Blogosphere's Week in Review

Images courtesy of KNITkicks, Darling Darling, Unabashedly Prep, and Ivy Style.

This week's BWR features more from Men's Fashion Week, skull knits, and a map for life.

• Men's Fashion Week continues with Paul Smith and Givenchy.
• Hungry? Try some banana cupcakes with nutella frosting.
• Enviable blogger outfits from Annabu, Life in Travel, calivintage, and Fashion-Maverick.
• Weekly Street Style Round-up: Koenji, Berlin, and Helsinki.
• Best of the Blogosphere: The College Man's Guide to Life, flying, Chloe Pre-Fall 2010, and Caulfield Preparatory 2010.
• Weekly What-The-Feege: skull knits, bandaged heels, and a duct-taped blazer.

What blog posts interested you this week?

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Rain, Rain, Go Away… Or Not?

Urban Outfitters pea coat, Sperry Top-Sider shoe, Burberry rain boots, and Urban Outfitters trench coat

Just about everyone in Berkeley has been experiencing a life a little more damp than usual lately. Many women may consider this a tad inconvenient since they have to put away their stylish suede boots. Likewise, the rain can especially be frustrating for men who find a stigma in wearing rain boots in public. I have come up with some chic alternatives for those who want to remain fashion-savvy (and dry).

For women: if you haven’t already noticed, almost everyone is wearing rain boots. Go buy a pair! You can go plain with ones from Hunter or Burberry, or fun with the ones that are sold at Target and Bancroft Clothing. The best part is that it’s an excuse to wear daring prints that you would be too sheepish to have on a blouse or dress. Also, be careful with your leather boots: leather may be waterproof, but it isn’t Berkeley-monsoon-proof. Water can eventually seep in through the seams of the sole and have you walking around in a slushy mess all day. Unless the brand made the shoe to be waterproof, do not assume it is. Second, embrace the trench! Trench coats, whether short or long, look good on any body type. Just look at how fabulous Audrey Hepburn looked in Breakfast at Tiffany’s in hers.

For men: Sperry’s are a wonderful alternative to rain boots and the classic Topsider looks good at any time of the year. The best part about Sperry’s is that they are meant for boating, so they are waterproof. This is no guarantee that your feet won’t get wet, but at least you won’t have any more moldy sneakers! Another big trend that I have seen is the pea coat. This, like the trench, has been a staple for years, but I think people underestimate its fashion-powers. It goes with just about any outfit: just throw it on with a tee and some jeans and you have updated your look from soggy to sophisticated.

And—all of this goes without saying—don’t forget your umbrella!

Danielle Ciappara
BARE Reporter

First Blog Team Meeting

Are you interested in writing reviews about local restaurants, events, movies, art shows, and clothing stores? How about discussing current events in the fashion industry, the university, or our local community? Then you should write for the BARE blog. We have about 20,000 unique monthly visitors and were nominated for Best Blogger at the 2009 San Francisco Fashion Awards. If you're interested in joining the staff, please attend our First Team Meeting this Tuesday, February 2 at 8-9pm in 259 Dwinelle.

RSVP to the Facebook event.

Brittany Curran
Assistant Blog Editor

Cal Street Style :: Parris

As seen in my previous post, last Wednesday we kicked off the semester with our First General Meeting in Barrows Hall. Cal's most stylish made sure to make an appearance and Parris, pictured above, is no exception. It looks like a great semester of street style posts are ahead of us. That's if it stops raining anytime soon.

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Joburg Fashion Week :: Part 2

Vesselina Pentcheva who showed her new Autumn/Winter collection on Saturday evening.

In continuation of a previous post, here are a couple of photos from Joburg Fashion Week in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Designer David Tlale, whose installation show titled "Fantastical Structures" met high expectations of fellow designers and Joburg's fashion elite. Even Miss South Africa was a willing fixture in his the installation; dressed in a red bejeweled gown.

Shalwah Evans

BARE Mentor

Cal Street Style :: Elle

Yesterday evening, we had our First General Meeting of the semester at 7pm in 110 Barrows. As appropriately anticipated, Cal's most stylish came out to hear how they can join the staff. Elle, pictured above, is one of the well-dressed students in attendance. Just from the looks of her outfit, I'd say we have a great issue ahead of us!

Stay tuned for another street style post tomorrow.

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Time for Turquoise

Images courtesy of Lookbook users Camille K., Lollo G., Michael K., and Gabrielle H.

Don’t know what to wear? Throw on some turquoise! According to Pantone, “the world-renowned authority on color,” turquoise is the color of 2010. That’s right, that one color that isn’t exactly green and not exactly blue. You might ask, why turquoise? According to Pantone, turquoise combines “the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.” In this grim weather, we can all use an escape to the soothing tropics so snatch up some turquoise and escape for a bit.

Polina Polishchuk

BARE Reporter

How to Dress Like a Pop Star :: VMan Magazine

Do you sit in front of your computer, gazing into J. Bieber's chocolate-colored eyes and wishing to be his "number one girl"? If you're beyond your middle school years, the answer is probably a "no." Instead, do you wonder where he got his latest digs from? If so, you're in for quite a treat. VMan Magazine's upcoming "How to" issue shows you just that: How to Dress like a Pop Star. Out on newsstands this Thursday, the photo shoot includes the likes of Bieber, American Idol finalist Adam Lambert, My Chemical Romance's Gerard and Mikey Way, and Cobra Starship's Gabe Saporta. Take a look at these images from the shoot.

All photography by Mark Abrahams. Images courtesy of VMan Magazine.

Has the sight of The Beaver's adidas zip-up caused you to swoon? Tell us your tween heartthrob-related tales in the comments.

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Skirts for Men :: A Different Kind of Dream

From left: red kilt, eBay; a skirt-clad Marc Jacobs; Giuliano Fujiwara Fall 2010; Rick Owens Spring 2010; Thom Browne Fall 2010.

I have a dream… that one day men will be able to wear full length skirts and not be considered psycho or queer. This dream, in fact, may come faster than I had hoped. Fashion's most eccentric menswear designers have started flirting with the idea of men in skirts. If your attachment to social norms is causing you to cringe, I advise you to get used to it. Though everyone shrugs at the Scottish for wear kilts as part of their tradition, maybe they have some logic in their choice. Here's why:

1. If you stop to think how much more comfortable it would be for men down under, as opposed to skin-tight jeans, it's almost a no-brainer.
2. Gender bending has come a long way since our parents' times. Men can now blow-dry their hair and wear floral prints without being laughed at.
3. It would open an entire portal of mixing options for men. How much variety can you have with just khakis and jeans?

Next time you're quick to judge a guy in a skirt, being open-minded may be key. Or, if you catch onto the trend now, you can be the dad who set the trends when it was rebellious. Right on.

Image created by the author.

John Kim

Editor-in-Chief

Join BARE Magazine!

Fashion enthusiasts, creative types, aspiring writers, lend me your ears. BARE Magazine is looking for fresh faces to join our creative, editorial, layout, business, and web teams. We are looking for writers, layout designers, bloggers, photographers, illustrators, stylists, models, advertisers, and public relations managers, who are interested in producing UC Berkeley's only fashion and lifestyle publication. No/little experience required. All years welcomed.

If you're interested, please attend our First General Meeting this Wednesday, January 27 at 7pm in 110 Barrows. RSVP to the Facebook event.

For more information about BARE Magazine, please check out our website.

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Blogosphere's Week in Review

Images courtesy of Man of the Cloth, Kingdom of Style, calivintage, and Fashion Pulse Daily.

This week's BWR features Men's Fashion Week, blogger shout-outs, and some strange pants.

• Men's Fashion Week has begun. Check out the collections from Versace, Gucci, Etro, Dsquared, John Galliano, and Adam Kimmel.
• And, of course, no seven-day fashion extravaganza can be complete without shoes and more shoes.
• Hey, Zac Posen. How you doin'? Love, Target.
• I spy a school boy.
• My favorite bloggers at the moment are Annabu and The Gaudy God.
• Weekly Street Style Round-up: hey, hey, hey from Milan and Brooklyn.
• Weekly What-The-Feege: cut-out dresses, Jumanji pants, and Tjep jewelry.

What blog posts interested you this week?

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Interior Inspiration

Inspiration can be found anywhere: down the street, around the corner, and even in your own apartment. It is a fact that your surroundings can influence and inspire your style choices. Not only can your clothing be styled to represent who you are, but your home can be styled in this manner as well. At BARE, we love to pass on great blogs that keep the inspiration alive.

Here are a few blogs that will get your interior design senses tingling:

Desire to Inspire features amazing photography from various interior designers.

Photo courtesy of Desire to Inspire.

Apartment Therapy will provide you with tips and tricks to facilitate your decorating journey.

Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy.

Decor8, like Desire to Inspire, has beautiful photography of beautiful spaces.

Photo courtesy of Decor8.

Whether you are looking to re-decorate or just want to look at great photography and design, enjoy these blogs while you are hiding out from this rainy weather.

What interior design blogs inspire you?

Polina Polishchuk

BARE Reporter

Joburg Fashion Week

Models posing at the Spero Villioto runway show during Joburg Fashion Week.

BARE Mentor Shalwah Evans is currently in Johannesburg, South Africa for Joburg Fashion Week, which started on Wednesday, January 20th. Here are a few photos Shalwah took as our globe-trotting fashion liaison.

Recently-signed Ford model, Millen Maggese, being prepped for the Spero Villioti show. She will also be walking during New York Fashion Week this February.

Designer Spero Villioto poses with his showstopping dress.

House of Machere ended the first night of runway shows for Joburg Fashion Week.

Stay tuned for more photos from Joburg Fashion Week.

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Take Off Your Pants, For a Good Cause

Wasn’t it the oh-so-fabulous Coco Chanel who said, “Always take one thing off before you leave the house”? In this case, consider your jeans. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that shook Haiti last week, people are coming together in creative ways to fund relief efforts. Cal Do Something is one such student organization that is stepping up to the plate by working with Aeropostale and campus groups nation-wide to send pairs of jeans to homeless teens in Haiti. Aeropostale has committed to match the first 100,000 collected with another 100,000 pairs of brand new jeans. The drive takes place from January 19th to February 14th; text "jeans" to 41411 to receive information on locations of drop-off sites, or stop by the Haiti Earthquake Relief event on Upper Sproul on February 5th from 11am-3pm to drop your pants.

Check out the Facebook event here.

Katie Grant
BARE Reporter

Fall 2010 Men's Fashion Week :: Vivienne Westwood

This is one of Vivienne Westwood's takes on the "roving vagrant." Image courtesy of Coutorture.

Vivienne Westwood is known for her eccentricity in all facets of fashion. I personally adore her for the ridiculously high heels that she frequently sends down her runways. Recently in Milan, she took inspiration from the homeless population. In her press release for the collection, Westwood was quoted saying, "The nearest I have come to it is going home and finding I don't have my door key." This is quite obvious because the men in her collection look absolutely nothing like the homeless people I often encounter on Telegraph Avenue.

In a perfect world, I would be able to afford Westwood's creations. Either way, the pieces alone measure up to Westwood's aesthetic quite nicely. I love the fur accents and mixture of over-the-top patterns and how she makes it look like fashion. Would I wear anything from this collection? Probably not. However, I will continue to appreciate her work and give her a virtual pat on the head for her perception of how the homeless dress themselves.

For more photos, please visit Coutorture.

Jordan Silver

Creative Director

Fall 2010 Men's Fashion Week :: Roberto Cavalli

A couple of looks from Roberto Cavalli's Fall 2010 menswear line.

The Fall 2010 menswear shows are underway in Milan and for me personally, it's one of my favorite ways to get inspiration for menswear. I usually have to funnel through a multitude of boring, black suits hung loosely on emaciated male models in order to find some real inspirations for interesting looks. One of my favorites this season (so far) is Roberto Cavalli. He mixes patterns, textures, and fits to create this sort of "militaristic glamour-punk" (really rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?) look. The conservative and military-style jackets embellished with metallic accents and bold patterns create a less serious approach to men's evening-wear. Additionally, I'm totally obsessed with the woven leather pants and leather boots combination. It's great encouragement for men who are afraid of wearing military boots. I can't wait to see how this collection translates into fast fashion next fall.

A few more looks from Roberto Cavalli. All photography courtesy of Coutorture.

For more photos, please visit Coutorture.

Jordan Silver

BARE Reporter

Plastic Surgery :: Our New Pop Culture?

The Hills' Heidi Montag before and after her most recent plastic surgery operations. Image courtesy of People Magazine.

By now most of us have heard about Heidi Montag and her new face and body. Headlines ring with titles such as “10 Procedures in 1 Day!” Whether this is a publicity stunt or Heidi is just trying to compete with the Britney wannabes of the world, plastic surgery is known to be one of the extreme methods that result from a constant obsession over looks. As Megan Fox and many other young stars know, plastic surgery can transform you from average to amazing, only sparing a few weeks of recovery time. However this epidemic is not only located in Hollywood; research conducted by Girlguiding UK has shown that 95% of 16-21-year-olds would change their bodies, 33% want to be thinner, and a 25% would consider cosmetic surgery. Does this mean that young women simply do not like the gym or are growing alarmingly more look-obsessed? Has the drive for perfection steered people away from simple healthy lifestyle changes to the quick fix of a 3 hour long procedure? This is by no means an attack on plastic surgery; it can do wonderful things for those who need it. Yet when young women who wear a size 2 are getting liposuction, it makes you wonder where society is heading. Yet one wonders if an era where the best graduation gift one can get is a nose job instead of a laptop is soon approaching.

Statistics as published in The Independent.

Danielle Ciappara

BARE Reporter

Blogosphere's Week in Review

Images courtesy of Obsessed with Shoes, Song of Style, Garbage Dress, and Man of the Cloth.

This week's BWR features felt headgear, a necklace with bite, and brand-spanking-new ad campaigns from your favorite designers.

• Enviable blogger outfits from Song of Style and Garbage Dress.
• Get your Blair Waldorf on with this DIY buckle headband.
• I spy new ad campaigns and previews.
• In the words of Lady Gaga, show me your teeth.
• Add these to your closet ASAP: macramé and Alexander McQueen skull sandals.

What blog posts interested you this week?

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Project White T-Shirt

The gallery where the t-shirts were displayed took on a laundromat theme.

It's rare to gather such innovative talent in a single room. Thirty-one designers from thirteen countries collaborated with Project White T-shirt to benefit the Designers Against AIDS foundation. The task was simple: rethink, rearrange, and reinterpret the concept of the beloved white t-shirt of its simple shape into something more profound. The anticipation for the release of this project hit the blogosphere by storm. Not only did it incorporate the reinvention of a classic garment, but it was more importantly done by many underground designers. Personal favorites Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair and Complex Geometries are known for their unsurpassed creativity of their average garments, and that is why it was inevitable for me to venture into the depths of Chinatown in Los Angeles to see the pieces up-close.

Exhibited in Welcome Hunters LA until January 27 and Space 15 Twenty Gallery throughout the month of February, these creations are well-worth the adventure. The venue is set up like a laundromat, which makes the space more interesting. The program is designed like an instruction manual for a washing machine and details the inspiration behind each designer.

Lee Cotter and Astrid Olsson of Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair knotted a t-shirt countless times to produce this interesting neck-piece.

From left to right: designs by Mundi, Narelle Dore, and Doktor Doktor / A Bug Collection.

From left to right: designs by Triple-Major, Skyward, and Jerell Scott.

The program for the exhibit was designed like an instruction manual for a washing machine.

These pieces are being auctioned on Project White T-shirt's website. Can you believe you can own these works of art? Unfortunately, it's only blind auction, so bid high!

All photography courtesy of the author.

John Kim

Editor-in-Chief

Pop, Fashion, Celebrity :: Rihanna's Got It Covered

Rihanna graces the cover of the February issue of W Magazine.

While Lady Gaga has been on a mission to force feed fashion to pop music fans, it has been easy to forget that before the Gaga era, Rihanna was beginning to evolve into a style icon on her own. This is why I am ecstatic to see RiRi on the cover of W Magazine for February 2010. After going through a major break-up in front of the world, Rihanna has come back bigger and bolder than ever with her new album "Rated R" and W's Lori Goldstein has styled the pop princess to show just that. The flowing formal wear combined with black accents and militaristic accessories is why I personally love Rihanna's style. She manages to stay true to the hard-glamour look at all times in both candid photos and at events, I can't wait to see what's next from the fashion muse.

Photography by Craig McDean. All images courtesy of W Magazine.

See more photos and read the interview with Rihanna on W Magazine's website or pick up the issue on newsstands.

Jordan Silver

BARE Reporter

We Are Family

Two generations of Missoni: Angela Missoni with her daughters Teresa and Margherita.

I'm not Italian, but I've always been intrigued by the intense devotion to family that is commonly associated with them. This is why I was quite happy to see these photos from the Missoni spring ad campaign. The campaign captures the essence of Italian family through photos of the Missoni family, who have run the Italian brand since it's conception. Shot by Juergen Teller, responsible for Marc Jacob's ad campaigns, the photo series is a delightful, quirky look inside the both talented and attractive Missoni family.

Although it is difficult to comprehend the craftsmanship and beauty of the clothing in these ads, it does its job in establishing a great image for the Missoni brand. I have always been fascinated by the inner-workings of Missoni and Teller's photos for the campaign are a light-hearted way to get that insider's look. I can't wait to see the final ads this spring.

Family ties: Angela and her nephew Marco Missoni.

It's all in the family: brothers Ottavio Missoni Jr. and Marco Missoni.

Rosita Missoni founded the brand with husband Ottavio "Tai" Missoni in 1953.

All images courtesy of WWD.

Jordan Silver

BARE Reporter

You're Invited to New York Fashion Week!

Chictopia is hosting "Chictopia10" - a Social Influence Summit during Fashion week and you're invited! The conference will focus on the impacts of social media on fashion. It boasts an impressive list of speakers including Helen Zhu of Chictopia and Susie Lau of Style Bubble. Topics to be discussed range from how to approach bloggers about PR and marketing to who will be the next Rodarte?

You can register for the conference here and apply for a lodging scholarship here if your company is interested in sponsorship, email info@chictopia.com

Register to attend the summit with three hundred other fashion bloggers, media, media buyers, designers, and brand executives ASAP. Perhaps BARE will see you there.

Julia Heidelman

BARE Reporter

Grace Coddington on "The Martha Stewart Show"

Grace Coddington made her way over to "The Martha Stewart Show" on Monday. Video courtesy of New York Magazine.

As Vogue's most caring member, Grace Coddington definitely made herself known as a cat person in "The September Issue." But as her anticipated public appearance on Martha Stewart's talk show came, her fans were nothing but devastated. On Monday January 11th, Grace did not talk about her position in the fashion powerhouse. Instead, Martha did nothing but ask her a few mundane questions about her cat life.

"I had to find out more about the cats, not about the fashion," remarks Martha. It's a shame she didn't utilize the opportunity to ask the styling genius about behind-the-scenes tidbits. Grace, who rarely is seen doing appearances, made time in her busy schedule to merely show off a vintage silver cat pendant necklace. Not a good use of time if you ask me.

John Kim

Editor-in-Chief

V Love U Just the Way U R :: V Magazine

No matter what your height, weight, shape, or style may be, V Magazine loves you just the same. Or, at least, that's the message they're sending in their "V Love U Just the Way U R" editorial in the upcoming "Size Issue," which you can pick up in newsstands January 14th. Here are the photos from the shoot.

Photos courtesy of V Magazine. Photography by Terry Tsiolis. Styling by Jay Massacret.

Do you feel the love? Tell us about it by commenting below. Want to see more from the issue? Check out our previous posts on the "One Size Fits All" and "Barrio Gotico" spreads.

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Blogosphere's Week in Review

Images courtesy of French for Cupcake, Selective Potential, Annabu, and Man of the Cloth.

This week's BWR features vintage America, bubblegum pastels, and animal skull jewelry.

• Cook like Grandma with this dessert snack mix recipe.
• Enviable blogger outfits from Selective Potential, Sea of Shoes, Kennedy Holmes, and the owls are not what they seem.
• Bubblegum pastels take over Wad Magazine.
• Now you can find the best vintage stores throughout the country.
• Add these to your closet ASAP: Topshop Unique heels and sparkly necklaces.
• Weekly What-The-Feedge: animal skull jewelry and I don't even know what this is.

What blog posts interested you this week?

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor

Barrio Gotico :: V Magazine

Photography by Sebastian Faena and styling by Andrew Richardson. Image courtesy of V Magazine.

Public nudity in the streets of Barcelona, Spain takes the stage in V Magazine's "Barrio Gotico" spread in their upcoming "Size Issue," which will hit newsstands January 14th. In the only city where such starkness is a legal right, photographer Sebastian Faena captures model Iris Strubegger showing off her birthday suit. Here are a few photos from the shoot.

Photography by Sebastian Faena and styling by Andrew Richardson. Image courtesy of V Magazine.

Want to see more of the issue? Check out a sneak preview of "One Size Fits All."

Brittany Curran

Assistant Blog Editor