With Art

Chocolate, Perhaps?

2010-12-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

The S Curve

2010-11-18T15:22:00.000-08:00

I found (and creeped on) this woman in her striped glory at the Copenhagen airport. People watching in airports is always so wonderful!

Trousers

2010-09-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

My friend, fellow printmaker, and photographer Amy Cave got some new gear and asked me to guinea pig for her. As a classic ham, I was more than happy to accommodate.

While I was in Copenhagen, I searched for the perfect pair of drop-crotch pants. My feet, unaccustomed to cobblestone streets, begged me to give up after hours of walking into countless stores, in which I would ask, "do you have any drop-crotch pants?" "Any what?" "You know, 'drop-crotch'" (here is where I gesture to make the general shape of the pants clear). I didn't find the perfect pair of drop-crotch pants, but I did get a lot of funny looks and these trousers with interesting pleating. I am a sucker for detail.

About Today

2010-05-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

Has it ever not been about the details?

What Matters

2010-05-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

I've taken matters into my own hands.

I've decided to give up conventional living,

In favor of the more:
Unconventional
Unexplored
Undone

House of Sticks

2010-05-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

Last winter I took off my coat in approximately 20° weather to model for a red headed photographer whose website I cannot find. Thank goodness spring has sprung. And thank goodness I am no longer in Michigan!

News

2010-05-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

On a recent afternoon - after I had been to the grocery store, to work, to the bank, etc. - I looked down to notice I was wearing one black shoe and one blue shoe. Yes, I have the same pair of shoes in different colors, and apparently my shoe lust turned on me! I was a bit embarrassed.

In other news, I am going to Sweden for a month! If you are going to be in Copenhagen, Southern Sweden, or Reykjavik, in June or early July, let me know! I will volunteering at Holsbybrunn. It was a whirlwind decision and I'm so excited!

Danes claim that this statue of their Hans Christian Andersen's "Little Mermaid" is the most photographed statue in the world. I wonder what Michelangelo's David would have to say to these claims...

What a beautiful city!

Southern Sweden

Birthday Gift

2010-05-08T22:10:00.000-07:00

On my twenty first birthday, I wore a beautiful vintage hat adorned with a ridiculous feather ensemble I created. For my twenty third birthday, I decided a headdress would be the way to go. So I made one. Here's a little photo collection of my birthday celebration. Thank you to Bramble for the beautiful flowers (and photos)! And thanks to Unveiled Bridal for ordering me the feathers.

Blue Eyed

2010-05-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

The Future is Now

2010-04-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

I love this video. In the 1930s, fashion designers were asked to create pieces predicting what we would be wearing in the year 2000. It's funny to think that they really weren't all wrong. The dates weren't exactly spot on, but we've gone through so many of these styles! (Except maybe the one where she has a belt that adapts her body to climatic changes. What?)

Tell me what styles you notice! And aren't we all fitted with a telephone and a radio of sorts these days?

Anything remind you of Madonna? Anything remind you of the 1960s?

Curl

2010-04-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever met anyone with hair curlier than this?

Shopping

2010-04-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

Per Jasmine's request and for her upcoming house-guests, a review of Portland. A top five was impossible. :)

A walk along NW 23rd will take you past a multitude of independent Portland shops and restaurants, ranging from Moonstruck Chocolate to Oh Baby (leave the boys outside) to Goorin Bros. Hats. For $8 you can enjoy dessert at famous Papa Haydn's. I recommend splitting desserts, and their french fries are delicious! For the less adventuresome, Urban Outfitters, Gap, and Levi's are available. If your friends are from a small town as I suspect, they will probably enjoy a ride on the max, a stroll through the heart of the city, and a look around Pioneer Place.

If your friends like vintage, check out this blog and take your pick.

For a different vibe, check out N. Mississippi Ave and take a peek through the delightful clutter at Flutter and you must partake of delicious to die for carnitas at Por Que No? You will also find The Meadow, a specialty salt store and a smattering of boutiques.

Whatever you do, don't let your friends set foot in a Starbucks! Albina Press, Barista, Stumptown, Pix Patisserie, and countless others serve a better brew and an authentic Portland feel. If they have learned to read, take them to Powell's Books, the largest independent bookstore in the world.

If your friends have not been to Portland before, take the time to drive out to Multnomah falls on either a beautiful afternoon or when the stars are peeking out.

Self Portrait

2010-04-19T00:02:00.000-07:00

Man Ray got the better of me.

Calling: Cobbler

2010-04-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

Two weeks past the "ready by" date, I finally run into my local shoe repair place to pick up my shoes. I also find multiple signs hung around the very small shop advertising a shoe making class. Shoe making class? I never even considered such a thing. Tuition is a bit steep at $1500 for a class that results in one pair of handmade shoes, but I definitely considered signing up for about 2-3 minutes.

Fortunately, I stumble upon a brilliant pair of handmade shoes at a consignment shop just a few days later. $8 is more reasonable (and they came with a glass of champagne! This is the way to shop).

The only other pair of shoes I've seen with upturned toes like this belonged to a girl who told me she got them on a trip to Tibet.

Tibetan boots

Men's traditional Indian Khussa shoes

In my search for handmade shoes I discovered Pendragon Shoes, an Australian duo that specializes in handmade novelty and costume shoes. Steven Meisel shot these ridiculously awesome shoes for Italian Vogue last September.

Christina

2010-04-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

I met this beautiful and sweet girl on the train and she was kind enough to let me take her picture.

Wish List

2010-04-12T17:17:00.000-07:00

Sitting through art history classes, I took notes on the beautiful clothes. I was so adamant about my adoration for Van Dyck's beautiful coat in one of his self-portraits, my name showed up in a lighthearted exam question on the midterm. (Something along the lines of "which of these paintings does Abbie want an article of clothing modeled after?) The answer, of course, being:

Anthony Van Dyck. Self-Portrait. 1620-1621. Oil on canvas

I love the voluminous sleeves with the slits in them and the high collar, all in gorgeous silk. Here's another stunning jacket with countless folds and a generous helping of buttons. It's all in the details!

Agnolo Bronzino. Portrait of a Young Man. 1530s. Oil on wood.

I could do without the hat. Finally, the draping and pleating in this dress is wonderful. The belt, the surprising layers, the lacing at the top, the emphasis on the female form - ah, magnificent! If only he had painted a view of the back as well!

Edward Burne-Jones. The Wheel of Fortune. 1884. Oil on Canvas.

Someday, when I am ridiculously wealthy, I am going to have these made for me. Or when I have learned how to sew ridiculously well I will make them myself. I wonder which is more likely...

Oh, Brother

2010-04-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a little something something...

New

2010-04-07T23:14:00.001-07:00

I've been tired of my hair for ages, but didn't want to make a hair appointment until I figured out what I wanted done with it. Dye it red? Grow it long? Chop it off? Dye it something else? When I finally decided to run with a long pixie, I was ready for my cut that exact minute. Thankfully, my awesome hairdresser had some time for me the next day.

Last week at Sea World with one of my favorite people of all time. I am lovin' the new do and am having fun. It looks even cooler when I wake up.

When I got home from Sea World, I happily found these shoes waiting for me.

They are basically the tallest thing I have ever attempted putting on my feet. Five inches may not seem like a big deal, but these NYLA Mensae booties are killing me. I've worn them only once and hobbled around my office for half a day. Thank goodness they came with an extra set of heel tips - one already fell off! The color is a little different than I expected, but oh well. I'm a little unsure about what to wear with them!

Pretty Eventful

2010-03-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

As summer lines fly into boutiques everywhere (although I'm mostly wearing black, grays, and greens, the uniform of the Pacific Northwest), I've been attending as many opening events as I can. Yesterday I stopped by Phlox and Oh Baby.

I had to interrupt my visit to Phlox mid-browse, but the Isaac Hers collection was overall uninspiring and I left without a fight. Everywhere I look, I see solid colored jersey dresses either as a wrap or embellished with another solid. The inspiration behind the line is the forest floor. "Each piece blooms from the underbrush and dead fall, dotting the landscape with renewal and beauty." Past collections have some interesting designs, so I'm hoping that with fall some exploratory pieces will arise. Or more pretty and less jersey:

Willow Creek Dress, Isaac Hers Spring 2009

Speaking of which, if you are in Portland, Oregon and like pretty, check out Oh Baby and happily leave with 15% off your bra purchases through the end of the month. I am much too shy to go around snapping photographs in a lingerie shop, but the women who work there are very helpful and I assure you the shop is brimming with imported lace and so much pretty.

Adam Arnold Studio

2010-03-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

Last week I took a trip to designer Adam Arold's new, more spacious studio. A girl checked my shoes at the door.

Here's Adam showing me the dress and vest I asked about. It was the "future" dress he created for a "Past, Present, Future" show he was involved with at Portland's own Seaplane. The little vest is the absolute best part. It's a bit aviator inspired and includes a chin strap, which he kindly modeled for me.

I love the details in this child's dress. The punched leather, the boiled wool half sphere ornamentation, and most of all, the hexagons! Hexagons seem to be the only thread I picked up throughout his spring collection.

This was my favorite corner of the new location. The creams and whites called to me, as did the careful folds in this dress peeking out at the side.

Overall, I was about 1/3 happy with the designs and 2/3 unimpressed. I loved the hexagons, but was not wooed by brightly colored shift dresses in stiff, itchy fabric upwards of $400.

When he makes time for the details, Adam Arnold's work is lovely. When he can't put forth the effort, there's no need for you to shop custom made.

Matchy Matchy

2010-03-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was going to venture forth to the Northwest Apparel and Footwear Materials Show, for which I registered weeks ago, but I found myself swamped and had to give it up. I'll have to wait until fall rolls around for another chance. So instead of pictures of what a materials convention looks like, I only have a simple little word to the wise. A rule to live by in your personal style life: never match.

Please coordinate, please balance, please take into consideration whatever else you are wearing, but don't match. If you do, you may find yourself ending up like this:

It's only cute if you're four.

Photo thanks to Andreas Schjønhaug of The Streehearts.

Old is the New New

2010-03-04T13:08:00.000-08:00

I've been figuratively wrestling with "vintage" recently. Often, it is the term thrown around just to say you like something. Ironically, it doesn't have to be old. It can be "vintage-y." In my home town of Portland, we worship vintage. I see people everyday cycling in vintage garb, traipsing about in their grandma's old clothes, whatever. It's a great excuse to make something seem special. Instead of a designer name, the response to a compliment is "it's vintage." Now, I own my fair share of vintage. Probably more than my share, in fact. But I'm going to stop. (Mostly. I'm not about to stop collecting brocade dresses.)

To wear vintage properly, you must posses one other thing - taste. The most common mistake is wearing vintage as it was intended to be worn. In other words, do not pair your vintage pumps with your vintage skirt and blouse with your hair in fingerwaves and a vintage hat as the cherry on top. Instead, wear a 1950s house dress with reckless gladiator sandals. Pull out a giant, droopy black hat to spice up your beautifully draping ensemble of grays and blacks. Try brightly colored '60s or '80s pumps with your favorite pencil skirt. Or mix up jeans and a black t-shirt with a vintage hat and red lipstick.

The goal here is not to look like a time machine just dropped you off or like you're channeling your grandmother's mother in her prime. Vintage should be like punctuation. I've seen more than a few cleverly placed commas and appropriate semi-colons, and it can be a beautiful thing. The tasteful use of vintage will get you compliments left and right - and you too can just say, "oh, it's vintage."

Did she just walk out of a movie set? Time machine?

Vintage blazer, pocket square, tie, and glasses? Really? Perhaps a bit much.

This girl is in Sweden, so don't mind the vintage fur. Her hair is a popular style from the 1920s, but she balances this nicely with her very current skinnys and boots.

Vintage specs, trench, and hairstyle, updated with trendy trousers and t-shirt.

Vintage belt with vintage inspired skirt and bangles. The slim fitting tank and loose hairsyle turn a decade party outfit into something stylish and worth a second glance.

Vintage blazer and shoes become chic and clean with cropped skinny trousers and a loose, gray top.

All photos thanks to TheStreethearts. First and third by Andreas Schjonhaug, all others by Eirik Slyngstad.

The Way You Wear Your Hat [the way you sip your tea]

2010-02-17T14:50:00.000-08:00

If you believe you don't look good in hats, chances are you are wrong. I used to think I looked horrible in hats - then I figured out my problem. Unless you're Anya Caliendo, you probably just don't know how to put a hat on your head.

The key is angle. Check out the difference.

Top of head:

Versus angle:

It's like those people who say they don't like tea. Do you even realize how many varieties of tea there are? My local tea joint has over 100 different teas. You may prefer it hot, cold, with or without milk or sugar or honey, but it's almost impossible to dislike all tea. You just haven't found your tea yet.

Top of head:

Versus angle:

Also, each hat has more possibilities than just the perched-on-the-top-of-the-head-like-a-bird or angled version.

In fact, you've got 360* of pure awesome.

So please, if you are wishing it was the 1940s again and a woman didn't leave her home without a hat on her head, stop reminiscing. And please purchase a hat. New or old will do, just find one you like and leave your house with it on your head.

Glenna

2010-02-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

I've been deep sea cleaning recently and have made some good progress getting rid of clothes, but when it came to skirts, I enlisted the help of Glenna Fashions. I love dresses, but hardly ever wear my vast collection of skirts. I had an overwhelming 27 skirts ranging from 2 to 8ish years old. I haven't recounted, but Emily helped me find new ways to put some of my skirts to use and I have a giant pile of thrift store bound rejects. She's right, I really don't need a dozen skirts of the same (not particularly flattering) cut. My closet is very happy, as am I.

I can't wait for Glenna's blog to be up and running on February 15th. Also, I can't wait to show off my skirts!

How One Oregonian Cares for Her Clothes

2010-02-04T21:24:00.000-08:00

Some time ago I read a wonderful article on how French women care for their clothes. I did quite bit of searching for it or something like it this evening, but to no avail. I mostly read over and over that when visiting France, one should wear a lot of black.

Regardless, the idea is simple: take care of your clothes. It is unlikely they need to be washed quite so often. I rarely use the dryer except for towels and linens. I even hang dry most of socks. My sister has a very different philosophy. She throws everything in the wash and most things in the dryer. She is willing to sacrifice a view items for the ease provided. I am not. I want to take care of my more expensive clothes, and I take care of my cheap clothing as well -- I bought them because I like them. Low quality makes these items even more vulnerable.

After wearing, air out. I froze my poor roommate at college when I hung my sweaters and t-shirts in front of the opened window during the snowy winter.

Spot clean as necessary.

Never wash whites with anything but whites.

To freshen something a little more intensely, steam by hanging in the bathroom while running a hot shower. (Might be a good time to wash your hair) Then air out in fresh air.

Hand wash everything lace and everything that says "hand wash."

Your wardrobe will thank you. The environment will thank you.

The Eyes Have It

2010-02-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

I can't help myself. I was going through a box of junk today and refound this image of Anh Duong (at a Halloween party) I had clipped out of a magazine sometime ago. The eyes are so interesting!

Also, I really support wearing a fabulous shoe in a place where it can receive the admiration it deserves.

Eye Catching

2010-01-19T22:14:00.000-08:00

I've pulled out a 10 magazine from several years ago to find my favorite creative use of eye liner on these Christopher Kane models (you know, the guy with the gorilla dress). Go away, Amy Winehouse, you are just another Cleopatra. This is what I really would rather sport at a party:

When I started thinking about dramatic eyes, I of course thought of those beautiful Shu Uemura feather eyelashes.

You can acquire your very own Shu Uemura false eyelashes for as little as $18, but if you want feathers, it'll be $79.

I can't wait till my next party invitation.

Let Them Eat Cake

2010-01-16T18:40:00.000-08:00

Today I went to the Portland Bridal Show with my dear friend. I'll be a bridesmaid (for the third time, mind you) in her wedding this summer. I got a bit weddinged out.

Somehow, trends that have died out long ago in the real world live on in wedding world. Perhaps we could try a different fabric for bridesmaid dresses? Perhaps tiaras are not such a good idea? One of the groom models had spiked hair. Wasn't that popular in 2001?

Thank goodness for http://greenweddingshoes.blogspot.com/ for some inspiration! This blog makes me want to throw parties, even without a ring. Yes, you're invited.

Not So Complex

2010-01-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

I love this little jersey scarf from Complex Geometries. Not enticed by the price tag, however, I made my own.

Leopard Print

2009-12-04T23:57:00.000-08:00

When it gets cold in Michigan, it's difficult not to just throw on my down filled puffer jacket everyday. This hat and muff help rescue the world from constantly seeing me in purple marshmallow form. And yes, that's the swacket reappearing, this time layered with sweaters.

Yes, that's a bag of apples by my feet. I made a pie, and yes, it was wonderful.

Corduroy Pillows: They're Making Headlines

2009-11-06T23:43:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to lie, I was maybe a little bit inspired when I got J.Crew's catalog filled with rolled up matchstick cords paired with heels.

Swacket Sighting

2009-10-30T23:11:00.000-07:00

First camera phone sighting of the Swacket!

Yes, this piece can be worn 18 different ways, but several of them are a bit silly. Mine is the thinner, nylon swacket, and I suspect the wool version hangs quite differently for a few of the looks. Still, I adore it. Here are the Harputs OWN suggestions: