Formative Moments in Fashion History: Leather Jacket

Inspired by Dave Chapelle’s “Great Moments in Hook-Up History," in which he recounts memorable tales of sexual escapades, I present the second post in a series of “Formative Moments in Fashion History.” I am often asked why fashion means so much to me and how I can justify dedicating my career to what many deem a trivial pursuit.  I hope to articulate why I’m abnormally distressed about who will be Karl Lagerfeld’s successor at Chanel and how I can justify spending my weekly paycheck on an “investment piece” by bringing you a series of influential moments that have defined my perspective on style, the fashion industry and what they mean to me.

Read any style blog about wardrobe “must-haves” and you’re bound to (Kanye, see what I did there?) find mention of a leather jacket.  And for good reason.  It’s an incredibly versatile piece that toughens up an otherwise feminine look and not to mention just exudes cool.  So let me tell you about how mine came to be.

The leather jacket makes an appearance on the Paris metro next to a pair of boobs.

Weekly Web Roundup

Inspired by the Man Repeller's "the best of the Internet" and Cupcake and Cashmere's "Links I Love," I'm bringing you six of my favorite articles, gifs and videos from the week.  I hope you find the links as equally inspiring and thought provoking as I have.

Spring Break Must-Haves

Talk to any senior in college and you're sure to hear about how they're struggling to maintain the eagerness and motivation that characterized freshmen year.  It's why we lament the overeager freshmen ruining the curve, relentlessly contributing in class and arriving en masse to fraternity parties.  The most recent bout of senioritis has me feigning for spring break, which at a month away feels like a distant thought.  But searching for the perfect poolside attire is making the impending finals feel manageable.  Here's a list of what's currently on my mind, the perfect compliment for margaritas in Cabo San Lucas and tanning on South Beach in Miami.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11

Can Footwear be Racist?

“I saw Cady Herron wearing army pants and flip flops, so I bought army pants and flip flops.”  Sometimes, that’s all it takes.  And seeing Jourdan Dunn on my Instagram feed wearing Timberlands was almost enough to make me buy a pair.

I’ve been on the fence about the classic yellow boot for as long as I can remember.  Initially seen in the hallways of an elite boarding school otherwise void of urban style symbols, I couldn’t help but think of their wear as anything other than ironic.  J. Crew chinos, a Ralph Lauren button down and Timbs almost seemed like a fuck you to the workmen for whom the boots were initially designed in the same vain that Miley Cyrus’ documented penchant for twerking and Jordans commodify black culture.  Something just felt a little bit off.  If Timbs were the urban shoe, L.L. Bean’s boots represented its classic American (read: white) counterpart.

Cara Delevigne, Waxing and "Slutty Eyebrows"

It was the 8^th grade “Moving Up” dance, and all my friends were doing it.  That’s always how it starts, isn’t it?  We were at the nail salon getting manicures and pedicures before the biggest night of our middle school lives.  Next thing you know, my friends venture into the waxing room to get their eyebrows done.  Eyebrows?  Waxing?  At the ripe young age of 13, I was entering entirely new territory.  Ah, why not? I thought despite my mother’s prior protestations (strikingly similar to my first venture into shaving my legs, which was also against mom’s will during sleep away camp at 11).  And thus began my fascination with eyebrows.  I began meticulously plucking every day, tweezing at hairs that probably didn’t even exist.  Now, my routine consists more of threading (Browhaus if you’re in New York, trust me) every couple of months and some maintenance tweezing in between.  I guess I can bless the eyebrow gods for that.  But a word to the wise: If your name is not Cara Delevigne and “Eyebrow King” Damone Roberts is not on speed dial, do some research and don’t trust your brows with just anyone.  Unlike a haircut gone wrong that can manage with some tweaking, once you pluck out your brows, you’ll look, well frankly, like a weirdo until they grow back.  The last thing you want is the dreaded “slutty eyebrows,” which resemble “surprised little sperm."

Trey Songz, Harper's Bazaar and Emoticons

Officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2001, emoticons have undoubtedly secured their place as part of the millennial vernacular.  Blending emotions with icons, the emoticon functions as context in the otherwise hard-to-detect-sarcasm world of texting.  Emoticons run the gamut from the conventional smiley face to the in-case-we-weren’t-already-on-the-same-page-about-this-2am-text wink face. Even Trey Songz dedicated a song to the flirting capabilities of “LOL :).”  Either used as a supplement to a text or as a replacement, emoticons are here to stay.  I continue to lament the fact that the closest emoticon of a black person is a wide-eyed racially ambiguous person in a toilet paper-looking turban, but alas.  Harper’s Bazaar has at least filled the void for the fashion conscious with its latest app consisting of a Soul Cycle bike perfect for that Monday sign-up reminder text to Bill Cunningham for when you’ve spotted him on his perch between 57^th Street and 5^th Avenue and even Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette.  Unfortunately, the emoticons are not embedded within the keyboard, meaning you must open the app to send them, but trust me, it’s worth it. 

Bucket List

After taking a day trip to Napa Valley this weekend, I realized just how easy (and incredibly fun!) it is to not binge watch Boardwalk Empire and emerge from the dungeon that is my room, which inspired me to create a bucket list. So here ya have it: 12 Things to Do that Don't Involve Netflix.

Wine tasting in Napa Valley

Weekly Web Roundup

Inspired by the Man Repeller's "the best of the Internet" and Cupcake and Cashmere's "Links I Love," I'm bringing you six of my favorite articles, gifs and videos from the week.  I hope you find the links as equally inspiring and thought provoking as I have.

Formative Moments in Fashion History: Dior Bag

Inspired by Dave Chapelle’s “Great Moments in Hook-Up History," in which he recounts memorable tales of sexual escapades, I present the first of a series of “Formative Moments in Fashion History.” I am often asked why fashion means so much to me and how I can justify dedicating my career to what many deem a trivial pursuit.  I hope to articulate why I’m abnormally distressed about who will be Karl Lagerfeld’s successor at Chanel and how I can justify spending my weekly paycheck on an “investment piece” by bringing you a series of influential moments that have defined my perspective on style, the fashion industry and what they mean to me.

It was 2005, and I was in the 8^th grade.  I strode proudly into Christian Dior at The Mall at Millenia in Orlando, its sleek white exterior exuding ultimate sophistication.  Okay, I admit that I was a little nervous; it’s not everyday a sales associate sees two middle schoolers enter their wildly expensive luxury store sans parental figure.  What are they doing here? They must have thought.  They can’t afford this.  And they were right. I probably couldn’t.  But nevertheless, a young, flamboyant sales associate graciously assisted me in picking out a beige, floral-embroidered mini shoulder bag.  I told him that I would have to think about it but that I would certainly be back either way, and he gave me his card. 

*Same pattern as my bag

Image via Style.com

Happy Anniversary, Kanye West!

I defend Kanye West in the way that most people defend their Starbucks addiction.  It’s borderline unhealthy.  Sure there has been the Taylor Swift incident at the Grammy’s, the repeated assaults of paparazzi and his stream of consciousness rants on the radio that might make the average person turn away in disgust.  Ugh, what an ego.  But even his extracurricular choices can’t deny the genius, yes I said it genius that is Kanye West. 

Valentine's Day Gifts for Him

Valentine's Day.  Single Appreciation Day.  Call it what you want, just the thought of February 14th inspires hatred in some and giddiness in others.  For me, it brings back fond memories of girls night out followed by marathons of romantic comedies while indulging in chocolate covered Oreo's.  You might notice that this conspicuously avoids mention of the male gender.  Twenty-one years sans Valentine likely stems from my impossible check list of characteristics a boyfriend should have.  Honestly, you should read my 6th grade diary.  It reads a little something like, "I thought the first guy who liked me would be smart and tall and athletic and funny and charming" and you get the picture.  Or maybe it has to do with my tendency to either clam up or suffer from word vomit in front of the opposite sex.  I've always felt a little disappointed, not in the fact that I'm alone on Valentine's Day but rather that no one gets to experience my penchant for gift giving, which is why I'm bringing you a Valentine's Day gift guide! 

Happy Fashion Week

Today marks the start of fashion month.  Starting with New York Fashion Week and continuing to Milan, London and Paris, designers will debut their Fall/Winter '14 collections to a host of editors, buyers and bloggers.  I eagerly look forward to seeing what's in store for the upcoming seasons although the clothes don't hit the shelves for several months (unless you preorder from Moda Operandi).  But I also look forward to the host of videos poking fun at the industry for occasionally taking themselves too seriously.  Here's three of my all-time favorites:

*Photo from Harper's Bazaar

What's in a Description?

A description seeks to give an account or representation of a person, object or event.  It’s how jobs communicate their roles, how a friend relays her date and how restaurants explain their menu items.  More recently, however, descriptions have been used as tools to project a particular appearance.  About Me’s help you decide whether that guy on Tinder is cute or creepy and captions determine whether that Instagram picture is clever or cliché.  But in our desire to neatly sum up the human experience into a series of facts, are we dismissing our complexities?

Pinterest bio

Weekly Web Roundup

Inspired by the Man Repeller's "the best of the Internet" and Cupcake and Cashmere's "Links I Love," I'm bringing you six of my favorite articles, gifs and videos from the week.  I hope you find the links as equally inspiring and thought provoking as I have.

How I Became Victim to the Cult of Soul Cycle

Cult (noun): 1. A system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object 2. A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.  3. A misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing.

Whilst trying to describe your willingness to cough up $30 for a 45-minute spin class to a group of football players, it’s hard to find any other appropriate word for it.  I never thought it would happen to me, “rational Al” as I’ve been known to be called.  Let me tell you how I got sucked into the cult that is Soul Cycle.

Three Reasons Michelle Obama Wore Alaia to the State of the Union

If you have paid attention to Michelle Obama’s sartorial choices during Barack’s presidency, you would quickly realize that she has always supported her fellow Americans.  From the inaugural Jason Wu to Tracy Reese and J. Crew, Michelle has declared her affinity for the homegrown.  Yet, Michelle wore a metallic forest green fit and flare dress and matching cropped bolero jacket by Tunisia-born, Paris-based Azzedine Alaia to this year's State of the Union address.  Thus, her departure from the domestic to the foreign must mean something greater....