Pink Rock Candy-Fashion

I find great pleasure in working. I know that sounds quite odd, but the fact of the matter is, I like to shop and with out money I can’t shop and without work I have no money, hence the reason I like work. Did that make sense? I have two quasi jobs, one is an office job and the other is being a hostess/whatever else needs to be done at a bistro by my house. For the most part, working in an office and a restaurant doesn’t leave much room for outfit creativity, but for both jobs I do try to bring my own personal touches into the standard semi-professional look.

The general rules I, and I assume most people, was taught about dressing professionally are:

1) Black is always a good choice.

2) Don’t wear crazy color nail polish (i.e. Black, Bright Orange, Electric Blue, anything fun).

3) Pantyhose…

4) Cover your shoulders “The office is always freezing anyway…”

There are more rules, but for the most part I don’t follow these four so why would I follow the others? Actually, I do follow the first, because black pretty much works with every situation. Sometimes I feel bad about wearing navy nail polish to my office job, but it happens anyway. I hate pantyhose, especially when they’re flesh tone, and I only make sure I’m wearing sleeves at my office job, though it isn’t always cold in the office.

The outfit at left is a classic example of something I’d wear to both jobs, with minor adjustments (fyi…sometimes I like to sing MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” before work and act like I could be as frivolous as the song says). Sure the skirt is black (actually black and brown), but the pattern is really fun and fits into my tribal-themed summer. Wearing it with a burnout tank top makes it a little more relaxed, and throwing on a sparkly headband and the bright yellow necklace my little brother made, keeps me feeling and looking young and fun.

Now for the adjustments. For my office job, I would wear a grandpa cardigan over it. It doesn’t really matter what color, since the skirt is black and the top is white, so anything would match. And, for my hostessing job, I’d have to change my cute gladiator heels to flats for practicallity’s sake. Standing in 5″ heels for 6-7 hours straight is a bitch!

Which office dress rules do you follow when you head to work and which ones do you like to kick to the curb?

p.s. I’ve been invited to join a few new sites including: Indies United (from Fashion Indie), Lookbook.nu, and Modpass so if you’re on any of them add me. I promise I’m going to figure out someything cool to do with them other than just having them sit and gather webdust!

There are things about the fashion industry that still make me scratch my head. Why can’t short girls become super models when half the time people like Mary-Kate and Ashley look just as good in designer clothes as most models— there is a little process I like call hemming. Also, why are most women’s wear models barely women? Everyone wants fresh-faced models, but if I were a casting director I’d want experience. As gorgeous as young models like Lily C, Daria, and Stam are, they can’t touch models with experience like Kate and Iman.

I was scrolling through Fashionista yesterday and I ran into this editorial of Iman from the Spring/Summer 2008 issue of VS. magazine. At first I though they were shots from the Italian Vogue, but I was disappointed— I can’t wait to see them! I wasn’t disappoint, however, with the editorial itself. I have always thought Iman was gorgeous, but she looks extra-fabulous in this spread.  What really struck me, though, was the poses.

I realized I rarely ever see our new group of “top models” really posing, unless you count jumping a thousand times a pose. Every pose Iman hit was slightly contorted and awkward making each picture a gorgeous piece of art. I really wish the art of posing would come back— Benny Ninja, stop screwing around with those top model wannabes on ANTM and start working with the girls who are actually getting face time in magazines and ad campaigns, PLEASE!

I’ve also decided I really need, as in will die without, the entire look on the left. One day, I’m sure I’ll look back and think. What the hell was I thinking when it comes to my new found tribal phase, but for now I’m in lust!

See the entire editorial after the jump! (more…)

Ever since I moved to the East Coast, I’ve been asked a baffling question everywhere I go, “Are you part Hispanic/American Indian/West Indian?” Back in the Midwest, the general consensus is if you look black, then you probably are and asking otherwise is a waste of time. My answer to this question is usually a confused look and a sweet “nope” followed by a girlie chuckle, if that’s possible. I’m starting to understand why people ask my heritage, because not do I usually wear my hair very straight, but I like to put fun headbands in my hair making me look more Native American, than I actually am.

Today, I decided to feed into my fake heritage (do you think I could start claiming American Indian? Ha!) and I fashioned a feathered hat pin into a clip I could latch onto my headband. I had actually broken the feathers a while ago, but I finally found my handy-dandy glue gun and fixed it so the feathers weren’t all limp and sad-looking.

After changing about a million times because its cold in my house and really hot and humid outside, I decided on this cute strapless number I got from Target last year or the year before. When I bought it, I wore it once and decided I didn’t like it, but now I’ve changed my mind once again and have decided its cute. What do you think, cute or not?

I’ve sort of been MIA lately because I think summer is making me crazy. My work schedule gets hectic, and when I’m not working, I just want to chill out by blasting music and dancing like I’m crazy— I promise its so much fun! Lately, I’ve been blaring a lot of old albums by the Fueled By Ramen artists, I have a bit of a fangirl affection toward them. Vain & Vapid tagged me a while ago and the task I have to do is figure out my favorite 7 spring/summer songs, and I promise I’m going to do it, but I’m not sure which songs are going to make the list.

I’m off to work— I hostess at a local restaurant— but before you head off to other blogs, I wanna know: what are your favorite songs are right now? Maybe this will help me with my list!

Remember when? Its back again! Okay, not really, but sort of. When I was younger MASH (the game, not the show) was the best way to blow 15 minutes of class time, and according to at least one of my MASH plays, I’m supposed to marry someone famous, have 2 kids, drive an Aston Martin, and live in a shack— you can’t win ‘em all! Oddly enough, when I saw this t-shirt from Fred Flare I realized I didn’t resent my predestined modest dwellings and actually wished it was still okay for a piece of paper and a bunch of swirls to tell my future.

I’ve been making a staunch effort to not but t-shirts with words on them…unless they’re really cute, and this may be one of those times when a shirt’s amazingness trumps any sort of functionality. I would normally rather buy a great, slightly over-sized burnout tees that I could wear with pretty much anything, but the ‘MASH tee’ is just one of those shirts you have to buy just to say you have it.

“Hey, Gabe Saporta, king of the ‘Teedom of Radness’, I see you think your t-shirt’s really cool. Well, I have a MASH shirt back home that could kick your tee’s ass…OWNED!”

In all actuality, I just want proof that I will in fact own a Ferrari, live in a mansion, have 2 kids, and marry Zach Morris. What else could a girl ask for?

p.s. Yes I did just name check a certain Cobra Commander, and yes, saying “owned” at the end of my sentences actually happens sometimes. Its my guilty pleasure, pun totally intended!

Its obvious to anyone who checks in on PRC every now and then, but I just have to put it out there. The PRC readers (that’s you!) are some of the coolest people ever! Many of them write there own rad blogs that I read pretty much on a daily basis, others own awesome clothing stores (online or not), and then there are the ones who are just fabulous in their own right because they love everything about fashion and sometimes even take the designing into their own hands. Carrie, a fab PRC reader, falls into the latter.

Right before Memorial Day I wrote about the two dresses I want to buy— I never ended up purchasing either— and, I asked you what your plans were for the long weekend. Carrie commented saying she was going to make this really chic 40s style dress. I always get really envious of people who can make their own clothes, and I asked her to send me pictures when she was done.

Its been a little while since then, and Carrie made the dress and sent me pictures. She looks fabulous in her creation, which looks like it’s made really well and with the cutest fabric. Its very fun a playful, but has that air of chicness all the clothing of the 40s had. I also love the vintage belt she paired with the dress— Forever 21, please lurk my blog and knock this belt off because I want one!

I’m starting to think Carrie’s closet is full of lots of cool one-of-a-kind pieces because she likes to take the designing into her own hands. Her next projects include linen pants for summer (linen and I are enemies), a rouched silk dress, and a bamboo fabric off-the-shoulder dress— I’m really excited to see that one. I love the idea of bamboo fabric clothes!

If any of you have cool design projects, fashion related info, new blogs you like or have created, or just want to say hi, leave it in a comment or email me at pinkrockfashion@gmail.com.

Click to Enlarge.

“Spotted. Robomodels Stam, Trentini, & Lily D parading up and down the Upper East Side in random Dolce & Gabbana wears, while photog SK snaps away. Where’s little Gem, ladies?” If anyone asks, that’s what the Dolce & Gabbana ad feels like. They’re all about the android socialites who prance around Manhattan and feign indifference or anger when the paps are intent on getting their picture. The thing the paparazzi and the socialites don’t realize, no one truly cares! But what about the ads?

The clothes are gorgeous and the Steve Klein’s photography is wonderful as usual. I like how magical the city looks at night, though I’m not sure it was actually photographed at night— it could just be the wonders of photo retouching. I also like how spectral the models look, as if they’re just floating through their lives with no ambition or raison d’être.

I’m smitten with the wintery ball gowns in the photo above, they make me wish I had a big party to attend on New Years Eve. Also, I’m not a big tweed fan, but the tweed suit, oxford pumps, and newsboy cap outfit Lily D has on looks very chic— however, I think it only looks great on her because she’s a tall skinny model. I also happen to love the plaid, slightly cropped skinnies and plaid shirt combo. The clashing plaids are a bit off-putting, but I like things that are a tad kooky.

On the other hand, I’m not quite sure if I like the Stam, Lily D, Caroline Trentini match-up more than I like the Stam, Lily D, Gemma grouping in the Spring Summer ‘08 ads.

What do you think about the new Dolce & Gabbana ads and the Gemma/Caroline switch-a-roo?

View all the photographs after the jump (more…)

I don’t usually talk about men’s fashion on PRC, but today I have to. Why? Because since I heard Josh Hartnett was going to be in the new Emporio Armani ‘Diamonds for Men’ fragrance ad, I’ve been stoked— stoked is actually an understatement. However, now that I’ve seen the ad, thanks to Fashionista.com, I’m sort of underwhelmed (said in my best Michael Kors impression).

I’m not disappointed because Josh Hartnett is in the ad. I think he’s gorgeous, at least in my eyes. He has this slightly annoying, yet still endearing hipster grizzly-mountain-man thing going on all the time. His facial hair gets a bit patchy and his eyebrows are unkept, but I learned to deal with that years ago— I’ll even go as far as saying I appreciate the quirky wildness of it all. The culmination of those things, and much more, make him a lovable, awkward mess, but in the Armani ads, he’s none of that.

Though considering the queen of bling, Beyonce, was (is?) the face of Armani’s ‘Diamonds for Women’ fragrance, I understand why they had to doll Josh up a bit, but is this too much?

I know I can’t expect him to be rocking a ratty hat and geek-chic glasses in this ad, but I feel like he’s too clean cut for his own good.

This brings me to my question: What are the the trends/styles you find most attractive on guys? Do you like them Thom Browne or Tom Ford, Soulja Boi or Fall Out Boy, or something totally different?

p.s. The girl on the right keeps distracting me with her “OH EM GEE!” face!

What happens when W magazine rounds up some of our favorite new-ish designers , like Alexander Wang, Gareth Pugh, Jeremy Laing, Jason Wu, and the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte, just to name a few, and take them to a swank hotel in Miami filled with gorgeous models, like Sasha P. Kate, Daria, and Lara Stone, while Bruce Weber clicks away on his camera? You get a 36 page spread called “Summer Camp,” full of fun, gorgeous clothes, and half-naked/naked models.

Though I know what I’m getting into each time I see an editorial with Kate Moss— I’m bound to see at least one of her nipples— I now think I’m going to have to be weary of editorials with Lara Stone too. She has the most gorgeous curves I’ve ever seen, but there isn’t more than a handful of pictures with her in them where she’s fully clothed. I’m going to have to hide this issue of W because I’m sure it will somehow make it into the dangerous hands of one of my little brothers, GROSS!

Head to the W magazine website to see all the pictures and read little articles on each of our favorite new designers. W magazine’s July “Young Designers” issue, of which this editorial is a part, will be on newsstands June 24th.

p.s. Alex Wang, if you stumble across my fair blog, I adore you, and congrats on not going fangirl when you met Kate!

Though today is my mom’s birthday, its started off quite lazy— on my part that is. I woke up late, not that I thought I had anything to do, but apparently I did. My phone was ringing for almost 2 hours without my knowledge because my brother missed the bus after his last final, he decided to start walking home and by the time I got the message to pick him up, I was already in loads of trouble and he was almost home. I felt like such a schmuck, especially after he let me borrow one of his old shirts yesterday to lounge around in.

Sometimes I like wearing guys clothes. There’s something comforting about being enveloped in a over-sized t-shirt. especially when you’re used to wearing form fitting clothes.

Since my brother is a lot taller than I am, he’s at least 6 foot and I’m only 5′4″, the shirt was giant on me, and a belt was required. I took a plain black tube top and turned it into a skirt, and put on my new brown sandals I bought from Marshall’s.

I wore those shoes on my first day of hostessing— bad move Chelsea! My feet were screaming by the time the night was finished, and would much rather have cut them off and gotten a wheelchair than made the short walk across the street to my car. I still love the shoes and think they’re really cute, but I will never wear 4 inch heels to my hostessing job again!

I’m off to sip yummy drinks and eat good food with my family in celebration on my mom’s birthday— I think she’s turning 26 or something, at least that’s how young she looks!

p.s. Go download Coldplay’s Viva La Vida and Katy Perry’s One of the Boys, if you already haven’t. Both albums are fresh!

Remember about a year ago I told you about those semi-ugly flip flops called the FitFlop. To be blunt, their claim to fame was toning your ass while you walked. Everyone, myself included, thought the idea was genius, but I just couldn’t make myself spend money on a shoe that looked so sporty— I don’t even wear sneakers for goodness sake! Well, the good people at Bliss must have heard my please for style and are hopping on the gladiator bandwagon.

After creating various colored FitFlops this past year, Marcia Kilgore and Dr Dave Cook, the founders of Bliss, must have realized that though we fashionista’s appreciate looking hot without having to workout, we tend to be a shallow bunch especially when it comes to shoes, and their initial design just wasn’t cutting it.

So, where do they head? They go make a deal with Kirna Zabete and voila, the Aurelia FitFlop is created!

As someone who isn’t really a fan of gladiator flats, I must say the added incentive of getting a workout while walking in fairly cute gladiator FitFlops is really starting to sway me.

These new and improved Aurelia FitFlops, which come in both black and snakeskin, go on sale sometime this month at the Karine Zabete webstore where you can still pre-order them, and according to the FitFlops website they go on sale at Net-a-Porter in July, though the Net-a-Porter website says August— trust who you will. You can also reserve a pair on the FitFlops website itself, and while you’re there make sure to check out the Fringe FitFlops