i rolled on shabbos

Unbeknownst to me, my vintage swimsuit/romper  from the other day was the perfect attire for Cosmic Bowling!*

Even my toes were blacklight ready.

You would think that this would instill me with some sort of super power that enabled me to be able to actually bowl a decent game. 

Well. 

You would be wrong. 

*First photo taken by my boyfriend, hence the um...intense focus on my upper half...sowwy?

the whites

OOH the September Issues are arriving! It's the best part of the summer, where we get to remember that it ENDS SOON and we get to wear tights again. Am I projecting?

Well, here is the first one I have seen: Lady Gaga is on the cover of Vanity Fair! I have put a big moratorium on blogaga situations here on White Lightning, mainly because (and it pains me to say this) her TWITTER ACCOUNT made me HATE HER. I am not your "monster", you are not  my "Mother" and I never want to put my "paws up". What the fuck is that all about? It is EMBARRASSING. #cringetweets to the max!

Well anyway. Here is this:

LADY GAGA FOR VANITY FAIR BY NICK KNIGHT

"Oh, hey bitches. Peeeeaaaacccccceeee in the middle east, dig? Just chilling here doing a monochrome thing, I know I usually ape Madonna but I really feel like the "Father Time" looks is gonna catch on big for FW10."

But wait...this seems so familiar.

OH RIGHT- because Father Time is Kristen McMenamy's style icon!

KRISTEN MCMENAMY FOR DAZED & CONFUSED BY TIERNY GEARON

OH SNAP. K MAC IS NOT PLEASED!

I would tread lightly, Gagaloo...This bitch has outwitted and outlasted so many...plus she is freaky tall.

But if we can be honest with ourselves?

Gandalf's been rocking this look forevs. Old hat!

i don't think i saw one track suit

Last week I was lucky enough to attend an incredible dinner in the company of a ton of amazing New York City bloggers and Miss Erin Featherston, to celebrate Erin's new position as a creative consultant for Juicy Couture.

There was champagne, champagne, champagne, wine and port..and that was just at dinner.

Erin, the tall bright light in the center there, was sweet and funny and way too good of a sport; in the middle of dinner she told us all the secret to her perfect (PERFECT) white blond bangs, in detail. I won't divulge the secrets, but after learning the WAY OF THE BANG from a hair master in Paris, she now maintains it on her own.

As a fellow FRINGE SISTER, I was very much interested. Erin doesn't know it yet, but I am ready to book time with her in her office for my next trim (which, according to her guru, could be EVERY DAY)

I am clearly not as committed as I could be.

Afterward, thoroughly full of bubbly drinks and macarons, we all hopped into the provided black cars and hit the Juicy store for an after-hours spree (more bubbly + FREE THANGS = too much fun).

Kelly (my partner in crime of the evening) & I ended up with matching bags and I also got an incredible military winter coat (from their BIRD collection)...I mean, it was pretty rad.

Me, my bangs game lacking (so HUMID!) and Erin, maintaining perfect hair status.
Please note, I am wearing 5 inch wedges and she is still towering over me. OH, THE LIFE OF A MIDGE!

Thank you Erin & Juicy. (and KAREN!)..best way to spend a hot summer night ever.

you can find me in a crowd

I have run out of ways to describe the heat and humidity. WELL DONE, MOTHER NATURE, you minx. You have rendered me wordless. I may need to take up Cantonese or perhaps Afrikaans? to be able to collect more ways to say "sticky" "airless" and "Satan's armpit".

That aside, guess what?? It is still amazing to get out of the city.
We went to visit Darbie & Justin in their incredible new house in Kingston, NY. Otherwise known as my next place of residence. I loved it there!

We went for a walk down to the waterfront.

It is possible that a partially polyester vintage bathing suit (?? I think? There are built-in bloomers under there!) is maybe not the best choice for a muggy summer day but let's just BE WILD, shall we?!? It;s called L-I-V-I-N.

Tell me: do you think some sort of acid-loving clay artisan painted this crazy door? It looks like I'm melting into it... MELLTINGGGG.

New-ish Dolcetta sandals (Dolce Vita for Urban Outfitters) that may be my perfect summer shoe: they have a heel that doesn't feel like a heel (you can walk all day in them, no prob), and super wide straps that make them feel tougher and cooler than most sandals I have, i.e. ones that mostly make me feel like a second grader.

Important side discussion: This orange nail polish from Essie. The shade is so very much NOT captured correctly here; it is basically radioactive. It's got to be called Chernobyl Bliss or something, the color is unreal.

I have had this little cropped cotton cardigan for about 10 years. It's vintage Wrangler and I don't think I've worn it since 2005. I have been wearing it all the time lately. Score one for packrats !

It's not so bad having someone take your photos for you, especially when they can capture this special look of overheated PAIN on my face! SEXXXY!

It's a damn shame what that humidity does to a tight BANGS game like mine...oh well. You can't be perfect all the time, right?

I love not-New-York-City-cities.

N. B. D.

Ok listen... Can we all stop for a second and give props to The REAL S.J.P.?

SHILOH JOLIE PITT
aka The Coolest Cucumber 
aka Tiny Brad
aka....

James Spader in Pretty in Pink?

Whatever you wanna call her, I SALUTE HER.
Casual stroll, hand in pocket = COOLEST OF ATTITUDES.

i wonder how you keep track of me

For a few freezing ass days in 2004, I hung out in Chicago to see the final Guided By Voices show ever on New Years Eve.

It was epic, in every sense of the word. I mean..there was a bar installed on stage to keep Bob Pollard well lubricated throughout the evening's festivities. 

So this morning, Ticketmaster price rapery be damned, I bought a ticket to their REUNION SHOW at Terminal 5 (on November 7. I will be one year older by then. Barf-o-rama).

Add that to my ticket to Pavement's Summerstage concert in September and my Fall 2010 is positively SPARKLING with retro-filled GLEE.

SEE YOU THERE!

in living color

OH MAH GAH!!! If you see this issue of BUST out there in the universe...flip to page 88:

I'm in it !!
I made a wishlist for FW10 and basically had a heart attack on set. But I love the way it came out!!!

All the things I want/love/need/must have/suggest you get in on, all in one place:

The MAC lipstick I am never without, my favorite Karen Walker sunnies, matching parka n' shoes by Sam Pleet (in collab with Osborn!), the most UHMAYZING Pamela Love necklace! Wearing my own Opening Ceremony dress under a Bodkin sweater, my own Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons knuckle ring and D&G wedges.

I don't think I can relay to you how anxious I get about doing photo shoots. I am like a deer in headlights and hate every picture. I mean...are models the real heroes?!!? (jk...?)

Thank you so much to Lisa at BUST and the photographer Anna Wolf who went way above and beyond at making me feel comfortable and happy !!!

when I love new york

Last night, at the press preview for the new Rag & Bone store on Houston (RIP Café Colonial!), I got over my fear of approaching people I don't know and went to say HI, I AM SUCH A FAN to one Ms Lauren Ezersky. 

SO. AMAZING. You guys, you don't know. Really, I love her.

Lauren is a top White Lightning "Woman In Fashion" style icon, along with Lynn Yaeger, Anna Dello Russo, Suzy Menkes' topknot (counts as it's own person) and Anna Piaggi. 

She used to have a show called Behind the Velvet Ropes (you can watch here, I wish I could embed the vids....), which I used to watch all the time back in the day and OBSESS over. She was WAY ahead of the curve on "fashion television"- she was doing all this behind the scenes interview stuff way before almost any one else!

She has this great SHOCK of white in her hair, an epic New York accent and always has tons of great jewelry. 

I mean...LOVE HER. I had to say something! 

I felt like a nerd, but I DO IT FOR YOU, DEAR BLOG READERZ. All. for. you. 

I had to capture some of the greatness:

Her nail color game was pretty tight. Of course, I am not really the intrepid journalist that I should be and didn't get a single credit on what she was wearing (OOPSY), polish or otherwise.

Oh I did happen to ask about her shoes: they are All Saints. 

The coolest, seriously.

Lauren, please start a style blog! 

WE ALL NEED MORE EZERSKY IN OUR LIVES!!

sock rebellion

You know yr having a hard time when a kicked up sock game is your only chance at some flair.

DRESS: OLD H&M // SOCKS: HAPPY SOCKS // 

CLOGS: CUSTOM NO. 6 // BAG: COURTESY OF WENDY NICHOL

This is all I can muster! Now I know how dudes must feel.

make it stop

So here's the reality: It is punishingly anger-makingly hot in New York. It's been above 90 degrees every day for about 2 weeks, with no end in sight (sorry, it *may* be 89 on Thursday). The humidity is like a filthy wet blanket from hell.

I hate it. Can you tell?

I am not tropical! I do not THRIVE in this shit! I like cool breezes and tights and ARID CLIMATES and the ability to keep my windows open without feeling like I am in a Turkish bath.

And so.
This makes "style blogging" a tad TRYING as my style is like..whatever sticks to me the least.

Truth be told, I am rarely leaving the house (working from home RULES, even though I miss my officemates..) and so my style is a kimono robe, unwashed hair, and sometimes a tie-dyed Metallica tee-shirt (aw, purchased almost exactly ONE YEAR AGO !).

But I mean.

These shoes exist in my life.
So, sometimes I go outside.

To wear Miu Miu clogs.
Obvs.

DRESS: VINTAGE FROM MARKET PUBLIQUE // SHOES: MIU MIU, DUH // BAG: MAROON EELSKIN TOTE: GIFT FROM MARKET PUBLIQUE (THANK YOU, PAMELA!)

I love them madly. I AM SO TALL IN THEM. It's dizzying up here.
Here is a lovely shot not only of my new crazy dress, but of the lovely detritus that is my behind-the-desk space.
Please note my handmade tote (I made this thing about 10 yrs ago!): OUIJA LIKES BOYS AT NIGHT. One of my favorite lines in Unzipped, doy.

Our office is so cute, I mean you know you wish you worked here.

Self-timer freaks me out, I'm biting my nails at that orange blinking light on my Lumix, givin' me a HEART ATTACK. How do people do this on the regs? I guess it gets easier.

What I do when I am alone, aside from taking photos:

Sit on Lesley's desk (MISS YOU) and talk to Teddy Ruxpin about his ravioli hands.

Don't tell him I told you, but he is sooooo fucking over this summer weather, too.

Gotta go, me and Teddy are gonna get coconut waters at the bodega and hang outside for a sec while he smokes a cigarette.

PS. It's been one year since the Vision Quest road trip of 09, and today is the 1st birthday of my teenytinytattoo !

HAPPY FIRST TATTOO-NNIVERSARY, crook of my right arm! You don't look a day over a day.
I sorta wanna celebrate by getting another one.....? To be continued!

i think i love you even more

But Olivier! FASHION BLOGGERS LIVE FOR PURPLE MAGAZINE!...At least this one does.



Sorry, is that KEEL-them-all.blogspot.com or KILL-them-all.blogspot.com? It's hard to understand.

I LOVE YOU OLIVIER! If you knew me you would love me, too, (call me).

xo forever,
W.L.

PS um, you have a blog. 

paging ricky powell

Please enjoy the running commentary provided by myself and Doree Shafrir as we witness a seemingly sane-ish man charge into Tompkins Square Park and proceed to shave his face in the fountain (shaving cream was already applied).



This new iPhone is pretty dope, camera-wise.

Is my voice not what you were expecting?
Yeah, me neither.

so red, so shiny

I feel like I never really fully introduced my current-proudest-creation here on the blog. How ruuuude.

Custom ordered from No.6. Patent leather, "kiltie", with peep toe, with a back strap, on a natural base. BRIGHT RED!

I have decided that they go with everything.
Like lichen, for instance.

And a patch of sunlight.

And dusk.

I may get a platform added to them, juuuuuuust because I am a little bit insane.

They've been a constant all summer. Highly recommended.
My next pair is going to be hot pink nubuck, I consider this a "neutral".

i call it love palace

I think I do a Sifl & Olly post about once a year here on White Lightning.
I want to do weekly Chester posts.
Does that seems excessive? But...my love for Chester knows no bounds, you can't hold me back, I won't let you!!

I obviously need to do a longer post on the genius of Liam Lynch for The Real 90s.
Where is he these days?? Call me!

current brain jumble

Feeling inspired by strange combination of things.

1
Vernon, Florida by Errol Morris

This documentary is the best way to spend 56 minutes (too short!!) this weekend, I promise you. The couple above believe that the sand in that jar is growing. "In 2 years this jar'll be filled". I mean.

The first photo is of the prizes of a turkey farmer.

I can't do this justice with description, it's instant on Netflix, go watch it and holler at me.

2
From the Air Magic Wands (!!!) by Gillian Wilson (Sam Pleet's sister!)

We all need more magicks in our lives, right?
Well luck for all of us here in the universe that Gillian hand makes MAGIC WANDS and so now we can all have it.

I can't explain why, but this seems like a completely legit "want" for me to have.
I can see myriad uses for a wand.
Poking people, casting spells, scratching various backs, writing my name in the sand, twirling my hair. SO necessary.

3
Leith Clark's photo from the Chanel Haute Couture show this past week:

Aside from the fact that the size of this lion actually gives me anxiety [I have a really weird fear of large scale objects. Not buildings, but like..THINGS. It is my most embarrassing fear.], this is such a perfect moment. It seems like it's a still from a dream sequence in old fairy tale foreign film that you caught on teevee in the middle of the night.

4
Oops?

These arrived yesterday!!! Oopsydoops? Groove certainly is in the heart, brahs.
Can't wait to wear them..so far they look great with my pajamas. Outfit pictures coming soon.

the reason i never brush my hair

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COURTNEY LOVE!



Here is Liv Tyler raging it out to Hole's Rock Star in Stealing Beauty, circa 1996.
Let's all celebrate this way today.

I wish I still had a discman (although it would probs skip from all the jumping around) to properly mark the day, but oh well.

jangle spangle

My friend Sarah Frances Kuhn is what we like to refer to as the highly covetable QUADRUPLE THREAT.

Not often found in nature!!

Not only is she the accessories editor at Teen Vogue, she is in TWO (!!) bands and now has her own line of custom camera straps called SFK, she is quite the looker as well.

Sarah was awesome enough to offer me one and I love it to bits. The chain I chose is gold with black suede woven through the chain.

My sister thought I had gotten myself a Chanel camera strap.

It really is the kind of coolest way to lug my camera around, and since I have kinda taken to putting jangle wearing on hiatus, I just think of it as an accessory.

You can order them through her blog OR enter a contest on Refinery29, maybe you wanna try your luck?

Thank you, Sarah!!!

nailed it

Ya know what is the absolute best way to convince the court that you are INDEED taking your legal troubles very VERY seriously, when most of your trial focuses on the fact that you are NOT taking your legal troubles very very seriously?

A special message on your tie-dyed manicure!

You are a genius, Lindsay. A god. damn. GENIUS!

PS. My breakdown on the trial yesterday forthcoming. SPOILER ALERT: I ♥ JUDGE REVEL!

bring the thunder

Did you know that American Apparel makes a shoelace that perfectly matches my Dieppa Restreppo oxfords?

Well, now you do. It is perhaps a tiny bit disturbing how much pleasure this fact brought me.

I don't know what else to say.
It was 103 degrees in New York City today, I think my face melted off somewhere around 23rd Street.