la mode est dans le ciel

where have you been all my life.

2009-04-22T22:17:00.005-04:00

i start and leave things on a whim (poor blog). in the same way that i shop, i suppose. was lucky enough to sweep through the topshop grand opening in soho, and purchase an armful of dresses and jumpsuits, only to later exchange them for these beauties.

that is, these beauties.

a pop of green with a slight hint of hot pink. platform and sturdy heels, i'm in love.

having an office two blocks from topshop is going to be absolute torture. now when are they going to restock that perfect boyfriend blazer...

these boots were made for walkin.

2009-01-04T01:46:00.002-05:00

double discounted cause i'm good like that. FINALLY hemmed a long-awaited pair of jeans to comfortably fit in these beauties, then walked to midtown and back to break them in.

i think we'll be good friends.

let's talk business

2008-12-20T14:53:00.000-05:00

source: cobrasnake

i don't smoke, but...

2008-12-18T13:48:00.003-05:00

i secretly love the smell of cigarettes.

funny thing, as a child growing up in france, le 'smoking' to me was the tailored beauty that yves saint laurent had perfected. when we moved to america, i would see these signs everywhere: "no smoking". for years, i wondered why america did not allow suits in those places.

source: garance

it's all about the little triumphs, you know.

2008-12-11T01:08:00.005-05:00

like sewing buttons so i could finally wear this dress again. you might recognize the piece from the erin fetherston x target collection, and i adored it so, but the default buttons were sewn haphazardly, and of course fell off in a few weeks' time.

then yesterday, i found these buttons inside the rusty drawers of the corner fabric shop; sewed them on and realized they looked like gold studs from afar. aha ! added bonus.

it's fascinating how a small project could bring such a smile to my face. it's good to have the sewing machine back; i really should spend more time with it.

there's something therapeutic about the process of creating, no ?

the brutal chill of winter is here

2008-12-09T21:28:00.008-05:00

and i feel like disappearing, into a late spring afternoon at the cusp of summer. but then i remember the chestnuts and the caramel apple cider and the late night conversations by the fire and how my family's having its first christmas in new york like we'd always dreamt, and suddenly i don't ever want to be anywhere but here, and now.

source: design for mankind

each time i wear black.

2008-12-05T00:44:00.008-05:00

céline: each time i wear black, or like, lose my temper, or say anything about anything, you know, they always go, "oh it's so french. it's so cute." ugh, i hate that.

BEFORE SUNRISE (1995)

i don't really hate it, i only find it amusing. heh.

britney, i never gave you up.

2008-12-01T00:47:00.004-05:00

source: go britney spears

i go through life like the karate kid.
britney spears, off the record

ashley at the mango re-launch

2008-11-21T11:22:00.006-05:00

after i left the office last night, i passed by the mango re-launch party. ashley made an appearance. still need to get my copy of 'influence'. le sigh.

i picture you in the sun / wondering what went wrong

2008-11-20T11:03:00.011-05:00

by photographer david black

remember the days we'd chase after the sun ? we'd fly through the grass like birds longing for home. the bouquets of wildflowers you'd pick for me were always the best. if i looked hard enough, i could probably find a few petals strewn in my old room, under my bed, by the window sill. it had a great view of the sun.

i don't know anymore / what it's for / i'm not even sure / if there is anyone / who is in the sun

joseph arthur / in the sun

one armour dress, please.

2008-11-19T22:25:00.008-05:00

i feel like i could save the world in this.
musthavepleasekthxbai.

hannah marshall / armour dress
available at the amelie boutique

right now everything is turning blue; the sun is trying to kill the moon.

2008-11-19T15:17:00.007-05:00

leonid tishkov & boris bendikov

found here.

for those nights when the moon is the only company you wish to keep, because nothing else seems to make much sense. winter is nearly here, and with her, the usual suspects.

let this wash over you.

we're made out of blood and rust / looking for someone to trust / without a fight / i think that you came too soon / you're the honey and the moon / that lights / up my night

joseph arthur / honey & the moon

keeping things cozy and warm with faux fur and ramen.

2008-11-17T23:58:00.004-05:00

secondhand faux fur coat, jessica simpson suede pumps, ramen in east village

it's getting cold these days and all i want to do is warm up with a nice comforting bowl of ramen at the nearest noodle house (oh how i love ny for these) and prance around in heels and big coats twice my size. i had better sense than to wear this outfit outside though, my legs would have frozen off.

see, there are nights when, second to a steaming bowl of soup, i like nothing more than staying in and playing dress up.

you know you love it too. ;)

ysl lips, givenchy eyes, rain, and gold-laced shawls.

2008-11-15T21:47:00.006-05:00

street vendor shawl worn over hair (due to sudden rain), second hand blazer, charity: water shirt, gap khakis (rolled-up), steve madden shoes

because sometimes you get caught in the rain stepping out of the office on a saturday night, and all you have is a shawl.

oh and it doesn't look like it from the photographs, but the ysl rouge pur lipstick shade i have on is actually a deep, gorgeous, bleeding-heart kind of red. isn't that the best kind there is ?

floating on sunshine.

2008-11-12T10:26:00.006-05:00

like a dream. makes you want to be at the end of that string, close your eyes, and feel the soft warmth of the sun on your cheeks.

found here.

hyoni sighting and denim a la givenchy.

2008-11-11T23:02:00.008-05:00

on my way home from work today, i waited for the train next to "ford supermodel of the world 08" hyoni. hyoni wore a bold and beautiful b&w patterned coat, with leggings, flats, and leather gloves. very lovely.

pictures from COACD

while that was perfect fall attire for a windy day in the city, i myself took inspiration from the givenchy spring 09, and wore a denim shirt i thrifted earlier this month.

it's a darker denim than i would like (who woulda thought i'd EVER go back to faded denim), but has these killer black patches, and it's so out there for me, but the salesperson approved, and what the hell. you can take the girl outta texas, but you can't take the texan out of the girl.

or something.

dkny blazer, second hand shirt, uo black jeans, uo suede boots

i really enjoy this part of fashion -- the experimenting. it stretches you, you know ? i don't stretch myself enough these days -- in fashion, and elsewhere.

baby steps.

sometimes jessica gets it right.

2008-11-09T09:59:00.003-05:00

second hand blazer, target v neck, silence + words black pull up jeans, jessica simpson purple suede pumps

for the longest time last year, i could not get rachel bilson's purple suede pumps out of my head. they haunted me for months until one day, as i was out shopping with mom, they revealed themselves to me in a tattered box, pristine and glowing in a sea of ugliness, waiting to be claimed.

jessica simpsons' purple suede pumps. on sale.

and they were perfect: from the color, to its curves, to the toe shape; even its funky plastic heel tickled me.

sometimes, jessica gets it right.

seriously ? no, seriously.

2008-11-07T21:44:00.004-05:00

vintage faux fur coat, seriously merchandise shirt, silence + noise black pull-up jeans

i kinda miss managing tours. for some time, you're thrown into this whirlwind of craziness, chaos, passion, love, creativity, and loads and loads of good music. it's a constant high, and you become so close to the people you're traveling with.

the other night, i recalled a few fond memories with the great guys from one of the last tours i did -- the band 'seriously' -- so i wore their shirt in memory of our crazy/beautiful weeks on the open california road.

the west coast never was so liberating as it was then.

"... and unyielding hope."

2008-11-05T01:10:00.006-05:00

(working the phones at obama's ny office)

"our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared."
PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

cheers to a new beginning. let us not falter now.

dear susie.

2008-11-04T00:18:00.003-05:00

(my, i am writing a lot of letters these days.)

i came by [your blog] years ago, and something drew me to you. i thought, for sure, it would be a passing phase, as your style was much too eccentric for me, but time and time again, i found myself here, still drawn. and now, i finally understand it.

after having just come from another blog community (non-fashion oriented) recently, and seeing how it developed from a crazy inspiring/elevating/creative outlet to one that merely propagated the same ideas to one another, becoming disappointingly mean-spirited and competitive in the process, i now see it happening here as well. it's a shame especially as i have just now officially joined the fashion blog world this past october.

while it saddens me to see the direction the community is going in, i know that there are bloggers like you who are truly one of a kind, and who understand the beauty in cultivating one's individuality, in the face of a world that does not always appreciate what is 'different'.

knowing this, you don't know how happy i am to know you are still here, toughing out the negativity, and sharing your ideas, your inspiration, your creations with us. while i can't say that i am as bold as you are yet (even after all these years of following your blog, before rumi, before camille, before karla), you have certainly inspired me to throw caution to the wind. slowly, but surely, i will come into my own, in fashion, as in life, and, at the risk of sounding dramatic, you are playing a crucial/motivational part in my "becoming".

i get a little worked up sometimes, as i am now, but it's my way of saying that i absolutely adore you, and appreciate the way you are shaping the online fashion community, as daunting as that can be, and without ever having asked for it.

thank you, susie. you are a gem. and i don't need to tell you that i'm not the only one who feels this way.

best,
kym

dear karl.

2008-11-01T02:53:00.010-04:00

second hand blazer, dad's collar shirt, tie and gloves from st marks, aa leggings

dear karl,

i missed you tonight so i put on your jacket, your gloves, your glasses, your tie, your boots, your pants, your collared shirt, but still it wasn't enough.

i had no bling.
so demode, i know.

alas,
kym

a night out on west 32nd.

2008-10-26T13:26:00.005-04:00

blazer / secondhand
shirt, skirt, leggings (whoa) / am apparel
shoes / steve madden
scarf / street vendor

friends from dc came in this weekend, so we took them out to ktown and jtown, for a little karaoke, korean bbq, and shots of soju. fun times.

"unbreak my heartttttttt, say you'll loooove me againnnnnn"

so sick and tired of being sick and tired.

2008-10-25T13:59:00.007-04:00

hooded sweater / yale
glasses / uo

i'm awfully sick, and the sky is terribly dark for a saturday afternoon. time for st vincent, hooded sweaters, and a little silliness.

hoping i'll have the energy to entertain visitors tonight... !

and, can you say sandra backlund ? (see susie's entry)

this one is directly from the official website:

does it not take your breath away ? i can hardly take it. it makes me so happy to know how much talent is out there.

you know, dolls make the very best friends.

2008-10-24T20:30:00.008-04:00

dress / erin fetherston for target
tights / express
shoes / f21

[Sara just met her new doll, Emily]

Capt. Crewe: You know, dolls make the very best friends. Just because they can't speak doesn't mean they don't listen. And did you know that when we leave them alone in our room, they come to life?
Sara Crewe: They do?
Capt. Crewe: Yes! But before we walk in and catch them, they return to their place as quick as lightning!
Sara Crewe: Why don't they come to life in front of us so we can see them?
Capt. Crewe: Because it's magic. Magic has to be believed. It's the only way it's real.

A LITTLE PRINCESS (1995)

do you remember your favorite doll and the magical world you lived in ?

sur ma peau / quelques gouttes

2008-10-23T22:57:00.007-04:00

mesmerizing...

paolo roversi and natalia vodianova for guerlain shalimar. and of course, the music of serge gainsbourg in the background.

can i please look this good after i have three children ?

riding on a pink cloud through a sea of flowers.

2008-10-22T22:23:00.004-04:00

sheer dress / vintage
long-sleeve shirt / uniqlo
shiny leggings / am apparel
shoes / f21
pashmina scarf / street vendor

years ago, i had dropped in a new vintage store on the drag in austin. this blue floral dress was peeping at me from between two non-descrip items, so as soon as i pulled it out of the rack, i squealed inside. the color was magical. and it was sheer and fit so perfectly, though a bit longer than i liked it.

i had done the sheer thing in high school, but never with quite as pretty a fabric, nor with such lovely colors. i would soon go on to wear the dress to many special occasions. but now that leggings have blown up over the last few years, i tend to throw it on to for errands/work more than anything else. funny how some pieces of clothing go through certain phases.

gold shoes and goofy smiles.

2008-10-21T22:48:00.007-04:00

blazer / f21
v-neck shirt / uniqlo
drop waist pants / zara
shoes / steve madden

i quite like these shoes, as scuffed as they are (tough love). i had purchased them last summer, in a terrible hurry, to wear at a lovely gala i was of course running late to. as thoughtless as the purchase was, it was in retrospect a lovely one, as i ended up wearing them again the next day, and the day after, and the week after... and here we are, a year later, together still. they're that comfortable.

not only that, but every time i wear them out, i can always count on little remarks and inquisitive looks from passersby. it's as if no one had ever seen gold shoes before ! i find it to be very strange, albeit amusing, the vast attention they get. (or is it strange ? can i no longer tell what is strange and what is not ? nah.)

the woman at the thrift shop, the one with the frilly gloves and leather pants, teased me with feigned disbelief. i laughed at her silliness. turning the corner on my way home, a boy sitting alone by the door of a grocery store, pointed towards me as a goofy smile quickly spread across his childish face. "you have very nice shoes !" i laughed again.

yes, i do indeed. they bring a little bit of laughter to my days.

80s music and lychee martinis.

2008-10-19T15:25:00.009-04:00

button-less cardigan / f21
v-neck shirt / aa
jeans / f21
platform boots / kenneth cole

a few years ago, i flew to new york to attend a human rights forum at the united nations. during my brief stint there, i was advised to trek out to century 21 for a little bargain hunting. after a little digging -- and i do believe this is the only way to do it there -- i found these black leather kenneth cole boots for ridiculously cheap. i almost want to say they were less than $10.

harper bazaar uk november 2008

what attracted me then, and still does now, was the wedge heel and its slight inward curve -- and dare i say ? subtly reminiscent of stella mccartney's ankle boots (featured above). the kicker ? i can walk well over 100 blocks in these, as i did yesterday, and still end the night -- after a quick jeans-to-shiny-leggings change -- dancing to 80s music, balancing a mic in one hand, a delicious lychee martini in the other.

i really should accessorize.

numero uno; scott schuman says hello.

2008-10-16T23:28:00.018-04:00

blazer / theory
v-neck t-shirt / aa
dc pants / zara
studded boots / colin stuart

good god. i've gone and done it. after years of perusing, stalking, debating, i finally have my own "fashion blog". shudder. (for you.) ha. i had been silently lurking amongst the balmain-loving, lanphear-worshipping, dyi-crazed, jak&jil-inspired, igor&andre-longing, am apparel billboard-walking, unsurpassingly devoted street-style cyber community. but no longer. i officially have an identity. minus the discipline.

see, i met the sartorialist a couple hours ago, and it wouldn't be right if i failed to record this moment somewhere. that would understand. or care. ha. it was brief, i didn't want to take up his time, but it made my night.

it was oh-so-nice to meet the person who has so deliciously squeezed himself into your morning routine for the last few years.

here's looking at you, sart.