30 April 2012

WE'RE BACK!



HEY YOU! READER!

I've got outfit photos and exciting news to show/report to you tomorrow. So here's the preview!


UNTIL THEN,

RACHEL BETH

25 April 2012

OH WHAT A DAY I'VE HAD TODAY




HELLO, ALL.

I hope you are all enjoying my various posts from weeks past. I just wanted to check in with my readers. I'm still planning on outfits this week. It's been such a hectic few days in the city. I started a new job, have two more job opportunities that if pan out will be AWESOME and DREAMS-COME-TRUE jobs. So many things have happened so quickly since I last posted, which has made it difficult to get out and take photos. Not to mention that we had a HURRICANE (not literally, but) come through on Sunday. GROSS.

Just to leave you all with a taste of things to come, hopefully tomorrow, if not FRIDAY, some new shoes that have been added to my ever growing shoe collection:

ETIENNE AIGNER LOAFERS:




THESE SHOES WERE PURCHASED WITH THE UTMOST EXCITEMENT AND LUCK. I went to the Salvation Army a month ago just perusing. I found these darlings while looking for some loafers to update my wardrobe. They just starred at me in all their genuine leather, never worn, gorgeousness. And then I saw they were $11.99. And then I moved on.




Turns out, I couldn't get them out of my mind. I mean, look at them? And a nice designer brand, practically brand new, and everything I was looking for in a LOAFER. And so, a week later, my hopes so HIGH I practically floated, I went to the Salvation Army to pick up my shoes. There they were, untouched, all mine. I was prepared to pay full price, it was a steal for these anyway. BUT I GOT LUCKY. They were half off. Can't beat $6.00.


JCP BOOTS:




THE STORY ABOUT THESE SHOES IS ALMOST AS GOOD AS THE LOAFERS, IF NOT BETTER. I had desperately wanted these boots last fall to tromp around the snow in. On BLACK FRIDAY they went on sale for $29.99, which felt worth it; you don't see boots like these every day.

TURNS OUT, I couldn't make it to the sales in time because the boots SOLD OUT. So I thought I had lost them forever. Fast forward to March, I decide to go to the mall with my family, something we don't normally ever do. I decided to check out the "NEW JCP", since they had just recently changed over their business model and image.




I don't really buy many clothes from JCP, but I do find them to have relatively inexpensive, trendy, and of moderate quality footwear. Naturally, on this day, I was drawn to their shoe department to check out their spring sandals and pumps. They also happened to be having amazing boot sales (as were many other department stores). So while looking for through the boots, I SAW THEM. ONE PAIR, SIZE 6. I nearly cried. I couldn't believe it. Someone must have returned them. I told they sales lady practically in tears about my love for these boots and how I never thought I'd see them again. She thought I was nuts. 

I THINK THOSE OF US WHO DIE OVER FASHION ARE A LITTLE BIT NUTS.


TARGET SANDALS:



I GOT THESE STRAPY BLACK SANDALS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ON SALE. No great story about them, just that I wanted to add some new black sandals to my collection and the minimal straps really work for me right now.




THAT IS ALL. I PROMISE OUTFIT PHOTOS SOON. And some major, less elusive life updates. I just really don't want to jinx this one! 

XO,

RB.

20 April 2012

WHERE IN THE WORLD DID THIS BLOG GO?

INSTAGRAMMED PHOTO OF LOWER MANHATTAN VIA THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE

I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT I HAD THIS REALLY GREAT POST ABOUT HOW I MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY ALL WRITTEN UP. AND SOMEHOW IT GOT DELETED. FISH STICKS. I will try to re-create it in some fashion, below:

Yes, that's right. That's where this blogger has been for the past two weeks, getting settled in her new apartment in BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. I finally saved enough money to take the plunged with my boyfriend and just move. It was sad to leave Michigan. I had high hopes that I could move to DETROIT and create a name for myself as "DETROIT'S FASHION BLOGGER". But unfortunately my larger career aspirations just didn't have the same kind of opportunities as NYC does.

So for the past two weeks I've been exploring the city, HUSTLING FOR EMPLOYMENT, reconnecting with my partner, who I have not seen in over a month, and getting settled into my new place.

BUT DO NOT WORRY, THIS BLOG WILL BE UP AND RUNNING AGAIN, FULL SPEED, MOMENTARILY. And by momentarily, I mean next week. Until then, please check out my INSTAGRAM account (YES I GOT AN IPHONE) and some recent pictures of me, taken today, in PROSPECT PARK.





RB.

05 April 2012

VOGUE MAGAZINE APRIL 2012: HEAVY ISSUES, SPICE, & POP ART

VOGUE MAGAZINE - APRIL 2012




"WEIGHT WATCHERS"


THE ARTICLE EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT. 
When I first heard about the backlash this article was receiving last week, (it definitely feels longer than that) I admit I made some snap judgements. I even got in a heated argument with my mother about how ridiculous it seemed to be putting a 7 year old on a diet.

SO YES, I MADE MY SNAP JUDGEMENTS, AND THEN COMMENCED THE ARTICLE. To be honest, up until the very end, I was unwilling to let go of my pre-article opinions. But I was one over by ___ vulnerability, authenticity, honesty, and courage to write an article about a subject most people want to glaze over and throw to the pile of "non discussible" topics.

AFTER I read the article, I realized the publics distain with it was mostly just because the public seems to have this unwillingness to recognize its flaws. Weight IS a very personal topic. No one wants to be thought of as "OBESE" or "ANOREXIC". ESPECIALLY at such a young impressionable age. 

WHAT SEEMED TO BE BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION WAS THE REASONING BEHIND THIS MOTHER'S CHOICE TO TAKE CARE OF HER CHILD. This was about teaching her daughter to be healthy and eat healthy at the recommendations of HER DAUGHTER'S PEDIATRICIAN. This was not about a mother believing her daughter to be "FAT" and therefore starving her daughter to put her on a diet. And yes, in the article ___ does admit to letting BEA go without a meal. But she admits those as her flaws, just like all of us have done the same in some crazed desire to lose weight.

WHAT I BELIEVE is that the public should be embracing this article. PARENTS are supposed to teach and guide their children into making good lifestyle decisions, promoting a good overall well-being. PARENTS are supposed to protect their children. I think ___ was just being a good parent.


"THE VICTORIA LINE"



I'VE GOT SOME ADVICE FOR VOGUE, HOW ABOUT INSTEAD OF CELEBRITIES AS COVER MODELS, HOW ABOUT DESIGNERS? Can I copy write that idea? Seriously. I know you don't want to compete with other magazines who happen to have VICTORIA BECKHAM on the cover this month, but really, having her as the cover story wouldn't be pushing the limits too much. She is a celebrity after all.

AND ONE OF THE ONLY CELEBRITIES TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CROSSOVER CAREER INTO FASHION. I'm not talking the KARDASHIANS, because we all know that's a JOKE, I'm talking  REAL, RUNWAY SUCCESS.

AND THIS IS MAYJAH, to quote the former pop sensation. I don't know what ever happened to her BRAVO REALITY SHOW she was supposed to have about moving to LA. It peaked at one episode. I guess people couldn't handle all the "MAYJAH" things going on in her life. I could.

OKAY, so I might be a little bit biased. POSH SPICE was always my favorite SPICE. And I always "played" her when on the playground with my girl friends, even though I looked nothing like her. I even had a POSH barbie doll.

What I've always loved about her is how endearing she can be, how her style is impeccable (short of what happened in the 90's), and how despite comments like "I stand for the general public here", she is really down to earth. Almost like a normal person was just thrust into the spotlight and hasn't let their true self be altered. Because come on, we all know her body does not stand for the general public. 


"BACK TO THE FUTURE"



THIS ISN'T TRULY AN ARTICLE, but an excerpt from CHRISTOPHER SIMON SYKES new book: DAVID HOCKNEY: THE BIOGRAPHY. Yet still an exciting piece about the painter as a young student and romantic, painting in Suffolk.

You're not going to learn much about the painter on the whole in this excerpt, just about one particular summer escapade where the artist got his start. What really drew me in were the gorgeous landscape paintings done recently of the English countryside. Although these are all recent prints on display at London's Royal Academy of Arts, they seem to speak to this particular excerpt from the biography. Hockney spent his summer in Suffolk painting landscapes of the countryside, which later were either destroyed or sold. 

This isn't out of VOGUE'S comfort zone to have an article on an artist. In fact, it's a monthly installment, to have at least one, whether an interview or what not. Although I am very interested in art, sometimes the articles can be intimidating or my interest in them is lost quickly. I suppose I have to enjoy the art, or have some attachment to it, to some extent, to become interested in it's backstory.


WHAT SOLD ME ON THIS 'ARTICLE' WAS NOT ONLY THE GLORIOUS BRUSH STROKES AND BRIGHT COLORS, but the fun, and immaturity of the subjects. Just a couple of mates who are completely committed artist's engaging in a conventional, trite artist's story of setting up "shop" in a barn and all the mistakes they made a long the way. AND OF COURSE, THE HAPPY ENDING WHERE YOUR COMMITMENT PROVES FRUITFUL.


*         *         *         *         *


I WOULD LIKE TO ADD. . . 

I did not read and or cover the main article "VENUS RISING" about Jennifer Lopez because I have no interest in her, her career, her life, etc. THIS "REVIEWS" are completely SUBJECTIVE. So naturally, I'm only going to write about what I find interesting and or important. JENNIFER LOPEZ doesn't do either of those things for me.

XO,

RACHEL B.

02 April 2012

THIS SIDE OF PARADISE


THESE ARE JUST SOME LITTLE PHOTOS THAT INSPIRE ME. I don't get "inspired" much, like some fashion bloggers. I've had the above photo as my computer background for a good month, and the below photos of people/style that I adore. 

I GUESS YOU COULD CALL ME CONVENTIONAL, TRADITIONAL. 

But seriously, I could literally eat these photos. Like that low, warm, fiery feeling you get when you have an overwhelming desire to consume something? Like that. It's like that when I see these photos.

PICTURES OF ME WILL BE BACK HERE SOON. WITH ALL NEW SCENERY.

XX,

RB.