Flirty Floral – I was working on my computer at this coffee shop and quickly held my camera in the air to snap this fun floral dress. I ended up using the shot as a huge desktop image and thought you might like to try the experiment. Check it out as a hi-resolution Desktop Download. Just click the photo {voilà!}, drag it onto your desktop and you know the rest. (If any issues, you can also download the image from my facebook page here.) I hope it amuses you and look for more experiments to follow…
AN URBAN ALTERNATIVE – Last weekend, I caught LaRon ambling into this acoustic pre-Grammy’s event, quiet and self-conscious, always nervous before he goes onstage, he’d tell me later. I got to witness the transformation as he played LA for the first time – and was blindsided by the texture of such a young voice and his musical range. I ended up at LaRon’s studio on Grammy Sunday to do some digging on this 23-year-old ‘Urban Alternative’ artist from Minneapolis who’s said that music gives him wings.
HEAR THIS - Donnie Scantz & Jahi Sundance just released LaRon’s lush debut album, Like a Rose, on itunes over Christmas as the first artist on their State of Emergencylabel. (They’re the Grammy winning production company who’ve produced music for the likes of Chris Brown, Ludacris, Usher, Aaliyah, Miguel and Danity Kane). LaRon’s music is about the whole approach and not one specific sound and his taste ranges from Rick Brown to MGMT, from Passion Pit to Coldplay. The album is a love story about a break-up (his ex’s name is Rose, hence the title) and the 10 tracks are peppered with stacked vocals, infusing layered and experimental sounds. His first single, Take You There, fuses Electro, Pop and Dubstep and you can STREAM IT via the Video below. [Go inside his studio after the jump]
StyleSpotting: Tay Jay! - I dipped into MADISON Los Angeles on 3rd Street recently and caught the latest Kasil + Taylor Jacobson collection. Taylor Jacobson (stylist/designer) was wearing a pair of their Minx Ultra Skinny (and I loved the way she tied her shoes around the ankle). Catch the VIDEO BELOW. The funny thumbnail gives it away, but there’s a really cute moment where she *forgets* something and has to reach out for help. I also ask her about “shirts” for 2011 and she goes into “shorts.” Funny, but whenever you try to snap pix of her, she starts dancing, like here and here (which you’ll also witness in the video). Ok, read more about Taylor Jacobson and MADISON below the video.
The Skinny – Taylor likes clean lines, so you’ll notice her denim is unusually sleek. I’d love the same killer YSL pumps on the denim model, too! (PS Taylor said she wore this shirt because it “hides things” but she’s t-i-n-y. I’m crushing on her blue PRADA clutch). Click the pix.
Shoegazing – For those of you who don’t know Taylor, she was a reluctant reality star and now an even more reluctant <celebrity>. She doesn’t quite understand why she’s a <style icon> and is surprisingly approachable and her outfits never disappoint.
GIVEAWAY – If you’re wondering what shoe Taylor’s waving around in the video (and bagged above) it’s a unisex line called NATIVE and I’ve run into a few interesting (i.e. cute) guys wearing them – so think of them as crocs for the cool guys (and gals). Thanks to MADISON Los Angeles, I picked up 2 pairs for readers, so leave a comment below if you’d like to own a pair and I’ll see what I can do <wink>.
Buried in Baggu – I have a fun collection of the reusable Baggu bags (as well as Graphic Series Envirosax bags) and they’ve come in so handy. I laugh that I’ve assigned a duty for each pattern/bag. One is for my shoes when I get a pedicure, one carries my handbag when it’s raining (like today) and one for magazines and papers, etc. I just bought the Fuschia Big Baggu that seems to be as big as me (against my body, it goes from shoulder to knee)! This will be for groceries. You might recognize the one above (sailor stripe) from a previous Look Book.They make great gifts and I bought Envirosax La Boheme set for my team when I was shooting in Miami. The guy got this one that looks like a windbreaker. Check out the VIDEO BELOW to see how BAGGU bags are constructed from one cut, without any fabric waste (which is unusual).
I also bought a red baby Baggu to share with a reader. If you want to try it, leave a comment by midnight on Halloween and I’ll notify the random winner. Ok, off to make a run in the rain and thankful for stylish eco.
Cult of Color - I just gasped at Newsroom Cafe on Robertson Blvd when Angela brought me the check! Look at those nails against that fun mushroom collage. I’ve been going there for years and never even noticed that each little check clipboard had a different collage (and she has another clipboard tucked under her arm). Angela’s wearing Essie nail color Turquoise & Caicos. I’m curious to try their new Little Brown Dress and Velvet Voyeur.
It’s funny how women can bond over nail polish as easily as men bond over beer. Want to try it? I just bought this box of 4 from their Resort Collection 2010 and will give them away randomly to readers who leave a comment below, U.S. residents only, please. Contest closes Sunday, September 19 and I will list all winners Monday, September 20. Otherwise, look for more Robertson Blvd shopping stories coming soon and you can find StyleSpotting on twitter and facebook. # CONTEST CLOSED. EVERYONE’S A WINNER / SEE BELOW AND THANKS FOR PLAYING.
The Crazy 80′s - Hot Tub Time Machine (loved it!) took me back to the 80′s in a big way. Mom would drop us off at Encounters Game Room and I’d rock the high score on Galaga (I killed stage 10) and we’d listen to cassettes of Tears for Fears, The Cars, Whitesnake & REO Speedwagon on someone’s boombox all night. Yesterday, I ended up at Counterpoint Records & Books on Franklin and bought some favorite albums for you. The weird thing is… I was in some 10-year-old kid’s way as he was flipping through records – with such conviction – on either side of me. He had just won a record player on ebay and his mom was letting him go crazy and he scored all the Journey albums!
TUESDAY GIVEAWAY: You can score these albums below. Just leave a comment below by Wednesday, March 31 at midnight PST and winners will be contacted by Friday. (A shout out to Jim Faraci, former Poison Producer who reads the blog. It’s true. I even tested him.)
