Old News & New Beginnings

Dear Fashion Trend Guide readers,

You may know that in March, I discovered through a Google image search that azhotgirl.uni.cc, eblogzone.uni.cc, and zing9x.com have violated copyright laws and stolen years of blog content from me. All of my hard work, research, graphics, photos, etc. have all been stolen and placed on a splog, or spam blog. Classy! These splogs are also stealing my bandwidth, wiping my links to redirect to their own sites, and stealing my high-ranking search engine results. Thousands of lost visitors, lost ad revenue, an unwanted association with questionable Asian spam sites, and decreased page rankings are the result. So it's as if I don't exist! Over four years of hard work, all stolen from me, and what can I do to stop it?

I have done all of the things that lawyers and bloggers advise to prevent content theft: filing DMCA complaints, filing complaints with Google and their advertisers, contacting the web host, contacting the domain name registrar, sending cease and desist letters, naming and shaming them, and so forth. The bottom line is that the thieves are using sophisticated technology to steal from "445 blogs in 27 categories" (see where I circled in hot pink below) and obviously, they are not making their contact information available. Nor is their web host, Sakura Internet (located in Japan) responding to my multiple emails regarding web abuse.

Rather than provide these splogs with more blog and keyword content to automatically scrape, I'm going to beat them at their own game. You can see the conspicuous red warning notices that I've been including on my blog for some time now, and these are to deter thieves from stealing. Yes, they ruin the appearance of my blog, but in my case, they are there to send a bold message. The same goes for a copyright notice on each and every one of the photos that I take with my own cameras. I'm not going to apologize to my readers, my advertisers, or anyone else because none of this is my fault.

On a positive note, this experience has been valuable in teaching me a lot about internet and the law. I have learned a lot of technical information, and can now provide lots of advice to anyone else who is a victim of content theft. The bottom line is that sometimes, you simply can't do anything to stop it from happening. If your blog is unlucky like mine, then it's been marked as a target for sploggers with an "S" for "come steal content from me."

I don't know how long it has been happening, but my guess is that azhotgirl.uni.cc has been stealing from me for years. I only just discovered it. Now they are redirecting their Fashion Trend Guide imitator site to some random video site, probably because they got word that I'm onto them and will pursue them relentlessly. Bad things happen to good people, but in the end, good will win out over the bad.

Along that note, I have started a new blog. I won't link to it in this post, because the thieves will wipe that link and then probably try to steal from that blog as well.

So look out for a banner in my sidebar soon to redirect you to my new blog. Here's to new beginnings, new content, new splog countermeasures, and new opportunities! Cheers!

Bill Cunningham New York - A Review

image via zeitgeistfilms.com/billcunninghamnewyork

I'm a little late on this posting, but I feel that it's still relevant, hence this post. On Memorial Day weekend, I had the pleasure of watching Bill Cunningham New York, a documentary chronicling the humble life of the octogenarian godfather of street style photography. Although short, the film is thoroughly entertaining and Bill's quirky personality (along with several of the fashion industry icons that were interviewed) had me chuckling the whole time. At one point, the camera follows Bill around New York City as he photographs two schoolgirls in their uniforms. The girls give him dirty looks and then proceed to curse at him, not knowing who he is. His response? He laughs it off and turns toward the camera. Later, he's trying to get into a fashion show in Paris, and when the attendant doesn't let him in, another person approaches, escorts Bill inside, saying something to the effect of, "he's the most important person in the world." He's just not as recognized!

His candid style of photography and his ability to shoot while riding his bike are certainly endearing to me as a fellow cyclist and former street style photographer. Furthermore, he declines to be wined and dined at the numerous society events that he attends and is shown living in the same tiny Carnegie Hall artist studio (which is filled with file cabinets and photos, and lacks a kitchen or bathroom) for decades. When the interviewer asks Bill about his personal life, you get the sense that he doesn't enjoy being in the spotlight, and instead, he enjoys being an outsider observing others and the way they express themselves through personal adornment.

I left the film inspired to be more creative in the way I dress. In the film, Bill is not shown using a computer, cell phone, or digital camera, so I left the theater wondering how he feels about modern technology: the internet, street style blogs, and social networking. In summary, this film is a must-see for anyone interested in fashion, street style, trends, photography, or cultural anthropology.

Fruits Of My Labor

To say that I've developed an obsession with Prada and Stella McCartney-inspired fruit prints may be an understatement. Recent trips to the fabric store for simple sewing projects have proven to be quite expensive. There I discovered tons of fruit print fabric (everything from apples and bananas to pomegranates and oranges) which sell for the not-so-affordable price of $10 per yard. My first project was a banana print tank top, and then I made a short-sleeved tee with the orange print. (This past weekend I continued my sewing with some lemon print shorts, which aren't pictured.) Rounding out my selection of fruit prints are my new shorts from River Island, a nightgown (and potential day dress) by Nick & Nora from Target, and my beloved new Jeffrey Campbell Fruitbowl pumps. If there are any JC fans out there looking for fit information on these shoes, the Fruitbowl pumps run true to size, have a 5" heel with a 2" platform, and are the most comfortable pumps I own. (I don't generally wear pumps because I don't find them comfortable for my feet, but these are incredible.) This whole fruit print trend is one which I find quite refreshing and perfect for summer.

Shopping at the Ventura Flea Market

Today must have been my lucky day, since I not only found the exact type of kimono I was looking for at the Ventura Flea Market, but I also managed to avoid the unusually rainy weather that began shortly after I left. The vendor and shopper turnout was better than usual, and oddly enough, although the Ventura Flea Market only takes place 6 times per year, it has rained on the last three. Unfortunately, my favorite mannequin vendor wasn't present, but finding a gorgeous silk blend fringe kimono jacket (for a lot less than they sell for on eBay or elsewhere) more than made up for that.

This time I left my Canon SLR at home in favor of my smaller Casio point-and-shoot, and I observed that none of the vendors became curious or touchy about me taking photographs. (On more than one occasion, after asking vendors whether I could take photos of their wares with my Canon, they have asked me not to.) So a smaller camera equals less of a hassle, and is also much easier to carry around when you've got an armful of purchases. I've learned that people become more wary or curious when they see the big camera.

Pictured below are the items that inspired me the most, and hopefully, they'll inspire my readers, too.

Oh Say Can You See

I love fashion trends, and most of the time, I love the country I live in. So what better way to express both loves than with the Americana trend that gained strength when Kate Bosworth wore that (now iconic) Topshop tee to Coachella last month? Ironically, I found a similar American flag tank top in London, of all places. (Don't worry Brits, I love your country too, and I'm currently looking for a Union Jack version.) My American flag print collection now numbers three pieces: the flag shirt, a reversible bikini top I just picked up at Target, and my Jeffrey Campbell Foxy heels in stars and stripes. In case you're wondering, the flower garland is from Dorothy Perkins, and surprisingly, it receives a fair share of compliments, while also making me look like a bit like the flower child I never was.

Don't worry, I won't be wearing more than one flag piece at a time, and I probably won't wear them on the 4th of July, either...too predictable.

6 Summer Accessories Under $70

I've long been a fan of the British high street because of their affordable and savvy take on runway trends. Take, for example the recent proliferation of fruit prints (undoubtedly inspired by Stella McCartney, Prada, and Moschino) on everything from dresses and scarves to necklaces and shorts at stores such as Dorothy Perkins, Primark, and New Look. Or even the easy-to-wear color blocking trend popularized by the likes of Gucci and Jil Sander, or the perfect-for-summer blooming botanicals of Erdem and D&G. While American stores are still focusing on the tribal, surfer, 1970s, and nautical trends, the British high street is light years ahead on the trend cycle. Below are some of my favorite on-trend accessory picks for summer 2011, all of which are from British stores with the exception of the orange slice necklace. The good news for my American readers who are not familiar with the British high street is that all of these stores mentioned below deliver to the U.S. (No need to travel across the pond!)

images from their respective websites

1. Lemon print scarf, dorothyperkins.com, £12

2. Patent twist lock saddle bag, asos.com, $36.93
3. Orange slice necklace, girlprops.com, $7.99
4. Floral printed square handle bag, accessorize-usa.com, $55

5. Yellow/blue raffia wedges, dorothyperkins.com, £42

6. Floral wedge sandals, newlook.com, £24.99

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Spring 2011 European Footwear - Part 2

Here is the second installment of footwear photos that I promised. I captured pretty much anything that caught my eye, and the result is an array of bright colors and fun silhouettes. Naturally, the platforms appealed to me the most, however, I caught myself admiring embellished (and super practical) flats on several occasions. Wandering through Rome made me realize that I'd probably be wearing flats more often if I lived in a city like that. Living in a suburban area and having the convenience and comfort of a car strongly influences my footwear choices in that it makes wearing heels more likely.

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