Shu Pei Qin in Richard Chai Love.
From “Bohemian Rhapsody” to “Eccentric Ladylike” themes littering the fall runways, the new looks for fall combine classic cuts with a bit of fun. Think a mix of summer with dash of fall and that’s the route that a lot of fall trends seem to be taking.
And it’s easier than ever to achieve — just add a few key fall items that are already staples in most women’s closets with your current summer wardrobe. What’s more is that summer clothes are on sale everywhere right now, from the mall to online boutiques. Essentially, you can buy what’s “in” at sale prices, and then work them into your fall wardrobe.
To start off, let’s review some summer trends that’ll work for fall:
Summer Prints
Stores from J. Crew to Urban Outfitters showed an explosion of floral prints this summer.
Lightweight, Feminine Blouses
Light, sheer blouses with details like ruffles, ruching, embroidery and lace are hot on the racks everywhere, as well as etailers like ShopBop.com.
Utility Shirt and Jackets
Utility shirts and jackets come in different lengths and colors, and they were key ways to get your military vibe on in your spring and summer looks. Stock up at Gap.
To transition these key summer pieces this fall, wear them with those fall essentials that everyone has: long cardigans, blazers, sleek jackets or coats, and leather boots.
A crisply tailored jacket, a printed scarf and boots, like these at Ralph Lauren, are staples in most closets.
A chunky cardigan, a long blazer or even a fur vest worn over a summer blouse or floral print is an easy fall ensemble.
Chanel Iman pairs a long cardigan with a vibrant print in Tommy Hilfiger.
A faux fur vest and knee high boots add heft to a lightweight summer blouse, as worn by Liu Wen in Anna Sui.
Wooly textures and faux fur pairs nicely with a floral print. Eugenia Mandzhieva in Mulberry.
Have a summer dress you love? Instantly update with a faux fur vest and opaque ribbed tights, as modeled by Hyoni Kang at Karen Walker.
Additionally, utility shirts accompanied by scarves or leather boots can be a great fall look as well. Whether you’re going for a casual look or something more chic, a utility shirt or jacket can make any outfit look presentable and pulled together.
Liu Wen in Salvatore Ferragamo.
Shu Pei Qin in Etro.
Tao Okamoto in Jonathan Saunders.
So get a jump start on fall by checking out your favorite stores for summer sales on the best summer trends.
Enjoy!
Comedian Steve Byrne at a recent show. Photo by Todd Porter.
Don’t forget to catch Korean American comedian Steve Byrne‘s new one-hour special “The Byrne Identity” premiering tonight, Sunday July 25 at 10 pm/9 Central, on Comedy Central.
Contributing writer Naomi Fujimoto caught up with Steve Byrne before one of his shows recently and you can read all about it (and his antics) here. (He’s also featured in our summer issue — get it soon before it’s off the shelves to make room for our upcoming Fall 2010 issue, out in early September!)
A dancer from House Dance International 2009.
House.
A home, a shelter for people.
House.
A children’s game.
House.
A television series.
House.
Soul, funk, dance.
And everything in between.
In lower Harlem in New York City, from July 8-10, in Aaron Davis Hall, dancers from all over the world gathered to showcase, workshop, discuss and compete (“battle”) in the categories of House, Vogue, Experimental and Waacking. This three-day extravaganza, otherwise known as House Dance International (HDI), was dedicated exclusively to the art form of house dance.
Conceived by Executive Director Santiago Freeman, HDI’s mission is to celebrate the different kinds of house dance and the culture and music that surround it. And people from all across the globe, whether it be the West Coast, East Asia or Europe, fly in to spectate, compete and support.
When I arrived at the venue on Saturday, many of the dancers were already gathered in loose circles here and there, warming up with one another. As the music pulsed in the background, those who were watching throbbed along with the bass, taking in the person at the center of the circle, who would dip and rock, sharing and showcasing what he knew. They took turns weaving in and out of the center, never taking too long but also taking their time. Some were warming up on their own, while others mingled, stretching their feet and arms above them, laughing as old friends were recognized and new ones were made.
When it came time, I made my way to the Harlem Stage, where the battles were actually going to take place. I was more accustomed to these kinds of street battles taking place in an open area with a designated dance area where the audience would gather in a circle to watch. As I settled down into my plush seat, I realized that by having the battles on stage, it seemingly elevated the battles to a performance piece.
And it was.
House: Hideki (Japanese) vs. King Charles
We went through the semifinals for House, Experimental, Waacking and Vogue, all of which were judged by Desiree Faltine and Yugson Hawks, Evelyn Santos, Tyrone Proctor and Cesar Valentino, all legendary pioneers in their respective underground street dance. Each had worked extraneously to teach, promote and bring attention and respect to his or her dance form. All of them have had extensive experience working with and on projects that are highly regarded everywhere and boast impressive resumes. Among their achievements include, but are not limited to, founding dance crews and clubs, working as a choreographer on the film Maestro, being a featured dancer on Soul Train, and dancing in music videos and touring with celebrities.
The host himself was no newcomer to this kind of work and dedication. Ejoe Wilson is a notable and highly influential house dancer, one of the best in the world. As he pumped the audience for energy, scolding people for nodding off lest they do so in his presence, he introduced each dancer to the floor and made sure that those who did not qualify for the next round was acknowledged for his hard work.
Vogue: Leiomy
When quick intermissions were taken, the audience would leap up to their feet and dance up and the aisles, amongst the seats with each other, as once again, the music was brought up a notch or two. The judges would later come down to join the dancing or chat with other dancers.
From 7:30 pm to 2: 00am, dancers came up to face off, each battle getting more and more intense as fewer and fewer dancers were left to battle.
Since my discovery and exploration of dance, I had quickly learned that Asia was a formidable presence in the underground dance scene. Some of the best were from Japan and Korea, which I was amazed to hear. As a child, what I had seen of Asian dancers was not the best; sometimes, it was horribly embarrassing. To me, the choreographed dance I saw for BoA’s hit K-Pop song was awkward and juvenile, nothing compared to Beyonce or Usher’s. But as my research on YouTube expanded, more and more Asian dancers were popping up. When I spoke with my peers, they confirmed it.
Experimental Prelims: Future (Japanese)
Having learned this before my arrival, I was not surprised to see Asian faces that were interspersed among the black and Latino dancers. Many of them had traveled a long, long distance from home to participate in this event. Although most of the dance categories were dominated by non-Asians, each category had a solid number of Asians competing in them, most of whom were respected and had established a name for him or herself.
Waacking: Junko vs. Ebony
It was exhilarating to see Asians among the crowd, excelling at something that was not so rigid and academic as engineering or some science-based discovery. Some of them placed or came very close to placing.
But this wasn’t about what country you were reppin’ or who won the title for this year’s winner in X category of HDI 2010.
This was very much about sharing what you knew, appreciating what you received, and being able to see past an individual’s race, color, ancestry, creed, age, sex or sexual orientation. Here was where we could transcend that and come to speak one language, despite our ethnic or multiracial backgrounds and different upbringings.
We were all speaking the language of House.
The cast of the new K-Town reality show.
Love it or hate it, but one thing is left undisputed. Americans love reality television and Jersey Shore was one of the most talked about hits to break out into the airwaves last season. As the upcoming reality television show K-Town, dubbed as the “Asian American Jersey Shore” is currently in production, rumors and gossip are swarming the filming process. From America’s favorite paparazzi site TMZ and journalism powerhouse The New York Times, to cynically critical Asian American bloggers chiming in on K-Town, curiosity over the show is increasing by the minute. To curb my own prying nosiness, I held one of the three producers of the show, Eugene Choi, hostage on the other end of the phone. He addressed some of the swarming rumors, but hesitates to give away too much of what’s to come.
Q: There are so many videos and clips of K-Town circulating online. What’s real and what’s not?
Eugene Choi: That’s the crazy part of all the attention that we’ve been getting over the show — most of the things that are circulating online were not released by the producers or the official production team. Given how connected everyone is through the internet, it’s become so easy to snoop and scoop. We [the production team and cast members] have password protected a lot of the footage to get edited internally, yet somehow it got out of hand real quickly. Now, we’re receiving emails with links from acquaintances with production footage even before it’s edited.
One of the cast members of the new K-Town reality show. Photo courtesy of Ktown Twitter.
Q: So are the photos and videos not accurate representations of the show?
EC: They are not the finalized version. Many of the videos on Youtube are also uploaded by fans and critics outside of the actual production team so it’s not our official material. All this attention is good for publicity, but it’s also misleading since we are still in the filming process and we’ve only shot the pilot episode.
Q: Tell me more of the parody of Ke$ha’s Tik Tok on TMZ starring the cast of K-Town. It says that it’s not an official trailer/teaser, but somehow managed to reach the American public through TMZ of all places!
EC: The quality of the video that was released through TMZ is no way near what you should expect from the upcoming show. The video and the lyrics were actually part of Jasmine Chang’s (one of the cast members) audition process and we were just talking about how it was cute and funny and decided to put the rest of the casts’ auditions into it. About 95 percent of the video is footage cut from the cast members’ audition videos and not actual footage from the show.
As a matter of fact, we ended up selecting the cast members partially based on their audition videos. They were very impressive high quality videos where it was shot and edited by professional videographers.
One of the many "leaks" circulating the web.
Q: Are the cast members going to be 2.0 Asian American versions of the Jersey Shore cast?
EC: We are using K-Town as the setting and drawing from what really goes on in Koreatown. The similarity is that both shows will feature a selected group of young adults going through a rite of passage in their [respective] settings. In this case, it’ll be K-town where it’s truly unique with a character of its own.
Q: How do you think that the show will be able to distinguish itself into its own and away from the Jersey Shore?
EC: Well, it’s the very first reality show of its kind with an all Asian American cast, so that’s the selling point and challenge when pitching it to the networks.
Q: Well, the mainstream American media that have reported on it so far have all called it the Jersey Shore — but with Asians. How do you think that’s going to play with the major networks?
EC: The main goal from the beginning was to get the show picked up and aired through a major network and that’s also the real challenge. Networks are in the business to pick up what’s profitable. Last year, Viacom’s biggest moneymaker was MTV, much credit to the popularity of the Jersey Shore. So when approaching the network executives, it’s a selling point to be able to address that, “Look, we have something here that can be successful. The risk you have to take is that the cast will be all Asian American instead of Italian-Americans,” and they’re more willing to listen. The hype and media attention that we are receiving now is an indicator that America is ready and interested enough to watch a reality show with an Asian American cast about their particular subculture within America. The content’s going to be different from the Jersey Shore because the people [cast] are different and the producers are different.
Some of the photos released on KTown Twitter.
Q: So all this attention, even though it’s negative, is essentially good publicity.
EC: It was shocking to receive so much attention from the very beginning. Even from the very first Criagslist ads to the audition process, we’ve been getting a lot of attention and negative criticism. There’s been so much negativity from the beginning from the Asian American community trying to tear us down, but it hasn’t affected us from moving forward with this project. Surprisingly, the public American media, whether it’s Chelsea Lately, CNN or TMZ have not been negative.
Q: What made you guys place a Craigslist ad looking for Asian American Jersey Shore-types?
EC: I was studying the Jersey Shore and how it’s a simple depiction of a subculture in America, following young people through their rite of passage and thought, “why not in K-town?” Koreatown has so much going on as an enclave for Asian Americans to soak up its own unique lifestyle and nightlife. Some people are complaining over the cast members’ nationalities — on how not every cast member is a Korean American. I think it goes to show that Koreatown, in addition to its namesake that harbors Korean businesses, has been naturalized as a Asian American hang-out spot. The production team is not entirely Korean either, but we [the producers] all want to do what many other Asian Americans in the entertainment industry are working to do, which is to breakdown the stereotype that we [Asian Americans] are not all nerdy or that we can’t be mainstream.
Breaking stereotypes perhaps? Or just a new The Situation? Another photo released by Ktown Twitter.
Q: Is the goal to break the stereotypes and to have a successful reality TV show?
EC: The goal is not to show the rosy picture, but to show that Asian Americans are more multidimensional through the individuals that they’ll meet through the show.
Q: Multidimensional through drunken debauchery in Koreatown?
EC: Well, reality TV is about drama.
Q: I have to agree. Looking at other popular reality TV shows like the Real Housewives or the Real World, it’s all about people and their hot, messy drama. I shall expect to see Asian Americans and their hot, messy drama then.
Shooting for the K-Town reality show is ongoing. Photo courtesy of Ktown Twitter.
EC: Speaking of the Real World, there was an interesting Facebook page that points out how there have been zero Asian American males cast on the show, with only three Asian American female cast members in its long-running history. That says a lot about American television and what this K-Town reality show is trying to do. We have interesting characters and the only difference is that they’re Asian Americans.
Q: Then don’t you think that the critics and haters are almost giving you too much credit with the show? After all, it is only a reality TV show.
EC: I guess I haven’t looked at it that way. But we want to create a good show that is entertaining and to put a different perspective of Asian Americans.
***
What I gathered after our thank-you-and-good-bye was that the producers are in the business of making good reality television as opposed to creating a new set of Asian American role models. It’s reality television — not reality as it is.
modestpeach "The First Date" earrings.
When I buy jewelry, I buy pieces that I can wear for both special events and for everyday wear. Sometimes it’s hard to find such jewelry because this bracelet is too clunky for my LBD or this necklace is too glitzy. But jewelry from modestpeach is “not only capable of being worn once or twice, but will [also] become a collection piece that can be worn time and time again.”
This is the mantra designer, buyer and owner of modestpeach jewelry Catherine Cindy Leo upholds with each delicate design. Of Thai and Chinese descent, she grew up watching her father produce lovely sterling silver and gold jewelry for many different stores. With this memory and experience and her travels to Thailand as an inspiration, she established modestpeach jewelry in June 2009.
Her line of jewelry was named after a paint color swatch that stood out to her as “clean, crisp, and somewhat feminine,” a quality that resonates with all of her pieces. Hence, the timeless quality her jewelry has. Although not particularly a wedding jewelry based company, many of her pieces have been sought out by brides and people all over the country as wedding gifts and jewelry.
modestpeach "The Cocktail Party" earrings.
They have been also featured in wedding magazines, websites, and blogs such as Southern Weddings magazine, Clover and Bee, and Snippet and Ink. The demand for her pieces are due to the fine detail and beautiful work put into each piece. The care Leo artfully puts into her jewelry is evident in the naming of her jewelry. Each bracelet, necklace and ring is given a female name, while earrings are named for special events.
modestpeach "The First Date" earrings.
For this week’s giveaway, we have “The Cocktail Party” and “The First Date,” two pairs of exquisite earrings. “The Cocktail Party” has six freshwater black pearls threaded onto the slightest strand of sterling silver, perfect for any cocktail dress. “The First Date” is made of delicate sterling silver hammered into two textured, vermeil circles that dangle over each other, ideal for an evening out on a first, or 21st, date.
Sometimes the best things in life come free. Don’t miss your chance to get your hands on these earrings.
Comment below by July 28, 11:59 pm for a chance to win. (You must have a U.S. mailing addy.) Don’t forget to double your chances by retweeting for an additional entry! Good luck!
Ramona and Beezus
Release Date: July 23rd, 2010
Based off a children’s novel written by Beverly Cleary (who not only was a librarian before quitting to write childrens’ novels, but is also named Beverly Cleary–clearly suited for her profession), this movie follows the life and times of Ramona, a third grader whose wild imagination and unusual energy will undoubtedly cause some sort of mild conflict for her loved ones. Feelings may be hurt! Expect sass!
Her teacher and arch-nemesis, Mrs. Meacham, is played in typically mature fashion (has she ever played a role young?) by Sandra Oh. As a side note, it’s actually possible to emerge from a productivity-killing Youtube session on Oh with a higher level of respect for her, which is more than can be said for many actors, actresses, and people in general.
Joey King plays Ramona while Selena Gomez of Disney Channel fame takes the part of older sister Beezus. If you haven’t heard of them, there’s a good chance you don’t fall into the target demographic for this movie. That’s A-OK. Continue Reading »
Timothy Watters‘ paintings will be displayed at Bang Gallery in downtown LA, 354 S Spring Street on Friday, July 23rd 2010.
Timothy Watters in his studio/garage
Getting to Timothy Watter’s house requires traversing some of the steepest mountain roads in Eagle Rock, that industrial-straddling burb of northern Los Angeles. It’s reminiscent of the sort of rare air that some artists seek, and which few have the misfortune of finding–art that straddles the edge of contemporary, seldom understood by the masses, inaccessible outside of the artist’s constantly furrowed brow. It’s even called “high” art (note: not related to 420 art).
In other words, ever read any Gertrude Stein? I did, and even as an English major in college, it was enough to push me back to Harry Potter for a while. When I meet Tim, I get the sense that he wouldn’t mind becoming the J. K. Rowling of painters–or perhaps the Jay-Z, who started out making politically charged ‘message rap,’ before blowing up the mainstream by appealing to an ever-broader audience (say, the state of New York).
“That’s what I learned from Jay-Z,” Watters explains, “is that you gotta get in the game, make it, then change it.”
Things have been bubbly and eventful for African-Korean American R&B singer Amerie: she changed her name, is working on an upcoming album, and is now engaged!
Ameriie at 2009 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
The Name Game: Amerie — or I should say “Ameriie” — has added an extra “I” to her name. Ameriie claims the spelling change is a reflection of positive energy. And here’s a fun fact, she signs her name in both English and Korean when signing autographs!
Amerie at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards in 2006. Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images.
The Album: Her new album set to be called Cymatika Vol. 1 is currently in the works as a follow up to her previous In Love & War. In a recent interview with Rap-Up, Ameriie has said that her new album will be similar to her album Because I Love It. Moreover she is hoping to take a step into “international” music. Perhaps we’ll see a fusion of Korean pop and her R&B style on her forthcoming tracks.
Will she or won't she ... wear a hanbok for her upcoming nuptials? Amerie with her Korean mother in Seoul.
I do! Or at least … I will: Reported a couple months ago, Ameriie is also engaged. The singer is due to marry her manager fiancé Lenny Nicholson, after accepting his proposal during a romantic holiday in Paris. Confirming the news, Ameriie’s rep wrote via Twitter: “Can u correct the news Amerie just got engaged. She is not getting married (yet), she just got engaged, that’s it.”
Yea. That’s it.
The next chief justice? Judge Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye.
We were really hoping that President Obama would nominate an Asian American (former dean of Yale Law School Harold Koh? Boalt law professor Goodwin Liu?) when U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stevens stepped down. It didn’t happen, obviously, and it looks like Elena Kagan is going to be confirmed. But all is not lost! We may just have an Asian American Supreme Court justice yet!
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger nominated 3rd District Court of Appeal Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye as the next chief justice of the California Supreme Court. Not only would the 50-year-old Filipina American be the first Asian American to lead the state’s high court, if confirmed, she would give the court a female majority for the first time in history.
“She is a living example of the American dream and when she is confirmed by the voters in November, Judge Cantil-Sakauye will become California’s first Filipina chief justice, adding to our high court’s already rich diversity,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement.
Cantil-Sakauye earned a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric at UC Davis in 1980 and a law degree from the UC Davis School of Law in 1984. It is reported that her Filipina mother was a farmworker and her Hawaii-born Filipino-Portuguese father worked in sugar cane and pineapple plantations before moving to Sacramento.
Another lucky Audrey reader shows off her giveaway win! This time, Sunkyung Park won Jellypop’s “Trendy” sandals in one of last month’s TGIFree Friday Giveaway.
Winner Sunkyung and her Jellypop "Trendy" sandals.
Of her sandals, Sunkyung says on her blog: “One of the first things I did when I got to LA was try on these cute Jellypop sandals that Audrey Magazine sent me (part of their TGIF every week!). My feet are kind of on the wide side and big for a Korean girl. A size 7.5 is almost unheard of amongst my size 6 friends, and when I tell them sometimes I can fit into 8s they shudder. Regardless, much to my delight these sandals fit perfectly! Thanks Jellypop and Audrey Magazine!”
Be a part of the Audrey community and win goodies!
Wanna be a part of the Audrey community? Just comment below and tell us why you’re an Audrey girl. You just may win some goodies … no waiting till Friday!
(Of course, we have another TGIFree Friday coming up in two more days … so check back soon!)
