fly flare

Fred Flare is getting a lot of lip service this month. First fashionista rep'ed their fashion origami, then Critical Shopper took a heart melting look at the bright boutique. Their main page has christmas shopping on lock with shopping by theme feature with categories such as 'black', 'kawaii', 'eco', and 'crafty'. I would fall into 3/4 of those and will likely do a large chunk of my holiday shopping from their unfailingly cute site. Free shipping on orders over $75 doesn't hurt either and totally leaves me enough cash leftover to grinch my own presents from OAK after Christmas. (picture straight ape'd from critical shopper. but it's so cute!)

super shops

Ok, so, last week I was busy being 13 and hanging around at the mall and saw a 3x life size Express add featuring what appeared to be Caroline Trentini. This week I see K.Kloss pouting for Topshop (picture above). Hot on the heels, is the news that the newest Vic. Secret angels are none other than mamacitas muy caliente, Arelenis Sosa and Sessliee Lopez. Are mid-market retailers hoping that by shelling out buckets of cash for these high fashion faces they will entice more shoppers into their tumbleweed ridden stores? Granted, though, Express is the only one of the three that has been consistently hurting for business. Kloss for Topshop makes sense since she is age appropriate for the consumer and T.Shop has Kate Moss for Topshop, elevating their brand above that of -ahem- Express. I hope the new angels read their contracts for Vicky's well, as the Wexner mondo-brand mandates that the girl's cannot change their look in any way shape or form while under contract. Granted, for two fresh faces the only more lucrative contract would be a fragrance/beauty campaign. I should also note that Gap has a ton of perfectly symmetrical faces for their Christmas adds: Angela Lindvall, Erin Wasson, Anja Rubik, among others. If this trend keeps up, I am calling that mid-western women will get up in arms (again) about the unrealistic standards of beauty that, this time, Gap/Express/XYZ are pushing on them. Hey, no one ever hated on Cindy Crawford for Kmart people!

to commemorate this special day

PUPPY CAM! h-bday to me. time to booze. catch you later.

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tricky tricky girl

Fashionista commented on newish clothing site, FarFetch.com, which culls fucking hard to find garb from around the world and places it at your luxury-deprived fingertips. The shop is a virtual mix of oak-opening ceremony-and lord and taylor with brands ranging from aforementioned opening ceremony and henry vibscov to balenciaga and christopher kane. The site is also segmented into 'personality' tabs with divisions like 'luxe', 'lab', and 'cult' with steers you towards designers more up your alley. The only fault that I can pin on FarFetch is a fairly major one, their price gouging is worse than Shell Oil. They list a MbyMJ cashmere sweater for $450, which considering the ever mind-boggling dollar signs on Mssr. Jacobs wares doesn't seem out of place. One click over to barneys co-op will gladly sell you the same sweather, on sale, for 180. Ksubi are also listed on FarFetch as being $450, which is at the high end of their mark up spectrum and they can be had elsewhere for close to $200. Though, this is all forgivable when you see that they have a nice collection of Margiela, See by Chloe, Vibscov, Bernard Wilhelm, and Surface 2 Air; designers that are hard enough to find in real life let alone in online. Farfetch does offer free shipping and the inflated costs can possibly be attributed to the fact that near all of the boutiques who's wares they cull from are in europe (currency conversion be damned). Until, then I will just have to be content with staring at the screen until either our economy inproves or the rest of the world's just gets worse.

big whoop

NYmag is semi-losin' it over Ya Girl B(eyonce) wearing Gareth Pugh at the MTV europe awards. Jez and Fashionista both commented on this as well. None, however made a deal about her wearing the Balenciaga gold plated outfit (leggings also owned by Terrence Koh). To be a performer who can command crowds in the katrillions at 70$ a head and be tied to HOVA, one needs a little flash. If she wants to wear Pugh Klingon uniforms, Herchovich trashbags, or Westwood bondage, good for her. At least a contemporary music artist is taking a bigger fashion risk than suspenders or prom dresses and trainers and there's nothing wrong with bringing a little avant guard to the masses. Mizz Thang below. (photos from NYmag and myfashionlife.com respectively) peaceeee.

quelle surprise! le recession!

French Elle, known for being somewhat more accessable than Vogue Paris, but less accessable than US Elle, has a micro article on wardrobe adapting for the recession. Granted, it was sandwiched between a wheel-barrow-full of 'price upon request' items, but still contained 'tips' that US Yanks know and love. Such bon mots as, 'repair old clothes', 'share items with friends', 'buy quality, not quantity', and the cold war favorite, 'jazz up old outfits with crispy new on-trend accessories' (my words, not theirs, clearly.) There, however, were no fun tips on dumpster diving or stealing from your loved one's closets and just beltin' it to you new lean depression era bod. Considering, Europe is no where near the apocalyptic situation that is the US economy, (hey! the Dow jumped 5000 points wednesday. woop woop!), it seems odd that such a fashion-centric country would offer any amount of glossy pages to 'cutting back'. Though, as someone who has been documented several times over as willingly choosing style over sustenance; cool over comfort, I want to see MacGuyver-y articles on stealing cable, using so many coupons you end up getting paid to buy groceries, and listings of all galleries that are giving free booze and hors d'oeurves. Recession be damned, I still have needs! French Elle needs to step it up.

normal posting will resume tomorrow

the DOW jumped 5000 points today...we have a new president, Barack Obama and not to be corny a lot of fucking weight off our shoulders. sleep tight. see you in the A.M. Fuck yes.