Thursday, April 29, 2010

ctrl + P



a throwback to Miuccia's bread 'n' butter - PRINTS!!! simply dubbed the "Print Collection", Prada will be releasing these '50s Stepford Wife  duds and dresses in the month of May. 

i remember a looong time ago when chloe sevigny was talking about her first collab with opening ceremony, saying that she always loved CALICO prints, ever since she was little. from then on, floral prints were sprouting on everything - dresses, tops, headbands, purses...and the list goes on and on. 

very spring/summer appropriate, but a tad too girly for my taste. 


Wednesday, April 28, 2010

they come and they go.

the weekends, that is. too quickly. it seems that every weekend for me consists of either a babyshower, birthday celebration, dinner party, wedding or..like last weekend, all of the above (well almost). and lucky for me, i was able to finally wear some items that i've been saving for special occasions such as these.

i keep telling myself to take some outfit photos for the sake of this blog but to be honest i dont have the patience, creativity or nearly as photogenic as the little sis. so instead, i took some photos of my outfits without me in them! hey i compromised ;)


leather bustier dress: f21
shoes: loubous
earrings: chanel
rings: customized two-finger name ring; vintage
clutch: vintage lv



dress: lia kes new york
shoes: loubous
earrings: f21
rings: customized two-finger name ring
watch: audemars piguet

ps. per the last post, while little sis is a wedge lover..im obviously a STILLETO PUMPS type of girl.

if the wedge fits.





some girls are platform pumps, some girls are strappy slingbacks, and others are like me...WEDGE LOVERS! i say, the clunkier, the better :)

from L to R: Topshop, Dolce Vita, Steve Madden, Sam Edelman, Steve Madden, Sam Edelman. 

photo: Raq Z. in June's Vogue Nippon. dreamt up by Grace Coddington, naturally. 




now you see me...




..now you don't.

the fashion industry's latest anticipated magazine, Industrie, has apparently busted a kansas city shuffle on us! earlier this month, it was released that Canadian model Daria Werbowy was going to be the first cover girl of the alleged "world's first culture of fashion magazine." the little switcharoo from Daria to Devil in Prada was a pretty smart move. publicity stunt maybe? who knows. but honestly if this IS work of a PR girl, it definitely worked...I'll be at the magazine stands May 10 to see what all the fuss is about. 

team ANNA!


Tuesday, April 27, 2010

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i fell in love with the girl at the rock show..








although this is a painful reminder that i didn't get to go to coachella this year, these photos from the H&M FASHION AGAINST AIDS collection make me excited for the coming glory days of summer. pool parties, BBQs, beach bummin...whatever it is, i know i need that acid wash denim dress & white maxi dress. :)

so anyway, MAY 20 is when this collection is going to release, with 25% of the proceeds going to youth HIV/AIDS awareness projects. how nice! i'll definitely be at south coast that day.


and btw, lou dillon and elizabeth jagger facing this campaign is GENIUS!! such a perfect fit.


via nitrolicious

Monday, April 26, 2010

the thrill of thrifting



this past weekend, I went to 4th street, a small block of vintage stores, in LBC with my girlfriend michelle. i feel horrible for not remembering the name of this store...but there's a vintage store on this street that holds a $1-$2 sale every 3rd weekend of the month. this is something you have to see for yourself, but just imagine the backyard of the store with 8 feet tall MOUNDS of clothes. i'm not joking. it's hundreds of old T's and dresses and jackets, piled hiiigh (oh, they have shoes & bags too). hipsters and thrifters alike, claiming their "spot" - digging, scanning for stains (yuck), throwing it in their trashbag of goods, or tossing off for the next person. 

like any girl, i love sales. but sorting through this pile of old gold, and being able to find some buried treasure is EXHILARATING and much much more gratifying. especially when each item is a buck or two. 

pictured above are the few things i found. coincidentally, all very florally (how fitting), AND i also spotted a faux fur coat. and you know how much i lovesss the fur. 

if you're interested in stopping by this place next month, here are a few tips from me to you:

1. dress comfortably. and preferably in clothes that you can try your finds over. think sample sale-wear.

2. don't bring in your purse! just warning you, when you get into the zone, you may forget about your belongings and end up burying it. and plus, you want to be hands free!

3. no need to think twice. because of the price, and the fact that there's prob gonna be 3 other girls eyeing what you found, just throw it in your bag. first instincts are there for a reason!

4. don't worry about sizing. there's nothing a skinny belt, a pair of scissors, or needle & thread can't do. the yellow dress I found had these grandma sleeves on them, but I loved the rest of the dress so much that I just cut the seams off. now it's an amazing sleeveless summer dress!

5. DETAILS! DETAILS! DETAILS! buttons, sequins, fabric, inner lining...if all are still in tact, you definitely got lucky! like the floral cardigan and yellow dress I found, it had all its glass buttons in tact and I was so happy. 

6. have fun! vintage thrifting is meant for you to find one-of-a-kind items. mix and match with your regular clothes & you're sure to get compliments. nothing beats knowing that you're the ONLY one who has what you found. 

7. if you have allergies, TAKE SOME MEDICINE! you are, after all, sitting on a pile of dusty clothes, but don't let that discourage you! :)


photo'd above: 2 summer dresses, pleated floral skirt, floral crop jacket, & faux fur coat. 
not photo'd: michelle's tweed jacket & striped top.

all = $11

N.Y.Seen & Heard



when I think NYC, I think: U.E.S, magnolia bakery, SoHo, MoMA, central park, papaya dogs, momofuku, the Met, and SEX AND THE CITY (among others). 

if you don't know me, I am a hardcore quoter & referencer of SATC. i remember what they wore, i remember what happens after what, and what was said in between. so as naturally as it is to have SJP's voiced embedded in my sound memory, I'm sure that the rest of the world would recognize her voice from a mile away.

hence, the reason why SJP was chosen to be the narrative voice for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's "American Woman: Fashioning a Narrative Identity" exhibit, to open May 5, 2010. A strut down memory lane from 1890 to 1940, SJP (the quintessential American girl) will talk you through the times and trends of fashion's past, from bohemians to screen sirens. 

I've been to the concrete jungle where dreams are made of only twice in my life, and I can't think of any better time than to go while this fabulous exhibit is open. checking prices as I type...


p.s. countdown to satc2: 31 days!!!

photo: poster for SATC2. Carrie Bradshaw in HALSTON. 

purely amazing.







miu miu + chanel + chloe = ZARA's SPRING 2010 LOOK BOOK.

i think i just died. from the babydoll-collared, allover kitten-printed dress (how MIU MIU is that?!) to the TDF (to. die. for) twist on Chanel's ubiquitous clogs, to the neutral tones of a Chloe-inspired collection of hobo/militaristic dresses, loose pants, & long skirts, I must say that I would wear every single piece. The way we can mix and match all these Spring/Summer trends is so FUN. seriously, who needs to be loud in bright colors and over the top floral prints all the time - it's so predictable! No. Let's keep it fresh and timeless. I've always been a black/grey/white/tan/brown/beige person so you can imagine how psyched I am right now. 

Bravo, Zara. You've made it possible to wear off the runway looks for not the runway prices. L-O-V-E. 


Saturday, April 24, 2010

velvet: part deux?

 

i wouldn't normally toot my own horn, but BEEP BEEP. awhile back i was the editorial assistant over at Riviera mag and had the opportunity to write my own articles. from pitching to researching, to writing, to editing, to the final product within the glossy pages, I was a proud, proud woman doing what I loved and being DAMN good at it. 

this clip is from the November 2009 issue, where I talk about the VELVET & DARK MAKEUP trend I noticed on the latest shows. so when I was perusing through the style.com blog today and saw THIS   , I had a bit of a chuckle. Titled "A Velvet Goldmine", they talk about the luscious fabric being en trende this coming up fall/winter season. 

not saying that I was the one who called it. no way. but I must say that I think I am so very fit to be a style.com blogger. since we have the same ideas, and writing style, and utter intelligence in fashion and all...might as well it be considered?

just sayin'.

B-I-T-C-H




today's just one of those days.

the plastiscines make being a bitch look good, therefore today i will be one.

why, nylon. why.



this person should not be on the cover of nylon mag. she and her ecko reds need to get outta here!!!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Shakespeare & Co.







when I saw this photo of liu wen inside of Shakespeare & Co. in Paris, it made me miss Paris sooo much. I was there for four days in january (for the second time) and nothing, i mean NOTHING, compares to being in the city of love. it was freezing there, but no matter what season it is there, paris will always be beautiful. i also didn't mind the cold because unlike sunny Califronia weather, it was an opportunity to layer and bundle up in full-on winterwear. 


what I wore this day: 


jeans: blank denim
cardigan: vince
coat: f21
faux fur scarf: urban
leather gloves: mom's emporio armani
riding boots: steve madden
purse: Chloe Paraty <3


liu wen in Elle China May 2010

class Alt.





movers and shakers of the fashion world i've noticed are not over the top, considering the over the top couture they write about. enter french Vogue fashion director Emmanuelle Alt. during this past paris fashion week, jak&jil snapped photos (and did a style profile) of this classy lady jumping from show to show and I couldn't help but notice her classic and clean color palette - black, white, and little bit of leopard. and, not to mention she is also a believer in mixing high street with high fashion...one of her outfits consists of Topshop & Balmain. se magnifique!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

on your TOES





i love editorial spreads like this. so simple yet innovative. keeps ME on my toes..


freja beha erichsen in "tough ballerina". Interview may 2010.



don't FUCK with me.



mk's latest project BEASTLY is our generation's beauty & the beast. a much needed revival of a timeless fairytale and frankly, some of us need to be reminded of the major message: BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP. if you're fakin' the funk, people can see right through you. if you're ugly on the inside, no MAKEUP nor TRIPLE LAYER LASHES can hide your hideous complexion. 

so anyway, here's what I learned from the 3 minute Beastly trailer:

1. "how much people like you is directly proportional to what you look like." = FALSE
2. love can NOT be bought with purses & gifts (although, for some people that works.)
3. mary kate is a bad ass biatch. 


watch the trailer from Nylongmag.com here

WAVE goodbye




to my straight locks and say hello to BEACH WAVES! i've never been one to spend much time on styling my hair with new dos, cuts and colors. needless to say, i needed a change..at least for the summer. something fresh, effortless, fun..and different! a stylist girlfriend of mine used block-like curlers to create my waves. pretty happy with the results. now just anticipating the weekend so i can show off my new hair did!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

COCO's got your back

     

and now for a trend forecast: BACKPACKS ARE BACK. and with a vengeance.

our mom has been an avid, dedicated, and intelligent handbag collector since either of us were born. and I don't know what it is, but she somehow has this 6th sense of predicting what will be IN decades later. either that, or she has very classic taste. take the 2.55's for example. there's seriously shelves full. dare we re-sell them on eBay? hell no.

so when I stumbled upon this classic Chanel black quilted lambskin backpack with gold chain and CC logos.........I was under a hot debate to sell or not to sell. I mean, I can definitely WORK IT, but I think some other lucky lady with impeccable taste would love it even more.

especially when recently I've been noticing backpacks poppin up in the latest shows, including Chanel, Alexander Wang ( 'A' is for 'ANNA'!) , and LV (blah to LV, but in this picture Hov is lookin' pretty fierce with his ostrich). which in turn, makes this a grand opp to re-sell these babies and hopefully make a pretty little profit.

all in the name of fashion! it's time to pay it forward...

TO BID ON OUR CHANEL BACKPACK, CLICK HERE

thank you & happy bidding :)



photos via theHautecommodity & style.com

AZN PRIDE






imagine falling into a hole in the ground and finding yourself in lustrous SHOELAND. how bananas would that be? this was exactly what Khuong NGUYEN (yes, NGUYEN) had in mind when he was designing Christian Louboutin's A/W 2010 ad campaign. Alice in Wonderland-inspired, these soulful red soles are seen floating around in what may be the equivalent to female euphoria...bunnies and birds and butterflies and BOOTIES galore!!!

props to you, Nguyen. you did us vietnamese proud. 


Sunday, April 18, 2010

things i hearted























some images that fit my mood & put a smile on my face this lazy sunday evening. . .
<3'ed on weheartit.com