Youth on Fire

So I must have been living under a rock the last few years or maybe I was having a baby I don't remember, but I just read about this young young, like not even a teenager young girl who started blogging about fashion when she was 11 years old. Her name is Tavi Gevinson and she's pretty awesome.

I have been reading through her posts from when she first started, The Style Rookie then quickly perusing later posts where she lives out her rise to fame and the starting of her own online magazine Rookie with increased amazement.
I immediately remembered when I was going to school up until 5th grade and had to wear a uniform. It used to be I would agonize over what to wear on the only on holidays "jeans day" when you only had one shot to make a statement. It was apparent to me then that clothes were this incredibly powerful and obsession worthy interest. By the time I was in Jr High  (and not having been going to a uniform school for 2 years) I would spend hours at night putting together outfits, often more than one in case the weather changed or I was feeling more or less daring that next morning.
I can't help but think if there had been blogging would I have done the same thing as this girl? Snapping photos of all those outfits, uploading all the fashion collages I made (which I do now - just check out some of the inspiration pages) or my fashion designs? Sketchbooks that I filled over the years full of of awkward sketches and agonized over color stories? Well, I didn't then but just for fun I have pulled out some of those sketchbooks and uploaded some of those drawings from my teenage years here. With all honesty most are from my later teens - I cannot bear to show the early early drawings - they are too awkward to bear.

Drew this after watching 'Butterfeld 8" for the first time when I was 16 - hence the turban.

The summer of 1995 I carried a sketchbook with me absolutely everywhere I went. I was still trying to find my style of drawing and I went through some strange phases to get there...

One of my obsessive free for all's

Getting a bit carried away with crosshatching and the wrinkle effect

It was that fall when I really stared to like my drawing style. This group is one of my favorites.

A classic color story page from 1996 - I still love these colors
(clearly right? Aren't they basically my forecast for 2103? )

The beginning of a collection I designed around the 1950's suburban housewife meets tongue in cheek when I was in design school

By December I was into a big time glamour phase ( that I've never really come out of ) and was all about the sparkle.

Here are a few clippings that I found pasted into my sketchbooks from that time that I still totally love.

Wish I knew who designed this - the dress looks like Ralph Lauren but who knows - the credit seems to say something about Marc Jacobs

This is Prada - This was the year I took notice of Prada. Love love love this!!!

This season of  Dolce and Gabanna was so so beautiful - I wish I had more pictures.

The pic on the left was the beginning or rather re-introduction of ankle socks with t-straps. A look I had rocked many times in my grammar school days...
Kate in the waterfall beaded number just kills me!

Some crazy fashion ramblings - so many pages of these. 

I saw this post by Vogue today promoting their September Issue, and couldn't help but see a correlation to this image from 1997.

Admittedly the above is like this one's trashy sister but I see a thread.

This post is all about thanking Tavi for reminding me of how inspired and awed by fashion I was when I first started looking into it from the big wide eyes of a girl full of ideas and possibilities. I love revisiting my past inspirations, it gets me excited all over again. Cheers!

Color prediction : Spring 2013

So as I dared myself in the last post, here is my color palette prediction for next Spring. It's time to see if I really have a knack for this or not...

Pale Pink, Lavender, Navy, Black, Cranberry and Ice Green.
For some reason these colors have been haunting me for over a year, and I can't seem to shake them. Let's see if they come to mean anything.

I'm also obsessed with Champagne colored Silver  and Gunmetal for metals.

Champagne silver

Gunmetal

Labradorite, Pyrite and Tourmaline for Stones.

Labradorite

Pyrite or "Fools Gold"

Tourmaline

I have been trying to track down a stone that I saw at a bead shop that was an iridescent navy blue faceted beauty. I should have picked it up but I had no use for it at the time. Well, we'll see if any of these "predictions" come to pass.

Pinning Pinning Pinning!

Well it seems that pinterest has really appealed to our Obsessive Compulsion to clip inspiring bits and organize them like a furious squirrel. It has been the thief stealing all my time the last few weeks which is why I have been neglecting this Blog. I apologize and for those who aren't into it, I will post some of my favorite images here. Most recently there have been the Women's Resort 2013 and Spring Men's 2013, the later of which is the intended subject of this post.

(On a quick side note, I have been fixated on Burnt Orange and Teal Blue for the past few months, apparently my psychic powers (which are only good for trend forecasting) have been going off because orange and blue are all over the new collections. I have decided that from now on when I get an itch towards a color or particular style I'm going to announce it right here and see if it comes true or not. An experiment if you will indulge me.)

Ok, back to the point, here are enexile's pics of  best in show for Men's Spring 2013...

Dsquared 

It's hard to see, but the models all wore multi strands of rosaries, which if you are familiar with our website you'll know we LOVE! Love the clean cut on the trousers and the silhouette in all.

The chain on the belt is a long time favorite of ours and the shoes here...the studded creepers are the coolest!

The lean yet not too tight cut of these leathers is totally classic.  And the just off the side zip keeps it classy.

Blue jeans, white button down shirt, skinny black tie and black leather jacket? Classic.

 Diesel Black Gold

This midnight blue suit is such a cool alternative to the standard black. I love that you can wear it more casually, or at least seem more casual.  Love the silhouette, lean but not hipster skinny.

Again with this beautiful blue, this has a touch of that 1950's sharkskin feel in the  fabric as well as being the single button. Classic retro style. Nix the sandals and I Love it.

Shorts are always a sticky widget for me on the fellas, especially if they hit above the knee as they do here, but I'm digging the rolled cuff. They feel more like casual trousers than shorts and that makes it all okay. I'm also a sucker for a cross body bag on a boy. Looks so easy and effortless. And the striped vest is a charming nod to the pocket watch set of the turn of the century.

Woolrich Woolen Mills

A sucker for plaid. This is so adorable and snarky I just can't express how much I dig it. 

Again, that rolled cuff has so much personality, it totally goes with the crooked bow tie. Love it. This look is so charmingly accessible, anybody could wear it, even the ladies.

Hardy Amies

Here is that midnight blue again, and I do love the tuxedo.  But what kills me are the glasses, these glasses are so so cool, there has got to be a Great Gatsby reference here.

Iceberg 

The clothes here are fine and dandy, though the scarf is a bit much... all I see are the Shoes! These shoes are showstoppers!!

Balmain

The trench coat is a staple, and for men it can often be too plain, too fashion-y or  too  macho. This version is classic yet modern and the military elements make it feel timeless. Well done Balmain, as always...

Military seems to be the theme in this collection and I appreciate that it's not hitting you over the head. It's the details that feel familiar ( the buttons )  that make it seem so classic. 

I don't think I have ever approved of a leather shirt for a man before this one...Bravo! 

The jacket is not the beast part here, though I do like it  - it's the jeans. These jeans are really cool. The low slanted zip pocket and the seamed knees are not obvious, just there making you look a little closer. 

Looks like that same jean design in a pant. With the jacket and the dark shirt, Yes. Awesome.

A bit more on the nose here with the military reference.  I really like the stripe in the pant - either military or tuxedo, it's a welcome detail that I think always looks smart. The jacket is cut beautifully and I can't imagine it looking anything but sharp on any man.