NEIL BARRETT

Can we just talk about how amazing Neil Barrett's S/S '14 collection is? Like. Despite how much I love clothes, I hardly ever watch runway shows or review collections just because of their inaccessibility for me as a consumer. But every time I see a piece from this collection, I just think, "Damn! Dat's a fine shirt." It's fantastic. It definitely references his past collection in terms of a restricted color palette and use of shapes, (which is what I love in clothes myself). However, unlike his A/W '13 collection, this newer one features more organic, unrestricted shapes. Even the squares in the plaid are arrayed in a way that can only be described as a playful frenzy. I wonder if you could DIY the simpler pieces.... It's just so good, man.

 

    

7T'Z

Campy & flamboyant -- the seventies.

// The image at the bottom is a screenshot of the 2011 Korean film, Sunny. I recommend it. It's really visual.

HEROIN CHIC

Kate Moss
Francisco Lachowski
Simone Nobili
Sky Ferreira

//I really like the heroin chic look. There. I said it. While I don't condone drug use, I can't help but gravitate toward models who look tired and beat up, and wish I appeared similarly, especially when they have those dark lines underneath their eyes. That's my favorite part. Made popular during the 90's by none other than Kate Moss, its lingering influence still pervades the industry. While some argue that the trend is over with the presence of the "sexy era" (e.g. Giselle Bundchen, Adriana Lima) I still believe there is that niche market. Waif-like and frumpy, it connotes familiar (and admittedly tired) buzzwords like edgy, grunge, raw, etc. For me, it brings to mind sheer adolescent madness a la Skins or something. Yes sir. I love it.

P.S. It's weird. I feel like I have a lot to say, but when it comes to actually writing in an actual blog post, it seems so short!

WHITE + LEATHER + MUSCLE

Images via Pelayo Diaz/ Yu Wei Lo/ Ivania Carpio

Putting off all these "potential blog posts" for too long! Now I'm just vomiting them out with as much enthusiasm as I can. I've really been digging the onslaught of people wearing white socks lately. Normally associated with the world of athletics, it seems sport-luxe. A lot of people find it distasteful for that very reason. It's pleasantly jarring. As much as I love the whole printed sock thing going on, this is starting to bring me greater satisfaction. Speaking of white socks, it reminds me of the sock + sandal debates that plague sartorial audiences. To be honest, I do like it. Tres Raf Simons. However, I must admit, I doubt I'd wear it myself. It reminds me far too much of my middle-aged Asian uncles of childhoods past.

Images via Yu Wei Lo/ Pelayo Diaz

Leather shorts. Yeah. This is some murky territory. One wrong Google search and before you know it, you're in the depths of the kinky S&M universe. I don't even know if I like them all that much, but I must since I keep wanting them. I doubt they'd even be flattering. It'd just make me sweaty. In any case, I think one factor that is crucial in leather shorts is length. Traditionally associated with womenswear, I think these look best if they're at least knee length, if not longer. I know its hip to have your shorts mid-thigh and stuff, but when your pair mid-thigh with leather, we're all just gonna start getting uncomfortable.

Images via Inked Magazine/ UNIF

And to bring this post to a close, I'd like to make plain my affection for the muscle tee. I know this isn't for everyone (Tracey), but I find it quintessentially British. Very British, very grunge. Very...tumblr, to say the least. Seldom do I see it here in the States. I must make the distinction, however, between this and the average tank top (or vest if you're in the UK). The muscle tee is a basic t-shirt without the sleeves. It still retains a high neck opening, rather than the roomier cut silhouette of a tank. In terms of aesthetics, I imagine it to look best on the emaciated, gangly, platinum-blonde youths of London. And though I fulfill none of those standards, I still find myself hacking off the sleeves of my tees, donning them while simultaneously sucking in my cheeks in the hopes that I too, can look British grunge. lol.

Caroline Trentini

Oh, that sultry gaze! This photo sparked my interest in Caroline Trentini. She was scouted by the same person who found Gisele Bundchen, and she left her Southern Brazilian homelands for NYC at the tender age of 14 or so. Her advertisement for Marc Jacobs skyrocketed her career to where she stands now. She's been listed as an Industry Icon by models.com, and has not only been recently wedded, but is expecting her first child as well! In addition to that face, she genuinely seems like a kind person as well. For one of her seasons, she donated all runway proceeds to an organization in Brazil that treats children with cancer. She's fantastic. 

The Marc Jacobs advertisement previously mentioned

In this interview, she explains her charity work.

P.S. I like that I can relate to her. Her acne was so bad at 15, she had to take Accutane.

Minimalism & Ivania Carpio

I have recently stumbled upon blogger Ivania Carpio upon the Interweb, and all I can say is that I am completely amazed with what she's achieved through her minimalist approach to clothing. I've been aware of minimalist fashion, but I never really cared for it until leafing through multiple pages of her blog. She's introduced to me a style that takes away all the extravagance of fashion, leaving only the bare necessities of the garment. Perhaps a quote from Amy Spindler, who wrote in article in the New York Times about minimalism in fashion, will represent these thoughts best:

"Minimalism is best described not by what it is, but by what it lacks. There's no lace. No tulle. No fringe. No flouncy tiers. No rows of pleats. For those who subscribe, it is defined the way obscenity ofter is: they know it when they see it."

Paraphrasing words I read a long time ago, minimalism is never simple. Despite seemingly boring with such a restricted color palette, the devil is really in all the details. Taking away the frivolous aspect of these garments leaves us with something that can be truly called an art piece. The focus is on textures and shapes and lines, all of which can sometimes be hidden by flashy prints and overt trends. 

Ivania Carpio is quite the crafty girl as well, creating several DIY projects for her readers and online websites to which she contributes. Some examples include a clutch made from VHS boxes, and a hairy purse using hair extensions. Looking at her photos, her home is also minimally decorated, with white brick walls and plain lightbulbs used as lamps.

Although I doubt I'd adhere to such a minimalist wardrobe in its entirety, she has definitely influenced me to purchase basic pieces based on fit and versatility. I really do love the girl.

 

all images excluding header via Ivania Carpio

LIKE: Frida Gustavsson

I absolutely enjoy everything about Frida Gustavsson. A model frequently circulated through sites like Pinterest and tumblr, her six foot stature definitely makes her stand out among the standard models of the industry. As for myself, I appreciate ever so slightly upturned noses, and Frida fits the bill. Pun not intended, but very much enjoyed. I also favor models who are genuinely interested in the clothes that they wear. In multiple interviews, she's expressed her passion for working in the field later, possibly in textile design. In any case, the highlighted photo above was the one that caught me, making me an ultimate fan.