When I booked my flight to LA last month the next thing I did was book my appointment at the dreamy ARE YOU AM I Loft. ARE YOU AM I is the wardrobe for, “girls who get it” designed by Rumi Neely. And the Loft is where you can buy these perfect pieces in the prettiest location. Ever wonder how a model looks so good in a white t-shirt? Well the shirt is probably ARE YOU AM I. The body-suits and off the shoulder tops can regularly be spotted on all the it-girls, from Kendall Jenner, to Bella Hadid, and Chiara Ferragni. The Loft (the only place other than online to purchase ARE YOU AM I) is located in the fashion district of Down Town Los Angeles. The space is appointment only and you receive a completely private shopping experience. Even with the experience being so exclusive its not at all intimidating. You’re free to try on and take pictures at your own pace. Now that I finally have some ARE YOU AM I pieces I’ll always make time to stop into the Loft whenever I’m in town and build my perfect wardrobe. Or if ARE YOU AM I is ever looking for someone to rent out that bed I’ll be first in line.
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I love going vintage shopping when I come back to Victoria, theres so many options and everything is at real thrift store prices. The two best places in town are the Patch, which has everything from varsity jackets to full sequin dresses, and Flavour Upstairs, a small space that you can find vintage designer pieces. Theres also tons to find at large places such as Value Village, where you may spend an hour hunting but it will be worth the while. ![]() I first read about The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined exhibit at the Barbican Center in the September issue of Vogue. I circled the words, folded the top corner of the page, and put on it my list of places I must go.
The exhibit was imagined and curated by Judith Clark who paired fashion, from ancient Greece and this season Gucci, with exerts from psychoanalyst Adam Phillips' discussions on the definition of Vulgar. The model of what is vulgar in fashion has changed and been redefined over the past centuries. One may see revealing skin to be vulgar or that showcasing one's wealth through over the top garments is in poor taste. The exhibit walks you through time periods and ideologies demonstrated by the most amazing and historically important garments. Selfridges has been under construction for some time now, with winding blocked off areas there has been mystery around what will be uncovered this holiday season. This weekend I was able to get a peak at the new Accessory Hall.
The already decadent accessories area has now doubled in size and doubled in goodies. The new ground floor designed in affiliation with David Chipperfield Architects, which has designed Valentino’s Flagship stores and dozens of museums, is grand and elegant. Selfridges though isn’t afraid to have a bit of fun with design, making it my favourite London department store. Where this vibrant energy is created is through the designer boutiques that each have individual flare. Restricting myself to only buying vintage and second hand clothing hasn’t slowed down my shopping habits yet. Rather, I have been excited to find new places to buy and try to find hidden treasures. Surprisingly it has also been saving me money, in the sense that I am buying less expensive things not in the sense that I am shopping any less.
So far I have been online, market, and pop-up consignment shopping. Finding everything from second hand designer accessories to street wear. My wardrobe is beginning to expand both with size and variety and I love where the journey is taking me. Leaving for London last September I always knew that I would come home for the summer. Being from Vancouver Island no summer seems complete without the ocean, fresh air, and multiple camping trips. Which I do admit seems like a far stretch from the seats of London Fashion Week, but both places bring me so much joy and I am now lucky enough to consider both my home.
Though I have had a little break from the blog over this last month as changes have been going on in my life, and hopefully you’ve noticed some design changes on the blog itself, that does not mean I have any plans to stop writing. There is still so much going on in the fashion world and with my own personal style that has yet to be talked about and I plan to take these next few months to do just that. Anyway, next fashion month isn’t until September and I’ll be back in London for that… |