e.g.

i'll tumble for ya

It's happening. I joined the tumblr generation. You can find me here. It's about my fiber art, and my daily / hourly inspiration.

 

jet sag

I'm heading off to the wilds of Idaho to enjoy a long, peaceful weekend with family. My travel outfit of choice? A grey, checked, wool jumpsuit and black, suede platforms. My fellow passengers' outfits of choice? Sweatpants, fleece anything, and sneakers. Whatever happened to style whilst traveling? I don't believe the two have to be mutualy exclusive. In fact, I think sweats can be rather chic, as evidenced here.

My mom always pounded it in my head that when you travel, you are representing. What are you representing? Your self (at first glance, at least), your family, and your culture (whether you can tell at first glance what that is). Although I don't agree entirely with my mom's stance on travel dress code, I do believe you are showing self respect when you dress. Even if I'm not traveling to see mom, et al, I still represent. Why bother? I'm not really sure, but I always feel good when I have my best foot forward. I feel confident, strong, and prepared for whatever disaster may pop up. Here are some soul strengthening things to wear while traveling that happen to be comfortable (all the better for finding out that your flight is delayed 2 hours...).

Bon voyage!

illesteva lenox shades :: 3.1 phillip lim knit trench cardigan :: oak black panel tunic :: helmut lang stretch denim pants (jeggings if you must, but these are really lovely) :: becca moon cody short boot


t by alexander wang terry batting hoodie :: acne play cosi clean pants :: belle by sigerson morrison loafers













 

parker posers

Imagine my delight when I saw that the Louis Vuitton's Cruise 2011 Lookbook was photographed in Palm Springs. I recognized some of the shots from the Ace Hotel, where we just vacayed, and the Parker Hotel, where we dined. Look familiar?

Shameless Apple users stack their gear on the dining table of the King's Highway Restaurant.

In the same dining room (note tile color scheme), model Anne Vyalitsyna poses for photographer Mark Segal.

Stephanie of previous post, Nessun Limiti, poses in front of the Ace Hotel's lobby.

Anne does, too!

And over at the Parker, the crew gets into the Jonathan Adler decor.

And Anne does, too!

And who could resist these wicker egg chairs? Not Stephanie and a friend...

And not Anne!

So I'm convinced that Palm Springs is this little capsule of weird, where wonder and delight abound. Where every day is a holiday. Clearly, Louis Vuitton agrees. 

And thanks a lot, photographer Mark Segal, for showing me how much I need a new camera and some lessons (SHORT LIST).

p.s.

Hello Dear Readers!

I'm reporting from The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, and excited to tease you with an upcoming post. I'm following the most stylish woman I know around P.S. Her vintage swimwear collection is enough to make me swoon. Stay tuned for an inspiring style profile.

kiss xx kiss xx

long weekend

The beau, the dog, and myself are taking a long weekend. Can't wait to post with a refreshed state of mind.

photographer: ellen von unwerth

 

float

Kim H. sent me some verrrry interesting links this weekend. South Korean designer Park Sul Nyeol showcased traditional hanboks in a very nontraditional way. All this for a new department store opening. Sheesh! Around these parts we're lucky if we get a Britney Spears lip sync contest... Enjoy!

tread

by Kim H.

image by the sartorialist

The bridge toll recently went up to $6. This is not something I can afford (honestly, I really don’t know who can), so it was time to find a new way to work. As much as I love mother Earth and want to do right by her, giving up my 20 minute commute (40 min round trip) for nearly an hour each way was painful. No matter. I also love eating well, and wasting money on that damn toll wasn’t going to cut into happy drinking/eating hours. So I prepared myself - this was going to be a lifestyle change. I’ve commuted via public transit before, but this time it was going to involve a bike.

Before, when I traveled via bus and Bart, there were many things I knew or did differently. I knew the weather report. One doesn’t wear her favorite suede pumps, regardless of how well it completed the outfit, if rain is certain before lunch (unless you pack them safely in your over-sized purse). Speaking of purses, those gigantic bags that women are known for? Perfect for a girl who needs to keep it all with her during the day. Especially since she cannot simply leave it (whatever it may be - yoga pants, umbrella, book you meant to give to Jessica at the front desk...) in the car trunk till it’s necessary to have. No, you have with you what you need that day, all day. And you wear the clothes that will get you through the day without catching pneumonia, coming home soaked or over heated, etc., etc.

In the Bay Area this requires skill. For a girl doesn’t want to sacrifice a well thought-out outfit simply because its going to be 50F at 7:30am when she catches the bus, and 78F while she’s at lunch with cute-boy-recently-met-at-gallery-opening, and then 55F with a chance of showers at 5:30pm when she must make her way back home (or to drinks with aforementioned cutey if lunch was cancelled or went really well..??). Yes, it takes true talent to appear effortlessly cool and appropriate while bussing across the micro-climates of the Bay Area.

So, how to approach this new biking aspect of my return to public transit commuting? Well, I sure wasn’t going to relinquish my dresses or skirts. No, I have too many, and love them too much. And having gained a few pounds at work, skirts are far kinder to my over-sized bum of late than those cute but fitted pants... This would take some serious plotting. And so the night before my first run, I excitedly planned outfit options, while carefully checking the weather report. It was just like old times!

Day 1: I wore a simple plain black t-shirt with ruched short sleeves and a red ruffly skirt. Yes, I even wore my favorite black 2” pumps (they tie around the foot, so are not likely to fly off). To protect my honor, I employed short leggings under the skirt, at least to get me into the office. My bag was packed (with all things necessary - I could live happily on a desert island for weeks, or until I finished my book), my outfit complete, and helmet snapped on tight. I struck out.

Gliding down the first few streets was easy and fun. No one seemed to notice me in my red skirt, at least not as though I were some weirdo frilly mutant. In fact, as I rode along, I noticed other girls on bikes in skirts and dresses! All looking very cute and work appropriate and yet managing nicely on their bikes without showing anyone any kind of goodies. Whee! This was fun!

And then it happened. I was sitting in an intersection, signaling and waiting to make a left turn when a couple of guys in a truck leered over me with big grins on their faces. They were loving my red ruffles a little too much. They gave me a nice whistle and let me pass. :-/ Huh. A few blocks further a couple of guys unpacking a truck noticed my skirt hiked up around my thighs (recall I’m still in leggings!!) and the effect was more than any espresso they might have bought. They happily gawked and grinned as I passed by. *sigh*

I made my connection to the bus, and I was on time to the office that morning. No one was the wiser I had arrived via my new methods - I looked as well dressed and polished as any other day. If the worst of it would be a few happy boys staring now and then, then this wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

Wait, I lied. There was one thing different - helmet hair. Apparently my ugly helmet (not gonna lie, I was a little ashamed of my dorky helmet compared to the cool ones the more seasoned bikers sport) is vented so that my hair dried nicely while remaining fluffy. People did comment on how nice my hair looked that morning!

Editor's note: found this blog with some really cool links to stylish bike helmets. All is not lost. Check it out here.

i have a secret

One of my favorite things to do is get in my car and put on a playlist composed of entirely French songs. I like to learn the lyrics phonetically, and sing along. I especially like doing this when it's raining. Somehow it makes me feel like I am a French woman living in France. I found the following video while researching new chanteuses to add to my foreign music queue. Enjoy!

Singer :: Marina Venache     Song :: Tout me revient

resort 2011

I love the seasonal debut of fashion collections as much as the next person, but resort lines are a joke, right? 

Between Spring / Summer and Autumn / Winter collections, Resort has become an increasingly important mid-year showcase for fashion designers. It seems even more exclusive to me because a) I don't travel to resort situations; b) one look at Givenchy's amazing hand tatted lace top and coordinating shorts tells me my credit card would die a fiery death before I could make that charge; and c) only a handful of designers create Resort lines. Nonetheless, here's what I DO love about Resort: 

The models look happy! And look - NO teetering heels; in fact, bare feet with little model piggy toes. 

 Chanel Resort 2011  

Check out the truly casual clothes on the runway. Love the traditional Chanel jacket paired with a bikini top and J. Crew-esque chinos. Even her hair screams "vacation". Ahhhh. 

Marc Jacobs is known for playful, but this black dress is uncharacteristically easy.  

 

And hats! I love the idea of hats. I think that Oscar de la Renta captured Resort wear best with this ensemble for his 2011 collection. I'm always blown away by his prolific collections for S/S and A/W, and Mr. de la Renta did not hold back for this line of cruise wear. 

 I feel like Resort has life after summer. I can imagine pairing the jackets with long, slender tees and warmer pants for fall. The dresses could be layered with sweaters and scarves and knee highs for longevity. So I suppose I'm changing my tune. Resort's not so bad after all; for this fashion lover, it's just another chance to see my favorite designers in action. I like the vision of Karl Lagerfeld sketching this sheer set from his collection with a Pimm's Cup in his hand: 

All images style.com
Je te souhaite un excellent été!

What's a Hanbok?

by Anna vA.

Unpacking my luggage upon my return from South Korea, I arrive at the final pieces and pause. My Korean family paid for my husband and I to have custom made Hanboks as a belated wedding gift, and they are beautifully boxed up at the bottom of my luggage. A Hanbok is a traditional, formal dress sewn from silk, satin, or ramie, among other fibers. Hanboks are worn at weddings, festivals, and ceremonies; and are accessorized with special socks, shoes, headpieces, and bags. 

The morning after I landed in Seoul, I was shuttled off to a shop that specializes in creating Hanboks. The staff were all neatly dressed and coiffed, and incredibly polite; I later learned this was not a trait exclusive to the shop. Traditionally a Hanbok is brightly colored, but I tend toward black and gray in my dress preferences. My mom translated that I would like a black chima, or skirt; and a charcoal gray jeogori, or jacket. The tailor pursed his lips and, in short, said no. He pulled bolt upon bolt of fuschia, lime green, yellow, and turquoise. I was doing my best to not appear ungrateful in front of my family, so I compromised: a deepest plum chima paired with a nearly translucent pink jeogori. The tailor insisted on adding a turquoise vest for color, and I sheepishly nodded in compliance. I promise to post pictures soon. Here is a shot I took of some of the fabric:

All this talk of traditional dress got me thinking what a modern Hanbok would look like. I had a daydream that Calvin Klein took the jacket of this dress from Resort 2010:

and layered it over this dress from the same collection, moving the waistline up so it would disappear a la Hanbok:

Calvin Klein Resort 2010 photos courtesy of style.com

I think it would be enough to make this poor man swallow his lips.

I cannot thank my family enough for this gift. It is an heirloom that will be adored through my family's generations. I'm even learning to love the turquoise vest. 감사합니다.