Top Five Fashion Moments of 2008

5. Tom Ford Gives Gucci the Finger
Well, I guess I should expect nothing less from the man who claims to not wear deodorant because he loves the way "human beings smell"(and by "human beings" we can only assume he means himself), and yet sells perfume to the masses. But in my number five favorite fashion moment of '08 Mr. Ford is at it again, this time opening his eponymous store directly across the street from Gucci (his former employers) on Rodeo Drive. Thanks Tom for continuing to be...awesome.

4. Marion Cotillard Owns the Oscars
Perhaps it's because we share the same name, but I think that Marion Cotillard, star of the 2007 movie La Vie en Rose, is just fabulous . She looked especially fabulous on the red carpet at this last years Oscars in this John Paul Gaultier mermaid gown.

3. Philip Crangi Wins CFDA Award
In a decision that was not entirely unexpected the Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded the Swarovski Award for Accesory Design to the totally adorable indie-darling Philip Crangi (who both Kelly and I have a little crush on). And men with beards prevail once again!
2. Steven Meisel Goes Black
In response to the very white world of fashion, photographer Steven Meisel shot an all black issue for Vogue Itaila and the effect was dyamic and totally gorgious. From super model Naomi Campbell to the fresh face of Jourdan Dunn the models did not disapoint.

1. I'm my own number one fashion moment!
I think I must put myself on here as my favorite fashion moment of 2008. A new chapter in my life began with my first quarter at FIDM and I'm beyond excited to see where all this is going. Here's to an amazing 2009!

xoxo,
marion

Old Year, New Year

Well, it's been great 2008... now I'll be feelin' fine in 2009. And what's a New Year post without lists, glorious lists?

So with that in mind here are my personal favorite albums of the last year...
1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2. Beach House - Devotion
3. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
4. Shearwater - Rook
5. Anathallo - Canopy Glow
6. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
7. Baby Dee - Safe Inside the Day
9. The Presets - Apocalypso
10. Rodriguez - Cold Fact (I realize that this is a re-release, but I think an argument could be made for including it, and it was one of my favorite discoveries of 2008)

The official Melophobe list can be found on their website, as well as my review of the above mentioned MGMT album, and some other fun reviews.
More lists to come!

xoxo,
marion

The "Even You Can Afford This" Gift Guide

black and white gift guide by marionberry

From now until Christmas I'll be putting together some affordable gift guides to inspire us all in our Christmas shopping. All the gifts are available online and are in the $30 and under range! I hope this is helpful as everyone tries to make this a simple and affordable holiday.

xoxo,
marion


Satu Eau De Parfum Rollerball in Freesia - $14.00 @ Anthropologie

Striped Scarf - $34.50 @ Gap

Jesper Wool Stocking Cap - $29.00 @ Dunderdon

Tokyo 4-part Server - $19.95 @ CB2 (Crate&Barrel)

Kerouac Quote Magnate - $3.00 @ Etsy

Porcelain Snowflake Ornament - $14.00 @ Etsy

Find of the Day

We had a perfectly lovely time at the Felt Club today. The Shrine Auditorium was full to the hilt of crafty folks selling their goods. I was very pleased with the variety of merchandise, and the care and professionalism that was displayed. My absolute favorite find today is the local illustrator Catia Chien. She makes dreamy watercolors that remind me of the feeling of comfort and delight that I got as a child looking at the illustrations of Jessie Wilcox Smith and others of her era. Catia Chien's whimsical drawings are very differnt from those in A Child's Garden of Verses, but they evoke the same delight in me, which I find is not as common a feeling as an adult, and perhaps that is why I'm so excited to shaire my find. She has prints and other little gifts avaliable on her website so check it out!

xoxo,
marion

Art Avaliable online at www.catiachien.com

From 52 to 48 With Love

See if you can find me here!

It's Holiday Bazaar Season!

xoxo,
marion

An Open Letter to Vinyl Leggings

Dear Miss Leggings,

I've been seeing you around town a lot lately. It appears that the rumors I heard earlier this year about you going back to your day job were false, and you are still going out every night getting sweaty on the dance floors of Los Angeles. You've left your old friends back at the dimly lit, gay friendly goth club, and have ventured out onto the red carpet with a new entourage of B-list celebrities. But I know the truth about you Vinyl Leggings. I know why you only come in black and why only Rihanna looks even passably good in you.

You are a cruel mistress, Miss Leggings. Even smart and normally stylish people are drawn to hold their breathes, clench their asses, and attempt to pull you on inch by inch. And even though the results aren't pretty, you have pulled the vinyl over their eyes. Maybe it's because they have to continue to hold their breath while wearing you that your victims feel like you make them appear slimmer, but those of us who haven't fallen prey to you know the truth. You caress every dimple of cellulite of every ass that has ever met you and you highlight every inch of what would otherwise be barely perceptible fat with a ray of black molten light that is terrifying to behold.
And as if that weren't enough, your betrayal of your new friends doesn't end there. In your endless lust for attention you have convinced these poor souls to let every inch of you be seen. Instead of hiding you under a dress like your cousin Cotton Leggings, these acolytes of the cult of Vinyl are wearing you with little t-shirts and tank tops that further reveal the havoc you have wreaked on their posteriors.

You must have slipped something into the Vodka Redbulls of stylists everywhere because they are saying all sorts of great things about you, that you are rock-star chic, versatile, and great for pairing with sweaters for a great "mix of textures". Maybe I'm just not chic enough to understand where you are coming from Vinyl Leggings... is there something more to you that I just don't understand? No! I wont allow you to pull me into your web of deceit. You must go I'm afraid. There isn't room in this town for the both of us, and there isn't room in you for anyone.

xoxo,
marion

Dark Riders

I'm so sad I didn't find this in time for Halloween! But the line by Rick Owens, drkshdw, perfectly combines two of my favorite things: high fashion and nerdy fantasy. Perhaps the always too cool for school Mr. Owens would balk at me calling his designs "nerdy", but really... fur lined druid hoodies? Yeah, that's about as nerd chic as you can get outside of Comic-Con. Either way I think it's a fantastic concept that the designer pulls off with his classic rock star touch. And apparently others agree because the line is notoriously hard to find, and sells out even with it's "not for the average budget" prices. I don't know about you, but I think that this may inspire a little sewing project of my own...

xoxo,
marion

find drkshdw at OakNYC

Life in the City of Angels

Well, I thought I'd post a little picture blog of life in Los Angeles so far...

they love them some Obama here :)

kelly looking angsty with his Jens Lekman record he rediscovered

paint/table

me/curtain

my lovely big closet has it's own little window...

we left our computer desk... we brought our booze...

neighborhood

Leftenant Tibbins

we are the one on the right

this is our mailslot. you should send us mail.

We Miss You Guys!!!
XOXO,
Marion & Kelly & Tibbs

4554 St Elmo Drive

Terrific Traipsing Boots!

This time of year makes me want to go traipsing through the woods. Take the road less traveled if you will, maybe read a little Robert Frost on a convenient log. And to do this you really do need the perfect boots. Mine are a pair of brown leather, Oxford style ankle boots from J.Crew that I've had since high school. They are sturdy and worn and have the perfect forest green laces. However, if for some reason those boots were stolen, and the thief left 500 bucks in their place, I would go out and purchase the above pictured boots by Devotte. As far as I am concerned the mourning process for my much loved high school boots would be short lived if I could replace them with these babies! The perfect boots for women should ideally fall somewhere between Anne of Green Gables and Annie Oakley, and I think this pair does exactly that. *sigh* I suppose I shouldn't moon over these boots for too long, my actual boots might get jealous, and I wouldn't want to trip on that walk in the woods.

xoxo
Marion

So Mad Men!

I think I know what the designer was watching on hulu when she sketched out this little number! It's exactly what Joan Holloway would wear as she breezes through the office on Mad Men. It's on sale right now at J.crew and I confess that I'm totally coveting it! hm... purple or navy blue?

xoxo

marion

forget variety!

While I usually profess a love for variety, I think I could probably live on the bean&cheese Torta from Tortas de Mexico for the rest of my life. Or at least the rest of my life in L.A. In fact, when i raise this sandwich to my lips I no longer pity vegetarians! In fact I raise my glass to them! This restaurant in Pasadena is not actually a vegetarian restaurant, but the three best things on the menu most certainly are. In addition to the bean and cheese torta that I get, Kelly has developed an almost unnatural love for the chile relleno torta (pictured above in all it's glory) and when I do need a little variety I get the cheese and chile filled tamales. So if you find yourself hungry from all that shopping on Colorado Blvd. try to avoid the queue at The Cheesecake Factory and head down the street to Tortas de Mexico.

Tortas de Mexico
on the corner of Holly and Fair Oaks in Pasadena

Images from Spring RTW '09

So I want to share a few of my favorite images from fashion week this week! I just now got a chance to sit and peruse the merchandise, and while I haven't yet found any full lines that I like in their entirety there are quite a few nice pieces to reference for Spring. The color palate was very muted and cool for the most part, which some people made work and left others a little flat. Here are some of my favorites:

Beautiful full sleeves at Monique Lhuillier
Youthful mix of prints at Rachel Comey
Summer casual at Jenni Kayne

Frills at 3.1 Phillip Lim

Lovely evening wear at Carolina Herrera
Unappologetic glamor at Marchesa
I loved seeing a few more black models on the runway this season... two favorite new faces are Yordanos Teshager at Sophie Theallet (who featured all black models) and Lakshmi Menon at Carolina Herrera


Ok, and last but perhaps my favorite of this season so far, Chris Benz. Forget what I said about not seeing a whole runway that I liked, everything he sent down was totally inspired. I really think he is coming into his own as a young designer, and his spot on color pallet and intellectual yet wearable clothes are wonderful to see.



See Style.com for full coverage of the Spring runways!

xoxo,
marion

up to my ears

image borrowed from big fat rat on flickr

So I'm totally up to my ears with the move, and haven't had any time to blog. It's been fun finding little things that I didn't think I had anymore, and getting rid of some things that I no longer need. But in the midst of all of that I need to take a little break! So here's a quick little find...

The amazing Brooklyn based label Hayden-Harnett is having a little give away to usher in the fall line. They are a label that I can really point to and say that I would want to do something similar. The clothes are romantic, but edgy and full of perfect little details. So check out the website to see the gorgeous assortment of clothes and accessories for fall, and click HERE TO WIN!!

currently listening to: Sufjan Stevens

XOXO,
marion

new look

I had a very pleasant discovery today! Style.com, the online source for American Vogue, has done a site redesign that encompasses all aspects of their website. All in all I think it was a very timely and refreshing change, and it really showcases all that the site has to offer. Cheers guys! Great job!

xoxo,

marion

Find of the Day

My find of the day is not really fashion related. It's New York band The Parlor Mob. Sort of Jack White meets Wolf Parade. (yeah, it's that good!) The band features two of the members (former members?) of Wolfmother, and they have recently signed to metal label Roadrunner Records. Check them out on the myspace.

xoxo,

marion

I realize that not everyone is as crazy for Tilda Swinton as I am, and I admit her forceful fashion can miss the mark at times, but I think she is just fabulous. (delicious androgyny!) Since I am of that opinion I was excited to hear that she has a big fashion spread in W magazines September issue. And even more excited to hear that Juergen Teller (of marc jacobs advertisement fame) is the photographer. I think his raw, modern style perfectly suites her look and I can't wait to see the result in full glossy color! (hurrah for print mags! long may they prosper!)

xoxo,
marion

Into the Woods

band of outsiders

For fall this year I'm very inspired by a Northwest lumberjack sort of look. And not necessarily the obsequious buffalo plaid that all the kids wore last year. I'm thinking corduroy and fur and lots of shopping in the boys section of stores. I'm happy I never gave away my long plaid skirt that my dad got me from J.Crew when I was in high school. It may need new lining, but that thing is never going to go out of style.

Also, in celebration of the arrival of fall, I'm going to make delicious apple stuffed acorn squash for dinner tonight. I actually think I might like squash now after 25 years of retching at the mere thought of it! Shocking I know... Or perhaps it's the fact that I now control the amount of brown sugar in the recipe... :)

xoxo,
marion

Also...

I really want these plates. Boo to moving! Anywhoo... you can find them (there is another adorable pattern in the same set) at Rare Device.

xoxo,

marion