Stylish with Substance

Amy Winehouse: A Look Back in Style

Ella M — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 05:16:00 EDT

Amy Winehouse was a talented spirit troubled by addiction, an affliction some fashionistas can understand (those troubled by serious shopping addictions, like I am). She was also a free-spirited style star, a woman as 50s bouffant meets 60s go-go as she was a modern paparazzi-magnet. She will be missed, and so will her potential beyond her disease.

Here we look at some photos that represent her key looks in beauty and fashion. Enjoy with respect for her individualism and never forget the music above all else.

Start Gallery >

xx, Ella

Credits: View gallery of style & credit links after the jump!

Photo: Fascinating! Leather Hides turned COACH & Ready to Cut

Ella M — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:04:57 EST

Here is a photo of some leather hides tanned, stamped, dyed and printed into luxurious leathers for COACH bags.

I think it's so interesting seeing how their hides of leather look so similar to hides I have, myself, for crafting. I really hope novices to leather crafting find this fascinating, too. A must peek for any Coach, bag or craft lover!

By the way, I have a few drafts/ideas for COACH-related posts, but I will try to vary topics! I apologize for either a lot of the brand coming up or more slow posting.

Source: COACH on FB

HQ (large) Previews of Lanvin for H&M with (USD) Prices

Ella M — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 06:28:30 EDT

Below are Hi-Res Previews of Lanvin <3 H&M

So the Lanvin for H&M previews have begun, and I'm continuing to worry that what I want will not show. It's this Amalia bag (preferably tote) I blogged about in 2009, pictured to the right. (This is Lanvin Paris, the full-priced line, for those who don't read blog words - oh wait, nevermind. ;-))

If I'm still left wondering if there's anything at all for me, at least there's FabSugar, with most of their wishlist satisfied already. Of course, they weren't yearning for a purse with a bow (/chain strap). (They probably also aren't restricted to one small buy. ;-))

I'm also not extremely thrilled with the prices and American exchange rate. The best dresses will run about $157 USD and for bags, $40 American for a clutch, on up.

At least the exchange rate isn't what it was a while back, with the U.S. dollar being double of the British Pound - if that were the case now I (and many) would be heartbroken.

By the way, no word on pricing for the fabulous pairs of shoes seen below.

On to the eye candy; it is so, so tasty.

Click (above the black) on the pictures for largest size.

What's In a Name? 'Schitbag' - Sweet or $h!t?

Ella M — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:30:45 EDT

A friend of mine, the Evil Fashionisto, used to make a joke about my comments on "IT" bags. He said the opposites were s... bags.

Later on I decided to use our inside joke on this site as our own Fab vs. Fug, etc. wording.

But now one company has actually made a $h!t bag, not by ugliness necessarily, but by name.

It's actually called "Schitbag".

Would we classify the looks as $h!t? Not really. I like the straps OK, but I hate the pockets on the actual bag. Well the bag IS just pockets, like it's turned inside out.

So it's more like vomit. The vomit bag.

Excellent job!

Via The Cut, from Fashionista.

Now with More Scribbles! Lady GaGa takes Birkin Graffiti from "Statement" to Gibberish

Ella M — Mon, 10 May 2010 22:42:42 EDT

Lady GaGa, with her plainer hair that makes her look more like Sarah Michelle Gellar than artsy performer or freakshow, graffitied some more Japanese (and perhaps other scribbles) on her infamous Hermès Birkin bag.

Message coming in loud and clear? No. More fuzzy and more "eff" you than "love you". And we don't like to receive that!

Were there any taste in her original "artwork" - a simplistic message, it's all trash now and it has us needing to stuff our mouths with cookies to get the poor taste out of our mouths. What will save our eyes? We're almost angry, but it's just GaGa. What she does to fashion is harmless, for although she has amazing influence over die-hard fans, she doesn't hold much crossover power to normal fashion or accessorizing. Will Posh follow suit? Over her deathly-thin body, we think! By the way, is it difficult to read, like we imagine it might be? Does anyone have a new translation? Photo: The Superficial [NSFW site]

Chick Savvy: Louis Vuitton iPad Case; Is it for the Birds?

Ella M — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:47:52 EDT

*Update: Now with a poll!*

Louis Vuitton has produced a case for the new iPad

Want or Waste?

GQ.com got the exclusive preview of Louis Vuitton's to-be-released iPad cover, and we're unhappy it wasn't shipped to women! (Hence our photoshopping.) But that's not the real story, it's all about the LV! (Although you can see our vanity here, it's always about moimoimoi, natch.)

Despite the typical Apple buzz and obvious profitability, the upscale design hauses are increasingly showing their tardiness in producing iPad accessories, and even though Louis Vuitton is the first gal-beloved big brand to showcase a case, the actual product won't be available until 2011 (no word on month). Perhaps they can blame it on the time it takes time to craft high quality luxury - just think Hermès and the ladies will understand.

Even though it is Louis Vuitton and well-crafted, you may not care for the "exclusivity" pricetag of $366 when the most cost-effective version of the device itself runs little more than $100 more ($499).

A luxurious and secure home for your precious gadget

I do make this argument to you though, depending on how you treat your iPad (examples of use below), it may be the next important gadget down from your laptop. It might hold important or private files, photos, perhaps even your work. If you would not spend this kind of money on the look of LV alone, think of the durability of the materials and workmanship and how much those things mean it can protect this Comp Lite.

If you're not sold, that's great, and you can say you're not a fashion victim. However I do ask you not to knock it ... with all that knocking over you or your clumsy friend will inevitably do with the pad.

Buying it? May we suggest the Damier - subtle is classy.

[caption id="attachment_3230" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="We photoshopped a woman's hand onto the image to make it more girl-friendly than the GQ article/photos. ;-) Should we say you're welcome or just commit ourselves? ;-)"][/caption]

Or perhaps it's protection-schmotection, if your iPad has cat scratches anyway...

If you're wondering whether I would buy a luxury case from Louis Vuitton, or wait for a lower designer like Coach, or just go with something else that's nice and suits me but is likely more affordable ...

The answer is no, but partially because I don't even have any near-future plans to get the iPad, so that would surely be a waste of money.

You see, I see the iPad as really great for two things, one: a nice point-of-sale device, useful for craft shows (and I don't have real plans to do craft shows in the future). Two: an awesome but expensive cat toy, and I'm allergic to cats. Another waste.

Wait, a double waste. Darn my dweebish, allergic body. I'd love a cat and she'd love this cat toy - I mean iPad. Not a waste of $500 plus app costs at all, right?

Bonus! Poll!

The iPad itself, is it...

[polldaddy poll=3145809]

Plaid Doctrine's Earth Day "Soft" Launch Debuts Fashion/Eco-Friendly Work Bags

Ella M — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:39:30 EDT

Plaid Doctrine is the love child (more literal in the love, less in the child, perhaps) of a former Microsoft employee, Susanne Park.

She decided she'd rather fill a void in the work bag / laptop case / travel bag industry than, well, we guess be another drone in an office? As for that void-filling, she wanted style, green (eco) and ... plaid.

A long-butt time of hard work after this new journey began, and Plaid Doctrine has its soft launch ... today! I suspect no one is having a better Earth Day than Ms. Park, except for perhaps the trees if we're doing our job well!

How do these bags help save the Earth? Well don't go thinking these fabulous totes (and note the iPad case) are made of PU/pleather! Oh no, instead Susanne wanted vegetable-tanned leather, which is absolutely kinder to our Earth's skies than manufactured plastic. The fabrics (mostly plaids) are constructed from recycled bottles. Great news for all you soda and purified water fans.

The opening collection is a small preview of 4 pieces, and prices currently range from $79 to $479. Yes, we'll count spending your money on these as helping the environment, but don't forget to replenish the fabric supply and recycle!

*Update: 4/26/10* The first day their payment system was not working, but now you can finally place your orders! ;-)

Lady GaGa's Graffitied Birkin Bag Wins her the Outrage she Craves

Ella M — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:36:19 EDT

Lady GaGa in a Charles Youssef suit

Lady GaGa was just seen in an airport sporting long, plainer hair, a sneer, and looking generally roughed-up showing off her arm tattoo and ominous scratches. With quite hideous triangular-shaped pant legs (Charles Youssef), insanely high platform boots, and really cool/edgy Chanel gloves----she was, much more importantly, also boasting a white Birkin bag with Japanese lettering.

Lady Gaga fierce fashion: roughed up, including her Birkin Bag

If you were to wonder whether or not Hermès sold the purse that way, or whether she butchered the most remarked symbol of fashion, the answer will likely upset you. Lady GaGa did graffiti the Japanese characters, and they actually match the writing on her arm. According to The UK's Daily Mail, it's a message to her fans, reading, "I love little monster, Tokyo love". My first reaction was fear for the poor purse, but I'm not shocked GaGa would make such a stunt. It's GaGa! She wants spectacle, and this is quite the way to get it. She wanted the attention she's getting from this scheme, and it is one, even more than she cares for fashion. So she defaced an iconic and beloved symbol worth roughly $4,600, also according to the Daily Mail -- if she were to auction it, it would be worth even more, if only to the fashionista/GaGa fangirl demographic. Even if not, this chick can afford it. The girl sure has balls, and those balls bought her that Birkin. I just wish I could get a piece of that fame's fortune. I'm also a bit saddened that GaGa cares not that she slapped her much poorer but fashion-loving fan sector in the face like this. Don't you kind of agree? Oh, I promise you Hermès, I'd baby my own Birkin!

But what do you think? OOAK IT or Trashed $h!t?

Photos from Just Jared, obvs, read the post.

P.S. The new version of Gaga's scribbles.

Bag of the Moment: Miss Selfridge Frill X Floral Clutch

Ella M — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 06:46:45 EDT

Floral-printed polyurethane (man-made) bag in a sweet style that's both trendy and really vintage looking. So much so that it could have been made far back enough so we'd know it'll always be in style in the future. (If the plastic would last.)

But hey, it's only $23 (plus UK shipping), so you know you'll at least be cheap & chic with this more unique clutch at any 2010 garden party. ;-)

More details:

Small sized clutch with cross-body strap from Miss Selfridge.

Metallics, Python & Tortoise? Oh My! Lanvin Clutch - Opinions...

Ella M — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:27:53 EDT

This is certainly ... an interesting purse creation by Lanvin. I'm not sure if the silver and gold are too much together, especially combined with the python's texture, however when they threw on the tortoise closure that's when they really took it too far. Or at least IMHO...

[caption id="attachment_2637" align="alignnone" width="374" caption="Lanvin Degrade Clutch - pre-order"][/caption]

What do you think?

[polldaddy poll=2955678]

Anyway, if you like it, you can buy it at Luisa Via Roma for roughly $2.5 thou.