Tip of the Week - Grooming

Hawaii 1970*

If you're mixing your scents (deodorant, cologne, aftershave, moisturizer) stay in the same family.

Some Common Scent families:
floral
citrus
herbal (spicy)
woodsy (includes pine and balsam)
oriental (includes musk and sandalwood)
leather

* Hawaii 1970 a fabulous gift from Could it be Madness-this? Go check out his stuff.

Vintage Prada

not quite vintage yet - circa 1990
John Malkovich

10 Vintage Modern Living Room Layouts

I've had five sofas in the past nine years but I don't have a sofa right now. To be honest I'm not much of a sofa sitter - I sit on the floor. I've also lived in small 620 sq ft apartments for the past nine years where living room, dining room and work area usually mold into one.

So, if I sat on a sofa and had a living room I'd be inclined to put together a room something along the lines of these ten from the 70s. Numbers 1, 7 and 9 are my favourites. My husband likes number 10.


1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Quote of the Week - William Blake

No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.

Design Lover - Hans Wegner The Circle Chair

The Circle Chair

More likely known for "The Chair," used in the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debate (view here or below), Hans Wegner's portfolio contains more than 500 chair designs. 

The Circle Chair was one of Wegner's later designs. 

The flag halyard back was woven through the frame with a single piece of cord and a special machine for manufacturing it in wood was designed by master of crafts Søren Holst Pedersen and master journeyman Henry Fisker - a feat which Wegner himself didn't think was possible. 

Both The Chair and The Circle Chair were used to furnish the VIP lounge at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

The Chair - 1960

Your Next 5 Investment Pieces

So you've gone out and made the initial investment on your timeless look (see What to Wear for Time Travel), now what? Now it's time to start acquiring some investment pieces. These are the pieces, that if bought wisely, will last you decades. Don't waste your money on unnecessary impulse buys - like baseball hats, cheap leather belts and novelty t-shirts. Save it and put it toward the best you can afford.

1. the grey cashmere sweater - remember your insight on cashmere.

2. the camel hair coat - you'll only look like Frasier Crane if you want to look like Frasier Crane.

3. large leather doctor's bag - about three times larger than Dr. Dolittle's here.

4. Prince of Wales check suit - My favourite pattern (although herringbone has been knocking on my door lately). A pattern that can be worn year round. Trousers, if the right weight and cut, can look great even with a t-shirt and sandals in the summer.

5. Wool Officer's Coat - how many coats can you wear through each of your different phases and still look cool? This baby is about how you wear it not how it wears you.

Which designer runway will channel The Warriors for 2011?

Galliano, Dolce & Gabbana, Gaultier, perhaps DSquared 2011

From the 1979 cult movie The Warriors.

Reading - T.E. Lawrence The Mint

The Mint, Lawrence, T.E., (1888-1935), Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, 1955.

Like arrows, the tiny flies pricked my cheeks, and sometimes a heavier body, some house-fly or beetle, would crash into my face or lips like a spent bullet. A glance at the speedometer: seventy-eight. Boanerges is warming up. I pull the throttle right open, on the top of the slope, and we swoop flying across the dip, and up-down, up-down the switchback beyond the weighty machine launching itself like a projectile with a whirr of wheels into the air at the take-off of each rise, to land lurchingly with such a snatch of the driving chain as jerks my spine like a rictus.

T.E. Lawrence died at age 46 from head injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident - he was not wearing a helmet. Lawrence's accident deeply affected one of his attending surgeons, Hugh Cairns. Cairns went on to study the unnecessary loss of life by motorcycle riders. This research led to the implementation of motorcycle helmets for both military and civilian riders.

Spring Summer 2010 Watanabe vs Howell

I couldn't resist.

Etsy Vintage vs Runway Chanel

Chanel S/S 2010 --- Etsy seller Planetclairevintage

Design Lover - Achille Castiglioni Primate Stool

About a month ago, I first saw the Castiglioni Primate kneeling stool (Zanotta) at the Vancouver vintage furnishings store Metropolitan Home. Achille Castiglioni designed the stool for his wife so she could kneel down while working and not hurt her back. As someone who prefers the floor or a stool to a chair, the Primate kneeling stool has made its way to my personal list of must-haves. For specs, visit Unica Home.

** Visit Brillante Home for a color pic and a tour of Castiglioni's studio.

Tip of the Week - Travel

Always wrap your jackets and suits in plastic (left over wrap from the dry cleaner) or acid free tissue before you pack them - it helps to avoid creases.

Vintage Kimberly

1970

Quote of the Week - Ivan Panin

For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.

Which fabrics travel best?

When you're building a wardrobe—either for men or for women—keep in mind that one day, you may need to stuff that stuff in a suitcase.

Crepe wool has a pebbly surface. It's my personal favourite, but some find it too casual.

• Lightweight crepe or worsted wool—a dark wool suit or dress in a soft cut doesn't wrinkle, camouflages stains, and is comfortable. The suit trousers can be worn with a less formal shirt for Happy Hour, and switching accessories can transform the dress from a.m. into p.m. Don't mix and match your wool textures.

• Cashmere - wear it on the plane as it wrinkles in luggage. Wrinkles fall out of high-quality cashmere by hanging the garment in a steamy washroom. Be careful with sweaters, as you don't want the hangers leaving bumps on the shoulders. Try hanging them upside down with a pant hanger instead. I bring my travel steamer with me everywhere - invest in a good quality one - they're available at retail supply stores (in Vancouver, try Eddie's). Read my post on the Defamation of Cashmere to know you're bringing the right cashmere.
  
  
  
• Knit tie - Go for a black knit tie, as it goes with everything, doesn't wrinkle, and hides most stains.

• Hose - ladies, you never know. Better safe than sorry.

• Loafers or slip-ons—black ones go with everything and can work as casual or business, depending on what you wear them with. Ladies, I'd do a black closed-toe kitten heel. Remember to keep them polished. Check my Learn Video on the lower left side for a demo, or click here.

Read my post, 10 Household Items to Use on Last-Minute Wardrobe Malfunctions, to learn how to deal with last-minute wardrobe malfunctions.