payback time...

...for the 80's

Though last summer it seemed that the 80's were only struggling to come back to fashion, now it's almost clear that the next season will be filled with all the stuff we loved (or hated) in "the decade that taste forgot", as some like to call these years of questionable fashion, hairstyles and music alike.

Sweater dresses, opaque or shimmering tights, patent leather and wedges anyone? They're already in stores and maybe you didn't buy any for now, but the 2007 spring/summer is all about these and the comeback of the chavs. Don't pretend you don't remember all those baseball caps, the Kappa tracksuits and the hoodies! And don't pretend you don't know anything about neon colours, either. Pink, yellow, blue, orange, green, purple...they're here, like it or not. See the Elektrochoc sandals in a preview of the Louis Vuitton collection for the hot season. We thought we'd say it now, so you might have time to get used to it in the following months.

Elektrochoc sandals picture via trendencias.

accessories...

...and a Happy New Year!

Just a few days ago I was all fired up (but i tell you, I was right to do so :)) about the "ruler thing". U know, the old good ruler taking different shapes and being used to create cute accessories...Remember the ruler cuff? Okaaaay...so here's the "measure up" brooch (designed by Liana Kabel)in pretty pink, so you can dress yourself head-to-toe in measurement devices. No, no, we are not insinuating that you might get fatter after the holidays...we're just spilling out this new trend that's really going to make it big in the next few months! We'll be watching!

via modamuse.

a picture...

...speaks more than a thousand words!

But still, Merry Christmas and a really Happy New Year to all our friends :)
Above, a masterpiece done by The Great NOPER - decipher it any way you want :)

just one way...

...up!

Our head-on society makes us want to accumulate more, be more (in terms of job description and job title) and so on. Lots of people saw where all this could take us and started wondering if it's the right way of thinking (and doing). Being fast-paced makes us "need" the latest mobile phone, the latest gadget and the latest sports car and throw away the ones we just bought a few weeks ago. We forget to appreciate the smaller, but beautiful things in life and we don't give ourselves and others time anymore.
But the idea is that life is not just a series of "I'm-super-stressed-I-gotta-have-more-I-wonder-what-they-think-about-me" days. Or, at least, it shouldn't be.
And as I've talked about Alain de Botton in the previous post, I remembered his other book, Status Anxiety - that's how I first heard about him, through a review of this book.
It's a writing that comprises thoughts of philosophers, artists and writers and also gives "solutions" for improvements in our lives.
Consider it a collection of thoughts on THE MODERN PERSON, with the thoughts, wishes, beliefs and problems that accompany this status. And if you aren't especially keen on getting a stress-generated ulcer in the near future (some of my friends know what I'm talking about...), I'd say you should give this book a thought.

Photo credit: a beautiful ladder from The Home Depot, if you can't resist the idea of continuously "going up" :)

aaaaargh...

...chitecture

For some time now I've had arguments and word-fights with friends/relatives/different kinds of people on the subject of architectural disaster - as we could call it. It's been happening in Bucharest and some of the "new" buildings are really crap ('xcuse the language). And just today I was looking through an art book with a friend, admiring the gorgeusness of Gaudi's work. So it seemed so natural to post this today :)
To make a long story short, I would say that the problem is mixing "contemporary" buildings with "vintage" ones. And the worst part is that we have to live with them everyday. There's a lot of talk on this subject and the thing is that sometimes it's agreed that the new constructions break the lines and grow chaotically, but...they keep growing. Big, tall giants made out of cold materials (glass and metal) and painted in spooky colours, looking down on you, ever-ready to cut you in pieces if you dare to look around for passion and life. Don't ask for small, but beautiful. Don't ask for curves or details. It's no wonder people are becoming as grey and cold as them...
Here's a nice article by Jim Holt in the New York Times - adressing this very problem and also Alain de Botton's latest book, "The Architecture of Happiness", which claims that our state of mind is often under the influence of the things we're surrounded by: houses, walls, furniture and so on.
The streets and the buildings are there not to be functional and cold, but to create feelings.

P.S. (for PictureS): above you can see the C.E.C (House of Economies and Deposits - or smth like that :P) Building in Bucharest (1875, by a French/Swiss architect named Paul Gottereau) shadowed by the Bancorex Construction in the background.

exquise me...

...Polo

A nice DM idea in Germany for the news Volkswagen Polo, which is communicated as being "reassuringly safe". Targeted towards a young audience made up of men and women between 25-39 y.o., the whole idea of the mailing was to communicate the safety of the car and to "drive" people to the dealers in order to test the new VW Polo.
The agency (Tribal DDB) thought of making the concept of safety tangible, so they created the "Knautsch-Polo", a mininature version of the real car, in the form of an anti-stress ball. By squeezing it, you get to relax and feel good - but there's more to it: the elastic car goes back to its form, hence the safety subject is highlighted also.

There's only one thing: "Reassuringly safe" has some kind of a resonance to it...Do we know any other brand that uses a similar claim? For example..."Reassuringly expensive"?

via direct daily.

ruler cuff...

...simply rules!

I don't know what's happened to designers lately, but rulers (yes, as in a "tailor's ruler") started to gain a lot of appreciation among them. A few months ago I saw a cute ruler belt (but I don't remember where, so no picture - sorry) and now here we have the ruler cuff.
Maybe they've made such a big entrance in the fashion world because of the skinny models-size zero troubles that exploded lately. Or maybe 'cause girls are so weight-conscious that a ruler always comes in handy.
Made out of stainless steel, this cuff by Individual Icons is pretty cool and can be modeled to fit any size of wrist.
So...don't spend too much time thinking, go out there and wear rulers all over (we also think a headband could work :)). We're really feeling a trend here.

via pixelgirlshop.com

the real thing...

...this Christmas

People, it's time to start singing the carols and decorating the tree! There are only a few days left 'till Xmas and I'm really looking forward to the holidays!
All my colleagues at work started buying Christmas trees and thinking about the best option: real or fake? I must say this has never been a problem for me, as I've never even thought of buying a fake tree (I mean, what's the purpose of buying a Christmas tree if you don't feel that wonderful smell and touch the branches?).
Of course a fake tree lasts longer and is easier to handle - it won't leave your house full of little "needles" on the carpets. But still...they are a bit kitsch and we don't advise you to buy one.
Moreover, at treehugger we found an interesting fact: that real Christmas trees are the "greener" option even in terms of environmental care. They are easier to recycle than the PVC or aluminum (!!!!!!!!) ones that last longer.
So choose wise and have yourself a Very Merry Christmas!

do you see what I see?

scream and laugh

The common denominator in these ads is the surprise factor. First, pictures of Argentinian celebrities were placed on cars as sun protectors - of course, in the parking lots of cool clubs in Buenos Aires. Caught in the act by the Paparazzi magazine, perhaps?
Then, Playstation 2 came up with the idea of giving snap shot cameras to participants at the Games Convention. The cameras were pretty plain, with a small PS2 logo on the outside. But...well...the mistery was inside: the pre-exposed film featured creepy ghosts that "appeared" in the pictures.
A great idea, only revealed at the end: " The horror is closer than you think".

via adhunt.

they say it's the inside that counts...

...and we completely agree

Our good/funny/cool friend Noper pointed this site to me yesterday and now we're showing it to you. Just because at String Republic you can find the coolest underwear (for girls and boys) - it's all you want and something more! And it comes in handy right now, because the funky stuff in their online shop can make a great Christmas gift - especially if you buy some matching undies for you and your bf :)

P.S.: If you don't find anything you like on their site (can that be possible?!?!), you can even customize a pair...we guarantee you'll be super-proud, but just don't start showing it to everybody you meet unless you're single (or want to be :P)!

dashing through the snow...

...in a one-horse open sleigh

Remember the old wooden sled that made our winter days as kids? Or even the creative plastic - bag - instantly - turned - into - a - sled (for the adventure lovers)?
It's great if you do, but this is how they should remain - as memories.
With the cool Volkswagen launch this winter, you and your kids will be looking like PROs sliding down the coasts. Just take a look at the 8 different models of rapid departure sleds, created for kids in various age groups. They are all inspired by VW cars and have great attributes like steering wheels, padded seating and cold resistant plastic. It's a completely new experience and no matter which model you choose, you'll surely be "laughing all the way".

via carscoop.

stick in...

... the rhythm

In an era of digitalized music, designer Alice Wang came up with a good question about the future of music. And she also offered an answer: the audio sticks.
In her opinion, these memory sticks are likely to take over CDs in the next years - and with a capacity of 75 MB, they can each hold up to 15 tracks.
The designer also projected a stick rack for displaying the music - as with mp3s people don't show their music anymore. And even more interesting, the top bit of the rack acts as a plug and play device.
See it here.

liquify...

...your love

Well, people, this holiday season is starting off pretty good...First of all, we've got the pornaments (see previous post), and now, the liquid condoms...wonder what's next!
But let's take care of these liquid condoms first. They come in aerosol cans that you spray on...and then wait for it to solidify into the familiar latex, creating a tight seal. Its creators say the 2.0 condom is really easier to use than the traditional one...and there's no way you can use the old excuse...
We still don't know exactly how efficient this idea will prove to be, but as it is still in the testing phase, we're looking forward to seeing the results.

via fresh creation.

this Christmas...

...will you be naughty or nice?

Today I've been shopping for presents and Christmas decorations, so I thought it might be the time to introduce you to the X-mas spirit, too. If you haven't bought everything already...maybe you can still make some room (and save some money) for the pORNAMENTS! Yes, you got it right. They're white alright, but not pure, if that's what you're thinking!
Horny the Snowman and his Horny Babes are here to make your holidays funnier! Just make sure your parents are not visiting for Christmas - they might not get the "unconventional decoration" thing!

walk your dog...

...in pride

At muttropolis you can find anything to make your pet happy, but here's something that will also appeal to dog owners!
Just buy the Wild Camo lead and collar and you'll be walking the most stylish dog in the neighbourhood! With a camouflage print on one side and a wild pattern on the other, this ensemble matches 2 of the coolest trends right now. And who knows? Maybe you'll also appreciate the soft feel of the leopard fabric, especially when your dog starts pulling and jumping for joy!

cute details...

...for the young at heart

The most beautiful gift tags I've seen this year come from rockscissorpaper! Their cute mod animals are so beautiful I think everybody deserves to have one attached to their present. But if you're afraid they'll be perceived as "too childish", keep them for the kids and smart friends - that can appreciate cool design when they see it.
Still can't decide which one I love most. Can you?

boney-boney...

...please eat more

Care for a carrot? Probably trying to keep up with the size 0 models trend, some cute animals also starved (to death). But they are "IN" alright, 'cause the skeleton look seems to be contagious. Here you can see our favourite from the list, Jack Rabbit - a hip backpack that you really must have this winter :)

via hottopic.

did you...

...get the creativity bug yet?

Yes, you're looking at a mouse and a mouse pad here! If you were uber-stressed today (just as I was all week long), these cute deskcessories called Cyber Bugs are gonna give you an energy boost right away!
Also, look for them if you want to give sweet presents. But note that they are rollerball, not optical mice...or bugs, for that matter!

via see jane work.

smooth all over...

...just like that

In order to promote their latest high performance razor, the Quattro Titanium, Wilkinson Sword "attacked" a new medium - eggs. Taking advantage of the smooth look and feel of eggshells, Wilkinson creatives made up a series of stickers representing men faces - all clean cut, how else?
But I wonder how many people will accept this intrusion...I mean, food is for eating, not playing with it. Or at least that's what they say.

via direct daily.

a little sumthin'...

...fo' the boyz

We feel like we've been neglecting our male readers lately (not on purpose, that's for sure!) so maybe it's time to make up for that. For all of you extreme sports lovers, here are 2 super-cute skating shoes from Etnies.
You can choose your favourite model (featured here - Bastien and Roscoe) or even personalize a pair of shoes.
Can you stay away from them?

presenting...

...cool city of the week

If coolness is always on your mind and emerging trends are your job (or at least you'd love them to be), then Berlin is definitely worth checking out. The hippest German city of them all, it really speaks "top" no matter the season or the hour of the day - whether we're talking fashion, music or attitude.
The trendiest people here say they can't stand buying expensive stuff and they revel in second-hand pieces that have a great look and also come cheap (sometimes clothes are sold by the kilo). Moreover, they think DJing is just a job and they have a good eye for art, be it lucrative or just for fun.
Hmmmm....talk about a free spirit!
And if you're interested in visiting one of Berlin's hot spots, we advise you to try Badeschiff (Bathing Ship), a special pool on the Spree river (photos above). Created in 2004 as an art project, the Badeschiff consists of a series of linked cargo containers that cover a pool, a sauna and a cocktail bar, where cool DJs regularly come for a spin at events or parties.
Ready for a great winter vacation?