Justina Is Obsessed: five - twenty seven - twenty twelve

So I don't know about you, but I'm kind of an all-or-nothing person. I don't just kinda get into things, I get fully obsessed for a while, then bored out of my mind with it, or just moderately interested. Today I am obsessed with three things. Here they are in list of current importance.

 

1. The Vampire Diaries

Ok, usually, I am the first one teasing people about watching these shows. And don't get me wrong, I DESPISE Twilight. There isn't nearly enough Jacob in either those books or the movies to make any of it worth it. But THIS SHOW. I can't. Damon, Stefen, Damon, Stefen. In Twilight, we all KNOW she's going to end up with Edward, so whats the point? But in this show, we are completely in the dark. AND THEY'RE ALL SO PRETTY.   The plot is semi-predictable, but it's still AH-MAHZING. Elena isn't a pushover, and neither of them is really "the good guy". Plus, they all know how to dress. Because I am one of the very sad, and have no life, I've watched two and a half seasons in a week. I CAN'T STOP.

 

2. The Hollywood Sign

It's the Hollywood sign. Must I go into this? It's big, white, and freaking AWESOME. I'm going to be here in FOUR DAYS.

3. Iconemesis Iphone Cases

Fifi Lapin on an iPhone case. best thing ever. Now all I need is the iphone, and we'll be all good to go!

 (hint hint hint, keep this case in mind...)

So that's basically all thats been going on in my brain for the last few weeks. Sad, isn't it? But Today, that all changes. I AM GOING ON VACAAAATION! And I know you're going to  want to see how I turn a road trip with my *yeaaargh* family into an escapade, so follow me on Instagram: @abentpieceofwire and on twitter: @bentpieceofwire. I won't be able to write on here, as Blogger is stupid and hasn't yet developed an app that is actually useful.

Lalala...off to LaLa land I go.....

 

  xx,

J

I am a bunny.

When recently *cough* stalking Derek Blasberg, I found some photographs he took during Paris Fall Fashion week for Harpers Bazaar.com. And then I saw this picture of Leigh Lezark, whom I originally mistook to be Fifi Lapin's human form, wearing a gorgeous Maison Michel hat, and I knew it had to be brought to this blog.

                                     I think I need some bunny ears, I sense a trend coming on.

xx,

J

She's Got a Motercycle and A Chanel Bag.

 (Top photo,Jane Keltner de Valle + Alice Dellal, Teen Vogue, middle and bottom, Alice Dellal,Chanel)

Chanel isn't exactly the first thing I think of when I see Alice Dellal. Actually, It's not even the 10,00th thing I think of. When I see her, I think of London, not Paris, worn leather, and a bit of an attitude. But that's basically what the new Boy bag is. I've never really been into the plain black Chanel bag, but Alice and her rocker vibe are making me question a LOT of things. Plus, the shots are just gorgeous. I proclaim this bag the  crazy sister of the Classic who moved to London, and works at a clothing stand in Covent Garden. As this is now turning into me rhapsodizing over this bag,(be honest, you were doing it too.) lets talk about Alice. Her head is shaved, she's got a nose ring, and has some SERIOUS shoes in her closet. Doesn't exactly call to mind all that we know Chanel to stand for. But I think Coco would have loved her. She was the girl Mme. Chanel was designing for. Independent, different. So yeah, I like her, and I think she was a good choice as the one of the new faces of Chanel. (Yeah, I heard about Brad, but he's not nearly as interesting as her. No arguing.)

             Hmm, how would I look with a nose ring??

xx,

J

Justina x Kyle

 

Shoes. Bags. Jewelry. All in the domain of Kyle Anderson, Accessories Director for Marie Claire magazine. Check out my interview with the man who specializes in what to add to your outfit to make it an outfit.

J:What is your favorite part of your job?

K:Having the opportunity to see the newest coolest things out there before anyone else. I'm obsessed with accessories and I get bored easily so for me looking for new things on a daily basis hour by hour is perfect.

J:If you were mentoring someone, what’s the most important piece of advice you could give them? 

K:To never give up. Life is hard, work is hard, nothing is easy. Just decide what you want to do and make it happen. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you negative things about yourself. I've had people tell me all kinds of things like "You're not good enough" or something like that. You just have to believe in yourself and push forward.

J:You get to keep one thing out of your closet, the rest will be given away. What do you keep and what’s the story behind it?

K: My favorite thing right now are my jeweled Prada golf shoes. But then I guess I'd be naked right? Except the shoes?

J:What’s one accessory that you think should be splurged on?

K: Watches. Even if you don’t buy designer clothes, I think having a good watch is important. Your wardrobe can be zara for sure, no problem, but your watch should be Cartier, Rolex, Bulgari, etc.

J:What’s it like being Kyle? 

K: Its honestly really stressful. I work really hard from 9am until probably 11pm Monday-Friday and sometimes weekends. However I have a lot of fun and I'm goofy too. I've had a lot of opportunities to travel and see a lot of things and meet interesting people because of my work but really I'm just a normal guy who likes shopping and relaxing at home watching movies.

Follow Kyle on twitter, @kyleeditor, and check out his website, www.kyleeditor.com!!

Now I'm off to sort my scarf rack. (Yeah, I have THAT many.)

xx,
J

Guest Blogger: Chris from F.affiche

Face it. Men's fashion is getting more and more popular. It has become the norm that every season runways are packed not only with women clothes, but also stylish men collaborations and it’s great! But what does it really take to be a stylish man on today's streets? Is this fashionable world even open for men? Here are some of my tips for modern dandies.

There are some specific elements which can make  your style fashionable and fresh. First of all, your outfit should make you feel comfortable, as it is very important to stay free for as long as you can. I would also recommend avoiding glitter on shirts in the day time, because they might make your outfit misunderstood. If you're looking for something that will  make the look more mysterious, well, that's up to you. Everyone has a different idea of mystery, much as everyone has a different idea of style, or things that make them happy. For example, even if only you know, that pockets in your plain jacket are colorful it will make you happy and you’ll feel confident.  

The main reason why I love this spring/summer season, is that it’s really colorful, but at the same time it stays chic.  Different variaties of colorful sweaters can be mixed with cruise shorts, or even classical pants. Great news for women, now you and your boyfriend can match each others outfits in different ways. Especially every girl will be very happy if her boyfriend will buy himself trendy mint sweater, because we all know how much you like to steal clothes from his closet. 

However, there is one tip, which is extremely important for everyone: Stay stylish.

    (You can check out Chris's blog, F.affiche + follow him on twitter @faffiche for daily updates!)

Thats My Mama.

Happy Mothers Day!

Now, I don't know about you, but I have several Mama's. I have a mama who is (completely coincidentally..not.) also the mama of my soul sister. I have a fairy godmama who has ahmahzing bright red hair.(You jelly.) I have an insanely amazing grandmama (There are no ugly sweaters in sight.) and I have MY mama. My mama is very special. (Not just because she's MY mama), but because she's her. She makes kitchen witches, homeschools me, and wears turquoise cowboy boots. She can't really cook, (I didn't say that) and loves wolves. She let's me go into total Fashion Blogger Mode with minimal eye-rolling, and let me leave the house in a tutu and a malibu princess tiara. She has clothes in her closet that she bought in the eighties in london and dragged across the atlantic, which automatically just won over the super fashion nut in you. I couldn't think of any proper adjectives (What do I look like, Hallmark?) and the only quotes I liked were really funny, but if I had used them in relation to my mum, you'd never see me again. But then I found this picture, and I think it sums up us really well.

             This photo was taken circa a longish time ago.

 

       That's my mama. 

         Go hug your mama.

                xx,

               J

Pretend This Is A Proper Outfit #1

As the title suggests, pretend this is a proper outfit that anyone in their right mind would wear in California in the summer.

(I say "pretend" because no one in their right mind would wear this in California in the summer.)

                                             (Dress, Mossimo, Sunglassess: Ray-Ban, Vest c/o OASAP)

I quite like this little vest. I'd just received it, and as soon as it had a good airing out, (7 days of travel in plastic in the back of some stuffy USPS truck does nothing for lace) I wanted to show it off. 

It is getting bloody boiling here though.

 I would not want to have any kind of extensions or weave in, they'd probably melt off my head. 

xx,

J

You look beautiful/stunning/amazing!

I really am horrible. First, I post the Met Ball video. THEN, I tweet about it for 2 and a half hours. And THEN, I completely neglect to write any kind of follow up post. 

Well you know what? Get over it. 

I have this ludicrous thing called "Algebra" that I had to deal with. 

(I'm pretty sure it was invented by Russian dictators who wanted to keep teenagers from rolling turnips, or whatever it is they did when back then.)

So there. But because I love you all so very much, I am going to do a follow up post, three days later. And in honor of my procrastionational number, (That's right, I just made up a word, I'm such a rebel) I'll be listing my three favorite things.

Favorite Outfit

 Carey Mulligan

(You can see a "real" photo of the dress here, but mine is more interesting. To buy it on ebay, yes EBAY, click here.)

I really liked this dress. It's Prada, shiny, and Carey just looked so ridiculously happy wearing it.

Favorite Person

That ridiculous photographer standing RIGHT ACTUALLY NEXT TO THE CAMERA during the livestream alternately swearing his head off at the celebrities and shouting this like "You look stunning! How's the wife?" or "IS IT POSSIBLE YOU COULD TEXT SOMEWHERE ELSE D'YOU THINK!??!"

Best Entrance

Rihanna

This girl was SO LATE. 

But when she showed up, the paparazzi were practically JUMPING OVER THE HEDGE trying to get a picture of her.

 (It's like, she's the only one on the staircase. If you miss her, you're a crap photographer.)

She smiled, answered the questions, and best of all, didn't trip on her way up the stairs.

,                        That's basically what two and a half hours boiled down to for me. 

Anyone want to sneak me in next year?

xx,

J

p.s. Elettra really needs a new line.

p.p.s Who caught Marc in his lace dress and pilgrim shoes? Swag.

Just Don't Fall Down The Stairs

It's Met Ball Monday! And unless you have been living under a rock, or know nothing about fashion, (why are you reading my blog?) you know this is IT. On stairs. Tonight the most fabulous of the glamorous will climb the ridiculously large number of steps and converge upon the Metropolitan Museum of Art, trying not to trip. We will see Anna Wintour (gasp) smiling and (at least pretending to be) happy, we'll probably see Kate Moss effortlessly gliding up to the door, a couple of celebrities that really don't belong there carpet-hogging, and some gravity defying shoes. And so will you, thanks to Vogue, who will be doing a live-stream of the red carpet tonight at 6:30 PM, eastern time, that you can watch right here. 

(In case the video goes wonky, watch the live stream on Vogues website, here)
Join in the conversation on twitter, follow me (@bentpieceofwire) and Vogue (@voguemagazine) for live tweets, and check the hashtag #metgala.

Who needs an actual invite??

xx,

J

Step on this scale and state your age.

I'm sure you've seen it by now, (because you're a clever bunny) but in case you haven't, here is a statement Conde Nast International released  yesterday after 19 international editors of Vogue agreed, to much applause from everyone (Yay Vogue!!!) that..well, read the statement. (I've waded through all the word play and just posted the important bit.)

“1. We will not knowingly work with models under the age of 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder. We will work with models who, in our view, are healthy and help to promote a healthy body image.

“2. We will ask agents not to knowingly send us underage girls and casting directors to check IDs when casting shoots, shows and campaigns.

“3. We will help to structure mentoring programs where more mature models are able to give advice and guidance to younger girls, and we will help to raise industry-wide awareness through education, as has been integral to the Council of Fashion Designers of America Health Initiative.

“4. We will encourage producers to create healthy backstage working conditions, including healthy food options and a respect for privacy. We will encourage casting agents not to keep models unreasonably late.

“5. We encourage designers to consider the consequences of unrealistically small sample sizes of their clothing, which limits the range of women who can be photographed in their clothes, and encourages the use of extremely thin models.

“6. We will be ambassadors for the message of healthy body image.”

So...yeah. Take that stereotypes of the fashion industry! We can change if we want to. 

As always, people are complaining, saying that this isn't enough, and is just the tip of the iceberg. To those people, I would like to say : In order to get to this point has taken a lot of work and fight, so please sit down and be quiet, unless you're saying "thank you" to those who are trying to make it a better world for models. (Sara Ziff & Friends, looking at you)

However, I want to bring something up that seriously bothered me when I was reading the many (gajillion of zillions) of posts about the recent announcements. When reading the comments, instead of people being happy about this wonderful news, most felt the need to use this as an opportunity to voice their disdain for the fashion industry. It appalled me. They were of the opinion that the models, by modelling, were actually "asking for an eating disorder" and that anyone who allowed their daughter to model was "an idiot" or "stupid beyond belief". For me, it was amazing that ANYONE could be this supremely ridiculous. I then found this one comment, written by an wonderful Anon, which basically summed up what I was thinking:

"I am so sick of all of you who use these posts to bad mouth the fashion industry. How dare you say that models bring eating disorders upon themselves, or condemn parents who allow their daughters to model? I began modelling when I was 14, and while there have been some dark parts, it has overall been one of the greatest experiences of my life. But I was a lucky one. This is a cutthroat industry, and it's easy to become collateral damage. It isn't directly any one person's fault. Unless you are directly involved in the industry, please keep your opinion to yourself. You have no idea what you're talking about. I applaud those who are attempting to change things for the better, you're bringing in a brighter future."

(Anon, you deserve an award.)

Eating disorders are not something you "catch". It is a disease that is unfortunately common in the modelling world. But in taking this step, the fashion industry is attempting to reverse that. As for allowing your daughter to model, that's a personal choice, which you have no right to judge.

There is one bit in that statement that bothers me a bit.

"...who appear to have an eating disorder. We will work with models who, in our view, are healthy and help to promote a healthy body image."

 

 I'm trying to figure out how they will judge this. What does someone who "appears to have an eating disorder" look like? How devastated must she appear? Every skinny model you see does not have an ED. She might just naturally be really skinny. It happens.  I am 5'8, 14 years old, and I weigh 110lbs, which puts my body mass index as underweight according to the national standard. I am perfectly healthy, and I eat like a horse (ask anyone who has ever eaten with me). This is just my body type, but if you put me on the cover of Vogue, would it appear that they were promoting an unhealthy image? It's healthy for me, but if that isn't your body type, it isn't for you. So what are they to do?

 I highly doubt the fashion industry will ever have size 10 models, but that doesn't mean we can't encourage you to embrace your body type. 

Be you, you're the best you there'll ever be.

xx,

J