Down the Rabbit Hole

My sister and I were talking today about Halloween costumes.  On her "maybe" list is Alice in Wonderland, which got me thinking about the legendary December 2003 Vogue shoot.  Fashion spreads can be a great source of inspiration not only for everyday styling, but they're also useful when it comes to the selection and styling of your Halloween costume.   After all, not everybody wants to be a slutty ________ (anything), and actually view Halloween as another opportunity to get creative. 

Featuring Natalia Vodianova with an array of designers, from Galliano and Theyskens to Versace, and shot by Annie Leibowitz.  And do I even need to say it?  Styled by the O.G. Cat Lady G.Cod. 

Jean Paul Gaultier as the Chesire Cat:

Tom Ford as the White Rabbit:

Helmut Lang, hidden in a tiny painting on the wall:

Viktor & Rolf as T.Dum and T.Dee:

Stephen Jones as the Mad Hatter and Christian Lacroix as the March Hare:

John Galliano as the Queen of Hearts:

Nicholas Ghesquiere as a shadow Through the Looking Glass:

This is probably one of my favorite Vogue shoots ever, because it is the perfect embodiment of a lot of amazing people, styles, and ideas coming together.  The adult take on a childrens tale manages to be both serious and lighthearted, without a confusing clash of the two realms.  To say nothing of the fact that some of the styles represented in this spread are only just catching on now in mainstream fashion.  Truly some of the best work Vogue has ever done.

Your Golden Girl,

Olive

All images courtesy of Style.com/Vogue

Downtown Los Angeles Artwalk

Streetstyle inspiration abounds at least every second Thursday of the month, during the Downtown Los Angeles Artwalk.  I often find myself wondering where all of the outwardly creative types in LA are hiding, and the artwalk brings them out.  If you squint your eyes and use your imagination, you can pretend you're in a Warhol film.

There are plenty of interesting works in the variety of galleries, and even if you don't see any art that strikes your fancy, the LA artwalk is still a unique night out.  The bars and restaurants are just as crowded as the streets, which are filled with performance art, jam bands, and indie artisians hawking their goods.  I love the matchbox car bracelet (yes, made from real matchbox cars!) by Timmery, for the 1981 Collection.

Since it was chilly, I decided it would be an excellent time to wear my new, sequined beret.  It was a smart move, as it also prevented my friends from losing track of me among the sea of hipster black.

We wandered around until the galleries started to close, then we wandered into Cole's, the place where (they claim) the French Dip was invented.  It was a pretty laid back bar, with an awesome playlist.  I highly recommend the spicy garlic french fries if you decide stop in yourself. 

Here are some pictures for inspiration:

Your Golden Girl,

Olive

All photos property of VisforOlive

Lanvin Love

I know these came out months ago, but I love them.  Okay, fine.  I'm obsessed with them.  The clothes are of course, gorgeous, but what I really love is the entire concept of the shoot.

Cat ladies getting acknowledged in mainstream media is always amazing.  Just look at Grey Gardens.  Or Grace Coddington.

Shot by Steve Meisel for Lanvin.

Your Golden Girl,

Olive

All images courtesy of lifestylesofthebrokefamous.blogspot,com

In da H-Wood 'Hood: Zara

Recently, Hollywood Boulevard received an addition to the row of stores that already included Forever 21, H&M, and American Apparel. 

Zara, the popular UK-based clothing brand has opened a location near the Hollywood and Highland intersection.  After clicking through their website and discovering that you're unable to buy online, I decided to head up the block to the new store and see for myself what all the fuss was about. 

Zara is similar to H&M in that they produce basic wardrobe essentials at a pretty decent price, and they receive two shipments of new products per week.  They're unique in that they stick to a primarily neutral color palette and seem to cater to the urban professional crowd.  Although their bedazzled t-shirts and knit turtlenecks with weird slogans "spray-painted" across the front confused me, I did love the endless selection of adorable tweed blazers, long bright cardigans, booties, and perfect fall jackets.  The jackets impressed me in particular, as they were quite current and well-designed, and covered a variety of styles from military to chic to hipster.

After digging through the racks for quite some time, I concluded that my research would not complete unless I sampled the merchandise.  So, I scooped up a couple basics: a long red cardigan, and a sheer, brown-and-orange flowered dress (possibly for the Woodland Wedding).  Also, since I just streamlined my clothing collection and made a nice donation to Out of the Closet, I decided to treat myself to an updated version of something I gave away, and settled on a silky black, Victorian blouse:

I tried on every version in the store, and this one was by far the most comfortable.  On the hanger, I wasn't so sure but once I tried it on, I fell in love!  I'm usually really terrible about it, but a very important lesson was learned today: TRY EVERYTHING ON!

I'm happy with all of my purchases.  Also, all of the staff was well informed and willing to help.  Unlike some competitors.  *Cough*Forever21andTopshop*Cough*.  Which made the shopping experience pleasant.  While I wouldn't buy any of their more experimental items, Zara makes great, affordable building blocks for the basics of your wardrobe.

Zara USA- Hollywood

6902 Hollywood Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90028

(323) 469-1002

As a random added bonus, today is just perfectly chilly enough for me to wear some fall layers that I've been impatiently waiting all summer to try out! 

Your Golden Girl,

Olive

All photos property of VisforOlive