jump up, jump up, and get down

I'm as sick of the whole Joaquin Phoenix: Is-He-Faking-Or-Is-He-Losing-His-Marbles? debate as the next person. Whether or not he's truly trying to be a Serious Rap Artist or he's just gone off the deep end, I don't know, and frankly, I am tired of caring.

That being said, I can't help but feel anything but sheer delight when I gaze upon this photo:

I don't know if he's got more rhymes than the Bible's got psalms, but Joaquin, faking or not, you just keep on jumping around. It kind of makes up for the fact that you look like a homeless man.

PS -- Nice Wayfarers. Did you get them at Target?

ooh la la...

A classmate recently introduced me to the site Trend de la Crème, and, like its tagline, "It's Addictive," suggests, I am completely hooked. The site tracks fashion and pop culture trends, and is heavy on photos that back up the writer's assertions that certain items have been popping up more and more on runways and in everyday life. (Their recent post on animal heads was both inspired and hilarious; you cannot believe what some people will do for fashion....)

An example of retro inspirations making waves came in a March 11 post detailing how Basso & Brooke's Fall 2009 line was directly influenced by Russian-born Cubo-Futurist artist Wladimir Baranoff-Rossiné. The connections that the author makes between the clothes and Baranoff-Rossiné's paintings from the early 1900s are incredible, and completely spot-on. From shapes to the color palette, the resemblance is uncanny:

I'm a huge fan of cubo-futurism (and a lot of other -isms, too), and I love that these designers chose such a unique, visually stimulating inspiration for their line. Not only does it promote a great artist, but it shows that great art can be used to create even more art. Love it.

retro gone wrong: missing the target

It's been a couple weeks, and I know you've missed me. So what better way to get things started again than another edition of Retro Gone Wrong?

This week's winner (loser?), I am sad to report, is Target, the discount store where dreams are made. And if you happen to have a wicked '80s/early '90s fetish, then your dreams are most definitely about to come true. For the rest of us, not so much.

Found in the women's department at the store in Fayetteville, a cast-off from Madonna's "Like a Virgin" days:

Available in magenta and black, this lace scoop neck tee is an item I probably would have coveted circa 1994. Fifteen years later, not so much. Unless you are living in a material world (and, incidentally, are a material girl), you should probably avoid this look at all costs.

And, wouldn't you know, what was directly behind this lace montrosity on the rack? Why, bleach tie-dyed leggings, of course!


I mean, clearly, what with the recent legging trend not being horrid enough, why not throw some bleach on those puppies and make things more interesting? Pair them with this lace shirt and you've got a look that will definitely turn heads (and maybe even blind a few people with its garishness, too).

And finally, no trip to Target would be complete without perusing the accessories aisle, where one can find day-glow knockoffs of one of the 1980s' most treasured fads: Wayfarer sunglasses.


Granted, I actually kind of like these glasses. I could never pull them off (as evidenced by the multiple pairs I tried on and subsequently took off in shame), and some people do look genuinely cute in them.

But methinks Target doth try too hard. Let Ray-Ban handle their second most recognizable look (after Aviators, which also look terrible on me), and leave the day-glow to professionals. These just come off looking cheap, and, my dearest Target, I think you're better than that.

retro gone wrong: and just when it was going so well...

It figures, as soon as I anoint ModCloth as the chosen one, it has to go and post this in its one-of-a-kind section:

I'll give you one good guess as to why this hasn't sold yet: it's ugly as sin. Seriously, guys. Let's try to avoid missteps such as this in the future, okay? I love you too much to see you hurting like this.

a little tip, because i care

As I mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of ModCloth, and while their vintage section usually sells out faster than you can blink, there's one item still kicking around that deserves notice:

Called the "Day at the Beach" scarf, this 1980s piece is the perfect companion to that little red number I posted about last week. Scoop it up before someone else does!

retro gone rong (ha, see what i did there?)

It's no secret that I idolize the girls over at Go Fug Yourself. So, inspired by their snark and wit and delicious cattiness (enough superlatives?), I've decided to start my own little feature, Retro Gone Wrong (yes, the W will be part of future postings -- I'm anal enough that seeing it spelled incorrectly, even in a humorous fashion, still bugs the hell out of me). These posts will poke fun at those who try to pull off retro chic, and juuuuust miss the mark (or miss it by a mile. Those are more fun).

First up is someone the Fug Girls had in their sights last Thursday: Maggie Grace, dressed suspiciously like Sandy from the end of Grease:

As Jessica put it,

It's giving me chills. They're multiplying. You guys, I'm losing control, because the combination of pantyhose and sateen is LITERALLY ELECTRIFYING.

God bless those girls, and the celebrities they mercilessly taunt. Maybe, someday, you'll feel the same way about me? One can only dream of such blogging pseudo-fame...

beach blanket bingo

As I eagerly anticipate my spring break that will be spent in balmy upstate New York, I can't help but fantacize about what it would be like were I one of the lucky girls who could afford to jet down to Cancun for the week. And with that wishful thinking in mind, I'd like to post this awesome retro-inspired swimsuit, found on ModCloth.com:



Unfortunately, all of ModCloth's suits in this style are currently sold out (I know, I know, I'm such a tease), but the site is really great about restocking in-demand items, so be sure to click the "Notify Me" link on the page if you'd like an email when they get more in.

ModCloth is one of my favorite sites, since it features lots of funky indie and one-of-a-kind vintage clothes, so you'll be seeing me link a lot to them in the coming weeks. Be prepared to have your fashion world ROCKED, kids.