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Articles from Spork Fashion

Richard Tyler Chiffon-Trimmed Top 2007-05-18 14:00:11 I spent college dressed as a typical college student - t-shirts and jeans when I had 10 minutes, sweats and pajamas when I didn’t. This was one of the first feminine, designer tops I purchased, not long after graduation. It took my family and friends by surprise. Alyse, wearing pink??. To be fair, this is really more of a dusty rose. I wanted the black version, but they sold out before I could get my hands on one. The was just something about this top that spoke to me. Perhaps a sign of style to come. It is very comfortable and has a nice drape. It should be a bit drapier at the top, but I don’t think Richard Tyler was counting on my measurements when he made this. The fabric is delightfully soft. The little chiffon details add simple elegance and something interesting to look at - that is what drew me to this top. I always end up sitting on or getting tangled in the little chiffon ties at the side, so it is not entirely practical - not the shirt to be wearing o ...

Spork Fashion Hits the Road 2007-05-18 13:02:20 I am heading out to Vegas this weekend… who knows what couture delights await me? I hope I do as well as I did last time, where I scored Betsey Johnson’s vintage-style polka dot dress and my Christian Lacroix polka dot Mary Janes, which are my current favorite shoe. Share This ...

Betsey Johnson?s Silk Polka Dot Dress Takes Me Back to the 1940s 2007-05-17 18:03:14 Mr. Spork and I recently went to Vegas for the weekend. He was going for work, and well, I was going for Vegas. Saturday he spent the day on set, and I was let loose in the shops. I spent several hours shopping, went back to the hotel to rest for an hour… and went back out for more shopping. While sitting in that hotel room, I decided I wanted to head over to Betsey Johnson in the Desert Passage mall. On my 21st birthday, I got a beautiful black cocktail dress there for $50 (luckily I fit Betsey’s sample sizes perfectly). I was hoping luck would strike twice, and I could get a hot dress to wear out on the town that night. They didn’t have any sample dresses, but they did have this adorable number on the sales rack. I didn’t want to spend any more money, but I just had to try it on. When I came out of the dressing room, I knew I just had to have it - it looked perfect on me. So good, in fact, it took me 10 minutes to finally take it off. We were going ...

Proenza Schouler Introduces Summery Silks 2007-05-16 17:32:04 I admit: this is from the Proenza Schouler for Target line. I also admit that when someone asks me who designed this dress, I omit those last two words. To be fair, no one I know actually knows who Proenza Schouler is, so really, does it matter at all? I was very excited when I saw that top-name designers were making collections for Target. Affordable couture. Of course I didn’t expect it to have the same luxury as the real deal does, but stylish clothing and pretty good quality for these prices is exciting. In recent years I have noticed an odd trend in fashion: trendy, popular clothing stores providing mediocre quality at offensive prices. H&M, American Eagle, A&F, the Gap… I am always surprised at how places like this get away with charging what they charge for the quality they offer. I have been checking out the Target designer collections since they began. Ultimately, I have been extremely disappointed with the fit and selection. Also disappointing is ...

How a $2 Shirt Became My Favorite Item in My Closet 2007-05-15 14:46:31 This is easily one of my favorite pieces of clothing. It is is most certainly the least expensive, and extremely versatile. I had a couple of other “A-Shirts” (which I suppose is the new, politically correct term for wife beaters… luckily I am not politically correct) from James Perse and the like, and I liked how they fit. So while at Target one day, I spotted a 3-pack in white while walking through the men’s section and decided to give it a shot. First off, the shirts are 100% cotton and tagless, making them incredibly comfortable. They are very soft and very lightweight, which is important when baking in a Los Angeles summer. The fit is undeniably sexy. I don’t know what it is about a basic white tank like this, but it is hot. For a men’s shirt, it sure hugs a woman’s curves well. The shirts are long - the easily go past the hip - which I love because my… er, rather ample bust tends to shorten shirts an inch or two, and I don&# ...

She Complete Reinvents the Obi Belt 2007-05-14 13:16:53 I’ve never been into belts. I could never find a style I liked, and I never felt like I wore them right. But when I found this piece from She Complete, it was like all the pieces fell into place. I have since bought two other belts in varying styles. The Jules belt is an updated version of an obi belt, a traditional Japanese belt (or layers of belts) worn over kimonos. The belt is meant for decoration, to keep the kimono robes in place, and enhance the body shape. Well, enhance it does. Perhaps one of the reasons I feel so comfortable in this belt is because it reminds me of a corset. It is wide and really enhances the waist. Like a traditional obi, She Complete’s version is made of silk. Somewhat less traditional to the obi is the bright pattern of stripes. This is, however, traditional to She Complete: the stripes are something of a trademark for the company (see also my article on their silk striped headband). Like many of their other products, this belt is a ...

Ouvrez La Porte?s Designs Go From Daytime to Nighttime 2007-05-11 19:28:55 Designer Karen LaPorte has been crafty since childhood, but it was the discovery of fashion magazines as a teenager that made her realize this was what she wanted to do with her life. “It was a way to express myself and my horizons expanded,” Karen says. “It was like traveling.” This Maine native did end up traveling - from New York to Europe and back again. After working with designers such as Cynthia Rowley and Rebecca Taylor, she returned to Brooklyn and her own label, Ouvrez La Porte (French for “open the door”). “My tastes are very eclectic. I?m retro, classic, rock n? roll, glamorous, but practical all in one,” Karen says of her personal style. This comes through easily in her designs - no piece is easily categorized. Feminine, tough, classic, modern… all can describe Karen’s line. Currently, Karen is looking towards film noir and classic 1940s styling for inspiration. I fell in love with this silk raglan dress t ...

Every Girl Loves Lingerie - Now Get it For Your Feet! 2007-05-10 15:55:47 Once upon a time, I attended the taping of a pilot my friend was directing. It was shot in front of a live audience, so there were a lot of people there. I was wearing my polka-dot Christian Lacroix shoes, so naturally, footwear became the main topic of conversation. One girl I was chatting with pointed out her own shoes, well-worn white flats. There was one detail that she also pointed out, but there was no need - I was horrified the moment I looked down. She was wearing Peds. For those that don’t know, Peds are tiny little nylon slippers for your feet. Think of them as pantyhose, cut down to the shape of skimmers. They are meant to offer the comfort of socks when you can’t really get away with wearing socks. Well guess what? You can’t get away with wearing Peds either. The Peds peeked out from her shoes like a thong out of a 12-year-old’s jeans. I was horrified at how tacky it looked. How fortuitous that I stumbled upon Lingerie du Pied. The compa ...

Doc Martens Lightens Up with Red Velvet Boots 2007-05-09 17:57:25 I am a recovering goth. Every goth kid loves Doc Martens, regardless of what stage of gothy-ness they are in. I still tend towards dark and dramatic clothing, but you would be hard-pressed to call me goth. But I still have that goth heart, and I still love my Doc Martens. I have several pairs. The too-big matte black boots that I wore for ten years before finally retiring them. The black cherry-colored boots that fit better and took the place of the black ones. The shiny black and dirty yellow swirled boots that were my back-up. Then there were these. The ruby red slippers of Doc Marten. I saw mention of velvet Docs on some website or another and fell in love. Had to have them. I was lucky with these - there were a number of them, brand new and reasonably priced on Ebay. I had to wait a week or so before I found the perfect for pair - the right size, the right color, the right style. And these definitely fit the bill. Slightly more comfortable than regular Docs, these didn ... Velvet

Waterfield Designs Offers A Sturdy New ?Everything? Bag 2007-05-08 18:07:27 Every girl has her “everything” bag. And every fashionista has a whole lot of “everything” bags. These bags are the big, sturdy bags that can fit your entire life in them - laptop and documents for work; towel and toiletries for the gym; sunscreen and magazine for the beach. There seems to be a never ending hunt for the perfect “everything” bag. I was using a wooly Kate Spade messenger bag for a while, but it was just the teeniest bit too small and got pretty battered from forcing my laptop in. For travel and the gym, I use an ancient JanSport backpack, but that feels so 8th grade. My Andy Warhol DJ bag is my current everything bag. It is sturdy, but a little too deep, and not particularly comfortable. Waterfield Design’s new Sling bag looks to be my new everything bag. First off, it is roomy. Really roomy. The triangular shape makes it easy to fit things in (unlike trying to squeeze magazines, file folders, laptop, etc. into a narro ...

Vinxi Clothing is ?Born to Kill? 2007-05-07 16:46:55 Another adorable, kitschy, and political shirt from Vinxi Clothing. The guys at Vinxi say this shirt was “probably” inspired by the Iraq war (”probably?” Time to lay off the booze, guys). Although, they do admit to seeing a little girl playing in the street with an oversized army hat. I can see both influences in the design. If you really want to dig deep, you can read this as a comment about the child soldiers of places like the Sierra Leone. The shirt is all about dichotomies. The cherubic, big-eyed little girl, set against a background of hearts and flowers. But those blooms aren’t roses; they are hand grenades. Her hat doesn’t have a propeller on it; it has a skull and crossbones. The pink screen print is sweet; the drab green is reminiscent of Army fatigues. But let’s face it - most girls do have those two sides to their personality. The sweet girlie part, and the fierce combatant part. Personally, I love sharp contrasts like ...

The Body Shop?s White Musk Fragrance 2007-05-04 17:49:03 It’s not designer. It’s not rare or exclusive. It’s not very expensive. But it is one of my favorite scents. I am addicted to The Body Shop’s White Musk fragrance. Musk normally connotes a heavier, sometimes cloying scent. Not this musk. This sniff is light, it is clean, it is slightly creamy. Fresh enough for warmer days, comforting enough for colder days. Of course, the downside is that the scent fades very quickly. It is meant to be “layered” with other White Musk products, which I take to be something of a scam to get you to buy more Body Shop products. I’m not a fan of the other products, like the lotion. It is too light and the scent just isn’t the same. White Musk is inexpensive enough that I can reapply frequently and feel guilty about it. I have searched for a comparable White Musk scent that lasts longer, but after trying dozens, I haven’t found one I like nearly as much as this one from The Body Shop. Share ...

Boaz NYC Knows How to Rock a Pair of Pants 2007-05-03 18:38:11 I am a recovering goth/punk girl. In high school, I wore capes, vinyl pants, put purple streaks in my hair… that whole crazy “rebellious” look that is positively mainstream nowadays. But I never lost that love for edgy fashion, which is why I love Boaz’s rocker-chic line of pants. Boaz David was born and trained in Israel before making the move to New York City. His style is heavily influenced by classic British punk rockers like Sex Pistols and The Clash. These punk rock inspirations are not only visible in his clothing, but even in his website - the layout and menus are reminiscent of a band’s web page. His “About” page is titled “Lyrics” and the “Tour” page is where you can find stockist information. This particular style is one of Boaz’s most popular. They are lightweight, with a touch of stretch, and very comfortable. The cut is perfect - low-slung, but not fat-hairy-middle-aged-plummer low. The kind ...

ShopStyle.com Lets You Be the Stylist 2007-05-02 14:00:23 We interrupt your regularly scheduled blogging for this contest announcement: ShopStyle.com is a site that gathers clothing from different stores across the Web (BlueFly, Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Yoox, etc) and gathers them into one easy place. You can search by type of clothing/accessory, designer, store, price, sales, etc. But the coolest of the site is that you can create your own outfits, choosing from hundreds of thousands of different items. To celebrate, ShopStyle.com is offering a contest that takes advantage of this fun feature. First prize is a $500 gift certificate to ShopBop.com - I don’t know anyone who couldn’t take advantage of that! Simply put together a stylin’ outfit and submit it to be judged! My entry is called “When Bonnie Met Clyde,” and is a modernized, feminized version of the classic gangster look - complete with fedora. Check it out: To enter, just go here: Tell them Spork Fashion sent you. Share This ...

Dior ?Addict? Mules 2007-05-01 14:05:36 These mules are a testament to my obsessive shopping. I purchased these from eLuxury.com a few years ago. They were on mega-clearance… I paid something around $180 for $350+ shoes. They were my first pair of really high-end shoes. They only had one pair left, a 7.5. I decided to give it a go - after all, they are mules, so my foot can just hang off the back, right? Well, that’s what happened. They were just the tiniest bit too small, but I adore them - that corseting on the toe just really got me (I’m such a sucker for corset detailing). And they were such a good deal. Sadly, they are just a little too small - uncomfortably so. But here is your chance! Buy a piece of Spork’s fashion! The shoes are up for sale at PersonalCloset.com Share This ...