McQueen Spring/Summer 2011

FUCK YA.

Mandate of Heaven

Beautiful beautiful beautiful.



I got lost for hours ogling here and here.

Gareth Pugh

Things I like:

Oh Pariah!

My mind has been racing lately. So many ideas, not enough (read: NO) time to follow through with any of them. Music, business, creating, sewing, traveling, planning, decision making. A friend over at 283 has this to say:

...ultimately, isn't fear the most immediate yet overlooked obstacle to living the way we should? I came to the realization this morning that fear has become not only a hindrance, but a safehouse, a comfort for me. I fill every spare moment I have with work, fearing that free time will lead me to the daunting task of thinking about and making decisions about the direction of my future. At the same time, I am using this lack of free time as an excuse for why I have been unable to nurture any of the prospective seedlings that are bursting through my frontal lobes. In all my pragmatism, this cycle is completely illogical, and I recognize it as such, which makes me want to shout even louder, "FUCK YOU FEAR".

But please, don't be afraid of this:

Shame on me

Balmain, I think you are tacky, not timeless;
Uninspired, strictly aesthetic.
But yet I always find myself loving a piece from each collection.
Shame on me.

I Want

Thinking about making the perfect vintage repro bather before Summer. The following pieces have inspired me to start drawing some designs and get Momma to help me sew (read: probably do most of the sewing).

A little introspection has led to the following concerns about how these suits may fare in reality:
a)I have tits
b)I am not 5'11"

Regardless of these factors, I can't help but attempt a pilot model in hopes of achieving something conclusively wearable. (The DVF and Abaeté make me drool the most).


DVF

Abaeté

Yigal Azrouël

Michael Kors
Oscar de la Renta



DSquared

Stella McCartney

Norma Kamali, Marc Jacobs (obviously), and Eres also have some gorgeous suits. It seems I currently have a tendency to favour ruffles of any kind- the bigger the better. Sweet sweet Summer, return to me!

What's Up, Tiger Lily?

Call me trite, but Christ, I love Woody Allen. I seem to relate to male talent so much more than female. Fitzgerald, Posen, Klosterman...I feel so terribly guilty saying it, but I can't remember the last time I found something genuinely relative in a piece of work done by a woman. Alright, this was not the intended direction of this post so moving on... these excerpts from the Spanish Diary are yet another reason why I love Woody Allen. And, if I needed one more, his next film Whatever Works (out in 2009)stars Larry David. I have a feeling some authentic laughter will result from this comic Jewish duo (really, how could it not?).

In New York a couple of weeks ago, Zac Posen revealed his 2009 Spring collection, and as usual, it was marvelous. It was tough to choose which pieces I was most thrilled with, but the photos below showcase some of the best designs from the collection.









As a side note, I got accepted to the post-grad program I applied to at George Brown for HR Management. Considering the majority of my friends have recently made the move to Toronto, I am looking forward to moving there this January for school (as well as a few other various reasons including partying/shopping/live shows/getting the fuck out of London). Look out, here I come.

You are never too old to play

Delicate Grunge

Tomorrow everything at Talize (a wonderful charity shop in London) is 50% off once again, and I just cannot wait to put on my game face and dig for buried treasure. Next week everything at Value Village is 50% off too, with some items 70% off! I don't think I am going to wake up at 6 am again and line up with the other go-getters like I did a few months back, but I am positive the shelves won't be bare by the time I arrive.

Below are a few shots of a thrifted plaid shirt I just can't stop wearing lately. It is so versatile, and can be dressed up (as shown), or dressed down to achieve a look of essential minimalist grunge. I've said it before and I'll say it again; androgyny is sexy.

Overemphasized Architecture

As I mentioned previously, here are some photos of my new Winter coat;I immediately fell in love with the architectural style collar. It came in a brownish tweed as well, but after much deliberation, the classic black prevailed.



The collar style may not match the gorgeous Martin Grant stunner or the intensity of the Maison Martin Margiela collection, but it will do for me in accordance with my pathetic little budget.

The scary thing is, when I went outside to snap a couple of photos wearing this coat, I figured I would get pretty toasty considering it is Summer. Well, you never have to fear the heat in Canada. I was cold as hell, and I am worried I will need to start actually wearing this coat a lot sooner than later. Brrrrrrrr.

P.S. The explanation for the utter exhaustion plaguing my face in the photos= My addiction to the Olympics + the 12 hour time difference from here to Beijing.
...this combination is really taking its toll on my hours of sleep.

Premature Arousal

I get excited about senseless things, like chamomile with lemon verbena dryer sheets, and coloured file label letters. I like wandering aimlessly. I have a fondness for men who wear naturally ripped jeans, threadbare t-shirts, decades old brown leather belts, and thick beards that make them look twice their age. I have little faith in the permanence of anything. I take a keen interest in beautiful under priced clothing donated to the Goodwill too soon because the old woman who wore it last had an inopportune stroke or battle with cancer and passed on. I always wonder how some homes smell of fresh laundry from the sidewalk outside, yet other homes never smell like this, no matter how many loads of laundry are done. I admire those women who can wear heels religiously without thinking twice about it, even to do the grocery shopping. I would take brilliance and rationality over strict morals any day. I am often inappropriately dressed for appropriate occasions. I have difficulty with empathy, especially for those who are reckless with money, lazy, or just plain emotional basket-cases. Androgyny is sexy. If nothing else is true, this is: ignorance is bliss.

I am going to a pre-screening of Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona tonight and am extremely excited! The film will not be released in theatres until Friday so I will report back with a preview report to let you know what I think before it opens. Also, I got a fabulous new winter jacket from Zara this weekend while in Toronto, and will be showcasing it here shortly. Stay tuned!

Laughing Yellow Light

Life is so bizarre.
It is so odd how everyday our mindsets have the ability to change so rapidly.
One day we wake up so positive and feel great about life. The next day we wake up negative and without optimism, even though nothing much has changed from one day to the next.
Our minds play such tricks on us.
Or, when we look in the mirror and think we look adequate, and then the next day we look again only to find someone not so attractive staring back. Nothing has truly changed, yet to ourselves, we see an undeniable difference.
One day we feel so sure of something, and then, overnight our minds are morphed and somehow we doubt everything that we thought was so static.
Life is so bizarre.
* * * *

So, in terms of where I have been for the last month or so, Chictopia has been my productive outlet for all things fashion. It is a great online community or People's Fashion Destination full of "chic" individuals who give you honest feedback on outfits and style while at the same time allowing you to showcase your personal fashion ideas with photos, polls, comments, forums and countless other features. It is great for inspiring your inner creative side and getting an idea of what people are wearing all across the world, as seen in the Style Gallery photos. I find Chictopia much more rewarding than Facebook, which of course was entertaining in its own way as well but completely unnecessary (hence my deletion of it!). Anyways, lots of awesome people on Chictopia and a great way to spend a rainy afternoon and get inspired.

I am violently happy.

No Denying the Obvious

First comes mine, then...





















...the flagrant agent follows.















(All apologies for the creepy eyes)



This Gatsby-esque feather fascinator was handmade by me! Arts and crafts are fun, especially when you can wear them.

WITCH

When I found these thrifted boots at a second hand store, my joyful gasp was so loud I disturbed several shoppers browsing close by. I have been looking for perfect witchy ankle boots this style for so long! I will most definitely be wearing these boots daily this fall. I swear these pictures do not fully show how great this set of footwear really is. I especially like how you can wear the top of the boots rolled down or up (as shown in the last picture)...ohh, the versatility! Me gusta!

Au revoir Glasses!

I had my laser eye surgery yesterday and now am free from glasses and contact lenses! Since I am still fairly fresh after surgery, my vision is not quite perfect, but almost (about 20/25, which is not too shabby at all!). I am hoping I heal well and within a week or two my eyes will be up and running like a well-oiled machine!

As for daily outfit posts, I got to thinking, and I am not sure if I quite have time to do such a time consuming task every morning before I leave the house...soooo I will try to post a couple a week.




I decided to wear the vintage high waisted jeans I picked up recently that fit well and surprisingly don’t give me too much of a “flat long mom ass” like this style of denim is notorious for. Paired them with a lilac body suit and some vintage accessories and voila, we’re back in the early 80’s folks!

Polysaccharides

[Pre-Script: Going to try to post my outfits daily from now on]

Have you read your peanut butter label recently? Normally I only eat the natural PB; the last time I ate the regular stuff was while in Honduras (hey, when you're on a Central American island and living off soda crackers for a month, anything tastes pretty respectable). Anyways, I used my dad's regular PB by accident today and I must admit the first words that came to mind were "check the expiry date". Mar 2009. Christ, that shit is really just that awful! Upon further inspection, I am pretty sure the ingredient Maltodextrin may have something to do with the vile taste left in my mouth.

Give me some peanuts and a blender.

Florals and Tonic

On a sidenote, I have discovered a whole new website of wonderfulness online and have in turn deleted "FB". This may not be permanent, but for now I am feeling great about the decision. Now, back to florals!


I have a fondness for florals right now, more specifically, medium to large print florals. Ok, I know what you're thinking, "Hmm, are you serious? Real creative L.J., considering every magazine from Vogue to Nylon have been raving about florals since February!". But really, they just create an immediate overall softness and scream summer louder than the pitch of the opening voices in the song House of Jealous Lovers by The Rapture. Tangent. Another great thing about florals is that they are timeless, and can give off a feel of style from any decade. The one element to be careful of is that florals have the potential to age the wearer, so be cautious, and wear them well!

Thickfreakness

After a wonderful day of poolside solitude, swimming, reading and bbbbicycles, I arrived home to an exciting brown parcel that I had been anticipating for weeks now... My new Black Keys motorcycle tee!



I ordered it online a few weeks ago, and clearly my resulting joy upon its arrival could not be contained.



Another thought that has recently been bringing me joy is my plan to host a fantastic tea party, a really marvelous summer tea party, like something from a whimsical storybook. It will be a grand affair.

The Early Bird gets the Snake

So
Worth
Waking
Up
At
6 am.

Peacock

I just cannot stop thinking about this stunning dress by Alexander McQueen. Unfortunately, I just saw that it was photographed in this month's issue of Vogue by Annie Leibovitz on Sarah Jessica Parker. This somehow makes it less appealing to me, but only symbolically, not in terms of its solid, ornate beauty. The peacock has become somewhat of a fascination for me since I first laid eyes on the dress. Black peacocks do not exist, however white ones do, and I must say, they are magnificent looking creatures.


Funny enough, the word peacock can also refer to someone who is vain...hhhmmm...something to think about.