all fashioned-out.

Enough with the runway reviews, I have an inkling that you are just as fashioned-out as I am. As a Sunday palate-cleanser, here's a mishmash of things I saw around New York that week, off-catwalk:

the clothespin double-collar by stylist Polar Buranasatit

Giles and Brother bracelet on Philip Crangi's biggest fangirl, Lauren Festine

metal and leather earrings made and worn by the gorgeous Angie of Norwegian Wood. Have a stroll through the site; I may be on the way to purchasing one of their architecturally offbeat collars one of these days...

odd pairings

a solemn moment outside the Comme des Garcons showroom with the one who looks like Rei's Filipino grandchild and the one who, arguably, inspired the last menswear collection

hip-hop and 90's pop blast amidst taxidermy, important art, a fireplace, a disco ball, and gilded ceilings: I love the Jane.

the Misshapes DJing at Le Bain

a most welcome break from the fashion freak show: Alexcalibur at Arlene's Grocery in the LES

carciofi fritti (artichokes fried in olive oil) at one of my favorite holes in the wall, Tre on Ludlow Street. It's remarkable how much it resembles the Filipino chicharon bulaklak, literally "flower cracklings", parts of a pig's entrails that resemble (an albeit oily and brown-gray) flower when deep-fried to crisp perfection.

the inseparable Thom Browne twins, Melanie and Austin. The latter, previously featured on The Dandy Project, just started quite an eloquent blog (I kid) called "Why You Mad?!" (see what I mean?). Show some support and click on the link.

Style Salvage Steve's Harris Tweed x Ally Capellino backpack at brunch

Firework Fun and Footage of Foolery

To my readers who have been following the blog for the last two years, and to those who have tuned in just now, here's wishing your 2011 be delightful and...

H&M jacket, April 77 jeans

It was my brother, my sister, and I on the street outside our house on New Year's Eve: the air was smoky, the sky awash with fireworks, and the music blaring from my iPod dock was almost as loud as the explosions on the ground and up above. We really didn't feel like dancing, nor did we feel like spending the first couple of hours of the year sewing the footage up into a music video.

From my set of crazy siblings to yours, happy new year.

x,

Izzy

Revisiting the Rolling Stones

Sick of fierceness, I, together with many other creatives in the fashion industry, am currently harboring a fascination with the effortlessness and softness of the 60s and 70s. So when Harper-Collins came to me and asked if I wanted to review their new book "The Lost Rolling Stones Photographs: The Bob Bonis Archive, 1964-1966", I didn't think twice about having them send a copy over.

a copy of "The Lost Rolling Stones Photographs: The Bob Bonis Archive, 1964-1966" atop my "inspiration stack", comprised of magazines of mostly British and Japanese origin, art books, design books, and the like

This collection of never-before-seen photographs is a time capsule of an era when both music and fashion were undergoing revolutionary change.

On a pedestal, smack in the center of all that change, was a band of young men: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, Ian Stewart, and Bill Wyman.

They were merely starting out as rock stars, communicating through their sartorial choices what they envision the relatively new concept of a rock star should look like. And the results were phenomenal: experimental and free-spirited unlike anything the Hollywood machine turns out these days. The photos of these baby-faced startups show an honesty and integrity in their style that many in today's entertainment industry lack.

The footwear, naturally, stood out for me:

Mick Jagger wore ankle boots and too-short trousers with such deftness.

Keith Richards dabbled in crushed velvet boots... and succeeded.

The eyewear was noteworthy too:

Keith in a pair of dandy (and most likely women's) sunglasses

sharp sunnies and a contrast-trim top

Perhaps it's time to revisit colored lenses?

The Lost Rolling Stones Photographs: The Bob Bonis Archive, 1964-1966 is available on Amazon.com.

book courtesy of Harper-Collins

the walking talking look book

The three joys in life, fashion, film, and music, are what British label Percival sought to combine in the "fashion film" they shot to showcase their Autumn/Winter 2010/11 collection. Crisp videography, cool clothes, and good music all make for a sensory treat. A lot of fashion houses have been doing fashion films as alternatives or supplements to their look books, but not all succeed to impress.

Percival from Alex Turvey on Vimeo.

Two things I loved:

1. The shock of the yellow mac jacket against the black and white key print sweater (Percival website)

2. Young Buffalo's "Caterpilah" playing in the background (check out their Myspace page)

Male models make for quite the goofy actors.