the job of making her baby bump less obvious while looking chic and sophisticated at the same time. but whose blue trucker hat is that? cash's, i presume? i mean .. i thought trucker hats were over.

speaking of movies, did anyone happen to catch the preview for Wanted, starring Angelina Jolie?