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10 ways to wear black sequins... without looking like a trashy attention whore.

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:17:48 GMT

In my internet travels, I happened upon this lovely Vera Wang dress, which combines a simple wool shift dress with a panel of loud, flashy sequins. I can easily see an Anne Hathaway-type wearing this to a late night TV appearance or a casual red carpet event. (And after that stunning Armani Privé paillette gown at the Oscars, she's solidified her place on my Best Dressed list.)

This dress got me thinking about black sequins, a detail which I absolutely love but tend to shy away from lest I look like a 15 year old punk darling who's taking the 80s revival a wee too seriously. But with the right choices and a hefty amount of editing, I think black sequins can totally be worked into an everyday wardrobe. Check out my picks and let me know what you think!

Colorblock dresses: 5 ways to make them work for you!

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:13:13 GMT

Oy! It has been entirely too long since I did a proper Lish List list, don't you think? I've been working on this one for what seems, and may actually be, weeks. For whatever reason I just haven't had the free time to hunker down and finish it.

But! It is finally done, and if you're in New York, just in time for the warm(ish) weather this week. And I don't know about you, but the instant it looks like spring might be coming around for more than 24 hours, I get the irresistible urge to shop shop shop. So check out these delightfully spring-y colorblock dresses, in all colors, prices, and shapes to fit every body!

1. These simple t-shirt shapes are just one step up from that comfy but shapeless dress - but with an extra panel at the waist, they'll accentuate your curves instead of skimming over them. And the best thing about these is how different color combinations work for different body types. Got a small bust but larger hips? Choose a dress with a brighter top portion and a darker bottom like this Cleo Knit Dress (left) from Delia's for $39.50. If you're got a larger chest, go for this Oleg Cassini Colorblock Dress, originally $130 and now just $39!

Click here for more delightfully spring-y dresses!

Considering starting an eBay store...

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:46:07 GMT

Has anyone out there started their own eBay store?

Lately I've had a huge craving to take on a new creative-ish project, and the idea of making some extra cash while doing so is pretty appealing. But I'm not particularly experienced with eBay and I'm wondering about the ups and downs of starting my own store. I think it'd be mainly accessories to start off with - jewelry, shoes, oddities - that I find in vintage stores, flea markets, etc etc. (Yes, a large part of this is a desire to go guilt-free shopping.)

I think it could be fun and hopefully rewarding... any thoughts/advice/words of caution before I take the plunge?

Anyway, just to prove that I'm not totally eBay illiterate, here are some items for auction that I've noticed and loved lately:

Vintage Lanvin Necklace, currently at $99

Click here for more eBay inspiration! (eSpiration?)

10 More Trends from New York Fashion Week

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:58:14 GMT

Now that the chaos of Fashion Week has moved on to London, I can take a breath and sift back through the rubble that the Bryant Park madness has left behind. There were some pretty badass creations walking down the runways this year.

Before you go any further, make sure you've checked out my first 10 Trends from New York Fashion Week. Okay? Okay. Now that you're caught up, here are some more trends that I spotted-- enjoy!

Elise Overland / Preen / Behnaz Sarafpour

1. Cut + Paste. Slinky little black dresses with cutouts popped up all over the place. Preen showed similar dresses in bright colors last spring, and I'm glad to see their now-signature shapes have survived into the fall season. And Behnaz Sarafpour's one-shouldered version is so simple and lovely. I'm looking forward to seeing dresses like these show up on daring young starlets at various premieres in the coming year.

Click here for 9 more glorious, glorious Fashion Week trends!

More fun with Crayola!

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:05:29 GMT

After having so much fun sketching Spring Looks for Under $100, I did these a couple of weeks ago - but they've been sitting on my camera until today.

Click for more! Then catch up on all the posts you missed.

Current obsession: Black, strappy sandals

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:17:37 GMT

So it all started when I saw this photo of the flawless Freida Pinto at the 2009 Elle Style Awards:

Dress? Chanel, lovely, charming, and all that. But the shoes! Let's take a closer look:

These pair of Jimmy Choos started a frenzy in me. I absolutely needed to find a pair of black strappy (make that extra strappy) heels ASAP. However, since the going rate of a pair of Jimmys comes dangerously close to my monthly rent, anything too designer was out of the question. And anyway, while this shoes verge on perfection, I wanted something a little more rock star, a little more streetwise, a little more, well, New York.

Click here to see what I found! And yes, I did find the perfect pair.

10 Trends from New York Fashion Week (Days 1-4)

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 05:30:07 GMT

I've been surprisingly devoted to Fashion Week this year! Normally, I vigorously check New York Magazine (source for all following images) for the latest shows for about a day and a half, and then get exhausted and move on.

Anyway, I've pulled 10 trends from the first four days of Fashion Week:

Preen / Shipley & Halmos / Jeremy Laing

1. Black & Grey. Fashion week has been somber somber somber thus far. Very few designers have shown anything flashy or decadent. A solemn reminder of our failing economy? Or just the depressing reality that no one's going to be buying garments done in expensive fabrics this year? Regardless, blacks and greys have dominated the runway and often together, as seen here.

Click here for 9 more handpicked trends!

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:48:03 GMT

As I looked back at the Spring 09 lines, I noticed several amazing skirts which had really bold, graphic prints in black and white. This is such a versatile combination of ideas - these skirts ranged from uber-girly floral prints to bold slashes tinged with dominatrix. The volumes ranged from slick pencil skirts to massively poofy princess skirts, but the best ones were those that fell in the middle - a slim silhouette emphasized by pops of volume and rigid tailoring.

10. Not technically black & white, I know. But this Derek Lam skirt is just so simple and easy, and the bold swathes of black makes this really stand out from the million other jersey skirts like it.

Click here for 9 more stunning looks!

More pictures from Michelle's Vogue spread... now that's more like it!

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:31:28 GMT

Unlike the magazine's atrocious cover, here we see our first lady as she actually is - thoughtful, statuesque, and real. Thank you, Vogue, for not making her jump in front of a white sheet.

Click here for more photos and quotes from the article!

Vogue's AWFUL retouchers have their way with Michelle Obama, and everyone suffers.

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:02:52 GMT

Sigh. I love (Love! I cannot emphasize that enough) that she's on the cover of Vogue, but I could have done a better Photoshop job. No, really.

Among other obvious things, the main issues I have are:

1) The light on her tooootally superimposed head is coming from her left side, while the light on her body is frontal. Duh.

Three more things that are terribly, terrible wrong with this picture.

Mission: Impossible, or Picking Out My Ten Favorite Looks From the 2009 Couture Shows

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:28:24 GMT

I love the couture shows. Love love love. For many reasons, including the overwhelming wave of sadness that overtakes me every year when I realize that I will never be as awesome as John Galliano. Not only are the couture lines stunning without fail, the shows are also more manageable to study and examine than your typical Fashion Week, which just gets exhausting even if you're not running madly between the tents.

Nevertheless, the fact that 9 couture houses shows this year does not make this task any easier. But in the true nature of The Lish List, I feel compelled to make a Top Ten list of my favorite looks. So check it out - ten looks on a rough scale from awesome to sdgbsobhsfhfsohomgsoamazing!

10. Armani Privé - This is one of the most perfect blazers I have ever seen. Exquisitely tailored but completely wearable. Absolutely the most subdued look in this show, but one of the most striking.

They get better. Ohhh, they get better. Click.

Spring looks for under $100!

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:33:44 GMT

It's been an absurdly long time since I've drawn, painted, or in any way artistically affected pretty much anything, but I had a lot of fun the other night throwing together a couple outfits online and sketching them into one look.

Of course, all of my real art supplies are still packed away in a closet corner somewhere in my parent's house. So when the very strong and inexplicable urge came over me to do some fashion illustration, I had to settle for an $8 pack of Crayola colored pencils from Rite Aid. But! Hard, waxy textures aside, I was able to work out my craving:

Click here to see all of the pieces in these outfits!

Rediscovering red (sort of)

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 06:07:36 GMT

So I just bought this Betsey Johnson bag and it's triggered a desperate need to add more red back into my life wherever it will fit. Obviously I'm an extremely visual person. I always have been and I can't imagine coexisting with the world in any more significant way. I relate to the world through the endless combinations of colors and textures that surround me, but I've always been drawn to red and the million associations it has. In high school--and I preface by fully acknowledging my teenage need to be noticed--my wardrobe was full of reds, pinks, and patterns that begged to be noticed, and I loved it when they succeeded.

Now I don't know whether it's been living in New York for the past four years or taking art classes in dark rooms where no one can see what you're wearing, but the colors in my wardrobe have gradually morphed from being genuinely wacky to genuinely boring and 90% black. The reds that used to be in my wardrobe still exist in my life, but they never leave my apartment.

I'm trying to bring the sexy back into my wardrobe, starting here.

Who is Jason Wu?

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:18:56 GMT

Cuban designer Isabel Toledo's sparkling gold sheath dress and matching coat were a smashing success on Michelle Obama on Tuesday's inauguration ceremony. More controversial was the white one-shouldered gown she donned for the multitude of balls and galas that night.

When asked on the Today Show about the gown, 26-year-old designer Jason Wu said, "I wanted to design a gown that would highlight her best features. I wanted to say something about who she is. I see her as a powerful, energetic, incredible woman. I wanted the gown to have a dreamlike quality because it's pretty surreal."

Click here for my Top Ten picks from Jason Wu's Spring 2009 runway show!

Obama vs. Bush: Inauguration speech word clouds

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:20:15 GMT

Bush in 2005:

Obama in 2009:

I found some more word clouds of Obama's speech, too-- it's amazing how different colors affect the overall visual. Click here to check them out.

Was God an accident? And other questions.

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:17:10 GMT

This morning, three.twentynine pointed me toward a viral project put on by the Atlantic Monthly entitled Think. Again. It's a very nifty project based on, and I quote from the Atlantic blog, "the idea that asking questions leads us to better answers." Fair enough.

The project is a combination of installation art, film documentaries, viral marketing, and online interaction (with a few plugs for the publication, of course). Here are a couple samples from the project's official website:

Click here for more questions like "When is evil cool?" and "Are doughnuts doomed?"

I am so effing sick of winter. Here are some pretty dresses.

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:51:08 GMT

Just so you know, my excuse of the week for not posting often enough is that I'm in a dreadful winter slump. It's January in New York, which means it's either gray, dreary, and cold or grey, dreary, cold, with a 95% chance of freezing rain. JOY.

So I'm going to snuggle up on the couch with a blanket or three, listen to my go-to feel good albums, and look longingly (again) and Foley + Corinna's Spring 2009 lookbook. F+C is one of those brands that defines "downtown chic": a mix of trend-driven pieces (two words: ombre fringe) and more timeless shapes that are all beautifully constructed and unique. About 80% of the Spring '09 is pretty much my dream summer-in-New-York wardrobe; here are my favorites:

Jersey Wrap Dress: The styling of this dress is perfect. The soft-but-strong swooshes of fabric really do mandate some crazy kick-ass sandals and a sharp, modern necklace. Perfection.

There's a REALLY pretty yellow dress in it for you if you click here.

Nude heels: Get your sexy secretary on!

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:26:18 GMT

Every self-respecting shoe lover know that the absolute fail-safe way to make your legs look loooong and lean are a great pair of nude pumps. Safe from seasonal trends, nude pumps have been a staple for decades.

But my favorite version of this classic is a shoe with a hint of pink. I've never gotten a French manicure in my life, but I'm thinking of that color-- almost skin tone with a sweep of dusty rose. I bought a pair of Liz Claiborne peeptoe slingbacks on a whim which are exactly that color, and they've been my default goes-with-any-outfit pair of heels ever since.

Here are some other options with I'm lusting after:

Tatiana Mary Jane Pumps in Blush, $24.49
I suspect that the harsh lighting is washing out these shoes just a bit, but I love the alabaster-brow pallor of this strappy heels regardless.

Click here for 8 more lovely options!

Last chance: 7 must-see exhibitions closing soon

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:14:58 GMT

Well, I'm not going to lie. Since my office has been closed for the holidays since Christmas Eve, I've spent my winter break watching the first two seasons of Star Trek: TNG and various bits of 30 Rock. In my defense, three of my closest friends from high school had never seen 30 Rock and I couldn't let them go deprived for much longer. I don't really have an excuse for Star Trek, except that it's a damn fine show and I'm not ashamed of saying so.

But alas, winter break comes to an end tomorrow, which means I need to resume a life in which I interact with more than my boyfriend and my computer. One of my New Year's resolutions is always to take advantage of the city I live in. Like all resolutions made anytime near January 1st, it never really works out according to plan. But in the small chance that this year, I actually decide to follow through, here are the must-see museum events ending in the next few weeks.

Closing January 4: "New York, N. Why?: Photographs by Rudy Burckhardt, 1937–1940" at the Met
Who is Rudy Burckhardt and why should you see this exhibition? Well, the Met calls his now-iconic photographs of the city that never sleeps "some of the greatest photographs of New York ever made." The museum's description is apt - Burckhardt seems to rarely allow his own point of view to interrupt the city's activity. His photographs could be mistaken for straight-up journalism if not for his extremely sensitive eye for patterns and graphics that otherwise went unnoticed.

Click here for 6 most must-see museum exhibitions!

10 Ways to Bring Purple Into Your Sadly Non-Purpled Lives. (Ladies, just scroll down.)

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:55:37 GMT

My friend and fellow blogger Julia keeps a pretty sweet blog over at Oh my God, where did you get that?, and lately she did a couple posts on the joy of purple. She notes that for some reason, this season has given her a new appreciation of the color, and I realized that the same thing has happened to me.

Several weeks ago, I had actually bought the purple coat Julia mentions here, and so it was the official dawning of a new era: The Age of Purple. Here are some other ways I want to bring this color into my life, separated into the Pentateuch of this blog: (1) accessories, (2) art, (3) objects that are well-designed but ultimately without purpose, (4) shoes, and (5) shoes.

Oliphaunt Earrings, $9.99. Few things make me happier than whimsical jewelry paired with Tolkien references, so it should come as no shock that these earrings are perhaps the first pair to make me seriously consider piercing my ears (I won't). They're pretty much awesome. How awesome? If a stranger wearing these passed me on the street, I would stop to tell her that her earrings are awesome. (And she would be all, "OMG! I love New York!" Because when things happen here that also happen everywhere else, they become extra special. You know it.)

MORE PURPLE. It's awesome. Click here.

The All-Purpose Unisex Last Minute Gift Guide

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:49:37 GMT

I don't know about you, but every time the holidays roll around, I feel absolutely overwhelmed by the onslaught of massive gift guides in every magazine and on every retail homepage. Has anyone else noticed how effing complicated gift guides have gotten? No longer settling for the tried-and-true "100 under $100" feature, stores like Urban Outfitters now classify and quantify all their potential gifts according to personalities--"The Name Dropper," "The Hibernator," "The Narcissist"--in addition to the "his," "her," and "home" categories I'm used to.

I only buy gifts for a few people and I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

So here's a selection of completely universal, totally unisex gifts that will delight, or at least slightly amuse, the significant other/friend/long-lost twin/canine companion that you've neglected up until this point. Peruse, enjoy, and be prepared to shell out for overnight shipping.

Stemless Wine Glasses, $1.95-$2.50 each. Classy, useful, and they're much more difficult to shatter than stemmed wine glasses. Plus, you don't feel quite as ridiculous drinking OJ from them when all of your normal cups are piled up in the sink. And at just $2 a pop, buying a 4 piece set is perfectly affordable.

Click here for 13 more all-purpose unisex last minute gifts!

I don't do Black Friday: Guys' edition

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:43:25 GMT

So now that you've seen my fabulous under $20 picks for the ladies, let's move on to the boys' club. I don't know about you, but I find men impossible to shop for-- their clothes are just so practical. But I scoured the same 7 stores (Old Navy, Target, Forever 21, Macy's, Revolve Clothing, Urban Outfitters, and Etsy) to find some cheap but cool stuff for the men in our lives.

Stop #1: Old Navy

I love this casual button-down Pilot Shirt for $15 so much that I added all of my boyfriend's sizes to an online shopping cart and am just waiting for him to finally get around to checking them out. I'm a big fan of shoulder details-- they're always an interesting detail and very flattering on both girls and guys alike, and I think this shirt is just perfect for the weekend. Pair it with jeans or cords for day, or slacks for date night.

Click here for 6 more options under $20!

I don't do Black Friday: Ladies' edition

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:17:20 GMT

Okay, okay. I'm well aware that every blog from here to Wasilla has already posted a blog called "Recession Chic." But I'll be honest: A sweater dress from Banana Republic that's been reduced to $69.99 is still way harsh on my college student wallet. (Which is exactly why a certain sweater dress from Banana Republic has been sitting in my online Shopping Bag since I discovered that my trusty every-and-all-occasion H&M sweater dress has developed a large hole in the armpit. And yes, I discovered this after I arrived at the office). I'm effing tired of reading blogs about so-called "great deals" when every item featured still bottoms out at the $100 mark. I'm only 21. I'm not looking for "investment" pieces or worried about the "cost per wear" factor.

Here's what I am looking for: To be clothed, warm, sometimes chic, and other times just brightly colored. So I am embarking on a wild ride around the Internet in my attempt to dress myself and you in the best quality and best-looking clothes that $20 can buy. That's right, $20.

Here are the stores I'll be checking out: Old Navy, Target, Forever 21, Macy's, Revolve Clothing, Urban Outfitters, and Etsy. Buckle up, ladies! Gents, your turn is coming tomorrow.

Stop #1: Old Navy. As I recall, Old Navy became really popular around the time those ghastly commercial with the dog and the old lady with the glasses started airing. This was when I was in middle school, and even then, I didn't buy it. But Old Navy has taken a few fashion cues from big siblings Gap and Banana Republic, and now if you're willing to wade through the crap, you can score some pretty items for very little cash.

Like this Floral Pattern Satin Crew Neck Dress for $20. These types of shift dresses are surprisingly versatile. Straight dresses don't work for me at all because of my shape, but I recently bought a similar dress and threw a belt around it to go from pillowcase to super flattering in one shot! I love the sweet floral colors of this dress, but if the print is too bold for you, Old Navy also has a version in gray and "cyclamen," which is a reddish-pink that apparently has nothing to do with the flower it's named after, which is more of a pale fuchsia-violet color.

Click here for 6 more looks for under $20!

Living vicariously: My top 5 Bond girls

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:49:51 GMT

Since the new Bond movie just came out, I've been doing a little Bond retrospection and looking back at my all-time favorite Bond girls. Bond girls are, after all, the cherry on top of the sheer ridiculousness and total fantasy that is James Bond. The lack of which is, incidentally, the source of a lot of criticism of Quantum of Solace-- I haven't seen it yet, but it seems like the general consensus is: Let Bruce Wayne deal with his dark side... we just want our fun Bond back!

Bond girls are gorgeous, smart (sometimes), and can wield a deadly weapon without looking ridiculous. They're the women we kind of wish we were. But not really. But yes really.

Anyone who knows me even slightly also knows that I'm a Sean Connery purist, so it's not a real shock that there aren't many non-Connery Bond girls who I find terribly interesting either. One exception is our sole honorable mention, Xenia Onatopp.

Yes! Yessss! I! Am! A Serious! Actress! Yessss!

Her name is Xenia Onatopp and she kills men by strangling them between her thighs while orgasming. This in addition to the casting of Pierce Brosnan as James Bond may have made me throw my TV out the window if not for my total girl-crush on Famke Janssen, whose awful Russian accent is more lethal than her bear thighs. But Xenia is literally too ridiculous for words, which is why we're now moving on to the official list.

Click here for women with one name and pussy galore. I mean, Pussy Galore.

When couture goes wrong. Horribly wrong.

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:11:05 GMT

Just got back from a lovely afternoon at the Brooklyn Museum. It's a very pleasant half-hour walk from our apartment, as you can walk along Prospect Park West and have the park on one side on you and gorgeous brownstones and mansions on the other. I'm absolutely in love with the ex-home of Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly... I can't believe they ever sold it for some trendy loft in Tribeca. Click for photos of this amazing house. Seriously. It's a must-see.

Anyway, a few days ago I was browsing around the net and came across this:

Yes, that is a silver clothes pin (I'm sorry, "brooch") with "CHANEL" engraved on it. Retail value? $270.

What?! Click here.