Occupy Wall Street

Whatever your feelings, you have to admit that it is good to see young people actually banding together to change something. Our generation is constantly accused of being apathetic, which is often a correct accusation, so it's nice to see something happening.

I am not blaming anyone for my college loan debt. I chose to go to a good school, one that was not cheap, at all. That was my choice. However, it is scary as hell to think that the job that took almost an entire year to get after my graduation is not secure. No one's job is ever 100% secure, I get that. I work in an optometry office. The calls for appointments get fewer and fewer everyday. Customers are scared to spend any money. They only get what their insurance covers. I am terrified. I know if business does not pick up, I'll be the one to go. I'm the newest and the youngest. And this isn't even a job that has anything remotely to do with my college education. THAT is what we're angry about. It's no one's fault in particular, but when the President suggested a bill that can help get our nation back on track -- a bill that might help me keep my job, or help my friends GET jobs -- and we see so many people trying to shoot it down, we get mad. The possibility of losing my job is very real. I will no longer afford to pay my bills and my loans and would be forced to move back in with my family, even though I've just been able to move out.

Okay, stepping off my soapbox and going back to fashion. Hey, didja see some of those cool outfits?

This is video I recorded while walking through Manhattan on 10/08/2011. Even though I was not marching with them, it felt like I was experiencing history in the making.

Street Fashion in Central Park, 10/08/2011 New York City

Last weekend, I took a trip to New York City with my boyfriend to visit my mother and to do some sight seeing (it was my boyfriend's first time in NYC). We explored the city and had a great time! I wore my new Dolce Vita for Target boots. I found them on eBay for only $15 including shipping! I wanted to buy them when they were available at Target, but they sold out in my size. They are actually more comfortable than my old sneakers, amazingly enough, and I was doing A LOT of walking.



We spent much of Saturday touring Central Park. I must admit, the park keeps getting nicer and nicer. One thing that never changes about New York is the fabulous street fashion. I managed to snap a few photos:









And, by a complete stroke of luck, we ran into the Occupy Wallstreet movement in Manhattan as they were leaving the park they'd been protesting in and were relocating.

A Look at the Upcoming Versace collaboration with H&M

This past weekend, my boyfriend and I took a short vacation to New York City, and for the long bus ride home I picked up the new issue of Vogue. As I read through the magazine, I came to the feature on Versace's upcoming diffusion line the fashion house is launching with H&M. (For those of you who are like me and don't know what diffusion line means, it's basically a more affordable, redesigned version of an expensive designer line.) I'm still mourning the loss of my chance at snagging a piece from the Missoni for Target line that is still technically going on, but as most fashionistas will tell you, the shelves are bare, so the article in Vogue was pretty exciting for me. The Missoni for Target line sold out within days of release online and in my local Target. I wanted at least a cardigan, but no dice. Perhaps, like the Dolce Vita line, I'll be able to scrounge something up on eBay. (I found a pair of Dolce Vita for Target boots with the gold buckles and zippers for only $15, including shipping! I'll show them off in my next post!)



The Versace line will have two roll-out dates, the first being Novermber 17th and the second coming January 19th of next year. The first installment will include woman and menswear as well as goods for the home, such as decor and dinner ware. Both installments are reworkings of iconic designs from Versace's archives, including many from the late Gianni Versace.



Above is a video released by Versace back in June. Lots of leather and studs, she says. Well, the line will be far less expensive than real Versace pieces, but not cheap by H&M standards. Maybe the upside is that the line won't sell out immediately like the Missoni for Target line has.  We're getting more and more looks at pieces now that the full ad campaign has been released. Here are some to pique your interest...

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="515" caption="Donatella Versace wearing one of the studded leather dresses from the line for H&M at a Versace fashion show."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Daphne Groeneveld and Lindsey Wixson modeling the H&M line. Photo by Mert & Marcus."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="412" caption="A reworking of a Gianni Versace design for the H&M line."][/caption]

I am excited, but doubtful I will be able to afford anything. Hopefully the H&M closest to me will be one of the "select" stores. For more scans of the ads that have been released, check out this Fashonologie article.