style

Holiday 2.0

Nov 14, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Uncategorized No Comments Tags: fashion, holiday, shopping, style

(Left to Right: Meadham Kirchhoff Ornament Sweater, Stella McCartney Reindeer Sweater, Moschino Appliqued Wool Sweater, Markus Lupfer Santa Claus Sweater)

All sweaters and photos from Netaporter.com

The Holiday Sweater, usually considered in poor sartorial taste, has returned in its “it’s so ugly it’s cool” splendor in the requisite shades of red with pieces of flair galor. Now that tacky has become daring and traditional is interchangeable with cool, that sweater need not be relegated to the “sweater party” that mocks its very existence, rather wear it proud. Spruce it up with an accessory or two and you’ll be the toast of the town.

Velvet Vixen

Aug 20, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Style No Comments Tags: femme fatale, Outfits, pre-fall, style, tom ford, vogue china

Gracing the pages of Vogue China are these morally ambiguous ladies decked in blue and green velvet, sporting come-F-me (or not) red lips and lounging in rooms soaked in jewel tones. Looks like the Fall will be dedicated to the Seductress, real or imagined.

{photos via}

The more laid back version? Instead of breaking your bank for a Tom Ford velvet gown with mesh cutouts (yes please), best stick with tailored lady like pieces in burgundy, blue, green, purple, fuschia and orange. Throw in some lace and a furry coat and you are ready to go manhunting.

Clockwise from top left: Joseph coat, Phillip Lim belted Peplum, Kenzo skirt, Willow dress, Acne Alison Grey, Versus heels, Fendi handbag, Isabel Marant boots

are we schmucks?

Aug 8, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Style 3 Comments Tags: givenchy, lanvin, marni, overpriced fashion, schmucks, style

Remember that movie Dinner for Schmucks? It’s about A-hole corporates who held dinners that celebrated the idiocy of their guests. I feel as if at times we simpletons are also being secretly mocked by the head haunchos of the fashion power houses. Just think of those t-shirts or plastic sunglasses famously Made in China that probably cost nothing to make and we pay out the noses for! Buyers remorse is usually the name of the game with these things, you leave the store feeling guilty and terrible. You desperately try to rock that item as much as you can only to stare at yourself in the mirror and curse the money that could have been in the bank for some other frivolous purchase. But hey, sometimes this stuff is downright funny and you have to have a giggle at it.

Ladies (and Gents), you can have this Givenchy Rottweiler tee for only $895 (before tax) and no it is not made of spun gold but rather 100% cotton! Furthermore, you can have some crystal accents fastened with brass. Look, even the model is trying to covertly steer you away from just giving your money away.

And now, for a real investment you can put your hard earned cash into this Lanvin cuff that retails for $2290 (yes, that is in USD). But of course you might think that these are at least semi-precious stones? No, honey, this thing is all glass and brass. Sadly, I truly love Lanvin but I have to say that everything that house churns out is absurdly overpriced. Sad face.

You can fight off the cold this fall and winter with this Peruvian scarf from Joseph for only $795. Now, it is made of alpaca but last time I checked alpaca wasn’t at the same market price of platinum. Plus, I saw this exact scarf at a roadside mart in Bolivia and it cost $3 with them cute little llamas and everything. Time to get knitting.

No matter how you attempt to rationalize this Marni bib for $590 you know that you probably will not wear this even once a week. In about a month, that white cotton will turn to yellow and you will inevitably dribble some coffee on it too. And no, you are not “investing” because this is made of cotton, crystals and black ribbon. Do the math. If you want this so badly you should spend $20 and a Saturday to learn how to macrame. I’m sure you can even find an online tutorial! This is not to say that I didn’t buy that ridiculously expensive cotton sundress or non-semiprecious bauble. I’m just saying maybe they should at least try and hide the fact that they think we are jerks even though we probably are jerks.

Red Hot

Aug 7, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Style 3 Comments Tags: alexander wang, iosselliani, phillip lim, ps1, red, style

I sat down at a street stall in Phnom Penh to this plate of raw red hot chilis and all I could think was “what a beautiful color for fall clothing” as well as “I’m going to need some Pepto and a clean toilet.” Of course, a clean toilet was not available so I did without. I don’t, however, want to do without that hue of red which I believe will be a great way to strut your stuff, or your lack of stuff, in the upcoming season. Currently searching for a BIG RED bag.

{PS1 Extra Large Satchel, Pashli Mini Satchel,Lia Pebble Bag}

And maybe some cherry accessories. What the hell. Pop it in there with an all neutral palette.

{Clockwise from top left: Susanna studded bootie, Love Me Heart Applique pumps, Iosselliani Rhinestone rings, Hot Lips ring}

Wannabe Brides Rejoice!

Aug 3, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Style, Weddings 1 Comment Tags: Bona Drag, Honestlywtf, Lover dress, Mara Hoffman, offbeat bride, style, wedding dress, weddings

While I was prepping to jump off the cliff and get hitched, I basically had a self-appointed full time job looking for dresses for the big day. Big ones, little ones, colored ones, fluffy ones, lacey ones, beaded ones. I probably checked the wares on Bona Drag daily (ever since I bought my very first Lover dress there for $200 less than anywhere else!) for the perfect offbeat reception dress and the most eye-catching accessories. I ended up with a Lover dress (again) for the party hardy portion of the night.

You can find the longer version here.

Lo and behold they have finally curated a Ceremonial Collection, just what a I was praying for 6 months ago! Also, did you see Honestly WTF?, they did a little something something about it too. It’s a little too late for me but not for you! Mara Hoffman finally made a wedding dress and this is what I would have worn:

Art deco (you’ll look like a walking Chrysler Building, a very pretty one), meets boho meets abso-freaking gorgeous and an open back too. She also made this heavily beaded number:

A bit too risqué (and heavy?) for my ass even though my concave non-bubbies would have been perfect for it. And what about the jewels?

This band is both affordable and understatedly cool. You want something more blinding? The wannabe Kim K’s (I think I am in this group. Sorry.) can go for this crazy contraption that will literally scream, “I AM THE COOLEST HIPSTER IN THIS COFFEE SHOP.”

{photos via Bona Drag}

Want it.

A Word of Warning

Aug 1, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Style 2 Comments Tags: models off duty, outfit inspiration, street style, style

Models are taller, prettier, and overall just a lot hotter than you. This is why these creatures get paid to walk around in expensive couture however the model-off-duty look is both lusted after and difficult to achieve mostly because, well, they are hotter than you. Checkout these ladies basically proving that models look good in everything. Imagine yourself wearing these sweats:

You would surely look like you belonged in a mall in New Jersey plus, trust me, those pants would do absolutely nothing for your figure. In fact, you might find that your ass has grown double time in them. On to exhibit 2, imagine yourself wearing an oversize jacket and WHITE tight, like sausage tight, pants that hit right below your calf. No no no no. Add to that flat grey high top sneakers and you have obliterated any remnant of a leg you had.

Lastly, attempt to pair a baggy chambray shirt with a shapeless floral print dress finished off with acid washed denim hidden wedge sneakers. You would end up on the back page of Glamour magazine with a black strip over your eyes and the stamp “DON’T.” Sorry. I actually sat next to this girl last month at Westville in Chelsea and she was wearing these god-awful sneakers yet, believe me, they looked really good on her.

Photos via Altamira

No to say that us Earthlings can’t dress like this too. Just take some care ladies, these looks are only for the pros as witnessed here. Take that sweatshirt T and pair it with a great pair of pants, a nice heel and top it off with red lipstick (which is basically like wearing jewelry except much cheaper). Remember, when wearing sneakers keep the shorts short and the pants long. Unless you are 5’8 and up, anything else and you’ll be asking,” Where did my calves go?” They got swallowed somewhere between your pants and your sneaker wedges dear.

Dolce Dog

Jul 31, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Dogs, Style No Comments Tags: Dogs, dolce & gabbana, style

Okay. So this Dolce & Gabbana bag sold out within a week on net-a-porter.com and it only proves that a big design house can make the weirdest shiz, slap their name on it and BAM, money is made. Reminds me of Mugatu who could wrap some dog poo in some foil, stick some fish hooks in it and call it earrings. I’m not hating though. Who wouldn’t want their little friends represented in tapestry form on a little handbag that also sports a 90′s chic gold chain? Um, this dog fanatic would. I’d ask them to make my little dino, Petrie, into a Dolce Dog too.

Fern House

Jul 24, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Style 6 Comments Tags: Hawaii, inspiration, lover the label, sigerson morrison, style

Lover Serpent dress, Sigerson Morrison Dali wedges

For the last 24 hours, we’ve been shacked up near the Halema`uma`u crater (what a mouthful) which literally means “fern house.” As the legend goes, the pig god Kamapua’a attempted to woo the feisty feminist Pele and instead they hurled fire and rain at each other and he turned into a fern surrounding her crater home. Our little chic shack (courtesy of VRBO) is nestled in a forest full of these ferns that emerge red, for natural SPF, and mature into beautiful green things. To honor both Pele and the pig god embodied in these ferns, I decided to wrap myself like a tight pork sausage in this rusty red lace casing.

I can’t be bothered to put makeup on. Sorry. I’m in HAWAII.

Backless White

Jul 19, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Style, Uncategorized No Comments Tags: Christian Louboutin, inspiration, Linda Farrow, Outfit, style

StyleStalker dress, Christian Louboutin espadrilles, Victor Osborne Hat, Linda Farrow Vintage sunnies

We are off to the Hawaii today for another wedding! I definitely packed this dress which is a perfect beach throw-on (and off), did not pack the sky high LB espadrilles that I got at a Barney’s warehouse sample sale years ago. Excited about shaved ice, tuna poke, sending Julia off to the land of marrieds, kayaking out to Captain Cook Monument to snorkel with dolphins and tomorrow night? We are night swimming with MANTA RAYS. I’m so freaking excited. I got a case for my iphone that makes it completely waterproof…I will let you know if it works.

Florally Yours

Jul 17, 2012 By gaowmichelle in Style 2 Comments Tags: Dogs, floral dress, inspiration, Outfits, style

Stones dress, Marc Jacobs shoes

The LA heat + humidity combo finally broke so to celebrate I decided to venture outside on my striped towel/blanket that I got in Sayulita last year. I also got this absolutely enormous dahlia at the Farmer’s Market a few days ago only because I had never seen a one so big! The dahlia and the nice weather inspired me to go floral for an afternoon while rolling around with my littles. I usually never skew so girly but sometimes it just feels right.

A trick about this big Dahlia I learned: put it in warm water when you get home to set the bloom and then change the water everyday.

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