What a Difference a Day Makes

As posted below, I love The Sartorialist. However, in the last 24 hours a phenomenon has come to light that disturbs me. It can only be termed as "Sartorialist Baiting". As New York Fashion Week approaches I'm seeing leggy girls on bikes all over the city. See, Schuman has a thing for girls on bikes and I think these ladies are pedaling around tempting the god of internet fashion to make them blog icons. But, something's off: The outfits are askew, the colors clash, the accessories are cloying, and the bikes are wobbling. If I had Schuman's chutzpah I'd be snapping them and calling them out for their faux-fashaionista behavior. But, I'll leave it to Scott to continue to post the naturally qualified and ignore all the fashion fakery. Here are some of Scott's snaps of the beautiful on bikes:

Close Clothes

I saw the guy on this T-shirt, a Gap designed, screenprinted repro of Chuck Close's portrait of composer Philip Glass, on the street in NYC the other day. It was so strange to recognize someone from a decades old painting. Must be even stranger for him to see his head on cotton t-shirts all over town.

The image above is one of the many captured by The Sartorialist, Scott Schuman who is my modern day fashion hunting hero. Seriously, I think Schuman is changing the way people dress. Tailored, pulled together looks with that certain something extra that pushes them into the realm of chic are taking over the city. I think I have Schuman to thank for all of the eye candy.

His eye for the beautifully dressed, especially men in suits, has schooled many in the art of wearing it well. He's revived the reverence for the dandies and has given a new generation the permission to take their uber refined sense of style out into the public realm. A three piece suit for a bike ride, or a dog walk? Of course. His shots are so well lit and clean, and his eye for the most interesting gal or guy in the crowd is impeccable. Here are some of my favorite sightings from his site:

It Goes Straight to Their Heads

Japanese Fashion Week has just begun and I'm already noticing a trend: noggin decor. As I've announced previously, I'm envious of the head decoration that goes on so freely in other countries. America knows baseball caps and sun visors really well, but they wouldn't venture into the tete territory that Japan is showcasing thus far. Here's to hoping we stop ignoring our northernmost real estate. Go crazy, wear a 3-D wooden dinosaur model on your head. Why not? Huh?



The wooden model toppers at the Mint Designs show




Potpourri head gear at Fur Fur

Baron & Baron, Inc.

If I had a few mill to throw around, I'd open a museum that showed nothing but Fabien Baron images. He is the end all be all in the world of art direction and his work changed the molecular structure of the area of my brain that handles aesthetics. I think his work looks as fresh now as it did when I anxiously peeled back page after page of his original '90s Harper's Bazaar images in my Middle School days. He handles everything from Perfume bottles and magazine layouts to furniture and television commercials. Here's a selection of some of Baron's best:

Puma Pop!

I'm not much of a sneaker girl, I'm more into the femme flat myself, but these new Puma kicks look like Roy Lichtenstein's idea of a good time and made the art history dork in me very, very happy. I found them on thecoolhunter.net and they spotted them on this Asian website. If you can read it, tell me where to find them! Thanks in advance for your kind assistance.
Regards, Anna

Me Lykke

I've posted about her before, but I have a thing for red heads. Watching Ms. Lykke Li go from whisper sweet vocals to spitting hot rhymes complete with some booty shaking, is too much fun not to share. This video is from her recent gig at Le Poisson Rouge where she took the stage in an outfit that screams boxer chic (wide belt, shorty shorts, silky cover up) and I love it.

Kid Stuff

Violet and Ruby Phillips are the 7 and 9 year old daughters of kids clothing designer Eliza Gran. They give the Times the lowdown on their wardrobes and style icons. Girls, I couldn't agree more: I've also always aspired to look like Pippi Longstocking.

"Lay Down Lean"

The Citizens Band is one of those many-membered troupes of traveling actresses/musicians/models/cool kids that make music. They're bringing their show "The Panic is On" to downtown throwback burlesque spot Spiegletent on September 7th, 8th, and 9th. One of my favorite red heads of all time, model Karen Elson is a member. She also stars alongside Zooey Deschanel and Sarah Sophie Flicker in this here silent short based on an Edna St. Vincent Millay poem. Although, I must say that the real stars of this show are the beautiful McQueen and Chanel dresses, and Elson's bright red tresses. The short is courtesy of director duo The Belles of the Black Diamond Field. Read their vulnerability manifesto and let it restore your faith in humanity.

Feels very fall, no?

Somebody Call PETA

Crimes against animals (and office decor) have definitely been committed:

Veep Candidate Sarah Palin's Anchorage office scares the shit out of me.

T-Time

Everything I ever needed to know about fashion, I learned from Mr. T.



He calls Marta a hot dog. Finding stuff like this makes me believe that there is a God.

Michelle, My Bell

This fahionista's vote has already been cast. Michelle Obama had me at first sight. Pearls, shifts, belts, everything this lady wears is pitch perfect. Even if it's all going to be politics as usual, at least we'll have the unusual pleasure of a chic first lady. It may sound shallow, but let the world at large have a fashion icon in office, and we may be able to mend some foreign fences. Never underestimate the power of fashion! She's also incredibly intelligent and refreshingly confident. That doesn't hurt.

Righty Tighty

Please Lord, let this season signal the end of the legging. I can't stand another fall of stretch pants, although I do admit that a girl needs a good alternative. Let me suggest tights for fall leg coverage. They may be a bit less wind resistant, but what they lack in warmth they more than make up for in pure pretty. Here are my favorites from the Fall '08 runways:



Tsumori Chisato's dip-dyed gradations.





Rodarte's wide weave, flossy webs.

If I see you in plain, black stretch pants when these are on the market, I may wag my finger at you. Consider yourself warned.

Yes, please.

Who's that Girl?

The Brazilian Girls have a new album out and it rocks my world. New York City is their third studio effort and the songs have that unmistakable, sexy Brazilian thing going on. Standout tracks are "St. Petersburg", "I'm Losing Myself" and "Nouveau Americain". Lead singer Sabina Sciubba is an arbiter of that crazy brand of style that may scare some people. She's kind of like Bjork's multi-culti, less fussy cousin. Check out some stylin' Sabina moments:




Now go listen to her music! Any woman who can rock balloons or a reflective backing disc deserves the eyes and ears of a wide audience.

Make me up before you go go

In honor of The Museum at F.I.T.'s new show Gothic: Dark Glamour which opens September 5th and runs through February 21, 2009, I present a goth makeup tutorial courtesy of Adora BatBrat. She is the Swedish answer to all of your beautiful, dark prayers. This pretty in pink punk princess teaches you a thing or two about how to apply the perfect shade of black around your peepers, and how to properly decorate yourself. I love the crazy German background music (Achtung!) and cheerful shower curtain. FYI this woman has three children.

Hat's off

I know Sarah Jessica caught a nice amount of flack for her recent decision to don a flowery, butterfly festooned, acorn hat at the London premier of Sex and the City, but I'm kinda jealous. Those Brits really know how to top a person off. I wish Americans were a little more accepting of the crazy hat craze because I would love to rock the Stephen Jones pieces featured in today's Future Tense video on Showstudio.com. The video entitled Soma Holiday was shot by Chloë de Carvalho backstage at Basso and Brooke's Spring/Summer 2008 collection.

Colorful, floating discs of Op Art: they should be the next big thing.

Butter in the corner.

Follow one man's journey to pixelate his bathroom. Not fashion, but fun!

I want to laugh.

This is how I imagine the majority of haute couture customers live.


(happy friday everyone)