Le Petit Champignon

Norge

2011-07-24T11:21:00.000-05:00

I'm not Norwegian. At all. Not even 1/8th or anything. Yet, having spent a summer there two years ago, there's hardly a place other than home I feel closer to.
Norway taught me so much about myself, what friendship truly is, the power of nature, and what it means to live life as an adventure.
The recent events that have taken place in Oslo have truly saddened me. I feel as though Norway now has a huge gash in it's soul that will take ages to mend. Of all the places I've ever been, domestic and international, Norway was truly the most peaceful.
As a foreigner, you are welcomed with open arms and an invitation to join the Norwegians in their culture. They are the most open and generous people I have ever met. They take such pride in their nation, the land, and their heritage. Coming from America, it is more than refreshing to see people truly grateful and optimistic about their nation, rather than here where it feels as the country as a whole has fallen into a state of lethargy and ambivalence.
The events this week, are simply unfathomable. You simply cannot make sense of it. Who was this guy? And a norwegian? How could he? It's HIS country. The police don't even carry guns, and then this guy...a Norwegian terrorist. It's like something out of a horror movie. See, it makes absolutely no sense.
I send my condolences to all those who were affected, especially the families of all the teens who were met with such a sad occasion. Luckily, I have not known anyone who has been hurt, or even directly affected. Still, it feels almost personal.
I have been impressed at how the politicians in Norway have responded to the horrific events. They have done so in mourning, but with grace. I look forward to seeing how Norway will grow from this experience and I hope that America, will be able to look to them as inspiration to overcome devastating events not by pointing fingers and fighting, but by a sense of national hope and desire for further understanding.
I send my love to Norway, and can't wait to see you again soon.

What the Walls Wore

2011-02-27T16:21:00.000-06:00

Orange Valentines

2011-02-14T15:24:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know this ad is rather orange, but the weather has crossed over 40 degrees (!!!!) and it has me dreaming of summer.
Hopefully it won't be long before the sun is all the warmth we need!

Floral Stems

2011-02-11T09:34:00.000-06:00

It's only the second day of fashion week, but after looking through all the shows so far, I can tell that printed pants are going to be all the rage. I'm definitely not complaining! I've been lusting after a floral pair for quite some time. These pants by Steven Alan are the epitome of vintage cool. The print is super fun and poppy, but the relaxed flare shape makes them super wearable. I know printed pants seem intimidating, but I think this trouser shape and the varied size of the flowers really flattering. Plus...isn't it time to have a little color in fall fashion?
I definitely think some floral pants will be the cure to the next year's round of frigid weather.
Photo via Style.com

It's a Hazy Tropical Winter

2011-02-03T11:39:00.000-06:00

Beautiful Pictures taken in Kuala Lumpur
I love the way there is such a blend of decay and beauty. I stumbled upon these photos on a whim searching through images on Google. It is truly amazing what you can find.

Røsslyng

2011-01-28T14:59:00.000-06:00

I've begun (or at least reinstated) a tumblr.
You can find it at http://rosslyng.tumblr.com
Røsslyng is the the Norwegian national flower. In English It is commonly called heather. This little purple flower as an individual flower can get lost in the wild landscape, but when it joins itself with others, it becomes the landscape itself.
It's beautiful and at least a little...thoughtful.

If You're Going to San Francisco

2011-01-28T14:30:00.000-06:00

I love the idea of wearing flowers in hair for daily wear, and especially taking it to the next level and making the flowers really sculptural and unique. Both of these photographs, despite the attention to the accessories, really capture the romantic beauty of these ladies (the top one being Lia Ices, which is an incredible musician). I can't wait to try this out once spring hits. I have a feeling this is the perfect way to elevate a minimal look into something really special.

Odille and Odette

2011-01-24T13:51:00.000-06:00

I love these images from Vogue Russia February 2011.
I think it is entirely appropriate for this editorial being in Russia, one of the ballet centers of the world.
Following the Black Swan buzz, I think it's really interesting to play on how ballet and fashion work together. The play between Good and Evil, Odille and Odette within these images is fascinating and quite clever.
I've always been inspired by ballet and this editorial does an absolutely phenomenal job juxtaposing the two in a very interesting way. I'd love to see how they'd interpret other famous ballets.
Maybe when the next movie about ballet makes it big....

Agnes Obel

2011-01-17T19:31:00.001-06:00

Agnes Obel "Just So"

This song is so beautiful. It sounds like a winter evening alone.

How Perfect.

Studio Dreams

2011-01-15T17:24:00.000-06:00

I'm beginning to think that moving out of my parent's house may actually become a reality. One of the things that is really important to me when I'm choosing a place is that I really want to include a studio or working space into my home. My mom reminded me that if I live alone I don't have to have a typical living room, kitchen, bedroom, but I can have my space however I like it.
This studio from Oh Happy Day is the absolute epitome of what I would love my studio to look like. I love the colors, the textures, and the incredible amount of light. I absolutely had to share such an inspirational space!

Diamonds and Triangle Trees

2011-01-12T13:06:00.000-06:00

I'm not much of a drawer. I'm much more comfortable making 3d objects. I do however think it's important to have a sketchbook, so this is the first of what I hope to be a very successful sketchbook. We'll see.
I really liked playing around with the colors. and using the sharp black lines really helped me continue on.
I'm sure as with anything, the more I practice the better I'll get.

Full Wrists, Open Shoulders

2011-01-11T12:16:00.000-06:00

I love this look from the Free People lookbook. That top is sheer perfection. The crochet added to the shoulders is so wonderful. I love wearing longsleeved light knits with shorts as it doesn't get too hot for a while. I think the leather shorts offer a really nice textural contrast as well. I've been working on collecting a bracelet collection as well, so hopefully when spring comes I'll have a full wrist worth.
However, I'm currently looking out the window at a snow shower and I think its safe to assume I won't be wearing shorts without tights anytime soon.

Decay and Lace

2011-01-10T10:58:00.000-06:00

This is another collage I made for this interview project I'm doing. I love the idea of decorating with super old objects, even to the point where they're chipping paint or looking dirty, but with a soft glow of peaceful days gone by. The rugged neutrals in soft textures of these photographs are definitely serving as major inspiration for a theme I'm calling "Forgotten Tea Party"

The Perfect Dress

2011-01-09T09:32:00.000-06:00

If I could only wear one dress for the rest of my life, this would without a doubt be it.
I love the vintagy feel, the simplicity of the silhouette and the specialness of the lace look.
Image from Vogue UK February 2011

Grocery Store Sushi

2011-01-08T13:27:00.000-06:00

Winter has me daydreaming. I want to go to Tokyo. Or Summer.

I think both are pretty far.

More than Ikea

2011-01-08T13:13:00.000-06:00

I'm working on some trend and inspiration boards for an upcoming interview. I absolutely love the way these images use beautiful open spaces that are stark and fill them with carefully selected pieces to enhance the color. Despite their bare appearance, they still feel warm. While I realize "Scandinavian Ecleticism" may be a bit of an oxymoron, I don't know how else to capture exactly how these rooms work. They have elements of typical Scandinavian design, with their minimal feeling and modern furniture shapes, but the enhanced color and texture seems to be something of a different landscape.
I don't have a home, but in the future, I will definitely be looking to these images for inspiration. It seems like such an easy way to decorate, especially for a rental where you don't have a lot of flexibility in changing the wall or floor colors. This design seems to be completely contingent on decorating using color and texture to bring the room to life.

P.S. I apologize, but in my collecting of images over the years, I have lost track of the sources. Sorry. Will do better in the future.

Teaterrestaurangen

2011-01-06T09:51:00.000-06:00

This is a collage I made for an interview project. I love how all these clothes project effortless simplicity. Though they have a definite urban look, they still seem to reflect the ease of nature.
I also think it's safe to say this reminds me of Scandinavian Summer.... and what's better than that?

New Feet for Winter

2011-01-05T14:30:00.000-06:00

All photographs of shoes are from Boutiques.com. Other Photographs taken by me.

Monster

2011-01-04T23:37:00.000-06:00

Perfect way to end a Tuesday. Great Song, Great Video. And there are MUPPETS!

2011

2011-01-04T21:14:00.001-06:00

Summer in October

2010-10-10T12:44:00.000-05:00

(H&M Star Wars T-Shirt, Thrifted Floral Dress, Vintage Gold Keds)

It's 90 degrees in October. I love it. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who isn't excited for sweater weather. I'd rather be in cut-offs and dresses all year. Unfortunately though, it's still October, meaning I'm spending most of the sunny days in the library.

This is one of my favorite study outfits. I much prefer to study in skirts to pants. This t-shirt is from the sale rack at an H&M. I absolutely love it. It has the perfect oversized fit and the Star Wars graphics are almost painterly.

If I'm miserable writing papers about medieval manuscripts, I might as well feel good about what I'm wearing right?

oh... and the book in the picture. It's Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman. I'm not that far in yet, but it seems pretty interesting. So far it's not really about anything in particular, but that's kind of refreshing.

Experiments in Self-Timers

2010-10-01T22:17:00.000-05:00

(Urban Outfitters Men's Shirt, Thrifted Floral Dress)

I finally got reunited with my tri-pod and now I'm trying to get back into outfit posts.

It's amazing how different it feels to be in front of a camera after such a long break. I suppose you just get more comfortable the more you do it.

I apologize about the awkward shot, but like I said I have to learn all over again.

Everything Else Just Got Weird

2010-09-28T22:03:00.009-05:00

I didn't have "find a new guilty pleasure" on my long to-do list for today, but I can't say I'm angry about it. It doesn't involve celebrities or junk food...so it's no the worst. However, I can safely say that I probably will not be quite as efficient this semester as I had hoped.

The guilty pleasure is....

The Everything Else section on Etsy.

Where else can you find a face carved into a golf ball? a $950 Wall- mounted tentacle? Or even a traffic cone family?

Etsy has a lot of categories, but the things that don't seem to fit any of them are even more numerous.

I'm just going to throw it out there, but I'm pretty sure this is the craft kid's version of missed connections on Craigslist.

Also... I totally want that tentacle!

Democratization of Fashion

2010-09-26T19:11:00.000-05:00

I think it's safe to say the democratization is not a bad thing. In fact, it's a great thing. There is no reason why someone who lives in the rural midwest shouldn't be able to express themself as well as someone from the upper-east side. Maybe the difference lies in quality and materials, but aesthetics belong to everyone, not just the wealthy.

I do however think that this whole process and evolution of "fast-fashion" is absolutely destroying the allure and glamour of fashion week.

I'm a university student in Illinois, yet I can stream designer's shows on my computer in real time. If I can't find time to watch it real time, I can normally find footage later, or at least find stills on Style.com.

I love it.... but it changes the process.

As the Spring seasons are shown in September, I stop looking at the fall collections, excited about what's coming next. My seasons get all screwed up. I want florals and shorts in September, when I should be thinking about boots and wool for October.

I'll also argue it is detrimental to the magazine industry. I don't really have to look to magazines anymore to find what they've identified as the upcoming trends. I've already been able to develop them myself after carefully going through each collection I could find.

I shouldn't complain, I've never even been invited to a fashion show. Where I do feel strongly opposed is in the intellectual property realm. As the manufacturing process of fashion increases, the copying does as well.... it is outrageous.

Where's the originality Retail?

Fashionista.com even has a recurring tag "Adventures in Copyright" (where these images came from)

Don't get me wrong. I love that fashion gets affordable when copying occurs, but if it was any industry other than fashion, it would be completely unacceptable.

I wouldn't be surprised if next season everyone pulled a Tom Ford and didn't allow any images to be released until four months later.

(I don't support this, I just think it's going to happen)

Fashion Week Day 2 or How I Learned to Accept Minimalism

2010-09-10T22:35:00.000-05:00

I think my first complaint about fashion week, is mainly, while the entirety of the fashion world is enjoying non-stop fashion for an entire week... I'm sitting in Urbana, Il. eating popcorn. surfing style.com

This just seems a little off kilter.

My favorite thing about fashion week is the inspiring sense of possibility it gives me. For example, I haven't blogged in over 7 months. 4 slideshows later, and I'm back in action.

Like I said, anything is possible.

Tomorrow will bring a post on the whole concept of fashion week, but for now I feel it is absolutely necessary to highlight

Peter Som's Spring 2011 show. I think sometimes designers forget that they're designing for six months from now. How am I going to be feeling in April, May? I want color, fun vibrant life. Leather shorts, won't work. Mixed patterns, new silhouettes. A sense of whimsy and fantasy. I love the bright patterns, retro matching bra- tops and bottoms. goofy sunglasses and extravagant shoes.

Peter Som's show was the first one I've seen this season that really conveys a playful spring quality.

Fashion's supposed to be fun.

Remember?