floating upon the surface for the birds

{dress} All Saints Poseidon dress in bird and butterly print {makeup by} Julissa Gonzalez for MAC Cosmetics

It's 11.11.11 make a wish! Make three wishes! Now that I'm done marveling over the date, let me tell you how much I'm loving All Saints right now. The print on this All Saints dress is so amazing, I'm speechless. The colors are insanely vivid and the images of birds and butterflies are artistically crafted it's like wearing pages from a book of natural curiosities. Being a fan of Charles Darwin and his finches, this dress satiates both my love of evolutionary biology and fashion. The images on the fabric seem rich yet antiquated as though found amongst the pages of a heavy leather-bound tome buried away under layers of dust in a mad scientists library.

The make-up was inspired by neon trends. Hot pink eyeshadow is a brilliant way to brighten the eyes. It adds a touch of edginess and is really unique and unexpected. The amazingly talented Julissa Gonzalez from MAC created this spectacular look using MAC pigment powder in Neo-Orange.

technicolor girls

{top} blue ruffled silk, Zara {skirt} cream leather pleated skirt, Zara {platform mary janes} Forever21 {model} Chelsey

It used to be that leather skirts brought to mind those ill-fitting tacky high waisted skirts that were a little too long or a little too short, a reject from the early 90's. Leather skirts are back with a vengeance, and no longer are they frumpy dominatrix wear. The new breed of leather skirts are buttery soft, come in a variety of colors not just plain old black, and have flattering shapes, from a-line to pleats.

The pretty ruffles and the electric blue color of this silk Zara top both softens the look of leather and adds a fun punch of color. I love the contrast of leather and silk. Plus, bright tones are all the rage right now, especially royal blue. I love seeing so much color in the shops. Everything from hot magenta to brilliant emerald green. I had so much fun styling and photographing Chelsey in this outfit. She has the perfect attitude to pull off this look!

AIRBOURNE: Hussein Chalayan Airplane Dress

{images} from MET Museum and via DailyMail

The future is here. Forget the personal jetpack, what about an airplane dress? This dress is constructed from airplane materials. It even changes shape with a remote control! If only it had propellers or a jet engine! Hussein Chalayan is well-known for effortlessly merging technology and fashion. Creating wearable pieces that are both works of art and science. From his "Airbourne" collection, this dress is both a futuristic sheath and a gadget worthy of a sci-fi film. Do electric humans dream of airplanes?

star light, star bright

{fig. 1} Risto Bimbiloski lookbook from Risto website {fig. 2} Constellation painting via jokemijn

First star I see tonight, wish I may, wish I might! Wish for Risto Bimbiloski! Those Hubble images printed on silky dresses are just perfection. First seen at Christopher Kane, these prints are here to stay. I love that dress! Mysteries hiding in a nebula, stars twinkling all captured in the fabric.

Have you ever heard the story of Altair and Vega? They are two of the brightest stars in the summer night sky. The Chinese have a folk tale about starcrossed lovers involving these stars. One is a cowherd who falls in love with the daughter of a Goddess who runs away from heaven because it's so boring. The two marry and are happy until her mother the Goddess finds out and comes to take the girl away. Her husband discovers a way to the heavens to find her, but in anger the Goddess uses her hairpin to scratch a river in the sky to separate them forever. This "river" is the Milky Way which separates Altair and Vega. The Chinese celebrate this folk tale with the Qixi or Magpie Festival. It's also known as Chinese Valentine's Day! On that day the magpies take pity on the couple and form a bridge across the sky so they can be reunited one night a year.

Art Walk Style

{fig. 1 & 2} In a Pendleton for Opening Ceremony blazer, Steven Shein for Tenoversix lucite pin, vintage bag, All Saints Damisi boots, and Wilfred Sabine dress. With my ultra-fashionable friend Michelle {fig. 3 - 5} Art at the artwalk, Hive Gallery {fig. 6} Michelle in a fantastic sheer blouse and cut-off short-shorts combo

A while back my super stylish friend Michelle and I attended a party for The Lana Show at Space 1520 followed by a stroll around downtown LA for Artwalk. Michelle is probably one of the best dressed people I know and I'm always excited to see what she'll wear next. We have very similar style sensibilities, including a love for everything Alexa Chung and Madewell, button-down blouses, and shorts to name a few. Hopefully you'll be seeing more of her on this blog!

Emma Cook: Natural Curiosities

{fig. 1} Seashell pastiche inspiration for Emma Cook's printed dresses {fig. 2 & 3} Abbie Seashell dress at Opening Ceremony and a page from Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities {fig. 4 & 5} Jellyfish dresses at Opening Ceremony and Asos {fig. 6} Via babyisasinner

Given the title of this blog it is safe to assume that I have a major fascination with Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities, one of the most treasured natural history tomes of all-time. For decades Seba collected specimens of exotic plants, shellfish, birds, frogs, and butterflies, among other strange and wonderful things. Seba commissioned artist illustrations of his collection in 1731 and published a catalog that has captured imaginations ever since.

Emma Cook's printed dresses remind me of the wonder and awe I experienced when first looking through Seba's catalog as a child. The prints on the jellyfish dresses somehow manage to perfectly illustrate the magnificence of the ocean and the glowing colors. I remember being maybe 7 years old and going fishing with my Mom for the first time. and seeing the transparent blobs floating in the water. I was sure they had to be aliens. Glowing alien blobs in the sea. There was something both instantly beautiful and amazing witnessing such a creature. A testament to the expansive diversity and endless curiosity of nature. Emma Cook's creations flawlessly manage to capture that curiosity and translate it into the world of fashion. I want to wear the dreamy glowing alien jellyfish!

On a recent trip to Opening Ceremony I found myself awe-struck while looking through a rack of her silk pieces. The jellyfish mini-dress is on the top of my wanted list. I'm as fascinated with Emma Cook's design process as I am with her clothing. Apparently her line is based on a young fictional character she created. Each season she imagines her muse traveling through time and thus new intriguing prints are born to tell the story.

Aritzia Minimalism

{images from} Aritzia

Aritzia's editorial on minimalism is amazing. They make the best silky separates and basics. I love that sheer blouse and kimono, not to mention those high-waisted leatherette leggings!