You Should Be In Sweden

Ben Kweller @ Amoeba

2012-02-14T13:54:00.000-08:00

Oh man, I was beyond ecstatic to see Ben Kweller play a FREE show at Amoeba
in Hollywood. I've been a huge fan of Ben's for years, but never got the chance to see
him live until now. Ben played some old favorites like Sundress as well as new jams
from his brand new CD, Go Fly A Kite. You can download a free mp3 of the song
"Mean To Me" right now on Amoeba's site. Not only that, but if you missed this show
and live in LA, Ben will be back at the El Rey in April. Hope to see you all there.

Mama, Don't Take My Kodachrome Away

2012-02-05T11:02:00.000-08:00

Kodachrome - Paul Simon

I recently shot with the very talented Joshua from J&J Creative to get
these wonderful pinups. Here's just the first batch, there will be more coming soon!

A Night of Beauty

2012-02-03T19:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Klout, I got to go to A Night Of Beauty at the London Hotel in
West Hollywood. It was a girly event full of pampering and free swag.
Guests got their hair styled, their makeup done, their nails painted, and
their backs and hands massaged. Lucky guests also got free bikinis
from Nicolita Swimwear and shoes from Sole Society.

Jackie gets her hair done by Salon Sessions

Gena and Jackie pose by the DJ with their swag bag from After-School All-Stars.

Disneyland in January

2012-01-15T15:05:00.000-08:00

To start off a new year, I decided on a new hair color. This is just step one.
It should be changing more soon. And to celebrate nothing in particular,
Valerie and I took a day trip to Disneyland. It was so busy. We mostly
ran around on our own accord, and only went on one ride- Tower of Terror
in California Adventure. The great thing about living is Southern California
is that we have time to go again and again and go on more rides when it's less crowded.

David Lynch & JJAMZ

2012-01-04T23:40:00.000-08:00

*

I'm finally getting around to posting the pictures from last month's adventure of meeting
David Lynch at Amoeba, and then seeing JJAMZ at The Bootleg with Azia. We waited
in line for hours on a surprisingly chilly Hollywood day to meet one of our favorite
directors. Azia and I are huge Twin Peaks fans (she and her boyfriend were even
Audrey & Coop for Halloween), as well as Lynch's other works, of course. I only got to talk
to Lynch for about a minute before I was ushered along (and unfortunately, he did not ask
me to be in his next movie), but he was extremely kind and even personalized his signature
on my copy of Fire Walk With Me, even when they told him not too. I don't think he
actually knew what the hell I was talking about, but I asked him to write my favorite
Twin Peaks quote on the box, and he did! So in scribbled gold handwriting, it somehow says
"Today you remind me of a small, Mexican Chi-wow-wow."

Topshop coat, Comme ca Ism sweater, Elvis skirt made by me, Vintage shoes

After that, it was off to The Bootleg Theatre in Silverlake for the JJAMZ/ Postelles
show. It was a great show, of course, and Z Berg is definitely one of my style heroes.

*We weren't allowed to take photos at the meet&greet, so David Lynch photos are courtesy of Amoeba

New Years 2012

2012-01-02T16:00:00.000-08:00

tiara, flower crown, star cape, satan pins, new years tutu skirt, garters, platforms.
I love New Years Eve because there's some unwritten rule that everyone's
just expected to wear something more sparkly and shiny than usual. I decided
I didn't want to wear any of the sparkly stuff I already had, so I made the tutu
that day. I created an alter-ego for 2012: Lana del Florence del Cherokee.

I think Y2K hit 12 years late.
Acid tripping lights on the dance floor, broken iphones, and a fuzzy camera lens.

Then He Kissed Me

2011-12-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

Then He Kissed Me- The Crystals

Temptation Eyes

2011-12-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

Temptation Eyes- The Grass Roots

New York, Post 4

2011-12-22T12:49:00.000-08:00

On my very last night in New York, I hung out with two of my favorite
NY boys, Cole and Joe (and Joe's puppy), and then subway'ed to
Bowery Electric to see my friend Har Mar Superstar play with
Polica and Marijuana Deathsquads.

New York 2011, Part 3: Teen Vogue

2011-12-22T12:16:00.000-08:00

Man, have I got distracted from posting my New York pictures. Here's some
seminar pictures from my day at Teen Vogue Fashion University 2011.
Amy Astley welcomed the lucky few who were accepted this year, then
interviewed Michael Kors in the Hudson Theatre.

After Michael Kors, I saw Alexander Wang's seminar, then headed over to
Jessica Simpson's beautiful showroom. All the walls were covered with drool-worthy
shoes. I have to say it was hard not to stuff some in my bag to take with me.

After Jessica Simson, we rushed back over to the Condé Nast building
to see one of my favorite designers and people, Betsey Johnson. It was so
surreal seeing one of the people who made me want to go into fashion.
She's crazy and pretty much everything I want to be when I'm her age.

After BJ, Chris Benz stepped up with his bubble pink hair. Then back to the
Hudson Theatre for a panel discussion about the power of the internet...which
I think we all know about.

What Kind of Fool Am I?

2011-12-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

I got to do this really fun photoshoot with Ernest of Five15 photography, wearing one of my favorite dresses, and pretending I was an old fashion singer. For the shoot, I sang along in real life with one of my favorite crooning songs, What Kind of Fool Am I by Deer Tick, as well as a long playlist of Marilyn Monroe showtunes.

RAW Artist Awards

2011-12-12T19:25:00.000-08:00

This year, my friend Kota's accessory line Bubble Bands, made
it to the RAW Artists competition for 2011. There was a show at
Playhouse in Hollywood where I got to model for her line and bask
in the pink glittery girlishness of the night.

Getting our hair did.

makeup winner Sarahh Blank working on her model

Kota celebrating her win as Hollywood's accessory designer of the year!

Mixtape

2011-12-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

Every month I make a playlist for myself of songs I’m really into at the time. In honor
of the giving season, and because I want to share these bomb-ass songs with the world,
I have uploaded my playlist from the past month. I hope you enjoy these songs like I do.

Alone Again (Naturally) [Gilbert O’Sullivan Cover]- Har Mar Superstar
Twenty Miles- Deer Tick
Skin Is, My- Andrew Bird
Greatest Show On Earth (Live at SXSW)- The Felice Brothers
The Sweetest Thing- Camera Obscura
Painted Faces and Long Hair- The Orwells
I Have Forgiven Jesus (Live)- Morrissey
St. Francis- Delta Spirit
A Lover’s Concerto- The Supremes
Old Times- The Elected
This Charming Man- The Smiths
I Got It Bad (And That Aint Good)- Ella Fitzgerald

Click HERE to Download

Deer Tick @ The Echoplex

2011-11-26T20:31:00.000-08:00

Deer Tick with opening band Guards

Locketship Party

2011-11-26T19:46:00.000-08:00

Locketship threw a super cute, colorful, girly party for their 4 year anniversary at
Meltdown Comics in Hollywood. The party room was lined with booths to buy
items from Locketship, Chubby Bunny, Lime Crime, and Tokyolux. There
were free appletinis, manicures, glittery jewelery, and enough photo ops to last all night.

top row: Kota Wade and I, and Locketship creator Maria Ewing
bottom row: Me as Sailor Ukrainian Zenon Barbie and Kota as DJ Space Cadet Hit Girl

New York 2011, Part 2

2011-11-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

Later that night, Hugo brought me to Bedlam to
meet up with some of his friends and party hardest.

New York 2011, Part 1

2011-11-20T23:45:00.000-08:00

I recently took (another) trip to the great city of New York, and I already miss it. Of course,
LA is my home, but I love visiting the East Coast from time to time. I was fortunate enough
to attend Teen Vogue's Fashion University again, so on one of my first nights there, my friend Hugo and I hit up TV's H&M party.

From Midtown to the Lower East Side, and in my new H&M dress,
we made our way to Broome Street.

Something crazy was going on. We never did find out what it was.

Although it was hard to leave the signed picture of Betty White, we wandered across
the street to an opening going on at the Munch Gallery for RADICAL!'s
exhibit, "Upside Down Frowns" (and checked out some dirty Men's magazines)

Dia de los Muertos

2011-11-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

Some friends and I went to One Eyed Gypsy (formerly Bordello)
and then went to Morrissey karaoke night at East Side Luv,
where everyone was still in the Dia de los Muertos spirit.

Felice Bunny + The Brothers

2011-11-06T17:19:00.000-08:00

Halloween Part 3
The final Halloween post for 2011

So even if last Saturday's show wasn't technically a Halloween show, I couldn't
help dressing up. I tried to keep it simple; a basic old-school Playboy bunny
ensemble, with my Felice Brothers tank top. I always love seeing my friends
in the band, and the boys at the merch booth, who got into the holiday spirit.
Jesse was Fuck Swag and Brendan stole my bunny ears for a bit. The show was
incredible, as I would expect nothing less from the FBs. I'm really never as
happy as I am when I see them, so I hope they come back soon.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-04T16:26:00.001-07:00

On probably the worst night for me to lose the memory card to my camera,
I had to go cameraless on Halloween. So these few pictures of my friends
and I are courtesy of The Cobrasnake.

I was a Devil de la Burlesque, in a boustier and horns I rhinestoned myself, and
the beautiful Olivia was beheaded Marie Antoinette. It was our first time
spending Halloween in Hollywood, and it was a memorable one. The streets
were jam-packed with mermaids, black swans, Hunter S. Thompsons, and
felines. Halloween inspires so much creativity and all-around craziness, that
I wish it would last longer. Already awaiting next year...

The Felice Brothers @ The Satellite

2011-10-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

So my favorite brothers finally came back to LA this week and played at
The Satellite. If you have never seen The Felice Brothers live, I highly
suggest you check out their tour dates immediately, and see if they're
coming to a city near you. It's a show you don't want to miss!

Halloween, Part 1

2011-10-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! It's that time of year where you can be anything you
want to be; spooky or sassy, fantasy or real. Halloween lasts all week in LA, so
I spent night #1 at Hemingway's in Hollywood. Since it is a literary themed
bar, I decided to dress up as infamous nymphette Lolita (yes, yes, again).
My friend Olivia dressed up as our mutual favorite movie icon,
Penny Lane from Almost Famous.

There are some other great photographs from that night courtesy of Le Panda:

Zombie Nights in Hollyweird

2011-10-23T10:49:00.001-07:00

Even though I'm typing this from a bedroom in New York City,
I haven't forgotten about my home. Hollyweird is my favorite
day of the week because it's 24/7. I love my friends who never sleep,
and the crazy things we get ourselves into in that weird town.

And from youngandsleek.com:

JJAMZ @ Teddy's Fridays

2011-10-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

For the third in a neverending series of JJAMZ posts, I recently saw them at
Teddy's again. It was the last, dancey, Hollyweird hurrah for Fridays at Teddy's.

Painting The Roses Red

2011-10-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

I recently went over to my friend Madi's house for a Sunday afternoon game
of croquet. Everyone brought desserts and we had a little potluck of sweets
and tea. It was like being in a mini version of Alice in Wonderland!

Monday Nights

2011-10-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

Niki + Bryce

Olivia + Me

Tarfest 2011

2011-10-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Tarfest at the La Brea Tarpits. I got to see
some friends in Saint Motel, and even watch live art being made!

Saint Motel

JJAMZ @ 3 Clubs

2011-09-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

Elyse, Taryn, and I went to the JJAMZ show at 3 Clubs the
other night in LA. I think everyone got a little crazy.

Bright Eyes @ Hollywood Forever Cemetery

2011-09-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

Friday night was perfect. I got to see my favorite band, Bright Eyes play in the legendary Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Just steps away from the graves of Johnny Ramone, Rudolph Valentino, and Fay Wray, we danced, drank wine, and ate cupcakes to the sounds of new and old Bright Eyes favorites.

New Etsy Items

2011-09-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

Plenty of new items in my etsy shop! More coming soon!

SHOP NOW! SHOP NOW! SHOP NOW! SHOP NOW!

JJAMZ @ Teddy's

2011-09-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

Right in the heart of Hollyweird, we waited to see JJAMZ at Teddy's. JJAMZ is: James Valentine (Maroon 5), Jason Boesel (Rilo Kiley/Conor Oberst), Alex Greenwald (Phantom Planet), Michael Runion (solo), and Z Berg (The Like), and they're the supergroup you need to be dancing to! Their album isn't out yet, but I have to say I'm super obsessed with this track, Never Enough.

Beast Coast, Part IV: Newport Folk Fest, Day 1

2011-09-13T11:20:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I'm super late on posting about Newport Folk Fest, which was at the end of July in Newport, Rhode Island, but I've been busy! I hope my updated layout and colorful pictures make up for it.

I've been to more than a good handful of music festivals in my life, and I have to say that Newport Folk is hands down my favorite. It's a very chill atmosphere, with music fans of all ages, beautiful scenery, and the music, oh my. I'm truly a folk girl at heart.

The first band we got to see were my incredible older brothers, also known as
The Felice Brothers. It was the first time I got to see them since their
latest album came out, Celebration Florida.

After their set, one of my high-school-favorites, Gogol Bordello, played a
rambunctious semi-acoustic set, then we headed over to see the
forever-wonderful California boys, Delta Spirit.

I wore a gingham top and shorts set that I made myself, to keep cool in the east coast humidity.

For the last set of the day, we sat back and watched The Decemberists folk out. Everything was way too picture perfect, with the setting sun, ocean view, and fantastic music. It was another favorite summer moment, and something I hope to recreate every year.

Time Spent In Los Angeles

2011-09-08T10:22:00.000-07:00

If you don't know about LA-local indie heart-throbs Dawes, you're truly missing out. They are Malibu boys with a Laurel Canyon sound and one of the best bands around now. They recently shot a video for a song off their new album, Nothing Is Wrong, and I got to hang around for the video shoot. It was definitely one of my favorite days of the Summer because I got to lounge around in a pool and watch one of my favorite bands perform. So watch this beautifully-shot video from a band you NEED to know about!

Dawes - Time Spent in Los Angeles - Free Music Videos

Beast Coast, Part III: Goodbye New York, Hello Newport

2011-09-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

Our stay in NYC was far too short (though I'll be back soon!), but we had so much fun while we were there. One of my favorite parts about the city is how many good places there are to eat. So along with our general shenanigans, I'd like to share some food spots we fell in love with. First off is super-cool-indie-girl-hotspot BREAD, in NoLita. Amazing food, super-cool-indie atmosphere, and friendly service. I can't wait to go back. In the west village, I really loved Sweet Revenge, a bar/bakery, with rich, decadent cupcakes that you can also have a beer with. Amazing restaurants not pictured: Epistrophy Cafe and Teany. We hit Teany up (formerly owned by Moby, currently owned by Moby's ex gf) for breakfast before we headed up to Rhode Island for Newport Folk Fest, but before we left, we made sure to go around the corner to Bisous Ciao to pick up some macarons for the road. They're pricey (but as far as macarons go, Bisous Ciao is very fairly priced), but worth it, and the sweet treats lasted us the rest of the trip.

Beast Coast, Part II: Coney Island

2011-08-31T14:53:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to go to Coney Island. Okay, maybe I've only wanted to go since I saw Uptown Girls, and then especially after I found out they had a mermaid parade, but either way, I was shakin' in my platforms excited. We rode on the Wonder Wheel, got fries from Nathan's, and took photobooth pictures. It was humid, greasy, wonderful, and tacky.

Beast Coast, Part I: Manhattan + Brooklyn

2011-08-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

At the end of July, I took a trip over to the (B)east coast with Olivia Dean and Elyse Kern to have some fun in New York before heading up to Rhode Island for Newport Folk Festival (to be posted about later on). I already miss New York so much. I really wish I could visit once a month.

After a hard day of shopping in SoHo, we ate at one of our favorite Manhattan restaurants, Mudspot in the East Village (try their avocado sandwhich!) then hung out for a bit in Williamsburg in the evening.

Summertime

2011-08-03T08:44:00.001-07:00

35 mm exposures from the past month

Azia and Cherry: Pinups, Part II

2011-07-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

Best Coast @ The Getty + Silverlake House Parties

2011-07-10T17:59:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite spots in LA, The Getty Museum, hosted one of their Saturdays off the 405 concert series last night. The headliners were LA locals Best Coast, who showered the audience with their dancey, summery pop songs.

After that, I headed over to Silverlake to meet up with
my friend Amy and hit a couple of house parties.

Azia and Cherry: Pinups, Part I

2011-06-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

Fairies, Mice, and Cars: Part II

2011-06-19T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a little Part II of this post. My friend Kota took
some 35mm photos of our most recent trip to Disneyland
and just got them developed.

Parker Posey in Party Girl

2011-06-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

Parker Posey's character Mary in the 1995 film Party Girl is truly inspiring. She's a 23-year-old Manhattanite whose only real skill in life is throwing an awesome party. That is until she's forced to get a job at the library and becomes one kick-ass desk clerk. She does this all with a killer designer wardrobe (minus her grown-up, professional, librarian outfit at the end, but I'll let that one slide) and has got me wanting to try wild color combinations, crazy tights, and super sweet mini skirts.

Ebay has a ton of faux fur leopard coats for good prices. You can also find them in a lot of vintage and thrift stores.

Swingers, Santa Monica

2011-05-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

The weather is way too beautiful in LA right now. Every day is spent in Santa Monica, by the beach, pool, or shopping for new Summer clothes.

Fairies, Mice, and Cars

2011-04-30T06:18:00.000-07:00

I just bought my Disneyland pass, so expect lots of Disneyland posts in the future!
It's one of my favorite places on earth (and the happiest!). I'm in a vintage top and Princess Belle tutu from the Bippity Boppity Boutique.

Middle Brother

2011-04-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

I was channeling my hero Ann-Margret (who is celebrating her 70th birthday today!) when I went to go see one of my favorite bands, Middle Brother at the Echo in Echo Park, Los Angeles. They're a culmination of Delta Spirit, Dawes, Deer Tick, and they're amazing. The opening act was Jonny Corndawg, the best country artist of our era.

Massive Coachella Post

2011-04-21T14:14:00.000-07:00

While most people in Indio this past weekend might have been tripping to Arcade Fire or sweating to The Strokes at Coachella, I just went for the parties. Every year, about half of LA's 20-somethings can be found lounging by the pool or getting their picture taken at one of the Coachella parties going on in the area.

We may have gotten a bit lost on the way there (hence the sideshow of cows), and the regularly 2 and a half hour drive to Coachella took about three and a half.

Above:
my friend Valerie workin' the highway and the grocery store on our first day out

Below:
My Saturday outfit: An LBD I made for daytime, and a Topshop swimsuit.

Some stylish girls outside the Lacoste party:

The day was spent party-hopping all around Indio, Bermuda Dunes, and Palm Springs. Eventually at night, we ended up at the Ace Hotel and got crazy.

Day 2:

On Sunday, we hung out at the Belvedere Vodka party. My suit is half Victoria Secret/half Topshop, and Valerie's is Betsey Johnson.

The Sunday outfit, with and without shorts.

After Belvedere, we went back to the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs for some swimming. The hotel is right up against the mountains, and it's beautiful at dusk. It was a perfect ending to a wonderful weekend.

Etsy SALE

2011-04-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

I'm having a sale over at my Etsy store to make room for some new items coming soon.
Click on the picture for a link to the item!

Rodarte Sisters

2011-04-11T14:05:00.001-07:00

The ever-so-wonderful Cinefamily hosted a double-feature movie night presented by Laura and Kate Mulleavy, better known as the sisters behind Rodarte. Being a huge fan of kitschy, old movies, and Rodarte, I couldn't miss it. If you live in the LA area, you can also view some of Rodarte's costumes for Black Swan at the MoCA until June 5th, 2011 in the States of Matter exhibition.

The first movie was Krzystof Kieślowski's drama, The Double Life of Véronique, which tells the tale of two different girls living parallel lives with no knowledge of the other. The second movie was an American horror-comedy called Sisters, about separated Siamese twins. One sister is able to live a normal, happy life, while the other is a deranged psychopath. Definitely one of the oddest movies I've ever seen!

What Happened to My Sweet Girl?

2011-04-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

Last night I went for an updated, 1930's movie star look. Dark, mysterious makeup, sparkles, soft colors, and classic silhouettes. Azia was the black swan to my white in the cutest black satin mini dress. Tim was just Tim in a chambray button down and loafers. The three of us, along with other roommates and friends celebrated Azia's housewarming by dancing to Queen, playing with the neighborhood cats, and sipping fruity beverages.

Get What You Want

2011-03-31T18:01:00.000-07:00

My style inspiration for the night was Faye Dunaway
in Bonnie and Clyde.

Then I went to see a superband with a lot of soul by the name of JJAMZ. JJAMZ is made up of Jason Boesel of Rilo Kiley, James Valentine of Maroon 5, Alex Greenwald of Phantom Planet, Singer/songwriter Michael Runion, and lead singer Z Berg from The Like.

The opener was a talented folk singer by the name of Nik Freitas who you might have seen on tour with Conor Oberst, Azure Ray, Broken Bells, or Rilo Kiley.

Cherry Red

2011-03-24T23:29:00.000-07:00

A day out on Melrose in my fantastic new vintage, Chinese silk hot pants.
I love you all!
xo
Cherokee

New Old Pictures

2011-03-14T13:48:00.001-07:00

I've been waiting so long to post these pictures, and I finally get to, thanks to a corrected technical difficulty! Vintage dress and special appearance by my dog JoJo

Morrissey

2011-02-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

Super sorry about lack of updates, but I got a new computer and my camera software doesn't seem to work on this thing. So until then, I'll have to post guest photos. This round of pictures comes from d-m-a-x.com and are of Morrissey/Smiths night at The Echoplex in LA.

There was an acoustic set by the Sweet and Tender Hooligans, and the rest of the night was DJ sets of The Smiths and Morrissey songs.

Here are a couple of my favorite Morrissey pictures

New York, post 4: Leaving

2011-01-20T01:08:00.000-08:00

I got to visit my friend Hugo at the David LaChappelle offices, and flip through books of gorgeous, technicolor photography.

Hugo and I went on many adventures while I was there, including playing and dining in the East Village, and grabbing Magnolia Bakery cupcakes and eating them at Rockefeller Center.

There is no place in the world quite like New York, and I hope to visit again soon!

New York, Post 3: Teen Vogue Fashion U

2011-01-17T23:55:00.001-08:00

This post is way, way overdue, and I sincerely apologize, but I wanted to make sure to add the notes I took during the Teen Vogue seminars, and thanks to some tidying up, I just found my New York notebook.

Every year, Teen Vogue hosts a weekend for young people interested in working in the fashion industry. I am so priveleged to have attended the 2010 session because I learned so much, and I want to share with you some of the tips I aquired.

As any person with any interest in fashion would be, I was ecstatic to see Anna Wintour in the flesh. She told her incredible tale of how she went from a Magazine-King's daughter to arguably the most important person in the fashion world today. The most important suggestion I took from Anna's seminar was to always do your best. Without Anna's tedious attention to detail and competitive need to be the best, she wouldn't be where she is now.

I was the most excited to see one of my favorite designers, Erin Fetherston:

Me and Erin!

Erin Fetherston has been one of my top favorite designers for years, so when I heard she was speaking at this year's Fashion U, I signed up right away and sat front and center.

Erin lived in Paris 5 years after graduating college
She didn't have a plan about how to start a clothing line after school, but wanted to anyway.
She created a 10 piece collection
Got a sponsorship from a lace company
She created a whole collection made from silver lace that she manipulated
Decided to spend more time working on the collection so she could show it as a haute couture collection, with 33 pieces
As a more established designer she's able to work with people like Kirsten Dunst and Ellen von Unwerth
Erin's motto is Femininity + Fantasy + Individuality
No one has a specific path to being a designer
The more knowledge you have, the more it will benefit you in the future

Erin's advice to young people looking to work in the fashion industry:

Take your time to learn and go through school. Don't rush things.
Educate yourself about the fashion world
Make connections because the industry runs on references
Have a sense of fashion history

The next seminar I went to was a blogger's meeting. What a surprise that I was interested in this!
The panel included Jane Aldridge of Sea of Shoes, her mom, Judy from Atlantis Home, Phil Oh from Street Peeper, and Hanneli Mustaparta of Hanneli.

They all had great tips on creating your own content, writing, and photography.

The next seminar was presented by Mark makeup artists Mai and Nicole.

Here are some of their beauty essentials:

false lashes
blotting papers
eyelash curler
multitasking products
hand sanitizer
gel eyeliner
nude lipcolor
anti-acne gel
red lip color
SPF
eating healthy

Next up was the adorable and remarkable Zac Posen:

(They gave him a cake because it was his birthday the next day!)

Zac was chock-full of fantastic, real information for people (like myself) who are interested in becoming designers:

Use everything in your talent
A fashion illustration is 10 heads high
Be out and about, and always be in touch with culture
To be a real designer, you have to find your own formula
"Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor"
You have to ask and put yourself out there for things to happen
You need talent, drive, connections, and funding
Jump on trends that you know will be out there
Develop a strong personality
Find what you can say that hasn't already been said
Know the history of fashion
Do whatever it takes to get where you want

The keynote speaker of the day was the legendary Vera Wang:

Vera Wang has had an undeniably long and successful career. In her speech, she very humbly spoke about how she got to where she is. Vera worked in retail at Yves St Laurent, where she met the editor of Vogue, who got her a job working for the magazine. She spent 16 wonderful years as Vogue's fashion editor. Vera got married at age 40, the same time she decided to take the next step in the fashion world. Her father agreed to help her out in business, but only if it was for Bridal. Vera says her brand stands for passion, love of design, and respect for women.

And finally, what I wore that day:

A pink, vintage, tulle, bow hat, white sweater vest, "Cinderalla" scallop skirt made by me, red H&M tights, and vintage slingbacks.

X's and O's,
Cherokee

MOCA

2011-01-11T01:18:00.000-08:00

My friend Elyse (who co-posts to Sassy Creeps with me) took some great shots at the MOCA in LA that I would like to share

New York, Post 2: Museum Hopping

2010-12-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

I spent one of my free days in New York wandering aimlessly through The MoMA and The Met. I wore a vintage bow hat to pretend I was Blair Waldorf and sit on the steps of The Met, along with a peter-pan collar dress from Topshop and a Juicy Couture charm necklace.

The Museum of Modern Art:

(A beautiful, fairy tale-esque mural, reconstructed magazine ads of the '60s, a wall in the Mondrian room, a display in the American Kitchen exhibit, a thought-provoking statement, Picasso, magazine pop art, Monet, Frida Kahlo and me, and Vincent Van-Gogh's Starry Night)

Music Selections:
While I wandered through The MoMA, I was very inspired by listening to a playlist of Antonio Vivaldi and New Order.

While strolling through The Met, I found that a soundtrack of Coconut Records and Dawes was picture perfect.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art:

(There were many beautiful rooms at The Met full of majestic antique furniture that reminded me of the rooms at The Getty in LA. My absolute favorite exhibit at The Met was the medieval armor. It was so incredibly detailed and beautifully made. After a long day of walking, it was nice to sit in the sculpture garden and people watch.)

I was happily surprised to find a giant cupcake rolling around outside The Met, but a little disappointed that it wasn't edible. After my engaging day of beautiful art, I went to a little party at the Juicy Couture store on 5th Avenue, hosted by Teen Vogue for their Fashion U students (which is what my next post will be about, stay tuned!)

x
Cherokee

New York, Post 1: Joe Doe

2010-12-05T13:07:00.001-08:00

Thus begins another multiple-post series on a recent trip I took. I was lucky enough to go to New York City not too long ago, and on my second night there I met up with friend and fellow blogger Joe, from JoeDoe. He brought along a couple friends for a little Bloggers' Night Out, including out-of-this-world-girl Bacall from Defying Mainstream, and Micah of Infact on Tumblr. We had dinner on St. Mark's Place and by the end of the night we ended up at some club called Fat Cat, that we never actually went into.

My striped boatneck shirt is from H&M
and the Cinderella skirt I made myself
from a new collection I'm working on
and my greasy hair is thanks to all that New York walking!

Road Trip, Part IV: San Francisco (The Final Chapter)

2010-11-13T05:34:00.000-08:00

We had one final day in San Francisco, so we took the opportunity to be tourists. First, we went to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was cold and chilly, as San Francisco often is. Luckily, the sun was out, so it wasn't so bad.

Afterwards, we went to the Haight-Ashbury district, where we did some vintage shopping, ate lunch at a cafe and met up with our local SF friend Canada to visit Amoeba.

Sanrio and floral Doc Martens in a store window along Haight street

I'm a bit obsessed with Elvis, so needless to say, I fell in love with this display they had at Amoeba below. Canada was full rock n' roll in leopard print and black leather; such a contradiction to my aqua hippie slip-dress and pink hairbow.

Road Trip, Part III: Hardly Strictly

2010-11-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

Above are photos of some of the crowd, my friends on our walk to the next event, the sensational Felice Brothers, and a bus I wish I owned.

After barely a nap in Big Sur, we awoke early to the sound of Brigitte Bardot's Moi Je Joue as the alarm on Elyse's iPhone. We packed up the car, and headed to San Francisco to the annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Neither me, nor my three friends/travel companions had ever been to SF, let alone the yearly festival, so it was quite an experience.

The first act we wanted to catch was Conor Oberst, playing with The Felice Brothers as his backing band. We got to the festival just about when he was to go on, but it was so crowded there, we couldn't even find a parking spot! Well it took us about an hour to park, and by the time we got to the stage, he was already halfway through his last song, Poison Oak. Luckily we got to see him play the night before, so it wasn't a major loss, and we did get to stop by and visit the band after their set.

The next day, The Felice Brothers played bright and early on the Arrow Stage. If you like folk music, and don't listen to The Felice Brothers, check them out! Here they are at the festival, playing Saint Stephen's End.

Although it was a bit too foggy out, we did find a cool swamp nearby to rest after the festival. Below are my friends trying to keep warm in the chilly bay weather.

The sun came out at one point, just in time to watch Randy Newman (my generation might know him better as the guy who did the Toy Story theme song, You Got A Friend In Me). My beautiful, model-esque friends Canada and Elyse wait for him to begin his set in cool shades and vintage ensembles.

*I didn't record,nor do I own the videos, fyi!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween, everyone! (A few days late...)
I was Nabokov's Lolita, in a bandeau top, tap shorts, cardigan,
bobby socks, saddle shoes, and of course, red heart glasses.

What were you for Halloween? I want pictures!

Rocky Horror Picture Show @ The Wiltern

2010-10-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night, The Painted Turtle hosted a star-studded preformance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at The Wiltern. I took my mom for her birthday, and we had a blast. Among the celebrities that graced the stage were Glee's Lea Michele and Matthew Morrisson, Nicole Sherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, Jack Nicholson (an extra treat to me as a Lakers fan), Danny Devito, George Lopez, Julian McMahon of Nip/Tuck, and Evan Rachel Wood.

At first, I tried to dress like my favorite character, Columbia, but got too frustrated and tried to be Magenta instead. When I couldn't figure that out, I became some sort of tame Columbia-Magenta-party-goer hybrid.

I was a bit too far to take any decent photos, so these performance photos are courtesy of Zimbio, but man, what a show! I was most impressed by Nicole Sherzinger and Matthew Morrison. Clearly, they both can sing, but I had no idea just how well. Julian McMahon as Frank en Furter was just a riot, bumping and grinding in his garters and corset. Jack Nicholson and Danny Devito sharing the role of the narrator was such a delight. Jack is maniacally wonderful, and Danny was snapping pictures of everyone as if he were a member of the audience.

Road Trip, Part II: Big Sur

2010-10-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

After lunch at the Madonna, we continued up the coast to the Fernwood Resort in Big Sur, California. We settled into our tent cabin (where Elyse is smiling in our bunks), and then went down for some sound check by Jonathan Wilson with Dawes as his backing band. I was feeling a little bit country, a little bit girly in a ruffly gingham skirt and pink crushed velvet bow.

When the sun set, and the millions of stars appeared, the bands started to play. Jonathan Wilson, The Felice Brothers, and Conor Oberst set a perfect folksy soundtrack to the forest setting. After the show, we all hung around a bonfire with the members and friends of the bands until the wee hours of the morning.

Road Trip, Part I: The Madonna Inn

2010-10-28T16:01:00.001-07:00

Along my road trip up the California coast this month, my friends and I stopped at the legendary Madonna Inn for lunch and slices of pink cake in their cafe.

The Madonna is a pink, fairy tale, dream world. It looks as if Hansel and Gretel created it, if Hansel was a flamboyant interior decorator and Gretel was a pompous diva. When we got there, we walked up to the bakery display, where they had the most beautiful, Barbie-play-kitchen, looking cakes, especially the ones that were bright pink. After we were seated, we all girled out over the pink sugars, rock candy, and the decadent goblets they gave us for our waters. We took paper napkins and sugar packets, all personalized with the Madonna logo, as souvenirs.

Elyse and I both got slices of cake. She got german chocolate, and I got apple cinammon, which was the one with the pink icing.

Lick Me.

2010-10-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

I went to a little party for famed groupie/producer/rockstar/icon Cherry Vanilla to celebrate her birthday and the release of her new memoir, Lick Me. Cherry grew up in New York, acted in Andy Warhol's Pork, was a publicist for David Bowie, hung out at the Cobacabana, and even had her own band. The small backyard party in West Hollywood was filled with all of Cherry's friends who drank champagne and ate the most delicious red velvet cupcakes with cherry frosting.

Lick Me comes out November 1, 2010 and I'll tell you, it's a must read. I already have my copy and I can't put it down.

Two of the attendees were the famous groupie Pamela Des Barres,
and her GTO bandmate Miss Mercy

At last, Betsy and I with Miss Cherry Vanilla

Flower Mouse

2010-09-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

A Summer stay at the Standard Hotel in Hollywood, and a mini photoshoot in front of their Andy Warhol curtains.

Top- Lucy Love
Skirt- H&M
Mask and shoes are vintage

Edward Sharpe

2010-09-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

Every Summer, the neighborhood of Silverlake, Los Angeles holds a music festival by the name of Sunset Junction. It's full of greasy food, handmade jewelery, local bands, and big name headliners. This year I went specifically to see Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, dressed in a vintage one-piece bathing suit from American Vintage in Huntington Beach.

Never Underestimate A Sale!

2010-08-19T11:00:00.001-07:00

Urban Outfitters is having a great sale. Look at these clothes, I want them all. And they're cheap so get on it!!! (ps i'm always accepting presents)

And look at this tshirt...it's great

YOU SHOULD BE IN SWEDEN ETSY

2010-08-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

LOTS of new items in the Etsy shop!

Action/Reaction

2010-08-07T01:07:00.000-07:00

Cape made by me, Erin Fetherston dress, vintage heels I customized, and Chanel purse

With the very talented bag designer Raven, and my mentor, Miss Rose Apodaca. Rose curated this event going on through October 31 at the Pasadena Museum of California Art’s fourth California Design Biennial.

The main focus of the exhibition was on Michael Schmidt, who has created wearable masterpieces for people like Lady Gaga (her bubble dress for the cover of Rolling Stone), Madonna (and all her tour clothes), Cher, Dita Von Teese, and the list goes on.

The glittery boxing outfit on the left was made for Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour, and the ensemble on the right was made for Cher.

The above outfit was worn onstage by Fergie.

The man himself, Mr Schmidt laughing with some friends, and posing with me.

A couple of my favorite guests that evening were Audrey Kitching, and an insanely fiesty and fashioniable little girl named Paris, who even has her own blog here.

There was other amazing fashion art pieces in the show as well!

Release Me Release Show

2010-07-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

The Like's "Release Me" album release show at the Troubador. Black and white themed!

First I went to see The Growlers in Pasadena

adorable Miss Annie Monroe

I highly recommend The Like's new album. I have to say it's one of my favorites!

Shopping

2010-07-27T11:11:00.001-07:00

New successful purchases

All tights and clothes from H&M
Nail polish and perfume from Urban Outfitters
Une Femme est Une Femme DVD (Barnes and Noble)
Minnie ears and Enchanted DVD from the Disney store.
(I'm a Disney girl at heart)

I'm Having Fun Now

2010-07-18T00:53:00.000-07:00

Wonderful and crazy Venice Beach, California.

We fixed their sign!
We went to Mollusk Surf Shop in Venice specifically to pick up Jenny and Johnny (Lewis and Rice)'s cassette tape for their new song Big Wave off their upcoming album, I'm Having Fun Now. Big Wave is a spunky and perfect Summer song, which you can download here.

I even got to see their infamous blue car, talk to Morgan Nagler from the band Whispertown2000, and I bought a new camera bag at a vintage store down the street.

We walked along Venice beach for a little while. In all the time I've lived here, this was my first time!

Then off to one of my favorite places- The Getty Museum.

I wore an outfit I made myself,
an old hat,
nude fishnets,
and some Marc Fisher shoes.

It was smoggy and cloudy in LA that day, so we went inside to look at the paintings when it started to drizzle.

The weather cleared up, and the courtyard filled with life. People of all ages came out to dance and watch a live performance by Dawes.

Wylie Gelber from Dawes is a babe, am I right? And he's a good dresser!

Private Dancer

2010-06-21T16:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I was truly blown away by an editorial. That's why I was so thrilled to see this shoot in Vogue UK April 2010. I love everything about it, especially the styling.

Model: Guinevere van Seenus
Photographer: Javier Vallhonrat