Ode to the Birthday Girl!

Happy Birthday Alissa! Since your birthday is all about you- why shouldn't this weeks blog be too?! Maddie and I just wanted to wish you happy birthday one more time and here's to you this week and always!

Alissa rocks her butt. seriously i am incredibly jealous that she has such a booty. it looks rockin in jeans and spandies and makes the boys stop and stare. keep reppin it.


Our annual cape trips are always fulled of beach and tennis filled memories (as you will see shortly), but shockingly- we can clean up! Alissa (2nd from the right) looks just adorable with her blouse and flow-y waves. Such a simple chic summer look. shine on.


Tennis is one of our crews favorite competitive and hylarious past times- and outfits are ohh so important. Alissa's wearing an awesome neon pink shirt and trendy fab sunglasses.

What an adorable bubble dress! And paired with black opaque tights for a Mid-March dinner... genius!
Now prom is a ways back but I LOVED Alissa's white dress. with a perfect fit and flattering bustline, this dress was made for alissa to dance the night away in. (and, can't help but say the red rose on the wrist is like the icing on the cake!)

There are many things I(Madeline) admire about Alissa's fashion. One thing I have always envied about her is the way her fast growing hair is always a flawless accessory. Her hair looks good long or short, straight or curly, and she never has to wait too long for her hair to grow long again after getting it cut! Some girls get all the luck.

Look at those long locks in all their glory.

Another thing I love about Alissa's outfits that she puts together is her dedication to color matching. Never in my life have I met someone who is as intense about perfect color matching as Alissa Brill.

Look how she flawlessly matches her earrings perfectly to the greens and blues in her dress. Its unbelievable.

Pink bag, gloves AND scarf, so put together and thought out. It might not be my style, but I commend her for it.

This is just a dress of hers that I loved. Alissa you should wear this more! I also love Sammy's dress and how her and Alissa are so well coordinated with their floral prints, champagne hues and satiny finishes.

What I love most about Alissa and the clothes she wears is that she is never afraid to be herself. She wears what she likes, and sticks to the trends that work for her. She even works it in these goofy kids pj bottoms.

Alissa, baby, happy birthday! Hope you had the best day ever.

Spring is in the Air

First all, shout out. Maddie's lasts posts have been phenomenal as I sat buried in books in the library. But... the midterm madness is finally over and March Madness is in full swing and the sun was out and shining this past weekend so let the posting continue.

If you had the privileged of being in Boston this past weekend you know it was absolutely amazing- a true delight after the monsoon we experienced earlier in the week. When the sun comes out, the outfits get that much better to look at (and judge, who are we to kid). So here is what is hot and what's not...

Hot: Looking Spring time cute... Not: looking beach bound

Ok so I know everyone is excited about the warm weather but lets keep the white pants, skirts and shorts safe in our closets until memorial day. There is no need for bathing suit tops or beach covers, its not desert heat. Try instead a cute pair of jean capris or jeans cuffed up with flats or gladiator sandals. Pair with a tank and light sweater and fun accessories- we are CLASSY not TRASHY.


Hot: Dresses and skirts with boots... Not: booty shorts and boots

Booty shorts in my opinion are inappropriate. I know people that would fight me on this but they look trashy when paired with boots for class or to walk around the quad. Sitting in the sun, Janelle and I saw quite the outfit...picture this: black booty shorts, a bright purple one sleeved tank and silver kitten heal sandals...for a 2 o'clock class. Try instead a high waisted skirt or fun spring meets fall-ish dress with a cowboy boot. A much better go between look without looking like a strumpet.

Hot: Fun curls/ hair dos... Not: bedhead and greaseballs

Just because the sun is shining doesn't mean you can go to the extremes. It's either people are dressed to the 9's or people don't bother looking in the mirror- let's try and find a happy medium. Even if you are going to rep the sweat pant look (*which believe me, I do) at least make the hair something fun and cute. I'm not talking curl your hair or do a fancy up-do but let the natural curls bounce and the pigtails and pony tails speak for themselves.

Hot: working out in clothes... Not: looking like you're working the corner

You would be shocked by the number of people that use the warm weather to look like they are working the corner. We're talking 60 degrees, not 90 so there really is minimal reason to run wearing a sports bra and spandies unless you have excessive sweating issues. I don't really care if your core is like a rock (well, boys- I do;) ) but until it's a certified heat waves, keep the clothes on and look like you hit the gym or the pavement for real reasons.

That is all for now, let me know what you think is Hot or Not!

Art+Fashion. What else?

Art and fashion are two things I care very much about. I find connections between the two of them a lot. There is a lot that they can draw from one another, in terms of inspiration, and sometimes they might even be inseparable. Here are some examples of that.

From Rothko's colorblocking, in his Blue, Green, Blue on Blue Ground...

To color blocking in simple American Apparel t-shirt....

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Another Rothko painting came to mind when I saw this bold striped and color blocking dress from Urban Outfitters. The reds, greens and yellows, and the geometric shapes in the dress reminded me of a painting hanging in Vassar's own Frances Lehman Loeb Center gallery, Rothko's No. 1.

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The tonal grays that dominate John Singer Sargent's In the Luxembourg remind me of the soft and textured grays in this leather and suede jacket...

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Rodarte's Fall 2010 collection was a genius integration of different patterned fabrics and colors, mostly staying in the warm, pinky color pallet.

This combination of colors and textures could be considered an abstraction of clothing, just like the abstraction in impressionism. Compare it to Winslow Homer's watercolor In the Garden. The looseness of fabric in Rodarte's work mimics the looseness of Homer's brushstroke. The color pallets alone are enough to evoke a similar light and airy feeling.

Obviously we can't all afford off the runway, but luckily enough, retailers pick up on quick on runway trends, and are fully embracing these soft, pastel color pallets and floral prints, like in this dress from Urban Outfitters.

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It only seems perfectly fitting that the work of new-on-the-scene Leeann Marshall of Project Runway fame reminded me directly of contemporary artist Tara Donovan's installation Nebulous, that I saw at Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Leeann Marshall uses fabric to sculpt the unique shapes of her garments, just as Tara Donovan uses scotch tape to build up nebulous-like forms on the floor.

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Like I mentioned before, impressionism like the work of Monet could inspire millions upon millions of floral, spring prints like these two dresses from Urban Outfitters. See the resemble from these two dresses to Monet's lillypads?

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You rarely see vertical stripes in clothing, because they can be quite unflattering, but if you are thin/brave enough to wear this crop top, then you are probably not too worried about whether vertical stripes are making you look too big. But, anyways, vertical stripes are striking. These light pink stripes reminded me of the notorious cell-bar candy pink stripes of Mary Cassatt's Five O'clock Tea.

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I had to bring Rodarte back into it, because the last runway look of the the Fall 2010 collection held a striking resemblance to Whistler's iconic Symphony in White No.1, The White Girl. The emphasis on the shoulders, the flowing, airy translucent skirt of the dress are all common traits of the two dresses. They both have a very memorable quality.

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This season runway shoes have been topping all new heights and breaking all sorts of norms with innovative designs. Look at Christian Siriano's Fall 2010 shoes. Tall, eye catching, and incredibly detailed. The heel has an intricate and architectural quality almost like Corinthian style columns used in Roman architecture. These particular columns belong to the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. See the similarities?

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After the designer's death, the Alexander McQueen 2010 Fall collection was a much awaiting collection this season. It did not disappoint. Here are just two looks.

The garments brought to mind a Baroque style with it's rich maroons and golds. I thought of one of my new favorite paintings, Tenth Street Studio by William Merritt Chase. The rich decoration and pallet of the interior of this painting looks just like the runway environment of the collection and the intricate fabric embellishment of McQueen's final works. The art and the clothes make a very dramatic statement.

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Another place where you can find art and fashion interacting with one another is in editorial photo shoots.

Here is one picture from W magazine's Art and Commerce shoot, where the model poses in Marc Jacobs dress and Bruno Fisoni Shoes with sculpture La Riviere by Aristide Maillol and M/M's Agent scintillant, gonfle a l'helium in the Jardin du Carrousel in Paris.

This picture is from a shoot by Karl Lagerfield in Voque Germany where he styled model Claudia Schiffer like Frida Kahlo. An artist always knows how to make a lasting statement. Those eyebrows certainly stay in my memory.

Last but not least, the iconic Carrie and Big, in couture, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Great models, great concept, great clothes, surrounded by great art. Mixing Ancient art and modern dresses makes for a beautiful editorial concept.

This was long winded, and probably didn't make too much sense. But I like art, and I like fashion, so hopefully that will tie things together a little.

Running a little late!

Sorry for such a late, and kind of ghetto post. I've been using my new blackberry to snap pics of things I think are cute on the streets and stuff, meaning I've been a huge creep, meaning also that my pictures aren't the best, but it'll have to do .

Lately I've really had my eye on coats

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I saw this one on the street (this was before all the rain), on Newbury Street, outside the store Soo Dee. I have never been inside, but next time I have a minute, I might be so inclined to. The jacket on the right is divine. I love the cut, color, and the feminine bow accent. I have been dying for a cute trench for spring.

I spotted this jacket in a store window on Newbury Street, and I liked its qualities that were similar to the first, the color, the trench style, but I liked this ones more stream-lined look, and the big panels for the collar. It is Perfect for Spring.

Carrie and I saw this baby at the Garment District. This is probably the only time I'll see Burberry for $70, but it just didn't fit. Pretty, though.

I did manage to snag a jacket while I was at the Garment District. God bless Dollar a Pound, because it brought this beautiful trench to me. After a wash cycle it gleamed shiny and white, screaming for spring!

I like how the back is cut and folded like that, and it gives the jacket a graceful volume. I can't wait to wear it!

On a side note I got this t-shirt dress, so comfy!

Scatterbrain

Its break and that means my brain is in a million different places. Here are some random things I have found and collected, that I've been waiting to show you!

First, some outfits I liked and wish to emulate:

I liked the way that this skirt is tied, almost like a brown paper bag, with the belt. I want to find an extra long, broken in leather belt like this. Her color story is good too, I like the earthy, neutral tones.

I liked the mix of patterns in this outfit. I'm always looking for examples where prints are mixed and matched well and I think this outfit does it perfectly. All the elements are pretty classic: blazer, classic; striped tee, classic; rope belt, classic; shorts, classic. Yet the shorts have a flare. The print makes the whole outfit, but all of the classic elements ground the ensemble and allow it to make sense. The stripes and floral print fit together here wonderfully.

I liked this outfit because I thought that I could really try some of these elements out. Especially the black socks on black tights with the white sneakers. I really like that part. I'm all about any outfit where I don't have to wear heels.

I have so much envy for this bag it hurts. I want this bag. The leather, the size, the handles. I want it, I want it all. And it looks great with her jacket. But it would look better on me.

Here are some leftover Awards Party dresses I liked:

Katy Perry, boobs everywhere. But her styling is brilliant and the dress makes her quite a vixen. She knows how to work her look, really well, and I think this is admirable.

I don't generally like Amy Adams. But she looks damn good for a pregnant lady. The way that the dress clings to her lower half is really stunning when usually pregnant people look like houses in voluminous red carpet dresses. Good choice, Amy.

Here are some runway looks I spotted:

These are two looks from Chloe's Spring 2010 ready to wear collection. I like the collection as a whole because the models are all wearing sandals, not heals. This helps me to realistically picture what the clothes would look like on me (haha as if I was model thin, but its one step closer, considering I never, ever wear heels). Anyways, what really caught me was how comically different these two looks are:

The both have a simplicity to them, but the concept seems so drastically different. The all jean ensemble is a little funny, definitely making a statement, but I like the treatment of the pants. The point was just how a collection can show two completely different outfits.

Here are two looks from a collection, Dennis Basso Spring 2010 Ready to Wear, that Carrie was nice enough to show to me. The collection is the epitome of girly, in as many ways as possible. These were two of my favorites. He uses metallic fabric perfectly.

Sorry this was so eclectic, but hope you enjoyed, and we'll be back to normal scheduling soon I promise promise promise!