Best of Ebay!

Ok, I'm attempting to start a semi-regular column here, folks. When I feel so inclined, I'll share with you some of the current best Ebay deals. All you have to do is search for them (not sure if I can legally put the seller's info on my site). Ready? GO!

The first one is DVF and if it wasn't an XS I'd be bidding on it myself. Currently it's under $10! Current bid...$10.49! And it comes with the tags still on, which considering the tag says its worth $600+ is one hell of a bargain

On the left is a GORGEOUS See by Chloe (drool) top, which again, is missing my bid due to tininess. Current bid...$15.00

Finally we have this cute coral tunic, perfect to throw on at the pool or beach, or to wear with a belt out on the town! Current bid...$7.49.

So there you go. Bid on them now before they go, because I GUARENTEE they will.

Did I spell guarentee right?

Seriously...kaftans?

Hello all! Apologies abound for my absence, but I have good reason! I was sidetracked for most of May by the fashion show the boutique I work for put on. It turned out AMAZING, and while I didn't get to see the actual show (I was backstage furiously changing models and making sure they have jewelry on and their boobs were inside the clothes), my boss was thrilled with it, so that made it all worth while.

Anyways, summer is on! It's already getting hot and muggy here in Northern VA, and while I dread those sticky days of July and August, it's just the right temperatures to have the windows open and let the cool night breeze enter my room. Aaahhhh..

But of course, new summer clothes are all over the place, some gorgeous, and others...well...let's just say I'm a little surprised by the number of designers sending kaftans down the runway. First of all, those things can only be worn by the smallest percentage of the population: Skinny girls (cause anyone bigger than a 4 would look lumpy in one), and girls who live in Miami or the Hamptons. That's it! And secondly, I can't believe that beach wear popularized by older women living in Palm Beach is supposedly back in fashion! Ugh. But let's take a look at said kaftans anyways.

The kaftans are by (Left to Right, top row first): Diane Von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta, Michael Kors, Matthew Williamson, Missoni, Pucci, Alice Temperley, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Antik Batik. My favorite is definitely the Matthew Williamson one, it reminds me of some romantic Victorian country dress. If it was just a foot shorter it could be so deliciously wearable...ah well. The DVF and Missoni ones aren't too bad, but the Pucci and de la Renta ones look took Palm Beach for me, and the Michael Kors one looks like a kimono. I just don't get it...

Moving on, bigger pictures of the dresses can be found at my fave web-window shopping spot, net-a-porter.com. I hope I'll have the inspiration to get back to regular posting, but inspiration is a fickle muse, dears.

Laters.
Vee

Unofficial color(s) of Spring '08: NEON!

Ok...so due to a painful and extremely inconvenient cyst on my tailbone (ouch x 10) I haven't been doing much sitting, so the blog has gone without posts for over a week now...but it looks like no one's reading it so I'm not too worried about mobs of drooling CaptainVee followers coming after me.

This spring, gorgeous hues of neon and uber-brights have hit the runway and the streets; I love seeing trends like this come along because they are much more accessible to those of us without disposable incomes.

(Left to right) 3.1 Philip Lim, Dsquared2 and Zac Posen all chose to incorporate little touches and/or individual pieces that were vibrantly neon in their collections. Jill Stuart, however, made her entire Spring '08 collection about neon! She also draped sheer, gauzy fabrics over her garments, showcasing another gorgeous Spring trend. The girl is on top of things!

I wish I could wear the gray and orange outfit on the center bottom for a picnic in the park with my charming and handsome boyfriend. Unfortunately, I don't have the outfit or the boyfriend.

Laters!

Official Color of Spring: Green!!!

Ok. So the green I'm talking about isn't technically a color. It's green as in eco-friendly, something that's being talked about constantly these days (which is def. a good thing!). Plenty of designers are showing pieces made with recycled materials, and some designers like Linda Loudermilk (#1 best name EVER) are doing nothing but eco-friendly pieces. Loudermilk's clothing is made entirely from all natural fabrics made of Japanese leaves called sasawashi, bamboo, sea cell, soya, and other plants. She also makes pieces she feels connect the wearer with the earth. Her website has the following mission statement:

"Nature may be beautiful. But nature is not pretty. Think about it. Domesticate the land: Thresh it, pave it, put up stoplights and call it Sunset Boulevard; nature knows better than all that. In one terrible instant it could all be gone. The foundation shakes. The earth takes the sidewalks into its growling maw. Gone. Later, flowers will grow where once there was a strip mall. And the flowers will be beautiful, because nature makes no apologies for itself. Nature is the original punk."

How great is that? And surprisingly her garments are incredibly wearable and cute. Even Maison Martin Margiela (who I knocked in my last post) has some recycled items. Check out this blog to read more and see pics: http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/05/20/martin-margiela-artisanal-reclaiming-clothing-design/

MMM has some fun jewelry that uses normal household items like soda can pop tops and wine corks. I'm not positive that the pop tops are real, but they still have a very cool, earthy, "I only eat Tofu" kinda way. Plus, you can always make them yourself if you don't want to pay $695 (actual price for the pop top necklace!). Not that I recommend copying....

And remember those braided headbands I was recommending making a few posts ago? Great way to use old scrap of fabric or even the remains of a dress long deceased. Recycle your clothes and you can create a brand new wardrobe for free!

Maison Martin Margiela...not quite sure how I feel yet

Ok. So I took a look at the Spring '08 collection from Maison Martin Margiela (who used to be the head designer for Hermes), and I gotta say...I don't really get it. I've always felt that I could appreciate fashion as art even if the piece isn't something I'd wear or even particularly care for. But MMM's done an entire collection based around colorblocked Spanx and cheesy horse t-shirts. I mean...come on...really? The first two looks are the ones I'm referring to as Spanx, and the third just kinda looks like she managed to barely escape an attack by a very short lion. The fourth look is ok; MMM's following that trend of super boxy structured looks like Balenciaga's corset dress (the one Jennifer Connelly wears in the ads). I actually do like the last one, it's sleek and elegant, which I guess it what he was going for with the whole collection.

Next, however...we have the big problem. MMM is suggesting we wear the dress version of those horrible animal shirt that only hicks and math nerds wear. The same kind that I'm sure a number of hideous velvet "paintings" depicted.

Ready for MMM's take on the classic?

And here the runway version:

Seeing a connection? Am I wrong to not get it?

Braided Headbands

I'm kind of in love with this new trend. I've been deeing braided headbands everywhere recently and I think they are the perfect way for the vintage timid to try something new. As the bohomian trend quiets down in some aspects, and changes course in others, hair accessories are quickly becoming an easy way to add a touch of something different to your outfit. The first two are from Urban Outfitters, and the third is Free People. I like the free people one the best, and I'm slowly working up the courage to wear headbands over my hair on my forehead. I found some cute terry cloth ones from a company called Unique Sports Accessories (http://www.uniquesportsaccessories.com/apparel-cushees.htm). I can just imagine them with a summery vintage dress and leather sandals; very Chloe Sevigny. They're cheap enough to buy a few in different colors.

Of course, the cheapest way to achieve the look is also a big trend right now: french braiding your own hair across the side.

Molly Sims has a more dressed up look, Ashley Olsen's got her little Swiss milk maid thing going with a braid all the way around the crown of her head, and Lauren Conrad's hair is a slightly more casual version of Molly's. I myself have been rocking this look, although until I learn how to french braid I'm cheating by just pinning back a braid starting at my temple. Ah well.

As soon as I find my camera I'll take some pictures of the braided headband I made the other night. I also made a belt the same way, though I don't recommend wearing them at the same time. Ew.

Later Gators
Vee

Circus crazy

Is anyone else totally in love with Miu Miu's new harlequin inspried clothes? They are so bold and crazy I'd be afraid to wear them in public amongst normal people, though I feel like a hot NYC party or fashion show would be a perfect place to try them out. Not that I can afford Miu Miu...but anyways.

The first dress is my favorite. It's Miu Miu's harlequin bubble tunic, and I swear it has every color of the rainbow. I'd wear it with some gladiator heels, like the ones Carrie wears in the Sex and the City movie trailer (which I'm pretty much dying of excitement over). I can't remember the label (I swore they were Balenciaga, but I think I'm wrong), but Nine West makes a great look-alike pair for a lot less than Ms. Bradshaw's surely are. There's also another Harlequin top, but the colors are far darker and I definitely prefer the brighter one.Matthew Williamson also has a circus inspired dress, but it's not as bright and crazy as Miu Miu's desgins.

Lastly, Miu Miu made a fabulous leather tote to go along with their new found inspiration. I can practically smell the soft leather.....

Losing a friend

So today I ended a friendship with someone who I used to consider one of my two best friends...and I'm feel quite awful right now. She is a freshman in college and didn't make any effort to keep in touch with me, even though she promised over winter break (when we sat down and talked about how unfair it was) she would. But she didn't keep her promise, and I waited for her to. I found out yesterday that she'd gotten a tattoo similar to my own, and the fact that she did something that should have made her think of me and it apparently didn't really hurt me. It was like I didn't even cross her mind anymore. Anyways, after many text messages she semi-bluntly told me that she didn't care about me enough to put the effort into it. She wasn't apologetic at all! She got angry at me for something that was her fault, and she was far meaner than I'd ever thought possible of her. I spent the better part of the morning sobbing on the couch with my mother consoling me, and while work was a good distraction, I'm now feeling sadder and sicker than ever.

How do you stop thinking about someone when you end a friendship? How do you go and delete everything on your computer that links you to her? Do you take the pictures out of the frames and burn them? I feel like she's still close to me and I feel like there's a whole that she created with her not caring. Until I figure out how to get over it and forget her, I'm afraid that gloom with overtake me. All I really feel like doing is crying.

I'm a bad blogger : (

Bad Cap'n Vee. BAD! *slaps own wrist*. I really want to be good at this, but I guess it takes more than just inspiration and a love of fashion. It takes motivation. I have been filling my need for fashion advice with working on the look book I'm making for the boutique I work at. Filling the pages with beautiful new trends and advice on how to wear them is my idea of fun.

Anyways, there are a few peices I've been drooling over lately.

First off, Prada's Spring '08 collection is one of my favorite of all time. It hits me right on my geeky, fantasy loving spot.
Gorgeous, right? The organza bubble skirts and high waisted blouses are so delicate and otherwordly. And who can forget those shoes!
I think they look like flowery chess peices, and I can't help but wonder if their chunky-ness makes the shoe more comfy (always an added bonus).

Lastly, and since I won a pair on Ebay, more importantly, Marc by Marc Jacobs' mouse flats. They are cute beyond words and just whimsical and excentric enough to be wearable but still different from what anyone else in the room has on.

I can't wait for them to arrive. My feet are yearning for a little charm.

Ok all, hopefully I be doing better in the future. I have another acting job this weekend, which I'm really looking forward to. Wish me luck!

Vee

In High Regard...

A day after and I'm still in shock over the news of Heath Ledger's passing. There was a time when I adored him...had pictures of him on my walls. As I got older I began to see him in a different light. He work meant more to me, and the way he guarded his private life and cared nothing for the 'celebrity' status he was given said so much about him as a person.

One of my favorite movies of all time is Ned Kelly, a film about an Australian outlaw that was only out in limited release in the US, though HBO has picked it up and plays it occassionally. It is a wonderful movie about courage, and standing up for what is right, and I urge you all to watch it for all the performances given in it. Of course "Brokeback Mountain" will remain the highlight of his (far too brief) career. He touched on something truly resonant in the film, and whether you are homosexual or not, everyone can appreciate dealing with hardships and the emotional connection Heath had with his character.

I find it especially hard to deal with this all due the fact that I myself am an actor, not yet as talented as dear Mr. Ledger was, but struggling to make it. All actors, no matter how handsome or great have an impact on me, and when one who had a place in my heart dies so young and so tragically it's hard to deal with. We are all missing out on the brilliant work that surely was to come.

My heart goes out to his family, and it's unbearable to think of his little 2 year old daughter, Matilda, losing her father so early. Hopefully, years down the line, she'll watch the movies he's made, and feel like he's sitting right beside her...which in a way, he will be.

Retro Swimsuits

So January is cold. We all know this. Summer can seem months away when you're in the dead of winter (except for those of you who live in California or Florida). But why not put a little warmth into your day and get you excited for summer NOW! Victoria's Secret has some amazing retro swimsuits right now, and while I have no interest in going swimsuit shopping and having to see my pale skin in a bikini, they're fun to look at!

My favorite is the black one on the far right, although the deep neck is maybe not too approriate for getting active in the waves, you can certainly look hot laying out on the beach. With all the itsy-bitsy teeny weeny bikini's out there today, it's nice have some cute and fun options that are a little different than everything else out there.

So...put on some shades, parade around your house in flip-flops and listen to the Beach Boys...summer will be here before we know it!

MUAH!

Vee

New Years Resolutions

Hello all! It's been another horrid long time since I last posted, and hence...*drum roll* one of my new years resolutions is to blog more frequently! I really want to get to the point when I post everyday, but for now I'm just working on more than once a week.

And also, on that note, happy new year! I feel like 2008 is gonna be SO exciting. Happening in 2008 will be:
*my first time voting!
*my 21st birthday!
*hopefully moving to NYC!

And also, the great possibility that our new president will be A. a woman, or B. an African-American. Such great changes can occur this year...let's hope for the better!

And now, I leave you with a recent obsession of mine: enamel jewelry. Banana Republic has a bunch of pretty options (below), but at almost $40 they're a bit out of my price range for a bracelet.

Aren't they adorable! AAAAAANNNNNDDD I went to Target today and found that they have enamel bracelets too! At $13.99 they are much more affordable, and I bought for myself a pretty sailor themed 3-pack and a coral-y looking one. Unfortunately they don't seem to be up on the Target website, but keep an eye out in the stores for them, they just migh turn up!

Out for now,

Vee