Watch out, Jeffrey Campbell has some competition…
www.solestruck.com
June, 2010:
Outfit Days – Summer Days to Summer Nights
And it all started with a pair of jean shorts. We all know those weekend days that start at brunch, continue with a little afternoon shopping, maybe some relaxing in the park with a good book and your man, then before you know it it’s dinner time and you need to pull it together quick for round two! We’ve all been there and we know it’s always easier with a little planning ahead.
The first outfit, the day look, is summer chic and perfect for day time east or west coast. It’s on trend, tying in a sheer nude top. It’s comfortable with a fancier nude flat, not too revealing or tight and versatile for riding bikes, a walk on the beach or appropriate for a day roof party at the Standard. Turn it into a night look with a bright heel, throw on an over-sized t-shirt, add a red lip, your boyfriend’s blazer and through in a night time clutch. While keeping most pieces dark blacks, it dresses up your shorts, and gives you the ability to get creative with color with your shoes and/or accessories! The night look is a mix of edge, class, funk and chic style.
20 minutes of stress free getting ready, you boyfriend and friends are pleasantly surprised of your look and not having to wait to long and your ready for another night of fun!! Don’t you just love weekends?!
LA Street Style – Fashion Stylist and Designer Cassandra
1)Name: Cassandra
2) Living in: Los Angeles, Echo Park
3) Hometown: Bend, Oregon
4) What are you wearing now? Vintage Army shirt, Vintage Norma Kamali Bodysuit, Vintage Levis, Dolce Vita Shoes
5) Spring Trend you can’t live without? Nudes and beige colors
6) How do you describe your personal style? I feel like each day of the week, I could have a completely different style, some days I dress really fun, and colorful, other days I like to be dress clean and classic, Depend on where I think my day is going to take me, and my shoes…
7) Favorite LA stores to shop at? Madison, Confederacy, St. Vincents, American Vintage, Barney’s New York..
8) Style Icon? I’ve never really thought about it, but I guess a mix of Brigitte Bardot, and Erin Wasson, and Kate Moss (duh) ..
9) Favorite designer? Ann Demeulemeester
10) What do you like a about style and fashion? I love the ride it takes us all on, and the fact that we can be someone different, each day.
11) If you didn’t work in fashion you’d be working in…. In Hawaii on an organic farm by the ocean..
12) What do you love most about living in LA? The weather, my neighborhood, the beach & surf, the amazing creative people that surround me..
14) You daily online reads? Wildfox Couture Blog, Bleach Black Blog, KnightCat Blog
15) Longs to own? Coats and Boots from the Fall 2010 Burberry Prorsum Collection
LA Beauty and Style
While wondering dowtown LA looking for inspiration and street style to shoot for an amazing new site called Beautiful Stranger TV in New York, I saw Kasey. Her hair caught me first, but her whole look was adorable! I pretty much chased her across the street and stopped her in Starbucks to see if she I could shoot her picture.
Meet Kasey, one of LA’s style and beauty girls.
1. Name: Kasey Elise
2. Occupation: student
3. Living in: Los Angeles
4. Hometown: Los Angeles
5. What are you wearing now?: Knit dress by forever 21, Steve Madden Military Boots, Macy’s tear drop necklace, and Heritage brown leather jacket
6. How do you describe your personal style? I wouldn’t say that I have a particular style because I basically take random pieces that I love and put them together;
7. Favorite LA stores to shop at? I literally shop everywhere! I just pick up cool things I see in different shops around the city. From vintage stores in Los Feliz, Hollywood and the valley, to hippie shops in Santa Monica and Venice, and then the internet of course. There’s nothing like receiving something new in the mail, especially when they’re shoes!
8. Favorite designer? Omg it’s so hard to choose! Chanel and McQueen of course, but I love Alexander Wang, Miu Miu as well
9. What do you like a about style and fashion? Fashions fade, style is eternal! I love that every person (thats in the fashion of course) has their own unique way of putting things together. I almost think of it as art. You just use fashions to create your vision. Just as an artist does with paint and brushes.
10. Profession? I’m an actress.
11. What do you love most about living in LA? My friends and family are here.
12. Your daily online reads? Seaofshoes.com, karlascloset.com, bleachblack.com, studdedhearts.com, lefashion.com, becauseimaddicted.com, fashionlane.com, knightcat.com, fashiontoast.com…..etc the list goes on.
13. Longs to own? Thigh high lamb skin boots by Chanel and a pair of miu miu platforms =)
Lets Go Swiming!!!!
Summer Swim 2010
My picks above are inspired by the colorways I’m falling for lately, hard, and the vintage inspired prints I’m drooling over everywhere I go! There are a lot of amazing designers out there for suimsuits, but Zimmerman and Salt Swimwear take the top of the charts for me. Both of these companies know how to achieve the “sexy without trying” look with their vintage colorways, embellishment with ruffles and one pieces that are still very sexy. If there is ever a time to try a once piece, this is the year to do it!
I met Layla Pakzad, the lovely designer of Salt Swimwear, a few months back and she’s everything you’d imagine by looking at her suits – kind spirited, stylish and on top of her game! I stopped in her offices and had a chance to see her work for the first time in person. After seeing them, I was hooked – vintage prints, beautiful colorways and understated sexiness. Layla is from the West Coast but has lived in New York City for a few years, and her designs seem to show the influences of both – they are cutting edge fashion, with a laid back feel. It makes sense when they say the combination of talent and good people go far, and I see this being the case with Salt Swimwear. Read more about her company and see more designs HERE.
Images via -> Top Left to Right -> Harpers Bazaar Mexico June, and Elle via R U GLAMOUR
NYC Street Style – Easy Breezy
One of the easiest outfits you can throw together! Not too much matching required, a few accessories and you are out the door – gotta love rompers. The first picture I just about die – she is precious. Most of her clothing in this pictures styled by Forever 21 and H & M, tried and true, you don’t need a huge budget to dress fashionably! All you need is an open mind and a little creativity. The second look is sophisticated enough to be work wear and the boots have a slight heel, but low enough to be comfortable. The last looks i pure summer – sandals, soft colorways and and ice cream in hand (side note it was about 90 degrees that day!)
Music Mondays – I’m Feeling Classy.
I used to love Matthew Herbert’s electric mixes back in college. Here’s one of his jazzy tunes. Enjoy. Download HERE.
Bio: In 2001, as part of the score for a French musical ‘Le Defi’, directed by choreographer Blanca Li (pop culture fiends know her for her … (more) work in Daft Punk’s influential ‘Around The World’ video), Matthew Herbert was asked to write three pieces for a Big Band. One of these pieces, ‘Singing In The Rain’ attempted to go a step further by incorporating samples of the band, chopping up the existing recordings, looping, splicing and generally manipulating the raw material to create a new and totally distinct version. When Herbert talked to Gilles Peterson about this at the start of 2002, Peterson offered the yet to be formed ‘Matthew Herbert Big Band’ the chance to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival. There was now an incontrovertible deadline for a project Herbert had previously thought impossible to put together.
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 2002, the ensuing album, ‘Goodbye Swingtime’ attempted to move away from the modern association of big bands with decadence and opulence and address it as a musical form worthy both of respect and indifference and whose merit should be judged on a piece by piece basis. It also attempted not to distance itself from the political environment in which it was created. Whilst the production of such a large-scale, self-financed album on Herbert’s own independent label, Accidental, was in itself a political statement, he was wary of creating a musical work happy to solely exist in its own universe.
