Lately I’ve been spending a great deal of my time sitting in Brooklyn and trying to avoid the heat, so naturally I decided to watch the classic Spike Lee joint Do the Right Thing, which is a movie about sitting in Brooklyn and trying to avoid the heat. Although it was made in 1989, many parts of the film are comparable to the Brooklyn I know today (pizzerias, crappy air conditioning, Asian grocery stores), but the thing that stuck out to me the most was the crazy fashion. The styles are strikingly familiar to what I see today on the streets of Williamsburg, from bright spandex shorts to seersucker jackets.  Let’s take a look at some characters from the movie and where you can find their fabulous 80’s looks today.

Example #1: Knuckle rings.

Here’s a picture of Radio Raheem, the Public Enemy-loving giant that carries his boom box around like it’s his job. I love his bling! Check out some more updated and chic versions below.

Brass knuckles skeleton key ring, $12, available at Fred Flare; Alexander McQueen knuckle duster ring, $550, available at Saks Fifth Avenue

Example #2: Seersucker jackets and boat hats.

This is the neighborhood’s crazy drunk otherwise known as “Da Mayor.” Perhaps if he cleaned up a bit he could pull off the preppy hipster look. You can find these derby-worthy pieces at plenty of upscale men’s stores.

Michael Kors seersucker blazer, $443, available at Neiman Marcus; Straw dye trilby hat, Paul Smith, $95, available at Bloomingdale’s.

Example #3: Brightly colored 80’s shirts.

These neighborhood kids look like they are waiting in line for a MGMT concert. It’s obviously not hard to find their look at thrift stores and American Apparel.

Viscose sexuali-tank, $24, available at American Apparel; Striped jersey t-shirt, $28, available at American Apparel

Example #4: Linen shirts and loafers.

“Sweet Dick Willy” and his gang of old sweaty dudes might just be the most stylish folks on the block. Their linen shirts and loafers are classic summer staples.

Slim fit linen short-sleeve shirt, $39.99, available at Gap; Krahn loafers, $75, available at Aldo

Example #5: Colorful sundresses and floppy hats.

This one is my favorite. Behold the beautiful Jade, the real life/on-screen sister of director/actor Spike Lee. She looks like she could have popped right out of an Urban Outfitters summer catalog, don’t cha think?

Kimchi Blue watercolor dress, $29.99, available at Urban Outfitters; Merona floppy hat, $12.99, available at Target

Whether you dig these looks or not, I highly recommend that you watch Do the Right Thing, especially if you love Samuel L. Jackson, enjoy racially-charged dramas, or have any experience with the sweltering New York City summer heat.

Comments (0) Jul 29 2010

Do you like David Bowie? Do you like celebrity heads superimposed on other peoples’ bodies? Then you might enjoy my new Tumblr site Bowie’s In Space. It may not have as much fashion content as this site does, but it sure does have a hell of a lot of Bowie.

Comments (0) Jul 23 2010

It has suddenly occurred to me that Karl never made an appearance on the site for his two favorite summer holidays: July 4th and Bastille Day! Rest assured, dear readers; he was thoroughly enjoying himself in typical Karl fashion.

Speaking of Chanel (which is synonymous with Karl in my mind), check out this picture of young Coco sporting a swimsuit of her own design back in 1914:

This image was scanned from a book I own called Chanel and Her World by Edmonde Charles-Roux (a fascinating collection of stories and images that I highly recommend). The text reads:

In a characteristic move, Coco borrowed the material of Boy’s sweaters, a technique she would often repeat in subsequent years, searching through the wardrobes of her lovers for elements of masculine attire. Thus was born a very chaste suit.

Little did she know it would one day lead to this creation by the fashion house that she founded:

Zut. Ah. Lors.

Comments (0) Jul 22 2010

The fashion world was blown away last week by Givenchy’s Fall 2010 couture collection shown in Paris. Riccardo Tisci, the designer behind the extravagantly ornate collection, was inspired by the life of Frido Kahlo and her obsessions with “religion, sensuality, and… the human anatomy.” The eerily beautiful skeletal figure is manifested in lace, crystal, and pearl patterns, along with other exotic materials such as ostrich feathers and baboon fur (bleached white!). Needless to say, each piece is simply breathtaking, and the countless hours it took to make them are a true example of the art of couture.

When I first saw the collection I knew it reminded me of something, although I couldn’t quite place it. Then I remembered this drawing called “The Three Brides” by dutch art nouveau artist Jan Toorop:

Kind of similar to the colors and silhouettes of the Givenchy collection, non? I first saw the piece at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta a few years ago and was in awe; it’s quite impressive for just a pencil and crayon drawing that was made way back in 1893! I love the flowing, detailed lines and ghostly shading that was used (see a more detailed view here). If you’re an art nouveau nut like myself, check out a few more works by the artist below:

Comments (1) Jul 09 2010

I think my heart stopped when I first saw the new Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 advertising campaign. It was as if all my puffy dress, flawless ponytail, and expensive bag dreams came true in a series of perfect images. The campaign features supermodels Christy Turlington, Natalia Vodianova, and Karen Elson (my fave!) shot by fashion photography extraordinaire Steven Meisal. I don’t think there is really much more I can say about it… just feast your eyes on this!

Comments (1) Jul 01 2010