here comes the sun

For the next time I have $180 to drop on sunglasses...

fly me to the moon

I adore 1940s moon manicures (check out the nails at Christian Dior, above), but was slightly discouraged when I saw a few different online stories suggesting that this should only be attempted by a professional and/or must be achieved with nail sticker stencils. Well, I'm not one to pay for a manicure when I have a bin full of nail polish in my closet, and I've never had luck with those little drugstore stick'ems. (Though I have an intense love of tacky french manicures. They're coming back, ya'll.) So I've been determined to master the moon manicure on my own.

Dita von Teese, the patron saint of moon manicures

I posted my first attempt, and though the final result was cute from a distance and earned a couple of compliments, up close it was a blobby bubbly mess. I painted on so many coats that my nails were still tacky a few hours later. Not exactly a low maintenance project. I wanted to create a white moon at the base with a purplish black shade on the rest of the nail. Sadly, my white polish was slightly sheer, so it took a few coats to reach the opacity I was hoping to achieve. The next tricky step? Perfecting the curved border of the moon with the dark polish. I'm pretty good with nail polish, but I'm also pretty obsessive about it. So I was tweaking, adjusting, and perfecting the border for ages before I got it just right. Of course, by that time my nails were coated with, oh, twelve coats of polish. The surface was uneven, the polish had bubbled slightly, and I still wasn't perfectly satisfied with how the border had turned out.

The second time I attempted a moon manicure, I had far better luck. This time, I purchased a thick white polish so that I wouldn't have to start with a million base coats. Then, instead of obsessively detailing the border with the second color, I drew a the curved line with black permanent marker. It actually went on quite easily, and though it wasn't perfect, it served its purpose beyond my expectations. I was able to color inside the line with the dark polish, finishing the manicure with minimal coats and touch ups. A black sharpie may not be the classiest beauty tool in your closet, but when attempting this nail trend, it's invaluable. If you're using a lighter or brighter top shade, try creating the outline with Sally Hansen Nail Art Pens. They come in multiple shades and though they're a little pricey, but they're easy to work with and last forever. If you insist on going the stencil route, try this neat little trick from Glamour. I'm guessing you can buy quite a few paper hole protectors for the price of one package of nail art stencils.

the return of v

This isn't exactly breaking news, but since it's probably still outside the realm of common knowledge and I will use any excuse to talk about V or Firefly, I think I'd better share it here. The re-imagining of the 80s sci-fi mini-series V is a go. They've already announced Scott Wolf as part of the cast (or as I think of him, drunk Bailey that married that pretty lady from The Real World: New Orleans), but here's the even bigger news...

Morena Baccarin (Inara from Firefly and Serenity, crazy eyes lady in an episode of How I Met Your Mother--HIMYM and the Whedonverse are in constant overlap; that same episode of HIMYM also included Andrew from Buffy) will play Anna, the leader of the alien Visitors. I adore the original V mini-series (though the corresponding television series wasn't nearly as well done), so I'm so excited that they're bringing the story back. The concept has so much potential that was never fully realized in the original filming, so fingers crossed that ABC understands what a gem it has here. Though I can't help wondering, will it really be V without the Beastmaster?

hungry heart

I love the movie. I love the soundtrack. I love the Bowie and the Deneuve. And now I love this nail color.

Nars Polish in "The Hunger"

next thing you know i'll be growing my own cat nip and knitting kitty sweaters

While in waiting room the other day, I was flipping through the April edition of Martha Stewart Living and was surprised by two things:

1) The fashion section, though small, was quite lovely (sorry for the crappy photo quality). There was an editorial featuring spring outerwear in which the coats and jackets were modeled by actual staff members. The real-life woman model thing has been done before, but I haven't seen it done this well. The coats were gorgeous, the women beautiful and accessible, and their names and positions in the Martha Stewart empire were listed as a reminder that they're working women just like you and me.

2) I love the Easter eggs featured on the cover and I know the style isn't anything new, but my first thought upon looking at the cover was, "Wow. Kara Walker has made some really wholesome Easter eggs.

I'm not saying I'm subscribing to Living anytime soon. I'm perfectly happy with drop-crotch trousers and Vogue Paris thankyouverymuch. I'm just saying that next time I'm waiting room, Martha Stewart Living may be the first magazine I reach for.

let the wild rumpus start!

And be sure to check out the Minnesota Shubert's Dances of the Day.

AT-AT vs CAT-CAT

eek!

I've been obsessed with these Yves Saint Laurent caged ankle boots ever since I saw them in runway photographs. So I'm so very very happy to share the following with you...

Topshop Lattice Caged Sandals, like woah! $145 US dollars, but compared to the inspiration, it's a steal. And after reading Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster, I no longer feel any guilt about buying knockoffs. Happy early birthday to me.

a little monday inspiration

I love the graceful lines of The Dancing House in Prague designed by Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry, nicknamed the Fred and Ginger building. I wish someone would design me a dress based on this architectural silhouette.


I've never really been into diamonds or engagement rings (for political, economical and environmental reasons). But if I could put all that bleeding heart crap aside and were to decide that a diamond ring would just be so me, I'd definitely go for this Killer Diamond Engagement Ring by Tobias Wong.

This eye jewelry by Dutch designer Eric Klarenbeek is some of the craziest shit I have ever seen. Beautiful, but intensely disturbing. Considering I can barely deal with a stray eyelash, I can't even imagine wearing this. What if you sneezed?

elizabeth and james spring 2009

This shot reminds me so much of this necklace...

The Tatty Devine Dinosaur Necklace that I have wanted for effing ever but is out of stock. Get it together, Tatty!

i want to get freaky

I'm kind of obsessed with the television series Psych, which features the totally crushworthy Dulé Hill. Check out this clip of Hill and his co-star James Roday covering the classic Silk single "Freak Me."

get a little culture with your cocktails

For all you Minneapolitans looking for an evening of culture that's easy on the wallet, discount tickets are available for A Raisin in the Sun at the Guthrie Theater. Regular price tickets are $29-$53, but if you call the Guthrie Box Office at 612-377-2224 you can purchase $20 tickets for Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. Make a night of it with a great happy hour at Spill the Wine (count on host Nate and server Benjamin to provide you with awesome service), a cocktail at the w xyz bar, or delicious frog's legs from Harry's (seriously, they're amazing). And it never hurts to arrive early to take some time to wander around the gorgeous Guthrie building designed by famed architect Jean Nouvel.

a gorgeous view of the Endless Bridge at the Guthrie Theater

shoes, glorious shoes!

A big thank you to Jahna over at le petit connoisseur de la mode. Because of her tip, I stopped by Opitz and, though I couldn't find any Marc Jacobs mouse flats in my size, I did find a gorgeous pair of black patent leather Cole Haan pumps. They were originally just around $400, but they were marked down to $75. I've been searching for a new perfect pair of black pumps for a couple months now, and these are exactly what I've been looking for. And thankfully, the heavily discounted version was more within my price range.

Look at them! I considered photographing them on my actual feet, but my legs are pale, bordering on fluorescent, and I don't want to be held responsible for any reader's loss of vision. So instead, here they are in my kitchen. Also pictured: the candlesticks I bought at the sorely-missed Minneapolis boutique Store Nico, a pitcher of dried flowers from Ikea, the deer wall hanging I ordered from the lovely day-lab, some ranunculuses in a Store Nico vase, and a clock that I borrowed from the ARH Building at Grinnell College in Iowa. The photo hanging on the wall was a gift from my mother, and sadly confirms my future as a crazy cat lady.

new haircut

And it makes me feel like Jane Fonda in Klute.

perfectly marvelous, maybe this time

You'll always be Sally Bowles to me. Good night and good luck, Natasha Richardson.

candy coated raindrops

one of Massimo Gammacurta's stylish lollipops

I wanted to add Soul For Real's "Candy Rain," but embedding was disabled by YouTube. Capitalist thugs.

pretty springy things

moons, flowers and raisins

My first attempt at the moon manicure. It wasn't as successful as the manicure that Deborah Lippman created for Lara Stone in February Vogue Paris, but then again, I'm not a professional. The orchid corsage was a gift from my manfriend to wear to the opening night of A Raisin in the Sun at the Guthrie (the ladies sitting in front of us were so excited that we were trying to bring the corsage back). This is the third production of this play that I've seen, and it was certainly my favorite. There were a few uneven moments, but the cast members gave moving performances and had believable chemistry. Excellent sound and lighting design, as well as a set that captured the mood of the time period and the emotion of the story. I wore a gold sequined dress and a black tuxedo jacket in honor of Cassie, accessorized with a tangle of necklaces and wavy frizzy hair.

Manfriend also gave me this gorgeous arrangement from Pazzobello (the same shop that created the corsage he gave me). He went in and described my style and personality to the florists and this was the result. My personality must really sparkle, because the arrangement is gorgeous. I know I'm gushing, but the florists at Pazzobello really do some amazing work. Also included in this shot: my Cardboard Safari Moose Trophy, way too many Marc Jacobs splashes, and my collection of Kenzo Ryokos.

And this is really just perfume porn.

general creepiness

Wax lips. Most disturbing candy ever.

Goulish lips at Alexander McQueen.

And there's a project in the works to remake IT. I am terrified.

like, wow

Big news for Doctor Who fans! Sort of! As one would imagine, rumors are swirling about who will play the Doctor's assistant in the next season of the series (former Bionic Woman Michelle Ryan is only appearing in the upcoming special). My favorite bit of speculation is that one Hannah Murray is being considered for the role.

Murray was amazing as Cassie on the British series Skins (another Kate D. recommendation). If you don't live in the UK, you most likely haven't heard of this show (although it features Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel and the sexy grown up version of the child actor from About a Boy). Cassie is an incredibly complex and fascinating character, and her struggle with anorexia is the most realistic depiction of an eating disorder I've ever seen on television or film. Murray's performance as Cassie is dippy, daffy, and heartbreaking (she also says "wow" more than any other character EVER). Plus, her wardrobe ruled.

Cassie reclining on a trampoline (with Sid!) before being rushed to the hospital for an overdose. Of course, Cassie paired her glittery cocktail dress with a flower in her hair and a tuxedo coat with tails.

Imagining signs all around her telling her to eat. Plus, a necklace strung with toys!

Hanging out in another gold cocktail dress and big curly hair.

Lounging about after being checked back into her psychiatric facility. In a sun hat of course.

best robot tailor ever

I'm currently watching Forbidden Planet at Jagercon, the weekly event that my dear Kate Iverson and I host in Minneapolis at Clubhouse Jager. This is my first viewing of the movie (which hurts my nerd cred, I know) and I'm obsessing over Anne Francis' costumes. The film is a loose re-telling of Shakespeare's The Tempest set in a technologically advanced future. Though it was released in 1956, the special effects and electronic score are extremely advanced for that age of film making (plus, young Leslie Nielsen). The story follows a research team from Earth as they visit the planet Altair to discover the fate of a human colony established 20 years previously. Upon their arrival, they find that all of the colonists are dead, save one doctor and his teenage daughter Alta (who has had little interactions with humans other than her father). The doctor has built a robot assistant, Robby the Robot. Alta designs her clothing, and Robby sews it for her in remarkable time. The result is pretty sci-fantastic, and I had to share a few of the film's promotional images here.

Oh Robby, you made this for me? You're really too much!

Really! Aren't you just a dear!

What is up with all the Ancient Greek references in sci-fi movies from the 50s? I tell you, I just don't understand it.

Oscar de la Renta totally copied this creation a few seasons ago. I saw Amanda Peet wearing it!

I love a classic space-agey funnel neck!

coco avant chanel

designing women

Diane von Furstenberg on the cover of Purple

Miuccia Prada on the cover of i-D

first love

I'm no music writer, but since I've been listening to this song night and day for two weeks straight, I think it's time to share it here. Thanks to my guest blogger Kate D. for getting me hooked on Emmy the Great.

i'm gonna tell you right away i can't wait another day, amanda.

I loved her as Lilly Kane on Veronica Mars. She was adorable as the ditzy Karen in Mean Girls. And she's been getting raves for her role on Big Love. (I can't comment on Mamma Mia! as I don't think I can bring myself to watch Meryl Streep sing and jump on a bed in a pair of overalls.) Plus, I totally dig her hair. Now Amanda Seyfried is in talks to star in the new Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) project Sucker Punch. The movie has been described by Snyder as Alice in Wonderland with machine guns. Evan Rachel Wood and Abbie Cornish have also been rumored to be attached to the project, which will feature dragons, lobotomies, airplanes, and lots of ass-kicking. The question on my mind is, will Sucker Punch be as over-the-top homoerotic as 300? And though nothing with Sucker Punch has been confirmed, remember that we have the awesome Diablo Cody-penned horror fim Jennifer's Body to look forward to.

A little more Amanda...

In an Alice-inspired shoot for Vogue Italia

More Alice...

Some more Alice...

All pinned up in Vanity Fair

Mixing prints in Teen Vogue

This shot makes me think of the Sasha Pivovarova Prada ads from a few seasons ago.

Looking like a femme fatale from a classic film noir