The Bare Essentials

We've cut back on shopping.

Across the board, sales are down and it is blatantly obvious everywhere you look. Unless of course, in an extreme act of self control you've hidden under a rock to avoid spending. In which case I applaud you.

Essentials are necessary at this time and creativity is key. Time to bust out those fashions you've been saving and use them in a new, fresh way.

I will be the first to admit I have no self control when it comes to spending. Fortunately, I have someone to keep me in check.

Angel: Do you want to continue investing on useless things that carry no monetary value or start saving for something more substantial?
Devil: F off.

(my two sides battling it out when something utterly gorgeous and completely unnecessary tests my self control)

When one of my good friends got laid off it brought me down to earth. He's brilliant, went to a great school, worked for a good stable company and BAM. Just like that, he was unemployed. And so the story goes...

It's pretty sh t, but sometimes it takes a nasty fall for you to look up and see the light. Don't you just love the way it works? It reminded me that nothing in life is guaranteed. I'm saving a large chunk of my salary on retirement and in accounts I can't touch, and for what? What if I don't live to see retirement, what would it all have been for?

Therein lies the catch 22.

Maybe we should all just live conspicuously and die young. Live life to the extreme and run out of gas by 30. Or, take our chances, lead a conservative, guarded lifestyle and hope to make it to old age.

For now, I'm trying to stay balanced. I'll splurge on something when I truly want it by using the one month test. If I am still thinking about an item with the same intensity I did when I first saw it, a month later, I will allow myself to get it - if I feel I deserve it. I feel I deserve things when I haven't been bad (e.g. haven't shopped). I know it's a twisted system. It's why I have two alarms and all my clocks don't match.

Anyway, back to the point - bare essentials. Simplicity is beautiful. It's time for all the superfluous fashions to just go away.

Give me good design, good quality, and genuine individual flair.

CLEMENS EN AUGUST

I was browsing through the April 2009 TIME magazine supplement, when a small passport size photo caught my eye. It was a picture of a girl wearing a simple white blouse with what looked like perfectly tailored black pants. It made me do a double take and I needed to find out more.



In the article, founder Alexander Brenninkmeijer, described their business model as a "rock concert", which is a pretty accurate way to imagine how it works. They go on tour to 10 different cities during each collection period (Spring and Fall) and set up "pop up stores" that sell the current collection. The article goes on to explain that "without advertising, brick-and-mortar costs or store markups - and because all items are sold in limited numbers - the brand's prices are less than half of what they would be at retail".

This is not to say the pieces are inexpensive, I would say that they are reasonable. The price tag for a silk dress reads $365. I want to see them up close before I judge, but from their Spring 2009 collection (pictured above), their designs are worth investing in.

Simple, smart, flattering designs never go out of style.

This article is a good read so I'd highly recommend checking it out. There's also a small piece about the very cool online sample sale site: Gilt.

For more info: http://www.clemensenaugust.com/

So far, it seems they have no plans to visit LA, but hopefully that will change!

Paris Favorites

Food

Pierre Herme - Better known as heaven on earth. I tried the Ispahan croissant, brought my palm to my cheek and almost cried. Needless to say, the macarons are just...!!!!

Le Severo - Steak frites on crack. How can it possibly be so good when the steak is just seasoned with salt & pepper?

Taillevent - Good, but stuffy. Jackets required.

Breizh Cafe - Best savory crepes I've had in my life! Buckwheat...yum.

Les Deux Magots/Cafe de Flore - Good for people watching. Interesting to think that Kate Moss could have been sitting in the same seat for the Longchamp ads.

L'as du Falafel - Good, but nothing to write home about.

Le Baratin and Paul Bert - We tried to visit both, but they were closed.

Angelina - Potent, and every kid's dream. I'm talking about the Chocolat Africain, or melted chocolate bars in a cup. You may think I'm exaggerating, but it's pretty darn close. I am a chocolate girl through and through, but it was a bit much even for me. Worth a try? Absolutely.

Le Cafe - Great local spot. Good, no frills meals. If I lived in Paris, I can see myself coming here often. The owners were cool.

Bouillon Racine - I didn't like it and I'm hoping it was just a hiccup in both the food quality and service, because if my opinion were based on this one experience, I'd never go back.

Shopping

Chez Maman - Watches galore. I found a really cool, sleek, original, yet unassuming watch for my boyfriend (that I REALLY want to borrow). The Issey Miyake SILAN TO:

Colette - This is such an original store. The mix of products are so relevant and innovative, and the clothes are so pretty it will make you fall to your knees and cry. It is so made for Japanese consumers because practically everything they carry is a limited edition something (I read something funny that said buses would pick up Japanese tourists from CDG/Roissy and drop them off in front of Colette). When I was there, I saw a limited edition Porter bag, Samsonite Black Label by Viktor & Rolf luggage, and all the coolest phones in the world (Vertu, Porsche Design, Prada II, and the Sony Xperia). I almost murdered my credit line with a YSL bag, but I was good and stepped away from the goods.

Le Bon Marche - All the beautiful clothes I read about in Vogue are on display in the women's section. Except everything is linked to an alarm, even your basic cotton pieces. Seriously, I could have just wandered around for hours, or an hour, but my boyfriend was getting restless. Boys just don't get it.

Printemps & Galeries Lafayette - Too. freaking. crowded. I visited these two department stores toward the end of my trip and it was hell compared to the peaceful and careless days I experienced toward the beginning of my trip. Keep in mind this was February. I don't even want to think about what these two places look like during tourist season.

Episode - Great vintage shopping. They carried good pieces that I would actually buy, but I ran out of time by this point.

Kiliwatch - Huge vintage store. HUGE. Worth browsing, but I couldn't find anything for myself.

kokon to zai - Interesting fashion, but may be weird to some (think BAPE + Comme des Garcon + Imitation of Christ).

Chanel - Must visit.

Misc.

Hotel Costes - I now understand why it's such an institution. It's the distanced aloofness that makes this place intriguing. After actually being there, I can say this is the prototype that most trendy, high end hotels try to emanate. I love Stephane Pompougnac.

P.S. Yes, it is overpriced.

I'm dying to go back to Paris already.

Cut

John, my trusted hair stylist, rolled his eyes when I told him I had a picture of the hairstyle I wanted. He took the picture of Anja, looked at me, and told me he had a better idea. His skills are incredible and I have complete faith in him, so it was only natural that I gave him free reign to do what he wanted. This was the result and I love it.

I got this cut about two weeks ago, before I left for my Paris trip.

Paris was as amazing as I imagined it to be. Unfortunately, my camera battery was left charging at home in the states, so I only have pictures from the disposable cameras I bought there, and nothing on my computer. Believe me when I say I've learned my lesson.

From the moment I found out I was going to Paris, I knew I needed to get a new bag, which one exactly, I wasn't sure, but I knew I would just know when I saw it. I was very close to getting a common and recognizable branded bag, but at the last minute, I found the one you see above. It's Paule Ka, and I just had to have it. I loved the style and texture of it, plus, it's versatile. I'm a sucker for things that have more than one function.

The opening of the bag is one giant zipper with gold teeth on one side and silver on the other, so when you zip it up and fold it in half, it becomes a giant clutch. Feel free to scroll around to see the bag in its different forms.

The earrings are also a new purchase from Paris as well. It was love at first sight. The boutique I bought them from was in the Passage du Grand Cerf, a stone's throw from the studio we stayed in, in the 2nd arrondisement.

More about Paris to come!

Top & Jacket: Zara
Jeans: Zara
Sandals: United Colors of Benetton
Bag: Paule Ka

Anja Rubik

Anja Rubik is definitely one of my favorite models. I love her entire look and how she can pull off the badass persona while still allowing a bit of feminine vulnerability to seep through. Also, she's understated, different, versatile, and her haircut is amazing.

I am way overdue for a cut myself and decided to browse her portfolio for inspiration.

Source: www.anjarubik.com

Like a Dream

Kuna Yala, Panama
November 2008

Ellen

I was watching Ellen DeGeneres' stand up on youtube and she said something about fashion that rang so true: "the key to being fashionable...is standing out, but fitting in..."

She is so funny and I adore her. For some laughs and the rest of her skit, click here. I cried at the very end during the Q&A.