Getting Ready for the Decatur Book Festival

While most of you all will be heading off to the beach or the mountains this Labor Day Weekend, Lauren and I will be taking a more erudite route. For the next three days we'll be immersing ourselves in an abundance of eruditeness by attending the annual Decatur Book Festival.

As you can see in the images below, we are very, ahem, seriously brushing up on our Dorothy Parker and Colette to prepare for the weekend.



Actually, in all seriousness, the book festival isn't very serious at all. It's more like one big party in downtown Decatur with books, authors, humorous poets and funnel cake! We're looking forward to hearing from former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, Decatur native and "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me" panelist Roy Blount Jr., graphic artist Skip Williamson, and many, many, many others (over 200 authors are coming to town this weekend). Then there's also the writer's conference, a dance performance of Shirley Jackson's short story The Lottery, a street fair packed with book-related exhibitors, The Wren's Nest Publishing Co. Literary Salon, and did I mention funnel cake?!

It really doesn't get much better than this. So if you're in the Atlanta area this weekend, stop on by!

CL

AsianCajun Tribute to The Selby

asiancajuns - bloggers
at home - decatur, georgia - august 25, 2008

We know that we are not alone in our love for the photo blog, The Selby. (the inspiring Clothes Horse is also enamored). As a tribute to Todd Selby's generosity for sharing his photographs to the world, we hope he accepts our Selby Tribute as the sincerest form of flattery. We are not photographers, not even amateurs or faux-photogs. We just kinda really liked getting a glimpse into other creative people's habitats and thought we would do the same. Click here to see the full tribute.

LL

Inspired By

I've been meaning to do a style post on Monae ever since I first saw her on the cover of Creative Loafing over a year ago. She's an Atlanta-based singer who's made it big time - her debut album coming out next month was produced by Big Boi and she's featured in the August Vogue. It almost seems unfair that a 23-year old could be so talented and so stylish. She's got this great rockabilly/Motown vibe that comes off as incredibly modern. See for yourself: www.jmonae.com.






CL

"Real Men Have Flamboyant Facial Hair"*

Proof that hawtness and mustaches do mix!

The return of the 'stache...and I'm excited!
Don't get me wrong, I've never been a fan of the Tom Selleck look, but when my bf starting growing out the hair on his upper-lip I saw potential right away. Okay, maybe not right away... but I'm totally sold now.
And I'm not just blinded by love, indie band members and actors (not just Johny Depp) are jumping on the 'stache wagon.

What's the verdict, fashionistas/os?


Member of Rogue Wave (style.com), Jason Schwartzman in The Darjeeling Limited (collider.com), Flight of the Conchords (brashmoustache.com)

*breadandbadger.com

LL

Agathe is back

photo from http://phiary.com/diary/stylebytes

I hope this doesn't sound like I've been living under rock, but "yeah! The lovely Agathe (formerly of Style Bytes) and her too-cute pig are back!"
Luckily La Bruja del Cuento is more on top of it than me! Did the rest of you know?

If you haven't had the pleasure of being inspired by Agathe's style, go here.

LL

Style Icon: The Lady who gave us the Cajun

Our lovely parents on their honeymoon in 1982.

Before our mom got herself hitched to our dad, she was a gorgeous long-haired hippie (the real deal: protests, artsy, poor but endlessly creative, etc.). Cath and I constantly harangue her for getting rid of those Frye boots (she saved up for months- and they were only $75 back then), suede vest and peasant shirts that used to hang in her closet when she was our age. Even with little money, and even less closet space, our mama looked good - and that to us is a true fashion hero.

So when I saw this shirt reminiscent of one she wore on her honeymoon (hair shorter, style a bit more classic than hippie) I snatched it off the H&M sales rack. I think my mom looks better in hers, but that's as it should be if you're a fashion icon.

Shirt, h&m; belt, vintage; shorts, old Gap jeans cut; boot, A&E on sale ages ago

LL

AsianCajuns in the Atlanta Journal Constitution

Two of our wonderful friends (thanks Cheryl and Linda!) nominated us to be in the AJC's 'My Style' section, and the lovely people at the AJC sent out a photographer to shoot us in Decatur. See the rest of the photos (and captions!) here.




We feel very honored to not only be included on the AJC's site, but also The Wren's Nest's blog (funniest blog you will ever read, and it happens to be about a house museum) and Decatur Metro (essential blog reading for those who love Decatur).

Hope you guys have fun checking out the photos. Let us know what you think!

LL

Calling All Local Book Lovers

Fellow book lovers Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn. Yep, you're in good company.

I know we're not the only book lover/fashionistas out there. Apart from Vogue, Elle and Bazaar we do also stick our noses into a book on a fairly regular basis.
And we're lucky to have one of the best independent book stores right here in Decatur, Wordsmiths Books. We have always preferred an independent (we have a lot to choose from in the Atlanta area) to a big box store, but unfortunately our friends at Wordsmiths are struggling to stay open.
If you are a book lover and live in the Atlanta area, please come out this weekend to Decatur and have a smashing time at Wordsmiths, while doing good... and buying books! What could be better?

LL

Black & White with Pink

I love the subtle hint of pink at the bottom of Lar's white tank. It goes perfectly with the pink shades I bought for her in Athens.


Sunglasses: Agora in Athens, GA
White and pink tank: Urban Outfitters
Black tank: American Apparel
Skirt: American Apparel

CL

JPG Mag Street Style

Lauren and I love taking pictures for our blog, but we never kid ourselves into thinking that we're skilled photographers. For some real quality photos, take a look at JPG magazine. Photographers from all around the world submit their work to be published in the magazine and the current issue is devoted to street fashion.

The photo below was taken in Osaka Japan. I love how the subject looks so still and calm on a busy street. His pale skin and shrunken coat make him look oddly doll-like.

America Mura photo essay. Standing Out in a Crowd - Julian Hebbrecht.

The man and woman in this image are equal parts elegant and relaxed, just like the restaurant/cafe they're sitting in.

Paris Street Fashion photo essay. The Odd Couple - Rachel Rebibo.

These peeps look just like their fellow citizens featured in Stockholm Street Style. I like the one guy's pompadour-ish 'do and the other guy's green laces, but I absolutely love the orange tights and short shorts on the girl. That look would not go over well in Atlanta, but she I'm sure she fits right in with the other Stockholm H&M shoppers.

Swedish Street Fashion by Some Nordic Based Guy.

CL

A Feather in Your Cap

Do you remember this delightful fascinator cap from Humble Bumble B we mentioned a few weeks ago? Cath wore it with much aplomb to our cousin's wedding. I can guarantee that she was the only one within 50 miles of Akron so attired.


John Singer Sargent's Madame X, and Cath in her fascinator, no-name dress, and Vera Wang shoes.

Cath bought this gorgeous dress (from the same cheesy/trashy store where I got my mondrian dress!) for about $25, with the fascinator in mind.

I didn't even recognize Cath's resemblance to Sargent's Madame X until I pulled the image into Photoshop today. It's hard to think "art! masterpiece!" when taking outfit photos in a Holiday Inn Express just north of Akron. But I'm pleased as punch that I can throw art history gibberish into our fashion blog again.
In Sargent's original portrait, Madame X's right strap was portrayed slipping off her shoulder. This was far too overt and scandalized the masses. Sargent eventually repainted the strap as you see here. Cath is obviously defying proper Victoriana decorum. Huzzah!

Madame X's presence on our blog is quite appropriate because Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau (i.e. Madame X) is from Louisiana- a true French Creole (Cath and I are technically French Creole, but AsianCreole doesn't trip off the tongue the same way). We would like to adopt this bold and daring lady as a long lost relative. Great-great-great-great-grandma X.

P.S. For those of you interested. The Mondrian Dress below is also available at F21 - thanks for the tip, Lala!

Ode to Mondrian, et al.

I don't know if you've noticed, lovely readers, but Cath has been shouldering the brunt of the blogging work for the last 2 weeks or so. I've finally recovered enough from a nasty bout of pneumonia so that I can sit up in front of my Mac for more than 5 minutes. Progress indeed!

Before I became an invalid (think trivial Jane Austen character with consumption, hacking lungs out on the settee), I bought this wonderful shift, jersey dress from one of those cheesy/trashy stores at a local discount mall.

I was thrilled that it was related to these things:


(Patridge Family bus and YSL's Mondrian dress c. 1965)

But the art history student in me is even more thrilled to look like a De Stijl painting rather than just a bus or a knock-off:



I don't mean to sound like a snot. I mean, the Partridge Family bus is delightfully retro and Yves Saint Laurent's dress is a masterpiece, but if it weren't for Piet Mondrian, where would they be?

Instead of just a $20 dress, I'm wearing this (in Piet's own words):

"I construct lines and color combinations on a flat surface, in order to express general beauty with the utmost awareness. Nature (or, that which I see) inspires me, puts me, as with any painter, in an emotional state so that an urge comes about to make something, but I want to come as close as possible to the truth and abstract everything from that, until I reach the foundation (still just an external foundation!) of things…

I believe it is possible that, through horizontal and vertical lines constructed with awareness, but not with calculation, led by high intuition, and brought to harmony and rhythm, these basic forms of beauty, supplemented if necessary by other direct lines or curves, can become a work of art, as strong as it is true."

For more information on Mondrian and the De Stijl movement click here.

LL

Hot Hot Heat

After visiting June Shin's and Sally Jane Vintage's blogs I know I'm not the only one looking forward to fall weather and fall fashion. Unfortunately, living in the south I won't be able to wear any autumn fashions until late October. I have at least two more full months of shorts and tank top wearing. I'm not happy about this, but I'm going to try to make the best of it. The two street style shots below are helping me get re-energized about summer style.



Photos from Altamira, NYC and Face Hunter.

CL

Costume Party Atlanta

Just one more reason to love Drew Lewis: Jenny Phillipoff's Costume Party line. The dresses and tops remind me of something Carrie Bradshaw would wear - completely outlandish, but absolutely fabulous and not something that anyone else would have. I especially love the frilly, non-trendy details of each piece.



Here's what I'd wear with the dress above: small, simple black purse, black tube dress, and crazy black and gold platforms.


This pink dress is like the ultimate party dress. Maybe something Marie Antoinette would have worn in 2008 - or at least what Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette would have worn while eating Laduree macaroons.



I'd wear the pink dress with an itty, bitty clutch, pearl and gold jewelry, and pink shoes with bows on top.


Have a happy weekend!

PS: Thanks for all the great photo hosting tips.

CL