Breakfast at Tiffany's, Bombing at Barney's ... Akimbo

Let's talk about ... reading. It's summer, kids, and with booty shorts and Soon Yi's visa renewal comes the Armed and Akimbo book club! First up is a super VIP event tonight for the thrilling new novel American Subversive, which in the span of three caffeine pills takes on the "new" Manhattan scene (do you know where Weehawken is?), the "new" media, domestic terrorism, fabulous department stores and most importantly trashy Meatpacking whores.
The book also reveals bloggers for who we REALLY are: intelligent, inquisitive, enterprising, courageous, unique, talented ... wait where am I?

McNally Jackson

52 Prince St.
7:00 pm

Why read it, when there are oodles of Vogues, Ws, Outs, Interviews, GQs and Butts that demand taloned page-throughs? Well, first and possibly most important, us AnA girls are a tad attracted to the hot author.

David Goodwillie: I'll run spellcheck on YOUR underground fringe group!

Anywho, see you tonight!

Ballin' Akimbo

Nothing gets our blood pumping here in the Akimbo loft as much as ball play, and lord Lagerfeld knows we LOVE Korean Vogue (each issue gets some mileage!), so we squealed with Ricky Martin delight when Ms. Ross found the latest issue in Soon Yi's sensible Fall 2010 Chanel messenger. The latest cute take on croquet and tennis-esque attire: add a long, lacy skirt or run risque with shorts and tall white knee socks.

Evacuate the forest floor!

Come hither, I need a steam press.

Perfect pointed poise!

NOT by Bruce Weber.

Another important note: frothy headpieces and a closed-mouth smile. MMMM! We win!

Occidental Comparisons

It's always fun to compare similar concepts in different magazines and then decide which succeeds overall creatively and intellectually. For example let's take American Vogue's "Adult Education" from a couple months ago and compare it with Korean Vogue's "Modern Classic" from the current September issue. Both feature adult, serious clothes on A-list girls in a studio for a great photographer.

Here's the American:

First of all, unless it's Irving Penn behind the camera then the girls are drenched in studio lighting. They look a bit washed out, and it's not helped with the coal eye makeup, which I actually like in theory. But a bunch of ladies in serious petticoat-layered dresses and velvets stomping and hopping around with dark makeup and tight buns? It's fun, and probably a roll-your-eyes moment at the aged concept of the dowdy business women, but there's nothing wrong with occasionally dropping the gimmicks and letting the clothes speak for themselves.

With that point taken, here's the Korean:

The clean makeup is gorgeous, the styling is simple yet layered and (I guess for this reason) energetic given it's all laces, wool and fur. Plus this girl can WORK. Han Jin has been a top girl for a few years, has walked every runway and proves that hopping and grimaces do not befit a lady. Look at the hands and the overall humor. The lighting is also somber blue, so the mood is consistent throughout.

I think both editorials are good but Korean Vogue is more refreshing and clean. It also looks younger, which is surprising considering what the two stories are about (read: heaviness). And American Vogue rarely uses Asian models? There are good Asian models! What is going on with the world?

Korean Vogue

The September Korean Vogue is exceedingly elegant and on-trend. The issue even has this stunning spread on chic mourning, which has been a favorite of-late. The styling is beautiful and overall quite emotive.