Dope Ambition

As a child, I was obsessively drawn to the book “Where The Wild Things Are,” now made into a major-budget motion picture directed by Spike Jonze. I cannot explain why the supposed-to-be creepy monsters didn’t creep me out. In fact, I was jealous of their existence in another dimension. I always wished to plunge into the pages, just as the protagonist of the children’s book does. 

Anyway, Opening Ceremony actually worked closely with Jonze to create these unique tribute pieces. “Reversible waistcoats, dresses, coats, jackets and even biker jackets all emulate the textures of the fantastic monsters from the film. The pieces are selling at between $200 and $800.” So let’s all take a piece of childhood and mix it with adult sophistication for a result that is truly magical.

images via viewonfashion

A great combination of flirty and classic.Why are Christian Louboutins so appealing to me? A lot of women prefer Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blaniks, the YSL Platform Pumps (which are amazing), but a classic Louboutin stiletto has them all beat.

images via highsnobette

“El Día de los Muertos” is a tradition that dates back hundreds of year to the Aztecs and indigenous people of what is now Mexico. When the Spanish conquistadors came to explore modern-day-Mexico, they saw this “creepy” tradition being practiced and tried to eradicate it. The skulls are used to symbolize death and rebirth, and many times, skulls are made from sugar with the name of the dead carved in the skull; family member then eats the sugar skull. The skulls are a sign of respect for the dead. Although Catholicism has changed the way this holiday is celebrated (the indigenous people moved this holiday to coincide with All Saints Day to please the Catholic Church), it has not changed the meaning. 

And so a dope sneaker comes out of a 3,000 year old tradition. I am giving you the history so you can have a knowledgeable answer when asked what your shoes mean.

Or you can just say they are for Halloween. Your choice.

images via highsnobiety

Dreamy pastels and contrasting geometrical cutouts make their way into Versace’s Spring 2010 collection, arguably many people’s favorite collection at Milan Fashion Week (the Twitter responses were off the charts). The collection’s playful undertones are balances by the unmistakably grownup cuts. Every model who walked down the runway was worth name-checking (Natasha Poly, Lily Donaldson, Chanel Iman), and I am only waiting for the pieces to sell out within minutes because of the cult-like celebrity following of everything and anything Versace. And with all the androgyny that has walked down the runway, this collection will draw sighs of relief for those who are truly “girly-girls.”

What do we think?

images via coutorture

…because art does not necessitate a paint brush or sketching. I played with legoes many a time in my childhood, but my towers were always a mish-mash of colors and shapes. I never sculpted something so lifelike or constructed anything with meaning. Bravo, you anonymous artist; bravo. 

image via tumblr

Nike continues to unleash the dopeness, a lot of which is being released during the holiday season. So, with all the dope sneaks being dropped, stuffing just one stocking will not suffice. The red pair has blue specks and mixes nubuck with nylon while a black pair is mostly smooth suede and adds a patent leather Swoosh along with electolime dotting. You can pre-order the black pair at Schuh You. So check it out and buy a speckled gift for a loved one.

These are like shoes with freckles, yo. 

images via sneakernews

Celebrities showed their love for Burberry in…well, Burberry, of course. And Hogwarts (aka Harry Potter) graduate Emma Watson, who is this year’s muse/model for Burberry campaigns. Who do we think donned Burberry the very bestest?

images via style.com

One of the most in-demand models of the moment, Lara Stone, plays dressup with her killer curves and an even more killer wardrobe. Shot by Stephen Klein, Miss Stone ages quite a bit in these photos, purposefully of course. Ironically, many of these “costumes” are actually spectacular ensembles that many would die/kill for. Which “costume” is your favorite?

Have I overdone the “die/killer” theme for October already? I get so ahead of myself sometimes…
 

images via c’estlavie

With falls cooler weather, play up color in the midst of all the beiges and browns. A statement necklace also, well…makes a statement. However, if you choose to wear a big necklace, refrain from “matchy” earrings and bracelets. And platform peep-toes, in any season, are a plus.

image via the sartorialist

The color white seems to be the recurring color scheme at fashion week, though Frida Giannini (of Gucci) opened with a bang and a sci-fi feel that separated her collection from the others. The usual glam-hippie look was noticeably absent (at the beginning of the show) and in its place was a cool, modernist look that we have not seen from Gucci in the past. However, as the pieces continued to come down the runway, the usual glamour and glitter side of Gucci emerged. 

Loving this collection. Here are my favorites. For the entire collection, click here. Also, which pieces are your faves?