shades of gray

Rodarte hand-painted leather jacket, Preen gray tank dress, Preen patchwork top, Natalia Brilli necklace, bullet belt, Natalia Brilli pocket watches, Destin Surl silk cashmere scarft, Zoe & Morgan snake bangle, Preen silk and lace dress, Rika mini skirt, Rodarte jacket (side view), VPL ripcord tank, Sigerson Morrison gladiators, Proenza Schouler clutch, Cushnie et Ochs dress

spring sprang sprung

Helmut Lang sheer pebbled top, Helmut Lang printed top, Alexander Wang cross-back vest (front and back views), VPL hook-and-eye top

Spring styles over at SSense. That A. Wang vest gives me a pang of longing in my stomach every time I see it. It will be mine, oh yes.

yum

Yukie Deuxpoints necklace, Proenza Schouler PS1 bag, VPL bra, Glynneth B bracelet, Eddie Borgo earrings, Falconiere epaulets, Givenchy studded flats, Ann D. buckle boots, Bijules ring, Fleet Ilya belt, Sigerson Morrison Gladiators, Madison Marcus buckle mini, YSL cuff, Darcy Miro for Unholy Matrimony cuff, Helmut Lang printed tank

I am so into buckles right now, it hurts. That and crazy, geological-looking jewelry. I wonder if the straps on the mini go all the way around, or are just sewn on the front. I'd feel gypped if they were.

the slow introduction of color

from top left: natalia brilli necklace, vpl insertion bra, alexander wang sunglasses, helmut lang cotton moto jacket, lanvin tulle and pearl ring, repetto oil slick flats, proenza schouler metal cuff, delfina delettrez rubilie stone hand ring, marni top, givenchy brooch, nicholas kirkwood x rodarte heels

I tried on that Helmut Lang jacket at Bloomingdales about a week ago, right before I came back from break and I nearly swooned in the dressing room. It is so soft, the collar draped perfectly (not pictured), it was like a hug from Herr Lang himself. But it's also $400, so I parted ways with it with quiet grace and dignity. BUT THEN I found a fairly similar black version, also by Helmut Lang, for about 25% of the price, so I went for it. I am most pleased.

Anyway, everything else pretty much speaks for itself. Yves Klein blue leather-covered necklace? Delicious and would look fetching on top of one of my many all-black ensembles. VPL bra? Sure, why not. P.S. their stuff runs TIGHT in the chest. Delettrez hand ring? You had me at hello. Lanvin tulle/pearl ring? It kind of looks like an opulent bird's nest, and it's made from a somewhat non-traditional (although not for Alber Elbaz) jewelry material, so yes, I'll take it. The Proenza arm cuff looks like slightly modeled asphalt, which I love, I'll wear anything Givenchy and spiky, and I pine for Rodarte and Kirkwood to such a degree that I make myself slightly ill.

I can't promise anything more than a thank you note in return, but if you're feeling generous, my wishlist is above.

more more more

This morning I watched a documentary about people who struggle with compulsive shopping, and I thought to myself, I really need to get to the mall. If that mall was Browns.

Anyway, sort of clockwise from left: YSL cage clutch, VPL fractional bra, YSL black stone ring, Jil Sander fringe dress, Lanvin cuff, Sandra Backlund dress, Maria Francesca Pepe nut ring, Preen double-layer mesh dress, Limi Feu mesh vest, Givenchy lace-up wedges, Nicholas Kirkwood heels.

hair

Victorian Mourning Jewelry, as previously mentioned, has been inspiring a quite a few jewelry designers lately, Julie Deville, presumably Giselle Ganne, those Loved to Death goth kids. Hair, human hair, is a medium that no one really likes to consider, but it has a long history, certainly not just in Western culture. Apparently there is a long tradition of hair embroidery in China.

This is actually lace made from human hair, from the 1640s I believe, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which is probably my favorite museum anywhere.

If you have the stomach for it, there's a 19th century hair watch fob over on an antiques website. It has a cool snake clasp thing.

Anyway, when I was looking for things to include with my tooth jewelry post, I came across Chris Habana, who did some cool hair and tooth pieces as an exclusive for a boutique in LA (and consequently I can't find a decent photo of them, but there is a wee tiny one over at coolhunting). I thought I'd put up a few more pieces of hair jewelry for funsies. Of course, New York Magazine already has a roundup you can read, but they beat me to everything by like three years, so whatever.

Some hair necklaces from Francis Willemstijn, a Dutch artist who I know almost nothing about, because his website is in squiggly.

A couple of pieces from Bijules NYC, which are actually incredibly expensive AND some are made of synthetic hair. To which I say, Good Day to you Sir!

More pieces from our old friend Polly van der Glas, at the left a hoop earring, at the right, well it's actually a purse, but it totally looks like she scalped a wagon train for it (it's okay, they would have died of dysentery anyway).

On the left, Julia Deville's hair and silver bone pin. She has similar pieces, one of which has a skull at the top shrouded in a bit of black silk (I think), but they aren't on her website. Perhaps too much of a memento mori for me. On the right is Rakk and Ruin's very cool hair jewelry from her Etsy shop. I'd seen her crystal and shell casing necklaces, but I just noticed the hair and casing necklace. Sweet.


Of course, jewelry isn't the only area where human hair has enjoyed a renewed popularity:

I can't help but feel bad for Chris March from Project Runway. I watched the finale with my friends and was the only one NOT disturbed by the human hair on the clothes. The judges were horrified and he didn't make it to the final three. Then of course it showed up all over the place. I'm not saying that he invented the idea, not by a long shot, but still kind of a bummer

Chris March's Fall 2008 collection

Gareth Pugh, Fall 2008

From the work of Gemma Sack, who worked for Pugh back in the day.

Givenchy Fall 2009 and goat fur dress by Russian designer Alena Akhmadullina FW09, who actually did some really fantastic knitwork for her SS09 collection that looks like knit ribcages sitting on top of delicate floral dresses.

Margiela SS09, granted I don't this is is real human hair, and I suspect that applies to Givenchy too, but the look is still spreading, even if the particular species it comes from still walks on four legs. Or is made of plastic.

Brian Lichtenberg Fall 2009. I couldn't find a full-length of this picture anywhere, so here it is in pieces.

VPL by Victoria Bartlett Fall 2009. This is definitely human hair, because PETA was all over this. PETA can go fuck itself as far as I'm concerned.

At least I am not alone, Susie Bubble is down with hair in fashion (on fashion?). I loved the dress the Six Six Sick girls made for her, even though the hair on it is synthetic.

Susie Bubble in her dress for the Six Six Sick party at Happy Ending (once I showed up completely blacked out and danced with a drag queen for like, an hour. Awesome). She's so cute.

And, lastly, for the shoe lovers of the world, to go with your new scalp purses:

Camilla Skovgaard human hair and other stuff shoe.

And I'm spent.

sources: not now, too tired.