Clutch That

Sarah Jessica Parker carrying a Prada clutch

Celine clutch

photos from vogue.com

and there spotlight on clutches

Diane von Furstenberg printed clutch

Jil Sander Spring 2011 RTW colorblock with clutch

American Apparel

If your one of the women who usually fills a bag to the max with all types of stuff you probably haven't seen in years, then this seasons trends of clutches is going to take you completely out of your comfort zone.  To say the least, this spring/summer season you need to carry the least.  Necessities like your phone, keys, and that perfect shade of lipstick is the only thing that’s going into your small bag this season.  And I must say as a high school girl who lugs enough bags around from class to class during the week, my hands and shoulders are usually  free from the unkindly burden of a 10 pound bag, but now I have finally found a trend that I may actually follow.  Not one to directly follow any specific trends, the four finger clutch from Alexander McQueen first caught my eye during the early fall months.  As soon as my grandma's vintage clutch that I featured in my "The EX Boyfriend Sweater" (http://bobbieaustinscloset.blogspot.com/2011/03/ex-boyfriend-sweater.html) entered my closet a couple months ago, I could already tell I am going to love picking up a clutch instead of a hobo.  When you really think about it, what do we need to carry in our big bags that are so important, I think men have the right concept, big pockets enough for a phone and a wallet.  Now we have our clutches that have enough space for the same thing-maybe next spring season designers will decide to axe the clutch and add the extra space in our pockets.

Alexander McQueen

Gucci

Ecote UO Clutch

Zara

Roberto Cavalli

Halston Heritage

Riding Bikes With No Handle Bars

The Turn of the Century

Late 1800's

My inspiration for today was a picture I saw in my history text book; of several men riding a bike, well I guess that’s what you would call it.  While studying the turn of the 19^th century, we explored the recreational activities the new work labor laws allowed for Americans to participate in (I'm history geek, I actually listen, it is indeed my favorite class).  With all this new found leisure time, biking happen to be one of the most popular activities to do.  At first men dominated the sport with the all to daring attitude that led them to hop on a bike such as the one above.  Women however didn't want men to have all the fun, cutting their skirts (which became a very fashionable thing to do in the late 1800's early 1900's) and climbing on a bike, the women rode just as the men did.  Women replaced their open toed shoes with more appropriate riding shoes; some say that the start of women riding bikes was the true beginning of the women’s suffrage movement. 

I decided not to go for such a drastic look as to cut one of my skirts, (sounds good in theory but would probably bring me down on my hands and knees due to the uneven line that has ruined a perfectly good skirt) instead I threw on a pair of AG Adriano Goldschmied jeans.  Getting my true inspiration from the boyish looks of the men on the bike, I add my green vintage blazer, a scarf my sister brought me back from South Africa, and of course a high pair of riding boots-stolen out of my sisters closet at 6am in the morning, while she was sleep of course.  Still following school rules I opted not to risk being sent home today and went hatless, but no silly thing like rules stop me from wearing my American Apparel scarf, purposing as a very stylish safety helmet substitute.

Urban Outfitters Blouse

Vintage Green Blazer

South African Neck Scarf

AG Adriano Goldschmied Jeans

Franco Sarto Boots

American Apparel Head Scarf

The Urban Outfitters Bike I have been begging for since last year

coming soon to a garage in my backyard (wishful thinking)

Spring-The Season of Prints

Tropical Fruits

Suno Apple Print-Prada Bananas-Stella McCartney Assortment of Fruit

Rodarte

Christian Dior

Anna Sui

Suno

If you’re not wearing the usual stripes or polka dots this spring, then you better be wearing one of the variations of bright bold prints that have hit the runway for spring.  Plaid has comeback but with a slight less impact in your closet than in Cher’s-from the movie Clueless-rotating closet paradise.  Rodarte and Suno both experiment with the plaid patterns. 

Speaking or paradise the Christian Dior spring line brings you straight to Hawaii or to some distant land off the coast of the Atlantic with the Hawaiian styled floral fathers favorite button down tee. 

You would think styling the prints with big statement piece jewelry would clutter it, but the complete opposite, a simple pendant just wouldn’t suffice.  Big bulky beads, as well as big bulky shoes made the Suno collection that much more significant. 

Oh and how could anyone forget about the fruits that have fallen out of trees and hit designers for Prada, Suno, and Stella McCartney on the head, to bring a more tropical feel to the hustle and bustle of the fast pace city lifestyle.

Anna Sui decided to go completely off track and not follow the trends of today (tomorrow).  The prints show off the 60’s hippie style, while still in a weird way showing off the mid-western style that has inspired whole stores such as Free People.

Suno has clearly been my hot topic of the night.  They are known for their prints, and this spring have tried to include a little something of everything in there.  Mixing classic prints (florals, stripes, polka dots) with more modern trends (fruits, animal prints) And for it to be such a new brand, the designer-Max Osterweis is definitely taking the line in the right direction.

The Best of Demarchelier

"I've Got Patrick"

Well first let me start this post off by saying I have had an exhausting but exciting day today in the city.  I lived the life of an amateur photographer today on 7th Ave with my other classmates who are also in the FIT precollege program.  Our assignment was to take pictures of store window displays (because anyone who has shopped in New York City before knows to never dare to pull out a camera while in the store, due to fear of the vulture like creatures-formally known as store employees-harsh scolding) to help us with our presentation on the latest spring 2011 trends.  Considering for the past couple of weeks, prior to my knowledge of the project, I have been doing a lot of research and sharing with my readers the latest trends (70's, color block, neutrals, etc) I am well ahead of the rest of the students with this one (toot toot-the sound of my one man train and the horn I blow).

Referring back to the photographic aspect of my project; me and my Sony digital camera (time for an upgrade, I know) took some pictures today, I'm not going to say there good pictures, but considering my lack of experience I think I took some decent pictures.  I mean, I'm no Patrick Demarchelier-whose photos happen to be my inspiration for today.  I Google, my readers know this, and I came across a website full of magazine photographs taken by the notorious and the great Patrick Demarchelier himself.  And considering my love for fashion magazines, and my byes opinion that Vogue magazine is the best magazine on the planet-I created the post you see before you.  Demarchelier's photographs have been featured in Vogue's all over the world, and with my lack of a job and already expensive shopping budget my parents aren't going to subscribe every year to all 18 countries where Vogue is published so I could indulge myself in a magazine to view photos from photographers such as Patrick Demarchelier, Mario Testino, and Richard Warren.  With all 18 of the magazines, I will rarely perform my everyday task that most say I "need" in order to survive (eating, sleeping, drinking water, bathing) so the internet will have to do for now.

But the internet isn't such a bad substitute to the real thing.  As you can see I found a lot of great pictures from Mr. Demarchelier.  His pictures captures the awkward authentic emotions a model is giving off and makes it a little less structured, and a lot more beautiful.  When looking at his pictures, you can capture the color in a black and white photograph, based on the light he captures and specific details in the back that he never neglects to accent so beautifully.  His photographs have inspired me to suggest with a few small (big) hints that I would like a Digital SLR camera for my birthday, so I too can be an awesome photographer, or just take a class or two and look really cool and artsy with it hanging around my neck (I'm leaning more towards the second one).  Now if you took the time out to read this whole post and didn't just race past this section to look at the pictures (sadly the reality of a new blogger) I would first like to say thanks, and second, that these are some of my favorite pictures the Demarchelier has taken, and if any of you have your own favorites I would love if you shared them with me, there is a great link below that features many of his published photographs.

American Vogue

British Vogue

Vogue China

French Vogue

Vogue India

Italian Vogue

For more pictures and to see where I got my pictures from visit
http://www.demarchelier.net/fashion.html 

The First Lady of Neo-Soul

"Art is my religion. You don't see the head wraps anymore because I am the head wrap"

-Erykah Badu

My fav Erykah Badu song for one of my fav movies Brown SugarHer music always paints a picture in my head

And her collaboration with Common flows so naturally

Love of My Life -Erykah Badu feat. Common  

Probably the best video from Badu, so creative and a great song as well
Honey
By. Erykah Badu

            The last couple of days have been very stressful, I even dared to walk out the house with an outfit on that was acceptable for both gym class and sitting in the prison they call school.  I barely blogged this week, and slept even less, and the only conclusion I can come up with from all this is that I’m in a downward spiral, due to the deprivation of my social life, (grounded life is hard) oh how I miss all my friends.  But I have decided to suck it up and throw everything I have into my blog and make my blog my new best friend, boyfriend, and overall lover.  And with that said, I have been browsing the web relentlessly searching for things that have never been done, or looking for hot news and great trends that I can share but with a twist; something that can distinguish me from everyone else.  Erykah Badu is my inspiration of the week, she has made her mark on the music industry in ways that no one else has, she distinguished herself from the crowd, both musically and fashionably.  And according to my dad my outfit yesterday distinguished me in a bad way, but just because the man has two pairs of 7 jeans and a pair of Joe’s jeans does not make him an expert.  But I was going for a look and with Erykah Badu as my inspiration and I couldn’t have imagine doing anything relatively close to safe.

            From the beginning Badu stood out in a crowd with her bold colorful printed head wraps that towered over our simple bare heads.  I think that Erykah Badu is so underrated when it comes to her talent in both the music and fashion industry.  To be honest I doubted her talent until I listen to her music a little more closely and began to understand her message as I grew and matured.  But when it came to her style, I was always a big fan.  As a young girl my hair was all natural and all out, and in the way, and bigger than big enough.  My style may not have caught up to my afro centric hair when I had it, but Erykah had enough style and hair for the both of us so I was okay with my simplistic style.  But now I’m back to the basics, preparing to get dread locks, and trying to really start to distinguish myself and begin to be taken seriously as a blogger and writer-I am putting in that extra effort in school, outside of school, and of course in the stores to make sure I am the girl who sticks out because of my talent.  

American Apparel Top

Urban Outfitters Dress

Urban Outfitters Harem Pants

Aldo Military Boots

Forever 21 Necklaces

Urban Outfitters Belt

My Dads Hat Which Now Is Mine