Tag! I'm it!

The fantastic woman who has the blog "Pull Your Socks Up" tagged me a few weeks ago, but of course I'm always behind and just got wind of it. I've been in a bit of a writing slump, too many projects, too little time... so hopefully this will jar me out of my blog writing block...

What's your favourite fashion accessory?

Do shoes count? They are my fav accessory and can transform the most boring of outfits to fab in seconds! Aside from shoes my favs are rings, bracelets, and scarves. And I have quite a collection of each to prove it!

A selection of new and vintage scarves. I have about two boxes full to the brim!
For those of you "Desperately Seeking Susan" fans, that shawl/ scarf to the left -- black with green skulls screen printed all over was made for me by one of my besties back then, the artist Michael Roman. His artwork featured heavily in the film. You'll spot his art right away, as a Mexican-American he used a lot of Dia de los Muertos themes, hence loads of skulls. He always painted me as cat skeletons, and I guess this is one of my "portraits". One day I'll get brave enough to show another as its slightly embarrassing!

Who's your fashion role model?

I don't have any. If pressed, I'd have to say me -- I'm my own fashion role model. (and I don't mean that in a pompous way -- it is what it is). Seriously, I've never wanted to look like or copy someone else. My fashion inspiration is a complete mix-up of styles and eras. It's just about what I want to wear at any given moment. I may see something on someone I adore and will purchase, but its always worn with my own twist and never exactly as originally shown.

What do you always carry with you?

I always have my glasses (can't read without them!) and a pair of sunglasses (bright light sux), my iPhone, a pen and moleskine notebook (writing inspiration always comes at the most inopportune moments, so I've learned to be prepared!), something for my lips (balm, lipstick --usually some shade of red, I hate dry lips), and a foreign coin (my travel lust runs deep). If the weather is inclement add a scarf to that as I hate brollies. Oh and if I'm out shopping I carry a Longchamp Le Pilage--those suckers can hold tons! Here's a tip: an acquaintance discounts them, and you can buy online. They're even cheaper than the outlets! Here is the website: http://www.bagshop.com/ The owner's name is Phyllis and you can tell her I sent you! She also discounts Wolford! And has shops in the city as well.

How would you describe your style?

Crazy mixed-up kid with a shoe addiction.

What's your favourite? Jeans, sunglasses or heels?

Heels, no contest. I recall being just old enough to finally fit my tiny tootsies into heels, and there's been no looking back! The Punk Glam King will back me up on that as well as anyone who has seen my overflowing closets (yes plural). I started collecting vintage shoes back in the late 70s, and can't part with many of them as now they're pieces of history, as well as works of art! Sunglasses and jeans are close but I tend to stick with favs rather than switch things up like I do with shoes.

Currently in rotation -- both high and low end, doesn't matter as long as I'm in love with them!

The Punk Glam King got me these gorgeous (and comfy) glitter booties as an anniversary gift. A little early as our anniversary is Halloween, but they've been selling out so I got lucky --both with the shoes and my beloved Punk Glam King!

What is your favourite fashion store?

I don't really have any one... depends on what I'm on the search for. McQueen is always a fav and I've followed his career from the very beginning (and miss him dearly), iconic styles, upscale department stores for ideas, basics I want to last, and of course vintage and thrift for the thrill of the hunt! The internet has been great not only for finding the latest, but also for seeking out the hard to find and discovering new designers.

What inspired you to blog about fashion?

I'm a professional writer/ author, and I started privately blogging about 5 or 6 years ago. Finally I decided to go public and write about the things I love that I don't "have" to. Its a release to be able to babble on about what I love rather than what I "have" to write about. Fashion has always played a big role in my life, along with music, so its nice to write without having some editor hanging over my shoulder!

Who doesn't love Nick Cave in a helmet?

What is your favourite fabric in clothing?

Silk, velvet, and silk jersey. I just love the way it drapes.

Who are your favourite designers?

McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, vintage YSL & Pucci, MiuMiu, Louboutin & Manolo (along with YSL for shoes that last a lifetime) gosh so many I love...this week! And too many emerging designers to mention here. There are also those "no-name" vintage designers that created masterpieces! Some of my favourite vintage pieces are hand-made, the care that went into those garments is something to behold!

Who or what inspires your style?

Gosh it can be anything from a colour, to a mood, to art, to well anything really! Sometimes a certain fabric will inspire me, and I've been a designer in the past so many times its the fabric that will inspire me to create or put something together in a new way.

Would you choose to buy something high quality or make it yourself if you could?

Depends. If I had the means to make something I'd do that, but I do have limitations. I never use patterns, which can sometimes make for some interesting mistakes that wind up being my favs! I'd opt to buy something quality made if it was out of my design skills, which doesn't always mean high-end.

Since I'm late to the party, consider yourself tagged! The first to respond can go ahead and follow through-- and hopefully you won't be as lame as me! And thank you for tagging me!

Cheers!

"The" Dress

Short post as I've overexerted myself this weekend and the old hand is acting up. Will try to do a longer post when feeling less fatigued. But since it was requested, here's pics of my Alexander McQueen dress and scarf/ wrap. I'm still in love with it!


Hanging it looks like a very odd shape, but you twist it, then ruche it up which gives a great sexy look and asymmetrical hemline. I also love the zip at the neckline as you can play and make it off one shoulder or both, or none!


I tried to get a good shot of the pattern on the scarf. Its the same camo rose print with skulls mixed in. Its enoromous I can wrap it around my waist almost three times!

No one shall ever accuse my husband of being a decent photographer!


Silly pose trying to hide my brace...


Even sillier with the PG King taken by the PG Princess (who is actually getting pretty good!) -- hey he cleans up nice, no? The lovely brace really makes a great fashion statement eh? ): I think I'm going to have to embellish the ugly thing soon, I despise it so!

Cheers!

Punk Glam Princess -- Pint-Sized Stylist?

My dear little Punk Glam Princess had a blast styling an outfit she got from the lovely Queen Michelle this summer. At nearly 10, I think she's got styling down! It was too cute, she wore those leggings and headband for a week straight, changing just her tee!

Black Milk Leggings, black jeweled bracelet from Queen Michelle, and a faboo black feather headband custom-made by Queen Michelle! (She seriously won't take it off -- she wanted to wear it in her school picture and the idiot non-photographers made her take it off. Re-do! I don't want boring pics, I want ones to reflect what my daughter looks like at this particular age!)







Stay tuned for a really special guest post later this week... from Paris Fashion Week!

Cheers!

Valentina, A Vintage Fashion Exhibit at The Museum of the City of New York

Photo Credit John Lee
Valentina early 1940's
Albumen silver print
Courtesy of the Estate of Valentina Schlee
Photo courtesy of the Museum of the City of New York

"Fit the century, forget the year." Valentina.

I was lucky enough to cover the exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York on the 14h for Debutante Clothing. I'd love it if you go over and read the article. Don't forget to leave your comments either there or here, and if you have any other questions I'l do my best to answer. If you are interested in fashion, vintage, and the beginning of American Couture, get yourself to this exhibit immediately! Valentina was a mysterious designer, constantly reinventing herself, and her designs were absolutely exquisite. Looking at the seams, fabrics, additions such as a hat or bolero, you can see where many of today's designer's got their inspiration. Honestly, within the exhibit I spotted what Halston, Valentino, and Armani had to have drawn from her inspirations for their future designs. She was also a charming and interesting character and I've no doubt that if you do see the exihit, you'll fall in love with her as I did. They've published a book inconjuncion with the exhibit that is divine and filled with not only the exhibition pieces, but many others including portraits of her taken by the creme de le creme of photographers in her day.

The exhibit runs 14 Feb, 2009 ]through 17 May, 2009 at:
Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd St.
New York, NY 10029
212.534.1672 Phone
212.423.0758 Fax
E-mail: info@mcny.org
http://www.mcny.org/

Cheers!

80's Revisited

I've been inspired by Queen Michelle of Kingdom of Style to do a post on my fun times in the '80's. Unfortunately a lot of my photos seem to be missing, however that's pretty common in the chaos I thrive in. (Eventually I'll have an "AHA!" moment and problem solved. I hate the zen minimalist thing, gimme clutter and signs of a life well-lived any day!) So I've decided to do it in parts as I don't want to bombard one post with 673,013 pics. I have some of my original clothes I'd love to show too, mainly to show how fashion really does recycle trends. (Ye Gods, I can't believe my stuff is now "vintage"!) For those of us who lived through the first wave of punk/ goth/ metal, the new trends are retro and ridiculously overpriced when we were the DIY generation! Many of us have made these pieces part of our style, so it sometimes feels a little odd to see everyone jumping on the bandwagon. But OTOH, I love that a new generation has discovered the fun fashions we enjoyed!

One word of warning: I worked in nightclubs and East Village retail stores. You will not find a single "secretary dress" anywhere in my collection of clothing! (Okay, if I were doing a vintage post, you'd find them from the '50's and '60's, but no 80's big shouldered secretary dresses allowed in this post.)

You'll find a few fav pieces I've kept and continue to use over the years, I consider them so much a part of who I am style-wise. They're so well-loved that you'll have to pry them from my dead hands for me to part with them! (Sorry, dear daughter at age 9 as already borrowed some things, and has a list of what I may never sell or donate!) I've also included some of my diverse looks over those years... enjoy and laugh your bum off, I certainly do! I've also tried to keep it to chronological order so you can see the changes over the 80's decade.

This is an early 80's photo taken backstage at a fashion show I did for one of my good friends Michael Wylde. Look at that wig! (I still have both that wig and a white version!)

Next to me is Michael Wylde, who I had done the fashion show for in the above pic. And next to him is Chrys. The three musketeers, always ready for fun! I believe this was taken with me straight off the plane from London (jet lagged to the max) in "The Pit" at Beulahland on Ave A. Sadly my pretty green hair doesn't show as well in this pic.

Here's another taken around the same time. Ahh, my green mohawk. (Looks yellowy because of the flash, but it actually matched the puke top perfect.) What you can't see is the hideously huge 70's platform shoes I styled the look with. Uh-huh. It was a fashion show at Danceteria, something about London in NY, so it featured indie London designers. I'm wearing rubber from Fetish or Die which was in Kensington Market. Little did I know that a few years later I would be living in a house in London with Catherine the designer, and that we'd become lifelong friends! Funny how things work out like that, eh?

Around the same time frame. My friend Marie from London and I in a late-night restaurant. That red band on my arm? A Ronald McDonald watch I absolutely adored!

Can't make a post without Manic Panic! Here's a pic of me fresh from London with my Antenna extension's (no one in NY knew what the heck they were yet) in front of the original Manic Panic retail store, where everyone who was notable on the scene shopped. We had a blast and met so many great people! Again the putrid acid green hair colour (I still miss it!)

1980's London Tube passes, which depict the evolution of my hairstyles (and colours!) That first pic that's in B&W, I had my pretty green hair! I think it might have been just before I got my extension's, I basically had a mohawk and had let the top grow long so I could cover it if I wanted. Recent hairstyles at the Fashion Weeks show just how things come full circle eventually.

Fashion Show for Fetish or Die, my dear friend Catherine's stall at Kensington Market. Note the studs on that whopper of a belt! (One of the ones you'll have to pry from my dead hands.)

Same night, sans wig, plus a pint!

Okay, I think I've bombarded you all with enough for now... more to come later.

Cheers!
Suzanne

Alexander McQueen for Target Pre-Sale

Entry to the Alexander McQueen for Target pre-sale.

On 14 February we headed to the Alexander McQueen for Target pre-sale in NYC. I expected more of a sample sale mayhem situation, so it was quite a lovely surprise to find so many art installations, in a massive warehouse space with lots of room to roam. Don't get me wrong, things were being snatched up with the most coveted of items plucked out of stock more than likely at the party the evening before (such as the scarves and the oh so lovely zigzag grey/black dress.) Dressing room lines were at least one hour wait, so thankfully due to some dressing forethought on my part (I dressed as is if its was a sample sale and tried everything on over to check sizing) I was able to snag some goodies. A few things were impossible to tell sizing so I wound up purchasing multiple sizes. And due to the lack of mirrors anywhere, trying to figure out if something looked good was yet another obstacle to overcome. Thankfully with the help of my husband, daughter and other shoppers ("Oh that looks so good on you! I'm going to try it too!"), mobile phone cameras, and hand mirrors, we could get a fairly decent idea.

I'm really impressed with the quality of this collection in comparison to Target's past designer collections. The fabrications are of exceptionally nice quality, with many items in silk, and the manufacturing looks to have been done very well. My only beef is that this is cheap for McQueen, but definitely Target's highest priced line thus far. I think only McQueen could get me to pay those prices at Target, unless of course someone like Manolo Blahnik or Christian Louboutin (powers that be hear my fervent prayers!) decide to do a line for them! That said, I'm still extremely happy with the quality of the garments I purchased and was happily surprised when I got home to play dress up and discovered even more little touches you wouldn't normally find in a Target designer collaboration (such as contrasted black and white lining inside the shrunken blazer sleeves or the pink zigzag lining in the studded jeans pockets.)

I'm completely happy with the items I was able to purchase, and will probably hunt down the others I'm coveting soon as they hit the Target site and stores. Its already been a few days and my studded jeans are my new favs -- comfy, great fit, and I've gotten compliments. Aren't those the things we look for in an article of clothing? (Aside from price and durability, but c'mon, fashion first!)

Here are a few more images of the art. Most seemed to include images of the items in the collection, I believe to be used for advertising purposes.

This was probably one of my favourites, composed of fabric scraps.

This one was difficult to photograph, but beautiful, like a fountain that contained holograph type images.

Who can resist Blythe? And Blythe in rebel mode? Unfortunately the tee in the first picture wasn't available, I'm not sure if it was sold out or they hadn't brought that piece for sale. I was told by a very sweet sales assistant that not all the pieces in the line were brought in for the pre-sale.


The second outfit looks amazing on. It's a full skirt with a high waist, with a very simple button down blouse with some piping detail on front (in all the preview pics everyone was thinking it was a dress.) I'm very petite, and didn't think I could pull off something so voluminous but it looks so great on, and I know will become one of my spring favs.

Sorry this one is so blurry, people kept stepping in front so I had to take a quick shot. I'm not sure if the pink is the lion tee or the silk dress both with the McQ and lion pattern . Both are great, but they do run a bit large (surprisingly.) In the video shown on the Target site (Alexander McQueen for Target), they show the dress quite loose, but I wound up preferring it a bit tighter across the hips and bum, with the top loose, rather than loose all over. Again, being so petite this style looked better on me, as one size up just sort of hung looking very unflattering and just slightly too long. The tee is definitely a fun piece to add some colour and a great print to a simple jeans or skirt look.

I believe these last three are also going to be the print ads.

Over the next few days I will try to take pictures of some of the items I purchased. I haven't seen any pictures available of certain styles that I'm absolutely in love with and would love to show them to you.

Lastly, whilst I've kept a private blog for quite some years, this is my first foray into public blogging. So please bear with me as I get my footing.

Cheers!
Punk Glam Queen