Style & Substance
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Ask me anything
March 3, 2013
REGRETS. Do you have any? I’m not talking so much about anything deep, but more along the lines of aesthetics. (Aesthetic/anesthetic. ) Sometimes, I regret the few tattoos I have. I should have known better but I got carried away. These tattoos will always compete with my clothing and my jewelry for attention. They will be forever the first thing people notice when I roll up my sleeve. Sometimes I just don’t want to be so open. Sometimes I wonder if certain things were worth the purchase. A no name (but breathtakingly beautiful) astrakhan & silver fox fur coat for over five thousand dollars, that expensive eye cream that sits unused in the medicine cabinet, the shoes I bought three years ago that I’d forgotten about and have yet to wear. There are far too many of these “oh well, it’s just money“‘s in my life and frankly, it’s tiresome. Being savvy is hard work and I’m just lazy. It’s partly why I go for the best-that proverbial Town & Country list of what’s what. To save myself the headache. Things like fur coats, I’m not so savvy about. I just know what’s gorgeous and fits me like it was made for me. Was five thousand and tax too much to pay when there is no big name behind it? Maybe. Was tattooing myself a bad choice? Maybe. These are decisions I have to learn to embrace and respect in myself somehow. Life is too short to walk this earth with the bitter taste of regret after all isn’t it?
((Pictured: Helmut Lang beaver jacket, Prada cashmere & sequin cardigan, Barney’s fox fur stole Kiki de Montparnasse cashmere leggings))
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, CHANEL cardigan coat (w/ hints of metallic threading which doesn’t translate in my photo), CHANEL brooches, DEREK LAM nude silk slip dress
LAURENCE DACADE Pete booties
My attempt at WARHOL-ifying myself
Here’s my thought for the day regarding fashion- while I can appreciate the fact that not everyone wants to or can invest large sums of money into their wardrobe, I am a believer in style. Being a believer in the concept also means that I think inspiration, function and evolving are the key elements in what makes one stand out and garner attention. For instance, if you’re trying to channel Edie Sedgwick, who notoriously danced everyday and was too lazy to put on full outfits, who had money to burn for a while and an inheritance which allotted her jewels and fur coats, and who spent much of her time partying on drugs, make sure you have that same lifestyle going for you because otherwise it’s emulating a whole life that doesn’t exist. Being inspired is important, but true stylemakers stem from a place of function for their lifestyle. Anything else is simply fraud.
Evolving is also important. I really can’t stand costume-like fashion, where you copy a genre head-to-toe. Rockabilly girls are the most annoying to me because they all seem to follow a very definitive dress code. Vintage dresses from the 50’s, that hair…you aren’t on a movie set and it’s not 1957, so have a little originality and update. There’s a huge difference between borrowing tidbits, giving a clever little wink and nod to the era, and straight up literally copying it verbatim. The latter shows no signs of creativity, or a lack of thought and introspection at the least.
Which e-commerce site shows up most in your Internet history? Net-A-Porter, Browns Fashion, Matches Fashion, Moda Operandi, Luisa Via Roma
What’s the best store to find a truly awesome housewarming gift? The MET store, the MOMA gift shop, ABC Carpet & Home, tiny downtown antique shops, The Plaza Gift Shops
What’s your favorite big department store? What’s your hidden-secret shopping spot? Big Department store- Barney’s for their service & selection, Bergdorf’s for the selection, Saks for fun. Hidden gem- Tokio 7 in NYC
Where do you shop for the most bang for your buck? Tokio 7. You can buy excellent & authentic vintage Vivienne Westwood here for a few hundred dollars.
Which is the best city in the world to shop? Paris
If you had to guess, which store is the majority of your closet from? Barney’s for clothing, Chanel boutiques for shoes.
CHANEL LAMBSKIN TURQUOISE MINI BAG (LOVE LOVE LOVE), CHANEL SUMMER FOOTWEAR (ONE DAY I WILL POST MY CHANEL SHOE COLLECTION, IT’S A LITTLE OUT OF CONTROL), AN EVENT I WENT TO WEARING LANVIN, THE BRACELET MY MOM LET ME BORROW, ME RIDING A CAMEL
THE LOOK OF COMFORTABLE ROCK N ROLL. My new Chanel motorcycle boots need new denim. Also, my can’t-get-here-soon-enough Laurence Dacade silver studded Pete booties I ordered. These are some of my picks that I’ll be trying on.
ALWAYS LOVED LOOKING LIKE A RICH GIRL GONE HOMELESS, OR A HOMELESS PERSON WHO HIT THE RODEO DRIVE DUMPSTER JACKPOT. someone who pulls off this look as an example: the deceased painter, jean michel basquiat.
Here’s an old outfit I pulled together in 2007 that is still one of my favorites today:
Cashmere/sequined argyle Prada sweater, Chloe caramel coloured silk and cashmere cardigan with dark brown buttons and ample sized pockets, jeans by D&G, several Hermes bracelets on one arm (enamel & leathers) and an Hermes twilly scarf as a bracelet on the other arm, fingerless gloves from Maxfield in LA, huge black and heather grey cashmere scarf/shawl by Louis Vuitton, black suede and gold Mary Jane booties by Louis Vuitton, & two little Vuitton monogram teddy bear brooches. Go a step further and mix patterns with the layering, substituting the booties with a pair of black/white polka dot Chanel shoes, maybe with some opaque tights or patterned socks peeking out at the sides.
I have an outfit in mind for next round. It includes mostly Chanel. Chanel done homeless. I feel like a pervert.
