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Music Busta Rhymes at Body English

September 10, 2009 - 10:24 am

Of all the places I expected to see Busta Rhymes, an after-party for the MAGIC trade show in Las Vegas was not one of them — & yet, there he was, bouncing around on stage at the Hard Rock Hotel’s Body English nightclub. I was there by pure chance: some fortuitous browsing of the Las Vegas Weekly had alerted me to the show’s existence only a couple of hours earlier, & before I knew what was happening, I was throwing on clothes so I could run downstairs to experience the madness.

Body English is decorated like a bachelor pad on steroids. There’s an enormous chandelier which changes color, leather couches galore & huge VIP areas all around the perimeter of the club. It’s a really fun place to go for an experience verging on the ridiculous, & in this respect, it never disappoints.

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Fashion These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…at MAGIC

by Gala Darling

September 9, 2009 - 2:43 pm

I am always attracted to the gaudy & sparkly — my magpie instinct is strong. Switchring is a ring made of two parts, the base & the wedge, which separate easily. This doesn’t sound like a terribly novel concept until you realize that the wedge can be switched out for any OTHER wedge… & that Switchring has a huge variety of designs. They started off with printed wedges, but recently brought out their Sparkler range, in which the wedges are bedazzled with Swarovski crystals in a rainbow of colors. What does this mean to the average punter? Bling that matches your mood. Genius.

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Fashion Necklush

by Gala Darling

August 25, 2009 - 3:32 pm

Introducing… Necklush. Is it a necklace? Is it a scarf? Is it a statement piece? Who the hell knows, really?

But do truly wonderful things need labels? I don’t think so. The Necklush speaks for itself. The idea is really beautiful in its simplicity. The garments are made from one single piece of cotton, which is cut & sewn into seamless loops, before being layered to create a long whorl which can be worn a number of ways. Down to the knees, knotted, wrapped, or tied up in a complicated manner, you can really make the Necklush look any way you want.

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Fashion Fall/Winter Fashion Focus

by Gala Darling

August 20, 2009 - 3:40 pm

Fall officially hits the Northern hemisphere on the 22nd of September – which, horrifyingly, only gives us a little over a month to bask in our last days of summer. Quick! Break out the sun-dresses & gladiator sandals because it won’t be long until it’s too chilly to wear them!

The good news is that fall (& by extension, winter) is a true sartorialist’s wonderland. While summer is all about wearing as little as possible & allowing our skin to breathe, fall is about covering it up a bit – & doing so with exceptional style & grace. It’s our opportunity to show what our wardrobes are really made of, so embrace it!

Of course, we can only work within the parameters we’ve been given…so here’s a summary of what you’re likely to see in the shops & on the street. Remember that combining 5 trends at once is a sure route to fashion failure, so be selective & combine new elements with your old tried & true aesthetic for best results!

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Fashion Sex And The City 2: Open Call

by Gala Darling

August 11, 2009 - 9:53 am

Yesterday’s open casting call for Sex & The City 2 was an incredible sight. Despite the sweltering heat & lack of shade, thousands of well-garbed budding thespians thronged to the Metropolitan Pavilion for their chance to be immortalized on the silver screen, alongside the likes of Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York, Miranda Hobbs & Samantha Jones.

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Fashion interview The Boudoir Queen

by Gala Darling and Aaron Reardon

August 3, 2009 - 12:28 pm

Welcome to a world of tattered silk, stained lace & decadently distressed velvet. A world where girls eyes are always fringed with magical false eyelashes, their hair is always elegantly tousled, & they wear elaborate headpieces while lounging around the house.

This is the world of Dawn Younger-Smith, owner of The Boudoir Queen, where disheveled opulence reigns. Citing the likes of Marchesa Louisa Casati, Kiki De Montparnasse & Erte as style icons & influences, when she isn’t busy designing stage costumes for celebrities — she’s currently creating outfits for The Veronicas tour — Dawn has been known to delight onlookers in a dress made from Aleister Crowley collage!

I pounced on her for 10 quick questions. I like to imagine her writing her answers while wearing an immense feathered headdress!

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Music All Points West Poncho Party

by Gala Darling and Aaron Reardon

August 3, 2009 - 12:23 pm

I made the trek — from the East Village down to Battery Park, onto a ferry & across to New Jersey — to All Points West feeling optimistic about what I might see there. My mission? To document & study the fashion in the field, like a sartorial spy, eyes akimbo & trigger-happy fingers itching to take photos & extensive notes.

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Fashion Tough Luxe

by Gala Darling and Aaron Reardon

August 1, 2009 - 3:57 pm

What are you hoping to see plenty of this upcoming (I know — hard to believe) fall/winter? Personally, the thing I am most excited about is the popularisation of the tough luxe aesthetic, which has been building for a couple of winters now. Last winter, a leather jacket was essential. This year, that look has been pulled up & spun into something more sophisticated — & entirely more enticing.

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Fashion Dr. Marten Revolution

by Gala Darling

July 22, 2009 - 6:25 pm

Seen anything familiar pounding the pavement recently? Yeah, me too. It’s all about that boot with its yellow stitching, familiar lacing & distinctive tag — AirWair With Bouncing Soles — from which American punk group, The Bouncing Souls, took their name.

Yes, Dr Marten boots are BACK, & in no uncertain terms. Currently seen on everyone from punk rock ruffians to uber-stylish fashion editrixes, the iconic boot is experiencing a resurgence like never before. With brand new styling & vibrant colourways, there’s now a DM boot to appeal to everyone. (Even my mother fell in love with a pair, & she’s 62!)

They’re creative over there at DM HQ. Not content just with simple colours like black, brown or cherry red — oh no, not them — they keep expanding, having recently rolled out a line of pastel boots (purple, pink, turquoise & mulberry) in super-shiny patent, & even a boot with a floral, almost William Morris-esque design overlaid with velvet-effect flocking. There are DMs featuring glow-in-the-dark skeleton feet & angel’s wings. Or perhaps a skull with a rose in its mouth is something you’d prefer to have emblazoned on your leg.

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Fashion Twirl of the Week: Allison Hourcade

by Gala Darling

July 15, 2009 - 12:25 pm

The launch of Molly Crabapple’s (http://www.mollycrabapple.com) new graphic novel Scarlett Takes Manhattan at the Slipper Room on New York City’s Lower East Side on Wednesday was so full of fancily-clad people that it was difficult for me to narrow down the top contender for our Twirl Of The Week!

Just when I was beginning to despair, I spotted Allison. I was immediately taken by her fantastic headband, super high-waisted skirt & great shoes, & knew I had a winner!

Name:
Allison Hourcade, owner of RockLove Jewelry

Age:
24

Location:
NYC

Your style icon:
Some sort of mix between Bettie Page and Joan Jett — my mullet is tucked away!

What inspired your outfit?
Was going for a classy rockabilly Pocahontas look since I was going to a swanky restaurant for dinner after Molly Crabapple’s graphic novel Scarlett Takes Manhattan release party.

Currently obsessed with:
Headwraps — this one was made by a stylist friend Emma from a t-shirt sleeve.

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