Lace & Leather

Pink, The Panther

2017-06-12T23:08:00.001-07:00

I'm honestly still pretty pumped about the color pink. Of course, per usual with spring and summer comes my attraction to florals. I like to blame the fact that I'm a May Baby for that attraction, but really, i'm literally the last two days of May, so it's probably more of me being a cliché. I don't mind it one bit. I may fall hard in lust for the florals, but it's very rare I fall this hard on the pink.

While Fendi may have made me nostalgically think of The Queen herself, Ms. Spears-- Gucci is giving me a post-pubescent excitement. Their campaign itself takes me back to 70's & 80's slasher films and their tasteless, yet memorable, objectification of women portraying teenage girls. Why does my mind immediately go there, you ask? Well...

...I guess these images just take me back to any Friday the 13th film; getting high, smoking cigarettes in the high school locker on the last day of school. The machista jock getting upset with his prude girlfriend, the virgin, who no doubt lives through it all-- damaged but, alive.

I'm not a total psychopath, but I sure do have a way of connecting the dots, well...my dots at least.

Baby Spice

2017-06-05T21:24:00.002-07:00

I really stopped caring for the color pink sometime in 2006. It was no longer as exciting, shocking or surprising to see a guy in a pink, and to be quite honest I truly felt the color belonged to the one and only, Paris Hilton. Which, if you ask me, is still accurate (sorry LVP).

A couple months ago I began to feel a tingle in myself when I'd see a powder puff pink out on the streets. Whether it was a pink fur pom-pom on someone's backpack or the very popular Fenty Puma slipper. You know exactly which one I'm talking about. No shade, but at the same time it also felt a little contrived. Like everyone was trying to be shocking in their pink when the trend at the time was an olive bomber jacket and neutral statement pieces. Well, guess what? It fucking worked.

I am currently on a hunt for an all pink weekend ensemble, and possible powder pink beard, because yes-- i always go that extra step to be, well... extra. There's a good chance I'll settle for a pale pink short sweatsuit or even a preppy pink short and polo, at this point all I want for the summer are florals, pinks and a bad attitude. In light of this mood I decided to stick my nose in some magazines and look for something that made me sigh in relief, and of course, I found it.

Fund's Spring 2017 RTW has given me all of the nostalgia of Britney Spears 1999 Rolling Stone shoot and 70's Lolita flair, which really, should be the new sexy. I'm tired of these video vixens inspired looks. Give the world an overly innocent look and we'll find a way to make it naughty.

You might also be asking yourself, so...why the random mention of the Fenty Puma slipper? Well, because as much as I loved it and felt that was pretty spectacular, we all have to remember we saw it with Celine first, and then Puma remixed it, but I think Zizi Donohoe perfected it in mink, and you can quote me on that.

Banking on Banks

2016-09-14T23:14:00.001-07:00

A few of years ago I was lucky enough to see The Weeknd in concert at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles during his The Fall tour, he had only two opening acts which he interchanged between cities: Banks and Hasley. I had the pleasure to have Banks as the opening act at our show.

Banks, who's real name is Jillian Rose Banks, came onto the stage in a simple all black ensemble and began to put her spell on the crowd with her melancholy sound. Heavy in bass with deep R&B roots, she swayed and poured herself onto us. I was immediately entranced. I am a sucker for a sad girl and Banks was singing her broken heart to us that night. It was beautiful and, like I said before, entrancing.

Enough about my falling in obsesssion with her, let's get to why I'm writing about her to begin with. Ms. Banks is releasing a new album at the end of this month (9/30), the album is entitled The Altar. The first single she released for this album was "Fuck with myself" which I will admit, sort of threw me off, especially compared to her first full length album Goddess. In this song she isn't just haunting us, she is really playing with our ears and her vocals...almost as in taunting lunacy. It's glorious, if you ask me...

I encourage you all to give her a whirl, and if you've already heard of her but never really got into her, or you didn't realize she was coming back... go dip into The Altar...

And don't pass up a chance to watch and listen to Gemini Feed, a single of hers that I absolutely consider to be a signature Banks.

Summer Night Dreams

2016-08-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not much of a Spring or Summer fan, mainly because the Spring kicks my allergies up into full gear and I turn a year older in May; the Summer is just a flat out nightmare. I don't get a Summer break like I once did as a wee lad, all I get now is 40 hour work weeks and unbearable heat. With that being said, I hardly ever go wild for Spring/Summer lines because there's a good chance I'm not looking forward to it. I do, however, appreciate a good look when I see one and these days I have been really feeling billowing blouses and gowns, and don't get me started on my love affair with linen. Oh these summer night dreams...

Rachel Zoe - S/S '16

The Row - S/S '16

Billy Reid - Spring '16

Cadet - Spring '17

Heartbreak Boys

2016-08-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for new artists and music for my listening pleasure, and one of my favorite tools to do so has been Spotify's "Discover Weekly Playlist." They usually update it for every user on Tuesdays, I believe, I could be wrong so don't quote me. Anyway- this playlist has helped me on my quest for new music time and time again. This last month it introduced me to the trio LANY.

LANY is a Los Angeles based group that was formed in Nashville Tennessee. They have a very warm pop sound with lots of heartbreak. It reminds me of high school sweethearts and college romances that start with so much potential and end in heartbreak. Now, I don't want to make them sound like an emo band, because they are definitely not that. They have created a few upbeat songs with positive lyrics and vibes, but it's their 3rd EP, Make Out, that really got me loving them. Their hit song "ILYSB" (I love you so bad) is what sold me on the band.

If you like the sounds of Troye Sivan, Passion Pit, HAIM and even a little bit of Michael Jackson- you're gonna love LANY.

Bombs Away

2016-08-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

I know it's summertime and I know that here on the westside we haven't had much of a fall or winter in a couple years now. Last summer was a record high for us in Southern California, but I can't help it, I'm a sucker for a good jacket. I'm sure some of you remember the crazy bomber craze last fall, everyone was going nuts over the olive and black bomber that Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid were seen wearing around town.

I personally felt a wave of nostalgia when I saw the images of them casually yet chicly. I was taken back to my obsession with vintage Members Only bombers that were once all the rage. I used to spend weekends hunting for the right one, only to settle for a slightly ill-fitting knock off. The Bomber craze is still pretty strong almost a year after it first re-hit our jacket-loving hearts, with several brands and designers creating their own take on the classic jacket.

Like Daniel Patrick with his Kimono take on the Bomber and a Sherpa bomber.

Or I Love Ugly's blue satin Coach Bomber which can be found at Revolve (see link).

Native Youth has a sweet faux suede Brushed Bomber also available at Revolve (see link).

New brands have even arisen from this trend like the L.A. based brand, M.A.P. with their pastels, velvet and embroidered Bombers, you'll feel sultry and chic as fuck.

And by all means, don't be afraid of a good printed bomber, it'll only show off some personality.

The Bailey Girls

2016-06-09T15:36:00.000-07:00

I first heard of Chloe X Halle Bailey on a quick read about Beyoncé and her record label. I was initially reading the article strictly to learn about Queen Bey's new venture. I figured she was following in her husband's footsteps and honestly thought it was going to lead nowhere. Boy was I wrong. A few months later Vanity Fair posted an article covering these two sisters, discussing their vocal range and their eclectic music style. So of course I was ready for more, and I my prayers were answered back in April when the video for The Drop was released.

Everyone knows I'm a sucker for a well dressed girl, give me a well dressed duo and you've got me locked in. These girls have a very great team working with them, because their look to me is flawless. It's quirky, it's romantic and it's innocent but fashion forward. Their sound is nothing at all what I expected. I honestly assumed Beyoncé was going to look for other Beyoncé's of the world and sign them under her label, giving them all her rejected tracks, I expected a Beyoncé sound. I don't know exactly who I can compare their sound to, but I love it. They remind me of an urban First Aid Kit or HAIM, all three groups sisters and all three groups have a very defining sound.

Chloe X Halle's EP "Sugar Symphony" was released April 29th of this year (2016), it's available on iTunes, it's $6 and totally worth it. Watch below for a taste.

Marilyn Minter Full of Grace

2016-05-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

I discovered Marilyn Minter about a month or two ago and I was kind of grossed out but aroused all at the same time. I'm not a fan of mouths, I mean I am in the manner of sex, but in general I think they're disgusting. French kissing has always been something that grosses me out to an extreme that sometimes I'd rather just not kiss to avoid any sort of tongue on tongue, saliva swapping experiences. Something about sharing that many germs just makes me sick. Plus there's always the chance that the other person has a gross mouth. Ew. Anyway, I digress.

Marilyn Minter is an American artist that creates some of the most incredibly disgusting and arousing images that I've seen in a while. Her main focus is extreme closeups of women's mouths filled with diamonds, pearls and even penises. I was reintroduced to Marilyn by way of the Lena Dunham and her extraordinary newsletter, Lenny. In the issue, Laia Garcia interviews Marilyn Minter asking her a series of questions about her upbringing, her inspiration and most notably her work with Planned Parenthood, Marc Jacobs & Miley Cyrus.

We thought, Well, let’s make more money for Planned Parenthood somehow, and we thought, We just have to get a young spokesperson. I thought, Let’s ask Jeffrey [Deitch, an art dealer] to approach Miley, because I know Jeffrey, and he had done a bunch of events with her. We thought that was [a] pie-in-the-sky idea, but we thought it might be possible because we knew she was an activist. We emailed him, and he said, “That’s a great idea,” so we wrote a letter, a handwritten letter, to give to Miley. I think we had just given it to him, and then I just happened to go to this party at Paper editor Kim Hastreiter’s house. She’s a fabulous cook, and someone said, “Oh, this is Diane Martel, she styled Miley Cyrus for the cover of Paper,” which had just come out. I said, “Oh, that’s a coincidence. I’m about to ask Miley Cyrus if she’ll get involved with Planned Parenthood.” Diane says, “I’m her best friend,” and she FaceTimed her. We asked her right there, and she said yes!

The collaboration spoken about above can be found at: Marc Jacobs where you can see videos of Marilyn and Miley working together as well as shop the two styles of T-shirts that support Planned Parenthood. 100% of net profits from T-shirt sales will go to Planned Parenthood, which provides vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people worldwide.

Here are some of my favorite images by created by Marilyn Minter

Put your white tennis shoes on and follow me...

2016-05-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

I am in dire need of a new pair of white sneakers/hightops. I personally prefer a hightop because I also like a scrunch to my jean and I feel that those two ideas are made for each other. My first thought was to replace my Nike Air Force One's, because those are usually my go to perfect-for-every-spring-event shoes, but really it's just the silhouette of the hightop that I'm in love with. Anyway! In my obsession of clicking around and "window shopping" online, I came across these babies by Helmut Lang and Tom Ford that I personally adore. White hightop is key for your Spring wardrobe. Absolutely key.

Helmut Lang Hightop

Tom Ford Russel Leather Hightop

Unif 101's

Nike Air Force One High

This post was brought to you by: Lana Del Rey - Swann Song

All suited up

2016-05-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

So I was originally planning on posting a Beyoncé rave, but unfortunately the imagery I wanted to share was and/or is currently unavailable, so the next best thing is obviously Ms. Thang Rihanna Gang.

I was really feeling the Kiss It Better video when she released it as a very short-lived single, and to be honest as much as I love Needed Me, I think Kiss It Better deserved a little bit more airplay. That's just my thoughts. While re-watching the video today over a bowl of cereal, like an adult, I couldn't help but think of Lanvin's Spring 2016. Some of the looks that came down the runway were a little...off, but there were quite a few gems and after the video, I'll leave them there for you to judge.

Enjoy!

Give me leather forever

2016-05-11T18:41:00.000-07:00

Leather, to me, is never going to go out of style. Almost any style of leather is sexy to me, it's just so rich and provocative, which leads to the whole reason for this post. I am having a total Zana Bayne moment. I read on WWD that they have yet another collaboration, this time with & other stories. I'm excited to see exactly what they are going to do, but regardless, I'm certain I'll drool over at least 3 pieces. That's a given.

Here's to provocation in leather!

Goo-Goo for Gucci.

2016-05-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

I was having a major debate with myself this week on whether or not I wanted to cover the Met Gala. I personally didn't totally understand the theme, and once I really did sort of get it, I did begin to look over everyone's looks; but even then I didn't feel comfortable speaking on it. So instead of that, I thought why not treat everyone to some amazing mens wear? Duh.

Gucci's menswear right now is pretty much my dreams come true. It's like an adult version of the grunge version of myself that I used to daydream about as a pre-teen. It's incredible. So check it out, drool if you must.

Grace graces Tiffany

2016-05-02T13:27:00.003-07:00

I'm pretty late to the train with this news, but not because I wasn't informed! I was pretty much just lazy and kept reminding myself to post about it mid-errand, which then would turn into me completely forgetting about it...

ANYWAY!

Tiffany & Co. has tapped Lady Coddington to be their "Creative Partner." Although I'm not sure if that means she's a second Creative Director or if she's simply suggesting creative direction(s) and hoping it sticks, either way I'm THRILLED to see her doing this. When she stepped down from Vogue I was absolutely stunned. It's hard for me to picture Vogue without her. She's so iconic to them and for them. Grace was always someone to look forward to seeing in the pages of Vogue. Not actually seeing her but seeing her visions, they were always so beautiful and striking. Whenever she had a spread (or two) within the issue of Vogue, I swear I would look them over at least 6 times in freakish detail, because they would move me. It was almost like the hypnosis you find yourself in when you're reading a great book.

With all that being said, I'm really excited to see what she's going to do for Tiffany's. In my personal opinion I think she's really going to give Tiffany's some youth and life. Tiffany & Co. has always been elegant and minimal because their product speaks volumes. They didn't need all the extra bells and whistles that some other brands need or want to define them. I feel like this is really going to be special and I'm excited to see the campaign this fall and winter season. It's set to feature multiple Tiffany collections in the September issues. It will also be on their digital and social media, and will run through the Holiday season.

All this Grace!

Can we please talk about Laura Collins?

2016-04-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

I am pretty late to the art party. I generally find interest in women's fashion and music first, then I'll stray to photography, but art is unfortunately the last realm of my artistic interest, which is ironic I think. Anyway, today I became aware of a wonderful artist from Chicago named Laura Collins, she paints images of the Olsen twins hiding from paparazzi and it's INCREDIBLE. I'm a huge fan of the Olsen twins hiding from paparazzi, so to see someone create art out of these images is just heavenly to me. I've already got my eye on one painting that I hope is still around after her exhibition in Brooklyn this May. Here is just a taste of her talent and some information on the exhibition she will be part of this spring.

The THNK 1994 Museum Presents:

April 05, 2016 / Laura Collins

"The Olsen Twins Hiding From The Paparazzi"

{ An exhibition featuring new paintings by Laura Collins }

April 22 - May 1 | 563 Grand Street | Brooklyn

www.lauracollinsart.com

That 70's dream

2016-04-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

I came across Self Service magazine's S/S '16 shoot with Venetia Scott, and holy middle-part heaven, Batman! I instantly fell in love. I'm a sucker for a good retro shoot and chiffon and lace touch me in ways I can't explain. Not to mention, I have a serious achilles heal for gingers.

I mean...right? Heavenly.

2 years later...

2016-04-18T20:07:00.000-07:00

I guess it's safe to say I'm consistent- two years ago it was whites and this year my blogging tick bit during this Marchesa's spring '17 Bridal. I mean could you ask for more magic?

I think not.

I was so mesmerized I seriously felt like I had to absolutely tell everyone that would read or listen...so here I am, again! And while we're on the bridal topic, here's Lana Del Rey's walk down the aisle in Ultraviolence.

A White Spring

2014-02-16T02:02:00.000-07:00

I'm absolutely hypnotized by the whites and pastels that i've been seeing. I'm not normally a sucker for pastels unless i'm decorating a baby shower or easter egg…especially paired with whites, but these are making me drool. They're defining spring for me.

A Royal Holiday.

2013-11-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

Have yourself a royal day this Thanksgiving.
This being one of my favorite holiday's I couldn't help but flash back to the gorgeous and quite fitting, Dolce & Gabbana F/W '14 runway & ad campaign.
Xxx,
Cheers!

Hallows Eve

2013-10-30T18:27:00.001-07:00

Feeling inspired, naturally, by tonight- Mcqueen came to mind.

My initial thoughts were FW 2013; the cages, the pearls, the drama!

And so I began to revisit the runway for a different kind of chill down my spine. While doing so, I of course couldn't resist but look at the FW 2014, and my my am I pleased; per usual.

The evolution from the flamboyantly romantic and dramatic goth, to the minimalistic gothic-chic flare was absolutely flawless. The sharp baroque surprises were delightful.

Kudos!

And Happy Halloween

Xxx

Throwing back to a Muse

2013-10-24T23:35:00.000-07:00

Falling in love over and over again...

{Valentino F/W 2012-13}

Flashes of our Grunge.

2013-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Boys Boys Boyz!

2013-03-27T23:29:00.000-07:00

I just like a little eye candy before bed.
Xxx,
Night.

Crazy for Transparency

2013-03-20T23:29:00.000-07:00

I thought i should piggyback on my black and white post with my second absolute craze: transparency and cutouts. I mean, seriously? So sick.

Alexander Wang S/S 13

Balenciaga F/W-S/S 13

Akris F/W 13

Narciso Rodriguez S/S 13

Valentino S/S 13

Chanel S/S 13

Charlotte Olympia S/S 13

Mad About Black & White.

2013-03-20T01:33:00.000-07:00

Per usual, I'm one to gravitate towards the monochromatic black or white looks. It's something I just can't help; the devil is in the details, I always say. These 2013 looks have definitely given me that warm and fuzzy feeling inside.

Akris F/W 2013

Balenciaga F/W 2013

Marc Jacobs F/W & S/S 2013

Valentino F/W 2013

Green with Envy

2013-03-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

I'm obsessing over all the green and pastels this spring-- obsessing!
Gucci

Oscar De La Renta

Chanel

Gizia
Happy St. Patty's day weekend!