WANT WANT WANT: Babies

     Walter Van Beirendonck makes kid's clothes? What the fuck? This is the most awesome thing ever. I need to have a bajillion babies right now, just so I can dress them in this shit. I already go nuts whenever I pass by the baby/kids section at Target, so this is nearly unbearable. I am ready to grow an ovary just to feel it explode in maternal need.

     These tights are unbelievable. Smiles? Eyes? Smiley eyes? God damn. And contrast heel and toe? Ridiculous.

     And let's not forget that this is translated from his last menswear collection; entitled "eXplicit" and presented at Pitti Uomo. That leaf skirt began as some mask on a random model's face. Let's not forget how that girl on the right is fucking working that pout for everything she has got. Bitch knows how hard the economy is and wants to prove her worth as a model.

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Dramatics

     A show, hastily cobbled together, and frenetically staged. I paid little attention to myself, resolving to pick clothing that was easy more than anything else. All craziness aside, it was extremely satisfying. All about that hustle, son.

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WANT WANT WANT: Manly Jewelry

Giles & Brother leather wrap bracelet with hook, $122 @ Oak

     I'd like to think that in our day and age, we're past the point where men find the idea of jewelry too inherently feminine. There was an era (the landscape of memory is dominated by DIESEL and D&G stamped on an endless sea of dogtags and big watches and bracelets) when men felt the need to overly display their masculinity, needing something big and shiny and sharp, as though to make their jewelry anti-jewelry. In recent years, menswear has opened itself to a much larger notion of what men can wear. The spectrum from dandy to derelict (as espoused by everyone from Paul Smith to Rick Owens) has also brought a sense of refinement; the fashionable teens of the 90s have turned into the tasteful, restrained men of the 2000s. How else can I explain the emergence of such sophisticated work like Philip Crangi's collaboration with his sister Giles — Giles & Brother? Their ability to marry different materials, ideas, and aesthetics into one distinctly masculine vision of jewelry has got me itching for an excuse to blow a wad of cash on some new trinkets..

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Lumiere

Swoon.

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Jonathan Saunders for Target

     A friend recently noted the dearth of discussion about womenswear and I blame school work, magazine work, and work work for my inability to muster up anything worth saying. But while helping Connie pack for her trip to Fashion Week, we wound up talking a lot about high-end designers and their low-end collaborations. Succeeding Richard Chai as the latest Target Go International Designer, British colorblocking extraordinaire Jonathan Saunders has created a whole range of looks that take his signature aesthetic and tones it down a little.

     This isn't to say that it's watered-down Saunders; the prints on some of these pieces are definitely out of the mainstream tastes. But with more manageable silhouettes and a quite a few separates, I'm sure everyone is going to find something they like. What really interests me, though, are those boots that the model is wearing. What can I say, I obviously have a thing for strapped boots. Now if only I could find a pair that would work for me...

(Images from Nylon and NYMag)

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I BOUGHT THIS / I WANT THAT

     And so the vicious cycle continues. The influx of black continues even as the sun refuses to turn it down a notch. But when it does decide to scale it back a little, I'm definitely going to be prepared. I've been on a big multi-function sort of kick lately, so this sleeveless top with attached scarves from Diet Butcher Slim Skin was a natural draw. Add cashmere and silk and you've got one sold customer. For brisk fall days, I've got this Lad Musician jacket with a roll-away hood if I'm in a pinch. These April 77 Chelsea slacks are actually intended for a super secret event next week, but if I said what it was, then it wouldn't be so secret, now would it?

     But with every itch you scratch, you always wind up with another. And some of these itches are not easy to scratch. Maybe for a reason? Fiscal responsibility notwithstanding, I've still get my eyes peeled for what's next and — surprise, surprise — it's more black. I'm don't usually consider myself a big sneaker head, but these canvas high-tops from Diet Butcher Slim Skin's fall collection ($390 @ Blackbird) would give anyone reason to pause.

     As great as my current bag is, I can't help but feel the need for something a bit more professional. I'm not any big proponent of the green fashion movement, but I don't see any reason to pooh-pooh something just because it's vegan leather or anything. And the Jobs briefcase from Matt & Nat ($258 @ Alter) might make me turn over a new leaf. Everything from the zippers to the handle to the subtle branding certainly makes a persuasive argument for eco-friendly consumerism.

     Also, the jewelry hunt goes on (does it every really end, though?) and this acrylic feather pendant from Alex & Chloe ($48 @ Alex & Chloe) is just the touch of light humor that my slowly darkening wardrobe could use. Who knows? Maybe I'll really step outside the box and try it in fluorescent pink? Well. Definitely not. But I'd give the white version a chance. See? I'm trying to be adventurous.

     So maybe I lied. Maybe this isn't all black. This grey, high collar, double-breasted jacket from Endovanera has positively set my knees a shaking. I tried it on at Acrimony the other day and had a really hard time taking it off. Sharon, I blame you for any and all future calamity that befalls my checking account.

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So...

I promise that things are going to start changing. And then it'll get really interesting.

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Youth is over-rated.

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     So I have this complete hard-on for Rick Owens. But I can't afford Rick Owens, you see? So what am I to do? Well, then I remembered that he also makes a great diffusion line. So now I've got a total hard-on for that. Um, so if someone is willing to give me a couple hundred dollars for a kick-ass denim jacket, I'd be willing to take fabulous pictures of myself wearing it.

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He Said, She Said | Vol. I

"I get so confused. Everyone in Condé [Nast] dresses so fucking well...except the girls at Glamour."

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     Somewhere along the line, someone told you that chic is about being fashionable, about being trendy. And that is a boldfaced lie. When someone is chic, they are not fashionable, they resist the very notion of fashion. When someone is chic, they declare independence from the tyranny of fashion. What does fashion have to do with being chic? Fashion is our need for newness, for luster. But being chic is our need for constancy, for definition.

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TRANSFORM

I started out like this:
But a rush of customers, needing to put up a sign, dusting, and changing window displays meant I wound up like this:

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As Told by Dior

     I snagged a copy of Christian Dior ... Man of the Century from the library and have been voraciously consuming it. Published in conjunction with the centenary of M. Dior in 2005, the book was a complement to the exhibit at the Dior Museum, housed in his original home in Granville. But this book is more than just a side dish to a museum exhibit, it also contains a copy of Je suis couterier, Dior's famous autobiography.

     More than anything else, I'm struck my Dior's sense of humility – there are pages upon pages of his thanks for his friends and business partners whom he obviously treasured – and his earnest desire to create something beautiful. His descriptions of his aesthetic dreams (women with waists like reeds, skirts blooming like flowers) showcase a mind obsessed with the perfection of form, the construction of beauty.

     I'd recommend anyone to check it out, but my searches online have yielded nothing (hence the lack of cover art or link to a bookstore), but if you ever get your hands on this, it's an absolute dream to just flip through; Bar Suit here, embroidered gown there, gorgeous sketch somewhere else. Long live, Dior!

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Animal skins have just been popping into my imagination and the Fates of Fashion have sent a couple lovely pieces to the forefront. This Natalia Brilli studded wristband ($310) is just the coolest execution of studs, one of the most played-out looks in recent memory; thanks, Hot Topic. Topman's LTD 100 series features designers from the London College of Fashion and Maria Sheremeteva made a fantastic drapey, one-size sheepskin coat ($757). The ragged edges and drapey construction just add such a great dimension to shearling outwerwear. This Rick Owens two-tone leather jacket ($2,365) was part of the surprisingly sporty Spring/Summer '08 collection and having seen it on plenty of people around town, I can say that I genuinely covet this piece. Oh for want of cooler weather to make such things reasonable.

Oh who am I kidding? Since when has that ever gotten in my way?

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Who's Next?

     As I recently observed over at the BARE blog, there's pretty universal acknowledgement that Yves Saint Laurent's passing marked the end of something significant. As Christian Dior's successor and a ceaseless innovator with his own label, Saint Laurent was the pivotal figure in shifting the commercial focus of fashion from haute couture to ready-to-wear. But with his passing and the continued march of time, maybe it's time to look at who is forming the new vanguard, who are forces that are shaping the boundaries of our creative landscape? My list, in no particular order:

• Helmut Lang, for making simple beautiful again.
• Alber Elbaz, for making me smile. Always.
• Raf Simons, for thought-provoking, forward-minded collections.
• Yohji Yamamoto, for exploring every frontier, as well as making some up on his own.
• Hedi Slimane, for bringing danger back to sex.
• Christian Lacroix, for reminding us of craft.
• Martin Margiela, for four white stitches.

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Dunkin' Donuts Now Dyeing Garments

     Though he isn't one of the usual suspects for designers that drain my wallet, Kean Etro certainly has a clever idea for what to do with white shirts that you've ruined: ruin them some more. Although I'm a very careful drinker of coffee – black, no sugar, no milk – even I am not immune to the effects of overly full cups of joe. The founder and designer of Etro suggested taking any accidents to their natural conclusion by cooking your clothes in coffee. His recipes for how to properly prepare cuisine-inspired fashion also includes salt baked and blueberry soaked shirts, too. Très chic, bon appétit!

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     The setting summer sun's leaving these long, lazy rays of light across my living room and the colors and shapes have me jonesing for jewelry. My ever vigilant eye had been on a few pieces anyway and I can't resist the combination of bright summer clothes and darkly brilliant accessories. This clever ring from Margiela, modeled after the one that bartenders frequently wear, (£65/$127) has "Cheers" inscribed on one side and a bottle opener on the other. Jewelry focusing on the mundane has been another favorite, especially Kiel Mead's necklace cast from a mathstick and 22designstudio's seven-sided ring crafted from concrete, of all things. Surface 2 Air also picks stands out for its simple, stacked two-finger ring. Life's more fun with shiny things.

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     Conversations with Connie about clothes might start off in the realms of vision and imagination, but they always wind up firmly rooted in the pure practicality of the matter. Case in point? My much beloved and much desired Surface to Air Cargo Bag and this awesome heat-sensitive, color-changing tank top from Anzevino and Florence have turning over in my mind.

     Now, is $78 a lot for a top? Yes. Is it a lot for a tank top? Most certainly. I certainly know there are better deals out there on jersey tank tops (Urban carries them for $10 each), but cut of it looks great and drape-y and the color changing bit is absolutely cool and looks absolutely beautiful. But how do I value those extra qualities? The market says I should value them for $68 more than the ones from Urban and I agree. But why? Why do I find myself aligning with the number that the market has mysteriously* produced?

     (* Okay, it isn't such a mystery. It's a combination of research, drafting, advertising, fabrics, production, and also the brand's "value". I acknowledge the various elements of the industry and the variety of intersecting functions that are necessary to create, market, and sell a single product, much less an entire collection. )

     So I find the top desirable, so I desire it, and so I'm okay with paying $78 (not that I have...yet). But what if someone else doesn't think that's reasonable? How am I supposed to explain myself? We obviously don't look for the same traits in a garment (me: fit, cut, fabric, design / them: price, availability ), so I can't argue that it fits my criteria for a "good" garment. This is the sort of dilemma I encounter whenever someone asks me about my spending habits. The problem I find most often is that people find me unreasonable for my willingness to spend a larger quantity than average. They think that I am unable to settle, that I'm trying to create a gap between myself and others, but that has nothing to do with it.

     You don't think I'm reasonable? Fine. I don't think you're reasonable because you wear Crocs and you're over the age of 5. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

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Showing BARE, Saving Bucks

     I'll keep it short and sweet this time. I promise.

     Might I proudly present the BARE Magazine Blog, an extension of the eponymous student rag on whose staff I serve and whose second issue is right around the corner.

     And so long as we're tickling your palette for fashion, I might as well let it drop that Yoko Devereaux's remaining stock from their Spring collection is now on sale, with items reduced as much as 80% off.

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Things On My Mind

     Recently, things have begun to fill my brain and stay there. This does not include any of my real responsibilities—of course—but just random junk that's trickled in through various channels.

     The first thing is that I got the Crystal Castles CD and really, really liked it. It gets a bit rough about some spots, but it's really fun and is just really engaging. Likewise, the HEALTH album is really a lot of sound to deal with, but it's rewarding if you take the time and listen. It's not an easy album and it certainly lacks the upfront hooks that Crystal Castles use, but it's still a well-produced, finely-tuned piece of work. I hate agreeing with Pitchfork (because everyone does), but the album's tendency to delve into the self-indulgent certainly is a problem. At moments, the allusions to Liars and Deerhoof stopped being allusions and became HEALTH writing a Liars or Deerhoof piece. But saying that something sounds as energetic as Liars or as arresting as Deerhoof doesn't really constitute any negative critique about the album's quality. Even if we're hearing the same noise, it's not really the same sound.

     On a more visceral note involving victuals (And yes, I would actually say that in real life), asparagus is in season, so I made some scallops and asparagus for dinner a few nights ago. I had a few spears left and couldn't resist encasing them in some pork-based goodness. The grease was everywhere. I loved it.

     And I would try to formulate a smooth transition into discusses these Palladium boots, but I fail to see a reason why. Since when do I ever need a reason to talk about shoes? At $120, they're certainly not the cheapest pair, but they certainly aren't a frightful burden, either. The grey would certainly help me kick my all-black habit. And those new PF Flyers coming into the store won't hurt, either. Damn it. I was supposed to stop shopping. Ugh. I'm hopeless.

     Another day, another shamble.

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