Confessions of a Fashion Fanatic: Don't Touch My Johnston

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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Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Don't Touch My Johnston

My girlfriend Sangria just got back from Australia last Friday and couldn't stop talking about how well-dressed the folks Down Under were all the time.

Sounds like my kind of people!

I've seen quite a few friends take off to Oz in the past few years: my buddy Skirts, my pal Jibba and my old boss/mentor Kate, formerly the Western Editor of FASHION Magazine, with whom I credit for making me fully realize my sartorial and writing inclinations.

I can see why Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast are ideal places to live: beautiful beaches, blue waters, adorable accents, practically year-round sun, cute koalas, baby Joeys, Sass & Bide, Ksubi, Zambesi, Jayson Brunsdon, Alex Perry, Lisa Ho, Michelle Jank and Kirrily Johnston.

Ah, Kirrily.

I wanted every single, blouson-y, casual chic piece in her High Summer 07-08 collection. Her color palette consisted of three colors -- white, black and this bright pop of pinky-purple. The silhouettes were youthful, yet tasteful with drawstring, big pockets, collars and elasticized waists serving as perfect embellishments. That white jacket with ruffled collar had me bug-eyed with ecstasy, and the contrast between voluminous and body-skimming was a harmonious dynamic.

Mate, I really wasn't kidding when I said I wanted everything in this collection.

I'm Lovin' it: My best guy friend K-Dizzle rocked a grey-striped red tie with his navy blue suit on Saturday night (he was coming off his accounting convocation dinner), and I appreciated the boldness of the red against the navy. That's why I was super excited when I came across Cyberoptix Tie Lab, which touts that their ties "don't suck". Well, they don't. Call 'em ties for the dandy dude.

I'm Over it: Think there's an itsy-bitsy spider hiding in my bed, because I woke up with bites on my finger and back.

Music of the Day: Ladyhawke. Her real name is Pip Brown from Sydney and her electro-rock gets into your head. Make sure to check out these three remixes of her track "Back Of The Van" off her official website: Mock & Toof (trance-ish), Ultimate Beverly from Fred Falke (disco house) and Van She Tech (hardcore electronica, a la Simian Mobile Disco or Digitalism). Sooooo good.