The 12 Days of Christmas

In light of the holiday season, I've been searching for a festive editorial to share with the blogosphere. Recently I came up with this one called "The Twelve Days of Christmas," photographed by Steven Meisel in 1998 for US Vogue.

We've all heard several renditions of the classic holiday song, but have you ever seen a visual artistic interpretation of it?

Well, back in 1998, US Vogue did an entire fashion spread based on the song, featuring supermodel Shalom Harlow. (She's actually still working today...omg)!

Anway, here's the editorial:





















Granted, I was seven when this editorial was published, so maybe it's just too outdated for me to really understand, but personally I found parts of this editorial to be a little odd.

For instance, the "Three French Hens" photo has three french maids. Come on now, just because they are french hens, doesn't mean "interpreting" them to be french maids will cut it. Changing three french hens to three french maids is the same thing as changing it to three french fries, basically.

Also, when I think of eight maids a-milking, I don't not think of babies...(I'm guessing they're referencing breast feeding? Honestly, I feel awkward just saying that.) Generally, I think of maids milking cows....

Well, what are your thoughts with this editorial? My favorite photo is for "nine ladies dancing." Look at them raise the roof! Par-tay!

Merry Christmas to all!

Meggasus Peggasus

Photo Inspiration!

I've been searching for inspiration today... Now since it's Christmas break I have time to do that sort of thing. Here are some amazing photos I stumbled across from the Conde Nast website... Beautiful!

"When the Ballgown Met the Hammock" 1957

"Ballgown Takes Flight" 1953

These were taken by the famous "Window Dresser," Gene Moore. I am curious to see more of his photography...

Hopefully these fantasy-like images bring you some inspiration if you are in need!
This was a mini post... longer one later.


Seize the day my friends!! :)

Xx Katie-Lu

LF Store in Harvard Square

The LF Store in Cambridge is quickly becoming my new favorite shopping destination. According to the official homepage of the store, LF is "geared towards girls who dare to be different." When I first entered the shop, I was almost overwhelmed by different fabrics and designs. There was so much I wanted to get my hands on! My friend Emily and I were simply just browsing around for a good hour basically in awe before we even started to try anything on. FYI, I'm a sucker for a good slouchy sweater and earth tones and this place was filled.

Below I have chosen a few images from various LF store lookbooks... Which style do you like best?


"The Drifter"
What I love most about this look is actually the feather headpiece on the girl in the image to the right. I tried this on in the store. At first I was a little skeptical about it, because it reminded me of an elf...but once it was on I loved how it looked against my dark hair. It's such a unique piece that it definitely makes a statement. All you'd have to do is wear it with confidence and anyone could pull it off.


"Earth Spirit"
The image to the right is possibly my favorite outfit out of all the various looks on the website. Seeing girls wear floor length dresses is a rare occurrence these days, and this model makes the style still look sexy even though she's showing minimal skin! Not to mention her legs look a mile long.


"Official Lookbook"
So I was never a fan of ponchos but this dark green one brings them to a new level of cool. I adore the long fringe at the end, and it looks great paired with the tribal indian pouch necklace!




"The After Party"
Images from this specific lookbook are very different from the daytime looks! The majority of the styles are heavy on the black lace and gorgeous faux fur. You would definitely be the show stopper at a party wearing any of these styles...

The only downside to my recent discovery of this store is that it is a five minute walk away from where I got hired to work in January... All I have to say is that I'm worried about how fast my first paycheck will disappear :$

If you are interested at taking a look at the LF homepage or browsing through the rest of the images in the lookbook, click here !

Xx Katie-Lu

Marc Jacobs s/s 2011 campaign is out!

Marc Jacobs is finally using real models in his campaigns again (no celebs thank god)! As a result the campaigns are getting so much better (smart decision, Marc).

For the spring show, the clothes were very vibrant and colorful. They had a 1970'a disco feel to them. The spring campaign, photographed by Juergen Teller, perfectly captures the theme of the collection.

It's kind of cool to see how closely the campaign captures the essence of the show. If you want to see what I mean here's a quick video of the show from nylon.com.

Usually, the Marc Jacobs campaigns are pretty bland with dull lighting and emotionless faces. (Although I must say that last season wasn't bland because the model choice was spot on).

Either way, I claim this season's campaign to be downright groovy! (haha) Take a look at the newest images featuring models Caroline Brasch Nielsen and Masha Kirsanova.

Models.com says that this campaign is "reminiscent of Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver." Do you agree?

Have a wonderful day!

xox

Meggasus

STOP THIS TREND!

This post is urgent!!! Someone please STOP THIS TREND. I've been seeing these weird animal hats pop up all over the place. Urban Outfitters is one of the guilty suppliers.

It gets worse.... You can buy matching gloves!!

It's like an instant puppet show?? hmmm no thanks.

More serious posts later! Meggasus and I have been swamped with finals :/

Xx Katie-Lu

Kelsi Dagger Shoes! Worth the Splurge...

Believe it or not, shoes are always the most frustrating item for me to buy on my shopping list. The reason for this is because I seem to have the worst luck with every pair I buy. I am that girl who will be running late to class in the rain, and when she is almost there her heel will break! (yes that has happened to me before)

Part of the reason for my bad "luck" however is that I am bargain shopper. I have a difficult time buying any pair of shoes that aren't from Target or Marshalls. Up until recently I had never bought a pair of shoes for myself over $50. However, after all my broken heels, jammed zippers, and painful blisters I have come to the realization that it is worth the investment to buy a quality pair of shoes even if it means dropping a little more money than you expected. Recently, I came across my new favorite brand- Kelsi Dagger.

I was looking for a pair of practical, yet stylish boots that could handle with winter weather in Boston... This is the pair I found!


Kinda grunge, but still more feminine than most combat style boots I've seen! They aren't too clunky/massive, but they are still sturdy enough to stand up against winter weather! Not to mention, they do not have and zippers to get jammed or spike heels to get stuck in the Boston sidewalk grates! Maybe now I can make it to class on time...

Here are a few others I was tempted to buy... As you can see, the heels on these made them a little more unpractical for everyday use.




I am predicting that my next splurge on shoes will be an "over the knee" style boot like this one with the buckles running all the way up the leg... very sexy!

I was surprised how much I liked this brown leather pair... Brown is a color I never am initially attracted to when it comes to fashion. Black is always my first instinct! However, this one took me by surprise! I love how it's casual, but still has a 4 inch glam heel!

This one was actually my favorite... but not what I was looking for! The open toe would be silly in the winter.


I may have to order this last pair after I get my next paycheck... I've been wanting a new pair of heels to go out in, and these skyscrapers would definitely be a show stopper! I love the snake skin pattern.... and I'm a sucker for black as I hinted at previously!

Another great aspect of the Kelsi Dagger brand, is that all the shoes run big. This is great for girls like Meggasus and I who have feet on the larger size and are sometimes limited with our options. (another reason as to why shoe shopping is frustrating.) However, the boots I bought fit perfectly and I couldn't be happier with them :)

Which of these is your favorite style? Let us know what you think!

I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving!

Xx Katie-Lu

"Family Circus" by Paolo Roversi for W Magazine

The most recent issue of W magazine came out with this stunning editorial photographed by Paolo Roversi, featuring models Arizona Muse, Lindsey Wixson and Britt Maren. W magazine always produces the most intriguing and beautiful editorials, and this one is definitely no exception.

I just love the combination of snow, farm animals, and beautiful designer gowns.....how could you go wrong? The pale colors of the clothing and whiteness of the snow contrast with the darkness of the background beautifully.

The photographs evoke a feeling of innocence and grace, as well as mystery and emptiness.

I think it was a great artistic choice to color the hair of some of the models reddish pink.... it brings just enough color to the otherwise dull color scheme of off-whites, grays and black.

The hair and make-up, as well as the general vibe of the entire editorial definitely reminds me of John Galliano's most recent collection. In fact, here is a picture of Lindsey Wixson backstage at John Galliano, wearing (pretty much) the same exact hat!

Oh, and I also think it's adorable how the editorial incorporated animals and children! In fact, there were 2 solo pages of just children...this definitely has to do with the newest craze, which is high fashion labels designing kiddie clothes for a sophisticated, fashionable child consumer. Take a look at this little guy wearing a Chanel tweed jacket.

I don't know if designer clothes for children is adorable or ridiculous. Actually, I'm leaning towards ridiculous. What if your kid decides to play with his play-dough in his Chanel jacket? That's just a disaster waiting to happen, and the child wouldn't know the difference between that and his Gymboree overalls.

Hope you enjoyed this editorial as much as the last one! If you like what you're reading, please follow us! xoxo

much love,

Meggasus

Life Goes By Pretty Fast.....

Today I want to share with you one of my favorite editorials of all time, featuring supermodel Eniko Mihalik for Vogue Paris that was photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in 2008.

This editorial takes readers through a lifetime of ages as Eniko (who was age 22 in 2008) is transformed from age 10 to age 60 in a single editorial. With the changes in Eniko's expression and poses, along with the different make up, hair, and styling for each photo, the magazine was able to pull off this concept beautifully.

The spread starts off with Eniko, at age 10.

Her youthful facial features (such as her adorable dimples), as well as her giggly expression and half hidden smile all give the illusion that in fact Eniko is 10 years old, at the dawn of life. AMAZING!

This next photo is the model at age 20....

Here, you can tell the model is just discovering herself...experimenting with makeup and various accessories.... even straightening her hair. Her expression is hopeful and excited for her life ahead of her.

It's funny to look at this photo because Katie-Lu and I will be turning 20 in January... this editorial makes me realize how young we still are.

Next up, age 30...

Corrupted by her 20's, Eniko at age 30 seems to have been through a decade of experimentation with drugs....her expression is a little "too cool for school" in the sense she's been there, done that.

Age 40....

With the styling in this photo you can see that now the model is middle aged and that she's somewhat of a cougar!

Age 50...

Here, Eniko's taste has been refined with age...she's aging with class, which is the best way to do it, if you ask me.

And finally, Age 60...

I love this last photograph because it gives those of us who are young something to look forward to. Here, age 60 is portrayed as a time of inner peace and self-actualization. Although she still has a few decades to look forward to herself, Eniko seems to have great confidence in who she is and the life she's experienced. Here, she radiates inner beauty opposed to the outer beauty she had in her youth.

What are your thoughts on this editorial? Every time I take a look at these photos I'm amazed.

love, Meggasus xo

$10,000 by Thanksgiving to Raise Money for Breast Cancer

Miss Emily Tebbetts has been our blog photographer for almost a year now and today this post is about her and her amazing goal. Emily's mom has been fighting breast cancer for almost ten years now. As a way to help her Mom and to others suffering with cancer, Emily made it her goal to raise $5,000 by Thanksgiving with the promise of shaving her head if she reached this goal. Emily surpassed her original goal of $5,000 rather quickly, (she will be shaving her head) and now her mission is to raise $10,000!

Here are a few photos Emily has taken over the course of the past year for our blog... She is an extremely talented individual.

This is just a sample of the fabulous photos Emily has taken. She is truly an amazing girl and we are proud to call her a good friend of ours. She is the kind of person that will change the world.

If you want to help Emily reach her goal of raising $10,000, check out her Facebook page to learn how. Any amount you give is a huge help! Donate here. Thank you!

Xx Katie-Lu and Meggasus

Katherine Hepburn Mystery Dress!

This is not a typical Meggasus and Katie-Lu blog post...

I want you all to take a look at this photo... It's of Katherine Hepburn from "Woman of the Year." The dress she is wearing is the absolute prettiest gown I've ever seen and ever since I first saw this movie about 4 years ago I've never forgotten it. Unfortunately I can't find any other pictures of it to show you of it from the movie...



The reason I'm posting this on the blog is because I was hoping that any other fashionistas in the blogosphere might be able to give an educated guess on who the designer is?? The movie was filmed in 1942... If you watch the movie you will have a better understanding as to why this dress is simply unforgettable.

Longer post later ;)

Xx Katie-Lu

Twins Reunite in Boston- Photoshoot!

This is a historic moment for Meggasus and Katie-Lu blog... For the first time EVER Meggasus and I were able to both take part in a collaborative photoshoot with the fabulous photographer, Miss Emily Tebbetts! Meggasus was finally able to make the trip up from Storrs CT to visit me in Boston... It was wonderful to be reunited!

Our shoot with Emily began at the reflecting pool and we eventually drifted to Newbury street to take some urban-chic photos.

This first Instax photo is my personal favorite taken from the day... however, Meggasus prefers the 2nd black and white photo... Which do you prefer?

FYI: Meggasus is on the left and I am on the right.




I personally love the natural feel of the Instax photo. There is just something exciting about the idea of only having one chance to take a perfect picture. If something goes wrong, you cannot go back and edit!



Meggasus's teal bracelet is from the Jazz festival on Columbus Ave we attended earlier that weekend. It adds a nice touch of color to our all-black theme of the shoot. My black and gold earrings are from Forever21.


This photo was taken in front of the gorgeous "Christian Church of Science" on Mass Ave. I love how the cool angles of this photo work so well with the beautiful architecture of the church... It provided the perfect backdrop for our photoshoot!


This next one was taken on Newbury street.... Meggasus's expression looks as though she belongs on the front of a 90's album cover!



This last photo is extremely interesting visually. The combination of the hair blowing in the wind with the shadow of the hand makes for a very unique photo.... it definitely highlights Emily's talent as a photographer.


Now since you've seen photos of us together for the first time, the question is, can you tell us apart?!

For more information about the clothing you see in this post, see my previous entry about the consignment store "Rescue" located on Newbury Street!

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

Xx Katie Lu