Better than a cup of coffee

In addition to watching Britain's Got Talent each night, another lucky perk of currently being in London was reading this article on fashion blogger extraordinaire, Susie Bubble, the way it was meant to be read: in Metro, on the Tube, while traveling to work.

As a long time fan of Style Bubble, the double page spread put a much needed shot of joy in my step this morning. Interview also did an article on her a few weeks back. Seriously, this girl is my idol.

Fashion Field Trip

A few of my flatmates and I hit up the fashion exhibit at the Victoria + Albert museum last week. Absolutely exquisite. Here are a few of the splendid highlights:

Clockwise, from top left:

1. Salvatore Ferragamo suede shoe: bringing the bootie trend in an entirely new direction.

2. Vivienne Westwood gown: in the flesh. Amazing.

3. Bernard Weatherill hunting outfit: preppy inspiration straight from the source.
4. Moschino dress: Made entirely of bras. Really.
5. Horrockses day dress: So Charlotte York, no?

Introducing my pride and joy

I ripped a picture out of a magazine years ago of some girl wearing a marching band jacket with jeans and ballet flats. I wanted desperately to emanate the look, but short of stealing a coat from my high school's music wing, I couldn't find any way to do it.

Then, Alexander McQueen did one a few seasons back. And of course the Balmain jacket has become the new Balanciega blazer these days. Naturally, I was craving a piece of the trend more than ever.

I know Forever 21 and every other fast fashion emporium will start carrying them soon enough, but let's be real: I've never been mistaken for a patient person. I got a vest for $5 at New York and Company, bought some gold cording for $2 at the fabric store, and tediously sewed together the little concoction shown above.

I'm super stoked about rocking this over a plain black dress for a night out. The best part? It was way more economical than this number, so I still have a few bucks left over for cocktails.

One thing: You have your leading lady running around Manhattan in a scrunchie. A SCRUNCHIE!

As much as I'm confidant that legions of hipsters will be able to make scrunchies look cool, I just don't know if I'm ok with the general public taking 80s revival this far.

Or maybe I'm just bitter that my hair isn't long enough to rock one confidently?

Or maybe not.

If you think you can do it, American Apparel has them in all their signature colors. Or just dig through that drawer of stuff you haven't touched since 1993. Scrunch wisely.

Reasons I Love the Brits Already

1. Monday is bank holiday. I love a country that doesn't need a reason to take the day off.

1. 2. A parliament member used tax money for makeup. That's my kinda girl. So much better than stealing staplers from the supply closet.


2. 3. Everyone looks effortlessly stylish here, as if they could throw on anything from their closet and walk out the door. It makes me want to clean out my wardrobe, bad. I thought it'd be terrible to pack enough clothes for 7 weeks in one suitcase, but it makes getting dressed so much easier! I've only brought clothes I really love, so I can put on anything and be ok with it. Perhaps this is what Europeans do everyday?

4. Topshop. Really needs no explanation. I've been waiting years to peruse these racks.

L.C. put pen to paper

So tragic. I was flipping through Teen Vogue at the drug store the other day and nearly died when I saw an excerpt from Lauren Conrad's novel. NOVEL.

I wonder if chic lit will be the new celebrity fashion line?

Anyways, you can read it for yourself on the Teen Vogue website. It's supposed to be about a girl who moves to L.A. and ends up staring in a reality show. I wonder where her inspiration came from?

Here's what paints my paws

I'm not one of those girls with a giant basket overflowing with 50 different shades of nail polish. I rarely buy it-- which is how I justify spending $20 on one bottle. (I also almost never get my nails done professionally, so I save a few bucks there, too.)
It's not that I don't like nail polish, it's just that most colors don't look good on me. I have very very pale hands, stubby fingers, and short nail beds. I wanted desperately to get into the navy trend last year, but it made my digits look washed out and weird.
So instead, I stick to these four colors:
1. OPI Elephantastic Pink
2. OPI Girl's Just Want to Have Fun
3. Chanel Vamp
4. Sally Hansen Lasting Lily

Tried and true.

And though I don't always have time to follow my own advice, these tips will help your polish last:

• Buff your nails! Not only will they look far better sans-polish, the smoother your nails are, the longer your color will stick.
• Give them plenty of time to dry. Don't use the quick dry sprays--it makes the polish weaker. I'll admit, I usually use it since I have a tendency to paint my nails on Thursday or Friday nights. But if you can, indulge yourself and just relax for an hour.
• Take a week off. Or two. Peeling, splitting nails aren't going to hold color for very long. Don't paint them for awhile and keep them cut short. Slather the cuticles with hand cream or Vaseline. They'll be way healthier and I promise your next manicure will last longer.
• Use a good base and top coat. I love OPI's.
  

Oh, Anna

I'll forever be intrigued by the inner workings of a fashion editor's mind--especially when it's Vogue EIC, Anna Wintour.

She did a great interview with Jonathan Tisch earlier this week. New York posted some of the conversation.
Also hilarious: the people arguing about fur in the comments section.

Harper's Bizare.

So I stumbled upon this editorial in Bazaar the other day. Jonah Hill, one of Judd Apatow's comedy darlings, poses with Riley Keough in various LA scenarios. Each photo has a 'text message' for a caption. I thought to myself, "hmm, that's entertaining. A little alienating to most of the magazine's demographic, though." As if on cue, my mom looked over my shoulder and said, "Yeah, I didn't really get what all that was about. What's The Hills?"
Oh boy.
How does one explain the faux-reality monstronsity to the uninitiated? To define The Hills, I feel, would be like admitting that my generation is exactly as disappointing as all the baby boomers want to believe we are.

Now, I don't have any official data on what the average Bazaar reader is like, but I'm going to guess that a good chunk of them are not texting or watching The Hills. Afterall, this is the magazine that dedicates pages each month to skin care and fashion trends for women over 70.

First of all, let's address the text thing. Until about a month ago, my mom didn't even have text messaging. I'm positive she has no idea who Jonah Hill is, so she probably thought it was peculiar that some pudgy guy was throwing up piece signs next to a supermodel and texting about his fabulous California lifestyle. And using "The Hills" as the overarching theme? What a disaster.

Bazaar, second only to Lucky, is my favorite magazine--but this editorial kind of let me down. I get that they wanted to do something youthful and Jonah's last name made this convenient. But couldn't they have emulated Gossip Girl? And please, PLEASE don't tell me this means that one of the show's bimbos is landing a job in the west coast office. Bazaar, you're already late on the reality show marketing thing. (As much as I adore Isaac Mizrahi, The Fashion Show just isn't capturing me the way Project Runway ever could.) Don't dig your grave any deeper. Find another way to salvage the existence of glossy pages.

Jet Setting

I plan on wearing something like this for my flight to London. Comfy leggings, loose knit dress, scarf to double as a pillow. I'll throw on boots and my trench so I don't have to attempt to stuff them in my suitcase.

Pet Peeve: I hate people who wear pajamas in airports. Or Juicy sweatsuits. Seriously? You can do better.

The Notebook

In an effort to cut down on my ever-expanding pile of magazines, I force myself to sift through the stacks a few times a year. Ripping out only what catches my eye right of the bat, I throw away everything else. I paste everything into this old school composition notebook my grandmother gave me and flip through it whenever I need some inspiration.

Here are a few pages: