STITCH aprilno )*
2011
still hungry?
GET FED
STITCH FASHION FEED
fashion. beauty. culture. northwestern.
>>>
w w w. s t i t c h f a s h i o n . c o m / b l o g
contents: 5 6 8 10 14 18 26 28
letter from the editor looks pleasures profile: April Showers feature: Globetrotter photo shoot: Blank to do last word
STITCH Editor-in-Chief Nadina Gerlach
Creative Director Sophie Friedman Editorial Director Sierra Tishgart Online Editorial Directors Deborah Kim & Jaya Sah Assistant Editor Corinne White Online Assistant Editorial Director Emily Ferber Photo Shoot Coordinator Erin Campbell PR Director Logan Daum Fundraising Director Alexandra Shanahan Advertising Director Alexis Gui Treasurer Catherine Ning Online Design Editor Nicole Herman Multimedia Editor Diane Tsai Street Team Editor Justin Barbin Editors-at-Large Kathryn Cannady, Emma Roberts, Nelson Fitch, Kate Adams
Creative Team Catherine Clark, Belinda Daniel, Kirk Morrow, Kelley Schneider Staff Photographers Justin Schuman, Gus Wezerek Staff Writers Hanna Howard, Brenna McLean, Kendra Vaculin, Matt Grosinger Print Design Sandra Song, Zoe Maltby, Sophie Jenkins, Jenna Fugate, Christina Arreola, Eileen Hinckle Photo Shoot Team Maggie Gorman, Gabrielle Hurwitz Bloggers and Staff Emerly Soong, Erin Ku, Ian Hendrickson, Brianna Keefe, Deanna Pai, Erin Ku, Sara Chernus, Sameeraa Pahwa Online Design Alexandra Sifferlin, Rosalind Mowitt, Taylor Thomas Multimedia Diane Tsai, Jessica Kane Business Team Erin Campbell, Alexandra Davis, Alexis Gui, Zhongying Jiang, Alice Lin, Alison Lin, Alisha Varma, Tim Hughes, Clarke Humphrey, Gina Chang, Alyssa Clough, Danielle Pierre, Jazmyn Tuberville
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
You say you want a revolution? It took awhile for Anna Wintour to admit that Vogue needed to join the World Wide Web. Leaving Style.com to fend for itself, Wintour charged ahead to create a standalone website for Vogue. With a wag of her finger, Vogue.com was born. Indeed, fashion lends well to the Internet platform; the entire industry has emerged online in a strong show of force and versatility. From interactive iPad apps to live streaming of runway shows, fashion consumers want content faster, better, and at no cost. It creates shockwaves when a designer like Tom Ford prevents photographers from cataloging his womenswear debut and delaying the release of runway photos on his own website.
>>> Behind-the-scenes of this issue’s photo shoots with photographers, models and stylists. For more coverage, check us out on the web: www.stitchfashion.com/blog
STITCH embraces the power of the Internet. We bring you daily doses of fashion, beauty and culture on our blog, tweet at you 140-character quips about the stylish elite, and then tag you on Facebook in last night’s Street Team photos. And now, dear reader, you are partaking in our latest digital effort: STITCH’s new monthly magazine. We’ve tweaked the format of our print issue, scaling down to one shoot (Blank by Justin Barbin, page 19) and adding a student profile. Our April cover stars UNITY Fashion Show’s inherently stylish co-presidents Emerly Soong, Stephanie Leung, and Leo Zhu (Interview by Kathryn Cannady, page 10). In this issue, you’ll find all the STITCH standards: runway reports, style advice, as well as advanced reviews of Panda Bear’s Tomboy and Candace Bushnell’s Summer and the City, both coming out later this month (To Do, page 26) But perhaps most relevant to the new monthly magazine itself is Kendra Vaculin’s discussion of the conundrum of the food and fashion blog (Last Word, page 28). By taking into account trends in blogs themselves, not just the styles being critiqued within, we, just as fashion does each season, have moved beyond our former self and are looking intently into the future. Blogs are a cultural force, and now serious voices in the fashion industry; the increase of perspectives is certainly a welcome change. The Anna Wintour’s of the world have realized they must follow the trend, or lose valuable readership. So as you, our readers, bask in the glow of this chic Internet revolution, in the style of Olivia Newton John, I will be singing a new line and would invite you to join in. Let’s get digital. Digital.
yours, STITCH | 5
LOOKS
Runway Recap Rodarte’s spring/summer runway was littered with wood grain prints, floral themes, and shades of blue. Accented by gold lips, this soft piece is hardened up by a Japanese-inspired belt. Not wanting to miss out on one of this season’s biggest trends, Kate and Laura Mulleavy added a thigh high split that was seen on runways worldwide.
Color made a comeback in Prada’s spring show, complimented by graphic bananas, monkeys, and jungle prints. Longer hemlines made their way back to the runway, and this dress with flared hem is no exception. Horizontal stripes are made slimming by the corset-effect designs, and this season’s eponymous “flatforms” complete the look.
In her second season for the label, Sarah Burton softened up the hard edge of McQueen with ethereal floral appliqués and lace. In this sexy piece, Burton captures the dark whimsy of McQueen’s past and this season’s asymmetrical hems, sheer fabrics, and floral themes. TEXT: KATHRYN CANNADY ILLUSTRATIONS: EILEEN HINCKLE 6| STITCH
R O DA R T E
P R A DA
MCQUEEN STITCH | 7
PLEASURES I MYSELF HAVE SEEN IT: PHOTOGRAPHY AND KIKI SMITH BLOCK MUSEUM OF ART, APRIL 8 - AUGUST 14, 2011
NARS PURE MATTE LIPSTICK (IN VESUVIO) $25, NARSCOSMETICS.COM
(FROM LEFT) RED VELVET, LEMON MERINGUE, MOJITO CUPCAKES $3.50 EACH AT MORE CUPCAKES, ONE EAST DELAWARE PLACE, CHICAGO 312.951.0001
VICTORIA BECKHAM LEATHER AND NUBUCK SHOULDER BAG $2,600 AT NET-A-PORTER.COM
CHARLIE SHEEN “WINNING” SHOT GLASS $11.95, CHARLIESHEEN.FANFIRE.COM
“SHAMELESS” ON SHOWTIME WATCH >> WWW.SHO.COM
MOLESKIN PASSIONS STYLE JOURNAL $19.95, BORDERS.COM
MOROCCAN OIL TREATMENT $36.00, AMAZON.COM
MONOGRAMMED MUGS $6.00 , ANTHROPOLOGY.COM
ADELE 21 $10.99 AT THE ITUNES STORE
ROZEPPA 140 MM SHOE $895 (WAITLIST) AT US.CHRISTIANLOUBOUTIN.COM
STITCH | 9
PROFILE
April
showers
10| STITCH
STYLING: STITCH PHOTO SHOOT TEAM
>>> GETTING CANDID WITH EMERLY SOONG, STEPHANIE LEUNG AND LEO ZHU - CO-PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITY FASHION SHOW
By Kathryn Cannady, photos by Justin Schuman
E
very spring, students across campus gather to strut it out in fashions by student designers and boutiques from the Chicago area at the UNITY Fashion Show. However, lights, cameras and fashion are not the only reason for the show. UNITY strives to promote diversity on Northwestern’s campus as well as raise money for a yearly beneficiary. This year’s beneficiary - Falling Whistles helps children of the Congo leave dangerous military front lines and have a more peaceful childhood. Veteran co-presidents Leo Zhu and Stephanie Leung joined with Emerly Soong to put on this years show, hoping to train her to take over full control next year. Each member of the co-presidency used their interests and experiences to make the show run smoothly while raising money and awareness for Falling Whistles. “The point of the show is to raise money, but its also to have fun and celebrate fashion,” said Soong. STITCH magazine meets with the co-presidents to learn more about the show and their own personal style in this month’s style profile. STITCH | 11
PROFILE STITCH: How did you get involved in the show? E: I became involved last year as the clothing head, so my job was to run around Chicago and talk to clothing managers and to reach out to the greater Chicagoland area so that we had a good mix of clothing. I really loved my position last year, I loved that I had this sort of outlet to pursue my interest in fashion, so I decided this year to take it up a notch and become the co-president. L: So when I was a freshman, the founder was in CSA, the Chinese Student Association. When I was trying to join organizations, she told me about it and she asked me to help her to work on it and I said yes. The first year I was clothing head and last year I was co-president. Last year, I did everything…it was like a blur. Four hours passed in like seconds. S: When I was in high school in Hong Kong, we did this huge fashion show that raised like 500,000 Hong Kong Dollars. When I got here I had just gone to one of the CSA (Chinese Student Association) events and I met this girl who was a senior when I was a freshman. She went to my high school and was really involved in the fashion show there as well. Because of that she decided to start one here as well. That’s basically how I got started, through this girl Yvonne, the co-founder of the show. STITCH: What were you looking for in the models? E: The models represent the Northwestern community, its diverse, you know? We have tall people, skinny people, short people and you really have all the different races represented and sizes too. They had to be charismatic and they had to have a good walk with attitude. We did not take into consideration at all their looks, their size, body shape, skin color or height. It was all about the attitude. STITCH: What inspires you in an outfit? L: I would say colors. The colors and silhouette are the two things. And quirky details. 12| STITCH
E: A lot of what I see around campus. I always stare at people’s outfits, I’m very observant. I also like what I see on style blogs and I take inspiration from the many different people that I see, just like the facets of the outfit. Also, comfort is a big element of mine that I try to fashion all of my outfits around. STITCH: Who are your favorite designers? S: Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors. Michael Kors because everything is so simple yet elegant. Marc Jacobs because there is an element of fun to that… which I like. E: I really like Chloe. I think Chloe is so feminine and casual and effortless and… of course I don’t wear many of these brands but I love to look at them. I feel like there’s sort of a negative connotation with vintage clothing because people are just trying to be hip with that stuff, but I do like sifting through old clothes and trying to find something that works with an outfit. STITCH: Were there any funny backstage stories this year? S: It’s funny. Backstage, everyone is always naked. It just sort of becomes this ‘oh, everyone’s naked, its fine.’ You get used to it. STITCH: How has your style changed since coming to Northwestern? L: Well, in terms of clothing, since I’ve come to Northwestern I’ve had more freedom to choose what I want. When I’m at home, my parents monitor everything I buy. A lot of stuff I want to buy I couldn’t really get. Now I can start buying stuff a little bit more. I look into shirts with a crazy print or stuff like that… stuff my parents would make me return automatically. E: So in high school I wore a lot of sweats. Now that I’ve come to Northwestern, I don’t wear sweats at all, just because its windy outside and sweats don’t really do it for me in terms of warmth. I just like dressing very causal every day and I actually put a lot of emphasis into accessories now because they can easily dress up a very plain outfit and it makes it very interesting.
STITCH |13
GLOBETROTTER Studying abroad? Corinne White shows you how to make the world your catwalk >>> I know what you’re thinking when you (hopefully) get your first choice country, soon-to-be student abroad student. You’re dreaming about speaking Spanish with a cute local at a hole in the wall bar in Spain, or sharing empanadas with friends after hiking the peaks of Bolivia, or swimming with the little nemos off the coast of Australia. Most of you are not dreaming about what you’re going to be wearing. But I’m here to tell you: you should. I went to Berlin my junior year of high school for ten days, and for some inexplicable reason that still eludes me to this day, I packed nothing but Uggs, jeans, and hooded sweatshirts. I looked like an ugly, boring American. And you, dear STITCH reader, are neither of those things. Use this trusty guide and you’ll have locals asking you where to shop. BUENOS AIRES - It isn’t known as the Paris of South
UGANDA - Obviously, you’re going to want to keep it re-
America for nothing. Buenos Aires is a noted study
laxed when you’re going somewhere like Uganda. But that
abroad locale in our book for how much fun you can have
doesn’t mean you have to live in Nike shorts and racer-
with your clothes. This doesn’t mean we condone wear-
bank tanks. Needsupply.com is a little known gem for
ing gaucho pants to your first gaucho party, but definitely
cool, Kate Moss-looking clothes that are very reasonably
take some risks in this beautiful city known for its col-
priced—these cactus pants can take you from day to night
orful, slightly adventurous outfits. You know you want
in the African plains.
to dance the tango (Buenos Aires’ most famous groove), and you know you want to do it in none other but this eye-popping party of a jumpsuit, courtesy of Tibi. If it scares you, tone it down with muted sandals and a simple jacket. But don’t let it scare you.
<<< TIBI S/S 2011 CACTUS PANTS >>> STYLE STALKER, $70 NEEDSUPPLY.COM
TUNC (L) >>> YOUNG FABULOUS & BROKE, $ SHOPBOP.COM
ISABEL MARANT S/S 2011 (R) >
SYDNEY - Ah, Sydney—the California of study abroad
BEIJING - It’s no surprise that Prada has its first cat-
locales. Picture yourself sitting on top of a boulder, over-
walk show in Beijing this January. As China establishes
looking the ocean, and licking Nutella off your fingers in
itself as a global superpower, Beijing is quickly estab-
this Isabel Marant frock. Exploring the city, keep cool in
lishing itself as another fashion capital of the world,
this Young Fabulous & Broke tunic that takes you from the
with its love for affluence and receptivity to new trends.
beach to lunch at a café in Darling Harbour.
Anything goes here, really—it’s more costume-y, so take some risks, like with this Asian-inspired floral minidress from Naeem Khan (try it for the Beijing opera). Some cheaper options: a more conservative, flow-y floral from Anthropologie, or long sleeves and lace from Forever 21 .
$292
FLORAL DRESSES >>> ANTHROPOLOGIE ($298) FOREVER 21 ($19.80)
>>>
NAEEM KHAN >>> S/S 2011
THEYSKEN’
WWW
TRENCH >>>
$98, GAP.COM
PHOTO >>>
THESARTORIALIST.COM
WEDGE
WWW
London Rain: It’s actually quite easy to look like Emma Watson in her Burberry ads, even if you can’t afford the clothes she wears in them. You’ll learn to love the London downpours if you invest in a rain-resistant, belted trench coat. Go the classic route (mid-calf, camel) at Gap for great quality and a resonable price
Snooty French Fashionistas: When Amer-
tag.
ican Vogue asked Emmanuelle Alt, the new editor of French Vogue, about her personal style, she replied: “I have that French-girl thing of always wanting to wear a cashmere sweater with a pair of jeans.” Case in point: To survive with the skinny French girls, don’t try too hard. They’ll just giggle amongst each other if you put together some elaborate, outlandishly fashiony outfit, and you’ll feel like the nerdy girl who doesn’t have anyone to sit with at lunch. Keep it cool yet simple with muted colors, understated but distinctive pieces, and clean lines.
<<< ALL TRAVEL IMAGES
COURTESY OF NYTIMES.COM
16| STITCH
’S THEORY >>>
W.THEORY.COM
>>>
PLATFORMS
RAG & BONE >>> PRE FALL 2011
W.CHLOE.COM
<<< CAROLINA HERRERA $1,990.00
BERGDORFGOODMAN.COM
Crazy Music Festival in Copenhagen:
Cathedrals in Rome: If you’re not dressed
The name of the festival? Sensation White. Ev-
conservatively enough when you visit some ca-
eryone will be wearing white, only some will
thedrals, they will make you wear strange dis-
look sensational, and of course one of those
posable gauze ponchos and pants, and you will
sensational few will be you. White-on-white is
look like a dental assistant while you contem-
huge this spring (even lover of darkness Alex-
plate the Pieta. It’s happened to me before, and
ander Wang had a creamy collection for next
it kind of ruins the moment. Thankfully, it’s eas-
season), so ditch the typical American Ap-
ily avoided—channel Audrey Hepburn in Roman
parel concert uniform and get more creative
Holiday with a crisp white blouse, silk scarf, and
with a white tank and pants from the brand
full skirt, but keep it modern by nixing the Peter
new Theyskens’ Theory line. If you’re worried
Pan collar. This ensemble from Carolina Hererra
about getting your nice white pants dirty and
is dreamy, but for something cheaper more trav-
sweaty (it’s a techno rave, come on), try denim
el-friendly, look no further than Rag and Bone’s
shorts with a crazy pearl necklace and wedge
pre-fall 2011 collection for easy, wearable maxi
platforms, courtesy of Chloé.
skirts and fresh white blouses.
>>> So when I dream about my potential study abroad experience, I, of course, think about The Lizzie McGuire Movie (no American in Paris for me…no shame). Lizzie simultaneously found true love and became an international pop star in the course of her few weeks abroad, which I hope happens to me as well. One thing, however, Lizzie did not accomplish was finding her foreign fashion sense—just think of that striped terry skirt, sneakers, and jean jacket she wore for the movie poster. I mean, she looked cute in all her Lizzie charm, but I don’t think any Italians were admiring her fashion sense. Sweatpants may be the norm when you’re boarding at O’Hare, but when you step off that plane and into the arms of an Italian on a motorcycle, you’ll be so thankful that you are pushing yourself to take fashion (and life) risks. Bon Voyage! - Corinne White STITCH |17
BLANK
BY JUSTIN BARBIN 18| STITCH
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STYLING: KATE ADAMS, NADINA GERLACH ASSISTANTS: KATIE CANNADY, GABRIELLE HURWITZ, MAGGIE GORMAN HAIR/MAKEUP: MODELS’ OWN CLOTHING: STYLIST’S OWN OR COURTESY OF GAVIN EVANSTON. 1939 CENTRAL STREET, EVANSTON, IL 60201 (847)-328-7407 MODELS: JACQUELINE ANDRIAKOS (MEDILL 2014) , CATHERINE FRANKLIN (COMM 2014), HANNAH KAHN (COMM 2012), JESSICA KANE (MEDILL 2013), STELLA STAHL (COMM 2011), CLAIRE WILLIAMS (WCAS 2014).
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Music
Revie w
BY MATT GROSINGER
Sometimes
2 DO
it’s hard to differentiate between something that is stylistically consistent and something that has simply grown tired. With the release of Tomboy, Noah Lennox –aka Panda Bear of Animal Collective –finds himself at this creative juncture and proves that expounding upon established concepts does not have to be formulaic. Perhaps the most recognizable traits of Tomboy reside within Lennox’s inimitable approach: beachboy-esque harmonies, lyrical mantras about perseverance, and danceable, tribal percussion. This is why the first half of the album sounds like the logical extension of his 2007 opus, Person Pitch. So there are discernible trends, but don’t reach for that Strokes comparison just yet. There are also fundamental differences. Instrumentally, Lennox strays from the sampling-based method used to compose much of the music on Tomboy’s predecessor. In lieu of using arcane Cat Stevens samples, Lennox composed all the music with guitars, synthesizers, and a central mixing unit. The result is a confident minimalism that allows the album to breathe and rest properly. Whereas Person Pitch crammed its boyish charm into 7 lengthy tracks, Tomboy has a selfassured grasp on each of its songs.
26| STITCH
Consequently, the album shifts in tone without sacrificing fluidity. The first half of the record shuttles in Panda Bear’s brand of pop-timistic hymnals (I can imagine Simba being born to the spiritual “You Can Count On Me”) as his ethereal voice soars to the top of the mix. On “Surfer’s Hymn,” he pares down the concept of adversity to a salient aquatic image: “Upon the water a rider can ready/ though waves come crashing / a good board can steady / I wouldn’t ever want to bet upon the balance of what’s going on.” The simplicity and ease of his musicianship always belie the complexity of his message. He has an uncanny ability to ponder and revisit experiential difficulties with both aged aplomb and youthful ambition. Although my favorite tracks are in the first half of the record, Tomboy doesn’t establish its identity until the latter half, where it becomes instrumentally sedated and contemplative. Tracks like “Scheherezade” and “Drone” find Lennox in an unusually intimate place not explored since his elegiac album, Young Prayer. Using very few sonic layers to frame these songs, Lennox’s voice propels the tone and fills the crevices with rich textures and solemn harmonies. The album ultimately becomes a rite of passage as Lennox rediscovers his voice with newfound poise.
Following up 2007’s Person Pitch should have been an impossible feat: defining a genre and receiving multiple “best album of the year” awards is the apotheosis of any earnest career and to expect another work of that caliber is unwarranted. That’s like going up to Michael Phelps and saying, “So pretty decent job last time, but you’re going to win another eight next time too right?” The most an artist can really do is create and hope to earn our trust. This is why I nod my head faithfully when Lennox sings “Know you can count on me / I’ll be so up for it.”
TOMBOY PANDA BEAR AVAILABLE ON iTUNES 4/12 ($9.99)
Spring Read >>>
REVIEW BY HANNA HOWARD
Candace Bushnell’s newest novel, Summer and the City, puts Carrie Bradshaw just
where we want her: in New York City. Because, let’s be honest, while the first Sex and the City prequel, The Carrie Diaries, was perfectly enjoyable, Carrie Bradshaw is the consummate city girl and seeing her in a small town was just a little weird. The Carrie Diaries provided a look at Carrie that readers hadn’t ever seen before as the oldest of three girls raised by their father after their mother dies and shockingly, yet refreshingly, normal. Carrie’s depicted as a high school girl just like anyone else - worrying about friends and college and boys. Of course, she remains clearly Carrie by juggling two love interests at one time. When Bushnell picks back up in Summer and the City, Carrie is spending the summer in NYC, taking a writing class at the New School before her freshman year at Brown. As hinted in the Diaries, Carrie spends the book with another familiar SATC-er, the one and only Samantha Jones. Readers get a sense of how the foursome forms when Miranda also makes her appearance in the book (actually all four make appearances, though one only makes the slightest of cameos, perhaps setting Bushnell up for the next book in the series). The best part of the book is that this is the Carrie we all know and love – going to parties, buying outrageous clothes and falling in and out of love. Even without her closet full of Manolos (younger Carrie was slightly more responsible with her money) or Mr. Big, she’s still undeniably Carrie. The worst part though, may be that Bushnell is a bit like a bad basketball player – she telegraphs her passes. From time to time, the novel gets a tad predictable. Nevertheless, the book is an extremely enjoyable and quick read – perfect for vacations or reading week, or when you just can’t bear to look at another textbook.
2 DO
STITCH |27
LAST
WORD
Pretty
Enough to Eat
fashion meets frosting in the blogosphere By Kendra Vaculin >>>
I spend hours upon hours drooling over fashion blogs. I lust over one blogger’s vintage faux leopard coat, another’s Jeffrey Campbell Litas in burgundy, that one’s most recent shopping spree in Harijuku, and many of their negligible waistlines. Surprisingly, I continue my procrastination marathon by perusing my favorite food blogs: Web sites like Pioneer Woman Cooks! and Joy the Baker. These pages are butter-centered and recipe-laden, shamelessly promoting heavy cream as a key to happiness and often successful in convincing me that Dulce de leche banana bread is a valid dinner option. How, you may ask yourself, can a girl’s interests span both high-fashion and high-calorie desserts? What kind of person must I be if I want both the body for a bandage dress and the formula for perfect lemon meringue cupcakes? Apparently, according to recent trends in the blogosphere, a pretty normal one. With increasing ferocity, bloggers around the world have been launching websites that focus on a combination of fashion and food, alternating between outfit photo shoots and recipe reviews. Avid readers like myself are loving this new shift in subject matter, rocketing fashion-food bloggers to incredible popularity, and even earning some of them nominations in the 2011 BlogLovin’ Awards category for Personal Style. Bloggers invent their own recipes, link viewers to stolen ones, or even tote their cameras to restaurants to snap pictures of their entrees… all while discussing the pros and cons of 90s style flat-form shoes. They are virtual scrapbooks of stunning clothes and delicious food, and people are eating. Them. Up. 28| STITCH
While some parts of this juxtaposition of interests seems natural -- fad desserts rise to fame and then are replaced by something “better” just as quickly as any season’s hottest trend -- these blogs seem more than a little counterintuitive. Aren’t fashion people supposed to like, not eat? The industry itself is home to beautiful and emaciated people, people who value stick-figure limbs and visible vertebrae and quite frankly have never seen heavy cream in their lives, and suddenly they want to talk about cooking? Bloggers have decided to be the first people in their business willing to bridge the previously nonnegotiable chasm between food and fashion culture. What makes these (granted, gorgeous) Internet nerds think they have that kind of power? Fashion-food blogs have created the “it” women of tomorrow. Capable of rocking the traffic-stopping outfits they put together and still enjoy a few homemade Madeline cookies after lunch, they are creative, stunning, crafty, well-fed foodie/fashionista hybrids. One such superhuman is Emily Shuman, the creator of the scrumptious blog Cupcakes and Cashmere. I drool over every post, whether it’s of homemade sea salt caramels or the Elizabeth and James wedges that the designers fucking MAILED TO HER WHY CANT I BE A FASHION BLOGGER SOMEBODY MAIL ME SHOES. Emily is stylish and undoubtedly a presence in the fashion world; you believe she accessorized her cashmere and ate her cupcakes too. Gastrochic, spearheaded by Marcy Swingle, focuses more on street-style fashion and restaurant reviews, a kind of city-girl’s diary as she prowls and chows downtown. Subscribers can receive her updates emailed to them bi-weekly, in the form of a Food Edition every Tuesday, and a Fashion Edition on Thursdays. And as no trend is safe from a band of followers, the blogosphere is full of fashion writers who occasionally do something semi-food-related just to appeal to the newly enamored masses. LAbased blog Fashion Toast (a misnomer, as writer/model Rumi looks like she’s never had a piece of bread in her life), sometimes features pictures of a cup of espresso that the contributor captions, “dinner.” No thanks. Here’s the thing: no one is making blogs about Phillip Lim 3.1 and lard. Where fashion and food intersect is a place still focused on appearances. Healthy eating as an important step toward wearing your skinny jeans like a champ, and desserts have to look as good as they taste. Maybe the fashion industry will one day return to sanity and begin to showcase the looks of women who dare to eat three meals a day, but for now I’m content to know that dessert never goes out of style. STITCH |29
S STITCH
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