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Motonari Ono

There's something so special and different about Japan Fashion Week, to me.  New York Fashion Week gives me the feeling of glamor, but Japan Fashion Week is more edgy and full of oddity.  I love it so much more.  I'd rather see anything else than see another pretty satin gown.  Nothing bores me more than a pretty satin gown!  

I came across Motonari Ono yesterday while browsing the JFW photos.  They're not too avant garde.  They're actually really wearable.  But they still have that something about them, that special different edge.  They have a dark, boudoir feel that I'm really loving.

I love the tiny polka dots on this top.  And I love the styling.  Doesn't something about this say Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd" to you?

Amazing jacket and amazing shoes.

I love this top!!  I love the shoulders and the high collar and the ruffle cutout.  And the color.  And the shoes.  Haha.

This belt makes my jaw drop to the floor.

Love the tuxedo feel of this, but with lace!

That placket!!  And oh yeah... I'm definitely going to need to do that to a pair of my own shoes.

Amazing jacket and I love that long ascot collar!

So delicate and pretty.

Yet again - another jacket to die for.  Like, for serious.

I can't control my drool.

Alex Box & Rankin

While browsing online today, I came across some...

INNNSPIIIII-RAAAAA-TION!!!!!!!

Oddly enough, up until today, I had never heard of Alex Box.  She's fantastic!  She's the Make-Up Artist behind the UK brand Illamasqua.  She does the runway make-up looks for the likes of Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Karl Lagerfeld.  

She just released a book of breathtakingly artistic make-up images shot by photographer, Rankin.  Due to the respect of their copyright on their images, I dare not post them here!  Instead, I'll link you to Rankin's website where you can drool see for yourself!!

Try NOT to be inspired by the color, texture and creativity that is ooooozing out of these photos.

.........

Amazing quote on the Illamasqua blog:

ODE TO MY ALTER EGO

MY ALTER EGO IS THE PERSON I WANT TO BECOME.
SHE'S DARKER, BOLDER, BRAVER.
SHE'S A MORE INTERESTING VERSION OF ME.
SHE DOESN'T HOLD BACK.
SHE DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN.
SOMETIMES, I LET MYSELF BECOME MY OTHER I.
WHEN SHE WALKS OUT AND TAKES OVER,
I FALL IN LOVE WITH WHO I AM.

Halloween Preview

Last year was a bloody zombiefest.

We had no shame in our ripped jeans, popped collars and douchy attitudes - as long as they were doused in mockery and fake blood.

It's fun to be scary... gross... creepy... weird...

But I want to swing the pendulum the other way this year for Halloween.

Sugary sweet.  Sickeningly cute.  But - still a little on the demented side, of course.  Most of that will come into play with the make-up and the attitude.

I can't wait to show you the entire look!!

McQueen Knockout

I have an alter ego.

It is the woman that Alexander McQueen designs for.  Do you know her?

She is seriously a total knockout.  A power bitch.  And some sort of Queen of some sort of Land that I've never been to.

If you check out his website right now, he's got some pieces that are to-die-for...

 

Seriously.  The details.  AAAGGGHH!!

 

The zipper pull is shaped like a skull, of course.  Go to his website and zoom in on those details to get the full effect.

 

And really - all the looks together are really what make the statement.

This woman is not messing around...

 

... and neither am I.  I'm serious when I say I'm in love.

A Mad Hatter Tea Party Stylist

This morning when you woke up - things were different.  

The air was fresh because the window by your bedside was open and a cool breeze was coming in.  You could smell something sweet... like little frosted cakes.

You stepped out of bed and onto a cold wooden floor, slipped on your robe and slowly approached the curious oak wardrobe over in the corner of the room.  The hinges creaked as you pulled the doors open.  Like I said - things were different - and the things inside looked so unfamiliar.

Such curious things....

LunarraStar on Etsy left this sweet little teapot necklace dangling from a hook on the inside of the door.  It was sparkling in the light that came through the window.  You slipped it around your neck - excited to see what else lie before you within the curious wardrobe.

Luckily for your cold feet, a beautiful pair of ballet slippers were left on the bottom of the wardrobe...

HydraHeart lined them in pink satin - perfect for a spring morning, exploring the contents of an old oak wardrobe... (and wow!  they fit perfectly!).

Hanging from the three hooks within the wardrobe were three different dresses just begging to be tried on... so... you did.  What girl could resist??

The first one was a delicate little babydoll dress, partially constructed from a vintage slip.

It was left in the wardrobe by imyourpresent, with love.

Hanging from the second hook was an intricately detailed and futuristic jumper, handmade by emilyryan.

You tried it on and felt otherworldly.

On the third hook was an incredibly special ruffly party dress.

It was placed into the wardrobe by katetowers.

You don't know how these treasures appeared in your wardrobe - or what is so unreal about the day - but you know that you never want it to end.  A gust of wind swirls into the room and pushes one of the doors to the wardrobe shut.  On the floor, you see another treasure.

FIAZCO has left a silk-lined clutch!  You knew this had completed your outfit for the day and you should make your way down for morning tea.  It is, after all, your un-birthday!

Today will be a little different... as you had sensed... it will be full of crazy mad tea parties from coast to coast to coast.  Stories and photos and inspiration will be shared between friends and strangers alike.

Be sure to enjoy the tea party, as mad as it may be.

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Slowly But Surely

I have been slowly and steadily working on a new project.

I did mention, a long time ago really, that I was going to get an Etsy shop up and running.  I do mean it and I really AM going to - but it's not a fast and easy process, considering all the hours I work at my "real" job.  I have a hundred different ideas of things I could make but there has been one idea that I just can not get out of my head and so this is the one I am going to start with.  

I won't give it all away but I can give a little sneak preview.  If anything - to push myself to keep going.  It's hard to get home from an 11 hour work day and then pick back up on a project but that is what I have been doing for a few weeks now and I hope that by Fall I can have enough product to put into my shop officially!

Whew! Lots of Happenings!

Cool things have happened in the past two days.

I got a promotion at work!  Woo!

It was a total surprise.  

They promote everyone in front of the entire company which is a couple thousand people.  No biggie...

My contact came flying out of my eye and into my hand just moments after the announcement, which added to the fun.

I won a giveway!  And a really interesting one, at that!

It's not just any old giveaway - it's a giveaway of a kit in which I must complete and give feedback.  That will be fun! 

(photo from Princess Lasertron's blog!)

 Princess Lasertron - designer of felt flower and button bouquets and accessories - is starting to sell kits to make her felt flower bouquets.  In order for her to test the kits, she's doing the mini-kit giveaway in which I was a random winner :).  The random number generator isn't really random you know.  It picked me because I am awesome.  I'll blog about the kit and the experience once I recieve it!  Princess Lasertron will also be blogging about the other mini-kit winners experiences once we all finish.

Today we went to the greatly anticipated Sample Sale at work.  Mmmmmm.  Adreneline!!  Digging through a thousand boxes of piles of clothes with thousands of other frantic people is just a crazy experience.  You leave feeling exhausted, sweaty and soo hungry!!  Peter, Heidi, Evan and I all made out like bandits.  Socked up on enough t-shirts, jeans, hoodies and random pieces of fabric to clothe an army.  I got a ton of plain hoodies and tees that are begging to be covered in hand embroidery!!  I have been doing laundry for hours.  Oh the pain.  ;)

My Head = Exploding

No, I do not have a bad headache.  

Although it's not a bad guess on your part - I do get bad headaches too often!!

My friend Heidi and I often use the expression that our head is about to explode or is exploding when we discover something so amazing and inspiring that words cannot describe our feelings.

To illustrate this to you, I will show you what recently made my head explode!!!

  And Mr. John Galliano himself:

That was the Christian Dior collection from the Spring 2009 Couture shows.

It was just so full of amazing techniques, details, shapes, colors and ideas that my head just exploded when I saw it!!!!!!!!!

If yours just exploded too... then I'm sorry (not really) ...but at least now you know how it feels.

ALL IMAGES ARE FROM www.style.com

Alexander McQueen for TARGET?!

Yes.

For real!

If you did not already know this about me, Alexander McQueen is one of my absolute favorite designers.  I have been obsessed with his work since I was first discovering designers.  

His Spring 2005 collection is when I really fell in love.

I even had the wonderful opportunity to see some of his collection in person on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  That purple one up there is one that I saw.

I have always looked to his collections for inspiration.

I have always admired the directions that he took.  The risks.

The statements.

The absolute creativity.

And now... I will actually be able to purchase and wear something from the (cheaper) McQueen line.  Thank you god, and thank you Target!!

The launch date is March 4th!  That is my Mom's birthday.  What a GREAT day!  :) (love you mama)

So Mom, when I call you on your birthday, I will probably be calling from the fitting room in Target.

*all the runway photos are from www.style.com*

p.s. to all Project Runway watchers.  In case you haven't already been shown the visual connection between Kenley's feather dress and the Alexander McQueen dress they were referring to when she said "I don't look at designers"...  here it is...

and McQueen:

Get serious, Kenley.  So you added more poof underneath?  

It's still HEAVILY "inspired" by the McQueen dress.

The end.

Unique Vintage Love

I can't get enough of some of the clothes on this website....

It's called Unique Vintage and they are located in Burbank, California.

They specialize in dresses, gowns and vintage inspired clothing.

I'm going to dig through the website and share some of my favorites with you!!

A 1920's Black Burnout Velvet Flapper Dress

Find it here on their website.

This suuuuuuper cute 1950's Reproduction Swing Dress.

I am probably buying this.

See it here on their website.

And check this out!  He is a purse....

Hahaha!  So cute!

See him here.

They have so much that I haven't dug through it all yet.  I don't love everything on there but there are definitely some treasures so it is worth looking!!

There's Something About Russians

Models, that is!!

After watching a re-run of America's Next Top Model, I've come to realize that all of my favorite models always happen to be Russian.   

There's just something about them!

The first time I discovered I had a favorite model was during one of my first fashion classes in college.  This model always stood out to me.  Sort of the way that some designers will have a model as their muse.  Kate Moss, for many.
Mine is Natalia Vodianova.

On ANTM, I thought that Natasha was a Natalia Jr.

Even Anya from ANTM, although different from Natalia and Natasha - has that something to me.  I donno... maybe it's her Russian-ness (although she was adopted and raised in Hawaii).

 

Who's your muse?

Project Columbus Runway

Guess who we saw make it work this weekend in Columbus??

Kelli Martin from Season 5 of Project Runway, yes yes we did!

Kelli showed a small and beautiful collection of very ready to wear pieces in a runway show she held in her boutique in Columbus, Ohio.  The collection consisted mainly of amazing plaids in skirts, dresses, shirts and jackets!  She also showed interesting deconstructed loose knits, vintage prints and some lace in dressier looks, high waists, skinny legged pants and long cardigans.  The collection was split into 3 sections but overall the looks each had a nice vintage essence about them while still feeling very fresh and new!
They were so wearable and buyable - I can't wait to get my hands on a plaid Kelli Martin shirt!!!

Her website will soon be selling her clothes too!

My photos from the show are a bit crazy due to the lighting, the speed of the show, and my intense excitement to watch the show while taking pictures and not mess with camera settings.

 

 

 

 

 

And yes - we also got to meet her!

 

 

 

And Peter, of course, made a video of it!!  Check it out!
She even did an awesome intro :) what a nice touch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70JSr9RT66s

 

Leanimal

I love finding someone new and inspiring.  I get so excited when I find something out there that really fits my aesthetic or gives me something newly beautiful to admire.

When Kelli was eliminated from Project Runway, I was a little ticked.  She was my favorite at the time and I was hoping for her to win and represent Columbus!  But now that she's gone... I've discovered a new favorite.  This girl... she is amazingly talented.  She has only just begun to show her talents on the show in the past 2 episodes.  So I checked out her website and was SO PLEASANTLY SURPRISED!

l e a n i m a l