I love A&F, and it's not Abercrombie & Fitch!

Anzevino and Florence is an L.A. based company specializing in designs for those who to find some individuality in a sea of convention because in L.A., you're pretty much screwed if you don't look like everyone else. The cool thing is Anzevino brings in a bit of East Coast flair while Florence brings in some West Coast swing. They are artists first, so design is secondary to them. But I think when you use the concept of art for your design vision, everything turns out a lot more interesting.

Nirvana Flannel $152.00

I like the idea of this shirt, but I would not wear this because it does not look consistent enough. If you're using different plaids, use it for every part of the shirt, not just the sleeves.

Brit Coat $128.00 (on sale for $68.00)

It's a zip and button-up hoodie. It's a little traditional, but what makes it modern is the fleece. Fleece makes everything modern and casual.

Hooded Dress Shirt $118.00

When you think about it, it's not even that hard to come up with. I'm just amazed that it came out. I'm defintiely going to get this when it becomes an accessible price.

Float Cardigan $220.00

This cardigan is crazy looking, but it sure is a show-stopper. It's ethereal in a very casual way; you don't always have to dress up to look like a princess. The drape is so long that you can not stop looking at it.

Sylvester Coat Dress $308.00

Now, I've never really been a fan of polyester/nylon coats, but this coat dress is amazing. Who knew parkas could ever be formal?

Dinner Bell Dress $174.00 (on sale for $90.00)

I think this dress is kind of ugly, but that is exactly what I find so endearing about it. That green with the different materials on the bottom give this dress great potential for disaster. I'm sure if you go to the prom in this dress, people will cringe, but at least you'll know that you were original.

Courtesy of Anzevino and Florence

I was able to snag a few things from the Comme des Garçons exclusive collection for H&M!

I was really looking forward to the event because finally, Comme des Garçons is somewhat affordable. I kind of knew things were going to turn out crazy, but I did not anticipate "jungle" turnout. I got off class at 9:30, and the store was going to open at 10:00, which is a very tight time slot if you ask me. The bus took forever, so by the time I got there, I had last minute hopes because I didn't see a line. That was actually the bad part because it usually indicates that something is sold out. When I finally got there, the windows all had "sold out" signs and some guy was supposedly taking backorders. I went inside the store with a sea of people trying to find pretty much anything that was left; I couldn't find anything. I had to ask one of the salespeople, and she told me everything was in the front. Fortunately, I did find a rack of shirts and a few items later. People were trading off things in line, which was kind of hilarious, except I didn't have anything good enough to trade. I ended up only getting two things because I was going to be late for work if I stayed any longer.

I found this shirt on a rack in black. It was a rather plain shirt for $50, but I figured "what did I have to lose?" I got a size 42, which to me sounds more like woman's sizing, but since it kind of fits, I'll keep it. Actually, I'm thinking about auctioning it off on eBay; I'm pretty sure most people are going to do that.

I got this t-shirt in polo form, which I have to admit, was a last minute steal. Surprisingly, this was my most coveted item in the collection, so I got what I really wanted. Sadly, I had to get out of an already long line to get this.

I saw this on a rack when I finished shopping. I like the fact that this sweater's design is very raw. I even thought about getting it, but I would've been late for work if I got back in line again. Plus, I don't really have the money to pay for dry cleaning.

This is my second most coveted piece in the collection. I totally had no chance of getting this because everyone in the store seemed to have it but me. Then again, I'm kind of glad I didn't get it because it's so basic. I can find it pretty much find it anywhere. I guess the underlying factor is that it's not Comme des Garçons.

This is another shirt I wanted for no apparent reason other than it being Comme des Garçons. Yes, that stitch line is cute, but anyone could do that. You know what, I might do just that. All I have to do is buy a plain white shirt, some thick black thread, and thicker needles. It could be a fun DIY project.

Courtesy of H&M

The "Holy Grail" of my mug search

So I've been on a search for a nice mug. I've seen a lot, but most are either too expensive or over-designed. I think I know a thing about design or two, plus I work in a home furnishing store. I walked into Ross the other day and spotted this very avant-garde looking mug. I looked at the price tag: $1.99. And to my surprise, it was not made in China. That is why I got it.

Tyler Florence Chef's White Collection Bead Mug
$12.99 to $1.99

So the Emmys sucked this year as well as the fashion, but here are some I liked.

Tina Fey in David Meister

She looked gorgeous in her fitted David Meister gown. I think she played it a bit safe with the color and silhouette, but I guess you don't want to look foolish on your victory day. I also like that she kind of kept her "Tina Fey look."

Debra Messing in Monique Lhuillier

Okay, so maybe her whole look wasn't that exciting, but maybe I'm just biased because she's one of my favorite actors. Still, I think she looks great and she kept it classic. You can never go wrong with classic. Good one, Grace!

Cynthia Nixon in Calvin Klein

Although I do like her hair red, she does manage to pull off her look. I absolutely love the simplicity of her whole look because a lot of jewelry can make you look gaudy, which isn't a good thing.I also love the color of her dress.

Mary Louise Parker in Roberto Cavalli

Okay, I'm totally biased because she is also one of my favorite actresses. Then again, unlike Debra Messing, she at least took a risk. This blue is very hard to wear, especially on the red carpet. She could've turned out looking like a bad 80s prom queen, but she managed to pull it off. Yay, Nancy Botwin.

Carlos Miele

This dress might have less oomph on the red carpet than on the runway, but it'd still be a lot more interesting than a lot of the other dresses on the red carpet. While the silhouette may not be that unique, the different shades of green make up for it. (Kathy Griffin, I love you, but you should've worn this instead of your probably purposely hideous dress.)

Halston

Even though this dress looks incredibly simple, it is very versatile. (I love Halston.) It can be worn in a formal or casual setting. You can even use the sash in many different ways. Also, here's your chance to wear a lot of jewelry and not look gaudy.

Elie Saab

I like this Elie Saab dress because it's one of his more interesting pieces. Elie Saab designs a lot of gorgeous dresses, but they kind of look or less the same. This dress, however, is like a piece of art because of all the geometric shapes. (Mondrian?)

John Galliano

I think John Galliano is very talented, but I'm not sure his designs fit everyone's taste because he takes fashion to the extreme. I tried looking for one of his more wearable designs and this what I found. Some of the younger actresses should've worn something like this because short dresses will enhance their youth. This dress is reminiscent of a 20s flapper, but if you want to modernize it, you can change up the hair or something.

L 'Wren Scott

I usually don't find L'Wren Scott's designs interesting enough to say anything, but her design aesthetic is very red carpet appropriate. So here's a dress pretty much anyone can wear and look great in. The design is very old Hollywood and the color may be good luck for the nominee, not to mention, she'll have a twin when she goes on stage to accept her award.

Courtesy of People, Style.com

TIME for a new semester.

So school starts on Monday, I am so not ready. I still question if I even had a summer because I was taking classes. Then again, it feels like it has been quite some time since I've had to do anything academic. It's not like my job requires it, and I think I'm having a little too much fun. Good thing the Olympics are over tomorrow because I can't keep staying up to watch sports when I don't even like sports. I'm quite pissed that I have to buy $500+ worth of books this semester. I'm definitely going to have my xeroxing sessions and return my books that way. To pay homage to the ending of summer, I got a new planner from Borders using the gift card my friend gave me for Christmas. There were plenty of planners at Borders, but all of them start in January 2009; I need to start in August 2008. Fortunately, I found one that did, and the best looking cover was this one. (Well, you can go to the website and tell me if I made a bad decision.)

Courtesy of Time.Mine

I have a very bipolar sense of style.

One minute, I look like a bum (and even got mistaken for one) and the next I look all hoity-toity. I'm neither really, but they create a sort of harmony when you mix them together.

Simple Toega Hemp Loafers

I really like this company because all their materials are organic and eco-friendly. Also, they have interesting styles that poke fun at ridiculously priced shoes. At the same time, their shoes are very cute; shoes aren't cute these days.

Alejandro Ingelmo Leather Hiking Shoes

Even on sale, they still turned out to be about $300. I think they look very cool and innovative, but I would never pay that much for shoes, unless I had that kind of money in the first place. I'll proably end up buying a cheap pair of these hiking shoes, paint it with metallic paint, and put a glaze on it to get that patent leather look. That's what a real artist would do.

I finally got a new phone: the Samsung M520 from Sprint!

I know it's not as fantastic as the one I wanted, but compared to a lot of phones out there, this seemed to be the best one without forking over any extra money. Of course it's nowhere as cool as the iPhone, but I couldn't find a better looking phone than this one. Believe me, I went to three different stores. The first time I saw the phone, I knew it was meant to be. Not only was it sleek and shiny, but the graphics were highly defined. The only thing I wish this phone could do is record sounds, so I could use them as ringtones. That's actually a basic function that most phones have, so I don't know why mine can't do that. Anyway, I made a wise choice that will last me another two years.