A Spring Weekend in 2012

Spring = spring to my feet and get the dust off everything!

I picked up this clothes storage bag last week at IKEA, (along with some curtains). Why I have not had these bags to store my vintage clothing for the past twenty years is a moot question. The orange sparkly number is my wedding dress.

All zipped up.

The ocean is cleaning up as well. My First Day of Spring Beachcombing Expedition, found this washed up on shore. Living on the Pacific Coast - and expecting debris from Japan soon - I find this piece eerie. It's a tsunami wave carrying books and a violin.

Flo giving me the stink eye.

Spring cleaning tunes. A gift for me from Vinyl Records on Hastings. Check out the inscription, it adds all the more. I'd bought a new sealed pressing of Leonard Cohen's debut album at Highlife on Commercial, but it was totally warped and the first song, Suzanne - was scratched and inaudible. Another reason why old stuff is better than new. 

I couldn't get my money back from Highlife. I didn't trust buying another new pressing from them and was uninterested in a CD (I don't even have a CD player). I exchanged it for the worst Tim Buckley album, which I turned around and traded for $2 towards a Bon Iver album at another record store. Highlife should've given me my $30 back.

Another Spring find - Veuve du Vernay minis! Make every excursion a celebration with these portable little fellas.

Fashion Influencers Fashion Bloggers and Brandwashing

Robin and Gino - one from my found vintage photo collection

A few weeks ago, Syed, at Dapper Kid, wrote a great post about fashion bloggers and transparency. 

I commented on how I doubted the transparency of Jak & Jil at times. 

My viewpoint formed after seeing too many black quilted vintage (?) Chanel shoulder bags and a specific type of phone in a series of posts on Jak & Jil. 

These high-gloss street style bloggers have always left me with doubts - it's time to move on, marketers. 

Today, in my reader, four new posts from Jak and Jil came in - each titled Tommy Ton for Club Monaco. 

Thank you, Mr. Ton, for your transparency. I, for one, greatly appreciate it.

For more on brandwashing, look at Martin Lindstrom's book, Brandwashed.

Could you pull it off? Mink Notebook Cover

Mink iPad cover. Made from 100% recycled fur and leather.

If you could, you should head up here and buy the heaps of vintage fur coats hanging on the racks in thrift stores. You'd make a small fortune.
available online at Shannon South

Much cooler than Hunters Russian Ad Age Art

text reads, "Rainy rain, you cannot hurt me. I would not go out without galoshes. Because of Rezinotrest [Soviet rubber-industry trust] every place is dry for me. Sold everywhere." 

poster by Vladimir Mayakovsky, 1923
source

Vintage Pierre Cardin for Men

1980

Best Mens Winter Coats

Parka

Basic Pea coa-tish coat source

Trench Coat or Balmacaan source

Camel hair or cashmere polo coat

Water repellent coat source

Quilted or down jacket source

Wool or flannel jacket source

Cashmere or wool scarf source

Design Lover: 1980 Omega Dinosaure Watch

Design year: 1980
Quantity: Limited edition of 595. Limited, but not numbered, series of 7 pieces with transparent dial under ref. BA 191.0114
Thickness: 1.35 - 1.48 mm
Material: 18K solid yellow gold
Case: Rectangle, 18K solid yellow gold
Retail Price (1980): $12,000.00 - $15,000.00
The watch came with an 18K gold keyring shaped like the watch, which was used to set the correct time.

A Smelly Recommendation

Three years ago I came across Le Labo on a trip to San Francisco and became an instant fan. We bought a bottle of Patchouli 24. Le Labo parfum has a nonsynthetic unconventional scent that lasts a long time.

A few months ago I'd heard about their City Scents but didn't want to drop $116 on something I'd never smelled. Imagine my excitement when I received an email update from Le Labo offering them up for $10 each - with free shipping - even to Canada. I bought five and kept two, Poivre 23 (London) and Musc 25 (LA). Both scents are unisex but I've marked the Musc 25 as my own. I would've kept the Vanille 44 (Paris) but it reminded me of a rather trying period in my life and the Baie Rose 26 (Chicago) and Tubereuse 40 (NY) weren't my style so I gave them to Rachel (who in turn bought me another Musc 25 - thanks R!) They smell fab on her!

The scent lasts a long time so I'm sure the little $10 bottle will last me at least six months.

This morning I received a reminder email that the $10 sale is over November 30th. I'm buying the Gaiac 10 (Tokyo) and Aldehyde 44 (Dallas) today.

Le Labo is not an affiliate of mine so this is a completely unbiased opinion. Give them a try.

Some stuff I left behind

Vintage Huskies Jacket - Danish silkscreen
70s luggage - I used to sell that floral stuff for a pretty penny way back when
a pseudo Eames chair knockoff at our back dumpster
milk glass - I love this stuff displayed en masse
Dutch pewter coffee set - men's leather biker jacket (North Van SPCA thrift approx. size M go get it!)

Style Inspiration - Britt Eklund Peter Sellers

circa 1964

Signs of Quality Tailoring - The Trench Coat

Style Inspiration

Pete Townshend and Paul Weller - 1980
Paolo Hewitt joined in the shot with a snazzy outfit later
© Janette Beckman

Dear TOMS Shoes

Is it still One for One when Ashley buys a pair of TOMS shoes at a department store that's already bought 500 to resell? She's confused because your trademarked slogan is, 'With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One.' When Ashley gets around to purchasing a pair of TOMS at aforementioned department store, that same pair of TOMS will have then sold twice, once at wholesale and once at retail. Who is the 'customer-philanthropist', the department store or Ashley? Two for Two?

Rant Time - telecommunications

images via French Vogue, Stockholm Street Style

Style Inspiration - Amedeo Modigliani

- the friends of
1915-1919

From the Archives - 11 Tote Bags

Originally published May 7, 2009

It is believed, among couturiers, that your accessories should be more expensive than your basic suit. The right accessory can enhance a dull outfit and set you apart from the pack.

When choosing a city bag for 2009 think harmony. Each item in your wardrobe should have some harmony with the others. That is, make sure that no one piece of clothing stands out by itself. Bags, like shoes, provide light-reflecting contrasts to your outfit. It is important, therefore, that your bag, as your shoes be well maintained and polished.

Here are 11 bags to carry off your look.

1. Pauric Sweeney

2. Corsia

3. Dolce & Gabbana
4. Ally Capellino

5. Moore & Giles
6. ndc
7. A Brand Apart
8. Jas m.b.
9. Maison Martin Margiela
10. John Varvatos
11. Dior