Better

And here it is - the end of another year that has flown by in what seems like far less than 365 days. It's crazy to think it's been four years since I finished school and could have actually repeated college in the time since. When I think back to the first half of my 20s, it's all very blurry. I attribute this to working jobs that were unfulfilling (blogger says this is not a word, but I'm keeping it. You understand, yes?) and that left me frustrated and unappreciated. Each morning began with dreadful emotions and contemplations of calling in sick. As the day passed, my time was spent doing a mixture of several things: work (but of course), visiting the usual blogs, counting down the clock until 5:30, pug picture research, plans for the weekend, lunch, and the number of days until the next paycheck. Now at 26, much poorer and financially unstable than I was even just a year ago, I am interestingly more satisfied with my life than I was in my early 20s. Although I still fight with this often, I do feel it's true when they say certain sacrifices are worthy of all the troubles endured to get where you want to be.

I'm not participating in Christmas this year. Post-KCD, I returned to California and am residing in the same apartment I left to go to New York. Before leaving, I set up an interview with WhoWhatWear for an internship and interviewed immediately upon my return. A month later, I started work as an editorial intern in the most stylish office I've ever held employment - unpaid or otherwise. And so it goes without saying that as with most internships, this internship is unpaid -- leaving me with very little cash to do any kind of shopping. I'm strangely okay with this, maybe partially due to the fact that Christmas shopping can be so stressful. I only have one gift to worry about this year, and that's boyfriend's.

An unexpected benefit to being a broke intern is that it forces me to be creative with what I already own in my closet. Since I cannot easily go out and purchase the newest and hottest trend, I must repeat existing clothing pieces in new and different ways to prevent those paranoid thoughts of "Oh she's wearing that again? Doesn't she have any other clothes?" I used to do this when I was younger (with less dough), but once I started making my own money, I felt there were so many new items to be had and didn't bother wearing each dress/shirt/skirt in more than one or two ways. Each piece would be relegated to the back of the closet when it was replaced by another quick, of-the-moment item. So even though there are the obvious drawbacks, there is some light in my state of financial suffering.

I'm finding pleasure in the things I've long taken for granted. I don't know where this revival comes from, but I'm grateful for it.

Sex and the City

I've posted one of Candace Bushnell's quotes before, and today found myself thinking back to it again. I looked it up and was led to an Elle Decor story on her Greenwich Village Manhattan apartment. I loved the supposed story behind it so much I thought I'd share a piece of it here, even if it may be old:

I'm the kind of person who would have liked to have lived at the Plaza. I love crystal chandeliers and gold leaf, velvets and mirrors, Oriental rugs and marble. I love things that are old and glittery, that come with layers of glamour and past lives. So the moment my husband and I walked into our apartment for the first time nearly two years ago, we knew that this was it.

Built in the 1920s, reputedly as bachelor pads for well-heeled young men who were making their fortunes on Wall Street, the apartments in this Greenwich Village building had sunken living rooms, woodburning fireplaces, 11-foot ceilings, and arched windows (some even had “Juliet balconies” from which, I imagine, the bachelors could yell down to their friends on the street). Back in the 1920s, I suppose the building was considered to have every modern convenience, as there were servants’ quarters on the top floor, and, in the basement, extensive kitchens from which the young men could order dinner which was sent up in a dumbwaiter. It was all very Jeeves & Wooster, reeking of late-night parties and illicit affairs, bathtub gin and jazz. To this day a house rule exists that no musical instruments are to be played after 8 P.M.

You can read the rest of the story and see more photos here.

Change

I know, I know. I'm thinking of changing this blog from mainly fashion to just a general "me" blog. I think I could post more often and more personal stories. It's not like I publish this blog anywhere or anything, so those who do read it are most likely people I know in offline world. I was just thinking about when I had a Xanga account way back in the day, and I enjoy rereading those entries written by an 18-year-old me moreso than ones that are completely materialistic...

We shall see.

Tumblr

In addition to this blog, you can also visit my Tumblr and MadelineChalaban.tumblr.com. It's new and needs help with its design, but you can still read the posts. They kind of come from all over the place - not so fashion-focused as this one.

Enjoy!

P.S. I am interning at WhoWhatWear now, trying to find my way in the fashion world. I need to find it soon!

Home

Hello blue skies, palm trees, and driving. I'm home.

Was it all just a dream?

An Exhilarating End

The end is near! To be clear, my internship-turned-freelance position is officially over, and my time in New York ends on September 30th. I'm in LA right now, but am headed back to the east tomorrow.

Fashion week/month was exhausting, but a experience that will probably never be replicated in my life again. The days leading up to and during NYFW were characterized by endless hours, stress, and a few pounds lost (back by now, I'm sure). My favorite part? Seeing the shows. I'd seen shows before, but I never thought I'd see one with guests such as Valentino, Oscar De La Renta, Anna Wintour, and every other big name editor I've only ever seen online and in magazines. The Victoria Beckham show turned out well, but was actually not the best morning for me. I was stressed out by last minute seating changes and felt that the check in process was a mess. It was the morning of the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and check-in was punctuated by moments of silence. Many incoming guests did not know this, however, and continued to talk to us over these silences. But in the end, it was all worth it. Something I realized from my six month stint though? PR is not for me. I just don't find it interesting enough. I love clothing, but not necessarily getting press for the clothing and designers.

What does my future hold? At least career-wise? I'm not sure. It scares me when I think about it, but right now I'm focused on enjoying my last two weeks in NYC. I really need to take more pictures. And incorporate more colors into my wardrobe.

The Home Stretch

The office at sunset

It's here. Five months have flown by and it's now the last month of my time here in NYC. Hard to believe it's been nearly half a year already, and that I will be done in no time. Starting tomorrow, I will be working a continuous ten days straight in preparation for fashion week. The Victoria Beckham show is on Sunday, 9/11 at 10AM at the New York Public Library. That will be fun to get to. And after the 15th, my time at KCD is done.

Until then, it's all work. The past couple of weeks have been a blur of editor names, photographers, socialites, celebrities, and anyone else deemed important enough to attend any of the great shows KCD manages. Lots of requests, seating, and invitations. All day into the night. There have also been a slew of models in and out of the office for casting. At 6 feet tall with legs coming out of their noses, it makes me think twice about gobbling down that sweet and delicious Billy's cupcake (but then I think thrice and shove it down my throat). There have been plenty of pretty and not-so-pretty male models in as well. How do these boys find girlfriends? Not sure I could go out with a boy who is much prettier than I ever could be.

That's the Victoria Beckham show invitation above (duh). Those who have seen it think it's so classy and sophisticated, and it IS, except that I think it would have been better with some bolder colors instead of a sort of drab grey. But I'm sure the Victoria team has their reasons. I shouldn't question the Posh.

I've been stocking up on black ensembles for the shows. We're only allowed to wear black, and not even exciting black. No bedazzled black dresses or slutty ones you'd wear to the club. Basic black. Not that I was planning to wear any crazy extravagant black outfits anyway.

So tomorrow it continues. And by the time I have time to blog again, it will be over. I may even be back in Los Angeles. It scares me a little.

Anywho, here's to a great NYFW.

P.S. I hope Victoria Beckham is cool. I'm so excited to work with her. I bet I'll look like a whale next to her skinny little ass though.

Influence

I recently tried to think back to when my obsession with all things wardrobe began. For as far back as I can remember, clothing was always a very important factor in my life. But what factors really encouraged this sartorial love?

One of my biggest fashion influences comes from fiction. It was somewhere between third and fourth grade, when I had began to outgrow my American Girl books and gradually grow into my Baby-Sitters Club ones. Even though these books were part of a series, author Ann M. Martin always spent the first chapter of each book describing in detail each club member. And within these descriptions, were very meticulous portrayals of each character's wardrobe. Claudia and Stacey were considered the most fashionable of the girls, with Claudia being an artist and Stacey from New York City, which of course meant she was uber chic. Even though it was probably well into the mid-90s and Claudia and Stacey were wearing push down socks, fedoras, and giant flamingo earrings, there was something about these vivid descriptions that always made me fold down the corners of the pages they were on. They were ridiculous 80s outfits I would never wear even today (but can probably be found on some Coachella-loving hipster somewhere), but still some part of me obsessed over these pages. I reread these pages over and over again, engrossed over every little detail of every outfit. I think part of it it was that I felt Ann M. Martin and whatever ghostwriter found that what the girls wore was significant in the development of their characters. I feel the same about individual style now, and was probably looking for validation of my feelings back then too. I found this excerpt from a BSC Dawn book:

This is the outfit Claudia helped me to choose: a white tank top under lavender overalls, lavender push-down socks, lavender high-top sneakers, and a beaded Indian belt, which we looped droopily twice around my middle. In my hair we put lavender-and-white clips that looked like birds. I thought they were just any kind of bird, but Claudia swore up and down that they were birds of paradise. Who knows? (I think she was making that up.)

This is absolutely fabulous. And it was descriptions like these, that inspired my nine-year-old little self.

And this too:

Stacey had pulled back her permed blonde hair back with a leopard-print scarf tied under one ear. She was wearing one of her favorite pairs of earrings, gold leaf-shaped ones. She was also wearing a black wrap long-sleeve top, a short low-slung skirt with a big belt, black tights, and leopard print flats. She looked extremely cool. Which of course she is.

And...

Then Claudia handed me a full white skirt with the words Paris, Rome, and London, and sketchy pink and blue pictures of the Eiffel Tower, the Tower Bridge, and other stuff scrawled all over it. She matched it up with a pink shirt and a baggy pink sweater. I would never, ever have tried on that skirt, but with the shirt and sweater it looked really cool.
In the shoe department we found white slip-ons with pink and blue edging that matched the pink and blue in the skirt. I’d never have looked twice at those shoes, either, but with the rest of the outfit they were perfect.

More...

. . . for this early December meeting when most of us were in jeans and sweaters, Stacey (who is tall and on the thin side, with blonde hair and pale blue eyes) wore black leggings with cowboy boots, an oversized turtleneck sweater, and this cool black suede vest with pearl buttons. Claudia (who is Japanese-American with creamy, perfect skin, brown eyes, and long, straight black hair) was wearing leggings, too - purple ones - with black Doc Martens*, red slouch socks, black bicycle shorts over the leggings, a big t-shirt with the words "This Might Be Art" scrawled on it in purple (I knew she'd made it herself), and an old black suit jacket of her father's, with the sleeves rolled up. Stacey had gone for your basic gold earrings. Claudia's earrings were purple feathers (she made those herself, too).

Rereading these excerpts now has inspired me all over again! Forget the Alexa Chungs and Nicole Richies of the world. Before either of them could even dress themselves was the Baby-Sitters Club. Definitely one of the top, if not the number one, style influences in my life.

I found a lot of these excerpts from this great and hilarious website, What Claudia Wore.

August Gemini

It's a poor picture from some fashion magazine I don't remember (possible Allure?), but it's so spot on with what's going on in my life right now that I hope some part of it is true. Boyfriend and I are trying to squeeze a trip in after the fashion week hoopla and sister's wedding in October. Italy, perhaps?

I love this Givenchy gown from the showroom at my work. It's just been hanging there for the past few days, practically telling me to put it on! But it's going to Courtney Love.

I'm freelancing late August through September for fashion week. Excited!

Halfway there

I'm halfway done with my internship here in NYC. I'm planning on pushing back my end date to after mid-September so I can work fashion week and see the shows!

I recently read some stylist tips in People StyleWatch (I think), that you should return everything you haven't worn in a week from its date of purchase. If I were to abide by this principle, I'd have no clothes. Most items in my closet have never been worn and were purchased weeks, mostly months, before. Case in point, this leopard dress from H&M I got last summer. I just whipped it out for the first time a few weeks ago. It still had its tags attached. I guess I'm always saving the more memorable items for the right occasions. I mean, how often can you wear a giant green and black leopard print dress with the same effect each time?

Living in such a drastically different city than any other I've ever lived in before has proven to be difficult on my feet. Some shoes that I consider comfortable become notsomuch after walking all over the city, subway stairs included. Aside from my super comfortable Gap City Flats, I wanted something that still allowed for me to wear longer dresses and pants while still being comfortable. So a few weeks ago when I wore that leopard dress with some eventually painful Barneys Co-Op booties, I bought some inexpensive Steve Madden Westii platform sandals in black. I've been trying to invest in better clothing items, and although Steve Madden would never be considered "higher quality" or designer by any means, the platforms have saved my poor, blistered feet. Now, the hunt begins for some nude/natural colored wedges that are equally versatile and comfortable.

Here are some pictures of the last month or so. I got my haircut at this Japanese place in the East Village and they did a good job, but it was a little short (and thinned out, so feels shorter) so I've been wearing it up until it grows to a more comfortable length. It's pretty blah down.

P.S. I really want that Rastafarian banana. You can only win it by making baskets into an oval shaped hoop somewhere in Soho/Little Italy. I'm not even sure that little fair/carnival thing is still there, but I even tried ebaying it, and I couldn't find one. Now I want it even more.

P.P.S. I am compiling a list of stores that I've discovered during my time here and will post at the end.

Off Topic

Off topic from everything, but this must be told. Someday last week, I was hurriedly walking to the subway to get to work, when I saw what I think was either some construction worker or other physical labor type worker, and he was bent over fixing something. He looked completely normal and anyone who saw him would agree that there was nothing remarkable about him at all. That is, until they saw the bright red thong sticking out of his pants.

Only in New York?

I guess it's possible in LA as well.

I wish I would have taken a photo. Kind of.

Various

Just a compilation of some random shots of the city from the last two months. Most of them are from Central Park. I can't help that the park is so photogenic.

The second to last is of some vintage prom dresses at the Columbus flea market by my place. I loved all the colors and how they were all just hanging from the fence.

And the last blurry fabulous quality one is of yours truly.

Savage Beauty

The entrance

There is a video that goes with this dress of Shalom Harlow on a stage turning in circles, while paint is being splattered onto her. You appreciate the dress a lot more once you see how it was made.

One of the last photos I took before I was threatened to get kicked out. Such a shame because I really wanted more of this collection.

There is no way back for me now. I am going to take you on journeys you’ve never dreamed were possible.
—Alexander McQueen

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of not only seeing the Alexander McQueen exhibit on my own on a Saturday evening, but on a private tour through my work. I must admit that I'm not the artsiest gal, especially when it comes to museums, but I absolutely loved this exhibit. LOVED. I'd been looking forward to seeing it ever since I found out I'd be in NYC during the time it was showing and that Alexander McQueen was one of our clients. I saw it first on my own with a fellow coworker and some friends, and then with my work on a Monday when the MET was closed to the public. It was so crowded the Saturday I went, and I wanted to read every quote, every blurb on the walls. I also almost got kicked out by this uptight MET bitch who singled me out amongst the hundred people who were also taking photos. It was worth it though, and I would do it all over again.

The exhibit showcases all of his best work, from his work at Givenchy to the chess-game show, to accessories, to his final showing. The dark romantic themes, the historical references, the craftsmanship and use of non-traditional materials prove just how skilled (and dark) he really was. One of my favorites was this dress made purely of flowers. It's so pretty, so romantic, yet the message behind it is morbid: "Things rot... I used flowers because they die." And that made me love it even more.

When it's over, you end up in a room to buy souvenirs like calendars, posters, even a McQueen clutch. I left with a book (great hologram cover and price - $40) and two armadillo shoes. I highly recommend the book if you didn't get to see the exhibit as thoroughly as you wanted to. Great photos and quotes.

Anyway, my words do this exhibit no justice. Everyone must see it. Even those who don't really care for fashion will appreciate and find it interesting and beautiful. It's bittersweet in a way, when you realize how talented McQueen was and the fact that he took his life at the peak of his career.

Life to me is a bit of a Grimm fairy tale.
—Alexander McQueen

Photos taken by my phone. It was the easiest way to make it look like I wasn't blatantly taking pictures when still obviously I was.

Work and Lunch

Still here...

I'm still here! The problem with posting is my apartment is lacking one major necessity - Internet! Whenever I need it, I go to a nearby Starbucks or use my phone. So obviously, it's this lack of wifi that makes posting so difficult (I'm at my brother's now, using his Internet).

It's been quite the experience here in NYC. I can't say it's all been positive. There have been major negatives that have caused me to question my purpose of moving here, but hopefully after some events this past week things will turnaround soon. Work has played a big part in my experience. I love being around beautiful clothing, but I wish I worked more with the actual pieces, instead of just moving them from place to place. There are some crazy Givenchy and Alexander McQueen gowns that make me appreciate couture and the designers behind them so much more.

My future here is unknown. I'm thinking I will stay at least through September and work fashion week, but then...? NYC is a great city and I love it every time I'm out on the streets, but I miss predictable sunny (SUNNY being a key word) LA weather and Murakami sushi! I guess it's to be expected having lived here for less than a month.

Things that would help my LA to NYC transition - the weather warming up and staying that way, the cookies I enjoy so much in Chelsea Market being marked down from $4 to $1, and that somehow there could be less walking and stairs so I could bust out the heels more often. I purchased some of the notoriously comfortable Reva flats this weekend. With all the walking in this city, my feet will fall off in a month's time in 4 inchers.

Here's to a better next five months.

P.S. R Kells visits this week. Excitement!

Shelter

I've now been in NYC for almost two full days and I just found shelter! It's pretty far from my work, but it's only one subway ride allll the way down to Chelsea/Meatpacking. Plus, I didn't want to run all around town looking at like 10 different places. Pictured above is the outside of the pre-war building. You can't really tell much from it, but it was all I could get.

Rebel Romance

These are old from June 2008's Vogue, but I'm such a girl who watches Sex & the City every time its edited episodes are on TV, and I love these. I own the entire series on DVD and have seen each episode over five times each, but I still get excited when I see it's on. I know, I know.

Two weeks

It's finally starting to sink in. I've received confirmation of my start date of April 4th, I told everyone I needed to tell, my "goodbye" brunch is this Saturday, my lovely armoire is on Craigslist, and last night I started to pack and cram my sartorial life into huge boxes for shipment. As I started to pack last night, I wondered how the hell I'd live out of these boxes for the next (at least) 5 months. I can barely live out of my too-small closet! Now I have to shove everything into as few boxes as possible and dig through them to put together outfits? And what if the boxes are lost in transit?!

Today makes my departure officially two weeks away. Eeep...

Tim Walker

I need this ridiculously priced book. Or this more modestly priced one.

Two of the same

I have the same dress in two colors. I got the olive last summer, and today found the pink for spring. I went to H&M to do a return, but made an exchange (and received $3 back) for the dress. I can't help it, I like the shape!

Sorry for the poor photo!

More Sand

So filming for the movie officially ended on Monday. Monday was the longest day yet - 17 hours! I didn't know I was even able to work that long! And in 35 degree weather! I don't drink coffee or smoke like most people on set, so I'm not sure if that made the long days even harder for me. The wrap party is tomorrow night at one of the actors' beautiful large Mulholland home, and I'm excited to throw on some girl shoes other than gym sneakers or my Frye boots (don't get me wrong, I love my Frye boots, but I need something feminine!).

In the end, I do wish the movie was a higher budget with a story that required more fashionable wardrobes, but it was a good experience nonetheless. I didn't really get the opportunity to put my opinion into the outfits that were chosen, but that was probably for the best for this first time. I would have attempted to put all the characters in designer runway clothing on a ridiculous budget that would barely cover one pair of Louboutins, and none of the clothing would have fit with the theme of the film! Men don't battle sharks in Gucci, do they?

The photos above are from Monday. I took them during some photoshoots and the interviews.