Cigarettes Are So Smoking Cool

Edited by Saynt

I’m a die hard casual smoker. I picked up the habit in high school, chain smoked through college, gave it by the time I hit the real world, picked it back up, casually, when I hit 21 and started drinking (yeah, I graduated with a bachelors at 19).  Anywho, it’s one of my favorite vices and for good reason. It looks so fucking cool.

I hate to admit that I’ve been affected by the Joe Camel’s and Marlboro Men of the world and in all honesty I haven’t. I could care less about what a cartoon humper and an aging cowboy have to say (Ralph Lauren is excluded from this thought of course, his word is gospel). But I can’t deny that hot models wagging around cigarettes hasn’t made me miss the habit. 

As an adult I can comprehend what the imagery signifies. It’s sex in the form of puffs of smoke. Death and destruction at it’s most enticing. It makes the model seem dangerous, against the trend, saying who gives a fuck and then blowing white plumes of billowy menthol flavored clouds into your face. It’s erotic, sensual, and makes me want to head out and pick up a pack if only to be ready for when one of these lovely ladies arrive and ask me for a light. 

Yeah, it’s stupid, but I’m affected by the marketing bug.

 

Find more photos like this on Fashion Indie
 

Some argue that smoking needs to removed from spreads, that little girls read Elle and other fashion mags and can be affected by the images they see.  Personally, I feel emaciated models and unrealistic images of photoshopped beauty are more devastating to little girls than lighting up a smoke from time to time, but that’s just me.

I’d love to here your opinions on smoking. Is it worth all the fuss…

Thanks to Planet Chen for all the photos.

From Our Archives: 10 Ghetto Fab Don’ts

Edited by Rebecca Alexander

An oldie but a goodie, with 31 bashful comments. Check out the post here.

Is It Just Me?

Edited by Kirby Marzec

Don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely in love with the patterns, prints, layers and colors used in the Marni S/S 2009 collection, but this styling seen on the runway isn’t exactly practical. The mixing and matching is completely fair game for high fashion runway, but I honestly don’t know a single place I could wear all of these prints and layers without people thinking I got dressed in the dark. Is it just me or is the Marni stylist’s aesthetic unwearable? 

Thanks Spinach Stuff and Popgloss!

Drag & Drone With Rag & Bone

Edited by Kirby Marzec

When I first heard that Rag & Bone was doing a spring footwear line, I was pretty excited. Honestly, what isn’t to love about tailored loafers, slipper-esque oxfords, and brogue-detailed ballerina flats, especially with spring trends heading back in time towards vintage basics? Well, the recently released peek at the slipper oxfords as well as the announcement of the price range completely eliminated my excitement. Sure, the designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville might claim that the shoes are of “good value” and constructed for the frequent walkers of New York, but $330-$515 for such basic shoes? I think not, my dears! Grab a pair of canvas Keds, a can of metallic spray paint, and make these shoes for less than $20 yourself! Sorry Rag & Bone, these shoes aren’t worth my money or my freezing cold feet come March! 

Thanks Style and NY Mag!

The Bashed: Mikaeel Jackson

Edited by Zmaji Robinson

I’m Over It: The Economy

Edited by Saynt

Yeah, That's What's Happening...

I’m totally over this economy. Honestly it’s very taxing on me. Not only as a journalist who is required to write about the latest in fashion (not easy to do when the only news is bad news) but also as a business man who is in the process of creating a fashion empire that will rival Vogue. Now thinking that the current financial situation might make such mainstays tumble freaks me the fuck out and makes me wish for a better outcome than what’s undoubtingly going to happen.

To say we’re going to be affected is an understatement. This is going to rock the fashion world. Even the most posh designers and editors are going to shit their pants when this is all said and done. Fashion week will be the first showing of how effected the industry will be. You’ll have designers who just won’t show up to the party and some that will cut costs by showcasing videos or staging presentations with manaquins and then all these models will have reason not to eat, lack of income.

I’m one for oppulence. I live to talk about out of reason fashions and $15,000 Louis Vuitton luggage sets. I can’t take another second of this economy another minute in which my old designer friend calls me up to call it quits. I hope this passes quickly cause once you’ve donated your life to parties featuring rock stars and coked out trust funders it’s hard to turn back. So basically start spending cash again quick and be sure to buy local, I have a couple of buddies who have to fund their thread groupies drug addictions.

Snow Is No Excuse For Hideous Boots

Edited by Kirby Marzec

I would rather walk the snow and ice covered streets of New York barefoot then wear either of these awful boots. Honestly, I don’t care if I get frost bite and have to get my feet amputated, you will never catch me in primary color moon boots (even if they are Pucci…I’m no label whore) or velcro “running boots.” The last time I saw those was at Wal-Mart in 1995. If you’re a native New Yorker, suck it up, throw on the wool socks and actually wear fashionable boots. If you’re not a native and you just happen to be working some rinky-dink Wall St. job, quit missing your flip-flops and do the same. 

Thanks for the photos NYLON!

Hannah’s Got A Brand New Rag! Get A Rope!

Edited by Zmaji Robinson

The Reason I’ll Never Wear A Black Cardigan Again…

Edited by Kirby Marzec

Two of these things are not like the others...

Here is a hypothetical situation…pretend you are Kate and Laura Mulleavy : you and your sister own a fashion label named after your mother’s maiden name. You started off small but almost immediately scored a spot in the big leagues because of your meticulous detail and downright fantastic taste in design. So, you recently won the annual Swiss Textile Award, presented by Marios Schwab, scoring yourselves 100,000 Euros (that’s over $125,00…) and what did you wear to accept this award? Matching frumpy black cardigans, matching ugly ballet flats, wrinkly Wal-Mart jeans and ill-fitted dress pants. Really…and you two call yourselves fashion designers? Why don’t you mirror your phenomenal designs, get yourselves a stylist, a haircut, some make-up and suck it up, wear some heels. 

Same cardigans, new sneakers. Vomit.

Thanks Dazed Digital!

The Bashed: Solange Knowles’ Nail “Art”

Edited by Kirby Marzec

I like a nice manicure just as much as the next girl, but Solange Knowles takes her nails a bit too seriously. Honestly, file them, clean up the cuticles and add a fresh coat of paint and you’re in business. So please, tell me why Knowles insists on having dominos and the British flag meticulously painted onto her nails. Is that really necessary? Knowles had this to say: “For about the last 2 years I’ve had an addicting obsession with nail art and design. Call it ‘Ghetto-fab’ of me, but yo, I’ve seen some artists who need to have their [work] in museums.” Sorry sister Solange, it is Ghetto-fab of you…minus the fab part.