The String Republic

Summer is in full blast and here in Puerto Rico, we have to admit that we've been getting pretty decent weather during this season. Even the most beach-repeller type people (like me) can't resist a stroll through the sand to get some nice ocean breeze. Since I'm not one to frequent the beach so much, I like my summer wardrobe and accessories to adapt to any occasion/season. 

via String Republic

Recently I found out about the coolest shoes for summer that can transition into any season and location with the world's greatest ease. I can use them for sunny days at the beach but I can also use them for a stroll through the city, running errands, hanging out... you name it! They're called String Republic. Their key trademark is that they're espadrilles, but not quite. Their base is made from yute just like espadrilles but they resemble sneakers, brogues and other shoes styles! The come in different collections: The String Republic, Unbelievable but Fake, and Archibald. Also, they're available in women's, men's and children's sizes.

via String Repblic

I think what called out to me the most was the grand variation of styles and designs. The String Republic collection has a plethora of prints made by international artists and illustrators that give the shoes a funky street edge and the Unbelievable but Fake collection give the illusion of a completely different style of shoe. Some people won't believe that they're really espadrilles! After reviewing the selection available, I ended up choosing from the Unbelievable but Fake collection the Kayak Red Peas. They were my first pick simply because to me, they're the most adorable of the bunch and being as red is my favorite color I couldn't resist the urge to get myself a pair! They're ballerina style shoes that look like top siders! I instantly knew I'd wear the heck out of them. Guess who's been bringing some color into her wardrobe? Oh yes!

Meet my #1 model, Schmookums!

When I got them, I was immediately blown away by the quality of the materials and construction. These are hand sewn so you can guarantee they won't be falling appart any time soon because they're not glued together. The material of the shoe itself was way sturdier than I imagined and the print was so bright and crisp! To me, the best part of these shoes is that they are so lightweight. I can literally put these on all day and I forget I have any shoes on. The only thing that must be noted is that they do tend to be a little tight at first but after the second or third wear, they'll accomodate to your feet. I've been wearing mine non-stop since I got them so they're perfectly adjusted already. As for the price, I think it's pretty fantastic. They retail for $55.00, so for a shoe that is hand made and of this quality, you're getting a very good value for your buck. I'm sure I'll be sporting these around the city a lot once I move to New York! 

Since I've been packing up my stuff and taking everything I don't really need back home, I've got a limited amount of clothes for this next month so of course, I realized I had taken my favorite bathing suit back home. Anyways, I didn't go into the water that day and I just went for a stroll at the beach with  Mr. Boyfriend (thanks for the pictures, love!) so just to show you how fun these shoes look, here's my  outfit of the day:

I wore my favorite nude button down blouse and straw hat from F21, my trusty Ray-Ban Wayfarers, the awesome Kayak Red Peas from The String Republic, my go-to cargo shorts, my studded leather belt from Joe's Jeans and my Erika Peña Square Moni necklace. 

You can check out the variety of shoes String Republic has to offer. Swing by their Facebook page and make your selection! Shop until you drop at www.stringrepublic.com and www.fave8.com. You can also follow them on Twitter (@TheStringRep) and on Instagram too (TheStringRepublic). You can e-mail them at info@stringrepublic.com. Also, don't forget to subscribe to this blog via Google Friend Connect for the latest and to my Facebook and Tumblr for even more updates and treats. Also, follow on Instagram! I'm LilaLane. 

Here's the Skitch: FAQ

Hey, guys! As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I was suggested by a reader I do a FAQ and I think it's quite a good idea as I've been getting quite a few questions that have been repeating themselves among you guys so I thought it would be nice to hear back from you and let you all know what's up. I want to thank all of you who submitted your questions. You guys know who you are! ;) Also, I'll be putting up a FAQ tab on my blog menu. 

Here go the questions: 

Favorite fashion blogs?

Monoxious, The Glamourai, Indecorous Taste, Love Aesthetics, Chalkboard Nails, I Spy DIY, The Nailasaurus, The Man Repeller, Cami Loves Kiwi, Artworks by Lena Ker

What make-up/brushes/starter kits/etc do you recommend for beginners? 

For makeup I highly recommend you stick to basics. A good primer, a foundation that works for your skin type, a concealer, a versatile eyeshadow palette, a peachy/pink blush, eye liner, mascara and a few varied tones of lipsticks and glosses ranging from nude to light pink to red. I can't develop on foundations and concealers because that varies from person to person, but I can recommend some very good eyeshadow palettes that work for any occasion and you get your money's worth. The Urban Decay Naked palette is fantastic. Personally, I'm more partial to the Naked 2. I also have a little Naked Eye palette from Too Faced Cosmetics which is one of the pillars in my eye routine almost every day. For primers, I recommend Makeup Forever's HD Primer. Once you've got those basics covered, I think you're set to play around with the rest.

As for brushes, I have a mélange of different types and I've still to get myself a professional kit but I really don't worry about that because I'm confident I can make it work with any tool just as long as I practice. What good does it do having an expensive kit when your blending sucks, right? For beginners, it's good to experiment and work your way up. I'm about to receive my first Real Techniques brushes in a few days. They're from Pixiwoo's Samantha Chapman. I haven't tried them yet personally but I do have makeup artist friends who do have the range and love them. They're really well priced for your pocket and they're made with synthetic bristles so you can experiment with any sort of pigment, albeit powder or cream. Also, if that's still a bit out of your range I've used E.L.F. brushes and I quite like them for experimenting. They might shed a bit but at that price, it's to be expected. Also, Crown brushes are pretty good!

What do you recommend for people who want to experiment beyond their "safety zone" in Fashion/Make-up?

Go for it! Experimenting is the only way to see what can work for you and what doesn't. It's the best way to find out if your comfort zone has limits or not. If you're afraid of what others will think, well hun... those people might consider going outside of the box once in a while too. Wear what feels comfortable for YOU. If what you wear makes you feel confident, radiant and excited, you're doing it right. You might be surprised how many compliments you may get when you wear something unexpected! It really is a breath of fresh air! Try out new pieces, prints and color combinations.

How do you think your mayor has helped you so far?

For those of you that don't know, I have a bachelors in Fine Arts and my studies were focused in Drawing and Printmaking. My major was just that... MAJOR! The amount of skills, techniques and knowledge I gained from my education is far beyond greater than anything I could have imagined. I've been able to use those techniques to develop and create my own. They've helped me land job opportunities that are actually fun and interesting. It's also helped me be kind of the "problem solver" girl at work.  Aside from the practicality it offers, it's also helped me see things with a more critical eye and open mind. I've developed a great sense of care for detail and I've learned to appreciate things from a different perspective. It definitely was the formation I needed to get on to my next professional step.

Who are your favorite Make Up Artist/Fashionistas/Artist?

Makeup Artist: Pat McGrath, Lisa Eldridge, Megan Martinez, Nikkie de Jager

Fashionista: Daphne Guinness, Prabal Gurung, McQueen, Debbie Harry, Alison Mosshart (she's not a fashionista, but her style has been a beacon for my taste for years), Rick Owens, Lauren Tennenbaum, Carine Roitfeld, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Arissa and Dawn of Monoxious, and Kate Lanphear. 

Artist: David Downton, Garance Doré, Rubén Toledo, Zoe Bradley, Jenn Stark, Amanda Wachob (tattoo artist)

What inspires you?

Wow! That's kind of a general question I think. I can be inspired by anything at any given moment but I've always had a knack for beautiful lines and hard contrasts. Anything that has a soft, poetic movement or a rigid, structured flow is sure enough to catch my interest. The contrasting preference comes from my very graphic taste. I like things that resemble printmaking very much. 

Do you have a bad make-up day(Days you can't seem to get anything right)?

UGH. I suffer from atopic dermatitis and EXTREMELY dry/combination skin. It literally chaps open when it's bad and on those days it is nearly impossible to get a good foundation/concealer routine going since I have to treat my skin with specialized creams. I think I've had like one or two good skin days since I hit puberty. My skin just reacts to anything at any given point so I have to be very careful with what I use. I've been able to calm it quite some bit but some days, it's just a beeotch to work with!

What do you do when you have artblocks?

I walk away. It's the best advice I ever got from a mentor. When you get artblocks, it could be because you've been working for so long on that one project that your mind is just tired of looking at it. I just put it away for a while, maybe a few days, and when I come back I see it with fresh eyes. It gives me space to think about other things that might actually spark a solution. Also, I like to read. Anything, really. May it be a novel, scientific facts, or just randomly scrolling through the internet, it helps.

What got you into makeup and what products did you start with?

Well, I've always been quite into makeup. In school I was the girl that always wore eyeliner even though it was against my school's rules. If we have to go way, way back I'd say I started out with my mom's cosmetics. She's a die hard Estée Lauder woman so when I got really into makeup when I was about twelve, she'd hand me down whatever product she didn't like and could live without whenever I raided her stash of makeup. I was a bit apprehensive about lipsticks up until the other day so I was always smudging my eyes with colors as bold as red on my eyes and my black eyeliner.

What are your do's and dont's in fashion/make-up?

Fashion do: Do wear according to your body. Be bold enough to play around with shapes and proportions.

Fashion don't: Don't wear five sizes smaller than you really are. Don't overly show skin. Keep some for the imagination.

Makeup do: Do play around with colors you don't usually go for. You might be surprised and it might just turn out to be your new favorite shade.

Makeup don't: Don't over do it. Remember to keep a balanced face. You want to enhance your looks, not make them worse!

I have tried many brands of red lipstick and every single one of them fades away really quick! Which one do you recommend? I have not tried MAC yet. Do you think I should?

MAC Ruby Woo is one of my all time favorite red lipsticks. It's Matte so it's a little hard to apply but I used to wear it for work because it was fade proof and absolutely no bleeding! Although, I would recommend you use MAC's Russian Red or MAC Red instead if that's too cool for your skin tone. You could also check out NYX's Matte lipsticks. They're not as matte as MAC's, a fraction of the price and also keep your lips moisturized. My favorite is Merlot.

What have been your worst "don'ts" as you started in fashion/Make-up/art and your "do's"?

My personal Do's: I've accepted a bit more color into my closet and my makeup stash. I've discovered shades of color I never thought I'd love! Also, I learned from my mother to dress accordingly to my body and to wear what feels good. It's helped me build my sense of confidence in how I portray myself.

My personal Dont's: There was a period in my life when everything was better if it was grungier. I used to walk around with the most torn up jeans possible. Looking back, I looked pretty awful. In terms of makeup I think it comes down to having a few mishaps with color balance but nothing too bad.

Do you think knowing how to apply Fashion and Make-up helps you with your artistic sense?

Well of course! Due to my agenda, my hours to work on my art have decreased much so every morning when I do my makeup and pick out my outfit, it's my personal break to indulge in color coordination. Everyday I think up of new ways to do this look or that look. I've also taken those ideas and transfered them onto my work so, definitely!

What do you plan to do in the future?

P-P-P-Parsons! I don't plan on coming back to Puerto Rico so my plans for the moment are to finish my Fashion Design degree and move forward into fashion. I want to incorporate my printmaking into my designs but in the meantime, take over NY. In the nearest future after moving to NY is to land my dream internship, Prabal Gurung.

Do you plan on making a art portfolio?
I actually do have a portfolio. It's not online but it's a small thesis I worked on in order to be able to graduate. I have been meaning to post it online, but I've been so busy that it comes secondary when I have so many things going on! But I do have to get that in order sooner or later so I will let you guys know as soon as I do!

What are your favorite go-to outfits and make up? Picture/illustration, please?

I have these cigarette black pants that I wear at least once a week. I've done so for about two years now (yikes!). I've re-dyed them a couple of times too. I can wear them with flats,  heels, sneakers, and adapt them to practically any look. Lately I've really been into chiffon button downs and very flowy dresses and tops. I wear a lot of gold accessories too. I did a Polyvore not long ago that I think fits that description best. It was similar to an outfit I wore a few weeks back and it pretty much resembles that go-to outfit. You must be warned, I wear a lot of black. It's not until recently that I've started to wear bright colors! 

The gold lining by desiree-velazquez-rodriguez featuring a cuff bangle

Here's the Skitch: A Brief Run Though of the History of Fashion Illustration.

Oscar de la Renta's new perfume ad

Go back to my first blog post and you'll find a list on my influences and inspirations in fashion illustration. Being as I've always been quite inclined towards fashion, I've always kept track of which fashion illustrators popped up in my reading material (even when I didn't know fashion would be what I wanted to do for the rest of my life). It's always been a pleasure to open my monthly VOGUE and see the dear Rubén Toledo's watercolors splashed on every NORDSTROM add, or even the other day just as I was scrolling down my Facebook newsfeed, there was a David Downton illustration graciously depicting the kind of woman Oscar de la Renta loves to love in his new 'Live in Love' perfume advertisement. I find it quite classic, just like de la Renta's collections are, which in turn seems to be quite refreshing now a days being as an ad like this is rarely seen now. 

It's funny how revisiting classics has become so sporadic these days. I think it's safe to say that photography took over, but just like that, people are always drawn to the classic fashion illustration. I think so because in my opinion it's honest, expressive, fun and elegant. Not that photography isn't all of the above. It is, but I don't think you get the artist's integral signature stroke as you do in illustration. Maybe I'm biased as an artist that focuses on drawing, but that's just how I feel. Being as this blog will fall back on my own illustrations of my takes on specific collections, I thought it was only fitting I do a post that generally talked about the evolution of fashion illustration and my personal preferences on its masters. I believe it’s important I maintain a didactic input to what I talk, write, draw and do on this blog. Not to say I’m a professional on the subject (fashion illustration in specific), but I have shown an interest for quite a while and I feel compelled to share this with my readers as I find it is a joyous and exciting topic. I will do a series of posts throughout the blog on my favorite illustrators and this one that will generally talk about its history and development.

Illustration from Le Mercure Galant

Dürer's depiction of a bourgeoisie and her counterpart (1496-97)

The thing I find most interesting is the diversity of styles, techniques and mediums that range in this category. Throughout fashion illustration's history, its evolution is evident in the different ways every artist expresses him or herself. For example, the illustrations that are dated back to the early 1900's are very structured. Let's say it's like the corsets they used. A simple metaphor if you must. As fashion evolved, so did the lines, colors and strokes. They got a bit more loose and much more expressive. It's as if the corset has been removed and the human figure left exposed to the shape of the garment itself. Like everything in art, it marks a specific period in time, so it clearly works as a historical record of that epoch, those places and their social references.

July 1922 VOGUE 

It's really interesting looking back at the starting points in fashion illustration. Probably the earliest records of them start off during 1520-1610 where an incredible amount of 200 collections of fashion looks made out in etchings, engravings and woodcuts were found (this makes me incredibly happy being as I actually work my art in these techniques and mediums). Many artists took a grand interest in fashion. Dürer and Ingres had many drawings and plates depicting the fashions of their time. Watteau and Holbein as well. Louis the XIV released the early magazines Le Mercure Galant and later on Le Nouveau Mercure in which tons of illustrations depicting the epoques latests trends and styles. France always maintained the top spot in the latest fashions with the help of publications like La Mode Illustrée, Le Journal des demoiselles, and Le Follet. The earliest editions of the VOGUE we know today always had the most current fashions drawn by hand by an artist on them. It's not until the 30's-40's during the Second World War period that editors used their budgets on photography and it started to dominate magazine covers, editorials and other fashion publications. Illustrators had it a bit more rough but it's not until the growth of technology and recent developments in graphic arts that illustration has taken strength anew. Sadly, fashion illustration was once perceived as some kind of lesser art because it was classified as an art that bordered between commercial and fine art. But its fundamental historical purposes can't go unseen and it has just recently been given the importance it deserves in the arts. 

Today, the evolution of this discipline is evident. We can see artists like Graham Rounthewaithe, Liselotte Watkins and Jason Brooks who rely on computer programs like Adobe Photoshop to elaborate their illustrations. Some artists like Rubén Toledo, Zoltan +, Steven Stipelman and David Downton who choose to stick to more classic mediums like ink, watercolors and pencil but with very contemporary silhouettes. Some other venture out even more to three-dimensional features like François Berthoud who uses collage, linocut, monotype and a mix of other interesting textures or Julie Verwhoeven who has drawn over sculptures. Check them out!

Rubén Toledo:

David Downton:

François Berthoud:

Steven Stipelman:

Liselotte Watkins: 

Jason Brooks:

All in all, I'm elated to see fashion illustration take a strong course in the industry. It's the base to any design and concept. As an artist, it's fantastic to see that this type of art can be both fine and commercial because it reaches a general public, thus educating a broad range of people in infinite ways. Some people might disagree on that with me, but I do believe fashion is for everyone and so it must be shared. I do hope illustration in this industry does keep growing as it is a pure and personal expression of the artist in regards to fashion's latest statement.

Other sources: Blackman, Callie. "100 Years of  Fashion Illustration". Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, University of Arts, Laurence King Publishing Ltd. 2007. London, England.