But more importantly than individual shoes emerging out of this broad category was that I started actually liking them. I began appreciating how they defined an outfit. How they made a cheap H&M hoodie and jeans look…well…kinda hot.  I started paying a little more attention when the sneaker junkies would animatedly be talking about the latest pair of “kicks” (I put it in quotes because I realize how silly I sound saying that) they had bought. And then came the biggest and most recent step.

I want a pair of my own. I want a pair of really amazing sneakers so badly that everytime I get dressed all I can think about is how much I don’t want to put any of the shoes I currently own on my feet. I just want sneakers. I’m not entirely comfortable with this emotion. I’m not even sure I have the kind of “street”ness necessary to pull off a pair of amazing sneakers. But today I went sneaker browsing online…and very very soon I’m going to get myself a pair.  In the meantime, here are a few of my favorites.

And for those of you out there who know far more about what makes a sneaker great, any advice would be helpful.

- Janessa

It’s not that bloggers are going to wield the power of WWD anytime soon, but they do offer something unique that the fashion giants can’t – unusual voices. Without the pressure to please advertisers or maintain old reputations, bloggers are free to offer raw opinion on fashion. And it is terribly refreshing to know that many of these writers dressing on a younger person’s budget, not Anna Wintours. Some of these opinions are fantastic some are lame but it is up to you, dear reader, to decide which voice you will listen to. And in order to aid you in your search for exceptional fashion blogs…here are a few of my favorite fashion blogging voices.

1. The Sartorialist: Photographing the Art of Personal Style

Scott Schumann is the man behind the lens of this “street-fashion” blog. I put “street-fashion” in quotes because it doesn’t really seem to do his photos justice. This blog isn’t just about fashion, it’s about a persons personal style, the humanity that makes clothing more than just empty trends. The humanity that makes clothing speak. Hmm…that’s a bit deeper than I expected, but the point remains, this guy is great.

2. Style Bubble : A Lesson in Doing Your Own Thing

Susie Bubble is one of those bloggers who truly represents an unusual voice in fashion. You will never see her outfits in Vogue or Glamour (then again, you probably won’t see Gaga’s there either). She has her own look and her own taste sometimes it’s “wah?!…” other times it makes perfect charming sense. But regardless of whether you find her tacky or brilliant she is absolutely an inspiration to spice up your grocery shopping outfit with a little dose of fashion’s oddities.

3. Dirty Flaws: My Favorite Philly Blogger

Since I’m on the subject of personal style meet Nikki Moose. While Susie Bubble offers great inspiration for spring days and bubbly thoughts, Nikki Moose is there to inspire you to explore the textured depth of fashion. Her blog covers only the darkest fashion spreads as well as images of her own dramatic looks. I always look forward to the moments when I spot her around the city, there simply aren’t a lot of people who wear fur dresses and tulle hats. It’s stunning.

4. Lookbook.nu: Ultimate Street Fashion

For days when everything in my closet seems old and tired and painfully last season, this is the site I turn to. Lookbook is 100% user content. People upload photos of their outfits and the great Lookbook gods decide who is published and who is not. Sure, sure, there are the trend whores, kids who obviously shop exclusively at American Apparel and enough denim cutoffs to make your head hurt and this site clearly leans to the “hipster” side of fashion. But it’s also inspiring and fun and quite a few of the photos are exceptionally well done. Perfect for a bit of practical inspiration.

5. Fake Karl: When You Feel Superior to the Superiors

Chanel is to fashion design what Vogue is to fashion magazines. Well-known, well-respected and the very essence of good taste. It can also be painfully boring. Karl Lagerfeld is the man behind the brand and while his powerful influence in fashion is indisputable sometimes it is simply fun to make fun of the guys in charge. So Fake Karl steps in to poke a little fun at the pompous Mr. Lagerfeld and the overall superiority of the fashion biz. Hilarious. Ridiculous. And engagingly sarcastic.

- Janessa

Among the now-typical lot of Lady Gaga/Alexander McQueen-inspired collections, and the usual and mandatory classic pieces, three designers in particular stood out to me: Doris Jones “Unstoppable”, House of Juiseppe, and Corey Couture.

The Bulky-But- Beautiful award goes to Doris Jones for her collection called Unstoppable.  The pieces were mostly classic in design, however, each piece was hand-crocheted which gave her clothing a wonderful textured effect, yet did not interfere with the the fit on the model.   I know how to crochet in the most amateur of ways, so my appreciation for the beautiful fit Doris Jones was able to accomplish was large.

My second favorite collection was House of Juiseppe’s vividly shiny collection – something I fondly dubbed “Vegas, Philly-Style.”   Every look House of Juiseppe’s Joseph Michael sent down the runway spoke of old Hollywood glamor and glitz – flowy, shiny, showy -and, best of all, fun.

Lastly, the Collection I Would Die To Wear: Corey Couture.  It is absolutely impossible to describe this collection and just as impossible to capture it in photographs. It is the kind of style that could so easily slip into “fashion student meltdown” or “overdone” — but Corey Couture managed to use beading, multiple fabrics, a vast array of colors and poofy, torn bunches of material to create absolutely breathtaking pieces of fashion. Every single piece in this line was intricately done and had a perfect fit.  In short, I am a very huge fan!

So,thank you, FBH’s Philadelphia Fashion Week 2010, for reminding me that fashion rules, in particular, are meant to be broken.

-Anita

*to avoid any confusion in reference to “this Philadelphia Fashion Week as opposed to last fall’s Philadelphia Fashion Week, please refer to this article by Philly’s own beloved Elizabeth Wellington:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/85934147.htm

Anna Sui is still creating the most intricately patterned tights and I am still waiting to buy floral print tights at a place that is not insanely expensive. The world is full of black tights in every texture and pattern, color please?

And speaking of color, I have missed red. Though bits of it showed up in stores for the winter season I am wildly delighted at the prospect of it coming back in full force for Spring and Summer. Betsey Johnson is the one responsible for the above looks of…how do I describe it…rockstar/punk suits? Quite awhile ago I picked up a ridiculous red floral jacket and matching skirt. It’s rare to have an occasion to wear such an outfit, and by rare I mean I’ve never worn the set even though it fits me perfectly. But looking at these designs makes me hope that this year may just present the appropriate opportunity. *fingers crossed*

But enough with the cute and pretty. Alexander McQueen went for the disturbing and creepy. Still using the giant hoof shoes (made so popular by the dear Lady Gaga) but with addition of all out reptile. I love the color combination of this dress and I expect that Lady G’s next hit music video will involve her dressed in a sort of dinosaur costume made by her favey designer.

A few weeks ago Anita and I headed up to West Philly to do some thrift store shopping where Anita forced me try on an embarassingly tiny pair of leather shorts. Embarassing because I am fairly certain they were made for some one approximately one fourth my size. Though she was desperately off track in the size evaluation she was insisting through the entire process that “leather shorts will be very in this year.” The thing is that though both of us claim to know something about fashion neither of us really reads fashion magazines or follow what’s being made. So I am almost 100% confident that when Anita made that statement she did not see these adorable leather shorts by Comme des Garcons. And now I get why she deemed it so important that we take the tiny pair of leather shorts home with us. I love these looks. I love how the shorts give the dress a masculine edge, I love how they are layered over the tights as an alternative to the “leggings as pants” look. I love it so much it would almost be worth going back to West Philly, finding those little shorts and seeing if perhaps, just maybe if I lost 5 lbs. I could shove myself into them.

I imagine Zara will soon have a version of this Givenchy jacket (above left) and I am hoping they will maintain some semblance of the exaggerated shoulder. Rodarte is still doing the “cagey” look (above right) and it’s another thing that I hope will hit affordable stores soon. It’s a beautiful take on the structured look and would take any average “flirty” spring dress straight to the edgy category.

And even if I will never be able to afford leather strips sewed intricately on gorgeous fabric, perhaps I will be able to find a version of this Phillip Lim dress (above left) which still does a cage-like print and…oh look! a red accent! And one more charming Anna Sui piece (above right) I’m curious about these little stirrup sock things. They seem like a nice change to the monotony of wearing leggings and I think I may need to ask the resident designer (that’s you, Anita) to whip up a pair.

And with my Spring summary complete it is time to prepare for the next (and hopefully) the last big snowstorm of the season.

- Janessa

A couple of months ago, a dear friend bequeathed my sister and I an outrageously generous graduation present: a Bengal cat.

Initially, we were very excited.

But after he screamed for his entire first week here (and, yes, it’s a scream, he doesn’t meow like a regular cat),  refused to eat anything but wet food, and  started to pee in all of the wrong places… our excitement started to wane a bit. We were simply unprepared for the amount of African wildcat he still housed.

Things are a bit better now. The cat is adjusting to us, and we are adjusting to him. His screams can now be distinguished into “hungry”  “bored”  or simply ” I AM JUNGLE CAT!! HEAR ME ROAR!!”…   And he is, surprisingly, a lap cat – loving nothing more than to cuddle up with someone sitting still. He sleeps well. And he freaks me out less and less – even when I wake up to find him staring at me intensely from across the room…

…crouching

…waiting for my eyelids to blink….

(ok, that’s still a little scary, i’ll admit).

Yet, despite the welcome changes and the  bit of actual love I’ve started to feel for this insane little animal, there is something about him that just has to  go — that is, his ginormous, ridiculous, swaying, oh-so-masculine set of balls ( they were truly a sight to behold from the start). The other morning  when I heard him in an adjacent  room making the hollow cries of a desirous male cat, I knew he had officially become a teenager and  the time had come to say good bye to that part of his male glory.

So here it is, Leo, on the day of their removal… an ode to your amazing balls, and an official good bye  (and good-riddance) to that part of your wild little psyche…

Here’s also hoping that getting rid of them will  get rid of that hour of the day that you run around the house with all of your fur standing on end – screaming, scratching, clawing at the walls….

…because we still really don’t get that.

-Anita

Morrocan Oil

Morrocan oil was discovered by happy mistake. Our sister Cara is a licensed hairdresser and took us to an exclusive supply store that only hairdressers can purchase from, kind of a weird hair cult. We came to purchase high quality hair products at a cheap rate and were informed by the sales associate about this new product – Morrocan oil. It was love at first use. This product decreases hairy drying time, increases shine without making hair look oil, it eliminates frizz it eases the growing pains of split ends. It makes hair almost frighteningly soft. The leftover residue on our hands was quickly rubbed into elbows, knees, thirsty skin. It’s hair (and skin) magic in a bottle. Soon after we found out Moroccan oil has recently reached a cult like status as a beauty product, we were hardly surprised.

Recently we went back to the nondescript beauty supply store to replenish our stock of hair oil. The store had since added the complete Morrocan oil product line so we snagged a bottle of some sort of repair cream, essentially a thicker version of the oil. Though we don’t love it on our hair, Anita discovered it makes an unbelievable body lotion.  It sounds too good to be true, we know.

Cover Girl Mink EyeShadow

It’s not often that the perfect product can be found at your local Rite Aid for $3.99. But this eyeshadow is the exception that rule. Shimmery without looking tacky. The perfect thickness, like a creamy powder. This is the kind of make-up that embodies what make-up should do – subtly enhancing without ever being seen.

L’Oreal Carbon Black Liquid Eyeliner

Liquid eyeliner can be incredibly difficult. The right brush, the right product, the right color and a steady hand are all needed to create the full affect. I spent several years admiring my sister’s dramatic eyeliner before realizing her trick was in the product. Another cheap drugstore find. I have used this same brush to create demure lines for family affairs and paint a huge lighting bolt over my face for my Halloween Lady Gaga look… the brush remained in perfect shape.

Mary Kay Microdermabrasion Set

Though I have been fortunate enough to inherit my mother’s wonderful skin, I was always plagued with these tiny inexplicable bumps. Not red, not itchy, just tiny bumps that made my skin feel rough and old, “tortured” as I called it when I was a kid. So when I heard about the Mary Kay Microdermabrasion set I was willing to pay the $50 to give it a try since I have always been partial to Mary Kay skin care products. After two uses the bumps that had plagued me my whole life were completely gone. In addition this delightful result it added the additional benefits of evening out my skin tone, reducing visible pores and giving my skin a healthy glow. This product is magic (also highly addictive so resist the urge to use it more than 3x a week), totally worth the $50 price tag though little hint, it can be picked up on ebay for a mere $35. Let it change your life.

I’m not particular about a lot of things. Scents, lotion brands, holes in my socks…whatever. But when these four items run out I get very very sad and very very uncomfortable.

- Janessa

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Equals ( perhaps) …

- Anita

Bright and early this morning he called me, inviting Anita and I to come by the apartment and take what we want before the movers get rid of the rest. To put it succinctly, it was like concentrated vintage shopping. You walk into a vintage store, look through racks of clothing that don’t fit or have stains and tears and smells funny. Here there were no racks, no stains, no tears and everything fit. Each piece of clothing in absolutely impeccable condition. Unbelievable.

Here are a few of our favorite pieces from this incredibly fortunate day:

Adorable short-sleeved black button-up sweater with an oversized scarf and one of about 10 berrets.

Anita in a ridiculously cool vintage green coat.

Gorgeous leather skirt and the scarf is from John Wannamaker, the oldest department store in the United States of America.

Jean’s exact description for this coat was “hideous,” and in spite of the poor picture we quality here we couldn’t disagree more. Plaid, fur trim, thick and deliciously warm. We also picked up this little black bag there.

Turquoise dress/top that I think she made. The neckline is fantastic, sorry the picture doesn’t show it too well.

One of my favorite pieces. A little white zippered top, with textured polka-dots and a separate tie belt. love it.

Another piece made by our unknown benefactor, another favorite.

These pants are insane. 70′s anyone? And once again in perfect almost unworn condition.

Vintage Lord & Taylor coat.

And finally, the perfect secretary blouse. Complete with cuffed sleeve and a tie neck.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have met the man from Sausalito. I am terribly curious about this eccentric woman I never knew who had extremely good taste in clothing. I am so lucky to have had the time at work to spend talking to strangers. And I hope someday when I no longer need my clothes, some lucky server has half as much fun as I did going through them.

Last night Anita and I went to hear Johnny Cupcakes speak at Saint Joseph’s University. In spite of the fact that I don’t particularly like t-shirts, or hipsters, or cupcakes for that matter – it was still totally worth going. The main gist of his speech was that his success has never really been about product, he kept saying repeatedly in a voice hinted with surprise, “I mean..I make t-shirts with cupcakes on them.” Rather his success has been about creating a Johnny Cupcakes community. Literally, the guy has a creepy, cult-like community following. The kind generally reserved for rockstars and superheros.

He emphasized the importance of building an experience. One example was a Halloween party he threw at his first store. In addition to creating limited edition shirts exclusively for the event he also showed up in a hearse with a sign on the back that read, “The Undertaker Baker.” clever? absolutely. I have a freshly pressed diploma that says I know something about selling apparel. I can write a marketing budget, create a simple ad in Illustrator and work a buying plan, but this is a whole other arena. One in which the facts & figures marketing I learned in school doesn’t particularly apply. 

I hit that point a few months ago in school where I wanted to punch marketing in the face. Last night reminded me why I became interested in it in the first place. Marketing is essentially communication. Unfortunately it is often one-sided, so it feels like an annoying friend who tells painfully long detailed stories when you really have a funny excerpt you would like to share yourself. Johnny Cupcakes has found a way to get his customers involved in the dialogue so instead of being sold to they end up selling the brand, it is a lot more work, but the end result is every marketers dream. And now this guy is making a fortune selling t-shirts with cupcakes on them.

(and yes, the alliteration in my title is awesome, thanks)

- Janessa