I recently had an interaction that proved our gender is not nearly as bitchy as we’re conditioned to believe. Before I tell this warm and fuzzy story, let’s get the administrative shiznat outta the way.
ADMIN BIZNASS: I probs look like quite the hack right now, what with the lack of regular posts and all. [...]

This morning, I set out on a Google quest. Objective: To attain a general understanding of vintage price points in order to calculate the extent to which NYC-metro-based vintage rips off those who purchase it. This lead to a ‘wholesale vintage’ search, which affirmed my suspicions. More on that later, for the ‘wholesale’ component yielded [...]

My jaw hit the floor when I learned of Alexander McQueen’s passing earlier today. Sad stuff. I’ve ripped on the McQueen’s price points in the past, but I can’t knock his talent – he pushed the envelope, and it made him one of the greats.
McQueen’s runway collections were more fantasy than reality but he did [...]

Last week, the Financial Times explored Sustainable Fashion and actually had the cojones to ask “What does green mean?”
Green means eco chic! Green means good for the earth! Green means organic hemp cotton tees made from soda can tabs, which are like so hot right now for Spring! Or something.
At a Copenhagen conference designed to [...]

I’m a Zoe Report subscriber for amusement purposes only, and yesterday’s ass-kissing homage to Derek Lam’s $3950 Tie-Dye bag did not disappoint. It also contained an ad for Rachel’s “basically fabulous” list of wardrobe essentials. Let’s see what the maharajah of self-promotion’s latest Must-Haves are, shall we?
Firstly: “Essential” and “basic” are synonyms, so the title [...]

Dearest readers,
I don’t trust stylists, fashion insiders, mag editors or PR peeps – I trust YOU, the consumers, which is why I’m asking for your opinions.
If you’re interested in participating in the research component of my current project, please copy/paste the below questions into an email, fill in your answers, and send it off to [...]

Ahh, couture: a phenomenon in which outrageous perversions of clothing masquerade as ‘art.’ Maybe the concoctions are interesting, inventive, absurd, possibly beautiful. But they’re too unwearable for me to comprehend, and it’s hard for me to give a shit about things I don’t understand.
After skimming the photo galleries of this year’s entries into the unofficial [...]

In a post yesterday, Second City Style listed Socks ‘n’ Sandals as one of Spring’s Trends That Must Die, along with a picture of Chloe Sevigny donning the combo.
Cut to LAST JULY, when I said the following in Risk Taker, Rule Breaker: Chloe Sevigny
The initial appearance of any trend is rarely met with universal approval, [...]

I’m trying to be more of a joiner these days, so I recently started a chicblog in support of the people’s fashion destination, a.k.a. Chictopia.
Big mistake. Huge.
Where style’s concerned, if-it-makes-you-feel-great-you’ll-look-great-in-it-and-fuck-what-everyone-else-thinks is my get out of jail free card, one that liberates us all from Do’s, Don’ts, Ins and Outs; one that makes an enemy out [...]

Featuring two outta three of yesterday’s Goodwill finds. WORD.

Splendid Tee ($6.99 @ Goodwill thankyouverymuch)
Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent Slip ($6.00 @ Monk. I know. Redonkulous.)
Ponyhair Belt ($3.00 @ NJ’s Alcove Thrift)
Thick-Rib Tights ($4.99 @ Duane Reade, yet more durable than a lot of my pricier hosiery. I AM OBSESSED. Weird.)
Melissa Plastic Dreams Wedges ($99.00 @ [...]

You are all undoubtedly aware of my position on celebrity style: Its obvious irrelevance to your life and mine continually results in my inability to give a shit. Alas, my unwillingness to engage in smack-talking fashions donned by famous peeps, particularly during award show season, is none too good for my traffic stats. In the [...]

Fashionista released the first images of Zac Posen for Target last week. Here’s my knee-jerk reaction to a selection of the JPEGs.

The Raincoat – dig the color, cut looks reasonably flattering. The Ruched Skirt – meh overall, demerits for an in-between length that makes 90% of legs look stumpy. The hat – why?

The Snap Tape [...]

Yesterday afternoon, I checked out the second installment of Jil Sander x Uniqlo (a.k.a. +J). It did not disappoint.

The Spring collection proved more varied than its Winter counterpart, but still managed to maintain Sander’s sleek, minimalist chic.
Egads, I just sounded like a fashion writer there. Gross. Sorry.
I waited in line for approximately five minutes [...]

There’s been plenty of kvetching about Diesel’s latest ‘Be Stupid’ ad campaign. I just saw the “Smart Listens to the Head/Stupid Listens to the Heart/Be Stupid” version on the street. Initially, I gave it an eyeroll. I take it back. I think there might actually be a message here beyond the obvious you’d-have-to-be-stupid-to-buy-$250-jeans joke.

Diesel’s using [...]

What makes New Jersey’s Designer Consignment noteworthy?
It’s a recent addition to one of the state’s many malls.
Weird. Also awesome.
The merch was ho-hum for the most part, but South Jersey’s new to the gently-worn thang. I have high hopes for the future, and I still scored an almost-new Free People cardigan.
At $20.00, it was slightly above [...]

This is an Alice & Olivia Party Dress.

It has a lot of sequins. It gets worn once or twice a year. It costs $440.00.
It is, heretofore, an idiotic purchase.
A party dress is kinda like a going-out top that way: It sits in your closet, collecting guilt, reminding you of what a moron you were [...]

Spoiled children like myself are often raised on boutique shopping. This becomes a problem when they grow up and have to buy their own clothes.
I tend to abstain from browsing stores of this tempting ilk – I’m not about to risk a nostalgic episode that undoes my current budget shopping skillz. Unless the store in [...]

Okay, so say you’re a company that deals in material goodies. If you want to make a quick buck imitating designs already being sold, you obvs adhere to the Cardinal Rule of Rip-Offs, which goes like this:
When imitating a given designer, don’t name the copycat after its inspiration.
It appears Rag & Bone didn’t get the [...]

Mmkay, it’s been weeks since the launch of Commes des Garcons x The Beatles, so maybe this isn’t the most timely of reactions. Whatever. I’m not throwing in my nine cents now to bitch about Commes des PouPou’s elitist perversion of the best band ever. That would be stating the obvious. No, what concerns me [...]

What up dollfaces,
Before we commence with the material goody-related posting, a more detailed explanation for last week’s absence is in order. The initial purpose of the break was to work on other Cheap JAPtastic projects – projects of the stress-me-the-eff-out ilk.