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I am tweeting all my reactions while watching Project Runway! So follow me @laurasirisheyes!

It All Starts Here...

Barely 10 days into the school year and things are already getting  crazy!  Keep coming back here because I will have tons of posting info! Fall fashion, style synopsis, making my first mini-collection, and tons of anecdotes and updates on my senior year!

This semester I am taking a class that focuses on developing my portfolio, and one of our first assignments is to develop our logos.  I'm planning to go with the second one!

Reading September Issues...

BRB.

Thought of the Week

"Emotionlessly she kissed me in the vineyard and walked off down the row. We turned at a dozen paces, for love is a duel, and looked at each other for the last time."

~Jack Kerouac, On the Road

Check it Out!

This is a totally awesome and surprisingly easy DIY nail treatment (plus it calls for vodka...)!
 See the link!

Project Runway Rock

OK, let's get down to business.
Serena is already gone! So sad, but now I have deemed Bert my new fave.

Likes:
LOVED Bert's look! Definitely glad that he won, and is already actively listening to the judges.

Anthony is my other fave: "I rock one now". Quote of the evening.

You know the little blip of the runway model walking that they cut to right before and after commercials? Did anyone else think that white skirt looked like April's diaper shorts from last season?

Dislikes:
Designers already saying they are happy with their work given the restraints on time, resources, etc.  This is Project Runway, after all. Those constraints are now a fact of life.

Kathleen: "That's just not good enough" (on being in the middle safe group).  I had a Gretchen flashback, not gonna lie.

Julie saying she is on a learning curve with the sewing...how are you going to say that sitting next to Anya, who has supposedly only been sewing for 4 months?

And Anya...I have some thoughts but I'm keeping them to myself for the time being.

However, this is only the first episode, so all the designers have room to change my mind.

Overall, I'm very excited for this season!

Latest Project

 This week I have been ripping up old t-shirts and creating a new sleep ensemble.  Pretty ironic, seeing as how on last night's PR they were using their sleepwear to create a day ensemble!  It's almost done! Just need to do some final fit tweaking, and get some lace to trim the raw edges.

And I suppose I will be making some matching bloomers, seeing as how this is a lot shorter when on an actual body!

Then, I've been saving my scraps to do some braiding and headbands as well! Eco chic indeed!

Just printed out about 10 fashion croquis....let's have a legit sketch party!

haha, yes i went there with the pun ;)

wait...Wait...WAIT....

APPARENTLY CROCS ALSO MAKES HEELS! Though thankfully they use something else besides foam materials

Purr-fect!

So this past weekend I went out to the river with some friends. And we half waded, half stumbled out to the big rocks in the middle to sit on.  And I also didn't think about the fact that the riverbed is covered with sharp rocks and gross algae, as well as a few leftover fishing nets (GROSS). And about halfway through the trek, I was thinking, "why don't I have any water shoes for this"

So now here I am, shopping for...wait for it...CROCS. Dear readers, I never thought this day would come. But I solemnly swear to only wear them in the river, and plus...this pair doesn't look half bad now do they?

Click the link to follow to the webpage :)

34 Hours!

This morning I've been looking around on the Project Runway site, getting ready for tomorrow! And I think I have already found a favorite! Serena de Conceicao, from Brooklyn.  Looking at her portfolio I can see great and interesting detailing, as well as a great mix of relaxed and structured designs, which is perfect to me since my preferences tend to change with the seasons.  Now lets just hope she isn't a) a witch or b) knocked out on the first night!

Check out her personal page and portfolio!

Also...

LOVE this L'Oreal ad!

Can't Sleep, Must Sketch

 Already have the fabric for this one--blue and grey jersey knit

 And here begins my beginning ideas for this fall's independent study.  A resortwear collection inspired by a little ballerina off-duty style taken in neon form. Here will be a mix of lightweight linen blends with mesh.  There will also be some men's wear, but I'm gonna need some more sketching practice first!

 This one definitely needs some work, and the pink isn't showing up!  Being a sheath dress, I think it will translate better in 3-d format.

 A little side project...

And back to the resortwear.

Musings

So today I was in a very grumpy mood, and put on The Devil Wears Prada because I was feeling every bit as witchy as Miranda Priestly. My thoughts while going through the movie...

Now, this movie first came out when I was about 15. I was interested in fashion then, but really I was still a tragic mess. I loved clothes and shopping and sewing, but my only source of fashion literature was Teen Vogue, which I would look through to find the current trends and hope to find some pieces I could get from the mall and on my budget.  Watching it tonight, when Miranda spouts off her first rant of everything she wants done, starting with Calvin Klein skirts and going all the way to Demarchelier, all of that jargon made perfect sense to me.

My favorite outfit from the whole movie. Also, 5 years later and I'm still in love with Hathaway's alabaster skin and ruby lips. If I didn't live in Blacksburg, aka the wind capital of the south, I would still be rocking the full bangs too.

Already, the phones and keyboards look outdated, and I'm scared that given another 5-10 years, some people aren't going to get just how big a deal getting the Harry Potter manuscript was.

Also, can't forget this memorable segment.

 'This... stuff'? Oh. Okay. I see. You think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select... I don't know... that lumpy blue sweater, for instance because you're trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise. It's not lapis. It's actually cerulean. And you're also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent... wasn't it who showed cerulean military jackets? I think we need a jacket here. And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. And then it, uh, filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room from a pile of stuff. 

OWNED.

News to Use

This is always a hot topic in the world of fashion: originality and copyrighting. At first it seems like a no brainer, no one should be able to steal another's work or ideas, but it gets more complicated than that. How do you prove who came up with what first, how do you tell if two designs are substantially different from one another, and what happens economically when less expensive stores such as Forever 21 and Target can no longer work the higher fashion collections into their store product lineups? What happens to the argument of competition in a free market economy?

See a recent update on this issue in the New York Times here.

Thought of the Week

"For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."

~J.R.R. Tolkein, The Return of the King

Get Your Hurr Did

At 21 years of age, I am finally learning how to french braid my own hair. Here is a helpful site I have turned to, they also have info on herringbone braiding, which has come back en vogue this past fall.

McQueen Needs No Introduction

Love Thyself

Growing up I always HATED my freckles, I even remember one time I tried to "wax" them off with duct tape. As the years have gone by I learned to deal with them, now I even like them, and as it happens I have had a good number of guys tell me they are "a sucker for freckles". So when I found this tumblr blog, I had to pass it along :)

Frecklednose.tumblr.com

Ahhhh!

Can't believe 2 weeks have slipped right past me! I've been so busy, taking a business trip down to Charlotte and moving apartments, but I will be up and running again tomorrow!

Save the Date!

Project Runway Season 9 is fast approaching! Debuting July 28th at 9pm on Lifetime, with FOUR eliminations in the first show! And, naturally, they have upped the drama in their ads once again, with a Heidi photo that is sure to cause a ruckus. But I want the Tim Gunn ad poster-size on my wall :)

Read and prep more at the show site.

Beauty

Thought of the Week

"You can't hate someone until you learn what it may be like to love them."

~Jodi Picoult, Vanishing Acts

Here's to Wishing...

Sooo bummed I'm not going to be able to make it to NYC this summer to see the Savage Beauty exhibit of Alexander McQueen's works at the Met. If any of you have a chance, you should most definitely check it out!

However, next week I will be visiting the Coco Chanel exhibit at the Mint Museum in Charlotte! All is not bleak :)

Love

Just came across this pic on a tumblr blog and I seriously want to blow it up and use it to cover a wall in my new apartment. obsessed.

DIY Spa

So yesterday after cleaning house and a great workout, I felt sweaty and grimy, and decided to treat myself with a few spa treatments in the afternoon. Over the past year or so I have picked up some great "kitchen beauty" tips that I have come to absolutely swear by:

Lemon juice makes for a great toner

When shaving my legs, I always use conditioner instead of shaving cream around my knees. It's super smooth and I have never nicked myself.

If my eyes are puffy in the morning, I lay down with a bag of frozen peas or corn. Since they're small, the bag conforms to my eyes better than one of those gel masks or an ice bag.

A great face/body scrub can be made just by adding a few tablespoons of warm water to some white granulated sugar. Be extra kind to yourself by removing it all with a warm washcloth- wet a cloth and pop it in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds!

Another body scrub recipe is to mix brown sugar and white sugar with some olive oil. Super exfoliating and smells yummy!

Honey is a great moisturizer- spread it on your face, elbows, or knees, and leave for about 30 minutes. Just be careful, it can get messy and drippy! Rinse off and you will be as soft as a baby's bottom, no lie.

The best face mask I use is egg white with a few drops of lemon juice. I leave it on for 15-20 minutes, and my pores are smaller, my skin is tighter, and my face looks all over rejuvenated. So great, I do it every week!

Another last tip I picked up is that lotion is a great eye-makeup remover, especially if you don't want to have to pack yet another small bottle when you're traveling. Just put a dab on a washcloth and it works like magic.

Everyone treat themselves tomorrow!

Lust de la Semaine

This beautiful silk-satin blouse by Balmain, available at net-a-porter. A gorgeous color and easy-going style that can easily be dressed down with jean shorts and metallic sandals, or dressed up with sleek leather leggings and a chain link bag, such as this piece from Chanel's Spring-Summer 2011 collection. A little bit classic, a little bit rock 'n roll, all my style!

H&M Strikes Again

Coming this fall: VERSACE at H&M! This glamorous announcement is one we didn't expect. Donatella, head of the Italian fashion house, commented back in 2008 that while she respected fashion labels who released limited lines a la Target and H&M, she felt that it was not the way to go for Versace, as it would distill its luxury line image. But I guess now she just couldn't resist! The line will debut November 17-- I know what I will be thankful for this Thanksgiving! Read more about it at Vogue.

I Belong at the Derby

I am soooo in love with sunhats right now. With a little solid cotton dress: perfection! I particularly love the selections being carried at Bloomingdales and Anthropologie.

And of course, no discussion on hats would be complete without a little magic from Philip Treacy:

Thought of the Week

This week's thought is actually one of my favorite songs "Wishing Well". It is by The Airborne Toxic Event off of their self-titled album. Take a listen!

Summer Styles

Summer is here and it is hot and humid in the 'burg! Here are my tips for dressing in the hot weather:

Fabric

Polyester: A big no-no. This is a synthetic fabric that has no breathability and thus will trap all heat inside, leaving you one hot sticky mess. So be especially mindful when shopping for your summer wardrobes as it is a popular, cost-effective fabric in many cheaper clothing lines. If necessary, at least look for a look that has some cotton blended in.

Cotton: Nature's bounty. This fabric is lightweight and very breathable, thus cool for warm sunny days. The downside is that it is very absorbent, so if you live in a particularly humid climate or are going to be getting very sweaty, such as at an outdoor workout, it will become heavy and soggy.

Silk: This is an option many people don't think about. Silk is very lightweight and breathable. It is sensitive to sunlight exposure, which will cause it to break down, but it is perfect fit for a summer work wardrobe.

Linen: Linen is wonderful for removing moisture away from your body, and is nice and lightweight. The problem most people have with linen is that it wrinkles very easily, so you either have to be prepared to deal with the upkeep, or look for more relaxed styles that will look okay, or even better, when wrinkled, such as an easy, long skirt.

Another fabulous option to look for is a linen-cotton blend. It removes moisture the way linen does yet resists wrinkling, and is still cool and lightweight. Most likely one of your best bets.

Styles

Words cannot describe how thankful I am that, although I love corsets, we no longer live in the days of Gone With the Wind and have to wear layers upon layers of skirts and hats and gloves during the summer months! Truth be told I'm surprised the human race didn't become extinct back then due to mass heat strokes. However, it can still be difficult to find looks that are comfortable and chic during the hot weather. Here are some tips.

Relaxed silhouettes. Skirts. Dresses. Loose pants. Basically anything that allows an airflow.

Dark colors are helpful if you know you will be sweating a lot during the day, as they hide sweat marks that tend to show up on the back and underarms.

Honestly, one of the best changes I make for summer dressing is to wear sports bras round the clock. Since they're made of cotton or wicking fabrics, they keep me cool under my shirts, and now lots of styles are available that still have cups and support, to prevent the "uniboob" effect.

It's also wise to carry a light cardigan or cover-up for when you go inside places, such as restaurants and movie theaters, which always feel particularly chilly in the summer.

I also tend to go with lighter, less bulky jewelry in the summer months, especially necklaces. I find that when I'm already uncomfortable from the heat, they just seem to bog me down and make me feel worse.