Confessions of a Fashion Fanatic: The Best of Balmain

Confessions of a Fashion Fanatic

The daily chronicle of a fashion-and-beauty obsessed, style-writing, pseudo-Angeleno who made her way from the Great White North to La-La Land -- otherwise known as Los Angeles, California -- and back again. Till the next big city calls out her name, that is.

: Name: Haute Hippie; Location: Everywhere and anywhere

I'm a Vancouverite who moonlighted as an Angeleno. My momma is the best in the entire world, and I'll argue you hoarse on that one. I've been in love only once in my life. The East Coast calls me but the West Coast is in my blood. Social butterflies -- and party animals -- are a great species. Fashion and writing will be the death of me, but what a way to go. Carine Roitfeld is fabulous. I would die a painful death if art, design, photography, fashion, music and dancing did not exist. Always kind of wondered why Smurfette was the only girl in town. I can't draw. Absolutely believe everything happens for a reason. I feel so lucky to have the girlfriends that I do. I'm a total sun baby. Think I might be a workaholic. I may have slight road rage. Ice cream and hockey are religions. I buy too many glossy magazines. Nothing beats someone with a killer sense of humor. Chivalry is really not dead. I'm a victim of minor vertigo and a serious lead foot. Always up for meeting people from paths different than mine and crossing paths with old friends. At the very end of it all, I want to be able to look back and say: Yeah, I sure lived a damn good life.

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Monday, May 26, 2008

The Best of Balmain

Whomever is behind the French label Balmain -- founded by the late Pierre Balmain in the early 20th century -- is a genius.

Ever since that short, black Balmain number made it onto the Zone Diet bodies of Celine Dion and Diane Kruger, I've been taking special note of one-shouldered frocks from the French house making paparazzi-worthy appearances.

Like these ones on French Vogue editrix (and my fashion hero) Carine Roitfeld and her equally stylish daughter Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, both snapped during a day at Cannes.

I noticed a few one-shouldered tops and dresses, a la Balmain, at the new downtown H&M that just opened up here -- ah, how I wish I spoke to the MisShapes' Leigh Lezark instead of lamely taking a camera phone picture! -- and seeing as how it is H&M, the price tag will obviously be a whole lot more affordable than an original.

Though I highly doubt putting on a one-shouldered will get me anywhere looking like either Roitfeld, but hey, a girl can dream.

I'm Lovin' it: Beach Saturdays and BBQ Sundays. A huge crew of us trekked to Kid-d's mom's place out in the boonie 'burbs so the guys could have a few go-rounds of paintball, followed by a delicious BBQ and a few hours of chilling in nature. It was a far cry from the constant police sirens and crazy people yelling at each other outside my apartment building. And you know, it really was kind of nice.

I'm Over it: Pesky mosquitos from those few hours of chilling in nature. It made me remember the pros of city living.

Track of the Day: For someone who enjoys a lot of different kinds of music, I will sheepishly admit to not having listened to much of hippie-dippie Devendra Banhart. Yesterday on the drive back from the 'burbs, Kenzo threw on some Banhart for the Sher Bear and I to hear. His song "Little Yellow Spider" is pretty funny, a sort of cutesy kind of tribute to animals of the world. My favorite verse? Hands down this one:

"Well, I came upon a dancing crab, and I stopped to watch it shake
I said, "Dance for me just one more time
Before you hibernate and you come out a crab cake."

Sher Bear and I burst out laughing when that came on. God, I love crab cakes.