There’s not a whole lot that I miss about high school, but if I had to put my finger on one thing right this second, it would be the build up to all of those semi-formal/formal dances. Even if there wasn’t a dance in sight, I would still go to stores like BCBG Max Azria or Cache just so that I could try on a dress and feel that instant boost of self-confidence. I know I can’t be the only one that did that. In college though, you start to get a little bit more creative mostly because there’s isn’t going to be a mall that close to you and you’ve got fewer dances to attend (unless you’re in the Greek system.) I seemed to have missed the first time H&M debuted their first “Exclusive Conscious” collection, but I’ve managed to make it in time for the second. Here are some of my favorites with photographs provided by Fashionista via H&M.
- Lawrence is a Dior girl through and through. Now being the face for the brand, we sure can expect her to be wearing it a lot more than she has already.
[Readers! I'm sorry I missed the live Twitter feed for the red carpet today. I hear this year's stars were on point with their looks. Unfortunately, I had to attend to some personal matters and that was much more important than blogging today. Thanks for your understanding!]
- Rooney is the new February Vogue cover girl. [Source]
- Beyonce is rumored to be the new face of H&M. [Source]
- Adam Levine and Nicki Minaj will be collaborating with Kmart to put out clothing and accessory lines. [Source]
- The Coveteur will be hosting a children’s theme all week and is currently featuring Suri Cruise. [Source]
- Alber Elbaz will be launching a makeup collection with Lancome [Source]
Music
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs announce new album “Mosquito.” [Source]
- Ryan Gosling could have been a Backstreet Boy. [Source]
Television
- Denzel Washington took his 21-year old daughter Olivia to the Golden Globe Awards Sunday evening as his date, but the media thought she was actually his wife Pauletta who is 62. #awkward [Source]
- Netflix has signed a deal to stream a new batch of shows including: Adventure Time, The West Wing, Fringe, Chuck and many more. [Source]
Tommy Lee Jones’s grump face at the Golden Globes is now an internet meme. Naturally. [Source]
Seattle
- Pickwick will release their debut album “Can’t Talk Medicine” on March 12. For now, here is a cover of “Lady Luck” with Sharon Van Etten [Source]
- Top Pot will open its first drive-thru in Issaquah. [Source]
- Seattle’s new Bullitt Center may be the greenest building ever. That’s Seattle for ya! [Source]
Other
- Lindsay Lohan made yet another huge life mistake by firing her lawyer Shawn Holley and also owing her $300K in unpaid fees [Source]
- Microsoft will shut down MSN Messenger on March 15, 2013 after 13 years. [Source]
- Kate Middleton is due in July. [Source] And so is Kimye’s baby.
- Actress Lena Dunham has pledged that she won’t get married until all gay people can get married. [Source]
- Miss America Contestant Allyn Rose says the she will get a double mastectomy after she has completed a year of service as Miss DC or Miss America since her mother, aunt, and grandmother have all passed away from breast cancer. [Source]
- New Myspace is now open to the public. Meanwhile, I am still very very cautious about it. [Source]
With the holiday parties coming in before New Year’s Eve, we often times forget about what we’re going to wear to the big event. Well, we either forget or it turns out to be a last minute buy and for an event this big, it deserves our attention doesn’t it. Who am I kidding? Even this post is a little bit late because you’re going to be a little bit scrapped for time purchasing a dress now – but hey – I’m here for you. And I’m a hypocrite because I bought my New Year’s Eve dress last Sunday.
Within the last year, I have gone through a little bit of a growth spurt. It’s like puberty hit me in my 20s instead of my teenage years and because of that I have had to discover that some of my favorite pieces that I have pined over for years no longer fit. I kid you not, I would wear items in my closet for years. I would be able to reinvent something I purchased at Urban Outfitters when I was in high school and turn it into a new outfit – one that made me not look like I was in high school anymore. These days…not so much. Today, those pieces are too tight, uncomfortable, and no longer flattering.
Clothes have an expiration date. We don’t want to admit it, but it is true. H&M announced that they will be launching a new recycling program with their retailer that is a win-win situation for everyone. All you have to do is bring in your used your clothing to an H&M retailer and you’ll receive a discount to use on a future purchase. Is that not the best thing you’ve ever heard? It’s like Plato’s Closet x 937492
So where will your used clothing go? H&M will partner with I:Collect and reprocess those pieces in order to turn them into new garments.
It just doesn’t get any better than this. The program begins February 2013 so start sifting out your wardrobe!
It’s that time again y’all! Holiday Dress season! Get yourself ready for after Thanksgiving parties, Christmas, and any event in which you are meeting your significant others’ family. It’s a big deal – so your dress should be too.
The Swedish retailer announced just this morning that they would be opening a store in New York City as large as a football field. It’s difficult to even fathom any store at this size, but when it’s H&M, then what else can you expect from the growing retailer? H&M will make a new home out of their Fifth Avenue and 48th Street location and will encompass 57,000 square feet and six levels. This store will be the only one ever to carry every single one of their collections including:
…men’s and women’s sportswear and ready-to-wear, lingerie, underwear, accessories, children’s wear, newborn apparel, special sizes, maternity apparel, cosmetics and the home collection.
Every time there is a campus tour going on, I happen to be involved in some activity that is not traditional at all for a normal college student. The first time, I played water wars with Veronica on the patio. Last weekend, we were filming a parody of Dollar Shave. This time…I posed in an outfit as Space Girl. The tour then watched me prance around doing various dance moves in the space helmet.
So here’s my justification in all of this. Yes, it’s a little strange, but if you want to understand in one tour what student life in the wild looks like, then this is it. By me behaving this way, you as the prospective student, can come to the realization that your future campus will let you just be who you are. It also says, “Hey, we breed students who do not care about their appearance/behavior in public.” Oh…just me?
Jacket // Levi’s – Urban Outfitters [borrowed from Steph]
Belt // H&M
Bag // Urban Outfitters
Shoes // Cole Haan [Mom's]
Our school recently installed a new art piece next to our library and even though it looks like a tower of plastic ice cubes, I can tell the message is so much stronger than that. In the evenings, the ice cubes light up in an array of colors. What purpose that serves, I wouldn’t be able to tell you, but it is visually pleasing. A student in my department had the opportunity to name the piece and she came up with “Justice” or “Just-ice” WHOAAA two names. It is obvious why that was the clear winner.
The rumors that H&M is launching a new higher priced chain are true! However, the retailer would like it to be known that this is not a luxury brand. H&M has revealed that the name of their new store will be called “& Other Stories.” Fans of the retailer can expect this new store to have a higher quality level and higher price point.
How does everyone feel about this name? It is definitely a little bit more complex than the standard two letter connected by an “&,” but it’s unique enough to be remembered. I think I’m more concerned about butchering the name since it is a little bit awkward to say.
- Everyday Music has officially moved across the street. [Source]
- Ballard burger spot, The Counter, has closed. [Source]
- A store I recently discovered while in San Francisco, Bevmo, will open up two locations in Washington in Silverdale and Tacoma. Um…I think they really meant Seattle, but that’s not happening. [Source]
- Seattle Restaurant Week begins April 8th! [Source]
- There is a Vintage Wedding Fair going down this weekend. Swoon swoon swoon. [Source]
Other
- Miami Heat show their support for Trayvon Martin. [Source]
- Jason Russell’s naked meltdown was because of a brief reactive psychosis. [Source]
Since I missed the premiere of The Fashion Star earlier this week, I decided to spend my St. Patrick’s Day night in watching the rerun. I generally don’t like to adopt new shows in the middle of a season especially since I’ve got a full lineup already, but c’mon, it’s Nicole Richie! I also wasn’t sure if NBC could bring back another fashion series to their network after parting with Project Runway, but The Fashion Star definitely has a fighting chance.
How the show works:
Aspiring fashion designers compete weekly to produce one featured item in three different looks. They are mentored by Jessica Simpson, John Varvatos, and Nicole Richie, but at the end of the day it is up to the three buyers from Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and H&M to decide what is wearable for consumers. If the buyers decide to make an offer on a designer’s item, they will then make it available for sale that same night after the show airs. It’s actually a pretty cool concept and interesting to hear the insight from the buyers on trying to make an item marketable. When contestants don’t receive an offer, they are at risk of being eliminated and out of the running for the grand prize.
Every season, I love seeing the different runway looks, but I understand that what’s on the runway for the most part is a trend and will be filtered down to become more wearable for retailers. *Remember that scene from The Devil Wears Prada when Miranda schools Andy on her ordinary blue sweater? It’s incredibly refreshing to see a look that is bypassing all of the bells and whistles and being much more straight to the point. I think I’m also becoming a fast fan of the show because it is very business-minded and hello! we’ve got two Seattle contestants!
Lisa Vian Hunter and Lizzie Parker – we’re rooting for you!
My eyes got real wide when I took a peek at this lookbook. It’s H&M, but it almost doesn’t feel like H&M. These pieces are absolutely stunning and oh my goodness, I want them for myself. Good thing, I’m shopping for a dress that I’ll be wearing to an event in two months…
The hunt starts now!
These dresses for H&M’s Exclusively Conscious Collection will be available April 12.
