Designer Profile: Rachel Antonoff

Fall 2009 lookbook images via designer's website

New York designer Rachel Antonoff will be presenting her third womenswear collection with a presentation at a downtown theater next week, which leads me to believe that her clothing will be shown in an unconventional and dramatic way (pun intended). Antonoff, who is also a fashion writer, and once one-half of the duo behind defunct cult label, Mooka Kinney, imbues her clothing with a sweetly vintage, girlie vibe, without sacrificing downtown cool.

One explanation for the clothing's appeal might be her choice of "it" girl models: for her debut, Scarlett Johansson modeled Spring 2009 vintage-inspired print dresses along with Alia Shawkat. For Fall 2009's bow-tastic looks, Antonoff shot an adorable lookbook starring Alia Shawkat, Julia Frakes and Sarah Sophie Flicker. Call me a sucker for bows, but I'm loving the refined silhouette and color palette of her latest collection, including a stunning trompe l'oeil bow dress and a tuxedo inspired catsuit. Meow!









For more information and a short, adorable film starring Alia Shawkat and some cupcakes, visit her website here: http://rachelantonoff.com.

Summer Supper

dress from Pinkyotto, silver flats by Lanvin

On Saturday night, the Mr. and I were invited to join a group of adventurous foodies for a crab boil at Back Forty, a charming restaurant in the East Village. I had never experienced a crab boil before, but the basic concept of the meal is that you get a bucket of never-ending whole boiled crabs dumped on your table... A seafood lover's dream and a dainty eater's nightmare. Not knowing what to expect, I put on my most comfortable summer dress.

I convinced the Mr. to photograph me in my outfit before we headed out. "Do something interesting," he pleaded, when I did my usual non-smiling poses. The ones above are some of my best shots; I'm looking really excited about the evening ahead.


bowls of cod and potato fritters


summery cucumber, tomato and watermelon salad


the crabs: succulent, covered in Old Bay spice

To finish off the evening, we had plates of fresh peach and blueberry cobbler, and found ourselves at a karaoke joint, singing Michael Jackson and Depeche Mode songs. Because we're nostalgic like that. A perfect summer supper.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend so far! I wanted to also post these photos of a gorgeous Personal Library Kit that I won recently from a giveaway courtesy of Diana from our.city.lights. My sister and I used to "play library" with our books at home, so this is something I'm looking forward to using in our modest home library Chez Sequins! Thanks, Diana...

Designer Profile: Risto

gorgeous Risto NYFW tickets (source)

In preparation for my coverage of New York Fashion Week, I will be releasing snapshot profiles of noteworthy designers and labels. Today: Macdeonian wonder, Risto Bimbiloski, who will be making his New York runway debut on September 12th.

Bimbiloski, who works by day as a mens knitwear designer for Louis Vuitton and launched his own label, Risto, in 2007, is becoming known for his strong, original prints and knits for women. His sophomore collection (Spring 2009) labeled "Hypernova," was inspired by the Milky Way, with dresses and separates in creamy white and midnight blue printed with starry galaxies. For his most recent collection (Fall 2009) named "Hunter," the designer was inspired by birds of prey and the early 80s nightclub scene, with a rich mix of purple, grey, black, an array of adventurous knits over silk printed blouses and leggings.

I recently stumbled across this Dazed Digital interview with the designer, which gives us a bit of a preview for the Spring 2010 collection, tentatively titled "Renaissance." The designer keeps a fun tumblr blog here, with images and more hints about the New York Fashion Week show and I'm becoming giddy with anticipation!


above and below: Fall 2009 looks
images courtesy of the designer's website





For more information, check out the designer's website at http://ristobimbiloski.com.

Links à la Mode

Playing Dress Up

Edited by Jordana

I’m in the process of moving to New York City, just in time for Fashion Week, which kicks off in two weeks. In browsing through all the link submissions this week, I couldn’t help but tie it all back to one very important question lingering on my mind – what the heck am I going to wear? This week’s round-up speaks to the art of ”getting dressed.” We have inspiration posts from Cake not Coke and Style on the Street, style how-to’s from Denim Debutante (she was also quoted in the WSJ this week, here!) and The Coveted, and a variety of interviews. One of my favorites was Prom Mafia’s DIY for converting your boyfriend’s tee into a tunic – love it!

For those planning to attend fashion week, make sure you RSVP for the IFB Dress Up Soiree and panel discussion on evolving influence! Special thanks to Moxsie and Microsoft Windows phones for their support!

Links à la Mode : August 27th

• 39th and Broadway: Are You a Fashion Sellout?


• Brick My Lane: Interview with Fee Doran, aka Mrs Jones – the woman behind Oxfam DIY and that famous white catsuit.


• Cake not Coke: Vanity Fair Setpember ‘09 Toujours Couture - A Stitch in Time.


• Chicago Style: Interview with Monica Dimperio, of the Chicago street style blog The MidWasteland


• Clutch 22: Exclusive scoop on Seattle indie greentrepreneurs – Sara Seumae of SPUN Clothing collaborates with Tara Smith of Revival Ink (plus a contest)


• Denim Debutante: The reasons you should love Rich & Skinny denim, along with tips for the three best cuts and how to wear them


• Dramatis Personae: Unveiling the feminine fashion stylings of independent designer Claire la Faye…


• Dream Sequins: Shoptalk with Cherie of online vintage marketplace Shrimpton Couture, which collaborates with emerging designers


• Fashion Pulse: Check out the new trend in leggings, by way of geometric prints and loads of grey!


• Independent Fashion Bloggers : Dress UP for NYFW


• Prom Mafia: Raid your boyfriend’s closet: How to turn his t-shirts into cute girly tunics


• Retro Chick: What happens at a Burlesque Lesson?


• Saved for Best: Girls on Film – A celebration and run down of the best-dressed films


• Shop Fair: Top 5 obstacles fair trade and “green” fashion labels have to overcome to be more successful


• Style on the Street: Three photoshoots inspiring trends for the next season


• Style Symmetry: The Symmetry Seven with Rhiannon of Liebemarlene Vintage


• Sweet Fuzz: Rustic Elegance - independent fashion designer Dace’s beautiful Fall line


• The Coveted: Charlotte Russe Review – Mixing in Fast Fashion


• The Demoiselles: Shopping for your body type is hard enough without a recession; shopping on the cheap is even harder

Rock Socks Winner and A Change of Address!

Rock Socks Giveaway

Thank you so much for making the Rock Socks giveaway such a wonderful success. We have chosen a winner... Lucky #7: Jennifer Fabulous of I Know, Right? Congratulations, Jennifer! Thanks to everyone for your wonderful entries and for following the blog! Please stay tuned for more giveaways in the near future (hint about the next one: Paris).

My New Home

I want to thank my wonderful designer, Freya of Themotherapy, whose dedication and patience helped create this sparkly new custom home for Dream Sequins! If you use Blogger, I would highly recommend her services. Before I sign off for the day, I wanted to point out that Dream Sequins not only has a new look, but a new URL:

http://www.dreamsequins.com!

The old blogspot address will still take you here, but I would love you forever if you could update my address in your link lists. I am also updating my own links list and should be done with the migration over the weekend. Please bear with me!

xoxo,

the New and Improved
Dream Sequins

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Designer Profile: CUT-IT-OUT

Eye Dazzler collection (Fall 2009) - all images courtesy of the designer's website

Jersey pieces have become staples of the modern wardrobe, but that doesn't mean they have to be boring. Yelena Konovalova, designer of New York-based emerging brand, CUT-IT-OUT, certainly believes in creating playful pieces for men and women with prints that really pop. Folding and cutting paper to create printed shapes, Konovalova manipulates silhouettes and symmetry of the resulting patterns to tell stories with each collection, which will be entering its fifth season for Spring 2010. The designer, who has a background in art studies in St. Petersburg, Russia, fashion at Parsons and experience as design director for Catherine Malandrino before launching her own label, seems to gravitate towards the richness of possibility in folk tales.

"Happy Ever After" (Spring 2009), for instance, uses an array of rich pinks, blues and reds to explore a love story through the eyes of a child while her latest collection, "Eye Dazzler" (Fall 2009) mines Native American textiles and textures through the use of black and white photo cutouts on muted background colors.


Eye Dazzler (Fall 2009)



above and below: Happy Ever After (Spring 2009)


These are unique, rich, exuberant pieces at accessible price points and I would be happy to wear them all. For more information, check out http://cut-it-out.net.

More Designer Profiles:
Creatures of the Wind
Octopi
Sophomore

Wishlist Wednesday: Sequins and Wishpot

Sequins! Oh My!


Inspiration: Golden Girls (source)

This is hardly groundbreaking news, but sequins will continue to be a hot trend for Fall 2009. I was fighting Balmain-ia (i.e. strong shoulders, 80s and aggressive shine) for a long time, but after checking out some vintage shots of the cast members rocking strong-shouldered sequin jackets on The Golden Girls, something about tacky over the top sequin gear feels oh-so-right. So, move over, tastefully muted paillettes and subtly sprinkled tunics. And bring on the bling-tastic vintage and Etsy finds for this Wishlist Wednesday!


Jacket from Rock Paper Vintage


Navy sequin harem pants from Revasseur


from left to right:
(1) Sequin headband from erinleighheart
(2) Jacket from erstwhilestyle on Market Publique
(3) Sequin bow bib necklace from RibbonsAndLace

Wishpot!


Speaking of wishlists, consider this an official announcement that I am now a "Fashion Expert" at Wishpot. Have you checked out the site yet? Wishpot is a social shopping site, wish list service and fun place to store gift ideas for yourself, family and friends. I use it when I go "window shopping" on the web; it's very simple and intuitive to use once you've installed the button on your browser bar or added to your bookmarks list. Given my more careful spending habits these days, I find it helpful to organize my shopping wishlists by priority and category.

You can check out my picks here. Anyone can sign up for the service; it's free to join and... as you will soon discover, quite addictive! Check out http://wishpot.com for more information.

What's on your wishlist today?

Roll Call and... Moxsie/Necklush Winner!

Blogroll Update

Hello, friends! Just a friendly note to let you know that I'm updating my blogroll. If you're a regular commenter on Dream Sequins and you are not on the list, I would love to add you! Please let me know in comments, or drop me an email.

Moxsie/Necklush Winner!

Some of you may remember the Necklush giveaway that we hosted, courtesy of independent retailer Moxsie. Well, the gorgeous winner of the giveaway, Deka of That's Hideous, just sent pictures of herself wearing the prize.

And I'm so jealous! It's fitting that the Necklush pictured is green, because I'm simply green with envy. I must own one in many many colors!

photo courtesy of Deka

Thanks for sharing the photos, Deka!

Speaking of giveaways-- my Rock Socks giveaway ends tonight at 11:59 pm NYC time. So enter now, and you, too, could join Deka in the Winners Circle :)

Behind the Blog: Couture Carrie

all images courtesy of Couture Carrie

Couture Carrie is like a fashion editorial from your favorite magazine... on steroids. When I first stumbled across this site by chance, I found myself drawn into the orbit of her dizzying, daily fashion picks. I love Carrie's trendspotting skills; her encyclopediac knowledge of fashion editorials is breathtaking. I don't know how she does it, but if you give her a trend from today, she can produce a parallel set of glossy images from years ago as well as days ago. It's just pure genius. If you haven't checked out her site yet, and you're a serious lover of fashion, then you are missing out big time. For this week's Behind the Blog, I present to you... Couture Carrie....

Five Questions for My Favorite Bloggers

Who are you?

Couture Carrie... A pseudonym, naturally! My full name is Catherine Ryder Critton, but I have been "Carrie" for as long as I can remember. And as of February 2008, I am better known as "CC"!



Where are you?

I live in West Hartford, Connecticut, but I have also called New York City, Atlanta and Salamanca home!

What is the concept behind your blog?

Couture Carrie is intended to keep my Fellow Fashionistas informed and entertained... I tend to focus on runway trends and how to channel them through smart shopping. I adore magazine editorials and often feature their captivating images in my posts. Of course, the stunning (yet dwindling) art of Haute Couture provides CC with constant inspiration. I try to incorporate Couture looks in my posts whenever possible. My preferred Couture houses right now are Christian Lacroix, Christian Dior, and Jean Paul Gaultier (pictured courtesy style.com).



When you are not blogging, what else do you enjoy doing?

I am a Pilates instructor, so I love to exercise in my free time... My primary sources of adrenaline are yoga, running and spinning. Of course, I also love to dine out with my gal pals and experience new and interesting cuisine. Wine tasting with my mom and sister is an endless source of fun ~ I consider myself a budding oenophile! I am also an avid crossword fan. The New York Times daily progressive is my favorite... Finishing a Saturday puzzle is a true challenge! Naturally, I adore shopping, too!



More importantly… what are you wearing? :)

Right now, I am wearing Current/Elliott's The Legging jean in black (from Chickdowntown.com) and a fuchsia American Apparel asymmetric dress. My shoes are Pedro Garcia (nude, platform peep-toes) and my jewels are a mix of high and low... my gold Carrie name necklace, a huge cocktail ring given to me by my friend Erika, and some dangly earrings from Target.



Thanks so much for the interview, Carrie! For more mind-boggling genius fashion collages, check out http://couturecarrie.blogspot.com.

More Behind the Blog on Dream Sequins:
Annie Spandex
Modediktat
our.city.lights

Fashion's Night Out

I'm covering New York Fashion Week for some publications and my blog this season, but I'm equally excited about Fashion's Night Out, a full night of shopping, activities and interesting guest appearances by celebrities in the fashion world, to take place on September 10th (between 5:30 pm and midnight, depending on the venue).

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Alter
140 Franklin Street, Brooklyn, NY
http://www.alterbrooklyn.com/

The Brooklyn-based boutique will be hosting a fun evening of drinks, styling, photography and music. Co-owners Tommy Cole and Roy Caires will be doing "high fashion styling" for customers. Events will take place between 7-10 pm.

Barneys New York
660 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
http://www.barneys.com/

According to its description on the website, Barneys will be "transformed into a street fair of designer personal appearances and creative events." Appearances will include: Isabel Toledo, Narciso Rodriguez, Thom Browne, Alexander Wang, The Row's Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen and... I'm particularly intrigued by the salsa lessons with Juan Carlos Obando!

Bergdorf Goodman
754 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/

I don't normally shop at Bergdorf's, but their line up is giving me an excuse to check out their ritzy floors: Padma Lakshmi from Bravo's Top Chef will be judging a designer cook-off, featuring Peter Som, Cynthia Rowley and others between 6-7 pm. Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen will guest bartend at 7 pm. Andre Leon Talley will host the New Game Fashion Rules, with teams led by Donna Karan, Linda Fargo and Robert Verdi, between 8-9 pm. And much more!

Gargyle
16A Orchard Street, New York, NY
http://www.gargyle.com/

Gargyle will be hosting a scavenger hunt with its favorite Lower East Side haunts. Go pick up a Gargyle scavenger hunt kit, with tote bag, map and instructions. When you bring back your hunt to Gargyle, you will receive a deluxe gift bag and be entered in a drawing to win prizes.

Jeffrey New York
449 West 14th Street, New York, NY
http://www.jeffreynewyork.com/

This mecca for high end designer clothing and shoes will be hosting an exhibition and silent auction of some one-of-a-kind designer dolls. Expect guest appearances by Jason Wu, Monique Pean and Hugh Jackman.

Kirna Zabete
96 Greene Street, New York, NY
http://www.kirnazabete.com/

The boutique will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in conjunction with Fashion's Night Out! Narciso Rodriguez, Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, Jason Wu and Peter Som will be on hand to debut their exclusive items for Kirna Zabete.

Maryam Nassir Zadeh
23 Norfolk Street, New York, NY
http://www.maryamnassirzadeh.com/

This selectively curated boutique will feature a fashion presentation by Creatures of the Wind between 5 - 8 pm.

Opening Ceremony
35 Howard Street, New York, NY
http://www.openingceremony.us/

The boutique will host a block party with food, music and special edition merchandise. Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, Alexander Wang and others will sell merchandise out of custom-designed cars tailored to the designer's aesthetic.

Will you be at Fashion's Night Out? What activities look the most appealing to you?

Weekend Links: Plaid Edition

above: Coco Rocha for Liz Claiborne Fall 2009 [source]

Apologies for the belated Weekend Links. I had another wisdom tooth pulled this week, and it was off to bed and recovery with a stack of September issues for me. Hope you all had wonderful weekends!

READ

The Swelle Life is giving away an amazing PONO necklace.

Le Fashion Image posts some Balenciaga goodies, but I'm over the moon for that tutu.

Shrimpton Couture just added a white ballerina tutu dress. Eek!

Sweet jewelry giveaway from Luphia Loves.

Doiknowyoufromsomewhere and I drool over these YSL pumps.

Cheapskate Chic and I drool over the Kane for Topshop collection (to be released next month).

DO/SAVE THE DATE

Wish You Were Here Swap: For a few weeks, starting August 22nd through September 13th, the Lower East Side will be hosting some pop up shops from London's Newburgh Quarter. Save the date for these awesome activities:

• London/LES & Ladies Lotto Fashion Show - Saturday August 29th (2-6 pm) at the Municipal Parking Lot on Broome between Ludlow and Essex. Featuring designs in eco/vintage, the "Wish You Were Here" pop-up and looks from new boutiques/designers.
• Labour Day in the LES - Sunday September 6th and Monday September 7th. Participating stores will reward you with discounts and goodie bags for breaking the fashion rules and wearing white!
• God Save the Queen Wish You Were Here LES Wrap Party - Sunday September 13th (5-8 pm). Orchard Street will be closed for an all day party. The event will feature headlining bands from NYC and the UK and a range of other festivities.

Dream Sequins Pre-Fashion Week Meet-up: Save the Date- September 8th! I will be hosting a drinks meet up before the madness of Fashion Week grips the city. Please email me for an invitation! dreamsequins(at)gmail.com.

MORE ON THE LIZ CLAIBORNE EVENT

On August 12th, Liz Claiborne hosted a screening of a mockumentary made by Red Bucket Button Films (photos available here). Karen of Purple Lab NYC sent me this report of the event (after reading this, I'm still kicking myself for missing out):

What happens when a classic American brand is revisited by a designer known to break rules and go beyond what's expected? You get the new Isaac Mizrahi for Liz Claiborne collection!

The fall campaign stars real women, plucked off the street, and one Coco Rocha (love her and that flaming red hair - her color du jour). And Team Isaac documenting the making of - in an irreverent, discerning mock-umentary with a hint of Woody Allen for good measure.

To premiere, there was a chic blogger event like no other. The entire Liz showroom, a gallery-like space with never-ending ceilings and poured cement floors, beamed with glamour. All white tables, large screen, delicious white cord beanbag chairs, sophisticated fare, an old school popcorn machine (complete with Liz bags, of course), and a healthy amount of sugar (Crumbs cupcakes, Dylan's Candy Bar). U'Luvka vodka - accompanied by "Cocktail Colin" - served up Mizrahini cocktails.

Isaac was in the house - pink toenails and all (a new shade for him - he typically does orange!) - and the room was in hysterics over the piece, produced by Red Bucket Films.

With an RCA branded Liz Small Wonder flip camera, we all made ourselves into mini movie moguls. And the Madras Weekender gift bag - so fab! - was equipped with Isaac's "How to Have Style Book" (a.k.a. my new bible).

As for the clothes? They're not the Liz you remember back from middle school. Full of delightful prints, classic tartans, shots of hot pink, and lots of life... kind of like the film... and Isaac.

Project Runway Recap

I now write reviews about reality TV, fashion-driven dramatic series such as Mad Men, "chick flicks" and other chick-friendly things over at Critiqulous. Check out my review and recap (spoilers ahead) on the Premiere Night of Project Runway!

Did you watch the premiere? What did you think???

Shoptalk: Shrimpton Couture

Shrimpton Couture is an online vintage shopping website that focuses on unique and high end vintage or reworked vintage items. I'm a big fan of the gorgeous dresses and accessories on the website. In fact, certain necklaces have begun haunt my dreams at night (in a good way). Thanks to my chats with Cherie, the founder/owner of Shrimpton Couture on Twitter, I've learned more about the shop's exciting collaborations with talented emerging designers such as Louise Black, The Glamourai and Norwegian Wood. Here, the charming Cherie gives us a little bit more information about her business and possibly leaks some interesting tidbits about New York Fashion Week events... Could this be another Dream Sequins scoop???

For those of us who are not familiar with Shrimpton Couture, can you give us background about the shop and how you decided to start selling vintage online?

I started the shop after being an obsessive collector for years and years. All of my girlfriends were borrowing and then buying things from me all of the time and then their friends started to do the same. The shop was born as a practical means to handle requests! It was very small when I started but early this year I brought in a professional developer and we overhauled the entire site from scratch to create what you see today. My background is in marketing which certainly serves me well now!

I am interested in hearing about Shrimpton Couture's collaborations with emerging designers. Who are you currently collaborating with? How did you get in touch with these designers?

The concept of the designer collaborations started form a single designer (RSVP) and branched out from there. I knew the designer of RSVP - she was doing items for herself and they were so appealing I bugged her and bugged her do some pieces I could showcase in the shop. The Glamourai came on board next. I was a reader of her blog and saw the fabulous pieces she was doing for herself and again got in touch and asked her to come on board! I guess I am very persuasive :-) Since then I have added Reverie NYC, Norwegian Wood, Laine Jewelry & Re:couture & Louise Black. I have sourced each myself (except for Louise Black who was actually referred to me by our mutual client Courtney Love). I look for designers that will compliment the ones in the shop already - so the look each brings to the shop is different from the others. All the designers do amazing top notch work from a pure craftsmanship perspective too!


Necklace by The Glamourai
all images courtesy of Shrimpton Couture (click image to view item in the shop)


Louise Black necklace

I'm sort of a beginner at buying vintage pieces. What are things that every buyer should look for when taking the plunge into the world of vintage for the first time?

I have written a couple of articles on this for the Heralde de Paris but the basics of buying vintage are the same as when deciding where and how to spend your hard earned dollars when you walk into any modern boutique. Buy because you love it and buy because it makes you look and feel fabulous.

From a practical point of view - some basics are: Look for stains and damage. If you are a beginner you will not yet be experienced enough to know what you or your cleaner and tailor can fix or repair as afar as stains or damages so if a garments has either ask your self if you can live with it and still wear the piece if you cannot change the damage. Vintage is not new and though I stock the shop with pristine pieces (or as close to mint as I can get them), I personally have pieces that have a little wear and tear to them and I love them to death still.

I also look at the fabric, the quality and overall construction and then the style - will it work with what you already have? Most girls should buy vintage with the mindset of working it into their own modern wardrobes. So think of how you can style a piece with your favorite shoes or by throwing a jacket over it or pairing it with tights maybe. Don't feel confined by the look of the era it came from - try to picture how you can mix it in with what you already have!

A word of warning though - it is addictive!


RSVP sequin dress with tulle overlay


Pucci minidress

What are some of your most popular items?

I sell mainly dresses and the 40s, 50s and 1970s are all strong eras right now. Despite the magazines telling up that the eighties are back I don't find a big request for that era. I think the Mad Men craze helps the 50s to stay strong and lines like Victoria Beckham and Roland Mouret keep the fitted 40s silhouette strong and relevant.

How do you buy the items in your shop? Do you buy with certain trends or buyers in mind?

When I buy I look for great pieces that are well constructed and are well put together. I have a ton of labeled pieces in the shop but "pretty" takes precedence. I try my best to just stock drop dead gorgeous dresses. It's that simple really :-)

We'd all love to know about future projects and collaborations for Shrimpton Couture... Will there be any pop up shops in your future? Like say... in New York? I'd love to try some of your pieces on in person!

I always have projects planned to make the site a better place to shop! I am working on developing a customized sizing system to make it a bit easier to figure out your sizing as a modern girl. The lookbook feature is being worked on behind the scenes now and will expand to have a more editorial feel soon. I will also be adding a guest edit "Haute Hints" feature to the site where the designers and guests (maybe even a celeb or two!) will give us a glimpse of their style and how they would put pieces together. Shrimpton just started an official Facebook page AND I am currently courting two new independent designers - one who reworks vintage tees and a girl who reworks and produces original designs (using antique and vintage textiles) for plus size girls! I am super excited about that one since a lot of vintage is tiny and this will give girls who can't always opt in for vintage a whole new way to shop!

As far as pop ups - I would love to do a NYC pop up and in fact The Glamourai and I might just be plotting a bit of an event just along those lines around the time of the spring shows to do just that! Shhhhh... its a bit of a scoop :-)

Thanks for the scoop, Cherie! For unbelievably beautiful vintage and reworked vintage items, head over to http://shrimptoncouture.com.

Speaking of unbelievably beautiful, have you entered my Rock Socks giveaway yet? What are you waiting for? Click click click here!

Behind the Blog: Annie Spandex

all images courtesy of Annie Spandex

You may not personally know Annie Spandex, the Nashville-based fashion blogger with a unique sense of rocker style, but you know her by sight. She's the girl at all those music shows and dive bars working that unmistakably cool, laidback look: part glitter glam and part tough girl boots. When I stumbled across her site months ago, I was charmed by her outfit shots against a vintage-looking kitchen backdrop and her brilliant DIY projects (including a recent foray into tie-dye boots, a wonderful way of tying together some popular trends). I love how resourceful and accessible her blog can be; for those moments when I'm reading her site, I feel like that sense of DIY-rocker cool can be mine, too. Money doesn't buy you style, and Annie, with her budget-friendly buys, reminds us of that fact every week! Please read on to learn a little more about the cool lady behind the blog...

Five Questions for My Favorite Bloggers

Who are you?

I'm Annie Spandex. Someone once called me a grunge princess and I'm trying to live up to the compliment. Why Spandex? Honestly, I don't know, it just sounded good. I'm a huge fan of 70's glam rock, so it fits me.

Where are you?

I live in Nashville, aka Music City, USA, and I LOVE it here.

What is the concept behind your blog?

My blog is mainly a place for me to express my style and talk about the things I want or admire. I realize how pretentious this may sound, but fashion is truly my artform. I keep my eye on trends but I have a fear of looking like a fashion victim. I always try to put my own spin on something or just do my own thing. I'm known for having a funky, budget-friendly, rocker style.

When you are not blogging, what else do you enjoy doing?

There is an incredible rock scene here, and I spend a lot of time going to shows and dive bars. I also like to attend art openings and dance parties--which tend to make for more interesting outfits. On quiet nights, nothing beats cuddling with my boyfriend and watching documentaries.

More importantly, what are you wearing? :)

Right now, I'm wearing a T.Rex t-shirt and indigo jeans, barefoot and casual. :)

Thanks for the interview, Annie! For more stunning pictures, check out http://anniespandex.com...

(Personal note: I'm still suffering from dental woes this week so I apologize in advance if I haven't been as active in the comments section or visiting your blogs regularly. I really do appreciate your visits and will hopefully bounce back to my old self shortly! Until then, please enter my new giveaway for some awesome Rock Socks!)

Introducing: Rock Socks and a Giveaway!

all images courtesy of Rock Socks

Rock Socks is a new unisex accessories label in Los Angeles that specializes in colorful statement socks. I fell in love with the quirky, nostalgic charm of their debut collection of knee socks in punchy 70s colors. My hosiery wardrobe is mostly monochromatic and boring, but once in a while, I get the urge to rock a pair of offbeat socks. Fashion doesn’t always have to be monochromatic and boring. Sometimes, it can be unique and expressive in a very funny way such as wearing retro knee socks with words like “Evil” or “Nerd” on them. Erica Easley, founder and owner of Rock Socks, recently answered some questions about her new label. Please read to learn more and be sure to enter the generous related giveaway!

Can you tell us a bit about your background? Why socks? Why socks with words on them? Do you have a background in fashion?

I graduated from Columbia with a BA in English, and have been trying to figure out a way to combine my degree with my fashion obsession ever since. Isolating powerful words and putting them on socks, as I'm doing with Rock Socks, is a move in that direction, I think. I've worked in the fashion industry in one form or another for most of my adult life. Currently, I'm a partner in The Red Light in Portland, OR, the West Coast's largest vintage store.

Rock Socks grew out of something I did on a whim a year ago: Obama Socks. Obama socks were the world's first-ever presidential knee socks. Knee socks with shorts have been my unofficial uniform for years so when Obama's campaign took off Obama Socks seemed like a no-brainer to me. They were featured in a bunch of media (Marie Claire, LA Weekly, The Oregonian, etc.) and extremely popular - I couldn't keep up with demand...it was a great experience.

Who would you say are the typical Rock Socks customers and which city rocks your socks the most?

Rock Socks are playful, quirky and bold; they appeal to people with a good sense of humor and adventure, and strong passions. Because Rock Socks are new, I've focused promotion and placement on the West Coast, where I'm based. So, with that caveat, I'd say Portland rocks these socks the most. It's just a bike-friendly, sock-centric city. However, I'm interested to see what happens as time goes on because last fall, when I first began selling only Obama socks, I sent tons and tons of orders to NYC.

Which celebrity would you like to see sporting Rock Socks?

As for celebrities, I'd love, love, love to have Gwen Stefani or Andre 3000 wear Rock Socks (they look great with knickers!). Or Mette Lindberg of The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - she's so original (both her style and her music)!

What kind of hosiery trends do you think will be hot for fall?

Hosiery seems to be going in a couple of directions. I think that natural, dark colors and nubby textures on tights and thick over-the-knee stockings will be strong due to the continued influence of late Victorian to 1920's fashion. But that's counter-balanced by vintage sporty looks, particularly '70s and '80s athletic-wear, so brightly colored opaque tights and knee socks will also be good bets. Really, though, the biggest trend in hosiery this fall is hosiery itself. A couple of years ago, knee socks and tights weren't even on the radar. Now, it's all about how socks or tights can MAKE your outfit.

Thanks, Erica! To close, can you tell us about any plans to expand Rock Socks and its collections in the near future?

I absolutely plan to expand Rock Socks - this is such an untapped medium in fashion! I have so many ideas I can't wait to manufacture, but I also want to be responsible about growing my company so I'm not going to make everything all at once. Rock Socks will introduce new styles every few months. Soon we'll offer men's dress socks along with women's knee socks while probably continuing with some unisex designs, too. In fact, we have some awesome holiday socks in the works as we speak. I can't give away everything, but rest assured they won't feature snowmen or dreidels.

To check out the collection and to purchase Rock Socks online, check out the website here: http://rocksocks.net/.





ROCK SOCKS GIVEAWAY!

Thanks to Erica’s generous offer, one lucky Dream Sequins reader will be chosen at random to receive all six designs from the current collection (excluding the Obama design).

To enter this giveaway, you must:
(1) be a follower of this blog via Google Friend Connect (see sidebar to the right under "Cool Cats Who Follow This Blog") and
(2) leave a comment in this post about how you would rock your Rock Socks.

**UPDATE** This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only. To my lovely international readers: stay tuned for other worldwide giveaways in the near future. They will be great, I promise!!

Deadline to enter the giveaway is Tuesday August 25th at 11:59 pm NYC time. One entry per person, please! Good luck!

Twitter-views: New York Fashion Week Picks

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekends! I apologize for the delay in releasing Twitter-views this week. The Mr. and I spent some time playing tourists on the Lower East Side, checking into the new Thompson LES, which had an adorable pool deck and a lively bar scene. Our rate was reasonable and the service was superb. We would highly recommend it to our friends...

For last week's Twitter-views, I asked my stylish and fashionable Twitter friends the following question: "If you could sit front row at three designer shows during New York Fashion Week, which would they be?" Some dropped the usual classic names, while others decided to leave New York altogether, preferring designers who show in other fashionable cities. Here is what they had to say...

@fashionista0921 DVF, Isaac Mizrahi, Christian Siriano

@MarieDenee Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, DVF... they always have very interesting items!

@fairykikka wang balmain von furstenberg!!

@SabinaLes Custo Barcelona, Zang Toi, A.Herchcovitch

@ClandestineChic Alexandre Herchcovitch, Carolina Herrera, and 3.1 Phillip Lim :)


Alexandre Herchcovitch [source]

@GraysonMae Rebecca Taylor, Anna Sui, Jill Stuart.

@jessestrada mcqueen, balmain & DVF

@VanessasRunway Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Furstenberg & Erin Fetherston! :))

@samcab Probably only Zac, and half of that is for the celeb watching. If Wang is doing a show, I'd want in there too.

@Retrochick_uk 3.1 Philip Lim, DVF, Anna Sui

@ciaochessa DVF, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors


Marc Jacobs [source]

@ourcitylight Rodarte, Nanette Lepore, Frank Tell

@coutureallure Chado Ralph Rucci, Isabel Toledo, and Hussein Chalayan.

@electricclaire Karl Lagerfeld (of course!), Alexander McQueen and probably Alexander Wang, although the last one is variable...

@stylish_in_dc arise african collection, badgley mischka, and max azria

@NHillDesign me? Oscar de la Renta K? Rodarte. S? Philip Lim

@chicagostyle looking at NY sched. HERVÉ LÉGER BY MAX AZRIA, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, ANNA SUI

@Penelope323 Would love to be in the front for DVF, Betsey Johnson and Marc Jacobs!!!

@MidtownGirl Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch & Nanette Lepore.

@hanako66 dvf, Nanette Lepore, and if I could have gone to see the Fall 2009 collections-Barbie!

@juicyincouture Elise Overland! Wait she is NY right? Lol and Diane Von Furstenberg !


Elise Overland [source]

@ciaochessa ooohhh...only NY? What about Prada, YSL, LV...Balmain, Gucci, Fendi, I'm getting the goosebumps...Armani..ohmy

@ten10things cavalli, marc jacobs and chloe. that's just what popped into my mind..there are so many others i'd love to sit front row for.

@WendyBrandes I've had front-row nirvana: Zang Toi and @francisnewyork for clothes that I wear, Marc Jacobs for scene. Can die happy ;-)

@thefatandskinny rachel roy alexander wang and erin fetherson

@kimair proenza schouler, rodarte, and oscar de la renta would be my picks...

@tenaciousleigh chanel, marc jacobs, dvf.

@jewelrywhore my 3 picks are rebecca taylor, rodarte and Christian siriano!

@brianakay Rodarte. Balmain(although it isn't part of NYC fashion week!). Jill Stuart

@amandalee Yohji Yamamoto. Wenlan Chia. Band of Outsiders. can i pick more? i can give you like a dozen more.


Rodarte [source]

Which three New York designers would you pick?

Speaking of classic New York designers, Dee of The Candid Commentary and some lovely organizers for Liz Claiborne invited me to a screening of an Isaac Mizrahi mockumentary last week, but due to the ill-fated timing of my wisdom tooth extraction, I missed the event... It sounds like an amazing time was had by all, and many of my favorite New York fashion bloggers were in attendance. Isaac was there and I am still kicking myself for missing out! Please do check out her coverage of the event, along with some amazing pictures.

Other Twitter-views on Dream Sequins:
#9: Ultimate Designers
#10: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
#11: Top Fall Trends