Pilgrim's Progress

Sweater- vintage

Skirt - vintage

Earrings - my godmother

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Asterisk's Design Issue - Out Now!

If it is available in your area, I recommend picking up the latest copy of Asterisk. Issue four is the Design Issue, and I penned an article on Revolver, an up and coming yet totally approachable Lower Haight boutique.  I will have you know that this is the first time I employed the use of a hand held recording device while conducting an interview for print work. I felt like April O'Neil, ace reporter.

Content and photography wise, this is probably my favorite issue of Asterisk to date. It just keeps getting better! For a publication that debuted earlier this year, the output has been quite impressive.

Speaking of photography, do you remember my friend Holden? She shot some photos for a story on custom furniture for this issue as well.

And hey, if your local shop doesn't carry Asterisk, you can always subscribe.

Patchwork

Blouse - vintage Adolfo

Trousers - Banana Republic

Bracelet - H&M

Earrings - my godmother

Shoes - Pour la Victoire

Skull Candy

I'll be the first to admit that skulls are a bit overplayed as a theme in fashion and home decor.  My favorite example of subtle skulls done right (other than a classic Alexander McQueen scarf) is undoubtedly Wendy Brandes' onyx and diamond skull ring, which once upon a time I had the pleasure of wearing on my finger for a few shining moments (and boy is it heavy).

With Halloween but a few weeks away, every drugstore in town is shrouded in buckets of candy corn, fake spiderwebs, and Slutty-Witch-Costumes-in-a-Bag. I was in Walgreens the other day getting some lotion when I unintentionally passed through the Halloween aisle. I wasn't looking for anything Halloween related at all, but my eyes settled on the glass skull you see above. I think it is meant to be a candle holder, but I couldn't help but marvel at what a great little decorative trinket it was, something cool yet subtle that could sit on a coffee table, bookshelf , or desk all year long.

It's solid glass and pretty heavy (heavier than Wendy's skull ring, even) and because I chose the clear glass one (they also had pink and a smoky gray) it's not that overpowering of an object. Something like this sitting in a fancy home decor boutique may cost you a bit of cash, but this glass skull was all of $4.99.

Cubbyhole

Dress and Belt - Missoni

Sunglasses - Ray Ban

Bag - Alexander Wang

Shoes - Balenciaga

New Takes on Old Favorites

We may be living in the age of the post-It bag, but some things never change. With the recent increase of about a thousand dollars tacked on to every Chanel 2.55 sold in the United States and the almost constant unavailability of Hermes' top bags, a new crop of classic carry-alls with similar appeal have quietly crept into the consumer's consciousness. And what appeal is that, exactly? Classic lines, quality, and a go-with-everything versatility.  Nothing will replace the craftsmanship of a Birkin or a Kelly, but Mulberry's Alexa and Proenza Schouler's PS 1 fill both a void and a need.

Sure, they still have waiting lists, but the wait time (along with the significantly smaller price tag by comparison to their predecessors) pales in comparison.

And like all classics, both new and old, this fall is ushering in some fresh twists on these savvy satchels, via colorful prints and new materials. The silhouette and shape remains, but there are now more options in terms of color and texture.

You've probably already seen this falls' Mulberry ads featuring Hanne and Abbey Lee feeding each other red velvet cake and jumping on beds, all the while clutching bright pink and black Alexas and other Mulberry bags.  Another interesting twist is that this quilted material is not leather.

Equally as exciting is Proenza Schouler's PS1 in a colorful woven Mochila print.  Traditionally, the Mochila is a special bag made of wool and goat hair, woven by indigenous peoples of certain sections of Columbia and Venezuela.  This technique has been adapted by Proenza Schouler and will be on the shelves of Barneys in the coming weeks.

Red Mochila photo via Mama's Rolling Stone

The Galaxy

Shirt - American Apparel

Skirt - Helmut Lang

Bracelet - family heirloom

Ring - Burberry

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Instant Oatmeal

Sweater - Alexander Wang

Jeans - vintage Wranglers

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

The Key to My Heart

Earlier this year I was really excited about those Tiffany key necklaces. I liked the gold one the best. I am a lover of gold jewelry and I wanted something simple yet special and classic enough to wear every day. A signature piece of jewelry is something I've never had before, and this seemed like the perfect fit.

Ted offered to get it for me for my birthday and we were all set to go until I realized I had been looking at the wrong price tag, and the cost of the key was about four times what I had originally thought. So that was off the table, but I still like the idea of gold keys.

Earlier today I was looking at some older posts made by The Cherry Blossom Girl and my eyes zeroed in on this ring.

At first I thought that it was probably vintage or expensive (or both!), but then I quickly learned that it is from House of Harlow 1960, and not only that, but is a modest $48.  It looks sort of bronze or even rose gold in Alix's photo, but is in fact plated in 14K yellow gold.

Now, this key ring is much more special and specific than a pendant on a necklace and not something I'd call an everyday classic that I'd wear on a daily basis.  I guess I feel a pull to a key, like Mary in The Secret Garden.  I also like how these are fashioned like skeleton keys. They give off a nifty vintage vibe as a result.

White Shoulders

These shots of the 1930s socialite inspired winter white editorial in the current issue of American Vogue are so stunning. White, when done the right way, can indeed be worn during the colder months. Fashion editor Camilla Nickerson has really been on a tear lately and I am loving it. The actual editorial is longer than this but these two were my favorite.

Here's Caroline Trentini and Chanel Iman showing us how.

Those crazy platforms are Prada, bee tea dub.

Black Pepper

Dress - Lewis Cho

Shoes - Prada

Topshop's Spring Nails

From the blog of Sophy Robson, the lady who brought us that first hand (heh) glimpse at Tom Ford's new nail color, comes some cute spring nails from TopShop's in-house line, Unique. The show took place yesterday in London.

I've never glued glittery little extra bits to the tips of my nails before. But for the right occasion, it could be very pretty.

My Fashion Week: The Final Day

I write this from home, in my bed, in San Francisco. I think I have the flu.  New York is behind me, like a bouquet of balloons after a storm.

I flew back to San Francisco on Thursday morning. The plane left at seven. I was up at five. I was so tired I could barely process or answer the simplest of questions. My brain just sort of quit on me. I tipped my driver ten dollars for a thirty dollar ride to the airport because my inner calculator had ceased to function.  My flight back to San Francisco was direct and because of the time change I landed at 10:30AM.

On Wednesday, my last day in New York, I had no shows to go to. While sitting at the fountain at Lincoln Center, I snapped my one and only candid street style shot of my entire trip. Pictured above, a dude in a studded jacket on his phone.

I went to an accessories exhibit put on by Bazaar.  It was a special display of many different designers' shoes, bags, and jewelry that will be out next spring.  I asked permission to take photos and was given the go-ahead, but then a few snaps into the experience I was told something else. So the camera went back in the bag.

I forget whose shoes those are, but the jewelry is Fenton/Fallon.

I walked around a lot on my own. I went into Bergdorf's and gently petted the Rodarte dresses and Proenza Schouler splatter jeans like they were rare and exotic animals.

In the late afternoon I met up with my friend Amber at a Unitarian Church on the Lower East Side.  As I said in my last post, Amber is a student at FIT and sometimes goes to special lectures and talks. That night Iris Apfel was going to talk about her experiences with textiles and jewelry over her long and lauded career.

It was such an honor to hear Iris speak and tell what must be just a fraction of all her funny stories. She is 89 years old, sharp, witty, and whip smart. An absolute legend.

Hanging with Iris was a calm way to wind down. My first fashion week was hardly full of glamour and glitter.  I was there to learn, observe, and report.  Boring and grandmotherly as I'm sure it sounds, I didn't go to any parties (save for Fashion's Night Out) or have a sip of bubbly until my final night in New York.  I didn't want to miss anything that unveiled yet another moment of truth or nugget of wisdom. As a result, while I by no means feel like an expert I sure took great pride in reporting my experiences in as real-time a fashion as I could.

Sometimes looking at photos is not enough.  You have to dump yourself into a world of uncertainties in order to see what it truly possible.  Once I got this thought in my head to go to fashion week I sought the advice of many dear friends and they all had something to say.  Their words of great advice and simple encouragement pointed the way to my experience.  Once I got to New York and spent even more time with lovely people who lived for this thing called fashion for all the same reasons that I do, it became pointedly clear that everyone I met, be it an A-lister of the fashion world or a blogger with the smallest of audiences, was so much more dazzling and engaging, so much more beautiful in person.  Much moreso than a picture could ever capture.

My Fashion Week: Day Five

Today existed in two parts.

The first part happened in Brooklyn where I visited Amber, an old friend from college. Amber has recently embarked on a new career path and is currently a textiles student at FIT. She is also a married mother of two. This lady is busy.

When I came back from Brooklyn it was almost time for the Temperley presentation. I dove into the second part of my day and threw on something minimalist (see above) and headed over to Milk Studios. It's about a five block walk from my hotel. Have I gabbed enough about how much I adore my hotel? Here are a few more photos, this time of the lobby.

Ok, back to the outside world.

I am enjoying the street art in my neighborhood, wheat paste or otherwise.

Temperley's presentation was twofold. When you first walked in to the space you saw the Alice collection, which is kind of the younger, more playful side of Temperley.

When I first gazed upon these looks, they came across as a collection of flirty, girly day pieces (rompers, tiny flouncy skirts, suits, maxi dresses, leather skirts, polka dots, twill overalls) with a whiff of buttoned-up boho here and there, by way of applique, eyelets and embroidery. Then I learned that this collection was inspired by Marie Antoinette and things made more sense to me; the queen of France's love of luxe indulgence as well as her Petite Trainon hideaway reflected the duality of the collection nicely.

Then there was Temperley London proper. I felt as though this spring collection was designed for an elegant uptown lady who also enjoyed soft bondage accessories and maybe attended the occasional Renaissance Fair. The hooded chain mail-type dress spoke very clearly to that aesthetic. Reading the literature that accompanied the collection spoke of Guinevere, King Arthur's love. At that point, things really began to fuse together.

Even the sweetest, most feminine of the dresses were accessorized with a harness or metallic beading, adding some toughness to the otherwise soft-served romanticism.

I spoke with a representative from accessories at the presentation and we discussed the pouch bags. This comes in black as well as the soft blush color. Toughness mixed with tenderness, she said.

Temperley was my last show for this season. Tomorrow is my final day in New York.  The sun is setting on my trip.  I can feel myself hurtling toward what looks like an edge - a place where, once I pass it, I have to shed all I have seen and done here and return to the regular day-to-day in San Francisco.  It's just after midnight and I don't want to fall asleep. My ill-advised Peter Pan fashion week logic is that if I never go to bed there won't have to be a tomorrow. It just won't ever come, right? 

That would be great if it were true. But, the music will be faced. The bag will be packed, the plane boarded and the nurse and sailor on the cover of Life magazine smooch to Ted will be given after the wheels touch down on California soil.  And immediately after, the plan to return will be made.

My Fashion Week: Day Four

Today was probably the day where I did the least amount of traditionally Fashion Week related things.

I told people that I was on a very important mission on behalf of my Grandpa. But really, I think it was moreso for me.  Grandpa (government name: Gerald Christensen) is my mom's dad. He is 88 and has lived in the Bay Area since he was fourteen. He was born in New York and grew up primarily in Queens. (He still has a very recognizable New York accent). Grandpa has many fond memories of his New York childhood, including playing hockey on roller skates, handball, and visiting his own grandpa in Manhattan.

Grandpa's Grandpa was a Norwegian immigrant. He lived on East 67th Street between First and Second Avenue, in the penthouse apartment above the 67th Street Branch library. He was the custodian of the three-story building, and at the time, the custodian lived above the library (there was a dumbwaiter, but no elevator) as part of his employment package. Every Sunday when the library was closed, my Grandpa would come over to Manhattan by himself to visit his grandparents, wander around the library, and play on the roof.

Grandpa told me all of this a couple weeks ago when I mentioned I was coming to New York. I decided then and there that I had to see if this library was still there. It was.

I thought I could just sort of sneak in quietly and enjoy the library for what it was. My plan was to just climb the chalky marble staircase and see how high it went. But pretty early on, a librarian caught me and asked in the nicest of ways what it was exactly that I was doing. I said I was hoping to get to the top floor. She said that no one was allowed up there.

"I'm sorry," I said, "But let me just tell you why I'm here." I explained that I had come from San Francisco, and I told her about Grandpa's magical childhood. Her face changed. "Oh," she said. "Come with me."  We climbed to the very top of the staircase and arrived at a door.

At this point the librarian produced a key. "I'm not supposed to let people up here," she said, "but this is definitely a good exception." She pushed on the knob and in we went.

We walked around the crumbling, empty space. Three bedrooms, a kitchen, lots of small closets. I couldn't tell what any of the rooms used to be, as all the appliances had been ripped out. The librarian knew, though, and she gave me a tour of each corner of the apartment. A custodian had always lived in the building, she said, up until eight years ago when every floor of the library was renovated.

Every floor except the top one.

I felt like a ghost haunting my Grandpa's New York youth. As a child, over seventy years ago, he walked these very floorboards. How could it have happened that one of his nine grandchildren now traced his footsteps? I was on the verge of tears.

I am so thankful for being able to walk around that apartment. I don't know what will happen to it, but a tiny piece of my heart will always feel at home there.

After that I had to sit down and collect myself. This was a major moment in my personal history in relation to my family. My grandpa moved to San Francisco when he was fourteen. He never returned.

On my way out of the neighborhood I encountered this vintage bicycle chained to a wrought iron fence. Notice the SPOKIE DOKIES. Childhood converging with adulthood yet again.

And then it was back to the fashion. Later this afternoon it rained very hard. By the time it stopped, dusk had fallen.

I think this photo is my favorite that I have shot so far during my stay. Two totally random girls skipping down the sidewalk. I had but a few seconds to get my dinky little point-and-shoot out.

The night ended with a seat at Stacy Lomman's show. I sat across from Jennine. Later on, her, Christina, Tony and I went out for Thai food and then Pinkberry for dessert.

Tomorrow I venture to Brooklyn and the Temperley show. It's 2:30AM and I'm still wide awake. I wonder if tonight I will dream of libraries. If it happens, you'll be the first to know!