From Subculture To Mass Culture...Hip Parties In Changing Mode...

Having just returned from Dinner with my friend Julia at "Jaeger's Restaurant" (btw manifique french restaurant) in Heidelberg, I would like to summarize some thaughts of our discussion on subculture, hip parties and what happens when the promoters become famous. On my train back to Germany, I read an article on the party promoters of Misshapes in the german issue of the Park Avenue Magazine written by Jessica Joffe. I was really wondering that the Misshapes project became that famous now, even that famous that a magazine like Park Avenue writes about them.

Most of the really cool parties are first a kind of "subculture thing" of a selected group of people and after some time, when more and more people join the group to party with them it changes. The changing point when it's getting a mass culture phenomenon is when famous people join the parties. It is normal because the parties getting published in magazine and then everybody want to have a piece of this glamorous unique cake - even when they just go twice they can say "Hey I was in NYC and I attended the same party Madonna did a while ago". But what I ask myself then is "When a subculture becomes famous can you still declare it as subculture?" I don't think so...with this changes it looses its exclusivity, which is worse for the group of people who first attended that it is for the promoters theirselves. Wasn't it exactly the same in the 60's with Andy Warhol's factory and their parties: A group of extraordinary people standing outside the crowd get together and should bring some glamour in the lives of the ordinary ones not having the chance (or maybe not really committing) to the free spirited livestyle they live.

It is a chance to escape from normal live and join the glamorous part of live without really doing anything for it. This means that the creative people are just used as entertainers, which is somehow a sad thing. How can this be avoided? I think it can only be avoided if parties are being kept secret and exclusive (which doesn't refer to money but the people visiting) so the success would go on. If this is not being done all this will turn from exitement to boredom because everybody knows it and is talking about that. The Misshapes stated in the interview that this is so big right now that the have to continue with this fast way of living. Let's see what time brings and if continues quality can be delivered if you have to "party under pressure"...

Developing Style…Just A Few Thaughts

Currently sitting in the train to Paris. Nice to see my lovely baby in less than 45 minutes. Sitting here now for 4 hours makes me impatient. I have finished Tony Parson's "Stories we could tell", read half of the German VOGUE April 2007 edition, went to the bathroom, slept and now thinking about Style, my own style and other people's way of dressing. The black boy in front of me watching Hip Hop videos on his laptop for example? Did he always follow this way of style, the slim woman with the long brown hair and doll face beside me…who will she meet later and why did she dress like this? What is her intentention…then coming to myself (wearing a 60's print wrap dress, a black blazer, and black DICASTRI boots)…In the meantime after years of changing my style constantly, I am really happy and satisfied with my wayk of dressing, now that I am 26 years old.

It wasn't always like that. When I was young, I followed several ways of dressing to feel myself belonging to a certain group of people. When I was 13 I had the "grunge look phase". For sure I know today that this grunge style is just dementia and developed out of the intention to ignore fashion, but at that time it was everything looking as undone as I could for me. Then later on, when I was 20 wanting to look like Jenny Lopez when she was the dancing girl and girl friend of Diddy (Puff Dady at that time)….I went to the gym everyday to train mybody and show as much as I could of it when going out, wearing tube tops combined with black pants. Horrible! But anyway…looking back I am glad I went through different phases. Each style was linked to a certain lifestyle I was addicted to and that exited myself. Now that I have grown up, I am more myself as ever. Oh my god, I know this sounds quite oddl, but it is like that. You see, sitting in trains gives you the time to think about yourself and topcis you would normally not have the time for. "So smile for a while and let's be jolly style shouldn't be so melancholy…"Arrival in Paris! I'm back in style and en vogue!

Shoes I like: Kristina Kozak

Browsing through Shoewawa planning my shoe investments for summer (Yves Klein - Blue Platform Heels, Red High Heels and one pair of Wedges), when I came across a new Boston based shoe designer called Kristina Kozak. The 32 year woman created her own shoe line of 10 pair of unique art pieces. She calls them "fun pieces that sets one apart from the crowd", but I don't think so. Each pair is very classic but has a unique attitude, something which makes it really special and "outstanding of the crowd" - that's true but I would leave out the "fun piece" in my description. Anyway, interpretation of how things could be seen always will differ...make up your own mind!

"While always a shoe lover with an eye for fashion, it was my time at Louis Boston that truly influenced and increased my love for distinctive pieces, especially shoes. “I wanted fabulous, fun shoes that stood out in a crowd but didn’t sacrifice quality or sophistication. With that in mind I created my own line that is original and intelligent but still reflects a lighthearted approach to fashion.” (Quote from the designer herself)

More information on Kristina Kozak available via Boston Magazine...
Order via: Kristina Kozak, 617-791-2993, kristinakozak.com; Stel’s, 334 Newbury St., Boston, 617-262-3348, stelsinc.com

Shopping Advices... Nejla Oezkan and mytheresa.com

Most of the lates Designer Fashion pieces are difficult to buy in Germany, even online. I am a person who likes online shopping very much because it gives you really much more chance to buy designer pieces really cheap, cheaper than you will find them in a regular shop. The disadvantage about that is that you cannot support smaller boutiques and shops to survive in the age of globalization. So if a find a nice piece in a smaller shop, I do my best to afford it to make my contribution.
Example: Two weeks ago I found a wonderful shop in Montmatre, in a little street which was not easy to find but I had time enaugh to stroll around. The shop is led by a turkish girl called Nejla Oezkan. She sells the clothes of her turkish designer friend and everythink is handmade, of good quality and really affordable. I found a handmade leather belt for my mum (20 EUR)and a beautyful new wrap dress for myself (60 EUR) -> I will publish photos in mystylediary
So if you are in Paris, check it out:
Nejla Oezkan
17, Rue La Viewville
75018 Paris
Metro: Abesses
Tel: 0033- 142511111


Online Shopping:
Coming back to online shops...most of the time I order clothes at yoox sale but today I came across another nice online shop called mytheresa.com. With regards to the selection offered I would compare it with net-a-porter (which is too expensive for myself, so I just read their online mag) but it is german and much more easy to get things delivered to a german address. In the sale section they had really good offers like this Marc Jacobs Booties.

HAVE FUN!

Fashion I like...Red Shoes

RED IS THE NEW BLACK!
Black shoes were the one and only for me until the arrival of the "Reds". In February I was at the Fashion Show of the Hochschule Pforzheim in Germany and there was one student called Elena Schneider (btw, she also won the Beck's Fashion Experience) whose models shoes were red. I was exited about that style because I think it gives the outfit the extra kick without too much extra kicking.

While browing through the new runway looks F/W 07-08 I noticed that this trend is all over the international runway as well.

As I am wearing a lot of black this trend is perfect for me.

My new investment is definitelly RED because red is my new black (related to shoes).

It's all about "MEN A LA MODE"

Some of my male friends always complain that there is less information on men style than style advices for women. They recommend that I should talk about men style as well in my blog. To be honest...this is quite difficult for myself because I tend to observe women and their way of dressing much more intensively and just take male fashion as it is without really thinking about it. Therefore, I don't want to reserve the right to talk about fashion for men.

I would recommend the following:

If you are a man and you are longing for a most up to date - super hot right now - fashion style advice, just check out the new UK site Men à la mode which will be launched on 15th of March.

A nice site for latest news on men's fashion and grooming is Fashion 156. The outfits shown are as nice as the outfit of the site itself.

Unique Kate is back

I know that KM style is being discussed every day in several magazines, which makes the topic boring in some way. My first intention was not to write about Kate but to develop a post comparing Kate, Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin's style because I just think that KM has Brigitte's Face combined with Jane's style. This is just a declaration...and I will skip this post now because I decided to go for something else...something very "unspecial"...

While browsing through the new photos of Kate being published at "The Fashionspot" I realized that her way of style is changing again. During the past month she was dressed in a more classical way and the outfits didn't vary much.

Appearance has always to do with personal situations and emotional life - I think that Kate must feel quite good right now if I assign this thesis to her current look.

Coming back to the headline, this is an "unspecial post" with an "unspecial subject" but very "special outfits"...

Outfit of the week

My new favorite Outfit with my lovely new vernis Repetto ballett flats

Beautyful Pregnancy...Beautyful Pictures

One evening at our Paris Hotel I was catching the new February "Elle France" at our reception. Hard to understand the letters so much the better just understand the pictures of Anna Mouglalis photographed by her friend Karl Lagerfeld.



The photos of Anna Mouglalis' pregnancy are being heavily discussed at The Fashionspot. Apart from what the fashion spot members write, I think that the photos are very extraordinary. Anna looks really nice and healthy in the pictures and the colours have been chosen carefully. I absolutely like what she is wearing - it looks great with the baby belly. Those photos are very unique compared to pregancy photos of other celebrities and they totally represent Anna's style.

Missed Style Scout In Paris

On 1st of March I missed the meeting of bloggers arranged by the Style Scout (Robert Cassidy and his wife Louisa)at Paris. The whole day was not very well organized by myself. In the morning I was very exited and decided to wear a beautyful dress I baught at Lake Como with black tights and blue new high heels. After one hour walking I realized that I cannot stand the pain at my feet anymore. This was after an apartment visit near Le Bon Marché and I decided to buy the vernis Repetto ballett flats I had a look at days ago and that I wanted to buy anyway. My feet were already bleeding and my tights were broken. So I went downstairs to buy some new tights as well. Afterwards I thaught I would have still some time until 1pm and went to the Marais to search for a shop which I found two days before....but now impossible to find again...I realized that I had not eaten anything that day and I got nervous. I went to a café sat down, ate something, left the café searched for the next metro, looked at my watch and was shocked 3PM!!! It is a total mess that I somehow forgot the time because of the apartment visits, hunger, shops and exams. When I finally came to the Carousel du Louvre there was now one there anymore and I lost the address of the café where the informal gathering took place. I sat down very disappointed and read my sociology book to prepare the exams. After 2 hours I went home realizing that I missed the chance to meet other bloggers from around the world.

Several famous bloggers met, like Geraldine (Paris)(Café de Mode) , Susie Bubble (London) (Stylebubble) and more. For those who understand german just follow this link to read the complete review...I hope to get the chance to meet them once again this year...then I'll definitelly be there.

Paris Faces

Just a girl whose style I loved. It would not work for me but she looks wonderful I think...What's your opinion?