If in doubt, overdress.
11/15/09
11/13/09
The winner is...
Kristin B. of Trondheim
Kristin has won the gorgeous vintage Calrelli bag in the 2nd Bijou Living Giveaway.
Thank you for all the entries. Once again the response was greater than expected. I'll do another giveaway soon. Hey, Christmas is coming so you could win something to give as a gift.
The answer to the question can be found here.
Thanks again to all that entered - it was great fun reading your emails.
Stacy
11/10/09
Life after the draping cardigan
Okay, so you've put away the drapey cardigan - now what?
Double or single breasted
What's that? You're going to miss all those bulky folds up front on your draping cardigan sweater? How about a draping light weight jerseyA well tailored jacket is never too dressy.
Yes, you can move around in it as easy as the drapey cardigan.
You'll be surprised how differently people respond to you.
Why not try it and find out for yourself?
Yes, you can move around in it as easy as the drapey cardigan.
You'll be surprised how differently people respond to you.
Why not try it and find out for yourself?
11/9/09
6 Womenswear Trends to Put Away Now
top: monogrammed trophy bags, cosmetic enhancements, red soles
bottom: indigo skinny jeans and tan/brown boots, overdyed sprayed on denim with gold designer detailing on the pockets (Jordache 1970s), the draped cardigan (ladies, it looks like a housecoat)
11/8/09
West German Pottery
my stuffHow choked was I when I popped into the local Aritzia store to burn all the Ugg boots (joking obviously) and counted 14 pieces of West German Pottery in various sizes on shelving throughout the store? I thought perhaps Mr. Hill had stashed his personal collection in the store, however, when I went in to another Aritzia - surprise another 14 pieces on display! If only the shoplifters knew that the pottery would retain its value longer than the pair of Nudies they just shoved down their pants.
So now when I'm out thrifting not only do I have to know each of the vintage pickers by their clove oil, undersized faded kids' Levi's jean jackets and rock t-shirts by memory but I also have to know the Narciso Rodriguez perfumed, sprayed on over dyed denim, Frye boot wearing West German Pottery pickers.** It's actually gotten to the point where 'people' have stolen the pottery out of my cart at thrift shops when my back is turned.
Well, there's another little something I've been grabbing lately that they haven't caught on to but that's a secret - for now.
** I'm the ylang ylang and patchouli oil, head to toe black, faux fur wearing, Dansko clomping cougar behind you.
Join us West German Pottery freaks on:
Facebook and Flickr
11/4/09
The Family Elan -They're a Musical Group
There's just something in Monumental that reminds me of Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart. Could be the sparse recording, bass-baritone I don't know. Who cares really, it's good.
Check them out. While you're at it go discover The Incredible String Band if you haven't already.
- lute
- Egyptian tablas
- paper
- wooden flute
- thigh slapping
- vocals
- medieval folk
11/3/09
26 Tips on Personal Style
A - attitude
Cheesy but memorable: The world is like a mirror reflecting what you do and if your face is smiling it smiles back at you.
B - breath
Remember that teacher in school? Well, you don't want to be them - even when you're married. Carry some breath mints, floss, go to the dentist, eat parsley but heavens to betsy don't spray that Binaca in public.
C - colour coordination
...cause every girl's crazy bout a sharp dressed man. You can look like a million bucks if you match. Matching, matching, matching. Someone told me once, 'Blue and green should never be seen except for the sky and the grass.'.
D - dress shoes
Like colour coordination, a good pair of dress shoes can work wonders. Don't go cheap in this department. Go for the simplest, most classic pair you can afford. Don't leave the shop without polish, a shoe horn and forms. Nothing looks sexier than a man's closet with neatly lined rows of shoes displayed on forms. Yes, men's shoes are sexy. To keep your shoes and your feet their best, don't wear the same pair two days in a row. The leather needs time to breathe and dry out.
E - elegance
Male elegance has seemed to have gotten confused somewhere in the late 70s and hasn't fully recovered yet. See my post on the men's pinky ring. Of course, society itself has changed considerably since men actually considered themselves elegant. Elegance doesn't mean the greasy haired guy in the suit with turtle neck sweater, wearing an obtrusive gold watch sipping his 18 year old scotch in a boutique hotel lounge. Offhand elegance is what you're looking for. Denzel Washington, Ryan Gosling, and Christopher Walken all have great offhand elegance. They're well spoken, well presented and they carry themselves well.
F - fresh air
Take even the pastiest chain smoker throw them outside for a few hours and voila - a shade of health. There's a reason it's called fresh air. What's the opposite of fresh? Right. You are what you breathe.
G - gym
The gym could rightly be your living room. Push aside your coffee table and make room for squats, crunches, kick backs, calf raises etc. If you don't like the gym, don't go. Do something else but do it. Remember, muffins make you have a muffin top. Don't give up on yourself, there's no excuse.
H - hems
Pant hems are quickly becoming one of my obsessions. I know I told you to get good shoes but your hem doesn't have to be five inches above them to show them off. Hems should be kept long enough at the back to touch the top of the heel yet short enough in the front to form a break. See Pant Hems: What you need to know.
I - individuality
Don't be the imitator. Be the imitated.
J - juxtaposition
Once you learn that you can mix up your wardrobe you're three quarters of the way there. Don't be afraid to mix textures, patterns (with caution) or style. One of my favourite looks is the meeting of rugged and delicate textures.
K - kiss
You will want to be remembered for this.
L - leathery skin
You'll also be remembered for the touch of your hand. Make sure it's not leathery, or clamy for that matter. My husband sometimes asks to borrow my hand cream. How can I tell him creme brulee really isn't his scent when it makes his hands feel so soft?
M - manners
You don't think people are watching? Well, it may not be the whole room but someone definitely is. You don't think people care about that stuff anymore? Snap out of it! Discover etiquette books or online sites, they're reputation savers.
N - nose hair trimmer
No man, or woman for that matter, should be without. While you're at it trim that mole hair.
O - objet d'art
A small piece of art placed at a focal point in your favourite room not only highlights your personality it also becomes a conversation starter.
P - proportion
Think of a really big guy sitting in a Smart Car. My husband recently refused to buy a suit from a sales associate in an 'oversized monkey suit'. He didn't trust him to make choices for his attire when he couldn't dress himself. Make sure your clothes fit your proportions. Accentuate the good.
Q - quantity
How many drinks until you call it a night?
How much do you tip?
How long is acceptable to wait for your meal before you speak to the maître d'?
How many days till you call?
How many roses are appropriate in relation to time spent together?
How much do you spend on a bottle of wine as a guest at a dinner party?
Life's full of them...
R - roses
Each color means something.
They shouldn't smell like plastic.
Skip the baby's breath.
One in the lapel in the evening beats a carnation.
It takes a certain type of woman to wear rose perfume so investigate before you buy.
S - simplicity
It is always better to err on the side of simplicity rather than be extravagant in your dressing. Christian Dior
The K.I.S.S. principle - keep it simple, stupid
T - tie knot
There are 85 ways to tie a tie. Know more than the Windsor.
U - underwear
Holes, stretched out elastic, comic book characters, pickles and anthropomorphic characters are not attractive. Boxers, briefs, comando - don't knock 'em til you've tried 'em. Have you ever experienced absolute horror (insert Psycho music here) on the first sight of a partner's pants? Strawberries with smiley faces is all I have to say.
V - valour
Valour today is more than showing courage in battle. It's about speech. Be accountable for your actions, speak for those that cannot speak for themselves, whatever it is you choose to do you'll feel better and it gets easier and easier the more you do it.
W - the white shirt
Just like the classic shoe, the white shirt should be the best you can afford. Well fitted, crisp and not polyester. Try something different and go to a tailor to have one custom made.
X - The unknown.
Your next topic of conversation over dinner.
Y - yourself
Know. Love. Be.
Z - zest
Dior once said; ' There is no beauty that is attractive without zest.'. Your get up and go, your gusto, your piss and vinegar, whatever turns your crank, blows your horn - this is what makes you different and attractive.
11/2/09
11/1/09
10/29/09
6 Menswear Looks I find Appealing
I can't rightfully tell you what I'm bored with without telling you what I find appealing.
top: motorcycle boots, offhand elegance (minus the cigarette), the black short trench coat
bottom: faux fur collars, red accents, the mod influence
6 Menswear Looks I'm Extremely Bored With
This one goes out on special request for harbourmaster:
top: messenger bag, the blazer hoodie combo, acid wash - this was not cool in the 80s either
bottom: urban plaid, the undersized fedora, the pea coat
10/28/09
5 Ambitious Designer DIY Projects for You
Patience is a virtue. Think you'd have it in you to attempt one of these beauties?
10/27/09
Top 5 Design Pieces I'm Extremely Bored Of
1. if I hit my head on this one more time.... ARCO lamp
2. Starck's ghost chairs - Ghostbusters
3. Noguchi table - sigh
4. Oh look, it's an Eames lounge chair and ottoman
5. Barcelona chair - ho-hum
Honourable Mention - the don't make me want you Saarinen table
10/26/09
Bijou Living Giveaway 2
Prize:
Vintage Calrelli shoulder bag - velvet carpet bag to be exact. Magnetic snap closure, linen lined interior with small zip pocket. 12" x 11" x 6.5 ". 17" handle drop. Made in Canada. Mint condition.
** Vintage at Bijou Living is merchandise that is at least twenty five years old.
How to win:
email me (bijouliving@yahoodotcom) the answer to the question below with contest in the subject line:
Name one thing/style you can wear that will make you look heavier?
One winner will be announced the morning of Friday the 13th of November 2009 (your lucky day).
psst ----> the answer is in the blog.
I don't like spam as much as you. Your email will only be used to communicate with you if you're the winner and will not be shared in any way, shape or form.
Quote of the Week - Crosby Stills Nash and Young
If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with.
10/22/09
The future of color in interiors
Both Spiderman and Superman are doing it.
Red and blue. I foresee a return with accents of gold.
Red and blue. I foresee a return with accents of gold.
Sorry Vancouver, you're not Brooklyn's bag
How pleased was I to see that Brooklyn Flea has a Design Co-op.
MAPTOTE was formed after an inspirational trip to Europe by Rachel Rheingold and Michael Berick. The duo took their love of maps, travel and design and presto they created a tote. The totes feature various schematic maps of cities, their neighbourhoods, icons and landmarks. Silkscreened on cotton in Downtown Brooklyn there are twenty three cities to choose from - Vancouver, not being one of them.
Vancouverites, which famous neighbourhoods, icons and landmarks would be on our map tote? After all, aren't we holding some sort of event soon that's supposed to 'put us on the map'?
The totes are great idea, they remind me of those kitschy vintage souvenir scarves or better yet - the black souvenir pillows, you could get with city maps on them.
Here's one designed by Grayson Perry for the Tate. It's not vintage but it's still fabulous.
10/21/09
Taxidermy - Selfish, Scientific or Stylish?
Does taxidermy always expose a longing to capture animals and tell stories about their significance within human lives?
The Museum of Vancouver attempts to answer this question with their latest exhibit, Ravishing Beasts (Oct. 22 - Feb. 28). Viewers are confronted with the 'visual power of taxidermy' and invited to examine taxidermy's cultural aesthetic, scientific history and artistic revival.
Here's a sneak peak from the opening party.
images © stacy reynaud
Fin*No animals were harmed for this exhibition. Most of the taxidermy that will be on exhibit is from the museum's own collection and was acquired between 1894 and 1950 from Vancouver residents.
The Digs - What you see is what you get
I've had a few requests for some pics of the new digs. Here it is in all its unstaged glory - dark (cause that's the way I like it) and scantily clad with what's left of our furniture. Everything is still where we left it when we brought it in off the moving truck and will probably stay that way for awhile.
Don't you just love wires. My Dad won that lamp when he was a kid for delivering the most newspapers. The hand painted tea pot is a thrift find from years ago. I use it to hold my pens.
One really big slab table and a bent plywood Singer sewing chair.
My old LED clock from the 80s. It's so bright we have to put a sock over it when we go to bed. Part of the husband's guitar collection.
Our highly coveted thrifted $40 rosewood chair and my Grandfather's iron night table. That's Sherman down below. Oh, and there's my Casio Illuminator LED digital watch. Note the gorgeous rental white snagged rental apartment curtains. The emerald black out drapes will be up soon - I hope.This is our old place.
The studio.
10/20/09
I've been had by gelatin
the yogurt I'm going back toWe used to shop at a whole food market but recently switched to a no name box store grocer for financial reasons. It never occurred to me to check the ingredients of yogurt for anything besides cochineal but upon reading the label of a cheap 'house' brand plain yogurt to use for some raita I almost chucked it and my cookies on the floor. Since when did they put gelatin in yogurt, marshmallows or mini-wheats for that matter? Guess I've been out of the loop for the past ten years.
As for those copious amounts of gelatin I've consumed unknowingly - you know who you are and I'm on to you - you can sit with the curried lamb plate I ate half of in London and that ham quiche from Capers I felt the wrath of for three days in the file marked Remember that time...
Oh and ba-bye rice krispie squares you'll fit nicely beside fruit berries in the file marked Food I used to enjoy but won't touch again...
For a list of food additives of animal origin or suspected animal origin visit this site.
10/19/09
Quote of the Week - Carrie Latet
Souls wouldn't wear suits and ties, they'd wear blue jeans and sit cross legged with a glass of red wine.
Sanjhih and Taiwan's Forgotten Space Age Modern
The UFOs have now been destroyed.
Originally intended as a luxury beach side resort in the 70s Sanjhih's (Sanzhi) UFO residences have now become part of the beach. Leveled earlier this year by the Taipei County Government the structures now exist only in image. For a striking pictorial history, including the remains after the demolition, visit cypherone on Flickr. 
Each UFO was constructed of reinforced concrete covered by fiber reinforced plastic.
The residences were never inhabited, nor was the project completed.
The government is planning on turning the site into a 'real tourist attraction' in the near future.
*All photos from cypherone's Flickr set.
Read an article on the Sanjhih UFOs from the Taipei Times here.
Related Posts:
Urban Decay and Abandonment
The Decline of West Coast Modernism
10/17/09
Goodbye White Picket Fence, Hello Lace
10/15/09
6 Best Men's Jeans for Fall Winter 2009
The crotch wears out on my husband's jeans about the same time every year. Some sort of physics perhaps...
He's 5'9" and less than 150 lbs. Usually it's pretty easy for him - 30 32 - we're in we're out. However, with the plethora of men's denim hitting the market it seems men's wear is headed in the same direction us women have been navigating for years - non-standardized sizing.
Here are six of the best jeans he tried. We finished the day with pairs of Nudie and Levi's.
Cheap Monday OD Black
Nudie Thin Finn Dry Black Coatedbuy online
10/13/09
Design Lover: Brand van Egmond Love You Love You Not Chandeliers
To think, for all those years his love lay in the fate of a flower petal.
From the ceilings of the Hilton Hotel in La Defense, Paris, to the Belle et Fou theatre in Berlin, Dutch design duo Brand van Egmond has definitely been hanging out in the right joints around town. William Brand and Annet van Egmond founded Brand van Egmond in 1993 and has since been synonymous with trendsetting design that is both eye catching, memorable and distinct.
The Love You, Love You Not collection of lighting continues the duo's tradition of emotionally provoking design.
For stockists.
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