12.04.2011

Never underestimate the power of a shift dress



Say what you will about Victoria Bekham, her ridiculous hair cuts and face that may or may not be injected with cement, but the woman knows how to dress to optimize her figure. Her secret seems to be that she mainly sticks to shift dresses in various incarnations. Why? Because a well tailored shift dress can enhance the good and it can hide a myriad of sins. I purchased this pretty wool felt number on Friday when I forgot about my work Christmas party (typical)  and had to run out at lunch and find something STAT. It was a pretty penny but staples like this are essential to have in your closet and are well worth the investment. While you might purchase cheaper things only to throw them in garbage bags and give them to charity next season, this dress is timeless and you can wear it regularly for years. The stellar tailoring of a great designer is hand over fist better than a cheaper version, also it will not wrinkle. Easy and gorgeous, isn't the print to die for and the asymmetrical shoulder so understated and rad? 

11.23.2011

Occupy Wallstreet: Yup I Really Was That For Halloween








I've been meaning to post pics of the dress I made for Halloween for Oh, About A Month. Nervous laughter. WHERE DOES TIME GO?  Geesh. So I was a rambunctious rendition of 'Occupy Wallstreet'. I laminated photos of some of the protest signs and images, then proceeded to superglue them all over a black sequined dress. The back of the dress is self-explanatory (I hope). I think it went over pretty well. The manicure was done by my friend Claire. The bottom image is from the fancy bathroom of a fly ass party Fiona Byrne and Alexa Chung  (amongst others) threw at the Tribeca Grand. At said party one girl dressed up like an enormous banana: she is my new hero though I may never know her name.

10.28.2011

I Die Friday




Happy Friday Love Birds!  Here are some items to dream about this Halloween weekend. I'm super excited about my costume- haven't done Halloween up right in years. I'm tempted give away my costume right now but where would be the fun in that? I'll wait to post pics. Plus, I'm weary of copy  cats ganking my steeze.

Back to what puts a nail in my coffin this Friday - firstly these Rag & Bone Jean Leggings. I am refusing to call them the other word, yeah you know what I'm talking about. I've been looking for a great pair of red jeans for a while - these are the perfect color because the orange undertones make the red not too garish. And the fit, well it's major.  Then these Lizzie Fortunato Half Moon Earrings are just like wearing little rockstars dangling from the sides of your head.  Weird analogy? Yes it is. Both the jeans and the earrings are rad and relatively affordable.  The Nicholas K. Brigade Jacket  is totes amazeballs, and looks so warm, but it's also over $1,000 so.....the stuff of dreams. Happy Halloween ya'll!

10.09.2011

TUMBLD Love

10.06.2011

If I Were a Rich Man - my lofty fall wish list





 




If I were rich, I'd mos def purchase these three items for fall.  A little pricey, but a lot amazing, they're all modern versions of classic styles: the cape, the military jacket, and the flat.  What makes them modern is the devilish details -  that the cape has a off center exposed zipper, the military jacket has a modern fit, and the flat has awesome metal ball embellishments.  Want them all!  Donations accepted. 

9.20.2011

That's all she wrote: Last Few NYFW Outfits


                              Photos: Gunnar Larson
Top Image:
Topshop Silk Tank
River Island Safina Boots
Romwe Purse

Bottom Image:
Muubaa Leather Tank
Forever 21 Skirt
BCBG Booties

To be honest I'm super duper sick of myself so these will be the last few pictures of moi for a while.  BTW I realize my hair is a hot rats nest in the second picture.  It had been a long day and a long week.

9.17.2011

My friend Nettie is a mermaid - Nettie Kent Jewelry













Photography -  Betsy Blundell  {Nettie and I took the ones of Betsey in them...of course :)}

Nettie Kent (above image) is the closest I've ever come to meeting a real, live mermaid - her hair, her beauty and her spirit just don't belong on land. Besides the fins (and thank God she doesn't have fins right?  where are mermaid's pee-holes?!) she is the real deal. Growing up on Martha's Vineyard, Nettie's backyard was the ocean.  Her line, Nettie Kent Jewelry, is a bit like wearing a beautiful jewelry version of the ocean: slices of sand on your fingers, gorgeous sea foam on your wrists, whispering sand dune grass dangling from your ears. Srsly. All her pieces are made from two of my most favorite materials - brass and leather. Nettie, who worked for Philip Crangi, has designed a line that is so on point it is truly difficult to decide which piece(s) to purchase.  It's no wonder Nettie has already received attention from trendsetting moguls like Agyness Deyn.  What better way to celebrate Nettie's line than to do a shoot at the beach with our friend and photographer Betsy Blundell, getting to wear all the jewelry!  We took these shots a few weeks back at Ft. Tilden.  And man, as I sit here writing this, cuddled up under a comforter with the sniffles,  it makes me nostalgic for summer already.  I think I'll go call my mermaid friend Nettie and have her take me with her back to the ocean…

9.16.2011

Street Pics from NYFW




Lace Blouse and Bodysuit- American Apparel
Belt- Vintage
Necklace-Vintage ('70s)
Circle Skirt-American Apparel


 I was pretty excited to find these street style pics of me today on Style Italy and realbeauty.com as I actually hadn't gotten any shots of this outfit. These were snapped as I was leaving a show at Lincoln Center. 

I have a major post fashion week cold- body has given out- so I'm not feeling up to writing much more but I hope everyone is doing well! I'm going to go blow my nose.

9.15.2011

Kisses from NYFW

                                     Photo by: Gunnar Larson

Denim Diapers- Vintage Levis
Vintage shirt
BCBG booties
Leather fringe necklace by Jessica Templin

Another day...another fashion week outfit. All my friends know I live in tiny denim shorts we lovingly call "denim diapers" throughout the summer. They are high waisted, vintage Levis I have cut off at an obscenely short length. Obscenely. My ass cheeks kind of stick out. My thinking was - to not wear them at least one day of fashion week would not be honest about who I really am fashion-wise. Kind of trashy and sloppy in a rock star way OF COURSE. I paired them with an amazing, kissy lip print, vintage button down which was big enough to balance out the obscenity going on down below.  I found this shirt while vintage shopping with my friend Adrea Lord.  Andrea owns the t-shirt company Son of John and she liked this print so much she borrowed the shirt to create a similar print- available soon. Can't wait to see how it turns out. 

9.13.2011

Wuda Week!

                            Photo by: Gunnar Larson


Vintage Dress
River Island 'Safina' Boots
Leather Fringe Necklace by Jessica Templin
Vintage Sunnies
 Forever 21 Silver Cuffs (gasp. I swear I'll quit them one of these days)
Metal Hoop Earrings- Hecho in Brooklyn
Red Writersblok notebook
Coca cola= breakfast, lunch and dinner


So New York Fashion Week is coming to a close and my feet are happy about that.  I'm not sure you could call them feet any more- more like two big blisters.  But what a fantastic week. I got to see so many great collections and talk to so many different people in the industry about their art. You can read all my coverage of the shows on naag.com.  I was so busy running from show to show and writing and more writing that I didn't have time to post my outfits as I had promised, so above is one of them.  This is me backstage the Rebecca Minkoff show at Lincoln Center, getting ready to interview her and her beauty team.  I'll keep posting more over the next few days! xo

9.07.2011

New York Fashion Week, New Shoe Game, #moonslutboots

Wedges- Senso

With New York Fashion Week officially beginning tomorrow (but with shows beginning as early as this morning) I'm excited but also trying to center myself. Jesus Christ. Breathe.  NYFW has turned into more like a two week thing...not to mention the prep before hand.  I'll be covering shows the entire week and, with attending at at least five shows a day, it's really important to be comfortable but also to look good.  My brain is a little fried and actually the last thing I want to think about are my outfits. So I thought it would be a good plan to get a pair of statement shoes that would standout no matter how plain the outfit, and just rock them most of the week in varying ways. It was love at first site with these gold wedges that I found at Shoe Market in Brooklyn by Senso .  So what if they look a little like moon slut boots?  NBD.  This week I'll be posting various ways I'll wear them to the shows.


Oh hai! My name is Rachel and I'm wearing #moonslutboots.
That is a real, live, ostrich behind me.  No it's not. Liar.

Oh hai!! This is my #catboyfriend Murphy.  I rely on him for way too much affection and piss him off constantly. Love.

Lace Top: Vintage

8.29.2011

I survived Irene but had to mop up a glass of water that I kicked over


Photo by Misha Jenkins

Dress (worn for optimal Real Housewives cleavage): Forever 21
Sandals: Some steeze I picked up at a Barney's sale
Gold Bracelet: Really a necklace wrapped around my wrist.  Gifted

Hey ya'll.  You know what I do when there's a natural disaster? Have a muthafuckin birthday party.  I was dancing and eating cupcakes with some of my best friends as torrential rains bombarded Brooklyn throughout the night.  We were all OK- if not a little wet.  The mop in this pic is not for flooding but because I kicked over a glass of water.  That was the extent of the damage for us pretty much!  Hope everyone is safe and sound. xo

8.25.2011

Into Overdrive: feeling like a tragically cool dead bird



Fashion week is quickly approaching and what that means in Fashion Industry terms is - no rest for the wicked. The photo above relays how I feel and look right now: like a really, really, tragically cool dead bird.  On a record player (duh).  I apologize if I have been neglecting this blog of late-  I'm balancing a day job, freelance work as a writer and Fashion Coordinator for a  website and being a super fabulous dead bird. Oh and planning my 30th birthday party this weekend.  Priorities?! It is going to be SO EPIC - white rappers, decoration by a fashion set designer, DJ's, cupcakes, most of my bestest friends en el mundo.  All good stuff but I's TIRED and lacking any good fashion advice apart from the following: when you're really run down, you should try your best to look as cool as the dead bird above.  That's all I got. xoxo

8.19.2011

I Die Friday: Crazy. I can hang with Crazy



 You say crazy?  I say awesome. I've always liked the lesser understood. That's because I'm really unique and complicated.  And awesome. NBD. 

I need that fuzzy striped sweater that Nancy is wearing. NEED IT NOW!!!

8.17.2011

Pastel Leatha...Bish Puleeez


Leather in pastel?  Bish puleeeez.  Fabulous doesn't even begin to describe the feelings that well up inside me when I look at a piece like this. 

8.12.2011

I Die Friday: HJA









Chuck Benet Ramsey
Barbara Bushwick
Clara Bizna$$


Today's post is a homage to my favorite rap group Hand Job Academy (HJA).  They've got some bust ya shit open beats.  They've got fly steez.  And they just happen to be some of my best friends.  I'm also their stylist.  Based out of Brooklyn, they rap about pimps and hos, often from a female perspective - with Chuck Benet Ramsey countering chick attacks with a dude's point of view.  They're hilarious, they're entertaining, they're mad talented.  They're about to blow up.  So check them out before everyone else does: https://www.facebook.com/HJAcademy?sk=info
*Barbara Bushwick handcrafted that bra - putting little mirrors all over it herself.  She is my hero.  


Get Their Looks:

Clara Bizna$$


MOTHER summer shorts, $270
American Apparel striped socks, $18
Converse black sneaker, $40
Low Luv x Erin Wasson antique silver ring, $69
Yves Saint Laurent chain necklace, $1,595
Yves Saint Laurent chain bracelet, £510
Baseball hat
1.75 x 2" King Tut Door Knockers, Vintage 1980's, $6.99
Tommy Hilfiger Aloha short-sleeved shirt, £15



Chuck Benet Ramsey


Converse tennis shoes, £30
Redfreckles gold plated jewelry, $75
Hugo Boss Black Brandon Black Business Suit Leather Belt 50130525, $74
Old Navy Men's Distressed Lowrise Bootcut Jeans, $30


8.08.2011

Click here if you believe in Freedom



Do you believe in FreedomFreedom for me to have clothes and write about them? Are you American?  No. That's cool. But if you believe in Freedom, you'll click HERE.