Not Over Yet! 

For the past few months I've struggled with this internal debate that has weighed a significant amount of value in my personal life: To keep or to not keep the blog, that is the question! Aside from realizing how indecisive I tend to be, I also realized how important my personal blog was to me. For the past three years this is has been my creative outlet to express and share my current inspirations, random thoughts, fashion "obsessions", etc. with my readers. It was something that I was extremely obsessed with at one point, staying up at ridiculous hours of the night posting, but my drive and inspiration has deteriorated since then. 
I guess one can say that I might have been slightly intimidated by the influx of "fashion" blogs that have appeared in the blogosphere. But, then I also noticed that the majority of those blogs were just photos that looked good- no story behind it,lack of relevance, no expression of why what they choose to post was significant; practically one dementional. That's something that I do not want my blog to be or become.After talking with one of my best friends, Chris of Castle in the Snow , over breakfast yesterday morning I came to the final conclusion that I will be relaunching my blog! I want to connect with you guys as I share my likes, dislikes and personal opinions and in order for me to do so I believe that it is essential for me to display a new image;  it's a developmental process within itself. I did not want to leave my readers hanging, nor did I want you guys to give up on the site and my vision as a whole.Although, many have known me and my blog as "Vintage Steez", I feel that I have grown from that phase (totally over it) and I want reconstruct my blog and as well as change the name. I've just begun brainstorming, therefore I don't have a set date for when it will be complete, but I'm extremely excited for my new vision to become a reality and I'm eager to share with you guys! Until then, please feel free to keep in touch- Follow me on twitter or shoot me an e-mail at amberjfinney@yahoo.com . I'd love to hear what you guys would like to see more of on the new blog in regards to content or any other ideas that you may have I'm extremely open for..Can't wait for the next step and of course,  I'll be sure to keep you posted with details!!


xx
Amber 

editorial elle 


Pretty predictable that I've fallen head over heels for Elle Fanning, and Bill Owens beautifully captures these moments of her clad in Rodarte for A Magazine. It's like downtown Cali girl meets every girls nostalgic princess dress up moments. Kind of major. 

chloë envy 




Chloë's certainly one of those down to earth, i don't give a fuck, cool girls that I've somewhat always envied. I love how certain pieces in her closet have an exciting story to it..that's how you know you're living life. Currently plotting my Chloë closet raid. Vintage versace and a ripped proenza dress from dancing to hard? What's not to love? 

catchy

Currently shaking my ass to Azealia Banks' "212" . . Madonna and Marc Jacobs seem to be doing the same. The next "it" girl. Hop on the bandwagon now! 

in december 


Needless to say that December appears  to be a great month for fashion publications, cover wise, at least. Mission Barnes & Nobles will be in effect tomorrow. 

more

I hear passion when they speak about their collection, that is what I truly admire.

the brighter side 
I must admit,three weeks ago,  waking up in the morning and peeking through the window to see that there was a blizzard wasn't the ideal Saturday morning that I was looking forward to.But, in hopes to be the optimistic, positive person that I am (or atleast try to be) I opted to think about what I love about cold weather, instead what I hate about it. The first thing that came to mind was my birthday(December 19!), because usually when it snows, it's an indication that it's time to celebrate my birthday. Unfortunately in late October, this was totally false hope, yet perhaps a way to humble myself in terms of all of this exciting birthday narcissism. Anyways, the second thing that came to mind was winter fashion and "OMG.. I guess that I means I can start throwing on my fur!" Of course, it's annoying that it's a tad more difficult to walk around the icy,concrete streets of New York City in chic heels, but it's exciting to see New Yorkers and fellow Jerseynites  adjust their personal style to the weather. Perhaps I am the only one that get's totally bummed when it snows, but there's a brighter side of things. Below are a few pieces that somewhat put me in high hopes of the cold weather that's already hit us! Plus, I can totally continue my lifestyle of FLB ( fur,leather,black) without having to sweat my ass off in 75 degree or without being looked at weirdly in all black in bright sunny weather.
dress by the row | gloves by valentino | coat by matthew williamson | bag by alexander wang | boots by miu miu


photos via style.com net-a-porter, ssense, neiman marcus

monumental 

I'm currently trying my hardest to hold my composure, for I am in the middle of my retailing class and felt that it was absolutely necessary to post at this moment. I was casually doing my frequent peruse on the Alexander Wang website, just  checking out the newly available resort wear and I came across this amazing, black,leather,cutout dress. I'm almost positive that I went into a cardiac arrest for about a good 10 seconds. It's pretty much the epitome of a freakum dress, king Bey would be proud.

Beyonce - "Freakum Dress" from Ray Kay on Vimeo.

life of carine 


As many interviews one may watch or the fashion spot forum posts one may read, there's nothing like actually meeting a person and conversing with them. I came to realize that after watching the September Issue.. it's our human nature to hold judgment based off of a reputation a person may hold or based off of what "she told me..", but it's also our duty to take it upon ourselves and learn about a person on a personal level. No, I did not have the pleasure of meeting Carine Roitfeld, but as for now, this is the only source that I have to get to know her on a more intimate level and actually hear her talk about her love, fashion. And of course, we get a closer view of the glamourous aspect of her luxurious lifestyle, which I totally envy.But it's not the lifestyle that I completely envy, but the name that she has made for herself. Of course we recognize her as an influential figure in the fashion industry, but she truly has changed the game in regards to fashion publications, styling and being able to display feminine sexuality in a more classic manner. What I love about her most is that she doesn't settle for anything, and even at her age she continues to explore boundaries. I feel like she's still at her prime because she's constantly working on a new project and keeping herself busy, it's apparent that her passion is the driving force behind it all. I certainly can't wait to get her book! But, here is part 1 of Carine's World, a video chain filmed by Mario Sorrenti, giving us a closer look of Carine and her life. 
the second part can be found on i-D, here

sources: i-D, NY Mag 

70's chapter : free people's " Through The Decade" 

The term "modern day hippie" has become one of those ridiculous, overused, "hipster" terms that has surfaced throughout the past year, but being a hippie is far more than just smoking weed and wearing bellbottoms.. it's a lifestyle. As a admirer of culture and lifestyles during different time periods, it's exciting to hear that Free People will be releasing a book titled "Through the Decades" , basically highlighting different time periods and including personal shoots depicting the styles of the time. I'm looking forward to viewing the 70's chapter, which photos feature excessive layering, super high platforms, wide legged pants, flowy cardigans, tribal prints and sequined outwear. Obviously, the 70's was a period of one maintaining a free-spirited demeanor, which projected through their clothing, but the photos below display a more modern approach to the style, which I love. 

just a thought 


Just a few days ago I was lying beside my mother in her ridiculously comfortable bed, watching "Oprah's Life Lessons"  and it triggered a few things within me. My mother suggested I watch this with her because it was "food for the soul" and Oprah knows best, obviously. The lesson of the day was the issue of aging  and how those who were beautiful during their youth struggle with the reality that their looks are diminishing. Although this issue will not affect me yet, it enlightened me about numerous things. Oprah reassures us ( *sips cup of coffee*) that as one ages, it's essential to look beyond one's outer appearance, but instead focus on what's within, and the beauty within will reflect through one's outer appearance. She uses her personal experience as not always being viewed as "beautiful" a way to let other features or qualities she possessed such as her intelligence and articulateness stand out. Going along with my dedication to fashion and the industry, it made me realize how important it is to reevaluate myself, remain humble, and work on my inner in the midst of wearing and appreciating designer clothes, making sure I have amazing hair, and follow the best skin regimen. 
It made me think about myself- at the end of the day, what exactly would I want to be known for- my outer appearance or my personality, heart, intelligence, etc? At this point in my life, I am still in my youth and of course my beauty is something that I take pride in, but I also believe that it's important to keep an equal balance between ones physical beauty, and mental/inner beauty, because as scary as it seems, looks do eventually begin to fade away. . Thank You Oprah for the #FoodForThought 

amber's experience: bijules 
A while back, I was able to share my experiences with you guys at NYLON Magazine, but have yet to share my favorite summer experience yet, with jewelry designer Jules Kim of Bijules. Because there were a number of projects being worked on this summer, I wanted to wait until some of those projects were released to share with you guys. Jules and I met at a trade show that I worked back in February and was automatically attracted to her aura as well as her jewelry designs. It's very rare that I come across designers who are able to truly create and form new pieces while also "redifining fashion standards" , rather than just copying another design. Jules uses the human anatomy as an inspiration for her designs, and depicts a sense of sexuality through her pieces from her romantic detached articulate pearl ring to her beautiful gold bonecrusher headpiece, which can also be a necklace.Jules and I spent two months together, and in the process were able to develop a close bond and get to know each other, which she earned my respect even more. By hearing her story about randomly packing up and relocating from Virginia to New York, I was inspired to continue live freely and take advantage of any opportunity presented to me. What I love the most about Jules is her drive and passion behind it all. In terms of design,sales & such she is a one woman team, and it's refreshing to be around someone who is constantly on their grind each day. Whether she knows it or not, working with Jules was actually the most enjoyable experience that I have encountered thus far, there wasn't a day that went by this past summer where I didn't look forward to meeting up with her at her apartment in East Village, being greeted by her dog Zoomer, constantly trying on her pieces, working hard but in the midst of it all getting some laughs in. The benefit of assisting Jules was the amount of experienced that I gained. Each day there was something new to do, which I loved, and  my duties included corresponding with customers, actually making the jewelry, going to the factory with her, press pulls, assisting during photo/video shoots and so much more. One of my favorite projects I assisted her with was the Becks Greenbox Project, which in the videos below you'll see flashes on my gold covered hands,face,etc. My apologies for being so late with sharing my favorite experience of this past summer with you, but I wanted to actually put forth effort into my post, since she became something like a mentor to me. 


Shop Bijules here
Follow Bijules on twitter here 




While working with Jules she released a short film, Amasia, for Vogue Italia 


The Becks Green Box Project 




Bijules Green Box App Demo from Protein® on Vimeo.
Just my second day, I was on set with Jules for the shooting of her collaborative swimswear line, Nyked (with Lorenzo Martone) 



The Latest Jetsetter Collection, which I able to experience how they were made (sketched, molded, etc)- Can't wait to get my hands on one!



Agyness Deyn pull that I did! 

Bijules pieces were recently featured in Rihanna's video "We Found Love" (which I'm totally obsessed with, I must add)

la vita 

Although, I've previously mentioned that I'm an all black  type of girl, I couldn't help but love this La Vita Caesars Crown red leather. I mean, at least the fulfills the L in my FLB(fur,leather black)- and who doesn't love a splash of color from time to time? I'm extremely proud of the designer, Ryan, a close friend of mine, and  him and his team have definitely proved their capabilities with their new fall collection offering a wider range of t-shirts, the signature letterman jackets, flannels, cardigans, etc.  Be sure to visit the site  and shop here - support the young,evolving designers! 

true talent


I'm secretly cherishing this moment, for how rare it is that  I come across raw,true talent. Special thanks to my friend, Marvel( who also makes music), for putting me on to them. In total awe. Take the time out to watch!

and again 


you guys know how obsessed i am.. I couldn't resist.


 
 
P.S : I didn't know Sky Ferreira and Leigh Lezark were also  at the Kanye show! I love these girls!

kanye west's dw collection 

   It seems as if Saturday Evening, the whole twitter world eagerly anticipated one of the most controversial ( to say the least), talented lyricists in the hip-hop game to debut his first womenswear collection. For months, several speculations were made regarding his team and associates, but he managed to keep a low profile- which seems incredibly difficult being that he's constantly in the limelight. Prior to the viewing, the only thing I knew about the collection was that he was collaborating with Louise Goldin. Inspiration from the collection, or something as simple as a color palette remained a secret until he unveiled the collection to his intimate group of close friends, associates, bloggers, and fashion icons. After viewing the invitation, I was able to come to the conclusion that the collection, named " Dw", was in honor of his mother, Donda West, who passed away. 

    The guests included Anna Wintour, iconic fashion house designer Azzedine Alaia, my Olsen Twins, Alexander Wang, Anna Dello Russo, Olivier Theyskens, and Lindsay Lohan; just to name a few. Thanks to social media, which I consider a gift and a curse, I was able to get the scoop on the collection, as attendees posted photos live photos from the event. The first thing that I heard about Dw was that models strutted down the runway in glitter pants and slashed dresses. Of course, being the Alexander Wang fanatic that I am, I blatantly said to myself, "Hmm..sounds like Alexander Wang's Fall 2011 collection".. and that wasn't COMPLETELY true. After finally seeing photos, I was able to finally judge. I kept in mind to be unbiased, for he is one of my favorite rappers, and I automatically assumed that everyone would "love" the collection, solely because he's Kanye. Yes, there were those few people on my timeline ( twitter obsessed, don't remind me) that automatically loved Dw before even fully viewing it, but how could one not ?

   Like I previously said, I tried to be unbiased, but as soon as I saw Chanel Iman- beautifully tan, minimal makeup, bone straight hair in a revealing black sheer blouse, drowning in a camel tone fur, a Givenchy-esque studded belt, and and leather pants, I was sold. Fur, leather and black? FLB is like my mantra, my lifestyle, my outlook on life.I live,sleep,eat and breathe an obnoxious fur, all black and a great leather piece, in case you haven't noticed.(Some would say I take it a little bit too serious, please don't judge me)Then, I caught a glimpse of the nude body bearing slashed dress- would I ever wear it? Unless I wanted to be put to shame on Mediatakeout, absolutely not. Although, I could see Americans wearing the denim, maybe fur boas, and the leather pants..I'm sure that the target customer isn't the average size 14  American woman, but more so the chic Parisian. Or better yet, I could totally see Anna Dello Russo in this. The point is, is that it looks amazing on the model and a woman with a more petite frame and confidence at an all time high.

When it comes to a collection, I think the main issue is that designers have today is the cohesiveness of it. Kanye and Louise perfectly execute this idea by using a more neutral color palette with unexpected bursts of tangerine and aqua washed denim. A range of silhouettes from loose crop trousers to bodycon dresses also add variety to the collection. Ye's collection basically incorporated leather dresses w/ plunging necklines, cutout skirts w/fur boas,slashed bodycon dresses,orange&blue accents..blush tone glitter pants, white draped jackets, zippered dresses, belly bearing intricate beaded tops,etc. Although, some pieces may sound or appear to be trendy, I would consider most of them classics. A perfectly tailored pair of pants, a fur piece, a draped blouse, or even an embellished blazer will never go out of style. And who could oversee the accessories? Amazing creme perfectly beaded sandals and an oversized fur backpack with leather straps? I can't! 
    Despite his reputation in the music industry, prior to Kanye's debut, he was an extremely respected figure in the fashion industry- I mean, what other rapper do you know attend Gala's in Cannes with Carine Roifeld or has Ricardo Tisci design an album cover? For the first time, Kanye was able to stray away from his reputation as the shallow,arrogant rapper who stole Taylor Swift's shine, and gain respect as an artist in a different light.Obviously, yes, there were pieces which we can't necessarily credit him as the originator of for he pulled tons of inspiration from several other designers, but his execution was successful. He's obviously no Wang or Tisci, but he's trying to learn.It's only his first collection , therefore we can't be TOO harsh. The point is that his team and himself tried, one is not going to be perfect the first time you try something. I'm sure his first beat that he produced wasn't perfect. I can't wait until February to see the evolution of his brand! 


* Keep note: This season, I began to separate my posts by city, but I think Kanye deserved his own post.. and I couldn't wait! More fashion week posts from Milan and Paris are soon to come!* 

Tweet me | Facebook | E-mail : amberjfinney@Yahoo.com

photos via style.com and getty images.

abbey lee moment

I'm hesitant about saying that she's back, because I feel like she never left- but, it's safe to say that Abbey Lee is back on her grind. I was slightly nervous not seeing her strut down the runway during New York Fashion Week, but the first day of London fashion week she redeemed herself. Now, it seems like we can't get rid of her-from London, to Milan, and now Paris! Abbey Lee is killing them right now, obvy.. modeling and in a band? i envy her. Below are a few of her streetstyle and performance photos.
photos via tfs 

Tweet me | Facebook | E-mail : amberjfinney@Yahoo.com

This short film, directed by Inez and Vinoodh, displays Abbey and her band, Our Mountain, in all pieces by Pierre Balmain, for the introduction of their new collection.