fashion fille

part une

2012-01-25T17:59:00.001-05:00

Day 3 of Par-ree is coming to a close.

Thoughts so far? I love the culture-- no matter how many people say Parisians are persistently pissed, I prefer the terms private, composed, and pulled-together. Every single thing I've seen so far has been fairy-tale-style gorgeous, and the charm of the country reflects in each of the city's citizens. Most people are friendly as long as some broken Française is at least attempted and you don't look like a stupide Américain; blending in with the norms is highly appreciated.

More to come as I explore further! Please send any and all recommendations to eat, play, and see to elysiamann@fashionfille.com.

Bisous!

wear a bull

2012-01-20T15:17:00.001-05:00

Wearabl acts "as a Daily Deals platform connecting independent fashion designers to customers looking for unique, well-crafted wares."

Perhaps due to the website teasing me with several varieties of thread (and that's about it), I'm very curious to find out more of what Wearabl plans to bring us in the future--which is slated to be in the next few months, other than goods from young, deserving talent. To get tips about the launch as it rolls out, follow Wearabl on Twitter. I'll be waiting patiently with you.

pc: weheartit

la fille va à paris!

2012-01-06T14:27:00.002-05:00

Three and half years ago, Fashion Fille was born. The title was crafted in a moment of French inspiration and alliteration fixation. Little did little-me know, I would be spending a semester in Paris.

Fashion Fille is going to France. And you're coming along.

Stay tuned. Not only is this space coming alive again, but it's getting a burst of French flair.

Any and all suggestions for where to eat & play are encouraged. Please!

sunny days

2011-12-03T14:39:00.001-05:00

Who's in for a round of word association? Let's go.

accessories::sunglasses::Lookmatic::wayfarers::hipster::Instagram

And we've arrived at the end. Instagram-ing a hipster pair of Lookmatic (previously Spex Club) sunglasses, specifically the Ricky. There didn't seem to be a more appropriate way to document my newest eyewear. I can't get enough of the two-tone frames, and the vintage-looking sepia lenses. Thank you, Lookmatic. These are spexy!

time of the season

2011-11-07T14:25:00.000-05:00

For boots, that is.

I've been graced with another fantastic pair of Cougar boots. Meet the Marlas. A shoe so necessary, so quintessential, so F/W*, that they even look cool with just a pair of black-tight wrapped gams. Powah-boot!

Since they've moved into my crammed-closet, I've made a significant effort to get these guys out to play more than any other shoes I own (other than the Steve Madden boots I'm extraordinarily attached to). They look just as great with a chambray and jersey shorts as they do with pink jeggings and cropped sweaters. Throw in their unbeatable comfort and sweet azure laces, and it seems that my favorite boots have some competition. Uh-oh.

Thanks, Cougar. You've hit another footwear home-run.

*It's fun to insert arrogant fashion lingo into posts. I enjoy it.

FRC

2011-10-23T23:57:00.000-04:00

For anyone who stalks me on Twitter (if you don't, start.), you're most likely aware of the endless self-promo I've been doing the past week. I'm a finalist in Front Row Challenge, a contest sponsored by Marie Claire, LOFT, and Rimmel London, that's giving me (and 3 other girls across the US) the chance to style, produce, cast, and etc. our own fashion show. This journey began in August, and this Thursday all of the work, time, and lots and lots of blood (JK!) I've been devoting will end, and the result will (crossing my fingers) be a wonderful success.

Though I wish you could all attend and support my efforts in this, the show will not be in Lincoln Center. It will take place at a very dear location to me: Penn State! Yes, I'm a student here, and yes, this is a contest for college girls. Thus, my event is hosted at this campus. If anyone lives near Central PA and wants to come out, here's more details.

For the rest of you, peruse Marie Claire's website for pics, videos, and interviews with me and the other ladies. Check out the November issue of the mag for even more from Front Row Challenge (hint, hint! More pictures!).

Wish me luck.

UPDATE:

Below are some fantastic photos of the event.

feathery genius

2011-10-23T15:43:00.000-04:00

Damn.

ADAM has been one of my favorites for some time now, and I'm reminded why I'm such a fan when I receive campaigns like this in my inbox. We've moved past the era of fading gray feathers streaked through our hair. A new level has been reached, and it's fantastic. Click through for all of ADAM's feathery creations. Swoon safely.

best of the best dressed

2011-10-12T17:41:00.001-04:00

Fashion Month is as much behind us as our trench coat tails. You know what that means? It's time to analyze every look from every city to decide who's Best Dressed of Fashion Month! Style.com has taken on the task, and your stylish, superficial help is needed. Put your vote in by midnight tonight. (If you really want to know...wait, no! I will not make bias you by sharing who I voted for!) May the most effortless, chic, insert-another-industry-word-here win!

i did it again

2011-10-11T22:06:00.002-04:00

Ooops. Uhhh, it may or may not have been two weeks since my last post. What happened to my "return of the blogging bug?" Must've been a 24-hour thing.

I haven't really been M.I.A. I tweet like a rabid baby animal, so that counts as a presence in the blogosphere, doesn't it? Whatevskis. Setting up a few posts to roll out in the next few days, and I'm actually being honest this time. I don't blame you for not believing me, but check back here anyways! DO IT.

tazmania

2011-09-27T17:43:00.000-04:00

Abbey Lee for ManiaMania's "The Third Mind" campaign

My first ever Twitter profile background was a ManiaMania image (this one, to be exact), and ever since discovering that pic, I've been a huge fan of anything the edgy jewelry brand comes out with. These photos were all shot in a life-size kaleidoscope built by the team themselves, and I fully support the casting of Abbey for this psychedelic project. There's an accompanying short film that can be found on the ManiaMania blog. Enjoy!

dirty, dirty girls

2011-09-19T20:01:00.001-04:00

Can it be agreed on that's it a busy time? Whether you're hopping around New York, London, Milan and Paris to celebrate Fashion Month (I can check off the first, but still dreamin' about the other glamorous hotspots), jetsetting to Bora Bora for a relaxing time-out before true fall arrives, struggling to keep up with your lecture classes (I hear ya on that), or are just plain old crazed (YUP), we're short on time. I'm a pretty huge advocate of cutting corners when appropriate, which explains why I'm close-to-obsessed with dry shampoo. I may or may not use it more than real shampoo. If you think that's gross, I think you must be a virgin to this divine product. The truth is that it's tough to find a good one that's not uber pricey, and if you're using it almost everyday, your bottle will be empty almost as fast as your wallet. Lucky for us, trusty TRESemmé has a full line for all types of hair, and it's totally affordable. The full line includes something to smooth, volumize, or strengthen, and a foam waterless version that moisturizes. Oooh, fancy! Still not convinced? (Um, why not?!) The students reading might be swayed by this- TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo has been voted as one of the Top Hair Products for School (video on that below. No, that girl is not me.) It's so easy to use, too (pretty similar to hairspray, but you're spraying in short bursts at roots as opposed to all over and continuously)-- shake shake shake, lift up sections while you aim at your roots and spray- and shake shake shake in between sections, let it rest for a minute or two, then run your fingers or a brush (gently) through your tresses. Gorgeous! And, your hair will smell yummy too. Perk! I can honestly say that when my can of Psst runs out, I'm going to try TRESemmé next.

I hope I've inspired you to wash your hair less. That's really the mission of this blog.

This post brought to you by TRESemmé. All opinions are 100% mine.

blurs of platforms, parties, & producing posts

2011-09-15T21:01:00.001-04:00

Let's do a little recap, shall we? There's a whole lot to catch up on. Starting with last week, we'll rewind.

I'll drag you through my NYFW journey with some phone photos, because, face it, without iPhones, we wouldn't remember what even happened to us.

HOLY SHIT DVF. She was so beautiful, and so, so inspirational.

The Kardashian Klan (never gets old)

PS-ing with LeSportsac

Something I wish I could explain. Oh, FNO.

A few looks from Jenny Packham. I almost peed my pants, these dresses were stunning.

Mandy chillin' across from me. She's hot.

Packham finale. For the record, I'm obsessed with those hotpants.

No caption required, right guys?

BAH BETSEY JOHNSON OMG OMG FASHION JIZZ OMG

So, moving on to one of my favorite observances: overheard at Fashion Week:

1. Man to woman: "Did you eat dinner?"

Woman: "Yes."

Pause.

Woman: "I ate a peach."

2. A girl complaining to her friends while experiencing FNO in SoHo (big mistake, btw): "Ugh, I really should have pregamed this."

3. Girl at Lincoln Center to her friend: "Is this outfit crazy enough to get street style photographed?????" (It wasn't. Sorry, girl.)

Thanks for reading...next up, we chat about the Marie Claire/LOFT Front Row Challenge. Ooh ooh ooh, this will be fun. Stay tuned.

buzzing

2011-09-07T20:33:00.001-04:00

I have so much to talk about. As in, major major major recaps are in-store between us. I guess this means I've been stung by the blogging bee again? Cool.

I'm back in New York for Fashion Week (more to come on that, duh) and will be bopping around all week. I started with the Lucky FABB Conference today, where this happened:

Yep, thangs got real. Especially when I traipse while arm flailing. Things also got super crafty with the amazing Erica of P.S. I Made This and LeSportsac. If you saw me studding away in the DIY lounge today, hiiiiii! It was a fabulous day full of fabulous people, and I'm quite thrilled for the rest of the adventures I'll find myself on. Yay! I'm going to catch up soon- this time, I actually promise. So, ttyl.

hey bb

2011-08-30T22:22:00.000-04:00

I have a minor obsession with adorable children. It's nothing to worry about...just a consistent flow of coo's coming out my mouth every time I see a creature under the age of 7.

Well-dressed little girls? Now, that makes me bananas. Thanks, Kiddo by Katie, for supplying me with these beautiful, stylish babes to cyber stalk. It's perfectly healthy, I swear.

Let's hear it, everyone. AWWWWWWWWW!

pc: set #1- kids series for Junior magazine; set #2- Kiddo by Katie lookbook

impulse

2011-08-28T14:37:00.000-04:00

Karl! Coco! Sunglasses worn inside!

Watch for some BTS action from the design, styling, and shooting process of the Karl Lagerfeld for Impulse Only Macy's collab, launching this week. Well, I, for one, am excited.

2011-08-13T00:56:00.000-04:00

KID'S WEAR MAGAZINE Vol. 33

Awwwwwwww.

2011-08-12T23:56:00.000-04:00

That Magazine

consistency

2011-08-08T23:22:00.000-04:00

Two years ago, I mentioned how I might possibly be obsessed with some Rodebjer pieces I had spotted. Funny thing is, two years later, it's still a possibility.

Below, behold Rodebjer A/W 2011, a collection entitled "The Year of Magical Thinking." I can dig.

Oh faaaall, I'm ready for you! Get. Here. NOW.

#projectrunwayhp

2011-08-02T14:25:00.003-04:00

I haven't been an avid watcher of Project Runway since the season of Siriano, but when I was given the chance to watch the premiere episode of season 9 with a bunch of bloggers at the Style Coalition lounge, of course I was there in a second! (You'd know this if you were following my #ProjectRunwayHP tweets!) On top of being treated to mighty delicious snacks and a perfect view of the TV, we also got to play around on the ridiculously cool HP TouchSmart desktops. Now, I'll admit, I'm totally a Mac worshiper, and tend to turn my nose up at PCs. With that said, these gadgets are simply fun. We were all given the challenge to design our own Project Runway-worthy sketches for a chance to win an HP camcorder, but my fashion designer skills aren't exactly up to par. Congrats to Jordana for winning the prize of the evening!

After a taste of the season, I just might keep up. With a colorblind contestant, an ex-beauty queen who just happens to have had a sex tape leaked, and a devout Mormon, things could surely get real interesting, real fast.

Did you watch? What did you think about the contestants? Will you continue following through the season?

sup

2011-07-19T22:29:00.000-04:00

Last we spoke, I explained my lack of blogging desire. Nothing's really changed, except I have even less time. Between adding another gig to my summer repertoire, finding that my body is needing more and more sleep as I struggle to find less and less shut-eye hours, and organizing my life for the next semester of school (and everything else that comes along with that), life's moving fast. Please know, I'm not complaining. I'm happy, grateful, and working hard. But, this pretty little site has ended up way far back on the back burner. I plan to pick it up again with frequent postings as the summer ends, and have a few fun posts up my bell-sleeve, but please be patient and loyal while I'm in the grind! There's some cool-ass shit coming your way if you don't mind waiting around.

somewhat unrelated; still cute.

Much love, and to my NY'ers: stay cool in this ridiculous heat wave.

gotta lotta love

2011-07-07T21:35:00.005-04:00

The newest edition to the American Eagle "We the People" summer series just about saved the campaign. It went from a couple of eye-roll-worthy low-quality country music videos to a folky rock image representative of the laid-back brand. Listen to the video below- Lissie does an amazing job of capturing the scents of summer, and AE's "fashionable ideals of love, happiness, freedom and youth."

I listened to this four times before this post was published. Yes.

Note: If you're interested in hearing the other two tracks that accompany the "We the People" series, here you are! (1, 2)

consider this

2011-06-28T00:11:00.003-04:00

Ya know, it's weird.

It's weird that when I'm living in the place that I consider myself at my happiest, busy as can be doing amazing and fulfilling things, meeting people I can truly connect with and constantly inhaling inspiration, I simply don't feel like blogging. It's not about finding the time; it's about finding the want. I have no desire right now.

How could I not want to take that raging energy and write? And express my thoughts, and turn those internal images into beautiful descriptions? What does that mean for Fashion Fille, but, more importantly, what does it mean for me?

The strange part is, this blog used to supply me with that passion in question. The truth is that evolution is constant and crucial to success...what's next?! It's been 3 years since I started this thang. 3 years. Damn.

I'll have to continue thinking about it...for now, I'm quite consumed with interning (this), attending events (this), Tweeting too much, Tumbling too much, eating, shopping, not sleeping. Aaaand, repeat.

helen for adidas

2011-06-18T00:20:00.000-04:00

Discovering an uber creative and innovative artist with true talent who doesn't take herself too seriously is preeetty hard to find. That must be why Helen Benigson stood out to me. Helen Carmel Benigson (and her alter ego, rapper Princess Belsize Dollar--read on for more on that awesomeness) is a video artist who, through her combination of print, hyper-real color and sound, creates multimedia installations that are "both visually and sensually stimulating; evocative of music videos, and are described by the artist as ‘energetic, colorful and sexy.’"

She was snagged by the geniuses at Adidas to collaborate with them and create some fantastic chairs for their London office; the ones you see right above. Jealous.

Of course, I wanted to know more about this woman and her craft. Read the questions below for an exclusive interview (yep, only here, folks!) with Helen.

Fashion Fille: First off, let's discuss these gorgeous pieces of furniture you created. What inspired the print and color scheme of the chairs?

Helen: I was inspired by my most favorite place in the entire world--a secret rose field in the middle of nowhere in South Africa. It is the most gorgeous place, where roses grow and it is surrounded by mountains and forests. [For the chairs], I filed the roses and collided them with footage of fireworks I shot on a wintery night in London.

FF: Why do you choose furniture and installations such as chairs as a form of art, as opposed to other types of artistic expression?

H: My main practice as an artist is video and print-making. I love creating my own environments for people to view the videos, and so upholstered furniture, in my print, is a great way to bring the two together.

FF: I totally adore your website--it somehow stands out in the cloud of modern and minimalist sites we're all surrounded with. How does the flashy 90's style of your website portray your personal style?

H: Thank you! I am a free spirit, as well as a TV-holic. I love bright colors, looking sexy, and I guess I am sentimental about the 90's, whether it's Prawn Cocktail Walkers Crisps (editors note: I was unaware o these until a quick Google. Not so sure about that flavor...oh, those crazy Brits.), the Spice Girls or Saved by the Bell.

FF: Tell me more about this Princess Belsize Dollar! She seems like a badass chick.

H: She is the hottest rapper of 2011. Keep checking the website for the latest tracks and videos!

FF: When and why did you decide you wanted to pursue art as a career and lifestyle?

H: It was never a conscious thought process, but more of a culmination of many years of creating, editing and making.

Inspired? Good. Now continue on to Helen's website for a continuation.

misled

2011-06-12T16:50:00.002-04:00

Here are two designers' websites I was directed to for one reason and ended up digging for a whole other- Objets d'Envy and Erin Hakansson.

Let's pretend for a second that you don't already know I'm worrisomely obsessed with jewelry. I'm telling you now- it's a problem. Anyways, if anyone, be it a PR contact, friend, or Twitter bud, tells me about a jewelry designer, I'm instantly interested. I received two separate releases about Objets d'Envy and Erin Hakansson, both decent enough to hook me, and to get me surfing each designers website.

And here I discovered:

Beautiful pieces, am I right? Click click click through for more info.

Sidenote: Objets d'Envy is introducing a vintage collection (gah!) that I can only imagine great things for.

If it's not apparent, I'm leaning towards an earring kick right now, which is so new from my large-and-in-charge necklace/cuff/ring phase. It's influenced by my new hair- oh, did I share? I cut off 10 inches and dyed my locks red. No biggie, real casual.

conning in the city

2011-06-07T00:24:00.000-04:00

The life of a fashion intern is rough, man. We're unpaid, worked to the bone, and are expected to impress each person we meet. But, hey, I'm not complaining at all- tomorrow will be my second day and I'm already so happy. (What can I say, New York is my vice. Yep, I'm a cliche. Suck it.)

Focusing on the unpaid aspect of the experience, savviness and maneuvering sly moves to save a few bucks is more than essential. And that's why I don't feel bad for conning up and down 3 blocks of Soho today. Yep. I haggled a street vendor to sell me three pieces of jewelry (which inspired the accompanying photos for this post, bee-tee-dubs) for much less than she asked for. I convinced the Sephora ladies to supply me with more samples than is probably legal, and got a free dinner (and lunch! Helllooo, leftovers.) at a beautiful and delicious Brazilian restaurant. (That last one wasn't due to conning though. I just happen to have nice friends with even nicer parents. Thanks, Mr. M!) Don't even get me started on the deals I snagged at Kmart and Trader Joe's this evening. Just don't.

Next up: maintaining my health while avoiding full lunches at work. It's all about the bookends-- big breakfast, big dinner. Repeat it enough times, and it becomes easy as pie. Mmm, pie...

pc: refinery 29, allure, numero