fresh.fraîcheur

the color of perfection.

2010-09-25T19:53:00.005-04:00

for the most part, original silhouettes and architectural details are normally the aspects in garments which impress upon me the most. it is their ability to make the garment show its worth that i believe i enjoy noticing. rather than a person wearing a garment, the garment wears the wearer. structural garments realize this idea without gaudy overkill -just a strong statement and vision in clothing form.

for most of the spring/summer '11 fashion week shows that i have been busily clicking through, new york fashion week especially, my personal tastes have been duly pleased with these structural/form details coming out in most of the collections. seems to me i'll be gaining an entirely new wardrobe come next spring [depending on which hemisphere i'm in...]

then, along comes the epitome of 'minimalism' as the media dubs it, jil sander, and i get completely blown away by the utter wearability of every single look sent down the runway. i'd say lush is actually the name of the game for this s/s collection. sorry, nyfw, how plausible is it to wear leather in the spring or summer -even in new york?!? i can just visualize how very chic and uncomfortable i would be donning leather separates whilst waiting on a subway platform come july 2011 [sorry richard chai/zero+maria cornejo/cushnie et ochs -i adore the collections, i do!].

in all seriousness, the jil sander s/s '11 collections speaks for itself with amazing mixed stripes, lush and long hemlines, flowing silks, that orange of the season, and -most strikingly to me- some floral patterns i could actually see myself wearing [i have a hard time enjoying the general run-of-the-mill floral and i haven't found much i would be happy to include in my wardrobe].

on to the photos!

that orange

the florals that have turned me, perhaps all i require is the pop of acid-y color

all photos found at vogue.com

just hang in there.

2010-09-25T17:39:00.000-04:00

this is a bit personal.

though watching sports on television is not normally an ideal activity for me. i make a few exceptions to this general rule in the form of a bit of soccer, tennis, and of course my new favorite, australian rules football.

as enjoyable as our own 'gridiron' football might be to some [not i], it cannot compare to the fast-paced version that australians have been practicing since the mid-19th century. its fast, its fun, and they don't wear pads. in addition, the uniforms that the players sport are absolutely beyond compare in professional athletic competitions.

photos sourced from afl.com.au

my confessional admirations aside, the point i actually want to bring up is the year of indecision australia seems to be having. what with flip-flopping ideas about mining taxes, immigration regulation, and major political party leaders [both the labour and liberal parties ousted their majority leaders in the past 10 months], things seem to be indecisive at times in australia.

now with two of the major events on the calendar for this country also up in the air, 2010 has become a year for growing pains. the elections in august resulted in the first hung parliament in australia since 1940 and now, today, the australian 'footy' grand final resulting in a tie [one of three in all 112 years of finals]...what else to be stalled, oz?! the results of this game are curious for a premier competition in sports due to the afl rule that a tie outcome in the grand final be resolved by playing a second full grand final match a week later.

alls i can say is...good thing i didn't stay up to watch this game online with all its dubiety, but instead waited to watch the replay this afternoon. next week perhaps these two teams with end this indecision and truly have a grand final.

a platform to support.

2010-09-22T13:04:00.002-04:00

lately, footwear has really been commanding my attention. the choice type has been platforms platforms platforms. i can't seem to get enough of the chunky footwear to the point that every shoe that isn't around 4 inches high isn't really up to snuff for me.

upon my return from australia, i was finally being able to snag a pair from the pierre hardy x gap s/s10 collaboration:::

with tintorella socks, grey ant dress

so just when the new pierre hardy x gap a/w10 collaboration is finally about to come out with yet another pair of beautiful neutral toned platform wedges in october, nyfw gives me yet another reason to support the platform of well, platforms!

suno x loeffler randall photos from http://blog.loefflerrandall.com/

i'm really enjoying the towering heights so hopefully this obsession can hold through winter. however, these platforms by loeffler randall for suno have recently underlined the fact that i'll most definitely still be sporting platforms well into 2011. i'm having a hard time figuring out which delightful print covered wedge to pick; though, come february, i'll be stalking the opening ceremony and loeffler randall webpages for these curved beauties.

a platform i can fully support.

better late than never.

2010-09-21T00:05:00.000-04:00

do you sometimes think things may come too late?

occasionally, i throw myself into focusing on something so wholeheartedly that i tend to be disappointed when a task doesn't come to fruition.

oftentimes, this ending is left dangling but nearly despondently forgotten; like endless searches on travel websites for airfare to various destinations that will never be purchased, only searched in a rabid frenzy. sometimes -just sometimes- these whimsies and desires come to realization [like a future nomadic venture with said airline tickets in the coming months] with my own help. other times its like they are resuscitated randomly in an attainable and realistic way. not to throw you off the scent, but one of these whimsies has in fact resurfaced much to my delight:::

a swimsuit of neoprene goodness has found a way in to my possession. finally, after ogling this alexandra cassaniti delight [at left] on the creatures of comfort webspace [thank my stars they're finally in nyc!] for the better part of a year i've gotten a new suit!

i have been desiring neoprene-y items to play with/hack up/don/pair with since setting off the for the great island of australia -that neoprene and surf paradise. last year a friend lent me a delightful rarely used 80s wet suit for surfing lessons that involved me splashing around and realizing that arm muscles might be a good thing to have.

more importantly::: the wet suit was a fantastic neon green/black combination with blue on the inside [for only me to see] and it really got me thinking about how great it would be to scour the charity shops [thrift stores] for old school wetsuits to scrub/cut up and play with in my wardrobe.

though i never had a chance to make the serious effort to scour the charity shops of perth, the idea hasn't left that far off corner of my mind. so, to my delight this beaut of a swimwear find literally landed on my radar without any search at all thanks to my local target and a $20 bill in my wallet.

the swimsuits at my local target are generally of the novelty 'wild animal colors with neon flowers, cherries and bedazzlements' nature so much to my surprise, this delightful throwback to my aussie fun-in-the-sun times is a welcome addition to seriously lacking swimwear category of the wardrobe. the tag has an attachment that mentions something along the lines of '2011 swim preview.' no clue what that refers to...but am glad they've decided to let me purchase it now just in time for the end of summer and my last possible jaunt to the beach before autumn begins...

however, i foresee this new short corset-like swim top coming in handy for future layering far into the winter. wetsuits are meant to keep you warm, no?

salt and spice.

2010-08-26T14:20:00.000-04:00

i recently came into a windfall gain of small, lovely round lemons.

'how exciting!' you say, and i will undoubtedly agree.

anyone that has experienced me in action in a kitchen will know that the space quickly fills with fresh and dried herbs and spices for experimentation. much like brewing a potion, dishes rarely end up without some form of new spice to test out. rarely following the rules of robust and mild flavors, i really just like to know what makes basics better. as a point, i was recently chastised for wanting to put fresh basil in a greek yogurt-cauliflower mash because the flavors were thought to be too contrasting, only later to be rewarded with pleased dinner partners and compliments to the cook.

which, naturally, leads me to the decision i came to for what to do with so many lemons...

as i've been wanting to cook with preserved lemons since enjoying both an interesting salad and a pasta dish during multiple visits to van's cafe in cottesloe [western australia], i easily decided to test out how difficult it would be to preserve my windfall for future cooking occasions. answer: extremely simple requiring little time.

i checked out my favorite "food idea" website 101cookbooks.com in hopes of some instructions on the process and lo and behold, heidi swanson delivered [as always -if you haven't checked out this site, its great for interesting vego options].

20 minutes later, i have two jars packed with lemons and salt. if any of you have the inkling to try it out, the only items you'll need are these.

now all i have to do is let them process and wait for a month until i can start incorporating these into dishes.

so, morocco has been done...on to vietnam and chanh muoi.

anyone want to surprise me with a cache of limes?

my kind of business casual

2010-08-11T16:33:00.002-04:00

in the dream state of current day-to-day events where i desire a job but have yet to achieve employed status, i find my mind wandering into visions of business casual friendliness.

these visions generally include me in a workplace populated with people/objects all exuding a nature of trendy/drab/casual/structured/muted/tonal

however, seeing as i am not currently a part of this environment i have the ability to browse the web to my pleasure and had an interesting vision today, in this first day of copenhagen fashion week [s/s11], the perfect essence of my glorified bureau musings courtesy of spon diogo, a duo based in copenhagen.

spon diogo perfects the minimal shifts, embellished separates, and structured post-modern garments that i would love to sport at my very own deskspace.

perhaps now that i have found the desired wardrobe, the employment will follow...

all photos courtesy of Copenhagen Fashion Week®

cross-training.

2010-07-11T18:22:00.001-04:00

gael monfils and karlie kloss in vogue october 2009 "french open"

oftentimes, nationality is great issue of pride -especially on such a visible playing field, so to speak. naturally, outward appearances are highly regarded and scrutinized [think: the dozens of spreads involving national team get-ups, and i really do mean get-up, for the most recent olympics opening ceremonies]. looks, colors, symbols and names are all a major aspect of the commitment and confidence of players and fans.

having attended university in a town where wearing a jersey or some other aspect of sports paraphernalia is considered "on trend," this pleasantry with and everyday acceptance of supporters for their teams always seemed like a cop-out in the what to wear department of the everyday. however, as the calm uruguayan ensemble strides alongside the neon-glo decked out dutch kit came to my realization that perhaps there is some semblance of structural bliss and stylistic nuance in the athletic uniform.

i decided to do some research to find out what kind of platform this fashionable perfomance wear this could be OR whether there were more to the uniforms of the multitudinous sports teams than just a color, advertisement, and insignia. in other words, i decided to actually excavate the colors, meanings, and structures of the shirts/shorts/pants/skorts to see if there were more relevance between fashion+design and athletic uniforms.

take, for instance, the australian athletic colors -the "green and gold-" have no relevance to their flag; but, they have come to stand for even more than just athletics as a color scheme when paired together. though many athletic teams strive to have a tough mascot or a daunting nickname, this green and gold that can only signify one thing for many people, australian citizen or not, apparently symbolizes the colors of their floral emblem, the golden wattle. more than a galvanizing name [ie, cameroon: the indomitable lions], it is the colors that australian players and fans take pride in; it is these visual aspects of the team that perpetuate athletics and cause people to keep an eye for the jerseys, kits, and caps of their favorite teams.

pantone 116Cand pantone 348C

due to the impending [now played...this post is going up late :( ] world cup finals, i recently had some musings involving the crossing of platforms between the sports and fashion worlds. we see all sorts of connections between these different realms of culture including photo-spreads and spokesperson contract extended to sports stars, like the example above with gael monfils gracing the pages of us vogue last fall and sports themed high-fashion editorials. however, as evidenced by recent collections, the sports world has left more of a mark than simply fit bodies and roguish good looks.

a new york times fashion and style article from wednesday discusses the very question of the branding and modeling crossover roles that many stars [in particular soccer stars] tend to accept and the amount of brands who use these familiar faces -and bodies-for representation. conversely, many magazines,stylists, and photographers choose to use sports as a theme of editorial spreads. we often see the juxtaposition of "tough" and disciplined athletic garb, form and function executed by supermodels.

furthermore, many influential brands and design houses choose to become synonymous with their home country and strive to create iconic pieces, uniforms, and goods especially for their national teams. dolce & gabbana's sartorial support of the italian soccer team, fifa's commission of louis vuitton design services in trunk form, and ralph lauren's overzealous polo customization for the usa 2010 winter olympic squad all come to mind...

which brings me to my final thought spurred by the ss2010 runway seasons from both alexandre herchcovitch and alexander wang of the inspiration which actual athletic uniforms and equipment lend to the high fashion world.

herchcovitch, in an interview published on his website gives this statement in regards to his choice of sporting gear as inspiration:::

<> (from his website)

all above photos from alexandre herchovitch ss2010

i'll leave you with alexander wang's iconic jersey, sheers, and leather layers with the faint hint of the structure of past american football uniforms and headgear... elegantly layered and structured with a clear idea of using these shapes to accentuate the feminine form:::

new and much improved.

2010-06-24T15:11:00.001-04:00

after the year-long hiatus of the experiencing the ex-pat life in the antipodes, the blog will soon continue. the much-desired visual update to the blog is here and so the words may flow.

seeing as the internet situation left much to be desired, i place importance on trying to stay as unplugged as possible while in australia. though this exercise allowed my mind to expand in many ways and for the long hours needed to take advantage of the beautiful west australian weather and landscapes, it also hindered my creative forays. everyone enjoys the alone time that they receive in bouts of "outdoorsiness," but then too, they enjoy the creativity of being able to practice and relish the individual tasks and meanderings that make up a person's avocations -that which one does for sheer pleasure.

writing escaped me in the antipodes amongst other things. i have come to reclaim my still fervent delectation with punching keys and vocalizing thoughts.

here's to a return to inward individualism.

perfection-ary confectionery

2009-07-23T00:48:00.005-04:00

as its amsterdam international fashion week and i am nowhere near -but have increasingly become obsessed with benelux/northern european emergences...

the confectionery pleasures of elsien gringhuis displayed after this first day of amsterdam catwalks ss10 have truly tempted me. not only has gringhuis kept her flow of separates at a level of diversity and wearability that reaches to the public with all sorts of personal style aesthetics, but she has kept the collection recognizable. the silhouettes stay constant to the themes that she has shown in the past, but with a softer and sweeter facade. gringhuis, who won the hema (a belgian retail organisation) sustainable design competition in the fashion category for 2008 and the createurope best avantgarde design for 2008 (their first year of competition), is a still relatively recent graduate of arnhem academy of art and design in the netherlands. a dutch school that generally produces interesting, solid graduate collections.

i really adore the collection's avoidance of true, bright colors as the pieces lend themselves well to molding and creating defined silhouettes stylistically speaking. sorry for the alliteration! but honestly, the slightly "ladies who lunch" feel of the collection with the to-the-elbow debutante gloves (which i could absolutely argue are the best everyday choice of gloves. ever.) and the color palette is so accessible and pliable for all types of buyers and consumers. a delightfully simple but fun collection all in all.

photos courtesy of team peter stigter

perhaps i will find myself requestion mum to let me dust off those very debutante gloves and getting to square shapes of cropped jackets and shift dresses for this coming spring/summer (which where i am isn't too far off now...)

in other news, posting will again pick up, as i have found a new place on which to ground myself...hints on where in the world that may be to follow....

the long goodbye.

2009-06-24T23:54:00.005-04:00

to borrow from the altman film noir classic in title only -don't be fooled, this post has nothing to do with tijuana or private detectives.

it goes more like this:::

leaving has been a long process for me thus far.

clocking in at just over three weeks in south carolina i have lately been trying to develop lists of things i'd like to do before leaving again. the list is something that i can remember since i was

smaller. i have always felt that making a list is a great security for all occasions::: to get tasks done that need doing before something else occurs, to reassure against possible memory failings, to make desires and ideas known...

therefore, i have been compiling a list of truly stereotypical "americanisms" to do before i leave the south. in asking the boy what i thought were some tried and true american things to him (being of another nationality), he replied with that of course hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and pizza were. naturally, these were some of the first things i wrote down on my list. realism was really my goal for the fulfillment and creation of this list. until now, i had only been capable of crossing off "apple pie," "watch college baseball game on a tv in a bar that serves bud light on tap and in bottles" and "pizza."

however, today mum strolled into the house while i was in the throes of viewing la dolce vita -yes the powerful, beautiful, and profound fellini masterpiece (ahhhhhh the costumes! sigh for the embellished flower-petal-like collared capes at the aristocrats in the countryside party and nico, period) only to plop down these on the table in front of me...

like a blast from that self-same childhood past where my obsession with lists is rooted, rush's fast food made its way back into my memory. i'm not here to suggest that you should know what rush's is or that i'm overly sentimental about a fast-food restaurant. the chain is a local to my city in south carolina restaurant and the only things i can really have anymore due to the vegetarian diet are the perfectly salted and crispy french fries and the delightfully (still) handmade chocolate milkshakes. behold. but, it used to be a favorite indulgent after-school snack on an occasional friday in mum's old van.

so, i snapped a picture of the midafternoon lunch/snack because in all honesty, how awesome are those graphics? unlike so many other brands, restaurants, and stores rush's has stuck to the same graphics they've used since probably the 1960's and personally, i'm a fan. besides who doesn't love a motto like "fabulous food...fast." essentially i'm honored that mum surprised me with rush's as a way to help me check off two more things "chocolate milkshake" and "french fries" on my most recent of lists.

enjoy!

to check out a beautiful advertisement from the '90s, direct yourself to rush's homepage here.

faking it.

2009-06-22T23:41:00.006-04:00

i know i know. corny title.

but, border community artist, nathan fake's newest album hard islands has left me quite speechless.

as border community is a label that really generally does not disappoint -fake's newest release kept with the label's trend of interesting and distinct sounds. not only a departure from the comfortable and fun listener@home type of album, this album begs for listeners with an ear -and a will- for a night out. that is, it begs if you can sit down for a touch longer than half an hour (around 33 minutes to be more exact) to hear some delightfully dark beats/tunes/whistles from fake's second "mini" lp. fake has clearly changed gears a bit since his last release drowning in a sea of love, which was much prettier, lighter and playful. drowning gets played from my tunes when i need something in the category of 'play for a good time with a small-ish group of folks' -electronic lovers or otherwise.

however, hard islands is more unique, less non-electronic music lover friendly and a fantastic experiment in blips, drums, and loops (or to borrow from a friend: bleeps, bloops, and thuds). the inclusion of a little flitting (keyword) break-up in the form of 1:17 minute long "the curlew" is an interesting move due to the intense buildup formation of the following track "narrier." essentially, i'm in love with the structure, sound, and synthesis of this album from fake. i wish it was longer only for selfishly personal listening desires...the album is compact and well done as is.

personally, half an hour of fresh sounds played whilst running errands, unpacking lives, or just internet researching-out makes each of my most recent day-to-day tasks more akin to those delightful listening nights out that i'm currently missing here at home. i've been pumping hard islands at all hours for a jostle of energy, a reminisce of bygone nights, and everything else it could possibly inspire...

to check out a quick interview with nathan fake on beatportal, direct yourself here.

to listen to hard islands on juno download, direct yourself here.

still coming. #iran elections.

2009-06-17T00:43:00.003-04:00

just a little more information in video form. let me warn you though, it is a bit sad and slightly graphic.

news flash: #iran elections. lucky us.

2009-06-16T14:33:00.007-04:00

(photo courtesy of the bbc)

with khomeini's speech to the iranian people over, one only has to wonder -as the article from the bbc where this photo appears does- whether the protests and rallies **edit::: the largest protests since the 1979 revolution** will be strong enough and ongoing for the authorities to respond in the appropriate and reasonable way. if not, human rights issues would be wholly multiplied by this once power-flex of the ruling iranian government.

as i was performing chauffeur duties for my mum today, the waiting in the car consisted of sudoku and npr listening. one of my favorite programs, the takeaway, was on and brought up an important example of the issues involving human rights injustices which are currently being thrust and reinforced on the iranian voters. if you'd like to listen to the segment direct yourself here.

basically, it seems unimaginable that i can be sitting here blogging away, whilst simultaneously chatting with friends in other places via gmail, and watching the season five premiere of weeds and there have been sanctions on basic internet viewing in that modern country. sanctions on internet via servers and proxy disabling (like the "iran elections" twitter blockage from within the country), internet outages, cell phone network outages, the list can go on. what a way to show how much you care about your people than to not let them have a voice when the entire world is watching. the npr program seemed to suggest that these internet shutdowns are in part due to the overwhelming amount of live coverage that has been happening from the people who are involved. youtube, twitter, facebook, online news sources. everywhere is talking about it.

all this in fact has finally spurred me to join twitter after months of holding out for a good reason to present itself. i joined in order to be able to find and follow these live, primary sources. finally, a good reason for a program that i couldn't justify for "up-to-the-minute" social networking until now. one of the people i have found that is a student who is, dangerously i might add, updating about the iranian state tv programs that are being broadcast, the khomeini speech, student protests, etc can be found by pointing your dial here.

finally, if you are, as i am, a more visually stimulated person the huffington post has a startling slideshow and interesting updates on the state of the tehran.

my eyes will be glued. hopefully, good things will come from all these efforts and the votes will be found and counted. fairly.

things really are different.

2009-06-16T00:27:00.004-04:00

growing up in a small-ish southern city and opting to move to a bigger more northern city for university learning and beyond has truly tricked me.

i guess i never really noticed how different two places can be when living in both has become like home for me.
yes, i think the south will always really be my home, but can we have more than one home? and i am not referring to those lucky enought to OWN more than one home/house/condo/apartment/villa....

yes, i am also acutely aware of the glaringly real differences in geography, climate, and urban density of my two "homes." but i think having those comfortable feelings has really skewed my

perceptions of these locales.

and only now that i have found this comfort am i noticing the difference between my homes.

you guessed it, miley cyrus is the difference...essentially. what i have noticed is that there is stress put on such various things in everyday life, in the "buzz" people talk about, and even local news.

since 3rd june [one of my first days back here in sc,] when the story was originally reported that miley cyrus was to perform here, i have heard of, been made aware of, or noticed whilst perusing the local paper atleast one mention of the performer per DAY. its like its some medium/huge news story that just keeps getting updated. without fail.

take one of my favorite headlines from this weekend::: "Tickets go on sale for Miley Cyrus." is it me or is that a necessary piece of news? perhaps this performer is getting so much press here as compared with my northerly digs because her concert will take place on one of THE biggest events of the fall down in this neck of the woods, the usc-clemson football game (for those of you who aren't from sc, thats the university of south carolina, not southern california...it came first, honestly). perhaps, it is because there just isn't as much news in south carolina where the city is smaller and less culturally "urbanized." nevertheless, thanks to miley cyrus, i've really started noticing the less than subtle differences between my homes again. geographically and otherwise.

oh, and i don't even want to get started on the fact that a sixteen year old teen-pop-disney-sensation has enough life stories and wisdom to be able to sell autobiographies.

have a lovely week.

rainy season.

2009-06-15T23:00:00.005-04:00

home is a fun place. home is a bittersweet place. home is always still home.

as i haven't had an overwhelming amount of personal time here, i have been trying to think up ways to amuse and challenge myself whence that time works its way in to my agenda.

all of this thinking and not so much action on it makes restlessness even more apparent. when meeting with a friend to work out ideas, we make exciting plans for doing. however, if south carolina hasn't taught me once, it hasn't taught me my entire life. this place is notorious for amazingly ever-present rainstorms during the summertime. not only summertime rainstorms, but also thunder and lightning and everything nice. these downpours are the perfect remedy for the humidity and 32+ degrees C (still working on the conversions, so: 90+ F) heat that wafts through the very thick air.

yes perhaps its just rain, but pouring aside, electricity becomes shoddy and then it becomes too late for bike rides, or people scouting, or combing the city to reach goals.

therefore, plans aren't really anything realistic until the weather can actually cooperate. but, hopefully i'll have something to report on the creative front when my plans can actually be carried out.

its a wrap.

2009-06-12T00:53:00.003-04:00

the uk's graduate fashion week 2009 ended wednesday with a gold prize and all.

personally, i wouldn't mind wrapping myself and the boy in a few of these garments for all sorts of fun occasions. from chilly winter day hangout gear to afternoon tea or a night out swaying to the beats...i would love to procure some elements of these exhibitions and here are my final loves and impressions from them.

i mention the boy because it seems from this post, and much of the photos that i found (all of these come from fashion156) that menswear was a fantastic focus for quite a few of these grads. huzzah for interesting clothes for the boys.

april schmitz from uca epsom made quite a collection of futuristic streetwear ensembles and armor for the casual lady. one of the outfits has fantastic koala bear ears shoulders that could certainly pose pretty on many a shoulder of outfits. the circular cutouts and sexy silhouettes reminded me of barbarella, a favorite on my cult status movie list. the opening scene is a must-see if you don't catch my reference.

like some of the most beautiful combination thriftery i have ever seen, lucie vincie from uca epsom has constructed a fantastic multitude of menswear desires. though the boy has great taste, these silhouettes are something i would love to turn him on to. for those who know me, they know how much i hold true to solid colors -finding patterns personally difficult to please. however these ecletically satisfying patterns would be a welcome addition to my cloth rotation. vincie clearly was influenced by the current s/s 09 trend of "native" patterns and materials (perhaps the sketches were dreamed up whilst wrapped up in a navajo blanket...)

this delightfully playful mens sportswear collection from susanna mensah at uca rochester was the first to be sent for opinions across the pond to the boy in oz. an a-ok response came back. honestly, i want these pants. since we can wear the same pants, i want to share these pants. now. though i'm not thrilled with the shutter shade styling, i understand the need to appeal to a wider audience with this casual sportswear. otherwise, the cut and fit might be too much for a mainstream, shutter-shade donning public. the offer still stands though, we wear size 28 together, fyi.

on the mens side of futuristic shoulder-wear rachel lucy wakefield from the
university of salford created some gorgeous armor for the mens. yes the menfolk get some garments too with sculpted, angular he-man cartoon-like body shields. very cool. the zip-front jackets with inserts and steel colored ties make the collection appealing for everyday use.

this final set of breezy pastel beauties comes from francesca samm of nottingham trent university. this collection is the epitome of easy daywear for me. the silhouettes are simple. the styling is pared down. and the fabrics are the kind of knitwear that i would find myself grabbing off the hanger day in and night out because of the uniqueness these shifts posess for everyday and nightwear (glow in the dark details would certainly match my watch and be perfect for techno darkness). i'll take them all for layering, singular, and multi-purpose use.

wrap me up. i am interested to see where these ideas and grads go.

good luck to them.

a week's worth.

2009-06-07T22:50:00.006-04:00

exciting and fun times london must be having right now.

as graduate fashion week 2009 is officially underway -day one having zoomed by already. as i

am about to kick off a beach week this week. i thought i would leave some of the only quality images that my tired little searching mind could find online this evening. however, these graduates have some serious exciting garments to peruse. there are definitely some garments and ideas that would be awesome to see built upon in future collections and explorations.

as these are only from a few good sources, i apologize for the lack of breadth:::

this first set that struck me is by iwona pilch from middlesex university in london. i liked this

because it resonates very soundly with my own interests. anthropologically speaking, iwona cites the "second skin" of ritual body modification, most notably scarring, cutting, and tattooing as the force behind her delightful structural and fun pieces. these garments are something i would really love to own/borrow/explore/all of the above.

this black on black leather theme is roxanne pitteway from northampton university's doing. leather seemingly always has an s+m naughty connotation involved, yet pitteway forms the material into hoods and structures in the rear -not a sought after place. these pictures make exoskeletons very desirable in the way that she has executed them here. an exoskeleton hood?the possibilites of mixing and matching with such a nice exciting piece as this is making my mind run away with itself.

this delightful, stark set of three from anna rose underdown couldn't possibly go under my radar. i just wish that there were more and better detailed photos of this set. underdown notes the importance of "women's underwear, youthfulness, sportswear, and luxury" in casting her designs. but, i really love how the structure of a breastplate along with long underwear makes for very appeasing bodywear. yes! vpl on a whole new level. more please.

as for these four photos from katie hildebrand's (kingston university) runway exhibition...there is not much to explain. the styling is amazing. the knits are fantastic -does anyone else want a knit helmet as much as i do? the prints are stunning, interesting, and appealing even to a person who notmally finds it hard to want them in the personal wardrobe. but, truly i love every look for different reasons. from the dress, to the helmets, to the jumpsuit, to the coat, and the leggings everything is spot on in fit, color, and look.

that's all for now before i head off to the grand strand for some much needed sunshine and fresh air. will be reporting from a hammock with a daiquiri in hand next time you read a post.

cheers.

thank you for all you have left undone.

2009-06-06T09:46:00.002-04:00

if you haven't guessed it. yes, i am referring to tetris. the above picture, created two years ago for the release of tetris evolution, shows colored crates depicting a typical tetris set-up.

as the game is turning 25 today -older than i- i thought i would show it a little love. one of those ridiculous things that i must admit from time to time is that tetris has captivated me for so many hours of life. it was my regular nintendo gameboy game of choice. easy, logical, fun. plus, the fast levels get so fast! once i got to college and found lots of down time, i rediscovered my love for tetris and would play various online versions for a quick fix away from studying and social-izing.

satisfying? quite.

now that my beloved friend and fellow procrastinator is turning 25, i can only hope to rekindle our friendship via my new and improved nintendo ds. behold!

on to more hours of waste and brain strain? perhaps. perhaps indeed.

purgatorio to paradiso.

2009-06-03T20:27:00.005-04:00

it is currently 27.2 degrees celsius. down from a balmy 34.4 earlier today.

for those of us/you in my part of the world (being one of the only that doesn't employ celsius that's 81 and 94 respectively...). do excuse me, i'm just trying to become accustomed and teach myself to use the system.

ah yes. the arrival in south carolina has been, done, and happened. after a daunting/challenging/tiresome 18 hour drive from cambridge, massachusetts to columbia, south carolina. unpacking vehicles has been completed and bruises counted.

here for a mere 30 (or is almost 29!?) jours with un/packing and cleaning and mending and recharging and party planning and catching up to do -i hope those 30 go flying.

vacations are a lovely thing. though i won't be working for those 30, there will be much to do and see before the end of it all. therefore, purgatorio. and then... perhaps paradiso will come along as well.

any reading suggestions?

***disclaimer*** no more fun and frolicsome techno adventures for atleast a month. bear with me.

puppy love.

2009-05-27T09:44:00.004-04:00

its always astounding to me how much animals change things.

last night i got to hang out with -count it- three! my three favorite kitty cats in boston. one of which shed on me to no end and the other two of which bat at my hand whilst simultaneously vying for attention as only cats can.

more importantly though

my parents are driving up to boston and will arrive today. and they have decided to bring the pup!

as a person who has never had an animal of any sorts in this city, i am very excited to take her for a few walks around my blocks.

i always see people walking around with their cute dogs and playing with them in parks.

its my turn now!! welcome to my city little stella.

embodying excitement.

2009-05-04T20:18:00.003-04:00

how very exciting to be able to open up the computer and check out the sleek dresses that are to be expected at this year's MET Costume Insitute Gala, chaired by Marc Jacobs himself [who is underwriting the exhibition] and co-chaired by Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour:::

if this picture resonates with you at all it should prove how exciting, exquisite, and one-of-a-kind this event is for the fashion world every year. Wintour, in the photo above is wearing a specially made embroidered dress by Karl Lagerfeld for the 2008 gala's Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy theme that transforms her into a stunning, powerful wind and clouds and weather type hero.

the 2009 gala theme is the Model as a Muse: Embodying Fashion. though not as outwardly exciting as a fun and fantastic "superheroes" theme, this year gives a nod to the "the reciprocal relationship between high fashion and evolving ideals of beauty, focusing on iconic fashion models in the latter half of the 20th century and their roles in projecting, and sometimes inspiring, the fashion of their respective eras" as pronounced by the Costume Institute.

the gala, along with the accompanying exhibition, gives informative and interesting perspectives on the garments that the A-listers attending the Gala wear, but also how the garments come about and why.

i went to the poiret exhibition [2007 gala theme= Poiret: King of Fashion] a few years ago and spent about 3 hours wandering around drooling at the stunning pieces, Lepape illustrations, and some of the first lamé pieces that would make american apparel afficionados feel unworthy.

needless to say

i can't wait to see this year's fresh bunch of red carpet photos and then go to the exhibit itself.

embodying fashion? we shall see.

splashing about.

2009-05-03T19:28:00.003-04:00

though annoying and sometimes pointless trying to get downtown proper in boston for a night out, the allure of seeing the ocean and being at the harbor somehow always wins out in my decision making process. sometimes, i feel good about my decisions to make the trek (and deal with the transportation failures of boston); at other times, i wish that i could erase two hours from my life and move on with my night.

last night, a few friends and i decided to go to the volvo ocean race area which has been set up at fan pier. the allure was there, along with the promise of some good tunes for listening, and a very unique space. i made my way to puma city last night to check out what i've heard many people talking about.

not to be overshadowed by the nomadic pop-up puma shop... the volvo ocean race, the main event, is a strenuous nine month long extravaganza hitting major port and sailing cities around the world as their stopovers including one of my least favorite port-towns (qingdao) and some of the most interesting places in the world like cochin, the capital of the communist-elected state of kerala in southwestern india. having been on the high seas for a few months myself, this race is an extreme and explorative type of competition.

the puma city space is an interesting bit of mobile architecture which consists of two dozen extremely modified, 3-tier stacked shipping containers which form the shopping, nightlife, and lounge space adhering to all international building codes and completely moveable. this pop-up space is both interesting conceptually and in actual execution.

but, last night...something was missing. the space was great, the lounge-y couches are pushed back from the center of the bar area against the sides of the space so that they almost seem like hidden compartments and the center can have a dance floor seemingly free of seated onlookers. the night was billed as "<3throb vs. thunderdome djs" it sounded like a pretty good reason to make my way downtown (grr) all dressed up.

wrong.

the puma city bar was TINY which caused wait times of up to 20 minutes for a simple gin and tonic sloshed into a plastic cup by bartenders who didn't really look like they had ever made a tasty alcoholic beverage in their lives.

the music was nowhere NEAR loud enough for a pleasant musical experience -except the corner of couches where we decided to plop ourselves after finally having acquired drinks at the dull bar. *sorry boston globe guy who had to shout over the speaker in his ear to interview us*

further on the music, the djs did a really poor job of mixing the music that i'm sure they were trying to play so that the very diverse type of crowd would all be happy and dance. the loops went too long at times, they didn't know how to drop anything well, and really? blur?

essentially, i'm glad i went. it was a fun night and since puma city is making its sole stop in north america right here in boston, it will be an architectural experience that few will get to party in.

as a final note, as a few friends and i had finally let ourselves be free of puma city, i was stopped on the walkway by a very cute, bubbly and stylish girl who asked to take my picture for her boston style blog. after a few quick snaps of mine and then also my boy's outfits, i come to find that i have finally met martine of beyond boston chic. she was probably the first boston blog that i ever linked to and i'm so excited to have finally met this fashionable lady!

here's to a new week.

its fresh and hot, fresh and hot.

2009-03-20T23:47:00.009-04:00

it seems that music is really i've been into blogging about consistently [or inconsistently considering how long its been...sorry] lately.

perhaps that's because i've been trying to save money and one way of doing that for yours truly is not to shop or browse online for clothing or shoes whatsoever. however, that fact should not take away from the musings and good fun that music has been providing lately.

with an upcoming trip to NYC scheduled,
i think its high time that i shared some thoughts on one of my favorite new listens
that
just so happens to be coming out of New York.

fortunately, i can say that this dj actually happens to be one of my closest friends. in good ol' college days, i really got to know this fellow and have luckily been able to watch and hear him develop and produce music that really projects his interesting and well-educated tastes. as i feel he has great talent but has even more time to grow creatively the praise will end there.

a few weeks ago
he sent me a mix he had been working on and asked me my thoughts. since that time it has been the most played thirty minutes of music (ahead of the new gui boratto album...ahhh) on my hard drive by not only me, but the boy, and other various friend visits.

given that i am clearly really feeling this mix of tunes, i have decided to share the thoughts i expressed to dear friend as well as the mix itself.

one main defining factor to me with dj mixes is that they either tend to consist of brilliantly "curated" but succinct bits of songs and samples that are well mixed and seem a sort of showcase of the dj's overall skills. on the other hand, there are the other types of mixes that lend themselves more towards the live style of djing that -let's be honest- compels attendees/listeners to dance [does that not seem to be my favorite word?] as would be done in the live setting.

with alex's mix i got that entire "showcase"/meant to listen at home vibe because of the amount of different sounds he seemed to shuffle breathlessly through in thirty minutes. trying not to think of dear friend, on my initial listen the thumping "four on the floor" dance-causing beats are what this particular dj is quite good at incorporating. this one sure knows how to mix it up.

as i mean, this mix is all over the board spanning multiple old, beloved and interesting, less listened to tracks. with a bit of gui boratto and kevin saunderson alongside young swede wunderkind petter i enjoyed the span that is contained. it stays on a somewhat safe side as far as song choices goes without getting stale -and is indeed very fun to listen to in any number of nighttime scenarios in which one could possibly be found.

right, signing out now because i've talked your ears off enough. just give yourself a listen here:::

enjoy. this weekend will consist of me attending a gui boratto/ellen allien/thomas mayer show amongst other birthday celebrations...more show blogging, yes.

tune in here:::

http://www.mogulus.com/alexhamadey

fun-for-all.

2009-02-11T20:25:00.003-05:00

just before the recent -interesting but over my inexperienced head- Resident Advisor article "machine love: john tejada" was released, i squealed and immediately pressed the purchase button at the good life website.

john tejada coming to boston on the heels of a set at london's legendary fabric club to celebrate the latest release on fabric records, his Fabric 44 mix?

yes, please. how very fortunate.

tejada is an impressive dj and musician whose melodies and beats are complex and simple and seemingly constructed with thought, effort, and personal choice. most of his tunes seem crafted rather than simply pumped out to cause people to "move for them".....

Move For Me - Kaskade & deadmau5

saturday night was a perfect night for a good set and enjoyment out of all attending. having no sunday shift at work, i knew i could dance as hard as possible and get sleep enough to make up for it the next day. so, the hope was that the set + crowd would not disappoint either. *a warning to anyone who has yet to attend an electronic music event in boston:::

the crowds are not so overly interested in the enjoyment of the dj and the having fun while hearing great music and sometimes talk throughout a set, don't dance, and even block the speakers.

luckily, last saturday was not an example of this type of experience and the hopes of the night were perfectly granted. randy deshaies and sergio santos, the latter being an integral part of the midweek techno night [a fun time in its own right], really warmed up the decks for tejada who calmly and collectedly took the set from blasting to stellar in a few short loops and flicks of the wrist.

the set proceeded to get awkward for a moment when tejada was prolonging a trebly, very simple beat with little beat and the crowd seemed ready for something heavy to drop. other than that the one difference between dancing crowd and performer...the night was a pleasant success for all. the only complaint being the one that stands for interesting fun times had while going out in boston::: the ever-present 2am curfew.

furthermore, the venue -to which i have never ventured- was marvelous. the good life was an interestingly constructed space. its downstairs lounge [where the beats happen] is a small space with a bar running the length of the room down one wall and cavernous booth spaces along the other wall. with no coat check, i was a bit unnerved at first, but after finding a stash spot for our outerwear, my companions and i felt fine about where we had left our exoskeletons against the cold.

and for the two best things about the lounge: there were fans at the front of the room for sweaty dancing masses [to which subset of attendees at shows i absolutely always belong, no excuses] and NO LINES in the bathrooms. really, john tejada, whether you picked the good life or they sought you for saturday night...it was a wonderful decision. that show is easily one of the best in enjoyment and most importantly musically, that i have attended since perhaps booka shade this summer.

heavy sigh and high hopes for the midweek techno on february 25th::: tiefschwarz the legendary electro pop/house fraternal duo from berlin.

til then.

V&R collab update with Samsonite.

2009-02-06T12:35:00.002-05:00

BBB Winter 09 | Viktor & Rolf for Samsonite Black Label

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