Hey, 2011!

Sorry I've been gone, I was on vacation without any wifi the past few days.  The Grand Canyon was amazing!  Las Vegas, not so much, maybe because we went with a travel group that stayed in cheap hotels.  Anyway, happy almost New Years!  Is anyone going to celebrate?  I'm thinking of hitting the sack at my normal time to get up early tomorrow in case the flea market is in town.  This has been a stressful year for me, trying to keep up with school and life.  I can't make any promises, but I'm not going to give up on this blog!  Thanks to everyone that has stuck with this blog, and have a wonderful 2011!

Orly Out of This World Swatch

 Um, I promise this is not going to turn into a nail polish blog.  It's just that it's been rainy and cold and I haven't been able to see the William Rast for Target collection yet.  Boo!  Anyway, recently I bought Orly Out of This World, from the Cosmix FX collection at CVS.  It's a really pretty color.  At first I was disappointed because Space Cadet was sold out, but after wearing this-wow!  Out of This World is a purple iridescent shimmer with flashes of pink and green-gold.  In the first picture, you can see in looks near black in some lighting.

But under sunlight/good indoor lighting?  Pow!  It comes alive.  I've had this on my nails for almost 5 days, but had to redo some of it (I keep smudging it! Plus bad base coat), so it doesn't look it's best.  But the wear time is pretty good, and the shimmer is more forgiving than a cream finish.

In other news, break is here at last!  Although I'll be missing some of it, as I'm headed for a 4 day trip to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.  Has anyone else been there?

Movie Review: Tangled

Another late movie review for me!

Anyway, Tangled turned out to be pretty good.  It's an animated fairy tale about Rapunzel and the thief who "rescues" her, Flynn Rider.  The animation was detailed and the clothing designs were elaborate, but all you want to know is the story right?  Well, Tangled is a musical, but the songs really aren't the focus of the story, and aren't that memorable.  The story is about average, no really big plot twists at all, but fun to watch nevertheless. Oh, and Rapunzel has an adorable chameleon by the name of Pascal, too.

Rapunzel is a lost princess, locked away by Mother Gothel because her hair has magical properties that can turn back time, and Gothel wants to be young forever (stereotypical much?).  Fast forward 18 years.  Rapunzel has grown to be a lovely young woman, who is curious about the outside world, and the lights that appear each year on her birthday.  After Mother Gothel refuses her request to leave the tower, Rapunzel faces an unexpected guest:  Flynn Rider, an infamous thief that has stolen the royal crown.  Rapunzel hides the crown, and proposes a plan for Flynn:  if he takes her to see the lights, she'll give him back his crown.  It's a plan that he reluctantly agrees to.  And so her adventure begins!


Even though the storyline was nothing extraordinary, the humor in the film is what really makes it come through.  There were plenty of lines that had the whole theater laughing, and the humorous elements (besides the awww factor) are what would make this a film great to see with the whole family, twice over.

More Horrible Words

"Tragically Hip"

Oh, stop it with the subcultural (or really, now it's quite mainstream) appropriation.  Yahoo!  Shine is nowhere near subcultural, though weird articles and impractical and rather silly and insipid tips run abound.

So you say your friend is "tragically hip"?  Has a tragedy fallen upon your model or fashionista friend?  Tragic and hip are two word, that when juxtaposed together, seem to say that the writer is desperately trying to be "ironic" or "hipster" or whatever the fad is these days.

Does anyone else see the ridiculousness of these words, and the mindset of these "cool" people?

10 trendy beauty gifts for the holidays

Sister Wolf Fundraiser

Readers, (are you out there?) I usually don't advertise on this blog, leading to useless stuff and spam.  I won't now.  However, I will post something if it's for a good cause.

Help Sister Wolf!  She has had a devastating loss this year, and $35 from the purchase of the Little Woolf necklace by Wendy Brandes will go to Sister Wolf to raise money to fix her leaking roof.

Help a fellow blogger!  Click here to buy the necklace.



I am not sponsored/paid to write this post.

Word of the Day

Or rather, words.

"Ironically Preppy" are two words I never want to hear.  Especially not when describing a cape:

Sure, she looks like a misguided school girl.  But this is not "ironic", because there is no context to suggest that the way she is wearing it is ironic.  Something is NOT automatically ironic if say, you wear a school uniform blazer but are 10 years too old for school.  Irony is being overused in our culture, and my Literature teacher is probably not happy.


Here is the rest of the slightly unrealistic article:  http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/winter-coats-to-fit-your-budget-2415467/

In other news, the William Rast for Target photos are out!  They don't include the prices of the items, but here it is: William Rast for Target

Now, finals are coming up (eek!) and I am off to study!

Harajuku Lovers Sunshine Cuties G Review

...Another long title, coming your way.  Anyway, I realize these were from summer, and it is now fall (feels like winter!) but summer scents are equally uplifting (if not more so) in cold weather. :)  Plus, I only spotted them today at Sears.

Image from fragrantica.com

Sunshine Cutie G comes in a cute bottle, with the doll on top wearing a "tuxedo" bikini top and blue-green swim shorts.  There is a picture of plumeria flowers on the package and in her hair.  This version of G sports new notes of (from Amazon) mandarin, coconut water, heliotrope, and vanilla bean.  Now, when I bought these, I had no idea.  I sniffed Love, and it smelled too floral, but their were no testers, so I took a chance with G.

At first sniff, G smells ridiculously of coconut.  With a weird floral note behind it.  And I was not pleased.  But after a while (or was it just the influence of other reviews I saw online?) it began to grow on me.  The coconut faded; yes, it still smelled like a beach, but now it was drier, will vanilla and more florals backing it up.  It's a warm scent, sweeter than I would have liked, but still quite lovely. 

But now I must warn you.  Scents don't really change on me, from the mid notes to the dry down.  After about 10 hours, it smells a little less of floral, but that's it.  Maybe it's because I have bad circulation or dry skin or whatever, but just saying, so other people know how scents work on me. 

Sunshine Cuties G actually reminds me of...Cool Water Woman, because of that last sandalwood/vanilla note.  But in a good way.  I've heard it compared to Creed's Virgin Island Water, but I wouldn't know.  Overall though, it's a good perfume.  Lasts only a few hours, but the packaging is as cute as heck.



I did not receive compensation from any company to write this review.  My mom bought this for me. XD

Fall Shopping

I'm shopping way too much lately, really.  For the last few weeks, I've been buying fall staples...jeans, cargo pants, sweaters, boots, and cardigans.

So to prevent my bank account from fainting on me, I've been living vicariously through online shopping, creating fall outfits in my head.  Can you believe it was 80 degrees today?!  Fall is out of whack(yes, I know that is a really old reference).

Here we are: Casual/Business

Open for Business Cardigan  Pair a sleek, casual tank underneath this cardigan to transition from business to casual wear.

Traipse Around Town Top

Pris Skirt

Quirky, and playing into this year's leather trend, this skirt brings just a little bit of edge to an otherwise strict outfit.

 Today I Met the Perfect Boot

I just realized that all these items look very business/classy/casual, so why not continue the trend?  These boots are perfect for dreary gray days, and have the right amount of sass to stand out on their own.

images from modcloth.com

Disclaimer:  I don't get paid to endorse ANY thing on my site, if I link to another site, it's because I think they're cool.  I buy everything I review myself.

Giveaway Reminder

La Petite Fashionista is holding a giveaway on her blog for a Parameter motocycle Jacket!  Don't miss it!

can you hear the whispers of a thousand hearts beating?

Yes, my hair has blue streaks in it.  In case you can't tell, it's on the left side of my head.  Had to bleach it twice because my naturally dark hair WOULD NOT lighten.  Also redyed it three times, because it's semi-permanent and started to fade.  It's not this noticeable in real life; it's only this bright when sunlight hits it (like a vampire? not!).

 

I could never be a nail polish blogger.  This teal is Sonia Kashuk's Taunting Teal from the fall/winter collection, and while gorgeous, dries to a darker shade than what's  in the bottle.  Like, really dark.  I'm wearing this with a slightly shimmery satin topcoat, so the color is not quite true.   Love it though.

I haven't been to the flea market in a while, but I ended up finding something for my friend's birthday(shh, don't tell her!), a mask pin, a scrap booking/inking pen, and a fleur-de-lis bracelet.  All for under $20!

The watch and the horse pin are not from this trip's finds; the watch was from Etsy and I added a chain, the silver pin was from a different trip.  I thought the mask pin was fitting, seeing as our school is performing a Shakespearean comedy!

That's all for now!  I'm beat, and I still need to study!

Halloween!

It's that time of year, everybody.  Who is going to dress up? *raises hands*  I'm going to be Subaru from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles.  Does anyone else have any plans?

Anyway, has any one heard of Target's GO collections?  Apparently, they will be celebrating 5 years of designer collections with a 34 piece collection next spring!  This apparently will contain reissues of past designers' dresses.  Is anyone interested?

Fall Finds

Fall has come so quickly this year; only two weeks ago, it was 80 degrees out!  However, now, even on the usually sunny West Coast, the weather is getting colder, and just yesterday it started raining.  Time for fall, and fall trends!

Jeans:  I found out just today that Target has really upped their denim game.  Currently, they have six different fits (though I only saw four in the store), like mid-rise, low rise, relaxed fit, etc. throughout the store, with different washes and styles and lengths in short, regular and long.  This makes denim buying a snap!  As long as your know your fit and size, it's easy to buy a particular style of jean.  I'm especially pleased that they have different lengths, because usually pants are too long for me, and it's annoying to hem them.  However, the jeans I bought were cheap, stylish, and fit perfectly!  I definitely recommend going to Target if you need new, budget-friendly jeans. (Note: The fit 6 jeans come in odd sizes, are are more of "juniors" jeans.  The rest come in the typical women/misses even sized jeans.  Also, this is 99% cotton, so it might stretch a bit in the wash, though I haven't tried.)

 

Nebby Navy Cardigan

Knits:  Hand made, alpine, and cable sweaters are getting popular this season.  Keep warm this winter!

 

chelsea crew citrus lace-up ankle boots

Boots:  Utilitarian style boots are back, but more feminine-softer contours, slimmer heels and and comfier than platform heels.

Nail Polish:  Gray, brown, taupe, and green nails (keeping in with the military theme) are the focus here, from Chanel to drugstore.  I like Sew Psyched by Essie, a greenish-gray shade.

Steampunk Necklace Gothic COSMIC OWL - Vintage Old Watch Movement with Silver Wings and Chain - Steampunk Fashion Jewelry from Cosmic Firefly

And not necessarily on trend, but how cool is this steampunk necklace?  Definitely statement jewelry.

images from : beautysolutions.ca

Spirit Day

Ugh, I totally forgot about it until I went to school today.  I did have some purple on my jacket, though.

Support acceptance and tolerance for all! :)

Death of a Whale

A blue whale was recently killed, running into a ship, and the mother whale's body washed up on shore.  We went to go see it yesterday.

(This post contains sad, slightly gruesome imagery)
Actually, I was going to post pictures, but decided that most people would be horrified by the sight of a picked-at, broken carcass of a huge whale with the baby calf torn out of its mother's womb.  So I decided not to.

Even now, I can smell the stench of rotting fish, hear the caws of the gulls and feel the chill in the air, even now I still think about the sadness of the death.

The scene was rather...disturbing to me at first.

When I came across it, I saw the sea gulls first, loud and flocking around the rocks.  The coarse sand was strewn with seaweed, and as I observed it carefully, I realized that there were...organs, scattered and picked at around the shore.  There was a form, similar to a whale, pale and almost complete.  I recognized one part as a tail, and now I believe it was the fetus of the pregnant whale.  I had to climb on top of the rocks to get a better view, and soon the smell drifted up to me.  Covering my nose with my jacket, I scrabbled across the other side of the rocks, avoiding entrails and baleen, hissing at the sea gulls to get a better view.

The whale was large, but somehow I expected it to be bigger.  It was lying in an odd position, stomach out, head hidden (we couldn't see the head, and maybe it was lost), tail almost severed from the rest of the body, chunks of fat and flesh showing.  Almost all of the skin was gone, and it looked almost as it had never been alive.  It made me rather queasy to see such a destroyed corpse, once a magnificent, living animal.


How quickly life can be destroyed, rendered subject to the waves and beak of the birds, the wind and decaying of flesh.

How almost...surreal, unbelievable something can be once a silent tragedy has been occurred.

I am still sad, almost uncomprehending still, of what happened.  Maybe in time I will realize this, but even as I try to wrap my head around the evanescence, the fragility of life, the stark and indifferent world, I will only remember a lonely feeling inside, and the images that remain.

A Little Bit of Everything

I've been only inspired to post about my personal life, which really is kind of typical.

Let's see, I got a horrible haircut, bought three packs of blister shields for my feet, found out shoe liners were the best thing EVER for flats, bought Splat hair dye (Blue Envy!), am stressing out over school and more school, and found out that Malaysian curry is awesome.

So!  I find that Polyvore is more inspiring, like so:

Nothing Neutral by dewfall featuring 3 4 sleeve tops

A Détacher / Kieta Top, $565
Juicy Couture Cotton-twill military jacket, $300
Floral Twirl Skirt, $50
LACE STITCH SOCK, 39 GBP
stripe wedge shoe, 685 GBP
Vintage YSL Brown Clutch Bag, $1,365
Erickson Beamon Brave New World chain necklace, $1,355
Alex and Ani Bauhaus Limited Edition Bangle Set, $148
John Lewis Felt Feather Trim Veil Hat, Black, 40 GBP
OLUNDA, $40
PJÄTTERYD, $50
i can read

My thoughts and more stuff I like shoved into one little box.
I find that this fall there is a thing about wedge shoes/boots, neutral grunge and military.  Military is very prominent, but the other styles are just...reoccurring?  "Hidden" trends/styles?  I don't know, but I also feel an urge to do something very Victorian (lace, lace-up boots, hats, high socks) juxtaposed by something anti-establishment (blue hair, surfer/punkish).

I think that's just the schizophrenic weather we've been getting.  Or just my age.

Another Lesson Learned

    2.  When you sell an item on Ebay or Etsy, ask the buyer to PAY IMMEDIATELY.  Or else you might be stuck with someone who wanted expedited shipping, then doesn't reply to your emails for four days.

Learned this one the hard way too.  Just specify how and when you want to be paid when you create your listing.

And buyers, please check your messages and emails.  Or you might have an angry seller giving a Second Chance offer to someone else.

A Lesson Learned

1. Even if you are wearing flat shoes from a company like Naturalizer, even if you have already wore the shoes indoors, even if they feel comfortable, always break them in before an event involving a considerable amount of standing.

Lesson learned:  Patent leather flats are not meant broken in after one-and-a-half wears.  I should have already learned my lesson from Already Pretty (she has a great post about breaking new shoes in) but I naively thought that because they were rather soft flats, they would be comfortable straight from the box.  Not so.  After walking for two hours today, I got blisters and peeling on the sides of my heels.  I was supposed to wear the flats to a dance tonight, but I guess I'll have to wear sandals now.  Another lesson learned: wear socks when breaking shoes in!

Rodarte Spring/Summer 2011

Oh Rodarte.  You never fail to intrigue me with your steadily evolving collections.  I think personally that this season's clothes are...more raw?  I don't know, Rodarte's inspiration has always been from different sources, but you could tell that this collection was more woodland/childhood themed, with wood prints and lots of contrasting layers.

 Love the texture of it all, but the shapes were...simpler?  Or just a different look?  The shoes, though were EPIC though you can't see them well from this picture.

Prints and shapes.  I see they are into the ankle socks and sandals trend!  But sheer!

This is something that I would personally wear.  Well, if the weather was hot down there and cold up there, that is.

 And finally, something to contrast the woody vibe!  Preppy seems like something that's in one collection or another, or so the style.com's "get the look" button tells me.  This look is like Rodarte for people who want something more "wearable", to over use that term.  I like the pattern on the pants, and just the simplicity of a shirt+pants combo.

I don't know if I like this collection more than previous ones, but for sure, there were a lot of interesting looks in this collection.  And as always, Rodarte never fails to wow me with their shoes. (Seriously, go find a picture of their amazing wedges.  You must!)

Also:  This week is Banned Books Week and No-Makeup Week.  I never wear makeup anyway, so that one is easy.  I love banned books, though, because I am in love with the idea of free thinking.  And anti-establishment.  In fact, we're going to be reading one such controversial book next week!

Banned Books List

Images from style.com

Dr. Martens for Auction

The Dr. Martens I was talking about are now up on Ebay!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320592993308&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

For anyone interested. :)

Music and Design

 Just some sites I got to for inspiration, like music and crafts:


We Are Hunted
An awesome site, with 99 of the most popular emerging songs.

COLOURlovers
You can search for colors, palettes and patterns here.  Even though the main site interface is monochromatic, the actual patterns are a rainbow explosion!

How About Orange
Craftiness galore!  This blog is fun and fresh, with lots of great ideas to inspire DIY's.

Craftster
Ah, this brings back memories.  This used to be the go-to site for me, to get inspired by the amazing projects and designs.  However, now I don't have much time to craft, but this might just inspire me again...


Random post is random.  Today was a mix of bad+depressed, so these are just some sites for your entertainment. :)

Jason Wu Spring/Summer 2011

NYFW started and no one told me?  Wha?
Well, to be honest, I was studying, so that might have been it...but now the collection reviews will commence!

What a classy collection.  I'll be honest again: when I think of Jason Wu, I still think of Michelle Obama.  And even though she wouldn't wear the sheer blouses prominently featured in this collection, I can see why she enjoys his designs.  The shapes and color of the dresses in this collection really invokes a bright, feminine but still modern outlook on fashion here, similar to the image she is trying to project.

 Exaggerated geekiness can be so chic, you know.

Lady on safari!  Like the huge bow, reminds me of Tavi's, and the ensemble is balanced out.
Another thing I like about Jason Wu's collections is that the impact is on the clothes, not the shoes.  And before you readers shun me, I would like to explain that it is because they aren't overly complicated, and don't detract form the clothes in general.  I love sculptural shoes, but they don't fit in with his "classic" looks.  The shoes and bags are still beautiful, but simpler and more wearable.

I don't really think this fits in with the rest of the collection, but the dress looks like it is made out of rose petals!  So of course, I had to include this quirky piece.  More sculptural than wearable.

I like this Spring collection, because it reminds me of spring, instead of Missoni resort reminding me of...winter.  Big surprise, eh?  Even though I prefer designers that are more avant-gare, I still enjoyed this collection for the simplicity and elegance of it all, and the exaggerated contrast between the feminine blouses and bows and the tailored suits.  However, the outfits in general form a cohesive "look", keeping it from yo-yoing back and forth.  It looks to be a solid, well performing collection that will inspire trends and knock offs next year.  I suggest you see the full collection, to get a glimpse of the colorful turbans and gauzy dresses(wanted to keep the pictures appropriate here).

Images from style.com

Back to scheduled posting tomorrow.

A moment of silence to think of all those affected by 9/11.

Just Squeezed

Bright, bright, and cheerful.

This is on my toes currently, Just Squeezed Nicole by OPI.  It's a bright, almost neon orange with fine pink an dgold shimmer.  Really pretty, but the color is so hard to capture on camera!  Also, excuse the weird nails, I've been too busy to grow out my nails and I only threw one coat of polish on to show you what it looks like on the nail.  Sometimes it looks darker, almost like vermilion.  You should probably wear a basecoat with this one, as it's pretty bright and the shimmer is annoying to remove from bare nail.  It's holding up okay, but I'll need to do a full wear test to be sure.

It reminds me of fresh orange juice and a tango!
Anyway, school has been stressful, and I haven't been getting a lot of sleep, so posting will be odd and uninspired.  I'll try and update though!  Thanks for sticking with it. :)

Fall Trends

You've heard this a million times already, but...
military, circle skirts, clog boots, chunky knits!
Is it just me, or am I getting a bit of 70's/90's vibe here?

Fall 2010 by dewfall featuring James Perse jackets

Crafted Long Sleeved Grunge Cropped Knit, 25 GBP
James Perse Cropped cotton military jacket, $295
Cinch You've Been Gone Skirt, $650
Swedish Hasbeens High Heeled Jodhpur Clog Ankle Boot, $421
Alkemie + Textured Stacking Bands with Austrian Crystal Detail, $140
Beige large corsage brooch, 7.50 GBP
Erickson Beamon Brave New World chain necklace, $1,355
American Retro Shirt Courtney Love, 79 EUR
Circle Skirt
Free Texture Tuesday: Nebula Grunge 2 | BittBox

This is just for reference, not really inspired.

BTW, my Dr. Martens have arrived, but they run a little big...so if you wear US size 7/8 or men's size 6-ish and want a classic black pair of Dr. Martens boots, this is your day!  In great condition, soles are not worn down, almost new, with a few minor scratches.  I'm asking around $40(these are the "classic type of boots, and are unisex), but will negotiate.  (Not including shipping, but if you are interestes, ask).  Contact through the comment box!  I always check the comments.

Product Review: Yes to Carrots C Me Blush Lip Tint

...Another long name.

Anyway, this will be short, because these braces really hurt.

This lip tint provides sheer color, with light shimmer.  Not in your face, but subtle and good for low-makeup days.  The wear time is a few hours at most, and it doesn't really dry out your lips despite the peppermint taste but if your lips are really dry, you might want to layer a lip balm underneath.  I got Coral Sunshine, and the color I thought was perfect.  If you have pigmented lips though, only the shimmer and the lightest tint will show up.  No SPF, so be careful!  Wear a lip balm with SPF under it.  That said, this this 95% organic and pretty inexpensive.

Recommended!(I'll admit, I take that from Susanna of Jewel Box Dreams)

Inception and Despicable Me (movies)

Yes, it's overdue.  Again.  But I somehow felt obligated to write this, so here we go:
Inception

I had heard that this was extremely confusing, so I read the summary beforehand.  It's been out for weeks, so I'll just get to the review.  It was good as a whole, with a clear story planned and a lot of explosions (err, kind of a good thing).  It was great for those who like a lot of action and sci-fi, and even had a bit of humor thrown in (sometimes unintentional).  However, I felt the general plot was too simple and the characters other than Dom had very little development-except for Ariadne.  The flashbacks and dream sequences were often confusing, and sometimes lacked coherence.  My main gripe, though, is the end: it doesn't give an resolution for the main characters (again, except Dom) and Dom's ending is open to interpretation, as the director made it purposefully unclear whether it was a dream or not.  The movie was exciting though, and is worth watching if you enjoy dramatic action movies and can handle rapid scene changes  There is supposed to be an extra story after the credits, but my friend and I sat through the whole credits-including the Sony Entertainment stuff-and it still didn't show.  So it may depend on your theater.  After I saw the movie, I had a bit of mental overload-so you might want to sit away from the speakers.

Despicable Me

A light-hearted animated comedy about an evil villain trying to one-up a newcomer villain for .  Who adopts three adorable girls in the process.  And has cute evil minions.
Hm, this one is way older than Inception, so you may want to catch this one on DVD (or whatever they're showing it on these days).  The plot is quite predictable-which is not bad for younger audiences, but the movie still manages to pull it off in an enjoyable way-bad guy turns good guy and gets a new family.  There are, however, some take offs for older audiences, like the 'Lehman Brothers' sign and the infectious rap in the background (I'm still waiting for the full version!).  The movie is hilarious, with the naive minions, giggly girls and all sorts of plans gone wrong, and is a great family movie.  Definitely good for a family movie night!

Images from: screencrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com and the-reviewer.net

The Art of Camoflauge

I'm not making fun of her, but her dress really blends in nicely with the red carpet, doesn't it?  This made me smile.


Image from:

Knite

I found this awesome flash comic on DeviantArt from a friend: Knite

It is so nostalgic.  When I visited China, the air was so bad, with humidity and high temperatures combining with dust and smog in the air.  The pollution was horrible.  Even after a rain, the sky never fully cleared.  And there was always construction going on, so if you left a window open, dust would blacken the window sill during day.  And in the late afternoon, the sun would burn dim red.  Rather creepy, no?  I felt really depressed without the blue sky and the stars.  It also was really depressing to think about the state of living there...people dying of pollution, homelessness, no food or drinking water, money, etc.
Knite really sets the mood for hopefulness though.  Even when you can't see the stars, you can make some...

Topshop Fall/Winter Lookbook

We don't even have a Topshop here, but I saw the "Out of the Wild" lookbook on Nitrolicious and had to share:

Love the drapey skirt and the boots.  Kind of reminds me of Marc Jacob's fall collection.  Delicate and punk!

Ooh, pom poms.  So fun and whimsical in such a dreary and harsh setting (apparently it was supposed to look like a post-apocalyptic world?)

The headband is back...oh wait, it never went away.  I like the combination of the ripped shrug over the floaty dress.  Like a combat-boots wearing princess who could lead a band of survivors into the destroyed world...(I'm thinking too much into the setting, aren't I?)

Basically, I'm interested whenever a collection incorporates dark, depressing elements in it...but only when it can be used for dramatic appeal.

And for this fall, I want...slightly grunge/punk boots, flowy tops and dresses combined with more structured, utilitarian pieces, heavy knits and interesting accessories.  Of course, come this fall it will be combined with a heavy workload and a depressing attitude.  Yay.

Darkoogle

Come to the dark side...er, what?  Nevermind.  Anyway, this is such a good idea!  Darkoogle is a more energy efficient search site that utilizes a dark background to save more energy compared to lighter colors.  Even though now cheaper monitors have less impact on energy use,
"Our web technology (that relies on AJAX) eliminates the need to reload the whole page when you submit search requests. It reduces bandwidth, server load, and creates a chain of more efficient computing connecting all the way through - starting with your home or work computer and ending in the datacenter of the hosting company. Even if the energy savings are small, they all add up."

While the dark monitor is hard on my eyes (and doesn't have more search options), the idea is intriguing.  It's relatively simple, but the energy savings could really stack up in the long run.  What do you think of Darkoogle and other energy efficient sites?

Miu Miu-Costly But Pretty

Now, I loved Miu Miu's spring collection (you know, the one that inspired rants and cravings from fashion bloggers?  The CAT one?) as much as th enext blogger, but I knew there was no justifying spending $300+ on any item from that collection.  However.  I've been looking for a pair of elasticized-back ballet/Mary Jane flats for a while now (even though I don't wear flats) and what do I find?!?!

THESE.

*ranting, obsessed blogger mode going on*
Gorgeous print, Miu Miu, Spring 2010 Mary Jane flats.  I can't even describe.  BUT $300+ bucks?!?
Sigh.  Tis' but a lovely dream...an image on a computer screen.  Actually, writing this makes me want to wash my face in cold water.  All this is doing is putting this obsession down on a permanent hunk of cyberspace.  Oh well...

Image (TAUNTING me) from bluefly.com

*Might remove this later, or I will go insane.  Or not

Modcloth Finds

Err, I have been kind of boring and obsessive these past few months and I'm sorry about that...you would think, that with summer and vacation and time and all I would be able to be interesting and productive but no...I had to slack off and be lazy and browse websites full of coveted clothing that I won't buy.  There is something about summer that says, "Hmm...I want to do something memorable and fun, but it's such a lazy day, I can always do it tomorrow, who cares"...and then it's the end of July (and I'm a year older!).  And you have no inspiration.  And have to prepare for the new school year.

But alas!  This post is devoted to more frivilous things.  Here are things I want to buy from Modcloth, a sweetly retro website I found out about months ago:

Staffordshire Tights

Perfectly 90's with my new Dr. Martens (news coming soon!)

Elegance in Orbit Headband

Something I wouldn't wear, but that Lady Gaga might!

Sightseeing Sandal

Lovely and elegant.  Too bad I have too many shoes.

Fisherman's Wharf Jacket

I've heard that the military trend is carrying on through fall.  This short-sleeved version would be great for layering.

Proud To Be Your Scarf

Such a gorgeous scarf!  The color and the design make this one pop.

I love the play-on-words names and the funky, colorful vibe of the store.  So delightful to browse through(I really shouldn't so often).  Also, can you see that fall clothing is on my mind?

Images from modcloth.com

Copyright Restrictions

Just a little rant here.  Scroll to the last paragraph for shopping/online surfing woes.

Today I just found out one of the best sites for reading online scanlations of manga (Japanese comics) is going to close down because manga publishers don't want them to affect English readers buying their copies.  I understand that the companies think that this will harm their business, that this is a copyright violation, etc.  But.  Most of the manga on the site isn't even licensed outside their home countries, and thus most readers living outside those countries would have no other way of reading those kinds of manga.  This wouldn't even affect their sales.  Also, American publishers that translate manga are notoriously slow.  Take for instance a certain manga that was licensed last year.  Volume 1 finally came out last December.  However, right now in Japan volume 10 is being sold.  At the depressingly slow rate of the American publishers, volume 10 will be released in quite a few years.  Sales won't be in jeopardy because of the timing, and devoted fans will buy the volumes anyway once it comes out.  What's the point of not letting readers get a glimpse of the material beforehand?  Buying a paper copy (since there is no official digital version *cough*) is different than reading it online.
Also, several weeks ago Daria came out on DVD.  Most of the episodes on Youtube were deleted.  This I understand.  I mean, if you're releasing the complete series of a long-awaited DVD, you'll want to make sure everyone has to buy it from you, right? (Sorry MTV.  Apparently, the new generic music sucks and I don't have that much money.)  That much I agree with.  However, I'm not adverse to tackng things down online.  While I'll usually watch new movies in theathers (Despicable Me was good!)  old movies, like from 9 years ago, if I can find them online...I don't have Netflix or something like that.  Do they even sell 9, 15, or 50 year old movies anymore?  But anyway, the point is that copyright restrictions and legal issues regarding ownership of manga, books, or movies/shows are important.  But sometimes, they can be a bit silly and paranoid.

And yes, I realize scanlations are considered illegal, but remember translators are not making money off of them but they do NOT own the manga.  For legal issues, note that I take a stand in-between.  I do not endorse piracy or violating copyright restrictions.  Another edit:  This is the not-wanting-to-be-arrested edit I must make, in this airbrushed, euphemism using culture.  Thank you very much.

Another thing:  Shopping sites are completely addictive.  I've spent hours browsing shoes and the like on various sites.  Urban Outfitters and 6pm get me every time, but I've already bought four pairs of shoes this year and need new sneakers! 

Givenchy Fall Couture 2010

For a while, I wasn't exactly enamored with this collection.  Maybe it was because of the skin-toned bodysuit covering under all the lace and fringe.  But gradually, I became more accepting of the oddly layered outfits, then became almost enraptured by the intricate detailing of the gowns and the regal air around the collection.  Very couture.

Frida Kahlo was one of the inspirations for this collection, but the dresses looked nothing like her vivid portraits.  Instead, the collection was influenced by her obsession with "religion, sensuality, and, given the painter's lifelong battle with spinal pain, the human anatomy". (Tim Blanks)

The colors rather remind me of the Rodarte fall collection, with pale colors and incessant fabric detailing.  However, apparently there were morbid hints hidden in this collection.  A skeleton, skulls, and bones were cleverly incorporated into these seemingly innocent designs.

This collection reminded me of the obsessive appeal of couture.  The dedacence, yet the meaning behind the clothes, was thoughtful and intriguing.  An excellent example of an extravagant collection that still has thought value.

Metal Fangs

Or claws, really.

Talonalia

 

The Hawk Talon

Starling Skull

The Magpie

Finally...get ready for THIS:

 

Predator Rings 5piece set by DanielleNicoleMetals

Freakishly amazing.

And no, I am not going to start collecting skull replicas or attaching spikes to my clothing anytime soon.  It's just that I had seen some fine specimens of claw jewelry around the blog-space, plus then one of my friends reminded me of where I found them...the last piece I saw on an Etsy Storque post.  I think the skulls are a bit morbid, and the rings could possibly do some serious damage (don't know if they actually do claw though), but the individual talons are intriguing.

Why has this suddenly turned into a bunch of long, drawn out sentences?

Anyway.  These types of pieces always fascinate me.  Maybe because I don't spend enough time looking for cool jewelry on blogs, so I'm always late to the party.  Or maybe because I'm slightly morbid.

Chanel Fall/Winter 2011

Just look at this pictures form Chanel's fall/winter show:

Is that a giant pearl and lion sculpture behind them?  Why is Baptiste wearing a lion mask/headgear?  What is Karl Lagerfeld going to do with that sculpture after the show is done?  (But, how cool is that?)

Image from socialitelife.celebuzz.com

Whee!

Happy birthday to me~

Thanks to all my readers for sticking with this little blog also.  I hope this birthday and upcoming year will be awesome! :) I have strong hopes and determination, even though I will be going through some changes with school this fall.  Wish me luck!

Image from thefashionspot.com