A Tidbit

In case you have about an hour of time to spare and are looking for something to do, I would highly recommend watching this talk media mogul Tavi Gevinson gave this summer at the Sydney Opera House. When I was fourteen, Tavi became my inspiration and was a major reason I even started my own blog in the first place. Since then, her interests have evolved from fashion to feminism, to media and more. I can't lie that while I have always supported her, my interest in Tavi herself has wavered throughout the years. But, after watching this speech, I will admit that I have rediscovered my respect and appreciation for Tavi, her ramblings, her ideas and her "big big world". I mean for heaven's sake, the girl made "fangirling" an intellectual topic worth discussion. Come on now.

I have tickets to see Tavi speak this Saturday at The New Yorker Festival and am looking forward to here more of what she has to say (seeing as she never seems dry of thought).

Xx.

Please & Thank You

via @colettestore and @nytimesfashion

Two pairs of shoes I am currently coveting: APC x Nike sneakers and Nicholas Kirkwood S/S '14 calf shoe.

Dreams. Xx

My Girls

I've loved this sister trio from the very beginning, therefore I couldn't help but share the news of their album that is currently streaming on NPR. I'm elated, and counting down the days until Days Are Gone is officially released on September 30th. Also, in relation to my last post, see too their cover of Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball".

Haim, forever ♥.

Killing it. Xx

Haters Gon' H8

Say what you want about Mizz Miley Cyrus, but hell, I think the girl is smoking hot and to be honest, killing it with her new look. I have always been a fan of Miley, ever since that first episode of Hannah Montana where she embarrassed herself in front of a boy by putting loads of ketchup on her arm claiming it was a great moisturizer. From her days at Disney, through her acting phase (yes I've seen The Last Song and her most recent, fairly obscure film LOL), and now to this new thing she's got going on, I have always been and still attest to being a Miley supporter. Honestly, poor Miley! I think we are all being rather harsh. At the end of the day, the girl is simply trying to reinvent her image from a meek Disney star to a unique, pop sensation. Sure, some things, like her latex outfit (that made her butt look like a turkey, among other things) and her dancing at the VMAs may have been a tad much, but I give the girl credit for taking a risk and doing something fresh for a change. Whether you like her or not, I am sure you have seen her video for "Wrecking Ball"; thus, I rest my case that the reinvented Miley may have her fans and her haters, but regardless, she is garnering attention that is helping her rise to the top.

Moreover, to address the whole controversy about Vogue's decision to revoke her cover shoot, I can understand where the magazine is coming from. Personally, I don't think Miley's new image fits with the vision of Vogue, although this does not mean I reprehend her image as a valuable and fashionable one in itself. She's got her punk, red-white-black thing going on, Terry Richardson is eating it up and hey, if you ask me, she looks great on the cover of Harper's Bazaar. All-in-all, good for Miley for holding her head up high, withstanding demolition from others "wrecking" critiques, and trying to rap. Bangerz.

And her new video for the song "23" that premiered today...

Don't stop, Miley. Xx

I Prefer Movies

But that doesn't mean these red carpet show stoppers didn't make me question my bias towards films...

CLAIR DANES

Armani Privé

To be honest, not a huge fan of the hair and makeup combo with the dress, but the dress itself is TD4 (to die for).

 ROSE BYRNE

Calvin Klein Collection

Prim and proper as a Britt should be.

KIERNAN SHIPKA

Delpozo

Flirty, fun, fresh, and floral - what more could you want from a young star?

 MORENA BACCARIN 

Nothing like a baby bump bombshell...in red...

 ALLISON WILLIAMS

Ralph Lauren

I mean, she just makes it look easy. 

And my pick for best dressed...

 TAYLOR SCHILLING

Thakoon

Apologies for the brevity in this post, I must return to watching Homeland...

Xx.

BIA: Back In Action

I have nothing to say except that I suck, I'm sorry, but most importantly, I am BACK. After my three month long hiatus, I am awakening myself from whatever snooze I was too busy taking to revive this blog and take it off the dusty shelf on which I left it. If anyone out there still cares, please accept my sincerest apologies and I hope you can find it in you to bear with me even a little longer for what may be a worthwhile resurrection.

Although I can't say there is a good excuse for having been a neglectful parent, while my blog was shelved I did undergo some life changes that, disregarding the less important, have led me to my new home: the one and only New York City. Yup, that is correct, this fashion fiend is now living in the capital of Fashion and perhaps the world. With that, I know, comes responsibility to start doing some really cool shit and to in turn, post about it. So I will make a promise in this very moment to myself and to you all to (a) do my best to fulfill my rightful duty, (b) set aside my college crap pile of textbooks and papers, and (c) to write a post or two or three a week detailing my New York inspired findings and ramblings.

Despite the fact that this is such old fashion news, I still felt it deserved a place on my blog and that I needed to contribute my two cents. Karen Walker has long been an eyewear line showcasing deliciously covetable pieces. But more than the glasses themselves, her ad campaigns are quite possibly genius. Last summer, you may have seen the photographs of Walker's glasses on the faces of some uber-ly (is that a word?) stylish older women: Ilona Royce Smithkin, Linda Rodin, Joyce Carpati, and Lyn Dell. A reminder...

Via Karen Walker

This summer, however, Walker came down the generational ladder, and sought a new age group of models. The creative result was, to say the least, striking...

Via Karen Walker

What these images left me thinking was: wow, look at the effect real people can have on how we view a photograph. I am not staring at a twiggy-legged, six foot woman who just so happened to have hit the genetic jackpot, but rather I am taking delight in the fact that these everyday aging or yet to have aged, but more importantly NORMAL people are beautiful and showcase the glasses just as well as any model or person might have. Hey Karen, idea for your next campaign: animals. Let's see some cats & dogs rockin' those $500 glasses. 

You know you missed me. Xx

Perfect Pairings

Some summer couplings of sunnies and sandals to feed your soul (or should I say, sole).

Details here

Pair 1: MARNI sandals, KAREN WALKER sunnies

Pair 2: SEE BY CHLOE sandals, ACNE sunnies

Pair 3: GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI sandals, CELINE sunnies

Pair 4: CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA sandals, PRADA sunnies

Tea for two, two for tea. xx

Sister Sister

Happy birthday to my favourite twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen! While some may frown at this duo, I must admit that they are two of my favourite icons. Not only do they demonstrate the meaning of hard-work, dedication, and passion, but they are hugely successful contributors to the world of style with their several fashion ventures: The Row (an upscale minimalist line), Elizabeth & James (their more contemporary label), Olsenboye (an affordable collaboration with J.C. Penny), and Stylemint (a collection of t-shirts). Apart from the clothing they design, it is also their boho-chic, oversized (from bags to coats to eyewear) and eclectic personal styles that always have me drooling. Mary-Kate and Ashley have held a special place in my pop-culture/style obsessed heart ever since I  was introduced to their classic movie collection and of course, Full House, way back when. For me, they have not only been a source of entertainment, but also a source of inspiration. In the off chance that they might ever read this (*wink wink*), I wish them all the best on their 27th birthday!

HBD! Xx

Tea Time

In the past week, I have attended two teas for two separate occasions. This past Sunday was a mother/daughter tea in honour of my upcoming graduation. I just love when I get the chance to dress up and paint the town with my stylish mum (who can be seen photographed below). The second tea was for my friend's birthday and was a splendid afternoon filled with my ladies, miniature sandwiches, scones, dainty tea pots and floral china. Nothing beats tea time and the fabulous outfits of which it calls for!

Mum ISABEL MARANT pants, MARNI shoes, COURRÈGES sweater

Dot (a.k.a. me) OPENING CEREMONY dress, ROBERT CLERGERIE shoes

VINCE dress, DANNIJO bangle, TARA JARMON earrings, ROBERT CLERGERIE shoes, VINTAGE bag

Tea for two, two for tea. xx

Still Carried Away

Fifteen years ago today marks the day that the most stylish and female friendly show came on air. While it has been almost my entire lifetime since the start of Sex and the City, it lives on as a classic for many women in terms of the issues the characters raised, things Carrie relentlessly wonders about, New York City culture, and of course, the fashion. Carrie Bradshaw will forever remain one of my fashion icons as her fearless outfit concoctions and bold statements never fail to inspire. Although I was not yet of an appropriate age to watch the premiere fifteen years ago, I hope I can make up for it with this post and the number of time I have rewatched all six seasons since it's fateful start in 1998. A little walk down memory lane... 

"I like my money right where I can see it... hanging in my closet." xx

Vibes

The days of warm weather and endless sun are upon us - I am elated. School is DONE, I am a week away from graduating, and all that is left to do is rejoice. But really, what would rejoicing be without a soundtrack to ignite my jubilation? Now that I no longer have to worry about my volume being on and my music blasting out mid-class, I can crank up the tunes and jump around with joy all I want. Summer is music, and music is summer, so I thought I would share the albums I am and will be dancing to in the upcoming months of FREEDOM.

Click here to preview the album

Click here to preview the album

Click here to preview the album

This is the sound of freedom. xx

Lite Brite

The latest addition to my photographic body of work - a series I call "Lite Brite". 

*Note: If you are interested in reading the artist statement I will be submitting with this series, read below. Otherwise, scroll down to see the images!*

“Lite Brite”

By Devyn Olin

The word photography is comprised of the Greek words “photos” – meaning “light” – and “graphos” – meaning “drawings” or “writings”. Essentially, when you take a photograph, more than capturing a scene or moment, you are capturing light that is responsible for creating an image. Throughout this year, my fascination with and exploration of light has intensified and evolved. In my past works, I focused on the use of both natural and artificial light sources and the ability of each to enhance my subject or photo itself.

In my series, I wanted to consider an artificial light source that is not necessarily intended solely for its luminescence, but more so for its purpose to evoke images. I used an LED projector to experiment with the idea of capturing an image but by creating said image using light. It is my hope that the ambiguity of these images will leave the viewer questioning what the actual subject of the photo is: is it the model, or the image being projected?

As a result of my continued experimentation with light, I have uncovered its many uses and believe in its great power. In many cases, an image can hold a great deal of potential, only to be weakened by its poor lighting. Light can depict a certain environment (i.e. indoors vs. outdoors), time of day, and perhaps even a given time period.  Moreover, lighting can ascribe a certain mood or emotion to a photo as it not only affects brightness/darkness, but also can impact tones and colours within an image. With my strong belief in the vast power of light, I was inspired to create a series where this element was brought to the forefront and became the focus of each image.

Shine brite lyke a ♢. xx