Classic Kicks

Scuffed up white Keds, Elizabeth & James tee, Future Classics gray top, Byblos skirt, H&M tights, Antti Asplund necklaces, Iosselliani ring, Topshop headband

Dante from Keds was kind enough to send Christina and I a couple of pairs of their classic canvas sneakers. While most of my fashion industry friends will never leave the house without heels, I will always be a flats girl. On the list of seven deadly sins, I'm most guilty of Sloth and Gluttony (tied for first place), with Vanity coming in third. This means that instead of waking up an hour early to do my makeup, I'd rather have the extra sleep and look like a fug, and if I'm given the opportunity for seconds on dessert, I will take it even if I won't be able to fit into my pants the next day. Kate Moss had it all wrong when she said "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels," cause skinny doesn't feel nearly as good as chomping your way through an all you can eat chocolate buffet (try it sometime).

Anyway, in the same vein of thought, my YSL Tribute boots look amazing on, but feel good for a total of ten minutes of standing before I have to sit down. And at the end of the day, the lazy girl in me believes that looking good doesn't really feel quite as nice as sliding your tired stiletto-battered feet into a pair of slipper-soft shoes, like a pair of Keds. Here's the pair I got in white, which we'll probably DIY eventually (that is, if sloth doesn't get the better of me).

Publish Post

-Tiffany

Give Me My Degara

The owl printed tail shirt

Due to the abysmal state of my bank account, I've been on a strict shopping diet. Starting your own line (or any kind of company for that matter) is like having a baby that constantly needs to be fed, so all my absurd material desires are of the lowest priority right now. This month I've only indulged in a couple pairs of tights and some headbands from H&M, but after ogling this Gemma Degara owl printed tail tee online for the past month, I caved and finally treated myself.

The turning point came after visiting Pixie Market twice in the past two weeks to try it on, only to hear the shop girl tell me that they had sold out that same day, and would be restocking. She informed me that she had already bought one for herself. Sick of constantly being eluded, and feeling increasingly anxious about whether my beloved shirt would completely disappear, I immediately went home and ordered it online. The combination between the creepy-cute owl print, and the perfect swinging shape of the tee made it a must have, one which I can imagine wearing everyday. That's what I like best about Degara's work, it's entirely unique, while remaining casual and comfortable.


Printed owl dress

Tail dress

Sleeveless dress with uni-shoulder pads

-Tiffany

Street Flash

Earlier today, I was emailed about a new street style web site based out of Moscow, Slickwalk. In the past year the number of street style sites that have popped up across the globe have become overwhelming, and like everything on the internet, is reaching a saturation point. I stick to following my two favorites, Facehunter and Stockholm Street Style, but feel a little too lazy to sort through the rest. I do not say this to discourage future bloggers/photographers, because there is always room for more, and the best sites will always rise to the forefront.

As soon as I saw the pictures on Slickwalk, I was immediately captivated by the images, which are taken with much more artistry than your standard outfit shot. I love the contrast of the focus of the individual in the foreground against the blur of the scenery behind them. I love how most of the poses look natural, and almost contemplative. And most simply, having never set foot in Moscow or any part of Russia, I enjoy seeing the unique style of women and men halfway around the globe, and the subtle series of sartorial universalities and differences. Then again, that's part of the appeal of any street style site, I suppose.

-Tiffany

Bleachin' your teeth, smiling flash, talking trash, under your breath

I was first familiarized with the work of Liselotte Watkins when I received a W29 Showroom tote bag emblazoned with one of her drawings last season. Susanne, who owns W29, always has an eye for fresh talent, and tapped the Swedish illustrator to create a whimsical piece that subtly incorporated the W29 logo into a black and white line drawing.

Watkins is actually best known for the illustrations she did for Miu Miu's iconic Spring 2008 harlequin collection (still my favorite to date). Miuccia Prada spotted her work in a book, and ten days before the runway show, commissioned the designer to make prints for several of her dresses.

I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find that Watkins recently designed a new Bloglovin icon (see our sidebar), in addition to having an incredible blog of her own. Filled with her moody illustrations of sultry ladies posing, pouting, and smoking plenty of cigarettes, it's easy to get lost in the world that she creates. My favorites are her posts featuring works in progress, and watching them come to life.






The new W29 Showroom bag designed by Watkins

-Tiffany

Haute Kotyr

Noir et Blanc cape dress

While Jimmy and I sadly won't be returning to Stockholm for Christmas this year, we won't be missing the chilly climates and non-existent sunlight (we're going to San Francisco and Hawaii instead, ha!). Nonetheless, I will certainly be missing the shopping, especially since sale season will be in full swing. I've contented myself with the fact that many of my favorite Swedish designers and stores have excellent online boutiques, which is the best substitute for the real thing. That's why I was particularly ecstatic when I discovered Kotyr, a webshop entirely dedicated to new and under the radar Scandinavian designers. While they stock a couple of my favorites like Nakkna and Noir et Blanc, they also carry a wide range of designers I've never heard of before, and haven't seen stocked anywhere else. The stock isn't quite as directional as most young boutiques, and instead it feels a little like an indie department store with something for everybody: you, your mom, and maybe even your grandmother too. The one common focus is on luxury, quality, and unique and inspirational design. While the site is entirely in Swedish (run it through a translator), they do ship worldwide. Here are a couple of pieces that I'm eyeing.

Camilla Wellton Kimono Coat

Soddu dress

Camilla Wellton Urban Elfin Coat

Hanna af Ekstrom rope necklace

-Tiffany

Meet The Sweet Ones: The L.E.S.'s Best Vintage Store

Alyssa Pallett, owner of The Sweet Ones, models an antique silk dressing gown that already has the interest of Courtney Love

I know I've exhibited shameless bias towards the achievements of my friends in many previous blog posts. Still, objectively speaking, the new store that my friend Alyssa Pallett opened just one week ago is the best vintage shop I've seen yet in the boutique overrun neighborhood of Manhattan's Lower East Side. Dubbed The Sweet Ones (EDIT: located at 132 Allen St. between Rivington and Delancey), Alyssa managed to fill the store in one month (!!!) with a treasure trove of goodies that would satisfy both vintage junkies and label whores alike. Alyssa culls her collection from a wide variety of sources (including her own enviable closet), to create a rare selection that dates back to Victorian era jackets, and then covers every era up to last season's Alaia. Highlights include a mint condition vintage Geoffrey Beene dress, a hot pink 80's era Theirry Mugler suit, a never-produced headpiece made for an Adolfo runway show, and last season's Mary Poppins inspired Marc Jacobs dresses.

Born out of Alyssa's love for constantly buying clothing, The Sweet Ones reflects her wealth of sartorial knowledge, and downright fashion nerdyness. The cozy store is expertly curated, and Alyssa can tell you about the designer if you are not familiar with them (although I did get to school her on one of my 90's favorites, Voyage!). Alyssa's warm Canadian cheer adds to the homey environment, which is perfect for sitting and hanging out, or better yet, a wild game of dress up.

While the treasures are too numerous to name, I've compiled pictures of a small selection of my favorite pieces. Still, none of these photographs does justice to the texture and the weight of most of these pieces, which are incredibly heavy and luxe. Prices aren't cheap, but they're incredibly reasonable for what you're getting. The best deal? The white Alaia dress I tried on, which is priced under $500. An almost identical version in black is currently hanging on the Alaia racks at Barneys for full price, which is way over $4,000. If you are in the New York area, make sure to stop by and take a look for yourself. And don't forget to tell her who sent you!

One of the best deals (I'm seriously tempted): a structural wool Prada coat priced at $365

A gorgeous velvet burn-out wedding dress

A Victorian jacket with full mutton sleeves!

Just a tiny selection of the shoes. I'm particularly crazy about this pair of hot pink Louboutins.

A frilly mannequin dressed to match the print hanging on the wall

Alyssa wearing a 20's coat and a vintage fur Christian Dior hat

I tried on this Alaia dress, which is almost identical to the current Alaia dresses hanging at Barney's for over ten times the price. I'm standing in front of my favorite rack in the store, where the oldest and most delicate pieces hang.

Alyssa showing off a velvet Norma Kamali jacket

A customer walked in looking for a fur muff, and Alyssa immediately took the suggestion to heart and found this gigantic one for the store

It's difficult to tell from this picture, but this is a floor length skirt that it completely covered in studs

Alyssa shows off a pair of Givenchy thigh high boots with laces up the back

The super cozy interior, perfect for hours of trying on clothes!

EDIT: Here is the mint condition Geoffrey Beene dress that I forgot to include

-Tiffany

Costume Drama

My favorite look: an armor-like waist-cincher paired with numerous layers of garters and straps

When Rachel Freire emailed me these images of her Fall 09 collection, which was recently shot by photographer Ron Goldstein, I was deeply enthralled. I know Rachel has gotten a fair bit of well-deserved blog love of late, but why not pile on some more? Rachel is another fantastic product of Central Saint Martins, but rather than studying Fashion, she received a BA in Theater Design, and you can definitely see the influence of costume in her dramatic work. While her clothes are laden with embellishments snapped from various historical eras (boning and corsets here, flowing Edwardian pleats and ruffles there), they are always infused with Rachel's futuristic aesthetic. My favorite combination of these styles takes the form of an armor-like waist-cincher, which looks one part Medieval armor, and one part cyborg. The clothes might be a little difficult to manage as everyday attire, but they are perfectly fit for center stage, and Little Boots and Beth Ditto have both already worn Rachel's designs to perform.

-Tiffany