The No-Diet Zone

For the curious, it may be pretty educational to visit a site that is the anti-thesis (in a good way) to the fashion blog: The Great American Apparel Diet.


The Great American Apparel Diet (or TGAAD) has nothing to do with foregoing food in order to fit into shiny, high-waist hot pants. It also has nothing to do with eschewing the American Apparel brand itself, though, I highly recommend doing so in favor of Alternative Apparel. I mean, you've been to the American Apparel site, right? Sometimes, I go on there and type in the search "What's the most ridiculous thing you got?" to which the search results answer, "Basically everything on this site is ridiculous."

Anyway, TGAAD website is pretty cool. These brave ladies are stopping their bad spending habits for one whole year in favor of buying NO CLOTHES AT ALL. Sound like cruel and unusual punishment? Well, it's self-inflicted.

The economic recession and environmental crisis have driven many people to reevaluate the way they live their lives. More and more people are putting the three R's into practice (reduce, reuse, recycle). More people are biking to work, buying hybrid cars, planting gardens, and using tote bags at the grocery store. It's a sweeping phenomenon. As awareness of the environment grows and the debt crisis continues to get out of control, people are turning to alternative solutions to a staid American existence. Nights spent cruising around in gas guzzling SUV's and throwing plastic down for every purchase between Taco Bell and the high-stakes tables at a casino are a thing of the past. Excess is SO 2009.

The women taking part in the Apparel Diet are challenging themselves for many reasons. Most of them want to save money, get out of debt, and wean themselves off of the co-dependent relationship they have with their local mall. These are noble pursuits. If it interests you, I urge you to join their cause. It started off in September with 30 women and has grown to 97 members in four months.


Here's why I won't be joining the Apparel Diet:

1) As a fashion journalist and blogger, it would be career suicide to cut myself off from spending cold turkey. Shocking revelation: I don't spend that much money on clothes to begin with. I am a frugal, uh, what's the word? Recessionista? Frugalista? Whatever...ista.

2) I don't believe in extremes, of any kind. I am not a Democrat or a Republican; a right-wing Christian or a Gaia-embracing pagan earth mother. Nothing is wrong with any of these labels, but I don't belong to any of them. I think extremism in any form is dangerous. Why? Because extremism places the wrong thing as the central focus. It provides band-aids for symptoms while never addressing the underlying cause. Extreme left-wing Democrats think that the earth will crack open and swallow them whole should Sarah Palin ever become President, so they hate Sarah Palin. However, this never gets to the root issue: why are some Americans starved for a political figure like Sarah Palin? What is about her that they find appealing and what is going on in their lives that they would feel like electing her would be a good choice for the future of our country? Find the answer to those questions, and you have your Sarah Palin problem fixed.

The same goes for extreme crash spending diets. Sure, they work, but they don't ever get to the root cause: why are you spending so much money on clothes you don't need or wear? If you can address those issues, and learn how to moderate your spending and how to wisely update your wardrobe with minimal mental fracture, then you can keep buying clothes.

3) Most women don't have complete wardrobes. By this, I mean that they don't have all of their prudent basics assembled, with nice trend pieces mixed with vintage pieces (i.e. Rachel Zoe's advice for a well-rounded closet). If you're like me, your closet is a mish-mash of insane outfits, practical outfits and random Death Cab for Cutie hoodies from 2001 (how'd THAT get in there?!). Sometimes, I really do need to buy something like a swimsuit or a nice cocktail dress. A self-imposed buy ban is just not practical for everyone.


Instead of taking the extreme way out, here are some alternatives:

1) Buy only secondhand clothes.
2) For every item you buy, donate an item of equal or greater value that you don't wear.
3) Give yourself a spending allowance and stick to it.
4) Have clothing swaps with your girlfriends.
5) For one year, MAKE all of your clothes. Woo. Now that's a challenge.


For women that do have a problem with spending too much on clothes, the Great American Apparel Diet may be a good first step toward helping them out of a tough situation, but I would say that it's not a panacea. If any of your join TGAAD, let me know! I am interested to see how it helps you.


Whatever your choice may be, I hope you get fulfillment out of your wardrobe. I hope you delight in stepping to your closet every day and making an adventure out of an outfit. Clothes are as much about whimsy, reinvention and experimentation as they are about practical mundane things like Cost, Fit, and Seasonal Appropriateness.

The Best OKC Shopping Guide OF ALL TIME!

[Gotta love the hyperbole. Really, though, you'd be hard-pressed to find another online shopping guide for OKC that's written by someone with as much knowledge and love of local shopping than me.]

This Christmas season, I encourage you to avoid the mall and big box retail stores and try shopping at locally owned boutiques. There is a treasure trove of awesome places to shop in the Oklahoma City metro area. I can't think of one single reason that you wouldn't be able to find stuff for everyone on your list at a local shop. Just in case you don't know where to start, I've painstakingly compiled this list for you.


Featured stores:

Blue 7
7518 North May Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73116-3247
(405) 604-5199
Open: Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm
http://www.myspace.com/okblueseven


I have more than a little soft spot for Blue 7 due to the fact that I was their first employee. A long time ago, before High Fashion Girl was born, a young Grace started university. She also started seeking a part-time job to generate income for her filthy shopping addiction. She was engaged in one of her favorite past-time (book shopping) at Aladdin's Books when she spied a small boutique nearby with some fantastic art in display in the windows. She went in and was instantly in awe of the amount of awesome that she saw all around her. There was handcrafted furniture and lamps, giant robot paintings by local artist Clint Stone, vintage clothes, jewelry, books...the list goes on. And, behind the counter, stood her old boss, Regan! Regan and Grace struck up a conversation and Regan offered Grace a job. The rest is history. Blue 7 not only helped solidify my love of fashion, DIY projects, and art, it also became the Grandaddy of hip local boutiques. Blue 7 was "in-the-know" before anyone else was. If you want to buy awesome clothes and jewelry, fabulous and affordable original art, handcrafted jewelry, and kitsch galore, then Blue 7 is the place for you. There is something for everyone here, and you'll be able to knock a lot of people off of your Christmas list with a visit to this store.

To get a feel for Blue 7, check out this awesome commercial (featuring my favorite local artist, Sheree Chamberlain.








DNA Galleries
1705 B NW 16th
OKC, OK 73106
(405) 371-2460
Open: Tues-Sat 12pm-7pm
http://dnagalleries.com
DNA Galleries Twitter

This fabulous gallery is a hidden treasure, nestled into a cozy corner of the Plaza District. It is owned by artists Dylan & Amanda Bradway. Not only are they stunning artists in their own rights, they have amazing taste and a sharp eye for all that is aesthetically pleasing and beautiful. I have fallen in love with their gallery and got a chance to spend a little time interviewing Amanda - who is a fabulous human being.

The gallery celebrated its one year anniversary in October. Amanda told me that they opened the very week that the stock market crashed, so, in a way, business has only ever improved for them. "Each month gets a little better, " she told me. They don't have a large advertising budget, and have found that free online social communities, like twitter, have been a major help in boosting consumer recognition.

For Christmas, Amanda highly recommends the Seen handmade doctor's bags, hoodies by Nora Ivy, and the handmade feather headbands and hairclips by Haute Mess. I also love the tiny black & white framed prints by Lindsay Harkness, as well as the art by Ruth Ann Borum. They also carry local t-shirt brands Tree & Leaf and Bombs Away.

DNA Galleries carries many designers on consignment, with a 70/30 split. They are always looking for new artists and designers to carry.



Owner and Artist Amanda Bradway holding the Seen Doctor's Bag


























Collected Thread
1905A NW 16th Street
OKC, OK 73106
(405) 557-1141
Open: Tues-Sat, 11am-7pm
http://www.collectedthread.com
Collected Thread Twitter


Next door to DNA Galleries is Collected Thread, owned by Lindsay Zodrow. Collected Thread has been open for a year and a half, and has been successful despite the economic recession. When I talked to Lindsay about recession hardships she's faced, she told me that owning a small business during this time has been a good challenge. She has learned a lot about running a business and how to cater to her customers needs in new and creative ways. Online advertising has really served her well for bringing in business.

Collected Thread is an utterly charming space. Exposed brick walls are juxtaposed with soft lighting, pastel decor, whimsical products and creative decorating touches like spools of thread attached to the wall in patterns. It's the kind of store in which you are instantly comfortable and at-home. Collected Thread sells handmade items from local designers and from DIY-ers all over the country (mostly sourced from Etsy!).

Recommended:
* Prints, cards and portraits from Amy Coldren (native to Edmond).
* Saipua Soap - handmade by a family in Brooklyn
* Felix & Jayne - headbands, purses, clips and wallets in beautiful colors and designs. According to Lindsay, when it comes to buying local, handmade products in Oklahoma, Felix & Jayne is "it!"
* Quid's line of quilted rings and ruffled collars
* Vintage-inspired handmade dresses by Fancy Clothing.
* Stitched books and darling knit scarves made by Lindsay herself
* Sydney Hale Soy Wax candles
* Robot pillows by local artist Sarah Cowen
* Katy Daisy prints

Like DNA Galleries, a lot of the designers are there on consignment. Collected Thread also has a 70/30 split with designers and they are always looking for new artists to carry.









Adorable baby shoes!





Felix & Jayne cuffs


Felix & Jayne Clutches and Wallets


Scarf by Lindsay Zodrow (Owner)






Mister Rabbit
2411 N. Gurnsey Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
(Behind Cuppies & Joes)
Open: Tues-Sat, 11am-7pm
http://www.misterrabbitland.com/
Mister Rabbit on Twitter

Mister Rabbit is a charming vintage shop located behind Cuppies and Joes. It is owned by Keri Marie Monier, who opened the shop only a few months ago. She waited until she had found the perfect location before she decided to open, and she really landed on a great space. It is small (800 square feet) and unpretentious, but cozy and charming at the same time. The space is very well-utilized. It is perfectly situated right behind OKC's most popular cupcake shop, which helps bring a lot of traffic to her store.

Keri Marie felt that people would appreciate a new vintage store with affordable prices since, in the last year, there has been a huge movement towards implementing the three big R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Mister Rabbit features one different local artist every month, which is a unique idea. All products are sourced locally at antique shops and estate sales. Keri Marie has a keen eye for vintage clothes, and the prices are refreshingly affordable.



Mister Rabbit's Featured Artist this month: Oh Snap!



Vintage coats and hats















My other favorite places to shop:



Dusky Jewel Vintage
http://www.etsy.com/shop/theduskyjewel
Avalon Building, Paseo District (across from Sauced)
Open: Wed-Sat, 1pm-7pm
My friend, Nicole Freeman, just opened this shop! Please stop by and support her. She has a lot of really beautiful items for sale.



Cloverleaf
Cloverleaf
2825 W Wilshire Blvd
Oklahoma City OK 73116
405-840-5556
This shop is so much fun! Great clothes, fabulous accessories, and unique home decor. I highly recommend the candles they have there ($4 apiece).




ShopGoodOKC
Located inside Convergence in the Plaza District
1755 NW 16th St
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
ShopGood
ShopGood Twitter
Open: Monday, 8:30pm-10:30pm; Tues-Sat, 1pm-6pm
They carry "socially-conscious, hand-printed, earth-friendly, wearable art."




French Cowgirl
4514 North Western Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73118-5244
405-604-4696
French Cowgirl
Cute clothes and accessories. Home accents are French Country meets Oklahoma Prairie, but there are quite a few awesome little finds here.



Marcy and Abbey's
1489 E 15th St # 180
Edmond, OK 73013-5055
405-216-9244
Marcy and Abbey's
Mid-higher end clothing with lines like Tibi, Trina Turk, Rock & Republic and Michael Stars.


Shoe Gypsy
6434 Avondale Drive
Nichols Hills, OK 73116-6404
405-608-0931
[They have several locations in OK]
Shoe Gypsy
For being a shoe store, they don't carry a whole lot of shoes. What they do carry is a finely honed collection from a few select brands. They have fabulous clothes (I'm currently wearing this awesome black and white striped cardigan that my BF got there for my birthday).

On A Whim
7118 North Western Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73116-7116
405-848-3488
On a Whim



Route 66
Located inside 50 Penn Place
1900 NW Expressway
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
This is one of the better gift shops in Oklahoma City and they have really fabulous clothes (for instance, this is the only local place I know of that carries Nanette Lepore), and their handmade soaps are always a big hit. Downside: frighteningly overwhelming sales girls. Bring a can of pepper spray if you want to shop in peace.


Balliet's
Located inside 50 Penn Place
1900 NW Expressway
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Balliet's
This high-end luxury boutique carries Miu Miu, Chanel, Prada, Burberry, Jimmy Choo, and more. I love their makeup counters! Sales people are actually pretty nice.



Gordon Stuart
Gordon Stuart
They carry Piazza Sempione, Oscar de la Renta, Christian Dior, Chanel and many other high-end designers. Sales people are ridiculously snobby, but the clothes are magical.
6500 North Western
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116
405-843-6500

Firefly
208 Johnny Bench Dr # A
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
405-231-2111
Firefly
More trendy, affordable clothing. I have never met a rude salesgirl at Firefly.



Retropolitan
1489 E 15th St # 148
Edmond, OK 73013
405-359-8808
A great vintage boutique in Edmond, but really overpriced. I have uncovered some amazing treasures there, though, so don't overlook this place!



Lucca
1901 NW Expressway
Oklahoma City, OK
405-879-9876
This is one of my favorite places to shop for clothes. They always carry really fashion forward stuff that is more affordable than places like Balliet's and Gordon Stuart. They also have several metro area locations (the Penn Square location is my favorite).




Panoply [aka "The Hippie Store"]
2412 North Shartel Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
405-601-0442
For the most part, this place is overwhelmingly stuffed to the brim. If you like to "dig" for vintage treasures, then definitely put this place on your list. Also, if you want to get your Tarot cards read, I hear this is the place to go.



Bohemian Spirit Vintage
2301 Northwest 12th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73107
405-885-5994
Bohemian Spirit
You will absolutely fall in love with all of the AMAZING vintage clothes here. You will not be in love with the prices. However, I will say that I have found some stuff there that I still wear and love to this day and I didn't pay more than $15 for these items. I am not trying to belie the greatness of this shop, but this isn't a place with a lot of "bargains."




I hope you will visit these amazing stores and STAY AWAY FROM THE MALL. Shop local! Support local artists and designers! And most importantly: have a fabulous freakin' Christmas.

HFG Christmas Giveaway Contest Winner Announced!

I read through all of the comments on my giveaway post and found the decision too agonizing to select. I am a big softie and I wanted to give this fabulous Olivia Harris bag to every commenter. In order to make things fair, I decided to randomize the contest. I literally put everyone's name in a hat (people who tweeted got an additional entry), said a prayer to Alexander McQueen, shook the hat and selected a winner.



The Hat of Fate


Your names in the hat (over 120 entries!)



And the winner is....Mikki (aka @solidfreshdope). I am delighted to say that fate has selected a very deserving person. From Mikki's comment, I found out that she is currently jobless and that she needed a really good Christmas present. It makes me so happy to be able to provide it. Mikki, I hope you will send me a picture of you and the bag that I can post on the blog.


To everyone else who entered, I want to thank you. I really wish I could do something for all of you, and I hope you continue to read this blog!

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Grace

Most amazing shoes ever

Shoes have never been more artistic, architectural, sculptured, ingenius or beautiful than they are right now.




From Toga






From Kerrie Luft






From Diego Dolcini





From Topshop





From Thakoon






(from Jak & Jil blog)




From Christian Louboutin





From Akira Onlina






from Nina & Lola




from Costume National





From Proenza Schouler




From Giuseppe Zanotti






From Alexander McQueen

Do you want the mustache on or off?

This mustache craze has hit epic proportions. I could walk down any street in my city and hit about 14 members of the Mustache Mafia with my purse.
There are some truly epic mustaches out there:










It seems to me that most mustaches exist only to make their owner look incredibly absurd. Sometimes, however, a mustache can be very sexy.

(Cary Grant)


Our generation seems to be obsessed with the 'stache - even if it makes the wearer look silly or undistinguished (god, I hope the neckbeard never makes it en vogue). Unfortunately, the females of our species are completely left out of this mega-worldwide-hirsute trend. Unless you've been injecting steroids lately, your body does not produce enough testosterone to grow a gleaming, hook-ended upper lip warmer. If you're dying to get into the mustache craze, I've got a few suggestions:



Mustache Mustachio Necklace





Mustache Cufflinks







Sisters Growing Mustaches








Mustache Ring






Mustache Cowl





Mirror Mustache

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Definitive Guide to Handlebar Mustaches (motorcycleinsurance.org)
• Fighting Cancer With ... Mustache! (neatorama.com)

You're the best around!

Nothing's gonna ever keep you down!

This tune started running through my head (and flash images of the Karate Kid did too) when I saw H&M Spring 2010 Lookbook. H&M is srsly the best around. They beat out all competition when it comes to fabulous, cutting-edge inexpensive clothes. They are totally channelling the best of Balmain and Balenciaga's spring collections. Amiright?

High Fashion Girl Christmas Giveaway!

It's Christmas time, and I've got a superb gift for one of my lucky readers. I am giving away a new Olivia Harris Turnlock Flap Hobo (retail value: $425). It's classic, goes with everything, and would make an awesome Christmas gift (for yourself or someone you love).

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me why you want this bag, and you have to tell at least one other person about this site. Winner will be chosen and notified on December 12th. Make sure to include your contact information (email will suffice) when you leave your comment so I can notify you if you win!


*You will win an additional entry to this contest (double your chances) if you tweet "I love http://www.highfashiongirl.com!" to @graceisfashion.







Good luck, everyone! I wish I could send each and every one of you this fabulous bag