-an undeniably cool fashion-related blog i stumbled on whilst doing some research on green transportation methods at work: copenhagen cycle chic - bike advocacy in high heels from the world's cycling capital. we can learn from them, in a myriad of ways. makes me think of wardrobe_remix member hen power's flickr community, velocouture. be stylish and sustainable at the same time ---> ride your bike. -vasiliisa of the suburban queen is truly, truly one of my absolute favorite fashion bloggers. i've fawned over her here before, and for very good reason: she's forever pushing boundaries in her fashion writing, asking pointed questions about the subject, and as a result, she's challenging our stereotypical beliefs and conventions regarding fashion, style, and beauty. she makes people think...and thinking is the most stylish thing one can do. in a recent missal, she asks: where are the images of the REALLY real people, the "overweight people...[or] people with (visible) disabilities or deformities[?]"...these people are rather underrepresented or not represented what-so-ever in fashion or on street fashion sites these days. and why?? beauty and style are not just exclusive to the tall + skinny + young + able-bodied.
(not so) random links
-i adore the idea of creating "fake" luxury bags, the idea of art and fashion melding in a devilishly conceptual way. artists and designers who have played with the idea of fake luxury include my friend and artist stephanie syjuco (of anti-factory fame) and her counterfeit crochet handbag project, zinoo park's FAKE 3-in-1 bag (available at poketo), and the lovely silkscreened totes by showpony that meld trompe l'oeil images of vintage bags with simple totes in the cleverest of ways. -if you're planning on being in/live in/near NYC and consider embroidery to be a valid medium to make art, check out the recently opened pricked: extreme embroidery, a show that's on right now at the museum of art and design, conveniently located just across from the MOMA. MAD is the same museum that did the recent and popular exhibition some of you might be aware of, radical lace and subversive knitting that commenced earlier this year. the husband and i stopped by pricked whilst in NYC a few weeks back, and even his code-monkey-left-brained-self quite enjoyed it. if you do make it there, be sure to check out the work of andrea dezsö and nava lubelski...some of my favorites from the show.
-i agree with gala, being negative about/rating other people's style is tired. such nasty behavior should be banished. instead, be positive and accepting! spread love, not hate by chiming in on gala's thread about beloved aesthetics, i.e. what we FAVOR amongst the looks of other people. the whole thread gives me warm fuzzies...because i for one believe that kind behavior and positive interactions with the world can only beget kindness and positivity. give goodness, and you will get goodness back when it comes to matters of fashion and style, and obviously, far beyond.
-apparently the second-hand shopping in sweden is REALLY good? so says the international herald tribune, who posits that one of stockholm's best kept secrets is it's superb second-hand shopping. where's my plane?! i'm so there (if only in my jet-set-stye, internationally-flavored thrifting fantasies)!!
(not so) random links
i figured i'd get this out of the way earlier in the week, as it's bound to be a busy week, with work, traveling, and vacationing...! enjoy.
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-fly points at some amazing fashion & style slideshows, on the new york times website. she's a fan...now, so am i! thanks again, fly, your site is a constant source of inspiration for me (and others, surely!)...
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-from portfolio.com's fashion inc. and the wall street journal: luxury still equals snobby, at least when it comes to the outward behavior of salespeople and displays at the high-end retail establishments like YSL and D&G. my note to said salespeople: this is 2007, lose the nasty act...because it's just that, an act (both the product and your behavior), and we all know it.
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-astute and intelligent fashion blogger jill danyelle of the laboratory shares a paper magazine feature wherein artists from creative growth, an art group for persons with disabilities in the bay area, did their own take on new york's fashion week. as seen on the laboratory, the results are quite beautiful, colorful, and expressive...i almost like them more than the inspiration!
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-H&M: hate them, or love them? think it shills cheap crap, or is a godsend? no matter which side you stand on, you might want to peep this thought-provoking post and it's comments on the suburban queen.
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-handiwork that hides in plain sight: experimental japanese fashion designer aya tsukioka has created a hand-sewn dress that can transform into a faux vending machine, in order to disappear into one's urban surroundings and deter crime. (via everyone and their mother on the web of late, and the new york times)
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more on matters of surroundings: i love the sneak peeks into artists/designers/creatives homes on design*sponge. pictures of one's interiors are like a self-portrait, really because what surrounds an individual says so very much about them as a person: what they love, what's important to them, how they live their life. completely and totally fascinating, non?