Is it really worth it?

Waking up a good two hours before I had to leave for the office this morning I was clicking through my Google Reader and CNN feed when I read this headline “Girls Sell Sex in Hong Kong for Shopping Money.”

With the Chinese becoming the biggest consumers of luxury goods, nearly a quarter of all luxury goods worldwide are sold in China, the pressure to be able to afford Vuitton bags and Lanvin tees is at an all-time high. Which, apparently, is pushing young girls (like..12 and 14 young) to take to “compensated dating.” Yup..”compensated dating.” Also known as…prostitution.

In a world where “fitting in” is the biggest pressure for just about anyone, this is getting out of hand. When girls are selling themselves, their innocence rather, for designer goods, you have to ask “is it worth it?”

Coming from the small-town big-city kid, I’ll admit that a few purchases in my past have been strictly label-based, but for the most part I’ve come to realize that buying designer labels really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Most people outside of fashion epicenters don’t know the difference between a 3.1 Phillip Lim jacket or an H&M bomber coat. Sure, I’ll still buy these so-called “luxury goods” on occasion, but spending that amount of money is reserved strictly for investment pieces. Not something Jessica Simpson wore in 1998 and high school kids think is still cool.

If you’re going to buy designer labels, you should do it more for the higher quality or the design aesthetic, buy things that suit you and your style or you love. It’s really not worth selling your body and life away for that $350 just to blow it on an Hermes scarf to feel cool at school.

Now, if only I could convince 99% of youth worldwide of this, we’d be all set. Looks like I better book some plane tickets.

"Lindsay, it ‘s time to get serious about reviving the acting career. After just one season, one show, Mounir Moufarrige’s Lindsay-plus-one experiment is off to a troubled start. Lindsay Lohan, the house’s “artistic advisor,” and designer Estrella Archs, (who probably got the job in part for her willingness to sketch in Lohan’s shadow, and probably took it for its high-profile heritage) made their joint debut on Sunday in an effort that was, quite simply, an embarrassment."
— WWD, the “quite simply, an embarrassment” is the kicker. Loves.
My “debut” as a “fashion writer.”  And since I didn’t keep my promise to blog the rest of my fashion week experience, here’s the quick rundown of what happened. So much fun and only sad that I won’t be around for the February fashion week. See you Sept. 2010…or ..2011 as it will be in fashion time. photo via Associated Press for the Watertown Daily Times

My “debut” as a “fashion writer.” 

And since I didn’t keep my promise to blog the rest of my fashion week experience, here’s the quick rundown of what happened. So much fun and only sad that I won’t be around for the February fashion week. See you Sept. 2010…or ..2011 as it will be in fashion time.

photo via Associated Press for the Watertown Daily Times

Seriously, this man has a “fashion” website?! I wish the Perez phenomenon would just die already. I don’t understand why he is “famous” for making fun of people when he looks like this. Dear Perez, you’re not GaGa, and just because you hang on her McQueen coattails doesn’t mean anyone is going to think you’re a fashion prodigy for wearing a god awful floral jacket with no shirt and painting your hands yellow.

Seriously, this man has a “fashion” website?! I wish the Perez phenomenon would just die already. I don’t understand why he is “famous” for making fun of people when he looks like this.

Dear Perez, you’re not GaGa, and just because you hang on her McQueen coattails doesn’t mean anyone is going to think you’re a fashion prodigy for wearing a god awful floral jacket with no shirt and painting your hands yellow.

OK, after this I swear I’m done gushing about everything from the magical Thursday I had. I’ll save all the things I saw today for tomorrow (makes sense, right? That’s what newspapers do..).

Last and final stop for the day was Monique Lhuillier. Staged in Christie’s, which was awkward because there was nothing special about the room it was in, the collection was small and intimate, but with no cutting on the gorgeousness. The two images I pulled were my favorite looks, but the rest just screamed “I’m tall, skinny and rich” and who doesn’t want to evoke that? I do..but I’m not a sample size, nor female. The beaded mini dress was to. die. for. Absolutely impeccable craftsmanship with a furry bolero over it. And the other was a simple suit with an amazingly large bow at the neck. The fedora with the wrap in the hair just mixes and mashes with the style of the suit. It was a little bit badass a little bit classic. I like. 

I’ve also decided that if, indeed, fashion shows die, so will I. While I like presentations and all and editors rave about them because you can run in and out and be done with it, I feel a little cheated. Sure, shows start late, but a 12 minute show is basically the same as standing around awkwardly staring at models for 12 minutes. Plus, presentations are prime territory for making strange conversation with people you don’t know, which I do not enjoy.

So let’s start a petition to keep fashion shows for life. Or at least the next 50 or so years while I’m still around. Ok? Ok.

Photos via  

Next up on yesterday’s agenda was the Abigail Lorick presentation. From what I heard, it was supposed to have been outside but the threat of rain forced everyone into this tiny space at the Tribeca Grand. Tiny? Yes. But kind of perfect for the collection. Walking past the hotel’s bar and into this dimly lit room was just what you needed to get in the mood for gorgeous dresses meant for either partying or out for a spring lunch. The oversized hats looked more for spending a day perched in the garden than headed to the beach, which was exactly what I got the feeling of from the collection. I know Lorick did the whole “garden party” theme a few seasons ago, but these dresses would be perfect on for any tea party…after this god awful rain stops. photo via

Next up on yesterday’s agenda was the Abigail Lorick presentation. From what I heard, it was supposed to have been outside but the threat of rain forced everyone into this tiny space at the Tribeca Grand.

Tiny? Yes. But kind of perfect for the collection. Walking past the hotel’s bar and into this dimly lit room was just what you needed to get in the mood for gorgeous dresses meant for either partying or out for a spring lunch. The oversized hats looked more for spending a day perched in the garden than headed to the beach, which was exactly what I got the feeling of from the collection. I know Lorick did the whole “garden party” theme a few seasons ago, but these dresses would be perfect on for any tea party…after this god awful rain stops.

photo via

Want to know what all the designers are listening to this September? 

Here’s your answer. 

The Gossip’s “Dimestore Diamond” - Perfect for stomping any runway, empty hallway or stairwell.

Heard at: BCBG; Monique Lhuillier ; Burberry Fashion Night Out party and Teen Vogue’s Fashion Night Out block party.

So you may remember, although it’s likely you don’t, a little post I wrote back at my old home at Wordpress, here. 

Well, lookie here. Things have changed quite a bit since then. Not only does Miss Connie have a new post as associate editor at Refinery 29, but Mr. Huetter has also blown up a little bit more. 

I’d like to attribute everyone’s success to my sad attempt at a blog, but we all know that’s so not true considering Connie’s got the sickest sense of humor that makes Derek Blasberg laugh, and John’s just got dashing good looks that have propelled him to work for Lacoste and play muse to a ton of different photogs.

Another fun thing that good friend Lyz pointed out is that John started this witty blog ( here ) that chronicles the last 90 plus days as a “starving artist”/ male model / playboy / bartender in the City. It’s insanely hilarious the more you read backwards, and slightly intriguing to see how a male model truly lives and some of the most random thoughts that go through his head.

Maybe we’ll see him on a few runways come Sept. Oh, ya, by the way, I’ll be in NYC Sept. 9 for Fashion Week..so dearest friends, let’s get together. Drink post-show champagne and gorge on Momofuku, ok?

Tonight debuted the first episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway. After all the blahhdity blah over legal disputes, I realized we hadn’t really heard much about the season itself. Well, other than the fact that this humble law-abiding citizen, above, was the first episode’s guest judge.

My question is, where did Lifetime find these people? This season’s contestants includes: a gay “man’s man” (in terms of the fact that he likes cars and…stuff?), a father with dread locks, a girl who claims Alexander McQueen called her “awesome”, a man who claims he designed a custom gown for Marchesa that was on the cover of Vogue (why would Marchesa, maker of custom gowns, have someone design a custom gown for them?), a recovering meth addict, the standard girl who loovves vintage, and a handful of designers who can be classified as middle age.

That’s right, everyone, it’s the fashion “Real World: L.A.” Speaking of L.A., whose grand idea was it to film at F.I.D.M. anyway? It must be the biggest pain in the backside for Nina and Michael to fly cross-country to look at poorly constructed clothing and pretend they might actually like it. Although, I guess it makes it easier for LiLo to stroll in wearing tights as pants and looking like she hasn’t slept in a week.

OK, enough is enough. I’ll just see the glimmer of hope that the first episode is just an opportunity to show the worst moments in the persuit of getting better throughout the season.

We’ll see. 

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Themed by: Hunson