Ten Essentials: for the Girl in Law School

If I were allowed to keep only ten pieces from my wardrobe, I would choose the items shown above, based on my needs as a law student.

(Preexisting) Essentials in my Wardrobe.
1. J. Crew Super 120s pinstripe gray suit - for interviews and the office
2. blouse that can be worn with a suit or jeans
3. light blue oxford shirt
4. Rich & Skinny mid-rise dark skinny jeans - which I wear every day when I am not in a suit, dress, or sweats.
5. green Herve Leger dress  - for a hot date and Barrister's Ball.  Buy it on sale at Hautelook.com or Gilt.com
6. Black Halo little black dress - my dress is actually indigo
7. Black Halo jacket dress - for the office, dinner, and cocktail receptions for attorneys
8. black overcoat
9. closed toe, closed heel pumps
10. large glamorous purse (Devi Kroell)

my own Gossip Girl moment - Who took my coat?

For New Year's 2010, I went to a house party at a friend's swanky mansion in Nashville, hung my black J. Crew plaza coat in the coat closet along with all the other guests' coats, and left the party six and a half hours later with what appeared to be my coat.  Strangely it seemed to feel less soft than usual, but I thought I was just imagining things.  Three days later and several hundred miles away, I realized I had taken someone else's identical J. Crew plaza coat in the same size (2P) and color, because the coat currently in my possession had been altered to remove the flap pockets, which are still present on the J. Crew plaza coat that I own!

Hopefully no scandal will erupt as a result of the coat switch, like in Gossip Girl when Maureen Vanderbilt accidentally took Lily van der Woodsen's Valentino coat after the Thanksgiving party.  I hope I didn't have any incriminating evidence or money stashed in my coat pockets.

Why are there no elegant wedges at low prices?

 

I normally avoid buying wedges.  Most of the ones I have seen are ugly, unflattering, casual, and/or outdated.  Too bad I actually need to wear either wedges or flats to avoid sinking into the grass and destroying my stilettos at an upcoming outdoor wedding.  Hopefully this spring, more affordable shoe designers will release shoes resembling but NOT infringing the trade dress of Serena Van Der Woodsen's Christian Louboutin Lady Patent Wedges (USD $660) and Blair Waldorf's dainty Miu Miu satin wedge sandals (USD $665).

Trade Dress Infringement: Jimmy Choo v. Forever 21

Dear Jimmy Choo,

Forever 21 recently infringed your trade dress by copying the product configuration of your black studded fishnet Karina booties.  The statutory test for trade dress infringement under Lanham Act §43 is satisfied, because the trade dress of the two products are confusingly similar (I was actually confused); the features of the trade dress - the studs, fishnet, and pattern - are primarily nonfunctional (because exclusive use of the features would not put competitors at a significant non-reputation related disadvantage, considering that the studs and fishnet pattern is not essential to the use or purpose of the shoe, and that the studs and fishnet pattern does not affect the cost or quality of the shoe); and the product configuration of the Karina booties have acquired distinctiveness through secondary meaning (because fashionistas including myself have come to associate the shape of the Karina design with the Jimmy Choo brand as the source of the product).  The use of this particular product configuration by Forever 21 confuses and misleads consumers familiar with high-end designer shoes such as Jimmy Choo, and it creates a substantial likelihood of confusion.  Below I have posted images comparing the $1095 Jimmy Choo black studded fishnet Karina booties and the $32.80 Forever 21 Glitterati pump.

Best wishes, if you choose to file a lawsuit against "forever-sued" Forever 21.

Sincerely,

Laura Ng
Editor-in-chief, Sartorial Editorial
2L (seeking summer law associate position), Georgia State University College of Law

  

Meet my new crush.

Alexander Wang, globally acclaimed fashion designer, savvy entrepreneur, 25 years old, winner of the prestigious 2008 CFDA/Vogue fashion fund.  Genius, gorgeous, and cool.  If I were a man, I would want to be him.

My boyfriend comments, "His hair looks like an Asian version of mine."

Me: "Do you think I pick men based on their hair?"

My boyfriend: "Don't you think?"

Chanel goes to Shanghai: Pre-fall 2010 Collection.

Here are some of my favorite looks from the show.  The show took place on a 280 foot long barge on the Huangpu River with the skyline of Shanghai in the background.  For the most part, I like Chanel's modernized approach in styling traditional Chinese garments.  Chanel's combination of tweed, silk embroidery, jewels, and leather takes the already-refined cheongsam to an edgy new level of sophistication by integrating unexpected Western parts (the tweeds and leathers) into Chinese-inspired apparel.

       

I will admit that I hate Chanel's use of the coolie hat in its fashion show.  Why is a French couture fashion house embracing this symbol of abject rural poverty?  The coolie hat ruined some otherwise chic outfits in Chanel's pre-fall 2010 runway show.  For reference, see image to the left.


Sybaritic note to self: I need the red sequined Chanel purse.

Spotted

Kate Hudson, seen on December 3, 2009, wearing my dream wedding gown designed by Versace. ♥

Blog Shop Alert

Check out my friend lilmissB's new blog boutique!  Click here for some great deals on authentic designer shoes!

First Asian Model To Ever Appear in Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Liu Wen is Chinese, 5'10," and an aspiring teacher who also happened to walk the runways in the fashion shows of top designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang, Chloe, Lanvin, and Anna Sui.  This 21 year old Chinese supermodel actually looks her age, unlike many unbelievably prepubescent-looking Chinese models.  Below, she is rocking her complicated metal lingerie for Victoria's Secret notwithstanding the tackiness of the sheet metal design or the failed attempt by VS to produce alluring futuristic underthings.

I think her makeup looks better in the following photoshoot entitled "Across the River" with art direction, styling, and costume design by Sean Kunjambu.

Editing my wardrobe

I set up a new blog to sell both designer and high street items from my personal wardrobe.  Click here to check it out.  So far, there are only Louboutins on sale in my blog-shop, but the Paypal "BUY NOW" button is up and running!  I will add approximately forty more gently-used items to the shop around Christmas.