It’s Memorial Day here in the US so I’m giving a big shout out to all the Americans who serve so that the rest of us can say we know what freedom means. I also realize that this holiday is celebrated throughout the world because sacrifice is blind to nationality, gender, age or class. So for that, I remember you and I thank you.
It’s no secret that I have a full-blown Chanel addiction, but one of the best spots in my closet is a large section I set aside for all the Missoni items I’ve collected over the years. I tend to stick to pale neutrals or black most days, but for Missoni I’ll always make an exception. It is all about the color blast, and I feel happy just looking at the zigzags and scallops and prints…
Missoni is colorful, sometimes loud, sometimes wacky, yet always brilliantly woven:
I don’t know how it’s possible to imagine these patterns and colors together in one piece and have them make sense…
…yet they do, to me:
I can’t really bear to let go of the pieces from even a decade ago because each item is a colorful reminder of all the buying trips in Italy with my sister, of all the moments my girlfriends and I swooned over the tactile patterns as we combed through the racks during sale seasons. They remind me of why fashion doesn’t end season after season. As long as the creativity doesn’t stop, we will shop.
So men, this is why we women can justify having 20 pairs of black shoes, 70 Missoni tops and counting, and too many bags. Each purchase is a reminder of a moment in time. We shop with our emotions, and you shop with your sense of practicality.
And maybe, just maybe, if you could wear Missoni as easily as we gals could, you’d understand…
Tags: Missoni
When it rains here, we Angelenos (1) call in sick (cough, cough), (2) videotape it for posterity, and/or (3) whine that it’s raining even though the meteorologist tells us we need the rain. I was born in the tropics and grew up in Texas so I’m no stranger to rain, but all these years of dry LA living has brainwashed me and I always find myself unprepared for anything but sunny skies these days. So when a reader suggested a challenge for a rain wear, specifically to run errands in, I was wondering how to even FIMTSO such looks without a single umbrella in any of the pics…I think all of my umbrellas are either somewhere in the car collecting dust or in my carry-on waiting for a trip to a wet destination!
For today’s episode, I’m going to do something a little different. Instead of featuring one key item in all the looks, I’m going to make the rain be the common denominator for the various looks.
Test Item: Rainwear
Look 1: Rain usually happens during the “winter” months here in LA, and that’s when I can break out one of my favorite Chanel pieces: it’s my navy tweed trench from the 08C season worn over the 08A navy/gray striped turtleneck. Skinny jeans and navy leather converse complete my outfit. I know I’m in LA and we love to show off our pedicures here, but if it’s raining, you’ve gotta cover your toes!
Look 2: The weird thing about winter here is that it actually makes sense to wear puffer vests. It’s not quite cold enough to wear a puffer jacket, so if you remove the sleeves it’s just the right amount of coverage–ha! I love this hooded black vest from the GAP over white long-sleeved ts and cropped corduroys to show off my rain boots. Chanel always gets black/white right!
But if for some reason the vest is too thick or I’m not in the mood to look like a Michelin gal, I would wear a black leather jacket over a long-sleeved hoodie tshirt with the above outfit instead:
Look 3: The truth of the matter is that when it rains and you are schlepping around running errands, you just want to be comfortable. No fuss, no muss. So if it’s Sunday and raining, you will find me in jeans, lace-free sneakers, and a fun t-shirt (I love Harajuku Lovers tees). Then I throw on the lightweight Prada hooded windbreaker/quasi-rain jacket just to keep the rain from hitting my arms and torso. I find a bold print in the jacket makes everything more fun to wear!
Look 4: If it’s raining and not super cold, I might venture into girly-girl territory and wear this dark rinse short denim sundress with navy sneakers. The Marni rain jacket keeps me from the rain and baring my shoulders too much in this strapless number. I know what you’re thinking…who in their right mind would wear a light colored rain jacket? Well…this is la-la land after all.
But look closer, at least the jacket is utilitarian. Do you see how the hoodie has a bill, like with a baseball cap?! And the Mossimo dress has tuxedo ruffles in the front!
So this FIMTSO begs the question: just what is the right bag for rainy weather? I’ve yet to solve that dilemma…
Tags: Chanel, Converse, FIMTSO, Gap, Harajuku Lovers, Marni, Mossimo, Prada
Thanks everyone for your concerned emails about my health. This week I am running at 98%, and in a few days I expect to be back in overdrive mode…just in time for sale season. The days of pre-sell leading up to the actual public sales have already kicked in, so this past weekend was a whir of viewing and trying things reserved for me…grrr, so many shoes and only two feet!
The shoe departments are full of floor-to-ceiling mirrors and soft lighting to goad you into a shoe frenzy, and if you didn’t have a shoe fetish before, you usually do by the time they finish bringing out the tenth pair. And if you were wired for shoes the day you were born, like yours truly, then…well, it’s hopeless. But I behaved. Designer shoes have gotten so expensive virtually overnight that I think these are the only two pairs I want for now–the Marni peep-toe bootie…
and the gray Louboutin wedges that will match a gray bag I’m considering (it’s always like this, isn’t it…do we buy shoes to match bags or bags to match shoes?)…
OK. I lied. I’ve not behaved all that much. Because these just followed me home from the Prada and Converse outlets. Umm, do I get a pass for outlet shopping?
PS: the first pic is of two Chanel buttons (they are lipsticks positioned to spell out COCO if you have 4 of them) my buddy sent me from KL. You see? The Chanel addiction is not entirely my fault. I have enablers from around the world!
I’m a new fan to the band The National, but already I’m hooked. Sooo hooked. All I had to do was hear their fan-favorite song Lucky You once and I was smitten. Matt Berninger’s distinctive baritone voice had me at the first verse, so I was pretty excited to get to see the band at the Wiltern in LA’s K-Town.
The Wiltern is one of those iconic Art Deco theaters that pepper Los Angeles. It’s an intimate venue to connect to your favorite acts…there’s really not a bad seat in the house.
The National has a very laid-back sound and approach to their music, lyrics, and performance style. And yet very intense. I want to say the phrase “still water runs deep” comes to mind when someone asks me to describe them. Love their lyrics, and LOVE any band that can rock the house with both string and horn sections. They closed the show by jamming out one of my all-time favorite songs, Fake Empire, in such an adrenaline rush that I have to say this was one of the best concerts I’ve been to in a long time and I’ve seen a few good ones.
But wait, this is an entry about the Chanel flap bag! So in Look 6 I’m wearing it to the show with a Monogram lightweight leather jacket, JCrew floral tank, silver bib necklace, and PDC jeans:
Tags: Chanel, Fake Empire, K-Town, Los Angeles, Lucky You, The National, The Wiltern
