The Couture Cookie

Busy week!

2011-07-03T20:50:00.004-04:00

It's been a while, and my excuse is work, work, work, castings, castings, castings, plus of course the fact that there is just no point posting images of myself in my yoga pants heading to Crunch, or wearing jeans and a tank top to walk the dog. But the other day, I actually remembered to take a picture on my way home before I changed into my gym clothes and went to hit the treadmill...!

floral romper: Wyatt
shades: Coach
chain strap bag: Marc Jacobs
platforms (not in picture - sorry!): Elizabeth & James
no jewelry except for pearl studs - I figured the rest of the outfit was busy enough for what I was doing that day
ice coffee from Dunkin' Donuts... and the little gray, mollusk-like thing is just my very unstylish key ring! :)

Making your signature style more casual

2011-06-24T23:23:00.009-04:00

What if you have a full day of castings, voice class and a chiropractor visit, and are craving pearls, chain strap bags, powder pink mixed with black, pencil dresses... but need to be comfy and able to move fast from appointment to appointment without losing your cool or getting bleeding blisters? Not to mention, most of your castings call for a "casual" look? Well, you compromise!

jeans: Miss Me
powder pink t-shirt: H&M
black cardigan: Flash (chain store in Sweden)
sandals: ShoeDazzle
silver necklace and earrings: old stuff that I've had forever... couldn't really wear any statement pieces for what I was doing today
chain/pearl belt: some cheap wholesale store on 6 Ave in the 30s (you know, one of those where you can "only make a purchase if you're a wholesaler" but as soon as you wave a couple of dollar bills in the owner's face, he'll let you buy whatever you want :D)
chain strap bag: Kate Spade

Working hard for the money

2011-06-21T21:10:00.004-04:00

Just came home after 12 hours on set - thank God the shoot was in the Meatpacking district, close to home! And thank God I remembered to bring flipflops for the breaks! :)

jumpsuit: DVF
necklace: French Connection
bangles: street fair
earrings: gift from my mom
belt: Filippa K
purse: Kate Spade
shoes: was wearing Calvin Klein heels all day but walked home in flipflops... there was a time when I would rather have died than done something that unfashionable, but these days I just have no shame.

Not a very glamourous day

2011-06-19T16:28:00.003-04:00

This is how happy I look when I have to spend my Sunday sifting through the aisles of Home Depot, trying to figure out whether Krud Kutter, Greased Lightning, Goof Off or Goo Gone is the best choice for removing permanent marker from clothing.... instead of catching a Vinyasa class and then going to the park. My boyfriend, the accomplished graffiti artist, had gotten Sharpie on his new Lucky Brand jeans and as the lady of the house, it was my job to take care of it. Le sigh...

halter crochet dress: can't remember the designer - got to keep it after I worked for her as a showroom model at Coterie
feather earrings: street vendor on Astor Place
bracelets: Judith's Jewelry
tote & shades: Coach
shoes: not visible but I'm wearing golden strappy sandals!

And if anyone wants to know, all those stain removers that I mentioned above can suck it...! I had no luck with either of them, but got the stain out completely (without damaging the fabric or stripping out any of the blue denim color) by using Garnier Fructis hairspray and a fair amount of paper towels. Who'd have thought!? :)

Hanging with the pup

2011-06-18T14:53:00.002-04:00

We're basically on our way out - I'm just trying to decide on which ice coffee flavor I want today... French vanilla? Pistacchio? Chocolate toffee? Chocolate raspberry? Coconut cream?

And also, I need to pick out a handbag - I am thinking something oversized and floppy. Decisions, decisions...

maxidress: Nicole Miller
slippers: DKNY
necklace: street fair find
sunglasses: Coach
puppy: purebred Chinese Crested Powderpuff - doesn't get much better than this!

Date night!

2011-06-17T18:55:00.003-04:00

It finally stopped raining so we can go out to dinner! :)

knitted romper: Nanette Lepore
camisole: H&M
sandals: ShoeDazzle
necklace: Enz's on 2nd Avenue
bracelet: Scoop
bag: Kate Spade

Hope everyone's having a great weekend! xo

An almost unbelievable transformation

2011-06-15T00:44:00.006-04:00

From tired and cranky New Yorker to 1920s bohemian party girl on the beach!

Before:

jeans: Arden B
top: Kookai
cardi: Stenstroms
sneakers: Champion
sunglasses: Ann Taylor
bag: Kate Spade

After:

all vintage.... linen harem pants, beaded silk blouse, men's brogues, crochet beret, costume jewelry - most fun outfit I've worn for work in a very long time! Wish I could have kept the clothes! :)

Thank God for empire dresses...

2011-06-12T16:51:00.004-04:00

Feeling super fat and bloated after having done three long days/nights on set with no sleep and nothing to eat but junk (yeah, you can only have so much fruit and veggies before you want something "real" and then you're stuck with all the stuff that is loaded with fat, sugar or sodium... ugh). Betsey Johnson to your rescue!!!

empire dress: Betsey Johnson
butterfly necklace: Mandee
silk floral earrings: Pilgrim
tote & shades: Coach
shoes: fitflops (I have a 4 hour walk coming up, so I don't really have a choice!)

Happy Sunday, everyone. :)

Before and after

2011-06-10T08:59:00.005-04:00

On the left: half asleep on my way out 6AM-ish yesterday...

denim shorts: Miss Me
top: Theory
hoodie: Balettakademien
slippers: Aldo
bag: Longchamp

On the right: after the hair/wardrobe/makeup transformation at work.

vintage, vintage, vintage

And I get to do it all over again today.... thank God I was not born 100 years ago, 'cause the 1920's look is really not very flattering on me.

Last day on Damages before summer

2011-06-07T11:38:00.003-04:00

In other words, spending this beautiful day indoors. :(

dress: gift from a designer, I think it's Uzi
belt: Forever 21
ballerina flats: Delia's
bag: Furla
shades: Coach
earrings & necklace: gray pearls... what else?

One of those days

2011-06-06T13:59:00.002-04:00

Studying voice over copy, juggling phone calls, trying out new recipes, selecting images from a test shoot, preparing for an audition... no reason to dress up today.

shorts: Delia's
top: Nanette Lepore
necklace: Urban Outfitters
bracelet: Snoe of Scandinavia
earrings: diamond studs, got them as a gift way back
bag & sunglasses: Coach
shoes: golden fitflops

Also, I'm propped up with the latest Hollywood Reporter and my puppy Angel. I feel sorry for everyone who has to wear a suit today - it's 70ish in New York. :)

Castings on a Saturday...

2011-06-04T16:56:00.004-04:00

... not sure how I feel about that.

romper: Diane von Furstenberg
belt: Filippa K
heels: ShoeDazzle
bangles: street vendor stuff
necklace: A Bit Of Whimsy by Jillian Matney... I blogged about it here way back!
bag: Coach

Oh, and that's my puppy in the background. :D

On- and off-duty

2011-06-02T22:28:00.003-04:00

On the right: 6AM earlier today, on my way to my part time TV job. Refusing to wear a suit, as usual...

dress: my very first LBD that I bought as a teenager at a small boutique back home... it's still looking pretty good! :)
belt: Charlotte Russe
heels: Steve Madden (I wisened up and changed into ballerina flats right after I took the picture - don't want the sound guy to hate me)
pearl necklace: high school graduation gift from my parents
pearl earrings: gift from my Mom
bag: Kate Spade
sunglasses: Coach

And on the left: later at night, on my way out to enjoy the evening with the boyfriend and our puppy.

jeans: Arden B
top: Filippa K
sneakers: Champion - got to keep them after a runway show that I did... I'm aware that sneakers are frowned upon by fashion editors and their entourage, but guess how much I care? They're perfect for the doggie park. :)
bag: same chain strap tote from Kate Spade that I used earlier in the day!

Also, I lost the pearl necklace but kept the earrings. Why not, right?

Trader Joe's bound

2011-06-01T10:40:00.003-04:00

Dressing up for that endless line....

denim cutoffs: a massacred pair of Miss Me's
top: Massimo Dutti
platforms: Elizabeth & James
necklace: ShoeDazzle
bangles: "forgot" to return them to the stylist after a job that I did... ooops
sunglasses: Coach
bag: Coach Kristin leather satchel in shell pink (seems like this one is becoming my signature bag this summer, so expect to see a lot of it in these posts)

Braving spring allergies in my namesake dress

2011-05-30T15:34:00.003-04:00

No sleep last night... hello puffy eyes and stuffed throat. I almost feel like going out in my jammies (only getting ice coffee and a banana) but felt like I need to make some kind of effort in case the paparazzi show up...! :D

dress: "Malin" dress from Delia's - yes, it was indeed named after yours truly and designed with my style in mind!
shoes: DKNY
purse: vintage find
sunglasses: Coach
bracelets: Judith's Jewelry
necklace: bought it from a broke-ass girl who was selling half of her closet on Craigslist after she lost her job during the recession

Quite a mix-and-match... I hope anyone who's reading this is not feeling as crappy as I am right now! xo

I am back!

2011-05-29T16:57:00.003-04:00

Today's outfit:

Sandals: Elizabeth & James
Denim cutoffs: Delia's
Fringed top: Forever 21
Sunglasses: Coach
Bag: Coach
Crochet earrings: my stylish colleague Nubia :)
Bangles: cheap 14th St street vendor crap

Will keep the blog simple for now due to lack of time... more to come.

Prison fashion

2010-03-22T07:04:00.006-04:00

Who said inmates can't rock pearl studs and golden handbags?! The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Center at Nassau County Correctional Facility just got a little bit more ritzy!

More jail talk right here. :)

I am back - what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Maybe.

2010-03-09T06:46:00.008-05:00

So... my last post back in January was about the tragical loss (and much less tragical regrowth) of a couple of my eyelashes. Well, how's almost knocking out a couple of your teeth, as a comparison?! That's what's been the main item on my agenda with lately, not to mention NYFW a couple of weeks ago, which was also keeping me busy to some extent. This is not an entirely bad coincidence, though, as this is for sure the time when you want to be as skinny as possible - not exactly a problem, given the foods I am currently limited to eating.

I am on my way out to Brooklyn Heights to do yet another day on Gossip Girl, so this post will be nothing but a brief announcement that I have now returned to blogging on a more regular basis, in between visiting my dentist, popping painkillers and working, working, working. Not to mention eyeing some goodies on Madison Ave, that I plan to acquire as soon as the more substantial paychecks start rolling in again....

Last but not least: like my fuzzy vest in the picture? Support rural craftsmen of Himalaya, Nepal, and get your own at Nirvanna. :)

... and "see" all of you soon - if anyone's still reading, that is.

Don't try this at home!

2010-01-27T06:09:00.007-05:00

I am as far from being a makeup junkie as one could possibly be. I am all about slathering on moisturizer and eye lotion after my AM shower, running a comb through my damp hair and moving on to something I find much more interesting and am willing to spend hours on, if need be - that would be picking out my wardrobe, shoes and accessories for the day. Because really, if you have good skin and look decent overall without artificial help, then why bother with shadows, foundation, powder and all that jazz?

I'm sure you all can hear that I am not very self-critical... let's just leave it at that! However, as much as I prefer the au naturel look, I do have one guilty pleasure: eyelashes. The darker, the thicker and the longer, the better in my book. Hence, there should be no surprise that Twiggy (collage below), Jean Shrimpton (pictured above: for Bazaar in the 60s), Edie Sedgwick and their likes are my lash icons forever and ever... and that I consume mascara like a fat kid scarves down McDonald's.

I have favorites for every price segment and know exactly what to pick up regardless of whether I'm shopping at Bloomingdale's, Sephora or Duane Reade - I usually reach for the FiberWig or DiorShow, but I have tried a good couple of budget options with decent results too. However, I don't care much for what seems to be everyone else's cheapo favorite: Maybelline Great Lash. I feel like most of it always ends up underneath my eyes before the day is even half-way over... not exactly the look I am going for. Eventually, though, a makeup artist delivered the painful explanation as to why this under-eye smudging kept happening: my lashes are too short and hence the mascara comes off gradually every time I blink. Really....? And I thought it was because Great Lash is a cheap-ass drug store mascara that should not be expected to last throughout the day without a sufficient amount of clean-ups and touch-ups? My bad!

Either way, short lashes are better than no lashes, right? Imagine the trauma I experienced back in October, when I was dumb and lazy enough to make an attempt at waxing my eyebrows at home (it was raining and I didn't want to walk half a block to the nearest spa!).... and some of the wax accidentally dripped down on guess what. Never mind that basically all of my left brow mistakenly came off (I used those idiotic strips that you put on top of the brow to get your desired shape, and the wax kept running down on the inside of the strip) - what really made me freak out was losing half a row of eyelashes! Can you spell p-a-n-i-c?

Needless to say, during the weeks that followed, I was hiding 24/7 behind my bangs and sunglasses, and did absolutely no other work than movie/TV background: no castings/auditions are required for those jobs, and very often you can get away with doing your own makeup. Also, I was obsessively applying one of those Latisse knock-offs that you can get online for cheap... and to my surprise, it turned out to be money and effort well spent. By Thanksgiving most of my lashes were back to an acceptable length, and way before Christmas, they had grown into a fringe that was putting Bambi as well as Mary Quant to shame. Now, about two months later, I can't even sit down in a makeup chair without having the artist compliment me on my long, dark lashes - kind of a big change from a couple of months ago, when they used to pull the falsies out of their kits first thing as they saw me walk in. Who would have thought?! Let alone this new, lashy look of mine is all contingent on my addiction to a scary growth serum, the ingredients of which will probably kill me or at least make me blind long before retirement. Oh well... until then, I will enjoy the benefits of achieving a perfectly doe-eyed Twiggy look using not much more than a couple of coats of Maybelline Great Lash - no more smudging, and no more pricey FiberWig!

To conclude, you would think all this suffering should have taught me the hard way that DIY beautification is not for amateurs like myself. Well, not at all - I just took a stab at dyeing my hair at home in the sink last weekend.... with disastrous results that required a professional color cleanse, a new single-process dye job and a set of highlights to somewhat recreate the color I had in the first place. No further comments! Also, by the way, I still keep that jar of microwaveable eyebrow wax in the bathroom cabinet. You never know....

Everyone, do tell me about your DIY hair/skin/eyebrow screw-ups.... I can't be the only one who's guilty of doing them once in a while, right?

Other pictures in this post: Anja Rubik for Vogue Paris 11/2009; Gina Brooke mink diamond-adorned falsies; Vogue Australia spread 10/2009.

Birthday blog

2010-01-20T17:02:00.016-05:00

I hate not to write a proper blog after having been slacking for almost a week - but it's my birthday today (thanks so much for all the congratulations on the last post!), so I believe I deserve to cheat. :) Also, I am going to be naughty and make an exception from my self-imposed rule to never, ever post modeling pictures of myself on my blog. Sorry!

These edits from a recent shoot came back today (great gift, right?!) and I figured it's been a while since I featured gloves, statement jewelry, cage heels and shredded tights on here, all in the same entry... so I could not resist grabbing the opportunity. New regular post tomorrow or Friday, depending on my work situation. Until then - enjoy!

Photography, hair and makeup by Stephanie Sevilla.
Wardrobe, shoes and accessories by Lee Stalcup.

Accessory Craze

2010-01-14T11:07:00.005-05:00

Everyone who knows me knows how crazy I am about accessories. You might not believe it, but not even on a lazy Sunday spent indoors with my boyfriend and puppy will I ever skip the opportunity to pick out the perfect earrings, scarf and bracelet to go with my otherwise plain skinny jeans, cashmere sweater and riding boots (yes, I wear shoes indoors.... my argument is that the dog brings in so much dirt anyway that it does not matter). I don't know how many times I've seen my BF roll his eyes at me as we're on the way out, sort-of-remarking: "you're wearing your diamonds to the DINER?".

Oh yes, I certainly am - why?

Splurging on accessories is a phenomenal way of spoiling yourself with a nice purchase if you're on a budget, or (as in my case) if your significant other has put a shopping ban on you (!). Not only does a given amount of money often give you a little more bang for the buck when spent on accessories rather than fashion (at least if you're willing to scour Etsy and local designer markets, as I often do myself), but it is also so much easier to hide a little jewelry box in your purse when you get back home to your hubby, as opposed to a big showy shopping bag with a Chanel or Malandrino logo.... enough said.

I would like to take the opportunity to share some of my recent jewelry crushes! Please note that I have not accepted money, gifts or any kind of bribes to endorse any of the designers below... I just adore their work and felt like spreading some love.

Last week I went to Raleigh (more about my trip here) to work on a fashion shoot, and our stylist had borrowed tons and tons of jewelry from local designer Kerry Catherine. Now I realize it does not make sense at all to plug a boutique that I cannot even find the website for, but I was so blown away with her beautiful pieces, not to mention grateful that we got to use them for our shoot, that I just had to give her a shout-out. Kerry Catherine Jewelry is located on 1809 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh, NC.... if you're ever around (storefront to the left)! You won't be disappointed.

Another designer whom I'm a big fan of is Alex Keller. Alex recycles vintage jewelry into unique one-of-a-kind pieces and she does it extremely well. The necklace in the image to the right has quickly become one of my signature pieces and I would probably purchase Alex's whole collection if I could find a sneaky way to hide it from my ever-suspicious boyfriend. :)

Furthermore, as some of you might know, I am a die-hard equestrian. My parents gave me my first (due to a few "incidents", it had one or two successors throughout the years) golden horse-pendant necklace on my ninth birthday, and needless to say it was one of my most loved belongings for many, many years. Sadly however, I have no idea of its whereabouts these days - I might have left it back home overseas when I moved to New York a couple of years ago (in 2003, more exactly). So what gives? A horse loving girl without a proper piece of horsie jewelry is a sad girl - but fortunately, my birthday is coming up next week, so I simply took things in my own hands and ordered these cute little white gold horseshoe studs (left) from LuShae. Let's hope they'll bring me lots of good luck in 2010!

Last but not least, speaking of my birthday, I got an email from Soixante Neuf the other day, that made me open my eyes a little wider. Apparently, us January birthday girls get 25 % off all of their jewelry! Now, I'm thinking this message should rather have been sent to my family and friends, especially since I am not supposed to spend a single dime on fashion or accessories until I have proven to my boyfriend that I know how to be financially responsible and not behave like a recklessly spoiled, rich bitch.... but what to do, what to do? If any of you need my home address for shipping (cough, cough), please by all means, let me know! I like the Lion Ring, the Peace Necklace and the Wavy Two-Tone Cuff, in case you need "inspiration".... ;)

Also, be sure to check out my other blog, New York City Snippets! No fashion, but lots of candid NYC footage - and, not to mention, daily updates!

XOXOXO

Vanity inches?

2010-01-03T20:32:00.012-05:00

One thing I have a hard time wrapping my head around is certain women's obsession with clothing sizes. Being able to announce to the whole world that you are "a size 2" seems to be the ultimate proof of success in terms of beauty, fitness and self-control among those for whom a random number on a tag carries more weight (no pun intended) than actual measurements.... not to mention than your mirror image.

Let me get this straight. There is:

1. Size 2, height 5 ft.
2. Size 2, height 6 ft.
3. Designer garment size 2.
4. GAP / Old Navy / Strawberry etc size 2.
5. Athletic size 2.
6. Muffin top size 2.
7. Swimsuit model size 2.
8. Cellulite size 2.
9. Pear-shaped size 2.
10. Bean pole size 2.
11. Hourglass size 2.
12. Sturdy size 2.

See my point?! Height, shape, body composition and the actual fit of a garment are what matters, not a number on a tag that no-one ever sees anyway! This goes for all clothing sizes, by the way! Nevertheless, women seem to be continuously fascinated with being a size 0, 2, 4, 6... take your pick. And never missing out on a chance to capitalize on customers' insecurity, retailers have adapted (as we all know) by simply increasing the dimensions of nominal clothing sizes, thus providing instant gratification to ladies who want to appear slimmer but won't lay off the cupcakes.

This is the main reason why shopping online sucks so bad - I always factor in a couple of trips back and forth to UPS (which is all the way in no man's land on the Hudson, north of TriBeCa, west of SoHo and south of the West Village... not exactly a dream location for those of us who live crosstown) to receive and return, and receive and return until I finally get the size of my purchase right. Fortunately, most respectable online boutiques provide sizing charts, meaning your order is fail-proof as long as you know your bust, waist and hip (that would be seat, and not hip bone) measurements... and do I know mine, or what? Thanks to my job, I could probably recite them in my sleep.

Hence, I figured ordering my latest Lilly Pulitzer sale find would be painless and easy (right: Lilly Pulitzer Rawley beaded linen dress with scalloped hem). According to the size chart, a 2 corresponded to measurements 32-25-35 and a 4 to 33.5-26-36. Realizing the smaller size would probably make me look like a stuffed sausage (my numbers are 33.5-25.5-35.5), I went ahead and ordered a 4. Big mistake! When said garment arrived, I found myself literally swimming in it. In fact, after I'd suffered through a couple of returns back and forth as well as a lot of yapping on the phone with customer service, my boyfriend now says even the 2 looks too roomy for my frame (and remember I am 5'9"... if the frock is big on me, it must fit a shorter girl with my measurements like a tent!). Well, I suppose that was bound to happen, considering all the crosstown walking I was forced to do, in order to ship and receive from UPS - it probably made me shed enough weight to fit into a 0! Too bad that size was sold out... and now I can definitely see why.

But seriously? I am familiar with vanity sizes.... but vanity inches? Is this a new sneaky trick used by clothing manufacturers to flatter us and make us believe we are skinnier than the scale and measuring tape are telling us? Inflation of inches rather than clothing sizes?! If so, I hope they stop their experiment ASAP because I found it mad annoying!

To wrap up before this gets too long: on another note, if anyone who's been following my blog for a while is wondering what a less-is-more maniac like yours truly was thinking buying a crazy hot pink, covered-in-beads dress like this one... well, let's just say it's not exactly Lady Gaga garb, so I think I'll be fine! I'm planning to wear it with an old South Sea pearl bracelet, this cute vintage purse from Tillery (left) and some sort of preppy footwear that I will decide on once it gets warmer outside. The Coral Me Crazy flat in oyster by Lilly Pulitzer (right) is indeed a hot candidate... but then, of course, I would have to make my purchase in an actual boutique, rather than online. Or else, the UPS guys will start thinking I have a serious crush on them.

---------------------------------------
P.S. 1) Let's not make the comment field into an "I'm a size this and that" contest... I was just bringing up my measurements to illustrate how retarded the size hysteria has become, and how little this particular store's sizing chart did for me. Thanks and love you all, xoxoxo.

P.S. 2) A certain female celebrity inspired this post... but I'm going to behave like a lady and not mention her name. :)

Carrie on...

2009-12-31T14:19:00.003-05:00

I'm fairly sure everyone has seen the Sex and the City 2 trailer by now - if you haven't, google it (I'm not posting it here, or I'll be damned)! Admittedly, when I first came across it, I got a little excited to see an excerpt from the scene I was slaving away on for four days in Greenpoint back in October (that would be the clip when the four spanxed, war-painted stars walk down a glittery stage to belt out some karaoke together: more about it here). But aside from that, the teaser felt mostly like a parade of expensive designer garb and footwear, "modeled" by the four leading SATC ladies so as to make us forget what we're really watching was nothing but a shameless potpourri of product placement.

OK, I get it! The production company doesn't want to spoil the plot... but is that really an excuse for feeding us such a lame trailer? The only thing I can tell for sure is that this load of crap has nothing to do with the TV show I used to love!

I always thought the show captured single life in NYC so beautifully: there's always a party to attend, always a chock-full of guys fighting to pay for your drinks, always a good reason to stay out all night and suffer through the following day with the help of a gallon of Starbucks. You like one of your "boyfriends" a little more than the others, but he doesn't want to be in a relationship - it's too complicated. The two of you make up and break up, and you make your friends' ears sore whining constantly about it and trying to decipher all of his words and actions to find out what he really meant. You hook up with a member of an up-and-coming local band because he's the only one who "cares about my personality, not just my looks". And the following day you read online that he has herpes and your girlfriends have to take you to the Lower East Side Healthcare Network to get tested, because you spent your last dollars on Manolos instead of paying up your health insurance. Sigh....

And in-between all the partying, dating, brunching and bar hopping, you constantly worry about what will happen if you never get the chance to meet the right guy, settle down and grow up a little... will you end up like the spinster cat lady upstairs, who vacuums all night long and never washes her hair, or will you just give up and marry some short, boring dude whose only quality is that he wants a monogamous relationship and happens to be single, just like yourself? Well, that's when your girls take you out for skim cappuccinos and fat-free, carb-free muffins (how the heck is that possible, by the way?), and assure you you're the most fabulous chick ever and that it's totally OK to have an emergency person who is not your boyfriend or husband.

Okay, I realize it's like this everywhere... but I have never experienced it as intensely as I did when I first moved to New York! Everything about the TV show was spot-on, to say the least. Each and every episode made me laugh, cry and roar with recognition. Seriously! And more importantly, the characters were charming, approachable and refreshingly real. What woman hasn't worried about the size of her thighs, has only dated guys who fit all the 10,000 requirements on her laundry list, and at least hasn't had nightmares that no one would show up to her birthday party? Just admit it already!

Carrie smoked pot in public, crashed NYU parties although she was way over 30, got drunk out on the town and went home with some hippie whose name she didn't know, cheated on her boyfriend with her married ex, couldn't afford her apartment although it was rent-controlled (yeah, right!), had a total fortune of 500 bucks in a checking account plus a plethora of designer apparel and shoes, and was caught by her squeaky-clean boyfriend, sitting in the gutter outside a restaurant smoking a Marlboro Red.... just like the rest of us! Right (cough, cough)?!

Fast-forward to 2009 and she has turned into a rich bitch whose closet is bigger than a typical New York City girl's whole apartment, and whose biggest headache seems to be whether to choose Ballet Slippers or Marshmallow for her next manicure. She is no longer your loyal BFF who was always up for mixers and happy hours on super short notice, but rather the friend who married a loaded guy, moved to Park Avenue and never calls anymore except for when she wants to invite you to a cocktail party with 200+ guests at her townhouse. Lame!

But the funny thing is that no matter what, you will still go out of your way to keep in touch with an old friend like Carrie. After all, you do share a boatload of amazing memories and you used to have just about everything in common.... and if not for anything else, she might lend you that gorgeous white Halston dress! I guess this means I will run to the theatre, just like everyone else, when the movie drops next summer... for old times' sake.

Happy New Year again, everyone! Please tell me I am not overthinking this!

XOXOXOX

Bejeweled blitz

2009-12-29T08:08:00.016-05:00

First things first... I would like to say thank you to everyone who read and commented on my previous post! I really appreciate it! My audition for "Black Swan" actually took place already a couple of weeks ago: I made it to the second round, but then my nerves took over. I can't believe I blew it like that and actually prefer not to talk or even think about it, but at least one good thing came out of it - I finally got a good reason for taking up dance a little more seriously again. It feels great to be back! For those who were interested, you can see me as a ballerina (unless they cut me) in the upcoming "Step Up 3D" and "The Other Guys", but unfortunately not as a principal! I'll keep working on that. :)

Now over to something else. I feel like I am the only one in the whole world who has not planned her NYE outfit from head to toe already, and more importantly, that I am not even that excited about all the bells and whistles that usually surround this amateur night #1. I do know one thing, though - you will not see me in anything bejeweled, bedazzled, sequined or sparkly.

Why?

1) Bejeweled designer dresses look amazing.... but the F21, Joyce Leslie or Charlotte Russe knockoffs that will have lost half of their sequins/jewels before you're even out of the cab on your way to the party - not so much.

2) Those decked-out dresses typically require little to no accessorizing - but I love accessories and would not want to go easy on them just to instead be able to dress up like a walking statement piece.... Sure, you can pile up the bling in a fashion editorial or on the runway, but a house party in the East Village is not a runway! Less is more, even on NYE, please.

(Images above and below: runway looks at Alexander McQueen, DVF and Lanvin; MariaCarla Boscono in D&G for Bazaar, November 2009; Racquel Zimmerman in Chanel for W, November 2009; SS10 looks by Nina Ricci and Prada in W, January 2010; Sigrid Agren for Vogue Russia, August 2009)

I might just have to do an Audrey and don an LBD with gloves, fabulous jewelry, gloves and sunglasses! Yes, big shades are a must for walking home the morning after!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful New Year's Eve, whatever you decide to do or wear! Thank you so much for reading my blog this year - I hope to see all of you in 2010 as well!

XOXOXOX

Dance and Fashion

2009-12-22T06:41:00.039-05:00

There is something special, in a bittersweet way, about being the best or among the best at your dance school back home, and then moving to New York to make it and... not making it. The clip below used to be my main source of motivation and inspiration many, many years ago, as it was exactly the way I imagined New York: auditioning and rehearsing during the day, performing at night. Apples and cigarettes. Tons of wannabes, just like myself. Upon moving here, I realized there was much more to it: catty choreographers, even cattier fellow cast members, chronic injuries and understanding the true meaning of John Travolta's quote: "Rejection is becoming like a hobby to me.". It was inevitable that I would eventually drop out, and attempt to forget that I ever even tried.

These days, on the other hand, it's all about finding your old leotards at the back of your closet, sprinkled with little tiny holes from all these depressing audition number tags. Wondering what the h*** you did with your jazz sneakers. And all those white tights? And why you suddenly can't lift your leg to your nose anymore (this is clearly the part that bothers me the most). And how hilarious it is that some of the dancers at the school where I take class still dress exactly like they did in the Travolta movie from circa 1983 (?).

Yes, I'm back! Getting invited to audition for a principal dancer role in the next big ballet movie (hopefully it will turn out better than "Center Stage", another crappy film that no one except for dancers likes... which is totally understandable) made me take up dancing seriously again, and suddenly I see dance and dancers everywhere, especially in fashion magazines!

It always bothers me a little when models who do not know how to dance are booked for ballet-inspired editorials. Remember the Billy Elliott spread in Vogue last fall, starring Caroline Trentini? All I saw was sickled feet and parallel legs. Why not use a professional ballerina turned model, like Adina Fohlin, or at least models who are highly proficient in ballet, such as Karlie Kloss or Kira Dikhtyar (left: Karlie at the barre, executing a tendu à la seconde - I think this picture was in TeenVogue summer 2007?; right: Kira for Biba, April 2006)? Yes, I know the industry does not work like that. But still! And don't even get me started on actresses playing ballerinas... it is torture to be part of the corps de ballet in a film, and get asked to "sit down and stretch" throughout a scene, so as not to steal the spotlight from the principal, who clearly never danced in her life before taking on this role...

For this reason, I am always thrilled to see real, professional dancers starring in dance-inspired fashion editorials and print ads (not to mention commercials and films)! Below is the Swedish Royal Ballet in ELLE Sweden, August 2008:

ABT soloist Cory Stearns and principal Benjamin Millepied (also choreographer for "Black Swan") in Vogue, December 2009, and soloist Misty Copeland in W, November 2009:

VogueGirl Korea spread, February 2006:

.

The Brizo fall 2009 campaign:

Other favorites include Vogue Italia, March 2008, and MariaCarla for Bazaar, February 2002 (I actually don't know if she has any training or not, but for this still she looks believable either way):

Last but not least, some candid (sort of) images of fashion meeting ballet -- Karl Lagerfeld and Elena Glurdjidze of the English National Ballet at the Lemarié atelier; fitting of Lagerfeld's "Dying Swan" costume:

What about you, dear readers? Any aspiring, failed or actually successful dancers around here? Or are you merely a fashionista, loving the current ballerina trend, coveting tutus and MqQueen Bedlington-esque platforms? Nothing wrong with that, as long as you don't wear them with legwarmers! ;)

xoxoxoxoxo