What's Poppin'.

Lipstick is a glam girl's best friend and for Poppy King, it is also a way of life. Ms. King is the gorgeous force of nature behind the cosmetics line Lipstick Queen. She's been creating pout-perfecting products since she was 18 and fresh out of high school in Melbourne, Australia. That means she knows her stuff. The Coveted featured her recently, and I realized that she's a face I've seen around the City many times. Let me tell you, her lipstick is always on and always perfect. She's a fan of animal print and a stellar knitter. She is petite, pretty, and hard to miss, even in crowded New York.

Her makeup has possibly the prettiest packaging I've ever seen and I'd drop the bigger-than-usual-bucks for it in a heartbeat. If you want what she's got, you can get it here.

Thrilled

Ok, so I was gone for the inauguration and I was going to wait for my viewing of the entire thing on my Dad's DVR tomorrow before I gave my Michelle Obama commentary, but I've received too many requests to keep quiet any longer. One word: chic. Two words: so smart.

Michelle is the kind of fashion icon that comes along so rarely. She is a classic with enough twist to make things look fresh, new, and exciting. I don't always absolutely love what she's wearing, but I do always love how she's wearing it. Her lemongrass Isabel Toledo dress and coat is so acutely fitting for the occasion and so precisely speaks the message of the new President. Its regal detailing gives it a sense of tradition and ceremony, while the color, the contrasting gloves and shoes, and the completely radiant makeup make it fresh and new and unstuffy. She's the real deal. She's gorgeous and dignified and so are her daughters, and of course our new President. Her Jason Wu ball gown was graceful and fanciful and flattering and had that same newness by virtue of his unknown status.

The reason I feel justified and not silly about focusing on her fashion (besides for how incredibly fun it is), is because it completely elucidates her smarts. She knows what's what, she knows how to say something with her sartorial choices. It's a talent that will only add to her political role. No one should underestimate how clothing influences peoples' impressions, ideas, and states of mind. It is a tool in her loaded box and she knows how to use it. She's a smart dressed woman.

As for the rest of the fashion on display during the inaugural festivities, Bill Cunningham gives the day and its public stars their most throughly compassionate due, and the Fug Girls take care of the rest of the celebs. Oh, and I vote a yes for Aretha's hat. Why not, you know?

And The Award For Best Use of A Secretary Blouse In A Music Video Goes To...

Oh My God, I think I love Ida Maria.

President Obama, can I marry her yet?

The Girl's Got Moxie

One day, when I was bored I was perusing Etsy for sellers in random locations. I was hoping I'd stumble on some more home-bred (like white bread, only better for you!) models, but I found something even better in Nebraska. Moxiephotodesign is a great little shop run out of Seward, Nebraska by Leah. I love, love, love her snaps and her graphic design sense. She takes original photos, vintage found images, and text and turns them into the best things.

She does badges:



Magnets:



Journals:



And much more. Pick from existing images for your products, or make a request for something similar to what you see above. The images are culled from old year books, fashion magazines, and photo books, so there are plenty more where these came from. Ms. Moxie also has a blog that is highly entertaining. She's fun. I think you'll like her and her wares as much as I do.

Click any image for ordering information and a closer look.

Mirror Me.

Super-site goldenfiddle has tweaked some Lindasy pap-shots and I'm loving the mirror image results. Double your pleasure, double your fun.

Double Ds? Check out the entire series at goldenfiddle.com.

These images could make some kickass wallpaper a la Rachel de Joode's repeating fashion photo patterns.

I love Rachel's work. Look at more fashion-decked walls on her site, RacheldeJoode.com.

Why I Had to Go...

My friend Neil nearly killed me for being away during the Obamas' big day, and I will say that a part of me wishes I had been here to witness the joyous mania live, but this is how I just spent the last few days:

So, I had plenty of fun daydreaming about Michelle's possible gown choices with sand between my toes. I have to catch up on all the things I've missed and get back into my groove. But, in the meantime watch this audio slide show about Mobama from Cathy Horyn over at The New York Times. It made me misty-eyed. Horyn's excellently raspy voice and poigniant commentary are great.

Ok, back to re-entry into the City's atmosphere. I'm sure I'll be up and running in no time! Well, give me a little time...

Dear Readers,

It's cold in New York. Like frozen. No, really, like insanely cold. I got brain freeze from breathing. So, I am taking a rare, golden opportunity to get some sunshine and headed on a mini-vacay with a friend. It just came up and I'm hesitant to leave you for a few days, but I never get opportunities like this and I'm going! I don't know if I'll be able to post where I'm off to, so I might not return until Thursday of next week. Please enjoy the archives and keep the fashion flame alive for me. While I'm gone check out the other lovely sites on the IFB Links a la Mode wrap-up:

Links à la Mode :January15th

• 39thandbroadway.com - Why our obsession for fast fashion is causing designers to burn-out and result in less innovative wardrobe choices for you!
• Breakfast at Saks - Style vs. Comfort: What to wear when you’re traveling
• dramatis personae - Mischief-Managed Media: My So-Called Life…
• fashion forestry - Dressing like San Francisco architecture
• fashion in my eyes - For the love of shoes
• fete a fete - Lia Lintern custom fitted luxe coats!
• Hello, Lover… Shoe Daydreams - The famous SATC: The Movie “Something Blue” shoe is now not blue?
• Hollow Star - Spring fashion trends I’m most excited about
• Independent Fashion Bloggers - In the Name of the Blog
• Iwanttowearit - Kids who dress themselves will make you smile. I promise.
• Mademoiselle Robot - Getting summer wardrobe inspiration from Robert Mulligan’s The Man in the Moon.
• Nico Assatly - Accessories Junkie
• Retro Chick - Warm Chunky Knits for Work, Rest & Play
• Shopping and Info - Shopping and Info loves Nicole Richie’s Balenciaga platform black boots.
• Solo Lisa y Nada Mas - How to shop for a purse you’ll love
• Studio Purpura - Weekly Editor’s Picks - Resolution to Ladies Pesky Fashion Issues!
• Style Symmetry - Eyeliah calls skirts over dresses a trend to watch!
• Style Tabloid - Staring off the New Year with work-out resolutions? Stick to your plans with the help of some cute work-out outfits inspired by your favorite celebrities!
• Style With Anna - 20 Weird and Wacky Handbags
• THE COVETED - How to Dress for Cold Weather
• the musings of ondo lady - Ok so we had The Real OC and The Real Housewives of Orange County so make way for The Real Gossip Girls.

Ta-ta for now! I'll miss you dearly. If I can post I will because it makes me just as happy as sunshine! Beach, here I come!

**Anna

Lose The Clothes

Ida Maria writes a song for the ages.

True dat.

One/One-Thousand: Guy Bourdin

Guy Bourdin's signature oversexed, darkness-tinged, ironic, glossy style is pure eye candy for the slightly devious soul. His post-'70s/pre-'80s work was the bridge from one decade of decadence to another. I've always loved his boldness and his bluntly sexual, slyly violent imagery, but with a fresh set of eyes his work looks like the next big thing again.
















All the makeup, the big hair, and the maximalism look like things to aspire to in these lean (and getting leaner) times. Suddenly I completely understand the '80s: Bigger, more, better, now.

All images are copyright Guy Bourdin and can be seen at www.guybourdin.org.

Monumentally Weird

My Dad is a Garmento. Actually, I'm exceedingly proud of my paternal heritage which is a long line of men who bought, hawked, measured, sewed, tailored, imported or manufactured clothing for the masses. This means that I've spent many days throughout my life in and around the Garment District joyously eating bagels or deli sandwiches (depending on the time of day) and witnessing men with bellies and slicked back hair talk about how much business sucks. But, in all of my days tagging along with my Father to work, I've never quite seen anything like what I saw today. In the last year my Dad moved office buildings and when I went to visit him in his new spot today, I stumbled upon something astonishing. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the:

This lovely little display lines the lobby of 533 Seventh Avenue. It is a lineup of silver busts of America's top fashion designers stuck on acrylic poles and labeled with gold name-bearing plaques.

Thank god for the plaques...let's take a closer look shall we?

Now even before I give you the corresponding gold plaques, can you put a name to a single one of those faces? Maybe the hair gives away the ladies, but I swear I stood in amazement at who the gray heads were meant to be. Here's who we've got above:

Poor Isaac, right? I mean that must be some sort of mistake. And Marc? He looks like the love child of Sting and a Ken doll. Are they not scary in that way that clowns are scary? I really want to find out if the designers have ever seen these. Maybe they were invited to some really awkward unveiling ceremony where they had to pick themselves out of the lineup and failed, miserably. Oh, these are so classic. I almost think they need to be seen in the round to be fully appreciated. So, if you ever want to see them in person, holler at me and I'll put together a tour group.

Bikini Party!

It's too cold outside, right? Well, let some bikini shakin' booties from the 1960s warm you up. Watch the trailer for 1964's Bikini Beach and tell me it doesn't spark your sunshine maker.


MMMmmmm, summer! Btw, besides for all of the super-hip bathing beauties, did you catch a way young Stevie Wonder in there? If not, it's worth another look. Heck, it's worth another go anyways.

Remember That?: X-girl Clothing

When I was 13, my ever-the-coolest mother let my 16 year-old sister take me and my bestie Rosemarie into NYC to get actual X-Girl tees from the actual X-Girl store in Soho. She really understood that Romie and I could not go to Lollapalooza '95 unless we were in correct style. Remember X-Girl? It was the line co-designed by Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and '90s stylist Daisy von Furth. Here's some vintage footage of the line's first fashion show to spark your memory.




Did you catch the show's producers? Sofia Coppola and Spike Jonze! X-Girl rocked my world when I was a pre-teen. I used to wear my long-sleeved, black t-shirt with a globe graphic on it at least twice a week in seventh grade. I'd pair it with my black bell bottom, thrifted cords and my vintage platform Mary Janes. That was also the year that I regularly cut my own hair and stayed up until 2am to watch 120 Minutes on MTV in hopes that I could tape videos like "Bull in the Heather" and watch em over and over again until they got fuzzy on the VHS. Wait a sec, does all of this nostalgia mean that I'm getting old? No, no, no. I just miss my punked out riot grrrl days. I'm feeling a little rebel awakening. Watch out.

Cheap Thrill: Pretty Girls

Irena Sophia does pretty drawings of pretty girls in pretty dresses. Prints of these lovelies can be yours for a very reasonable $20 via her Etsy shop.

They are so delicate and pretty that I hate calling them a cheap thrill. Don't take it personally girls, I don't mean it that way! Click any image for ordering information.

All images are copyright IrenaSophia Art Studio. All rights reserved by artist.