26hix&charming

This summer's art class

2010-08-12T22:54:00.002-04:00

I took a fashion illustration class at the Art Institute because I missed all the fun from Parsons Paris, and although I was VERY rusty, my final turned out alright. I need a ton of improvement on faces, but I was happy for the most part! These are all designs from Lanvin RTW SS10. Love them all :)

My Big Story

2010-05-23T20:39:00.005-04:00

This quarter, the magazine writing students (like moi) chose one big story to work on instead of lots of little ones like before. I completed my first draft this week, and since I'm excited about it, I'm sharing! It's premature since I haven't even gotten feedback yet (eek!) and will be doing MAJOR rewrites, but since this blog is very much about my progress and what I'm working on, I decided

I updated this one

2010-05-20T16:47:00.001-04:00

High School Reunion by cBabs featuring Marc by Marc Jacobs bags

What I did in class :)

2010-05-19T20:13:00.002-04:00

Hello! by cBabs featuring Christian Louboutin shoes

Clearly I had fun today...

2010-05-19T00:39:00.001-04:00

Glitterati by cBabs featuring Miss Selfridge hair accessoriesI want to have this outfit :P

Pretty Things

2010-05-18T18:58:00.002-04:00

I needed a work break, so I Polyvored :)Pretty Things by cBabs featuring 3.1 Phillip Lim skirts

I Too Hate Hipsters

2010-04-27T23:48:00.009-04:00

Ever since I met my very first hipster, before I was even aware of the spreading self-proclaimed subculture, I knew I had a strong repulsion to these self-righteous fools. In the interest of empathy, I get it -- no one wants to be boring, unoriginal, and not in the know about what's cool and under-the-radar, but come on, your desperate desire to be different is embarrassing and pretentious. So

My First Polyvore Experience

2010-03-28T14:20:00.003-04:00

How did I JUST discover Polyvore?? Thank you Guter!! I seriously have a new favorite hobby aka obsession. The items used in the sets below were from a limited selection (hence the jade dress in the wedding ensemble which is nothing I'd ever choose if I had more options) because they were part of a contest, which Catherine Gutermuth kindly brought to my attention. Check out my virtual styling..

Barely Breathing

2010-03-08T19:07:00.003-05:00

Sometimes when I think of what I have lost, I feel that I need just one moment to stop and sit down and catch my breath. As I explained to Angela today the feeling of having to push my hurt and shock away constantly because I have class or an interview or a story to write, she said that I need to allow myself the chance to fall apart. I never did that. But now, I'm scared if I do, I'll never

McQueen's Sorrow

2010-02-11T20:11:00.004-05:00

At 9:39 am my blackberry buzzed to with a Wall Street Journal news alert. At the same time, a girl in class, wide-eyed, turned to me: "Chaya! Alexander McQueen died." And sure enough, the little buzz was informing me of this very thing. As the fashion world reacted today, amidst the start of the New York shows, to the shock and sadness of this news, some in the media speculated that the death

Some last memories of Kiran...

2010-02-10T23:00:00.007-05:00

One year ago exactlyIn January, we went to Puerto Rico with my parents. In fact, my parents were just there last week and they told me that someone on the hotel staff asked about me and her. We were there last year around this time, lying on the beach, drinking daiquiris and other frozen concoctions under the sun as I spelled our love in the sand (literally, you know, "Babs + Bay Wee = <3").

A pretty cool chick's first website

2010-02-08T23:31:00.010-05:00

It's not done, and I'm sure it will be a work in progress for a long time, but if you feel so inclined, here is the link to my professional website, or what will ultimately be that. http://www.chayababu.com/For now, it's a site for a project I am doing (the one I made the timeline for, which you will see there under "chronology"), but I plan to change some things around after the quarter ends to

Teens too fashiony for A&F

2010-02-03T20:05:00.015-05:00

There are a few defining things I remember vividly about ninth and tenth grade - parties in older kids' backyards, trying to go to every pop-R&B concert that came to the New York area (yea Bad Boy tour! God, we were so cool), passing one beer around under the table between 12 girls at Fridays, playing field hockey (eek, the mention of my days of pretending to be athletic make me laugh/cringe),

Moroccan Oil

2010-02-03T18:11:00.006-05:00

Okay, so you should know by now that no matter how much I love to shop, I am generally not a product pusher. But I have to promote this stuff (the original oil). I came upon it by chance as I don't really spend that much time, money, or attention on beauty products, but this came in a gift bag at some event. I wasn't going to use it because I thought it was weird to put oil in my hair, but

Chicago Fashion: A Snapshot of History

2010-02-02T00:43:00.008-05:00

Hey people, I busted my little tush for three days straight on this timeline of fashion in the Second City. Please take a peek into the city's couture culture :) I plan to have the timeline live on the website I'm making in class, which will be ultimately be my professional portfolio site, but since I'm quite excited about this comprehensive look at history, I decided to just post it!chaya b.

By the waaaay

2010-01-30T12:48:00.004-05:00

I want to say, since I haven't written in a while and I just feel the need to address something - I know I am very open in my posts about myself, how I feel about things, and some of the crazy shit I continue to do well into my late twenties. As I venture into the world of writing for the public, I want to practice being honest and frank in the topics I focus on.I imagine that, here,

I want it MINE!

2010-01-20T19:47:00.003-05:00

I know it's been a while, but I'm obsessed with this. OBSESSED! SO, I just might have to take donations to fund the purchase. (Good idea, Susan!) Volunteers? Anyone? I love you, Geren Ford. Really.

Exiled

2009-12-11T18:37:00.017-05:00

A few nights ago, I lay in bed in the limbo between being asleep and awake, that time when you're not sure whether the blurred reel of images playing in your head are those of a dream or of conscious, willful thinking. I couldn't exit this state and return to a solid slumber because I really just had to pee. Half-aware of the fact that I was in a bed, somewhere, under the covers, I had the

My last story! Yes, the quarter is over ;)

2009-12-09T17:54:00.010-05:00

ARTillery: Fighting for change through art, culture and diversityThere’s a saying: “You’re fattening frogs for snakes.” In the swamp of gentrification, artists are often these frogs, providing the basis for economic change in a neighborhood but ultimately getting pushed out of an area that becomes more attractive and more expensive. In Logan Square, Chicago ARTillery is working toward a shift

Lazy Friday During "Finals" Week. Oops.

2009-12-04T13:24:00.005-05:00

Last night was the first Chicago snowfall (or flurryfall I guess), and it's nice and toasty in my little orange-walled, zebra-rug studio. Instead of filing a story today, I requested a research day to start my interviews with artists and their children for a story on the hope and even pressure that some artists/writers/musicians place on their kids to pursue creative paths. It's an interesting

Rock and Roll

2009-12-02T17:45:00.008-05:00

I am obsessed with this child. At first I was just obsessed with her outfit, but then I asked if I could take a picture of her (well, no, I asked her mom if I could), and she cheesed it up and posed, as you can see. I was like wow, what a wee little ball of sass. Her name is Madeline, which I also thought was adorable, and I noticed her tiny Converse high-tops and gold lame leggings as I left an

Beautiful Roots

2009-12-01T22:16:00.006-05:00

Happy December all! It's a very happy month for a few reasons: the holidays, duh, which means tons of yummy treats and twinkly lights and all that good stuff, the grand anniversary of my oh-so-awesome birth, aaaaand winter break! I am in school, yes, I get a winter break. It's insane. But true. Be jealous, it's okay.I've been thinking a lot about how I want to spend the break reading,

Black Friday yippeeee

2009-11-28T12:19:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I should not be buying things because, let's be honest, I have no money. But I think these were really good deal and I still commend myself for not having graduated to designer shoe brands :)Anywaaay, I bought these online at Steve Madden and I'm damn excited for them and you should be too (for me)!They are not very practical for my normal life because of those killer heels. But I

Recapitulation

2009-11-22T14:51:00.012-05:00

Hello lovelies. Wait, do people read this? :)Happy Sunday to all. I've had a very full weekend in terms of having done a little of everything that I think constitutes as weekend activities - on Friday, after having a meltdown to Jamaal about the fact that I continue to have no friends, I decided to force myself to go out to a party for which I had to find the details on facebook. I only tell

Why this is not New York...

2009-11-15T21:09:00.000-05:00

So last night, I wore this Diane von Furstenburg dress from her Spring 2007 RTW collection. I had to find something that worked for the benefit gala thing I was covering at a theater but that was also not too fancy to wear to the party I was headed to after. I chose said dress (above), as it's always been a favorite. And, as you can see, there was another little chickity dressed as my twin.

Why, hello

2009-11-12T18:21:00.001-05:00

Hi there, little bluish-aubergine satiny ruffled folded-napkin-looking concoction! This Aquilano.Rimondi piece speaks for itself. Unique design, amazing draping and in a color that happens to be a personal favorite. The dress was featured in a Style.com article about the trend away from Christian Dior's 1954 words about favoring the black cocktail dress, and towards, what else, color! I for one

Foliage and Frills

2009-11-11T23:12:00.000-05:00

Fall in the Windy City has turned out to be FABULOUS, although sometimes true to its name. Watch, now tomorrow there's going to be a hail storm. Oh my god, did I ever talk about the hail storm in Paris! It was the day I said I was gonna run out and grab gelato, and in five minutes it went from like 100 degrees to the sky was falling down and large chunks of ice attacked the streets - and the

Fashion Repeats Itself

2009-11-08T01:21:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I'll admit I haven't been as on top of things as I should be in regards to what I want to cover. Sorry, I'm in grad school, geez! BUT as I was browsing some collections (ahem, market research), I came upon Tsumori Chisato Spring 2010 and couldn't help but notice elements vaguely reminiscent of her sailor-inspired designs from three years ago - yes, the ones featured in the marine

Yesterday's Story :)

2009-11-06T23:37:00.000-05:00

Symbiosis in Logan SquarePartons sit amongst art done by Chicago ARTillery, a Logan Square art collective, in New Wave Coffee ThursdayThink business and art are worlds apart? Think again. In Logan Square, the lives of entrepreneurs and artists are closely intertwined, and sometimes, they are one and the same.The exhibition in New Wave Coffee officially ended Monday, but art remained on the

Rising Stars

2009-10-29T19:58:00.000-04:00

As some of you may know, because I announced it oh so proudly, I went to an event last weekend in Chicago and was on the official "press list," which was very exciting for me. Yes, I got to stand on the special line when I arrived and sat in "Section A" at the fashion show. Section A was right in front, in case that's not evident :PThe event was the culmination of Chicago's Fashion Focus Week,

What do I do at school?

2009-10-25T02:35:00.000-04:00

So, I want to make it clear that by no means do I think this is interesting to watch or even high in quality or on the spectrum of video editing proficiency, but I'm still always so excited about how much I'm learning! And while this may look like a two-minute clip about some dude you've never seen before, it's really hours and hours of work - shooting scenes repeatedly and then editing to put

Random Thoughts

2009-10-22T22:49:00.001-04:00

The other day, another student and I were discussing this path we've chosen, to be writers and journalists, the romanticism, the hardship, the bullshit of it all! We (not just us here, but all of us, everywhere) get so wrapped up in our day to day duties that our careers demand of us, the constant taxing tasks, that we rarely step back and think about what we are doing. And more than that, why?

A Labor of Love

2009-10-17T18:28:00.001-04:00

This is a tad late, but many have asked me to share more about the Parsons program I did in Paris this summer - what kept me up until the wee hours, what I liked about it, etc. so I want to show some of the work I did. It was such an interesting experience because I came in with literally no knowledge about anything we were doing in the class; by the end, I felt I had discovered an untapped

Back! And Back to School

2009-10-10T20:12:00.000-04:00

Hi hi! Once again, and hopefully for the last time, I must apologize for my hiatus. Not sure if I actually have readers, but if I do, I'm sorry! In my defense, a lot has gone on and this major transition has proven draining and difficult, to say the least. But, since I am actually trying to be a writer, I am going to make it a priority to have something interesting to say at least once a week!

Bittersweet

2009-08-22T22:53:00.000-04:00

Today is the day Kiran would have turned 27. I'm honestly not really sure what else to say about that. Or if there is anything more to say. Ordinarily, she and I would probably be out on the town right now, drunk off our asses and high on life, causing some sort of trouble as usual. Instead, I'm at her parents' house in Ohio and I don't actually know where she is.She always celebrated to the

Un Morceau de Mon Coeur Reste Ici

2009-08-17T09:26:00.000-04:00

C’est ma derniere nuit. Je suis tres tres triste :(Remember middle school and high school, or maybe even college, at the end of camp or a long trip with friends or a study abroad program? That terrible, dreadful parting… the true and deep feeling of being torn from those with whom you formed bonds during your weeks or months in that place removed from your real life? I have that right now. But

Cote D'Azur... je t'adore!

2009-08-11T17:56:00.000-04:00

Sorry once again for my elongated absence. Did anyone miss me?I have been unable to write for a variety of reasons after my last post, when I promised to write the next day. First off, my cute little comment about my stomach acting up turned out to be no joke and for three days I was running to a toilet every time I ingested anything but water or sprite. I'm pretty sure I had some type of

Residence Facility and Character Updates

2009-08-01T19:27:00.000-04:00

A lot has happened in the past few weeks. I regret that I did not have more time to write throughout the program, but I’ll summarize to the best my ability. Most importantly, roommate and two girls down the hall and I argued our way out of the dorm situation and were able to negotiate a 50% refund from what we had paid, which was just an astronomical cost for such a vile living space. I still

"Madeline Vionnet: Puriste de la Mode"

2009-07-18T14:28:00.000-04:00

I’m sitting on the steps of the Pantheon to sketch, but it’s a little too windy and all my paper keeps flying everywhere. Regardless, I’m hoping to make this my new designated work area because it’s about a thousand times better than the prison cell-dorm room. I really should be productive, but I don’t feel like it! Me and my view from the steps of the Pantheon...note the Eiffel Tower way in

First Weekend and Other Stories

2009-07-16T15:19:00.000-04:00

La Petite Babu is actually surviving week deux of fashion boot camp. Things are still pretty intense, but since tonight I actually happen to NOT have a thousand hours of homework, I'm feeling pretty good - and I had two crepes and a Kir (which I love, because it reminds me of my little Bay Wee), so I think that's helping me out a bit too ;) I've decided to try to tailor this program to best fit

My Return! ... & Fashion Boot Camp

2009-07-09T19:02:00.000-04:00

I'm back! I realize I've been away for quite some time, but since I only posted once, I guess it's more just that I'm starting now. I had intended to blog about the brutal and anxiety-ridden last months of my media strategy job, but things sort of took an unexpected turn for me... Kiran, known by most people as my cousin, but to me, a best friend, a sister (more like a twin), a confidante, a