Cage Campaign

Mind is refreshed and ready to type something a little more intelligent than simply 'Look at me in a floral cage skirt!'. Apologies for post-repetition/expansion. Very tardy of me indeed. However it had to be recalled and retold. So I ambled into the Acne SS09 show in my floral cage skirt worn over a vintage dress with my Sophia Malig floral leggings and Ann Demeulemeester jacket and topped off with the new Marni shoes (comfy for five hours but I did have a pair of emergency flats with me after that....). The show was being held at the Acne headquarters and so all the Acne peeps were there. All the different countries' press reps, the creative team etc, so me showing up in the floral cage skirt could easily have ended up being a bit of a laughing stock. I might well be known as the 'The Girl who Showed Up in an Acne Knock Off.' However, I was pretty defiant in my campaign. As soon as the show was over and the chit chat and meet'n'greet was going on, in preparation for the post-show dinner which was also held in the show venue for all guests, people started asking me about my skirt. I can't quite remember how many times I retold the story but it was quite a few....it went something like this...

'I have a bone to pick with Acne. I saw the cage skirts in the SS08 show and waited and waited, and it never turned up in-stores online or in London. So a friend of mine (that's you Angie...!) made this for me....'.

The story was rolled out to the Acne press people who seemed to love it. The production guy at Acne heard it and he apologised. Who knows what they were thinking secretly but the final conclusion was that the Acne press people said they would try to track down the cage skirt and get it over to me.... who knows how that will transpire but in any case, it's good to know the skirts weren't discarded as malfunctioning show pieces (apparently Leigh from the Misshapes wore the cage skirt to the Acne x Lanvin party in Paris on Monday...).

But what of the show? I did a write-up for Dazed Digital but at the end of the show, all I could say was 'Very Acne...'. Not very intelligent sounding at all. What I meant though was that all the pieces seemed to have high-end aspirations and editorial approaches; sheer stripy loose leggings, exposed seams, sheer panels, jutting out hip shapes but then it was all equally casual-fied by the loose/relaxed fits and the very 'day' fabrics.

(Show images from Modette, Outfit pics by the Stockholm Street Style site)

Up To My Neck

Sure, it might be summer time 'round these parts, but the hottest accessory right now is the scarf. What? Oh yes, dear readers, get ready to tie on one. But while every celebrity and her mother is wearing Sir Alistair Rai (yawn...so five months ago), the DCGF has rounded up the freshest, coolest scarves and wraps that will put you ahead of the fashion pack this season and beyond.

First up is Little Factory's laser-cut "Uppercase Scarf," at right. Look closely: the scarf is comprised of the letters of the alphabet. Get out!

The scarf comes in white or black, and also in "Numbers" and "Lowercase." Each measures 160cm by 10cm (or about 62" by 4") and are 100% microfiber suede. And with the lightweight, open design, they're perfect for hot weather.

Now don't get upset, but currently the Uppercase version is out of stock in both colors. I wanted you to see it, though, because it's my favorite of the three and I'm sure they'll have more very soon. I want, I want, I want!!

For a more colorful look, I like this Crocheted Beaded Silk Scarf from Manushi in Nepal. It's sold via Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade organization that supports the work of artisans around the world.

Manushi - meaning "energetic woman" - is a women's collective in Kathmandu that designs and creates products, in addition to aiding in entrepreneurship and skills training. Sound familiar?

This vibrant scarf is woven from recycled loom-end silk with beads on the fringe, so it's environmentally friendly, too. And no two are alike. I think this would look amazing with a crisp white linen dress for daytime, or a black tee and denim pencil skirt for evening. You don't even need to add any jewelry! It's such a statement piece. Oh, and it only costs $20. Perfect.

And finally, the highest-tech and most expensive of the bunch is also the most likely to provoke strangers to stare at you and little children to point. In other words, you have to be a committed fashionista to pull off this one.

Check out the Color Changing Scarf by Yasuyuki Machida, available from the MoMA online store! The polyvinylidene fibers change color when exposed to heat or cold, including changes in one's body temperature. This version in green changes to yellow and there's a gray one that turns white when it comes into contact with skin.

Kinda reminiscent of the Generra Hypercolor tees of old, right? Only way cooler. And at $110, it's certainly not cheap, but think of all the fun you'll have! The only question is, green or gray?




Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on eBay funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.

Goodwill’s fashion blog provides detailed knowledge and insight on vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories that are valuable to fashion shoppers. The facts and opinions shared present readers with entertaining, exciting and value based information on vintage and contemporary fashion and shopping trends.

MAC: Electro Flash really POPS!!!

Why, OH WHY did this not come out earlier this summer!?!? I love, love love this new collection from our amazing friends over at MAC! The baked eyeshadows are genius, I love that I can now basically get two eyeshadows for the price of one.
Short-circuit expectations. X-ray vision means
you see ahead of the rest. Electricity is our most precious resource…everybody, electrified! Light up this world,
and the next!

(Very) Advanced Fashion Quiz

One of the boots below is an orthopedic walking cast identical to the one I had to wear for three months after I broke my foot while walking slowly on even ground (it was the most anticlimactic bone-breaking ever). The other is a creation from Stella McCartney's line for Adidas, valued at $250.


Pretty tough, no?

Update
An email from my dad this morning: "Depending on how you think about it, the walking cast probably costs over a $1000 in uninsured dollars. With the other you at least get two 'walking casts'." Excellent point! I think we've found the first bargain from Stella McCartney!

Ananas popping up all over...

Ok, so I exaggerate, they're only popping up on Canal St in New York.
That's right, Brooklyn based handbag designer Jennifer Lagdameo is opening a temporary shop for her line Ananas at 52 Canal St starting tomorrow, June 24th, for 3 (I'm sure they will seem short) weeks only.

While I've mentioned the bags here before, the shop will also feature other leather accessories, as well as clothing, jewelry, and scarves all in keeping with the Ananas aesthetic.
One of the big draws will surely be the chance to get your hands on early Fall styles before they are shipped to stores in August. These styles are so fresh, that photos are not yet available.


Judging from the photos I did see, there will also be styles in the current line available, among them classics like the Samantha (shown in a luscious cherry red with a wooden buckle accent, or the Emily, a classic Ananas shape with their signature stitch work. You can see other styles at their site, Ananas Collection.
The prices are sure to be worth the trip, with clutches (you can see an adorable Coco clutch in the storefront photo) starting at $88, and topping out at $552 for a clutch...with many styles in between, I'm sure.
There will also be scarves, eco-bags, jewelry, and more starting at about $50 to help you complete your look.
Now, what would a fashion happening be without a soon to be coveted signature item? Ananas is giving away limited edition totes with an adorable play on the classic I (heart) NY logo. How cool is that?

It doubtlessly makes the trip downtown worth it to me (much better than 3 hours in the rain outside Whole Foods for that other canvas tote...)
Lest I forget, while I'm going on and on about the merchandise...Ananas also is a company that gives back. Portions of proceeds from several of their lines go to specific charities including "Trees for the Future" restoring trees to deforested areas, and a line of clutches with a blue bag benefiting Ovarian Cancer Research and a pink one for Breast Cancer Research.
If you are unable to make it to the pop up shop before July 15th, be sure to check out the Ananas Collection on line for current styles, and sales.

Italian Vogue: The Black Issue

Naomi Campbell shot for Italian Vogue by Steven Meisel.

It's finally here! Italian Vogue has stepped up and produced the first ever all black model issue! Expect to see some household names (Naomi, Tyra, Liya) and some up-and-comers (Jourdan Dunn, Chanel Iman, Toccara Jones - yes, from ANTM!) in this ground-breaking issue. Of course they don't neglect those that paved the way. Iman, Pat Cleveland and Veronica Webb are also featured.

One source of inspiration for this issue was actually the phenomenon of the Obama campaign. In the spirit of "change" I'm guessing editor, Franca Sozzani and photographer Steven Meisel, were ready to go out on a limb. Meisel says of the shoot, “I thought, it’s ridiculous, this discrimination... It’s so crazy to live in such a narrow, narrow place. Age, weight, sexuality, race — every kind of prejudice.” Italian Vogue editor says of her publication, “Mine is not a magazine that can be accused of not using black girls”. Some of the models in this issue have graced the cover of Italian Vogue before (Alek Wek, Naomi Campbell and Liya Kebede).

The famed photographer was given 100 pages of the magazine for this spread. Other faces you can expect to see are Alex Wek, Karen Alexander and Sessilee Lopez. The issue hits European newsstands next Thursday and will be in the United States soon after. Until then, feast your eyes on the images below, including the four collector's covers featuring Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn and Naomi Campbell.

Left to right: Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn and Naomi Campbell.

Give the bag a hand

I can't tell you how many e-mails I receive touting "the best accessory for handbag lovers", and naturally, I always look, and more often than not, it's someone else hawking the same old handbag hook we've all seen on late night TV (in gold or silver, shiny or matte finish...buy one for every handbag!...).
Yes, it's a useful idea in theory, but not one I'd use, so I just close the mail and move on.
But...I finally opened one of those e-mails, and found something on the same wavelength, but with a tongue in cheek aspect that appealed to me.
The aptly named, Purse Hand.

Yes, it's the same idea as all those other purse hooks, but, the Purse Hand does have an aspect most others do not. It can be customized by choosing one of 4 hand/hook colors and pairing it with one of the 40 available tile colors. I'm no mathematician, but that's a lot of combinations!
The chubby hand (which reminds me of a Middle Eastern hamsa) probably appeals to my superstitious side, as well as my punny inner self.
It's just cute, and it made me smile, so here, I share it with you.
As I said, it's not my thing, but for $24.95, I might give it a shot. It's the perfect price for a gift to give those ladies I know who are tough to buy for, but would definitely make use of a Purse Hand themselves.
Order one of owner Lydia's favorites, or design your own at The Purse Hand.