022. Hark, the clearance sales are beginning--

Fall down and weep with joy, my fellow fashionistas - for the winter sales have begun. For all my complaints about recent fashion, even I can't turn down a good sale.

So here are a few low-key fashion picks to check out. Lesser-known designer names whose quality rivals the big name brands who have been sadly lacking in taste as of late.

First up is Tsumori Chisato, whose dresses are oddly reminiscent of ancient tapestries. Yet the frocks are a casual take on modern street style.


ShopBird.com
Next is Iosselliani's Pearl Stacking rings. While this isn't on sale, I just had to include it. What an exquisite panoply of gemstones! $351 at Adele.


Adele.com
And the perfect little party dress, straight from Nanette Lepore at Shoptwigs, casts a modest but flirty shadow at any bash.


Adele.com
More to come soon, I hope!

021. Woe.

Well, I've been trying to think of things to post here. I could do the usual and comment on some new unusual piece of clothing, but this is not the time. The time has come...To Rant.

What is going on with spring fashion? What has happened to good fashion? I got home after finals, eager to flip through the new Vogue and W, and what do I get? Abysmal editorial after abysmal editorial, not that the articles were any better. I can't even begin to describe the mediocrity of the ads. Prada, fie on thee. And Dior, words cannot even begin to describe.


Style.com
Bring back the glory! Bring it back!

020. Chaos in Fashion Paradise.

(Courtesy of MSN)

Just found this on MSN Travel. This is a picture of the Galeries Lafayette in Paris during the holiday season. Now, let's forget for a second that I have no idea how they got that tree into a building (if indeed it is a real tree, not many small trees glued together to form a contiguous whole). Can anyone explain to me how they fit it into that area?

I don't know if any of you are familiar with the Galeries - it is one of the most famous department stores in Europe - but what you are seeing in the picture is the central area where the cosmetic kiosks are situated (I believe you can make out the words "LANVIN" faintly in the bottom left-hand corner). What kiosk(s) have been completely obliterated to make way for this monstrosity of a Christmas decoration? And more importantly, where did they get a ribbon that huge? I am impressed at the extravagant inventiveness of the French!

Well, the one thing I do know is that the Galeries will probably be getting a lot less traffic this year. The exchange rate for the US$ is currently abysmal, so Europeans are getting much of their shopping done in America. I hope the trend reverses itself soon - even last Christmas, when I was in London, I kept seeing flight discounts to NYC emphasizing the benefit of shopping abroad. You know the exchange rate is bad when you still save money with the additional cost of purchasing a plane ticket from London to NYC.

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.

014. Autumn opulence: A tribute to diffusion lines.

D&G Minidress with Scarf, $840, and Short Belted Trenchcoat, $1295
NeimanMarcus.com

I usually think that D&G items are garish, trashy, and cheap-looking, but this outfit is spot on! I'm a huge fan of polka dots and ruffled blouses, and the dress makes the best of both styles. Plus the coat is absolutely gorgeous. Crimson satin and that little ruffle at the waist? Perfection.

However, I'm surprised (and a little disappointed) the prices are so high. I suppose the quality/type of fabric of these two garments could be the cause, but it's still disheartening to see a less pricey line go up in cost. It's already difficult enough to pay for my wardrobe; any increase is bad news for me.

013. Expectations plummet; but carpetbags save the day!

What in the name of all hell is THIS? Stefano, have you something to say for yourself? Domenico?


Style.com
Ew. Ewwwww.

Most of Dolce & Gabbana's Spring 08 collection failed to impress me. Some of it fell flat like this abysmally standard floral print dress, and some of it tried too hard to create a tailored look that was not suited at ALL for the type of material used. It mainly makes me sad because I always have such high expectations for Dolce & Gabbana. For the last half dozen or so collections, I'd hardly been able to find a single thing to hate.

But I'll admit, I liked some of the pieces from this spring. The carpetbag material used for both accessories and garments, even if it didn't work well with the business suits, was brilliant (see skirt below for example).


Style.com
The collection also had an adorable selection of eclectic shoes and handbags, with checkers and patterns taking the forefront.


Style.com
So in conclusion: it wasn't all bad, but it certainly wasn't all good...