tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49577018207293340332024-03-21T05:32:37.032-05:00The Corner ApartmentA chronicle of culture.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-86572975565171999562013-09-12T19:26:00.000-05:002013-09-12T19:26:07.665-05:00A Quick ChangeJust wanted to document a few changes The Corner Apartment is making. This will be my last post on Blogger. I have switched to Wordpress, finally, and with wonderful results. Currently, the domain is under <a href="http://thecornerapartmentblog.com/">thecornerapartmentblog.com</a>, although soon it will be back to <a href="http://thecornerapartment.com/">thecornerapartment.com</a>. Thank you all, and I hope you'll still follow along.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-71864926613237496882013-07-24T14:20:00.002-05:002013-07-24T14:20:49.249-05:00The Great Debate<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>In-person vs. online</b></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs67GdA4k8zBHP3y3oCLdaCs5cfAYzRPL8vX9p2DaacOFM13YH0KlTHdw0CgXvETN9zblbvJGnk1o5Y-G0oX7T6fld3xfrzj6HtajESC4pcm5n4utpzaPhZvq1C9chkE5KM4QJivXlZDxu/s1600/the-art-of-shopping-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs67GdA4k8zBHP3y3oCLdaCs5cfAYzRPL8vX9p2DaacOFM13YH0KlTHdw0CgXvETN9zblbvJGnk1o5Y-G0oX7T6fld3xfrzj6HtajESC4pcm5n4utpzaPhZvq1C9chkE5KM4QJivXlZDxu/s1600/the-art-of-shopping-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
A few weeks ago, I had a most traumatic and contradictory experience: I went to a mall and I hated it.
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To start, let me say that I've always found my excitement for shopping, in any duration, to be similar to my excitement for a holiday. If I had to name my top five holidays, including shopping, from top to bottom, it would be as follows: my birthday, Christmas, shopping, Thanksgiving, New Years.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've prided myself on being an excellent, if long-winded, shopper. I'm not often deterred by crowds (although I'll never brave Black Friday in person) and have excellent stamina – perfect for rifling through racks, slipping into outfits and spending 90% of the day standing. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've tried to examine my unfortunate experience from multiple angles. Maybe I wasn't in the mood. Maybe it was the post-Fourth of July weekend sales that brought entirely too many people to the mall, bringing about that dull headache of annoyance every time you realize you'll have to wait in a line for the dressing rooms, then the checkout. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But I was in the mood. And, like I said, crowds don't generally bother me. It seems every year I'm out shopping in the brief week between Christmas day and New Years. (And that, my friends, takes patience.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So what was it? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My blissful veil of ignorance was pulled back, revealing a number of things that have perhaps changed my view of in-person shopping forever. Going to a mall reminds me of everything that is wrong America: that we are fat, terribly dressed and like to blatantly disregard rules (since when has it become acceptable to walk on the wrong side of the supposed shopping-street, cut in line or indefinitely block off that one section of the rack I'd like to have a look at?).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My (and many others', I presume) preferred method of consumption has now, and possibly forever, shifted to the ever-massive plunders of the World Wide Web. I've always been a huge fan of online shopping, because what's more fun that sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, quickly converting your bank account into incoming packages filled with personally picked presents?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It can be argued that shipping costs and the possibility of something not fitting or not looking as it did in an online picture are deterrents for shopping online. I agree with that. What must be realized is there's a tradeoff that must be made, and it's that convenience has a price (usually, $7.99). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Fortunately, most websites offer free returns, and many free shipping (shout out to Shopbop, Piperlime, Zappos and Nordstrom). Another plus: if Neiman's doesn't have your desired size in that Equipment blouse you've been staring through the screen at for weeks, just hop on over to Saks, Bergdorf, Bloomingdales, Net-A-Porter or Nordstrom. You're bound to find it somewhere.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm sure you've experienced the harried excitement while awaiting a package to land on your doorstep. Not much is more satisfactory than tracking your package from "origin scan" to "out for delivery." (Random facts: Gilt ships from Louisville, Kentucky, J.Crew ships from Roanoke, Virginia and Shopbop ships from Middleton, Wisconsin.) And once it's out for delivery, there's almost nothing that gets me home from work or class faster. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our entire lives are being transferred to the Internet. Friendships, correspondence, photo albums, money management, ordering food, watching movies and TV shows, reading newspapers and magazines and any kind of shopping you could think of. I hate the word literally, but we literally do not have to leave our homes (or couches) to do anything. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So please. Sit back, relax and join me while I online shop.<br />
<br />
Photo: <a href="http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f71/karl-templer-stylist-58319-18.html">Interview Magazine</a>, March 2013</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-65311544690279962042013-07-02T11:28:00.000-05:002013-07-02T11:30:09.974-05:00Seeing Double<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>Having a déjà vu moment</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGgpkIDXvrDerCPZGsctruY5Enm1lu2tXGEPGxzDev0Ae6RAmXLyDVfwF43uPU21CS-eUmcHVc29KlhavRUn1F4jlQcY2ePc8QxkUM0dRA9baMKqMWgARnlaLf7Bs10ZtmMR2zd_34325/s640/mirror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGgpkIDXvrDerCPZGsctruY5Enm1lu2tXGEPGxzDev0Ae6RAmXLyDVfwF43uPU21CS-eUmcHVc29KlhavRUn1F4jlQcY2ePc8QxkUM0dRA9baMKqMWgARnlaLf7Bs10ZtmMR2zd_34325/s1600/mirror.jpg" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
In many cases, imitation is the best form of flattery. This is often true in fashion: how nice it must feel to be the mind behind a trend that launched lookalikes (or, in simpler words, a trendsetter). Surely the Olivia Palermos, Mary Kate and Ashley Oslens and Karl Lagerfelds of the world take at least some pride in their sartorial creations that spread like wildfire. </div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Although as far as product creation and design goes, while copying an idea might be flattering, it also infringes on certain creative rights. Intellectual property, copyrights, patents–it's all about protecting what's yours. Is it fair that another piggybacks off your success? I recently listened to a <a href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/496/when-patents-attack-part-two">This American Life podcast</a> about the inner workings of patents. It's an interesting institution, to say the least, although I'm not going to venture into that realm of discussion because a. it hurts my head, b. it has little to do with fashion and more to do with business and tech and c. because there is entirely too much legal jargon involved (hence head-hurting). </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's not a secret that trends move from the runways down to mainstream stores. How would us mere mortals be able to take part in the graphic black and white, peplum, pointed-shoe trends without that? In part, I think that's one of the functions of high fashion: to inspire mass-produced brands to follow suit.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Often, there are cases that go past this norm, which leads to what appears to be utterly complete imitation. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgww9mZoTwwr4gbwavX7EWlgh1qv8phB3L4rHm6kP2lZUyAvQB9S9hAIvYAsWh42vlPK2CH1ZIMWrGxZ31K26GiPLYSHF7YcOXxTJWzLh-Zr_yf1aQYFtbCAsetNNsyjqHxWYdKTmFZ3si/s630/bubble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgww9mZoTwwr4gbwavX7EWlgh1qv8phB3L4rHm6kP2lZUyAvQB9S9hAIvYAsWh42vlPK2CH1ZIMWrGxZ31K26GiPLYSHF7YcOXxTJWzLh-Zr_yf1aQYFtbCAsetNNsyjqHxWYdKTmFZ3si/s1600/bubble.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I think I was first affected by this phenomenon with J.Crew's bubble necklaces. A few years ago, they were, as I've heard from a friend, brought back on the market by the company, and became a huge hit. They were everywhere, and everyone wanted them. Despite that J.Crew is known for affordability, the necklace rang in at about $150–a price I thought was a little steep for a necklace made of metal and plastic, even if it was gold-plated. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Naturally, some clever product designer came up with the idea to create a similar necklace– so similar as to not solicit a difference from its original "designer" necklace– at a price the general people could afford. What does that sound like? A lot of business. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6Ofx0v2nK0-vSI8Fa4_TowD2Fpi4klCaUjEiCNK_XTXkrp2vgBJsBXbZ3arUkwz04Cyd1aJR8scU-cKyBVfiAtC7Cb3anZo1RZjprrMQZhiVq5I9J4vTYinATB_frmXQwzOvdTK-ZX8k/s630/flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6Ofx0v2nK0-vSI8Fa4_TowD2Fpi4klCaUjEiCNK_XTXkrp2vgBJsBXbZ3arUkwz04Cyd1aJR8scU-cKyBVfiAtC7Cb3anZo1RZjprrMQZhiVq5I9J4vTYinATB_frmXQwzOvdTK-ZX8k/s1600/flower.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I know this isn't a new idea. In the food and drug industries (for clarity: not the illegal kinds of drugs), cheaper generic brands are the norm. I almost always buy the generic brand of Claritin, but that's because it's chemically exactly the same as the real thing. When it comes to potato chips, though, I'll never buy the generic, because, in my opinion, it's simply not as good. (Food is very important to me.) </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've done a bit of research, and have found three non-J.Crew necklaces (pictured on the right side) that have an eerily similar appearance to those from J.Crew (pictured on the left side). Am I defending J.Crew because I have an unabashed love for the Blythe blouse and everything Jenna Lyons does? Well, maybe. At the end of the day, discounting competitiveness, it must feel good to be a J.Crew jewelry designer. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The blatant copying of things really creates a catch-22 type situation. On one hand, as I've said above, I'm all for brands staying true to their creative integrity, and only creating things that stem from original designs. On the other hand, my snarky inner self wouldn't mind paying less for something that looks exactly the same. If I'm being dramatic, I'd say it's a battle of my conscience vs. bank account. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfpJ2RkqJfdQ9x9ScnAy3BNVyjzlka6Vtrt1YL2fiTIkkIsLDtjSjSGjjSXFq2YxDT7-40Tpwg_sxIeVeBh7pl9YoxcAFBn1mPSU9VSLRYNLMWQAeIH10iQ6JJVtl8nG9k0AedmPGRO31/s630/fruit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqfpJ2RkqJfdQ9x9ScnAy3BNVyjzlka6Vtrt1YL2fiTIkkIsLDtjSjSGjjSXFq2YxDT7-40Tpwg_sxIeVeBh7pl9YoxcAFBn1mPSU9VSLRYNLMWQAeIH10iQ6JJVtl8nG9k0AedmPGRO31/s1600/fruit.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With the Internet, particularly Pinterest, it's easy to be "inspired" by something. People throw the world "inspiration" around all the time, but what does it really mean? It could mean "I like this," "I want to do something like this," "This idea brings me to a new idea" or "I want to do something exactly like this." It's a slippery, slippery slope, being inspired by something versus duplicating it.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Everyone is guilty of copying (or at least really, really wanting to) a good idea. I know I am. What the heart of this piece is getting at principally comes down to this: where has creativity gone?</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>"Believe in who you are, and do what you love. Do not try to copycat people. You can be influenced by people, but do not do a photocopy of someone else's work. There is no limit to imagination, you just have to let it grow. That's the important thing—that's what people see at the end of the day, when you're true to yourself. If you're just a big copy, you can please [when it comes to] marketing and money and blah blah blah, but you can't stay for a long time when you're not being dictated by what you love deeply."</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-Christian Louboutin on the <a href="http://www.thecoveteur.com/christian_louboutin_exhibit">Coveteur</a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53035820@N02/5322270813/">Top</a>, John Rawlings for Vogue in March 1956; jewelry images on left from <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bxsxm7n6">J.Crew</a> </span>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-24176610370457430672013-06-11T16:58:00.002-05:002013-06-11T16:58:16.895-05:00Oversharing<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Thoughts on the tell-all Internet culture</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIPXxi0_wfpKpPTwOSiVc4jfM6Z7k7av02RoB5vVu6_9t0oiGCIbEqV5_iupkZsyCvrjiPoQ5hLeYkRceyH19PjCrDn8868Vsl528HK08nbN7L2JtoiVPhpB_4hyphenhyphenZWhG73d-53lSeIqo5/s1600/3e31e119b945013f8ecf93082294dddc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIPXxi0_wfpKpPTwOSiVc4jfM6Z7k7av02RoB5vVu6_9t0oiGCIbEqV5_iupkZsyCvrjiPoQ5hLeYkRceyH19PjCrDn8868Vsl528HK08nbN7L2JtoiVPhpB_4hyphenhyphenZWhG73d-53lSeIqo5/s1600/3e31e119b945013f8ecf93082294dddc.jpg" /></a></div>
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Social media is a creepy thing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Like an intimate look into your bedroom window, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Vine allow others to get a good glimpse at what it's like to be you. I don't want to alarm anyone or talk about how unsafe broadcasting yourself across the Web is, because "How to Catch a Predator" aggressively did that. But, it's crazy to think how much our perspectives on online presence have changed in less than a decade. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I remember in seventh grade when I first embarked on my social media adventure. MySpace was my first conquest, and I loved it. As a shy private school girl, I stalked all the wild older high school kids – a world I was about to enter. I commented on my friend's pages (it sounds weird not to say "wall") constantly: writing about inside jokes, plans for the weekend and filled out questionnaires, signed with a charming (and ingenious, I thought) "LOVElizabeth."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />My glory days on Myspace were short-lived. My parents quickly discovered my profile, and while they weren't going to force me to delete it, I was so embarrassed that I did anyway. How could I think it was O.K. to upload information and pictures of myself for the entire Internet audience to see? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />My hours of crafting the perfect profile page were ruined: compiling the perfect list of favorite musical artists, choosing my "top eight," agonizing over the appropriate words for my "about me" section, selecting a few of my best photos to create an exact brand of myself. (Question: how much did everyone hate the "top eight" feature? The act of publicly declaring and un-declaring your best friends always seemed wrong to me.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I eventually recreated my Myspace profile, although quickly graduated to Facebook once high school hit. (I recently logged on to my long lost Myspace account, and insist you do the same as soon as you can. Nostalgia and self-loathing in its best form.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Nowadays online, anything goes. Headed to the beach? Tweet about it. Got a new haircut? Cue Instagram selfie. Not happy with the latest results on The Voice? It's time for a Facebook status. Gone to a concert? Vine it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It's terrifying, really. All it takes to learn the details of your everyday life is a quick Google search of your name in quotations. My results include my profiles for LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Etsy, numerous articles from my local newspaper where I'm mentioned, the student newspaper I work at, a camp I attended years ago, Ladies' Home Journal from when I contributed a photo and a couple random websites. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />To avoid being hypocritical, I will say that I'm not at all in favor of abandoning widespread sharing on social media. It's the way of the times, and to ignore it would be archaic. As both participant in and observer of the "social media age," it's necessary to note the change in personal censorship over the last five years. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-family: inherit;"><b>"The idea of social media–having an audience and taking pictures for people to see–that's a scary thing. When I was young, things were simpler."</b></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">-Sofia Coppola to W Magazine, June/July 2013 issue</span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Image: <a href="http://www.arcadja.com/auctions/en/langa_moshekwa/artist/398565/">collage</a> by Moshekwa Langa</span>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-59352655318961569272013-06-06T17:32:00.003-05:002013-06-07T12:16:38.434-05:00Repeat<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What goes around, comes around</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uw14rQKSt46cHcc5vnyICdwGOPO0nmEpUprOzBKpgN3q_ciI8YKtPjHSPDxW65bCJTj1BUWDBm8Jkn6Tgh3-I-2eF2JoDwkt3wzUdATSYIN6NBPqc8n_dAJT_SjDpaW5gc_xlZf3pyym/s1600/jean+shrimpton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uw14rQKSt46cHcc5vnyICdwGOPO0nmEpUprOzBKpgN3q_ciI8YKtPjHSPDxW65bCJTj1BUWDBm8Jkn6Tgh3-I-2eF2JoDwkt3wzUdATSYIN6NBPqc8n_dAJT_SjDpaW5gc_xlZf3pyym/s1600/jean+shrimpton.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fast fashion is great in that it allows for a quick succession of trends to parade by in a given season. It's (often) cheap, easily replaced and, just a few years later, perhaps regretted by its previous owner. Don't lie – you know you've stalked yourself on Facebook pre-2010 and wondered: "What, of all things, was I thinking? Wearing?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Fast fashion is fun, but the classic article will always reign supreme in my mind. I'm not sure why, but I've always had a thought of my future children and grandchildren rummaging through my old clothes, shoes and accessories, pulling out pieces that were, and still are, remarkably wearable. Maybe it's that I'm hoping to be a cool mom or grandma. Maybe it's a secret incentive for me to buy nice things that will last forever. Or maybe, it's the notion that there's something special about things that never go out of style. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And here we are: Jean Shrimpton in a '60s Vogue UK shoot, wearing a lushly printed floral shirt, simple white skirt and low-slung pointed heels. Recalling recent runway shows, in comparison, sparks a reverse deja vu. Pointed shoes are boldly back – in flats, low heels and higher (Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton). Florals, while not presently new, are nonetheless here again. And a white skirt – whether pencil or mini – will never be gone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://theswinginsixties.tumblr.com/post/31004911960/fashion-designer-photography-shopping-books-beauty-cosme">Photo</a>: Jean Shrimpton in Vogue UK, April 1965 by David Bailey</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://rstyle.me/n/4tqpm7n6">Floral print top</a>, Clover Canyon (on sale!); <a href="http://rstyle.me/~yaPe">Quilted skirt</a>, Topshop; <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/4trfm7n6">Mary Jane mid heels</a>, Marc Jacobs</span>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-61758695738279742272013-05-28T23:08:00.002-05:002013-05-28T23:08:06.429-05:00Just Because<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">On indulging oneself</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGgpEQ9mbYVhycP_SUFR87fmGLxVUjyMq28VLavrEVBBWggFIfkekNzIAxBhXrPZfY_oPWyxkosGAZrMb6GYo95XjecLBPAIz3CaacdNMj-lnE92KAMgmCYxt6iHEU3Na1bgdgO1JmG_u/s1600/cher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGgpEQ9mbYVhycP_SUFR87fmGLxVUjyMq28VLavrEVBBWggFIfkekNzIAxBhXrPZfY_oPWyxkosGAZrMb6GYo95XjecLBPAIz3CaacdNMj-lnE92KAMgmCYxt6iHEU3Na1bgdgO1JmG_u/s1600/cher.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
As a college student, it's important for me to pay careful attention to my spending habits. My parents pay for my tuition and apartment, give me a monthly stipend and I do make a bit on my own, but money certainly isn't falling from the sky (and what a shame!).<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Often, I become fixated on a certain thing, whether it be a pair of shoes, a beauty product or a specific colored Sharpie Pen, and think about it a little too much until I finally get it. (It's true, I couldn't stop daydreaming about the tropical-hued Sharpie Pens until I finally found them at Target a few weeks ago.) Unsurprisingly, my wallet cannot keep up, and these fixations soon turn into lists.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />There are two categories of my mental material lists: attainables and unattainables. Attainables include things like a new Bauble Bar necklace, a silk blouse from J. Crew, a coffee table book, a refill of my favorite Philosophy lotion–affordable things that don't put a dent in my sad, sad bank account. Unatainables on my list are a Chanel 2.55 bag, a pair of black Christian Louboutin pumps and another David Yurman bangle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />O.K., yes, these lists are vastly contrasting. In other terms, attainables can be purchased multiple times a month, and unnatainables can be purchased about once a year. Impulse vs. calculated, affordable vs. expensive, and depending on who you ask, smart vs. stupid.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I think we all battle with the urge to buy. The advent of online shopping is certainly no help. I'll admit I look at Gilt, Hautelook and Shopbop every single day, although rarely buy anything. I often try to reason with myself: How many times will I wear it? What can I wear it with? How much use will I get out of it? It it classic? Will it hold up over time? There are so many considerations when making a purchase. I have to say that my shopping habits are quite calculated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />But what if I want something "just because?" <i>If it makes me happy, isn't it worth it?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i>Not long ago, I discovered that I really wanted a Moleskine notebook to make lists and take notes in for my university's student newspaper, which I work for. Hemingway used Moleskines, so naturally, I needed one. A hot pink one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />For the uninitiated, Moleskine notebooks are leather-bound, usually small notebooks, sketchpads, journals and what-have-you that are often found in the possession of writers and artists. Since they're made of leather, it shouldn't come to a surprise that they're more expensive than your typical Five-Star notebook. This new friend was going to set me back about $20–hardly anything in the scheme of things, but my more sensible side was trying to convince me otherwise. After moments of inner argument, the hot pink leather notebook was mine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The moment after I bought it, I thought, "Well, that was dumb. Here I am, a poor and hungry college student, spending $20 on a silly notebook." I was fortunate to have a friend with me who replied, "So what? You wanted it."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />She was right. I did want it. And there's nothing wrong with wanting things, to buy things because it makes you happy and not only out of necessity. Besides, if I hadn't bought it, I would have ended up spending the rest of my life wondering what it would be like to own a hot pink leather notebook.<br />So the answer, wholeheartedly, is yes. Happiness from simple pleasures is indeed worth it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Photo: <a href="http://www.popcrunch.com/clueless-sequel/">Cher Horowitz, "Clueless"</a></span>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-13119385494566116192013-05-20T09:09:00.001-05:002013-05-28T22:13:26.077-05:00Foiled Plans and Happy Accidents<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>A dramatic retelling of a personal debacle</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWW2UucvTfBX1qMXfF2u49h5pwB7qLZTMisfzFY3wNByEXAnvfouXQT7FeSFX8hgC8tIdlD1Br7m9qwELSVVYeh7pMhIgbqv9A4Ev-a8jSAVK9QV8dkVFSY0sDE2zYj3qr7Xy3ouJsKj7H/s1600/tumblr_liha90cbIm1qz76fxo1_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWW2UucvTfBX1qMXfF2u49h5pwB7qLZTMisfzFY3wNByEXAnvfouXQT7FeSFX8hgC8tIdlD1Br7m9qwELSVVYeh7pMhIgbqv9A4Ev-a8jSAVK9QV8dkVFSY0sDE2zYj3qr7Xy3ouJsKj7H/s1600/tumblr_liha90cbIm1qz76fxo1_500.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
I'm very much a supporter of plans. I make plans to make plans. So of course, crisis management has never been a strong suit for me. Welcome surprises are just fine, but the unexpected has me much out of sorts.
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It was quite an unwelcome surprise when I opened my awaited package (I stalk them via tracking numbers online many times per day until arrival) to find not only the wrong size in my ordered dress, but the wrong color as well. My younger sister's debutante presentation was the next day – a full-day family affair and the apex of my hometown's high society. I ordered the dress months in advance (Rent the Runway, yes), and was looking forward to wearing it since it was different than what I usually go for. Any woman can tell you how wonderful it feels to wear a beautiful cocktail dress. Of course, just as your aren't allowed to upstage the bride, I knew I couldn't upstage my sister. (Although, I had little chance of doing so. She was wearing a heavy satin Ulla-Maija gown.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Nevertheless, I put it on the dress I was sent and felt like a Las Vegas call girl. A little tight, a little short. I've always thought I look good in red, with my fair skin and dark brown hair. I had never felt more wrong. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here starts the small town shopping scramble.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Don't get me wrong. I love where I grew up, mainly in that there's plenty of Tex-Mex restaurants and that my cats live there. The shopping, though, is marginal. Sub-marginal. Our mall is terrifying, and what boutiques we do have offer slim pickings and high possibility that someone you are related to owns the exact same dress you just purchased. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I quickly exhausted my few retail options later that night and the morning of, thoroughly put out by the lack of competence in whoever was in charge of my dress' shipping and that Smalltown, USA had nothing to offer me in terms of acceptable sartorial options. I was utterly helpless, wandering around my least favorite department stores, looping around again and again because there had to be something.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Like a soundtrack to a terrible movie, "I've Got a Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas was playing in Dillard's, and when I got in the car – and this is not a joke – Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" was on the radio. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was being dramatic, but for valid reasons. I like to think one of my few redeeming qualities is my innate ability to shop – and with razor sharp focus. Historically, I'm ruthless in the retail realm, scanning racks and fighting the crowds like it's an everyday thing (which, it nearly is). It was embarrassing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At this point, you've got to be worried. Was I going to be stuck wearing a hideous dress in the face of my judgmental hometown and as the subject of at least a good third of the 1,000 photos my aunt took? (As the only family member with a Nikon, my aunt was the unofficial photographer for the day. She did take around 1,000 photos that day. No, she did not charge an hourly fee.) Or worse, would I have to re-wear a dress from a previous event? As ridiculous as it may be, I'm staunchly against outfit repeating, as I like to call it. (Think what you want. I consider it a fun challenge.) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Alas, my reputation was spared. Hanging in the back of my old room's closet was a satin strapless BCBGMaxAzria dress. Tags on. Never been worn. A beautiful sight for the sorest of eyes and the weariest of hearts. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My dear, dear sister had been hoarding a collection of dresses the past year in anticipation of the flurry of events this spring, her final semester of high school. Apparently, she had one too many – a most happy accident.</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-9747078745213531382013-03-21T13:25:00.004-05:002013-03-21T13:25:53.153-05:00Diet Coke and Fashion<div>
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWk2P1JspRZ97yqpQRUpY5XGV_Bp9a0TuiAVcRFgwIx7wunsI6XE18BaIOCm78IhwKGomW8LwfcfsYHJ963ddl-DUzIAUUaNaHXn6dNeXXdxpgvdPGiCnD_NKFRZoCUX2NH6ankY1EgwG/s1600/diet+coke+collabs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWk2P1JspRZ97yqpQRUpY5XGV_Bp9a0TuiAVcRFgwIx7wunsI6XE18BaIOCm78IhwKGomW8LwfcfsYHJ963ddl-DUzIAUUaNaHXn6dNeXXdxpgvdPGiCnD_NKFRZoCUX2NH6ankY1EgwG/s1600/diet+coke+collabs.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: inherit;">
<div>
When I think of Diet Coke and fashion at the same time, which I often do not, the first commonality that comes to mind is, unsurprisingly, dieting. Conceivably an entirely different taste than its full-calorie counterpart, Coca-Cola, if Diet Coke is your preferred drink, you can essentially have your cake and eat it too. All of the love, all of the flavor, without the calories. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Reportedly, Karl Lagerfeld drinks nothing but the beverage, a habit I can't seem to wrap my head around.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IIK5Gr-s5d0GKLqBd8_R1xd0I5uJbZ_udzkMGl0zLoB7n7fwiGVnDLoYD3ls-89NKuk7GCxTkXWX3q-o8N-_HCM5lPKR85C3q-1JgnCbtiB-esHIRw4K7g5cAv0cZxrWPHjixLroSD_a/s1600/karl-lagerfeld-diet-coke-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IIK5Gr-s5d0GKLqBd8_R1xd0I5uJbZ_udzkMGl0zLoB7n7fwiGVnDLoYD3ls-89NKuk7GCxTkXWX3q-o8N-_HCM5lPKR85C3q-1JgnCbtiB-esHIRw4K7g5cAv0cZxrWPHjixLroSD_a/s1600/karl-lagerfeld-diet-coke-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Collaborations among fashion houses and accessible brands seem to debut every other week: Prabal Gurung for Target, Karl Lagerfeld for Fossil, Maison Martin Margiela for H&M, Kate Spade for Keds. Although collaboration lines are arguably much more affordable in comparison to their namesake house, some pieces still too heavily bear the costly weight of the designer's name. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Enter Diet Coke. The company has routinely selected "celebrity" designer creative directors who sign on temporarily to design cans or bottles to the tune of their characteristic style. Big hitters like Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier, Diane Von Furstenberg and most recently Marc Jacobs have all applied their signature designs to the already iconic can. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But what's the point of having a Diet Coke can with some high-end designer's latest interpretation on it? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Rob Bayne, senior brand manager for Diet Coke in North West Europe and Nordics, answers with, "Fashion is a top interest of our fans so we started designer collaborations to create something new and exciting to our drinkers."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yes, high-low designer collaborations are a fad, but a good one. People love their designer goods, no matter if they're from Bergdorf Goodman or H&M. Aside from the Neiman Marcus for Target collection earlier this winter (in which most merchandise ended up at 75 percent off), every collaboration with Target has been a success. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's ultimately about combining novelty with accessibility. Think about designer perfumes. A 1.6-ounce bottle of Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue is $69, a price that is downright affordable when comparing to their $1,025 cotton-blend lace T-shirt. The Diet Coke collaborations are similar, yet on a much less expensive and more quickly consumed level. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Where will fashion exert its influence next?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCrLj9vTIccOcHr9-Ua-iu1NYQN-fSEBFinJrejGZdbKuVsnXg9uuvojx5LoO49xp5J6boPZ-R0f30CM5-M62KoxD9pwWaxVR9UlLDE-I75aJLmUM2q-1mDw7rLtGa3c47cb4OCDhEQns/s1600/diet-coke-jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCrLj9vTIccOcHr9-Ua-iu1NYQN-fSEBFinJrejGZdbKuVsnXg9uuvojx5LoO49xp5J6boPZ-R0f30CM5-M62KoxD9pwWaxVR9UlLDE-I75aJLmUM2q-1mDw7rLtGa3c47cb4OCDhEQns/s1600/diet-coke-jpg.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvjw_BvqkUcaKUBbqGmldqx3rpwobrzemJ3g3767iljqrkEF-QWglIsR6OPyMtXrejQh4gXApRMQk5sfxtXyvbJvm8EYaQEpXY-IcPQNTmeCc2SomZp1ggRxJG9G4q5bnhgHH6AYXtBCQ/s1600/diet-coke-lagerfeld.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvjw_BvqkUcaKUBbqGmldqx3rpwobrzemJ3g3767iljqrkEF-QWglIsR6OPyMtXrejQh4gXApRMQk5sfxtXyvbJvm8EYaQEpXY-IcPQNTmeCc2SomZp1ggRxJG9G4q5bnhgHH6AYXtBCQ/s1600/diet-coke-lagerfeld.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIhfmppNdPzgW1Mqwj_7bD-F3D4CbgK3ZVX45k5N2bOKCYzx7RaNNIScvbV5FjyAMsuucUvp81fQHT6hBB-OFcpKSLIZbsV-g_Fyo31qa8TToCI3eBXeH7a0BGk6RBvVV1sIU9aTXnoGG/s1600/diet-coke-dvf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIhfmppNdPzgW1Mqwj_7bD-F3D4CbgK3ZVX45k5N2bOKCYzx7RaNNIScvbV5FjyAMsuucUvp81fQHT6hBB-OFcpKSLIZbsV-g_Fyo31qa8TToCI3eBXeH7a0BGk6RBvVV1sIU9aTXnoGG/s1600/diet-coke-dvf.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqc1QdSTVz-mFZ9zJxB7wuItIb3pvsNYYZG0E4T5iMa52tOAE44uRf6S3PvKN0zszXrVwYWwtILSZcjsPfT5j6JwhopOs5weUCf4EsnD2caKTxOUf8GftImEo6QLnhxMGilqYvaauIMCO/s1600/diet-coke-marc-jacobs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqc1QdSTVz-mFZ9zJxB7wuItIb3pvsNYYZG0E4T5iMa52tOAE44uRf6S3PvKN0zszXrVwYWwtILSZcjsPfT5j6JwhopOs5weUCf4EsnD2caKTxOUf8GftImEo6QLnhxMGilqYvaauIMCO/s1600/diet-coke-marc-jacobs.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Photo sources: top, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/fashion/marc-jacobs-diet-coke-new-creative-director-article-1.1256714">Marc Jacobs for Diet Coke campaign</a>; middle, <a href="http://fashionbite.co.uk/2011/04/08/paris-karl-lagerfeld-partners-with-diet-coke/">Karl Lagerfeld for Diet Coke launch</a>; bottom: <a href="http://globalgrind.com/style/diet-coke-collaborative-bottle-jean-paul-gaultier-photos-video?gpage=0#gtop">Jean Paul Gaultier for Diet Coke bottles</a>, <a href="http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/style/articles/2011-04/07/gq-style-news-karl-lagerfeld-collaborations-team-ups/viewgalleryframe/4">Karl Lagerfeld for Diet Coke bottles</a>, <a href="http://sassisamblog.com/2012/02/07/minka-kelly-diane-von-furstenberg-team-up-with-diet-coke-for-the-heart-truth-campaign/diane-von-furstenberg-diet-coke-bottles/">Diane von Furstenberg for Diet Coke bottles</a>, <a href="http://www.unicornsunleashed.com/tag/designer-collaboration/">Marc Jacobs for Diet Coke cans</a></span>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-89675865953046392362013-03-01T23:57:00.001-06:002013-03-01T23:57:09.697-06:00Chin Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKASr0JsKYws1MKfuYEEfaMbX_T4MEnflhiajavBU98-NAOWoBlAHs5zpovIwXLHl0CphNSBiOlHP7l5F1ksE4ISQQWed9SSdv92XPWNoNGX3ZO942-i4swKi-tG6gPuPaZWBO5b_32lTA/s1600/warhol-letter.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKASr0JsKYws1MKfuYEEfaMbX_T4MEnflhiajavBU98-NAOWoBlAHs5zpovIwXLHl0CphNSBiOlHP7l5F1ksE4ISQQWed9SSdv92XPWNoNGX3ZO942-i4swKi-tG6gPuPaZWBO5b_32lTA/s1600/warhol-letter.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;">Photo Source: <a href="http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/its-with-regret-mr-warhol.html">Letters of Note</a></span></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-29509515110277808592013-02-23T15:55:00.000-06:002013-02-24T09:47:14.319-06:00On Unwearables<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUq1pPomnbTlKFhnqpOprlBToCDejvdk66a03IJJMrjb_o0TF_AuafrkV7w5bW59vu9pmkRCtm5eZfHNtIswRcCk6ByP0dijC5c4CSx_4OmqndnhZqjjYcbvCzdYoWFnhULK_Fy9jl1vlY/s1600/unwearables.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUq1pPomnbTlKFhnqpOprlBToCDejvdk66a03IJJMrjb_o0TF_AuafrkV7w5bW59vu9pmkRCtm5eZfHNtIswRcCk6ByP0dijC5c4CSx_4OmqndnhZqjjYcbvCzdYoWFnhULK_Fy9jl1vlY/s1600/unwearables.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Years ago, before I really had any artistic appreciation for fashion, I had a love-hate relationship with magazines. I've always been a reader, so I loved the articles, the interviews, the photography. What I didn't understand were the editorial shoots. Impossibly skinny models with a hair style that likely took hours and expertise, garish makeup–but that wasn't the most puzzling. It was the clothes. A shirt with a sweater and a jacket and a coat and tights and socks with a mismatched skirt and an armful of jewelry? Would anyone in their right mind ever wear that?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With a few exceptions, the answer is no, and for a number of reasons. The first is the impracticality of dressing like a fabulous, fabulous clown. So few can pull off an over embellished and strikingly on-trend ensemble. The second deals with budget. It's not rational for any given person's everyday outfits to add up to a ballpark total of $10,000. (This would exclude jewelry.) I think there are very few people in this world that can wear head-to-toe Chanel, Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton on a daily basis. </span><br />
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotQd_-gHvYiW-PukrOkA5Hy8XvIbn-wFk3b0XZEwl_3qQWz_qmScn2b-PAq9SggYXbZJdOiA4v8Bu_K7FqCU_PkLU_ASzYjLWH5MZPzoFuvwNEb9W4xzBazqmcMLZwbjzOoccMbB9vMUP/s1600/unwearables+fall+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotQd_-gHvYiW-PukrOkA5Hy8XvIbn-wFk3b0XZEwl_3qQWz_qmScn2b-PAq9SggYXbZJdOiA4v8Bu_K7FqCU_PkLU_ASzYjLWH5MZPzoFuvwNEb9W4xzBazqmcMLZwbjzOoccMbB9vMUP/s1600/unwearables+fall+collage.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I've matured, I've come to understand fashion, magazines and the general ways for the world much more. Fashion is a fantastical, ever-changing world full of unpredictable and innovative creatives. It's wearable art. And just like art, you can make of it what you want. It can be everything, it can be nothing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So these editorials, they are works of art. They're not meant to be taken literally. Yes, if you wear that exact outfit on the street, people will stare at you and take your picture. (Yet, if you want to, you certainly can.) They're a launching point for an outfit, for a purchase. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The same can be said of runway shows. The looks aren't necessarily meant to be worn all together, at the same time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMe0Umc94OlfVdI_t99QvzA_GHvQ3Bkprnlc80cs8-OqFCQaaReLw-v66r8lwcc8Ox5OZFipMxdcgjvDlimEwpcSBaUC6aW4vf-IugI7Dj9hSBuw1sywl8b3covpCMsrvJbUgVy_Bnhv3t/s1600/unwearables+collage+spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMe0Umc94OlfVdI_t99QvzA_GHvQ3Bkprnlc80cs8-OqFCQaaReLw-v66r8lwcc8Ox5OZFipMxdcgjvDlimEwpcSBaUC6aW4vf-IugI7Dj9hSBuw1sywl8b3covpCMsrvJbUgVy_Bnhv3t/s1600/unwearables+collage+spring.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Joe Zee, the creative director at Elle magazine, is frank about the disconnect. “Is every single look that you see going to be accessible and wearable? No, but that’s not the point. I would like to think that our readers are smarter than that. We’re the thinking woman’s fashion magazine. No one is going to rip out that page and re-create the outfit exactly as shown. Instead, the image will provide a point of reference.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Photos: All courtesy of <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2013">Women's Wear Daily</a></span></div>
</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-38882104013439657642013-02-06T22:55:00.001-06:002013-02-06T22:55:27.535-06:00History Lesson on Nail Polish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1W5fQHEbIwM4ygQmmFYag8zJm3YOqjfL8HysXpIiqL0F1iEa3OYvgNZkmtSMWdtOSmBo1k3AnsdlUL2u84YPXZlwH5Ol5-ZuolAhXlQgQbo2hIU1jnJWkuAnFJRA61w_OJe6bG4Nc0eG/s1600/history+lesson-+nail+polish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1W5fQHEbIwM4ygQmmFYag8zJm3YOqjfL8HysXpIiqL0F1iEa3OYvgNZkmtSMWdtOSmBo1k3AnsdlUL2u84YPXZlwH5Ol5-ZuolAhXlQgQbo2hIU1jnJWkuAnFJRA61w_OJe6bG4Nc0eG/s1600/history+lesson-+nail+polish.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Curiosity is a compelling thing. Einstein claimed he was not a genius, just exceptionally curious. I like to think I'm exceptionally curious. I wonder about the mundane, the elegant, the downright bizarre. How did the delightfully petite macarons come about? Where did the word 'serendipity' come from? However, I am certainly no genius.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yet, here I am, another curiosity, another question: <i>Who decided that it was aesthetically pleasing to paint a glossy coat of varnish on one's nails?</i><br />
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thus, here we are: nail polish, a brief history. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Babylonia, 3200 B.C.: a treasure trove for historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and now beauty enthusiasts. Manicures made from kohl were first spotted in ancient royal tombs, worn by males in colors with accordance to social class. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Around the same time, the Chinese also used nail color as a sense of self-expression and class definition. Their methods of coloring the nails were quite different than ours of today; they used egg whites, beeswax, Arabic gum and flower petals to soak their nails for hours to get the desired hue. </div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxM4HXPSUYlZ3dZIu9JoxTLyVKz1BRKxXHsfwAmlqUPjJCn4kECpC_dIXBMzYzgN0XJs7jSMBRH9g9rl21kwC5F6qByNREJ7k2yph8Doey4mg6ShQW13oAyvc6yYhy4S1nhqA9iDqJxmSc/s1600/chinese+egyptian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxM4HXPSUYlZ3dZIu9JoxTLyVKz1BRKxXHsfwAmlqUPjJCn4kECpC_dIXBMzYzgN0XJs7jSMBRH9g9rl21kwC5F6qByNREJ7k2yph8Doey4mg6ShQW13oAyvc6yYhy4S1nhqA9iDqJxmSc/s1600/chinese+egyptian.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The ancient Egyptians, too, were advocates of nail color, staining them with henna. Lore has it that Nefertiti and Cleopatra wore shades of red, which is only fitting. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Jump forward to 1920, France. Michelle Menard adapted the enamel used to paint cars to a less high-tech and permanent version for nails, which was popular among flappers. Menard came to America, where she perfected her formula, which became part of a company later called Revlon. </div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xJqbgY8CHxu0N-4bH88jiAJHw_RQJ419vVgcwba2FgQyIaxZLs5URBEw1hyphenhyphenPM4ZHK4k80Ia0Q_zyHjgc249Ox63QywRI7uUPpdKWpazcqVJHHTeQ87Bi7yiT-VlnX_H8zkFo50LrnLzj/s1600/rita+bette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xJqbgY8CHxu0N-4bH88jiAJHw_RQJ419vVgcwba2FgQyIaxZLs5URBEw1hyphenhyphenPM4ZHK4k80Ia0Q_zyHjgc249Ox63QywRI7uUPpdKWpazcqVJHHTeQ87Bi7yiT-VlnX_H8zkFo50LrnLzj/s1600/rita+bette.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thanks to Technicolor television and the immense popularity of glamorous actresses like Bette Davis (left), nail polish became an essential in the realm of high fashion. To no surprise, red was the most in vogue, as popularized by Rita Hayworth (right). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In 1976, the French manicure debuted on the runways in Paris and was an immediate hit. The market begged for a more versatile style, and the natural look fit the bill. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the '70s, '80s and '90s, black nail polish was popular among the rock and punk band set, evoking their gritty style and music. </div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ehMqjkneBT6J1ec4qXPWv6hJaB2Ys92LPG20HN9fbP-9wu8H-HzOXjfH33NlhG2sO114e4IEVsTmBvCjUvlY7G36qB9ZNoR7wN9OWSiDTsFcmrJut_mzuu-PiHjfRfhWhuExov_99rrW/s1600/dior+red+nails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ehMqjkneBT6J1ec4qXPWv6hJaB2Ys92LPG20HN9fbP-9wu8H-HzOXjfH33NlhG2sO114e4IEVsTmBvCjUvlY7G36qB9ZNoR7wN9OWSiDTsFcmrJut_mzuu-PiHjfRfhWhuExov_99rrW/s1600/dior+red+nails.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Today, it seems anything goes. Ombre, color blocking, glitter, caviar. Nail art mimics the trends of the runway. There are dozens of blogs and websites dedicated to decking out nails. You've no doubt seen the "signature" nail art pose: a freshly painted manicure energetically gripping the new color's bottle. You can go high or low, O.P.I or Deborah Lippman, China Glaze or Dior. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As a female, getting or giving oneself a manicure is a rite of passage. Painted nails can be seen on a three year old or an 80 year old, the effect is the same. Think about it: how many times have your nails been painted in your life?<br />
<br />
Sources: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/105011963/30-nail-polishes-medium">Illustrated polish</a>, <a href="http://michellephan.com/blog/post/michelle-phan-history-lesson-nail-polish-throughout-the-years">Chinese</a>, <a href="http://michellephan.com/blog/post/michelle-phan-history-lesson-nail-polish-throughout-the-years">Egyptian</a>, <a href="http://snoodlebugvintage.blogspot.com/2010/10/nailed-it-vintage-manicures-history-and.html">Bette Davis</a>, <a href="http://michellephan.com/blog/post/michelle-phan-history-lesson-nail-polish-throughout-the-years">Rita Hayworth</a>, <a href="http://michellephan.com/blog/post/michelle-phan-history-lesson-nail-polish-throughout-the-years">Dior</a></div>
</div>
</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-24026642767921853452013-01-19T11:34:00.000-06:002013-01-19T11:34:01.450-06:00Kate Spade Meets Pop Art<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xXIDzubQFs7DbHNZQQdFEtX5TomzUsHJBAFFqVQYfmM2TEWCslFjl707nWwHi3O1kSBpWxT1ZVTeejndR-RiKxuTJjVS5MZH53gVqxvXhr_wUVSFxEydndlMqp1wIKB1gnv_TumWshXM/s1600/tumblr_mgbuyd56Bq1qgef94o1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xXIDzubQFs7DbHNZQQdFEtX5TomzUsHJBAFFqVQYfmM2TEWCslFjl707nWwHi3O1kSBpWxT1ZVTeejndR-RiKxuTJjVS5MZH53gVqxvXhr_wUVSFxEydndlMqp1wIKB1gnv_TumWshXM/s1600/tumblr_mgbuyd56Bq1qgef94o1_1280.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How happy I was to see that Kate Spade's theme for the month of January was "a pop of color," kicking off their overarching 2013 mantra of "things we love." I'm all about Kate Spade and all about color, so those two things alone were enough to get my heart racing. But what's more is that yet again, Deborah Lloyd, Brad Goreski and crew continue to amaze.
</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">They take the idea of "pop" to a deeper cultural level, not only using the word to express the bold use of color, but to reference American pop art.
</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pop art, short for–you guessed it– "popular art," was dominant in the United States in the 1960s. Subject matter featured primarily common household products and other products of mass consumption (example: Andy Warhol's Campbell's soup can). The overall movement was about creating art by using objects that were recognizable to the masses and through commercial techniques like silk-screening. These tactics of familiarity bluntly rejected the historical and classical subjects of traditional art.
</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The most particular influence in a number of accessories comes from Roy Lichtenstein, an American pop artist who lived from 1923-1997. His most recognizable works are his paintings that resemble comic strips from newspapers. Both his subject matter and technique mimic the iconic comic style: he creates cartoon-like figures and characters, uses a basic color palette and constructs his pictures from Ben-Day dots. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0lFO_HOVxvKUB2p6MPIUb5NhR3ryUnbvULbuHpwhw5omNTSi0AjBID4-wxlWOKeS9M-zSg2kcPC9mb8egx4GAe2rYxjFWaO0P9ox1Xa1YQES6lv0uezWrGgtW9BMCTijWsyQveoJ6mc_/s1600/chi-roy-lichtenstein-art-institute-chicago-exh-001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0lFO_HOVxvKUB2p6MPIUb5NhR3ryUnbvULbuHpwhw5omNTSi0AjBID4-wxlWOKeS9M-zSg2kcPC9mb8egx4GAe2rYxjFWaO0P9ox1Xa1YQES6lv0uezWrGgtW9BMCTijWsyQveoJ6mc_/s1600/chi-roy-lichtenstein-art-institute-chicago-exh-001.jpeg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">His use of found, mass-produced subjects serves to make a bold statement to and about society. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;">Ideas and methods that were downright taboo in previous art circles were accepted and exhibited in the finest of galleries. </span>He managed to bring a newfound youthful and ironic feel to the art world by introducing commercial sources as fine art, perhaps to say that we need not take ourselves too seriously.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXlQKQlcf0Nkuk3dhyjxfNsjeB5SGzb1AszoFMTHJKVmSVKXrDVOGVjZFPYWcaIcjPgCg2kBwUTpai-8um8iC2GIRTynEmkV7hLtZ4FH6qohbm8GBAafNnsf1p6xeJQHrcdUhAU5FDQav/s1600/kate-spade-new-york-pop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXlQKQlcf0Nkuk3dhyjxfNsjeB5SGzb1AszoFMTHJKVmSVKXrDVOGVjZFPYWcaIcjPgCg2kBwUTpai-8um8iC2GIRTynEmkV7hLtZ4FH6qohbm8GBAafNnsf1p6xeJQHrcdUhAU5FDQav/s1600/kate-spade-new-york-pop.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Which brings us, full circle, back to Kate Spade, where "crisp color, graphic prints and playful sophistication are hallmarks." Surely our pal Roy would approve, right?</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxq6t-9hz0QOzsbGTLk-y2UTmSxTtqvLH4QE80-fTyGHhFVFskH_4RWbyTGJ6ZfhdJFb2c3oFqoqeqY0cLoHtnFt3jNS6tYO1Un8HNmE8am7OJ8zpXwV6csO6FNi1cI894XPds8OCzG_K/s1600/andy-warhol-quote-pop-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxq6t-9hz0QOzsbGTLk-y2UTmSxTtqvLH4QE80-fTyGHhFVFskH_4RWbyTGJ6ZfhdJFb2c3oFqoqeqY0cLoHtnFt3jNS6tYO1Un8HNmE8am7OJ8zpXwV6csO6FNi1cI894XPds8OCzG_K/s1600/andy-warhol-quote-pop-art.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sources: <a href="http://katespadeny.tumblr.com/#!/post/40039709970/pop-into-our-shop-for-an-extra-popofcolor-for">Kate Spade New York Instagram</a>, <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-09-04/entertainment/chi-roy-lichtenstein-art-institute-chicago-exhibit-20120904_1_institute-spokeswoman-erin-hogan-art-institute-roy-lichtenstein">The Chicago Tribune</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Products: All Kate Spade New York: <a href="http://www.katespade.com/pop-gia/PWRU3201,default,pd.html?dwvar_PWRU3201_color=955&start=86&cgid=new-arrivals">Pop Gia</a>, <a href="http://www.katespade.com/pop-gia/PWRU3201,default,pd.html?dwvar_PWRU3201_color=955&start=84&cgid=new-arrivals">Chad Bon Shopper</a>, <a href="http://www.katespade.com/%21-tee/NJMU2210,default,pd.html?dwvar_NJMU2210_color=178&start=21&cgid=new-arrivals">! Tee</a>, <a href="http://www.katespade.com/lenticular-iphone-5-case/PSRU1199A,default,pd.html?dwvar_PSRU1199A_color=149&start=225&cgid=new-arrivals">Lenticular iPhone 5 case</a>, <a href="http://www.katespade.com/comic-davie/PWRU3098-2,default,pd.html?dwvar_PWRU3098-2_color=950&start=83&cgid=new-arrivals">Comic Davie</a>, <a href="http://www.katespade.com/claudette-dress-in-mondrian/NJMU2214,default,pd.html?dwvar_NJMU2214_color=991&start=2&cgid=new-arrivals">Claudette Dress</a>, <a href="http://www.katespade.com/taxi-keyfob/PWRU3268,default,pd.html?dwvar_PWRU3268_color=974&start=128&cgid=new-arrivals">Taxi! Key fob</a>, <a href="http://www.katespade.com/pop-silk-square-scarf/PSRU1114,default,pd.html?dwvar_PSRU1114_color=974&start=37&cgid=new-arrivals">Pop! Silk Scarf</a></span></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-31100693585211715262012-12-31T10:01:00.002-06:002012-12-31T10:01:37.530-06:00The Carrie Bradshaw Tulle Skirt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I think of a tulle skirt, a number of things comes to mind. Whimsical ballerinas en pointe to Tchaikovsky, giddy toddlers at a costume party, horrifyingly tacky cotton-candy colored prom dresses, and Carrie Bradshaw. As a former ballerina (very former, meaning kindergarten through fifth grade), wedding dress lover (Vera, Reem Acra, Amsale, Christos...) and overall connoisseur of anything rather feminine, I love the fabric, if done right. Like most things in this world, it has its wonderful moments, it has its terrifying moments (see prom dresses above). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's consider the most culturally and fashionably relevant at the moment. Miss Bradshaw, an icon in her own right (although, purely fictional), donned a creamy and layered tulle skirt in Sex and the City's opening credits. If you're a regular watcher of SATC or flip to E! more than once a week, you've no doubt seen the classic scene: Carrie smugly sauntering the streets of NYC, only to be splashed by a passing bus with an advertisement of her column and picture on it. In my mind, and I hope in yours, the skirt is synonymous with her name and character. For such an iconic look, the story on how the skirt was discovered is quite diamond-in-the-rough. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4psrhf2e-rlqPVxrQcN9_DlxWeIctB3yUt_QzT2sxGPVenRpzVPqoXfo8bWpeas6UQ1wIH4xx3c00jv9maEoEbut174HrFcyHof0Kwos0RWmwinQC6SWp6dpH2AAnymBt8bhVruiWxyA/s1600/carrie-bradshaw-tulle-skirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4psrhf2e-rlqPVxrQcN9_DlxWeIctB3yUt_QzT2sxGPVenRpzVPqoXfo8bWpeas6UQ1wIH4xx3c00jv9maEoEbut174HrFcyHof0Kwos0RWmwinQC6SWp6dpH2AAnymBt8bhVruiWxyA/s1600/carrie-bradshaw-tulle-skirt.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Patricia Field served as Sex and the City's costume designer for all six seasons and both movies, earning her two Emmy awards in costuming. While searching for outfits for the opening, Field found a tulle tutu in a bargain bin on the floor. On a whim, she bought it for $5. SJP, unsurprisingly, loved it, but it took some convincing to get the show's producer on board. Such a leap of courage certainly paid off, and continued to carry Bradshaw's style to the forefront of trends throughout the show's seasons. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps taking a cue from Carrie, but more likely perhaps not, recent runway shows, too, display the ever-ethereal and statement-making tulle skirt. Starting on the left: Christian Siriano RTW spring 2012, Oscar de la Renta RTW spring 2013, and Tory Burch RTW spring 2013. Of course, tulle skirts will forever be a favorite at houses like Marchesa, Reem Acra and Vera Wang. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZrj4nPy5KxZd-So-7GduYLI64C0PUV-Q2MpwJDLHxH6tV8S9sgSmEJR21Rkz7AaRwyg4DTS2NCYuNVCSXVUsyrgFxkdiC1GoBCy7im6Bppq4j6DQh0L05jKXNKj0hkXJvpOmG2ct2Skd/s1600/runway-tulle-skirts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZrj4nPy5KxZd-So-7GduYLI64C0PUV-Q2MpwJDLHxH6tV8S9sgSmEJR21Rkz7AaRwyg4DTS2NCYuNVCSXVUsyrgFxkdiC1GoBCy7im6Bppq4j6DQh0L05jKXNKj0hkXJvpOmG2ct2Skd/s1600/runway-tulle-skirts.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On a more wearable, daytime scale, fashion bloggers have created their own perspective on the tulle skirt. Starting on the left: Jane Aldridge from Sea of Shoes, an unknown (yet well-dressed) blonde, and Blair Eadie of Atlantic-Pacfic. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMQS3T5bV5Mqp9vKzUm73nR_gPCeonnH6Fq9hj3whKhxMJzWj6vLvR9PMDWa6n7ixWKQJiUEPPQOFBTMWtJ52heefMy0XsYh_Xgz1QRRDtVcPpVVjKKs7_bReGA0UnkLO4TnsutIDb5hs/s1600/bloggers-tulle-skirts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMQS3T5bV5Mqp9vKzUm73nR_gPCeonnH6Fq9hj3whKhxMJzWj6vLvR9PMDWa6n7ixWKQJiUEPPQOFBTMWtJ52heefMy0XsYh_Xgz1QRRDtVcPpVVjKKs7_bReGA0UnkLO4TnsutIDb5hs/s1600/bloggers-tulle-skirts.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Even with Carrie Bradshaw and Patricia Field paving the way, would you wear a tulle skirt for a daytime look?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Sources: <a href="http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/celebrity/pictures/13864/96/carrie-bradshaw-style-highs-lows-sex-and-the-city-fashion-sarah-jessica-parker-pics.html">Carrie Bradshaw in cream</a>, <a href="http://www.look.co.uk/fashion/carrie-bradshaw%E2%80%99s-most-memorable-fashion-moments">Carrie Bradshaw in green</a>; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/spring-ready-to-wear-2012/review/christian-siriano">Christian Siriano</a> by George Chinsee, <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/spring-ready-to-wear-2013/review/oscar-de-la-renta/slideshow/6274952#/slideshow/article/6274801/6274954">Oscar de la Renta</a> by Giovanni Giannoni, <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/spring-ready-to-wear-2013/review/tory-burch/slideshow/6269463#/slideshow/article/6269400/6269467">Tory Burch</a> by Robert Mitra; <a href="http://seaofshoes.typepad.com/sea_of_shoes/2012/12/tulle-fairy-tale.html">Sea of Shoes</a>, <a href="http://rufflesandsequins.blogspot.com/2012_11_01_archive.html">Grey Tulle</a>, <a href="http://atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-fall-date.html">Atlantic-Pacific</a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-79125857409545187462012-12-25T20:51:00.003-06:002012-12-25T20:51:43.532-06:00Perfume Bottles<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Can we talk about perfume bottles for a moment? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />While I'm fully aware that it's not polite to judge a book by its cover, it's impossible to say that packaging doesn't play a role in my perfume-buying practices. Yes, it's ultimately about the scent. But I can't have a hideous bottle marring my vintage mirror-and-gold vanity tray, especially since (as you may have noticed) aesthetics are a big thing for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />In such a competitive market, perfume packaging, along with that of other cosmetics, is of utmost importance. We've all been there: at the perfume counter, smelling samples, being helped by a pushy saleswoman (or man). After a half-dozen sniffs, they all start to smell the same. And then you sniff the coffee beans to clear your sniffer, and sniff some more, and it's all sort of just a miserable process. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Not to suggest that we all throw our hands up and go with the prettiest bottle. Because we don't, or not entirely. For those of us whose olfactory senses are not well-attuned to the minute differences in similar perfumes, a lovely bottle sure is an easy way out. Shall we examine the good, the bad and the ugly?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_dY8zIQ40Ba-K-9pbJqXnu8C3XMEdI56JAZbCnpk1YrYDwozzFlGKn8AGFBUDBaX79mw3MDaAFMdu2JSKucfV2b5J_baOrI9_tDlBt9qdVI2eOc2LQm_L308W64PjnKMP25E5d6K80hy/s1600/perfume-the-good.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_dY8zIQ40Ba-K-9pbJqXnu8C3XMEdI56JAZbCnpk1YrYDwozzFlGKn8AGFBUDBaX79mw3MDaAFMdu2JSKucfV2b5J_baOrI9_tDlBt9qdVI2eOc2LQm_L308W64PjnKMP25E5d6K80hy/s1600/perfume-the-good.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Chanel No. 5 by Chan</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>el</i>: </span>It was the fifth sample scent Mlle. Coco Chanel smelled on sampling for the house's first fragrance. In my opinion, it's more for the grandmotherly set, but you can't deny the classic icon that the bottle has become. And if perfume bottles could talk, not many of them could say they've been silk-screened by Andy Warhol.</span><br />
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Daisy by Marc Jacobs</i>: I'm undeniably under the impression (or spell?) that Marc Jacobs can do little wrong. Starting with his namesake high-end line, to his more affordable, yet still pricey, Marc by Marc Jacobs line, to his fragrance-bottle designs. He's good. He's just too good. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXrOXfXHPFPKnEqXBmenb3P7Y105EDz_NGjV2oZ2TOxaeIRr1zXnsXa0sZCs1YoAGlsScOGKj4qmGM4_pHy-l7maTNDdBj87wGuQryf_CufjGrdJuWulFv3DgGWd2wLKK_L1XYy94Faj1/s1600/perfume-the-bad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXrOXfXHPFPKnEqXBmenb3P7Y105EDz_NGjV2oZ2TOxaeIRr1zXnsXa0sZCs1YoAGlsScOGKj4qmGM4_pHy-l7maTNDdBj87wGuQryf_CufjGrdJuWulFv3DgGWd2wLKK_L1XYy94Faj1/s1600/perfume-the-bad.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Girlfriend by Justin Bieber</i>: I don't even like, follow, or obsess over Justin Bieber, but if I had to guess the future name of his fragrance, it would be Girlfriend. This bottle's get-up reminds me of a fashionable yet fragile bowling pin that's trying too hard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i style="font-family: inherit;">Couture Couture by Juicy Couture</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">: The name in itself is a mouthful. The pink-lined zipper, the crest-like topper, it's all an information overload. While an over-the-top pink princess is definitely the epitome of a "Juicy girl," this bottle might be a little too much, even for the </span>juiciest<span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tfc32-jCYe6iAUsLNXz5p94xMIE8oeu5ro7dJJN88vvlSAvhtUEvaYEWKpMqXg1vplz8ZRFrgXkbEcqzPv2MY87jKs-umWVYQ3AyWngb34dZ9vD12USp6dp689J-Acwew-75pEoSL5tI/s1600/perfume-the-ugly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tfc32-jCYe6iAUsLNXz5p94xMIE8oeu5ro7dJJN88vvlSAvhtUEvaYEWKpMqXg1vplz8ZRFrgXkbEcqzPv2MY87jKs-umWVYQ3AyWngb34dZ9vD12USp6dp689J-Acwew-75pEoSL5tI/s1600/perfume-the-ugly.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Fantasy Twist by Britney Spears</i>:<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>To start, I will admit that my inner 90s girl loves Britney. I'm not going to lie or be ashamed about listening to the album "Oops I Did It Again" within the last month. I know that once you're a mainstream celebrity, or if you've appeared on the cover of People enough times, having a personal fragrance is essentially a rite of passage. This is bad though. Like a tacky-glamorous-Pokemon-ball bad. A message to Brit: ditch your product designer!</span><br />
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Pink Friday by Nicki Mina<span style="font-family: inherit;">j</span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;">: </span>It was a good thought. It really was. And it's so Nicki, as in it's pink, looks like a robot and is startlingly attention-grabbing. I stared at it for a good couple minutes in the store, and came to the conclusion that if a small child all but glanced at it, there's a good chance they would run away crying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I</span>mage sources: <a href="http://www.sephora.com/product/chanel/productDetail.jsp?productID=FWN05010">Chanel No. 5</a>, <a href="http://www.sephora.com/daisy-P191858?skuId=1029941">Daisy by Marc Jacobs</a>, <a href="http://www.sephora.com/girlfriend-P375299?skuId=1448174">Girlfriend by Justin Bieber</a>, <a href="http://www.sephora.com/couture-couture-P247205?skuId=1213701">Couture Couture by Juicy Couture</a>, <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/pink-friday-by-nicki-minaj-eau-de-parfum/3381648?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_ite=pink_friday_by_nicki_minaj_eau_de_parfum:578826&cm_pla=fragrance:women:perfume&cm_ven=Google_Product_Ads&mr:ad=25990682033&mr:adType=pla&mr:filter=53285849513&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:referralID=NA&mr:trackingCode=8420490B-D301-E211-9A4A-90E2BA0278A8&origin=pla">Pink Friday by Nicki Minaj</a>, <a href="http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-c30433/britney-spears-fantasy-twist-2-in-1-fragrance-collection.jsp">Fantasy Twist by Britney Spears</a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-70891658119833134182012-12-24T18:11:00.007-06:002012-12-24T18:26:20.260-06:00Implementation <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOG1h_UJYmYz2bYfEbsq8GdngFIIg5jJT8USXmNZcTcShZ1JkjbCn54QhJy_tKi32xzn34dVmeD85VZu7kYT4CocTPads4iF55Z7n_1fCdIxCutlxFphlFCTQO4M_CWVtpru7rbiNAEybM/s1600/tumblr_m7f9wz0v0S1r1tv3no1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOG1h_UJYmYz2bYfEbsq8GdngFIIg5jJT8USXmNZcTcShZ1JkjbCn54QhJy_tKi32xzn34dVmeD85VZu7kYT4CocTPads4iF55Z7n_1fCdIxCutlxFphlFCTQO4M_CWVtpru7rbiNAEybM/s1600/tumblr_m7f9wz0v0S1r1tv3no1_500.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I've been dabbling (at best) with blogging and The Corner Apartment on and off for maybe a year and a half now. It's been great. It really has. I love being able to write whatever I want, research things I'm curious about, connect with others who share my interests, and play around with and teach myself graphic design.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are so many wonderful sites and bloggers out there. So. Many. It's overwhelming, really, how you could spend a whole day doing nothing but read them. Such an influx of information has lead me to an idea, something that I think fits perfectly with my personality while being unique to the big blogging community.<br />
<br />
My main goal is to focus on the writing. I'm going to do longer pieces, researched and well thought-out articles while still maintaining my connection to and passion for history, art and style. I want to learn things, convey them to readers and talk about things that matter. As much as I love putting outfit posts together, it's just not where I want to go.<br />
<br />
<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?-->
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Additionally, I want to do away with all the consumerism and product-pushing. While I think affiliate programs and brand partnerships are great for some people, I want The Corner Apartment to be a place that stays focused primarily on written content. I am, after all, a journalist (or will be). </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope you all are as excited as I am for the changes to come.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Christmas!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
Source: <a href="http://shecopywrites.com/2012/10/13/5-tips-on-branding-yourself-online/">top image</a></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-37037841989709984502012-12-04T10:42:00.001-06:002012-12-04T10:42:43.195-06:00Changes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyNAAQ6NaVF9nuEl4IFZsBocpkY9ZQZJ91HUGawWKzMEdVCZAsj7W4kMtbtgodOmvfVJJONdKTTBHp90vYyJy02-sUB8G6tlC8pFzYbaCzCsy-HXlTkltmJry9aUCkpn8io0ez9SoOOyn/s1600/change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyNAAQ6NaVF9nuEl4IFZsBocpkY9ZQZJ91HUGawWKzMEdVCZAsj7W4kMtbtgodOmvfVJJONdKTTBHp90vYyJy02-sUB8G6tlC8pFzYbaCzCsy-HXlTkltmJry9aUCkpn8io0ez9SoOOyn/s1600/change.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
To be short, it has been quite a semester. A new job, new apartment and (hopefully!) new major have been exhausting, overwhelming and thrilling at the same time. I know you've all ridden that emotional roller coaster before. Such busyness brought about almost completely quashed creativity, despite ideas rolling in left and right. I have some very, very long lists.<br />
<br />
To accomodate such ideas, I'm going to make some changes around here (yes, again). I'm not yet sure what they will be, but they will <i>be</i>. I'm officially declaring the deadline for implementing the changes, in full, to be the day spring classes start: January 9. Hold me to it!<br />
<br />
Sources: <a href="http://www.balloons.co.uk/shop/gold-stars-mega-pack-70g-10320.html">original photo</a>, <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/henrywadsw151333.html">quote</a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-12391468257614994432012-10-08T21:08:00.003-05:002012-10-08T21:08:49.528-05:00Fall 2012 Ready-To-Wear // NYC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljpgWFxnN9zRf_yUWUqvG3P2c3NIUJuMymx9PU8VdKr-EXQDNYJ8zwXQF565m3e0EEp5ApUa24zBX-1yvkwN5AAWF6jYM86gCvlsTI4SYWvXvkiGu6zhLMN3h65IZqManFTr9q3eab8jy/s1600/nyfw+banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljpgWFxnN9zRf_yUWUqvG3P2c3NIUJuMymx9PU8VdKr-EXQDNYJ8zwXQF565m3e0EEp5ApUa24zBX-1yvkwN5AAWF6jYM86gCvlsTI4SYWvXvkiGu6zhLMN3h65IZqManFTr9q3eab8jy/s1600/nyfw+banner.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
It's difficult to fully envision ourselves in the newly debuted spring 2013 collections when we are finally beginning to stock up on sweaters and dust off our riding boots for the next few (blessedly) cooler months. While I have been fully appreciating the colorful and breezy separates and dresses of the Spring/Summer Ready-To-Wear runways, I've found its got my seasonal fashion clock a bit confused.<br />
<br />
Of course it's fortunate that the fashion (and thus publishing) world is so forward-thinking. They serve as our cooler-than-thou seemingly omniscient mentors who shape and direct trends for us to build on, copy and make our own.<br />
<br />
For now, let's go back to last February when we were tempted once again with a faraway season, plush knits and meticulously crafted trench coats parading down the runway in their usual artful manner. Shall we begin at the first stop of the fashion week circuit, New York City?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdIdogcpQKB8DV3xE2jr3WSm-r2xTgvNai49YcmuAAapw5eoNkHdPHZ2RGY7KB-HbSbN_tLZoLS7wVoPIX-wdDydsAJB5Bp7Yk-GrJtVpe8bR9TW7lPWJljaRNImRf7kweiIDpsThcL6M/s1600/NYFW+Alice+and+Olivia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdIdogcpQKB8DV3xE2jr3WSm-r2xTgvNai49YcmuAAapw5eoNkHdPHZ2RGY7KB-HbSbN_tLZoLS7wVoPIX-wdDydsAJB5Bp7Yk-GrJtVpe8bR9TW7lPWJljaRNImRf7kweiIDpsThcL6M/s1600/NYFW+Alice+and+Olivia.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZs09ZXV985f9kSAH7jm9MkMFTJS2E-HpNBn5UTRdt1VDagXA2VvC3kxIwOG3xst12IZGaiS8AzVOFCDN-7YYOIET-K8UOJ8B_3fKx2kgY-I3mmYFxqGZk7_HfQQX-H3EfLyOeynj1x5J/s1600/NYFW+Calla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZs09ZXV985f9kSAH7jm9MkMFTJS2E-HpNBn5UTRdt1VDagXA2VvC3kxIwOG3xst12IZGaiS8AzVOFCDN-7YYOIET-K8UOJ8B_3fKx2kgY-I3mmYFxqGZk7_HfQQX-H3EfLyOeynj1x5J/s1600/NYFW+Calla.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbm7iejZRStnhtJkb1FJ_lVZ-qgMoVUgHVlL0PEqg2eMKgg7qP1kRnyEvhN3YfgLBf4NXtHS21iqZhdQwFXOjkVd2q343WgQAbIpKtagB0hECk7q7FjfsiEXlPgNfMbETkkpONpq5vURr8/s1600/NYFW+Chris+Benz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbm7iejZRStnhtJkb1FJ_lVZ-qgMoVUgHVlL0PEqg2eMKgg7qP1kRnyEvhN3YfgLBf4NXtHS21iqZhdQwFXOjkVd2q343WgQAbIpKtagB0hECk7q7FjfsiEXlPgNfMbETkkpONpq5vURr8/s1600/NYFW+Chris+Benz.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixS1PJq9W1XiM3QhfflAs-HKPPdSrY1BDC07IZGcrZ_UGGqw9DR0MqJvEp1sqpbMXjE9b2PQRYHr5hnocxfrwhIEXN0sO0cQ8GYe9bJmN1IL3mpqUXgYlygBQpaubovP72b0mn26t0bEo9/s1600/NYFW+Christian+Siriano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixS1PJq9W1XiM3QhfflAs-HKPPdSrY1BDC07IZGcrZ_UGGqw9DR0MqJvEp1sqpbMXjE9b2PQRYHr5hnocxfrwhIEXN0sO0cQ8GYe9bJmN1IL3mpqUXgYlygBQpaubovP72b0mn26t0bEo9/s1600/NYFW+Christian+Siriano.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgWiGrKTROUvaJ1ASx0FoiEVQyTK16-WAu7nW1qbkuETDmEGzYAu25IW2b-DZB0NQsY3XG9MmZO1J6B5aG2Rfsx2gvPwbjHYOvusKaG-FsF3e18tpO4kGOhH1GpSNr5VFxkO1AFPBATdY/s1600/NYFW+J+Crew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgWiGrKTROUvaJ1ASx0FoiEVQyTK16-WAu7nW1qbkuETDmEGzYAu25IW2b-DZB0NQsY3XG9MmZO1J6B5aG2Rfsx2gvPwbjHYOvusKaG-FsF3e18tpO4kGOhH1GpSNr5VFxkO1AFPBATdY/s1600/NYFW+J+Crew.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu30aHQ0iTYtHHptm3jtkvgS6N4ZVngb2abymQ-HPTYQ0mgYk2APki9sO9VsglTVDfMe8uAq4nmUkvIW8iNo1uwuJKOXh5nZNHjFCDTUmT47c1wncMOHnE18nTU_fo858V6q2TVtUrfKPo/s1600/NYFW+Kate+Spade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu30aHQ0iTYtHHptm3jtkvgS6N4ZVngb2abymQ-HPTYQ0mgYk2APki9sO9VsglTVDfMe8uAq4nmUkvIW8iNo1uwuJKOXh5nZNHjFCDTUmT47c1wncMOHnE18nTU_fo858V6q2TVtUrfKPo/s1600/NYFW+Kate+Spade.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFmbbv3z7WawpdxKRnVOxLvUyfKHrEqdZ_3ySmMIEmRHjNmM_qARGcyz_JOBQa5MD9t-W7koZlY5qb0F1nQkaP1_Vn65v1LL388dqulG4P0q3CdxlrRI8KZP-3b_xAhwAFtXjt4d0whmn/s1600/NYFW+Marc+by+Marc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFmbbv3z7WawpdxKRnVOxLvUyfKHrEqdZ_3ySmMIEmRHjNmM_qARGcyz_JOBQa5MD9t-W7koZlY5qb0F1nQkaP1_Vn65v1LL388dqulG4P0q3CdxlrRI8KZP-3b_xAhwAFtXjt4d0whmn/s1600/NYFW+Marc+by+Marc.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7J0NSL36wRh31_BgDzWi2YB32b38QJ1PxK6_YDQwA2BAVDCLYaJjHEAEJWhL_GT8tDPeQvH77pApIQWdbYmVwv72-ucOl6BXO00BDz7MIihyphenhyphenXt3umuPcVjtegJhsIRUO8mcd-tCE_atkG/s1600/NYFW+Milly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7J0NSL36wRh31_BgDzWi2YB32b38QJ1PxK6_YDQwA2BAVDCLYaJjHEAEJWhL_GT8tDPeQvH77pApIQWdbYmVwv72-ucOl6BXO00BDz7MIihyphenhyphenXt3umuPcVjtegJhsIRUO8mcd-tCE_atkG/s1600/NYFW+Milly.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZqbT-qfVgr8JzrJiSy3BOa3JMhnW1cRduuDXJx6wne_aiDYoVGIe0xKxj1MCCzizi4yoeCirlBBwOJTzn-YZKu2JS56v4_TODmZAaEiBcgF5bfK5Y6QYje2YGzTv2Ngu_mZyxMV3-IO2/s1600/NYFW+Oscar+de+la+Renta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZqbT-qfVgr8JzrJiSy3BOa3JMhnW1cRduuDXJx6wne_aiDYoVGIe0xKxj1MCCzizi4yoeCirlBBwOJTzn-YZKu2JS56v4_TODmZAaEiBcgF5bfK5Y6QYje2YGzTv2Ngu_mZyxMV3-IO2/s1600/NYFW+Oscar+de+la+Renta.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDS_j1Cb2Y_VE_09J0XX3saO3ZUqFqbWJh_0I1iTGjMRo3IHAXD8Md0utCRWZGDnSpQfhqxISAzRxilAEnfyNJO1AUyJChNWYxvLNyvtfu0wMtOkxPOtdr06t4yYjFixEupHTINTzsQwxG/s1600/NYFW+Rachel+Antonoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDS_j1Cb2Y_VE_09J0XX3saO3ZUqFqbWJh_0I1iTGjMRo3IHAXD8Md0utCRWZGDnSpQfhqxISAzRxilAEnfyNJO1AUyJChNWYxvLNyvtfu0wMtOkxPOtdr06t4yYjFixEupHTINTzsQwxG/s1600/NYFW+Rachel+Antonoff.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowMPm_SxRF8nv-RMrKtzv9CmBfNAvVSiZfnjQihV4RAjrv7YCqvaj5D1jHHEHWNScJwWlM4_O6BWNINCMs2E9DimJLv3mLwyAKG4Xpug25FciriKr0h6dlgAsVtyDmmrbnF4rv21qBlod/s1600/NYFW+Tory+Burch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowMPm_SxRF8nv-RMrKtzv9CmBfNAvVSiZfnjQihV4RAjrv7YCqvaj5D1jHHEHWNScJwWlM4_O6BWNINCMs2E9DimJLv3mLwyAKG4Xpug25FciriKr0h6dlgAsVtyDmmrbnF4rv21qBlod/s1600/NYFW+Tory+Burch.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Photo Credits</b>: All courtesy of <a href="http://www.wwd.com/" target="_blank">Women's Wear Daily</a>; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/alice-olivia" target="_blank">Alice + Olivia</a> by Thomas Iannaccone; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/calla?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">Calla</a> by Robert Mitra; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/chris-benz?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">Chris Benz</a> by Giovanni Giannoni; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/christian-siriano?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">Christian Siriano</a> by Giovanni Giannoni; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/jcrew?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">J. Crew</a> by Steve Eichner; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/kate-spade?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">Kate Spade</a> by Pasha Antonov; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/marc-by-marc-jacobs?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">Marc by Marc Jacobs</a> by Thomas Iannaccone; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/milly-by-michelle-smith?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">Milly</a> by Thomas Iannaccone; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/oscar-de-la-renta?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">Oscar de la Renta</a> by George Chinsee; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/rachel-antonoff?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">Rachel Antanoff</a> by Pasha Antonov; <a href="http://www.wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2012/review/tory-burch?module=runway-all-shows" target="_blank">Tory Burch</a> by John AquinoElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-7727940958260677042012-09-12T09:38:00.004-05:002012-12-25T22:22:45.416-06:00History Lesson // Barbies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyk15RmJ-BqTLXNlzzEloD8ZJAW-8E5z7SFfNevvs1UBPptGoVxJUNP3IRbVKzww3oqPnzaVVwUVdKpAtEtgYkzsGC5GR0Y9EeiMah0u_zgylM-NAc9Zz8aex2Hg_ddQEQH0CTBe_6UrrV/s1600/history+lesson+barbies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyk15RmJ-BqTLXNlzzEloD8ZJAW-8E5z7SFfNevvs1UBPptGoVxJUNP3IRbVKzww3oqPnzaVVwUVdKpAtEtgYkzsGC5GR0Y9EeiMah0u_zgylM-NAc9Zz8aex2Hg_ddQEQH0CTBe_6UrrV/s1600/history+lesson+barbies.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For me, a childhood without Barbies would have been endlessly monotonous. I spent hours each day carefully crafting my ballerina-pink room into its own seemingly self-sufficient plastic paradise. There was the mall, the pet shop, a few cars and a grocery store. Plenty of glitter, too. I would line my dolls up in a neat line, brush their hair, change their clothes and begin my own childlike narrative. But what was Barbie's story?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As wife of Mattel co-founder and mother to Barbara and Kenneth (that's not a joke), Ruth Handler was one of the few who had insight to both sides of the toy business- production and consumption. As she watched her daughter play with flimsy paper dolls, she noticed a gap in the market-- dolls that looked like adults as opposed to the ever-so-common baby doll. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ruth's husband Elliot initially rejected the idea, not willing to make such a bold maneuver into unknown toy territory. Upon visiting Germany shortly after her proposal, Ruth saw exactly what she was looking for: a successful doll for young girls modeled after an adult called Bild Lilli. She purchased a few and worked with a Mattel product developer to tweak the doll to appropriate American standards, and Barbie was born.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On March 9, 1959, Barbie made her debut at the American International Toy Fair. The date is also the official birthday of Barbie, whose full yet fictional name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. Her biography states that she hails from Willows, Wisconsin and has younger sisters Skipper, Kelly and Krissy. It appears that Barbie has lived a well-experienced life, with over 40 different pets including dogs, horses and a zebra, and that she has dabbled in more than 100 occupations. She has a rocky romantic relationship with cutie Ken Carson with their last big break up released as a press report by Mattel in 2004. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Barbie has become a cultural icon over the years, needless to say. She represents so much more than a childhood plaything and has served as a muse to a number of professionals across industries. Pop Art prince Andy Warhol added Barbie to his list of clients in 1985, creating yet another version of his signature multicolored portraits. Interior and graphic designer Jonathan Adler debuted his 3,500 square foot Barbie Malibu Dream House in 2009 complete with plenty of pink, velvet and "B" monograms. Project Runway mentor and author Tim Gunn created a small collection for Barbie earlier this summer with stylish separates and smart accessories (but who could expect less?). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3XdUoC9EnVAaGf_gt7jvbeiXdJTW5clPWldLt2XG7T_2_Ng_2tys9vHDBK0iDV4Uz877e3qiHBrGahXlSWlHAMjiSNDNW3Zncg0HoXxY1eleUTinjHMT0MC5p2XnDLocPqqettGjszwA/s1600/aw+barbie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3XdUoC9EnVAaGf_gt7jvbeiXdJTW5clPWldLt2XG7T_2_Ng_2tys9vHDBK0iDV4Uz877e3qiHBrGahXlSWlHAMjiSNDNW3Zncg0HoXxY1eleUTinjHMT0MC5p2XnDLocPqqettGjszwA/s1600/aw+barbie.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJFrfJBVRby_Lhz8deiYr12wY0W1kxda8YzZoi-1-Dzb6EEW6AysDNBZU04u8brVuKBxEjUYSY7XIqcpfvzeAkiHGaCAAmJJZbRM03JfOKQ1vpj7gJW43PRIAdm8tRuYT763PXe8X4axR/s1600/Barbie+JA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJFrfJBVRby_Lhz8deiYr12wY0W1kxda8YzZoi-1-Dzb6EEW6AysDNBZU04u8brVuKBxEjUYSY7XIqcpfvzeAkiHGaCAAmJJZbRM03JfOKQ1vpj7gJW43PRIAdm8tRuYT763PXe8X4axR/s1600/Barbie+JA.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSHVkaRJRjBJTVTX1PUHOBmYGoSI_Vp_Z9FQfdEkzmkUGYkvI_r2CCZxihPX0zpvbTG-XAk6puMY_CJkcrQAYIxLxd1OfKQXsvlFz020waXRMujTyrS7rDe-ck36v3R37hTvC9617EhPH/s1600/tim+gunn+barbies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSHVkaRJRjBJTVTX1PUHOBmYGoSI_Vp_Z9FQfdEkzmkUGYkvI_r2CCZxihPX0zpvbTG-XAk6puMY_CJkcrQAYIxLxd1OfKQXsvlFz020waXRMujTyrS7rDe-ck36v3R37hTvC9617EhPH/s1600/tim+gunn+barbies.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Oh, to walk in Barbie's shoes. She certainly gets the elite treatments. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'll admit- I still enjoy walking down the pastel pink Barbie aisle at stores, always amazed and slightly envious at what Mattel keeps coming up with. It undoubtedly brings back a multitude of memories. </div>
<br />
Sources: <a href="http://www.thebarnlight.com/three-barn-lights-worthy-of-a-dream-home/" target="_blank">Original Barbie image</a>, <a href="http://thedollhead.blogspot.com/2009/02/andy-warhol-and-his-barbie-portrait.html" target="_blank">Barbie by Andy Warhol</a>, <a href="http://www.jonathanadler.com/interior_design.php" target="_blank">Jonathan Adler Malibu Barbie Dream House</a>, <a href="http://www.barbiecollector.com/collection/barbie-styled-tim-gunn#shop-this-collection" target="_blank">Barbie Styled by Tim Gunn</a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-68337827527668042792012-08-19T12:20:00.001-05:002012-08-19T12:20:25.039-05:00Returning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5W022mD8PTKXbVz1KW02NuPG_T2hvugnadagPyLA3jMIASG3cqKh8F1M-WExUWo2UqN8PA7c45wL-eTnGqdT0oFIiM4hHcV6H7_bXXSdBKf_z8pUrnwStE8pEdHQoPFIakYfSPys_uJ0C/s1600/i'm+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5W022mD8PTKXbVz1KW02NuPG_T2hvugnadagPyLA3jMIASG3cqKh8F1M-WExUWo2UqN8PA7c45wL-eTnGqdT0oFIiM4hHcV6H7_bXXSdBKf_z8pUrnwStE8pEdHQoPFIakYfSPys_uJ0C/s1600/i'm+back.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I am so embarrassed to have left so suddenly and for such a long prolonged period of time without any warning. How very rude and thoughtless of me! I hope you can all forgive my absence.<br />
<br />
It's been nearly three weeks since my last little blurb, and what a whirlwind it has been. I have successfully moved back to school and into a new apartment, participated in yet another year of sorority recruitment madness, got a new job, started school, and searched all corners of my little college town for the perfect bedroom decor (we're almost there!).<br />
<br />
Despite all of my new semester busyness, The Corner Apartment shall carry on. And what can you expect? More culture, art, history, less fashion. A lot of pretty pictures, a lot of happy inspiration.<br />
<br />
So, shall I see you tomorrow?<br />
<br />
Source: <a href="http://photoshootbloger.blogspot.com/2011/11/monika-jagaciak-for-dior-cruise-2012_27.html" target="_blank">photo</a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-84858472266091224032012-08-02T23:12:00.001-05:002012-08-02T23:12:28.009-05:00For the Love of // Tees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRvfdZ3Yx7XTdoND_PEGHc6TQRTrE_Q1MZgYQkYrQkpFC-bVbbhw9S-Gw0mL9-Vi8_uleUM_8Vs8Rt0kkAkYVTtBNXRjj_izPzDT8Y-43DVNO_FVJHSGYgHDycbh93ZAjH05QvQA7K4sb/s1600/flo+tees+main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRvfdZ3Yx7XTdoND_PEGHc6TQRTrE_Q1MZgYQkYrQkpFC-bVbbhw9S-Gw0mL9-Vi8_uleUM_8Vs8Rt0kkAkYVTtBNXRjj_izPzDT8Y-43DVNO_FVJHSGYgHDycbh93ZAjH05QvQA7K4sb/s1600/flo+tees+main.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Does anyone else find it unbelievably difficult to find a decent cotton tee? It seems as if they're either mom-fit crew necks from Target or a <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bymnm7n6" target="_blank">perfect LNA dream</a> costing a little less than $100. Ridiculous, yes?<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If I had my choice, I would have a nice drawer full of loose and soft <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bjrqm7n6" target="_blank">Splendid tees</a>- the perfect piece to undermine a dressy blazer or throw on with a pair of jeans. Such a drawer, though, does not exist (at least not in my closet).<br />
<br />
It's <i>hot</i> here in the South. I can hardly think about being outside without shivering (oddly enough) with disgust at the idea of my face melting off and my clothes sticking to me. Thus, I have been quite the t shirt aficionado this summer (note: not the XL sorority version).<br />
<br />
My collection, though, is rather sparse. I have maybe two tees that I actually like to (and regularly) wear.<br />
<br />
So here are two lessons for you: the usual cue from some of the best-dressed style bloggers on how to translate the tee look to your own daily wear, and a nice little compilation from myself on where to get them.<br />
<br />
As essential as they may seem, the t shirt is, after all, <i>just a t shirt</i>. There's really no reason to break the bank, is there?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCx-AbyTnVZIJ_6lhHxj_Eg5xrjnOnDymM9X9nhyuXn1OGYvOOfRPHXr0cLzWJeCT28oIvzUVQTrLQPE3iokzwbA-sORl-Lh2efhzm4HXnbsCbVsLMfze0sx7Fg9iDWWlSta5HfqS_hwl/s1600/flo+tees+pics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCx-AbyTnVZIJ_6lhHxj_Eg5xrjnOnDymM9X9nhyuXn1OGYvOOfRPHXr0cLzWJeCT28oIvzUVQTrLQPE3iokzwbA-sORl-Lh2efhzm4HXnbsCbVsLMfze0sx7Fg9iDWWlSta5HfqS_hwl/s1600/flo+tees+pics.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakzuvVDPLSrE3S5xQyut41ZWlJ8MGvngakOjExgIQ2K1nUiFJO1DT1KFhHOuiDPBDlmglllK1f4QvWJd7U_SkWHTsfcUB_JYQt9B49U1TJBzho7wktXmiwAgq5DwXkFJTFyH7gs0SnEKC/s1600/for+the+love+of+look+tees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakzuvVDPLSrE3S5xQyut41ZWlJ8MGvngakOjExgIQ2K1nUiFJO1DT1KFhHOuiDPBDlmglllK1f4QvWJd7U_SkWHTsfcUB_JYQt9B49U1TJBzho7wktXmiwAgq5DwXkFJTFyH7gs0SnEKC/s1600/for+the+love+of+look+tees.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://rstyle.me/hidkivm7n6" target="_blank">Anthropologie</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/h77amgm7n6" target="_blank">Anthropologie</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bynhm7n6" target="_blank">J Crew</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/n/byqhm7n6" target="_blank">Urban Outfitters</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bynum7n6" target="_blank">Madewell</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bynvm7n6" target="_blank">Madewell</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bypem7n6" target="_blank">Forever 21</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bv5bm7n6" target="_blank">ASOS</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Top shirt: <a href="http://rstyle.me/n/byqim7n6" target="_blank">Madewell</a></div>
<br />
Sources:<br />
<a href="http://www.thepinkpeonies.com/2012/07/spot.html" target="_blank">The Pink Peonies</a>//<a href="http://www.wendyslookbook.com/2011/07/brights-neutrals-royal-blue-jeans-fendi-classico-bag/" target="_blank">Wendy's Lookbook</a>//<a href="http://www.prettyrock.me/apps/blog/show/11766213-sydney-street-fashion" target="_blank">Harper's Bazaar Australia</a>//<a href="http://seejaneworkplaylive.blogspot.com/2012/03/makeshift-see-jane-wear.html" target="_blank">See Jane</a>//<a href="http://www.kendieveryday.com/2012/03/shoes-and-speeches.html" target="_blank">Kendi Everyday</a>//<a href="http://hiimannaandimanaddict.blogspot.com/2011/10/23102011.html" target="_blank">Hi I'm Anna</a>//<a href="http://www.thepinkpeonies.com/2012/07/her-go-to-summer-look-penny-pincher.html" target="_blank">Penny Pincher Fashion</a>//<a href="http://galmeetsglam.blogspot.com/2012/07/dressed-down.html" target="_blank">Gal Meets Glam</a><br />
Quote: <a href="http://www.vogue.com/fashion/most-wanted/fit-to-a-tee/" target="_blank">Vogue</a></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-65810976184630608552012-08-02T14:59:00.000-05:002012-08-02T14:59:45.404-05:00Relax<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqGj8hOJtTKpLQYxs949pcRQfJcbak-kDqM5T3N1R5fqZjnX_icwMb4s5UMHfDzNPzjw98ztoFXrqQ9bk9r3djyG54-OeRUUp2S6ImuL_GZjdmcylHuBG132is0aEsJfTzvfmETIsPiG-/s1600/inhale+exhale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqGj8hOJtTKpLQYxs949pcRQfJcbak-kDqM5T3N1R5fqZjnX_icwMb4s5UMHfDzNPzjw98ztoFXrqQ9bk9r3djyG54-OeRUUp2S6ImuL_GZjdmcylHuBG132is0aEsJfTzvfmETIsPiG-/s1600/inhale+exhale.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">//<a href="http://cornerapartment.tumblr.com/post/25692955864/dietcokeandasmoke-i-wish-this-was-me" target="_blank">original image</a>//</span></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-46429396705314111482012-07-26T15:15:00.000-05:002012-07-27T15:09:53.137-05:00Featured on Julie Leah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05vdDvoSwafpwQt6FsE_2qRJHvJInaXaejIX-THtwlfM1ddiRcpKAxfO7Y043Nb_EgjCXqRXdGZclMzX56W1XxVVzj9fYNHh2854YEpwMslQe6PFbWHjs0VlpqTavyM4m8q1FFy8vqfbK/s1600/2jb41uu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05vdDvoSwafpwQt6FsE_2qRJHvJInaXaejIX-THtwlfM1ddiRcpKAxfO7Y043Nb_EgjCXqRXdGZclMzX56W1XxVVzj9fYNHh2854YEpwMslQe6PFbWHjs0VlpqTavyM4m8q1FFy8vqfbK/s1600/2jb41uu.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Today's <a href="http://www.thecornerapartment.com/search/label/For%20the%20love%20of..." target="_blank">For the Love Of...</a> is over at <a href="http://browneyedbellejulie.blogspot.com/2012/07/for-love-of-printed-denim.html" target="_blank">Julie Leah</a> and all about printed denim. Hop on over to see what it's all about!Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-790338294344924462012-07-26T00:51:00.000-05:002012-07-26T08:37:50.027-05:00July Etsy Favorites // Paper Goods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There seems to be no shortage of beautifully designed and printed paper goods on Etsy, and I honestly think I could put together a post on pretty paper goods every week. Hand-pressed cards (and more!) feel like such novelties to me, and for a number of reasons:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
1. My sister and I were at Target getting cards for my dad's and grandfather's birthdays and my parents and grandparent's anniversaries and had the hardest time finding quality cards, which for me, consists of two things- well placed design/typography and an appropriate or meaningful message. Perhaps design takes a slight level of importance over the message, because I know can write something meaningful inside. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2. I'm not going to get on a soapbox and preach about how technology is taking over our social lives, because when I'm being honest with myself, I can't imagine life without my MacBook or iPhone or Kindle or Facebook or email. A handwritten note, whether it be a thank-you or birthday, mailed or hand-delivered, has so much sentimental value in a world where it's free, fast, and easy to type an impersonal message and hit send.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Anyone who denies the small rush of excitement when getting a card in the mail has either never gotten one or has only ever received the unrealistically cute and mass-produced kitten kind. Remember that.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hope you enjoy these picks! My personal favorite? The calling card. So very Regency England. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5ERfEhL3QyAGohUrvLRw3ORcPhllV51Jl6_UyOeB-yn1PlifNkos8bzO0TBlmpEBcwCjvKKs-xt8hhsLB4uFd86q982mkXzeEm5oOrItOeeY4ywURm-Ji39msPbDSelaFFjfun7pO_fX/s1600/etsy+favorites+july.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5ERfEhL3QyAGohUrvLRw3ORcPhllV51Jl6_UyOeB-yn1PlifNkos8bzO0TBlmpEBcwCjvKKs-xt8hhsLB4uFd86q982mkXzeEm5oOrItOeeY4ywURm-Ji39msPbDSelaFFjfun7pO_fX/s1600/etsy+favorites+july.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/61264405/calling-cards-tiffany-bow-20?" target="_blank">Personalized Calling Card</a>//<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/54488349/birthday-ribbon?" target="_blank">Happy Birthday</a>//<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/86743799/red-gift-bow-letterpress-drink-coasters?" target="_blank">Coaster</a>//<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62112954/japanese-decorative-washi-masking-tape" target="_blank">Washi Tape</a>//<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62475273/monogram-note-pad-personalized?" target="_blank">Monogrammed Pad</a>//<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/100129270/bergamot-lettersheets-set-of-12-sheets?" target="_blank">Stationery</a>//<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/83156899/ikat-letterpress-card-single?" target="_blank">Ikat Card</a>//<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/95955017/sale-thank-you-letterpress-cards-set-of?" target="_blank">Thank You</a>//<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/104245770/today-is-going-to-be-a-great-day?" target="_blank">Journal</a></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-42567967085993914562012-07-24T23:09:00.000-05:002012-07-27T15:14:46.621-05:00Alphabet // C<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYZP9IB_4OEWe8BBpNHtxCTQkQhm1UUebq1IlZljtDa56GVgecCmNLY6ujtt7WWt7wAKAkdz867pWjl5_qIVigX2HrFHz0kIj9kxm7Q8zWMkiSIXftFBy9p084XQHYJv4nio0NLIe6q0W/s1600/alphabet+c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYZP9IB_4OEWe8BBpNHtxCTQkQhm1UUebq1IlZljtDa56GVgecCmNLY6ujtt7WWt7wAKAkdz867pWjl5_qIVigX2HrFHz0kIj9kxm7Q8zWMkiSIXftFBy9p084XQHYJv4nio0NLIe6q0W/s1600/alphabet+c.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://rstyle.me/hvrdybm7n6" target="_blank">Candle</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/hyvjxnm7n6" target="_blank">Chartreuse Cork Heels</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/h7v8fwm7n6" target="_blank">Cabochon Necklace</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/hvqwmxm7n6" target="_blank">Chevron Case</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/n/bsnmm7n6" target="_blank">Cat Eyes</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/h65h9km7n6" target="_blank">Colorblock Shift</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/hqngpqm7n6" target="_blank">Cap Toe Flats</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/h9hz3um7n6" target="_blank">Camel Belt</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/hieeiem7n6" target="_blank">Cards</a>//<a href="http://rstyle.me/hwy23mm7n6" target="_blank">Clutch</a>//<a href="http://www.designdarling.com/collections/tabletop/products/coral-candelabra" target="_blank">Coral Candelabra</a> </div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957701820729334033.post-83387617362615502222012-07-24T10:45:00.002-05:002012-12-25T22:22:45.419-06:00History Lesson // French Macarons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfgnXeYfvxu7_x5IEwtPOskLnEUm1Ya_1snLR0QuNOzaVq7pvwCL2VG1zxtml9-7Xnw2yDQCYCUWlL2facF6QY0uyX7ez7m_kYRZ8vB-Zxty4VGjj3d6VY_Qz7HvxEl-EL8fWn6MR7MTl/s1600/hl+macarons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfgnXeYfvxu7_x5IEwtPOskLnEUm1Ya_1snLR0QuNOzaVq7pvwCL2VG1zxtml9-7Xnw2yDQCYCUWlL2facF6QY0uyX7ez7m_kYRZ8vB-Zxty4VGjj3d6VY_Qz7HvxEl-EL8fWn6MR7MTl/s1600/hl+macarons.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The macaron, a confectioner's sweet and airy delight is a merengue-based cookie that hails from the fashionable streets of Paris, slowly and surely charming its way into parties and baking books all across the world. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you've ever tasted one, you surely understand the macaron's trending popularity. A dainty sandwich that melts in the mouth with seemingly endless flavor profiles, and possibly the fact that they are French (we just can't help it) all contribute to the welcome spread of these tasty treats. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
They are the perfect companion for just about any activity. Waking up with coffee and the paper (a more accepted version of "cake-for-breakfast"), accompanying an afternoon tea (or nap), or a post-dinner dessert all suffice for consumption of this marvelous little cookie. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, as I commonly ask in the <a href="http://www.thecornerapartment.com/search/label/History%20Lesson" target="_blank">History Lesson</a>, <i>where did they come from</i>?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As usual, there's a little confusion and debate on exactly where and when macarons first appeared. Fortunately for us, the most reported version is also the most glamorous version (as in, it involves royalty). </div>
<br />
According to many-a-source, the macaron first appeared in Italy at the hands of Catherine de Medici's (yes, of the banking and art-collecting Florence Medici family) personal chef around the time of her marriage to the Duc d'Orleans in 1533. Not long after he became the king of France as Henry II, thus moving the macaron to the country it's currently so commonly associated with.<br />
<br />
It's important to know that the macaron did not start out as a sandwich, but simply as a single light cookie with no filling, topping, or what-have-you. Another fun fact: 'macaron' and 'macaroni' are unsurprisingly from the same origin, a word meaning "fine dough."<br />
<br />
Their popularity spread during the French Revolution when two sisters baked and sold them to support themselves during the troubling time. Thus, a staple was born.<br />
<br />
The sandwich version was created in the 20th century by the grandson of Louis Ernest Laduree of the <a href="http://www.laduree.fr/en/scene" target="_blank">Laduree</a> pastry salon in Paris, still one of the most celebrated macaron bakeries today. He had the idea to fill two shells with a chocolate panache, and it stuck.<br />
<br />
You may recall my two attempts at making macarons- delicious yet ugly <a href="http://www.thecornerapartment.com/2012/05/macaron-mishap.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and still delicious but slightly less ugly <a href="http://www.thecornerapartment.com/2012/05/more-macarons.html" target="_blank">here</a>. They take a skillful and steady hand- something I've not quite acquired. I've been known to eat multiples (and multiples) of macarons in one sitting, so perhaps it's good and well I'm not procuring the perfect little pastries right and left.<br />
<br />
I'm going to go ahead and apologize for any cravings this little dabble has spurred on.<br />
<br />
<br />
Image Source: <a href="http://www.gilttaste.com/products/91093591-payard-piece-macaron-box" target="_blank">Gilt Taste</a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10675624382710450720noreply@blogger.com6