Coated coat

I'm afraid I'm becoming obsessed with Mr. Pugh. Very afraid. Just in time for tomorrow's LiveStudio session though!

And I do know I'm in love with coated/glazed fabrics lately, as featured in my ArtLab Space Odyssey dress and Babooshka Paneled Leggings. These fabrics are the perfect alternates to leather and vinyl, as they're vegan and quite pliable/comfortable to wear. This immaculate Gareth Pugh jacket is made of glazed cotton. And I can't believe those zippered hip panels/attachments. Reminds me of that gorgeous Dusturbance dress that was designed for the Queen herself.

(Photos via farfetch.com)

Shoulder perfection

I am in love with this top. I've been drooling over Gemma Degara pieces since I first discovered her lovely work, but I have yet to purchase one for my own. And now she has a small number from her A/W 09/10 collection on Pixie Market. And this one is just perfect for me. Except for the fact that it only comes in small. Just a fantastic specimen of structural detailing mixed with draped perfection. This piece actually to me seems a hybrid of Alexandra Groover's shell-inspired pieces, and a complexgeometries piece. If I had not been doing calculations in my head all day on how to make a Patricia Ayres artisanal coat mine after a downright fit of royal jealousy this morning, methinks I would take the risk of ordering this small sized top. Sigh.

Pant obsession

I'm really becoming obsessed with this general style of pant (draped/voluminous hips/pockets, skinny legs) since seeing those gorgeous Georgy Baratashvili men's draped pants (left). And then Queen Michelle posted these Kaylee Tankus women's pants (middle). And then of course there's Jaana's photo of her in her favorite pants, her Maria Matintytär Maattola 'carrot-shaped' pants (right; ah, the Finnish...). So now I'm seriously contemplating taking that one pair of super skinny scenester pants I bought and wore twice, and adding a draped layer to them. and perhaps an inside button-up faux layer like my lovely Vivienne Westwood pants, since these skinnies are way too low rise for my 26-year-old body. Just not sure my skills are up to the task. Sigh.

In other news, I'm seeing this man tomorrow. I'm rather excited.

P.S. He takes amazing photos! This one is via here.

giia: Felt Extraordinaire

I've been eying giia's felt neckpieces since I saw the Wave and Graphic pieces on Susie Bubble and Queen Michelle. But I think I'm liking the new collection even more! There's a lot of hexagons, stones, and 3-D detailing this time around, as well as a new take on the Wave pieces. These four are my favorites though (I think - hard to choose!). Ah, textile jewelry...

Bullet-proof Bib

Well, the F/W 09 installment of The In-laws Visit has come to an end. So as I sit here typing my post in a pug-infested Label of Hope sweater, I dream of my outfit tomorrow that can and will consist of as many ruffles and delicate layers as I like. It will need to consist of many layers at that though, with the day-long snow fall we had today and the below zero temperature that will apparently be sticking around for at least the next week or two. I will not despair, however, as long as I can have the new ArtLab Couture Bib No. 2 Noir as one of these layers. I love my Charlie Chaplin/Industrial Couture bib so much, and so I fully expect this new version to creep into my wardrobe even more with the gorgeous "bullet proof vest/harness/armor/pleats" added to the already wonderful ArtLab bib-ness (?). I have a feeling Queen Michelle would love one of these as well.

In need of an army blacket

I'm rather hesitant to make a new post today because I'd like that gorgeous ArtLab photo to always be at the top of my blog. Sigh. Perhaps I can justify bumping it down by working ArtLab into this post too (surprise!).

I'm also rather hesitant to blog about a huge label here. I know I've mentioned Vivienne Westwood a few times, but that's simply because she's a genius. And now, after being tipped off yet again by Queen Michelle, I really feel that I must post here about another big label which I've of course heard about, but never paid attention to because of my indie/handmade sensibilities. The label in question in Comme des Garçons. More importantly, the piece in question is a hybrid between an army jacket and a blanket. Yes, a blanket. I for one always have a blanket on me if I'm in any type of reclining position at home. And I've always loved the look of an army jacket. Indeed, Linda Cardellini's character in Freak and Geeks would be my fashion icon if I was transported in time back to high school.

Therefore, I believe this Comme des Garçons piece to be made just for me. However, I would never buy such a high end piece (unless, perhaps, it was actually a Vivienne Westwood piece). And so, I think I need to get both the ArtLab Revolutionary Jacket Oversized and a big ol' tartan blanket statim.

I spose another option if I want to tone down the army look would be to get Peeko Apparel's Kayo Wrap-Vest, and sneak a blanket in under those pants too (the wrap is made from men's dress pants). I might need a bigger belt though.

(Comme des Garçons photos via Style.com.)

E is for Hood-E

Uh oh. Is it cheating if I'm just looking? Tipped off by Her Highness, Queen Michelle, I just clued in to the wonder that is E-Label. Honestly, all I had to hear was that they work extensively with jersey and are based in Reykjavik to make me an instant fan. But then I saw the hoodies. I'm in trouble. Perhaps if I get the pullover one instead of a zipped one, The Hoody won't be jealous. Here's hoping.

If you also have a jersey and hoody addiction, you may want to stay clear of their well-designed and incredibly interesting website. But if you don't want to heed my words, click here. I will continue to figure out the exchange rate from Icelandic Kronurs to Canadian dollars while I enjoy my birthday apple pie and iced coffee with milk, courtesy of my lovely parents. Perhaps listening to Sigur Rós and Björk some more will unlock the secrets of foreign currency...

edit: Oops! Seems I was looking at the Iceland-only version of the website. Click here for the worldwide friendly version, where you only have to convert from pounds to your currency. Phewf! Pieces available also slightly differ between websites (the two on the right are available only on the Iceland site).

Cut and Paste, Part 2

Yes, this is Queen Michelle's post for today (and thus, images via Kingdom of Style). But I can't get over how beautiful the pairing of Queen Michelle and this dress is. What you are seeing here is the most recent collaboration between Her Highness and Angie, the genius behind Norwegian Wood. This dress is not entirely my style, as you might have guessed by the leather and the bodycon fit. But have you ever seen something fit and suit someone so well that wasn't hand tailored on the intended wearer? And that oversized zipper is just phenomenal. If Angie would consider making this in a sturdy twill instead of leather and maybe with draped stretch tulle as the 'ribs' rather than jersey (blasphemy, I know), I'd definitely sign myself up for one. And goodness, I pray I look that good in 10 years. Sigh.

Amanda Lepore, you have excellent taste

I know this news is old hat to the blogosphere by a few hours already, but seeing as I was afforded only a furtive glance before I ran out the door at 5:30am to do what I get paid to do, I'll just have to be a late bloomer. So: Amanda Lepore lauched her collection at The Shop this morning. And I am stunned.

My first impression: aren't there a lot more selections this month than in July? My second impression: these are not what I was expecting! There are quite a few pieces under 200 pounds, which I think is quite thoughtful of Miss Lepore. Also, there are quite a few basic pieces with a nice couture twist, which would make these very versatile in a lot of wardrobes, including mine. And I'm quite enjoying the increased number of unisex items, after my thinking outside of the box made those gorgeous Layered Trousers meander over to the Womenswear category last month.

And here are my favorites (so far):

From Womenswear: This gorgeous pullover from Reality Studio takes a genius twist on the draping and ruching that I demand daily from my clothing, here in the form of 'braces'. I haven't owned a pair of suspenders since I was a wee one (fluorescent orange ones, thank you). I think it's truly time to reintroduce myself. (Note to self: go back to Reality Studio in future - I do believe I've found another kindred spirit to clothe me.)

From Accessories: It's a vest. Created by buckles. If Sabrina Goh isn't a genius, I don't know anything anymore. (Am I the only one that thinks this model is channeling Queen Michelle here? Gorgeous!)

From the Unisex selections: This is so my dream jacket after my beloved VW Anglomania coat. I'll never own it, in part because it's a size small. But there are quite a few delightfully industrial unisex coats/jackets in Waks' A/W 09/10 collection, so I spose it's a faint possibility to own such wondrousness...

Edit: I was saddened to discover through Googling that the gorgeous 'Monstera Pullover with Braces' is not exactly a one-off. Perhaps I incorrectly assumed that all pieces in The Shop are such. However, you'll be happy to know that if you are not in the EU, The Shop's price is definitely the cheapest you'll find the top at (the 15% VAT will be wonderfully deducted). And if you miss out on this one in The Shop (which you may since I think I'm in love), do some Googling to get your own piece of Reality Studio goodness (or ask me for directions)!

All things puffed and beautiful

Tipped off by Queen Michelle, I wandered over to Glovedup's site and have found the perfect accessory. I can't even imagine what these fingerless puffed sleeve gloves (in black, of course) wouldn't go with. At 75 British pounds a pair, they better go with everything. Oh how I've longed for the perfect puffed sleeve since the first time I saw Anne of Green Gables...

Katia of SCHiZO did actually create the perfect one in hoody form for me (a puffed raglan sleeve! which she named the 'buffy sleeve'!). I couldn't bear to cut the sleeves off though just for a cheap substitute for the Glovedup gloves. Sigh.

I heart mail

Wowsers, my apartment is parcel central today. I just received 3 lovely packages addressed to moi, signaling the impending end to my affair with mail orders. Well, I've almost received everything I've recently ordered anyway.

First up is the lovely 'Letters to Paris', created by the equally lovely Desira Pesta. True, I did order this ages ago so that I would be all set for the hot weather with the perfect summer dress. But I was too picky and sent this beauty back for the super busy Desira to alter. It was well worth the wait though, seeing as we've only had a total of 3 summer days here anyway. And I think I should give my Andromache dress a bit of rest after 3 days of hard labour, so this is my uniform for today (and possibly the next 2 days after that). My only problem is figuring out how to accessorize it. The loose pull-on fit is uber comfortable, especially with the sideseam pockets. So I could stick with that. But my Norwegian Wood harness looks smashing over top and gives it a nice edgy look. But then my ArtLab bustle plays up the gathered bottom and looks quite adorable with the straps crossed a la Queen Michelle's styling...I'd love to take a picture of the options so someone could help me decide, but my man has taken the camera up the mountain. Please try to picture it in your head and get back to me with your choice, alright? Sigh. I'll probably just do all 3 options over the next 3 days...

Second up is Take Off Your Clothes' 'Double T-Shirt Dress'. And thank goodness they put a label inside, because I could not decipher which t-shirt was which in my sorry state. It was a lovely surprise that this dress reaches my knees (I'm 5' 9 1/2", so I'm used to things being shorter than they appear). Definitely will be wearing this whilst lounging and meandering the streets this week. Ooo, and the dress came with a delightful little pencil sketch/thank you note. Yay!

And lastly was my most awaited item, as it was free! You may remember that I had purchased a super sexy red and white pin-up bathing suit from polkadore last fall, and had a mishap with it when I wore it for the first time a couple of months ago. Claudia was a complete sweetheart and made me a whole new bathing suit at no charge. This one is all black and makes me feel like I'm channeling Bettie Page. I'm in love. Now I just need to find the nearest kiddie pool. Keep an eye out for this gal when she reopens her shop!!!

Today

This is how I feel, à la Queen Michelle: "Fashion aficionados realise that at the core of their passion is the understanding of how clothes can alter and express an emotion without having to say anything. Good clothes can do that. Good clothes are an experience and I think the people who argue that fashion is merely wrapped up in vanity haven't actually experienced good clothes. "

And this is where I want to be sitting with my macchiato and biscotti:

Drapery

I'm still reeling from my discovery of Alexandra Groover (and I'm thinking of selling my beloved cruiser bike to buy the hooded hoody). But I suppose that my blogging must go on...

And really, it's not too difficult at all to gush about another find via Queen Michelle>Fashion156, this one by the name of Lauren Kovin. These pieces instantly attracted me, in part because of my love of ArtLab's Andromache's Deconstruction dress and its similar beautifully draped jersey detailing.

So breath-takingly gorgeous. And those shots! I'd definitely wear these pieces all the time just to recreate these fluid and ethereal shots. Sigh.

Alexandra Groover

I just found my fashion-soul mate. I'm still not a leggings girl, but I love everything about this outfit. So imagine how drastically my world changed when I found out that this girl isn't just a pretty face with a keen sense of style. She is Alexandra Groover, the designer goddess of all things perfectly black. I'm so happy to have found Queen Michelle, as her Kingdom led me to Fashion156, which in turn led me to my dream closet. I indeed want every piece from Alexandra's Grey and Black Labels.

But this. This is my dream piece right now. As you may or may not recall, I have been on an unending quest for a simple yet unique black hoodie to replace the one that I got married in. Sure, this one is slightly more than the $40 that the original hoodie cost. But seriously. A hoodie with 5 hoods. That's pure genius. Oh Alexandra...

One last splurge...

Just when I decided that I need to taper off my spending as the 3-month countdown to a one-income bank account has begun, I have come across one of the most diverse and stunning designers, Gemma Degara. I have indeed fallen in love with her Bushido SS/09 collection. I would wear every single piece in this collection. And I mean every single one. I'd love to insert an eloquent fashion critique here of her work, but I am utterly speechless. I've literally been sitting here for the last 45 minutes going through every single picture over and over. Perhaps a Gemma Degara piece will be the last of my spending. Methinks it would be a good way to celebrate my back finally feeling better.

And I must say that the model, Elisabet Garcia, is possibly one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Just breath-taking photos. I think I shall grow out my hair. I've been admiring Queen Michelle's hair since I found her Kingdom a few days ago, and now this gorgeous set of locks tempts me ever so much to be brave and make my way through the annoying mid-length stage...

Thanks to Patricia of ArtLab for indirectly pointing me to this designer through her Etsy favorites list. I will be daydreaming of these pieces for quite some time...