Vegan Style: Vaute Couture
I thought it might be a bit cruel for me to start talking about winter coats, but seeing that the weather here in Chicago is starting to cool down and Fall is knocking on the door, I don’t feel so bad. Plus, I start searching for my possible winter coats way in advance and before the snow starts to fall and the cold weather starts to settle in. Coats are one of my favorite items of clothing, so I never feel that you can have too many.
I was intrigued when I first heard of Vaute Couture, a line of fashionable vegan coats that provide weather protection, insulation and comfort The owner, Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, spent almost a year developing the line which is produced in Chicago, IL. The advanced fabric is super soft and works well with sensitive skin, so no itchy skin here. The three styles of the coats were inspired by artists who were narrowed down in an international search and once narrowed down, the 8,000 public votes chose a winner. For F/W 09, 25 of each color/style of coats will be produced, and each coat will come with a numbered and certified print of the coat’s illustration.
What I really like about Vaute Couture’s line is that you can buy your coats to order if you have specific sizing issues/specifications. For me, buying winter coats is a bit tricky since I have a larger bust, so I’m never quite proportionate for what my “correct size” should be. Plus, I like to get as much wear out of my winter clothing as possible since I’m wearing it so often, so having the option for a custom coat would be perfect. Here are the coats from the 2009 line:
Links A La Mode: Playing Dress Up
Playing Dress Up
Edited by Jordana
I’m in the process of moving to New York City, just in time for Fashion Week, which kicks off in two weeks. In browsing through all the link submissions this week, I couldn’t help but tie it all back to one very important question lingering on my mind – what the heck am I going to wear? This week’s round-up speaks to the art of â€getting dressed.†We have inspiration posts from Cake not Coke and Style on the Street, style how-to’s from Denim Debutante (she was also quoted in the WSJ this week, here!) and The Coveted, and a variety of interviews. One of my favorites was Prom Mafia’s DIY for converting your boyfriend’s tee into a tunic – love it!
For those plannig to attend fashion week, make sure you RSVP for the IFB Dress Up Soiree and panel discussion on evolving influence! Special thanks to Moxsie and Microsoft Windows phones for their support!
Links à la Mode : August 27th
- 39th and Broadway: Are You a Fashion Sellout?
- Brick My Lane: Interview with Fee Doran, aka Mrs Jones – the woman behind Oxfam DIY and that famous white catsuit.
- Cake not Coke: Vanity Fair Setpember ‘09 Toujours Couture – A Stitch in Time.
- Chicago Style: Interview with Monica Dimperio, of the Chicago street style blog The MidWasteland
- Clutch 22: Exclusive scoop on Seattle indie greentrepreneurs – Sara Seumae of SPUN Clothing collaborates with Tara Smith of Revival Ink (plus a contest)
- Denim Debutante: The reasons you should love Rich & Skinny denim, along with tips for the three best cuts and how to wear them
- Dramatis Personae: Unveiling the feminine fashion stylings of independent designer Claire la Faye…
- Dream Sequins: Shoptalk with Cherie of online vintage marketplace Shrimpton Couture, which collaborates with emerging designers
- Fashion Pulse: Check out the new trend in leggings, by way of geometric prints and loads of grey!
- Independent Fashion Bloggers : Dress UP for NYFW
- Prom Mafia: Raid your boyfriend’s closet: How to turn his t-shirts into cute girly tunics
- Retro Chick: What happens at a Burlesque Lesson?
- Saved for Best: Girls on Film – A celebration and run down of the best-dressed films
- Shop Fair: Top 5 obstacles fair trade and “green†fashion labels have to overcome to be more successful
- Style on the Street: Three photoshoots inspiring trends for the next season
- Style Symmetry: The Symmetry Seven with Rhiannon of Liebemarlene Vintage
- Sweet Fuzz: Rustic Elegance – independent fashion designer Dace’s beautiful Fall line
- The Coveted: Charlotte Russe Review – Mixing in Fast Fashion
- The Demoiselles: Shopping for your body type is hard enough without a recession; shopping on the cheap is even harder
Chicago Style: MidWasteland Interview
Although I will admit I’m a a bit biased as a native Chicagoan, I’d like to think that Chicago is a very stylish city. And while there is a street style blog in virtually every major metropolitan city in the world, the MidWasteland captures the best street style photos that display Chicago’s style. I was very happy when I got the chance to interview Monica Dimperio, the face behind MidWasteland, to discuss her take on Chicago street style, where she takes her photos, and her recommendations on some great Chicago shops.
Tell me a bit about your background.
My fashion background consists of a degree in Media Management from Columbia and several years in retail. I worked as a manager and merchandiser at stores including: Lacoste, Prada, and Adriano Goldschmied.
What inspired you to start The MidWasteland?
I got into fashion blogs in early 2007 before a big trip to Europe. Facehunter and Stil In Berlin are two that I really liked. When I was there I saw the most amazing style. When I came back I saw things differently so I picked up my camera and started capturing Chicago street style in July 2007.
Why did you name the blog The MidWasteland?
It’s been a while so I can’t remember the process but I know that I wanted a name that let people know that this wasn’t a blog you wanted to take seriously, like The Sartorialist, for example. I wanted to create a place for people, like me, that know firsthand that most Midwestern stereotypes ARE true. Though, on the same token, also know that style exists within our region, which is why I think The MidWasteland fits nicely. We’re all about having fun here.
Where in Chicago do you take most of your street style photos?
When I first started in 2007 I mostly shot in Wicker Park because that’s where I lived and it was always easy to spot a stylish person there. Now I take my camera everywhere I go. There are stylish people all over the city so I can’t say just one neighborhood.
What Chicago neighborhoods do you think have the most style?
I’ve lived here my entire life. I find beauty in every neighborhood in the city. From Hyde Park up to Andersonville and everything in between, I think each has their own individual style. Of course, not every neighborhood has the most mainstream or “style setting” aesthetic but I don’t think that matters. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 
What do you think sums up Chicago style at the moment? Any specific looks or trends?
To be frank, I think everyone has started to dress like a “hipster”. The indie aesthetic has hit the mainstream and now it’s the thing to do because it’s everywhere. Girls in every subculture are wearing skinny jeans, scarves, and fedoras. Boys in every subculture are wearing Chucks, nerd glasses, and vests.
When taking street style photos, what look inspires you to take a photo of them?
I love interesting details and people. I also veer towards great ensembles. It’s rare that you see someone in a “complete look” but when you do, you know it and it’s a wonderful thing.
What has been a favorite look of yours to photograph so far?
I’m not sure if you mean one person in particular or a specific style. In general, I am not biased. I love taking photos of both men and women in every walk of life as long as they are eye-catching.
How would you describe your own personal style?
My style is pretty eclectic, maybe a little eccentric. I’m not really afraid to wear things that make me stand out like sequins, vintage fur, and bright colors. Though, my daily uniform is generally a basic dress/romper or jeans and a tee paired with a combination of funky accessories. Scarves, necklaces, handbags, big rings, and tons of bracelets. I love it all!
What are your recommendations for some cool Chicago shops?
Some of my favorite shops include:
Eskell: Beautiful vintage-inspired clothing and amazing accessories run by two great gals.
Pivot: Pick up eco-friendly fashion which includes my very own vintage collection, Elegantly Wasted
Hejfina: Out of my price league but super modern and fashion forward clothing.
Penelope’s: Cute and colorful pieces for girls and guys.
Images Sources: The MidWasteland
Links A La Mode: Beauty, Style, & the Blogosphere
Beauty, Style, & the Blogosphere
Edited by Ashe Mischief
Beauty and Style come in many forms, and this weeks Links á la Mode choices showcase the many discussions entering the world of fashion blogging at the moment: excessive judgments, the value of personalities, and cultivating your inner beauty as well as your outer beauty. Bonne-Vie challenges the values of the show “More to Love†and Fivve Blog shares model sensation Lara Stone. Newcomer Jaka’s Tea Party calls to action with the Wholestyle Manifesto and Betsey J asks “Are we too judgmental as fashion bloggers?â€
Not to overshadow this weeks Links á la Mode with too heavy of discussions, we’ve also go a great roundup of make-up tutorials & inspiration, along with great DIY projects & giveaways in the forums!
Links à la Mode : August 20th
- Ask ThinkThru: – What Can You Wear From the Office To an Event?
- Betsey J: – Have we become too judgemental when it comes to fashion & style?
- Bonne Vie: – Fox is doin’ it wrong with new reality show “More to Loveâ€
- BRICK MY LANE: – 3-in-1 DIYs: Ripping, slashing andd patching everything, rock’n’roll style
- Broke & Beautiful – International Indie Designers can be found with Novica, plus an opportunity to REALLY make a difference by shopping.
- Confessions of a Fashion Editor – Fed up of emails from big fashion brands demanding interviews, I decided to speak to a young, bright and new designer instead.
- Denim Debutante: – How to Clean & Care for Your Premium Denim
- fivve blog: – If you have a fashion mag addiction, then you probably have seen who W Magazine is calling the “fashion it-girl†Lara Stone.
- Independent Fashion Bloggers: What’s so great about Gravatars?
- Jaka’s Tea Party – A mission statement for a new movement that believes style isn’t about the clothes you wear, it’s about being a whole person.
- Little Miss Makeup: – Pretty makeup is an evergreen fashion trend. Get the low-down on how to get the look!
- Meilily: – Highlights the debut collection of Project Runway phenom Christian Siriano for VS Makeup.
- pie wacket: – yesterday I worked with Kiehl’s to create a wonderful late summer giveaway and shot an original beauty story to demo the products.
- Rags to Reverie: – 2 days ago Space 15 Twenty’s Pangaea Pop-Up makes deka ray’s architectural jewelry available for the masses
- Retro Chick: – Why we buy – One woman’s journey in fashion and the decisions we make every day.
- sweet archivia: – Anthropologie’s Secret Code – In-House Brand Guide
- THE COVETED – The Coveted: Make that a double: Take Off Your Clothes Double T-Shirt Dress
- The Demoiselles – Jennifer Nicole uncovers the secrets behind the new PETA ad, which degrades women based on weight.
- The Fashion Planner: – The Fashion Planner’s Guide to Chicago offers great places to eat, shop, and more.
- The Midnight Feast: – Did I really just put on black lipstick? How to tackle this trend: a guide for those who would prefer to leave the gothic look in the 90s.
- Unfunded – Unfunded: White Rabbit Inspired Baubles
- Wit & Whimsy: – First Look: Michael Kors Goes Hollywood Glam with the launch of VeryHollywood.com
In Praise of Bobbi Brown
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that my intentions the way I wear my makeup has changed. When I was in high school, I was all about the glitter with Urban Decay and Hard Candy (R.I.P) eyeshadows, eyeliners and lipsticks. I would only wear concealer, powder, and foundation on special occasions. During my college years, I slowly introduced concealer, foundation and powders with MAC cosmetics, but the colors were never quite right, the makeup would appear to be caked on, so I never looked natural.
These days, I still wear bright eyeshadow and bright lipsticks, but in a more classic sense. I have, however, changed the way that I look at foundation,concealer and powder. For the longest time, I didn’t feel like I needed these items in order to complete my look. I still don’t feel it is something that I need, but I know that my dark circles can be hidden with concealer, foundation can even out my skin tone and powder can brighten my face..
So when a nice representative approached me at Nordstrom about trying Bobbi Brown makeup, I was pretty hesitant. As a former glitter-lover, the color pallette choices didn’t do much for me. And on an even more superficial note, the packaging never jumped out at me. Well, this lady was not about to take no for an answer and persuaded me to sit down and at least try the concealer.
She was right. The concealer blended right in with my skin tone and the dark circles were drastically diminished. Before I could stop myself, I yelped out, “I’ll take it.”
A few weeks later, I was looking for a new foundation and I immediately went back to Bobbi Brown’s counter. The representative suggested Bobbi Brown’s Moisture Rich Foundation and applied it to my face. The foundation felt weightless, went on smoothly and blended in for a very natural look.
Needless to say, I’m now a Bobbi Brown convert. All of these years, the line has been in existence and I’ve walked right past the counters. I didn’t give it a chance. Or maybe I just wasn’t ready.
Source: Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
Breathtaking: Alaïa F/W 09
I’m pretty much a self-admitted fangirl of Azzedine Alaïa and I’ll also admit that it’s hard for me to consider much of his work as less than perfect. I would love to have a full collection of his clothing one day, but for now, a collection of photographs will have to do. The F/W 09 collection was recently featured in Cover magazine’s August 09 issue and I’ll have to say that it’s nothing short of amazing. Here are some of my favorite shots:
And this is definitely my favorite with the belts:
Source: The Fashion Spot
Summer’s Wardrobe: 500 Days of Summer
I know I’m late for this one, but I recently met up for a fun evening out with a couple of friends and we decided to check out the movie 500 Days of Summer starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. Overall, I thought the movie was cute and a fun, romantic comedy to take your mind off things.
What really caught my eye was Summer’s (Zooey Deschanel) wardrobe. I loved the fact that her wardrobe looked very attainable and fitting for the character. Very carefree, yet still polished and put together with a vintage feel.
When looking for a store that would allow you to perfectly emulate Summer’s look in the movie (if you so choose), I immediately thought of ModCloth.com. For most of the movie, I kept wondering if some of her clothing was from ModCloth or at least I felt I could recreate some of the looks from there. Here a few pieces that inspired me from Summer’s wardrobe:
Source: TFS
Links A La Mode: A Stylish New World
A Stylish New World
Edited by Jennine
Here we go with this week’s round of stylish links. Editing this week was quite difficult as there were so many great links to choose from and everyone had some fantastic news on the fashion front. One of the great things about the internet is that we can all find out what the smaller labels are doing and thinking. This week we have great interviews from 39th and Broadway, Fabulous Finds Gal, Style Gourmand and A Typical Atypical. We also have a brilliant DIY project on what to do with your fabric scraps on Brick My Lane.
Links à la Mode : August 13th
- 39th and Broadway – Designer Interview; Delirius
- A Typical Atypical – The wonderful Every Little Counts! With 15% off for readers!
- Bobbins and Bombshells – Vintage Finds of the Week: Mad Men Secretary Accessories
- breathe design – Enter to win accessories from the eryn brinié Fall 2009 collection!
- BRICK MY LANE – DIY: putting scraps of fabric to good use by turning it into a ruffled neckpiece
- ClandestineChic – Interview: Patricia Valery of Evil Needles
- Denimaniac – Wood Wood’s S/S 2010 collection – a bit of street, a dash of fash and a whole lotta style!
- dramatis personae – Quality vs. Vegan/Environmentally Sustainable
- Fabulous Finds Gal – “Gardens in Grey†By Fashion Photographer Julia Pogodina And An Inspiring Interview
- Fashion Pulse Daily – What was Your Favorite Summer 2009 Trend?
- Fasshonaburu – A review on the now purchase-able Under.Ligne, the diffusion line by Doo.Ri.
- Fete a Fete – Dancing all night and your 5-inch stilettos killing you? Bring some Rollasole emergency ballet flats with you!
- Independent Fashion Bloggers – NYFW SS10 Schedule + tips on getting in
- Market Publique – Art Class: Vintage Abstract Prints
- midnight feast – The Jean Genie
- Retro Chick – Win – Reese Witherspoons first fragrance for Avon
- Sterling Style – New York’s Rachel Antonoff Holiday 2010 Collection
- Style Gourmand – Ag Kij of Net-a-Porter discusses Net-a-Porter’s new iPhone app and how technology and fashion co-mingle.
- Style Mom – STYLEMOM holds it down for fashion bloggers as one of the only IFB members at Blogher 2009 in Chicago
- Stylish Thought – Cats with Style: Boxing Kitten
- THE COVETED – Mummy Dearest: Iris Van Herpen taking inspiration from the macabre
- Unfunded – Vintage sequins, sparkles and sprinkles
Review: Thevi Cosmetics Mineral Pressed Powder
Finding the right makeup to match my skin tone has always been something of a challenge. Sure, there are plenty of lines out there, but it has always been something of a trial and error process to find which lines work best for me and my medium brown skin tone.
So whenever I hear about a makeup line that is geared specifically towards women of color, I’m immediately intrigued. This was definitely the case for Thevi Cosmetics, which was founded in 2008 by wife, mother and entrepreneur Thevaki Thambirajah. Here is a bit of info about their inspiration:
THEVI was created in 2008 to celebrate color influenced by our ethnic lifestyles and traditions. We embrace color in all aspects of our lives. Color is empowering and sensual.
Ethnic cultures of Asian, South Asian, Hispanic, African, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean influence the color palette of the THEVI collection. These cultures express color in all aspects of their lives – food, home, spirituality, fashion, and femininity.
Thevi Cosmetics is a simple vibrant everyday color collection for women to whom “Natural look is colorful.”
Thevi Cosmetics gave me the chance to review one of their products and try it out to see how it would work for me. I decided to try the Mineral Pressed Powder SPF 8 in Mocha since I still haven’t found a mineral powder that I’m completely in love with. I applied the powder over a bit of moisturizer and concealer before work and I wanted to see how it kept during the day. Here is my picture (note: please remember that I took this before work and I’m in no way a morning person and it’s a Wednesday morning! Plus, yes, my brows need to be touched up. Eep. ):
What I thought: Overall, this product works really well. I felt there was a lot of coverage, but it didn’t feel heavy at all. I felt the mocha worked just right for my skin tone and made my skin look more even.
Would I Buy It: Yes. For $20, and for the “just right” coverage, I think it’s a good buy, especially for the summer. The biggest sell for me is that it is Hypoallergenic, oil-free, talc-free and fragrance-free, so I don’t have to worry about how it will work with my sensitive skin.
Now, I’m anxious to delve even further into the line and try out more of their products.
Have you tried Thevi cosmetics?
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