A blog, for those who take their dreams SRSLY

HIATUS: It's not goodbye, but see you later.

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:59:00 -0700

Once upon time, there were three best friends, who were also three big dreamers… not by happenstance but fate. Intellectual and creative pursuits were unyielding. A public chronicle born.

Then one day, the first big dreamer—wide-eyed and long-legged—flew to the Big Apple to pursue her fashion dreams. Young and fresh-faced with a vintage Fendi. This fall, THE FIT meets FIT NYC.

Houston, I think we’ve just witnessed a starburst.

The second dreamer a true visionary found an unexpected dream come true, much to her heart’s content. Bold and beautiful, she wandered past the bleed line and discovered a pleasant result. A dream universally desired by all, she was lucky…

She fell in love.

The last dreamer turned 21, a lost adult among the bristling POPelation. Now at a standstill, his dream is on hold.

But don’t fret lovers, the burning LA flame is still strong. Grab a lens, boots and some glitter. A new dream is on its way, bigger and better than ever. Hush, the secret is in the city. So this is goodbye for now because when the time comes…

You’ll know it. -C

It's a beautiful Sunday morning in Los Angeles.

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:02:00 -0800

Among many things, including a wonderful brother, my twin Andrew now designs jewelry. Support local artists. Check out his $9 “Never Sleep”ring or the $20 “Blacked out Octopus Pendant”. Jump on it fast, who knows you could be the owner of a future Picasso, Monet or McQueen piece. In case you’re curious, his site is here.

Could there be some SRSLY swag in the works? I’d bet on it.

Well, enjoy your respective days of rest :-)

Tickle me pink, Chris

The old me’s Dead and Gone.

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:36:00 -0800

A few nights ago I put on my best actor face to appear in a short film directed by a friend—an emerging talent by the name of Mr. Wolcott. My part was small yet significant nonetheless. I was the dead guy, dragged on the floor after being bludgeoned with a rolling pin by his impatient roommate.

I see it as metaphor for life really—feeling dead and being dragged by life. It’s a funny thing to say that a place is exhausting. The draining sensation can’t really be explained and people don’t understand. But that’s how it feels to live in LA: Always Wanting, Trying, Dying.

Lately, I’ve been so critical of myself. And it’s killing me.

… But I want to say, that’s the old me. Expect a lot of changes here real soon. A site revamp, a me revamp. Rihanna became the Good Girl Gone Bad, Sasha out-fierced Beyonce and a once-innocent Britney declared, “I’m not a little girl anymore.”

So, the old me’s Dead and Gone.

Forever yours, Chris

Just popping in to remind you to catch Proenza Schouler live tomorrow at 5 pm PST! CLICK...

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:18:53 -0800

Just popping in to remind you to catch Proenza Schouler live tomorrow at 5 pm PST! CLICK HERE

In case you missed the Rodarte stream this morning, you can still view the tattered brides at live.showstudio.com.

And that’s all,
Jenn

A breath of fresh air from Marc Jacobs FW2010.

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:21:00 -0800

Romantic. Sophisticated. Dreamlike.

“Reminders of why fashion can still be enchanting.”

My eyes literally grew so wide in front of the computer screen while playing a little who’s who with the (very exciting) live stream until a man’s voice came over, “Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. We’re about to begin.” Lights dim. Marc and Robert Duffy unveil the box of models. We’re taken on a ride through time. Neutral, subdued, still very luxurious.

I cannot hate this collection at all. It was a break from the hyperdrama of fashion I usually jump for, and I find that so attractive. While it surprises me that this came from Marc after his recent collections, I think it made an even bolder statement that we can all appreciate. Beautiful! Bravo! I feel like I just grew up a little in those 8 minutes of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

All in all, aces! Thank you modern technology!

Love,
Jenn

Valentine's Day.

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:09:00 -0800

Don’t worry, celebrities feel like crap too.

While some of us stand in awe at the cherished lives that socialites and celebs lead, the glaring reality is that pain is a universal luxury we can all feel. Are we lonely like Lindsay, the secret celebrity hoarder, latching onto material goods in order to fill the emotional voids we so very often lack? I know I’m guilty.

I spent the day walking up and down the sidewalks of 3rd Street Promenade, filling my bag with useless indulgences in order to mend my sad little heart. But it’s win some, lose some. Normal people get love, and stars… well, they get famous.

Love is a battlefield, Chris

There’s not much to say other than how your unwavering creativity and innovation will...

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:34:50 -0800

There’s not much to say other than how your unwavering creativity and innovation will forever live on. Thank you for a lifetime of inspiration. Rest in peace, Lee Alexander McQueen, you will be missed.

<3,
J

Hold onto your hats and glasses folks! IT’S… FASHION WEEK! The Mercedes-Benz Fashion...

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:01:00 -0800

Hold onto your hats and glasses folks! IT’S… FASHION WEEK! The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is officially kicking off tomorrow in New York for what is the fashion olympics of the world. It just so happens that it’ll also be Bryant Park’s last hoorah as the tents will be relocating for the next season. But New York bound or not, no worries because we’ll all be able to enjoy a little Fashion Week craziness from wherever you are. It’s a little magical concept called LIVE STREAMING!

Yes, yes, yes! Here are a few that I’ll be following:

Ports 1961 on February 11 on Vogue.com
Lacoste on February 13 on the Lacoste FB Page
Alexander Wang on February 13 on live.ShowStudio.com
Marc Jacobs on February 15 on MarcJacobs.com
Rodarte on February 16 on live.ShowStudio.com

I’ve got my Fashion Week schedule all printed out like a little style junkie and will hopefully be coming at you with some updates. Stay tuned!

Bisous,
Jenn

*EDIT: SO SORRY I GOT THE TIMES WRONG WITH THE LIVE STREAMING! :-( DON’T CRUCIFY ME!

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:28:36 -0800

Hipsters gone Mainstream(!!!)

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:28:00 -0800

And they might not even know it.

Whether they (hipsters) choose to admit it or not, it is in fact none other than pop idols who are bringing the grungy, hipster party culture to the forefront of mainstream America, making it all glittery and Gaga-licious of course. Just as Ke$ha is now the poster child for greasy hair and awaking with sensation of feeling like a hip-hop bad boy, dirty partiers and rebel rousers are perhaps more represented in the bubblegum fluff than they would like to think.

And like the unabashed pop culture nut that I am, I now embellish my T’s with a cross and all my S’s are now dollar signs… Hmm, I wonder why the exclamation points as the “i” in P!nk never caught on. Monkey see, monkey do.

Thanks to Gaga and Ke$ha, this rebellious ac† of mi$pelling has overtaken bloggers and hipsters everywhere. Ultimately, even if they believe their behavior to be inspired by hard-fisted, flannel-baring individualism, they are in reality just conforming to a standard or trend set by a pop idol. Don’t get me wrong I am too, just proudly.

On a more casual day, check out Gaga in all her inner-hipster glory.

My friend, a music elitist who can’t admit she’s hipster, is actually a fan of Lady Gaga. Go figure.

That’s all, Chris

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T by AW SS2010 | Hannah Holman by Daniel Jackson First ad campaign for Wang’s T collection,...

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:30:00 -0800

T by AW SS2010 | Hannah Holman by Daniel Jackson

First ad campaign for Wang’s T collection, which I very much like. In comparison to the other SS2010 ads, I think this one reiterates how simplicity speaks volumes. (Ahem, Balenciaga, I’m looking at you. I still have no words for that campaign.)

In case you were curious: Balenciaga SS10 Ad Campy
Have any thoughts on any campaigns you like, love, or hate? Show us some love at SRSLYonline@gmail.com!

Still bewildered, Jenn

Art is what you can get away with, Some LA Gallery Opening

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:16:00 -0800

There’s a blurred line between art and celebrity. Where they meet is almost impossible to distinguish. Art has become so subjective these days. If someone is willing to justify it, it’ll qualify. But the social circles are none too different. Cheese and tomatoes on sticks. Mint leaves in their water. Cigarettes & Sequins. Getting in is hard. Keeping up is harder.

Get Creative kids, Chris

“I think that we are in a very strange time today, when everybody is thinking about what is...

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:42:00 -0800

“I think that we are in a very strange time today, when everybody is thinking about what is going to happen, and everybody is kind of cleaning house a little bit. In the fashion world, we are doing something similar. We are taking the fake out and being a little bit more real and simple. In fashion, we have a reputation for being such a façade—fake people—but none of the fashion people who I know are fake.”

There is a special place in my heart for the oh-so-quotable, Alber Elbaz.

A.E. with his signature floppy bow tie and the lovely Anna.

And speaking of the American Vogue editor, is it possible to say that
Jay-Z threw in a few words about Wintour in his hit, Empire State of Mind? See (or hear..) for yourself: “caught up in the in crowd/now you’re in-style/and in the winter gets cold en vogue with your skin out.” Am I crazy? It’s the first thing that came to mind when I heard it. Food for thought for the next time you hear it on the radio. ;-)

Hope you’re staying warm in this weather! Don’t be like me and sacrifice warm feet for fashion. Slopping all over the flooded campus is not a good look, trust me. San Jose can I get some sun, please?!

Until then, Jenn

Big Dreams Will Reveal Themselves Soon Enough

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:53:00 -0800

We’re working on some new projects that we’re excited to share with you. Stay tuned!

-SRSLY contributors

We can't help but...

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:46:00 -0800

Want to grow. As people. As individuals. For others. For ourselves.

So run through the grass, seize opportunity and shine. —C.J.

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General Observation

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:30:00 -0800

Last month, the world came colliding down for little girls around the globe when the youngest Jonas made the cataclysmic announcement that he would be taking time off from his famed brother band to pursue a solo project. Some even speculated that Nick Jonas was looking to become the next “Justin Timberlake.” Let’s just say we’re not surprised.

This got me wondering: Is there such a thing as an original idea in Hollywood anymore? In no way am I saying the industry is going flat, but instead observing the fact that popular culture has rebirthed the same tried-and-true formulas time and time again…. rarely in new and exciting ways.

As a point of fact, every artist has had to draw inspiration from a thing of the past, which could explain all this tired repetition. Perhaps one of the oldest music clichés in the book is the good-looking frontman looking for a little more breathing space (we see you Beyoncé). Michael did it, so did Diana Ross and Justin Timberlake. So I guess we can’t be mad at you, Nick.

Ain’t it funny though how the curly-haired, falsetto flaunting crooner goes after the seductive, equally-as-sucessful blonde bombshell (yes, we know Miley’s is a wig). Looks to me just like bubblegum’s mega-famous ex-mouseketeers reincarnated for today’s tween pop rockers.

I say it’s time to screw the formula and try something new. Why be the “next” someone and just be your own. Any bold dreamers out there looking to break the mold? I know I’m standing in line.

Feels good to be back, SRSLY.

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:50:00 -0800

Like a lie you tell yourself each day, then one day the lie is true.

Some much awaits me in the place where stars are born. Lalaland, the City of Angels. New friends to meet, stories to write, important people to interview, opportunities to seek, dreams to follow… and the chance to work this year’s GRAMMY week. I’m anxious, nervous and excited all in one bunch. I hopped off a plane at LAX with a dream and a… fur vest?! ;-)

<3 Hope you’ll follow, Chris

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LOOKOUT: Trendy Haircuts, A Deep-seated Celebrity Nicety

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:36:00 -0800

If the POPelation is a blog about FAME, then it is my duty to tell this story the best way I know how: through my life of course. Take my recent run-in with hair salons, for example. You know the ritzy, trendy kind that give you a sparkling water beforehand and a temple message after they wash your hair. On my last visit, I sat in the chair, surrounded by a warehouse filled with the suffocating fumes of affluence.

The old lady across from me, $2k Chanel bag hanging from the stand, aluminum foil concealing her gray roots, which would soon be transformed into a harsh platinum blonde. The balding business man comfortable with the decision to spend a less sensible amount for a more “quality” haircut to impress his wife waiting at home. The future stars, smug and confident, knowing that something as little as “hair” could be the dealbreaker in an audition. And there’s me. The great pretender, abashed by the exhausting scenery yet still content with scrounging up the necessary funds to afford an indulgent trip to an upscale barbers.

Why has hair become such an important part of our obsession?

In the entertainment world, we ask ourselves: Would Rihanna have had as much success without her signature asymmetrical bob, or just stayed mediocre like so many before her with washed-out “plain jane” locks? Or might have Victoria Beckham’s coming to America been a little less friendly if the majority of middle-aged moms hadn’t rush to the salon to get a cut just like hers. Or what was really the hoopla about during Britney’s tragic breakdown? Once styled in her infamous blonde pigtails, the public couldn’t handle a Britney without them.

Let me tell you, a deep-cleansing cucumber wash and two hour’s worth of sheering and suddenly I feel like a new person. It’s nice, and suddenly all the more worth it.

Need a headline? Want to get noticed? A cardinal rule in Hollywood: Screw Talent, Get a Haircut.

PROUD TO BE PRO-PROENZA!

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:31:00 -0800

Like fine wine, Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough are only getting better with age. Graduating from Parsons The New School in 2003, these BFFs co-created PROENZA SCHOULER straight out of design school, and the rest is history. (The name came from the combination of their mothers’ maiden names, btw. Cute, huh?) Known for their downtown girlish aesthetics, Hernandez and McCollough decided their fate in 2003 showing at the National Arts Club in New York. Just seven short years later they’ve got us eating out of their crafty little fingers with their SS2010 collection which showed some scuba/coral reef vibes that had us diving right in.

Here’s what I mean:

Proenza Schouler. From SS03 to SS2010. If you’re standing, we want you to sit down for this one.

Mmm… That tropical rain forest dress on Natasha Poly is burning a whole in my heart!

So are you a believer yet? No? Well, you can shuffle your stubborn feet on over to ABlogCuratedBy to see some PS eds and snippets. Oh, and please do look around the different blogs “curated” by other fabulous beings like Margiela, Tisci and Yamamoto.

Wait! There’s one more thing that’s got my blood boiling. Yesterday the amazing Etsy designer behind Yokoo tweeted that she had gotten a call from Proenza Schouler to work on a mysterious project for them. The swamped designer said she had no choice but to refuse… I know… Whaaaat? But that got me thinking, “What does Proenza want from Yokoo?” Do I see amazing knits in the future for Proenza Schouler? Check it out! Yokoo FYT. And if you’re trying to find the tweet I’m talking about, sorry she deleted it. How even more mysterious. ;-)

Okay that’s it, lovelies.

Bisous, Jenn

Talent Vs. Spectacle: The War Wages On in 2010

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:57:00 -0800

Wait a second. Before we go counting out all the Kim Kardashians and Jon Gosselins of the world, let’s stop and think about this.

Given all the talk on Twitter, the blog-o-sphere and elsewhere pinpointing “talent” as the resurged focus of entertainment in 2010, the precedent set in years past is quick to pop this vapid little bubble dream. We love spectacles and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Now, can we really see a Hollywood where “talent” supercedes its more flashy counterpart? Hollywood is all smoke and mirrors people, which isn’t a bad thing but the beauty of it. In 2009, we feasted on the trainwrecks, club antics, party anthems, scripted scheming and this:

Will 2010 be different? I guess we’ll all decide that together soon.

Btw, does anyone know why people are still keeping tabs on Lindsay Lohan? Case in point: Let’s agree that it’s not for her talent.

Bottom line: In our reality, fair or not, the talented aren’t always the most famous, just as the most qualified aren’t always the ones sitting pretty in political office. On our end though, so as long as you have the dream—even lacking everything else—and you believe in it, you are halfway there to getting others on board.

So dream big, Chris