Now that I do not have a laptop, a lot of people have asked me how I watch television, and my response must seem so antiquated - I watch TV on a television!  Albeit, I do not watch a lot of television, but my go-to drama is Mad Men, my go-to comedy is The Mindy Project, and my go-to reality series is Project Runway.  And lately, I have seen references of Project Runway everywhere.  While doing a little online shopping I came across two dresses: the Bohemian Bones Magenta Metal Dress and the Oh My Love Sleeve Cut Out Dress.  I immediately thought of Sandhya's dress and Kristine's jacket from Episode 3: Welcome to the Future, in which the designers used inspiration from 1994 to create a look for the year 2034.

Well, it looks like their futuristic looks can be translated into present looks for 2015 :)  Thank you, Mood! 

At the Grand Palais this morning in Paris, Karl Lagerfeld created a giant rotating Earth with flags marking all the stores.  The models walked out in front of the revolving globe to the sound of "Around the World" by Daft Punk while wearing the latest Autumn-Winter 2013 collection.  "It's about the globalization of fashion," said Lagerfeld.





















And, it just shows the global domination of a global brand.   After all, it is a Chanel world, with Karl as King of fashion, and we just live in it ;)  Chanel really does make the world go round!

It is almost Christmas Eve, but it has felt like the holidays have been in Los Angeles forever thanks to The Grove! I attended a party at the Madewell store hosted by Nylon magazine and Nylon's West Coast fashion editor, Jazzi McG. It was so nice to meet her, and also enjoy the ice cream treats from Coolhaus. The Grove is a great place to be during the holidays, it "snows" nightly and there are so many lights, making you really feel like you are a part of a winter wonderland. Also, a few blocks down, on Melrose, there are funky boutiques, like the one pictured below. Perfect gifts for your hipster friends ;)  Hope you all get a little something in the next week, whether it be from a "secret Santa" or a holiday card from your neighbor. 

Finally made it to Target to check out the Target x Neiman Marcus x CFDA collaboration.  I bought the Marchesa dresses for girls in size large and had hoped to fit into them; but no such luck.  The pink dress would not zip all the way in the back and the white dress was too high on the neckline.  Everything in the Holiday24 collection is beautiful and well-made, but unfortunately, there was no piece that I felt like I needed to have.  Did you all go and purchase anything? 

Solange might have legs that go for days and is the sister to one of the world's greatest singers, but I can certainly rival her style skills ;)

I had a run in with a very lovely lady yesterday at Bloomingdale's - Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere - and I thought that a lot of bloggers would be interested to know that she is very sweet, personable, and down to earth.  Also, just as pretty and put-together in "real life" as she is on the blog :)  Now, I was obviously coming from work, hence the bare-face, corporate jacket, and unbrushed hair, but I did want to share this photo with all of you.  Happy weekend!

Designer knockoffs are nothing new. Famously, Forever 21 is actually best known for their propensity for copying clothing designs, making cheaper versions, and selling them in their stores. To my amazement however, just a few days after buying a dress and a shirt from Urban Outfitters, I spot the exact copy, albeit both cheaper in price and quality, at TJ Maxx.

Below is a photo of the pink Sparkle & Fade sleeveless chiffon shirt I purchased from Urban Outfitters, and underneath it, the green Myth sleeveless shirt I spotted at TJ Maxx. Both are cut in a relaxed, swingy silhouette with a high/low hem, buttons down the front, and a pointed collar. The only differences are the colors and the price point. Urban Outfitters still has the product for sale online, found here: Sparkle & Fade Sleeveless Chiffon Shirt.



Below is a photo of the orange Coincidence & Chance lace revel dress I purchased from Urban Outfitters, and underneath it, the ivory Monteau lace dress I spotted at TJ Maxx. Both are cut with a fitted bodice and full skirt, with sheer mesh accents at the shoulders, a chiffon lining, and a back zipper closure. The only differences are the colors and the price point. And, after checking Urban Outfitters online, they still have the produce for sale, even available in the same ivory color, found here: Coincidence & Chance Revel Dress.



Now, I might be guilty of a little purchasing of designer knockoffs, mostly jewelry and purses from downtown (please do not tell Karl!) but I am totally against this blatant copyright infringement. It might stem from the attorney in me, and it might just be that I like to encourage innovation. Designer brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton have a very recognizable symbol and status. The prestige of the company grows when more and more people can recognize their trademark symbols, such as the signature interlocking double-C for Chanel or the LV monogram for Louis Vuitton. Knockoffs of those trademarks then, do not diminish the actual product. In fact, some might argue that it makes the purchasing of the real items that much more illustrious. On the other hand, brands at Urban Outfitters, such as Sparkle & Fade or Coincidence & Chance, have no recognizable trademarks or known logos. They are simply designing the trends of the moment. For other smaller brands to knock them off just shows a lack of originality and creativity, and it diminishes the clothing lines at Urban Outfitters.

Now, there is nothing I can do about this, per se, but I hope that all of you fashionistas and trendologists take a moment on your next expeditions to the mall and make sure that you are not purposely purchasing a stolen idea -- its all about conscientious shopping :)

Karl Lagerfeld for Metro! Karl has the ability to make anything relevant again, even the newspaper :) I really liked his recent comments in the Metro: "I do what I want because I have fun, you know. I don't want to be the designer who designs one look that you're known for, for the rest of your life, and then he disappears and he dies ... I like the continuity to play with fashion. I have no problem, no reason. I do Chanel, which is the French version of me. And Fendi is my Italian version ..." Oh, Karl, you are a true renaissance man, trying your hand at everything.

Hello, fellow bloggers and stalkers. I am back from my 12-day excursion to Chicago and the Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia Metropolitan Area. Thank you to my many hosts, friends, family ... It was definitely an eventful trip :) In Chicago, while my brother was saving lives as a medical resident and my friends were at work, I was left to roam the city and traverse the El. After attending the North American Bahá’í Conference on Law at the John Marshall Law School, I was able to do fun, personal things by myself that one does not usually get to do during the span of our busy and hectic lives, such as shopping at Topshop, getting my hair blown out at the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon and visiting the Art Institue of Chicago. It was a a few days of being able to reflect on my own self while experiencing the many different and diverse Chi-town neighborhoods. Here are a few photos from my trusty blackberry (iphone who?) showing my love for vibrant Chi-city.

It is the middle of September now, which means back to school, and for me, back to ballet class. J.Crew is also feeling the "Swan Lake" spirit and has paired cashmere sweaters with ballet tutus. Perfect for the little ballerina in all of us, no matter how old we are ;)

Lauren Conrad launched her Fall 2011 clothing line for Kohl’s last week. I have never even been inside a Kohl’s department store so I really had no expectations. Her line is sweet, very dreamy and whimsical. Not sure if I would actually try to find my nearest Kohl’s to buy her clothes, but in a moment of boredom anything can happen, right?

Reading about LC’s charmed life got me thinking about The Hills and I started watching past episodes. It made me realize why I like Lauren and why I have been able to relate to her so much. She put forth her feelings and emotions in every situation. She openly communicated, knew the difference between right and wrong, and held her friends to the same standards and expectations she put forward. Watching Lauren deal with friendships, relationships, family, career, or even the basics of navigating through a fast-paced materialistic city, allowed me to see myself in her scenes. It was not the story of LC, but the story of all twenty-somethings, figuring out who we are and who we want to be while putting our lives together, even when we don’t have all the pieces. Pairing together Lauren’s facial expressions with some of my most favorite touching and poignant quotes shows that hardships, heartbreaks, and pain are universal, and we should use these tests as blessings, learning from them, and developing our personal and spiritual growth. “Grief and sorrow do not come to us by chance, they are sent to us by the Divine Mercy for our own perfecting.” -- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá


"Stop torturing yourself, her friends said. Stop living in the past. He was gone. Capital G--Gone. He wasn't coming back. She should focus not on the pain, but on the possibility. Something good would come from all this heartache, something always did. Everything, her friends told her, happened for a reason. She should start looking for the silver lining. She thought she might start looking for new friends." -- Aryn Kyle

"Closure is a greasy little word which, moreover, describes a nonexistent condition. The truth ... is that nobody gets over anything." -- Martin Amis

"Perhaps this is what the stories meant when they called somebody heartsick. Your heart and your stomach and your whole insides felt empty and hollow and aching." -- Gabriel García Márquez

"Later, her first intense, serious love affair, yes then she'd lost something more tangible, if undefinable: her heart? her independence? her control of, definition of, self? That first true loss, the furious bafflement of it. And never again quite so assured, confident." -- Joyce Carol Oates

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." -- Anaïs Nin

Sometimes, I wish I was born a French girl, with effortless chic style, a carefree attitude, side-swept hair, Longchamp bag in one hand and carrying a woven basket filled with baguettes, cheese, grapes and strawberries in the other. Seems like I’m not the only one – witness Kanye West at Coachella pulling off a women’s silk blouse from the Céline S/S 2011 RTW collection, also worn by Clémence Poésy, the epitome French girl. Touché, Kanyé.

Are these real bones?

And if so, can someone please cut off a limb and help me create my new favorite shoe?

Poster of the week:

Song of the week: "Power"

Collection of the week: Christian Dior Resort 2011

Interview of the week: M.I.A. with Lynn Hirschberg

Comeback of the week: Frame Bags

Article of the week: "When MTV Could Actually Inspire"

Tweet of the week:

“can CHANEL please help me out by getting me some stickers to put on my scram bracelet so that i can at least wear a chic dress?! maybe!? x.” – Lindsay Lohan

Collabo of the week: Barack Obama / Paul McCartney / Jerry Seinfeld

Party of the week:

Britney doesn't care about wearing white before Memorial Day, and neither should you - I mean, look at those cute glasses and amazing smile! Don't call it a comeback ...

Everything a girl could want - put together nicely thanks to Karl for the Fall 2009 Ready to Wear Chanel show in Paris.

Because today is my half birthday ...

Whoever is buying, start saving - I need these Balenciaga Hoofs.

It is difficult to remember how I spent my Monday nights before Josh Schwartz graced us with Gossip Girl. My shameless addiction runs so deep that I dream of Chuck Bass, Blair Waldorf, and Blair’s headbands. Here is a sampling:

Oh, to be a young, rich, beautiful teenage prep student !!

If I was a rock star, this would be my guitar case:

This is what I want my refrigerator to look like...