I make my living doing research, scientific research but still, my stock and trade is ideas. So I understand on a personal level the beef designers have with copycats. Here is what I am talking about. Right now I am having major lust for a Yves St. Laurent Roady bag. It is a simple bucket hobo bag with a short leather covered handle that attaches to the bag with hooks and rings. Tres simple. On the YSL website it is $1400, um, Tres Cher! I can buy a replica from China for $139, not exactly cheap but hey, as an Xmas present or special treat... but I wouldn't because it is "cheating" even if it comes with all the right tags and even uses the same leather and the real hardware. How do they do that? Because most of the bags that are knocked off in China are actually made in China. So while the public part of the factory is making the "approved" YSL Roady, the covert part is making the knock off with the same materials. So what is the difference. I don't know anymore. Part of me feels like paying zillions of dollars for a luxury bag makes a little more sense when that bag is made by the best crafts people, using the best materials. If you are going to close up all of the manufacturing in Europe and ship it to China then, well, you made the deal with your devil.

What does this have to do with me and my budget? This -where does the line stop? If I buy the HotPatterns "Tribute" bag pattern and make it up, am I any different? If I copy the basic idea from a Marc Jacobs bag is that "cheating"? I don't know. I do know that if something is essentially a plain bag with a handle I can make the pattern myself and if I add my own touches to it then it becomes a Lisette original as opposed to a knockoff. So stay tuned for my "Lisette Travelers" bag.

What the heck is SWAP? it is like Project Runway but you are the Project and the world is your Runway! The goal is to sew 11 garments that work together to give you myriad of different outfits in the time span of 4 months. Would it be easier to go to the mall and be done with it? Yes, but have you been to the mall lately? If you aren't between the ages of 9 and 25 you won't find what you are looking for and you would rather have a tooth extracted -without painkillers! So yes, SWAP is more wor...
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I'm re-printing it here in full but you can find the original here


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Okay, I know that would really happen but other than some birthdays, really why? Its hot and sticky even here in the upper Midwest where it has been well below normal temperatures all summer. August is miserable to dress for to begin with but then it is made all that much harder because all the new Fall stuff is coming out. But you can't wear it yet! Hate August!

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If you are interested there are some of the new fall jersey pieces up on the website! Most importantly, pants, wide leg pants, these sell out quick as hell get yours now. I also picked up a cowl neck top that looks great and what the heck it's only $15.

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I am loving this! http://tags.thepop.com/author/admin/
Today's piece is on gay men designing for women. You know the old saw -gay men actually hate women so they pick models that look like young boys and make clothes that would only work on their figures.

I have never really bought it. I was a theater major and spent too much time in fashion retail and cosmetics to swallow that whole. Gay men usually love women, emphasis on the usually. Yes, you will find the odd duck that hates them but you h...
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Arghh! it ate my post!

Got the Eileen Fisher suit altered. It was a little terrifying cutting apart $115 pants but the fabric is fabulous and I can't get it anywhere.

I also got a Norma Kamali for Walmart Faux Wrap Dress that is damn near perfect! It slims, smooths and has a high enough neckline that I can wear it under a jacket for work and take off the jacket and look dead sexy after. If I lived that kind of life, I need to work on that. Anyway, go buy one, hell get two, they're that good!

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I'm not sure all of them are successful but I have more clothes up and even some for the Summer season even. Some frankly, are sexier than I am feeling at the moment but fun none the less. I also got a couple new Eileen Fisher pieces in so I am going to alter them first and then take pictures.

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While I like to look good (-even hot on occasion, much to the chagrin of my 9 year old daughter), in jeans. I absolutely refuse to buy jeans costing more than a good meal. I detest most of the stuff they do to jeans to "fancy" them up and all that stuff usually makes your butt or your thighs look huge. My rear end already has its own zip code, I don't need "highlights" to spot light it. I want a nice simple, straight leg jean for $30 or less, is that asking to much? Dark wash please, so I can...
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Look, I don't really like Walmart. Most of the stores are so depressing to shop in that if I really needed to go there I would have to drink heavily first. I know that in this economy there are a whole lot of people that don't have an option, those darn kids keep wanting to eat! But if anybody has an in to Walmart management here's my list of things to change. What is with the weird smell? Is it all the plastics? weird cleaning supplies? fertilizer housed in the back? find out and fix it beca...
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