SALEM'S LOT

I'm really feeling the hand-tinted, Hipgnosis quality of these shots from the new i-D.







(via The Fashion Time)

HEXEN

(pic from Naive)

RIGHT TO WORK, PT. II

I'm still making up my mind about which boots to buy. After scrounging around on eBay for a million variations of the same general style ("Beatle boots," "mod boots," "ankle biker boots," "Cuban-heel boots," etc., etc.), these turned up tucked in the middle of a page:



Not even the fact that I never wear gold (I'm a silver person) has put much of a dent in my intense love for these shoes. But when I was browsing around aimlessly in Joann Shepp the other day, I found another killer pair of Robert Clergerie chelseas:



These I like more for the geta-ish sole than anything else. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and pick them up... on the website they're listed at $695, but in-store they're at least 20% off. Of course, even with that discount they're squarely out of my price range, but after a couple of complimentary glasses of champale anything is possible.

BACK ON THE RACK

After suddenly becoming jaded with mini lengths (as I said in my last post), I've been spending a lot of time searching around on Etsy and eBay for more long, drapy swathes of fabric with which to festoon myself. Needless to say, YYStudio has provided me with hours of obsession--with this skirt in particular, I can already almost feel how awesome it would be to twirl around endlessly:



Picture that skirt teamed with a simple black top, a ton of silver necklaces, and a hooded wool cape atop everything else, and you've basically got my late fall dream outfit down pat.

WINDING SHEETS

What's inspiring these days? I've been trying (and arguably succeeding) to spend less money on clothes, even though I still check Pixiemarket every damn day to see their new stock. But one thing that's been helping me stick to my cheap-assness is the extreme lack of variance in most clothing silhouettes. Virtually every dress and skirt is in a mini length. And I mean, I've got great legs but there are surely other interesting designs out there, right?

Not to mention, if the '80s must be endlessly resurrected, why gloss over the emergent thinkers of that period... '80s-era Comme des Garcons, Issey Miaki, Yohji Yamamoto are great sources for styling ideas using fuller and longer silhouettes. Of more recent vintage, I'm revisiting Limi Feu's epic S/S '09 collection:



I'm really feeling these calf-length skirts with ankle boots.

And S/S '10 is just as good--the Chelsea boots in particular (for men and women, finally), but the long, draped skirts and dresses are exactly what I'm into these days. Limi is either way ahead of or way behind the times--this long silhouette, somehow androgynous while still reading as classically femme, is so off the map today, it's impossible to find a high-street equivalent.





Limi Y. (daughter of Yohji) is one of my favorite designers at the moment--her clothes are modern takes on an aesthetic that Yohji Y. helped pioneer. Her most recent show is full of the kind of look that I would love to see more designers working with. No more bodycon! Yeah, I said it! It bums me out to see Penn sorority girls wearing paneled leather miniskirts and Iron Maiden t-shirts when they're not on a first-name relationship with Eddie... I saw an advertorial for black lipstick in Lucky magazine. Guys. For real.

I blame this on the spread of Balmain-alikes throughout Forever21 chains and Lookbook.nu. Not to knock the appeal of a simple neoprene dress or something--the thing is, it looks good(-ish, as long as it's not covered in sub-svarowski crystals/scattered with half-assed pyramid studs) but it's everywhere.

Maybe this is all just a long-winded way of saying, I wish Sunn 0))) would come out with their own line of floor-length robes. Now that's a celebrity label I could get behind.

RIGHT TO WORK

I finally found a new job, and I'm planning to celebrate with a pair of chelsea boots for the winter. These are, in my mind, the canonical ankle boot--the combination of Cuban heel, pronounced pointed toe, slip-on-and-go beatnik style just slays me. Of course, they're also the hardest to find in women's sizes!

One of the pairs I was considering on eBay (he who hesitates is lost, somebody Bought This One Now) was by Tod's, with a slightly more rounded toe:



Surprisingly, Anthropologie has a pretty good selection of shoes right now. Sometimes they tend towards the Victorian child whore in terms of aesthetic, but there are some standouts:



These Acne-alikes in black suede with chelsea-style elastic gores are great. Too bad they're over $400, or I'd totally add them to my brooded-over list of chelsea boot contenders.

SWAN TATTOO

I'm in love with this gorgeous magazine, Sang Bleu.



(spreads off ASVOF)

There's a lot of great pictures on the website, but I'd love to get a look at this mag in person. The excellent editorial combination (fashion/art/tattooing) is just a bonus!