Mod-Tastic Video (1968 Fashions!)

Beth Ditto Melts My Face Off With Awesome

I Want To:

Write like...


Anais Nin


Anais Nin





Look like...

Yves Saint Laurent's Fashion Muse Betty Catroux



Betty Catroux



Betty Catroux



Betty Catroux



Betty Catroux


Betty Catroux


Betty Catroux


Betty Catroux





Swap stories with...

Bianca Jagger


Bianca Jagger


Bianca Jagger


Bianca Jagger




Have the same father as....

Paloma Picasso


Paloma Picasso

You have to watch

Ziegfeld Girl (1941) and Ziegfeld Follies (1946). The costumes are astonishing. I am in love with the ziegfeld girl (esp. Lana Turner).

Bazaaro

I stay on the cutting edge of fashion as much as humanly possible. I read I-D, Hint, Dazed & Confused, Purple, Love and a ton of other avant-garde publications. I stay away from Vogue and Elle mostly because of something Vivienne Westwood once said that strikes me as incredibly true - something along the lines of, "I don't read Vogue or any magazine that talks to their readers like they're idiots." But, I really, and I mean really love Bazaar. It seems like an odd choice given the types of outer-limits fashion rags that I typically read, but Bazaar is my favorite. I can't explain why. I love their fashion spreads. I love how it's ALL FASHION and ONLY FASHION and anything that HAS TO DO WITH FASHION. I love how it's not remotely hipstery.

Par example, the Tim Burton spread in October's Bazaar is one of the most amazing fashion spreads ever ever ever. I took the magazine to a party and showed it to everyone who was curious. The dudes and the ladies alike were all, "Whoa. Seriously. Cool. Stuff." I couldn't agree more.

Check out this stunning photo spread.

Let's Hope My Writing Has Evolved

My google analytics told me some terrible news today. They said, "Grace, your average reader only spends less than 3 minutes on your blog." I was all, "Srsly? They must be super fast readers." :)

Like any writer and/or creative type, I have an ego. I think I am pretty great. So, Reader, I want you to stick around today and read some of my archives. I mean, I know our mutated ADD brains demand that we click through to reddit and twitter and metafilter and textsfromlastnight and jezebel, and reading archives is quite possibly impossible. And I know that after almost four years of High Fashion Girl and over 400 posts (though I'm nowhere near as prolific as some fashion bloggers), there's a lot to pick through, so I'm throwing some archived awesomez your way.


The Other September Issue
Penance for Paris
The Recessionista's Ultimate Guide to Finance
Recessionistas Unite!
Have Free GC, Will Shop
Burn After Reading
Dear Alexander McQueen
Use of Color
Hello Dolly
Hold Your Horses
In Celebration of Unique Ladies Everywhere
Judgin' Jezebel
Welcome to the Jungle
Steampunk Willy
Music + Fashion
Wardrobe Basics
Hope in a Jar
The Mind of a Genius
Fashion is Art
Conspiracy Theory
Paradigm Shift
Altruistic Fashion

FW Excitement

The Fashion Week buzz is all about:


Charlie le Mindu's crazy sculptured hair at London FW:








Jeremy Scott's bizarre Flinstone-inspired collection:





The precocious 13-year old fashion goddess, Tavi Gevinson:





The news about the staff person and the stylist that got fired at Mark Fast's runway show over Mark's inclusion of plus-size models in the show:





House of Holland's eye-popping neon collection:




And most importantly, the spring collection of SNUGGIES:

A perfect day off

Well, I have some big news but it's not officially official yet, so I'll contain myself for now (no, I am not pregnant). Suffice it to say, it's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, and it may be a pretty great thing for you too, in the near future.

I am taking a departure from blogging about fashion to bring you a different kind of blog post. I recently had a day off from work (a legit one, no calling in sick with a fake cough or anything) on Labor Day and I realized that I may have found the secret formula for enjoying a perfect day off.

1) Wake up no later than 2 hours after your normal wake up time. If you normally wake up at 8am, then set your alarm for 9:00. Believe me, the temptation to sleep in is as powerful as any opiate, but you'll be really happy you followed my advice on this one. Why? Because you still got an extra hour of sleep (yay!) but you also still have your entire day ahead of you (also, yay!).

2) Do something that you've realllllly needed to do. For example, if your car tags are expired, get them updated. Return your library books. Call your mom. File all of your fashion magazines in alphabetical order and chronological order (or don't, because if you're like me, this could take up several days off). Just do one really important thing, though and do it early. That way, you've accomplished something on your day off and you can spend the rest of your day having fun!

3) Treat yourself. After you have crossed that Really Important Item off of your To-Do list, you should treat yourself! Buy some new shoes, get a pedicure, spend a few delicious hours lost in a wonderful book. Whatever your preference, indulge yourself. Don't think about work or relationships or adult obligations. Just pamper yourself.

4) Plan your evening meal. Whether you recreate a gourmet meal that you heard about on Splendid Table or you go out to dinner at your favorite local bistro, enjoying dinner should be part of your day off. Take it slow. Eat a three course meal that takes 2.5 hours from start to finish. Enjoy your food. Savor it. Don't calorie count or worry about carbs. Reconnect with how good it feels to nourish your body in a stress-free environment.

5) Have some social fun. See your friends. A cold beer with a couple of good friends is a great way to spend a day off. You can catch up, go shopping or see a movie or hit up a local art gallery.


6) Do something special for someone you love. It can be a tiny little token of affection, like doing the dishes or watching him play video games and cheering him on. It's rewarding to do something for someone you love.

To recap: Wake up early, get something done, indulge yourself, enjoy a fine dining experience, see your friends, do something for someone else. Does all of this equal a perfect day (that ends with you falling peacefully asleep with a giant grin on your face)? It absolutely does.

A few helpful hints

I am in the middle of a closet purge. Actually, I am at my laptop taking a momentary break from a closet purge. I have been reading a book about the history of modern fashion designers and I found myself thinking about my wardrobe and realizing it needs a massive overhaul. I have been discarding things that I have clung to for years - things that have survived many previous closet purges - deeming them "hideous" (with a silent "h") as I'm sure Karl Lagerfeld would also do had he been standing by my side. So, fellow fashion lovers I am here to give you five pieces of advice:

1) Purge ruthlessly. I mean, ruthlessly. I always thought that I saw my wardrobe through the eagle of eyes of an experienced professional stylist, but my god, I have some atrocious items. Well, I should say, I had some atrocious items.

2) Get rid of multiple basics that you keep around because they're basic and keep the quality stuff. Par example, I tossed all my ratty old Target tanks and kept my nice Alternative Apparel tanks in the same colors.

3) Iron your clothes! I found six awesome tops that I haven't worn in ages because they were wrinkly and I am lazy. I am ironing them. Tonight.

4) Take stuff to the tailor! I have black trousers that I got at Ann Taylor. The hem fell out and I stopped wearing them even though I paid about $100 for them (this was pre-recession, natch). Those are going to the tailor along with an Armani jacket I got at the thrift store with sleeves that were too long.

5) Take stuff to the dry cleaner. Same basic story here. I typically don't purchase "dry clean only" clothes because they are a hassle to deal with. I have a nice little pile of jacket and pants that have been neglected for, oh, years, because I haven't taken them to the dry cleaner.

Holey swiss on rye! I've got a whole new pile of wearable clothes now. It's kind of amazing.

Also, my other tip to you is, plan outfits in advance. I never do it, and I pay the price in the morning when I am bleary-eyed and resentful of the evil capitalist system that demands that I work for a living (Quelle horreur!). I found that planning everything down to my underwear and accessories has shaved an easy 15 minutes off of my morning routine. Added bonus: planning outfits ahead of time means you won't make any irrational choices that one is apt to stumble into in the early am's.

I'm a list person, so I think everyone should be a list person because lists are so much fun. So, before I depart, I urge you to make a list as you conduct your ruthless closet purge. Keep track of the things you need. My list is going a little something like this right now: black leggings, fur vest, ankle boots, trim little black skirt, and new LBD(wore my favorite one to the point of utter destruction). During previous wardrobe organization whirlwinds, I failed to make a list and I went around and around in my head for weeks after trying to figure out what items I needed to buy that had seemed seemed so vital at the time. Really, nothing is so vital that I have to have it RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND (even though my fevered brain is telling me other wise), but my list basically consists right now of things I have to replace because I have worn holes into my other stuff. I kind of like clothes with holes naturally worn into them, but not when they are strategically positioned on my bum.

Happy cleaning!

Fall Fashion Faves

Alexander McQueen Knitted Houndstooth Leggings



Chinese Laundry Wiz boots



Anthropologie Seasonless Skirt



Tweed Leggings at Urban Outfitters





Silence and Noise Rollcuf Sleeve Jacket





Made Her Think Pendulum Ring



Leopard Print Opaque Tights




Mike & Chris Drake Pullover



O'Sullivan Blazer



Max Fringe Necklace




Manu by Laura Manoogian Hex Necklace




The Mara Headband





Urban Forest Rings





Digby and Iona Black Spot Pistol Ring





Delia's Saddle Shoes


Maximum Fringe Necklace




Fringe Earrings




Fringe Skirt




Elastic Harness



Love/Hate Spike Ring




Hayden Harnett Clara Flap Bag


Birds of North America Bushtit Skirt



Free People Spike Ankle Bracelet




Caroline Geys Organic Custom Tights


Free People Convertible Over the Knee Boots




BCBG Ruched Shiny Leggings





FCUK Jelma Heel




FCUK Vladimir Coat



Etsy Brown Victorian Leather Ankle Boots



Flipside Tights in Opposites



Digital Clutch



See Ya Later Boots



Rosegold Cutout Maryjane Heel


Deena & Ozzy Leather Stud Glove



Alexis Bittar Pyramid Clip Earrings



Forever 21 Short Sleeve Cardiganhttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=24226856



Forever 21 Heavenly Couture Skirt



Topshop Silk Dress by Unique



Topshop Jersey Scarf by Unique




Leather Panel Skirt by Unique



Stripe and Velvet Bandeau Dress



Kate Moss for Topshop Leather Dress



Topshop Chain Swing Tank



Military Style Cardigan



AESA Holy Sounds Necklace




Burberry Barbed Wire Ring



Burberry Barbed Wire Bracelet



Flutter by Jill Golden St Germain Earrings

The Other September Issue

I am aware that this topic has been beaten more times than Naomi Campbell's personal assistant, but that is not going to stop me from contributing to the dialogue. In Glamour's September 2009 issue, a small photograph appeared of model Lizzie Miller posing (nearly nude) and looking confident next to an article entitled What Everyone But You Sees About Your Body. I'm sure you know all of this already. If not, may I present to you Lizzie Miller - the overnight icon, the model, the legend.





Total. Hottie.



Why is this news? Why are hundreds of thouands of people writing in to Glamour about this subject just hours after the issue hit newsstands?

It's news because (for once) the people made it the news. Glamour didn't run this photo on their cover or in a full-page feature. It was a blip. A blip that became a worldwide sensation. The media didn't pick up on this picture first. WE did. That's a pretty refreshing change of pace, if you ask me. So now, because of popular demand, the media is covering this story. While it may seem innocuous that Lizzie Miller threw back her head and laughed in the face of beautiful belly rolls, it's not.

Commenters are lining up to say things like, "Finally, a model who looks like me!" Oddly enough, the fashion industry seems surprised at this reaction. Wait, you'd rather not be chastised for chasing that salad with an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie? You think Lizzie Miller is an more appealing role model than Kate Moss?! How dare you unwashed masses dictate your desires! Go back to JC Penney!

I suspect that people in the fashion industry really are aware of the detriment they do by touting an unrealizable ideal. It doesn't matter to them, though. Part of the mystery, the intrigue, and the prestige of owning designer clothes is being able to fit into them. I feel as if designers would rather their clothes never touch human flesh, as if their designs should be hung on hangers in museums for admiration by all (See: Fashion Babylon). It's a paradox wherein creators create clothing but do not want them to be worn - which is the function of clothing.

It's not only the fashion industry that has such disdain for the "overweight" set. In fact, according to Newsweek, Americans hate fat people. Fat people represent the last bastion of open bigotry in the country. We feel justified in our hatred of those who are overweight because we can unanimously decree them as lazy - a burden to the environment or to the economy (Except, "healthy" people cost the government more in healthcare. It's true. NPR said so!). What we fail to see, when we approach this (or any) subject narrowmindedly, are the extenuating circumstances. There are lots of diseases and medications that cause people to gain weight (Hey Polycystic Ovary Syndrome! Hello Hypothyroidism! Hiya Depo-Provera!). As with all stripes of bigotry, we have fallen into a pit of stereotypes that we cannot escape.

It's hard to reconcile these two ideas. People the world over want to see more Lizzie Miller, but we also despise fat people? Either someone needs their journalism badge revoked or we're not getting the full picture.

The other thing that bugs me is all of these stories touting the "REAL women's response" to Lizzie Miller. Yeah, okay, I understand that angle, but tell me, where are all of the fake women hiding? They're saying that fashion models do not look like or represent real women. Aren't fashion models, ahem, REAL women? The media and advertisers use the term "real women," but what they are trying to connote is "average women." Average women are size 14-16. Average women are 5'2-5'4. Averages are tricky, though. There are plenty of outliers in these studies, and plenty of 6'4 women that bring the 4'11 women measurement up, on average. I'm not an average woman. Lizzie Miller doesn't represent me. Neither does Lindsay Lohan, or Kate Moss, or Beth Ditto. I'm just Grace, and I'm happy with that.

While Lizzie Miller doesn't represent me, she is what I would like to see more of in the media. I don't want it labeled under self-congratulatory headlines like "Our Magazine Features REAL Women (for once)." Let's just let it start creeping in, without comment, and see where it all goes!

I would like to hear someone say is, "Let's abolish standards altogether and just leave people the hell alone." (but with more of a libertarian backbone than an anarchical one) It seems to me that some people have tried to do this by advocating for health. You know what, though? Who's to say who's healthy or who's not, except that person's doctor. Beth Ditto might be bigger than me, but she sure is a hell of a lot more active than I am (ever seen her live show)? She might even have a lower resting heart rate than I do because of all of her cardio-like stage antics. The skinniest girl you know may be the most unhealthy girl you know. Your extra-curvy cubicle mate might have a more healthy heart and body than you. This just goes to show: Thin does not equal Healthy.

We're being pulled in too many directions. Americans hate fat people, but we love fat people too, when it serves our interests. Or maybe we all just have a lot of different opinions on this subject that can't be summed up into two neat opposing views.

So, instead of swapping out diplomatic terms, like "health," why don't we just focus on being all right with how we look no matter how we look.


WE the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union with a cheese pizza, want to have media standards more along the lines of Lizzie, not Lindsay. Is that too much to ask?

Writing and Creativity

I have had a few recent successes - the AM New York column about me, the three-day WCBS radio interview, the Style Network's interest in me - and I can still barely process what has happened...or for that matter, why it's happened. I was so excited when it all began, and not a little proud of my accomplishments. However, I'm reeling in the aftershock of what was, in all respects, the tiniest media blip in history. I began to envision my name in print under a rave New York Times review. Now, I feel like this inner impetus to write the great American fashion novel that began to flicker inside of me has died with the huffing breath of anxiety.

I sat down to guest write a column for a very cool website, and wrote was, perhaps, my best work to date. Yet, I did not finish it. I have a literary agent interested in seeing the first five pages of a novel, and I haven't begun to write it. I have a blog that is getting more traffic than ever, and I'm not updating it. What is my problem???

It's not writer's block, really. I have ideas pouring out of me all of the time. I just have some enormous, monolithic object in my way that I couldn't begin to identify at this point. So, I've been lazy. Reprehensibly lazy.

That is, until I saw a TED lecture given by Elizabeth Gilbert. It turned out to be the most inspiring thing I've ever heard, and it was all about creativity. I want you to watch it, even though it's 18 minutes long (because what I am saying is going to make a lot more sense to you after you watch it, and because it's really, really awesome).






I have put my anxiety on hold, and I have decided to replace my delusions of grandeur with allusions of candor. For now, it's just me and my genius sitting in a room, waiting it out.

Oh god....

time to break all shopping bans and shell out $400...



Dries Van Noten Show Fabric Shoe

Where Form Meets Function

I almost can't think of anything more trendy right now than bicycles. With the likes of Mary Kate Olsen and Agnyess Deyn pedalling around on them, there's really no reason that we can't talk about fashion and bikes in the same breath.

I stumbled across these Bau Bikes the other day and I was completely at a loss for words. They are so visually stunning that they look more like works of art than practical pieces of transportation. I am smitten.

















This is from the "About" section on their site:

The BauBike is inspired by Bauhaus design.
It is constructed around the geometric shape of the square and the equilateral triangle. The design is stripped down to clean lines and raw material.

The open-end piece above the back wheel, offers the possibility to customize the function of the bike to whatever need you may have. The different accessories can be placed in the tube and can easily be changed if needed.

The design follows a set of formal rules, limiting the geometry to straight lines in a pattern of 60 and 90 degree angles in proportions following the principle of the golden section.

By limiting the form with a fixed set of design rules and stepping away from the traditional function-oriented approach to the design process, this project transcends the border between design and art, raising fundamental questions about the nature of the bike as design and as a lifestyle accessory and introducing a much needed playfulness on the bicycle scene.
The BauBike is a bike for the modern urban society where adaptability is a necessity.

Inspiring, non? I especially like that you can custom-build this bike to suit your needs. It's such a neat concept.

Coming to a television near you?

So, July 7th might prove to be one of those red-letter days that most of us are lucky to have in our lifetime. I will be doing a casting interview at the Style Network - on cable!

I guess it all really started here with this blog, and with you, dear reader. Then the AM New York column happened. Then the two WCBS-NYC radio interviews happened. Then I got an email from the Style Network. Newspaper. Radio. Television. In the span of a week!

Now, I don't know what's going to happen at this casting interview, but I do know that I am going to try to pitch a show to the network. This is very, very exciting.

Here's the best part: my wonderful network of loved ones have come together to make this possible for me. I got a plane ticket from my friend and mentor, R.L. I am receiving a very generous amount of money from my mother. Erin let me borrow her suitcases. Lexi is letting me borrow clothes and construct a completely fabulous outfit for the interview. Coel did my hair for free (and it looks hot. more to come on that front). Brandon and Erin donated money for my trip. Molly and her boyfriend Seth are letting me stay with them even though this was all very last minute. Everyone has been incredibly supportive, but none more supportive than my amazing boyfriend, Nick, without whom, none of this would be possible.

Thank you, friends. I depart for New York tomorrow morning with high hopes, excitement, and a dash of nerves, but more than anything I feel an overwhelming sense of love and appreciation.