some places

San Francisco is one of those cities where you can diy your own experience. Mine has always been a mix of all things dirty and clean. There isn't a San Francisco "aesthetic." Well... there is. But it's bad. So I try to create my own. Other notes you might gather from this: (1) I hang out in the Mission (2) I drink too much caffeine.

Marc Jacobs (125 Maiden Ln) - I go here when there's a sale. If I could afford it, I would buy all the cashmere they have. They also carry random things like fur ear muffs, fox tails, and skate decks. But without all the clutter of the Marc by Marc Jacobs store. Plus, the staff is always friendly.

Mission Thrift (2330 Mission St) - This place is great. You can pretty much find the entire thrifted version of Isabel Marant S/S 2011 here. The selection is nice and the prices are fair. Thrift Town, a few blocks down, is way too picked over by San Francisco hipsters anyway.

Blue Bottle (66 Mint St) - I can't go anywhere that doesn't serve good coffee with brunch. So I'd rather go somewhere that serves brunch with good coffee. If that makes sense.

Taqueria Cancún (2288 Mission St) - It goes like this... if you're young and you're not a complete square, you'll probably end up in the Mission. And if you're in the Mission and you're out at night, you'll probably end up either here or El Farolito.

Ritual (1026 Valencia St) - Coffee for the morning after. Cash only.

venus in furs

Vogue Italia November 2010
"Venus in Furs"
Photographer: Steven Meisel
Styling: Karl Templer

I'm loving the old school CK vibe to this.

stay

Hurts - Stay

OH GOD THIS IS SO GOOD.

I set up speakers behind my couch. So now my life feels full just like surround sound.

but until you come back where you belong

Isamu Noguchi coffee table

I've been in a really weird mood - like I'm not 100% there. For awhile, I seriously contemplated how to become an internet meme. Then I spent an hour Google searching "how to repress feelings" until I ran out of Redbull.

A friend told me taller candles give off more light. I don't have candle holders. But I drink a lot. So I guess this is my home decor tip for the day. And in case you were wondering... I'm watching The Bachelor. 'Cuz I have horrible taste in television.

like like

Seafolly net hoodie courtesy of Sunburn, La Moxie shirt courtesy of La Moxie, Zara cardigan, Urban 1972 shirt and jacket courtesy of Urban 1972, vintage Contempo Casuals dress, Junya Watanabe MAN x Lewis Leathers jacket, Urban 1972 shirt courtesy of Urban 1972

Over the past several months I've come to embrace my California-ness. It's an aesthetic all its own. Pretty much everything looks good with denim shorts and boots.

I'm preparing for a shoot next weekend. I'm most excited to get hair and makeup, is that lame? I like stuff like that.

rodebjer ss11

Rodebjer S/S 2011

I'm absolutely obsessed with Rodebjer's Spring/Summer 2011 collection - both the clothes and the styling. Everything is fresh, clean, and slightly disheveled. A concept I relate to quite often.

The designer Carin Rodebjer was inspired by a trip to Fisher Island. The colors are based on sun, sea and skin tones. Key adjectives include clean (there's that word again), sharp, earthy, and warm. The perfect description for a girl who enjoys her denim jacket a little ripped, her bronze ring a little scuffed, and her Margiela platforms a little covered in mud.

:)

what im into

A continuation of this entry... A/W edition.

1. Nobuyoshi Araki flower porn
2. Weird Asian girls

power lines

Asymmetric wool jacket courtesy of Public Beware, MM6 Maison Martin Margiela bag, Topshop boots, American Apparel shorts and tights

The weather is finally starting to get better. I feel like I haven't posted a proper outfit shot in weeks. And this weekend, I happened to get my first horrible case of food poisoning. FYI tequila when you're in recovery mode... not a good idea.

• My hair is 6-7 hours of Manic Panic dye in Vampire Red. It lasts about a month. And the fading is leftover from my previous hair color.
  
• My new tattoo is a quote from Zelda Fitzgerald. It was done by Chris Gonzales at Humble Beginnings Tattoo. He also did the triangle behind my left ear.
  
• I'm probably not ready to embrace New York City weather but at least this Public Beware jacket keeps me warm enough.
• I need new shoes.

A reader asked me this question:

I find that in the "blaggher" world or in any creative venture there's this eternal struggle between staying true to yourself (i.e. I don't give a fuck about what other people think and they can suck it) and the need for validation because of the intimate yet tortuous thought of "Oh fuck, is what I'm putting out complete garbage and thus do I suck?" (which, for me, cyclically comes about once a month). What are your thoughts on this struggle?

I feel like I'm often asked this question because many readers have interpreted my style of blogging as "I don't give a fuck." But actually, this isn't true. I think the problem with the evolution of fashion blogging is that we assume what's trendy and mainstream is the only acceptable form of success. We forget that different perspectives and taste (or for that matter, taste levels) exist. And not because he or she is consciously rebelling against the norm; it's just what they're into.

And for the record. I do give a fuck. No one cares about a tote bag give-a-way anyway.

fifth element

TSR shirt courtesy of TSR, Zara cardigan, LUCYD ACYD skirt courtesy of LUCYD ACYD, Nixon watch, Chanel lipstick in Enthusiast

I know some of you may disagree, but I kind of like bad cell phone and webcam photos. There's a certain charm about them. As my friend Tim would say, "it's so meta." And two steps away from porn.

I get a lot of questions regarding what I wear out at night. As you can see, it's pretty much what I wear during the day. But you'd be surprised how much attention you get dressed as Maggie Gyllenhaal's character in Secretary.

native son aw11

NATIVE SON A/W 2011 from Eric Ray Davidson on Vimeo.

Still loving boys in suits.

light reading

Zara sweater, Made Her Think earrings courtesy of La Dama, H&M men's belt, vintage Levi's diy shorts courtesy of Stone Cold Vintage, MM6 by Maison Martin Margiela bag

I got these shorts from Stone Cold Vintage and instantly fell in love with the floweriness. But they weren't short enough. So they didn't look like the thing that I always wear. So I cut them to make them look more like the thing that I always wear. Then my friend and I drank a little wine, listened to a little Suede, talked about porn on tumblr, and took pictures.

These past few days, every time I meet someone new, they're like a friend's ex boyfriend's brother. Or friends of friends who turn out to be the hot lesbian chicks you saw at Smith's night at Milk Bar that one time. But they're not really lesbian. They're just hot...

... and they used to be friends with the girl who was all over the guy you were hanging out with. But they stopped being friends because they found out the girl was stealing clothes from their store behind their back. And you stopped hanging out with the guy because he was a douche who wouldn't give you back your Helmut Lang bracelet. Something like that.

1.1.11

If you want to live your life in a creative way, as an artist, you have to not look back too much. You have to be willing to take whatever you’ve done and whoever you were and throw them away. What are we, anyway? Most of what we think we are is just a collection of likes and dislikes, habits, patterns. At the core of what we are is our values, and what decisions and actions we make reflect those values. That is why it’s hard doing interviews and being visible: As you are growing and changing, the more the outside world tries to reinforce an image of you that it thinks you are, the harder it is to continue to be an artist, which is why a lot of times, artists have to go, “Bye. I have to go. I’m going crazy and I’m getting out of here.” And they go and hibernate somewhere. Maybe later they re-emerge a little differently.

Steve Jobs, Playboy 1985