Category: High

Zayn x Versace

6/2/2017

Zayn Malik (left) and Donatella Versace (right)

Zayn Malik was the first of the One Direction stars to break it solo. He's also the first to land his own capsule collection with Versace. He's going to be working under Donatella's eponymous Versus line. Matriarch, Donatella describes him as “one of the most exciting personalities on the world stage right now.”

The capsule collection will feature clothes for both men and women. Zayn is reportedly working closely with Donatella in order to make sure it aligns with Versace's values and also Zayn's unique style. Donatella has a long history of being in tune with the current pop culture trends, she spouted the words “feminism” before they hit the Dior runway and Lady Gaga famously dedicated an ode to her calling her, “blonde, skinny, and a little bit of a bitch.”

Zayn is set to star in two upcoming Versace ad campaigns. The first that's already out was shot by model Gigi Hadid. She's the daughter of model / reality personality Yolanda Foster. The pictures are intimate, reportedly shot by a personal camera and her iPhone at the legendary Chateau Marmont. The collection is set to be shown in June.

Whimsy Pervades Luxury Brands

12/23/2016

Fendi Microbaguette in black leather and fur $1,850

Luxury fashion has recently divested in whimsical designs and presentation. The January issue of Vogue has the headline “Optimism: Fashion's Bright New Age” as one of it's leading articles and the concept of whimsy certainly files under that broad heading. This whimsical approach can be seen in the hearts Burberry put on their trench coat or how Dolce & Gabbana has employed cartoon mascots of their namesake creators to use on their social media.

I had the pleasure of seeing the new Fendi designs when I was in Houston. They have two capsule collections with whimsy at the forefront of their creation: Hypnoteyes and Faces

Hypnoteyes is their capsule collection aimed at women. A quote for the project reads “don't be afraid to embrace your playful side”. For the modern fashionista on a budget, it might seem excessive to spend $650 on a wallet, but the new Fendi products certainly stand out. The majority of the products in this collection are some types of purses that feature predominant bird like faces. The pictures on the product page don't quite do them justice. They are indeed luxury items and not something you hand to a 4 year old who shops at Claires.

Their men's capsule collection is titled “Faces” (search #FendiFaces on social media). It has a distinctly more aggressive look, but in no less whimsical. It borders childlike, but that once again is the point of the look. Their men's take on whimsy works with the three primary colors of red, blue, and yellow. I don't take to it as much as the women's, but the cuff links in this capsule collection are inspired. For their men's looks, the accessories work better then the full statement pieces. The shirts and tennis shoes they've put together are arbritary. The belt, the backpacks on the other hand offer the perfect amount of playful macho-ism to make them worth the purchase.

Electric Blue Calfskin Belt $450

Fendi Cuff Links $350

I personally love how fun, whimsical designs have entered fashion. Fashion should be fun. Seriousness is over rated and Fendi is leading the way in this forward looking approach.

Ain't Your Mama

4/29/2016

There are only two babies that can call Jennifer Lopez momma and that’s Max and Emme.

A Media Monday article written a few weeks addressed the rumor that there was new J. Lo music on the horizon. You can read that here. It outlined the possibility of 2016 being the year of J. Lo and with the series renewal of Shades of Blue and her fantastic run in Vegas, it seems like anything could happen.

News about new music from Jennifer Lopez has been hush hush. She recently signed back to Epic records. Her home away from home and where she had the majority of her nine, top 10 hits. LA Reid was the musical powerhouse behind her change. He not only judged on X-Factor, but is also one of the most important men in music bolstering the careers of both Paula Abdul and P!NK.

Rumors were swirling regarding the type of music Jennifer Lopez was creating. Now we finally have our answer.

It’s brash and sexy and defies the expectations we have of a 46 year old mother of twins. She’s full force on the chorus. It’s exciting new music from Jennifer Lopez, arguably one of the most important Latin artist of the 21st century.

“Ain’t Your Mama” is a declarative cry of a woman who is not past her prime.

She premiered the new song in a brief clip of fun, easy, breezy, waves of anticipation. Two days later she murdered us on the stage of American Idol. The same stage that relaunched her in the music world when “On The Floor” took over mainstream radio and the world.

There’s no news yet on when the new album is coming out, if it is. Her last album A.K.A. went through multiple style changes, before it finally got it’s release. We’ll see if “Ain’t Your Mama” gets her back to the top of the charts.

The new song does seem to end the rumors of a supposed Christmas album or an album entirely in Spanish. Although, the year is young and never say never. In 2007 she released two albums barely months apart. And, the new Jennifer Lopez creation could always be bilingual ala Enrique Iglesias and Shakira. That would also be a return to form as we haven’t had a smattering of Spanish her music since her eponymously titled multiplatinum blockbuster J.Lo.

The cover art scintillates as it should. We have some good beachy hair. Curls and all. A look she’s been rocking recently. It’s classic black and white. All chromatic. That hat screams Martha Vineyards realness and I live.

The music video has yet to be released, but my expectations are high. I want heels and abs and ass. The trademarks of any Jennifer Lopez video.

This blog will sure to keep you up to date with all Jennifer Lopez going ons. The Queen of the Bronx is come to take over the world.

Plus Size High FAshion

3/18/2016

Fashion for all its claim of social forwardness has areas it tends to gloss over. It may be gay friendly, but it has a tendency to exclude the trans community. And, it still perpetuates the racist foundation of our society with the lack of diversity in the print and runway models. A token black model is not “diversity” in a group of twenty.

Body positivity is not a strong suit. The leaning towards emaciated, underweight, toned figures, is only further highlighted with photo shop. Clothes that are made are either not made for women whose size is outside the norm if they exist at all.

Beth Ditto is hoping to increase that diversity. She’s not only working on a solo follow up to 2012’s A Joyful Noise to her alt-rock band Gossip, but she’s also finding time to be an integral part of a new clothing line.

The self-proclaimed “fat lesbian feminist” from Arkansas is one of the most positive forces in music. She wants to remove the negative connotation surrounding the word “fat”. Fat is just an adjective that is used to describe a person’s weight and should not be grounds for discrimination.

Beth Ditto is gorgeous. An entire Snapshot Saturday was dedicated to her on this blog. You can read that article here. Inside and out. Weight is not a character flaw. She is the perfect person to make a stab at this endeavor. She knows better than anyone what kind of clothes it takes to make a woman confident, especially in a society that looks down on women who are bigger than a size 8.

The only physical retailer, Beth Ditto’s line is available at is Selfridges in the UK. Although all of it can be bought online on her website. The clothing sizes range from a 14 to a 28. Most clothing stores stop at 14. Sometimes sooner. Beth Ditto wants attractive clothing to be available to women in all sizes.

She enlisted the help of Jean Paul Gaultier, the man behind Madonna’s infamous cone bra. The price tag on the clothes is more than just casual mad money. The cheapest item is a t-shirt priced at $65, although most of the clothing ranges somewhere in the $100 to $300 price range.

Modern Love Jumpsuit $395

Reviews I’ve read from other bloggers have been overwhelmingly positive, labelling the clothes as well worth the money. They’re luxurious and well made. All of it ethically produced in the United States. Sweat shops are not for Beth Ditto.

This is her second collection, the first having been for the high street retailer Evans. Beth Ditto’s goal with her new collection is to empower and make fat women feel beautiful in a culture that rarely caters to them.

Leigh Dress (Electric Eye) $198

Summerweight Legging $115

Lola Dress (Lipstick Traces) $245

Nina Dress (Creme) $298

All of these can be purchased on Beth Ditto's website (here)

Blogger, Perez Hilton was even seen rocking her corset tee, a shirt that tragically would dwarf my body in its smallest size. And, that’s a good thing! Where normally overweight women look at clothing and see that it doesn’t come in their size, it’s refreshing for me to see clothing that’s not made for me, that I can’t wear on my body. Beth Ditto is catering to a group that isn’t the majority and she’s doing a fantastic job at that.

THE Michael Kors

11/27/2015

Michael Kors is a legend in the fashion industry. I love him. I considered buying one of his backpacks. The $300 kind. It was gorgeous. It deserved me. It deserved to be on my body. It's to bad that my minimum wage job doesn't support such extravagance.

There is not a part of my body that makes me say that I'm not obsessed with Michael Kors. He's really funny. I read an interview on him and he's great. I love him and his husband Lance Le Pere. Their the cutest. They are my life goals.

Lance Le Pere (left) and Michael Kors (right)

Michael Kors was founded way back when in 1981. It's the kind of high priced luxury, that although expensive isn't too out of reach. If I'd really wanted that backpack it could have been mine.

Michael Kors is known for their handbags. When I went into the Michael Kors store that's what was on display. Their logo is just as recognizable as Louis Vuitton or Chanel. Michael Kors has that kind of brand recognition.

I've always wanted a pair of their shoes. The flats. The heels. I would wear it all. I could empty my bank account buying Michael Kors. It has that timeless elegance about it. And, what's more we all deserve something high fashion in my life.

The man behind the brand is really cool. Michael Kors is known for “being real” just like Jennifer Lopez. He's self deprecating. I want to be rich and successful and have people wonder how humble I am.

I love the way he devotes his time and money. He's a huge supporter in AIDS research and assistance. Much like Elton John and not unsurprising considering his experiences in New York during the height of the AIDS epidemic. The foundation he does most of his work with is God's Love We Deliver.

He's also an ambassador for the United Nations. He works with their World Food Programme and helps to get food to school children in needy parts of the world.

I've always thought well of him, but reading about him really changed my perspective. If you have money, you should want to make a change in the world, and it's great that he does that. That he's trying to change the world

Michael Kors brand has been described as “too safe”. I don't think. It's true that his clothing doesn't push the boundaries that some fashion houses do. But, it's also not rooted in the same cycle of repeat, redo that is so much apart of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger..

His brand isn't changing the world of fashion, it's not edgy. But, there's something about it. Not every $200 coat makes me consider buying it. That's how much I spend on clothes a year, so to spend that much on one jacket. It has to be more then just a name.

It has to be something more and in his own way that's what Michael Kors does. He's not going to start the next punk phase, but there's an idealism to his clothes that you can't find from every designer.

High Off My Love

6/26/2015

I said I wouldn't do it. I said to myself. I'm not going to blog about Paris Hilton's new song. And, to be fair I've waited since May 15th, which was over a month ago at this point. I just couldn't resist talking about all the bondage and sexiness on display in “High Off My Love”. Paris Hilton is queen to me.

The very first article on this blog was a Media Monday and it was on Paris Hilton's then new song “Come Alive”. It was airy and breathy and stunning really. I say this was from an unbiased point of view. It's been almost a year, since it was released and I can look at it objectively now.

“High Off My Love” is the third single from Paris's yet untitled second studio album that was due for release back in December of 2013 when “Good Time” was thrown into the world. I loved that song in 2013 and most certainly would have blogged about it then. I loved “Come Alive” and I love “High Off My Love” now.

I'm honestly not sure what is holding Paris Hilton from dropping this album. We've been waiting, since 2013. Her last album was not some commercial juggernaut. There aren't any expectations. We can say she's waiting for one of these songs to break through like “Stars Are Blind” did, but Paris was popular back then for being scandalous. Unless she plans on snorting cocaine off of Lindsay Lohan's body and calling it gum she is not going to have a hit. She's polarizing and radio does not play with that.

This waiting thing is what is bothering me. We were supposed to have “High Off My Love” back in October of last year. Then, Paris kept putting it off. Shifting the release date around from February to the finally stated May 15th. It made me salty and I was being a bitch refusing to blog about it.

And, yet here I am.

The question truly is what don't I like about this song. It has Hilton's trademark vocals that match up with Britney Spears vocal prowess quite well. I like the trap beat.

I don't know what Birdman is doing on the song. His inclusion seems unnecessary. It's certainly not the kind of star power she needs to get a hit.

If Paris wanted to go for a spotlight song she should enlist someone like Lana Del Rey. That would have people talk. Lana Del Rey would never do it, but it would be a fascinating collaboration. Someone intersting and prevalent that's what Paris needs.

Now, in this video there are sexy shirtless men in masks. Something about masquerade balls is a turn on. There are Paris Hilton clones. There's seduction. There is some good “Justify My Love” vibes that any Madonna fan will appreciate. Especially with the recent popularity of 50 Shades of Grey. Bondage is in.

The real problem I have with this video is that it's not scandalous unless your living in 1982. All of Paris's videos have been high quality productions. That is not going to get people talking. Paris wants to be taken seriously and I respect that, but it is not the way she is going to obtain commercial domination.

What Paris Hilton needs is a Miley Cyrus “We Can't Stop” kind of video WITH a song that is ear catching like “Uptown Funk”. It needs to be a slam dunk on both counts or she won't crack the 100 most popular songs in the country. But, I digress. Watch the video. Put it on repeat. Download the single. No one else is going to.

Buy "High Off My Love"

Sparks Fly

4/10/2015

It's a special Friday Favorites and who am I talking about? TAYLOR SWIFT? No (although “Sparks Fly” is everything). It should come as no surprise that I had to herald the new Hilary Duff single that just dropped on Monday.

It's called “Sparks” and is the third release from her upcoming studio album tentatively titled This Heart. It strays from the acoustic feel of both “Chasing the Sun” and “All About You”. It's a charming song that has just enough sexual overtone to remind us that Hilary Duff is no longer Lizzie McGuire.

“Sparks” features a fun little whistle. It calls back to mind when “Pumped Up Kicks” was the ruling the radio and it had that whistle in it. I think “Sparks” is seriously catchy and it has that hit potential that I love. Hilary Duff needs a new hit or we're never going to get her new album.

I've been saying she needs a buzz single. A duet would work. She could enlist collaborator Ed Sheeran to sing with her. We would eat that up. People would go batshit and she would at the very least get public acknowledgment of her new music. I think it would also pave the way for her to garner radio play. Something she's been severely lacking with all of her previous releases.

I think “Sparks” is a return to form in the pop world. I personally love “All About You” and I think it had hit potential. I don't know why it didn't take to radio the way it should have. I think “Sparks” can be that hit she's looking for. One of her cowriters on the song is Tove Lo. She sang “Stay High” and her new song “Talking Body” might be her next big hit. This collaboration is working.

Bloodshy is also part of this production team. He's a record producer behind Britney Spears hit “Toxic” and Madonna's much celebrated Confessions on a Dancefloor. This is a good projectile to get Hilary that hit.

Tove Lo

Bloodshy

I really like the song. I like the lyrics. I think there sexy and cute and adorable. I'm really feeling this song. It's also being used as the theme for Hilary's new show Younger. Which is killing the game. No news yet on whether it's the ratings success TV Land has been hoping for, but so far it's been maintaing steady views.

Definitely check out Hilary's new song and watch Younger every Tuesday at 10/9 central on TV Land

Buy "Sparks"

Classic Literature

3/6/2015

Let me tell you how surprised I was by the level of enamored I was with this short little novel by Voltaire.

I did not expect to like it. Let's look at the facts. It is from the 1700's. Eww. Voltaire is an enlightenment thinker. Double eww. To be perfectly honest I didn't actually plan on reading it all for my English class. Skimming was definitely on my mind. Spark note it if it exists.

As a non-English major I'm taking two many English classes. They're both on Tuesday and Thursday and they both assign a combined two hundred pages of reading and it's like LOL. I am not reading all of this. The reading for Tuesday I got you. The reading for Thursday's does not happen.

At the time I was reading Rabbit Run for my American Masculinities class. That book was insufferable. It wasn't bad, but it really wasn't good. I can't say I enjoyed. And, of course I thought I nailed the essay for that book, because I actually read the whole thing. I did not nail it. I got an 80. I was like da fuck.

I love my American Masculinites class, but I feel like I'm going to fail it. And, by fail I mean get a B in it, but I'm trying so hard and I'm just not doing that well. I walked in on my first day of class with a pair of high heels on, because how else do you walk into an American Masculinities class. It is so great. It's a class filled with radical feminists and these two super sweet boys. And, it came as no surprise that one of them was gay.

It was only after finishing my reading for Rabbit Run that I pick up Candide. The sixty pages I had to read. They were glorious. If I wasn't physically drained, I would have finished it.

I was fire. I was on top of it in class discussion. I just want everyone to know I nailed it, because I almost never nail it. By almost never what I mean is never.

If you don't know the concept of Candide that is okay. It is basically the most bullshit story you will ever read and for it being written over 300 years ago it's perfectly understandable. Unlike my blog in ten years.

The book is satire and it is insane. Butt cheeks are cut off, there are earthquakes, and beatings. Everyone dies at least once in the book. There is so much sex and it is just so good. Voltaire just straight up kills it the entire time.

Now I am a cheap ass college student, who refused to buy any of their textbooks , so you do not need to run out and buy Candide. Even, though you totally should if you want to. This book is only like 120 pages, but it is straight fast forwarding plot.

So, of course I have included the PDF for you to download and read. You can thank me after you read it and are just as obsessed with how awesome Voltaire is. I'm not expressing myself well in truly stating that this book (novella?) is everything you need in life. It might be short, but unlike that hot ass mess that is Utopia. It is everything.

voltaire_candide.pdf
File Size:	240 kb
File Type:	pdf

High Heel Steppers

2/20/2015

I never talk about fashion and I don't know why. I love clothes. It's what I spend money on. That and music. Recently as in January of 2015, I bought my first pair of wedges.

So, yes I have lived eighteen years without putting my foot in a pair of heels and suddenly this needed to happen. Of course it wasn't that suddenly. I was just thoroughly pissed the fuck off that Boomer was taller then me. I have been friends with him for a solid ten years and this bitch decides to get taller then me Senior year of high school.

Usually I'm fine being the shorter one. It doesn't bother me, but for eight years I was taller and he wants to be taller then me. Fuck him.

I do my research. I'll need at least three inches. And, I decided I wanted them to be wedges. Not heels. Of course wedges are still heels, but I was set in stone on this point. I order them, because I'm too lazy to go out in public.

Get them in. Assume I will fall face down on my face and surprise my self by stomping around for a few hours without a misstep. The only trouble is the stairs and with practice, I don't need to clutch the bannister anymore.

Needless to say right around the time I was ordering textbooks, I decided I might as well get another pair. These strappy four inch heel, two inch platforms that I tower over people in.

From there I have moved onto a pair of leopard print wedges, because I'm basic as fuck. I love animal prints. They're tacky and dreadful, but I love it. Unabashedly. I have no shame when it comes to clothes. When everyone else walks in at nine in the morning with sweats on, praise them for their choice of comfort, as you sashay away in high heel steppers.

It has amazed me the number of people who have told me I have inspired them to wear heels. They ask me how do you walk in those? Very carefully.

That is something I will let you in on. My trade secret. People have said to me they could never walk in these heels. That I am graced with poise and beauty. No, bitch. It is practice. The parents would leave and I would throw my shoes on and prance around. Falling up and down.

Put your turn up music on and have some fun. You'll break the shoes in and have practice. Every heel is different and you need to know how to walk in them. It's like a new car. They don't drive the same.

However, the real secret when you get out in public is just to pretend your Naomi Campbell. You've practiced. You know what you're doing. Believe in yourself. And, if you do fall down, you'll look fierce doing it. Don't be afraid to wear heels if you want to.

Obviously they are not something you should have on for eighteen hours a day, but I love them. They make me feel confident and attractive. Exactly what fashion is supposed to do. Be hell on heels if you want to be.

When it comes to fashion, find what makes you feel good, and fuck anyone who tries to make you feel inferior. If you think you look good. You do.

Omega, Alpha, And Beta

11/28/2014

As usual I am behind the trends, I just started watching Teen Wolf. Isn't this a surprise. I am almost always talking about music, but this week here I am telling you about Kingdom and Teen Wolf. This is an anomaly.

Now I am obsessed with Teen Wolf. Much like Kingdom, I am not watching it for the quality story line. I'm just slowly realizing how much of a whore I am, and I'm okay with that. At this point in time you probably understand the general idea of Teen Wolf. There are werewolves, werewolf hunters, high school.

I actually started watching it, because of Tumblr. I just said this looks like my show. Hot boys and hot girls. What could possibly go wrong.

The four male leads are just take me now kind of hot. Tyler Posey is the main one. And, he is definitely attractive, but really it's his eyes. He has dimples and cute brown eyes. I'm just like slay me. He's just really cute.

Just like Dylan O'Brien. He is not hot in the typical sense. He isn't hot, actually. He's just cute child, that I can't even handle. I am also confused by his character. Is he bisexual or is he gay. I just don't know. In the show his character is obsessed with this girl named Lydia, but he asked this one gay guy if he was attractive. It real messes me up. Dylan O'Brien should be everyone's baby. I love his character. He is the only reason I went to see The Maze Runner.

Then, there is Colton Haynes. He is straight sex. I try to like his character, because he is so attractive. I just watch the show and I want him to take my body. Then, he opens his mouth and I'm not here for it. I was actually really feeling him towards the end of season 1, then he messed it up. Now, I'm trying to like him, so I can shamelessly be obsessed with him. If you follow me on tumblr you probably now how obsessed I am. Like all my tumblr was pictures of him for a minute there.

At the top of the food chain is Tyler Hoechlin. Now he is attractive, but he's such a father figure to me. He's kind of like a DILF. Which, I might add is the creepiest thing. Who started this as a thing. No. We should not want to have sex with people who we think of as our fathers. Just stop.

The women are just as cute. Crystal Reed and Holland Roden are everything to me. Their friendship is weird. I don't get it, but I like it. One of them plays the whore and I'm here for it. I just love Holland Roden as Lydia. Lydia is one of my favorite characters, although I did not start out liking her. Crystal Reed's character is the main love interest, but the thing is I just don't care about her love with Tyler Posey.

Holland Roden

Crystal Reed

This show is kind of like Orange is the New Black in that sense. No one really cares about the problems of the two main characters. It's kind of like, shut up about it already. I want them to move on.

The plot itself is basic. It kind of scares me. That's so embarrassing, but I cover my eyes when I watch this show sometimes. I'm not good at handling that kind of stress.

There are also a lot of wholes in the plot. In the first season this one character kept dying. There is blood coming from his mouth. He has to be dead. Next episode. No explanation, no one acts like it's weird that he is among the living.

Or the other time he gets shot multiple times with a bow and arrow, then shot in the heart with a gun. He is dead. The two killers are not even bothering with him. Then, the big bad werewolf comes along, and this character miraculously is able to take him down. Like how did he go from dead to I'm in perfect condition to beat up my stronger opponent.

Writers. Think through your life choices. I'm going to have to start reading fan fiction to explain all the gaping holes. That being said. It is actually enjoyable. It has substance. Unlike Kingdom, I really do like watching it.

If you judge me for watching it, I feel you, I understand. But, to be honest I'm not really watching it for the plot. And, I'm okay with that.

I see a lot of good plot.