Fox Jumps Over

Why not?

PhatKat — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:01:29 +0000

So everybody’s been talking about the whole blogs vs. magazines issue and it’s something I’ve thought about a lot.

I subscribe to a lot of magazines – Elle, Bazaar, Nylon, British Vogue, Jalouse, Glamour, Teen Vogue – and I regularly read others like In Style and (shamefully) Cosmo.

I also read a lot of blogs, at least 40. (Thank god for Bloglovin)

What I look for is inspiration for my life. I follow the runway shows during Fashion Week/Month on NYMag.com and Style.com, so I’m not looking for anyone to show me what happened on the runways. Also, while I appreciate fashion as art, that’s not so much my interest.

Editors and fashion critics seem to be upset that people are turning to blogs because bloggers have no experience from which to judge beyond their personal preferences, and because editors believe that bloggers are being bought off by designers. (See here, especially the last two paragraphs)

(Wanna hear more?)

First, this graphic from this article pretty much sums up how the “bought off” argument is bull:

Sure, publicists could “plant” stories with blogs like the first article suggests, but isn’t that how publicity works? Don’t they give similar stories to magazines? Magazines just suffer because they’re monthly as opposed to instant.

Also, ad sales. I always feel betrayed when I try products I see mentioned in articles because they’re basically ads, the editors just keep pushing new products, their advertisers are also the people they’re supposedly writing so objectively about. Fat chance.

But here’s the part that matters to me. You may have noticed a magazine missing from my subscription list – American Vogue. I have to say it is one of my least favorite magazines out there. First of all, the editorials always seem to be full runway looks – head to toe one designer. I’ve usually seen those looks already since I follow along during Fashion Week (from a distance, but I do my best), so it’s not interesting to look at pictures of some girl jumping against a gray background wearing the same thing I’ve already seen. The next problem has to do with cost, almost everything in Vogue is very, very expensive. One of the things that made me decide to subscribe to British Vogue is this feature they run called “More Dash than Cash” and it’s a DIY spread of sorts, re-purposing old pieces as well as modifying things, there’s nothing like that in American Vogue, it’s all expensive with nothing beyond the designers inspiration (which is good unless you’ve already seen the pictures from the runway).

Maybe I’m still to young for Vogue since I don’t have an adult budget and I don’t work at an office yet, but I don’t feel like I’m missing anything by not subscribing.

I like other magazines because they have more inspirational editorials and features. I don’t mean things like “Runway to Real Way” because I can figure that out on my own, but often their features are more practical and original. Cosmo’s sex tips may be absurd, but they know they’re dressing real people and they mix trends with accessible things.

Most of the blogs I read are outfit blogs, a girl takes pictures of herself and posts them. It’s really interesting to see what other people are wearing and it’s much more inspiring than the designer looks Vogue shows, because so much of the interesting in those pictures comes from the incredible work of the designer, which I can’t afford. These girls are usually students on small budgets like me and they re-wear pieces like normal people. Even if I don’t have the same look as these girls and I’m not getting the freebies some of them get, I connect more with them than magazines.

Magazines are failing, we all know that. I buy them all the time in airports and drugstores and I have my subscriptions, but with the internet, they’re becoming more and more obsolete. Almost every industry seems to be struggling with the same problem, but I don’t know if magazines can survive a transition to the internet – just like newspapers… It will be very interesting to see what happens over the next few years.

So here are some of my favorite fashion blogs, just to wrap things up:

It’s not the most original list, but that’s not the point.

Layers

PhatKat — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:58:55 +0000

So I’ve always been a believer that leggings are not pants. With a tunic or a dress or a skirt, fine, but they are not appropriate bottoms (if you know what I mean). However… they do make for good layering, and apparently they’re really growing on me (like Uggs…). Here’s a set of pictures, with leggings – but they could just as easily be black jeans – but what I really like is the layered top part. The legging part was coincidence (some are jeans!).

This Time Tomorrow (jeans! not leggings!)

Style Sightings

Late Afternoon

Gala Gonzales

Nothing especially earth shattering, but great use of layers. I wish I were a better layer-er. Just have to keep practicing…

WEGA

Long time no see…

PhatKat — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:45:35 +0000

New Year’s resolutions:

1) Update more frequently

2) Keep resolutions…

I’ve been dressing boringly (exams, vacation) so I’ve been living vicariously through pictures and bloggers in terms of getting dressed. Some images, just for fun.

TFS

Marais USA

Glamour.com

Stockholm Street Style

hippiecouture

Oops.

PhatKat — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:32:16 +0000

I’ve been feeling pretty uninspired in the clothing department. Also super stressed as this semester entailed more work than I’d thought. Only three more weeks!

In order to put off writing my papers I thought I’d share these in the hopes that maybe I’d find something interesting to wear tomorrow morning for my day in the library (hint: it’ll be jeans and a tshirt and sneakers again… oh well…)

(most, if not all, photos from " target="_blank">OlsensAnonymous)

some Olsens indulgence… always better than homework…

Oh So Beautiful…

PhatKat — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:40:44 +0000

I just found the most beautiful shoes… So awesome. Too bad I don’t have the $1,150 for the pumps or the $1,195 for the boots… Oh Thakoon…

from Net-A-Porter.com

Wise Mr. Owl

PhatKat — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 05:58:55 +0000

So I’ve been noticing owls everywhere. I didn’t want to overload you guys, but here are some examples that I liked:

Pretty clutch from Anthropologie

from Forever21, they had a bunch of owl-themed things

French Connection UK, they have a top too.

Marc, my love… the same owl goes on lots of other things, like clutches and rings and wristlets… very adorable (from ShopBop)

Lovely Lanvin…

PhatKat — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:00:10 +0000

So like I mentioned before, I’m kind of behind in looking at shows, but I’m pushing through. I’ll catch up soon.

I’ve decided I don’t want to just post pictures of shows because I know the people who are interested have seen them before and I haven’t looked in to anything that’s not on Style.com yet.

But I haaad to post pictures from the Lanvin show, because they blew my mind. So so so gorgeous. I especially love the details and the jewelry and the shoes.

Pretty quilting. The dress is so simple, but elegant, and all the chunky jewelry adds so much flavor, I love it.

A much more interesting alternative to a suit. Obviously not quite right for work since the skirt is short, but the jacket is great. And again, the jewelry! It gives a nice edge…

lovely lovely lovely… great colors, great shapes!

I like the straps, it doesn’t feel too bondage-y, but it still has a toughness and chicness.

I’ve never been a jumpsuit fan, but this one i like a lot, very interesting.

Fantastic jewelry…

I love the texture on this dress…

and a close-up… need I say more?

great colors…

just lust…

The textures and shapes plus the bright turquoise shoes are fantastic.

Classic with a twist

Again, the colors! The textures!

so great, the colors are very neutral, but with the sparkles and bling and jewelry, it’s all amazing.Obviously I’m not buying any Lanvin anytime soon, but man do I wish I could. The jewelry has an ethnic flavor without looking too kitschy. I tend to wear a lot of simple pieces, so statement jewelry helps make everything more interesting.

The shine on the clothes is to die for. The dresses and tops and skirts are pretty, but not unfamiliar; however, the embellishment brings it to another level. We all know I love studs, but really, anything that makes things more interesting is always good.

I guess I’m just a huge fan of texture,

More Fashion Week…

PhatKat — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:52:24 +0000

Some looks from Spring 2010 Fashion Week. I got caught up in the middle, so I’m still going through a lot of it, but here are some looks that I liked.

Karen Walker

Christian Cota

3.1 Phillip Lim

Milly

Douglas Hannant

Milly

Rag & Bone

Sophie Theallet

Tracy Reese

Proenza Schouler

The Sartorialist

PhatKat — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:31:48 +0000

So it’s turning into fall weather, which is very exciting, I like layers and long pants. So here’re some great shots from the Scott Schuman, the Sartorialist. Always lovely…

I love the mix of patterns and the muted colors. The jacket is great and ever since I saw Coco avant Chanel I’ve been dying for a great striped Breton shirt.

Great shoes, for starters. All sorts of great colors, and the wonderful cuffed pants.

A man, but great layers and colors…

Wonderful! I’m really enjoying blazers and jackets of all sorts, and apparently black pants. I’ve been on the hunt for a great pair of slim black slacks. The fur looks so cozy too…

Again, great jacket, I love the different shapes and colors and tones and patterns… the short jacket with long sleeves and the longer cardigan. The layering of the buttoned shirt under the cardigan could look stuffy, but it doesn’t at all.

I love both of them, with their belted waists and their jackets/cardigans and scarves. I wouldn’t want to dress like my boyfriend, but I think they both are fantastically dressed.

Fashion Week!

PhatKat — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:18:38 +0000

So, I’m not ready to comment fully on fashion week or specific collections, but here are some images I saved from shows that I wish I were wearing right now… (apparently I’m craving stripes and trench coats)

Organic by John Patrick

Lela Rose

Karen Walker

Shipley & Halmos (I love this dress, so sexy but understated. Also the necklace… and the pumps…)