019. MARNI-COVETERS, REJOICE!

I've just been informed by the secret fashion grapevine that just in time for the holiday season, Marni's Virtual Store is going to be holding a sale on all(?) of its Fall/Winter '08 stock. It begins Friday November 30. Yes, that's tomorrow, ladies and gentlemen!

Hopefully some of these items will go on sale...


Marni.com
Is that perfection in a ballet flat? Why yes it is.


Marni.com
I'm very taken by how the bold shiny ribbon-type thing overtakes the muted color of the fabric. This is an excellent festive-yet-understated winter piece!


Marni.com
What can I say, I am a sucker for expensive lingerie. The last pair I bought came to about $200 USD - but the price of this bra already tops the price of that entire set. I can't believe John Galliano is cheaper!


Marni.com
You say bizarre-looking batwing dress that should never be worn in public...I say work of art, and I would wear it for a trip to Starbucks. It would look fantastic next to a pumpkin spice frappuccino!


Marni.com
This necklace combines two of my favorite things: Marni's eccentric granny necklaces, and the feather trend. Who wouldn't want to wear this around her neck, I ask you??

Ah, why'd I have to be notified in advance about this sale? Now I'm on pins and needles until the Marni Online staff get around to putting things on sale, which they always take forever to do!

018. Heimstone.

Heimstone is definitely one of my favorite up-and-coming designers. French in origin, the label has already set up shop in a number of boutiques across the world. The ubiquitous model showing off the collection has become infamous in underground fashion circles, and her look (slightly grungy touseled-hair chic) is exactly the kind of look I love.

In my opinion, Heimstone's biggest assets are its color palette and the hardware immanent in the design. Heimstone utilizes muted, earthy tones that accentuate what is actually very sophisticated tailoring. The collections then use a variety of hardware like grommets, cloth buttons, zippers, and all sorts of other three-dimensional "props" to incorporate a bit of a punk vibe to the clothing. Overall, Heimstone is the epitome of edgy. Which is one of my favorite words to use to compliment a designer, so yay.


Heimstone.com
I absolutely fell in love with this dress. Zippers, asymmetry, that glam-rocker look - this is everything I look for when I'm shopping!


Heimstone.com
This jacket is absolutely fabulous. Not only is it going to be pretty much universally flattering, it's a weird combination of military and Victorian with the tufted sleeves and straight lines that turns out a fabulous silhouette.


Heimstone.com
While I wouldn't wear this dress (trust me, I'd look abysmal in it), I can still admire it from afar. I adore the hooks connecting the shoulder straps, and as usual there is a fair degree of complexity to the dress but it remains a basic piece that can be worn with a lot of things.

Heimstone dresses are priced at around $450 a dress, which I don't find to be excessive considering the amount of workmanship that goes into these garments. But I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that they go on sale somewhere soon!

017. The long-awaited review: High-waisted denim.

Unlike some fashionistas, I don't own a lot of denim. Although I do respect high-quality, high-priced jeans, they are not top priority for me. You can only get so creative with denim, because it's only one type of material. I prefer to spend my money on unusual tops or dresses.

When the high-waisted jeans fad broke onto the fashion scene, I reacted with dismay. Let it be known that I do not have the body considered ideal for high-waisted jeans, primarily because I have no waist. I am an apple shape, so my body is a straight line down. No hourglass figure to be accentuated by high-waisted items here. But after the panic subsided, I grew apathetic. I began to doubt that the style - rather extreme in nature - would catch on. And in truth, it hasn't. I've seen a moderate amount of people wearing high-waisted jeans, and pairs have appeared in a number of stores, but it hasn't affected style as drastically as I expected (at least where I live!). And so I let the thought of high-waisted things slip my mind.

But just the other day, I entered a store, saw a pair, and decided to give it a try. After all, why not? My reflection might break the mirror, but at least then I could give a critique based on actual experience.

In reality, they looked adorable! I tried a nautical-inspired pair, with buttons in a boomerang curve where the pockets are usually located, a zipper on one side. There was no bulge where the zipper usually would be in the front (my stomach always causes a slight jutting-out), just unhindered smoothness. In shock, I realized the high waist was a success!

For me, though, because I don't have a small torso, I cannot do with huge flares or baggy pants; they make the smallest part of me look oversized. Boot-cut or skinny leg jeans are best. Keeping this in mind, I did a little bit of shopping online to see what I could come up with:


"Eternity" high-waisted jean, $95
SilverJeans.com
I really like the zigzag cut at the top of the jeans. It's cute and is probably copied from of the Miss Sixty high-waisted pair that I've been unable to locate online. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of dark-wash denim (I prefer black over dark blue) and the quality of the jeans is questionable. Plus--it's sold out!


"Squeaze" high-waisted jean, $170
Diesel Online Store
I'd like to think you can't go wrong with a pair of Diesels, but there's a bit of a weird bulge effect around the waist. I'm not sure if that's due to the shirt being tucked into a very tight pair of jeans or what. On the other hand, the stirrup-bottom of the jeans has a nice effect and the tailoring looks very nicely done.

Here are two other sources of high-waisted jeans I'll have to check out outside the Web:

Sass & Bide
Superfine London

Sass & Bide have a wonderful stretch to their denim that doesn't cause them to become too loose, but keeps you comfortable, making high-waisted a yes; and Superfine is a superb purveyor of unique denim fabrics (besides that, the photo campaign on their website is gorgeous and has unequivocally seduced me).

Happy hunting!

016. Balenciaga, je t'aime...

I swore my obsession with Balenciaga bags was over. Truth be told, I have gotten tired of the iconic "mini motorcycle" fad. I still love them, but I'm no longer as passionate as I used to be about them, perhaps because the ghastly image of countless fakes has been burned into my retinas. So I thought I'd moved on to newer, equally innovative handbags from other fashion houses.

But then Balenciaga came out with this unforgettable bag.


Matches.com
Balenciaga Moon Bag
Price: approximately $2600 USD (minus VAT - yeah, big whoop)
Description: Glossy chestnut brown leather handbag, with black handles. Envelope style front pocket with black trim. Black leather band around top of bag, shiny gold clasp and hardware. Fully lined with interior zip pocket. Fabric, 100% leather.

*drools*

NOOOOO! NOT ON THE LEATHER! CONTROL YOURSELF, GIRL!

When I say some bags are a work of art, I genuinely mean it. True, I like being noticed when I walk around in outfits that normal people wouldn't wear. So yes, in part, I enjoy dressing up for the theatrical effect. But on the other hand, I also wear certain things to pay homage to them. It is as if I am the mere vessel for a traveling art collection. Some of it stays home, though. My Miu Miu baroque platform wedges, for example. I want to frame them - put them in a shadow box, perhaps.

There's something indescribably beautiful about this bag, something infinitely graceful yet sturdy to its shape. I adore the oversized fastener on the front and the black leather trim on the front pocket. I ask you, could a more perfect bag ever be made? No - although there may yet be bags that are equally flawless.

I'm very hopeful about this bag's status as a rare treasure. I don't think it has enough mainstream appeal to have fakes made of it. But only time will tell what shows up on eBay.

015. Fashion's Hydra: Sonia Rykiel Spring '07.

Sonia Rykiel's Spring Ready-To-Wear consisted of an eclectic mix of soft-hued dresses, bold jumpsuits, and frilly bathing suits. Usually I prefer when a designer sticks to a central theme, but every piece had its appeal.

I owned a denim button-up jumpsuit when I was in high school. I thought I looked so hot until someone told me I looked like J.Lo in it, at which point I quickly discarded said jumpsuit (it still hangs, gathering dust, in the deepest recesses of my closet). So while the word "jumpsuit" carries a sense of shame for me these days, Sonia Rykiel's jumpsuits' boldness of pattern and brilliance of color generate a highly covetable semi-vintage look. The sunglasses are the crowning glory of this outfit: I love how ridiculously audacious they are.


Style.com
Now on to the dresses. This is spring in all its glory. The silken, billowing dresses of the collection conjure to mind the pastel hues of lilacs and the gentle breezes of mild spring weather. I find myself quoting Wordsworth as I look at these dresses -- "I wandered lonely as a cloud..."

*cough* Uh, on to the picture.


Style.com
Even though this bathing suit looks as if it would fall apart at the mere mention of water, its complete lack of functionality endows it with a sense of delicacy. And being the type of person who literally avoids the sun for fear of getting a tan, I'd much rather wear this than some water-resistant spandex number.


Style.com
I'm not so sure about wearability, but I'll be interested to see how the runway pieces translate to what will be appearing on clothes hangers come spring.