Fashion Designers–veganized?

Two of my longtime favorite designers are Philip Lim and Alexander Wang. I had an old Development Philip Lim tank top from my pregan days, and I cried when my mother decided to put it through the wash (it was, of course, dry clean only). Needless to say, I won’t be replacing it–it was silk, and I don’t have $300, but I was still interested to see what Philip Lim did for Fall of 2009.

I felt like he had a sort of Napolean-in-the-70’s vibe, with shrunken tailored suits, histrionic details like tailcoats and neck ruffles, and a healthy dose of disco. I liked his colors better than his black & whites, and I especially loved his pink flapper-esque dress (see it here–it’s probably silk, so I won’t post a picture directly). I won’t buy a piece of it, given how animal-heavy it is, but I will recreate the look with shrunken double-breasted blazers from H&M, and this pleasantly 20’s-esque dress from MK2K:

Alexander Wang, knitwear king, didn’t have as much whimsy as he used to. I found his collection to be edgy and rather ‘high style’, but the monochromatic palette bored me. The part of his collection that I’d most like to recreate was the oversized motorcycle jacket. I would recreate it (and probably will, if I can afford it) with this motorcycle sweater.

It’s from Victoria’s Secret. Whoda thunkit?

Can we have a vegan fashion week?

It’s hard to comment on fashion week in a vegan blog–I used to go crazy with commentaries, pictures, my own amateur reviews, etc, etc, etc. Now, sure as I am that all the collections are full of wool and silk and leather, it’s harder to address. No matter how amazingly adorable some of the collections may have been, I just don’t want to laud piles and piles of animal materials.

What I can do is discuss, and post vegan alternatives as well, so fashion week will definitely be on my radar.

And, of course, there’s always Stella McCartney!

Who needs holidays as an excuse to give presents?

Well, I promised a gift guide entry by Christmas and sadly did not deliver. I was going to trash the concept, but people are always having birthdays, right? Anyhow, here are some things I’d love to give or to get:

1. I always seem to be running late, and given how many of my friends seem to have the same problem, I think that a fun, leather-free watch is a great find:

Find this one at Urban Outfitters.

2. I wouldn’t want to receive underwear as a gift from just anyone, but these would be quite the fun gift from a friend:

If you think plaid and ruffly are great combinations too, head over here to check ‘em out.

3. For that friend who can’t get out of the 70’s (coughmecough), this CD has something to play at all occasions:

But don’t buy it for me, I already have it.

4. For that friend who just moved into a new apartment, what a dear housewarming gift:

So who do you know who just moved? Awww, you shouldn’t have.

5. And, uh, just in case anyone else wants to get me a housewarming present:

Everyone loves plants!

Revelations

Nothing biblical here–I’ve just realized that I miss blogging, and I think I’m ready to pick it up again. I stopped for a few reasons: I got super busy while moving, I don’t spend as much time at the computer now as I did while in college, and I no longer have much money to spend on fashion. I hardly even buy magazines any more; funny how one’s priorities shift with life’s phases.

Nonetheless, I still enjoy crafting, window shopping, writing, and getting dressed in the morning, so I think that this blog can go on–I actually just moved again (this time, to another part of Brooklyn) and I’ve had a lot of fun decorating my new apartment, so perhaps this blog will take on a design angle, too. Anyhow, stay tuned–I’m not through yet!

I always get home for the holidays…

… and I’ll start writing again in time to do a gift guide. Promise!

Shoe of the Week: Is this girl ever punctual?

The answer is, not while I’m moving! But still, the stress of apartment hunting didn’t blind me to these beauties when I popped into Forever 21 to look for wool-free scarves:

Long live the 80’s!

Product Review: Physician’s Formula OrganicWear schtuff

While organic toiletries tend to be better for both consumer and planet (to the extent that capitalist consumption even can be good for the planet–but this is a fashion blog, so that discussion belongs in a different one), anyone who’s tried to find shampoo without parabens, pthalates, and animal-derived ingredients knows that they don’t come cheap. So, it’s refreshing to see organic and (more) eco-friendly in drugstores, where they’re more accessible to more people.

Right off the bat, though, I do have to point out that this line isn’t exactly perfect: they say the ingredients 100% of natural origin, which is not the same as organic (so far as I can tell, the products vary hugely in how organic they actually are: some are 85%, others, 15%), and the brushes are goat hair. Still, the products themselves are vegan and pretty eco-friendly, so I decided to give it the old (post) college try.

The eyeshadow I bought is a nice color, and since it’s a neutral, I’ll probably use it up wearing it to work, so the recyclable package is good stuff. The shadow itself has a nice texture, but the color isn’t very bold at all. Again, that’s alright for work, but I would probably mix it with saline solution for a bolder look with more staying power (and yes, it works). I think it’s a good product, but not a great one.

For the record, my mother has sworn off all parabens, so she was thrilled to find this line. She loves her OrganicWear Eyeshadow. So, perhaps the line will have a strong following in the aging hippie demographic?

(sorry, Mom)

Shoes of the Week

Another lovely Sunday morning, made even lovelier by the fact that I don’t have to go into work tomorrow morning (!!!), but less lovely by the fact that this is the week where I’m saddled with setting up apartment viewings and trawling job ads and begging for interviews. In other words: I’m moving! It’s very exciting, but rather stressful as well.

Still, today seems like a good day. My soy cappuccino is delightfully foamy this morning, and my favorite coffee shop seems to be playing some sort of Gregorian chant–and I’m actually kind of digging it!

Moving on: I’ve bought four pairs of shoes within the past week (I know, I’m a horrid capitalist and reckless consumer. I suck), so I shouldn’t even indulge myself with a shoes of the week (especially since last week’s came on, um, Thursday), but to hell with it–I clearly like my shoes, so:

I won’t usually feature two pairs of party shoes in a row, and I rarely do heels, but I guess my mind has been at the bars lately. Get ‘em here, and catch me out in ‘em in a few weeks!

On My Radar

This week, I’ve been trying to craft all the wardrobe items that I can’t afford to buy, so I’ve been relying heavily on The Home Stretch, which is awesome. I’m also digging Simplicity 2812, because it’s jacket season again!

Etsy’s been on my brain, too. I love this adorable messenger bag, and I’ve already hinted (read: directly said) to my brother that it would make a good birthday present. How can anything titled ‘fancy rabbit’ be anything other than fabulous?

Also, I’m watching What Women Want on TV, which I haven’t seen since I was 13. Not gonna lie, I’m kind of digging it. Don’t laugh. Or, y’know, do.

Thrifted Schwag

A trip to the Goodwill a few days ago yielded a couple beauties. First, a perfectly serviceable pair of pants for work:

They need to be ironed, but you get the idea. Next, an adorable vintage dress:

with really amazing detailing:

All for a grand total of $9.61. Suck it, retailers.