LABEL GUIDE (don't delete)

(if this publishes that means i messed up.)
Everything will be categorized under categories.

Mens

(brands)
-jcrew

(pricing)
$0
$$1-99
$$$100-299
$$$$300-599
$$$$$600+

Jackets
-leather
-coats
-blazer

Shirts
_buttondown
_tshirts

Shoes
_boots
_flats
_heels
_oxfords
_booties


Sweaters
_cashmere
_wool


Swim
_bikini
_onepiece

Tom Ford 1999, Tom Ford 2009 - so apropos with all this "what were you doing 10 years ago" hullabaloo

Tuesday, December 28, 1999

Friday, December 11, 2009


I could only link to the recent Tom Ford (the director) interview. No embedding options there for some reason. I haven't yet watched A Single Man yet. It's playing at the NYC Clearview's which surprised me. I thought it would be more exclusive, distributed only to Angelika or something. I wonder if next new years I will watch it on Netflix and review it. I think I will watch this one in theatre's though.

Valentino, the last emperor on Netflix watch instantly

Here's another movie I had time to see this past week. I posted the Charlie Rose interview last March and have finally been able to watch the movie. I think it was great because the movie focuses more on Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino's long time partner and business partner too. I like seeing the back story.

I must admit, I didn't expect much. I heard it was all just gratuitous crap about the superficial fashion world. It was just that, but there was something beautiful about the long term relationship between Valentino and Giametti. It's not superficial and not showy.

These documentaries really make the patrons, the women who support these designers kind of look ridiculous. They're oohing and ahhing. They're there for the ride. The respect goes to the seamstresses who aren't oohing and ahhing - at least not in the open.

I got one take home message - apparently revealing ankles in an evening gown is tacky. Valentino has never done it. Never.

Seamless, Douglas Keeve movie

Netflix currently has this movie on watch instantly. I hear they rotate these movies on and off the list so take a look! I've been home resting up from wisdom teeth pulled and am so happy I had the time to watch this film. It follows 3 out of 10 finalists for the first year of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund which was created to discover and recognize important new talent in clothing design. The finalists in 2004 were (the bold are the ones followed):

1. PROENZA SCHOULER – Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez
I learned so much about them. I always wondered if they were dating and they are.. I think.. yeah. They are not that profitable at the time. I'm not sure how they are now. They reveal their costs like how much their home/office costs a month which is interesting. The fact that they are surrounded by models and celebrities shows how hyped up they are and makes them seem less about clothes and more about hype. Don't get me wrong, they've got the talent to back it up, but ... there's just something hedonistic about it.

2. CLOAK – Alexandre Plokhov
In contrast, they only show Cloak with Sarah Jessica Parker and the visit isn't about her, it's about the clothes. He has a great clothing label and to know that he's not making profit, but cutting even really makes me appreciate the passion these designers have for their work. His patternmaker is this Japanese girl (I'm pretty sure). So great because I'm Japanese - I imagine I'm her.

3. HABITUAL – Michael and Nicole Colovos

4. BEHNAZ SARAFPOUR - Behnaz Sarafpour

5. DEAN HARRIS - Dean Harris

6. DEREK LAM - Derek Lam

7. DOO.RI - Doo-Ri Chung
I feel like I've heard/read about her without trying - she works in the basement of her parent's dry cleaning store in NJ which is awesome and I'm so jealous her mother helps her sew zippers! She commutes from Chelsea which is kind of funny. I'm not a fan of her clothes because they are too flowy, but I admire her perseverance. She's the one in the picture, behind the model.

8. LIBERTINE – Cindy Greene and Johnson Hartig
I'd heard of them, although they were not followed it was nice to see parts of their personality.

9. PETER SOM – Peter Som

10. EDMUNDO CASTILLO - Edmundo Castillo
He does shoes. I was not impressed.

The winner got $200,000 and a mentorship with Burberry no less. They have to be pretty established and have promise. They have to be business savvy and creative.

Sartorialist on Pedestrian.tv

THE SARTORIALIST - BOOK LAUNCH - SYDNEY 2009 from PEDESTRIAN.TV on Vimeo.

The blogger at The Awl said that the interview tarnished their view of the Sartorialist, but really give it a chance. I think he sounds honest and tells you what makes him distinct from other street style photographers.

via Fimoculous --> The Awl

Sartorialist and his success theory

Anna Dello Russo, vogue nippon - Sartorialist book signing @ Barney's

I'm just going to relax. It's true I have a stream of things to do. I think it's better to relax for now and think about things. Things like how the Sartorialist made his name.

At first I thought he captured the beauty in stylish people around the cities he's on assignment on. His images caught on and he became popular.

Then I realized that it was more than that. He was and still is mainly capturing stylish magazine editors. He makes celebrities out of them. I mean celebrities in the sense that a reality star, an unknown all of a sudden gets noticed. I imagine the editors liked this, being recognized even if it was between their circles and they propped the Sartorialist up. They made him famous perhaps even a celebrity in his own right. They advocated for a book. They went to his book openings. They propped each other up. That is what I attribute to his success. It's all about context baby.

And talent. They would have never looked at his photos in the first place if his photos weren't worth it. In the end I do adore the phenomenon that is the Sartorialist.

Repost from Lacquer

If we greatly transform ourselves, those friends of ours who have not been transformed become ghosts of our past: their voice comes across to us like the voice of a shade--as though we were hearing ourself, only younger, more severe, less mature.

--Nietzsche, Human, All Too Human

I really like this quote posted by lacquer. I think that it says a lot to people who find themselves changed, which we all feel.

Katie Did Journal blog review

I love this blog because of such stylish pieces sewn for her kids. I don't know if she's a children's clothing designer or not, but she is good. It inspires me.

pics link to source.

Vintage Pixie Cap project

There are many kids related to me on the west coast that could rock this cap. I'm just wondering how I can alter the pattern since their ages range from 3 months to I think 13. I'm thinking of how to incorporate all the family on the east coast without having them knit because I don't think they'd want to do that. I think I will learn how to embroider. I will update with... updates.

The Sartorialist & Garance Dore are dating, Love it!

So I guess these street style photographers hit it off and they are dating now. I guess that makes sense. How nice.

Lately, I've been noticing that the Sartorialist has so many pics up. Before I know it my google reader says (8) or (13). I know I'm busy, but I don't remember seeing so many post so often. I wonder how he does it. Does he save pics?

I'm just going to link these images to the link as though you're searching within his website because there's no way to have 1 page with just the post. Hmm. Luckily I have my reader to remember all of his images or else you've just got this week's posts.

Rachel Comey Shoes

This number is on sale for $103. I wish I was a size 6 or 11!

When Women's Wear Daily says that Rachel Comey has the librarian look down, or the library-dweller, I knew that she was for me. I mean, I've been werking at a library for like eva.

She has beautiful shoes for women that look like they should be for men. I think we need more of that. I envy the selection of loafers and oxfords for men. Her pumps are also pretty.

She has had some beautiful pieces on Totokaelo that I have kept an eye on. It's funny how I think highly of totokaelo because they chose to have Rachel Comey. I think highly of them because they chose a brand I respect, but really what did they do really? I kind of think of them as just as great as the designers because they style so well. What's up with that.

Unsolicited Text Monday

Oh no, sorry sorry sorry - where did August and September go?

Pattern

A few years ago my old old grandfather who is still old told me that he takes ballroom dancing classes. Then he told me not to tell anyone. Perhaps it was out of character and he didn't want people to know. I have the same kind of feeling...

So the other day I was at a Daffy's which is the closest to a thrift shop experience I can have in NYC. Stores that are actual "thrift shops" in NYC are overpriced and most things are cute, while Daffy's has 98% crap 2% good stuff. My daffy's finds make me feel like I'm in high school all over again back at home.

Anyways, this time around I found a great Jil Sander jacket that fit me perfectly. Grey leather is usually not my thing, but the cut was enough for me to drop $40 on it. That's right. $40 for a leather jacket, kinda, blazer I guess.

The reason why I had an eye out for jacket's is b/c I was at a conference this weekend and realize that it's so hard to have a great suit that is affordable. I suddenly got motivated to take pattern making classes so that I can copy this Jil Sander Jacket. I'd make like 10 and be set for life. I think that people at school or at work would think I was crazy. They'd say, for what, what for, are you changing your life? so - in order to avoid all this... don't tell anyone ok.

Where is my Joanne's fabric

So jealous that Assorted Notions was able to snag 10 patters for $10 at her local Joanne's

even though the patterns would probably sit in my room for months on end.

And Cynthia Rowley has patterns?
And project runway?
Where have I been?

Something about the background with patterns makes me happy.

via Lark About.

A new accessory

Well, they look similar to this pair.

So, I can't see things that are very far away. Therefore I went to the optometrist to take advantage of my eye care benefits. I went for glasses and got them!

ON A SIDE NOTE: the optometrist asked if I wanted contacts because I do have an astigmatism bad enough for contacts. I was a bit confused because I only need them for distance, so why would I need to wear contacts all day? I said this to him and he nodded his head. Was he just trying to make an extra buck? I think so. Moral of the story if I consider the rest of my life... dr's always try to make the money.

New glasses won't be ready 'til... I think Thursday.

Solicited text Mondays

Solicited by me. Unsolicited by you.

Saw this girl with a sleeveless light cotton dress that had extra fabric at the sides. It was draped like the top of a curtain, like a bunch of U's. It was so pretty because the fabric was so light.

How I'm surviving the rain in NYC

Jeffrey Campbell Vee shoes. But you can't do too much walking in them or they rip. I wonder where one can get galoshes fixed. I'll have to investigate that.

Text Mondays

Here's one thing today that made me feel excited, the idea of living in another city that looked this pretty.

via Huffington Post which got it from the Daily Telegraph UK.

Unsolicited thought Mondays - text only

Umm, so this text Mondays thing is an effort for me to keep writing something at least once a week and feel bad when it's the only thing posted on my blog for that week -- then to post a picture of something on some other day because really that's what we all want.

So, today. Monday. I say, I'm really busy and can't write anything.
bye.