ASOS Autumn/Winter 2011 Preview @ The Ames Boston

On Tuesday I was invited to attend the ASOS autumn/winter 2011 collection preview at the Ames hotel in Boston. I went to cover the event with my friend and fellow Boston fashion blogger Nicolle. ASOS is one of my favorite brands, when I worked in the fashion closet at Teen Vogue I can't recall how many times I nearly drooled over all the samples while secretly wishing each piece would magically appear in my own closet. When we arrived to the suite we were greeted by Austin the senior director of fashion PR from Starworks Group and Kevin the international senior PR manager. Known as more of a spring thing, there's no stopping the COLOR explosion this year. It's not about one color it is a small gang of colors. This upcoming season the 40's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's collide creating some of the most bright and bold vintage-inspired looks introducing new trends. From mod squad, color blocking, androgyny, to minimalism. Key prints consist of polka dots, snakeskin, and tribal. Retro reigns this fall, it's tailored and chic with sharper shapes. After leaving the Ames I strolled down Charles street and stopped into Artifaktori Vinatge to say hello to my other fellow Boston fashion blogger friend Amanda. I found the most amazing pair of sling-back kitten heels and printed blouse from the 80's.

Lykke Li- "Love Out Of Lust"

Her voice and my ears are soul mates.

"Love Out Of Lust"

Rather die in your arms, than die lonesome
Rather die hard, than die hollow
The higher that I climb
The deeper I fall down
I'm running out of time
So let's dance while we're waiting

We will live longer than I will
We will be better than I was
We can cross rivers with our will
We can do better than I can
So dance while you can
Dance cause you must
Love out of lust
Dance while you can

Rather live out a lie than live wondering
How the fire feels while burning
For life is like a flame
And the ashes for wasting
So honey don't be afraid
To dance while we're waiting

We will live longer than I will
We will be better than I was
We can cross rivers with our will
We can do better than I can
So dance while you can
Dance cause you must
Love out of lust
Dance while you can

So tired of waiting
Come baby
So tired of waiting
Come baby

We will live longer than I will
We will be better than I was
We can cross rivers with our will
We can do better than I can
We will live longer than I will
We can cross rivers with our will
We can do better than I can
So dance while you can
Dance cause you must
Love out of lust
So dance while you can

Love out of lust
Love out of lust
Love out of lust

Thrifting in Allston

Those who know me are well aware of my obsession with vintage clothing. Whenever I have time to myself I enjoy spending it going to some of my favorite thrift shops. Something about digging through piles and piles of clothing until you find that hidden treasure excites me. My style is greatly influenced by the 70's and 80's eras, so I tend to look for bold prints and anything that looks remotely ridiculous while out shopping. One of the things I miss about living in New York is all of my favorite thrift stores in Brooklyn and the East Village. I'm not a huge fan of the thrift stores that Boston has to offer, it's a hit or miss with most places. While I was out in Allston with my close friend we went into Urban Renewal where I found a floral wide legged jumpsuit and over sized padded printed blouse. Before heading to dinner we stumbled upon "Lola's Urban Vintage" I had never been in before, but I heard so many great things about it. The boutique is independently owned that has many hand made pieces and beautiful vintage pieces from all over the world. Greatly inspired by the 20's era, it's the place for upcoming designers to showcase their work. I was so intrigued by the shop I had to chit-chat with the owner Nicoletta while shopping. When I asked her what inspired her to open her own business, I was very impressed by her response " I'm inspired by everything, I wanted to show that Boston isn't the worst dress city. It was a chance to discover artists and to show the people in Boston that you can find unique pieces. In Boston no one supports each other. I wanted to create other outlets to shop". After speaking briefly I found an amazing over sized suede jacket with leather patches and a funky fuzzy crop top. Lola's is the go to destination for vintage lovers in search of unique pieces, everything in there is hard to come by. Nicoletta has a great eye for fashion and exceptional taste in picking the finest vintage pieces.

Anais Van Praet: L'Officiel Ukraine July/August 2011

Alexander McQueen: Runway Shows

In general fashion isn't just about pretty clothes. There are many designers who express themselves through clothing the same way a painter does on canvas. It can be political, social, artistic, psychological, illogical, you name it. Every collection has a story behind it, individuals like McQueen tell a strong influential story, with a different perspective. Not only did he make clothes but most importantly made statements. That's why it's wrong to say that fashion is shallow.

Anais Van Praet: L'Officiel Ukraine July/August 2011

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition at the MET

On Monday I was in New York City for the day to see the Alexander McQueen "Savage Beauty" exhibit at the MET. The exhibit evoked what we are as humans, with each collection he told stories through religion, politics, and history. The exhibit rooms were packed and at times it was a little distracting to overhear some of the comments, but ultimately nothing could detract from McQueen's vision and work. I can't say exactly why other than that there was this primal and instinctual energy surrounding these collections. Something that speaks to the ancient emotional reptilian core of our earthly souls. This was one of the best experiences of my life, I felt overwhelmed with emotion and cried tears of joy. In that very moment there was a connection between myself and each piece of art. I walked away feeling honored to have been in the presence of his work. He left little to the imagination and was the true definition of an artist. It took nearly three hours to complete the entire exhibition. Before heading back home to Boston I spent some time thrifting in the East Village, had dinner with one of my best friends Jenny, Gabi, Emily and some familiar faces at "Cafe Habana" in Soho. There was a bar down the street called "Sweet and Vicious" that I've never been to. I highly recommend it to those who like pretentious hipsters, outdoor seating, and a smoking section.