CHROMAT FW14: Donna Haraway Robot Blogging IRL

I dictate my own aesthetics and brainwaves by building my own mythology surrounding the things I love and care about. For the past few years or at least, for the past year, it's all about Monsters, and Lady Vengeance Looks specifically. But since the New Year I've been preoccupied by cyborgs and robots and the feminisms associated with them. I actually really dislike much of the academia Donna Haraway has put out there -- it's totally unapproachable and unlivable, removed from real people -- but so much of what she says about cyborgs and innocence and humanity rings true to me, too. So I spend a lot of time just thinking about it, and I'm obsessed with sci-fi and robots because of it. So when the robo babes came down the runway a few nights ago courtesy of Becca and her CHROMAT crew, I was completely floored. I've been going to fashion week for I think, thirteen seasons now? But this is the first show I yelled at, with so much joy and delight. It felt really fun.

 So much of fashion week is about being 2 cool 4 school, getting the best instagram, getting snapped the most. This show reminded me clothes can be promising, and fun, and new, and cool, and fuck everything else. 

I'm also super glad that I've made a conscious decision to only go to shows where I know I will see my friends -- peep my girl Gillian in the background of this picture, and William too (congrats on your new gig, dude) -- as well as to shows where I connect to the designers. While it's an absolute honor to get invited to shows every season, if I know I wouldn't ever wear a designer even if I could afford it (which I can't, ever, I mean, retail price????? hahahahaha) -- it's also a fantasy I'm disinterested in participating in. CHROMAT stuff is not inexpensive, but it's also a small brand and pretty much hand made by a bunch of rad (and mostly queer) women. With Chromat I know who works on the pieces, I know how long they take because I ask, I am allowed into the process. This is my favorite thing about small brands: they let you in. You are unquestionably the center of their universe. This isn't something you can say about larger brands who have to fill a quota for their investors in terms of new releases every season, regardless of how inspired they feel. 

I'm so happy to see Becca grow and evolve and get her stuff worn by our heroes like Beyonce etc. When you can connect to fashion brands and feel proud on their behalf, like they're family, it's really the most fun. And we all know how I feel about lingerie, and badass women. So A+ all around. 

This piece was such a showstopper -- I reached out to touch it on instinct when it jangled past me but I kept my hands to myself because I'm not an asshole. But really: XENA Warrior Princess Looks, right? I bet Beyonce already reserved several in her size. 

Big ups for the diversity in casting, too. There was no tokenism to be found -- and I noticed, and I appreciated it a lot. I'm noticing runways are getting better at it this season, but I'm also only going to shows and presentation where they haven't had horrible histories at doing that, so I am not one to gauge the situation accurately. 

There were so many YESSSS moments in this show -- I'm glad I brought Tayler along to properly document it. Look at this friggin outfit. I haven't documented my season faithfully to the internet and I'm not mad about it, because I want to pay attention to the clothes and the experience more than proving I am somewhere. But I think if I didn't get photos from this show for myself I'd have been bummed out. Just: picture these light up robot goddesses, marching in the complete darkness to a bunch of beautiful people, cheering them on. It was really beautiful and exciting to be part of. 

I mean. Look at this. Metropolis Goddess Looks. Cyborg feminism moments for us to remember and emulate. God bless. 

This collection makes me really excited for Lingerie Fashion Week in a few weeks, actually -- I'll keep you posted on those shenanigans, too. But now I have to do my homework before more shows. And probably brush my teeth. Ok, bye.

bringing the drama

I know we're well past NYFW (my favorite day of fashion month already passed in Paris, too) but I thought it was important to showcase the work of Michael Doyle, from the Art Institute Show from NYFW this season. I wasn't feeling up to going so I asked Tayler to scope it out for me and I regret not going now if only for Doyle's work. It's very dramatic and beautiful and reminded me of my favorite illustrations for my favorite lady, Salome -- the Oscar Wilde retelling of the story. I've written about how much I love her for Rookie already. 

When I looked more into Doyle's inspiration, I wasn't even surprised. Verbatim:

My collection "Of a Neophyte" is inspired by the Art Nouveau artist Aubrey Beardsley. He was an early 20th Century artist from the UK who made grotesque and sexually charged paintings inspired by (or mocking) his aristocratic upbringing. My collection is inspired by costume and history, yet my personal level of creation and innovation makes the clothes very special and of a time not seen before. I stay as conceptual as possible and create clothing that is not a carbon copy of my inspiration.

Aubrey Beardsley was the illustrator for my favorite version of Salome. I remember flipping through Wilde's play in middle school and staring at how lethal and beautiful the illustrations were. I've always gravitated towards the gothic, I guess. Gothic women actually had FEELINGS, so know? Feelings like RAGE and bitterness and things I was feeling as a bullied marginalized girl in middle school who was questioning her sexuality and getting real tired of people calling me Chinese Chicken or Jackie Chan's little sister and then asking me to do their homework for them. Gothic women killed their men and looked fabulous doing it. I've always admired that. I still do, haha.

I think Doyle's interpretations are really beautiful and I wanted to share them because he's been overlooked a little, I think. Ok, I'm back to doing homework.  I'll talk to you soon -- I have so much to share!!! Much love.

ann yee ss2014

I'm laying low this NYFW but I asked my friend Tayler (who you will likely grow to recognize on this blog in the future, just a hint) to snap some pics of Ann Yee's presentation for me because I couldn't make it at the last minute. I really love Ann Yee's work and try to make it every season so it was really important to me that if I couldn't go myself, I could still get material for ze blog for posterity. Here are Taylor's snaps of the presentation.

I way prefer artistic, chill presentations like this to shows, though I get why people fall over themselves to go to a runway show -- it's what we think of when we think of fashion, a lot of the time. Still, something to be said about having the luxury of just seeing babes being babely without flashing bulbs distorting the colors or the fast pace of the runway or people's iPads blocking your view of the clothes. After many seasons of NYFW (I think this may mark my 11th...wow) I know what I like in fashion, and that is the luxury of slowing down to taste the flavors. Might just be I'm waiting for the next big New York designer to lure me in. It's time for a new babe to get the nod from Ms. Wintour, don't you think?

lingerie fw day two: cuteness and respectability

Romwe Printed Dress, Rebecca Minkoff Metallic Pink Bag (similar) c/o,  Qupid Holographic Flats c/o, Vintage Necklace, Urban Decay Jilted Lipstick c/o. 

My outfit for Day Two of  LingerieFW, snapped by Caro after the Dita show. Thank you my dear! You should give yourself more credit as a photographer, huhuhu.

 Anyway, I got this dress while I was in Taipei last summer and I wore it quite a lot this spring (even instagrammed an outfit in it before) and then totally forgot about it until the other day. I've been much more into sparser color palettes and less patterns (you'll see what I mean in a few more posts, which are things I wear on a day to day basis) but I realized I'd never documented this dress or bag before and couldn't pass up the opportunity to bring them out on such a pretty day. It's a super obnoxiously vibrant, baroque, femme outfit and it was disconcerting how different dudes (and different kinds of dudes specifically) treat me in this compared to my now pretty  uniform outfit of red velvet shorts, leather harness and a scowl. I think it's mostly because being cute implies you're harmless or passive or something when you're a 5 ft 3 something girl like me, and I am.....not okay with that idea of pretty.  It doesn't make me feel safe or in charge of myself.

Some snaps from the Nevaeh presentation -- super into that set on the blonde especially. 

I do think I look really cute in this outfit and it makes me feel confident when I'm walking around with girlfriends but I feel a little more at home in things decidedly more dark. It's more confusing and harder to swallow and I like disrupting people's ideas of respectability when I mess with what cute/femme/ladylike means. The day after I wore this, I wore a floor length black dress and no makeup to balance out my mojo....hahaha. Of course, I am on my period and thus feel like dying and killing everything also so that....is certainly....an influence to my outfit choices. BUT! BESIDES THAT! I've definitely made a conscious decision to set aside my super colorful outfits for awhile....in fact, I've set side racks of clothes to sell in late September along with some other cuties. If you're in Brooklyn in September, you'll be a happy babe, I promise.

magical lingerie moments with dita von teese

If you've been following me for a lil bit, you'll have noticed I'm a huge lingerie addict. (Like I need another expensive material obsession when I run both a fashion and a beauty blog!) Lingerie Fashion Week, CurveExpo and Lingerie Collective are all happening right now, so many of my lingerie blogger friends (and designer obsessions!) are showing in New York this week. It's so fun to finally meet people I talk to on a pretty much daily basis and even more to do so while we all mutually fangirl beautiful lingerie.

Lingerie is seen often see as this kind of intimidating, luxury expense you only buy to look good for your partner but I like to see it as a way of worshipping yourself and your body. I don't think you need or should seek other people's validation when it comes to clothes in general, especially something often private like lingerie! If it makes you feel good and powerful it's worth it, any sexy times that may result are just added benefits. Honestly, buying a quality set for myself was one of the best decisions I made for my self image, because even if you're single you can just walk around the house in it, dancing to Beyonce (I made this playlist for this exact purpose) and have a great time. It's pure self care.

But anyway. I wanted to share with you some moments from Lingerie Fashion Week Day 2, specifically the Secrets in Lace / Dita Von Teese Runway Presentation. I've been going to NYFW for going on five years now (so literally many dozens of shows) but I can count the number of shows that have really inspired and impressed me and made me super excited about fashion on both hands. This was one of them.

(This video isn't actually upside down, just click, you'll be happy you did.)

Took all of these stuff on my phone, so I apologies it's not crispy clean DSLR perfection. Didn't want to lug it around. You can expect more coverage from LFW and the other lingerie events I'll be attending on my Instagram & Tumblr for live coverage, and more in depth round ups and interviews with designers & brands & my outfits from each day here on a near-daily or daily basis, I'll see what I can manage! Check back soon. Much love.

MLM: La Perla Presentation

Long time no see, so what better way of breaking radio silence with back to back posts from NYFW? Kimberly Ovitz was my favorite show so far (no pictures tho, I was too concentrated and dazzled and meditating to the sick soundtrack) but La Perla was my favorite too for #magical lingerie moments reasons. I took a lot of pictures, they'll be under a cut. 

Rookie Prom

Marie, Leeann and I. ROOKIE STAFF JAMS. I'm wearing an Opening Ceremony dress (previously worn on the blog here) and a RM bag c/o.

Nicolette, my #lesbichic blogbff, and Jenna Sauers, The Best Person Jezebel Has On It's Staff Period.

ROOKIE STAFF PHOTO BOOMMMBBBB

Lightspeed Champion/Blood Orange and Alexa at the photobooth. Was too obsessed to say hi. 

Elizabeth, Amy Rose & her friend and Marie. 

Petra & Avery being FUCKING ADORABLE UGH 

Anaheed, Laia, Ira and Amy Rose being the literal manifestation of adorable happiness. 

ROOKIE BABIES. Not every Rookie staff of course, not even everyone at the party! -- but lots of us. It was so, so fun, and I am unspeakably, wondrously lucky to love & know every single one of these MEGA BABES. I am so proud of my baby gurl Tavi and every single staffer and it was a privilege to experience this week. 

All of these photos are Alyssa Laurel Photography. 

Rookie Rush Week

I still have a few shows to put up from NYFW but I wanted to share these pictures first.

One of my outfits, this is from Saturday when I was hanging out with Petra and Avery and Sandy at the Met after the Rachel Antonoff show (pics soon). Rodarte for Opening Ceremony Dress, Zana Bayne Harness, Rebecca Minkoff Perf Beau Clutch (c/o), Vivienne Westwood x Anglomania Winged Sandals

Image from Gothamist.

Yes, I do recycle outfits! Only difference is I'm wearing some H&M shoes I purchased during FNO the night before for $20 bones because my new & beautiful Nanette Lepore shoes were killing me. You'll see those in a future post. I carried around 2 bags to all the shows. Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac for my camera, Rebecca Minkoff Lizard Flirty for my phone etc. Wearing Illamasqua Apocalips on my lips. 

And some photos  from Rookie events, like the book signing & reading & the Prom:

Photo by Natalie.

I'll put the photos from the Ace Party / Prom in a different post. See ya. xxxooxoxoxox

Eckhaus Latta SS2013

Little obsessed with the models in the back.



THEY ARE. SO. CUTE.







Really into the Echaus Latta presentation too, it was more of a performance piece than models staring into space, though I couldn't capture that aspect. I wanna see this stuff up close at a showroom and see it better -- last season Eckhaus Latta used plastic to make this kind of shearling coat I saw at Opening Ceremony and it was really cool, I bet they did the same thing, or something similar, with some of these seemingly simplistic garments.