F/W 2010 Part 2

At Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs once again brought back the pretty, this time steeped in elegant fifties-sixties nostalgia. The collection was like a dream--my six-year-old inclinations came rushing back at first sight of that Disney princess dress that showed near the end. The new length was again present here, given a lust-worthy new edge in the form of full leather skirts. (I will comment on this shitty postured emphasis on the "real woman's shape" when I talk about Prada).












I was a big fan of the kilts, but how great does Marc look here?

Proenza Schouler felt like an extension of their pre-fall collection, but it was also an evolution of the look. These boys just get it right every time.












I'm big-time crushing on them.

Erdem is quickly turning into one of my most anticipated Fashion Week shows. Just fantastic. And I really need those floral booties.












Rodarte shows are always like being transported to a different world, only this time, instead of being taken to a fierce Martian landscape, we were taken to an autumnal countryside just shy of reality. Not to be too romantic, the Mulleavy sisters raised the bar with glow-in-the-dark linings and heels. Utterly breathtaking.











I won't spend too many words on why I thought Prada was so disappointing. It wasn't that the collection was awful, because it certainly wasn't--although it was on the frumpy side. But this "real body" thing just pissed me off. First, I'm not really a fan of this having real women on the runways trend. Fashion is fantasy, and models are models because they are specifically that--models. I'm not advocating the rail-thin image that's been stalking the runways the past few years, because that is not a healthy ideal. But taking some Victoria's Secret models and calling them curvy and labelling it a throwback to the fifties and sixties bombshells is just insulting. They aren't that much bigger than the normal gaggle of sixteen-year-olds. A Victoria's Secret model does not a Brigitte Bardot make. She doesn't even come close.

PUMP IT UP

Here in Austin, there is a small thing going on known as South by Southwest. KVRX is hosting a showcase tonight featuring this week's weekend jam, Teenage Cool Kids, and many other bands. It'll be fun!

F/W 2010: Bests Of (according to me)

Hilo! "Where are those travel posts?" you are probably thinking. Well be patient. They're forthcoming. Now, though, are my long overdue thoughts on Fashion Week.


The influences of Pheobe Philo's Spring collection for Celine were felt on more than a few runways this season: an emphasis on neutral colors, separates, and clean lines. I won't be surprised if her Fall collection resonates through other collections next season--it was near perfection. Everything was so polished, but not in an uptight, stilted way. There was lots of leather, more separates than dresses, and one of my favorite color combos (navy and black). I think we're all excited to have Philo back and I can't wait to see what else she does for Celine.











Marc Jacobs saw a return to simplicity, femininity, and unabashed prettiness. The new, below-the-knee length and the prettiest shades of yellow I've ever seen (and I am not particularly fond of yellow) were only small parts of a beautiful collection.















Alber Elbaz is not my favorite designer for no reason.














Next up: Louis Vuitton, Proenza Schouler, Erdem, Rodarte, and why I thought Prada sucked.

Hello!

Hiya!
It's been a while, hasn't it?
Well. Kelsey and I are even BUSIER this semester than last, so frequency (haaaaa) in posting will probably be once again low. But! We shall not give up entirely. I've decided to introduce a new category of post--The Travel Post!

This will be a semi-regular post about the places I wanna see!

And, once again, Kelsey and I are planning a cross-country road-trip this summer, so if you have any must-see cities, feel free to leave suggestions in the comments.

First travel post coming soon!
For now, I'll leave you with Os Mutantes and some music and scenes from In the Mood for Love.

For 2010, A Stream of Consciousness Letter by R and K

Dear Vinny,

Why do you always hurt me this way?

I mean, I know I stood you up that day.

But hey.

La Plaza Mall just isn't a date.

I don't care what you say.

Auntie Anne's pretzels aren't dinner.

Casa de Cambios isn't a hang-out spot.

You asked, "Why not?"

Aren't places of cultural monetary exchange a turn-on for you?

"No!" I said. "No."

That's because when I was little, my parents bought me for money they had exchanged at one.

You thought I was white. Well, I'm not.

I'm not.

Okay?

It's not like SHE gave you a good time at Whataburger, bellies full of A-1 Thick and Hearty's.

They are not good for your heart. Neither are you, Vinny.

"I'll take you places," you said.

I expected the moon. Not Donna's Corn Maze.

I spent hours in that maze, and later saw my slam poet ex-crush working at P.F. Chang's.

That did not make me feel good.

YOU don't make me feel good, Vinny.

You're like a sickness. A sinus problem that Zycam can't burn out.

A woman lost her olfactory sense with Zycam once.

I wish I lost my heart senses.

Shut up, Vinny!

I can hear you now.

Laughing. I always hated that laugh.

Sorry I stared at my vaccuum when you were telling me you loved me.

You vaccuumed my heart, and now only my RLS will take me places. Literally.

They can't rest.

That skirt you bought me was the wrong size.

And it didn't flatter my thighs.

Why do you tell me these lies?

I hope to never find you on my duplex doorstep, Vinny.

The Holidays are Coming!

I officially washed my hands of the Fall 2009 semester yesterday, at 8:11 p.m., when I exited my biology test, confident that I had earned my mediocrity in that class (a C+ is probably what I'm going to get out of it.

Now is the time to sleep, watch movies and television, read books, catch up with semester-forgotten friends, take walks in the cool evenings,decorate for the holidays, sing songs, take extra-long hot showers, drink eggnogg, eat Mother-baked treats (the secret ingredient is love), and just...remember why you enjoy life again.

It's also the time to go HOME. I haven't been home all semester,mostly because I'm pretty good at NOT being homesick, and something tells me a trip home would make me want to be 10-years-old and parent-dependent again.

I'm also not too fond of home. Deep South Texas, locally known as the Valley, is, simply put, not a very exciting place. It's suburbia, but without a city to ebb away suburbia blues. It wasn't until I left and my teen angst started to turn into jaded adulthood that I realized this is the place that knew me when I was young, that saw me grow up. It was home. Everything I hated about the Valley turned into nostalgic appreciation.

Unlike this song, my home still is with my Ma and Pa, and not in a significant other, but I'm still young, and this song fucking jams. Go home, hug families and friends, and enjoy the short window that comes once a year when people are usually in a happy and loving mood.



-Rachel

pump it up?

I have two tests to go, a dead week, and then finals, and then winter break will finally be here, and I'll probably have time for, if not more consistent posts, more varied ones. Not just all pump it up posts, though those can be good as well.

Like today's Weekend Jam--Gilberto Gil "Bat Macumba." Cut a rug to this thing! You can bet I'll be playing this on the radio tomorrow morning!



I'm not really sure who our audience is, or if people really even read this blog, but if you do, we'd love to get to know you! Feel free to post in the comments a little bit about yourself: favorite food, current obsession, song that consistently gets stuck in your head, favorite poetry, favorite places to take a walk...let's be friends! Post suggestions/complaints/etc, as well! We want some feedback!