duly noted: Edwardian dresses

Vintage Edwardian dresses via Neon Navajo ($175), VeraVague ($350), Decojumeau Antiques ($125), and Neon Navajo ($200)

Blame it on Downton--I'm suddenly noticing the postwar white cotton ankle skimming dress like, everywhere. BCBG's FW 2013 collection showed a fairly modern version paired with the Fall '13 topper of choice, a wool beanie. An unnamed street style subject paired hers with Charlotte Olympia kitty flats and a classic Chanel bag. And hours of etsy searching has unearthed a few lovely options-- the only catch being that most of them have 22 inch waists and hefty price tags (especially for the sturdier pieces). I may be able to save up, but it's unlikely that I'll ever squeeze into something that small without a can of Crisco, a pair of forceps, and an iron-clad pair of Spanx.

style resolutions

Actually, it's pretty simple. I want to transform my entire wardrobe into this editorial from Harper's Bazaar Turkey.

model: samantha gradoville (img) 

photographer: koray birand 

stylist: mahizer aytas 

hair: ali yilanci 

make-up: ali riza ozdemir

halloween ideas pt. 2

I've been invited to a Hotel California themed Halloween party this year where everyone has to go as a dead musician. Which has got me thinking a lot about dead musicians. I mean, even more than usual.

And even though there are a lot fewer options when it comes to portraying dead ladies (the men have so many good options: Liberace, Freddy Mercury, Kurt Cobain, Robert Johnson) I've been thinking about going as Karen Carpenter. The garb is quintessentially 70's and thus easy to find. I think I could pretty much use what I have in my closet, but I may need a 'Lead Sister' t-shirt.

Other options:

Mama Cass (prop sandwich needed?)
Janis Joplin
Amy Winehouse
Patsy Cline
Aaliyah
Left Eye
Whitney Houston
Tammy Wynette

Any I'm missing??

halloween ideas pt. 1

Since it's been two years (!!) since my last shameless drag queen opportunity, I'm wanting to do it up hard this year. The only question is, as what? Or whom?

For one, I'm toying with the idea of transforming myself into the rare, exquisite 80s icon Brenda Dickson. Brenda played Jill Foster Abbott on The Young and the Restless from 1973-1980, and most famously made an ill advised foray into lifestyle and fashion advice with a vanity film called Welcome to My Home, which of course gave rise to one of the most glorious internet memes ever, along with the phrase that pays: "Remember, when you eat you're just a vacuum with nipples."

Lee press-on nails, big hair, magenta eye contouring, and a loud-ass hawaiian print muumuu should do the trick.

i wanna dress like: Parker Posey in Party Girl

Ok folks, I'm about to blow your mind: it's been 17 years since Party Girl was made. That's long enough for an entire person to be born, grow up, and get their driver's license. It's long enough to invent a cell phone app that turns you into a zombie. It's long enough to develop the technology to land on freaking Mars.

images via dovetail, google

And yet, some things can't help but stay the same. I've been mad envious of Parker Posey's wardrobe in Party Girl ever since I first saw it. With her retro-inspired accessories, bold color and pattern mixing, and chunky platforms, she perfectly encapsulated that post-grunge, beginning-of-the-rave-scene-candy-kid look from the mid-90's. And even though I'm not exactly longing for the days when ecstasy was the drug du jour, I'm pretty sold on the idea of dressing like a hot, eccentric librarian. See below:

Ron Herman Exclusive blazer in navy

10 Crosby tulip flared leather skirt

Lanvin round sunglasses

vintage 60's cropped double breasted leopard coat via ebay 

vintage bag via etsy 

Jones NY tie-neck blouse

Antique victorian stick pin via ebay

Christian Louboutin Lady Daf Tartan mary jane

Mango bow leather gloves

Wolford Peacock net tights

Sonia Rykiel sweater via the Outnet

Cuffed denim shorts

Kimchi and Blue victorian boot

Henrik Vibskov tony tiger tights via 

Chandelier earrings via etsy

Vintage beaded tunic dress

Dolce & Gabbana jacquard pants via Net-a-porter

spring shopping, ebay style

Who needs the mall? Ebay has the best selection of lace dresses, floppy hats, silver jewelry, and anything else my little heart could desire to achieve the perfect 70's boho look this spring. The only 'new' purchase I might need to make is for a pair of J Brand Lovestory bell bottoms.

white lace back mini dress: Hollywood Style Vintage

Liz Claiborne wool felt hat: Victorian Vintage Plus

silver cuff: Studio Antiques

Vintage Gunne Sax Lace Maxi Dress: Thriftwares

Vintage 80s Cat Eye Sunglasses: retronetty

Blue pleated trousers: Noirohio Vintage

gaga

Every Halloween, I dress up as the years' biggest celebrity whore. In 2007 that distinction went to Amy Winehouse and in 2008 Kim Kardashian (and her gigantic ass) received the honor. This year I've got my sights set on GaGa. It's not so much that I think it's an original idea--just that I'm going to do it better than everyone else.

For me Halloween isn't so much about dressing up like a slut (who am I kidding, yes it is) as an opportunity to get in touch with my inner drag queen and do something out-of-character like smoke cigarettes out of a cigarette holder and wear a really bad wig in public.

Here's a picture of me in New Orleans last year as Kim K. with all my college buddies. They are L to R: ipod commercial, crazy cat-lady from The Simpsons, ghetto promgoer, and David Bowie from the Labyrinth. If you want to know why white people love Halloween so much, you can read about it here.

What is everyone doing for Halloween? It's safe to tell me because I already know what I'm going to be...and we don't even know each other in real life. So spill it.

newest obsession: vagabond nyc

I await the monthly arrival of Lucky Magazine with a mixture of disdain and genuine enthusiasm. All too often, the idea behind the editorials seems to be: "If no sane person would wear this, it's fashion!" Perhaps they think as long as people don't get it, it's okay to walk the line between unwearable and downright hideous. But then again, it's turned me on to some great shopping resources in the past, and I can't fault it for that.

Like Vagabond NYC, featured in the March issue. It's the best online vintage boutique I've come across in awhile. While the prices are certainly steep, they're still a good deal less than what most of these designers are selling for today. And the selection has been so carefully edited that you could almost close your eyes and click on anything and it would miraculously be just what you always wanted but never knew you did. Brilliance. Below, some of my favorite picks from the site. Just because I'm a sadist.

Check out the website and blog!

i want skeletons in my closet

Designers are going mad for bones this fall, and the inner-goth in me can't wait to don creepy bird skull necklaces and drapey tops adorned with rib-like stripes. As per usual, Alexander McQueen is leading the pack with his x-ray vision structured jacket and skull-print scarf from like, 4 seasons ago. As it is unlikely in any event that I will have the money to procure either of these items (unless they happen to show up on Gilt Groupe) I'll have to content myself with finding a pair of white strappy bone-colored platforms like these from Steve Madden. I always prefer a not-so-literal take on runway trends anyway.

Alexander McQueen skeleton-print jacket, skull pashmina, patent leather skull clutch bag Christian LaCroix plexi-fiber necklace Somarta bone-knit T Mermaid skull t-shirt Giuseppe Zanotti Design fish skeleton high heel Steve Madden Genious high heel (I didn't misspell "genius." It's really called "Genious")

color scheme

As Couture Carrie already pointed out on her fabulous blog, there's definitely a matchy-matchy thing happening for Fall. While I'm not a fan of mirror-image patterns on shoes and pants (although I can see how it would make one's legs look a great deal longer) I am certainly a fan of the matching shoes/tights in Loeffler Randall's Fall lookbook (above). Feeling inspired, I set out to create as many matching sets with my own tights and shoes as I could.

And of course, not satisfied with what I've got, I made a Polyvore collage too:

Clockwise from top L: Office Late Nights Platform, Jonathan Aston grey socks; Court Shoes Robert Purple pumps, Falke Fifties purple tights; Jimmy Choo sandal, green tights from Costume Hub; Nicholas Kirkwood platform suede shoe, Topshop blue tights; Theory Sandals, Express nude tights; Sonia Rykiel Toscane Dancing shoe, Mary Quant terracotta tights.

I think my favorite way to rock this look is going to be with a pair of black thigh-high tights and black pumps. It'll stand in for the thigh-high boots seen all over the Fall runways for a fraction of the price.

what is style porn?

Do you have a boner for Balmain? A passion for Prada? Does the mere sight of Alexander Wang's perfectly draped, slouchy pocket tanks send you into a quixotic state of blind lust? Then this, my friends, is the blog for you. I too am cursed with expensive and impeccable taste, but until my job prospects improve, the chances of me going on any shopping sprees are slim to none. In the meantime, I need my fix. And I'll get it by combing the dark recesses of the interweb for fabulous fashion with a 4-digit price tag--stuff that for now at least, only belongs in the realm of pure fantasy. Just like pornography only you know, with less body fluid involved.

Here's what I've been ogling lately:

All looks: Alberta Ferretti SS09 via Style.com