Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Non-buyer's Remorse

I occasionally have some buyer's remorse. Though truthfully, I can't think of a single purchase that I really regret but I'm sure it's happened from time to time (what can I say? I love everything!). More often than not, I have non-buyer's remorse: I wait and wait to buy something and then, when I'm ready and financially able, it's gone. Case in point 1: I'm still lamenting the sold-outness of Talla's steel citrus bag, as I was hoping it would go a liiiittttle bit more on sale and then I would snap it up in a classic display of bargain shopping. (I scored two really great bags from Talla this way last season, so there was precedent, you see.) Alas, it's gone. But there's still a chance to get some of Talla's other extremley great hand-printed products on sale (note: I've seen the large cosmetic bag in person and it makes a perfectly cute clutch). And I'm going to assume a new collection is due any day now, so keep your eyes open.

Here We Go, Yo...

We're still undergoing some technical difficulties here, and some design difficulties (due to the fact that my html skills are mediocre, at best). But the whole point of a blog is to blog, right? And stop talking about how you want to have a new blog? And so, with that, it begins. At least, it begins for me. I'm not really planning on sharing this until the aforementioned kinks are fully worked out.

But, I suppose it's necessary to do some sort of opening announcement-slash-introduction. I'm not much of a public speaker, but here goes: Quite simply, this is a blog about pretty things. Or, more specifically, things that excite and inspire and make you covet them desperately, be it great fashion or cool products or amazing photography or articles about those kinds of things. I write a lot about things like this already, but I never have time to just sit and gush about why I do what I do and why I (mostly) love it. There are lots of cool things out there, and there are lots of cool people writing about them, but there's always room for one more, right?

About this blog: The title Fashion is Spinach is inspired by (if by inspired by, I mean stolen from, which do) the late American designer Elizabeth Hawes, who penned a somewhat famous book by that name in 1938 (a book that is very difficult hard to find at a reasonable price these days, forcing me to purchase it for $50 on one night after I'd had a few glasses of wine and was feeling particularly frivolous). Hawes' main point was this (and I'll paraphrase here): It sucks that fashion trends are dictated by a few designers, and if you want a blue turtleneck, then you should get one, even if they're not "in." Essentially, she championed personal style over fashion trends, and if there is ever a cause I can get behind, this would be it. (Um, even though I did recently purchase a cropped white trench jacket from Zara. Some trends are okay if you love them enough!) Elizabeth Hawes was also a person who knew how to have a really good time. How could I not make her my hero?

About the logo: It's a photo of a work by a Chinese contemporary artist, from a private collection in Beijing. But beyond that, it demonstrates the uniformity that Fashion is Spinach (the book, and now the blog) is firmly against. Also, my Photoshop skills are worse than my html ones and it was pretty easy to do. [Update]: This logo has been subsequently deemed uncute, and is in the process of being changed to something more appealing. And, I suppose, more relevant, though that is not as essential.

Finally, a few things about me: I am a vintage junkie. I've lived in Asia for more than two years now, and I have a photo blog to prove it (though it's mostly to prove to my mom that living in Asia does not mean I live like a heathen. Shucks, there's a Diesel down the street.) I'm have a fondness for anything tacky, which means that I often buy all the things my parents (probably correctly) never let me have as a child, like enormous pencils and balloons shaped like cartoon characters and Hello Kitty! change purses. (It's the fun of being an adult! No one can say no!) I love MTV, and think that if I could have any job I'd a) be a music video director, or b) be a backup dancer for Britney Spears (pre-KFed, of course). I travel a lot and get an extreme amount of joy upon discovering unknown local designers and stores. Right this minute, I'm rocking the Star Alliance Gold status and eating finger foods in the airport lounge and wondering why the guy behind me is making severe grunting noises every two minutes. I shouldn't look, I shouldn't look... okay, I just did. He's not dying, at least. I (um, obviously) have issues with restraint. Just ask my bank account.

Also: I am very long winded.