Author Archives: Ashley Staples
I’m Loving: New York Brand Dolores Haze
Youth, beauty, innocence (and innocence lost) are all themes of this New York label that brings its own retro twist to the scene. Named for the titular character in Lolita, and drawing much of its inspiration from the 1997 French-American film adaptation of the classic Nabokov novel, there are simultaneous hints of mischief and naivete […]
I’m Loving: Lonely Lingerie
I’m a serial dater/adamant single girl who has a serious addiction to little lacy underthings. And not because anyone is necessarily going to see them, but because I really like wearing little lacy underthings. And I like things that don’t rely on padding and special effects to make me and my body into something we’re […]
I’m Loving: Organic by John Patrick
Beauty and ethics; those are the two things John Patrick’s eco-conscious line, Organic, seeks to combine. Everything about the New York-based designer’s clothing reflects an Earthy tone and feel rooted in minimalism and the merging of structure and fluidity. Mixing neutral tones with deep, rich colors, as well as directional pieces with classic silhouettes, the clothing […]
Coachella 2014: What Did We Learn?
Coachella, the music festival that started out fairly popular and blew up into a cultural phenomenon/beacon of basic-ness (props to this Basic Bitches’ Guide to Coachella for keeping it real), is like that tropical vacation/cruise you take with your family every few years; It’s the only time your dad ever wears a Hawaiian shirt, and you […]
Sandals & Ugly Feet: Together at Last
I’ve just passed the two-year mark in L.A., thus far abstaining from those things called flip-flops, something I often find to be a minor personal victory. Except when I’m at the beach or the pool, which, having grown up on a lake, is perhaps actually less often than when I lived in Michigan. Flip flops are more […]
Are you Keep-ing?
You should be. If you thought online shopping was easy already, surfing from site to site via email promos or blog scrolling or just plain browsing, Keep takes it to another (fiscally dangerous) level. It’s a kind of combination of Pinterest and Stumble Upon, except better because it’s only for fashion and no one’s sharing casserole recipes. […]
What the F@#% is Normcore?
When I was a freshman in college at this uppity liberal arts school in Manhattan, two kids in my dorm dressed as NYC tourists for Halloween. They wore jorts and mom jeans with $2 I Heart NY tees, mock turtlenecks, and baseball caps. Added to the mix were the obligatory athletic shoes, probably New Balance […]
Stop Telling Women to Smile Hits L.A. March 12-19th
Stop Telling Women to Smile, the art series created by Brooklyn-based artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh that is quickly gaining momentum, comes to Los Angeles Wednesday. Aimed at addressing street harassment, an all too common experience for girls and women everywhere, the series utilizes the scene of the crime in the form of murals and other forms […]
Jessica Lange Named New Face of Marc Jacobs Beauty
Wednesday morning, Marc Jacobs Beauty announced via Twitter that Jessica Lange is the new face of the designer’s wildly successful beauty line, providing a preview of the acclaimed actress’s campaign shoot with David Sims. Feedback was as to be expected–incredibly positive. And why wouldn’t it be? The classic beauty, with her exquisite bone structure and […]
Jeremy Scott, Moschino, & the 90s: The Line Between Tacky & Fun
I’m a goofy girl, to be sure. I rushed to American Apparel when they released a tee plastered with Cookie Monster’s mug a few years back, and I’ll be the first to incorporate anything Star Wars related into my wardrobe (my R2-D2 iPhone case is a case among cases). But even though everyone and […]
The Wrong Coast 