Feature: When I was 13...I liked Rappers and Pink Bikes

When I was 13 years old, I liked boys. I wasn't up on current events much, I went out to play with my siblings, rode pink bicycles and I had a crush on the rapper DMX. I knew nothing about what it meant to have a sense of style and a knowledge of fashion. All that resonated with me was the fact that if I didn't get a pair of stretchy Parasuco jeans and kung-foo baby doll slippers, I would be deemed "irrelevant" and continue on the rise to being the most uncool kid in middle school. I aimed for school honors and academic recognition, and avoided anyone that tried to fight me or worse yet, throw me in the garbage bin. I mean for goodness sakes, I bought my sneakers at Payless!*

Today, 13 year olds are fashion icons, they grace the covers of innovative fashion magazines, they wear Miu Miu, boast extensive vocabularies, and maintain internationally recognized blogs. One such tween is Tavi. I may be a bit late, but I came upon her blog a few months ago, once I actually decided to become a voracious blogger, and I was amazed. She is beyond her years. She has a knowledge of the fashion industry that supersedes most fashion interns. I think the most refreshing thing about her is that she has fun. She loves magazines, she reads newspapers, she goes to school, hates sports and makes nifty little hats and headpieces for her eclectic ensembles.

I thoroughly enjoy reading her blog when I can, I love seeing her featured on other people's blog sites and I am beguiled when I read about her on some magazine site that I frequent. So here's to being 13 again...an ode to Tavi.

*Note: By the way, nowadays I buy whatever I like from wherever I like, and Payless is not exempt. Fashion is bigger than designer labels and padded bank accounts.

Visit Tavi's Blog: http://tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com/

Image:
Interview Magazine

Fashion Profile: House of Dagmar

Google.com has different themes to help personalize your iGoogle homepage. My theme is "House of Dagmar," and everyday I get to stare at the magnificently innovative designs of the Swedish fashion label and pretend, just for a moment, that instead of sitting at my computer desk working, I am dancing in a ballet studio simply stunning and glamorously dahhhlllling in Dagmar! So I decided to do a fashion profile on the fashion label. Enjoy!

*******
Since 2005, three Swedish sisters, Kristina Tjader, Karen Soderlind, and Sophia Malm have successfully launched and maintained House of Dagmar, a stellar fashion label that caters to the arty chic type. Each sister has had major exposure to the fashion industry, with previous experience working under top designer labels such as Christian Lacroix and H&M.

House of Dagmar incorporates colors from the 1920's and 1930's Art Deco period, with a feeling of femininity, trendiness, and quality that makes each garment glamorous and unique. The sisters claim that their late grandmother and seamstress, Dagmar, is the muse and inspiration of their collection. In keeping with the family tradition , many of the pieces in the collection have some hand-made detail that gives it an extra personal touch.



House of Dagmar has been recognized as the Rookie of the Year by the Swedish Fashion council in 2005 , Gen Art during NY Fashion Week 2007, and the Best Designer of the Year Award by Swedish Elle in 2006 and 2008.


Images from:
B/W of sisters
House of Dagmar

Fashion: Topshop, Kate Moss, NYC & Shiny !

Friday night and nothing planned? Do what I do and go shopping...okay "window" shopping if you insist on being accurate.

I rarely have the opportunity to shop till I drop and look at, try on, and touch everything my little heart desires. The reason being: I often go to the boutiques with women and men who cannot tolerate the constant back and forth of an avid window-shopper and fashionista like myself. So I take my own trips to Bergdorf' s, Saks, and Bloomingdales and I burn calories climbing up and down the escalators to each floor and toning up the muscles in my fingers by pushing endless buttons on the gorgeous gold elevator panels. Let me tell you, this beats out Tae Bo any day!


Anyhow, after walking the cold, dark streets of Soho, and strutting in and out of each boutique on Broadway, I finally made it to Topshop. I've seen the line in magazines and even browsed the collection online, but nothing beats the sea of shiny that awaits you once you enter the boutique in the flesh! I was entranced, mesmerized to say the least. I saw so many trinkets, baubles, sequins, glass beads, glitter, and sparkly embroidery that I was near blind. Not to mention the chains, lots and lots of chains, on handbags and booties and jackets and leather and dresses and blouses.

I thoroughly enjoyed the pieces in the collection and the overall design line was superb, with a little something for everyone. Kate Moss did an excellent job. My favorite floor was the main entrance level, and the Christopher Kane collection on the 2nd floor. Oh, how I love shiny.



All images from: Topshop. Click to Shop

Mary J Blige & Drake -->The One

I think I really like this song...but in application to my life I wonder if me liking it is b/c its on the border of confident or conceited? Prideful or positive? Arrogant or ....ok I can't figure out any more rhyming or alliterative words to illustrate my point. But I'm feeling it. Listen/Watch Now:



Anyhow, after several decades and pushing 40, Mary J. Blige still looks fresh! I love love love the short blond cut.


Image courtesy of You Tube and Interscope Records.

Bloggher Love....

Personal Post:

I've come to realize that is a daunting task to view all your favorite blogs because you like them. To see each bloggherlicious post pop-up on your news feed every hour on the hour of every day is taxing. To click on each and every single blog you follow and read every single post you've bookmarked and make comments on every itsy bitsy thingy that you likey is tiring. To multi-task and toggle between facebook and blogspots, wordpress and typepad, myspaces and yahoos, qwerty phone pads and emails....its all daunting, darling but daunting.

So I am here to say to all my blogging blogosphere icons, my bloggher-loving readers, my photo-hawking internet galacticons, my back-breaking mini-upcoming blogger children...it is a tough job to be on the edge of fashion and lifestyle and all things "interesting". It is a tough job to always have something to post that's so refined that no one can find fault. Its a tough job to find your favorite blog-subjects ridiculed and mocked by your readers. Its a tough job to try to make a living out of this thing called blogging....its a small world after all.

So please, I ask that you understand just how hard we have it. That you give us time to gather our thoughts, and be gracious with us when we write run-on sentences, and massive typos...please spare us, and just read.

Thank you.
-signed, a citizen for the advancement of dialogue between strangers. :)

Blog-roll and Mad Love:

Click each banner/image to go to the blog site!

Barracuda "Run this Town" Shades

Mad props to Kerin Rose, couture designer of the Barracuda shades that Rhianna had on in the Jay-Z video (Run this town). I ran into her site, saw the $350 shades and then read the fact that each pyramid stud is put on by hand! Imagineer that!





Check out the shades Katy Perry wore and Mariah Carey's special order: http://amorir.bigcartel.com/

9.13.09 MTV VMA's...My Top Picks

While I didn't watch the VMA's live because I just can't take some of the raw, un-edited, unadulterated jokes, I did watch performance re-caps on the MTV website. And I think that I haven't seen an award show, at least on MTV, that has been this stellar in a very longggg time. The Janet Jackson tribute to MJ was incredible! It was great to see celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Ne-Yo and Alicia Keys being fans and showing "fan-love". It reminded me of the fact that today's celebrities really are "fans" of Music Icons like MJ, Janet, Madonna and the likes. I mean, think about it, most of them were like 6 when most of today's over 40 musicians were in their prime!

New Music - More Music Videos

Pink's performance was mind-blowing. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, literally praying that she doesn't miss a step, or worse yet...fall. I think the most impressive thing is the fact that she sang her heart out, in tune and on pitch while swinging upside down with blood rushing to her head, every muscle in her body being exercised to great extremes and trying to remember each step of the routine in mid-air. How's that for talent!

P!nk - New Music - More Music Videos

Sleek in Black:

Olivia Pallermo (The City)


Chance Crawford


Most interesting Outfits:

Lady GaGa


All American Rejects (I think he's very brave to wear an entire suit in this color)

Double Take: Makes you wonder if they called each other up the night before and planned this ...

Pink and Shakira (Glad their laughing about it)


All images and videos courtesy of MTV.com

Studs and Bows...Collage Art

Oooooo preettty:



You want to see them larger hmmm? Click the image...I know you want to...so go ahead, do it.

From left to right: Louboutin jeweled, Miu Miu studs, Louboutin lace and spike, Gucci buckled stud, Prada slingback, Valentino bow, Dolce & Gabana swarovski, Miu Miu bow pump, Prada cut-out, Jimmy Choo mesh, Louboutin snakeskin, Jimmy Choo bow bootie, Prada studs, YSL bow.

Available at: Bergdorf Goodman and Bluefly