Fashion Icon 1.

A few weeks ago, I was having a talk with J about some of our fashion icons and who we look to for fashion inspiration/rtw. To be honest, I had some trouble thinking of people that truly i thought had an influence on how i dressed. I mean there are classic mavens like Garance, Zoe, and various celebrities. But a lot of where I get my inspiration for fashion comes from people on Lookbook and the Sartorialist and other street style sites. Maybe a lot of this had to do with the fact that I'm not subscribed to many fashion blogs or that i don't receive any magazines... but I'm going to try to make a point to note the ones that actually do impress me... and in the midst of looking at edgy haircuts today.. i found one. And her name is Kate Lanphear - the fashion

editor of Elle Magazine.

Fear the Lanphear.

I don't really give a shit if she's the fashion editor of Elle.. to be honest after watching Nina Garcia yap on and on on PR, i knew my subscription was ending. But Lanphear's style and the way she dresses drives me insane. It's all her own and I'm seething with jealousy. It's the edge, the platinum/silver blonde hair, the rich textures, and her lack of colors. I'm completely her type. I love that she doesn't need to wear anything outside of black, grey, white and the occasional beige.. . What i love most is that against all her hard rough edges with studs and spikes and heavy metal... she lingers with a very delicate feminine side as well. From her buzzed side hair with soft wispy bangs or the chainmail vest that is layered under a spiderweb of a shredded black T, it's this constant ebb and flow of hard and soft. it's fashion porn. And i love it. God it seems like my spring wardrobe is not going to include a lot of florals and pastels.

oops.

Watching... or staring.

taking the metro on a daily basis has brought out this weird side of me that usually is kept hidden under a stone behind my learning emotion. It's called... emotional observance... and to other's they might just consider this being a stalker. oh well.

so i see these people on the public transportation and i imagine their lives outside of this 15 minutes of space we share with one another.

case 341. cute indie couple - every morning this girl waits for her boyfriend to walk onto the train. She sits in the furthest seat in the last train. And the entire way they talk to each other like they haven't seen each other in years. there is always this level of excitement... and he always just wants to touch her hand. and their perfect theme song is...

case 923. guy in green headphones - i don't have a story... it's just those damn green headphones make me more curious about what he's listening to more than anyone else... so i imagine he listens to things like pepi ginsberg. when i'm sure he's actually listening to something closer to arcade fire or decemberists.

case 675. Girl with red bag - she always looks stern and crosses the street before everyone else, but i know, she's dreaming...other than that.... this song just goes well with her...

really. i don't do this everyday... just when i get tired of reading and look up.

Burberry + Colette = ?

GENIUS!!!

So this is actually a season ago's look for Burberry as far as their twisted knotty look is concerned. But the funny thing is that as much as i loved this look on the runway and on the campaign with Emma Watson, i never really paid attention to the detail work that the Colette collaborative created. I just figured they are switching up their traditional trench look. But look at this!

Collette had gone and added these amazing little gold studs/spikes underneath the collar. I literally gasped with surprise and utter glee when i saw this picture. Mind you, I'm a huge fan of surprises like this when it comes to clothes/accessories/shoes. A reason why i went with the Burberry trench that i chose, as opposed to the traditional trench, was because of an element very similar to this - but of course a bit more demure.

I'm starting to get the feeling that these spikes and studs are going to be an ongoing trend in 2010.

Reading while riding

Last week, I finished reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, a definite recommended read for the eager factoid minded. So I enjoyed the rest of my week riding the Metro bookless... thinking that it would be nice to just people watch and look at the scenery. Quickly i discovered how wrong i was. I missed having a book and people watching was hardly entertaining when all i wish for is that an attractive guy sits next to me. Instead, the usual Korean/Chinese/Japanese grandma who finds me a harmless indistinguishable Asian race will sit next to me as I seem like someone who will not steal from her. Anyway, that's a rant for another day.

So! I needed a book.

I've always wanted to try reading short stories as an alternative to fiction novels, which are my utter favorite. Funny thing is that i remember asking Ernie for a short stories book from way back when, but she couldn't resist in the midst of all the SATC craze to get me Love Letters From Great Men instead. An excellent book, don't get me wrong, but also incredibly depressing. . . Something I don't think would make me feel any better about being single near Valentine's Day this year, but that's for another day.

In any case, I went Barnes and Noble and picked up

The Best American Nonrequired Reading

Edited by Dave Eggers

I'm hooked! The book starts with an introduction by Marjane Satrapi, the author who wrote Persepolis. Then jumps right into the Best American this and thats of the 2009. For example: The Best American Titles of Books Published in 2008, one being curbside Consultation of the Colon or Strip and Knit with Style. The the book goes on to talk about the Best American Anonymous Postcards and even Bank Heists. Just a really great great mish mosh of fun.

Apparently it is a book that has been composed by high schoolers from Michigan and San Francisco. And what's even better is that they have a Blogspot to follow their journey for their next book of Bests 2010. I can't wait for these 15 min reads between the Gold, Purple and Bus 720!

I get excited about reading books on buses... My life is full of such excitement. haha.

There goes my money

this is a big week of a purchases coming up ... and to be honest, I'm not quite sure how i will be able to handle it. I'm pretty much going to go bankrupt for a bit and then make my way back to somehow livable standards...

1. Coachella ticketsI know that i told myself that I'd be buying these damn tickets the moment they went on sale, but i was at work on Friday morning, and all that could go through my head was, "do i even have enough to spare??" but eventually this purchase will happen by the end of this week. - $279

2. headboard from UO

I was initially planning on making this purchase approximately... oh i dunno... 8 months ago?! but finally a trip around the block in old town and a free shipping offer... i caved in. The new headboard should be arriving in the next few weeks and I'll happily put up pictures of my room in its somewhat complete state excluding the need for a map and some curtains from either Anthro or UO again. With free shipping (ohyeahyur) - $300 (bought)

3. new macbookpro

So if you follow my tweets you'll know that i, in my unfortunate clumsiness, spilled a whole cup

of gingerbread coffee with french vanilla creamer on top of my precious iBOOK G4 (god, i used to think this was so cool). I saw it happen in slow motion in front of me... the entire cup just washed the keys in a lovely creamy mocha color. With this sad occurrence my 9/(, F10, F11, F12, and my up and down keys have decided to crap out on me and no longer have any

purposeful function. How incredibly aggravating/depressing yet at the same time absolutely exhilarating. After purchasing my lovely iBook right before freshman year of college in 2005, it's time to finally get a new baby. This purchase though i must add is all granted that they come out with something better this week... especially after all these speculations. - $1100 (big ouch)

4. BOOkBOOk!!

At first glance you may ask, "well what the hell is that?" Well, in all my excitement to buy a new macbook i thought to myself that if I'm going to be investing this much into a new comp, i really need to step up my game and buy myself a nice cover to protect it. Not to diss the kids with the classic black neoprene cases that look sturdy and could potentially keep wine at a very desirable 50-55ºF... but I am ok, thanks.

This is the BookBook - gorgeous macbook cover built by TwelveSouth. Disguising your macbook into looking like a vintage read has never been more beautifully done.. or has it ever been done? I don't know, and i don't care. I just want it. $79

Ottoban, if you ever read this... i have major buyer's anxiety.

--

currently listening to:

Toro y Moi

mmm please listen, you won't regret...

Rain Rain Rain

over and over and over again.


Would you dare wear these? kinda fun - Les Queues de Sardines.


It's amazing how this rain has been bringing down all of the news of california. But really i love it. I mean who cares, it's going to clear out by Saturday anyway.


Lately, I've been completely obsessed with who's gonna be at Coachella and who won't be. Today alone listened to the new Stylo song by Gorillaz... can't wait until their new album drops in March. But until then, i've also been a huge fan of The XX...


thus. enjoy.

mmmm hurry weekend.

Festival of all Festivals

COACHELLA!

So there was definitely a different buzz in the air within all music heads of californians today. Aside from the thunderstorms and the tornado warnings, the COACHELLA lineup was announced today!

I got the text first from V in the morning while i was waiting at the station on Mission. The moment i received it, i squealed and then did an awkward dance. There are SO many bands that i want to go see and i cannot wait until tickets go on sale so i can have these beauties in my hand!

What's great is that with the tickets this year it's just an all 3 day pass ordeal.. no one or two days.

I'm so excited! I'm gonna go make myself a mix now. peace.




Lineup
Friday, April 16th
Aeroplane
Alana Grac
As Tall As Lion
Baroness
Benny Benassi
Calle 13
Céu

deadmau5

Deer Tick

DJ Lance Rock

Echo& the Bunnymen

Erol Alkan

Fever Ray

Grace Jones

Grizzly Bear

Hockey

Iglu & Hartly

Jay-Z

Jets Overhead

Kate Miller-Heidke

La Roux

LCD Soundsystem

Little Dragon

Lucero

Pablo Hassan

Passion Pit

POS

Proxy

Public Image Limited

Ra Ra Riot

She & Him

Sleigh Bells

The Avett Brothers

The Cribs

The Dillinger Escape Plan

The Specials

The Whitest Boy Alive

Them Crooked Vultures

Vampire Weekend

Wale
Wolfgang Gartner

Yeasayer


Saturday, April 17th

2 many DJ's

Aterciopelados

Band of Skulls

Bassnectar

Beach House

Camera Obscura

Coheed and Cambria

Corinne Bailey Rae

Craze

David Guetta

DEVO

Dirty Projectors

Dirty South

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Faith No More
Flying Lotus

Frank TUrner

Frightened Rabbit

GIRLS

Gossip

Hot Chip

John Waters

Kaskade

Klever

Les Claypool

Major Lazer

Mew

MGMT

Muse

Old Crow Medicine Show

Porcupine Tree

Portugal. THe Man

Pretty Lights

RX Bandits

Shooter Jennings

Sia

Steel Train

The Almighty Defenders

The Dead Weather

The Raveonettes

The Temper Trap

The xx

Tiesto

Tokyo Police Club

White Rabbits

Z-Trip

Zoé
Sunday, April 18th
B.o.B.
Babasónicos
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Club 75
De La Soul
Deerhunter
Delphic
Florence & The Machine
Gary Numan
Gil Scott-Heron
Gorillaz
Hadouken!
Infected Mushroom
Jónsi
Julian Casablancas
Kevin Devin
King Khan & the Shrines
Little Boots
Local Natives
Matt & Kim
Mayer Hawthorne & the County
Miike Snow
MUTEMATH
One eskimO
Orbital
Owen Pallett
PAPARAZZI
Pavement
Phoenix
Plastikman
Rusko
Sly & The Family Stone
Spoon
Sunny Day Real Estate
Talvin Singh
The Big Pink
The Glitch Mob
The Middle East
The Soft Pack
Thom Yorke
Yann Tiersen
Yo La Tengo

Fierce has a new shoe

For those who know me, understand my love for intense shoes. I mean really awesome heels with a great statement. I remember back in england i told myself that if there was one part of my outfit that i want to make a statement it would be my rings or my shoes.

well.

nothing could scream this statement louder than these Louise Goldin for Topshop shoes.

GOD! i'm in LOVE!

Photos are courtesy of MYKROMAG.

These are those kinds of shoes that another girl would give you a weird look for wearing and then in her head think, "Lucky, bitch."

Check two

++

Or shall i say deux?

So I got my (re)subscription to Netflix this past week! The first film came in yesterday and I watched the ever beloved Julie Delpy and neurotic Adam Goldberg in Two Days in Paris. And i absolutely loved it! An indie romcom... really? Of course i would.

In any case, I had a balls out french cine day. .. Let me start over...

Last night I had a really great time going out with the girls. I mean having already gone out to the Bottega and SevenGrand with T the night before i thought i wouldn't be going crazy. But that was a lie. I had one too many drinks on friday night... stumbled home somehow with the help of wonderful people and woke up with a raging headache. Classic hungover episode.

So after an amazing recovery session this morning at Pho 79 eating Bun Bo tho(?) It's number 68 on the menu, I'm not even going to try to be smart about this one... so I stopped by Videotheque and thought why not borrow some more films. Where do i go? Of course, a straight shoot to Christophe Honore's section and pick up La Belle Personne and above on Godard, Tout Va Bien. After a scoop of coffee ice cream at Buster's and stop at the Good Harvest Bakery, I head home to enjoy my movie and freshly baked honey wheat bread. (they didn't have baguettes unfortunately)

So what do i indulge myself in all day??

THE FRENCH. La Belle Personne, 2 Days in Paris, Tout Va Bien, and Julie & Julia.

I vegetated on the French. All day... and fell madly, i mean really madly in love with Louis Garrel (The Dreamers) again. What was it that grasped me again? The way he smokes his cigarettes. I don't know, don't ask. I just love it.

-3.35-

And with that... i've simply decided to watch every Christophe Honore + Louis Garrel work.

c'est bon.

Obsessing without Spending

There are so many times that a girl will obsess over items and know full well that they cannot afford the piece. Well... that time has sprung up again for me... as always.

Yesterday while I was on the bus ride home, a woman who i would consider pretty stylish for LA standards sat next to me and immediately my eyes went to her lush leather satchel. I couldn't stop staring. For one, the quality of the leather was immaculate and the way it was slouching with use was really gorgeous. So then i couldn't help but notice that yes, it was a Mulberry bag! I hadn't seen a mulberry since walking out of Heathrow in 2008 and then once at a Duty Free store in Incheon. I love these bags! I remember i would obsess over the really cute small crossover bags that girls would wear on the Underground.
But check this out! This morning I'm checking my emails and Refinery29 sends me the must haves of 2010. And to my surprise... look what there is..

Alexa Chung carrying a Mulberry! And it's HERS. As in the name of the bag that she is carrying is the Alexa Mulberry. Despite the fact that this socialite gets whatever she wants.. i'm even more surprised that she's chosen to obsess over a Mulberry bag. And what i love even more is this saddle color... forget the blue and white ones that it comes in... this one will stay with you for years. What a great midrange priced bag! yet, it's still too expensive for me. . . atleast for now.

Anyway. The bag is sold out online and probably at stores already. oh well.

--

On another note...

Jimmy Choo and Uggs have just announced a collaboration ordeal.

NYTimes statement ::
"Ugg & Jimmy Choo," will use the famous sausagelike boot construction, adding "design details that embody the spirit of the Jimmy Choo brand.”

Fuggy Choos.
are you ready for them?

(puke)

Check one

+

Thoroughly excited to say that I am now a tapping public transportation user of Los Angeles and the Greater Los Angeles County. This may seem like a dumb feat for someone who takes the public transportation already but this is a huge deal for me.

Let me explain.

I've never taken the bus to school. Never. I grew up with someone driving me, or walking, or on the occasion riding Diana's scooter. I started driving at the ripe age of 16 and immediately was given a car very graciously by my parents. I drove everywhere all the time. I drove my 92' green Tanker Volvo, the Silver Bullet Honda, and my now precious Night Rider. The most public transportation i ever experienced was while I was abroad. London and Seoul both had very VERY extensive public transportation systems. And who couldn't but fall in love with this after having driven myself for so many years. Somebody got to drive me. I got to sit, read, people watch, listen to music, and merely daydream until my next stop. I simply fell in love with public transportation.

Now when i learned that my work was somewhere on wilshire and robertson... i wondered if i could take the Metro.. but much to my dismay back in november i realized that the Purple Line stopped at Wilshire/Western. Only later did i learn that the 720 bus runs all the way up and down Wilshire... wow i'm starting to realize how newb this post is starting to sound... anyway... after talking to Nathan, I decided that I should give it a try.

and what's the result?

I've fallen in love all over again!

Although i do missing singing at the top of my lungs in the car...

On another note,

New glasses!

excuse the horrible quality of photos. I'm too lazy to take out my canon, plug, upload..etc. So blackberry camera will do.

I want to watch 500 Days again. . .

Chanel goes Big. Burlesque and Big

I'm all for the big girls movement. But more than anything, I'm all about the big girls doing burlesque and being photographed by Karl Lagerfeld at the original Chanel in Paris. Wow.


I guess he had a little heart for her coming from the fact that he was overweight for a bit in his life.

Images from V Magazine

being Euro

Bicycles.

I've always fancied bicycles. When visiting Utrecht, Netherlands, i couldn't help but stare at all the beautiful people riding their beautiful bicycles. And the only thought was how i wish it were that much easier to commute with bikes in LA. And even with such European inspirations but unrealistic desires to ride daily, I bought a cruiser off a guy from craigslist for $20 in Irvine in hopes to ride into the sunset. That never happened since the tires were crooked and it was so old that pedaling took much more work than it was worth the cruise. But it's a sleeping beauty and I definitely have decided to add it to the things to do list of this year. So I'll be putting it as a makeover list with my room.

In light of that... look at these inspirations...

Chanel Bike ($17000)

Hermes Bike ($3500)


Danish Bikes - Sogreni ($2250)


Sartorialist - one my fav shots.

Lofty Goals

Maybe, making some lofty goals for this new year will actually help inspire me to do some crazier things.

Let's begin.

+ Double the amount of readership for my blog from 10 to 20 people.

Although this task doesn't seem so difficult, i'm struggling to believe that even 20 people will find my blog interesting. But i remember taking one thing to heart about making my blog find more readers... blog more. So it will be encouraging me to blog more about my daily stupidities. And i need to revive LePiquance. Time to cook more.

+ Concerts are to be attended... by me.

A friend told me once that if there is a show and you want to see, you should just go see it. Struggle and find people to go enjoy it with, and if all else fails... damn.. go alone.

+ Netflix? What better way...

Although when i start getting netflix i become a hermit and will probably tangle myself in thoughts of whether i should go to the gym or watch the movie in the comfort of my bed... I think it's time for me to begin getting netflix again. I just miss watching some really good classic films.

+ I am Metro

Have you guys seen those horrible ads for the Metro around LA? I think they are pretty horrendous, but I'm proud to say that I am one of them. I suppose this is a resolution in the making... and i'm definitely already taking full action for it. I've started to take the Metro to work and I feel invigorated. It definitely makes every trip to work and back home so much fun. I'm excited to say that tomorrow I will be purchasing my Tap Card. and tall guy with green headphones who takes the 7:45 train on Gold Line. You're hot. Let's talk.

+ What's this? A card? for what?

For any occasion.

+ A big black disc goes round

On an LP player that needs to be in my room... No more spending money on clothing. I need to out fit my room. Curtains, LP player, wall decorations, furniture... it's slowly but surely coming together... but i want it done by December.

mmm

Delicious song of the moment.

A new year

It's like turning the page and letting go of 2009... and although for many it's a time for change and hitting the gym and making it a big ordeal, I feel like my new year came back in November.

I landed a new job. I got rid of the bad that was flocking my life and keeping me from progressing. I turned to the right people. I reconnected with old friends. I made new friends. I joined a gym.

But that doesn't mean that because it is technically a new year that i can't start getting excited about everything that is coming up this year.

I'm especially excited about traveling come April and September. Stabilizing with my job. Meet more new people. Read more books. Take the public transit system a few times a month. watch more movies. go to more shows (coachella this year finally). cook more + add more to LePiquance. Let's see how this all goes.

Wish me luck. I wish you luck. and a very very Happy New Year.

---

This morning this song seemed so fitting...

Happy New Year!

Too much fun last night and ready to take on this new year!

I'm so excited!