Silly season meltdown, early stages

Oh my gawd. The Silly Season is really taking its toll on me, and it is not even a week into December! I don’t think the US has a comparable month to Australia’s December party season. There are two things at play in Sydney during this time of the year: 1. the start of summer: sunshine, beach and boats 2. the lead up to Christmas and New Years. Between wanting to spend every minute with your friends and boyfriend at the beach or dining alfresco and then the various invitations to work functions and miscellaneous parties (is this one a farewell? A birthday??) let’s just say it is….well silly is one word to describe it.

Summer in New York does kick of with enthusiasm, and you can’t pinpoint a certain month where things just go off. Yes, of course, we are coming out of hibernation and the first day the tights come off and the hemlines get shorter is cause for celebration. Here, while people have been enjoying summer-like weather well before December, suddenly when the month belonging to Christmas and New Years Eve begins the calendar becomes jam-packed with events requiring cute outfits and copious alcohol consumption. And it becomes impossible to get a cab.

The lead up to Chistmas in the States has a fair share of parties and catching up with friends & family, and certainly a lot of wine-drinking, but it isn’t with the same intensity as Australia’s December madness. I suppose here Chrissie takes on a role more easily equated with the 4th of July: cold beer under a hot sun, hotdogs (or snags if you’re Aussie) and even fireworks. It is almost like a 4th of July that lasts for a month…and involves highheels a lot of the time.

So here I am on December 4th, haven’t spent one night this week at home eating healthy home-cooked food watching TV with my laptop in hand, but instead had reason to polish up and go out Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and tonight (Friday- office xmas party..) much to the dismay of my wardrobe and liver…and wallet. Let’s pray that those three valuable entities can make it 19 days til I board my flight and head off to my proper cold and cosy Christmas in DC.

(Anja Rubik by Ben Hassett)

El Meneaito

Back in the early 90s while I was listening to Beastie Boys and Smashing Pumpkins, Mario was dancing along to this! No seriously, he knows the dance. Gotta love those outfits... (Fast forward 20 seconds or so to get to the video).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Go on... indulge yourself! Gobble gobble!

The exposed midriff

Back when I was a pre-teen I first fell pray to midriff shirts. Back then they were called "baby tees", and they were basically t-shirts worn a few sizes too small, usually paired with oversized jeans. I remember being particularly fond of a teensy-tiny Roxy tee, which I would wear with my brother's baggy pants.

The midriff came back again a few years later. The summer I was 14 I actually had a tan line around my lower stomach from walking around in tiny singlets (embarrassing, I know!). My mother would roll her eyes muttering, "Where is the rest of your top?"

I started thinking about the midriff again last year watching 90210 reruns with my flatmate. We both confessed to digging the 90s LA style, stonewashed jeans and crop tops with touches of neon. Ok, it wasn't exactly chic, but if reinterpreted correctly (which we tired to do) there was potential.

Now many years after the terrible attempts of Britney and more-than-slightly awkward attempts by Donna Martin, the stomach wants some exposure once again. From the runways to young Hollywood, over the last few months there has been a noticeable rise in crop tops. However, the crop has moved from the bellow button and below of the late nineties and Britney Spears era to above the bellow button all together. The new midriff is the high midriff.

Anyway, I never thought I'd actually see this trend again, but I think it has finally found a way to look fashionable rather than tacky. By pairing a crop top with a high-waisted pant or skirt (like Daisy Lowe and Rihanna above), the hint of skin (emphasis on the hint!) is actually flirty and fun. During spring fashion week last year this trend was all over the runway- Prada even found a way to make it look classy.

It will be interesting to see if the current spring fashion weeks will continue to reveal hints of stomach as well, or if maybe this trend is having a moment that will be short-lived. In my opinion, it is all about confidence and rocking a look like you own it, so I say if you want to flash some tummy skin, go for it!

Alexander Wang s/s 2010

I was anticipating what Alexander Wang would do this season, and was pleasantly surprised to see that he kept things fresh with his sportswear-themed spring 2010 collection. The collection worked in nouveau-preppy pieces in khaki and dark red football stripes (a nice departure from the nautical stripes that have been ubiquitous as of late). The knee socks throughout maintained the school days vibe. There were also plenty of the Wang we are used to, with quite a bit of black with accentuated shoulders, sheer detailing and cheeky cutouts. Nothing jumped out at me as the to-die-for dress of the season, but I definitely like the American varsity vibe with the sexy urban accents.

Saturday with my boyfriend

Ha! Love it... Kate Moss, the ultimate hedonist, spends the day with her rockstar boyfriend following her around carrying one of the oversized Prada bags from a casual purchase, no biggie. The thing about Kate is that she appears live a life consisting entirely of rock 'n roll, jetsetting to Ibiza and sartorial eliteness, but somehow manages to squeeze in time to do her never ending ad campaigns, editorials and Topshop collections. Oh and she's a mother! Sigh.

Le smoking

This blog, Le Smoking, is so wrong but me likes! The topics bloggers are coming up with these days...

Girl on a bike

I wish I looked like gorgeous Dutch girl when I get on a bike. (Image: Garance Dore).

But alas, I'm just a silly American girl:

Mag girls

Covet

I covet this Roberto Cavalli studded messenger bag.