STATE OF THE UNION: katy perry on sesame street

katy perry on sesame street

Woooaaah.
Boobies and mad cleavage sharing the spotlight with Elmo! This is what the future of our country is watching as "educational programming." No wonder we have "stars" like Snooki and the cast of Jersey Shore cramming the airwaves. I can't believe Katy Perry (or her stylist) didn't decide to at least cover up on top...or at least NUDE MESH (not sheer) OR a straight-across cut for the top....her target audience here is three, right?!!

Or is there some sort of secret Sesame Street target audience we all don't know about??

WANT: 80%20 boots

all miiiine! adair boots in gray

WANT. okay, no more want. I BOUGHT! I broke the challenge (for reals this time) tonight with this purchase...oooo I can't wait for these beautiful 80%20 boots by Ce Ce Chin to arrive from Karmaloop. (20% off coupon does feel nice...and makes these mighty affordable!)

I was torn and almost got em in black, but I felt they look so much cooler in elephant gray. Just a hint of pretty mixed with a nice hefty hiking boot weight...and with a built-in 3 inch heel! Here's to my hoping my little legs will get a dose of leg-lengthening magic! I'm looking forward to pairing with differing shades of grays, blacks and white- more specifically, semi-sheer tights in a charcoal gray with rolled shorts (while the weather still permits).

I love Ce Ce Chin's girl-meets-boy philosophy: "I wasn’t going to wear dunks, but I didn’t wear a lot of heels either," she says. " (from the designer's interview in NY Mag's The Cut) Very cool, my kinda gal.

I'll leave you with a couple beauties. 80%20 also recently tweeted an opening for a Design and Product Development Assistant on their site here, in case you're interested.

heide in black

eliotte toggle in navy

BOTTOM-UP FASHION: a man, a plan, and a pair of scissors

adam at work. pretty cool. image: splendora

Adam Saaks. Have you heard of him?

Wow...I guess I've been a bit out of the loop...or at least the Ed Hardy loop-- but Adam Saaks uses stylist tricks to create a name (and career) for himself. Very cool to see that he's a new kind of traveling "performer," with shows on his live t-shirt creating processes.

Here's a peek at what I was watching tonight:
He definitely makes it look easy. Look how fast he whips those scissors around!



I'm surprised I haven't heard of him till now, but I am shocked and pleased to see he has been going strong since at least 2007, shredding, tying, and crocheting t-shirts. What surprises me most is that he's still popular now-- and it appears his US exposure has been growing this past year. (just google/youtube him and look at all the recent blogs/vlogs DIY-ing his style) Surprising, since he's been doing the same thing for years and it's still popular, and also surprising since it's all for Ed Hardy- who has already experienced their peak of their own trend.

Adam Saak, the *performer*




Adam Saaks performing in Paris
Uploaded by MAG_TECHNIKART. - Arts and animation videos.

oooohkay...so I've never actually done anything as detailed as this with a t-shirt. That's really cool.

crocheted back from a single piece of fabric! image: splendora

Yes, I must admit...I've definitely taken a pair of scissors to a shirt (or two, or five, or ten), tied a few knots, and revealed a bit of cleavage and then some (of the models' cleavage!!! haha...not mine!)...so these videos strike close to the heart.

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Veda and the leather jacket

veda max jacket- polyvore

Thanks to Daily Candy Swirl and their tempting sales, I was thisclose to hitting the "buy" button tonight. Two beautiful jackets by Veda were calling my name- the max jacket, and the golden jacket.

max jacket (pictured in stone...but the black was what called my name)

Since they were already sold out, I almost settled for another style, the arcana, but was able to collect myself and refrain from hitting that glowing button. I'm going to hold out for the perfect jacket...even if I don't know when it'll come- though I know it will- I just have to be patient!

arcana jacket

Designer Lyndsey Butler's sumptuous leather creations are on my watch-list. (as the perfect leather jacket along with timeless, perfect boots) Even without fingering the soft leather, I can tell that her quality and mastery of the material is divine! Jackets are cropped and fitted, with the perfect drape- and lined! So many "fashion" leather companies who make cute, stylish, cropped little leather jackets from soft, thin leathers don't line them- my pet peeve. A quality jacket should have great lining...and preferably in silk. I also want a jacket that moves with me, and doesn't add bulk. Who wants extra weight, anyway?

I'll keep you all updated if I find THE ONE (jacket, that is) that breaks the challenge in a major way. In the meantime...drool along with me:

mike gonzalez (of mike&chris fame) aura jacket

grai esme jacket

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Henri Charpentier

Okay, so it's not *really* about a designer this time...but my love of fashion and food (especially well designed, beautiful food!) is now conjoined, like a mutant hybrid of all that I love. Besides, I'd like to think it's more like designer food.

We were recently gifted with the MOST BEAUTIFUL box of cookies I had ever seen. Each Henri Charpentier cookie was delicately formed and nestled in its own little space. Somehow, I just knew these cookies were special, even before tasting them. Every last detail was seen to- from the printed vellum naming each cookie's delicate flavor to the charmingly embossed cookie-print tin lid- much like detail of a french seam, a hand-stitched blind hem, or even the unseen inside lining of a fabulous jacket.

But let's not forget about the taste- So delicate, so indulgent, so buttery, and oooo so good! The perfect sized bites exploded with Roquefort,  melted into browned butter richness, and hinted at the light floral of rosewater. Definitely a designer cookie.

After a bit of google-digging, I found a bit more on this Japanese patisserie that pays homage to the great French Chef, and creator of crepes Suzette, Henri Charpentier. Reading about Here Comes The Food's experience at the Ginza bouqitue, I have now added the patisserie to my lists of must-sees for the next trip to Japan.

LIFE: hang 10

image: costaricasunshine

Cowabunga dude! Okay, so that's not really me above...but yes, I did provide you all with some pics of me attempting to catch a few waves. It's been exactly a month, and I've spent the last few weeks in my own "meditation" of sorts, reflecting on myself, focusing on my goals, and taking control of my own happiness. I didn't realize that I was an unhappy person, but after reading a few national bestsellers (Eat, Pray, Love anyone? and Don't Sweat the Small Stuff???), I'm starting to think that it might not be just me- but a national endemic of unhappy, discontent people.

Actually, about Eat, Pray, Love- I had heard about this book for years, but wasn't ever quite interested enough to pick it up. It seemed too spiritual. Maybe even a bit full of itself. It did catch my attention though, since I had completed my own solo trek around the world- including Italy and Bali- in 2003. So at the time, I dismissed it, having my own self-righteous moment with a been-there-done-that feeling.

I guess a few years (and Hollywood) was all it took, and I recently picked up the book for a decent read. It comes at a much more receptive time in my life, and I found it to almost be like having a conversation with someone who might understand my quest for inner happiness. I'm not a religious or spiritual person, but I do feel that being content is definitely linked to a more spiritual source.

Every day is a new opportunity to create a happier future for myself and those around me. Every day the slate is wiped clean, and the opportunity to take responsibility for my life presents itself.

So in honor of reconnecting with things that bring me happiness, here are a few of the things I've been doing the past month:

-surfing

It's been more of a "doing" month for me. I took a few surf lessons in the chilly Northern Cali waters- decked out in a wetsuit- and was pleasantly surprised to find that the neoprene armor protected me from the cold waters, and I had a great time! Looking forward to more practice and lessons to come...so that one day I can live out my hidden dream to be a tanned and toned surf bunny! (haha...I can dream, right?)

-drawing

After a long  hiatus, I have picked up my pencils again and am taking a drawing class. How nice it is to just sit and observe. Sort of like my own meditation. I've discovered the Sharon Art Studio in Golden Gate park, and absolutely love the bohemian, hippie, community vibe of the center. I will definitely be taking more classes here, and HIGHLY recommend them!

-exploring

I love taking walks and spent the most beautiful days of gorgeous san francisco sun exploring the South Park area, imagining I was in Europe and sitting out in the sun. Felt a bit like a plant, soaking up the rays.

-refocusing

I also spent a good amount of time scouring google and picking peoples' brains. I have a few ideas lined up for potential growth areas of my career and life, and can't wait to start learning, implementing, and trying new things!

It's such a great feeling to take charge of your life- not sure about all of you- but I definitely need to do it every so often! Thanks for your patience, and coming back again!