Old with the New

LOVE:
I love watching movies based on historical time periods especially anything around the British Regency and the Grand Siecle (before the French Revolution ).

LIKES: Jane Austen
I have learned to like Jane Austen and have started watching Sense and Sensibility. After reading The Jane Austen Handbook, it's shocking how different things were done in those times. They used words like "sensible" to describe a proper husband, "agreeable" and the main purpose of women was to find a proper mate. WHY? Because if they didn't marry properly then they could be left out in the cold when their father died because WOMAN couldn't inherit property. The book teaching you how to write a letter (in that time) and the Do's and Don'ts on pursuing a man. "you must not be too forward"-Women actually gave away locks of their hair to show that they were interested. Creepy

LIKES: I just finished reading Passionate Minds which is a historical novel based on the story of Voltaire and Emilie du Chatelet. Emilie was a member of the French Aristocracy and therefore led a life full of wealth, parties, and Versailles. Voltaire was a write/poet who came from almost nothing to riches. In this period people married not for love but as business practice. One family exchanged their daughter/dowry for a husband and security. In this period titles meant everything and the longer you had your title the more important you were in aristocratic circle. One interesting fact that I learned was that nobles didn't have to pay taxes but if they ever came to work then that privilege was revoked. Also, almost everyone had a mistress or an affair which to an extent was acceptable as long as it was kept on DL. Gambling was huge with the nobles which caused many rich nobles to go bankrupt.

Fashion: Regency

Fashion: Marie Antoinette

The new face of Fresno fashion

The new face of Fresno fashion

Places to go and People to see

It's funny how you go to a store, see an interesting item and think to yourself "why didn't I think of that?" or in the case of my husband think "Aww they stole my idea!".
I found my new favorite store in Fresno. It is called "Kwirkworld". It's located inside the River Park Shopping Center and as soon as a stepped in I was in love.
Items I took an interest to right away:

-Loungefly products ( the company is located in SoCal and I never heard of it)

-Bottle Openers caps and sandals (this was one of those "why didn't I think of that"

- Uniquely shaped USB hub

Besides discovery KWIRKWORLD (yes I know it's probably been there for a while but the last time I walked around near Edwards theater it was 2003) I also walked into Wavelengths/SBI and realized how hot TOMS SHOES are right now. Two weeks ago I was walking around Fashion Fair mall and notice a girl wearing these red shoes that look super comfy. I was trying to find out what they were called and that's when I discovered them at River Park. 

They're not most attrative but if your concern is comfort than these are the right shoe. The great thing about these shoes is that they fight for a greater cause. (to find out more go to: http://www.toms.com/corporate-info/ )

no lucky yet!!!

Recap of the last 5 days:

I haven't seen anything that's caught my eye, yet. Went to Bobby Salazar's Bar & Grill in the TOWER DISTRICT last week and all I see is women wearing short dresses, boob bobbing cleavage, and too much makeup as if they're a night club. What happened to cool hangout bars? In LA I use to go to BIG WANGS which was always packed because it had something special every night. Good times with good friends!
Dress code: laid back, straight out of work, casual, etc.
Hours: 11AM-1PM
It just seems like everywhere I go in Fresno girls are trying really hard to impress the opposite sex (or same sex). Well I need to try other places to get a wide view of the people on Fresno. I really like the stores that are located in the Tower District. It almost reminds me of Studio City or Sherman Oaks Village. It has tattoo shops, vintage stores, theaters, bars, trendy restaurants. It's my kind of street.

Yesterday I decided to work on my series of shoe painting. The first of the series came out pretty good. It's not quite done but it has great potential. 

Will post images very soon.







http://www.bigwangs.com/

TONIGHTS the Night

September:

Oktoberfest: September 10, 2010

Where: Alpine Village

Time:6:00PM-1:00AM

Fashion Style Lounge: September 30, 2010

Where: Woodward Park Amphitheater

Time:6:00PM- 10:00PM

Blink 182 Concert: October 10, 2010

Where:LA Palladium 

Time:TBD

LOS ANGELES to Fresno-the journey back home

After Graduating from UC Santa Barbara I decided to take my life to Los Angeles and further my career by attending FIDM. 

FIDM-FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN AND MERCHANDISING

What did I discover my first week in a strange city?

-The City is huge and confusing

-If you go even 5 miles below the speed limit people will yell and flip you off

-Tory Burch flats and HoBo bags were in 

-FASHION is everything

FIDM was a complete 180 from UC SANTA BARBARA

All the KIDS (the majority of the student are under 19 years old) go to school dressed as if they are going to a photo shoot or a night club. All I knew is I was way UNDERDRESSED. Now of course I couldn't afford half of the clothing these girls were wearing which forced me to be creative. SALES SALES SALES

LA is a haven for getting fashionable items for dirt cheap. 

Example- Marshalls/ Loehmann's/Crossroads/ Sateen st. 

-Marshall's carries designer name clothing/shoes for outlet prices

-Loehmann's carries nothing but designer names for 30-70% less than retail.

-Buffalo Exchange/Crossroads- buy, sell, trade clothing....check out these stores once a week and find great items

-Forever 21- this company hires hundreds of people to make sure they have the latest fashion at dirt cheap prices. 

CAUTION: if you shop at FOREVER 21 beware that the reason the clothes is so cheap is because their manufacturers cut corners in quality and production to maintain the price low. 

Trends are the name of the game in Los Angeles and those trends change faster than a woman's manicure. One day aviators will be in and the next day it's all about fluorescents.

What did I learn while living in Los Angeles?

-ALWAYS AVOID THE I-405

-Be Agressive otherwise you are never going to make the left turn

-Unless you are rich you barely make enough to pay your rent which is ridiculous. 

-You get a combination of people who "live to work" and "work to live" 

-I love that restaurants stay open passed 10PM. 

After 4 years in Los Angeles my adventures came to an end. My husband and I made an adult decision to move back to Fresno, California. 

Let's see where this adventure takes me....so far I have visited FASHION FAIR MALL which continues to be the same ( with the exception of Urban Outfitters, Metro Park, and Anthropology), Marshall's carries nothing but the hand me downs from Los Angeles and San Francisco but I still have faith that this city has something more to offer than raisins and heat.

Who says Fresno has no style?

         After recently moving back to Fresno after an 8 year hiatus I thought to myself-
  "Where will I shop for unique and fashionable clothing?"

No more Sepulveda Blvd, Melrose, San Pedro.......No more Buffalo Exchange or Fred Segal

 Let me rewind and explain. I love Fashion. I use to buy magazine only to cut out all the clothing that made me love FASHION even more. I can buy one dress and make it look like 10 or more outfits. A belt here, a jacket there. These days it's all about accessorizing and becoming a visionary. TRY IT.
Although I love FASHION unfortunately I do not see myself as a designer. These days you either need money to become a well known Fashion Designer or be extremely talented to the extent that it is almost art. I am neither but doesn't make me love FASHION less.

After leaving Fresno I felt I was fortunate to be out of a bubble and into the real world. In Santa Barbara I experience a laid back sense of style.
*T-shirts and ripped jeans
*Flip flops and oversized sweaters.
*HOODIES

How long did this last? hmmm 4 years and I LOVED IT.
Favorite Hoodie: Abercrombie & Fitch
Favorite T-shirts: anything pima cotton SOFT SOFT SOFT
Favorite Accessory: brown worn-out belt

While at UC Santa Barbara I decided to travel abroad and that is where I experienced FASHION at it's finest ITALY. Fashion FORWARD is all I have to say. What I saw in Italy 5 years ago is what I see in Forever 21 these days. Crazy as it sounds I never imaged an American wearing MC Hammer pants but there they are.

The next chapter in my life took me to LOS ANGELES.
to be continued.......