Fame Obsession

Have you heard of Glee?
Do you watch it? Are you a GleeK?

What is Glee?
"Glee is a musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues." Thank you kindly Wiki.
It first aired in September of 2009 and has rapidly conquered the nation. I watched my first episode after the Superbowl, their Zombie choreography impressed me and so did their singing. Their good. At first I believed it was the logical step after High School Musical (1&2) - 2006, which was an obvious remake of Grease (1&...2) - did you know it came out in 1978?  Netflix recently showed me that I was missing something in between, Fame.

Fame?
Yes, Fame. I'm not talking about the 2009 or 1980 movie of the same name, but the TV series of 1982. It seems as though, like fashion, Musical Comedy-drama television series come around again. Fame is based in the New York School of Arts where young dancers, singers, actors and musicians strive to reach their dream while dealing with an entire armada of teen problems. It's addictive. I particularly enjoy their reflective walks in Central Park.

All this to explain my next two sketches which just happen to be of the cast of Fame. Two for one today because I'm behind on my posting.

Both sketches are of Lydia the Dance Teacher played by Debbie Allen. I love her style and her hair! 

 Cheers!

Natalie Portman - Academy Awards 2011

Did you watch the Academy Awards? You know, where they hand out Oscars?

Ok, so I was completely confused. I thought they where two different events. I mean some people call them the Oscars others the Academy Awards, how was I to know? I might be because I'm blond or it might be because this is the first year I've actually sat down and watched it.

Anyway.

I love Natalie Portman and she looked stunning at the Oscars, don't you agree? I was so happy when she won and blown over when she stood up, only to reveal: she is pregnant! Yep, once again I'm completely out of the gossip loop. I know her baby will be gorgeous and I wish her a happy healthy bouncing baby.
She won best actress for her role in The Black Swan. Thank you speeches are rarely noteworthy but I really liked when she thanked her husband for giving her her "most important role" and then gently touching her round belly. Beautiful.

What was she wearing?

 

She looked wonderful in this plum Rodarte custom silk chiffon gown and matching Jimmy Choo Sandals. I really liked her tassel earrings by Tiffany & Co.

Cheers!

Expensive Safety Pins

Darling,
Another sketch from the pages of Vogue. I was surprised by the cost of the black top - $1,600 I kid you not.

It seems simple enough, artistically cut up a black t-shirt and fix the gaping holes with safety pins. I believe they have stolen this idea straight off the back of one of my friends. He loved safety pins, even wore them as earrings. You can also find this idea is all t-shirt modification books.
So unless the pins are made out of silver or platinum, leave it hanging.


Have a great weekend!
Cheers!

Fendi

Darling,
I just received the Spring Edition of Vogue. It's HUGE! Not to mention loaded with colour. The next two sketches come straight from the magazine. 

I fell in love with this outfit, particularly the royal blue perfectly draped batwing top and the obi-like high-waisted tulip skirt. This outfit is by Fendi so unfortunately no where near my budget, one can dream though.

Have a nice thursday!
Cheers!

Vampire in New York City

Darling,
I took the S train for the first time during the big snowstorms and I've taken a liking to it. Fascinating people travel on the S train. It also brings to first complete Man to my NYC Street Fashion Sketches (there's an ebauche of a classy man here but it was never completed).

Have you seen Vampire in Brooklyn? It's an Eddie Murphy movie that came out in 1995. He plays the part of the sole surviving member of a Caribbean coven. He travels to Brooklyn to find a mate, the child of a vampire and a human. He's super classy and would wear what this man was wearing in a heart-beat.
The man in question was dressed in black from head to toe except for his blue shirt. He had a Pin Stripe (I know, only 1 "p" or it has a completely different meaning...oups) suit, black Wing Tip shoes and  a long black Peacoat. What really screamed vampire were the gold rings he wore on all 10 fingers. Why the vampire association? I don't know. He looked good but also very powerful - which might better explain the Vampire thing.

Cheers!

Felted Pixie Hat

Darling,

I'm posting thing mainly because of the audacity of this felted pixie hat. It definitely stood out in the crowd.

Thankfully my sketching does get better, just wait until tomorrow, our first Man.

Cheers!

Rags a Go-Go

Darling,
I must get back on track with my Resolution - to post a new sketch everyday of the week. I've got some good ones for this week, let me know what you think.

 

My take on Rags a Go-Go's owner's, Joshua Suzanne, outfit from February 17th. My sketch doesn't quite do it justice. She wasn't wearing any glasses, I just messed up her eyes so I had to cover them up. She was however wearing a cut out wolf t-shirt over a checkered shirt and camo pants.  It looked good on her.

Cheers!

Jackie - That 70s Show

Darling,
With Vogue claiming that Spring will be taping into the 70s for inspiration, I thought I should do some research. I'm marathonning That 70s show thanks to Netflix.

I watched the Pilot episode tonight, everyone is so young. Jackie (Mila Kunis) was only 15 when the show first aired in August, 1998. I love the flowy skirt, I could work with that. The V-neck is a classic but I'm not a fan of the stripes on the sleeves and around the neckline.

Cheers!

Sitting is hard

Darling,
I can't believe New York fashion week has started. I can't even appreciate it because I'm so busy rounding up details for our show coming up on the 15th. We have the official fitting on Sunday and I know we still haven't finished all the pieces. Oh well.

 

Considering I spend a lot of time people watching in the subway, I need to start practicing seated people. It's hard to make them look good. I also have a hard time with collared shirts - case-in-point. 

On a happy note, look what my shoe calendar offered today. A gorgeous pump made from repurposed leather and vintage kimono fabric. Upcycling, I love it. It's called the "Kiki" pump and was designed by Hetty Rose in 2009.

 

What do you think?
If you have 350 British Pounds ($560 US) visit her web site hettyrose.co.uk, she will hand make the perfect shoe for you. If, like me, you enjoy browser shopping go see what amazing things you can make from vintage kimono fabric.

Cheers!

Post-Apocalyptic Sweater

Darling,

I've been watching way too many movies because of all the knitting I have to do for February 15th (our show for NYC Fashion Week). I'm really into post-apocalyptic movies from the 80s right now. The plot is usually very simple, it's fast paced for fast knitting and the men are usually buff and shirtless (the women too but that what keeps my husband from killing me).

In a particularly poor movie, Interzone 1987, I spotted two extras wearing the same sweater, in two different scenes mind you. It was a modified pink wool sweater. I'm guessing they felted it, cut it and restyled it. It had the thick solid look of felted wool. I smartened it up a bit trying to create something wearable before the apocalypse - not so sure of the result. What I liked about how it was worn in the movie was that both ladies wore a wide strapped maxi dress over which they wore the top - one was white the other was black. It's the first time I notice such an obvious wardrobe recycling in a movie. Each extra only got one scene, the white gal was dancing with what seems to be an exotic male dancer and the second is cheering on a barbaric game of who will drink the poisoned cup.
I never  finished the movie.

I love the 80s.
Cheers!

High Class in 1948

Darling,

Fashion Week is coming up fast. Will we make it? We don't really have a choice. Sorry again for the delay, I've been working hard.

I love this dress. It was worn by Googie Withers in her role as Clare the wife of mermaid smitten physician Paul Martin (Griffith Jones) in the 1948 British comedy Miranda. It was her breakfast gown. I look at my breakfast attire right now and I'm not impressed: boxers, t-shirt and pink dressing robe. The movies showcase past years as so glamorous but was it really the case?
Do you get dressed before going to breakfast? Or is it more a stumble to the coffee maker in whatever state the night has left you in?

Maybe I just need a nicer robe, just a thought.

Cheers!

Practice

Darling,

I got Fashion Design Portfolio  Edited by Marie Lafuente. I'm trying out some of the postures proposed in the model section. This is wear this came from - it's much too cold to see anybody dressed like this around NY these days.

Cheers!

French Teacher

Darling,

My husband started school this week, he had his first classes and met his new teachers.  He called me up after his French Class and described what his new French Teacher was wearing. Being slightly jealous of the attention this woman was getting from my hubby, I sketched her. Do you know what my hubby said when I showed him my sketch later on? "That's about right but she was a bit more curvaceous, a bit like Kim Kardashian." I swallowed my displeasure. "She's from la campagne outside Paris, she's in her late twenties and really organized. Maybe you could be friends?" Sigh, me, friends with his curvaceous French teacher? I doubt it, especially when someone is not to keen on bringing me to class. I digress. She was wearing a black cardigan over a red shirt, untucked, with a black pencil skirt, black tights and black pumps. Wonder what she's going to wear next week.

Cheers!

White Claws

Darling,

This fashionista was rocking her pointing white nails in the Subway last week. Alongside her white nails, she a sporting a white and pink do, a leather and fur jacket, boyfriend jeans shorts, black tights and thigh high black socks. And lest not forget her black wedge booties. I know she had a handbag but I forgot to jot it down. Got to work on my observation skills.

Cheers!

P.S. Sorry I posted this three days late, time just flew by.

Hats To Keep Your Head Warm

Darling,
Janurary is a cold wet snowy dreary month. Everybody is bundled up, head down and walking fast going from point A to B as fast as possible. I'm so thankful to see original hats.



This first hat I loved because of the lace and feather appliqué on the side of a plain black cap. I wondered if I was handmade. The girl said she bought it somewhere in NY, a big store...I can't remember.



The second hat took me a while to figure out, I kept pace with this poor woman for about a block until the traffic lights gave me a chance to observe quietly. At first I thought it was a wrap or turban like creation but it had to much bounce. It's an upgrade of a slouchy winter hat. The head band it made of fur, then their is a band of knitted yarn and the top is fur.

The last one is just lots of fun. Wearing a cat on your head can only make you smile.

Keep Warm!
Cheers!

Harlem Pants

Darling,
I spotted this awesome outfit as I walked towards the subway in Harlem. She had the perfect afro framing her stunning face. She wore a white down jacket, the bright orange pants, wool socks and dark brown Steve Madden boots. Awesome!
Cheers!

Shoes That Make You Smile

Darling,

I crossed paths with this girl on 3rd ave. January is a drab month and I feel surrounded by dark gloomy colours and faces. She brightened up my day. She wore an oversized grey Peacoat (she wore it much better than I can draw), covered her head with a floral scarf and displayed a wonderful smile to the world as she bounced down the street wearing BRIGHT orange shoes. She looked great! Have you seen any outfits lately that made you smile?

Cheers!

"His and Hers" - FIT Museum

Darling,
A couple weeks ago I went to the FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) museum on 27th street and 7th ave. It's free and well worth the trip. The exhibition is described as follows :

"His & Hers explores the relationship between gender and fashion over the past 250 years. Clothing can act as an immediate signifier of gender – however, while making distinctions between “masculine” and “feminine” styles of clothing may seem natural, gendering is not a biological phenomenon. While much of the show discusses the changing ideas of “appropriate” attire for each gender, it also includes examples of so-called unisex and androgynous fashion. More than 100 garments, accessories, and textiles from the Museum’s permanent collection are featured chronologically, from a seemingly “feminine” 18th-century man’s velvet suit, to a woman’s “power suit” from the 1980s. Other works include  innovative designers such as Giorgio Armani, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Gianni Versace, and Vivienne Westwood. The exhibition is curated by Colleen Hill and Jennifer Farley." (via FIT)

 It's fascinating to see men and women wardrobes changes through the years. This piece was one of my favorites: an asymmetrical tuxedo by Lynda and Daniel Kinne. I loved the pouffy sleeves on the black and white checked shirt, the intricate almost fish scale like layering on the trousers and especially the one shouldered tux. I don't see any occasion where I could wear such an outfit but I like the concept.

Cheers!

Reese Witherspoon

Darling,

This outfit is worn by Reese Witherspoon in the movie "Water for Elephants" coming out sometime this year. I have high hopes for the wardrobe of this movie, the story, I don't know. You can watch the trailer here. I liked the belted high-waisted trousers with the fascinating striped halter-top.

Cheers!

Classy Subway Couple

Darling,

This is what I like to see on the train. An older couple looking stunning. (I have to work on my man drawing skills.) The women with her short silver hair styled perfectly, large gold earrings and a black tweed pencil skirt and jacket ensemble, if not Chanel an upscale copycat design. She added a pop of colour with an flame orange and gold silk scarf. Her husband, wore a black Peacoat and freshly pressed pants.  I can't remember the colour of his shirt or tie but I remember thinking it was really nice. I hope I can look this good at their age.

Cheers!

[NOTE : Sorry for the delay, I forgot to schedule the posting!]