A new beginning

I'm not really sure if I have amassed a following yet - other than the people who see my updated facebook or twitter announcing that I've posted - but I'm going to start something that will maybe lead to one. Rather than random musings and spur-of-the-moment posts, I plan on bringing some order to this blog. Starting tomorrow I will have daily posts that will be the same topic every Monday, every Tuesday, etc. on top of the random things I decide to write about. Here's the first format I'll try:

Monday - posts about models (much like the one at the bottom of this post)
Tuesday - seasonal trend post
Wednesday - posts inspired by my magazines (hopefully not anymore Anna Wintour rants)
Thursday - celebrity style fodder posts
Friday - posts about my favorite things

Now, moving on to the actual post. When I logged on to coach.com to get an image for another item I wanted to blog about (stay tuned, it will probably show up on a post later this week) I saw this:


I just about flipped out! Not only is one of my favorite models, Ali Michael, the current face of their campaigns, but it seems like they've named a bag after her. I find it too much of a coincidence that they release a bag by the name of Ali when their current model is also named Ali. In fact I don't think it's coincidence at all. The collection focuses on tangerine, black and white leather as well as metallics and the standard "C" pattern on jacquard. It has similarities to many bags Coach offers, but with a little bit different flavor and style. It's just different enough to make your handbag arsenal crave a bag or two from this collection. Here are a few standouts from the new collection called "All About Ali."

New Ali Large Flap ($458)

New Ali Metallic Clutch ($278)
New Ali Hobo ($298)

News on Project Runway's return

Thank God!!! NY Magazine's fashion blog, The Cut, published yesterday that the new season of Project Runway will be not much changed from the Bravo version. The only changes it seems that viewers will notice will be the channel change and transfer to the West Coast. The Cut said that the set and color palette for the show will stay the same - even though Heidi want to mix things up a little bit with the change in venue. The best news, in my opinion, is that Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia and Michael Kors all stayed on board for the transfer. Hallelujah! I think we can all rest a little easier now, because with all of its effort and will to make it so, The Fashion Show on Bravo isn't doing anything except make me want Project Runway even more. Except with the teaser that guest judges will be the likes of Lindsay Lohan ... at least LC knows fashion ... bring back Zac Posen and Diane von Furstenberg, please.

Photoshopping controversy

Yesterday the New York Times published a ground-breaking article on the fact that magazines alter the images we see when we flip through those glossy pages. Okay, maybe not so ground-breaking, or really news, but NYT decided to write about it anyway using these pictures of Reese Witherspoon from the covers of Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle to (sort-of) prove their point:


While NYT was right that Reese looks different in each of these pictures, they commented on the things that don't necessarily have to be altered on a computer to look different when you take into consideration lighting, styling and makeup. It doesn't take a genius to know that Reese's eyes will look bluer when she's wearing something blue/they look different depending on the lighting and that she won't have dimples when she isn't smiling and I really can't find anything really different with her chin from picture to picture. Really? I don't think these are the most offensive magazine covers that have been altered with computer programs.

I think that, yeah, sometimes magazines can go overboard with their airbrushing and photoshopping, but they're not as heinous as makeup - especially mascara and foundation - ads, like these. I use that mascara and my eyelashes only wished they looked that long and curly, and I don't know about you, but I definitely do not look like that when I just wear foundation.



NYT may be right that magazines are creating an unattainable image of beauty for women everywhere, but it's not something new. The Dove campain for real beauty released a video a few years ago that says everything the NYT article does and more in less than a minute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

If magazines want to airbrush and get away with it by being honest they can call the images photoillustrations, that's what we call photos - at most publications I've worked with - that have had more done to them than just brightening the image, working with the color balance to correct colors in the image or over-cropping. Don't get me wrong, I don't disagree with the NYT article. I do think that, to an extent, magazines are responsible for the unhealthy female body image, I just think that the article reported it wrong. This is something that magazines have to deal with all the time, and it is an issue that the NYT could have shed some new light on. I like the NYT and find them a really reliable news source, especially on in-depth pieces, but this one just didn't meet my expectations.

When I'm rich and famous

I'll buy an Herve Leger bandage dress for on of my BFFs, Catharine:


This one is actually perfect for her, plus since it's Herve Leger she'll automatically love it. And so do I. In fact I think she actually goes weak in the knees when she sees an Herve Leger dress, and it's no question why. They strap everything down (literally - we put America Ferrera in a few of these exactly a year ago at the BBook cover shoot and she looked fab!!) while still looking ultra sleek and sexy. There's honestly nothing not to love about the Herve Leger bandage dresses.

While I was scrolling through the Herve Leger website to find an image for this "When I'm rich and famous" the Resort 2009 collection caught my eye. Maybe it's the bright colors or maybe it's that the bright colors look impeccable on the model's skin tone, but either way this collection caught my eye and for real made my jaw drop. For one all of the images for collection don't look like they were taken for a look book, with the model's angular poses and the styling it could seamlessly fit right into the pages of Vogue (it has that Anna Wintour-was-there-and-gave-her-finishing-touch vibe -- flip through the last few issues and you'll know what I mean). In addition to getting Catharine an Herve Leger, I'll get one for myself too!



This particular acquisition might have to wait until I'm really rich and really famous because at this point I don't know which I'd choose and I can't possibly imagine the choice getting any easier. Sigh. I wish I was rich and famous now.

Taken for granted

One thing I've recently realized I've taken for granted is nail polish. For many reasons, including the fact that I paint my nails/touch them up every other night, my father thinks when I'm away at school I'm at a vacation spa. Several weeks ago there was a snag in my vacation plans when I lost a finger nail for medical reasons and one very big thing hit me - pretty hard: I wouldn't be able to paint my nails! And now with summer basically here and fun, new nail polish colors lining the shelves everywhere I go, I'm realizing how important nail polish really is to me.

My nail polish envy has gotten increasingly worse as I lust after the new pinks and bright colors. It's made me turn to list-making - a pretty common pasttime if you know me - and this list-making is good for my blog. Here are some of my most lusted-after OPI shades:

French Bordeaux


Mauve-lous Memories


Conga-line Coral

In the meantime, I concede a little and opt for a pinky-neutral during this depressing time. In fact, I already own this shade of OPI!

Suzie and the Lifeguard

When I'm rich and famous

I'll have a pair of these:The Christian Louboutin Simple Pump is perfection in the form of a pair of black pumps. Yes, I could browse his website for days and bookmark every other image, not to mention all of the classics, but this pair - in black leather (not the patent) - top my list. No female should live without a great pair of black pumps and, well, this is my dream pair. Just wait, when I'm rich and famous, I'll have a pair of the red soles. And since this is one of his classic styles, it'll be around when I become rich and famous.

Accessories evolve with technology

Nowadays you don't just complement or judge someone on their hair or their earrings; pieces of technology like phones and laptops have joined that list. We didn't rush to Apple stores for the iPhone and iPod just because it served a function that we found necessary, no! it's because we thought they were sexy, sleek and, oh yes, fashionable.

There's a reason Samantha had an iPhone in the Sex and the City Movie. There's a reason the cast of Gossip Girl has a new phone every episode - remember when Nate had that tiny Samsung Juke? In the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Tibby had a T-Mobile Sidekick. Those phones are or were stylish at the time the movie/show premiered. With these examples it's no wonder my Sanyo Katana seems old and outdated.


Now the world of fashionable devices is about to get a major jolt because Sprint will release the Palm Pre on June 6. The iPhone and Blackberry need to worry just a bit, especially when the website quotes an Ars technician saying this: "I experienced something strange and quite unexpected while watching Palm demo the new OS: my iPhone suddenly felt old and played out." Sprint's newest toy features the best of both the iPhone and the Blackberry, it will have a touch screen and a Qwerty keyboard. I know my two year agreement ends this fall and I can't wait to pick one of these up; I've watched in envy for too long as my friends fiddle with their phones that always seem so much better than mine. Now it's my turn.

My current fashion addiction

Ray Bans will never go out of style. They are the little black dress of sunglasses. Celebrities love them. Movies, both new and old, endorse them. And since they've been using every shade from the color wheel, you can have them like those new GAP pantone tees: one in every color.

In the movies, like Breakfast at Tiffany's and Twilight Audrey and Rob sport them with the greatest of ease. And they look damn hot.


While they look black-hot on those two, other celebs opt for some other colors. Liv likes hers blue, Mary-Kate wears hers white, even my fav Anne Hathaway dons them in black and pink.


After about a year of wearing the same pair of cheap, black sunglasses - and not losing them - I decided to reward myself with a pair of investment sunglasses. Since any previous pair of shades had only cost me about $5, I splurged. But since I don't have quite the disposable income I would like, I fed another addiction: eBay. I spent upwards of a week scrolling through pages upon pages of discounted, but very real, Ray Ban Wayfarers looking for the perfect pair, in the perfect shade, for the perfect price. Enerolisa0512 had answered my prayers. For about half price and no shipping fees I clicked "buy now" and found solace in my very own pair of lavender-pink Ray Ban Wayfarers.