I feel like I picked out all of the fashion in the January issue of Harper's Bazaar. Never before have I opened a magazine and seen that many things I adore. I mean, I annoyed the hell out of my boyfriend (though he wouldn't admit it - he's too sweet) with my oohs and aahs and "ohmigod i love this, and this too" and "wow". You guys have just got to go and check it out - especially all of the shoes. It's really just incredible. . .

Look Good, Smell Good

Neiman Marcus is having their "After Christmas" sale before Christmas. They've got stuff on sale from every merchandise category - definitely worth checking out. This MJ necklace has been reduced to $86 and these Juicy Couture bangles have been reduced to $34 each!

Where Has She Been?

I'm back! Yes, I know that my classes finished last week, but I was so overwhelmed by all of my projects, tests, and presentations - especially my Fashion Magazines class project (a 100 page magazine that I made myself) - that I am just now, today, feeling more relaxed and like I've been re-integrated into normal society, haha.

Happy Holidays,

Chanoa@
FashionMiami

Her Majesty Hath Arriveth

Okay. I just finally got home after the Madge show and I only love her more. The only problem is that she started about 2 1/2 hrs. late (but thanks Oakenfold for entertaining us with those classics) and many of us - including my bare and stiff toes - were grossly under dressed for what ended up being a drafty 62 degree Miami concert. Who knew? But naturally after all the waiting (and inevitable extra drinking) when Madonna took the stage she took all of our worries away too.

Could've done without: the Mexican funeral song that threatened to make me number than my exposed gladiator-ed toes.

Notable moments: last song - "Give It To Me", "Just Like A Prayer", a rave-like "Ray of Light", and cameos by Timbaland and Pharell.

Hello...

Sorry all, have been caught up in school work and other projects - more on those in the near future ; ). I'll be back regularly before you know it.

It IS Fashion-Related, I Swear!

Yay! Barack Obama is our new President - Commander-in-Chief. And yes this is fashion-related since he has had a lot of support from Seventh Avenue designers since he believes that we should begin to re-establish our own manufacturing industry here. This will help to strengthen our economy, supply more jobs to Americans, and keep more American money in America!

Help Me Out Here

Who knows what designer made that beautiful long and colorful (jersey?) dress that SJP wore in Sex and the City (the movie)? She wore it in a scene where she was in the apartment with Big. In the director's commentary he says the dress went to Mexico on a photo shoot and never came back so they had to send an assistant to the jungle to get it and bring it back to finish filming the scene.

Obsessed with how beautiful it is, really.

Jennifer Hudson's Family Tragedy

Poor Jennifer Hudson. It is reported that both her mother and her brother have been found shot dead in their home in Chicago and her nephew is missing. Our hearts go out to young Jennifer - she seems like such a sweet person and this is very tragic indeed.

Wrong Winner?

Here's a look from the designer who should have won...Korto.Don't get me wrong.

I love Leanne but her last collection was simply not as good as Korto's. That's all I'll say about that since I did like a lot of Leann's stuff better than Korto's in earlier competitions.

Fashionable Food You Can Afford

2 Girls and a Cupcake are now introducing their "Economic Relief" package that will reduce the prices of their fun cakes to $20 a dozen down from $25 a dozen. Free delivery too!

This includes a mix of any three of their special flavors.

FRIDAYS only.

SUPPORT

I've been wearing my Obama shirt at least once a week. I wear it when I'm going to be out and about to give him as much exposure as possible. I've worn it to school, to the grocery, to the pizza parlor, to the bank, everywhere! It's so great to hear excited supporters give their input when they see the tee.

Celebrating All The Wrong Things

So disappointed to see 4 pages devoted to everyone's favorite racist who happens to be African himself! If you live in Miami or read up on it you'll know who I'm talking about.

To Die For

We used this bag for an informal modeling event at Saks. None of us wanted to hand it over.
Absolutely stunning. Valentino Petale

Breast Cancer Fundraising and Fashion

The "Pink Rocks" fashion show at The Miami Science Museum tonight was a great success. I'd like to give a huge "kudos!" to designers Jillian and Marilyn, recent alumni of AIMIU and my former classmates. Cheers and may you have many more successes!

Fierceness

Check out MJ's home page. Love it, I wish all designer sites could be so entertaining.

The Prude-nited States of America

Really? This is banned? Get a life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGFSw6sg5tU

I K E A

So tell me, what the hell is so fashionable about shopping all day walking forever and then going to a warehouse to pick up your selections by yourself while you lug around whatever little goods you managed to find while pushing a flat trolley that goes wherever it wants?

IKEA prices are not that impressive to drive for 45 minutes and then have to self-serve everything and not have any salespeople to answer questions, even. Their best products are the same price as furniture you can find anywhere else without all the drama.

Marie Claire

Hmm...I never gave MARIE CLAIRE much thought before. Not sure if the mag changed or if the changing occurred in me but it's now part of my top mags. I was just extraordinarily satisfied with the July issue which of course I was lured into by Mrs. SJP!

If you haven't read it yet go pick it up and you might want to jump straight into the 8pg Sex and the City feature. It's the best article I've ever read on the girls and it has comments from the creators, producers, actors that did temporary stints in the show, etc.

My New Obsession

And it's going to be your new obsession too.

You can search for people in locations all over the world, search by style, designer/brand/label. It's just so much fun.

Upload a stylish pic of yourself and let people know what your signature pieces are and where you scored them.

i like my style

Save A Whale

Use organic lip treatments.

try

Origins Organics Soothing Lip Balm

Thing of the Week

Creative Recreation kicks will keep your feet and your eyes really, really happy.

Ecoist

Yes, as you may have already noticed, both my "thing of the week" and my green product this week are both from designers who participated in last night's event. Hope you get inspired too.

This is really cool - it's a recycled glass necklace and Ecoist teamed up with Citrine by the Stones to make it.

Gen Art Shop Miami

How fun was Shop Miami last night? Such a great atmosphere and the Moore building was super cute. The liquor stayed flowing but I opted out this time, instead I raked through racks with the care and precision of a health inspector. Thankfully I only had to deal with one crazy b*tch who decided to go through each piece on the same Toff rack as me - including the top I held examining in my hands - she grabbed the same white tank and proceeded to check it out like I wasn't even standing there uncomfortably close to her much less holding onto the same shirt. Damn woman - there will be other sales!

She's Back...

Hello all, just got back from vacay a few days ago... now back to busy-ness as usual : ) .

Thing of the Week

Amaya Swimwear "FOOTLOOSE" bikini

Meez

These things are a lot of fun. Here I am on the left (until my hair is short tomorrow)!

AMEN

Guys, I always seem to forget about you...try out this Ralph Lauren knit bomber if you are visiting cooler climes this summer...
*a modern look made of timeless elements*

No Cows Were Hurt in the Making of this Blog Entry

These are sea leather (fish) sandals - "Red Snapper" from Anthropologie.
Sea leather shoes are made from fish that have already been caught to be used for food so it is actually making good use of what would just be a waste product.

It's amazing really how they can get that from stinky leftovers...

Top Chef

I commend Padma's stylist on Top Chef, but why, oh why, did he/she put her in that beautiful blue dress that made her look rather large and horrible? She's so beautiful and thin and the dress brought out the worst of her figure and since it was such a bright blue you couldn't help but keep noticing...
(where: during the entire Puerto Rico episode)

Tsk tsk!

Yves Saint Laurent

As we all found out yesterday, legendary designer, Yves Saint Laurent passed from a longtime illness. He will truly be missed. His fashions changed our look forever from his work with art and fashion like in his Mondrian days ('60s), the inventive "Le Smoking", cigarette pants (can you imagine a life without them?), and the trapeze skirt. This is a tribute to YSL.

Stella McCartney Handbags

The Appaloosa Handbag

Thing of the Week

Givenchy Prisme Again!Summer Escapade eyeshadow quad

(available at Sephora)

So You Know You're Famous When...

...you are the cover star/model of a major International fashion magazine and...you also happen to be on the back cover of it simultaneously in your big beauty ad campaign you scored and it's a fold-out back page! Phew!

Rihanna in the June issue of ELLE

Linda Loudermilk

Her designs are not even rated among green fashions - they give fierce competition to top designers who haven't even bothered to go green. Work it out girl!

Time for a Change

I was discussing "going green" and eco-consciousness with a group of people last week and sadly, we all agreed that going green is and will be just a passing trend for many. It's in fashion. I say let's keep it in fashion but not as a trend - let us add environmentally-friendly products, actions, and support into our life wardrobe as a basic. Think of it as your new white button-down, little black dress, or your comfy cardigan - it can never go out of style.



Now, since this is a fashion blog I won't dwell too much on having a greener lifestyle but I will give spotlights on gree trends and products in fashion from time to time.

Thing of the Week

*Aldo Shoes*

Sightings

Mickey Rourke @ P.F. Chang's in Brickell last night with a hip little crew. The clothes? Vintage-y men's small tee with metro tight hipsters and sneaks.

VS Branches Out

Victoria's Secret lovers may rejoice because the super-brand now has new designer collaborations with a bunch of different designers from Lucky Brand to Vix to Calvin Klein. We live in our suits here so there are never enough options (in the distance hear my swimsuit-obsessed cackle - jaja).

V-ery Hot

The 1st super-successful online edition of a fashion magazine goes to...(drum roll please) V Magazine! I haven't been awestruck by anything lately but this removed all the air from my lungs. Check it out:V MAG.

Thing of the Week

Save money on gas and use up a lot of style with a vintage scooter...



Vespa Sprint $4,800 Scooter Bottega Brooklyn, NY

Designer "Knockoffs"

I've been thinking lately about how fast fashion uses so-called designer knockoffs at places like Zara, etc. OK, so some products are blaringly similar but sometimes products between huge designers are blaringly similar as well. They are all (for the most part) following the same trends so why wouldn't stuff end up looking the same? Hello...get over it.

I'm over it.


Knockoff handbags are one thing but if Jimmy Choo has black patented grommet heels and so does Aldo think about how Manolo does too.

Thing of the Week

Jennifer Ouellette headband at Barneys New York

Excuse the Absence

But I have been working hard and when the time comes I will announce the project to all. In the meantime, I am back this morning with the new Thing of the Week...

AIMIU Fashion Show

Come out and support our wonderful local fresh talent at Funkshion Fashion Week's Miami International University of Art & Design fashion show: tomorrow @ 1pm. RSVP at FUNKSHION.

Thing of the Week

Gucci heel-bootie hybrid = the hotness

and ANOTHER one...

It too, sadly, is closing - the Washington Avenue boutique between 16th & 15th (near Dream) with all of the Funky Urban Klothing (FUK) tees. In any result, the last of the merchandise will be cleared out. Corporate stores will remain after this recession and we will continue to lose the best creative, personal fashion boutiques.

Thing of the Week

Dries Van Noten painterly pumps

Cheap & Chic

Where, oh where, have all the affordable, hip boutiques gone? And why the Hell did Purple Rain in Aventura close down (and why didn't I know about it so I could scoop up the merch?)??

I have never found a less interesting time to shop in Miami at the price level of upper-middle income. Commercial shops take over and all the selections are the SAME in every shop! When are some hip new entreps going to do something about it?

Something to Think About

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I am guilty of this too, but maybe we should ponder how much we actually need to support the big fashion houses who put on such grandiose shows and squander so much money just to continue an image intended to sell their much more affordable items - sunglasses, cologne, etc.
The next time you covet a Birkin or some piece of LV luggage, think to yourself is there something else just as hot for just $1,000 or even $1,500 or less?

Millions of people around the world don't have a bite of food or even a pair of shoes for that matter. We can do high fashion without high expenditures, grandiose and over-the-top budgets, and waste-waste-waste.

Katoucha

African supermodel and activist Katoucha was just found dead in the river Seine, Paris. She had been missing for about a month, having last been seen leaving a party. Her handbag was found near the entrance of her houseboat. Foul play isn't suspected, it seems it may have been an accidental fall.

Thing of the Week

"Cirque de las Betsey" clutch: BEtsEy JOhnsOn

Color Theory

After watching Breakfast at Tiffany's for the millionth time - riveted - pausing even if I had to get up for a drink, I realized why the fashions of times prior look even more glorious than today (though they actually usually were).

The magic lies in Technicolor. Yes, Technicolor. With all of the technological advancements we have, everything, including clothing, look more and more like how they actually look off the screen. Who wants that?



There is something so magical about the way clothing glows and colors pop in Techni. So any fashionable movie makers out there please take note.

Thing of the Week

I saw THESE sneakers on someone @ HALO last night. Think they're hot? Well, his were even HOTTER - he had crystals all over the top of the sneaker's tongue! They were sick as Hell.

JK (and no, we're not talking Harry Potter)

Jenni Kayne - the L.A. to New York transplant was one of the few runway collections that I looked at each picture and in detail.

Jenni is super-young (25) and this girl's going somewhere fast. Make sure to check out her unique photos of her collection and the cool party pics on her site. You can't buy her stuff here as of now but you CAN get it on SHOPBOP.

TJDMA

When are they going to air the episode they shot at The Catalina??? Apparently they aired it Wednesday night at 10:30 ---- at least they show lots of re-runs.

KARMA magazine

(photo from Karma's online gallery of Bryant Park)
Here's something that's always in style, KARMA magzine.

Thing of the Week

Gucci's hot new stick-thin, skyscrapin' stilettos ~ doesn't get any sexier than this*

Trying Times

This is my model widget from H&M. I like the Dressing Room game, just wish it had more options, it's a bit limited. You can upload a pic of your own face onto it too though so it's worth checking out. :)