A Cyborg in Their Final Form

Music to suit the situation. Lipstick to Void, of course.

I feel like I talk about this dress all the damn time but never got around to a proper outfit photo, so here you have it, just in time for fashion week. This is maybe my favorite dress in my wardrobe.

Brooklyn Babe

Earlier in the summer, W Magazine gave me the mission of wandering Brooklyn with last NYFW's show haunts as my inspiration: anyone who was paying attention might remember the outrage that ensued at being called to the outer borough for the Alexander Wang and Opening Ceremony Shows.....the tweets, the instagrams, the snark! Never mind that many of the editors and showgoers now live in this neighborhood..... hahaha.

a combination of new and old

God, I haven't done an outfit post in so long! Had to fight several spiders and skeletons in the closet to get the tripod out. Now I remember why I stopped doing them, taking your own pictures is a pain in the butt. But I did want to share this outfit agenda!

I actually just got this Comme des Garcons skirt yesterday-- for less than $100, too, happily enough. Like I said in my old budget/dream wardrobe series, it seriously pays to have friends in retail who are looking out for you. This still has the tags on it! I love good, random fortune. I'm wearing it with an Express jacket, which is plain and boring and lovely. I like to wear things that are either far too much or very plain. When you wear those two agendas together it makes for a good time. I wear my Margiela Tabi's every other day and they've broken in perfectly. 

Oh yeah, I'm a redhead now. Surprise? It has most certainly changed my beauty routine, I don't wear blue lipstick anymore (for now...) because I look a thousand percent like a clown (and not a Cindy Sherman one) with it on, but I am appreciating Lady Danger by MAC a whole lot. I've been testing out different skin finishes, also, trying to get my #robot look down. Still working on it. I'll keep you posted.

Anyway. Yep! Now I must go back to work. I'm a full time freelancer now (woo) and it's keeping me very busy, delightfully enough. See you around!

tabi time

Illamasqua Scribe Eyeliner, Comme des Garcons Jacket (remixed) from Fall 2005, TAO CDG blouse (remixed), Undercoverism shorts (gift), Margiela Tabis.

Hi peaches. Long time no see I suppose, at least on this little internet space. I have been writing elsewhere -- Teen Vogue, Rookie, and The Style Con (twice a week right now). I also did some interviews, I've been keeping busy. We're back to working on our monstering photo series, Tayler and I, after about a month off. "Off" is an inaccurate word to describe what I've been up to though. I've never been so busy in my life! I've been at Teen Vogue freelancing M-F and then working on other projects on Saturdays. Today and tomorrow are the only days I've been home, but I've been working today too. The only downtime I've had was when Tayler came over to hang this weekend and she took these pictures. This is my dining room, I've photographed in here quite often over the years. It's really dusty and gross right now, but I think that's fitting, everything in it is old. Pirate ship looks.

So -- since last post: I bought myself a grail item of mine, Margiela Tabis. I'm considering them my 21st birthday present (yes, that happened last week!). It was also the blog's 7th year anniversary, which is absurd to me. I've wanted these shoes for probably at least half of the blog's lifetime. When I look back on my past posts, in between cringing, I can recognize myself in my inspiration even though how I interpreted things was a lot different then. Quite honestly, my inspiration boards are the same they've always been. I have just reformulated my process, trimmed the fat. I wrote about giving away a lot of my clothes for TSC actually. 

Three years ago buying these shoes would have been completely ridiculous and unfeasible to me. But a lot has changed since then. The other week, I was walking through the office on one of my last days at the magazine, staring at my feet in these shoes, in a Seditionaries tshirt (a gift from Hazel from a Rookie swap) and navy CDG skirt (bought for myself last summer), and I had this out of body experience. I was living -- am living -- the dream I first articulated on this very blog years ago. Sophomore in high school dreams being lived out as a Senior in University. I've already purchased so many of the things I've dreamed about, through my writing and other work. I'm in the process of doing so many other things right now I can't even talk about, and I'm so excited, because even a year ago I wouldn't have had the capacity to think myself capable. But now I'm the girl with the tabis I used to hyperventilate with jealousy over. A lot of it -- so much, actually -- has been because of the kindness of my friends and mentors who have believed in me and gave me a chance (and even their clothes, as you might have noticed from this post). I'm a lucky girl. 

Thanks for helping me with everything, peaches. I'm happy you're here with me too. I think I'll do you proud this year.

trying something new

This Comme des Garcons skirt is from the 2005 collections, I think. It's one of the pieces I bought that day I mentioned in my last post. Normally I would never wear white -- I own about like, 4 white things that aren't t-shirts -- but I figured it was both too good to pass up and a good challenge. It falls at an awkward length and it is utterly shapeless to the body on me... and I love it for those exact reasons. I don't know how it can be so difficult to wear yet also so romantic and soft, it's why it drew me in. 

The tuxedo jacket I'm wearing with it is my dad's from his prom. He gave me black and white tails a few years ago, the black tailcoat was too beaten up and huge on me but I couldn't bear to let go of the white jacket.  I usually only wear it in my underwear and watch Tilda Swinton movies in it. But this jacket was the most natural thing I could think of to go with this skirt... no shirt. I don't own enough of the right shade of cream and I can't bear to break the color scheme up to distract from the skirt. This is my version of the power suit. Now if only I was like eight inches taller and liked wearing heels. Then everyone would be in trouble. #iconicexecutivelooks 

For a more SFW look, my friend Emily noted it'd look good with a knit so I pulled out this one I stole from my mom. I think she knit it herself. 

When I wear this skirt I feel like Eva in this scene. The Dreamers forever. 

In any case, I wore the knit+skirt combo to buy onion dip and hang out with my cat.

Just wanted to share a pretty thing I like. I was apprehensive posting some of these because boobs but then I laughed because total autonomy and ownership of my own images and direction and also who cares. I'm trying to grow a little bit at a time. 

See you soon.

cdg, chanel, pat mcgrath and biba

This weekend has been super packed with makeup and brilliant babes -- my skin is crying out for pampering but I think it was totally worth it. I've been trying to be more productive lately, and so there is a few things you can read from me on the internet. I'm really proud of my Chanel SS14 Makeup Tutorial on Rookie. I also did a quick nail post for Capitol Couture (the Hunger Games Online Magazine), too.

Click for tutorial.

Those over the top makeup looks are my favorite to do -- I ended up spending the rest of that day with that makeup on and I think it looked fabulous huhuhu. I've been consciously trying to do more intricate looks, I'm treating my fashion knowledge as my makeup handbook and going through all of my favorite shows to emulate the looks so I can get better at blending and just general makeup stuff. It's a conscious and methodical effort of learning the aesthetics back and front to the point where I can reference them unconsciously later on when I'm trying to make something uniquely my own. It's how I work when I used to spend a lot of time on my outfits, and now it's how I work teaching myself makeup.

Midnight recreations of Biba Fever and Pat McGrath for Galliano. Tayler did her own makeup using the MUFE Flash Palette pretty much exclusively (honestly, it is the best makeup investment in our combined arsenal). I did my makeup using Kryolan's Aquacolor to white my face out and then powdered with MUFE, and then a bevvy of eyeshadows of my own mixing (I did a tutorial on this) and MAC's Carbon. I'm wearing Illamasqua's Kontrol on my lips because on the monitor Sasha's lips read more cool blue, but I think a deeper, more wine color would be more accurate. My drawn on eyebrows are just liquid eyeliner, I used Clarins. I've listed alternatives you can use below for the same effect. 

Tried to go to the Yayoi exhibit but the line was super long so I went to Comme des Garcons and played around in my future wardrobe instead. Give me like 6 years and they'll be in my closet. Tayler snapped this photo on the way to CDG, she ordered me into the light. It's nice having someone around who is even more obsessed with lighting than I am! I usually have to art direct everything. Anyway, I'm wearing a vintage coat, Cole Haan shoes and a dress that has been on the blog before. Here are your options if you'd like something similar:

Me in the ideal fall coat by Junya Watanabe. It's sold out on farfetch in this colorway, but is available elsewhere should you happen to have that $$$$ lying around. It's disgusting how perfect it fit and how beautifully tailored it is. I think I'm aspirationally more of a Junya girl than a mainline CDG girl most days -- I want to be the punk girl Junya creates.

I'm definitely more of  a Rei baby though. Who could look half as good in these ridiculous coats as me? Too bad they cost more than my tuition. I'll have to wait for a sample sale. Still, walking away from playing with CDG doesn't bother me because I know I'm resourceful enough to find a way to get what I want eventually. It might take realistically like ten years or whatever but it's never a question that it won't be mine. *muffled maniacal laughter in the distance*

Ok I really have homework and deadlines to attend to, but I hope you had a rad weekend too cutie pie. 

wedding looks for grown up mall goths

Some quick snaps from London again for you -- like I said my last London update, my camera wasn't very helpful so these are from my phone. I also forgot to bring any makeup besides lipstick and CC cream so I look different than I'd like, I feel like this look would have been killer with a really bizarre eyeliner situation but alas. We look totally miserable by default but I swear we were actually happy. I'M SORRY I'M AN IRL DARIA. Anyway! I've been saving this Junya Watanabe dress that I scored at the last CDG Sample Sale for months and months -- I got it at a bargain price, still made me hyperventilate at the register but when it comes to once in a lifetime dresses, I kind of just grit my teeth and remind myself I work to buy things I dream of.  Still, it's just so much LOOK, you know? 

When it comes to such a bizarre dress, it's really important for my own enjoyment of wearing the garment to research it's history. It's pretty far removed from traditional dresses, literally made from parachute fabric, and the most practical reference I have for it is like a high fashion version of those Tripp NYC Baggy bondage pants all the mall goths used to wear when I went to high school. I love the images of this season from Junya:

(via)

When we went to Selfridges to try on pretty things (well, actually for me to frolic in the La Fille D'o lingerie section) it was very funny, because I tried on the red leather Junya Watanabe leather jacket I linked up above and it looked virtually the same as my vintage leather jacket I'm wearing in these photos, though mine was less than 1/7th the price. Goes to show you you don't necessarily need to buy the label to buy the look. Though when it comes to some items like this parachute dress, sometimes you just can't find imitations. Even with the Junya jacket, it had knitwear detailing and super stiff, corset leather which is very different from this jacket. Still, it's all in the details. Even the vintage and thrifted things I buy are very on-brand...it's about weird proportions and cuts, and you can find those things in the most unexpected places. Want a CDG tricot look? Go into the school uniform section of your children's apparel store and frolic. Few people would know the difference if you style it right. In fact, it's even more admirable if you can achieve the look without buying into it, sometimes, I think. It's important to me that when I'm thrifting and come across the occasional designer label, that I don't buy the thing just because of the label. Would I really wear it? Really? Even if it's CDG, is the the specific aesthetic of CDG (for there are many) that I obsess over or is it just a pretty tag? And I usually put it down and move on. I haven't regretted many sartorial decisions because of it. 

the irony of perfect destruction

This outfit doubles as a London outfit post AND shows you what I wore to the first day of NYFW, haha. Quick phone snaps of my current 'practical' 'every day' fave outfit, I've worn it at least once a week for a month. Dress by Comme des Garcons, everything else is from wholesale liquidators and/or Goodwill. The most literal high/low mix and pretty descriptive of my actual style....I buy from Goodwill every six or eight months or something if something I've worn for awhile is worn out, and save the rest for the yearly CDG sample sales. My focus for my future is to consume less but better. This dress is surprisingly versatile and good for this idea because of the half sheerness, and the lack of structure (or rather, the more unusual kind of structure) of the top, so I can wear it tucked into pants, or with shorts, or with another layer of skirts, or backwards, etc. A lot of possibilities. It would be completely hideous if the actual techniques used weren't perfect. Comme is so interesting because it uses the rules of tailoring, patterncutting, etc, and completely distorts the approach. It reformulates the rules on it's own terms. I like this particular take on it a lot for it's playful dark geometry....if I bothered going to my senior prom, I'd have gladly worn this.

The quality of these photos is a bit of a  bummer but we shot & edited them on my phone, so you win some and lose some. These photos were taken on the side streets of Brick Lane in London, such a cute neighborhood, so much cool art and interesting shops.  A nice mix of  dollar bagels and Yohji Yamamoto gloves -- the best mix, really.

Edit: Thought it would be cool to show that yeah, I literally do just completely recycle outfits shamelessly. Here's outside Lincoln Center w/ my cutie internet bud Ben. He let me print his photos in my queer/fashion/feminsm zine I did a while back (but have yet to sell online, because I'm horrible), he's really talented:

Yay, friends!!! Aren't his shoes the illest? Ignore the fact I am a scrub and not looking in the right camera. Oops. 

parachute pants and james deen impressions

While cleaning my closet some days ago I came across a drawer full of cool pants I have very rarely if ever worn, they're all vintage pants my mom made or wore when she was around my age. These wool parachute pants were one of them. I think she made them herself, I haven't bothered to ask her though. How can she like these but then call my new CDG skirt ugly?! The world may never know.

I am wearing that TAO blouse again (you can see more of the details without the jacket right?), along with these ridiculous but wonderful shoes. Walking on cobblestone in these was way fun -- not. But they are beautiful and I suffer through it. Every time I wear them, I complain but they also make every outfit better so it's really just talk.

Hope all is well. x Arabelle

chopped up victorian modern

I'm totally in love with this little alley for photos, perhaps you'll get tired of it soon but I won't! I think the industrial, airy, distressed quality of it is quite beautiful and is much more suitable for my outfits and like.. general existence... than a garden or a sidewalk. I'm not outdoorsy at all. Anyway, this skirt is one of my new CDG pieces that I purchased at the Archive sale. 

I'm wearing it with a TAO blouse my friend Ari gave to me awhile ago. It's pretty shapeless and strange, the way I wore it today is completely different from the way I wore it last time. I don't know if there really is a right way to wear CDG? I like it that way, though, the possibilities. Both the skirt and the blouse have weird details that make it look probably just plain wrong to strangers but that's half the fun, really. 

Outfit details: 

One Spo Blazer (my friend Massiel's, who took these photos)

TAO Comme des Garcons Capelet Top worn as Blouse (similar)

Comme des Garcons Skirt (similar)

Feminine and Masculine 1954x Shoes (c/o)

smoke and ladders

 

Schools out for summer! I guess I have lots to talk about -- like the CDG Archive Sale! I bought a bunch of stuff, now I am close to my goal. When I came home I just stared at my room with utter disgust at all the stuff I have though, so I spent the past few days cleaning out my closet and decluttering because I have so, so many unique items I've thrifted and whatnot, but so little of it fits where I am going aesthetically. Not really into super kawaii, sequin frills. I need a little bit of wrongness, you know? I'm trying to figure out a place to host a blogger flea market or something in NYC or Brooklyn with a few other babes -- if you've got a spot or an idea, let me know. I just want my clothes gone!

Anyway, this is not one of the pieces I purchased at the Archive Sale, if you thought it was -- it's been on the blog before actually. I thought I'd photograph it with this dress because it's a bit of an unexpected match; the dress is Pinkyotto (c/o) -- similar here -- and it's so, so sweet. I actually got a skirt, and two dresses at the Archive Sale and easily could have convinced myself into two other pieces but I have to keep a budget so I can travel semi-comfortably later in the summer. Eeeee, London in August!!!!!!! I work really hard at school and at my freelance jobs but spending my own money on the ticket and at the Archive Sale made me hyperventilate both times respectively but there is really nothing like being able to do something for yourself that you really love and care about all on your own. I guess that is what being an adult feels like, a little.

Pardon my Helga Pataki mid-walk stance, being this cute just comes naturally. Oh yeah -- I guess this is the fashion blog debut of my new hair, too, huh? Got it done a few weeks ago. My hair grows super fast so I've already been to the salon to shave the undercut twice. I love the buzzer. 

Hope all is well (and I'll be posting more often now because I'm out of school, I promise!) -- Arabelle

it's not supposed to be pretty

I got this school uniform at Goodwill the last time I visited (and scored some amazing shoes too, if you follow me on instagram you'll know which ones) because it just strikes me as just the right amount of ugly. In middle school, I had to wear school uniforms and I absolutely loathed it, but now I'm glad I can still fit into them (?!) because they go really well with the awkward school goth whatever look I enjoy so much. I look short and my dad says I look hasidic. I see nothing wrong with this, so like, whatever.

I am wearing a Comme des Garcons FW2010 jacket, French Toast Skirt Overall, Vintage Blouse, Zana Bayne harness, and Feminine/Masculine shoes c/o. Lipstick is PBCO. As always, click to enlarge the photos.

and then we caught pneumonia

Massiel is basically my blog photographer now, ahaha. It's nice to have someone to dress up with and collaborate with on a frequent basis! Mixed fashion gurls 4ever. 

I have a goal to have 10 pieces of Comme des Garcons before I'm 25, and this jacket marks the 5th piece. I dunno, it's just something to work towards, you know? It keeps me on track in regards to savings and buying my yearly CDG piece makes me feel motivated.  I'm so happy I got this jacket (and at 30% off on Ebay), I'd been staring at it for probably a month once I found it and it goes very well with my other Comme items. It's from F/W 2010, which I gushed a little about on my new tumblr. 

Yes, I'm back on tumblr. Jazz hands? 

On Massiel: Betsey Johnson black dress, Metamorphose blazer, my shoes (seen here). 

On me: Comme des Garcons FW2010 cropped jacket, Comme des Garcons FW2008 Cage Dress (seen here and here), Feminine & Masculine Shoes c/o (also seen here). 

You can see our individual outfits here. Massiel. Me. But you can also just click any of these photos, they'll enlarge. 

We spent a few hours playing dressup, you'll see the other outfits in other posts later this week probably. See ya.

Formative Looks: 90's CDG

Anyone who knows me even vaguely knows I am a CDG obsessee - the tag spans the very beginning of this blog, and the brand is one of the reasons I started blogging in the first place, started loving fashion in the first place. It constantly makes me think and it's what I fall back on whenever... well, whenever. It's one of my keys to survival, and the brand shapes my aesthetic and what I look for in other brands. I can not underscore my love for the brand, for Rei, for Junya, and for what they've given me. I thought I'd put together a memoriam of my favorite looks of CDG for my own personal pleasure here for future reference. CDG has been around for ages though, so I'm going to break it up into different posts / decades / eras etc. 

“For something to be beautiful it doesn’t have to be pretty.”- Rei Kawakubo

SS 1995. Rei described the feeling of this collection as this: “Looking for a future with a positive, vibrant energy.”

I enjoy the early era of CDG as the cluttered, learning process of Rei. It's kind of romantic? And romantic is not the first word I would say when I think about Rei....so I'm especially fond of her older collections because of it.

SS 1996. This was probably one of the most memorable collections of CDG, and I love the campaign  images so much too. Somehow it's really peaceful despite being such a colorful collection? It's one of my favorite incarnations of the CDG woman, because it's so connected to other woman. I feel like it's important to view this girl connected to other girls. They're all on a different level than you. They're looking away from you, they're in their own rainbow world and it's peaceful and full of power you can't understand.

The rest of the images in this series can be found here.

 

“Comme des Garçons can never, by its nature, appeal to everyone. It would be the end of CDG if it ever did. We have to maintain the paradox of creation [that will never] be understood by everyone, and yet through its indirect power, we are able to continue.”- Rei Kawakubo

 Fall/Winter 1996. I like this one so much because it's an amalgamation of everything I'm currently loving! I like the rich, velvet fabrics but the fact they weren't interpreted in a baroque royalty kind of way. It's fresh. And J.W. Anderson reminds me a lot of this era in some ways.

But my favorite... the true #1 formative collection for me ever of all time is SS97. It's everything. I did an homage here, my feelings haven't really changed from then.

Vogue Paris, 1997 Comme des Garçons, Spring 1997

Spring/Summer 1998 is wonderful too. It's timeless, I see reiterations of the styling all of the time.