Poupée de cire

"Poupée de cire, poupée de son" by France Gall

FOTC's "Foux Da Fa Fa" led me on a search to discover what exactly Scopitones were. And that opened a treasure box full of wonderful old gems, little 3-minute musical time capsules. I absolutely adore when this happens. There's something about vintage and oldies and history that makes me happy. Since TCM's Oscar Month, I've been addicted to that channel. Everytime I heard that piano music they played with the montage of Oscar film clips, I got emotional. But admit it: so did you. And when I'm in Los Angeles, my radio happily nestles down at K-EARTH 101.



"Pourquoi pas moi" by Mareva Galanter

I went onto YouTube for more Scopitones and found Mareva Galanter's Scopitone-inspired music videos. It was her version of Laisse tomber les filles that got me thinking "I've heard this song before... and I like it!" But who sang the original? And that's when I found France Gall. I've heard of Françoise Hardy. I've seen the word "Yé-yé" thrown around, but never really took the time to figure out what it was. I've even listened to a few Serge Gainsbourg tunes. But what really inspired me to figure the whole thing out was Gall's off-kilter, captivating voice and her look: youthful innocence and that blonde bob.



"Baby Pop" by France Gall



"Laisse tomber les filles" by France Gall

Oh, how I love the Internet. One things leads to another... it's instant gratification.

Où est J. Crew?

I love to speak French. Mais je parle un peu français. Très peu. And having only taken one class of French, my impressive vocabulary can be summed up in this video:



"Foux Da Fa Fa" by Flight of the Conchords

which apparently is enough to pick up French chicks, go shopping at the supermarket, and tandem-bike in the park. Besides being completely enamored by Bret and Jemaine, I also love the color-happy 1960's costumes



which I felt could be recreated with J. Crew's menswear. Here we go...



Solid vintage oxford shirt in grapefruit
Secret wash button-down shirt in microstripe in light dahliah



Secret Wash white-collar shirt in banker stripe in oxford pink
Cotton-cashmere crewneck sweater in provencial blue
Broken-in chino sneakers in ivory



Thacher-stripe ribbed cardigan
Vintage slim fit garment-dyed denim

I may have cheated in that last one... but that umbrella was just too cute! Its from girl's Crewcuts.

Stopped by J. Crew today...

and finally got the Elizabeth halter top in white, but its made from a cotton and silk blend rather than all silk! So its machine washable, which is great because what stopped me from getting it earlier was having to dry clean it. I can't find a link for it on the website, so I guess its from their new collection. I'm already thinking of all the ways I could wear it:

1) with the Market tee or any other crewneck tee like this photo:


2) tucked into a pencil skirt like this photo:


3) this looks pretty cute too

with shorts or fitted pants like skinnies or straights - and dark denim

4) a thicker sweater, with a crewneck neckline, or maybe a printed cardigan

Can't wait!

Surfing

I've recently taken up surfing. It's exhilarating, frightening, euphoric (the first stage of hypothermia). My friend and I were so excited to try out our newly acquired surfing skills at the local beach, that we rushed into buying wetsuits at the local store so we could catch the morning waves. Not having our sizes in the instructor-recommended 3/2 wetsuits, the salesperson suggested the springsuit. This was a bad idea - after spending two hours in the ocean, my fingers were numb and I was shivering a lot (which Wikipedia tells me is the first stage of hypothermia. I love Wikipeida.). Worst yet - non-returnable.

Lesson learned. Bought a 3/2 wetsuit (at a different store). And some cute Roxy rubber flip-flops (might as well look good eating sand).

J. Crew Sale!

Yay for sales,
20% off all sale merchandise at www.JCrew.com. Just bought this jacket:


Priced down to $99 from $168, plus 20% off = $79!

Ten Essentials

Everytime I go shopping, I have a mental list of what I need, but I end up taking home things I want. Hence, buyer's remorse and the quick fix-it of returns. So, I'm making a list of the ten essentials I need for this spring.

1. A little black dress - I can't believe I don't have one. A no-brainer!
   
2. Athletic sneakers - I'm planning to take tennis lessons next quarter, and I'm looking for a clean-looking pair.
3. Undergarments - I'm very flat-chested, so it's difficult (and expensive) to find bras.
4. Straight leg jeans - Great for tucking into my boots. The tricky part here is finding one for my petite frame.
5. Summer sandals - After having worn flip flops for the past few years, I'm a little tired of them. I'm looking for something more chic.
6. Sunglasses - I have a great (and expensive) pair of sunglasses that my parents bought me years ago, but sadly I've rarely worn them. Call it a change of heart. Can't return them, so I'll probably sell them online.
7. Casual collared button-up shirts - I love these! I'm looking for cotton shirts with a classic look about them like pinstripes and small patterns.
8. A suit - Almost time to enter the workforce! Suits are expensive, so I need to be super picky about this one. Right now, I'm digging slim silhouettes.
   
9. A leather handbag - Another big splurge item, I'll need to save up.
10. Sweats - Every CA girl seems to own sweats AND wear them everyday. Not that I want to wear them out, but I'd like a pair to just lounge around at home.
    

I guess part of the problem is that I'm extremely picky about the things I need. I want them to be quality and timeless and affordable. And then I go off and do something stupid like shell $20-somethings for disposable trend at Forever 21. I need to prioritize.

Spring Inspiration - MAC Naughty Nauticals

I can't wait for the Naughty Nauticals make-up collection from MAC, which you can find out more from the blog For the Love of Beauty. I don't own much make-up, but the few eyeshadow and lip products do I own from MAC are my favorites. I'm enamored by the red lipstick on the model.

Both photos from For the Love of Beauty

When this hits the states, I definitely plan on stopping by and picking up this lipstick, called Port Red. It reminds me of a pin-up girl, very classic and sexy.

Bold Cat Eyes - Can you wear it?

Doll-faced model Lily Cole brings glamour back in Vogue UK's December 2007 issue with diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds! But what had me swooning from the start was Lily's cat-eye look, emboldened by its minimalist palette and captivating to the point where I *almost* rushed to the B&N's sales counter to fork over the $10 bucks (before reasoning that $10 is a bit too much for sudden lust of one editorial and that developing an impulsive buying habit is not on my list of resolutions for 2008). ALTHOUGH an impulsive buying habit would have brought this magazine into my hands in the comfort of my home where I could obsess over it privately... but I digress.

According to the magazine, the make-up artist used a Chanel fine eyeliner brush to apply Dior Style Intense Liquid Liner on the lid.

Victorian Ruffles

My recent spending binges (who am I kidding, more like constant) have left a dent in my bank account, so now I'm trying to hold myself back from whipping out that plastic card that makes pretty things mine (oh, the wonders of that magic little card!). But it's become increasingly difficult as the Christmas (shopping) season approaches and my favorite stores have stocked up on some tantalizing wares. Take J. Crew's color-happy corduroys and cashmeres; I can't help but lust after their basic tissue tees and two-tone satin mary janes. On my wish list is this Victorianesque silk halter, versatile enough to layer or wear alone unbuttoned and unique enough to justify the $88 price tag. Santa, take a hint, in color white please!!! (Highly unlikely though, as they are due to arrive early January - maybe a gift card?)

J. Crew Solid Silk Elizabeth Halter

Luella Spring 2008 Ready to Wear

Geeky chic!






Luella's spring collection is so girly and playful! I love the 'good girl' floral prints and the heavy frames, but most of all I love the booties. Lace-up and in fun colors, they're stunning! The first picture carries the look so well, with a structured jacket to contrast the youthful look. And the pink booties, I'm in love...

Photos from www.elle.com and www.esposay.com