Style at the Grammys

My honeybun, R., and his roommates J. and N. and I all watched the Grammy's together, with our own respective laptops to distract from all the uninspired irrelevancy.

Congratulations to Amy Winehouse, for Most Ironic Album of the Year. Naw, naw, naw... I love her style, and her shirt-pocket tattoo, and I hope that she has many more musical milestones to live through.

The only one who really brrr-ought it, though, was Kanye, with his digital, glow-in-the-dark jacket and shaved "MAMA" on the back of his head. Rihanna looked cute with her pompadour and blue frilly minidress, but nothing out-of-control.

I did come away with one little bit of fashion inspiration: Chains laying on top of a buttoned-up shirt, preferably buttoned to the neck. Like, Hova said, "Need a nice chain layin' on this thousand dollar shirt!" In my case, it'll be a thousand-penny shirt. I feel an outfit coming on.

Mad for Mod

Many people have mentioned Mad for Mod to me before, but failed to get across just how awesome it is! Wandering around Clintonville (Columbus, OH) on Saturday with my honey, we popped in for lack of something to do. Most inspired decision. Ever.

Mad for Mod is bright, beautiful and literally crammed to the core with every oddball vintage item you ever hoped you could find. I've never seen such a diverse selection of items in one vintage shop (furniture, petticoats, books, jewelry, shoes, hats, the works)! The place was so amazing my heart raced. Plus, everything was in near-new condition priced so low I wanted to say, "Do you know what you sitting on here?" ... and they do... Nonetheless, there's even a bargain basement!

I didn't have as much time as I would have wanted to stay, but luckily I had enough time to snag a pair of brand-new, deadstock from the 60's oxblood saddle shoes, a mod leather wallet; a red white and blue wicker bag and tube top to aid and abet me in my wardrobe theme of "Americana" this summer. And to top it off, the best necklace ever, with a menagerie of sick, colorful plastic beads strung on it. As we were leaving, I spied a brown leather sunglasses case with a Pac Man ghost tooled into it and I thought I would freak, but it was time to go...

Posen, Wang, Serafpour Fall 2008

I loved Behnaz Serafpour's simple, graphic dresses. The leaf-print-as-bow device and goat-hoof looking shoes were a nice, storybook touch. However, the shoes are trimmed with actual goat hair. I wrestled with myself as to whether I should post designers or pictures that featured real fur, but in this case, it seemed an art thing. The goat-hair capes that were featured later in her collection are hideous and a waste of a perfectly good goat.

Trust me that next fall, white shoes paired with black tights is going to be the hot thing. Pastel and sheer bright tights will crop up and... I Predict that white and cream tights will come back into vogue, especially cabled or textured ones.

Vera Wang showed some "kapow" dresses, paired with giantic chains or tassel jewelry, as on this sweet, x-shaped dress above.

Zac Posen's dresses were all too girly for me, reminiscent of a classy, 1860's bordello or the cancan. But, he designs for Fun. A man who laughs a lot was conveyed through his collection. I mean, dig the mouse-ears, for Chrissakes! The dress featured above would be my first pick to wear to Vegas. Speaking of which... Cher, that handsome creature, is getting her own Vegas deal (ala Celine) and her opening night is May 6th. I. Will. Go.

Staerk, Ralph Lauren Fall 2008

Ralph Lauren, though usually not my favorite label to pick up in the department store on account of its blanditude had a show that really was one of my favorites.
Full of hunting and riding motifs as evidenced by smart jackets, high boots, and buffalo check, this show combined wearability, elegance and quirk in a way most designers didn't. I, for one, loved the mixed-size plaids, Native American-print blanket coats, exaggerated shawl collars and midi to floor-length skirts paired with stiff, little blazers with thin belts at the waist. And the whimsical extra-long quail (?) feathers crowing little hats was what sold me, for sure.

Also featured on the far right is a dress from Staerk's Goth-flavored collection. A lot of Goth influences cropped up this season, this one was my fave for the subtlety and easy shapes.

There were many simple, futuristically architectural black pieces in all the collections.

On Me Today

Feeling fancy, this is what I wore to an interview at a bar today. I personally believe that when in doubt, over-dress rather than under-dress. I over-dressed. The nice lady who spoke with me wanted me to "absolutely know" that this was no frou frou lounge, but a barrrr. Like, one of those stool-throwin' joints, I said. Her last interview question was whether I had an aggressive, jealous boyfriend who might toss the place... I said, "Not since last Friday." lol

My man's a gentle beast.

Sweater: $3.99, thrifted
Tshirt: $15, Express
Bronze Belt: $.99, thrifted
Skirt: $20, thrifted
Tights: $5, Target
Shoes: $9.99, Loehmann's
Bag: $14, thrifted
Ring: $5, thrifted
Earrings: $15, Etsy

Fashion Week-- Other Feats of Hotness

Marchesa. Wow. I don't think I've ever seen evening gowns like these. Words that come to mind: wedding cake, jellyfish, Tord Boontje, MoMa light fixture, demure.

VPL. Utilitarian chic woos a Cubist. Large pants and sleek tops bringing happy JNCO memories back. And the structural scarves!

Zero Maria Cornejo. Hair necklaces. Skillful wielding of brights.

Y&Kei. Red riding hood visits a warehouse. Stunning bark-like metallic fabric.