The Fashion Industry Does Halloween

(images from style.com)

If there's one thing I love about the fashion world is that when it comes to costume parties they refuse to do things halfway. Allison Sarofim, a social fixture of New York known for her lavish parties throws an annual themed halloween bash each year for fellow fashion lovers and fabulous people in the area.

This year's theme was "Anime" and look how amazing and right on cue everyone's costumes were. I think i need to make it one of my life goals to attend one of her parties! How fun would it be to dress up for one? I think it's a common bond shared between fashionistas that we love Halloween because it's just another excuse to play dress up (as if we needed an excuse?)!

I dressed up as Rachel Zoe for my college fashion club's Halloween party complete with overly bronzed skin, starbucks tote & signature fur. I threw in lots of "I die" 's for good measure.

Happy Halloween everyone! What are you dressing up as?

xoxo, lauren

a bite of the Big Apple

Heard @ Teen Vogue Fashion U

I had an amazing weekend in New York at Teen Vogue Fashion University. I got to explore a lot of the city and made some fashionable friends. I even met the awesome Dara of Secretista & we talked about our hopes for future careers in fashion. I went to seminars by Tory Burch, Redken experts Kris Sorbie and Rodney Cutler, Peter Som, and Proenza Schouler (they are my designer crush!).The next day we head from Target designers Hayden Harnett, Sonia Kashuk, and Liz Lange. I took away different things from each seminar. All in all, I kept hearing these points:

• The fashion industry is a lot smaller than it seems, so don't burn bridges and network in any way possible
• You must be passionate about a job in fashion if you pursue it because it can be a very labor intensive and time consuming career, but if you love it, it won't feel like work.
• Equally as important as education are internships; you gain vital experience and connections working under and learning from industry professionals.

Lazaro Hernandez's Internship Story:

As a Miami native he was flying back to New York he saw Anna Wintour on the plane. His mom encouraged him to approach her & "ask her for a job". He was super intimidated by her so he mustered up the courage to pass her a note written on a napkin. He never heard anything from her, until a couple months later when he got a phone call direct from Michael Kors asking if he'd like to intern for him. Apparently the note got passed down from editors to designer and ended up in his hands. Everyone took it seriously because it came from Anna Wintour.

If that doesn't attest to the importance of networking, I don't know what does!

xoxo, lauren

P.S. Check back for pictures from my trip in my next post!

4 Things.. & 1 Day till NYC!

So, I'm leaving Thursday morning for New York City to attend Teen Vogue Fashion U. It's going to be my first time navigating the city by myself, yikes! I promise to bring back pictures, and fabulous stories! Here's a fun survey, thanks to Modern Marie for tagging me!:)

4 Things I Did Today:

1. Got a Package from Stella Accessories! (<3)>Took an awful macro exam. .blahh economics
2. Attempted to put off grocery shopping by eating what's left in the fridge
3. Wished I could be at Zumba class instead of studying for exam numero tres

4 Things On My To-Do List:

1. Pack for NY- i'm quite the procrastinator!
2. Buy my little sis a sick bday present; are they still lil' when theyre turning 17?
3. Print out pictures of friends & fam, my walls are looking lonely
4. Go get the 3rd Twilight book, i'm hooked! (thanks a lot Modern Marie haha)

4 Guilty Pleasures:

1. Monday Night TV (the Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, The Hills trifecta)
2. 80's/90's night at my favorite college bar
3. Making really amazing thrift store finds, i'm all about the bargains
4. Splurging on starbucks, ah so bad

4 Random Facts About Me:

1. I have a subscription to like 20 magazines, no lie. Gotta love leftover airline miles..
2. I also write for College OTR, a site for college students
3. I'm a huge college football fan, (go Noles!)
4. I just started cooking this year and I've really enjoyed experimenting with new recipes; if you have any suggestions send them my way!

4 Bloggers that I'm Tagging:

1. La Belle Vie
2. Couture Carrie
3. Femme Rationale
4. Koko Stiletto

It's always fun getting to know more about fellow fashion bloggers! I look forward to reading more about you all:)

xoxo, lauren

Why Must the Exchange Rate Suck so Bad?

Right now I should be studying for economics for my exam about the exchange from US to foreign currencies. Although right now I'm lusting over the Paris Vogue editorials and wishing it didn't cost an arm and a leg to buy in the U.S.! So taking a study break to blog post isn't totally irrevelant right?

Check out these shots from some of Vogue Paris' November issue's editorials & I think you'll agree:

Cindy Crawford still looking smokin hot in her forties!

Acid Washed goodness! Ah, time for a denim DIY

Adriana Lima in an over-the-top colorful editorial; I am in love with her accessories though!

photos courstesy of tfs

xoxo, lauren

Fashionable Halloween Costumes: Anna Wintour

Even if you haven't heard of Anna Wintour, you've definitely read the magazine she is editor in chief of. Rumor has it that the character Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada is based on her. She has the job every fashionista dreams of and with her staple oversized sunglasses and blunt bob she's easy to dress as for halloween.

To complete the look a smug pout and crossed arms might help you get into character. To really go the extra mile, recruit a starbucks toting assistant to follow you around!

xoxo, lauren

Fur Sure

I have a confession to make.. I'm a tiny bit obsessed with the Rachel Zoe project. She used to annoy me, but her craziness has grown on me, and the show makes her seem a bit more human than the tabloids portray her. Also, I could live in her closet-- the vintage pieces she owns are amazing!

One of her many fashion quirks (gold bangles, maxi dresses, and oversized "sunnies") is her staple fur jacket. She wears them cropped, in a coat, and even during the summer. I'm not really "pro" fur persay, nor can I afford it. But, i do like the look of a faux fur coat for winter.

A fur coat, whether it be in black, white, or gray evokes a sense of old hollywood glamour. You could be wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans underneath, and you slip it on and suddenly turn fabulous. Check out vintage shops for an affordable coat.

They were ALL OVER the runways for F/W 08, and I have a feeling they'll be a big trend when the temperature starts to dip.

xoxo, lauren

The M.O.D. Squad

M.O.D. (model-off-duty), is one of my favorite newly learned fashion phrases. It's true, models often have this amazing laidback and stylish look they wear off the runways. Their always seen rocking skinny jeans, gladiators, and white v-neck tees . Dressing well seems to come so naturally to them-- I'm sure the designer freebies can't hurt either.

This is the look I was going for today, hey, its fun to pretend, right?

xoxo, lauren

When Art Imitates Life

Regardless of your political affiliation, we are going to be voting for a new president of the U.S. on November 4th. I hope by now you've registered to vote and now its time to educate yourself about the candidates & watch the debates to make sure you're making an educated decision!

Fashion designers have all rallied behind Obama, creating shirts in his name or even with his picture on them. This pop art creation made a walk down Jean Charles de Castelbajac's runway in his SS09 collection. It's just amazing to me how the impact of the presidential candidates is as far reaching as the fashion world. Is it taking things too far when you're political views are made evident through your designs?

I'm very interested to see the turnout of the election & whoever wins, I wish them the best!

xoxo, lauren

Catch My Article in Rive Magazine!

Check out my debut article in awesome online magazine, Rive about the crop top trend that was all over the spring/summer 09 runways!

xoxo, lauren

Fashionable Halloween Costumes: Cory Kennedy & Mark "The Cobrasnake" Hunter

So some might argue that this infamous hipster duo are not "fashion icons" persay, but they definitely have made their mark in the fashion community. Cory Kennedy is an "it girl" known for her crazy outfits. Mark Hunter is a photographer for popular nightlife site "The Cobra Snake".

The best part of their halloween costumes are that, you can pretty much wear them using clothes you have in your closet. Also, for added fun.. find a guy to be the mark to your cory and offical photog of the night.

Here are some tips to achieving the looks:

-For Cory, make sure to add some pomade or texturizing cream to your hair to give it that grungy "i-haven't-washed-it-in-like-a-week" look

- Throw together super unsusual colors and patterns when dressing as Cory, as well as overload on accessories.

- Add a white v-neck tee & huge eyeglasses to add to Mark's look.

-Extra points for bushy sideburns and and a mini curly-fro while dressing as Mark.

Stay tuned for more fashionable halloween costumes & feel free to post suggestions/ask for help putting together one of your own!

xoxo, lauren

When Your Jewelry Tells a Story

Lately, one of my favorite things to do is to stack up a bunch of turqoise bracelets on one arm. The stone is so earthy yet fresh looking. The color brightens up a boring black or white outfit and looks great with denim or white.

Each of my bracelets tell a story.

The First one is a beat-up thrift store find.

The Second, a hand-me-down from my grandmother.

The Third is handmade by my mama.

The last, a souvenir from my dad's trip out west.

xoxo, lauren

Steal Their Style: The 90210 Girls

90210: The New Generation has become one of my weekly tv watching guilty pleasures. As much as I feel dumb tuning in each week, I can't help but check it out! Yes, the actresses in no way, shape, or form pass for teenagers, but at least they dress cute.

The style is no match to Gossip Girl's, but it's very fun, L.A., and achievable to recreate. My personal favorite is Silver, but all the girls have a pretty fun personal style.

Have you fallen under the 90210 spell too?

[For my international readers, if you're curious you can watch it online!]

xoxo, lauren

Crazy Karl

Not only is Karl Lagerfeld a fashion icon (he's the face behind Chanel and Fendi as well as his namesake brand), but he has a sense of humor too!

I was laughing so hard when I saw this runway shot from his Paris show. Check out the bag with his oh so recognizable image printed on it. I'm glad that he doesn't take fashion too seriously.. and I want that bag!

xoxo, lauren