Yesterday's News

I miss the days when kids used to be kids.

When I was 10-years-old, I still played make-believe. I adored running around outside with my friends. Riding bikes. Playing board games on the front porch. The world seemed gigantic and the possibilities in life were endless. Life was magical.

That was 1994.

I feel like that's changed. Today, 10-year-old girls have cell phones. They act so grown up, and not in a good way. I mean, in a Miley Cyrus way. They dress like teenagers. They talk back to their parents. They get manicures. I feel like 10 is the new 15.



Many of them want to be famous. I can't tell you how many little girls I interviewed in my journalism days who boldly declared their main goal in life was to be the next Disney pop star. Oh, and all the little boy bands I did feature stories on for the newspaper. Eleven-year-old boys who couldn't name a Beatles song but desperately wanted to be a bad-ass rock star on stage.

The difference between my generation and these kids may simply be the parents. Cool young wealthy parents who want to keep up with the times. They love their kids, spoil them rotten, and by golly, if their child wants to be Miley Cyrus, then WHY NOT?

Give them a couple years of expensive dance lessons and a few years later, pay thousands of dollars to make them an instant "pop star."

And what do you get?



I know you're probably sick of it by now, but here she is in all her auto-tuned glory. Rebecca Black, a 13-year-old wanna-be pop star, who horrified the world this week with this pathetic excuse for a song.

She is the product of the Ark Music Factory, a record label which turns kids into pop stars overnight...if their parents have the cash.

Want another example?

Check out this 11-year-old girl. This video is even more creepy than Rebecca's because the little girl sings about the pitfalls of fame, before she's even attained it, in front of creepy older men jamming to her tunes.



Oh, and in this next video, you can see the root of this exploitation.



Am I the only one horrified by this record label which takes advantage of super rich little girls and their pop star dreams?! We all should be. It's destroying everything that is sacred to humanity. Childhood. Respect. Hard work.

It makes me frightened for our future. These kids, with their warped mentality on life, are going to be leading this country some day.

These kids are trapped in a world where selfishness rules and materialism is a religion.

And adults are only making it worse.

Downtown (no finer place for sure)

Kerrie and I are planning something epic for this summer.

I can't reveal the details yet, but let's just say it's going to be fucking awesome. Our Victorian tea party last month was such a huge success, we became addicted to event planning.

Our planning took us downtown on Friday afternoon. We had a couple business meetings and we took three tours of possible event spaces. In between, we managed to squeeze in lunch at one of the fanciest restaurants in town and take a tour of our city's fashion museum. It was a very productive day!











We were so sober, we forgot to take our standard closeup photo of ourselves. Haha.


Oh, and to put a smile on your face, I found this little gem:




Enjoy!

The Vampire Diaries

This show isn't new to anyone.

But I have to admit, I'm obsessed with it. I can't keep it a secret any longer.

I only started watching the show a month ago. Kerrie made me promise to watch it. She has been a faithful fan since the beginning. She insisted it was a Jenny show. I was skeptical. After all, I am not a Twilight fan. Those films do nothing for me. And the whole vampire teenage craze really went over my head these past few years. I thought it was silly.

Unfortunately, I was the silly one. You see, Kerrie and I know each other better than we know ourselves.

I got season one from the library and after a few episodes, The Vampire Diaries became my crack. And now that I've finished season one, I'm dying to see season two, but it's going to be a while before that DVD set comes out. Such torture!

For those who don't know, the show is based on a popular book series. The plot revolves around a gorgeous girl-next-door, Elena, who falls in love with a sexy boyscout of a vampire, Stefan. Her best friend is a witch. His vampire brother is a bad boy. Their town is filled with secrets. Hilarity, drama, and eeriness ensue.

It. Is. Awesome.



At first, I was a little put off by the show because of its cheesy nature. But once you get past the silliness, you start to see the show for what it really is. The show does not take itself too seriously. It's filled with wry humor. Plus, everyone is super hot (just like REAL LIFE! Right?!) and the soundtrack is kick ass. The characters are deliciously three-dimensional. In other words, this show is way cooler than Twilight. I know that's shocking for some of you, but trust me, I'm an expert on all things cool.

Every episode is action-packed and filled with mystery and sexual tension. When every episode ends, you want the next one to begin. Immediately. Like I said, crack.

If you have not seen this show, do yourself a favor and either netflix it or check it out from the library.

I insist.

Guest Post: Staying chic while buying toothpaste with Target's GO Designer collection

This lovely guest post comes from my sweet friend over at Chic 'n Cheap Living. If you're seeking inspiration, look no further. Her blog is an absolute delight!

Enjoy!


Hello Jennifer Fabulous lovers and thank you to the dear lady herself for having me. I'm Chic 'n Cheap Living and I like to write about design, inspiration, travel and deals. One chic 'n cheap store is Target although it seems like a store to buy household goods, not clothing.


Target has been one of the pioneers of mass market designer collaborations (one of a handful highlighted in this post); its GO collections have created a few of my wardrobe staples (including a Patrick Robinson cargo skirt and a Behnaz Sarfpour cropped jacket). They have done a great job of partnering with young stars in the fashion world to design and share a collection that is accessible to the typical Target shopper.


Target is bringing back 34 of its favorites dresses from various GO collections including Rodarte, Proenza Schoulder, Jovovich Hawk, Alice Temperley and more. Everything is under $50 (woohoo!) This re-release goes live March 13 and is in stores until supplies last (though the official cutoff is April 10).


Here are a few favorite pieces from the collection:
- Fitted and bright with Zac Posen

- Almost grungy femininity with Rodarte

- Minimalist chic in Tucker

- Easy and breezy typical of Jovovich Hawk

- Bold print in a classic cut via Thakoon

{Source}

What do you think of the Target GO collection?

The Fashion of Klute

The seventies are back in fashion!

So, it may be no surprise to you that the latest film I'm adoring right now is Klute, the 1971 murder mystery that won Jane Fonda an Oscar for Best Actress.



The plot revolves around a missing man and a detective who only has one lead: a fabulous prostitute with a shady past.

I'm not going to lie to you. The dialogue is cheesy as hell and the plot is less than thrilling.

But, the film is worth watching because the fashion is amazing. Legendary costume designer, Ann Roth, paves the way for the decade's most notable trends in this award-winning film.



And Jane Fonda has never looked more chic.



Klute is widely considered to be one of the most stylish films ever made. It is even studied in some university film classes for its inspiration to the fashion world!

The film was the main source of inspiration for this fabulous editorial photographed by Terry Richardson for Vogue Nippon.















If you love 1970s fashion, I highly recommend netflixing this film. You won't be disappointed!



"Don't feel bad about losing your virtue. I sort of knew you would. Everybody always does."

The Magical Tale of Two Little Art Sluts

Did you have a good weekend? I hope so.

My weird week ended with a typical weekend. Partying. Drunkenness. Awesomeness.

For those who don't know, my best friend Kerrie is a fashion design student. A couple of her close friends from design school put together a fashion show Friday night. It was cute. Then, we attended the after-party downtown.







Kerrie's friends were super sweet, but also incredibly distracted, so we didn't get to spend that much time with them. The party was kind of lame and the rest of the people were boring, so we took off to our favorite art party down the street.



It was nice to step out in my 1960s vintage coat. It will probably be the last time I wear it before spring.



We spent most of our time drinking happy juice and giggling in our friend's bedroom. (He is the gallery owner. He wasn't there. He was too busy getting stoned outside).



...and we raided his kitchen.



Then, Kerrie hopped a truck outside the gallery around 2 a.m. But the owner wouldn't let her ride. Boo!



Sadly, this is what we looked like after the night's festivities. If you've been following my blog long enough, our faces may look familiar. After too much happy juice, Kerrie tends to look oddly surprised and I try to make a kissing face that ends up imitating Donald Duck.

(Sad? Maybe. Fabbing fuckulous? Yes.)

Let's have a great week. Okay? Okay.

Style Icon: Patty Pravo

I am always on the hunt for new music. Well, not new new. But new to me.

I love discovering fabulous singers or impressive bands from the past. There is a ton of good music in the world just sitting around, waiting for younger generations to fall in love with it.

One little gem I found was the Italian pop star, Patty Pravo.



I didn't know anything about this European beauty until I came across her music last week. I instantly fell in love with her deep, mysterious voice and boho chic style.

This is her story.



Patty Pravo was born in Venice in 1948. At five years old, she began piano and dance lessons, which would clear her path as a conservatory student a few years later. In her early teens, she became acquaintances with both the American poet Ezra Pound and Angelo Roncalli (Pope John XXIII).



At 15, Patty left home to live in London and then promptly moved to Rome, where her life changed forever. She started going to the famous Piper Club, where her beauty, musical talent, and sparkling personality drew the attention of several famous films directors, including Fellini and Antonioni. The owner of the club asked her to sing. She began performing on stage at the club, singing R&B hits.



The gig lead to a record deal. In 1966, she released her first single, "Ragazzo triste", the Italian version of the song "But You're Mine" by Sonny & Cher. It was the first pop song broadcast on Vatican Radio.



A star was born. She not only became a world-wide pop sensation, but she became a symbol for young women during a generational metamorphosis. Her sultry good looks and provocative clothing caused quite a stir with the conservative parents of her listeners. Patty represented a generation that was becoming increasingly more liberal and sexual. She became a role model for hippie fashion.



Some of her biggest hits include, "Qui e là," "Se perdo te,” and "La bambola.” "La bambola" sold over one million copies by the end of 1968, and went gold.

Over the next four decades, Patty continued to top the international charts. At 62, she is still a sexy and fabulous performer.





Last year, the musician Tuccillo remixed her famous song, “La bambola” and turned it into a radio hit again. The tribute solidifies the Italian pop diva’s legacy and continues to introduce her to a new generation of listeners.

The original song:



The remix:


Which version do you like better?