Bonjour Afrique!

I hate the idea of leaving Paris, especially because fashion week is starting, but tomorrow I'm bidding adieu to beautiful France and jetting off to Africa. I'm heading to Morocco to soak up the sun (not that I haven't packed by spf 50, but you know....), stroll ancient cities, and wander the outdoor markets. As per usual my dilemma is a sartorial one. Morocco is primarily Muslim so the skimpy sun dresses simply won't do. I'm going to have to buy myself some linen pants so I don't roast in the desert heat.


Bisous babes, catch you on the flip side!

Chanelllo

My world is just a little bit brighter because of uncle Karl.

I'm in my Russian period

Nabokov
fur
caviar
but most importantly.....

Miroslava Duma!

She's young, wealthy, impossibly stylish, and exudes effortless chic. If I didn't love her so much I would hate her.

girlfriend knows how to rock leather shorts.....

She's kinda just adorable and my style crush de jour.

Did I mention she's also only 25 and an editor at Harper's?

Blizzard

It's still cold in Paris.

Still rocking the fur, fuzzy thigh highs, and shearing.

Cynthia Steffe F/W 2010

looking great, arriving late

Hier soir we started our evening with pasta and dry diva martinis on rue Cler before making our way to louvre rivoli. Outside Wadklub there was a devistatingly long line which we thought we could avoid because we were on the list. Nope. The delightful man at the door was content to hold the list but for some reason he could not be prevailed upon to actually check it. After a few minutes we managed to slip in behind a friend who had skillfully negotiated with the stereotypically inept bouncers. Once inside we enjoyed a lovely evening with the Ed Banger boys and one special Banger girl. We twirled around the dance floor and lounged in the black leather den of iniquity, while hipsters clutching their Nikons clamoring for pictures of Gaspard drinking vodka soda. Sheeesh. Such a good night.

Now I'm off museuming and shopping, on the hunt for fallafel. Happy Sunday.

perfect LBD

I have a HUGE wardrobe, but like most women I have some clothes I might as well sleep in because I barely take them off, and others that remain perfectly folded or scrunched at the bottom of my closet for 364 days of the year. On top of way too many dresses and tops I have boxes overflowing with broaches, bangles, and rings, and drawer after drawer of scarves and belts. My closet is a tribute to my consumerist addiction but in reality learning to be creative with what you have is what truly makes for stylish dressing. This girl is wearing the same dress different ways for a year, to raise money to educate children in India. I don't know if I could do it, but I'm impressed that she can.

staunch surrealist

sometimes I feel like Mr. Dali must have.....astounded by the ridiculousness of life, living in a my unconscious.

make you mine

Ce soir we're off to Wadklub to fête Ed Banger's newest baby, Breakbot. The release party for "Baby I'm Yours" is sure to be a hot sweaty hipster mess. I'm searching my closet for lamé spandex as we speak.

See y'all there.

NY I love you, but you're bringing me down

I've been really lazy about RTW this season. There are too many collections (both wonderful and tragic) to report on. I guess I have to start somewhere..... I'm going to recap some of my favorites.

Phillip Lim does feminine perfection:

Liking the draping at Doo Ri:

Collection of the week goes to Proenza Schouler:
Love it all.
Want it all.
Please please please?

View from my bed

- 3 empty wine bottles

- a pair of over the knee leather boots

- grapefruit and crackers

- Hermès scarf

- the entire contents of last night's clutch

- latest issue of Purple

- loads of candles

Yesterday was one of THOSE nights.

caffeinated

Coffee and cigarettes is to the French what fast food and apple pie is to the Americans. I’m a pretty pathetic excuse of a smoker but I do love drinking cup after cup of steaming hot coffee. In order to appease the cultural desire for moderation but secret love for excess, the French consume caffeine many times a day but they drink it out of cups the size of shot glasses. Every now and then when I’m at Sciences Po and want a cup of coffee that doesn’t look like it was designed for Barbie I hit up Lili’s Brownies a few blocks away. This adorable little shop was clearly designed with the expat in mind. Inside you can buy American sized coffee, gourmet muffins, donuts, and slabs of carrot and lemon loaf topped by thick white icing. This coffee shop is cute, overpriced, and exactly what my non-French soul needs when I’m stuck at Sci Po from 10 in the morning to 9 at night. Not only will they serve you normal sized coffee but, horror of horrors, they will actually put it in a cup so you can take it to go. (The French have a stark aversion to eating and drinking while not at a table. It’s considered very déclassé). When my uncouth self walked into my history class this afternoon holding my piping hot latte I was bombarded with questions from the American students about where they could find “normal” coffee. Lili’s should give me a cut for spreading the good word.

Lili’s Brownies
35 rue du dragon
75006

weekend

Dinner with the people I love most, themed parties, thigh highs, brunching, and the standard Baron/Montana mix.

21 minutes, 30 seconds, and counting.

VAMP

Watching far too much Mad Men I’ve become enamored with Betty Draper and nostalgic for an age when women favored proper lip color.

Lipstick is the ultimate feminine gesture and red lips are just downright sexy.

Sheer for daytime, matte or super glossy for evening.

Perfection.

Personal favorites: MAC slimeshine lipstick in Urgent and YSL Rouge Volupé in Red Muse.

Put the Chapstick away won’t you?

Parisian love

Valentine's Day is tomorrow.

brrrr

The temperature in Paris has plummeted so it appears my only recourse is to wear fur.

sometimes I think about

human tragedy

Fashion week is marked with a terrible tragedy today when it was reported that beloved fashion designer Alexander McQueen took his own life. I cannot begin to express my grief at this horrible lose. My thoughts go out to his family and loved ones.

RIP McQueen.

Gone now.

Never Forgotten.

pill popping

Contemporary art and classical styling collide.

Designed by Damien Hirst, inspired by his pharmacy collection.


divine.

Save Ferris

Would it be so terrible to take a day off, drive a red vintage Ferrari, and dance to "Twist and Shout" in a street parade? I'm currently in my class on Vichy France but right now I'd rather be Sloan, the ultimate 80's babe.

Bueller?

Bueller?

Bueller?

...........

Bueller?

treasures

Scenes from one of my favorite Parisian flea market, Porte de Vanves.

Every weekend in the 14th arrondissement.