Think 90210

Vena Cava's e-commerce portion of their site launched yesterday; and while I was hoping to find more of their lower priced Viva line available for purchase, the selection is depressingly slim.  I did, however, find one gem for sale: the 90s Leather Baby Backpack.  I'm kind of on a backpack kick right now anyway, but you have to admit that this version is pretty much perfect.  It's the exact same style that two of my older cousins had when I was about four or five, and I was insanely jealous of both of them for it.  Fifteen years later, and I'm still pining for my own.

From Runway to Real Life

Remember that Viktor & Rolf collection that Mr. Horsting and Snoeren created for spring 2011 that was great conceptually, but didn't always seem super wearable?  Look how amazingly this woman (shot by Tommy Ton for Style.com) translated the white look from above for the real world.  A sleek bun, some oversize glasses, and a single metallic cuff made the shirtdress look chic, and hell, almost downright minimalist.  Which I never thought I would say about a puffy sleeved oxford with a bib front, at least two collars, three sets of hems, and three cuffs on each arm.

It's great looking at runway collections and analyzing different trends etc., but sometimes it's so much more fun to see how people interpret these styles and make them their own.  This is what fashion is all about.

Death Roll

Can we please talk about this?  Kristin from Bleach Black's customized iPhone case.  And she might be selling them soon?  I don't have an iPhone, but I'm definitely gonna make it my mission to create my own version for my Palm Pixi sometime this week.

Blue and Yellow, Blue and Yellow

Love this photo, love the bag, love the nails.

Don't love the ashes that Girl is getting all over her precious Celine bag, but whatever, she owns it, she can tar its perfect beauty if she wants to!

Image from streetfsn

All Over The Place

I know I've been absent from the blogging world for a while, but I'm finally on spring break, and therefore free for the next week. I figured I'd start off my blogging return by sharing the pictures that are littering my desktop and my brain; my fashion inspiration is a little schizophrenic right now, but it always kind of is.

Enjoy:

Images from Summer Teeth, Pepper and Chips, Honestly...WTF, style.com, and some other sites I can't remember (sorry/fail)

Please Stop the Shock Shoes

They were the shoes heard 'round the world: Alexander McQueen's spring 2010 "armadillo heels."  And when they first walked the runway a year and a half ago, I loved them.  At a staggering 10 inches high, the footwear was the perfect compliment to the late designer's otherworldly, underwater collection. Audience members gawked at them, and several models flat-out refused to walk the show in them due to safety issues (a valid argument, I would say).

Nina Ricci fall '09, Alexander McQueen fall '11, Mugler fall '11

Those were not the first outrageous shoes to teeter down the runway, though.  Oliver Theyskens sent a heelless pair out in Paris for Nina Ricci in the fall 2009 season (top, left) that caused a stir in the fashion industry. Different versions of sky high platforms have been seen often on the runways ever since.  However, anyone who has taken a basic fashion course has probably heard the old rule that, "All trends end in excess."  And that's what seems to be happening with these part stripper heel, part piece of art hybrids.  With the platforms getting more and more chunky, heights towering ever more high, you have to admit that many runway shoes are starting to look plain absurd.

The fact of the matter is, none of these heels will ever even make it to retail.  They make one appearance at show time, only to be taken immediately after and placed in some storage room for forever more.  Brands produce far more toned down versions for the buying public; and unless someone like Daphne Guinness or Lady Gaga decides that she wants a pair, they will never see the light of day again.  So what's the point?  Say what you will about artist license, but fashion shows are first and foremost a tool for designers to showcase their collections to buyers and editors.  These buyers and editors then serve the general public by selling or reporting on the newest fashions.  Sending out these monstrosities on poor girls' feet isn't doing anyone any good at this point.

And aside from that reasoning, I'm just plain sick of embellished platforms.  There's nothing exciting or fresh about them after seeing variations on the same version for five seasons in a row.  Thus, I would like to commend Nicolas Ghesquiere at Balenciaga and Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy for sending out the below gorgeous, sophisticated shoes for their fall 2011 shows.  After a relatively long absence from the runways, pointy toe pumps feel like a subtly sexy alternative to overtly sexual platforms.  These sleek designs exemplify that this style doesn't have to be boring; eye catching slits and statement making patterns can still keep things interesting without resorting to publicity stunts.

Balenciaga fall '11 (above), Givenchy fall '11 (below).  Images via the Cut

On The Fringe

What with the Fall collections almost done showing, it's time to start focusing on the trends they've produced. While there was a big emphasis this season on modern textures (like plastic) and 60's shape, there was the Native American influence that popped up from show to show as well. While I can delve into 60's style a little here and there, plastic is not my thing. I like sensual fabrics that move with the body. So you can bet I've been much more inspired by the Native trends for fall. Something I'd never delved into in that realm is fringe. It's fun and kitsch, but still, for the most part, wearable. It's a little more summery than it is cold-weather, so hopefully I'll be able to break out some mean fringe come May or June.

Brand and price info found here

A Little of New York

Thought I'd share a few shots from our trip to NY.  The first two are actually of me attempting to pack and plan outfits, along with Phineas being super helpful as I tried to pack my camera.  Then there are the best palm frites that I've ever tasted from a restaurant whose name I can't remember, a few good outfits, swag from the Jill Stuart show, a building in "The Village" (my mother tells me that this is the appropriate way to refer to Greenwich Village) whose address appears to be 387 1/2, and the store front of Alexander McQueen.  Oh, and did we tell you that while shopping at Diane von Furstenberg in the meatpacking district, DVF herself came into the store because, "[she] just felt like shopping"?  Just thought I'd brag a little bit.

Sorry if I'm a little MIA for the next week or so; I'm going skiing in Colorado for spring break and plan on being on the slopes all day every day, so I may fall a little bit behind fashion-wise.

Crystal Renn for J. Crew

Crystal Renn has been the subject of constant scrutiny throughout the past few years as she's risen to modeling stardom.  Her fluctuating weight and past eating disorder have been constantly discussed by the fashion media, but that kind of attention seems to be dying down as she continues to book work for major clients and esteemed magazines.  Though some may view Renn's latest job for J. Crew as a ploy for publicity by the brand, I actually think that she is a perfect fit for the preppy company.  Her all-American good looks and commercial appeal make her look right at home in the spring catalogue.

Missoni Fall 2011 RTW

So much pastel goodness.  My only qualm with the collection is that I keep wanting to call it spring because of the color palette, despite the obviously awesome outerwear.  Photos from Style.com, edited by Bleach Black.

Academy Awards Red Carpet 2011

It's Oscars time! As is well known, the 83rd Academy Awards were Sunday night. Congrats to the winners, but more importantly congrats to the 11 ladies (Anne Hathaway x2) featured above, as they are Les Deux's best dressed of this year's Oscar ceremony. No time for small talk about who won what; continue on below the jump for larger pictures and critiques.

Pucci Fall 2011 RTW Close-ups