New Kicks [most wanted]....by pemora

Where have I been? Good question....mostly on the Twitters and the Facebook. It is hard staying a G on these here social media streets.

(also, I've been reading. Like, actual and factual books.)

Anyway, I was spending 1,348 hours on the Pinterest and saw this amazing pic:

What is there not to love about this? It is the perfect I-may-or-may-not-have-2-kids-to-take-care-of-but-I-am-still-hip-to-it outfit. Of course, I would wear bike shorts underneath because I don't need to expose my wiggle and jiggle to the playground set.

Looking at sneakers, I found 3 that I am coveting. For some reason, I am drawn to blue but, heck, I will take any color. What's your fav?

I can go with this:

From Coach and on sale!

Or I can go with that:

From Aerosoles (seriously....who knew?)

Or I can go with this:

From Reebok. This is some old school steel-o right here....

Any new kicks you are rocking this summer?  And for a peek into some of my favorite kicks from my personal collection, check out my interview at Kicks Culture.

My Style....by missDTM

The recent release of the book I Want To Be Her! has me thinking about who has influenced my style. I reached out to one of the most stylish people I know, missDTM, to see who influences her daily style. ~pemora

 

The girl I wanna be? Well, when it comes to fashion, it’s always a mix of tomboy/girlie/hippie style. No joke. I love looking like my outfit was “just thrown together” like those fashionistas you see in those blogs. So when people say, “you look so cute today!” I love responding, “oh! This? Just threw it together this AM.” Which may, or may not, be true.

My BIGGEST influences?

1. Iris Apfel leads the charge. Any older woman who can wear as many patterns as she does and matches it with large jewelry is the person I want to be now and when I get older. I love how fun and fearless her outfits are, how confidently she wears them, and how she has never ever doubted her style.

2. I seriously love the style of MK+A as well. They, as a unit, are that perfect blend of hot mess and girlie. Sometimes MK looks like a gypsy while A looks like an angel. Other times they both channel tomboy differently but perfectly. I mainly love MK’s hippie/dirty style though. I wish to be the latina-MK (but not the druggy/anorexic looking kind).

3. boy style. I love seeing men in sweaters and layers. I love when they layer on jewelry. I just love boy style. I think if I could, I would wear long varsity sweaters with all of my dresses. And tees with my skirts.

4. all of these curly haired girls:

Who influences your style?

Please help [packing]....by pemora

I have asked for help on Twitter but I realize that 90% of my followers are either pros or spam bots (although, if you ARE a pro and you are following me, you totally should have helped me with this fashion dilemma). So, yeah, no one helped me. This is the thing....

...we are staying in West Texas for close to a month this summer. (please don't stalk me)

WTF do I pack? What do I wear? Should I just find a Target and buy gear over there? How do I DO this?

These are my fashion requirements:
1. I don't like to sweat.
2. I prefer to wear all black everything.
3. I don't like anything tight/short/low cut/sexy. I am a mom to 2 already....sexy left this home a long time ago.

I even welcome advice on shoes, although I think I'm just going to rock flip flops the whole time.

Backseat Bingo [most wanted].....by pemora

As some of you may know, I have been a fan of Ester's since our long lost Chictopia days. Initially, I was just completely obsessed with her sense of style; since then, my obsession includes her awesome jewelry line. I am slowly, but surely, working on owning a piece from each collection.

By the way, my entry lock double finger ring is still an all-time fave...

via Little Rooms

Ester has just released a new collection, entitled Backseat Bingo. I picture some bad-a$$ LA chicks wearing every piece, while driving to Vegas in a beat-up RV, all while planning their escapades for the weekend. I don't know. My imagination runs wild sometimes.....take a look at some of my favorite pieces and check out the whole collection at Little Rooms....

via Little Rooms

via Little Rooms

And my absolute favorite piece...

via Little Rooms

Striped Pants [Most Wanted]....by pemora

It all started with this picture of Delfina Delettrez in the most recent issue of Bazaar Magazine....

via Bazaar

I immediately clipped it out + taped it to a page in my Moleskine. Besides being a beautiful photo, Delfina looks serene, confident, and all-knowing because she is wearing the most effing awesomest pants ever. Well, this led me down a serious path of stalkerism, until I found this...

via Stylenik

Thakoon Fall '11, you say? How can I get my hands on these without breaking the bank? I am seriously obsessed, people....

Looking for Africa? by pemora

Looking for Africa?
by pemora

Today's NY Times featured an article about the fashion world's recent embrace of all things 'African'.  Really, Africa is in style this winter?  Who knew?

My problem with the article is complicated.  On the one hand, I am always tired of the idea of marketing someone's culture (this season, Latin America! Next season, Hassidic Jews!).  Culture, and the markers we use to define culture, are not meant to be bought and sold under layers of taffeta.  It is what we use to find common ground, language and mannerisms with those in our community.  But on the other hand, fashion + style are major components of what we define as culture.  For example, part of Zapata's allure as a leader in the Mexican Revolution (and I am oversimplifying here for blog's sake) was his wardrobe and trademark mustache.  The man wore 3 piece suits with ammo belts over his shoulders and looked freaking dapper!  How could thousands of people not follow him?

I think my real conflict is that I do find myself looking for these "exotic" pieces whenever I'm out shopping.  My best friend is off to her native Mexico? Please get me a colorful bag.  My mother-in-law is in Ecuador? A poncho, please. Friends to Puerto Rico? I would like the requisite black faux-leather flip flops that say "Puerto Rico" (ok, this is a sad example.  But I do ask each and every time).  There is even a major graffiti painting in my dining room of an indigenous woman (indigenous to which country, no one knows. But she looks damn stunning).  I so want to believe that this is a problem of white Americans wanting to make money off of everyone else, but what happens when I am the one shelling out the cash to buy these pieces of culture?

By the way, if you really are on the hunt for awesome handmade clothing made from African prints, check out naKIMuli.  Love her clothes.