illustrative style

my ever-well-connected friends friends at twentythirtyforty.net have done it again and introduced me to someone sensational. for their friends on fashion column this month, they’ve joined forces with british fashion writer and illustrator, baduade, who has drawn some lovely illustrations about depicting and discussing european fashion. i shan’t spoil it all, because it’s wonderful, so you must continue checking back to see it! it should be posted within the week.

i was searching through her blog as i was writing some copy for the column, and was so enthralled with her completely unique perspective on fashion, art, food, herself, culture. fashion is so visual, so it’s wonderful to see someone combine illustration with words to present witty, fresh commentary on style. here are a few of my favorites:

the artist, herself. joanna walsh of badaude.

a christmas card commission…isn’t this wonderful? i’d buy scads.

(click to enlarge images, for easier reading)

i love the creative mind.

twentythirtyforty maaaaagic

bbasically, i couldn’t be more proud of twentythirtyforty.net. not only is the new editorial up — it’s sincerely amazing, and you must check it out. serious styling with brilliant pieces — but they’re kind of the most fabulous fashion mavens i know. and they’re all over the blogosphere right now.

currently their loeffler randall bandeau top is being featured on extraskinny (featuring outfits that are muy brilliante, and photography that’s to die for. if i lived my life dancing around like she does, i’m entirely positive that i would have zero problems).

isn’t she adorable? i love her whimsical poses, and the way she dances through each of her outfit posts. she makes clothing so much fun. and although i find clothing more enjoyable than most things, there are many mornings (ie: today, when i put on a dress to go shopping with jack and he said that i looked like a mexican girl going to my quincenera) that i’m not all that into deciding what to wear. bless extraskinny for sharing her immense creativity in such a fab way, everyday.

my dear friend erin (and fellow, highly devoted, fash lover –her wonderful comments follow nearly every post) is moving in with me in july and we’re discussing the addition of some sassafras outfit styling as an addition to the blog…i’m pretty excited. it’s step that i’m really excited to take, even though it means totally outing myself. brandon and arlene and i have had maaaaaaaany conversations about this and its difficulty, considering brandon outed herself as alexander mcqueen in a bunny suit, and arlene chose a faceless photo of herself wearing a beautiful scarf. i mean, we love the fash…but still.

ANYway…i’m getting chatty. continue checking out public personae, as twentythirtyforty will be appearing there, too. AND, we’re featured in this month’s issue of lucky magazine!

sorry, this photo is super pixelated, but you get the idea. basically, buy the june issue of lucky because chicago is all over it, and twentythirtyforty is totally boppin’.

xoxoxo, lovies. happy friday!

serious fash

Some serious fashion magic happened this weekend…the best photographer in the world + amazing models + creative women who love styling + ridiculous make up = twentythirtyforty.net maaaaaaaaaagic.

I just adored the styling for our item shots, it was definitely my favorite crop of outfits to date. I don’t have many pictures because my camera died, so you’ll have to wait for those to be posted on the site. And our editorial was just amazing…shot at the Lillstreet Art Center, it was this sensational urban playground of exposed architecture, art, studios, and so much creative inspiration.

We were thrilled…and the fashion and creativity thrived.

our lovely photographer, dane; makeup artist, lisa; and model, michelle…they’re a darling, and insanely talented bunch

all the behind-the-scenes artists

holly, our delightful item shot model

good day, good people

Today, my dear friends, is a wonderful day, because I found out that I got into the School of the Art Institute Chicago for grad school, in their New Arts Journalism program! I’m insanely excited…so ready to be learning again (I love school, in a really nerdy way), excited to be writing, to be studying fashion journalism, AND excited that — in continuing on with our life path of being EXACTLY the same — Kate will also be there, studying Arts Administration! I’m also insanely thrilled about the fact that I now have a two year plan, and that it doesn’t involve career burden. I can slip back into the safety of being responsible only for learning; toning down the volume on the “how the hell am I going to start my career?” soundtrack that has been looping with an unfavorable crescendo inside my poor little head for the the past year. I’m so not a fan of that stress.

Also, because my dear, dear friends at twentythirtyforty.net are the most wonderful people on the planet, you should check out their blog, which features a lovely homage to sassafras! They have their new photo editorial up, too, which is a stunningly brilliant accessories shoot. AND, they’re going to start a monthly rotation of the Proust questionaire, featuring different designers from the lines they carry. So it’s a very exciting time for them and their faboo site. I have an article going up there soon, which is recession themed, highlighted by an interview we did with Chicago boutique owner Helen Yi. It was a great interview, and so much fun to have the store opened just for us so that we could play and take pictures without disturbance.

Pictures of her lovely merch:

I just loved this jewelry tree. And how it’s captured in this photo, with the purses to the left and the lovely framing of the dress behind it. I wish jewelry grew on trees.

Isn’t the draping of this dress to die for? This is Matthew Ames, Helen’s current favorite. She just couldn’t stop raaaaaaving, and after seeing this, she was quite justified.

I love a good, blinged out bangle.

These photos are, by no means, an accurate representation of the delectable pieces Helen’s boutique boasts…I’m just a lazy photographer who gets easily distracted by shiny baubles.

i write!

Okay, so clearly I don’t have much to do, because I’m updating at kind of a ridiculous rate. But that’s okay…I’m feeling a little under the weather today so it’s a “too much internet and coffee in bed” sort of day.

Just wanted to let you all know that in addition to blogging (which I’ve quickly become obsessed with, my desk littered with post-it notes of “great new blog ideas”) I also do freelance fashion writing in Chicago.

Check out my newest editorial for twentythirtyforty.net’s Friends on Fashion!