just because

i like this picture, a.o. in the row leather jacket and her borderline trademark fendi tote that im in love with (it was featured in october's vogue paris for 14,000 euros.. i would wear it everyday too). also noting the "faux-natural grow out" (see dark roots, nov 28)

my date with frank

i had my first encounter with the new ago today. this may be part one of two because vic and i only saw the first floor thoroughly before we needed espresso.. and then they closed.

so here we go..

1. i really enjoyed the architecture. the curb appeal is fantastic, something that i didnt notice in pictures is that when you view the exterior from the side you see that the shape resembles a rounded fish.. this natural form inspired ghery from a young age. (below you can see this from the interior)

2. the interior was subtly unique. i like his use of natural wood, especially on the spiral staircases/ramps (above). but what blew me away about the interior was the installations..

3. good for the curators, i was really surprised at how amazing the themes and installations were, and this is just based on the first floor.

the permanent collection was dynamically used to portray very relevant and wide-ranging issues. from different perspectives of the "other", to the development of women from subject of male gaze to the artist's muse, these themes were presented with limited yet concise text that could be appreciated by the general public and a scholarly audience. i wish i could have taken pictures of the art installations.

4. ok so i have to tell you about my favorite room.. and its not just good because its 19th century french. you walk into a red room, on the left the french academy paintings are hung in salon style. on the right you see the impressionist paintings displayed in a spaced out manner. the title of the brief description is a clash of styles. the installation of this room illustrates the rebellion of the impressionists against the academy. in other words, magdalyn's happy place.

see my fur vest

guest staring steph and me... doing our best birkin and bardot impressions.

for the past year or so i had been looking for a fur vest. it seems that when i really want something it takes about a year to come across, but i finally found one this summer in a boutique right off of st. germain in paris. whether real or faux, the fur vest is a statement piece that is easy to wear.. im still on the lookout for a real one.

the row

i am positive that it is difficult to appreciate these clothes without context.. they are a lot more exciting than they look. mk and ashley use couture-like tailoring techniques, and carefully selected materials to create these basics. when you see them in real life you understand. the largest collection that i saw was in galleries lafayette in paris, and fell in love with these black skinny pants.. 600 euros but they looked like a million dollars.

more miu miu

one of the many things that i love about how miucca does miu miu, is how she takes an idea and runs with it. every season is something different from fairytale watercolours to monogramed jumpsuits. in her spring 09 show, almost every look had this side apron/split skirt overtop.. maybe im biased but i think it totally worked. its very understated, unique and pretty.

words i live by

‘‘french girls can go out in a crazy evening dress with a pair of boots — we still have the jane birkin culture...you can go just like that, without makeup, without managing your hair.’’

..emanuelle alt.. fantastic

in the spirit of the christmas

gwen baking cookies with kingston this week.. matching aprons.. adorable. shes looking stunning as usual. such a good christmas scene.

have a lovely day!

subway series

walker evans was an american photographer who is best known for his images depicting the effects of the great depression.

however his subway series is a collection of photographs that i find fascinating. evans would ride the new york city subway in the 1930s, and take pictures of passengers without their knowledge. this is a great example of the presence of flanerie in the twentieth century because evans images depict his position as the flaneur who observes the subtleties of the people that surround his everyday.. and the viewer is able to recoginize this, and become the flaneur themselves.

gender aesthetics à la hedi slimane

the discussion between steph and i continues. hedi slimane has revolutionized the male silhouette in fashion. his clothes for dior homme famously inspired karl lagerfeld to lose weight to fit into them. and its well worth it if you ask me.

these images are from vogue paris (october 08) as photographed by slimane. the female model in the photographs is strikingly masculine.. for lack of a better word... i try not to use the words masculine and feminine because i find it limiting. the models clothes are not remarkably masculine, but her poses, styling, and even features are unapologetically so.

by contrast these are some clips from slimane's spring 07 dior homme show. i would wear any of these looks. i know its from a few seasons ago, but im trying to show that this is not a new concept for him.

inspiring spaces III

yves saint laurent and pierre bergé

in the new year, pierre bergé, yves saint laurent's longtime partner, is going to be auctioning off the art that he and yves collected at the late designer’s duplex at 55 rue de babylone. it will be auctioned at christie's in paris. in the current issue of vanity fair, yves appartment and its contents are profiled... i can take some mondrians off your hands pierre.

double take

jane and erin working it.

lets talk jack white

whether you are a fan of jack white or not, his sense of aesthetic is something that deserves attention and praise. he understands the power of a strong visual story.. the most basic example being his use of black, white, and red for white stripes albums, posters, music videos, etc.. to enhance the artistic experience of his music.

on an individual level his style can get quite outrageous, and he pulls everything off. why? because the man's taste is authentic, anything he wears you know he likes it, and wants to be wearing it. as well, i appreciate an individual who changes up his look with mood, phases of life, even bands. and to top it off he shares my appreciation for red umbrellas.

musée rodin

lately ive been thinking about unique museums that i have seen. also, tracking veronicas recent french travels on her blog brought me to think about musée rodin. the bronze sculptures from this collection are placed in the gardens of the museum's emense property. the visitors can move through the gardens and walk from piece to piece with an overwhelming sense of space.

to me, this is such a great concept because it pulls the art out of the steril museum context. the sculptures go from being art, to these striking objects that visitors can walk around, touch, and interact with. the huge amounts of space between the sculptures also gives visitors the opportunity to really examine each piece without distraction. this is especially effective because of the highly emotional nature of rodin's works. the pieces were not over-curated, and there was something very natural about the installation, which was emphasized with its placement within the gardens.

miss brigitte

i cant believe this is my first brigitte bardot post, she is such a huge style influence for me. in true french style she was always effortlessly put together. she played with black, white, stripes, and didnt shy away from strong accessories.. hats, leather, thigh high boots.. always paired with big eyelashes and messy/big hair. if you ever find yourself in south france questioning an outfit, just ask what would brigitte do.

ever grey

what is it about grey knit that makes my knees weak? the neutral shade and texture makes for a rich, glamorously casual, and high fashion aura. timeless.

kong

i took this picture at kong in paris in the summer.. if you watch sex and the city, this is the restaurant that carrie goes to with aleksandr petrovsky's ex wife in season six. on top of the kenzo store at pont neuf, it overlooks lv headquarters and is furnished with disctinctive chairs designed by philippe starck. i dont remember what exactly i ordered.. sushi of some description. small portions and big prices, but i liked it.

yellow skirt is going strong

im sure you all remember philip lim's yellow skirt from spring 08. those of you that know me, know that im all about the black, white and greys. however that same season i fell in love with, and purchased a yellow miu miu skirt. i was happy to see christian lacroix, a designer i hold in VERY high regard, included a yellow skirt in his fall 08 couture collection.. which was breathtaking as usual.
a definite carry over item.

show a little bit of lace

i love how black lace adds a textured lingerie-feel to otherwise modest outfits. especially when it peeks through... adds a little intrigue.