Time to Be Thankful

I've never really bought into the whole one-day-a-year-to-give-thanks thing. It's a nice idea, but. . . well, doesn't giving thanks feel like something one should do a bit more often? Gala and the iCiNG community do this every Thursday, and even though I don't participate on my blog, I like to keep the "Things I Love Thursday" badge on my sidebar to show my support and whatnot. But, since today is both Thanksgiving and a Thursday, I think it's time to run the first ever Fashion-y Blog TILT. It will be body-related and not in list form, but it's a TILT all the same. Can you dig it?




Today I am thankful for my appearance. It sounds vain, I know, and it pretty much is, but let me explain.

This photo is a bit of an older one (hence the bangs and sandals that would allow for frostbite should I wear them now); details on the outfit can be found here.

Over the past few years, I've become a lot more comfortable with my body. I was never one of those girls who stands in front of the mirror for the sole purpose of bashing every body part, but I've definitely had a mental list of my physical "flaws"at any given time - large nose, knobby knees, a non-flat stomach, over-large boobs - but nothing I've ever found particularly horrific. It may seem weird to list those "flaws" here where everyone can look at my photos and critique how I look, but the fact is I've been appreciating these so-called physical imperfections a lot more lately. Large nose? Not such a deformity after all. Gives my face character, I think. Knobby knees? I think I'm the only one who even notices these, to be honest. I am now nonplussed by them. Non-flat stomach? It's not really natural for most women to have flat stomachs. Even with large amounts of exercise I've never been able to achieve this, because it's a tiny curve I'm meant to have. And curves are a pleasing shape, after all. And my boobs? Again, curves are pleasing to the eye. I think I like 'em after all, even if they make bikini shopping quite difficult.

Yes, I feel a little awkward having written about my chest size knowing that classmates, family members, friends, and the like read this, but I'll let it be. Not something to be embarassed about, really. I've been thinking a lot about body image and how it shouldn't be considered vain or taboo to appreciate the way we look in all its uniqueness. Why should it be? Isn't it a much healthier mindset to find the beauty in ourselves and be proud of that than to be vocal about our hated features while keeping quiet about our loved features? I think so. And for that matter, since I'm spewing out random thoughts as it is, I wish compliments could be given more freely in our society. I often compliment strangers on their clothing or accessories, which never fails to elicit a smile and some friendly vibes (if not friendly conversation), but why is it inappropriate to tell a stranger, "Hi, I just wanted to say I think you have the most amazing legs"? Why can't we receive compliments like these without feeling overly scrutinized or hit on? The fact is, we all notice the way people look, albeit not to the same degree we notice our personal appearances, and it would be good for us to be more vocal about this in a positive way when we live in a society full of eating disorders, idolized stick-thin models, and obesity.

For now, I stick to the safe appearance-related compliments when I want to brighten someone else's day. Eyes and hair, folks, eyes and hair.

I would also like to add that, having spent the last 20 minutes or so ranting about body image, I think the preoccupation our society has with physical appearance is kind of ridiculous. Let's also take the time to appreciate the fact that our bodies are the vessels that keep us alive, that they pump blood, take in oxygen, fight illness, allow us to move and think and experience joy, and generally give us everything we have.

That's my long, rambling, tangent-filled TILT. I hope it didn't make me sound disgustingly positive, disgustingly appearance-obsessed, or disgustingly vain.

What do you love and appreciate about your body? It's a great exercise to list your "flaws" and then think of reasons to appreciate them, but I would also love to hear about what you find absolutely gorgeous about yourself. A collection of positive comments always seems to induce extreme happiness (another reason why Miss Gala's site is so fantastic), so let's make it happen. Go forth and comment, anonymously if you so choose, or proudly under your name. I am thankful for this in advance, haha.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Have a good night! And if you want more positive reading material, check out SARK. I'm currently reading her book Succulent Wild Woman (in tandem with Joseph Campbell's fascinating The Power of Myth, which you should also take a look at) and wow is that woman incredible.

Let's Be Unreasonable, Shall We?



The economy is enough to bring a brave (wo)man to his/her knees. Good ole recession is upon us once more. People are throwing about the term "Depression," often accompanied by a "Great," and possibly a "Second". . .

. . . And I am making an unreasonably expensive hypothetical wish list. What else is a girl to do?

Let's take it from the top, y'all.

♥ Studded bracelets a la Lanphear? Yes please!
Single, double, or triple studded cuff by Made Her Think.

♥ A nice combination of some of my current favorite kinds of shoes. Lace up? Check. Clunky wedge? Check. Quirky details? Check. Ankle height? Check.
Laced wedge boots by Opening Ceremony.

♥ I love the long, loose silhouette, and the attached shawl-like thing looks fantastic when draped over the head.
Karin dress by Cheap Monday.


♥ Pretty much nothing beats a good t-shirt. I adore these two and they would get such good wear.
"Stop Making Sense" and faux Chanel t-shirt by 5 Pre View.


♥ You know I'm all over the studs 'n leather, especially when the two are combined to make fingerless gloves, the likes of which I've been desiring for ages.
Studded fingerless gloves by ASOS.

♥ More studded wrist candy, only this time with an actual time-telling function.
Studs square watch by Bezel (Urban Vogue.)

♥ Oh man, I somehow lost the link for these sneakers and am currently too tired to think of it. Will try to remember/update tomorrow.
Silver high top sneakers by Nike.

♥ I've been eyeing these rings for the longest time. Itty bitty vampire fangs, anyone? Mmm.
Baby vamp rings by Bittersweets NY.

Maybe making a feasible wish list of reasonably priced items would be a better use of my time? Nah!

MCQUEENFORTARGETMCQUEENFORTARGET

I'm finding it hard to believe images from Alexander McQueen's Target line are already out, but they are. Well, two of them anyway.



The first image doesn't do much for me, but the second one. . .Well, I quite like it.

And the rest of the collection, as described by WWD, sounds promising:

"The collection has a muted color palette of black, white, gray and tan with accents of cobalt blue and bright pink. Studs and mesh give items an edge. There are studded jeans, shorts and denim jackets with asymmetrical closures, short tuxedo jackets and matching shorts, dresses in a blue and white painterly fabric, a one-shoulder dress in a gray-and-black zigzag pattern with a thick black belt, and a T-shirt with the image of Moss. 'The manufacturing is well finished and second to none in that price point,' McQueen said of the collection. 'It’s not expensive at all, but you get the execution of a well-designed collection. Because of the use of materials and the feeling, [Target] knew where the collection would go.' The designer’s favorite pieces in the line include 'the pink and black pieces and the little prom dresses.'"

Excited yet? I know I am!

Project East

Saturday night, as planned, I headed out into Cambridge for the Project East fashion show.

These are the only photos I managed to get of my outfit before it got wet and windblown. Apologies for the crappy quality and my terrifying expression on the right. . . My father has officially lost photo-taking privileges. I wore a Forever 21 fedora, a handmade top purchased in Jackson Heights, Forever 21 harem pants, Payless ankle boots, and a bag from a cute little boutique in Harvard Square. The top had a lot more volume than appears in the picture, keeping it from having a generic babydoll silhouette. I was comfy, weather-appropriate (the hat kept the rain from ruining my hair, always a plus), and felt good about the look.

But of course the actual show was far more fascinating than my outfit.

I had a great view from the second row, and I was so thankful to be there. The show kicked off with looks from Parsons designers Jisun Yoon, Kim Taeyeon, Lisa Ou, Sarah Law, Wen Shi, Yoon Nam, Aiden Yoo, Angela Gao, Bo Bae Lee, and Heezu Hwang. After a short intermission, professional designers Angel Chen, Chris Han, Giuliano Fujiwara, Jen Kao, Lydia Park, Manish Arora, Monique Pean, and Soojin Kang showed their looks.

The large number of designers made for a huge variety of styles, so I'm sure there was something for everyone. I unfortunately no longer remember the specifics of who showed which looks, but the overall impression I got was extremely positive.

The last designer to go was the legendary Issey Miyake. When his name came up over the head of the runway, the crowd went wild.

The talent of the other designers was undeniable, but wow; Miyake was on a whole different level. I believe, apart from a few frowns when my snapping camera failed to capture the occasional outfit, I had a had a large goofy grin plastered to my face for the entirety of the Miyake portion.

As the last models' heels clicked off the runway, the designers and models came out for the finale. Timothy Parent, Harvard senior and founder of Project East, strutted along with them sporting an edgy hairstyle and zipper-studded leather top.

I spoke to him briefly during the post-show auction, and there's an interview in the works. He seems like a pretty amazing guy!

Then it was off into the night once more, muddied boots making a quick detour to Urban Outfitters before heading home. An amazing night indeed.

Woohoo!

Whoops, I should probably have mentioned this earlier.

Tonight, in good ole Cambridge, MA, the Project East fashion show will be going on. I'll be there, as will numerous Asian fashion designers. The "headline act" - so to speak - will be Issey Miyake, appearing to show his designs for the first time somewhere other than his Paris runway. Yay!

Anyone else coming? I'd LOVE to meet you!!! Comment here or drop me and email, will ya?

Love,
Kori

Patty Does It Again

Walking past the Payless at the mall, I did a literal double-take when I saw these shoes in the window. After that, it was only a matter of two seconds of gawking before I wrapped a hand around my friend's wrist and yanked her toward the entryway of the store.

The Patricia Field label made sense. The platform, the super-high heel, and the studs certainly meshed with her fashion sensibilities, not to mention that had the shoes been a typical Payless brand I would have been absolutely shocked. The shoes look good in person; the leather is clearly faux up close, but the design appeals to me regardless. What can I say; when it comes to boots, I'm all for studs and leather. And the fact that the strap on the heel reminds me of the visor on a knight's helmet? That's just a plus.

You know with that heel height I will not be walking in these, but I still plan to try these on the next chance I get, just in case. They aren't available on the Payless site yet, but you can find them on Patricia Field's site, along with the rest of her new Payless collection (which, to be honest, isn't that impressive). And if you happen to be in the area, they are currently on sale at the Natick Collection.

Random addition: Rumi could make these absolutely killer.

Deep Red

Lately I've been noticing girls with hair dyed a deep, unnatural red popping up on street style blogs.


Photo sources: Dropsnap.jp, The Fashionist, Style Sightings, Dropsnap.jp

I have to say, I think it looks really good. It's definitely a statement since the color is clearly straight from a dye bottle, but it's a lot more subtle than, say, neon tresses.

I love how the top two girls styled it in a way that's classic yet modern. A bit of ladylike demeanor, some hints at vintage luxury, and a quirky sense of humor are great companions to the deep red bob. Of course, if you know me at all, then you can be sure that the bottom two girls share my style sensibilities to a greater extent. Whether rocking extremely long (left) or extremely short (right) locks, these girls were sure to don all black to add a nice contrast between hair and clothing. Killer shoes, sleek tight-clad legs, and a pinch of punky attitude finish off the look nicely.

Yeah, I'll probably be taking periodic breaks from my bio-studying to peer at myself in the mirror and contemplate whether it's a good idea to give my dark brown waves a bit of a reddish tint. Something darker than the girls in the photos, mind you, because my vampire-pale skin actually has an olive undertone, but I can't help but wonder whether I should give it a try. Just for fun. Then all I need is those studded boots and the leopard-print coat. . .

Fashion Inspiration: Drue Kataoka

Wow, what a night last night, huh? Obama's victory struck me a lot more intensely than I had anticipated, and I was whooping and dancing for joy with the best of them. More than just relief, I felt some distinct jubilation. This will be an interesting term, and I have a lot of hope for America.

Of course, this morning found me waking with a giddy emotion I can only compare to that of a child the day after their birthday when the party's over but there are still presents to unwrap and leftover cake to munch. Not to be too specific or anything. But I flipped open my laptop, set Obama's speech to play in the background, and like the true fashion geek that I am, clicked through to Mrs. O. Mrs. O is a fun blog documenting Michelle Obama's style, and I was a bit anxious to see who had made her dress from election night. (Narcisso Rodriguez, Spring '09, by the way.) Anyway, scrolling further, my eyes were met by this photo:

I like Michelle's style for the most part, I really do, but who could concentrate on her sober suit when the woman beside her was rocking a beflagged dress in a fresh, edgy way? Certainly not me!

It turns out this woman is a well-known artist named Drue Kataoka. Her artwork is definitely noteworthy, but so is her style.


I think Drue does a really good job balancing funky and classic pieces. Her signature sleek '20s-style bob, bright red lipstick, and matching nail polish always make a statement, and she clearly isn't afraid to stand out.


Whether she's clad in a form-fitting black dress, shimmering floor length gown, or silver pants, she seems to have definite flair for the dramatic, as is probably befitting an artist. I really am smitten with her fashion sense; she's one to watch!

That said, I am kind of psyched to see what Michelle Obama wears to the inaugural ball.

And also, don't you think Drue could pull off that YSL bob with fantastic success?

I Vote McQueen

I'm sitting here doing homework (well, okay, I was doing homework up until I checked my email and decided to share my findings) and feeling a bit nervous about the election. I voted this morning; you should too! America is a democracy, so vote for the man you believe will be the best president. . .as long as that man is Obama. Ha, I slightly jest.

Anyway, if Mccain-Palin win the race and we all have to flee the country, we can at least cheer ourselves up with this news, which I just found in WWD.

"Target in March will launch a new fashion initiative called Designer Collaborations. The program will bring the styles of well-established designers to the mass merchant at typical Target prices. Alexander McQueen is the first on deck and will design a version of his McQ collection called McQ Alexander McQueen for Target. The collection will have rock 'n' roll influences and edgy details such as studs and tattoo-print fabrics. Designer Initiative is a separate program from Target's Go International, which focuses on young or emerging designers. Target said additional Designer Collections will be announced in the future. Each collection will be available in stores for a limited time."

!!!!!!!!!!!!

McQueen for Target. Obama for America?

One can only hope.

Happy Halloween

I ended up having a fairly nontraditional Halloween last night. With only a few hours available for celebration, and having rejected all of the costumes at the local iParty, I culled a fairly lame costume from the depths of my closet with intentions of attending a Halloween party.

I guess I was trying to be some sort of "punk rocker chick," but when I made my way to the door, studded purse in hand, and my mom stopped me to ask why I wasn't dressed up, it became clear that I was dressed in the kind of outfit I would wear on a normal day. Whoops. I did make the mistake of taking inspiration from this outfit of Gala's, which wasn't exactly a costume. But at least I have some sweet ripped tights now! And since I ended up skipping the party in favor of a dinner out with friends, the fairly normal costume turned out to be a blessing in disguise (pun intended.)

My Halloween look was fairly uninspiring, so why don't you look at these instead:

Louise amidst skulls . . . spooky . . .

Alix is the classic witch in a perfect location

thegreatdawn made this amazing Bjork dress! (found in this BlackCigarette post.)

♥ Ooh! Ooh! I want Hermes sneakers too!

♥ Taghrid clearly has a knack for fantastic costumes. Can you say wow?

♥ And also, wow?

Cobrasnake has posted tons of Halloween pics since I last looked, so I'm off to take a peek! The actual holiday may be over, but I still have a bucket full of leftover candy to munch on, faux spiderwebs adorning my doorway, and some crazy party photos to live vicariously through. Hope everyone had an amazing day/night!