Aug 19, 2009

What is your personal style?


Apparently, last week's mind fog was actually a time machine that took me back to Paris in the late '60s. The attraction seems to be unshakable—a sure sign to grab the inspiration and start my fall picking.

In his autobiography, Dior by Dior, Christian Dior reminisces on the social aspect of walking to and from the city during the German occupation of France from 1940 to 1944. Walking the same route daily became the most important networking event of Dior's career. I will keep this event to myself. Read the book.

Living downtown makes walking my main mode of transportation, which usually covers about 5 km a day. Walking this much has made the phrase, 'I don't have the right shoes, ' one of the most common in my vocabulary. Trust me, those black closed-toe YSL platforms would be mine if I wasn't so practical. Instead, I'll take that eight hundred bucks and buy a closet full of timeless vintage pieces and hopefully find the right pair of shoes to wear.

What I'm getting at is—plan your shopping for your lifestyle. Personally, I'm attracted to Francoise Hardy's style of the late '60s because I see it as adaptable and suitable for my lifestyle—comfortable chic. For another great look at Françoise, check out her 1967 video for Voilà here.

Note: In my repertoire, the fur is faux.

Belle de Jour - Coats Shoes and Sheaths

Luis Buñuel had a shoe fetish. However, the first thing that caught my attention as I watched this montage of shoes from his 1967 film Belle de Jour was coats. I love a well tailored 1960s coat. My eyes then moved to the sheath dresses, then the hair and finally the shoes. I'm more of a boot woman. If you made me pick - starting at 3:52 both his and hers are pretty fine. By the way, is it the shoe itself or the foot dressed in the shoe?



Aug 18, 2009

J-Beauty



Keeping Japanese women slim and beautiful for over twenty years Fibe-Mini is 100 ml of carbonated fiber goodness. One bottle contains the dietary fiber content of about two heads of lettuce and the equivalent of 15 lemons in Vitamin C (300 mg). Sounds like a high dose fiber detox combined with collagen stimulation. I think I'll eat an apple. Domo arigato.

View the Japanese Fibe-Mini advert complete with school girls, aliens and a female super hero below.

Aug 17, 2009

Hermes Paris Savage Elegance Campaign


Hermès Méharé bag in red ostrich 1988

Aug 16, 2009

Quote of the Week - David Bowie

Well, if I wear these things, I suppose in the next few months we'll start to see a lot of these around.
David Bowie, 1970s

Aug 14, 2009

Woodstock: An Aquarian Fashion Exposition


The Summer Pop Festivals of 1969 not only show cased some of the greatest musicians of all time but they also unknowingly premiered America's evolving fashion scene to the rest of the world. It wasn't since the 1930s that America saw both men and women eagerly cultivating their own personal style and individuality in regards to their appearance.


To this day music festivals hold a treasure trove of 'inspiration' for designers. I must admit that I felt a pang of sorrow, disbelief and a jab in the heart when I saw photos of the' 'Looks of Coachella' in a recent online spread for a popular women's fashion mag. I chuckle to myself thinking of this mag doing a fashion spot at Lollapalooza '92 - 'Grunge is Grand: The looks of Lollapalooza'.

During a vintage show in Los Angeles I was approached by someone who commented, 'I don't know how you can sell your stuff. I'd hate to see people walking around looking like me.' Hey, fashion is fashion, style is confidence. Keep it real.

Related Posts:
A Eulogy for my Friend and Inspiration

Aug 13, 2009

This is it

You see my mind has been a little groggy this week due to a car accident on Tuesday and an attack of the, I was fed a ham and cheese quiche after being meat free for 21 years, monster. My apologies. My thoughts have been here but laden in tar. The conclusion - car has been written off and ham tastes like salty rubber. So, on with the show this is it.

Aug 12, 2009

10 Best Boots for Men

1. Alberto Fasciani - back zip low boots




2. Boulet - motor cycle boot
stockists at bouletboots.com
3. Chronicles of Never - desert boot
online at oaknyc.com
4. Rocco Pistolesi - hand stitched chelsea boot


5. Red Wing Iron Ranger
stockists at redwing.com
6. Raparo


7. Anne Demeulemeester
online at Brownsfashion.com
8. Collection Privee'? - motor cycle boot


9. Buttero - Trofane
stockists at buttero.it

10. Gianni Barbato - multi buckle boot

Aug 11, 2009

Shoes in the City


August 3, 2009
11:00 - 11:45 am
Vancouver, Canada




Design Lover: Frank Ligtelijn Globe 2000 Lamp

Designed in the 1960s by Frank Ligtelijn for Raak Amsterdam, the Globe 2000 floor lamp captures the nascent Space Age of mid 60s design. Raak has manufactured a large range of wall, floor and swag lamps always in the futuristic combination of glass and fine grained structured metal with chrome or silver accents.

Measures:
Height: 111.76 cm (3 ft. 8 in.)
Adjustable second height: 167.64 cm (5 ft. 6 in.)
Width: 35.56 cm (1 ft. 2 in.)

Available online: 1st dibs, or search the post title.

Aug 10, 2009

Quote of the Week - Vivienne Westwood

Sexiness is the most important motive in fashion because fashion is eventually about being naked. Vivenne Westwood






Vintage Gianni Versace


Gianni Versace
1982
the label was only four years old

Aug 6, 2009

8 Storage Cabinet Ideas for Your Space

Don't limit yourself to the typical when choosing storage for your work space. Why settle for a boring office supply store filing cabinet? Your space should be inspiring and reflect who you are.

Here are eight cabinets I wouldn't hesitate to put in my space:

1. military strong box from Get Back Inc.
2. black lacquer Oriental cabinet
3. Paul Evans bar cabinet
4. industrial metal cabinet from Get Back Inc.
5. Aldo Tura cabinet
6. 70s Paul Evans inspired resin bar cabinet

7. Danish modern cabinet
8. ornate 1685 cabinet from the Louvre


Related Posts:
14 Dining Room Ideas
A-Z of Inspirational Design

Aug 5, 2009

10 Super Home Offices and Work Spaces

Even if all you do is email, it's beneficial to have a space designated in your home to give you privacy. If you have everything you need already organized and on hand, the risk of losing your concentration will be kept to a minimum.



Storage is essential. Tidy or messy - make sure your stuff is easily accessible and organized - in your own special way. A regular chest of drawers found at a thrift store and painted up works just fine as a filing cabinet. The photo on the right © Lynne's_Lens



No matter if you have space under the stairs or addition of your own, your space should be comfortable and a reflection of you.



Good light is essential. Daylight, whether a skylight or high window, lets in a cool, even work light. The white walls reflect the light and the warm wood tones.



Rugs help to muffle sound, they're comfortable to sit on, and they add some warmth and definition to space.



Whether you're in your study or your workshop, make sure everything you need is at arm's reach. Top photo courtesy Perry the Birman.










Related Posts:

My Studio
How to Wallpaper with Newspaper
How to Add Depth to a Small Room










Marilyn

June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962






Aug 4, 2009

Grizzly Bear - They're a Band



I know two music posts in a week. No, I'm not being lazy, I just happened to have stumbled upon these guys today and they're on tour right now. Maybe near you.

10 Artists To Watch


2. Joshua Van Dyke
photo Stacy Reynaud


3. Nick Kuszyk
(photo Nancy Smith)


4. Vintage Found Photographs


6. Found Portraits
(collection of Chris Gallagher)
7. Cameron Kerr
photo Stacy Reynaud


9. Neil Gall
(photo Peter Abrahams)



Related Posts:

The Lure of the Found Portrait

How to Dress to Look Slim

If you want to dress to look slimmer stay away from these:

1. bold patterns - plaid, paisley, large glen check
2. bulky fabric - flannel, tweed, corduroy, velvet
3. contrasting vest
4. double breasted jacket
5. horizontal lines
6. pocket flaps
7. wide spread collar or lapels
8. bulky clothes = bulky you
9. cuffed trousers
10. long jacket
11. chunky shoes
12. hair that is full on the sides


horizontal stripes add girth, tweed adds bulk, double breasted jackets widen


widespread lapels, collar and a pocket square pointing outward leads the eye outward, cuffed trousers stouten, contrasting vest accents the mid section

pocket flaps add bulk to the wrong sections, long jackets shorten, bold prints, like glen check, magnify


Related Posts:
5 Easy Ways to Dress up Your Appearance
10 Fashion Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
How to Remove Wine Stains and Other Delicacies

The Back 40