Ode to Lara and Lara

I'm probably not the first to make this connection, but isn't Lara Stone a dead ringer for an early Julie Christie (aka. Dr Zhivago's lady love, Lara)? This month's British Vogue shoot has me humming Lara's theme with particular gusto...

Update Alert! I just read that Lara was actually named for Julie's famed character!

Hip Hip Hooray! Jeffrey Monteiro to Bill Blass

Because this blog is really all about ME and the people I know and love, I just wanted to give a quick lil shout out to Jeffrey Monteiro, who’s just been appointed Head Designer at the legendary house of Bill Blass. I can't wait to see how Jeffrey's quiet tailoring and bold colour combos shape the house of Blass in the coming seasons.

He’s got big shoes to fill, but me thinks he’s just the man to do it! After all… he did give me my favourite fall-inbetweeny black and grey tweed cardigan coat. If I was on the Jersey Shore, I'd have been fist pumping all weekend...

Swift Idolatry

If this 24 year old has been hesitant to raise her teen freak flag until now, let it be known: I’m a die-hard Taylor Swift fan. Not so much in the sense that I know the words to more than even one of her songs, but in the sense that worshipping her (and anyone else who has a face for ABC Family) excites me like nothing else. It reminds me of temp-tattoos, Chupa Chups and crank calling 1-800-COVERGIRL.

But before I wax on about my days as an obsessed Backstreet Boys fan, let’s get back to Tay Tay and her amazing looking spread in the just-released T Magazine. If Sharon Tate circa Valley of the Dolls and Sue Lyon circa Lolita had a baby who inspired Prada’s Spring collection… it’d be Taylor don’t you think? Don’t you loooooove her in clunk shoes? And the bouffant? I die!

Pop (Up Shop) Life

The Pop Up Shop has become so darn catchy in the last year that the term may as well be entered into the 2010 Websters (along with Tweet, Twit and Twerp, of course... ) Leave it to the masters though, to make it seem like the Pop Up was their idea from the start.

Holt Renfrew showed up to the Pop Up party (I just want to say Pop Up again, okay?) with bells on, in their new temp space at 560 King St. West in Toronto, which is open until this Sunday. Featuring a jazzed up decidedly un-Holtsish space of contemporary and vintage clothes, accessories, trinkets and beauty products, the the shop is carefully constructed to look as chicly random as possible. Everything from vintage YSL to Philip Sparks to Sorel boots is mixed together in a hodgepodge of buy-me-now!

Aside from all the die-worthy clothing of course, the best thing about the shop is most certainly it's button-maker! After volunteering myself as official Button Officer, I found myself quite unable to stop stamping everything from initials to magazine cutouts and adorning my shirt with my designs! Check out how cute I made my friend Suzanne look! And look at my shirt! And look at all the great buttons I made for the customers!

Art Attack: Besties As Models

Procrastination ain't such a bad thing when you're busy discovering gems like I just did! While in one of my dontwannawork moods, I happened upon the work of up-and-coming photographer, Nicole Lesser. She works with photo gods like Ryan NcGinley and is currently getting her BFA at the New School, but as if that weren't enough... her photos already look like those of a seasoned photographer. What I especially like about Nicole's work is that it seems to have the same raison d'etre as the blog's! Nicole's work is based upon her relationships with her subjects, who are all her friends. Gee wizzz...

Check out more of Nicole's work at http://nicolelesser.com/

Reading Rainbow: Fifty Dresses That Changed The World

While we'd have to admit that we ain't exactly saving lives (except for maybe Lady Gaga's), most of us fashionites would argue that major fashion moments really do change the world....well, at least our world.

London's famed Design Museum agrees with us! Their new book, 50 Dresses That Changed the World singles out the most notable dresses over the last century, spanning from Mariano Fortuny's multi-pleat Delphos dresses from 1915 to Hussein Chalayan's LED dress from his 2007 Airborne collection.

For any former fashion student, this book reads like a trip down memory lane. For any fashion newbie, this book is like the bible. But wait, where are the accoutrements you ask? Get this, they've released 50 Shoes that Changed The World too! Check out my fave looks from the book below:

From left: Madeleine Vionnet's Goddess Dress was a Grecian vision back in 1931, Gianni Versace's Safety-Pin dress, made famous by Elizabeth Hurley in 1994, Marilyn's Seven Year Itch Dress from 1955 made by Travilla.

A newer version of Yves Saint Laurent's 1965 Mondrian dress, Rudy Gernreich's Topless Dress, pictured here in 1970 with pastied-up models, Halston's breezy Halter Dress, pictured here at the height of disco daze with Marisa Berenson in 1977.

I know I'm the worst EVER...Posts coming this weekend! Promise!

Katie Girl of the Month: Naomi Smart

Naomi Smart is the quintessential London gal: drop-dead gorge and hilarious with style to boot. Another of the Brit girls I was lucky enough to cross paths with while battling through the intern jungle of New York City, Naomi now assists the Editor-at-Large at British Elle which basically means she’s as cool from 9 to 5 as she is at night… which believe me she is.

Naomi is totally one of those people you can’t help but Face-stalk. She’s ALWAYS partying! She’s ALWAYS looking perfect! She’s ALWAYS doing photo shoots with her friends! She’s just really friggin cool… okay?

It's Showtime with Open Ocean!

The accessory editing, guitar playing, Katie Girl fave, Sarah Kuhn has added yet another rad band to her roster. This time she's playing with the all-girl group, Open Ocean. The moody sounding alt band consists of 4 of Brooklyn's finest fashion gals, I Heart owner Jill Bradshaw, Bodkin designer Eviana Hartman, Dirty Librarian Chains designer Susan Domelsmith and of course, Sarah. Time to break your tambourine out, gals. Being cute and successful just ain't enough anymore.

always sometimes from Open Ocean on Vimeo.

Two Wrongs That Make a Right

Russian Vogue's recent boob-tastic accessories shoot featuring Dree Hemingway in all her glory combines the two things that usually irk me the most: an it-girl by association and nudity just because. Why then, am I posting about it? Because these photos are also just beyond beyond beyond stunning, captivating, and downright magnificent. I've really never given Dree much due for being anything other than an old-moneyed rich girl, but these shots have got me changing my tune. I have never seen this season's lush, dark lip appear so powerful as on her pale and frail complexion. Nor have I seen a skinny chick with tiny tatas look so un-contrived. Feel like getting shitfaced in Key West or starring in a Woody Allen film? You go, 4th generation Hemingway. You go.

Talent Scout: Veronica So Pt. 2

I blabbed about the lovely Veronica So back in February, and now I'm going to blab again, okay? Once my co-intern at Interview Magazine, the now freshly-minted graduate of Central Saint Martins is crazily ambitious enough to have published her own magazine. And not just for school... for realsies! L_A_N Magazine is an oddball mix of fashion, technology and art. Think geeking out with your friends and then distilling it into a genius bespoke artbook... yeah that's basically it. As if you can't tell from the vibrant, bizarre and chock-full spreads below, L_A_N may as well have some of the best printed pages we've seen in a while!

As Veronica puts it, 'the magazine explores the way technology and futurism informs design and fashion and vice versa'... (did she say futurism? I'm down!) Among other things, the first issue features the likes of Thierry Mugler, Hussein Chalayan and the cyber-punk artists Aids-3d.

Oh and she's looking for like minded fashion geeks! If you feel passionately about Chewbacca and would like to contribute to L_A_N, email her at veronicawso@gmail.com!

'A Lovely, Lyrical, Lilting Name... Lolita'

There was most certainly an air of school-girl-gone-bad on the runways this season, and what with Polanski being in the news so often lately to do with his own Dolores Haze, it's pretty apparent that the Lolita Effect is making its way back into our psyche. And when you think about it, it's quite a strange thing to be appealing, isn't it?

I wont go as far as to say that its recurrence has something to do with our sexualized youth, because clearly the story of Lolita goes back way further than Britney Spears, but there is definitely something to be said for it's obvious influence on several shows this season, including Chanel, Miu Miu and Christopher Kane, pictured above.

We Heart Philip Sparks! (even if he won't make us clothes...)

Ok, so Philip Sparks doesn't make clothes for Katie Girls just yet, but us gals can still dream right?

It's Fashion Week here in Toronto, and last week I stopped by Philly's (as I so affectionately call him) show... True to form, I was majorly late and got there in just time to say hi to friends on their way out, but what I did get me was a peek of the collection backstage (as well as some tasty male models undressing... tee hee)

For Spring, Philip's bespoke aesthetic was transformed into an easy breezy collection of seersucker, khaki and best of all, vintage inspired prints which were made in collaboration with textile designer, Kerry Croghan.

If I haven't made it clear so far, CHECK IT OUT!

"Can You Turn This Up Please? You Wont Be Sorry"

This has nothing to do with anything but I've just been feeling like this all day today. Like really, can we all just get up and dance for a sec? MyMyMyHOO!

Fierce Kitty Ferocia!

OMG OMG OMG. I don’t really know what else there is to say about United Bamboo’s 2010 Cat Calendar except for OMG (or make a random squeely snorty noise). The lady and gent kitties show off outfits from Miho and Thuy’s Spring 2010 collection and I daresay, they are mighty fiiiine felines! I can’t even imagine how hilarious this was to shoot, but all I know is that there must have been hours spent snort-laughing in the studio. Do you think the kitties went in for fittings? Are there cat Judys for sale on 38th?

Eating for Art's Sake with Anne Koch

Decorate the sidelines long enough and I suppose you itch for the spotlight, right? Well, in a majorly abbreviated way, that's sort of the deal with set designer-cum-artist Anne Koch. The über cool Koch has dreamed up a multitude of sets for the likes of Patrick Demarchelier, Arthur Elgort as well as created patterns for Ruffian (she even worked the launch event of one of my recently favoured books, Grey Gardens!) Lately though, she's been turning the camera on herself with her fascinating 'Eat' series. Here's what she told me about it:

"My first film was 'Eat (potato chips)' taken in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India. I first thought was “Oh my goodness, this is such a gorgeous piece of backdrop, this is incredible...I need to do something here...' And I just bought a packet of crisps right there, 8 ft away from where I was standing. I wanted to stand, not move, and just have the rest of the world move. My decision to conduct an action, eating, was first subconsciously to parody the tourists that gawk and look, kind of like at a zoo, like when they stand and watch, at everything and nothing...but also to be doing something mundane and everyday"

Babe of the Biweekly: Pete Campbell

I'd like to preface this post by saying two things. 1. Okay, so what if Babe of the Biweekly is turning into a 'whenever I feel like it' kind of post. 2. Don Draper clearly owns the 'Babe of Mad Men' title, but sometimes you've just got to point out the little guy. Ok, so let's get back to business... is it just me or do you find Pete Campbell (played by Vincent Kartheiser) to be kind of a babe? Maybe it's his odd proclivity for steel blue suits, his baby face, his awkwardly romantic gestures towards Peggy or the way he danced with Trudy at Sterling's party, but his constantly ridiculous behaviour which at first repulsed me has totally got me crushing!

I originally was rooting for Kinsey, but then I realized he was just a self-important loser. Then I thought maybe okay, Harry... but then he was so pathetic after cheating on his wife that I was just like ugh... Ah yes, it took a while for the man in blue to catch my eye but let me just say: if I was a German nanny who'd stained a dress by accident, I'd totally be okay with my neighbor buying me a new one and then blocking my door so I couldn't get out! Eww! Aww!

Reading Rainbow: Lillian Bassman Women

Not to take away from the death of the great Irving Penn, who died earlier this week at the age of 92, but I'd just like to obsess about the great (and still kickin' at 92 herself!) Lillian Bassman for a moment. The lovely folks at Abrams Books sent me their just-released retrospective of her work (thank you, thank you!!!!) and the massive 14x11 240 page book almost seems like too modest of a forum to reacquaint me with her ultra-glam ultra-captivating photographs.

One of the only female photographers of her time, Bassman was of the lucky few to be nurtured under Alexey Brodovitch (along with her longtime love and husband of 74 years, Paul Himmel). It was while working under the famed art director at Harper's Bazaar that Bassman started to experiment with screwing around in the darkroom, developing tricks to alter images using objects as simple as tissue paper and spatulas. "I was interested in creating a new kind of vision aside from what the camera saw," she once said.

Bassman photographed some of the most beautiful and famous glamazons of her era, including Dovima, Suzy Parker and Jean Shrimpton, but her ability to manipulate and blur beautiful faces like theirs is what transforms her work into art. Bassman may have come to age at a time when photography and art were not exactly simpatico, but it's safe to say that her work transcends both labels. What it is, is pure genius.

A Sweet Dream or A Beautiful Nightmareeeee

'Either way I don't wanna wake up from you-u-u-u....' Beyonce was talking about McQueen's Spring 2010 collection, right? This collection is basically the Paris version of what I felt for Proenza, maybe even better. (Okay... better)

Most importantly though, I see it as the standout visionary collection for where we are actually headed with fashion in the 21st century. Marrying rich couture elements with high-tech prints… the collection was a real connection between the past, present and future. And if this is where things are headed… I’m happier than a pig in shit with warrior hair.

So This Is What They Meant by Eau de Toilette!

On Saturday night I waited in line to breathe deep in a porta-potty, and let me tell you…it was divine! As part of the Toronto-wide all night art fest, Nuit Blanche, Montreal based artist Chih-Chien Wang replaced the usually frightful interiors of 10 porta-potties with unlikely materials and scents, meant to conjure up various characters and landscapes of Alice in Wonderland. As I’ve already mentioned, I am obsessed with anything Alice and so on top of this being the coolest thing ever…this was like the COOLEST THING EVER!

Aside from two potties being blocked off because of drunk douchebags doing the obviously douchbaggy thing and ruining the cake and strawberry potties, the whole thing was a sensory overload…in the best way possible. My favorite was the potty filled to the brim with delish smelling yellow flowers!

The night was filled with too many amazing exhibits to count, but to give you a peek at what my favorites were, I’ve stolen some pictures from The Torontoist’s coverage of Nuit Blanche.

Outside of the Porta-Potties

Crazy futuristic light-thing hanging from City Hall

A Carnival slide smack dab in the middle of the Financial District

Another of my fave exhibits, inside Union Station

I just remember dancing in here...

Blindfolded boxing at the Bus Terminal!

"What Is It With You, Plastics?"

As if everyone ever didn’t call this like a million times, Ungaro’s move to bring Lindsay Lohan on board as ‘artistic advisor’ officially just proved itself to be completely idiotic. As if the images above don't drive the point home, just take a look at last season's whimsical delight in comparison to this so-not-hot mess. Nicole Phelps put it mildly when she called it a “bad joke of a fashion show”. Like who the hell gets rid of the Tavi of designers, Esteban Cortazar in place for the girl who isn’t even relevant anymore? What the eff were they thinking?

Opening Ceremony x Where The Wild Things Are

Already poised to take the cake as the coolest kids movie of all time, Where The Wild Things Are, has just upped the ante with Spike Jonze’s collaboration with Opening Ceremony. Part costume, part stunningly amazing faux fur coats, jackets, dresses and separates…the collection makes me weak in the knees! Especially the reversible vest pictured above centre. Oh and there are accoutrements too! Our girl Pamela Love created some seriously wicked necklaces, bangles and rings to match the fuzzy collection.

But realises now, if anyone is looking to get me a half-year birthday present, the vest is a super reasonable $415….available at http://www.openingceremony.us/ Thanks!

And yet another time for the cheap seats: watch this trailer for the 90th time. Get faclempt. Then look around the room like you were just sneezing.

Okay, So I Do Have A Comment On Milan!

I've been so busy celebrating the new year and fasting like all the other good Jews, that I almost skipped over 1/4th of the Fashion Month equation! So, here's the abbreviated skinny on what killed me....

First of all it totally cracked me up that almost every look on the Marni runway looked kinda like someone who I'd assume really didn't get it (the overwrought striped leggings, the polka dots) yet somehow they really did get it...probably so much more than me. And those shoes! Jesus!

Dolce & Gabbana totally slayed me for the second season running, which is amazing considering that I've never considered myself their biggest fan. The Masculin Feminin, the Spanish lace....ohmigod. I was really holding myself back from comparing the collection to Velasquez paintings....

Finally, Prada totally redeemed herself in my books from last fall's dowdy mess. If Resort was a little tease...then this collection was the full shebang, from the beach prints to the ridiculously fantastical chandelier dresses. Viva Italia!