I know it’s my second post of the day, but this had to happen. A brilliant, life-loving kindred soul marries her love for fashion and food (also two of my favorite f-words… {ahem}…) into one delectable morsel. Today, I share with you a not new, but new-to-me blog called Taste of Runway (recipes included!). This is just too too fun.
Aha! And now I am filled with glee.
Bon appétit!
Ok, so I talk about my cat a lot. Shaddup. I’m a crazy cat lady and I’ll admit it, goddammit. I love that the Internet chose cats for the majority of its memes. I die a little bit inside each time I hear someone say they hate cats (because, hi, have you singled out an entire animal family to be object of your abhorrence? I’m even super into this Victoria Beckham frock, and I could just kiss Mr. Jason Wu for choosing Milu the cat as the mascot for his Target collection.
My little Audrey is so irresistible to me that I want to mush/crush/bite her face, a sensation I know you’re all familiar with. You just haven’t had anything to label it with until now. There isn’t a sufficient English translation, but in Tagalog, it’s referred to as gigil–when someone is so ridiculously adorable that you have an intense urge to [again] mush/crush/bite/squeeze this animal or person, probably whilst modulating your voice to its utmost squeak ceiling. The facial contortions forged from this uncontrollable compulsion…well, they ain’t pretty.
To protect the general public from such uncouth behavior, I leave my little Audrey cake cat (don’t ask) at home and, instead, venture out into the world with representations of this cuteness.
Gigil face!!
Pussy[cat] bow blouse from romwe.com, Gar-de leather jumper (again), Dolce Vita shoes
If you happen to spot some adorable kitty themed items, please send them my way asap. I am twee and I apologize to no one! Off to watch ((kittens inspired by kittens)) for the umpteenth time.
Happy Friday and I do hope you all enjoy a lovely Caturday tomorrow 
Unless you’ve recently awoken from a cryogenic slumber, you’ve at least heard, more likely partaken in the hubbub surrounding the post-apocalyptic young adult series The Hunger Games, whose film adaptation hits US screens on March 23rd of this year. I personally have not been this excited for a film release since my 8-year old birthday post-slumber party screening of Disney’s The Little Mermaid (new fact: I have a juvenile and unhealthy fondness for mermaids, and as a child, would whisper “I know you’re real!” into the ocean).
Fans like myself have been anticipating photos of each new outfit by costume designer Judianna Makovsky with baited breath, and so far, they’ve done nothing but amplify Hunger Games fever. Take a look at the famous girl-on-fire outfit created for Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen teased just days ago:
I’m particularly losing my mind over the looks created for Elizabeth Banks’ Effie Trinket (well, of course, she wears McQueen booties) who’s smokin’ in all her futuristic rococo glory. Pastel coifs, you guys!!
From capitolcouture.pn
The latest Hunger Games marketing move brings us a fashion & culture magazine exhibiting the whimsical fashions of citizens of the Capitol!! I’m so so into this.
I could write around 274 missives of unconditional adoration to Dear Creatures, I really could. They could take various forms — on the one hand, laden with slang of the internetz, emoticons and cute cat photos (they’re obsessed with cute cats over there at HQ). On the other, there would be handwriting, perhaps with some French words from my extremely limited vocabulary sprinkled in. Of course, then I’d need to incorporate lyrics from yé-yé songs and titles from the Anna Karina oeuvre sprinkled in. This might work as much of their beautiful work has been heavily influenced by the 60s and the French New Wave, which is just one of the the gazillion and one reasons I’m so enamored of them.
But, lucky for me, I don’t have to resort to such drastic measures, as I try as much as possible to gush and express my gratitude on a regular basis; Bianca and Rob (DC’s founders and designers) are family. I don’t underestimate the good fortune that befalls me from not only having half my wardrobe (for serious, as I wear it at least once/week and dare not embark on voyages without it) furnished by the whimsical stuff of their imaginations, but being privileged to know them as people.
Individually, and as a force-of-nature couple (they are to be married soon!), Bianca and Rob are some of the most adorable, generous, industrious, visionary, inspiriting, simply wonderful people that I know. I could go on and on but there are sites for that.
Photo by Yudi Ela Echevarria
Their designs are imbued with a deep sense of dreamy nostalgia for things they love from times past, skillfully intertwined with freshness and forward thinking style. It seems the LA fashion powers that be agree, as they were recently part of the crop of featured designers at Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion in LA. Besides the aforementioned sweetness, past collections have been influenced by the playful art of Mary Blair and Alexander Girard, Valley of the Dolls, 60s girl scouts, and Nancy Drew novels. Their clothes are pure joy. And they bring me pure joy!
The lookbook for their pretty pretty Spring 2012 collection has just been posted to their site, so go check it out! I can’t wait to get my little hands on some of these beauties!
Above three photos by Yudi Ela Echevarria (<3<3<3)
Dear Creatures is just so aptly named, is it not?
Whoops, I think I wrote a love letter anyway. Annnnnnd more from DC to come!
xox,
Camille
Today, I am sitting on a [peach-hued] happy cloud. We at the office had the honor and pleasure of the loveliest of visits from Garance Doré, one of the foremost fashion bloggers in the world. I emerged from this talk inspired and empowered, the latter being a sensation I rarely report encountering. She had a host of wonderful things to say (YouTube video posted here).
Starting any sort of blog is, from my standpoint, incredibly vulnerable, daunting business. The fashion blogging world in particular seems to me a densely crowded frenzy, rife with passionate people adept at staying on top of the fast-paced fashion world–bigwigs, “ones to watch,” ever-changing ‘it’ girls, S/S, F/W, pre-fall, resort, haute couture, front rows and all. It makes me dizzy. It, in fact, took me three years to give myself a chance to attempt this, as I do get overwhelmed by the idea of staying “on top” of it all and the fear of judgment is ever-looming overhead. This blog sphere felt to me like it possessed a great tidal wave to entry. And when I did start this, I would habitually proof-read past entries, worrying that what I produced was “too personal,” that no one would be interested in reading such things.
And then Garance swept in, all charming and French and decidedly unpretentious. Here she was, a woman who was at the forefront of this massive movement when it first emerged–excitedly musing on fashion and technology, and amusingly befuddled by the mysteries of mom jeans and mom haircuts. It was refreshing to hear how her sweet, unfiltered, irreverent and self-described “goofy” voice in person echoes the voice of her blog. Her advice for novice bloggers was to “go slow” and be open to trial and error, to be open to your blog evolving into something you hadn’t planned. She told us all to make it personal and allow our voices to shine through. She admitted that she herself just sometimes doesn’t feel like staying abreast of it all, and expressed that not everyone needs to be in the thick of this insanity, reporting on the latest and greatest in the industry. She emphasized the importance of writing about things that you love, the things that inspire you, for pure joy.
Garance’s talk reminded me of the reason I gave this a go in the first place. I love sartorialism as an art form and as a reflection of a person’s history and passions. I love what inspires designers to create and how a wearer chooses to represent him or herself to the world. I love how this art/medium/however you choose to describe it connects people. (Sidebar: my now-husband might not have approached me that day had I not been wearing the polka-dot dress he complimented me on–true story. Connect, it does). I even love being a voyeur to the ridiculousness (the silliness!) of this ginormous realm. This stuff lights a fire in me and this place gives me a venue to direct these energies.
So, merci beaucoup, Garance.
And thank you, dear reader, for permitting me a look-see. I deeply, truly appreciate it.
