Dear Margaret, It's Me Nudity...

At the risk of sounding majorly uncool, I must admit that I have always been somewhat perplexed by the omnipresence of nudity in contemporary art/fashion photography. I'm on the level in portrait sense of course, (after all, Violin d'Ingres wouldn't be the same if Kiki were wearing a coat...) but what always seems to confuse me is when it's something like a chick making eggs without a shirt. Or a dude doing his taxes with his wang out.

Not that it bothers me really, but it just makes me wonder...is the image supposed to arouse me? Is it perverse? Or is it in fact just the opposite, that the naked body represents the complete absence of perversion...beauty in it's most natural form. What I'm assuming is that my own little dilemma is what the photographers hoped would happen...that they see nudity as a dichotomy as well. But then again, who knows.

We DID Hang Out with You, Scott Schuman!

Can we just talk about how that heading is really exciting for a sec? Like, Scott Schuman...on the blog...for realsies!

So anyways, the totally awesome Scott (otherwise known as The Sartorialist, for those of you know don't know) was hanging this side of the border on Tuesday to celebrate an exhibit of his photos at Holt Renfrew slash pimping his new book and I was lucky enough to chat with him a few hours before an incredibly alcohol-fuelled cocktail party later that evening (although I kinda wish I remembered some of those witticisms as well...)

And because I didn't get too many great photos of the actual exhibit, these are some photos of our friends and favorite people who were lucky enough to have caught Scott's eye...enjoy, Katie Girls! Enjoy!

Do you remember that Michael Kors dinner party at The Royalton last year? Well I was totally following you around like a puppy all night… Oh yeah! Oh Michael, what a character…(imitating) ‘Why doesn’t everyone come in and sit down’ …what a character!”

We Katie Girls took your advice by creating a not-so-obvious blog name because we try to blog about so many different things…do you ever feel like you want to post other stuff than just photos? I feel limited in a sense that I’d like to write more but when I’m travelling and shooting it’s a whole other mindset for me to turn things around. You know Garance Dore? She’s my girlfriend and I’m totally jealous that she can shoot, illustrate, write. I mean she writes a lot and is able to do all of them so well. I’m a slightly better photographer but then she’s got it all and she’s more beautiful than I am.

The thing with my life is that I get really photo focused for a while and then I switch and be a little more fashion, that’s what keeps me fresh on both ends. On my down time I’m either reading a fashion magazine or a photography magazine.

So I guess in a way, The Sartorialist is about a lot of things…The number one thing I love doing is just communicating with the audience. Like I’ve said, it’s about fashion but it’s not really about fashion you know….its about inspiration.

Are you more aesthetically inspired by people you know or people you don’t know? Usually people I don’t know because people you know, then you get to know them too well. I like the romance …like this guy (points to a photo)…he barely knows any English and the English speaking guy who works at his store knows not to tell me the dumb stuff that comes out of his mouth just to keep the romance of how cool I think he is. And I am cool with that! I don’t need to know the real you…I’d rather shoot who I think you are.

I notice that if you tend to favour shooting subjects, you make sure to switch it up the next season…Sometimes things just ebb and flow. Sometimes people disappear….like the cover of the book Julie. I’ve shot her a lot on and off and then I didn’t see her for two seasons and then I saw her walking down Sixth Avenue and I just told her to keep walking. It made the greatest picture. It’s actually rarely an outfit that turns me off of shooting someone, sometimes the light’s not right, or I’m just not on. It’s not so much about favorites as it is about the best shot…

Can you tell when people are trying to get you to shoot them. I’ve totally tried to awkwardly pose in front of you…not going to lie. People realize they can’t use their influence to get on the site. That’s why there’s such a level of integrity and people really love it. And I’m kinda shy anyways…if I feel too much of that, I just shy away. The first day of
New York Fashion Week is always like that. I know now people know what I look like and I’m conscious of that. Usually, when I’m walking on the street I still feel a little separated. I try not to notice it either way.

You are such a lover of New York City and so are we! If you had to choose, which do you like better, Chrysler or Empire State? I guess the Chrysler Building…is that right? Did I win anything? Did I win one of the buildings?

LA Woman

Last weekend, I finally made my way to the City of Angels to visit one of my oldest and dearest friends, Neda (the cute little thang to the left below), who recently relocated. I'd been prepping myself with Clueless, Pretty Woman and episodes of Beverly Hills 90210...but I must say that I was pretty clueless (actually!) as to what LA had to offer. From the zany vendors on Venice Beach to the larger-than-life hand and shoe prints in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater...the city is quite a trip! Check out a few of my fave pictures from my weekend...

riding the ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier

just some of the MJ insanity...

detail of Grauman's Chinese Theater footprints

just a few of a zillion amazing signs and flowers

tripping drum circle dancer on Venice Beach and a Jesus impersonator on Hollywood

some irie Jamaican accessories on Venice Beach

Change of Taste

One of the signature marks of a true Katie Girl is her ever evolving taste. As Randi mentioned in her ode to Dustin Hoffman, if there's one thing that unites us it's our picky but passionate taste.

Out of the two of us, I've also been a smidge girlier-give me some muted floral wallpaper and an old book over sparkles and neon any day. Lately, I've noticed a slight change of pace in my taste. Maybe it's the current fashion obsession with all things southwestern or just my desire to simplify, but lately I've been wanting to clear off my walls, buy a cactus, and call it a day.

Below, a little taste of my new taste. At least for the time being...

p.s. we borrowed these images from refinery 29 and steven alan.

Can We Hang Out With You, James Worthington Demolet?

Next up on the Can We Hang docket is everyone's favorite gent, James Worthington Demolet. If you think I'm exaggerating by saying favorite, well then I guess you haven't met James...because he's really just that kinda guy. As well as the single possessor of the ability to completely disarm anyone at first glance, James' hard-edged aesthetic is a total compliment to his bubbly personality.

After moving to New York from North Carolina to study at FIT, James started off in the closet of many many magazines, eventually building himself into a majorly in demand freelance stylist who's recent clients include InStyle, Teen Vogue, Nylon, Vanidad, The Block, and Russh.

And because he's so awesome, he not only answered our little questionnaire, but he gave us the photos below as exclusives from a recent shoot he did for Contributing Editor (which can be viewed at http://contributingeditor.blogspot.com/

Give us a recap of what you did before your current gig as a freelance stylist. I worked as an intern and assistant for NYLON, W, GQ, i-D, Lula, and Vogue Italia until I was hired as a fashion assistant at Teen Vogue. Before that I did faux-finishes for people's homes in the south.

What's been your favorite shoot so far? I love the Rodarte/Kim Gordon for i-D images. I had been dying to work with the girls. There are several stories I styled for Contributing Editor that I'm super stoked about. Gummo-inspired Bunny Boy shot by Jason Nocito, two skater boarders wearing shorts and bunny ears like the kid from the movie. Colin Lane shot a story that I street-cast for weeks, it's about experimental masculinity in NYC. Those boys are incredible.

I also shot Boyd Holbrook, Vincent Lacrocq, Jamie Strachan, and Conrad Matschke in their apartment/studio. They were able to bring a personal ease to any look I handed them. Thomas Lohr shot that story, he's a young photographer on the scene but what he turned out was truly inspired and way beyond the expectations I had for the shoot. Camilla Nickerson once said, "[that] you're always waiting for... that lovely moment when something you could never imagine happens on set".

What do you love most about working on your own? Putting on sunblock and sending out look requests from my roof.

What did you think of New York when you first moved? That there would be an adjustment period moving here from the country but there wasn't.

Robin says the best fast food in the South is Chick-Fil-A...what do you think about that? Totally agree.

You moved from the West Village to Brooklyn to Midtown, which do you like the best and why? I just moved to 37th Street in midtown from Williamsburg. Brooklynites are super inspiring, hipster or not, they're the ones in New York who challenge fashionable conventions. I'll miss them... Had to come back to the city to ease shoot prep on me and my team.

Can you describe your style without using phrases like boho chic, old Hollywood glamour or anything with a twist? Previously I think I said goth catholic schoolboy, now maybe gothic skinhead schoolboy - with Pamela Love jewelry.

Is it hard to separate your personal style from the style of a shoot? There's a certain character I draw inspiration from for editorials and my personal look.

What or who are you inspired by right now? The unknown.

We are desperate for it to feel like summer already! What are you looking forward to most? Creative challenges, a trip to St. Tropez, but mostly that new show Glee.

To see more of James' amazing work, visit his site at:
www.james-worthington.com/

Babe of the Biweekly: Dustin Hoffman

Us Katie Girls have a tendency to be picky with the opposite sex...but once we fall in love, we fall hard, fast and are over it in a minute. Since it's quite possible that this cycle can reoccur daily, we thought it'd be fun to share some of the apples of our eyes, whether past, present, fictional or otherwise.

I've always thought Dustin Hoffman was a total babe and so I thought he was a fitting kickoff to a section that will probably only feature fairly awkward looking nerds. I was watching Kramer vs. Kramer (so great!) earlier this week and I was reminded that everything from his shortness to his constantly high-pitched way of talking to his Jew shnoz turns my crank. I should probably should insert that Robin isn't really riding the Dustin train, but I suppose that's because he doesn't look like he threw up his dinner....

Katie Girl of the Month: Sam Giordano

For as democratic as the rise of blogging is supposed to have made the world of fashion, I can't help but notice that it's still only the majorly connected and/or wealthy gals that are featured as style icons. Granted, most of them look great, but as The Katie Girls is largely about us and about the people we are proud to call our friends, we've launched a monthly shout-out to our most stylish friends who don't happen to have a model for a mother, a rockstar for a father or the genes of a literary legend.


First up on the list is one of my favorite looking gals as well as one of my best friends, Sam Giordano. Me and Sam met way back as Teen Vogue interns and have been tight ever since. Aside from being one of the most open, giving and fun-loving people I know, Sam radiates beauty and natural-born style so easily that it's almost intimidating.

Sam loves red lipstick, Lolita, Anais Nin, New Wave cinema, Chloë Sevigny and kittens (especially her little white puffball, Princess Theadora Sparkles).... these pictures also hint at her affinity for cheap beer. As far as fashion goes, Sam is really feeling anything early 90's lately, which coincidentally works really well with her penchant for ripped tights, bright lips and flowery dresses.

Freshly graduated from Columbia, Sam's attending New School in the fall. Oh and she's in London doing a summer course at Central Saint Martins. Like, excuse me? We spotted her first...thas all I'm sayin!