wtf ever happened to magazines?

No seriously. What happened?

People think I'm joking or exaggerating when I tell them that I've been subscribing to my favorite magazines since I was twelve. They then think I'm weird (or as I like to call it: overly passionate) when I describe in depth the amounts of publications I hoard by stacking them against walls in my bedroom, or how the most exciting part of my month is receiving my glossies in the mail, embracing them as if they were a gift from God himself. You know what, maybe it is a bit weird. In this day and age when instant satisfaction is sought after with more intensity than we're willing to admit, I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that print media is (big breath)...dying. Or dead. Or whatever stupid state it's in right now, because Lord knows it's not the way it use to be. At all...

But why? When did this start and how in the hell do we make it stop? I'm over blaming the "recession" because lets face it, the recession isn't the only event to blame for complete and total failure. Maybe it was a year ago, but I'm not buying that it caused the steady downfall of print media. I personally blame technology. And people. There, I said it. I'm not completely innocent, trust me, I'm one of the people I'm blaming. It's so much easier to search for a editorial I really want to see on Google or read an article that will supposedly be in the newest issue of NY Magazine right on their website. It takes the mystery away, the excitement; the anticipation is lost. It's so easy for us to get information we want from our favorite magazines without actually having to wait until they hit newsstands. But whatever happened to the feeling you get when you see that editorial in your hands, or read that article over coffee? There's a big difference between viewing something on your laptop and holding that tangible evidence of creativity in your hands.

Or am I the only one that feels this way?
[pic via: youmehimandher]

this reminds me of an inkblot test.

I love when people design things that aren't complicated. I like when people create things that are fun, fresh, and full of personality. I like this. A lot. Dion Lee you are amazing.

someone knock these off already.

So I can finally stop thinking about spending $400+ pesos on shoes. I'm not the type to spend obscene amounts of money on anything. For one, I'm extremely cheap, and two I just don't see the point sometimes. Some items I have that I've spent no more than a hundred dollars on hold up better than the designer items I've saved for. But something about these Acne Spring 2010 sandals makes me want to blow some hard earned cash. Seriously. Dying over here!

try a little harder why dontcha?

"I will always be proud that even when it looks like I can't, even when I feel like I can't, I'm always pushing a little harder just to see if maybe I can." (Kathrine Reutter)

This always seems to get me out of a bind.

eighteenth nyc fall 2010.

Today was the first really nice day in awhile here in Pittsburgh. No three minute thunder showers and clear skies all day; the perfect kind of weather for sundresses, open toe shoes, and ice cold beverages. So why am I already looking forward to the Fall? I think it has something to do with how backwards my mind can be sometimes. As much as I love the summer months, nothing puts me in a better mood than the Fall. The leaves, crisp weather, new collections............

That's right. New collections. New fashion. New everything!

If you read this blog on a semi regular basis you should know about my undying love for Eighteenth NYC and it's creator Alexa Galler. It took a moment for me to compose myself after checking out the pictures for the brands impending Fall/Winter 2010 collection. I lost my breath, started sweating, and got a bit dizzy just from staring at the pictures so hard on my computer screen. Truly mesmerizing don't you think?

crack in a cup| espresso + ice cream = magic!

::Disclaimer:: I am by no means good around anyone's kitchen, namely my own, but when it comes to coffee related items you can bet I'm the queen of creating things that sound incredibly gross, but turn out to be pretty tasty. This is no different...

Today after a difficult day dealing with difficult jobs and even more difficult people, I decided to head over and have a small visit with my friend and fellow broke college student Bryan who always manages to lift my spirit with his dry humor and sarcasm. During our conversation Bryan and I had the brilliant idea to cook up something that manages to sound disgusting, but is pretty good and extremely easy to make. A couple weeks ago Bryan shared with me this yummy recipe which puts a bit of a caffeinated spin on the classic root beer float. This recipe I affectionately refer to as : Crack in a Cup. This delicious confection is comprised of the following materials.

1 16 oz cup chilled

1 pint of very fattening vanilla ice cream
1 bottle of extra caffeinated root beer
1 shot of crack...I mean espresso

Place the shot of espresso into the chilled cup first. This protects the precious ice cream from melting prematurely. After you've got the shot into the glass, fill the chilled cup up about half way with root beer. Beware of fizzing! Root beer and espresso make a volital combination; kind of like Rihanna and Chris Brown. Once the fizzing from the root beer and espresso subsides, fill that sucker up with the fattiest ice cream you can find. Voila! Crack in a Cup!

After a long and difficult day, nothing makes me feel more like myself than good conversation with a friend and large amounts of caffeine and sugar.

kostas murkudis fw 2010.

I think the construction of clothing is so much more important than how one puts it together. Anyone can follow trends, but if the clothes they're wearing aren't constructed to the best of their abilities, it really doesn't matter what the hell you're wearing. Does that make any sense? Anyway, this is a big reason why I don't shop at places like Forever XXI anymore. Yes, the clothes are nicely priced which allows you to purchase more, but they fall apart so quickly. I've never had anything from that store that's lasted more than a few months. I've learned to save my pennies for more items that may be a bit more expensive, but stand the test of time. Classic always overrides trendy, that's a big reason why collections such as Kostas Murkudis always catch my eye. If you love using your imagination the collection is wearable, boasting classic cuts and silhouettes that never seem to go out of style.

i forgot how much i loved this.

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start telling them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my steps,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal Woman,
That's me. (Maya Angelou)

the xx: islands.

I love The XX. This video is pretty repetitive, but that's alright because the choreography is amazing. The video's message is pretty subtle, so much so that you're probably going to have to watch it more than once in order to understand what's really going on. Probably the most engaging video I've seen in awhile. And that's saying a lot, especially because I think the concept of the music video has taken a back seat to other aspects needed to promote yourself as an artists. Everything kind of looks and feels the same nowadays. Maybe this decine in creativity has something to do with MTV and other music centered television stations becoming more associated with creating "quality" reality TV programming and stopped promoting, you know....MUSIC.

Maybe...

if you do not have this album you are lacking at life.

I have been waiting for so long...

I received my pre-ordered copy of Janelle Monáe's The ArchAndroid yesterday, and promptly began basking in the glow of good music. I haven't put my iPod down long enough to figure out which song is my favorite. This has little to do with my decision making skills (which are shot anyway) and more to do with the fact that every song is my favorite. I have this insane feeling that this album will be among my favorites. Right up there with The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Funeral by The Arcade Fire, and my collection of Simon & Garfunkel vinyls.

swagger paris x vintage royalty.

I've been lucky enough in life to have friends that are doing extraordinary things. So lucky in fact, that from time to time they drop me a line to tell me what they've been up too (and no, it isn't always boozing). The light of my life and DIY goddess Meena sent me information on a few projects she's been working on, primarily her recent collaboration with Parisan music and fashion website Swagger Paris. Creating her signature vintage inspired thrifty budget conscious pins, earrings, and brooches with the website, SP and VR put their noggins together to designed some amazing goodies signifying the cross between New York and Paris letting us all know that fashion isn't just regional, it's universal.

If you haven't ventured to check out Vintage Royalty yet, do yourself a huge favor and get to steppin. Like seriously. GO!

the city.

I'm very sorry to all 12 of my readers for my recent absence. You see, I just returned from a trip to New York not only to visit the city of my dreams, but for several other "reasons": Katya's birthday, a few job interviews, meeting bloggers I like to stalk, a bit of fuckery. As you already know, I'm no slouch, I had lots of "important" responsibilities to take care of...................(blank stare).

Someone emailed me awhile ago and asked me why I never post pictures of myself and my life outside of this blog like other fashion bloggers (for the record, I really hate being called that. Don't ask me why, I just do). I wasn't sure how to answer them without sounding like a total prick, so I just said what I thought was the truth. I don't post pictures of myself or my life because 1) I'm not entirely sure I'm very photogenic, 2) posting my daily wardrobe changes make me feel narcissistic, and on top of that they aren't that interesting anyway. Yea I've acquired a pretty awesome pieces throughout the years, but for the most part I'm a jeans and tshirt girl with a heart that loves Givenchy...and 3) this is a blog documenting my personal interests and inspirations...outside of myself.

So in order to satisfy those curious minds and email stalkers alike, here are a few (read: a lot) of pictures from my recent excursion to the Big Apple. It's the good, the bad, and the ugly with a bit of WTF sprinkled on top. I cannot be held accountable for any involuntary hair movements, or the appearance of back fat. Don't say I didn't warn you.

For future reference I'll try my hardest to post a bit more about myself without sounding self absorbed. As if....

PS: If you'd like to absorb more of my nonsense and check out the rest of my pictures, then Facebook stalking is the thing for you!

i like that you dance like my nana.

I love that Janelle Monae dances like my grandmother and dresses like my grandfather. Brilliant.

flavors.me: the most brilliant thing in the whole wide world.

Flavors.me from Jack Zerby on Vimeo.

For a few months now I've been searching for a manageable interface that would allow me to have my website, portfolio, Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook accounts all in one place. It's a bit frustrating not having just one spot to point a person to when they ask me what I do. Normally I point them to this blog, but sometimes that isn't enough, especially when I'm searching for new freelancing opportunities. Potential employees don't always care about your opinion on celebrity antics and ass-less chaps. It's like a rat race trying to figure out which blog or website will give them the best answer as to who I am. It's very difficult. For example: Twitter is for me to catch up with friends and acquaintances. Tumblr is a mosh pit of photography and videos on my laptop I've accumulated over the years. This blog is for venting and talking massive amounts of garbage. My portfolio is probably the best example of the 'professional Dee', but she's boring and I don't bring her out unless it's absolutely necessary. See what I mean? Total clusterfuck.

My buddy Brian first introduced me to Flavors.me a couple of months ago, but it wasn't until a moment ago that I actually took the time to explore and check out their filmed demo. It's exactly what I need; one place to house all my crap so the next time someone asks for my blog, Twitter, Facebook, portfolio, etc, I'll be ready.

girl crush| tilda swinton.

Anyway, the reason I'm posting these photos of Tilda Swinton is because I'm a bit obsessed with her. Well, her face anyway. No, I take that back, I love all of her. Every bit. She's flawless. I've argued with many in defense of my undying devotion to Swinton, mostly because people tend to think she's a bit quirky, for lack of a better word. Well, I think she's perfection. A bit odd, and completely androgynous, but I believe that's a big part of her allure; she's not like everyone else. But then again, why in the hell would she want to be like everyone else. I know I wouldn't.

dreamer| karla spetic fall 2010.

Not your typical color palate for a Autumn/Winter collection, but seriously, who said Fall is the designated season of browns, burgundy's and other muted colors. I actually prefer Spetic's interpretation of the season with it's highly constructed cream blazers and pops of lilac and bright orange. Spices things up a bit, don't you think? Specifically I'm on the man hunt for the over sized cardigans. Big retarded buttons are so my thing.