As much as we love lingerie, Halloween proves there are limits on how much of it we really want to see.
Since this happens only once a year, we are happy to enjoy the holiday while sharing our favorite fashion advice for the weekend courtesy of Cosmopolitan Magazine:
Do not wear any Lycra catsuit. "Not only is peeing a challenge, you’ll also have perpetual camel toe."
Click here to see Cosmo's full list of "Halloween Don'ts"
Here is our favorite catsuit (to be worn under the cheap Lycra):
Our October 19 video post discusses how relatively lax copyright laws in the fashion industry have helped designers become more innovative. The winners: customers, copycats, and many times, even the designers who are fighting to keep up their brand image amongst a flood cheaper of copies and imitations from competitors.
The other side:
“It is the obligation of the second comer to take all appropriate steps to avoid any likelihood of confusion with the first mark.” —Louboutin lawyer Harley Lewin, of McCarter & English LLP, quoted on New York Magazine.
This Monday, Fashionista.com reported that the copyright of Christian Louboutin's signature red soles is being questioned in courts. As a result Tiffany & Co. is showing support for Louboutin while hoping the validity of their own trademark color - that unmistakeable light blue/green - stays intact.
Click here to read the full article on Fashionista.com.
Click here to read more about what brought up this lawsuit (hint, YSL is involved!) on NYMagazine.
Louboutin's Pigalle Shoe. Photo: Danny Kim @ NYMagazine
November's issue of Elle Magazine, comes with a little extra for lingerie lovers like us: nine glossy pages full of lingerie sets and ideas organized in themes such as "Vintage Vixen," "Cinema Paradiso," and "Paris is Burning."
Our favorite? "Beautiful Dreamers." Two of our featured Colombian brands, Malha and Amulette are represented here alongside an Alexander McQueen lace hand-embroidered dress and a Jill Stuart silk charmeuse dress. What else could a girl dream of?
"Boy, I love FB, Twitter, email. But I feel I'm living E.O. Wilson's aphorism: 'We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom.'" - Nicholas D. Kristof
Yesterday most of us woke up to news of an earthquake in Turkey. At 9:45am (PDT), the death toll was just under 90 people. Now, 24 hours later, the death toll is over 200, over 1,000 people need medical assistance and more than 2,000 buildings have collapsed. Judging from past disasters, we can only imagine these numbers will rise significantly.
As we look for ways to help, we are reminded of other countries that have been hit by natural disasters and are still struggling to find a sense of "normalcy." We have Haiti's earthquake and floods, Japan's earthquake and the subsequent tsunami and nuclear plant disaster and a drought that has endangered millions of people throughout Africa.
This can be considered just another drop of information. And rightly so, no wisdom here. We are hopeful, however, that the following links will make it simple for anyone who is interested in helping out to do so before our daily schedule masks the urgency with which financial assistance is needed:
It is no secret that at Lencería we enjoy spending our days admiring Latin American lingerie and swimwear.
It is probably a little less known that I (Juliana) love, LOVE Asia. I love the different cultures, the people, the food and the individuality and variety in its spices. I also love the vulnerability I feel when I travel there - it's all so foreign - and the general kindness I have received regardless of (or because of) my linguistic setbacks.
Chinglish, opening next Thursday on Broadway, alludes to these vulnerabilities, our cultural assumptions and ways we react to both. This play, which my parents took me to see in Chicago this Summer, reminds us to be a little more introspective during our travels, and more importantly, throughout our lives.
To bring it back to the Latin American theme of Lencería: here is a collection from Maaji. The Colombian brand was created by two entrepreneurial sisters who invite us to dream of foreign lands with their unique colors and whimsical patterns.
Here are some photos from Maaji's 2012 kids' line, "Underwater Conquest." Is there a better way to celebrate a play about foreign lands than with the most curious people on earth?
I got engaged this weekend! Exactly one week after my best friend said "YES!" (or, more likely, "SI!") and minutes after I asked Joe, "is there such a thing as an engagement season?" Because we have so many weddings to attend around this time next next year.
Amulette's Fiancé line, with its soft lace and sweet designs gives everyone (single or married) a lovely way to celebrate this and every season.
According to NYTimes Real Estate writer, Simon Romero, "China is slowing. Europe is crashing. The U.S. is dipping. But Brazil is booming." Few countries can even dream of seeing the growth and increased potential that this Portuguese colony - and the largest country in South America - has experienced in the past few years.
It seems that even with news of a decelerating economy and inflation worries in Brazil, foreign investors are bullish. Fashion bloggers and fashionistas can't get enough of the country's designers and its fashion celebrities. And soccer fans around the world know that, love it or hate it, Brazil is the undisputed champion of the sport and home to some of its most iconic figures.
Click here to read the NYTimes article about Sao Paolo's real estate boom.
Click here to read more about Brazil's economy on the WSJ.
Click here to read more about Football and for news about the 2014 World Cup, including some challenges it brings to President Dilma Rousseff.
Today, while we celebrate Brazil for all of its beauty and its landscape, we highlight one of the industries to which Brazilian talent has been vital - the swimwear industry.
There are few things more we love more than the delicate lace and sensuality of Latin American lingerie!
Touché
Well... we really can't get enough of the dynamic patterns and colors in Latin American swimwear.
OndadeMar
Actually, we can't live without Colombian coffee, Venezuelan and Colombian arepas, Argentinean empanadas or Mexican tamales.
Arepas
And a party isn't really a party without the Caribbean sounds of cumbia, vallenatos and salsa or the Afro-Cuban rhythms of Buena Vista Social Club.
Party Essentials
Ok, its official, we are clearly obsessed with Latin America, its vast lands, its cultural and geographical diversity, its heritage, its people and the way they live, love and laugh!
Shakira, dedicated to supporting early childhood development in Latin America
My Week with Marilyn is expected to be released November 23rd, and critics are already praising Michelle Williams for her "brilliant performance" and director Simon Curtis for "glowingly evoking a vanished era in filmmaking."
We cannot wait to see how this film brings back some old-fashioned romance to our wardrobes and and more sensuality to our lives!
If you have not left your house in the past 12 days, you may not have realized that October is the national breast cancer awareness month. This month, stores are hopping to sell some pink. Pink ribbons, pink perfume, pink bracelets, pink bras and even pink chicken wings.
In my naive world, this is fantastic. A portion of all these sales are going to support breast cancer research, while widening community awareness and making money for the retailer.
As it turns out, so much pink may hinder the purpose of the entire campaign. Customers have stopped asking questions about how much support is actually being provided (if any) for pink products sold this month and retailers may be taking advantage.
Here are two great articles on the issue.
Click here to read the WSJ article about "pinkwashing" and some doubts about the campaign.
Click here to read the Forbes article asking people to stop being cynical about this process, while challenging retailers to enter into more meaningful charity programs that can "be endorsed and appreciated."
Pink Lollipops. Photo: Forbes.com
Aerie's Campaign: bras hanging from a Pittsburgh bridge
We admit it... at Lencería we have a serious weakness for anything Buenos Aires and everything "porteño."
The nostalgia in its buildings, the originality of its art, the dirt and cracks on the streets and the melancholy of its music make this city a little disconcerting, yet, somehow this also adds an air of romance to our everyday life there.
Lingerie from Amor Latino embodies all that romance. The lace, the colors and the patterns feel less joyful, but much more sensual and romantic.
Juana de Arco, with its fun patterns and bright colors, bring more joy to the mix. Each piece is completely original, creative and Eco-conscious (scrap material from clothing is used to make jewelery, rugs and other fun items)... just in case we needed another excuse to love them.
Just when we thought we could stop daydreaming about mermaids, swimwear and vacations...
Maaji's newest collection, out next month, reminds us of the reasons we love to dream about the ocean and all its creatures. Underwater Conquests, is exactly what we need to enjoy our escapes with joy and style.
Click here for a preview of Underwater Conquest on the Maaji blog.
It was lovely to spend the last few months starring at our computer screens, the glossy magazines and the newspapers' weekend reviews during the latest fashion weeks in Miami, New York, Milan and Paris while admiring all the looks and imagining the fabrics... but... our eyes hurt, acupuncture and cupping have done little to fix our posture and a little bit of jealousy of those who can travel and the locals is hard to deny.
Thankfully, Fashion Week LA is almost here! For all of us who will be around the LA area October 11th to the 28th, it is our time! Now we get to choose among a long list of parties, fashion shows, installations, trade shows and events!
Click here to see a more detailed list of events from FashionWeekLA.com.
Earlier this week, I had a hard time understanding the latest rallies in Wall Street. What exactly do the protestors want out of the Occupy Wall Street rally?
The Occupy Wall Street Movement has a list of 13 demands such as outlawing credit rating agencies, a guaranteed living-wage income regardless of employment, a free college education and trillions of dollars to be spent in infrastructure and ecological restoration.
Click here to see the full list of demands from the Occupy Wall Street website.
Click here for a thoughtful way to reduce inequality in every country from NYT journalist, Nicholas D. Kristof.
Initially, I reproached the demonstrators' approach, which is disruptive to people outside of Wall Street, who depend on public transportation and a sense of stability in New York City. After reviewing this list, I still wonder if the demands are unattainable and even somewhat extreme.
Click here to read a Wall Street Journal review of the rallies and some reactions from either side.
Occupy Wall Street. Photo: WSJ.com
This left me reviewing a recent rallies and "disruptive" behavior as a means to reach social changes:
The first, and maybe the most brave example comes from the women of Libya. A recent NPR piece about post-revolution Libya and its women reminded listeners of the importance and power of public protests. I heard of women who called themselves Flower of the Capital and played the dangerous role of exposing Gadhafi's cruelty to his own army in Tripoli - subsequently becoming an essential part of the progressive political movements in their country. These women have professional careers as doctors, architects, etc, yet they continue to find themselves fighting for expanded roles in the new democracy through rallies.
Click here to read the full story or listen to the story through NPR.org.
Women of Tripoli. Photo: NPR.org
Then, we have the SlutWalk rallies, also very disruptive and seen in one of Lencería's previous blogs. Maybe because they are so controversial in nature, these rallies have been been essential to a renewed interest in an issue we often keep silent as a society: sexual violence. The SlutWalk rallies have reminded us of the flawed thinking that still exists and in not often discussed - that the way women dress may be an invitation for physical or sexual violence.
In Ecuador, the "Cascos Rosas," a group of young Ecuadorian men who consider themselves neo-masculine, has been fighting against violence targeted at women and for a sense of gender equality in all levels. This movement originates in a country where the government estimates that eight out of 10 women have been victims to violence at some point. As Latin American woman, the movement also makes me proud and excited about the future of women's rights in Latin America and worldwide.
Cascos Rosas. Photo: Noticias RPP.com
Finally, yesterday marked the 20-year anniversary of Anita Hill's testimonies against then Supreme Court Justice nominee, Clarence Thomas. Regardless of our political inclination, one cannot discount the impact Ms. Hill's testimonies, which some considered disruptive to the nomination process, had on women's rights and sexual behavior in the workplace.
Click here to read the NYTimes Topics Review of Ms. Hill and the Clarence Thomas controversy.
Below, see a short clip of a 60 Minutes interview with Ms. Hill, where she explains that regardless of Mr. Thomas' nomination, she is happy about one outcome from the controversy - getting the country to "talk about the problem, as a real issue... and getting women to discuss their experiences."
Speaking of strong women... congratulations to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman!
Click here for the Nobel Peace Price website to read more about why they were jointly awarded "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work."
Today we lost one of the greatest visionaries of our time, Steve Jobs.
Here is a clip of his commencement speech for the Stanford University class of 2005, where he retells three stories of his life, "that is it, no big deal, just three stories."
The entire speech is full of insight - both personal and professional - here we highlight what we think are some of its most powerful moments.
A piece of advice from the second story:
"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking, and don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking. Don't settle."
The moral of the third story:
"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose... you have no reason not to follow your heart... death is the single best invention of life."
Finally, he closes with a quote from the "The Whole Earth Catalog," and asks a group of graduating students to, "Stay hungry. Stay foolish."
Just last night, I was telling a friend how badly I wanted to dress up as a mermaid when I was a little girl. I think, I never got the costume because all my friends had it and my mom wanted me to be original. Or, more likely, because of the tail. I was/am impossibly clumsy. Any costume with a tail or a long back would be too dangerous.
Needless to say, I never fulfilled that dream. However, I did get a pair of Hanes underwear with imprints of The Little Mermaid's Ariel and Sebastien on either side. They were my favorite.
Thankfully, Chanel dedicated its Spring 2012 Paris Fashion Week fashion Show to prove to me that it was just a matter of time until my Little Mermaid dreams came true! This morning, Karl Lagerfeld dressed his models in pearls, white tweed and all kinds of flawless and silky materials to bring back those dreams of clear waters, corals and adventure - without actually showing us the mermaid - that would be too much.
As we approach Chanel's Spring 2012 Fashion Show, for the Paris Fashion Week, we cannot help but get excited about a collection that we can actually wear shortly.
According to the fashion house, "there was nothing languid, romantic or sweet about the Fall-Winter 2011/12 Ready-to-Wear collection... (it's) not tender or reassuring."
While we do agree that there is a "radical, grunge and anti-bourgeois" feel about the pieces shown in this video, we could not overlook the romanticism found in the deconstructed tops, the lace and Chanel's iconic tweed jackets.
It is easy for us to imagine overtly romantic lingerie, like this one from Amulette's Fall 2011 collection under all that "grunge."
Amulette - Fall 2011
Leather, chains and whips... not so much. Maybe that is because, "S&M" is just a catchy song by Rihanna in our dictionary. Nothing "languid, romantic, sweet... tender or reassuring" about the video - really!
Click here to read more about Chanel's Fall-Winter 2011/12 Ready-to-Wear collection on their website.
This morning, while enjoying an incredible café au lait and chocolate croissant at the V Cafeon Melrose Ave (near Crescent Heights), I was approached by a man who co-owns or works at the cigar shop next door. "There is nothing better than a café, a croissant and a glossy magazine on a Saturday morning!"
Sir, you are correct. The best part of Saturdays like these, though, is knowing that you get to do it all over again on Sunday. Ah... the weekend!
The glossy magazine actually came with this morning's paper, which was a bit of a downer, especially for the financial markets. The magazine was a bit more dreamy, and therefore better suited for my perfect Saturday morning. The article was about Jeffrey Deitch, the MOCA's new director.
Click hereto read more about Mr. Deitch, the MOCA and Banksy!
PS. The V Cut Smoke Shop and Lounge was adorable. I went in and got a quick lesson on their cigar selection, the Spanish Cider boxes in which they are packaged and what makes different cigars more expensive.
