Something to Paddle In--Tyr Swimsuits!

Yes, I know, many designers make all sorts of swimwear.  Some are quite cute, even.  But, when it comes to swimwear all I can say is DON'T SKIMP ON THE GOOD STUFF.

Nothing is worse than swimming in the ocean and a big wave hits you and well, you just gave all of the awkward teenage boys in the vicinity a free show.  Ugh.  From experience no designer seems to protect from such horrifying experiences.  

That would be why you buy Tyr swimwear.  The stuff doesn't budge.  It sucks you in so you suddenly have a magnificent shape.  It comes in reasonably fashionable patterns--the one pictured is cool looking and also creates a nice optical illusion that you are much thinner than you actually are.  And, it lasts all summer unless you swim as much as a high school water polo player.  I know, it isn't the most "cool" thing ever to buy, but you will seriously thank yourself when you go to the beach.  Seriously.

Picture from zappos.com

That Special Time Of Year

It is that most wonderful time of year--SALE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The summer sale season is in full swing now and due to the economic crisis a number of designers have really slashed their prices.  Right now on marni.com they have lowered prices by more than 50%.  The discounts are to the point where some dresses are only about $300.  Yes, that is right, $300 for a real Marni dress straight from the company.  The items that are still available there are actually some pretty good ones and not just the fugly ones that no one else wants.  Time to make the most of this most special time of year and stock up!

Picture from marni.com  

DIY Done Right--Libertine Rocks!

Okay, so for some reason it became popular to repurpose old clothes and make your own things in a sort of campy, tacky way.  I don't know if it is the whole green movement or what that makes people do this or if it something Kool-Aid started putting in their little packets of drink mix.  In general it isn't good.

But, the whole DIY I'm a hipster rockstar can be done and done well.  Probably the most well-known and celebrated for it is Libertine.  Libertine is made up of Johnson Hartig and Cindy Greene--one of them refurbishes used garments and the other screen prints and otherwise embellishes on them.  What makes them so good is that they actually do a good job of juxtaposing high-brow looks with Victorian and punk images to create something that is unusual but totally wearable.  And, most importantly, it looks like someone professional made it and you didn't just splatter paint it in your back yard.  

Libertine is oddly hard to find.  Barney's and Bergdorf-Goodman carry it and I'm sure that a variety of smaller boutiques do as well.  Just be sure that when you buy it that the tag doesn't also say "For Target" if you are looking for one of their hand-done pieces.

Picture from coutorture.com, of their Fall 2009 collection

Vacation Time!

A good part of the time Resort collections feel like they are simply composed of the stuff that was made for other collections that wasn't good enough to be shown but not so terrible as to be completely discarded.  Which is probably Resort is probably the most forgotten and least cared about of all of the "seasons".  

Marni's Resort 2010 collection feels like anything but things that should have stayed on the cutting room floor.  It is classic Marni--interesting pieces that you'll never have a fat day in.  Sure, there were no soul-stirring prints, but the cuts and colors were such that they really aren't "resort" pieces, but a whole collection of classic basics that could be worn year after year.  That is nothing less than a successful collection.

Picture from style.com

Kinda a Snooze...

Okay, so I know the CFDA awards are like the Oscars of fashion.  I get it.  They mean a lot and only really go to the best and the brightest.  Yep.  But, I can't help but be disappointed with this year's women's wear winners, Rodarte.

Yes, they make good stuff.  They are a designer label.  Okay.  But, they just really aren't that exciting.  Their stuff of overwrought and kinda unwearable.  Sometimes I think they've spent too much time living in their parents' basement.  It isn't that they are bad, far from it.  I think maybe what it is is that they need a few more years to really find their groove and make garments that make women jump up and down and scream.  Because, right now their garments make me keep on scrolling right on by.  

I do genuinely hope that they do really live up to the award and make fantastic things.  I guess I was just hoping that the award would go to someone who designs things that keep me up at night.  But, when I think about it, I can't really say that any American designer is doing that now...

Picture from rockthetrend.com

New Talent!

I know, I haven't been the best at updating this lately...

But, it is the season where new fashion talents are starting to emerge and put together collections to show the community!  One such person is Briana Linea who is going to be showing October 1st at Phoenix Fashion Week.  Her collection is going to be focusing on The Little Black Dress!  Briana is currently finishing up in fashion school and working on launching her fashion company called Briana Linea Fashions.  Her company is going to specialize in women's wear, both custom and ready to wear.  Can't wait to see what she comes up with!

Her blog is: http://brianalinea.blogspot.com/

May Flowers

It is now unarguably spring!  And, one of the best parts of spring are all of the beautiful flowers blooming.  As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers!

Floral prints are always in style.  It is classic, beautiful and easily adaptable to any trend that happens to be going on at any time.  The florals that seem to be hot this season are usually abstract/hand-drawn and on a light background.  The big breakout hit in this sort of print was the Prada 2008 Resort collection and the trend is still going strong this spring.

One of the coolest interpretations of this is by Marni!  One of the things that Marni does best is floral prints.  This spring will probably be remembered as one of their best in the last few years.  The prints look like hand-drawn doodles of sorts yet are totally wearable and chic!  And, they look classic enough to where if you invest in a piece, you'll be able to wear it seasons from now.  Pretty!!

Picture from marni.com