Not-So-Mellow Yellow

Lately it seems like yellow has been the forerunner of this season's It colors. Because of my Asian-ish skin tone yellow clothing doesn't look so great on me, but that doesn't mean I can't accessorize with the color. Below are a few things that have inspired me to punch things up a little bit the spring with some (yellow) color.

Anthropologie has a great selection of yellow dresses and blouses. Once again, I wouldn't wear any of them because they would make me look like I had jaundice. Nevertheless, the website has some lovely items that are worth checking out.


I love the rooms in the Byblos Art Hotel. You'd think a hotel in Verona would be decorated in a kind of over-the-top romantic theme. Instead, Byblos created a fresh and modern look that I think a modern-day Romeo and Juliet would approve of.


Agathe of StyleBytes showed off her great yellow, open-toed pumps last week. You can find a similar pair at Payless.com.

Marimekko wall hanging available for purchase at CB2.
Purses by Izzac Mizrahi for Target. Yellow wayfarers available at Fredflare.com

CL

9 to 5

Before Lauren ran off to work today, I made her pose for a outfit picture since she hasn't done one in a while. She originally had another pair of brown boots on that were trendier, but they looked too loose around her legs with the long length of the dress. We decided that her six-year-old Nordstrom boots created a cleaner and more elongated line.

Dress: Forever 21
Tank: American Apparel
Tights (tan fishnets): River Island
Boots: Nordstrom (6 years ago)
Earrings: street vendor in Spain

Below is a close-up of the built-in belt. I think the detailing looks great considering that the dress was only around $20.

CL

Slow and Steady

Clothing label Slow and Steady Wins the Race takes an avant-garde approach with their designs. Only one hundred copies are made of each item. The company's first collection of bags imitates some of the most popular handbags of our time. Instead of creating exact copies, Slow and Steady's bags are simplified and stripped down to the basics.

Dior's Saddle Bag:
The Balenciaga Motocycle Bag:


Chanel's quilted purse:

The Birkin Bag:

Gucci's bamboo-handled handbag:

The second collection of Slow and Steady bags takes it one step further by mixing the styles of the purses above. Below are just a few examples.


Overall, I like Slow and Steady's products. I think they're trying to show a lighter side of fashion. A new collection comes out bimonthly. Check out their website for the latest t-shirt, bag and footwear designs.

CL

You Make My Day

Thank you to Eleh of Come Thrifting with Me for the You Make My Day blog award! We're are so touched!

Here's how it works: Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on.

Here are some of blogs that make our day (in no particular order and not including Eleh's):

Heart and Soul - For living it up in Malaysia with style.
The Wren's Nest - The Wren's Nesters are the awesomest and they write real good.
Fashionologie - Great highlights from the world of fashion.
Into the Fray - Beautiful jewelry, stylish outfits and an abundance of creativity.
Koko Stileto - Providing wonderful eye candy in shoe form.
La Bruja del Cuento - Great style and multi-lingual.
Altamira NYC - A more laid-back, non-sartorial view of NY street style.
Pomegranate and Patchouli - A little bit of everything that's stylish and fashionable.
Oh for the Love of Vintage - Fellow Atlanta blogger who finds the best deals in town.
Mermerings - Great eye for detail and design.

SJP on the Town

I found these photos on JustJared.com of Sarah Jessica Parker promoting the Sex and the City movie. There are a couple of things I really like about this outfit: the combination of white, gold and black, the high dramatic collar of the coat and the petite gold-handled handbag. The best part is the stylizing of the coat. I love how it's flipped out at the end, revealing the lining and the same studded belt that was seen on SJP while the movie was being filmed is used to cinch the waist.

Of course I have a couple of dislikes. The strap-y sandals look sloppy with all those excess tabs sticking out and I think a pair of shoes with slightly more toe coverage might have grounded the outfit more. But, at the end of the day, I'm no style expert and I'm not the one who's made millions by dressing Carrie Bradshaw.

CL

Prada-Inspired

After seeing a number of fashion blogs feature American Apparel's Prada-toeless-tights knock-offs and then finding these amazingly runway-worthy shoes at Payless (see image below), I thought it was about time to put together a Prada-inspired outfit with some online window shopping finds.

Shirt from Urban Outfitters, jacket and skirt from Topshop.com, shoes from Payless and tights from American Apparel.

Lauren thinks that the heels on the Payless shoes are too short and others might think they're hideous, but I love them - and I have a Payless giftcard burning a hole in my pocket...

CL

BYOB

Decatur Metro recently mentioned that Whole Foods will be eliminating the use of plastic bags (officially beginning on Earth Day, April 22) only a few months after Ikea started charging its customers for using their non-reusable plastic bags. I'm glad this trend is finally catching on in Atlanta - other cities like San Francisco and Oakland have banned plastic bags completely.

The local Publix and Krogers sell reusable bags, but I doubt they'll be following Whole Foods anytime soon. Still, there's no doubt that it's in everyone's best interest to start bringing bags with them to the store. I have a huge stash of tote bags in the trunk of my car with the intention of never using plastic again (I'll admit that once in a while I'll run to the grocery store for a quick errand and forget to bring a tote with me).

For those of you who don't already have a huge collection of tote bags, below is a (incomplete) beginner's guide to reusable bags.

Anya Hindmarch's affordable I'm Not A Plastic Bag bag was seen on every celebrity's shoulder last fall and sold out in a matter of minutes at participating Sainsburys in the UK.From left to right: Purchase Lauren Bush's Feed Bag for $60 and feed a child for one full year. For his Spring 2007 RTW Louis Vuitton line, Marc Jacobs slapped a stamp on the classic market bag (available for purchase at your local Chinatown) and increased the price tag by roughly 1,000 percent. One of Trader Joe's reusable bags for purchase. This one is especially nice because of its cheery graphics and large, circular base.
Join the movement at BringYourOwnBag.com.



Every time I go to the DeKalb Farmer's Market I see at least one person using Ikea's huge shopping bags. Note: the yellow bag is for in-store, Ikea use only and the blue bags are available for purchase.
I love the colors and grocery bag shape of Dutch designer Susan Bijl's New Shoppingbag, available for purchase at www.greenergrassdesign.com. They're a little pricey at $37.50 however. Even Whole Foods doesn't charge that much for their fanciest, reusable bag.

Last but not least is the classic string grocery bag. Perfect for fruits and vegetables and can be purchased at your local organic market.

CL

Man Tutus

Leave it to Miuccia Prada to send men wearing tutu-inspired skirts down the runway (worn over pants, thank goodness). There were only two tutus in the whole RTW Fall 08 Menswear collection, but the jock-strap/bikini inspired pants and bra-hooked shirts added to a kind of androgynous, cross-dressed look. Some might call it weird and over-the-top, I just call it tongue-in-cheek fashion.

Photos from Style.com

Prada's male tutus bring to mind Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, an all-male ballet company that parodies classical ballets. The talented group defies convention by proving that males can dance en pointe (see photo below).

It seems to me that these male ballerinas (who wear real tutus and extra-wide pointe shoes) actually look very masculine when compared to the Prada male models in the photos above, but perhaps I'm just splitting hairs...

CL

Casual Friday

After posting about multi-colored tights, Fashion Tidbits asked for some photos of Lauren and I wearing colorful tights. I don't have a photo of Lauren yet, but below is a photo of me on Friday when I wore my raspberry colored tights.

I usually wouldn't wear colored tights to work, but we're allowed to dress down on Fridays, so I thought I'd go for it. None of my colleagues said anything, but when I walked outside to go to lunch a group of women who were walking behind me made a few remarks to each other about how they would never wear purple tights. Oh well, you win some, you loose some. Nevertheless, it was fun to wear something a little different to work.

Turtleneck and Cardigan: H&M
Skirt: American Apparel
Tights: Hue (found at TJ Maxx)
Boots: Payless

CL

Multi-tights

It's so fun to see all the different color tights that are available these days. Just a few years ago, you'd be hard pressed to find a non-neutral-colored pair.

A couple of companies have even taken it one step further - multi-colored tights. I have no idea what you'd wear with them. Personally, if I bought a pair, I would stick to very simple, monotone clothing, but maybe I'm not being very creative. I'm going to keep my eye out for anyone wearing something like the pairs below in the street style blogs.

American Apparel:

Sock Dreams:

Twelve by Twelve:

CL

Fake it!

Photo from Superlocal

Ever since these bags were shown at the Wake Up Andy Warhol exhibit in Seoul, I've been seeing them online everywhere. According to Poketo.com, the bag "visualizes and satirize the current era by combining the Louis Vuitton brand and graphic image of FAKE. Through this project, the artist critiques idolization of brand names and prevalence of knock-offs." I think Andy would be proud.




Buy your own Fake Bag at Poketo.

CL

Street Style Round-up

There's hardly a day that goes by where I don't check out at least one street style blog. They're an endless source of inspiration and more interesting than magazine fashion spreads.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I still love electric blue - regardless of the fact that it's no longer the It color of the season. Below are a few photos I found that prove I'm not alone. There's something very cheery about wearing a bright blue accessory on a cold, gray winter's day.



CL

This Weekend:

This is just a quick reminder for all you Atlanta fashionistas.

This year, the event is at Atlantic Station above Z Gallerie. Kaleidoscope, Boogaloos and Squash Blossom are participating. For a full list of boutiques click here.

Tag: Name 6 Things in Your Handbag

Lynn of Heart and Soul tagged us with "Name 6 Things in Your Handbag." Being identical twins we're very similar in many ways, but I think our purse contents highlight our differences. I tend to be more practical, while Lauren is more artistically inclined. See for yourself:

C's bag:

1. Giant black sunglasses and fake alligator sunglass case. Both from Target.
2. Orbitz gum - the mint mojito tastes like the real thing. So delicious...
3. Faux cigarette case where I keep my business cards, from Urban Outfitters.
4. I've been using this old Geoffrey Beene wallet for years. I prefer using men's wallets because they tend to take up less room. Sadly, my wallet always seems to be filled with more receipts than cash.
5. My Palm Treo - I'd be completely lost without it.
6. Duck and Herring Pocket Field Guide, Cold Weather 2007-2008. I always like having a book on hand. The PFC is the perfect size for a small to medium-size purse and offers hours of entertainment.

L's bag:


Cath also didn't mention that she is much more neat than I am! Luckily this voluminous, faux snake-skin sack that is my purse is hiding old receipts, gum wrappers, coins, etc.
1. A book: number one rule for me when choosing a purse is it must be large enough to hold at least a paperback. I love petite clutches and delicately beaded evening bags, but they are a no go unfortunately. My current purse book is "Good Bye to All That" by Robert Graves... a freebie from a lovely warehouse/used bookstore in Stone Mountain, GA.
2. Mini Notebook: this lovely Moleskin notebook has beautiful sketch-book quality paper... perfect for doodling of any kind... this shows a few fashion/outfit ideas.
3. Mini Calendar: I love the magenta color because it usually pops out from the recesses of the black hole. Cath can streamline with her Treo...I need paper and post-its. When Cath gave me her hand-me-down Palm Pilot I never learned how to do more than turn it on... and then I stuck post-its all over it. Lesson learned.
4. The Wallet: usually brimming with receipts rather than cash unfortunately
5. Cell: my slide Sony Ericsson phone. Way too sleek for moi, but tin-cans with string don't do the trick any more
6. Accoutrements: lip gloss, hand lotion, mirror/brush, mirror (now seem vain... who needs 2?), gum, mascara, etc.

Into the Fray and Come Thrifting With Me, tag, you're it!

J.Crew Trend

The other day I decided to take a quick look through J.Crew.com expecting to see the normal crew-neck sweaters and anchor-themed prints. Instead, I came across luxurious camisoles and mod-inspired dresses all with elegant detailing.

Electric blue might not be the color of the season anymore, but this camisole seems timeless with its square neckline and understated pleating.

The collar on this yellow and white blouse is a little too Elizabethan for me, but then again, that's what gives the piece so much character. Also, the graphic print nicely offsets the ruffles.

I love the color combination on this Marimekko-inpsired dress.

Somehow the retro palette of this dress modernizes the fairly conservative cut. It would look great with slouchy, flat, brown leather boots.

Now, if only J.Crew could lower its prices by 70 percent...

CL

There Will Be Blood

This past weekend Lauren and I went to see There Will Be Blood with the Wren's Nesters. It was even better than I anticipated. Daniel Day-Lewis is fantastic - as is Paul Dano - and the original musical score (by Radiohead band member Jonny Greenwood) is breathtaking. Needless to say, I highly recommend it.

My only criticism of the movie is the lack of female characters. It seems weird to almost completely exclude a gender in an epic film. And on a more frivolous note, I started to get a little tired of just seeing men's clothing during the film: pants, button-up shirt, jacket, blah, blah, blah. With any period piece (There Will Be Blood takes place during the early 20th century), it's always fun to see the different dresses of the female characters.

Since there weren't many scenes with women in the film, I had to get my dress fix elsewhere. Luckily, Urban Outfitters has a handful of old-fashion-inspired dresses this season. I especially love the white embroidered cotton dress (middle).

CL

Shoe Source

Agathe's (of Stylebytes) recent purchase of these Sam Edleman boots (top left) reminded me of what a great resource Victoria's Secret catalogue is for shoes. Not all of their shoes are cheap, but most of them are reasonably priced and aren't the same humdrum styles you'd find at your local mall.

Clockwise from top left:
I first feel in love with these Sam Edelman Strapped Booties a couple of months ago when I saw them online. They look more like they've come straight from the Balenciaga runway than a Victoria's Secret catalogue. Agathe looks incredibly stylish in them.

These Report Colorblock pumps are gorgeous and I would buy them in a second if they weren't $139. They have a very retro look, but the tappered-heel keep them modern.

I usually don't like Mary janes, but these Tsubo Mary jane wedge sneakers are appealing because they're comfortable and stylish. The curved back heel and ankle-boot look give the shoes an edgy feel. I would wear them with opaque tights and a short-ish skirt.

The NaNa Ribbon Jazz Shoes are a little ridiculous looking, but I love that electric blue color. You'd look like a FaceHunter muse if you paired them with skinny jeans and an extra-long cardigan.

CL

Edit:
I just found these on www.alloy.com for only $29.50! I might have to end my shopping moratorium...

Posh and Marcs

When I first heard that Victoria Beckham was going to be in Marc Jacobs' ads I thought the fashion designer had completely gone off the deep end. Shame on me for having so little faith in Marc. These photos are wonderfully cheeky.

I think what saves the photo below from looking too Victoria Beckham-ish is the non-sensical face hat (head piece?) and giant shoe box.

This photo could look incredibly crass if Beckham was wearing tall, pointy stilettos. Instead, the off-kilter shoes add the right amount of humor to make it a classic MJ ad.

Photos from Just Jared

CL