The Modern Mixtape

click first song to begin.

It's a mixtape without the timeworn hassle of magnetic tape. I realize now that my love of making mixes for people must be in part related to my love of lists.

Here's a link to my Muxtape, seethetree.muxtape.com, and if for whatever reason you get to it and I've re-organized it here's a textual copy of my current mix for the record:

The Morning Benders - Patient Patient
Jason Mraz - A Beautiful Mess
Ben Sollee - A Change is Gonna Come
Dr. Dog - Heart it Races
OGRE YOU ASSHOLE - マスク(MASK)
NICO Touches the Walls - Broken Youth
Prince - Darling Nikki
N*E*R*D - Yeah You
The Physics of Meaning - Aeroplanes & Hurricanes
NICO Touches the Walls - The Bungy
Devendra Banhart - Carmensita
Carla Bruni- Le Plus Beau Du Quartier

Theres a few covers in there what with Heart it Races and A Change is Gonna Come, and despite the awesomeness of the originals, they're pretty standout tracks. Repeat offenders like Devendra Banhart and NICO Touches the Walls are easily explained. For one, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon* is a wildebeest of an album and you can't not love him being fleshed out by a full band - its more live and magnetic that way. For two, NICO's new singles are like amazing, getting signed to a totally legit label has really allowed them to shine the way I knew they could back when they were just a blip on the Japanese radar.

*edit, removed Devendra Banhart's "Lover" to make room for マスク by OGRE YOU ASSHOLE. The name is abrasive, but the band is actually much less so.

I've been fooling around with Illustrator and came up with an updated lion logo:

Isn't he just so effete and darling?

SteamPunk Whistles in the Kettle

Made these sketches today. The idea of exposed platform stilettos and delicate gauzy layers. All the buttons have keyhole buttonholes, the gentleman's shoes are mock moccasins. All metal parts would naturally be copper.

The gauze edging on the shorts in my mind, is inspired not by frilly Victorian lace undergarments but by the way some guys tend to let their pants sag and expose a little ruched-looking boxer:

It can work I think, in a sexy way, but not when taken to excess.

Eva Green

Eva knows the best statement is in the details and structure (or lack thereof), not in tacking on baubles and jewels.



She shows a deep understanding of darkness by showing the versatility that can be found in black. By varying the fabrics and materials, she envelops herself in a captivating range of shadowy looks that complement her fair skin so well.

Stop hatin'. So she made World's Worst Dressed according to People in 2007. But if you were a muse for John Galliano, you can do no wrong in my book. She got to put on a million pounds of the Haut-est Dior straight from the source while we still have to trudge along the sale rack.

She's an example of intense personal style, and even if most of us just don't dig it or get it - the human body doesn't come in that many shapes or colors... its all basically the same format. No matter what this picture says.

So, if a girl wants to experiment with fabric, drapery, silhouettes and colors, just let her. She's famous and beautiful and thats the kind of person couture is for - not lowly blogging peasants such as I.

Screw Jackie-O, Michelle Obama Can Dress

This is not about politics. This is just down to pure aesthetic science. A first lady, a true lady in general, has some sense of identity. For Mrs. Michelle Obama it begins and ends with details. She knows what works for her specifically. That killer silhouette is maintained with boldness and subtlety. Note the vibrancy in her palette, the almost seamlessly put together look of her frocks, brilliant waist details, and minimalism in her accessorizing. Its so modern and appropriate for her. The oversize pearls and stately gold rope necklace suggest class, elegance, and beauty without the delicateness and frailty put forth by many women in similar positions. Never overdone, never slovenly either.

But when she dresses for more serious occasions, playing less as a loving campaign mate and more diplomatic roles, she changes it up. She knows how to get serious:

Note: beautiful detail in that skirt, the mind-bogglingly chic use of basics. She doesn't want you sitting around pondering who shes wearing, but rather the words coming out of her mouth. Expert.

Business-y menswear details don't stray into the butch territory because she pairs them again with clever details. The angular ruffles, the lacy cinched belt, the flower brooch on the lapel. For ladies facing the modern glass ceiling you don't do menswear from an "I can play your game" approach, you wear it like Michelle-O does so that it says "I can do this better than you, any day."

Hope.

I demand we have no more of that.

Too Cute to Eat, Too Fat Not to Diet

La soupe à l'oignon gratinée avec champignons blancs et ciboulettes. Made this today for me and ma. Parmesan crisp curled slightly about the rim. Baby spinach, quartered cherry tomatoes, a little balsamic vinaigrette.

For those who don't think French makes food sound fancier, its just Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Soup with Chives.

A Look Back - Tina Turner Ain't Got Nothin...

totes eighties dress stolen from my mom's bad fashion choices personal collection. They had shoulder pads (eek!) but I love it anyway...

with socks these patent leather Stellablu shoes look almost like gladiator booties. Probably better with a longer minidress or, even better, longer shorts.

Heres to you Tina, much love.

Punk whistles in the kettle

shtuff I seem to be diggin' alot these days:

Hairagami Spring Rings, gift from a friend. Brilliant and so damn useful. Most of their products are pretty ridiculous but this has a neat steampunk feel to it.
Speaking of...


I recently remembered how much I loved that whole steampunk look/feel. Victorian haut technologie.

and now, though I dont quite like the last one (flip-flops, huh?) it does the steampunk thing in a rather mellow way that most people could pull off.

i've some designs in the works so hang on tight.

Anchorage, AK dreaming on such a summer's day

dress from forever 21

Now I'm just waiting for winter, springtime florals are one thing, but for A/W that beautiful royal blue is totes happening. I miss the cold, and the layering. Ah something to look forward to according to whowhatweardaily:

Goodness gracious I love outlet prices. This cute PUMA laptop/messenger bag was just 25 bucks when I snagged it yesterday. Brown should be considered warm but this shade is wonderfully neutral so it will go with most anything, awesome.

forever 21 It's so short its scandalous.

Ah, so most of my wardrobe consists of these sort of hand-me down pieces that I like to patch together by color family, pattern or texture. But the philosophy/dogma used to be layers, layers, layers. The heat is definitely not letting me have my way here.

A Look Ahead - Anna Sui

Dear God,

Thank you for giving us Asians our little niche in the fashion industry. You knew our people would be forever shunned as the least "cool" of the minorities (martial arts notwithstanding) and gave us the beautiful gift of ingenuity and design. Thats right, we can use calculators, we can draw, and we can design the shit out of the West.

Also, thank you for Asian mothers who instill in us the good sense to never dress like those the legions of complacent and lazy collegiate females who troll around in sweatshirt fleece (ie. Victorias Secret PINK college collection). There's a time and place for everything ladies.

God, thank you for Yohji Yamamoto, Philip Lim, Jimmy Choo, Vera Wang, Derek Lam, Issey Miyake but right now as I'm thinking about what I'd like to carry over my wardrobe for college with, thank you so very much for Anna Sui.

It's like you knew exactly what fashion-related chasms and schisms lay right in my path.

All my love and devotion,
Ingrid Pierre

PS. I'm sorry (sorta) I stopped going to church and started reading about Buddha.... also, thank you for Buddha.

ANNA SUI's 2008 S/S collection was THE answer to the Ivy League look (which, since I'm going to the big H, seems like such a stupid name for a look)

I know that S/S is almost retro to make a blog post about but those clothes are so spot on when it comes to my personal lust style.

A look Ahead at her Fall 08 is kind of hit or miss, but I love the layers. I'm not a sheen girl but textured tights, knee high leather boots, and layers and layers of pattern, color, and texture are practically dogma for yours truly. Check out Chanel Iman's Hair - she reps quite appropos for Blasians like yours truly.