Just Say No: Thigh High Boots

Pop Quiz.
I bet you I can guess the first thing that went through your mind when you read "Thigh High Boots":






----***----

Yet for some reason, women keep trying to wear them in real life. I think the fact that they are "dangerous" and "lewd" is why so many try to make them work, but they rarely, if ever, succeed.
Exhibit A:

Julia Stegner is a model. Generally models can break any fashion rules set for mortals. Super mini skirts! Sky-high heels! Exposed Nipples! You name it, they've worn it. And even THEY can't pull of thigh high boots without looking like a lady of the night. Of course Julia ran into even MORE trouble by pairing her white boots with a tight gold turtleneck dress, but still. If she can't do it, we can't either.

But what if they're not worn with a short skirt? Can they look good then?
Exhibit B:

This mysterious (and possibly French) lady snapped by The Sartorialist brings up an interesting point of view. By layering it over skinny jeans, she's brought a new super-slim silhouette. The silhouette is so slim that it seems to suggest she isn't wearing at all, and wearing nothing at all* + thigh high boots = Emperors VIP Club employee. But the French can get away with anything so unless you are French, I wouldn't recommend trying this either.
Update: I have been informed by a commenter that the lovely lady in question is in fact from Spain and is a stylist. My point still stands though, those in the Iberian Peninsula can get away with anything.


Surely there must be a time when thigh high boots have looked good, you say. And yes you are right.
Exhibit C:

Angela Lindvall wore some killer boots** for the Spring 2003 Chloe ad campaign. I stared at them incredulously because I couldn't believe I craved such things that usually cause disgust in my head. For 5 years I've gone back to this image and tried to figure out how this works so well, I don't know if it's the carefree attitude or if Angela Lindvall can just make everything look awesome.

So come next fall, when you are shopping for new winter boots and you come across these boots by Chanel (right) and Narciso Rodriguez (center and left), remember what we've talked about today. It'll save you a few dollars and some catcalls.




* Bonus points for you if when you read that sentence all you kept thinking was Stupid Sexy Flanders in a ski suit shaking his ass.
** Ok, so Angela is technically wearing over the knee boots which aren't as extreme as thigh high boots, but that only illustrates my point further. Thigh high boots never looked good and knee high boots give you the same effect without the sleazy association. ;)

So much Vinyl!

This is Frida Giannini's living room.
I don't know if I can even begin to explain the way my heart ached when I first saw this picture. (And how I cringed when I read that they aren't organized in any way).


From Bazaar April 2008. I would link but they have a pesky pop-up ad that keeps popping up after you close it.

(What's the story) Morning glory?

The March issue of W magazine features an editorial shot by Mert and Marcus of pretty much all the models that matter in their sexiest, flexible-est, most Vargas girl positions. It's interesting then, that the photographs I liked the most were the ones where the girls are just sort of laying there, without trying to be sexy or contortionists. In all three of them the colors are absolutely spectacular and they feel as though it's the only companion that these girls have. They aren't lonely as much as they've reached the point where loneliness where it becomes utter desolation. Maybe it's because I feel that these are telling a story; after all, haven't we all just laid in bed sometimes, staring at the ceiling thinking about everything and nothing at the same time?


Pinup, shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott and styled by Alex White.

The doctor is in

My first major shoe purchase was a pair of 10 eye Dr. Martens, when I was 15 and a junior in high school. A few years before I had become obsessed with a certain band *cough*No Doubt*cough* and as countless other girls, my wardrobe soon became an ocean of "Gwen-things", with tons of wide legged pants, tank tops and bras in every color of the rainbow. I bought a pair of blue Vans and a pair of chunky spectator oxfords, but nothing compared to the Docs, the holy grail at the time. The summer I turned 15 I saved all my babysitting money and went to Journeys (remember Journeys?) to get my coveted pair of boots. When I wore them, I felt like the coolest chick in the block. Like a member of a secret club.

For the past year-ish I had been wanting to wear my docs, but they were back at home and my mom couldn't find them. I went home in January and rummaged around until I found them and then, of course, they didn't fit in my luggage. They finally made it back into my possession yesterday. Of course I was going to wear them today and after little deliberation I decided on a black and white flower print with black tights. Nothing groundbreaking really, but it seemed like a good start for my new Doc love affair. (I felt so powerful when I tied them up, they just immediately reminded me of when I first got them)

Let me tell you something, those boots are hea-vy. The fact that they have been squished in a box for the past 3 years means that I pretty much have to break them in again. And at times, I felt like I was Frankenstein, but I love them so much that I'm willing to work my calves over-time to make them work. As of now, I think I'm strictly on a short dress, tights and docs uniform diet. And if this works out well, maybe I'll finally give into my other Dr. Martens holy grail: The Flower Print boot. I don't really know if I can pull them off, but ever since I saw them in Seventeen magazine forever ago (holy shit, 10 years? How weird is that?), I have fantasized about accessorizing little black dresses with them. You just can't fight feelings like that.

Pink is like red but not quite

The colors on the cover of the April issue of Nylon are absolutely terrific. The neon pink is perfectly complemented by the beiges in the background. I imagine they must've worked really hard to get the perfect shade and brightness on the paper.
Love it.


(And Anja, Chloe and Clemence on the cover? Great product placement too! I still can't believe Paolo got fired; surely he had something to do with this, non?)

Blast from the Past: Young Laia vs New Erin Fetherston

Click image to enlarge and see me in all my 10 year old tanned glory.
A couple of months ago I posted this review of Erin Fetherston's fall collection and mentioned how one of her dresses looked just like the one I designed* and wore to my 6th grade graduation. Well, I finally got my mom to mail me the picture so here it is. See? Adorable on a 10 yr old, but not meant for adults. You may also notice that I am wearing it with sheer silver tights and one of my favorite pairs of shoes I ever owned, silver t-strap maryjanes.




*Ok, my mom now claims that SHE designed it, but I'm not really buying that, so I'll say that my mom and I both designed the dress.

French Lessons

I am loving this mini-skirt from A.P.C. It's like the casual, tomboyish counterpart to this season's Miu Miu. It's the perfect length and volume to be work with sandals, oxfords or heels and it'll look great with tights or bare legs. I really think this is one of the coolest most versatile pieces I've seen recently and at approximately $210, it won't totally break the bank, and you'll definitely get your money's worth.


Word of the day
skirt : jupe



For more information visit A.P.C..

Elle: Enforcing Uniforms

I know that Natalie Portman was a last-minute decision for Elle's April cover (Michelle Williams was slated for it), but I find it hard to believe that they couldn't find anything but striped shirts and jeans for her to wear. And they then go ahead and highlight that by showing two picture with the same outfits by different designers, it's just too weird, you know?
She still looks lovely, though.

Just Say No: Overalls

Dear Ladies:
You may find yourselves aimlessly wandering through the internet late at night and come across these Marc by Marc Overalls on Shopbop. You may think it's a good idea and perhaps even think back at a time when you were young and wore overalls and ran around the woods and were happy. That's nice. But please, don't let those happy memories cloud your judgment today. Overalls are NOT for adults. Not even when when they're an "updated" look that usually features a snug fit and sexy straps. It's dangerous, and a stone's throw away to wearing a sexy Halloween costume year round. Do you really want to do that? Of course not.

This has been a public service announcement from your pal Laia.

Nothing like the old school

Angela Lindvall sits at number nine in this week's Best Dressed List from Vogue. I think she should've been number one, as I've never seen anyone wear the new Prada with as much ease as she is, and now any doubt that I had that this collection wasn't too "real life-appropriate" has completely vanished. It's probably why she's such a great model, because she can wear the it-pieces like they're just jeans and a t-shirt and you can sense her relaxed attitude when you see her photographs. She is making me swoon completely over that tunic. Must. Get. Now.

Chocolate is the new Black

Labor day, Schmabor day

I love white shoes. They go with everything and clash with everything. They are obnoxious. This pair from Opening Ceremony needs to be be on my feet this summer. A t-strap-quasi-bootie in patent leather with a back zipper? It may as well be called the Laia shoe. I am really loving back zippers on everything from dresses to skirts to shoes, it's my favorite thing about the Phillip Lim sandals I posted yesterday. At 320 a pair they're not too expensive and they also come in black patent leather for those that don't want to blind people with their feet. But I do!

Patent T-Strap Flat from Opening Ceremony available at eLuxury.com.

Jumping for Joy

I just got an email with the images to Christian Joy's Fall collection and I must say, there are some really great pieces.


This isn't something that I would ever be able to pull off, but I really really like it. I think it's the neck ruff. I want to add some drama to my life, I think neck ruffs are the way to go.


The best part of her collections are the blouses . I love the asymmetric detail of this one.

A cape blouse!! YES. I'm not too sold on the bottoms, they seem a little too frumpy and baggy, but pair these blouses with some skinny jeans, maybe even high-waisted, and some high heels and it would just be unstoppable.


I think this is awesome. I know, I know, I shouldn't like those pants, but I do. Although I think if I was going to wear them, they'd need to be a bit longer and a wee more tapered. I think it's the blue that's hypnotizing.


Ecclesiastic Chic!

In the meantime, I will try to hunt down these two dresses from her spring collection. The details are just too cool. Graphic dress with abstracted bow? WANT. Sexy black dress with functional zippers? NEED.



For more information, visit Christian Joy online.

Seein' Spots

I am totally in love with these Phillip Lim for Tatami sandals. The thing is, I'm a little weary because, like Birkenstocks, they're the kind of shoes where your foot just lays there, and then looks all weird. But I think I like them too much to worry about whether my feet are looking fat and weird or not. The zipper on the back is what kills me.


Of course, the kicker is that I am also obsessed with this dress from his Spring collection. See, when I saw it on the runway, I figured it would be made out of a fancy fabric, but I went by the store over the weekend and found out that it's 100% cotton! It's like the fanciest t-shirt you could ever wear. Of course, now I'm thinking that the awesomest look I could do this Spring is to wear both of these together! Maybe with those Chanel black and white tights from Fall! HAHAHA.
Ok, that was obviously joking.
But still, they will be mine, oh yes, they will be mine.

Shoes available at La Garconne. Check out 3.1 Phillip Lim for more information.

White shirts for everyone!

Click images to enlarge
This year Gap asked designers Three As Four, Phillip Lim, Band of Outsiders, Michael Bastian and Philip Carangi to collaborate in the Design Editions. I am still a little shell shocked at the awesome designers they picked and I love most of the pieces. I will definitely get my hands on the Three As Four dress and the tie-neck Phillip Lim blouse and probably some Philip Carangi pieces. The line will be available in stores come April 15, so mark your calendars, because I'm sure these will go super duper fast.

For more information, check out Gap.com.

Things, they are a-changin'

"This month we also feature (...) models, who bring more to the profession than simply a long, lean body that can walk and pose.
I wish I could say the same for the young women who were just on the runways at the New York fall collections. Overall, they were pale and thin, and entirely lacking in the joyfulness and charm that once defined the supermodels. This is, of course, not their fault: Designers now near-uniformly favor a non-vivacious, homogeneous ideal"

- Anna Wintour, Vogue April 2008




Oh yes.
The heat is on.

Ode to Lula

This may be an embarrassing revelation, but here it goes anyways. I have many stuffed sheep. The sheep and I don't go way back to my childhood. We go way back to my freshman year of college when I met a girl named Tara who had a stuffed sheep (I believe it actually was from her childhood), Tara and I became best friends and in between sharing our love for cheesesteaks, 40's and Sonic Youth, I also acquired the love for sheep. We lived together for three years, and in those three years the number of sheep kept growing and growing. It was getting out of control. They would throw wild parties and get wasted all the time. Now that we don't live together anymore, the sheep are better behaved and they love to read my fashion magazines. When they saw the new Lula, they begged me to let them dress up and take pictures of them. I, of course, obliged.

Baby Lamb and Big Sheep love Lula.

Big Sheep is ready for spring in her bright yellow sundress.


Who doesn't love Coco?

Big Sheep loves geometric shapes!

Baby Lamb looks stunning in her flower print gown.

Modeling is exhausting. Goodnight!

On the back burner

I went on the Topshop website today to check the Kate Moss collection, which was "meh" to say the least, and then I remembered the awesome designers that did collaborations with Topshop this season. They are now shipping to the US so I decided to give it a whirl. I am in love with this Jonathan Saunders dress. Really. It's simple and casual and sexy. But (there's always a but!), they're sold out of my size so I'd have to order it the next size up, which shouldn't be a problem really, since it's just a shirt dress. And the other problem is, it comes out to $120 with shipping. So I'm trying to decide if a long t-shirt dress that's one size bigger than what I would usually wear is worth the money. I'm a real cheapo when it comes to clothes for some reason and it's way easier for me to drop cash on shoes, but I really need some new clothes in my closet and I love Jonathan Saunders. So survey says yes to the dress? If any of you are so inclined, feel free to leave your opinion in the comments. I'm sleeping on it and making a decision tomorrow.

I'm not crazy!!!

Remember a few weeks ago when I posted a picture of Magda Berliner wearing an awesome flower print dress? And how I thought it was Balenciaga, but I had dismissed it because I couldn't find the damn dress online? Well turns out that I need to check my vision because the dress is TOTALLY Balenciaga. From Spring 2004. Oh man, You have no idea what a relief this is. My gut instinct still has it!

Laia: 1 The world: 0

woo!

Lady Lumberjackin'

I am really feeling Danielle Scutt's plaid dresses from fer upcoming fall collection, especially the first one. I loved how she contrasted the print with itself, by changing the pattern proportions. Hopefully by next fall I will have won the lotter and can take these two dresses home with me. In the meantime, I will try to channel these two girls in my everyday looks. If I come up with a successful solution, I will most certainly let you guys know.

Black is the New Black

Click image to enlarge.
These little black dresses from British designer Hannah Marshall make me want to listen to some Joy Division, watch reruns of Goth Talk over and over, and never go out in the sunlight again.

Love will tear us apart - Joy Division

A Girl and a Jacket

It was early 2001. Style.com had recently launched and I was enjoying my newfound discovery while pouring over the Fall collections. It was also the time when Marc Jacobs launched his Marc by Marc line, which would become quite an obsession for the next few years. I was going away to college in the Fall and I wanted to be just as cool as the girls on the runway. I fell in love with this particular blue jacket and when Fall came around, the jacket was all over the pages of Teen Vogue and Elle Girl (remember Elle Girl?). Of course, as a freshman attending design school, all my money went to art supplies and the jacket was completely out of my budget. A few months later, I finally joined Ebay and thought, "hey, maybe one day, someone will list that jacket and it will finally be mine".



Cut to seven years later, and lo and behold, the jacket is finally mine. MINE!
Thanks Ebay. You're the best ever.

(Sorry I look sleepy, I have a tendency of falling asleep as soon as the flash goes off.)

Can't Hardly Wait

Shirley MacLaine is Coco Chanel.



From W Magazine.