Cool designers

We all have our favorite designers, and there are many established/timeless ones that achieved an iconic status. I mean, who haven't heard of YSL, Chanel, Dior, Versace, Armani... the list goes on. However, there are many others besides the really big names who are developing or have developed a unique esthetic, a recognizable sensibility -- things one can build one's style around. When it comes to building and developing style, I think it is important to identify specific designers/labels that appeal to you, as well as particular pieces that either embody this individual esthetic or at the very least punctuate it.

So here's my Top 12 list (in no particular order), pieces by established and emerging designers I happen to particularly like. I limited myself to pieces that are available for sale. This is where to find them: Mick Margo (Rachel Comey), Rewind (Steve J& Yoni P, Vivienne Westwood), Revolve (Charlotte Ronson), Shopbop (T by Alexander Wang, Derek Lam, Catherine Malandrino, rag&bone, See by Chloe, Diane von Furstenberg), Net-a-Porter (Sonia by Sonia Rykiel) and Neiman Marcus (3.1 Phillip Lim).

This fall I'm really drawn to charcoal grays, paired with black and white, an an occasional colorful piece. This Sonia by Sonia Rykiel dress is cozy, warm and classic. The fabric also looks quite drapey and nice, while maintaining a well-shaped silhouette.



The trademark heart, albeit cutesy, gives it a recognizable twist.

The next dress (T by Alexander Wang) is a basic -- a dress or a tunic, with a slouchy, slinky cut. It is made of rayon, which is thinner than cotton and drapes better, making it ideal for layering. It would look amazing with a long jacket and leggings or skinny jeans, and nice heels.




Speaking of heels:



Marcy clog by Rachel Comey looks so comfy, with its thick platform and chunky heel. Combines the appeal of the shoe with the comfort of a clog, and the wonderful twist on the familiar that is fresh and wearable that I associate with Rachel Comey.

Fall is my favorite time of year, partially because of jackets. I love jackets, and would wear them every day if it wasn't for the ridiculous New Jersey summers. This little bomber by Charlotte Ronson is adorable and basic, and goes with everything:



On the other hand, this jacket (Vivienne Westwood's Anglomania) is very idiosyncratic, with its distinctive sleeves and cut. This is something I would wear forever, because it is a) amazing and b) tweed. Yes, I love tweed, because I'm secretly a British schoolmarm at heart. A schoolmarm who would wear this:



Possibly with these granny boots by Diane von Furstenberg:



Another favorite piece of clothing is a pencil skirt. I'm crazy about them because they are comfortable, look amazing on just about everyone, and a good designer can easily turn one from a basic into an art piece. Consider this one by Derek Lam:



Not only it is classic and beautiful, it gets bonus points for being tweed. On a dressier side, here's one from rag&bone:



Now, blouses. I'm especially taken with this one (See by Chloe) because of an interesting ruffle placement:



And SteveJ&YoniP make me instantly like pink:



The pleating and draping on it is just amazing, and the smocked back offers this amazingly soft yet fitted silhouette. I mean, LOVE.

And finally, dressy dresses, something for evening/special occasion wear. Phillip Lim and Catherine Malandrino have both consistently provided great great collections, very traditionally feminine and yet always with an interesting twist. Yet, both are very distinctive, and these are probably the two designers I get most enthusiastic about. First, Malandrino:



Beautiful draping and very flattering neckline, a simple silhouette with great color.

Now, Lim:



Check out the gathering and the ruching, as well as the asymmetrical cut. Just amazing dress, in beautiful gray.

Eleven Minutes

Eleven Minutes (directed by Michael Selditch, Robert Tate) is a 2008 documentary about Project Runway Season 1 winner, Jay McCarroll, preparing his first collection to be shown in NY Fashion Week. What an interesting film! It played on Style channel this afternoon, and I can't believe I haven't seen it until today. What a fascinating look into the heart of fashion industry, and at how TV fame translates into success in a real world.

Jay McCarroll is a very talented designer, and I loved the collection -- it was themed largely around hot air balloons (and other things, but mostly balloons), as can be seen in this top:



Balloons also pervaded the show's color palette, from blues to yellows to reds:



But pretty clothes were only a small bit of the story -- I got some real appreciation of how much goes into putting a fashion show together, how much work; Jay was propped largely by volunteer labor of his friends, and their dedication (despite the occasionally flaring tempers). There was some backing from Humane Society and a strong anti-fur message; thumbs up on that! Then there was the casual racism and misogyny of the fashion insiders. Then there was the difficulty that went into not only launching the show (for those who'd forgotten, Jay turned down Project Runway money because of a really horrible contract clause) and the uncertainty of any results even if the show is successful -- behold the meeting with Urban Outfitters and the consequent falling through of the deal.

I was really amazed at the role of buyers -- and I really shouldn't be, because it is the same with publishing. The interest from the B&N and Borders buyers often determines the print run of a book, and if chains do not order, it is a real disaster. Buyers appear to wield a lot of power in fashion as well, and that was quite eye-opening. Just to think that someone can spend so much money and effort and heartache and it still may come to nothing if buyers are not impressed. Stuff nightmares are made of, this.

As moody and often cranky (understandably) as Jay was throughout the documentary, one thing really drew my attention: how important it was for him to stop being a TV reality person and to become a bona fide fashion designer. And with all the setbacks and annoyances, that seemed to be the yardstick by which he measured his achievement. I was sad that the collection didn't make it to UO; then again, a few pieces sold on QVC apparently, and McCarroll has an online boutique now. But I hope he has another fashion show soon -- with color and neat shapes and fantastic silhouettes, retro and modern. And, I hope, with more balloons.

Back to school shopping

Sure sure, most normal people get over the whole back to school thing by their mid-twenties (for themselves, at least.) I, however, work in academia, which prolongs the excitement all the way to retirement. And it seems like such a good time to update one's wardrobe with a few basics! So, these are the things on my list -- or they would be if I had an unlimited budget. As is, it's a mix of needs and wants.

1) Tights -- nothing is better for reviving the wardrobe on the cheap. Cheap and colorful can always be found at Hue. For more fancy options, Sockdreams are a reliable favorite. For unusual and a tad more pricey, nothing beats Vivienne Westwood tights, which are notoriously difficult to track down. Thankfully, there's Matsu Ladies that carries a great selection of those. Like these, for example:



Worth every penny!

2) Layering basics. T-shirts and tanktops are always welcome, and places like Target etc stock a good range of cheap options. If, however, one feels like spending $20 on a T-shirt, one should try Royalton -- extra-soft, very slinky, do not add bulk, and their organic sea cotton is whispery and is like nothing in the world.

3) Actual clothes.


This skirt from Martin+Osa is a steal, and it is perfect for my wardrobe. They have a bunch of other nice things for sale, too. A great place for low-key basics, including cardigans.

I already rhapsodized Victoria's Secret fall line, and there are a few pieces I am loving. This scoopneck sweater is beautiful but probably unrealistic. This leather jacket, however, looks like something I can get tons of mileage out of:



4) A bag.


I splurged on this from Blowfish. It fits everything I need, plus whatever student papers I need to bring home and back. It also comes in three different colors; I went with yellow because this fall I'm planning on the overall black-white-grey scheme with bright yellows and blues and purples.

5) Boots.

I really want these from Blowfish (I seem to develop a great affinity to Blowfish). They are simultaneously classic, weird, slouchy, funky and go with everything. I would wear them with jeans or pencil skirts, no question.

So, is there anything you're considering for fall?

WFA Nomination

Paper Cities: An Anthology of Urban Fantasy I edited was nominated for a World Fantasy Award. Many congrats to the publisher, Matt Kressel of Senses Five Press, and all the contributors.

New anthology: RUNNING WITH THE PACK

I'm editing an anthology for Prime, called RUNNING WITH THE PACK. It is an anthology of urban fantasy focused on werewolves, and I am still looking for reprint suggestions. Email or leave comments.

Details

So recently I was thinking about importance of details in both fiction and clothing design. I guess it could be said about just any art, but these two have been on my mind lately.

Just reading work by the beginning writers, one notices that very frequently there's lack of texture -- that is, the details that would make story alive and interesting are not there. There are houses instead of, say, three story brownstones, and the protagonists get into cars instead of beat up hutchbacks with busted shocks. Everything is so vague and generic that there's nothing for the reader's mind to catch onto, words and sentence slide in and out meaningless, impressionless. Details not only give the fiction the sense of veracity, but also texture -- that variation between the piercing and soft, rough and smooth -- that makes any story worth reading.

Now, texture of course is very important in clothing. Textile arts, for example are pretty much entirely dedicated to texture and patterns, as can be seen here:



This is a shawl made by Vilte, a Lithuanian fiber artist who employs a unique felting technique to create this incredible detailed landscapes, using only one color. This is what texture does. And in fiction, one has to create texture with words -- that is, by definition, a very uniform medium. So the variation in texture -- syntax, sentence length, etc. is necessary to make the work interesting.

And I know I've been talking a lot about designer wear, and what makes it different. Attention to detail is what sets apart really special items of clothing, and designers who become famous do just that. For example, take this simple woolen shirt by Catherine Malandrino:



What makes it truly amazing is the sleeve detail, enlarged here:



The ruching there is just exquisite, and it's a small detail that makes this piece so different from everything else. Lesson for a fiction writer: a single embellishment may have a great impact.

Same idea here, on this Olga Kapustina's skirt: very simple silhouette, but notice the stitching on the waist:



Now look at this coat by Alexander Wang:



It's a woolen peacoat that drapes absolutely beautifully. The appeal here is in unexpected combination of a traditionally coat-like silhouette with a more sweater fabric. This little jolt of unexpected elevates both items of clothing and short stories above the average. A beautiful shape is a must. (mickmargo.com)

Embellishments in both fiction and design can get excessive, and in both cases the lavish decorations might work. For example, a blouse by Anna Sui:




Lots of lace and pleating and a bow. It works because the details, even though abundant, are not slapped on randomly but rather are very intentional:



Notice the curving edge of the lace, and how accurately it is fitted. (BTW, this blouse is being sold on ebay as we speak. Just saying.)

On the opposite end, something very spare can be very beautiful -- your simple prose equivalent:



This dress by Ports 1961 is very simply and cleanly cut, but also it has this cowl on the back:



(mickmargo.com)

Now, this is important for writers too: not all the work you've put into something should be out there, slapping the reader in the face. Some things will be subtle, visible only from certain angles, and yet it is those underpinnings, this almost-hidden craftsmanship that makes the whole hang together.

And some details remain hidden entirely, only to be discovered once one gets very close to a particular item. In fiction, we call them Easter eggs -- little unexpected surprises, inside jokes for those who are paying attention. You can get the same in clothing -- Betsey Johnson's work is a great example of little hidden images. This is what's on the lining of one of her raincoats:

The Fashion Show post-mortem

Well, I am pleased that Anna has won. I was a fan since show 2 and the pleated pencil skirt (to be fair, I am such a sucker for pencil skirts), and I was happy to see her get her due. A few pieces from the final collection are being sold on Bravo website, except that the dress I loved last week isn't there. Not that I would actually buy it, but I'm surprised that it was overlooked.

I was a bit sad for James-Paul, who is adorkable. I also loved him when he said that there's plenty of time to make sensible wearable clothes, but the runway show was his one chance to show his vision. I have a lot of respect for his integrity; I also liked how he resisted being molded, and that he was very explicit about how his cultural heritage and being a PoC affected his aesthetic sensibility. I sincerely hope that Comme des Garcons hires him. It's the house that comes to mind in terms of fitting his sensibilities without demanding a compromise. This is what I mean:




The rest of Fall 2009 RTW collection -- seriously, take a gander. Monochromatic and beautiful.

I was frankly surprised that Daniella was the judges' choices. I mean, I understand why -- she is young, she's on trend, and her clothes could be sold at Forever 21 tomorrow. And the show was supposed to be about wearability and daily utility (incidentally, this why it's not Project Runway -- totally different point). Still, while Anna stuff was beautifully constructed and pretty and fun and James-Paul's was just interesting and genius, Daniella's was neither. It was all right. She did a lot of shoulder pads, and she's 22 -- too young to actually remember the eighties. I don't think anyone who does could wear shoulder pads non-ironically. I guess at a show like that I want to see people either bucking the trend or inventing their own, not catering to the most recent and the most uninspired.

Overall, I enjoyed this season and I hope they come back. I also hope that they will learn not to make fun of people with accents. Seriously, Isaac Mizrahi.

Cover for the Czech edition of TSHoM

The Czech edition of The Secret History of Moscow now has a cover. Isn't it pretty?

Custom Jeans

About a month ago, I learned about free jeans for bloggers campaign by a startup company, Thimbler. I sent my URL, because hey, free jeans! Plus, they are custom-made. I was curious to see how much difference would custom fit make. Luckily, they accepted my bid and I headed to the website, to order jeans.

First, the website is awesome. Easy to navigate, it has a great plus-size section with a model who is actually plus-sized (bonus!) She is also a regular contributor to the company blog. Overall, the site gave the impression of being very friendly to plus-sized population, and they have a small but lovely selection of custom items. Also, 20% off right now! Just saying.

Anyway, jeans. The interface was quite user-friendly – you select your style and wash (I went with straight leg, dark wash) and then head over to the customization page. You enter some measurements (waist, hip, thigh, inseam/outseam) into provided boxes. Bonus: when you click on each box, it tells you how and where to measure, without a need for separate instructions page. I loved this little feature. After the measurements, you get to select fit – such as your hip shape (apple, pear, straight, hourglass), belly shape (flat, rounded, etc) and butt shape (flat, average... you get the idea). They also have little pictures for every descriptor, so selecting the right one is easy. Very well thought-out system, allegedly based on scans of 10,000 actual bodies. Yay technology!

I ordered the jeans July 1st and received them July 20th – not a bad lag. And the jeans are great. They have a really nicely designed waistband that doesn't gap on the back, made of good quality very soft medium weight denim with just a bit of stretch. These jeans fit me like a glove. Seriously, the most comfortable pair of jeans I ever owned. They look great too -- see for yourselves:



Another cool thing is that they put your name on the tag. It cracked me up because it reminded me of kindergarten, but it is kinda cool. Also, notice the button and stitching (click to embiggen):



Overall, awesome jeans. I don't own many pairs (three altogether), but whenever I need another one, I'll be ordering from Thimbler. They are cheaper than most designer jeans, they are made just for you, and made really really well. What's not to love?

Oh Etsy, I love you so.

I really do. Besides vintage shirts and affordable jewelry, Etsy is an amazing place to discover wonderful new designers. Which, of course, leads to coveting things, and since actual shopping is out of the question for the moment, I'll settle for the next best thing: posting about the things I'm currently drooling over and genius people who designed them. In no particular order:



A beautiful dress by Layla (LedThread), who makes such simple and beautiful pieces. Unique hems and fluid simple grace make her work so appealing, and make sure to check out the obi belts.

On the other hand, Prizy Sebastian's cotton tank is all about elaborate and very feminine ruffles. The rest of Prizy's pieces are also nicely detailed -- I'm such a sucker for pleats and pintucks, and there's plenty of that.



I first learned about Holly Stalder's designs from Painfully Hip, and was absolutely taken with flowy ruffly shapes and exaggerated sleeves and backless dresses. She also carries more affordable ready-made pieces, such as this little tank embellished with pretty lace. It's a brilliant example of a simple basic item made unique by a talented designer with a great eye for detail.



This shirt/jacket by Lindsay Weatherread is so beautiful I cannot wait to get my hands on it. Seriously, I promised myself this shirt when I sell another book. Just look at it:



It's a piece of art, and it doesn't look too overdone when you wear it. How cool is that? Also, check out the pleating on the sleeves, it is so precise and well done.

The last item of clothing is a jacket made by Idea2Life. I just love the cut of this jacket, the combination of something very flowy and unstructured with crisp, precise pleats. It's such a perfect fall piece; added bonus -- no fussing trying to guess your size.



Finally, a bag. I don't really have any statement bags, mine are all brown and functional (except a clutch or two), but this one I just adore. I love the cut and the texture of it, love the braided handle with the bow. Love that it comes in a bigger size and different color combinations. It's made my Andrea (of Amarie), who is apparently a genius in coming up with irresistible textures and shapes.



Most importantly, these six things exemplify the very idea of a designer items: they all show a singular sensibility, and there's something unexpected about every single one of them, be it the intricate detailing or a very simple silhouette done with amazing craftsmanship. You can't find things like these anywhere else, and this is really it: designer items are not about labels or price points but rather about artistic vision executed with quality. I'm excited about Alexander Wang's latest collection because I know it'll delight and surprise in a way that Forever21 simply can't. And Etsy is an amazing place to look for passion and workmanship of the up-and-coming artists and to sample their vision before they become too famous.

And these are my top six things from Etsy! Do you have a favorite Etsy designer? Link in comments, I love gaping at all the talent that can be found there.

Things

Just when I'm about to quit writing forever, something nice like this happens. (Thanks to Jennifer Jackson, Awesome Agent, for the heads-up). Yay!

Also, The Fashion Show tonight was surprising. Reco did not deserve to be kicked off, the feathered dress notwithstanding (seriously, the thing looked like a giant lobelia. Sort of like this one:


)

Except, you know, colorful. Still, he didn't deserve to go. Daniella's clothes, on the other hand, although not terrible, were poorly constructed and fitted. Not my thing.

Anna's stuff was awesome as usual, especially one floral dress. It's #4 here.

I do feel that she was maybe repeating a bit, but I appreciate the sense of retrospective. As always, great details, amazingly well-made. If I had to summarize Anna's designs in one word, it would be: PLEEEAAATS!!!! Team Anna all the way.

Finally, James-Paul: awesome awesome coats. Monochromatic but experimental and textured and amazingly made. The theme was a bit dicey: use of western clothing by non-Western peoples, and the shift in function inherent in such adaptation. I dug the idea as well as the skirt/sack/veil thingie. Wasn't thrilled about animal bones though. Srsly, James-Paul.

Credit where credit is due

It occurred to me that I rarely give public thanks, and it's probably worthwhile to remedy this situation. So, my first public thanks go to Dave Paretti of Olly Paretti and Son (Waterford, NJ) who recently redid our kitchen tile and did a beautiful job. Here's the floor:



Backsplash behind the stove:



You can also see the travertine backsplash next to it. So, if you're in South Jersey/Philly area and need some tile work done, Dave is the man to go to. He's a true craftsman who does a wonderful job. No matter what HGTV tells you, it takes a long time to become this good at laying tile. Also, many thanks to Al Franchetti, our general contractor.

Friday bits

Attila after a thorough flower inspection:



And my b-day gift:




Meanwhile, The Fashion Show is down to the final four: Anna, James-Paul, Daniella and Reco. By all rights Anna should win this, but I worry a little that since selecting the winner is left to the voters. James-Paul probably doesn't have a chance because he's so idiosyncratic.

Daniella surprised me this week -- a beautifully designed dress. And Anna's pattern choice was a little disappointing for me. I mean, I dig a floral. Giant cabbage roses bigger than the model's head -- not so much. Also, Reco's purple-and-pink chiffon number was NOT better than James-Paul's.

So, James-Paul. He was roundly criticized for his dress, but I liked it. I liked the skirt and the stiff structured bits lined with champaign silk. Black velvet I wasn't crazy about, and the neckline of that dress would've been so much better if he made it a V instead of round, with some pleats or gathers at the bust or shoulder.

Finally, Johnny who was kicked off for basically ripping off someone else's design (and then blaming his helper for not stopping him -- classy!) The only time he won a challenge was when they were paying homage and he created a convincing Versace tribute. I'm surprised that he lasted this long, given lack of a singular vision. I mean, I may not normally like Reco's designs, but the man has an identifiable style. Johnny doesn't. Daniella didn't before, but she is starting to develop into something interesting -- I'm actually looking forward to her final collection.

So yeah, The Fashion Show is certainly a lot less flamboyant than Project Runway, but I've grown attached to it. Mizrahi remains awesome.

Meet my mom, the risk-taker

My mom just vacationed in Indonesia, together with my sister. Apparently, awesome time was had by all (with a possible exception of one lizard and one elephant.)

Here's mom and a giant lizard, making an uneasy but sweet acquaintance:



My mom trusts my sister, even to the point of tottering elephants, flimsy-looking footholds, and water of unknown depth. What can possibly go wrong?



Then several birds tried to carry her off:




While other birds looked on:




Notice the red eye on that last one.

Apparently, best vacation ever!

Lyudmila Ulitskaya -- some thoughts

(from squirrel-monkey.livejournal.com)

Last time my parents visited, they brought me Lyudmila Ulitskaya's DANIEL STEIN, INTERPRETER. I finally got around to reading it, and, eighty pages in, I have to say that it's a wonderfully dense and chewy book. There's a number of things about it that got me thinking very intently.

One, the structure. It's a fractured book that leaps from 1942 Poland to the modern day US, Israel, France…. And it is told in letters, diaries, graduation addresses, memoirs, audiotape transcripts etc. It weaves back and forth, from one narrator to the next, and this is an interesting thing: the protagonist of the book is almost always in the background, present in other people's stories as a figment of their memories, a footnote, a "and there was this strange little man on the train, he showed us some small icons". Very rarely he speaks directly or someone (usually a family member) speaks directly OF him. And this is what makes it work: people are not telling Daniel's story, they are telling their own. He's only relevant as perceived by them, as seen out of the corner of one's eye.

Two, this is a book that largely deals with Jewish identity. And there are quite interesting things there too. When Western writers and filmmakers speak of the Holocaust (much in the same way as what happens when they speak of any other injustice), Jewish survivors tend to be painted as meek victims, either bearing and surviving with quiet resignation or cowering somewhere in hiding. Basically, passive, surviving or being prosecuted. Ulitskaya actually writes abut Jewish guerillas in Russian and Polish forests, living in shelters dug in the ground. One of the protagonists is born in one such guerilla camp and spends the first month of her life in a sleeve cut off her mother's winter coat. Her mother, a fanatical communist, goes from prison to guerillas to war to labor camp with the same possessed dedication – and she is anything but a victim.

I think there's a temptation to take any persecuted group and construe them as completely helpless, as someone whose salvation can only be expected from without (Schindler's List etc). This is a mistake I see done again with (more recently) Muslim women, when those would-be saviors forget that those who they are saving might be in possession of some agency as well. Helpers, yes, I can get behind that. Saviors, however, have to be careful.

Anyway, Jewish identity. One of the characters talks about Jews as ethnicity vs Jews as a religious entity, practitioners of Judaism. Throughout European history, Jewish persecution was framed as a religious issue – even in the terrible late 19th-early 20th century in Russia, they were pressured to convert to Christianity to avoid persecution. And yet, during Pogroms it seems that sufficiently Jewish-looking individuals were persecuted all the same, whether they were wearing a cross or not. And of course during WWII the religious aspect became irrelevant – it was the ethnicity that became the final liability.

So Ulitskaya talks about it, about how "Jewishness" has always been defined from outside, either as a religious or an ethnic construct. "Jews are those who non-Jews THINK are Jews," says one of her characters. And it struck me that this is the core of all persecution and discrimination – the inability to define oneself. If you're defined by others, you are by that definition are not free. And it dovetailed nicely with things I've been babbling about at Wiscon, about multiculturalism being possible only when a minority is given a voice in the mainstream culture – ie, when a minority can add its self-perception to the outside, majority, construct of them. When they get to construct the consensus reality, so to speak.

Then there's religion. The protagonist is a Polish Jew who becomes a Catholic priest. Who is then denied citizenship in Israel because of his Catholicism and despite his ethnicity. Who is scorned because he worked for Gestapo during the war even though he became an interpreter there to help other Jews and was responsible for saving hundreds of lives. Who converted from atheism to Catholicism, thus annoying his secular and religious friends and relatives. So in addition to everything else, there's this complex interplay between religion and ethnicity and family obligations and all that dense dense stuff. As I said, I'm only 80 pages in, but I'm thinking about the things she's saying pretty much non-stop. Expect further updates and natterings.

Cats and their fetishes

Cats are weird. Aja, for example, has a shoe fetish. Yesterday, she started her day by guarding these:



And then spent about fifteen minutes rubbing her face in these:




Meanwhile, her sister Attila was stealthy:



Here's the closeup:



Oh, animals.

Well, this is a first

Apparently, THE ALCHEMY OF STONE just inspired its first piece of art:



Look how pretty! It made me incredibly happy, to have something I wrote to be a catalyst for another person's art.

More fashion!

I am so impressed with Victoria's Secret Fall preview. I love their clothing -- they make a ton of work-appropriate affordable separates and good quality blouses, but this collection just blew me away. Here is the whole thing.

I especially like this trench coat:















And I am definitely lusting after this jacket:








Even the harem pants, the trend I have despised from the very beginning, are made somehow tolerable:

















If I ever had to wander a post-apocalyptic desert, I would definitely wear those pants.

There are also several well-made tops and a beautifully cut shirt dress, but these are my favorites. Well done, VS! I definitely approve the continued transition towards more structured, well cut and well made clothes.

It's a TV kind of morning

Well, I've been working out every day pretty much since I got back from Wiscon. That means a lot of elliptical time ( at 1 hour/day), and since this is when I watch TV, I got to watch a lot of TV lately. Which prompted this note: Dear TV, please stop sucking. Also, since when are Jon and Kate cultural icons? Too many J&K references. And Speidi references. And I miss the days when you had to do something to become famous. Like, juggle or something.

And then there's The Fashion Show. Last night was hilarious: the Tarot reading (and the journey to the site of said reading) exposed our remaining designers as a naive, sheltered, and ultimately sweet lot. Isaac Mizrahi continued to be entertaining. I like how he manages to be simultaneously affected and sincere.

James-Paul continues to be uncomfortable about human body, you know, existing. He complained about his model having a curvature to her spine, which made it difficult for him to dress. You'd think he was talking about a Quasimodo-level hump. But no, a perfectly normal girl, who probably never lived in a belfry. She just had a spine that failed to be razor straight. I really feel that James-Paul would be a lot more at ease with the world if people were geometric planes. Poor kid. Also: what's with the droopy shoulder airbags?

So they designed outfits inspired by their Tarot readings. Reco took a welcome departure from stripperwear, and designed something quite nice (black pantsuit with white piping, jacket with ruffles. You know how I feel about ruffles.) But it was Anna all the way, with a very architectural floral dress in gorgeous white and red. She also won the mini challenge, which placed her little cami-and-shorts combo into Saks. Team Anna!

Merlin was kicked off this time. I suppose I would feel bad since his design was not the worst if he hasn't been so unpleasant throughout. Also, note to self: when kicked off a reality show, make sure to not dis the remaining competitors by implying that they are sellouts catering to the judges, and self is the only uncompromizing artist. Esp. after self designed something generic.

Daniella and Johnny were their usual blah. I think either of them should've went before Merlin, for lack of being in any way interesting. At this point, I'm fairly confident that Reco, Anna and James-Paul will be in the final four. The last slot is between Daniella and Johnny, and I really don't care which one of them it is. Oh, how I wish it was Angel.

Random stuff

(From squirrel-monkey.livejournal.com)

This is yet another reason why I love Painfully Hip: circus!
Just look at it! It makes me so happy.

This blog is an amazing confluence of vintage fashion, thrifting, gorgeous photography, links to other places with gorgeous photography (such as wardrobe remix, discount codes, and other random things. Just great great stuff.

Working on a new short story, after selling another one last week (cannot divulge details yet). Also, just finished dealing with difficulties of mail-ordering stuff from the US to be shipped to Russia (it's my mom's birthday tomorrow). Lessons learned: Lush offers AMAZING customer service, and all problems can be solved by a phone call to England.

The gift will be late, but my dad just informed me that that's ok: mom went to Indonesia for two weeks. With my sister. On one day's notice. Sounds like an awesome birthday, doesn't it?

Pretty new cover!

Second printing of THE ALCHEMY OF STONE will be available in November, with a great new cover. Cover here

The Fashion Show --girl cooties post

(from squirrel-monkey.livejournal.com)

Wow, our young designers were, as expected, perplexed by the task of designing flattering clothing for average women. James Paul, who I liked up until then, whined that he doesn't do average. ANother one was outraged at the very existence of people with 45 in hips. Thinly veiled contempt abounded, and Isaac Mizrahi awesomely called one designer sizist. Oh, Isaac Mizrahi. I love your Target dresses because they presuppose existence of breasts on people who would wear dresses.

On another note, I wanted to give shoutouts to places that do not despise their customer base -- most of these are independent and women-owned. Quite a few offer environmentally friendly options. These tend to be a little pricier than Forever21 and Target, but I would rather save money for an occasional custom-made high-quality piece by an indie designer. And I do believe in acknowledging people who do a great job.

So, for clothing I like:

Ruche -- indie, woman-owner. Available organic clothing and great affordable accessories. Downside: most clothing have limited size options.

ModCloth -- same as above, with slightly higher prices on average and an occasional vintage item. Great shoes.


Econica -- one-woman custom made organic clothing. Can be pricey, but oh so worth it. I have one of her wrap shirts in bamboo/cotton jersey, and it is so comfortable and beautiful.


Dinwiddies -- a female designer, very offbeat, uses a lot of reclaimed fabrics, does custom work. Very quirky, but if you are me, it is also AWESOME.


Ledthread -- another offbeat designer with a strong esthetic. Her specialty are obi belts and tunic dresses. A little on the pricey side, I only have one belt from her. But it is gorgeous and a statement piece that gets a lot of mileage.

Vintage clothing:

I am partial to Greasy Waitress, Artifactory, The Vintage Closet and Gossamer Wings Studio. But really, there's tons of vintage on Etsy. I really like vintage because it is so environmentally friendly, cheap, and you can get amazing pieces.

Other things: of course I adore Sock Dreams for their excellent selection of socks, gloves and petticoats (yes, really) and their larger-person friendly attitude and free shipping. Can't beat that.

For beauty products, Global Goddess is my newest love -- especially their amla hair treatment. It is a miracle in a bottle. And of course Lush cannot be beat for anything bath-related, and Heaven and Earth Essentials carry and amazing line of artisan soaps.

New Stories

I have two new stories online this month. First, in Apex Magazine, there's "Mind of a Pig", and in Clarkesworld Magazine -- "Herding Vegetable Sheep". Both are science fiction, and I hope you like them!

Catherynne Valente's brilliant new book, PALIMPSEST, is now available (AMAZON)

I was fortunate enough to get an early peek, and this was my reaction back then: "Gorgeously written and deliriously imaginative, PALIMPSEST is the book for those who love old maps and grow wistful at the sound of a night train. A modern masterpiece in Valente's unique voice and singular sensibility."

I hope everyone will love it as much as I did.

The Lottery ends Monday

Hurry, and win fabulous prizes -- manuscript critiques, Tuckerizations, books and other fun things here. I donated several things, including a BPAL sampler.

The Lottery benefits Shirley Jackson awards.

Valentine's Day

Not that I particularly care, but I do have a guest blog post about gift-shopping -- mostly plugging some of my fave online places. With a distinctly geeky flavor.

Enjoy!

Almost Christmas!

A surprise from AV Club -- scroll down to Jason Heller's picks.

Otherwise, things are quiet. End of the year is a good time to take quiet stock and watch tons of TV.

Has it been this long?

In any case, here's an interesting feature on BN.com about New Weird, and The Alchemy of Stone is mentioned: look!

Updates

This one is rather in depth discussion of The Secret History of Moscow. Thanks, Bill!

Year's Best Fantasy and Horror edited by Datlow, Link, and Grant is out. I received Honorable mentions for:

Torsion (Nemo)
Clockmaker's Daughter (Horrors Beyond 2)
Seas of the World (Sybil's Garage)
Zombie Lenin (Fantasy Anthology, reprinted in Fantasy Magazine)

From the front matter: "Ekaterina Sedia's short fiction has popped up in magazines such as Analog and Baen's Universe and she is, as well, the editor of several anthologies, including Paper Cities (Sense Five Press).
Her recommended second novel, The Secret History of Moscow (Prime) is set in a murky mythic Russian underworld (as opposed to the criminal underworld more familiar from pop culture) in which myths and legends are juxtaposed with hard-nosed denizens of modern-day Moscow."

So, awesome. I'm especially happy about Moscow rec.

My story, "A Short Encyclopedia of Lunar Seas", is now live at Endicot's Journal of Mythic Arts farewell issue, along with many other deserving folks. Genevieve's "The Red Shoes" is great, you all should read it. And then watch the ballet weird-ass movie by the same name. Go on, it's on Youtube. It will scar you.

German Rights

The super-awesome agent Jennifer Jackson sold the German rights for The Secret History of Moscow to Klett-Cotta. Fun fact: Cotta was the original publisher of Goethe and Schiller, and has been operating since 1659. Yeah, I'm happy.

Updatery with BPAL

Shared Worlds experience was great -- there will be a more detailed report when I guest-blog for Ecstatic Days. For now, let me just say that I have two dragon pictures on my refrigerator, and Jeff VanderMeer is very fun to hang out with. Also, any town that has a sushi restaurant and a beer place with 50+ beers on tap is a pretty good town in my book.

In regards to the ongoing discussion of people being happy/unhappy with Prime, I think it would be helpful to see who had a POD book vs offset, as well as when those dealings had happened. Prime is my publisher and I have been quite happy with them -- I got a strong impression that Sean is working on getting to the next level, from mostly POD to offset books, distributed in bookstores and libraries, with advances and other things writers enjoy seeing. That of course does not negate the experiences of others, but I would be curious to see how the switch to bookstore distribution and offset printing affected writer happiness. Also, in my experience, Prime/Sean was very willing to negotiate with me regarding the contract -- there were several clauses I modified and they approved, including specifying a minimum print run and a time limit on some subsidiary rights.

I have a short story at Voyages Extraordinaires. It involves amber.

Finally, BPAL. As Amal correctly pointed out, I have not been reviewing recent scents, which is really an unforgivable lapse. So, without further ado:

Irrelevant and Disturbing Surreal Crawdad Dream, Forum Only

( An irrelevant, disturbing, and surreal scent: red currant, green tea, red musk, Hawaiian ginger, benzoin, vanilla, coriander, squash blossom, and blueberry. )

This is a very fruity scent in the bottle. Red currant is not as prominent on me as I would normally expect; instead, green tea and musk take the front stage when wet and on the initial drydown. About after ten minutes, the drydown settles into a sweeter smell, with benzoin, coriander, and blueberry blending into something very sweet yet spicy. Then tea comes back, reinforced by ginger, and the last two stages never settle -- every time I smell it, there is a different note in the foreground. Very complex and interesting scent.

Chaos Theory IV: Edge of Chaos (CXLII)

(Random scent, one of a kind)

In the bottle: tea! Not just any tea, but orange pekoe. Very tsrong, sharp, almost astringent. Wet: same, with addition of woods. On dry down, it goes through a very short (mercifully) stage where the astringency of the smell is very unpleasant, but then it settles into a very mellow and warm concoction of tea and ho wood (same wood as in Habu, for those keeping score). Orange pekoe mellows into something much lighter -- the final tea note is almost green. It is not the kind of smell that I would choose based on description, but it makes me shockingly happy and it works.

Mead Moon

(Golden mead, fermented with gruit, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger root, sweet-briar, rosemary, and lemon.)

Ah, perfect lazy scent. Mostly honey with some fine spiciness from clove and nutmeg. Sweet-briar is very prominent on drydown, and lemon thankfully never shows up. Just lovely.

L'Estate

(Nepalese amber, vanilla infused amber, golden musk, sandalwood, golden lily, sunflower, and honey myrtle.)

This is very different from what I expected -- lily is rather more noticeable in the beginning, and as a result the whole thing is a lot more floral than I expected. Thankfully, lily is one of the few florals I like, and amber and musk gave it added depth and sweetness. Soon after, the floral notes retreated, leaving mostly amber and vanilla -- it's such a perfect scent, so sweet and very deep. Sandalwood grounds the lot with just a hint of resinous spice. I will be wearing this a lot this summer. (Note: I did also get the bath oil and the room spray, and both are just as lovely.)

You know how some of you were complaining that TPB of The Secret History of Moscow was too affordable? Fear no more! There will be a hardcover limited edition (750 copies) extra-fancy, numbered and signed; I am considering including a free rat with each copy.

Now, who will be releasing this expensive marvel? Find out soonish!

Also, fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com reviewed The Alchemy of Stone. I think he liked it.

I am a meme

Clockwork Phoenix is out! Buy a copy, it's really good.

Also, I am a meme. No, really. It was all Matt Staggs' idea.

OMG!

PW gave The Alchemy of Stone a starred review

Free Book

Pat's Fantasy Hotlist is kindly doing a contest for The Secret History of Moscow here

Go enter!

Appearances

1) To those who will be at Wiscon AND likes BPAL: to promote The Alchemy of Stone, I will be handing out imps from the Steamworks series. Yes, I have all 11. I'll even have a tester set in case you want to try several. I'll be mostly in the dealers' room at Prime table and the hotel bar. Find me!

2) I will be at KGB bar on May 21st, 7 pm. I'll be arriving earlier, so if you want to meet and hang out beforehand, drop me an e-mail.

Linkage

There is an interview with me about Paper Cities at SCI FI Wire

Then there is VanderMeer's feature on books and beer at Omnivoracious, which is a good thing too -- how would you know otherwise which beer to choose with your books?

Paper Cities

Today is the official release date of Paper Cities, an anthology I edited -- and it includes a bunch of wonderful and supertalented folks, like Forrest Aguirre, Barth Anderson, Steve Berman, Darin Bradley, Stephanie Campisi, Hal Duncan, Mike Jasper, Vylar Kaftan, Jay Lake, Paul Meloy, Richard Parks, Ben Peek, Cat Rambo, Jenn Reese, David Schwartz, Cat Sparks, Anna Tambour, Mark Teppo, Catherynne M. Valente, Greg van Eekhout, and Kaaron Warren.

So go snag a copy!

LA Times

Holy smokes! Look at this. Yes, I am chuffed.

Meanwhile, reading of occult books and researching Victorian railroads FTW! I doubt I would ever use most of this stuff, but it is very fun to read about. I think it was John Barth who compared research for books with a reverse iceberg -- 90% of what the writer knows about any given topic will end up in the book, with almost nothing hidden. If that is true, then I'm doing entirely too much research.

The Alchemy of Stone cover

Art by David Defigueredo, design by Stephen H Segal. Shiny!

UK coverage

The Secret History of Moscow is mentioned here: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/02/new_womens_worlds_in_fantasy.html

International

Just got a word from the very amazing Jennifer Jackson that Polish translation rights for The Secret History of Moscow sold to MAG JACEK RODEK. Yippee!!!

Sundry Web Things

A fun (well, it was fun for us) conversation between the very fabulous Justine Larbalestier and my humble self, facilitated by Fantasy Magazine's own Tempest Bradford is posted here. We talk about being foreign people (and writers) in the US, and other exciting things.

A story of mine, "The Disemboweler", is now available at Lone Star Stories. Yet another descriptive story title.

Finally, The Secret History of Moscow made the Locus Recommended Reading List. Yay!