Jeggings. Hmm.

This is one bandwagon I'm not entirely sure I want to jump on. 

In case you've been living under a rock, in a cave, on Mars, etc., you've heard of one of this summer's fashion phenomenons - the bastard child of leggings and jeans. Essentially, they are just stretchy skinny jeans. 

I don't really get the point. I *will* give props to Lane Bryant for having these available in plus sizes while they are actually still on trend. The problem? Plus size girls really don't look good in them unless they are going under something and not worn solely as pants. They simply aren't very flattering to our figures. (Yes, I definitely am including myself in this.) If you plan to wear them, you might want to stick to the darker shades, as they have a camouflaging effect. But, to each her own, I suppose. 

That said, I do wear leggings. Usually only under skirts or dresses, but I do admittedly wear them, so who knows. The jury is out. I don't violently hate them, but I am not overly enthused by them either. Why you don't just wear skinny jeans if you like the look is beyond me... Comfort, maybe? But it's rare that fashion loves a trend that's based on comfort alone. 

I don't know. I'm just a bit baffled by the whole thing, I think. 

I Hate Work Trousers (and Racists)

Rant of the week: I hate work trousers!

So, I think I've already explained in my posts that 1) I live in the Midwest, and 2) I'm not exactly the skinniest bitch in the world. And as such, I. HATE. work. trousers. (Have I said this enough to hammer the point in yet?!)

HOT!

Let me elaborate on points 1 & 2 -  I have a limited store selection in which to buy said trousers, and even fewer styles look good on me. Would I bitch about trousers if, say, I could fit into a YSL Le Smoking? Hells no! (I'm ignoring the cost issue here as this is entirely hypothetical, and it is therefore irrelevant.) Instead, I usually resort to Target and Kohls for work trou. We don't even have a Torrid, or a Macy's with a decent pants selection!

That is not even to mention that fashion in the Midwest, or at least in my place of employment, is not exactly Le Smoking appropriate, even if I did own one! It would be like a peacock in a flock of pigeons or something - awkward and comically absurd. (Note to any colleagues who read this: I am not referring specifically to our office, I am talking about the entirety of the campus!)

Um, EW.

I currently have 4 pairs - black (these are the least offensive - the fabric is very nice, as are the cut and length, and I don't feel like a complete shmuck wearing them on the weekend), brown (oh dear gods - not only is the color atrocious, but they are too short to wear with heels!), gray (not *so* bad), and a small black & white plaid print. Note that I did not mention khakis here - I REFUSE to own anything that looks like a frat boy vomited them up. I would maybe invest in *tan* trousers made of a decent fabric, but I have yet to find a pair I like. 

I'm really more of the jeans or pencil skirt type. I like to pair jeans with dressy tops/jackets and heels, and pencil skirts with more casual tops and flats. But sadly, I can only wear jeans on Fridays.

And while I'm on a ranting spree, I also hate racists. Check this shit out: "There's a Battle Outside and It Is Still Ragin'". 50s vintage fashion? Awesome. 50s vintage discrimination? DEFINITIVELY OUT.

WTF, man?! Seriously, what the hell is wrong with this country? Everyone is going out of their fucking minds. We've socially regressed about 60 years in the space of a decade (and yes, I blame you, Bush administration). Unbelievable.

/end rant.

I want to *be* Marion Cotillard!

Marion

 

Me

No, seriously. Just got my hair chopped so that I can emulate her in July's Vogue. It *sort of* looks like this, right? 

She's just so fabulously awesome! I also want her wardrobe in the Vogue spread. I am IN LOVE with that Nina Ricci get-up!


And speaking of Marion, if you have not yet seen INCEPTION, go see it. Here's the thing: I really liked it. It's absolutely visually stunning, the concept is interesting, and the performances (Ms. Cotillard especially!) are really top-notch.

I do NOT think it's a perfect film  - at least a half hour could be cut from it, the ending is trite, and it doesn't feel as original to me as everyone is raving it to be (a little too Vanilla Sky meets The Matrix, perhaps).

However, it is one of the best films I've seen this summer, and as much as I enjoy a good action and/or kid's blockbuster film, it's nice to have something a little more intellectually-driven. And hellllllllllo, Tom Hardy!! Hope we'll be seeing a LOT more of him in the near future.

But, back to Marion. ;-)

She's an Oscar-winning actress (if you haven't seen La Vie En Rose, well... I can't talk to you ;-)), a fabulous singer (have you seen her in Nine?!), and apparently a foodie. Gotta love that. And she has class in abundance.

Who *wouldn't* want to be Marion?!

So much fun...

If you're a lit-freak like me, you will enjoy this!

I Write Like...

It analyzes your writing style, and tells you who you most emulate. I was THRILLED by mine:

I write like
Margaret Atwood

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Album of Note

I finally downloaded Karen Elson's album (after reading about it in both Vogue and Nylon last month), The Ghost Who Walks. BRILLIANT.

She's a model and Jack White's wife. The story goes that she was afraid to let him hear her tunes, so she would sing in the closet. He caught her, made her play for him, and thought it was brilliant and so forced her into the recording studio. (How romantic.)

But, seriously, it's lucky for us that he did because this album is just stunning. It's beautiful, eloquent, and sort of hypnotic. She's got a very interesting audio aesthetic, clearly inspired by many sources - she's British, and there's a touch of that sexy rock sound that only the Brits can pull off to some of the tracks. There's also bit of an homage to her guitar-genius hubs, and some good old Nashville sound thrown in for good measure.

Favorite tracks: "The Ghost Who Walks," "Stolen Roses," "A Thief At My Door," and er... all of them. Do yourself a favor, and get this one - you will NOT regret it!

Homage to D.C. Style

In honor of our upcoming national holiday, I thought I would talk about fashion in our capital city!

So, I was in D.C. this week for a work conference, and I felt sadly under-dressed (though in my defense, it was 98 degrees F when I arrived). My mother calls it a "formal" city, though that's not quite how I would describe it. I would say it's a very "political chic" city.

Now, there are two sides to this coin. On the one side were the impeccably dressed and coiffed thirty-somethings who made me feel like I was in a burlap sack, despite wearing perfectly acceptable work trousers and great colored tops. And fun jewelry (one thing I would never be caught dead without). And ladies, HOW do you keep your makeup from melting off?! PLEASE share!

On the other side were the severe, boxy-cut and unflattering suits adorning women wearing no makeup, who just looked frumpy and sad.

But regardless of which camp they fit into, suits are, of course, the order of the day in this town. And for good reason! In that same conversation with my mother, she lamented America's general state of sloppiness, and I agree 110%. My point in all of this is that more places in the U.S. should adopt suited couture. If you're not into the Hillary Clinton Look (love ya, Madame Secretary, but yikes), check out this super sexy YSL suit for inspiration!

I must say that D.C. could use a little injection of L.A.-inspired accessorizing, though. The pearl studs are seriously dullsville (though I like the Jackie O. necklaces). And take come color cues from our beloved Michelle Obama - she is one woman unafraid to rock some bright colors in your orderly city. (And by the way, how hot is this pic?!)

They also have a commonality with Parisian women - an enviable superhuman ability to walk miles upon miles of city sidewalks in heels. I adore heels and have many, many pairs, but the last time I wore heels around D.C., my feet were just torn up.

And speaking of Parisians... if you really want to rock the ultimate in political chic, look no further than France's first lady, former model and AMAZING musician, Carla Bruni! While you're at it, pick up her album, Quelqu'Un M'a Dit - it's brilliant.
 
Maybe that's not terribly patriotic of me, but what can I say? Great style knows no borders! I'm all about international diplomacy. ;-) Besides, Michelle did top Carla on French Elle's best-dressed list. So, there.