Marni at H&M Launch

So my day yesterday started at 6:30 AM when I woke up and decided to go out for the launch. I had still been debating it. The only thing I really wanted was the sequined collar. I left my house around 7:30 and with a run to Starbucks I was at H&M at around 8, when they were supposed to open. To my surprise, there was about four people outside, then a suited up bodyguard-esque man came and escorted us to a line that seemed endless. I was given a wristband and told I would be allowed in at 10:05 AM, if there was anything left. It was too cold for me to wait around, so I went back home and watched TV. 

At 9:30 AM, I left and returned to the line, that seemed to have gotten longer. The great thing was, right at that moment, they were letting all the people with orange wristbands in, which meant I didn't have to wait at all. We went in the store just to find a portion of the store fenced off, and another line to stand in. The gate had been swarming with the bodyguard-esque men and as I stood in the line, I realized some of the people around me had pink wristbands instead of orange. One of the men came over and started telling everyone with pink wristbands they had to leave. A protest started among the women (who I swear were all at least 40) and I noticed one woman go to the front of the line with a pink wristband. The woman acted as if she had a right to be let in before everyone else. She was immediately sent to the back, and boy, did she make a scene. The woman was an actress that I recognized, but will not be named (because I'm not one of those sites). 

There was such a scramble when they let us through. I thought I would get an eye scratched out, claws of middle-aged women grabbing and flinging toward the ONE rack left with womens clothes. I strategically walked around the side of the rack and grabbed literally the only two item styles left: a pair of pink pajama style tap shorts and a brown leather vinyl top with sweater sleeves. I was fortunate enough to get both in my size and I was first to go into the dressing room. The leather top made me look like a Spanish conquistador ready for battle, but the tap shorts were surprisingly flattering. I immediately imagined them with a vintage rock tee and leather jacket, to tone down the bubble gum pink color. They were perfect, and I made my way out. On the floor of the fitting room entrance were around five bags filled with Marni for H&M clothes that were not on the racks. I proceeded to grab an item when some woman snapped at me, saying everything was hers. She was an older woman, in her 50s, doing God knows what with bags of clothes. Ebay. I left with those great shorts in a cool durable plastic green bag with Marni at H&M stamped on the front. I felt bad for all the people still in line. Waiting for hours, just to find out there was nothing left. But what do you expect from a store that wants this. That wants the scramble, the claws out, the strong desire for lines starting at 5 AM. It's publicity. It's marketing. It's sinister. It's brilliant.

Song of the Day: "Sinister Kid" by The Black Keys

Paris Fashion Week Street Style Pt. 2

Paris Fashion Week is among us and the effortless style shown by the French and the fashion industry has been amazing. I mean, the fashion week style is always amazing, but the "je ne sais quois" thing has me going at it again. 

Song of the Day: "Padam Padam" by Edith Piaf

dead stock docs

I love finding dead stock Dr. Martens! I mean, it's extremely rare and they usually cost an arm and a leg, but I found these bad boys at Virgo vintage in Downtown LA for $70! I remember looking at them thinking "those can't be my size" then asking about the size and hearing they were size US 7. A sad face proceeded to appear on my face. Then the sales woman said they fit pretty big and I should try them on just in case. Cinderella shoes, man. F****** Cinderella shoes! They fit perfectly. And yes, they were a US 7. God wanted me to have these shoes.









Song of the Day: "Dead Road 7" by The Kills

Muse Monday: Frances Bean Cobain

inspired by frances bean cobain by chrysanthi-95 featuring dr martens shoes

This week's Muse is grunge rock royalty Frances Bean Cobain. The daughter of the late great Kurt Cobain and the wild Courtney Love (as well as being Drew Barrymore's goddaughter), Frances Bean Cobain has mostly stayed in the shadows. She was the topic of much discussion when last August, she posed for a series of photos for famous designer/photographer Hedi Slimane. Since the photos, there has been much speculation that Cobain has started a modeling career, although nothing has been officially said. She mainly, though, has been noted as an artist. Cobain releases art and puts on displays under the pseudonym "Fiddle Tim". Cobain also became engaged last October to Isaiah Silva, frontman for The Rambles. With her killer sense of rock 'n roll style, it would be great if Cobain became more of a public figure. For now, however, we will just have to admire from afar.








Song of the Day: "Heart-Shaped Box" by Nirvana

Paris Fashion Week F/W 2012 Pt. 1

Some photos from Paris Fashion Week this past week. I think it's so fascinating how most of the women I've found in PFW street style shots are much older than the normal spunky girls in their 20s. I think that's pretty cool and an important lesson. You can look kick-ass at any age!

Song of the Day: "Paris 2004" by Peter, Bjorn and John

DIY: Dip Dye Fringe

Happy Saturday everyone! If you have nothing to do today, why not try the next DIY? Now, I know dip dying fringe has been seriously overdone on different blogs, but what I kept seeing was dip dying done wrong. Not to say those other blogs don't know what they're doing, but they don't know what they're doing. What I kept seeing was fringe that didn't have that ombre light to dark effect. I kept seeing fringe that was half dyed. So I decided to tackle the subject myself. There are certain EXTREMELY important rules to get the ombre effect, so along the way, I will type them in bold.

First, get your materials together! Decide where you want to put the fringe (I chose a pair of shorts) and get at least 1 yard of fringe (I recommend at least 9 inches long) and get dye that SPECIFICALLY SAYS IT'S FOR SYNTHETIC/UNNATURAL FABRIC. This means DO NOT buy Rit dye. It won't work and your dye will just ruin your fringe. Also, fold your fringe and clip it to a pant hanger.

I chose the brand iDye and it does say Poly which works on synthetic fibers. Synthetic fibers are mainly polyester, nylon and rayon, and fringe is mainly rayon. The directions on most dye packets will tell you to add salt or vinegar, which is important (it makes your item washable).

Take a small tub or bucket (preferably metal, I sacrificed this plastic one) and fill it with EXTREMELY hot water. Boil it if you need to or put it in the microwave. The hotter your water is, the better the dye will stay. Pre-soak the fringe in the water, then remove it and add your dye along with the salt/vinegar. STIR WELL AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS DISSOLVED!

SLOWLY put your fringe in, but not all the way to the top, go about 2/3 of the way up and the dye will magically soak itself up to the top. Don't dunk your fringe in, unless you want completely purple fringe. Another step I took a picture of (and accidentally deleted), was to hang the fringe over the side of the tub for no longer than 15 minutes. This allows the dye to soak itself up slowly and give the ombre effect. Beware, if you leave the fringe hanging over the side for longer, you will end up with completely purple fringe.

After the 15 minutes, hang the fringe vertically, with about 2-3 inches of the bottom inside the dye. I used a bra strap hooked to a cabinet in my kitchen to leave the hanger vertical. It actually came in really handy because I could easily adjust how much of the fringe I wanted in the dye by adjusting the bra strap, so I would actually recommend doing that if you don't have anything else.

I left the fringe soaking for about 45 minutes. The next step I couldn't take a picture of, so pay attention. Using one hand, lift the fringe out of the dye and using the other hand (covered with a disposable rubber glove) wring out the excess dye from the bottom. DO NOT TOUCH THE TOP OF THE FRINGE WITH YOUR GLOVE! Otherwise you transfer the dye to the top and you will have spotted fringe. Then go to a metal sink or even use your backyard hose to RINSE ALL OF THE FRINGE FROM THE TOP UNTIL THE WATER RINSES CLEAR. Make sure to rinse the fringe from the top to add to the ombre effect.

 

Let your fringe hang dry overnight and your product should look like the picture above. 

And voila! There is your dip dye fringe!

Song of the Day: "Die By The Drop" by The Dead Weather

celestial catastrophes orbiting machines

Some pics from the past week including my intergalactic manicure, my go to lip color (the same as Florence Welch's), the print of one of my favorite vintage dresses, LA at dusk and the cool light fixtures at Spitz, one of my favorite places to eat in Downtown.







Song of the Day: "Extra Astronomical" by Klaxons

Milan Fashion Week

Marni

Versus

Roccobarocco

Dolce & Gabbana 

DSquared2

Milan Fashion Week was seriously amazing and the shows above were some of my favorite. Marni stuck with the obvious, but still relevant, bold prints. Versus (the brain-child of Donatella Versace and Christopher Kane) showed the obvious influence from the two designers (bold color and scandalous design), while Roccobarocco had amazing separate pieces like the leather trousers and leather print blazers. Dolce & Gabbana has now cemented a new coming trend which I reported on during NYFW: church-like dressing. I loved the baroque feel to it, reminds me of the show The Borgias and the amazing costumes the show has. I seriously debated whether or not to do a completely separate post dedicated to D&G, but opted to not. And last, but definitely not least, DSquared2, continuing the 50s trend that Prada and Louis Vuitton started for this spring. So many amazing looks, I can't wait for Paris Fashion Week.

Song of the Day: "Neon Bible" by Arcade Fire