You know you're a fashion lover when...

1) ...someone asks you if you know what opium is, and you say defensively, "Of course I know what Opium is.  It's a perfume by Yves Saint Laurent!"

2) ...you hear a group of boys talking about PS1, and the first thing that comes to mind is Proenza Schouler.  Honestly, who would think PS refers to PlayStation?

3) ...you're required to write a personal essay for school on the topic of suffering.  You write about the suffering you went through after the death of Alexander McQueen, and end up getting a good mark on it.

4)...your art sketchbook is filled with drawings of shoes (mostly Louboutins), dresses, models and fashion illustrations, and your art teacher grudgingly accepts the fact you will never produce art that isn't fashion-related.

5) ...grocery store aisles are your runway.

6) ... you find every possible way of relating school work to fashion, to the extent two of your final high school research projects were about the physiological effects of perfume, and the question of why we dress the way we do.

7) ...you're given free time in your computer class to do whatever you want on the Internet, and all you can ever think of doing is watching runway shows on YouTube.

8) ...you borrow 13 fashion magazines from the library in one go.  This is the only time the greedy, hoarder side of you comes out.

9) ...walking into Holt Renfrew's shoe department gives you just as much joy as seeing that cute guy on campus.

*All instances are inspired by my own life.  Got any you would like to share?  Let me know and look for it in future posts!

Image Source: Opium, PS1, McQueen, Illustration, Grocery, Perfume, Runway, Magazines, Holt Renfrew

Déjà Vu

That classic moment when you realize another girl is wearing the same dress as you at a swank party is basically, as it's commonly portrayed, the kiss of death.  And funnily enough, for once, TV producers aren't dramatizing the moment.  Sure, both girls are all smiles on the outside, but for every girl out there, there's always a split second of indignation.

When we invest so much time into finding that perfect dress, it's unsettling to see someone else wearing it.  That very personal connection you had with your dress is no longer as special as you thought it was.  Even with regular everyday clothes, there's instant tension when you see someone else "stealing" your style, or sporting the top you yourself love so much.  Just like what we want of our significant others, we want our clothes to be faithful to us too.

Yet deep down, we all know it's impossible.  Fashion is so massed produced nowadays there's almost no chance of having a one-of-a-kind piece of clothing.  If you like something, chances are there are other people who do too.  We just pray we'll never run them.  I've come across this problem several times myself - I've had to bear seeing my glasses, sunglasses and tops on other people.  Luckily, I have yet to bump into people with the same shoes.  Knowing the crazed love I have for my shoes, the day that happens will surely be the death of me.

Speaking of shoes, the beautifully studded Valentino heels that you see above were undoubtedly It shoes the season they came out.  I had first fallen in love with the flat version when I saw it on the runway.  The next thing I knew, they were on the feet of numerous esteemed fashion ladies.

Despite wearing the same Valentino shoes, all these women continue to be nothing less than showstopping.  In the end, it doesn't matter that someone else is wearing the same thing as you.  It all boils down to how you style and carry yourself.  But hey, let's just say I still prefer to live in my dream world where there's no such thing as clothing infidelity.

Image Source: Photo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Fame Monster

As we were having a chat one day, my friend brought up the subject of how unfair it is that there are bloggers who become famous because they have connections, and then there are bloggers like me who can blog for years but never have the same amount of recognition.  Her little quip got me thinking.  Sure, I've said before I blog as an outlet for the constant fashion musings that go on inside my head, but then again, everyone says that.  No one wants - or at least, no one will admit - to having started their blog in order to become famous.

I used to follow a number of fashion blogs: The Style Rookie, Sea of Shoes, Style Bubble, and The Sartorialist, to name a few.  They were all great blogs, and I still visit The Sartorialist from time to time.  But the one problem with all the others was an inevitable flaming sense of jealousy.  I enjoyed looking at their amazing outfits, but I couldn't do it without comparing myself against them. 

Jane Aldridge, I love her, she's beautiful and classy, but no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to relate to her.  She makes it seem as if it's normal to wear the most gorgeous pieces everyday, to have time to put so much effort into her looks and to have the ability to model her outfits afterwards.  I'm not rich, I don't own a closet full of stunning designer pieces, and I certainly don't have time to don full fashion regalia and get someone to photograph me.  I'm a university student who would rather spend money on education and family than fashion, I have a lackluster wardrobe of cheap basics, and I grew up with very few, if any, fashion connections.  If you simply look at me, you would never in your right mind think that I'm a fashion lover.  I am completely average.

You'll notice I even emphasize this in my About - I'm an average teenager who doesn't own a single red sole.  When I first mulled over whether I should start a blog, the idea of making my blog a representation of the average fashion lover crossed my mind.  I wanted things to be from the perspective of a truly average person.  Red-Soled Fashionista is a look into the mind of a girl who loves fashion, but does not live in fashion.

And I want to keep it that way.  All of my posts are mine completely and I have no advertisers or designers breathing down my neck.  Yes, I hope to break into the industry eventually, but I want that progression to be reflected on my blog.  I want my blog to reflect the hard work and struggling that is required of an average person to be in fashion.  Even if I never make it, when friends tell me they read my blog, or that they enjoyed a certain post - those moments are infinitely more valuable than anything fame could give you.  So do I want to become a famous blogger?  Well sure, if my hard work takes me there, but never at the cost of losing the fact that I'm just an average girl.

Image source: Photo 1, 2, 3, 4

A Study in Pink

Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate.  Ok, so admittedly there isn't much fashion involved in Easter, but after doing a little feature on bunny ears for last Easter, I racked my brain for another idea this year.  When it finally came to me, it was in fact inspired by an episode of the only TV series I follow:  BBC Sherlock.  The title of an episode and this post is A Study in Pink.  When I think Easter, I think pastels, and what could better represent Easter than pink?  Pink eggs, baskets, ribbons, and Easter bunnies.  Not to mention pink dresses, pants, jackets, tops...

And don't even think about forgetting the bags...

Never has such a girly colour looked so grown up.  Go on.  Add a bit of pink to your wardrobe.  It's not just for kids anymore.

Image Source: Photo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Wang Xiao

At the request of socialitedreams, Wang Xiao is up next on this blog's model feature!

Xiao is a model from China known for her hair, uniquely cut in a boyish, strict bob that not many of us could pull off, yet which she does with a feminine twist.  She started off by signing with Wilhelmina, and within the same year, was asked to be photographed by Steven Miesel.  But her true breakthrough came when she signed a fragrance contract with Calvin Klein One. 

There's always a searing intensity in her photos, even when she dons longer hair and poses with candy.  She draws you in, and there's something about her photos that's slightly disconcerting.

She shows the same kind of intensity on the streets, with her eccentric and edgy off-duty looks:

In an interview with Elle, when asked whether she thinks about anything when walking down the runway, she replies, "No. It’s just a walk. It’s easy for me. I’m never nervous."  Luckily, it shows!  Here's a look at the shows she scored during Spring/Summer 2012:

Luca Luca



Rebecca Taylor

Charlotte Ronson

Yigal Azrouel

Kevork Kiledjian

United Bamboo

If there are any other models you'd like to see featured, just give me a shout if you haven't done so already!

Image Source: Xiao, CK, Bazaar, Spread 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Street 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Runway

Are you joking?

April Fools isn't a holiday celebrated by all, and in reality, I don't celebrate it outside of my blog either.  Last year, I made a joke post that due to an epiphany, I was going to change the focus of my blog to the comfy, frumpy lifestyle of Crocs.  Funnily enough, some of you didn't know it was April Fools, and very sweetly supported me on my new venture.  Luckily, jokes get old, so this year, I'm just going to have a bit of fun taking a look at fashion that might have others crying out "Are you joking?!", but which nonetheless fosters pride and appreciation from us fashion aficionados.

Commonly referred to as avant-garde fashion, it's not something understood by everyone.  It may be weird and crazy, but it's never for the sake of being weird and crazy.  It might be a way to say something about society, or it might be a way to emphasize the beauty of a certain human form.  Whatever the reason, it's certainly no joke.


Image Source: Photo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8