Joining the Ranks

HighFashionGirl is pleased to join the ranks of the fashion blogging elite on Coutorture. Coutorture was started by Julie of Almost Girl and Phil of Millionaire Socialite as a prime destination for fashion lovers around the globe.

From their Myspace:

Coutorture gives fashion lovers news, commentary, and community in one convenient location. Integrating fashion blogs, online magazines, and exclusive new media rich content, all while promoting a live forum of feedback and active participation, Coutorture is the new destination for online fashion. Coutorture Media is is an online fashion community of 52 of the best, most insightful, inspiring, and well read fashion bloggers gathered into one space http://www.coutorture.net. Not only do we serve as a hub for the best fashion content available online but we also serve as ambassadors to the fashion blogger community.

Visit the site for various fashion-related Communities, Channels, Videos, Recommendations and Free Giveaways!

Um, what?

Okay, I know that all of the lower end stores have been trying desperately hard to keep up with new trends (like K-mart, Wal-mart, Target, Old Navy, etc.) - and sometimes they succeed pretty well. However, I guess I just haven't been paying very close attention to just how trendy they're managing to be. Guess where these shoes are from (without looking at the links!):










They're from Payless. Fancy that!

Like Hot or Not, but awesomer:

Love It:
Good Books
Good music
Eddie and Pats
Eccentric avant-garde home furnishings
Vintage Clothes
Great Sales
Statler and Waldorf
The new Paul & Joe stuff at Target
Beautiful shoes
Amazing DIY products
Amazing Pop Art
Celebrity Gossip




Hate It:
Heatwaves/Global Warming
Hideous Shoes
Hideous Hair
Celebzillas
People with tons of $$ and stylists but no fashion sense
Please, just...no.
When Bad Clothes Happen to Good People
Again, please stop with the fuzzy bags!
The New Accessory: Live Roaches!

100th Post!

The 100th post says it's survey time! I want to know more about you. Go take my handy little survey, and drop me a comment to say hi. I cherish all of my readers and like to hear from you guys!

Click here for survey!

On another note, these nifty ankle boots are now up for auction with a starting bid of $9.99:

HFG Style Challenge

The challenge will work much like the one Budget Diva orchestrated. I will select an item and you have to make 2 outfits out of it. Outfit #1: Money is no object, goes as high end as you want. Outfit #2: This a budgeted version of outfit #1 and should bear some resemblance to it. I will select the top 5 outfits from the ones I get and then YOU GUYS get to vote for the winner (no voting for yourself!). The winner will receive a prize that's totally free (I even pay the shipping costs).

If you're cuckoo for vintage frame bags like I am, then you're going to be thrilled at the prize for the winner of this challenge. This mint condition frame bag is actually vintage (no replicas here):



Build your outfit around these boots from Anthropologie.



You have one week from today to get your outfits in to me. Email me at indie_elitist at yahoo.com. Please submit in a ready-to-go format (that look like this).

American Apparel: Run by A Chauvinist Pig?

Did you guys see the Dateline MSNBC special about the owner of American Apparel, Dov Charney? Here is the article from MSNBC.com: Sexy Marketing or Sexual Harassment? If you saw the show, does it change your opinion of buying clothes from American Apparel?

If you haven't seen the show, the brief recap is that 3 former employees of AA sued the company claiming sexual harassment by the owner. 2 of them settled out of court last year. The owner, walks around in his underwear, has porn up in his office, asked an employee to masturbate in front of him, gave oral sex to his assistant in front of an interviewer (outside of the office), and calls employees "sluts" and "cunts." That's just the quick recap, there's more in the story on Dateline.

Let me know your opinions!




Harassed by this guy? No thanks!

Weekend Round-Up

Okay, I'm kind of cheating. In my neck of the woods it technically is Friday! So you guys get the weekend round-up early. Aren't you so lucky?!



Modern Girl has cleverly discovered how to achieve a true J-Lo glow. Go read for the low-down on getting the look for yourself!

My Little Vogue Journal is chock full of good blogs with useful information about storing your precious scarves and handbags!

Susie has a wonderful round-up of the tartan print that was seen all over the runway, and some ideas on how to wear the print this fall.

I've always fancied myself the Queen of Secondhand Shopping, and have even fancied writing a book. While you wait for that gem to arrive at an Amazon near you, check out Style Tribes nifty guide to thrift shopping!

I'm kind of tired of cookie-cutter "It" girls. Trashionista blogs about Cory Kennedy, who's It girl status has little more to do with anything but her unique style.

B Glam discusses the nipped-in waist trend seen on the fall runways, and how to get the look for less.

Almost Girl takes wanna be "glam" scene queens to task!

Budget Fashionista has a helpful guide to skinny jeans.

In a revolving post about the 25 best shops in London, Bunnyshop blogs about Habitat. After reading their entry, I desperately wished I lived there so I could go!

Amazing fall fashion preview!

Hint Magazine offers you a VIP (Very Important Pieces) preview of YOOX's Fall/Winter items. There are 8 pages to click through, and each piece is more gorgeous than the last. Go scope out what new items for your fall/winter wardrobe from designers like Balenciaga, Viktor & Rolf, and Comme des Garçons. Click the image below to see it all now!

Are you bored?

If you have the summer off, or maybe you're doing some mind-numbing task at work, you might just be bored to tears. All of your favorite blogs only update once a day at most, and you've read those already. All of the chat rooms you visit have slowed to a crawl, and even the celebrity gossip has died down after the storm of "OMG! LANCE BASS IS GAY!"

I have some wonderful cures for your boredom that are in some way fashion related! Warning: some of these sites can be addictive. Proceed with caution!

1) Design Her Gals is the next step in cyber-models. Create your own "Gal" that looks like you, and make one for each of your pals too. Use your gal to create personalized stationary, business cards, t-shirts and more. Your options are wide open!

2) Skeptical of all of those adds that promise free Gucci bags, but only after you divulge every ounce of your personal information including your first hook-up? Well, I Love Free Jewelry actually delivers on its promise of..FREE JEWELRY! Complete an offer, much like you would the free ipod giveaway, and you actually get free jewelry. For reals! I am not kidding you!

3) La Pulga Diva clued me in to the launch of a new website called Fash Match. After registering for free on the site, you get to match clothing items, and see what others are matching with the same items. You can spend hours on this site just getting ideas for outfits. How clever!

4) Looking for the next big thing in home decoration, beauty, fashion, cars, wines, appliances...well, basically anything? Well then head on over to This Next's Blog. The bonus is, the lovely and talented Kristopher Dukes blogs about fashion there! This site is updated constantly, so there is always plenty of new stuff to read.

5) If you've never heard of My Style Diary, I promise I won't shun you. Most likely you have not been living in a cave or anything so hyperbolic, but we'll let bygones be bygones because now you know about it. My Style Diary is a fashionista's truest friend, and one of the most fascinating fashion sites on the web! Real ladies post their outfits for the day on this site. There are literally thousands upon thousands of outfits to pour through, and everyone is creative that you'll have ideas for years to come. Go to Find Diaries and look up outfits from the following stylish ladies:

susie_bubble (of the amazing Style Bubble blog!)
urd-
adorevintage
scriptkitten
mettchen
happylilstar
voodoo_mary
nolitagurl
kokopuff (one of the most popular diaries on the site! and for a good reason!)
cerealandcigarettes
cassitabonita
olive
glamourette
juicyguccipucci
iloveshoes
chelseagirl
estellamare
kakakamikaze

6) As a nod to childhood pasttimes, you could spend some time with a cyber-"paper" doll fashioned after your favorite celebrity. Log on to Stardoll to dress up Gwen Stefani in a hip outfit (or anyone you like, for that matter)!

7) If your ultimate fantasy is to design all of your own clothes and accessories, take the first step by designing your own bag!. Freddy & Ma allow you to custom make all of your own bags, with the ability to choose from hundreds of patterns, colors and details! I'm amazed! [Hat tip: Fashion Plate.]


I hope this nips that horrible boredom in the bud! If not, you can AIM me and talk fashion: Narsfreak.

I'm a busy bee

Hey HFGs! What an eventful past few days. I've been working on my book, working out, and working around my house. Tomorrow there will be ebay posties galore from me, and those darling red ankle boots are going to be up then, so be sure to stop back by.

In other news, the Budget Diva posted the outfit I put together for the Style This challenge. Check it out (under Grace)!

As far as style challenges go, I will be posting one this coming week! And the winner gets a FREE VINTAGE BAG! I even pay postage. Are you squealing just a little bit?!

Local Summer Sale Finds

My myspace inbox was flooded with news of local summer sales this weekend, so I went to a few. The Sidewalk Sale in Wilshire Village (in the really posh side of town) was kind of disappointing. Glimpse used to be one of my favorite stores, but they've got nothing interesting anymore. I wonder what happened. However, the Makeup Bar didn't fail me and I picked up two lovely Tarte items for 50% off:


At my former employer (and consequently favorite boutique in the city), Blue 7, I snagged some great stuff:

This top is by a local artist and is reconstructed from vintage materials. It serves as a tube top, skirt, or mini-dress! For $35 that's not bad at all. Looks even better IRL:



This tunic was $5 on sale! I should have bought two:



This adorable purple bag with brown trim was a mere $10. It's huge and very roomy. It will probably double as my schoolbag:



I'll be hitting the Harold's sale next. Everything in the store is $9.99 or less, the ads promise. Harold's usually has some decent trendy stuff, but we'll see.

Lamp Project

I have a new office that I plan on decorating red and black and surrealist all over. Pictures will be shown once it's completed, but right now it's still a work in progress. I am on a quest for the perfect red curtains and a hatstand for the corner.

My brother vacated what is now my new office, and left behind a truly hideous lamp:



It's possibly older than he is, and in bad shape - but it still works. I decided to paint it red, and sew a new lampshade covering for it.

Step One: I cleaned off the lamp (which was covered in layers of dust) with warm water and a soft cloth.

Step Two: After it dried, I prepped the base with a white coat.

Step Three: I put on three layers of red paint. Here is how it looked after Layer One:



After all of the layers of red dried, I painted grey and black designs and messages all over it. The messages say: "Absurdity" "Creation" "Transformation" "Purpose" and "Existesientence" (a nonsense word). Effectively, it's any existential absurdist's perfect lamp!

I then cut the fabric for the shade out of a black vintage prairie dress. I pinned it to the shade to get a rough idea of how I want to sew it. Here it is with the fabric pinned to it, it won't look this bad when I'm done sewing it:



Besides sewing the lampshade, I still need to put a coat of gloss over the base. For now, the paint is very matte, which I don't like.

Finished product pics to come soon!

Latest Thrift Store Purchases

God bless the Midwest and its un-picked over selections of vintage treasures. Here's what I've purchased in the last three days:

Neat 70's book on crafts. Has some good ideas in it, can't wait to try them out!


These stunning vintage beauts DON'T FIT ME. I almost cried. Lucky for you, I'm putting them up on ebay. Someone should get the pleasure of wearing these, even if they are a size too small for me (size 9).


I have a collection of ties that would boggle the mind. I bought these today, I love thick 70's ties!


Chanel-inspired silk chain scarf:


Leaf and heart necklaces, $2 apiece!


Vintage poly-cotton shorts/overalls. I'm going to wear them with leggings and ankle boots.


Cute flapper inspired hat, one of the only styles that looks good on me:


Weird fish vase for my new surrealist office:


DLS are not my initials, but I couldn't pass up on this mint-condition 70's style bag:


This vintage nautical skirt was a perfect summer find:

The Weekend Round-up

Sorry I'm late on this, readers. I usually have it up by mid-afternoon Friday, but today was a hectic day. We just got home from my roommate's ROCK SHOW - which was great, btw.

Here's what I've got for your reading pleasure:

My Little Vogue Journal compiles her favorite looks from The Devil Wears Prada.

This news has been all over the fashion blog-o-sphere. Here Susie relays how the style house Rochas called it quits and recaps some of the more memorable looks from their latest (and last) collection.

Agathe's quest for the perfect boots has a happy ending!

If you're competitive, check out Budget Diva's "Style This" outfit challenge.

The Fashion Fanatic blogs about C. Ronson's high-end debut.

Who is the new face of Versace? Check out Missy J's blog for the answer.

Sassy Bella muses on whether or not Sienna is still a fashion icon.

A plus-sized fashion-forward mom is pissed at Target

Sales Rack takes you inside the Joie sample sale - there are plenty of lessons to learn for first time sample salers!

Style Bites offers tips for the shoe collector on keeping shoes well-stored and well-cared for.

My weird fashion dream

Last night, Kristopher Dukes guest-starred in my dream. Earlier that night I had gone to the store to pick up a table for my new office (pics to come soon!) and I bought the latest issue of Shop Etc., because I know Kristopher sometimes writes for them. I remember picking up the first issue when it came out a year ago, and though it was interesting, I wasn't terribly impressed. However, they've come a long way and I loved the issue I picked up last night. (There was this Marc Jacobs jacket in the issue that I was absolutely kvelling over)

This experience had an effect on my dreams. I dreamt that I walked into a room and Kristopher Dukes was reclining on a chic chaise lounge looking as beautiful as she does in her pictures. I walked up to her and introduced myself and told her what I thought about the progress of Shop Etc. She thanked me. Then some ninjas came in...I forget what happened after that.

Anyway, if you don't read Kristopher Dukes' blog, you should. And if you don't read Shop Etc., you should. It's not as avante garde as, say, I-D Magazine, but it has a great round-up of the latest fashion, beauty and decor, and cool clippable coupons with mega-savings in the back.

Scents I love

What you might not realize is that I am obsessed with more than just fashion and apparel. I also love makeup, fragrances, haircare products and skincare products. I often get asked "what's that you're wearing" when I go out, in reference to something other than my attire- namely, my perfume.

My signature scent has been Banana Republic's Classic since I was 15. I tend to love either very clean smells or very incensey-type musk smells. Here are my favorite scents of all time:

Oils
- Krishna Musk: $8.95 for 10ml bottle of this essential oil. It works incredibly well with my body chemistry and is one of the best things I have ever smelled.

-Korres Bitter Almond body oil: $18 for this unusual but pleasing scent that soften skin as it perfumes it. I found some for 1/2 that price at a TJ Maxx recently. Which was great, because I was almost out of my other bottle. Apply after a shower for super soft skin.

-Nars Monoi Body Glow II: Made from oil that comes from the native South Pacific "Tiare" flower, this oil leaves skin absolutely glowing. It's quite pricey ($60) but will last you for years. A little goes a long way.

Lotions
- Hannah's Handprints Silky Body Lotion in Petite Cherie: $9.50 for 8oz of the most heavenly smelling lotion is such a steal. The smell lingers on my hands for the entire day.

- My all time favorite scent EVER is Slatkin's Black Fig and Absinthe body lotion. Yes, it costs $36 for a single bottle, and yes, it's just lotion. It doesn't cook you breakfast in the morning or walk your dog, and yes, for that price it should. But it's worth it. I've been pining my little heart out for a bottle ever since I ran out 2 months ago and my local beauty store stopped carrying the scent.

Perfumes
-Like I said before, Banana Republic Classic is my signature scent. It's so clean smelling. I love that the smell has gotten into all of my clothes because I've worn it for so many years. This smell is as much a part of me as my nose is. ;-)

-Avignon by Comme des Garçons: I have a sample of this that I got from my perfume-obsessed mother and I weep for the day it runs out. I adore the musky incense-like scent. It's intoxicating.

-Escada Magnetism: this is a "different" scent for me. It's neither musky nor clean. Instead, it's almost tropical, but so amazing. I saved the magazine pages that had samples on it for months before I finally bought a bottle. This is my sexy "going out" perfume.

-Burberry Brit: This smells like sophistication to me. I can't get enough of this, which is bad for my wallet, since I've already gone through 1 1/2 bottles. This smells like "old money" to me, with a modern twist, of course.

-Ralph Lauren Blue: My friend Angela has a nose for this stuff. Whenever we have Girl's Night out (every Monday night), and I wear this, she asks "What are you wearing?" It's almost become a running joke, because it's always Ralph Lauren Blue when she asks. She has a good nose. ;-) I love the ocean-y smell of this perfume. It works really well with my body chemistry too - it almost smells like a different scent after I've worn it a few hours.

Picks of the Day

5 things that caught my fancy:

Shoes shoes shoes

I have over 100 pairs of shoes, at last count. But these are by far my favorite pairs. Most of them weren't that expensive, but they get a lot of wear despite their lack of "labels." All of these are flats or have kitten heels unless otherwise stated (I stay away from heels because I'm already 5'11, no need to be taller than that!)

(Please forgiven my pale, misquito-bitten feet.)


I bought these on a whim from Nine West a few years ago, before flats were such an insanely popular trend. They're so freaking comfortable, almost like I'm wearing slippers.




Bought these on sale at Zappos a long time ago. They were called "Grace" shoes, so I bought them, but I love them. I'm not a huge fan of pink, but these were too adorable to pass up!



I got these from Ambiance SF when I lived in the Bay Area. These are the only leopard or animal print anything I think I've ever liked. They are surprisingly chic and go with so much.


This is another pair from Ambiance SF. I get a lot of compliments on these because of their unusual embroidered flowers.




Faryl Robin never disappoints me with their selection. This is my favorite pair of FR shoes that I own.




Ah, the legendary "Harleyquin" shoes. They're legendary because I get men, women and children complimenting them when I wear them out. I am whispered about in halls around my campus because of these shoes (good whispers, I promise!). I adore them.



Ah, my trusty Isaac Mizrahi for Target black shoes. I have a pair of Jimmy Choos that look almost exactly the same and they're not as comfortable. I can't believe that my go-to black heel would be from Target.




You would not believe how hot these look with fishnets. These are vintage victorian-style pumps that I found at a thrift store. I love them a lot, and they're surprisingly comfortable.

Gone Thrift Storin'

Here's what I got at one thrift store run yesterday. I went at around 7pm, and most were closing at 8, so I only had a chance to get to one. *sad face*


Okay, I know you're asking yourself why I bought a sequined granny sweater. But, it's really high quality, the fit is amazing, and I am going to pair it with a sexy dress and ankle boots for fall. It'll look wonderful, I promise!


$2 apiece!


8 scarves for $3! The one on the left is a California centennial scarf from 1948!


This is a charm necklace with a bunch of keys and locks on it. I love it, but my question is this: should I dismantle it and make it into different pieces? I could make at least 2 pairs of earrings: one pair of key earrings and one pair of lock earrings. Plus, I could follow Agathe's keen advice and weave some pearls through the chain part of the necklace. So, dismantle into 3 pieces of jewelry or leave it like it is?

Just for fun!

I am sitting in cool house, eternally grateful for the invention of air-conditioning. This time last year I was in India, working at an orphanage. It was around 120 degrees every day, and humid beyond belief. But if I hadn't gone, I would never have had an excuse to redecorate my room.

In India, I bought a huge, breath-taking hand-beaded wall-hanging. I couldn't hang this work of art in my room given its present state, so I redecorated (on a Target budget). This is what it looks like now:


(Yes, that is Bloom County's Opus next to the humidifier.)
That picture doesn't even do justice to the wall hanging, but it gives you some idea.

On another personal note, I have never been one to dress up my animals, but I weakened at the sight of a dog t-shirt at Old Navy and bought one for my cat, Roast Beef. Beef hated it and promptly ripped it off. I stuck him in it one last time for a picture. I give you the High Fashion Kitty (obviously disgruntled):

Wantie Wantie

Iisli Cable Knit Sleeveless Bubble Dress:



Otter Otto Antares Necklace:



Otter Otto Groove Specter Earrings:



Waffo Unisex Skeleton T-Shirt:



Palmer Cash Gandhi "Fast Lover" T-shirt:



Palmer Cash Ship Tattoo T-Shirt:



Sass & Bide Greater Than Love Top:



Vintage Lucite Ring:



Fred Flare Camera Ring:



Fred Flare Limited Edition Eiffel Tower Earrings:



Fred Flare Hoop Necklace:



BCBG Embroidered Top:



Nine West Adalia Sandals:



Sailor Jerry Nautical Top:



La Redoute Printed Cotton Canvas Bag:



Tsumori Chisato for La Redoute Scalloped Bolero



Bronx Sandal:



Amici Accessories Crunch Bag:



Sky Necklace Halter:



Cris Boatneck Kimono Top:



Bulga Crescent Bag:



Kenneth Jay Lane Wooden Hoop Earrings:



14KT Gold Jade Earring - Flat Hoop:



ASOS Buckled Dress:



ASOS Heart Necklace:



Does SF Swear Sandals:



Does SF 80/20 Jody Bird Shoe:



Urban Outfitters Strappy Skimmer

Spendy Spendy

Latest purchases (already buying up boots for fall!!):


Nordstrom Diva Boot: One pair in Black, one pair in Brown:


Betsey Johnson Lucite and Rhinestone Hoops:



Juicy Couture Charm Bracelet:


Halogen Corded Twill Jacket:


Delias Berger Boots:



Vintage goat pin from Ebay:


Turquoise Kitten Heel Shoes from Ebay:

Favorite Ebay Sellers:

I promised my friend Jessy (whom I will be helping find some shoes in an upcoming post) that I would list some of my favorite ebay sellers. All of these guys are fashion, accessory, vintage or DIY related. Happy bidding:

trashyvintage
tinroofvintage
thriftwares
theoliveshoppe
supayana
starstruckvintage
staci2113
spicy_toast
shrinkle
selongta_vintage
raefielddesigns
powergirl250_1
pookbiz
pinkiejonesvintageboutique
patchwork*princess
pandoras_pout
pamh23
offmelrose
mousevoxvintage
mtn.homevintage
mint-vint
mamastonevintage
lullievintage
le_robo
kaleidoscope*eyes
frapsod
far_too_cute
fabuleux*destiny
evilneedles
easterngypsy
dropdeaddiy
cherry*forever
buffex
shewantstuff
blackheartsvintage
birdsofparadisevintage
beccavicious
amishtaxi
amethyst*trash
aammbbeerr

To find, choose "Advanced Search," and search by "Seller Name."

A Helping Hand

My friend "Rye" asked me for a bit of help in finding a skirt that she could wear over her new leggings: "Maybe you can help me? I bought some leggings today, you know the cute black ones that go mid-calf that you wear under skirts? Well, I bought them, but don't really have any skirts to wear with them. I NEEDED to own them, though. Anyway, I was thinking maybe you could help me find cute, affordable (under $50...the cheaper the better) skirts that would be cute with my leggings. I can't really put my style under one category, but I like, um, hipster clothes I suppose? Rockabilly, 80s, etc. Actually i'd really like to get some 80s type skirts (ie: loud and bright) to go with them. Anyways, if you get bored. =D"


This is what I found for her:


$12: Zabel skirt



$13:Striped Jersey Mini


$15:Pleated mini


$16:Sweetheart skirt


$19 (my personal fave):Robot skirt



$22: Madura skirt



$25:Lux Retro Print Pleated Mini



$28:Sheer Jersey Shirred Knee-Length Full Skirt



$30: Interlock Pencil Skirt .



$38:Hemp skirt, eco-conscious



$48: Motorcross skirt (also comes in a mini, handmade to order)



Even babies love High Fashion Girl!

^The adorable Rye and her even more adorable baby Haye Jude.^

Influences

My style and tastes are influenced by a myriad of things: magazines, forums, street fashion blogs, My Style Diary, etc.

Here are a few magazines that keep me going every month (some of these aren't fashion magazines, but they're worthy reads nonetheless):

Tokion
Nylon
Numero Magazine
Giant Robot
Lucky Magazine
Juxtapoz
Carpal Tunnel Mag
Black Book
Paper Magazine
I-D Magazine
Corsini Mag
Hint Magazine
N.E.E.T. Magazine
Ready Made Magazine
Paste Magazine
British Vogue
Elle Magazine

All of these are great reads! If you can't get a subscription some of them are online magazines (like NEET and Hint). Check them out online!

DISCOUNT BLOW-OUT

Here are some scrumptious items I discovered while browsing online vintage stores, ebay and some online sales going on this weekend. They're yours for the taking if you like them and if they fit! Prices are subject to variation as most are based on auctions or exclusive sales.

Vintage/Used Designer

$20 Prada Mules:


$15 DKNY Vintage Mini Mod Dress:



$65 Vintage Yves St Laurent Pumps:



$6.66 Vintage Lacoste Polo:



Designer/Name Brand

$390 designer Sonsy top for $10:



$20 Fendi Spy Bag K/O:


$25 Ben Amun Bangle:


$6 Frenchi Footless Tights:


$36 As U Wish 40's Inspired Dress:



$28.90 Hydraulic Skinny Jeans:


Originally $132, now marked down to $33 Wash Every Day Khakis:



Originally $90, now $35.60, Michael Kors toe-ring sandals:



Originally $231, now $69.30 Nickel Vest



Vintage

$10 Tulip Applique Dress:



$14 Lucite Sparrow Brooch



$10 Vintage Jumpsuit:



$15 Gold Gauze Mexican Halter Dress:



$20 Red Glamorous Disco Dress:



$15 Kitschy Lion Dress:



$19 Music Notes Mini Dress:



$10 Tooled Leather Bag:



$15 Nautical Bag:



$18.50 Mother Goose Jumper Top:



$18 Over-sized Belt:


$9 Reconstructed Victorian Style Blouse:

It's that time again...

It's Friday, which means it's time for the weekend round-up. Here are some blog entries from this past week that piqued my interest. Enjoy the fun reading!

Fluffy Stuff brings us DIY delights from the east by highlighting emerging Singapore accessories lines.

Says the Asian Leprechaun blogs about the new creative director for Vionnet, Sophia Kokosalaki. StAL dubs Kokosalaki the "anti-McQueen" for she "produces clothes that are avant-garde yet wearable."

Fashion Incubator has a fascinating article about a ripped-off bag design. Since I'm not a fashion designer, I don't know the technicalities of what makes up a quality bag, but FI knows. Read on for an in-depth glimpse at bag design and pattern-making.

Fashionable Kiffen delivers a great round-up of the "edgier" looks that can be seen on the fall runway.

Jing at Fashion Review reminds of how competitive shopping can be.

Extra Tasty delves into the technical side of fashion distribution in a lengthy and thought-provoking discussion entitled, "The Future of Fashion Distribution." You don't have to be in the industry to appreciate this article.

"Manolo" extensively reviews this week's Project Runway episode.

Susie Bubble gives a great picture guide to sprucing up a plain pair of flats, DIY style.

New HFG code from a fabulous site!

Samantha Chicago has a chic store front in the Windy City:



According to their site, Samantha's goal in opening the store, "was to bring West Coast style to the bustling Gold Coast of Chicago." And obviously her endeavors have met with success as celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and pseudo-celebrities like the cast of Laguna Beach have shopped there. Now that the store is online the celebs can buy from her with some amount of anonymity. ;-)

She carries great lines like Ben Amun, C&C, Goldenbleu, Karoo, Kenneth Jay Lane, Primp, Trina Turk, and so much more.

Plus, as a faithful HFG reader, you'll receive 20% off your next purchase with the code "Grace", named after yours truly. Two other perks: There is free shipping on ground orders over $100, and if you sign up to their "Sam's News" newsletter, you will receive additional membership discounts.

Fashion is ART

Last night, I was trying to explain the attraction of haute couture that some would deem absurd to my friend. I gave him the example of John Galliano's latest runway extravaganza, and Gaultier's trompe l'oeil collection. The premise of my argument is that the difference between most haute couture and ready-to-wear is that haute couture tends to be more artistic. In fact, I argued, that haute couture is art.

I am breathless at the sight of Galliano's mad, militaristic, colorful parade of clothing.





At first glance, you might label this collection "absurd." No one could carry that off in real life. But, if you look at these pieces as works of art: extravagant, intricately detailed, ingenius, colorful, eye-catching, show-stopping, etc., then they become something of value to one beyond just clothes to wear.


Or take Gaultier's latest. His trompe l'oeil collection is stunning. He creates illusions that literally "trick the eye" into thinking that it's looking at something else. This is art. This is fashion. This is haute couture.



In explaining all of this to my friend, he got caught up in the fervor of my speech, excited to see these images and to know more about it. In an effort to more concretely define the terms for him, I searched Wikipedia for "Haute Couture" and "Fashion Design" and came up with an almost verbatim description of what I had told him (it was unintentional, I swear!)

Haute Couture defined

Fashion design defined


Taste in art is utterly subjective. So while some could appreciate an art museum display of glued-together toiletries stacked on top of pizza boxes and grass clippings, others appreciate the other-worldliness of haute couture lines like Galliano's, Yamamoto's and Alexander McQueen's. My belief is that their effort is not to engage in some competition to outdo even the most bizarre creations. Instead, I believe that these men make dreams into clothing, nightmares into fabric reality, and maybe even acid trips into a visual apparel tour. Haute Couture is a fall down Alice's tunnel into a different world where "Nonsense" is the only sense.


These designers are visionaries and artists in my book.

Fall Wishlist:

Yeah, it's July and I'm already planning my fall purchases. I've compiled quite a list so far. My process is always involved. First, I comb the Fall runways for looks that strike my interest. I make a huge list from there. Then I start whittling things to down to "essentials", making sure that they are easily paired with the rest of my wardrobe. Here are a few items that I'm planning on getting for the fall:

Marc by Marc Jacobs brody sweater:


Primp Anchor Thermal:



Karoo Marc Eisen Collection Long Cashmere Cardigan:


McQ Vintage-Wash Logo Tee:


Juicy Couture Double Layer Charm Bracelet:


Dolce & Gabbana "I love D&G" Watch:


Kenneth Jay Lane Ruby Red & Sapphire Dream Cocktail Rings:


Kenneth Jay Lane Turquoise Hoop Earrings:


Nyla Flats:


Matiko Shannon Flats:


Charles David Bayou Boots:


Delias Sedgwick Boots:


Anthropologie Goody Two Shoes Boots:


Anthropologie Late Morning Shift Dress:


Parameter Kelly Green Dot Coat:


Juicy Couture Canvas Coat:


Anthropologie Portrait Jacket:


Delphine Murat Tie-Front Mini Socks:



Ryan Bags Navy Poucho:



Gucci Handbag:



This list will be refined so many more times before I actually do any fall shopping. I need to add more sweaters, scarves and pants. Tune in to see what I actually purchase!

Heads up

Bluefly is having a pretty wicked awesome sale on a lot of Delman flats (my favorite flats!). Swing by for some great savings.

Example:

^These flats retail for $195 but are now marked down to $93!



Also head over to Jocasi for amazing savings on their bags. This is one of my absolute favorite line of bags. The leather is so rich and shiny, and the designs are simple and classic but completely of-the-moment (how do they do it?!)

I am absolutely in love with these two:







Also, Banana Republic has a 60% off summer sale happening right now.



Shop Intuition is also having a 50% off Summer Sale! Check out the savings on these items:

Bienvenidos!

Please welcome some new additions to the High Fashion Girl world.

New Favorites:

Fashionable Kiffen

Hint Magazine

Kristopher Dukes

Style Tribe

New Vintage Shops:

Porkchop Girl

Little Pink Dress

Spotlight Vintage

Ripe Vintage

Sassy Pants Vintage

Vintage Doll

Freckle Wonder

New Fashion Mag:

I-D Magazine

New Jewelry:

By Jeannie

New Indie shops:

Boy Girl Party

Suigeneris Boutique

Isharya

Shoprapunzels

Lulus Fashion Lounge

OZ Designer

New Blogs:

Unique Styles

Zuburbia

Decolella

Melanie Elaine

Sales Rack

Sassy Bella

Sharp Lilly

Oh Joy

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