Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bargain, cheap, deals, fashion, forever 21, lookalikes, shopping, style, tiffany and co
Tap into your inner Blair Waldorf with these bow necklaces!
Tiffany and Co, $100.
100 doesn’t sound too bad, right? Especially considering the fact that it’s T & Co. But for those with slightly thriftier tastes, there’s the equally cute alternative at Forever 21.
Forever 21, $3.80.
Don’t say this girl doesn’t try to score the best deals!
- CG
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: fashion, joan jett, kurt cobain, music, nancy spungen, nirvana, rock n roll, sex pistols, sid vicious, style crush, taylor momsen, the runaways
I’ve personally always been a fan of the hardcore scene – sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll and all of that. Sid Vicious? Hit me up. The Runaways? All for it.
The glitzy, laid-back glamour of the Sex Pistols and Nirvana and other grunge-y, punk pop bands always had that dirty glam appeal to me. The razor-cut hair, the beaten up boots, the messy makeup – they all spoke of this high-up glitterworld where I could never be.
I grew up in a time when one of the kings of grunge – Kurt Cobain – had just died, and boy bands and girl groups were merging into the music scene. The scruffy clothes and dirty-soled Converses were being traded for sky-high platforms and gold lamé minidresses, the hastily done locks for bottle blonde permawaves.
Despite all of this (or maybe because) I learned to embrace all kinds of music – the drugged out rock of the seventies, the cookie-cutter pop of the early nineties, the mainstream and indie scene of today.
Unfortunately, the punk look doesn’t quite suit me.
Round-faced and wholesome faces with curly hair and long-lashed eyes don’t really go hand in hand with the emaciated heroin-addict’s sunken jowls and shrunken figure. So I decided to play it safe – stick to the classics, be trendy, be boring.
Then Taylor Momsen came along and shook things up.
Her Teen Vogue photo shoot was totally channeling Joan Jett. Check the picture out if you don’t believe.
Her blonde cropped ‘do – remind you of anyone?
Sound bites from the pint-sized rock goddess: “I grew up listening to the Beatles, Blondie, and Joan Jett, and I love Nirvana.”
On her hair: “I had long, pretty hair, and it didn’t fit me. I’m pretty, but I’m not, like, a ‘pretty girl.’ So I pulled up a bunch of photos of Joan Jett and said, ‘Do that to my hair.’”
She’s not just tapping into her inner punk princess as Jenny – she’s also adopted the look in real life!
Loving the smile and hoping she’ll keep us entertained with her unique style!
- CG
Filed under: interview | Tags: fashion, global, hipster, internet, lookbook, san francisco, SF, style, trends, trendy, website, yuri lee
Yuri Lee, 23. The hip new face on the fashion circuit.
Why? Simply because her innovative fashion wesbite, LOOKBOOK.nu, is getting a lot of hype among the hipster elite of the world.
With users from foreign fancies like France, Russia, and Hong Kong clicking in daily, you’d think she’d be letting all of this fame go to her head.
Not so!
The SF native has much to say on style, being a workaholic, and what fashion means to her.
Hey there, Yuri! Unique ideas and the people behind them are exactly my niche, and your site is a perfect squeeze! On LOOKBOOK.nu’s FAQ, you describe yourself as “just a girl hailing from San Francisco who likes art, fashion and culture”. What do you have to say about that?
I guess I like to keep a low profile…and I don’t feel like anything particularly special or amazing just because I have a website. The amazing ones are the people that post their amazing style on our site…even after a year of seeing beautiful looks everyday, I am still blown away by everyones’ talent!
What was the inspiration behind this massively successful venture?
Fashion has always been an important part of my life and at the time I was intrigued by the Sartorialist and by other “what are you wearing today” forums. My boyfriend was working for a well known social network. We combined both our passions and the result was LOOKBOOK.nu!
What was the biggest challenge in setting up LOOKBOOK?
Getting the word out! My boyfriend and I were both broke and we had to find a way to alert the fashion world about our project. Some might call what we did spamming, but we spent days upon days searching for the right uses for LOOKBOOK.
Any advice to those who are looking to start their own fashion site?
We’ve always had our ups and downs and believe me when I say the downs have been very discouraging sometimes. So I guess my advice is don’t get too caught up in failure or success. A site truly dies when you stop working on it.
Cutie Gregory C. showing off his American Apparel dreads from across the Atlantic.
LOOKBOOK.nu was established in April 2008 and has grown incredibly ever since. To what would this be accredited?
I would say our dedicated and incredibly inspirational users and my boyfriend who works around the clock to create new features and make sure the site is running smoothly.
Describe your personal style.
For the most part clean, modern, and monochrome. But I usually dress according to how I’m feeling that day. I’m quickly bored of repetition.
Favorite designers?
Favorite now is Yohji Yamamoto.
What were you doing before LOOKBOOK came along?
Working retail management (I hated it).
Do you ever find yourself being inspired by the users of LOOKBOOK?
Every single day!
Popular blogger Jane from Sea of Shoes on LOOKBOOK.
What role do you play in the site’s housekeeping? Who else helps you maintain the site?
My boyfriend programs, I handle community management and design, and we just brought on a third to take care of advertising.
You describe LOOKBOOK.nu as “an international social experiment in style”. What gives LOOKBOOK that appeal that draws hundreds of visitors daily?
I guess the fashion inspiration, the largely international community, and the supportive environment.
What do people think of when they think of LOOKBOOK?
I hope they think of LOOKBOOK as the source of real fashion inspiration from REAL people around the world.
Loose, dreamy style from Ann N. of California.
So you live in San Francisco! What’s your favorite part of living in the city, and why?
I recently moved from San Francisco to the South Bay, but I loved the ethnic diversity. Lets just say I love to eat and SF has the best Thai, Japanese, Indian, and French food I have ever tasted!
What stores do you find yourself stalking? Any local digs you’d like to share?
I like a lot of the shops in Hayes Valley, but my favorite store at the moment is Opening Ceremony.
Who is your style muse?
Gemma Ward…she’s beautiful!
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is using your body as a canvas to project who you to the world.
Finally, what do you see in LOOKBOOK’s future?
We will continue to grow and create new features. Currently we are working on a mobile site, partnerships with some incredible magazines, our own magazine, and much much more!
So introduce yourself.
My name is Stephanie Zhou, age 15. I will be a sophomore next year at Lynbrook High.
Where do you live? In a totally non-creepy, unstalkerish way.
San Jose. Really, the rumors are true; the place is packed with asians.
How would you say the area influences you?
Well, since I don’t live in the ghetto of San Jose (saying this in a completely unoffensive way), there’s not a lot of crime, bullying, and such going on so I feel it’s safe to just wear whatever I want to. I don’t feel threatened that there’s something wrong with just being me and that reflects in what I do and what I wear.
SHINee, the band known for their cute faces, hot threads, and rocking vocals.
What are your style influences in general? I’m influenced from overseas media, such as Korean or Japanese idols. For example, I really like the SHINee trend, but don’t wear it as often because the bright colors tend to make me look darker than I actually am. So I shop at international stores.
Any influences from TV, other cultures, your friends or family?
Like I said, I wear a typical asian trend. Frankly, I don’t care about brands; if I like it, I’ll buy it. Even if it’s from a thrift store, that’s fine by me. I try not to be influenced too much by other people; they can wear what they want to wear, and I’ll wear what I want to wear.
Who would be your personal style icons?
I don’t particularly like to dress extremely girly-girl, so a lot of guy groups, actually, are my style icons, such as SHINee and SS501. Hmmm but my one style icon would probably be Bae Seul Ki from Break for casual stuff, and Tiffany from So Nyuh Shi Dae (SNSD) for when I’m feeling girlier.
Ba Seul Ki modelling outfits from BomRiche and more.
How would you describe your own style?
Asian? (laughs) Very asian. I like to think I dress in a way that’s unique from everyone else. If I wear a sweatshirt, it’ll probably be either really big, or cut in some unique way. I don’t really like the fitted sweatshirts. I like to dress in a way so it’s obvious I’m a girl, but only with a tougher air.
Sailor girl cosplay from the girls of SNSD.
How would you describe your own style?
Asian? (laughs) Very asian. I like to think I dress in a way that’s unique from everyone else. If I wear a sweatshirt, it’ll probably be either really big, or cut in some unique way. I don’t really like the fitted sweatshirts. I like to dress in a way so it’s obvious I’m a girl, but only with a tougher air.
Where do you usually find yourself shopping? Why?
H&M, Charlotte Russe, or Wet Seal. They have some pretty unique stuff that I really go for.
The boys of SHINee being their usual mature selves in a promotional photo shoot.
How do you think fashion relates to other aspects of society?
Fashion, if you’re good enough at it, can start to set up a character for you. Like, people might know you FOR the way you dress. I believe what you wear builds character; even if people don’t know your name, they’ll still recognize you.
Tiffany from SNSD in a sweets-themed photoshoot.
Why do you think fashion matters?
It’s a way to become an individual. I’m not a conformist. Really, I don’t care about the current trends. If I like it, I’ll wear it; if it’s popular, great. But that’s not the main reason why I buy clothes. I think fashion is part of what makes [someone] an individual.
[photo cred: soompi, popseoul, yeinjee.]
- CG
