Wrecked Stellar

Alexander Wang sweater, Zara coat, jeans, and boots, Vintage necklace via The Loved One

Black and blue,

blue and black,

black on black,

blue as

you.

Blue for you,

blue for us

that never was.

Admittedly, I shop a lot. I’m the one carrying a stack of boxes out of work, sometimes with someone by my side carrying the rest. I am a creature of habit. I wake up at 5am- not by any alarm, nor by any self-force. I just wake up and go online to the shops that update daily- who feed my habit. I am a creature of love. I love my clothes. I meticulously inspect each piece I buy and if one stitch is out of place, I send it back in exchange for the perfect one I will love. And when I’m not clicking and zooming and consuming, I’m the one asking the salesperson if he can bring out another pair of shoes because there’s an ever so slight scratch on the back. I want it to be perfect. So then he is the one who is carrying a stack of boxes. The one who is bringing me my love.

On Sunday, January 29th, join me and my fellow Two Point Oh! LA bloggers at our Space 15 Twenty Flea Market, where I’ll be selling my perfect loved ones. It’s not for lack of love, but rather, I’ve loved too much and my heart is full. All of my pieces will be priced to sell.

Tune in to see modeling industry veteran, Paul Fisher, transform the very world he has made more beautiful. He has been the man behind Naomi Campbell, Carol Alt, Janice Dickenson, Stephanie Seymour, and his latest beauty, The Network. This new venture is uniting hundreds of small agencies around the world to form The Network, a place I’ll be visiting every Tuesday night, thanks to The CW’s Remodeled.

[I may be impartial because I write for The Network Community, but it is because of my overwhelmingly positive, supportive experience with the team that I can't wait to see his team in action!]

Percentages are what Leonardo DiCaprio is to films. They matter. They resonate. They make you believe in the non-make believe. The realities of it all. They create a stand still. Just like a pair of shoes that warrant a good, long stare. And when carefully placed side by side, the percentages and shoes comprise a pair of one, called 80%20.

This calculation is driven by the notion that we wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time. Favoritism in one word. Or rather, acceptable favoritism in one instance.

The 80%20 Spring 2012 Collection. It’s favoritism realized.

Ce Ce Chin, the designer of 80%20.

With Jules of Sincerely Jules, my sister, Bec, of Style with Benefits, Neekoh of LiveLoveLA, and Ce Ce.

The Romney Family in 1982.

This weekend was consumed with this. No, not with 11 men, nor chess in New York City. There was, however, a lot of beard-scratching (if I had one) and head resting on a frustrated fist. My head was exhausted from trying to think of a few distinct words. The chosen few. They’re like your second name, your internet identity. Which is oddly more far-reaching than your born identity. I didn’t choose a new blog name this weekend like I had originally planned. I guess that means that this week, it’s still, well, my move.

[Photo taken in October 2011]

I had posted on the Wrecked Stellar Facebook page that the Pretty Little Liars’ winter premiere is tonight on ABC Family at 8/7c. My Baltimorean friend, Megan, commented, “Thanks for the reminder!”. From Baltimore to everywhere else, fans have been anxiously awaiting the hiatus’ end.

Aesthetically, there’s a lot to await. With four, well, pretty girls, there’s an assortment of looks to admire, replicate, and perhaps most importantly, respect.

The respect part comes in large part from appreciating the characters’ vastly different styles from our own. Each girl has a strong identity dressed in the perennial in-trend- the one that reinforces and enhances that identity.

Mandi Line, the Costume Designer, plays the lead in stabilizing the quality control. And she has a control that seems to come with ease- as well as in her engaging rapport. I experienced this during my visit to the Warner Bros. set, where Mandi shared her process in playing truth or dress-up with a few liars.

Mandi said, “I love hats, I love bags, I love crap. I always say more is more.” And the beauty is in the “more”. The clothing racks were jam packed with pieces I would wear and had points of inspiration to pull from and incorporate into my own style.

For example, I’m inspired by Spencer’s look to pair one of my turtlenecks- albeit a cropped one- under a blazer. The look is clean and classic and something I haven’t done yet.

Mandi said she wanted to step up Spencer’s preppiness. While Spencer’s parents always need to approve, Mandi ensures there’s a twist mixed into her look. Troian Bellisario (Spencer Hastings) is a minimalist hipster who doesn’t wear much jewelry off-set so Mandi adorns her in little pearls. Mandi said Troian can pull off anything, including big bell bottoms. She dresses her in prints and tries to put foods and animals on her- but only on one half of her body.

Along the whole of this half idea, when Mandi dresses Hanna in a “super-flowy” top, she keeps the “bottom half thin” because the silhouette and proportion are important. Ashley Benson (Hanna Marin) flows between super-feminine and edgy in Proenza Schouler shoes to “super-tranny” heels. She wears pinks and blues and also shows off the color blocking trend. While Hanna is a “big bag girl”, she doesn’t wear as many accessories as Aria. The designers she does wear include Karen Millen, Alice + Olivia, Foley + Corinna, H&M, Zara, BCBG, and Rachel Roy. Mandi added, “I love Betsey [Johnson] so much.”

She also stressed that “it’s easy to go to Neiman Marcus and Barney’s and grab”, but that it’s about the “cheap, cheap, expensive- that’s the balance.” Mandi said, “It’s about having that one expensive piece.”

While I was wearing my cheap (but much-loved) American Apparel baseball t-shirt, Mandi pointed to me and said that the “baseball tee is so Emily”. Mandi “keeps Shay Mitchell (Emily Fields) really real and comfortable.” She added, “she’s chill” and that “vests and boots are awesome” on Emily. And in contrast to Hanna, Emily does not appear in too many feminine colors. The labels she does appear in are All Saints, Splendid, Alternative Apparel, Sam Edelman, Vincent Caputo boots, and Guess (she said that “their plaid shirts are super-tailored and the jeans fit like a glove”). Mandi also said, “I love Marciano and Bebe”.

Generally, Mandi said she “tries not to use too much high-end so we can buy it”.

The notion of accessibility is unique and much-appreciated- just like the thought of original, vintage pieces. Mandi buys from local Los Angeles shops like Wasteland, Una Mae’s, Squaresville, and Confederacy. She said, “I like to put money back into my city” and works with a lot of independent designers.

Mandi shared, “A lot of Aria’s stuff is mine, but made down.” She said, “Lucy Hale (Aria Montgomery) lets me do whatever I want. She’s concerned about the fit.” Mandi added, “Aria wears whatever she feels like wearing when waking up.”

While on the classroom set, Ian Harding (Ezra Fitz) strolled in like the crush you want to stroll down the hall with hand-in-hand.

While my heart was still doing flip flops, I flipped over to the bedroom sets, led by Set Dresser, Aaron Robberson. As true as the wardrobes are to each character, so are their well-dressed bedrooms.

Spencer’s room is an over-achiever’s trophy case with every cranny in its nook.

Hanna’s bedroom is indicative of a trophy wife in the making- with a beautiful vanity table to keep up with pretty appearances.

As I exited down the hall, the activity signs took me back to my high school days- the ones that have me cringing at some of my fashion choices….

(If only I had Mandi looking out for me back then.)

In two days I’ll be headed down to my alma mater, the University of Maryland-College Park, to see a men’s basketball game and relive the memories of our NCAA Championship. By night’s fall, I’ll be in a leopard print cut-out dress, cutting the top off of 2012 in Georgetown, DC. In my second post for The Network Talent Community, I detail what’s key to opening the new year in feel-good, look-good style:

The Merry that Stopped the Round: New Year’s Eve Dresses

New Year’s Eve. It can be a state of discomfort- mostly in the form of a tight dress- but, also in the way of not knowing what’s behind Door #2. This door could be the gateway to your chance kiss at midnight, how you all are getting home, or in longer terms, what’s within your future? What does your second chance at change, behind the aptly numbered door, look like?

This eve sure gives you a long while to ask a long list of questions. With such unknowns, and ultimately much inward discomfort, you want to be as comfortable as possible. What you slip into has the ability to beckon comfort on to you and around you. And from there, midnight and thereafter, you’ll be so restless with confidence (and liquid courage) that you’ll be kicking down Door #2.

While comfort is turn key, so is a head-turner. Men do a double-take when they see an unexpected color. They cop a double-feel when they rub up against an unexpected texture. Simply put, men hop off the merry-go-round when they see something they don’t see much of.

So hop into one of the dresses below and call it a night.

Or rather, a happy eve.

1. camilla and marc Protean Dress

2. Kevork Ciledjian Cutout Leather Dress with Lace

3. Lover Serpent Lace Dress

4. ASOS One Shoulder Dress in Metallic Jacquard

5. Diane von Furstenberg Tadd Sequined Dress

6. Vince Leather Tank Dress

With Bec of Style with Benefits, Sydne of Think Thru Fashion, Kristen of Glitter N’ Glue, and Laurie of Laurie B. Style

Led by K-Turn (Kristen of Glitter ‘N Glue), we DIY’d festive peppermint candy necklaces at the BCBGeneration in Century City Plaza. While some needed more help than others (that would be me and the helpless beads I dropped all over the floor), we had a well-crafted time.

Since I had written about proper company holiday party attire in my post for The Network Community, I thought it was only proper to show you what I wore to my respective party. After learning that my sister, Bec of Style with Benefits, was going to be wearing her vintage red velvet dress to her company party, I immediately piggybacked on her idea and asked to borrow it. I also asked if I could buy it from her when I got home- to which she threw the idea away as fast as you throw a piggyback rider off your tired back.

And tired we were not. We sent the rear of 2011 on its merry way with a nudge and a wink. See you later, kid.