Pretty in Pink

Although the temperature is destined to drop in the next 48 hours, I can't help but get excited for spring with all the recent launches of this seasons make-up lines from the people who do it best.

It seems like there's one thing that we can all agree on. With the upcoming floral trends, the percent accent is PINK.

Bobbi Brown just released her new Pink Raspberry line last week. Check out the "Limited Edition Pink Raspberry Face Palette".

Bobbi Brown Spring 2008

The folks over at Lancome have embraced forals as well with their Garden Party make-up line. Winter's dark hues are being exchanged for all things delicate and feminine.
Lancome Spring 2008

Benefit, every NU girl's guilty pleasure, just released a Cupin-inspired line of products for Valentine's Day, a perfect way to ease your way into spring pinks while snow still coats the ground. Check out their new face powder, throbb.

Benefit Cosmetics Spring 2008


YUM!!!

xoxo,

Sara

so you wanna be Paris Hilton?

Anyone really dig the dress Paris was wearing in the last sacrificed post? Now you too can party like a wannabe rockstar, for a mere $34.80. Check out this look-alike dress from forever21.com:

Ooh la la. 

Girl Talk @ NU

Girl Talk is coming to the Louis Room this weekend and those of us lucky enough to have jumped the first hurdle (finding a ticket after Norris sold out in only 2 hours) now have to decide what to wear Friday night. In his own way, the self-proclaimed non-DJ is fashion forward. Glancing through the pictures on his myspace reveals that he prefers understated ensembles. In a basic tee and retro shades, Girl Talk (aka Gregg Gillis) looks rough and almost rugged. Ironic, given his flashy, over-the-top dance mixes that will draw hundreds of ecstatic fans to Norris in a few days.

So, will they be wearing glitzy metallics or go for more of a casual hipster sweater? After all, as amazing as this concert will be, we can't forget its a mere floor above Norbucks. Not exactly the Metro.



I'm thinking there's no telling what will be filtering into our student union come Friday.

Dolce & Gabana's metallic belted dress (Spring 2008)

Lux's floral tank (Urban Outfitters)

Dsquared2's halter mini (Spring 2008)

L.A.M.B.'s hipster skinny jeans paired with blazer and white shades

Lux's knit cut-out sweater (Urban Outfitters)

Let's not forget that it's Chicago so maybe with a forecast of 20 degrees, kids will be pulling on some warming gear.

Burberry's metallic trench (Neiman Marcus)

Neutral flared jacket (Forever 21)

French Connection's herringbone button-up (Bloomingdale's)

EYE OUT: Watch for posts from the concert!!! Hope to see readers there

xoxo,

Sara

the new black is dead.

let's talk about black, baby, let's talk about you and me.

there are many, many ways to wear black. for instance, black is often a popular choice when doing drugs with the eighties hair metal crowd:

black is also a great pick for a fun night out with the girls...

...or while relaxing in the desert with your incredibly hot significant other. 

yeah, we get it. black rocks. so what's with the constant reminders from the fashion industry about the *new* black? what's with the never-ending insistence that this year's black is not, in fact, black, but - say - pink? pink is NOT the new black, and never will be. try wearing a pink to a funeral and see how the mourners react. [while you're at it, make sure you show enough thigh. why do anything halfway?]

let black be black, i beg of you! black has been self-sufficient for centuries, and it's glamorous and smooth enough to last until the apocalypse. tell the mortals of the fashion industry to stop trying to spice up black. black is suave. black is complete. there is no new black. the new black is dead. 

[emilio pucci would agree.]

 

love,

*tori

ps: for a handy list of colors that are NOT the 'new black,' visit

this link.

// sacrificed II

/ sacrifice = pay-off... err, sometimes...

Okay, Paris Hilton sucks. But, she took a risk at
a recent Sundance party and the result was surprisingly
great.

She scores [reluctant] points with me here:

Nice dress.

Great boots.

Asymmetrical bob.

Less skin.

Great job, Paris. Although, complete redemption is not in order.

So much for washed up chic.

/ leather vs. leather

I think Rachel Taylor's implementation of leather into her outfit here works.

Maria Bello's use of leather doesn't work so much. Her entire outfit is neutral overkill. :(

/ in conclusion

Paris looked nice for once. Ricky Martin is living la vida has-been. And, if you're going to wear leather, be like Rachel Taylor.

these are a few of my favorite things.

I'm a pretty busy woman. In fact, I get the lucky job of being Miss In-Over-Her-Head for a fellow STITCH staffer's pageant project. Keeping a pretty strict schedule helps me get through the day without a minor nervous breakdown. More important to keeping me sane are the things I carry with me. Less like little lucky charms and more like the practical keys to my sanity, these are the things that I can't leave home without:

1. My Longchamp bag. It's big enough to carry all my favorite things, plus the zip closure keeps everything dry. I used to just go with the oversized tote, but it didn't suffice. I ended up getting my bag at the Nordstrom in Charlotte for a very reduced rate. Sales always make a much-needed purchase more enjoyable.
2. My iPhone. Yes, I'm that girl. And yes, it's every bit as fabulous as everyone says. I keep a pink incase on mine - so I can see it in the depths of my bag.
3. My Filofax. I got introduced to this wonderful thing by my roommate. It helps me keep track of my many meetings, to-do list, finances...basically, everything. Plus it looks fairly adult and classy, and the sunshine-y yellow color makes me happy when I have a twenty-pager due in twenty-fours with word count ZERO.
4. Lip balm - these days C O Bigelow or Rosebud. I got hooked on Rosebud when I was like five, and the COB I picked up when I was Christmas shopping for my mother. I've found they're both great for layering under or over lipstick. The COB is a little waxy, but does a good job moisturizing. The Rosebud is fabulous and can work by itself as a lip color. You can find Rosebud at Urban.
5. My Hobo wallet. It carries everything BUT my checkbook. I can fit my cards, business cards, change - even a few lucky charms manage to make it in, like a bejeweled four-leaf clover my friend got me in high school and a silver dollar from my late grandfather. The two dozen receipts that constantly make the rounds also fit in with a few bills and some ticket stubs.
6. Various things to keep me warm - pashmina scarves, J. Crew glittens, and thick socks. A Southern girl can hardly stand these Midwestern winters...

Peace,
Justice

Fashion Shoots - Cows & Otherwise

So, the magazine world is having a big party for cow-and-dairy trade magazine Dairy Today and their amazing new redesign. The firm that did the redesign, Pentagram, posted this video from their cover shoot, and it's pretty much exactly how STITCH shoots go:





Just kidding, folks. How could I be so rude? Our models are much, much, much better than cows. Although sometimes I have to admit I feel like the dude with the bucket. Only sometimes.

Speaking of video, you can look forward to behind the scenes video actually from STITCH shoots (no cows, yet) uploaded to our site in the coming weeks & months. Hooray!

- C

What's Up With Elle?

So I am sort of religious when it comes to my fashion mags. Elle, Vogue, Nylon...I look forward to that day every month when something other than credit card offers floats into my mailbox. So when I saw my copy of Elle a couple nights ago, I was, to say the least, disappointed. With such a romantic season approaching this spring I expected bountiful florals and vaca-wear, something to distract me from the fact that I will be spending my spring break this year at home in my exciting hometown of Wheaton, Illinois (where fashion means flares and a university hoodie. no joke).

But then I realized that Elle didn't drop the ball. There is clearly a normal, eye-catching cover featuring Jessica Alba that hit the shelves. But it definitely didn't make its way to Willard. So I'm just putting this out there to those of the fashion literate ...what's up with my cover of Elle?

xoxo,

Sara

VOLUME

I've always been a huge proponent of volume. Huge. But, the fashion world only seemed to agree with me when it came to the females. So be it, I thought, that golden era of enormous man-wear will have to wait.

Ladies, and Gentlemen, wait no longer:

These images from Alexander McQueen, and really the whole slew of men's a/w 08 so far, prove that designers have finally caught up with me. I have to admit, however, this incarnation is kind of trapped in a morally questionable Cossack furs, North American Spanish cowboy, recycled sari kind of aesthetic that I find only mildly appealing, but whatever.

TO VOLUME!

-C

// sacrificed

/ what is sacrificed?
“Be daring, be different, be impractical” were the words of Cecil Beaton, an English photographer and fashion designer. I’ve designed my blog, Sacrificed, to deliver that same message.

Fashion is not unlike an amazing and noteworthy career; it is not unlike a committed relationship, an excellent grade or evaluation, or getting the most out of life. They all require some element of compromise, risk, sacrifice. You have to be willing to do your homework, push yourself to your limits, see things a new way, and step outside of your residual comfort zone.

We all make sacrifices whether we realize it or not. We sacrifice our sleep to be with friends or study. We make compromises to ease certain situations. We risk our money in hopes that our purchases will fulfill us more than those bills did.

Sacrifice is natural. Fashion is sacrifice.

My idea for Sacrificed is to show how fun, funny, and rewarding (or disastrous) fashion can be when we take those risks that we ponder about beforehand. Whether I post a picture of Icelandic singer Björk in the infamous swan dress…

… Or talk about how I pissed my mom off by swiping my card a little too much last month… I want to look at everything in a positive way. A great outfit deserves compliments. A not-so-great outfit deserves recommendations. Everyone deserves the chance for improvement, room for mistakes, and opportunity to take more risks.

/ who is sacrificed?
My name is Thomas Johnson. T.J. is the most popular of my nicknames. I’m a Medill student with a passion for fashion and an eye for style. I use clichés, too! :D

I would best describe my style as classic look with new material. I’m a big fan sweaters, the sweater-and-button-front-shirt combo, unique graphic Ts, [slim] jeans, and sneakers. Plaid and argyle are awesome. And I think lumber (pictured below, traditionally seen in black-and-red or blue-and-black) is a pattern that is in right now and should be utilized a lot more.

My newest obsession is wearing graphic Ts with a button vest, nice jeans, and eye-catching sneakers. My most recent sacrifice started while ordering a pair of sneakers from an online shop made by an amazing California sneaker company named Creative Recreation. I discovered that I only could find the shoes a size-and-a-half too small, but I still bought them. Yeah, they’re a bit snug, but I love them. Colored oil brown, khaki and tiffany green, I have gotten several compliments on them. Plus, I don’t wear them daily; so, all is well.

/ how to be sacrificed?
I thoroughly encourage you to email me at Sacrificed@redmoonmidnight.com with:

-Your stories of sacrifice, risk, and/or compromise for fashion. Pictures would add to the awesomeness.
-Pictures in general that you think are worthy of a Sacrificed stamp because of the risk and payoff or even, risk and failure.
-Topics, in general, that you would like to see addressed here.
-Kind words just because you’re a nice person. :)
-Whatever.

Thanks for reading. And remember, as Yves Saint Laurent said, dressing is a way of life.

Bienvenue!

Hey STITCH readers! Another blogger here. Just a little bit about me...

-I'm a sophomore in Medill
-Daisy by Marc Jacobs is the best purchase I've made in a long time
-Florence is one of my favorite cities
-I'm a natural blonde but brunette by choice
-I hope to one day own a Oscar de la Renta dress
-I am a slave to Urban Outfitters
-I refuse to believe I'm any taller than 6'0"

As cliche as it sounds, I really do believe that fashion is wearable art. This basically allowed me to justify spending hours watching clips from Fashion Week 08 over winter break. With this unseasonal warm weather for a Chicago January, I think everyone is thinking spring...and I can definitely say that with the broad pallet from bolds to florals to neutrals, fashion is getting diverse this season. Here's to forgetting about a winter wonderland and moving on to what's hot.

Check out the link below for a quick overview of the trends that'll be hitting stores as the weather warms.




XOXO,

Sara

fashion roadkill.

Frankly, I'm still not entirely sure how this "fashion" thing works. My tastes and style are still developing. I imagine that when I enter the real world, my closet will fall victim to an even more discriminating, obsessive-compulsive eye. Until then, I can get away with several of my love/hate favorites. Let's face it: sometimes it's good to let go and move on. The tantrum-throwing significant other? The electric blue eyeshadow? The course packet from your miserable Calc class? Sure, at some time you totally connected and needed those things. They were part of your daily life, maybe even your daily identity. Here are just a few of the memorable fashion and beauty items that made me total fashion roadkill:

1. Hamburger sneakers. Think Converse, but with hamburger print. It's like the Juno phone, but...on my feet.
2. The "metallic eye." I tried to create this hot new eye makeup trick. I would take one of the eyeshadow pencils, cover my entire eyelid, and top that with metallic shimmer powder. My favorite colors for this trick were baby blue, light pink, and silver. How I thought this looked good is completely beyond me.
3. My bright yellow LL Bean backpack. There's really no good reason why this made me fashion roadkill, I'm just glad I've moved on.
4. Red velvet blazer. Think cheap Prince...on a girl...at a debate tournament.

Luckily, I've learned from my past. I still have my hits and misses, but we've all made mistakes. Just sit back and enjoy it. At the very least, you can laugh at the skeletons in my walk-in closet.

-- Justice

Upcoming posts: Uggs, leggings, and my favorite procrastination websites

Viva la STITCH!

Bonjour, darling denizens of good taste and personal expression! My name is Emma and I’m one of the bloggers for STITCH, Northwestern’s premiere fashion publication. I’ll be posting as frequently as time permits about style, music, movies, current events, life at Northwestern, and whatever else tickles my fancy – but for starters, I thought I would fill out a quick little survey to share a bit about myself and to celebrate the art that transcends time, place, and space to unite us all in one varied and colorful voice: fashion. Off we go.

A: What accessories do you wear everyday?
A faceted silver ring with a tiny green stone on my left-hand middle finger.

B: What is your beauty routine?
A little mascara, bronzy-brown Smashbox eyeshadow, concealer, and some form of lip product. Seven-minute application, tops.

C: What was the last item of clothing (for yourself) that you purchased?





Into it.

D: Do you use a dresser, closet, or both?
Got a little combo action going on. My dorm room has both a “closet” and a “dresser”…I won’t pretend I’m satisfied.

E: What type of earrings are in your ears right now?
Some really classy cubic zirconia studs I got in a Thanksgiving dinner popper. Sure trumps the usual paper crown and confetti mess!

F: What type of figure do you have?
I'm fergalicious.

G: Do you wear glasses?
Most days I’m a contacts kind of girl, but every now and again a quirky outfit or excess of sleep deprivation begs me to bust out the frames. Mine are Donna Karan.



H: What type of handbag do you carry?
Either a brown leather doctor’s bag from Urban (Urb’s) or a gold quilted chain-strap purse I snapped up at the Salvation Army (Salvo).

I abbreve everything.

I: What is your ideal style?
A nice healthy blend of the old, the new, the girly, and the funky. Think Chanel, Chloé, Marc Jacobs...

J: What jewelry are you wearing right now?



K: Do you wear knee-high stockings?
I...don’t make a regular practice of it.

L: Do you have to wear matching lingerie?
Of course you don’t have to. Nobody will heckle you on the street for wearing floral panties with a leopard-print bra (Visible panty lines? Perhaps.). But I challenge you to find a lady who doesn’t feel immediately swankier with a little something special on underneath.

M: Do you wear makeup, and if so, what products do you use?
I’m a big fan of anything by Benefit, Smashbox, or Stila. Here are a few of my favorite products:













My favorite shade of lipstick, however, is by Mary Kay. And when it comes to mascara, you can’t beat that classic pink and green tube:



N: Do you wear nightgowns?
Nope. But I’m extremely envious of all of Blair’s chic PJs on Gossip Girl.

O: What outerwear do you put on when going out on a typical winter day?
A black ruffled military peacoat, some kind of scarf or pashmina, a black crocheted beret, and riding boots.

P: What is your favorite perfume?
Comptoir Sud Pacifique’s "Vanille Abricot."

Q: Is your motto “quality over quantity” when it comes to clothing and accessories?
As a general rule, yes. But I’m not gonna lie – I can never get enough clothes!

R: Do you wear rain boots?
On occasion.

S: Do you wear socks or slippers when your feet get cold?
Socks. I'm pretty serious about socks.

T: Do you have a set of travel luggage?
No, just an assortment of Poppins-esque carpet bags and a printed suitcase by Nine West.

U: What is your daily uniform?
Day dresses with tights, or skinny jeans and dressy tops. I wear them with boots or ballet flats and lots of costume-y grandma jewelry.

V: If you are married, did you wear a veil with your wedding dress? If not, how did you do your hair?
…No.

W: Do you wear a watch?
I have one, but it only goes with silver...that’s what I get for trying to be all fancy. Generally I check my phone for the time.

X: What item of clothing always makes you feel extremely beautiful?
Vintage dresses! I have a stash of pieces I’ve found in thrift stores or on e-Bay. I’m an absolute sucker for anything chiffon.

Y: What is your favorite type of yarn?
Wait, what? What? Seriously?

Z: Do you prefer zippers or buttons?
Buttons on my cardigans and zippers on my jeans.

That's a wrap. Looking forward to a fun future of blogging with all of you!