m o t t o

f o r e v e r y o u n g

"You may think I’m small, but I have a universe inside my mind.”

-Yoko Ono

f u n k

m a r i l y n

everyone knows the famous pictures of marilyn monroe and the connotations that come along with them. the coiffed blonde hair, bright red lips, the form fitting dresses, the flowing pleated skirt, the face punctuated by her mole...we all think of her as a sex symbol, a bold and gorgeous woman proud of her plus size and sexuality, and attach her with president john f kennedy. she was an actress. a seductress. a mistress. she oozed and screamed sex.

the other day, i stumbled upon these photos of her by one of my favorite photographers: henri cartier-bresson. they are part of a series he did following the actors of "misfits" (1962) behind the scenes. in these her hair is longer and she looks more like a jackie type than the stereotypical marilyn. i fell in love with them. it completely changed the way i look at her. i found myself google image stalking her, trying to find more of this woman.

i've always loved and admired marilyn for being herself no matter what, not afraid to be sexy in a time when conservative was not only the norm but the canon, and for openly embracing her voluptuous curves. but a part of me always thought of her as "the other woman" and i couldn't get past it. i am much more of a personal person, and while that could be due to my own immaturity and naivety, part of her made me uneasy. not to mention i'm a sucker for the classic and iconic jackie o look...i'm constantly criticized for my conservative closet. classic chic is my goto, i don't do sexy well.

perhaps it's just the character and this isn't the true marilyn, but i adore her in this look. could this be norma jean baker? maybe i just didn't give her enough credit.

o b s e s s e d .

b e a t

f a s h i o n p h o t o g r a p h y

my most recent obsession is fashion photography blogs. i can't get enough of them. after paris this summer i crave and miss the bold fashion statements, heels during the day, and men who dress well... yet another reason why i am a francophile and not always the biggest fan of my own country. i love the bright photos that i wish i had the camera to replicate and the attention to detail people pass on the street every day without noticing. or maybe you think what they're wearing is nutzo and then you see it in a totally different light and it becomes art. fashion is definitely a powerful form of personal expression if you use it, its interesting to see how people present themselves to the rest of the world, those daring enough to put themselves out there. here are my most visited/faves:

the sartorialist: my go-to option. he finds the most fashionable men i've seen, loving the classic and tailored style while also following fabulous women and random trendsetters on the streets of all major cities in the world.

from fashion shows: 

(chanel) 

(haider ackermann) 

to the varied street styles of cities: 

(savannah, georgia) 

and finally, to the dapper men:

(various...)

garance doré: girlfriend to the creator of the sartorialist, a parisienne whose english translations are always just a tad off, giving the humble fashionista an even more endearing demeanor. available in french or english versions, she does great video synopses of fashion weeks and elegant drawings of the latest trends matched with the usual snapshots of styles:

jak and jil: yet another blog, similar to the sartorialist, but with more of an appreciation for the art of high fashion, more audacious choices, and intricate details: 

(dolce & gabbana spring/summer 2011: finale)

(getting dressed with anna dello russo for vogue paris ball) 

(highlights of men's fashion month: backstage john galliano)

(behind the scenes proenza schouler spring/summer 2011)

go fug yourself: the wittiest and most biting criticism of fashion i have found, these two are hilarious in their analysis of celebrities costumes, get ups, and gowns. a few personal favorites...

for the picture: 

(blake lively, forgiving my qualms with her)

for the comments: 

Fug The Fromage: The Client List (long but worth it)

and finally bill cunningham: the most precious old man writing for newyorktimes in his blog: on the street . he reminds me of the past eras i adore and my own grandfather with his humor and comments: 

"I think fashion is as vital and as interesting today as ever. I know what people with a more formal attitude mean when they say they're horrified by what they see on the street. But fashion is doing its job. It's mirroring exactly our times.

... the difference for me is I don't see the people I photograph. All I see are clothes. I'm only interested in people who look good. I'm looking for the stunners."

bill cunningham 

p i x i e

i recently saw the movie wall street and was a little disappointed. my qualms: the acting was okay, it was fairly predictable, the first half was incomprehensible with business jargin, shia labeouf was either irresistible in his dapper slim suits and ferragamo messenger or a total turn off, and the music was dreadful. plus i expected a lot after the fly trailer and carey mulligans photo shoot for vogue which made me envious of her overall look and demeanor. of course she's british. anyways here are my favorite two photos from the spread...

i havent had my hair chopped since high school but lately have had the strong urge, after graduating from college and slimming down a bit, to dramatically chop it all off. we're talkin total transformation. i dont know if i could pull it off...plus im enjoying the versatility of my long locks now. but hmmm she pulls of the pixie so well. simply stunning

b e m u s e d

"i mean i just think, i think i'll always be funky, can't stop being funky, but i guess we just deal with it how it comes, deal with the humps, take the jumps, i feel like you're an island of reality in an ocean of diarrhea" - j a s o n m r a z