Move Over, Paris. Tavi’s In Town.

Through the uber connected Best Friend, I got a freebie ticket to a fashion workshop. So yesterday morning, I straightened my hair, dusted off a suit from my former life, pulled on a pair of heels and tottered off for a full day's work. (I'm not sure that "work" and "fashion" can really go together in a sentence, but anyway). I arrived hopelessly over-dressed. I looked like some kind of throw-back from another era in my suit and collared shirt – because everyone was in jeans. Well, not everyone, that is. There was one men's clothing designer in a pair of beige and brown paw-print tracksuit pants. They were…er…very creative. Which only left me MORE mortified because it meant that I was even MORE over-dressed.

Much more upsetting than looking like a dork amongst the fashionistas, was something I learned at the workshop. I learned that an infant has replaced Anna Wintour as the world's authority on fashion. The infant's name is Tavi and she's apparently the world's most famous fashion blogger with a reported 4 million followers. 4 friggin' million? She started blogging at the ripe old age of 11 and she is now a whole 14 years old. She looks about 8 and a half, though. Here is the little diva herself:

See what I mean? And when she's not hard at work blogging (or doing homework), she can be found at New York Fashion Week, interviewing with the New York Times or being photographed for Damien Hirst-designed magazine covers. In December last year, her Japanese designer idol invited her to Tokyo where she was the guest of honour at a Comme Des Garcons event. (Okay, fine, it wasn't just her – her Mom was invited too.) And designer brands vie for airtime on her blog by mailing her the latest of their luscious kit.

If only I hadn't spent my early teens in George, debating whether to wear the Billabong or the Quicksilver T-shirt to the school disco…

Life is SO unfair!!!!!!!

In addition to selling her signature T-shirts, Tavi's blog provides us wannabee, over-the-hill fashionistas with many astute insights, namely:

"…this Christopher Kane …dress is really epic perverse creepy good".

I think that's a good thing.
But then again, I'm pushing 32 and I wear suits to fashion workshops, so what do I know?

Being post-pubescent, though, I could relate to the following critique that Tavi gave on a Versace number: 

"The pastels of the neighborhood are made more interesting and fun and sexual with the
Versace dress and shoes."

So girls, if you're looking for frisky footwear, then Versace is your man.

OBVIOUSLY I am only being such a total bee-yartch because I am insanely jealous of the waif-like wunderkind. I also wanted to be famous when I was fourteen, damnit! But since I wasn't, I will live vicariously through Thumbelina and her blog. It's aptly named "The Style Rookie" and it is (I hate to say) quite fabulous. I love her layout and her photographs. Er, I mean, she posts some sick pics, dude! Move over, Paris Hilton, you're like SO 2008. Tavi Gevinson is America's new fashion benchmark. Plus she can read and write.

www.thestylerookie.com