Magazine maven

I should not be blogging right now; I should be sleeping! But after trying on outfits I wanted to photograph and post, I began cleaning my room. This hour of night? Bad idea. I just couldn't stand the clutter, particularly my glut of fashion mags. All. Over. My room. Eek! My collection began innocently enough - I subscribed to a few, bought a few more monthly - but now it's gotten out of hand. I mean, plenty of people are bibliophiles; seems I'm a fashionzinephile. That's not so bad, right? Surely my piles and piles of Vogue, Elle, InStyle and Glamour mean that I'm poised to become a world-class fashion editor? Or... maybe I'm just plain obsessed.

Lately, I've tried to buy less American mags. I've grown sick of the same coverage in virtually every publication, and even sicker of the same celebrity faces gracing every cover. Whatever happened to models actually, you know, modeling in/on magazines? Isn't that what models are for? I don't want to see Scarlett Johansson or Sandra Bullock or Miley Cyrus on one more mag! I'm going to flip my lid. Yeesh. So I've developed a fascination with foreign publications. Marie Claire UK is amazing, and j'aime Vogue Paris. My most recent, gleeful purchase? Vogue Nippon. I was so ecstatic to finally find it! Feast your eyes:

This spread is gorgeous, even more so with the glossy pages right in front of you! The look screams free-spirited, yet polished, bohemian. I just love the use of neutrals with citrus-colored lips. And you know I'm a sucker for the perfect trench! These Burberry clothes photograph beautifully. See? This is what models get paid to do! One caveat: why such a blondie-blonde in Japanese Vogue? I know Vogue is a European publication, but generally there are very few Asians pictured in this issue. Hmm... methinks that's another post for another sleepless night.

*Photos from fashionrising.com & magxone.com

Down the rabbit hole

Okay. So I may not be much of a goth (um, just look at me), but I've always harbored a love for the gorgeously dark, Victorian-inspired worlds created by director Tim Burton. Movies like Edward Scissorhands (and its haunting, sweeping score by Danny Elfman), The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride (I so wanted to be her for Halloween), even the merry slasher Sweeney Todd, manage to keep me equally entertained and mesmerized. So when I heard rumors that Burton would reimagine the classic fairytale (and often Gothicized) Alice and Wonderland, I knew to expect an entirely new, twisted, magical vision that only the wonderfully wacky team of Burton, his muse Helena Bonham Carter, and his go-to goth Johnny Depp could muster.

Images were released this week, and they do not disappoint:

Pretty intense makeovers, right? But I've saved the best for last:

To see more shockingly awesome photos from the upcoming Disney (yup, Disney) film, see Wired.com.

Une lazee Sunday

It's still pouring here, but I'm enjoying the quiet peacefulness of a drizzly day. To celebrate father's day, my dad and I kicked back and watched a Vincente Minnelli marathon-- An American in Paris followed by Gigi. Bliss! I adore all the colors and musical sequences in each film. Inspired, I made this little collage in Polyvore:

Une Parisienne by erincathleen featuring Lulu Guinness bags

If only these divine clothes were a little more affordable! Perhaps if I search diligently, I can find some suitable vintage equivalents. Le sigh.

Fashionable fete

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) held their annual awards ceremony last Monday night. In case you missed coverage of the fabulous festivities, check out my post for Green Cotton. It's a big night for American designers ("the Oscars of fashion"), and while I love and root for all the showcased artistes, from Marc Jacobs to Anna Sui, a few chic, summery dresses on these celeb attendees caught my eye...

Coco Rocha and Blake Lively both rocked strikingly different frocks by Michael Kors. Lively called hers, from the fall 2009 collection, "hi-liter pink."

Kirsten Dunst looked sweet in a grey stunner by big winner of the night, Rodarte. And she managed to work head-to-toe monochrome without looking like a robotic drone. Kudos, Kikki!

Ashley Olsen proved that twins are imbued with special powers when she pulled off this orange vintage gown-- without looking like the Great Pumpkin. I think the color looks great with her skin tone, and, hey, orange is supposedly the new red. I don't know what her other half was wearing, or doing, that night. Perhaps off sulking somewhere, envying her sis's obvious awesomeness. Olsen Twin Powers, Activate!

Diane Kruger, muse to Karl Lagerfeld, usually chooses Chanel. But for this all-American event, she couldn't have picked a more perfect dress. The ingenue wowed in It designer Jason Wu. So maybe red is the new red. Or something.

See Green Cotton and the CFDA's official site for more coverage and a complete list of winners. And let me know which attendee's looks you love most!

*Photos from WWD and WhoWhatWear

EcoSavvy

Calling all Canadian eco-fashion lovers! Any of you in the Toronto area should check out the second annual EcoSavvy Festival this weekend. Events are going on right now at Mel Lastman Square in North York, with festivities continuing tomorrow until 10 pm. Awesome eco-fashion company Green Is Black will be there, so be sure to puruse their wares. See their clothes, and more eco-luxe looks, in the fashion show at 7 o'clock. Head here for a complete schedule of events and to RSVP. You'll be glad you did!


*Photos from greenisblack.ca and the EcoSavvy Festival

Happy feet!

I didn't mean to go shoe shopping. Really, I didn't. I was at Target stocking up on essentials (tea, gum, kid's cereal!) when I spotted these black gladiator sandals. On sale. I've been pretty good about saving money lately, but when I put these babies on, my resolve crumbled.

I've been looking for the perfect pair of gladiators for over a year now, but couldn't find an affordable and comfortable pair. These are non-leather, too, another stipulation for my footwear that makes shoe shopping more difficult. Not these lovelies!

Sleek, stylish, and comfy enough for work and play. What's not to love?

Tee: Men's department, Urban Outfitters
Sunglasses: Simply Vera
Necklace: Borrowed from Mum
Bracelet: Gift, also from Mum
Jeans: Ann Taylor Loft
Sandals: Target
Bag: New York & Company

Also, a quick note to everyone who reads and subscribes to this blog: Thanks for all the love! I've been experimenting with a name change for this site, as web crawlers seem to have difficulties finding "Ip & Aud." I've decided a subtle change would be best, so you all know where to find me. My URL will stay the same, but if you've already linked me to your blogroll, please update and list me as "Ip & Audrey." Thank you so much! I love you all and cherish your support, witty comments and advice!

Secret sanctuary

Today, the weather was finally fair enough for a little trek into the woods...

Or is it an enchanted forest? Call it what you like; I call it my sanctuary. It's become my secret hiding place...

Surely no one will ever find me!

Tunic, leggings: Forever 21
Cardigan: BDG, Urban Outfitters
Boots: Payless

I hope you find a little sanctuary today.

Jane Erin

I wore the wrong outfit to work today.

It's spring, almost summer, it's supposed to be all about brights and whites. But those are hard to pull off when it's cold and drizzly. My mood tends to match the weather - just like in Jane Eyre, one of my all-time favorites - and I like my outfit to reflect the weather, too. (Really, I love any excuse to bust out my favorite khaki trench!) So I bundled up in my favorite layers-- sure, they're from last year, but let's look forward and call it "pre-fall."

Beret: H&M

Sweater (Silence & Noise), vest (Lux), dress (Kimchi Blue): Urban Outfitters
Leggings: Forever 21
Boots: Payless

Trench: Gap
Scarf: Kohl's
Bag: Simply Vera by Vera Wang, Kohl's

I love you, khaki trench, but I still hope the sun will shine so I can go play outside. :)

La vie en rose (and an old samovar)

June seems to have forgotten it's summer. Let's hope some roses (and a straw fedora) will remind her.

Cardigan, skirt, fedora: Ann Taylor Loft
Heels: Jessica Simpson
Locket: vintage

Summer lovin'

Hello, loves. It's been too long since my last post! I took a little hiatus, ended one of my day jobs and started another (now I write, substitute teach, work at a boutique and for eco-fashion sites Green Cotton and Jute & Jackfruit! Busy girl!). But I've really missed blogging here! To get back in the swing of things, I've decided to post my latest obsessions, fashion and otherwise. Here's what I'm loving for Summer '09:

The return of tie-dye! It's funky, free-spirited, and long overdue for a comeback. Lauren Conrad and Ashley Tisdale both wear dresses by Gypsy 05. I scored an adorable one from Ann Taylor Loft and will post some summery beach shots soon!

Ashley's photo makes me crave my favorite warm-weather treat: an iced toffee nut latte (with soy, of course). Trust me, it's the best flavor combo!

And speaking of vegan treats... How about some cute cruelty-free sandals that don't resemble jellies? (Though jellies are still a fun summer staple!) Check out NeuAura, as seen in Boho Magazine and InStyle. These are definitely the most fashion-forward shoes by a vegan company I've ever seen (though I'm also a fan of Mohop's ribbon shoes). Love the totally on-trend cork-metallic combination! Stay tuned: I plan to do a longer review of these shoes for Green Cotton, a follow-up from last summer's post on eco-friendly footwear.

I'm a lifelong Chanel fan, even if the iconic fashion house is far out of my clothing budget (nor do the animal-skin accessories jive with my ahimsa ethics/aesthetic). So I was floored when I found something that exudes that same Chanel chic without the pricetag, or not-so-vegan material. Voila!

This quilted jersey purse from Urban Outfitters would complement every summer ensemble I could muster. Adorable and affordable? Oui, s'il vous plaît!

My summer soundrack: tunes by Japan's all-time number one songstress, Utada Hikaru (ever play Kingdom Hearts? She sang two songs for the video game series). This NYC native layers her shiver-inducing soprano over latin and hip-hop beats, resulting in an addictive mix that will definitely shake up your playlist.

Another addictive import? The anime hit of the summer: K-On!, or Cagayake Girls, a Japanese cartoon about a pop-rock quartet of high school girls. "K-On" comes from "keion," the Japanese term for "light music" (what we would call "pop"). The comedy, cutesy schoolgirl uniforms, the catchy songs... what's not to love? It also reminds me of Sailor Moon (remember, fellow nineties girls?), with musical instruments. K-On! only airs in Japan, but if you're an uber-geek like me, you can find ways to stream it online. And here's a fun fashion tie-in: Danny Choo (heir to the shoe empire of none other than Jimmy Choo!), aka the Tokyo Dance Trooper, blogs all about it, and other fanboy fun, on his amazing website.

When I'm not reliving my childhood with cute cartoons, I'll be indulging in some of my favorite summer activities: vintage shopping (the bag, above, is Givenchy!), and taking peaceful strolls by the water. I hope everyone is enjoying warmer weather and relaxing days. Check back soon for my summer style editorial!