Pink Rock Candy – Top fashion trends, news and shopping of 2010

I believed I mentioned my new penchant for dresses and skirts a couple of times in the past month. Initially I think I attributed this fondness to the onset of spring, but I’m not sure the warmer weather is the only thing effecting this change of heart.

My friends and I have been joking about me becoming a “real girl” due to various things that have happened in my personal life— things that the old me, circa two months ago, wouldn’t have been caught dead doing.

This transition into becoming a real girl and accepting my double X chromosome and everything that comes with it seems to have encouraged me to spend the last month, or so, baring my legs while slinking around campus in sky high heels.

Though I have been dressing like a modern day June Cleaver, I feel more confident and empowered than I have ever felt before. I know, I can kick butt, ace tests, stand up in front of a room full of people and give a convincing speech without skipping a beat, make guys swoon, and even go on an interview without worrying I’m going to fail.

It’s strange, in the 50s, women wearing pants was a sign of empowerment while a dress and high heels were seen as metaphorical shackles, binding women to the confines of a kitchen. Now, a woman wearing pants is a dime a dozen, while putting on a dress and a pair of power heels is the new confidence boosting outfit— I’m going to go out on a limb and assume I’m not the only woman who feels this way.

Does this change mean women have digressed, or does it mean we, like many others, have taken control of the thing that has demeaned and constricted us for so long? Have we turned the dress into a symbol of power?

Whether I’m being completely naïve or not, I hope to continue down this path of female enlightenment. As the famous song from the movie Flower Drum Song goes, “I enjoy being a girl,” but I’ll still take on any guy willing to arm wrestle.

What I Wore:
Dress/Ring – H&M
Necklace: Handmade by Me
Shoes: Joan & David

People watching is a favorite pass time of many. They flock to parks, cafés and beaches to quietly observe their specimens, but there is no people watching location like a fashion event. At any one event in the fashion industry, there are the overzealous newcomers, the jaded veterans, the awkward financial guys who are only there for the models, and the crashers.

Last night, I went to an art show and two separate fashion events— one was a presentation for Levi’s Fall 2010 collection and the other a preview of the Alice by Temperley line— and all the usual suspects were there.

The art show was for Ritchard Rodriguez. His art was interesting, but I rarely “get” modern painters. I was also informed I have a doppelganger who frequents the gallery and other art events— who knew!

At the Levi Fall 2010 preview, I listened to the melodic stylings of One Eskimo. I’ve yet to pass judgment on the band, so I won’t get into their music. I met quite a few fun people some really awkward ones. I stared awkwardly at the middle age guys in pinstripe suits while the hipsters waltzed around in ripped denim and slouchy knits, and then my attention was quickly switched to people on the opposite side of the spectrum that looked as if they had just come off the street to see what the party was about. A male model even winked at me, but I tend to avoid them at all cost— they’re either gay, intellectually challenged or both.

I also tragically realized, I’m not cool enough for Levi anymore. I can’t remember the last time I actually bought a pair of Levi jeans, but the collection is very edgy and Erin Wasson-ish. Never, will I be Erin Wasson. So, I’ll stick to the Three Fs— fun, flirty and feminine.

The last stop of the night was the Alice preview. It made me realize how much I adore the designs of Alice Temperley in both the Temperley London collection and the Alice by Temperley collection. I couldn’t take pictures, but the animal prints were tie-dyed just enough to make me want to wear tiger stripes every day, and the navy military coat dubbed the Audrey Coat had my name written all over it— when’s my birthday again?

I’m not sure where I fall on the fashion event spectrum, but I had fun nonetheless.

More pictures after the jump.

I think I say it every spring— if not, I should— warm weather makes me want to dress like a hippie. Many times, I don’t always achieve the look because it turns into an odd rocker/hippie mix. Today, was no exception. My look was slightly hippie, but more utilitarian rock fan.

I adore the Jimi Hendrix tee I found in the men’s section of Target years ago. I don’t often wear tops with images or writing on them, but for some reason, I feel it’s acceptable for me to display my undying support this genius across my torso. Plus, a new Hendrix album, primarily recorded in early-1969, came out yesterday entitled, Valleys of Neptune. I won’t turn this into an album review, but I will say, there are some guitarists who can stir your body, some who can stir your emotions, and some who can stir your soul. Only Jimi Hendrix can do all three.

The way music and fashion influence each other has always intrigued me. It’s a very chicken-or-the-egg situation, but after discussing this with various people in both industries, I often chalk the influencing up to being a sort of dynamic equilibrium. I do, however, sometimes say, fashion is my heart and my music is my pulse— I may need fashion to live, but music let’s me know I’m alive.

Talk Back: How does music influence your sartorial choices, and vice versa?

Click to see What I Wore

Like most, I have days when my head feels like it’s spinning. Said spinning can be good or bad— good: after your crush just kissed you, bad:  after your crush just kissed some other girl. Yesterday, the spinning was good, not because of a crush, but because my mishmash of an outfit was complimented so many times I had no idea what to do. I kept feeling like my response should have been, “Oh, this old thing? It’s nothing!”, but I can’t really say anything I wore is all that old.

However, when I got home, I was instantly brought back to Earth by my adorable, monster of a puppy Riley, who could care less about the “old thing” I was wearing and simply wanted to pull me down the street whilst chasing squirrels.

So, meet (re-meet) my puppy Riley…

He’s too cute to just post one picture!

Today, I wore one of my new Twinkle by Wenlan Spring 2010 pieces. I tweeted about it, but the picture was , in my very self-critical opinion, horrendous.

I’ve loved the ‘Oil and Water’ print since I saw it being made— a lot of Wenlan’s prints are created by the design team and then sent to a fabric manufacturer. There’s something about the busy nature of the print that easily gets me through a gray day like today.

You can’t see the back, but it’s made of black and white striped fine gauge knit, adding an extra bit of pizazz without needing sequins, studs, chains, grommets, or any other glimmering details. It is the lack of necessity for such pieces of flare that make me love Twinkle as much as I do.

On a completely different but strangely connected note, there was an article on Fashionista about telling the world you’re wearing a sample.

“I’ve spotted at least three people proudly sporting their ‘Sample’ label. At ThreeAsFour’s show at Milk, a man took off his jacket to reveal a sample label pinned inside; a model threw a tantrum in sample-stamped shoes, and while waiting in line for Hakaan I noticed ‘Sample’ written across the back of of a woman’s army jacket in Sharpie,” writes Britt Aboutaleb.

It’s a known fact in the fashion industry many people wear loaned samples. It is also known that just  as many people, including models and interns, get “paid” in samples instead of cold hard cash. I’m not exempt from this process. While working at Twinkle, I had a clothing allowance and was able to convert my hundreds of labored hours into something similar to Twinkle Bucks to purchase samples or order pieces from the new season. This tunic is one of the many pieces I ordered using my allowance from Twinkle.

The question on Fashionista was whether it is “cool” to publicize that you’re wearing a sample?

In my opinion, there is no need to do so. It isn’t as if you’re sharing a great sale tip with a friend. I don’t think it’s a gold star on my shopping record to say I’m wearing a sample. I’d also like to note, I only used my allowance on items I would have actually purchased, not simply because I was jonesing for a Twinkle sample.

Samples are everywhere, and you aren’t in an exclusive club or making a unique sartorial statement simply because you’re wearing one. Think about it, a sample sale is called a SAMPLE sale for a reason, and there are hundreds of them each season. Not to mention, those hundreds of sample sales are attended by hundreds of people. I see no novelty in said situation.

That being said, I, obviously, have nothing against samples and will continue to wear them and trade labor for them as I see fit, but I won’t be leaving the sample tag in, sorry!

What’s your take on showing the world you’re wearing a sample?

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