Black Polish

Dear Blog

2007-03-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

I've missed you. I've been busy. And i promise that it wasn't just you i was neglecting, but all my other favorite blogs as well. I'm still catching up on all the gossip, news and fashion. All i can say is i am thankful i have health insurance or else my hospital bill would have been gargantuan.

And my long blogging lapse has left me in need of shoes. NOT any real need of course. But the desire to purchase some beautifully obscene shoes with reckless abandon. you can never have too many pairs right?shoe

Taking swings at Marc Jacobs

2007-02-11T20:36:00.000-08:00

I say enough. we get it. he fucked up. the collection was shite! There was designers block or his weight loss. I really dont care. And yes i could fill pages with my own rant about it. That said. There was one look i did like from the whole collection. And it was really the colors of it. I really liked the colors of it. The blue gloves, we need whole items of clothing in that color. Style Bubble saw a jacket on someone at the start of London fashion week and thought the same thing. We really do need more. The yellow bag, is such a yummy color, but lacking in the bag itself. In fact the only i tem i would wear is the hat. I absolutly love it. And I know the hat has been played a thousand times before. But that one single hat is the only redeeming item of his collection. sad really.

How do you explain this?

2007-02-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

The forest attacked my hair? Seriously. I love Imogen. And i do find it amusing that she is nominated for a grammy as best new artist, especially because i have her first album, before Frou Frou. And that was on a major label. and it was a great album. so odd, but then i dont make the rules.

However, her outfit is atrocious! It is one thing to have an odd fashion sense. I can respect that. A ball gown is not for everyone. But this is too much. This is even beyond me at 13; when i would put together outfits so bad with the sole intention that my parents would not want to be seen with me. (they worked btw.)

At least when Bjork did this she didnt over do it. I know, most people didn't know what to make of Bjork's swan. I liked it. and i liked the egg on her foot. She looked pixie cute as always. But she did cute shoes, and glam hair and makeup.
And im not sure that would have saved her dress, but at least they'd just wonder why she was wearing a bad dress. And not where everyones houseplants went.

Springtime Flasher Part Deux

2007-02-10T00:58:00.000-08:00

I tried on every Trench there ever was. Saks, Bloomingdales, Nordstroms, Macys. I hit all the botiques too. Then the thrift stores hoping to get lucky. I did. A vintage Burberry Trench for $68! And i do love love love it! The people were excited i was buying it for $68. They weren't sure if they could sell it for that much! They told me this after my card was swiped. They knew it was designer. So they asked for more than usual. I said but do they know how much a new Burberry trench cost? I told them. They were shocked. Did i mention that the coat is in mint condition?!!! And the tag is Burberry for Harrods. So i know it traveled from London! I also got a broach and burberry silk scarf. (All scarves are priced at $7. All scarves!) The moral of the story, dont forget the little thrift shops on the otherside of town. They may hold those hidden treasures!

Nothing revolutionary

2007-02-10T00:21:00.000-08:00

I know that nothing Tory Burch is doing is outside the box. But everything she does is wearable by the everyday women as much as the 6 foot tall models with zero bodyfat. And I love that! Especially because she is so influenced by the 60's and 70's. Check out her whole collection.

And look for me in this when stores get it:

Drama in the Coat

2007-02-09T23:35:00.000-08:00

I am in love with this coat. The collar, the cuffs, the cut, the drape, the pattern. Seriously, I'll shut up. But seriously, it would be unfair to try it on knowing you couldnt have it. And with the hat... perfect! Especially how they covered almost everyone's eyes.

Proenza Schouler Fall 2007

yummy!

Ana Sui Fall Favorites

2007-02-09T23:26:00.000-08:00

My favorites from yesterday:

I <3 Paisley. Thanx Ana!

My spring-time flasher

2007-02-06T22:36:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted a trench and so this year i decided i need one. What i do know that i want: something i can wear for years,( in theory at least). Definatly belted. thats what makes a trench great. Patterns are out. My one exception would be a paisley trench. I love the short trench, the different cuts, but classic is probably safer. I would wear the khaki trench, maybe once. i want color. I cant do a white coat, they attract dangerous stains, and i own one navy shirt that still has the tags on it. and a larger collar. a hot red or canary one would be awesome. i just cant find it.

the Burberry im eyeing is their cropped. in black. its safe,i guess.

I found myself on Gatsby’s side....

2007-02-03T12:07:00.000-08:00

With all the flapper era inspiration walking the runways there is bound to be some favorites. As much as i wear black, love it; it can get borring. especially with the anticipation of spring. so my favorites were brighter. Although i can never say no to marc. But if your going to dance its always better to be a flower.

Bassco & Brooke

In the search of the elusive jean

2007-01-17T23:23:00.000-08:00

It seems i have tried on so many pairs of jeans in search of a truly vintage fit. Very few seem to suceed.In comes Lips Denim. Founded by Dan Donahue and Loren Cronk in a effort to revive the true 1970's look, fit and feel. They get inspiration from old magazines, vintage shopping, and their muse, Françoise Hardy.

The womens jeans are designed to be a true classic high waisted denim. On that drapes off the hips and gives a sexy silhouete. The men's are a skinny jean. "We don't do a lot of washing, allowing the fabric do what it does naturally," says Cronk. "We look for what we like through shade, construction, and weight, sticking to small Japanese and Italian mills."

Lips denim, from $149, is available at In God We Trust, 135 Wythe Avenue (between North 7th and North 8th streets), Brooklyn, 718-388-2012.

More exciting than Madonna and H&M . . . . .

2007-01-12T15:23:00.000-08:00

The GO. International for Target collection by Proenza Schouler hits stores February 4th. So get your game face on. There will be many frenzied fashionistas snagging the best stuff first. I hope there is a PS signature piped bustier topwaiting for me. The target nearest me always has a good selection of the GO. collections, and I'm counting on half the shoppers browsing to not have the faintest idea who Proenza Schouler are. Attention, lost in suburbia. ahem. yeah.

*note: If you're in New York then lucky you. Not only will you be able to shop the collection in its Target/Proenza pop up store, you'll get it on the 2nd. The collection will be taking over the Opening Ceremony boutique in SoHo (35 Howard Street). They'll be cleaning out all the goods and it will just be the new GO. collection for 3 days.

*click below to check out the collection*

A Brief History

2007-01-10T23:23:00.000-08:00

Ancient China
For VIPs Only
Nail varnish originated in China; some dynasties reserved black and red for royalty.

1967
Trippy Chic
Moody London boutique Biba makes black nail varnish for its groovy clientele.

1974
Bohemian Crossover
Flouting several conventions in one go, glam kingpin Freddie Mercury wears black varnish, but only on one hand; Marc Bolan, David Bowie, and other rock-star gender benders also polish.

1979
Ominous Glamorous
Bauhaus releases “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” a throbbing goth anthem; their fans incorporate lots of black everything for both genders.

1996
Comfort Goth
White contacts and black nails: the basis of Marilyn Manson’s safe-for-the-mainstream wardrobe.

1998
The Drugstore Version
Urban Decay releases Perversion, a vinyl black polish with purple highlights named after a Gravity Kills album.

1999
High Fashion, Part I
The models in Gucci ads sport immaculately manicured black nails.

2003
Still Rock and Roll
Despite cropping up on fashion models, black nail polish still says “rebellious rock,” as evidenced by indie band the Deathray Davies’ album, titled Midnight at the Black Nail Polish Factory.

July 2003
A Manly Manicure
Football superstar/dandy David Beckham is photographed for L’Uomo Vogue with black nails.

2005
Red Carpet Accessory
Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie keep their bad-girl images by mixing black nails with couture outfits.

Summer 2006
High Fashion, Part II
Chanel introduces Black Satin ($18), whose limited-edition status virtually ensures the kind of waiting-list frenzy that greeted its legendary 1994 Vamp.

*originally posted in the July 24, 2006 issue of New York Magazine