Sharp As Blaydes

feeling fried, feeling freaky

2011-08-21T11:06:00.000-04:00

August has been really weird. Spooky even. A birthday brought me another year closer to the great wide open (morbid, but true, no?) aaaaaaand....our house almost burned down. Thank goodness it was the apartment below us that was gutted, and that we are able to stay in our home after firefighters kicked 1,000-watt amounts of ass saving pets and getting the fire contained.

I learned a lot about myself during the few hours we were sitting outside, left to assume the worst while the firemen did their job. During those few hectic and hazy hours, I never imagined the damage to our own apartment could be as minimal as it turned out to be (smells like a weenie roast). I just assumed it would be apocalyptic when/if we were allowed back inside. What I discovered, sitting there, was that I didn't really care that much about anything inside. I cared, true, and was sick to imagine the financial devastation of loosing everything in one blow...but barely a passing thought went through my head about anything material that was potentially burning to ash. Rick Owens leather jacket? Never crossed my mind. Until put to the test, I wonder if we ever really know the character of our own psyche. At least this time, I'm not disappointed in mine.

If such a thing as a 'fire funk' exists, however, I'm way up in that shit. This whole ordeal has left me shell shocked, a little depressed, and totally out of sorts. I'll forget about it for a while, until I leave the safety of our indoor-weenie-roast home and open the door. Outside there is only what looks, feels, and smells like a nightmarish hell. Everything totally black. Reeking. Charred feathers from something pulled out of the burning apartment cling to surfaces like creepy tumors. Someone has entered the building, no doubt lured by the horror film appearance and open front door, and scrawled into the ashy walls and ceiling - pentagrams, crosses, creepy random words...

It all makes me feel like I'm living inside a horror movie but I can't scream because it isn't my cue.

Carroll Borland as Luna Mora in Mark of the Vampire, 1935

Helmut Newton, 1968

ten points for team eyebrow!

2011-08-01T21:50:00.000-04:00

via caroline in the city

Factory Handbook: video lover letter to an ultra-femme Fall

2011-08-01T19:37:00.000-04:00

inspired by: agnes varda - vagabond

2011-07-30T23:51:00.000-04:00

1985

inspired by: agnes varda - l'une chante l'autre pas

2011-07-30T23:47:00.000-04:00

1977

inspired by: agnes varda - lions love

2011-07-30T23:42:00.000-04:00

1969

inspired by: agnes varda - Cléo de 5 à 7

2011-07-30T23:36:00.001-04:00

1962

inspired by: agnes varda - le bonheur

2011-07-30T23:30:00.000-04:00

1965

inspired by: agnes varda

2011-07-30T23:25:00.001-04:00

Fans of New Wave cinema, or simply French cinema in general, will recognize in the perfectly groomed little shrubbery of a haircut pictured here - none other than their beloved Agnes Varda. Keyed like a divining rod to some of the most innovative visual, stylistic, and thematic successes that Left Bank film of the 50s-70s has to offer.

The films themselves are stunning - more on that in a moment - but let's start with dear Agnes and her own inimitable style...(check out the two-tone 'do she's rocking right now!)

street style inspiration: best sweater ever

2011-07-28T23:19:00.000-04:00

Is it weird to admit that I would seriously make out with this sweater if I (metaphorically y'all, dang) could?

Um, the dog too. Obviously.

sartorialist

Factory Handbook: witchy women

2011-07-27T19:09:00.000-04:00

Swirling ankle-length yards of diaphanous sheer fabric? Check!

Moody prints and a dreamy/vibey attitude? Check!

Casting their spell in the Factory Handbook store this week

(guess which one is a vintage Halston?)

street style inspiration: beautiful berry colors

2011-07-21T21:11:00.000-04:00

wish list: nude high-heeled sandals

2011-07-19T17:01:00.000-04:00

Holy shit. I want a pair of sandals like these two perfectly styled knockouts have found.

I want them baaaaadly.

vanessa jackman

faceunter

Factory Handbook: color concept - mellow yellows

2011-07-19T13:07:00.001-04:00

Give the summer sun a run for its money with these scorching-hot yellows! These beauties and more have rolled into the Factory Handbook store during the past week, all for your 60s-loving pleasure (with special 1940s-50s treats thrown in as well...).

street style inspiration: glastonbury 2011

2011-07-15T22:10:00.000-04:00

The street style photos flowing out of this year's Glastonbury festival were a tad 'celebutant' for my taste (when did so many of the "street style" coverage at these festivals start to look so much like an US Weekly feature anyway?!). After a lot of searching, however, I found the most genuine and fresh-looking take over at the always-refreshing domain of Mr. Newton...and here are my favorites in all of their muck-booted glory...

inspired by: the devil in the details

2011-07-09T17:15:00.000-04:00

Let's forget, if we can, the perfection of this faded denim & chartreuse silk outfit, and focus instead on the eensy-weensy details. Classic handbag. Etruscan-inspired 80s statement earrings. Geode slice pendant. Cherry red lipstick....and last but not least the 'hand' bracelet gripping one wrist. There's a great balance of quirky and old-school chic going on here that I'm completely enamored of...

jak & jil

inspired by: givenchy fall 2011 haute couture

2011-07-05T19:27:00.001-04:00

I'm taken. This is couture folks. Hardcore badass fingers-to-the-bone couture, and I'm in love. You heard it here first. This collection makes me want to marry fashion all over again and wear one of these exquisite white crystal specters as my wedding gown...

(collection detail shots at fashion gone rogue)

inspired by: you're never fully dressed without a...

2011-07-01T09:54:00.000-04:00

Smile. Greet the weekend, the guy at the deli, the amusing thought that just passed through your brain, and that scary dog that always barks when you walk past - all with a smile. Nothing looks more beautiful than a happy face, since our brains are hard-wired to respond with appreciative attraction to signs of emotional stability and contentment. It looks good, and feels even better...

via the sartorialist

Factory Handbook: daisy dukes & plaid shirts - the farmers daughter summer spectacular

2011-06-30T19:19:00.000-04:00

The past few weeks have been devoted to as much gardening as possible within the confines of our little back deck. Growing things rocks! In honor of my little backyard garden, I've filled the shelves at the Factory Handbook store with a bushel of summer-perfect staples: lightweight plaid shirts and the American classic - daisy dukes (of course!).

clogs & socks

2011-06-28T21:57:00.000-04:00

After unearthing these vintage Dansko clogs during a recent thrift store perfection-portal moment, my feet have become addicted to the comfort and flat out ass-kicking cuteness of the humble CLOG(!!). With socks, without socks, with varying degrees of chipped toenail polish...Wait a second, what to do when the chipped nail polish gets a little TOO out of control?! Unlikely solution: the newest addition to my hippie love-fest is none other than a pair of tie-dyed footie socks. That's right. Either a hideous abomination or a stroke of genius. I don't care!

Factory Handbook: unisex vintage tees that speak for themselves

2011-06-27T14:33:00.000-04:00

Wolf. Plane. Coooooool.

Gender free.

What else do I really need to say here? Find them, as ever, by visiting the Factory Handbook store...

Factory Handbook: nautically inclined

2011-06-24T11:49:00.000-04:00

Now that Summer is officially upon us, why not pay homage to all-things splishy and splashy? Although our yacht club membership was denied yet again this year, we're still plunging into the depths by greeting the weekend with some nautical vintage at Factory Handbook anyway!

Factory Handbook: stylish summer sandals

2011-06-21T12:40:00.000-04:00

Guilty as the rest of the world when it comes to flip-flop reliance, I still feel like I can champion the cause of slightly less blech footwear for summer. Introducing three prime examples at the Factory Handbook store...

Factory Handbook: color concept - khaki

2011-06-20T13:02:00.000-04:00

What color comes to mind in our collective imagination when we think of hot weather attire? Khaki, obviously. This color practically DEFINES what we think of as quintessentially heat-ready clothing. So much so, in fact, that classic black and white films often represented safari parties decked out entirely in khaki...and no one has to tell you what color everyone in the scene is wearing, do they? Of course not. Because they are all wearing khaki. Because it is hot (in the sound-stage big Hollywood scene they are creating)! Because chic khaki basics are the height of minimalist summer style - the ultimate way to look close-up-ready glamorous while surviving real (or faux) Amazonian temperatures...

For all these reasons and so many more, click to Factory Handbook and check out the scene on this scorching summer color collection!

inspired by: lady looks like a dude...

2011-06-20T09:32:00.000-04:00

Two words on this mensweary/perfection street style pic
from the Sartorialist:

(HELL) YES!

Factory Handbook: 90s printed summer dresses

2011-06-18T21:08:00.000-04:00

New in the store this evening: check 'em out!

inspired by: summer street style - back to black

2011-06-18T15:15:00.001-04:00

Dear Black,

I've been flirting - shamelessly, publicly, and unabashedly flirting - with Color for almost a year now. Surely you've heard, and frankly I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't have the courage to tell you myself at first. The truth is that it started as a harmless fascination but quickly blossomed into something more. I think I might be hopelessly infatuated with color, actually...or at least I can't imagine my life without it ever again. But you, Black, YOU are still the love of my life. Even on the hottest summer days my instincts will forever whisper your name in my ear when I walk toward my closet...

XXO always,

Blaydes

glam canyon/mr newton/facehunter/phil oh

Factory Handbook: color concept - bandana blues

2011-06-17T13:22:00.000-04:00

Summer feels like the right time to delve into the more Americana-inspired territories of vintage fashion. Flag-print cutoff jean shorts look carefree and a little bit wacky during August...but who wants to wear a red, white & blue jacket in December? Not that draping yourself in the actual flag is necessary to give a nod to the 50-nifties while putting together your look this summer. On the contrary, a more subtle approach might be found in the blue & white bandana - equally nostalgic in feeling but a reference that's a little less literal and more literary in feeling.

There's a trio of summer accessories we've chosen in this timeless color combo waiting for you over at the Factory Handbook store. Your patriotic duty is to check them out!

Factory Handbook: destination inspiration - Hawaii

2011-06-14T13:55:00.000-04:00

The likelihood of a Hawaiian vacation in my near future is precisely zero. For those who ARE planning a trip to the islands these lovely vintage items are waiting to make every moment a perfectly-styled photo op...but for all the rest of us they can serve as a tiny little sartorial getaway. Who doesn't need a little fantasy on a hot summer day?

Check them out over at the Factory Handbook store! I have a feeling these won't last long...

inspired by: early 80s Madonna - another kind of glam

2011-06-14T09:21:00.000-04:00

As the official close to our imaginary romp through Madonna's closet (or better yet, through that AMAZING hatbox suitcase she drug around throughout the entirety of 'Desperately Seeking Susan'!), I'm tossing off another half-random slew of gorgeous pictures. Finding old school pictures of Madonna where she is looking fresh, beautiful, and above all seriously stylish is one of the least difficult research tasks on the Internet...which explains why I have hundreds clogging up my hard drive! Here is a sample set chosen specifically to highlight Madonna's (rare) skill for look over-the-top glamorous even in a relatively simple outfit. Her attitude alone transformed 80s basics like a crop top, leggings, maybe a head scarf...nothing approaching 'lux' by today's standards and certainly never a fantastical/expensive costume conceived to distract us from an unattractive face lacking animation or sensuality (clearly we all know to whom I refer?).

Now I will shut my yapping and let Madonna school us all...

Factory Handbook: Madonna style pt.4 - jackets

2011-06-13T13:40:00.000-04:00

Wrapping up our Madonna style week into a neat little outerwear package, we're bringing you some stellar jackets sure to amp up the energy in your wardrobe this summer. Each one particularly awesome in its own special 80s way, we invite you to click on over to the Factory Handbook store and see just how versatile a 'crazy' layering piece can really be...

Factory Handbook: Madonna style pt.3 - jumpsuits

2011-06-11T14:27:00.000-04:00

Nothing can be simpler than a jumpsuit. They DEFINE simplicity...the whole outfit stitched conveniently into one single unit. Scored from the heyday of these one-piece wonders, our beloved 1980s of course, these two fine vintage examples would have made Madonna proud to be sure. Find your way to Factory Handbook Vintage and feel them out!

Factory Handbook: Madonna style pt.2 - tops

2011-06-10T13:12:00.000-04:00

Take a lesson from the queen of casual (see the posting below if you disbelieve) and cultivate a slouchy approach to style. Especially during the heat of summer, the opportunities to revel in the disheveled are all around you. Our three picks take a page from Madonna's book with their dancewear-inspired vibe, and certainly feel like something you'd expect to see walking down the Alexander Wang runway or featured on the Oak website, n'esct-ce pas?

Click through to the Factory Handbook store for a closer look at these super on-trend vintage 80s finds...and feel free to rummage through your drawers for those old jelly bracelets you used to wear during grade school. I've already looked for mine (couldn't find 'em).

inspired by: early 80s Madonna - casual like a fox

2011-06-10T11:14:00.000-04:00

As 'Madonna week' continues in Factory Handbook land I thought it would be nice to share some of the favorite looks in my embarassingly extensive folder of inspiration images from her early career. One of the greatest strengths of Madonna's style, and proof positive that she possessed actual creativity and fashion sense (in a time before the tyranny of the stage costumer & personal stylist), would have to be her ability to kick serious ass with a totally casual outfit. Just a few examples, in case you don't recall...

Factory Handbook: Madonna style pt.1 - accessories

2011-06-09T11:54:00.001-04:00

Kicking off our ode to all-things-80s-Madonna with a group of accessories seems like the appropriate thing to do. After all, who better applied the ancient art of accessorizing than the great one herself? We've pulled out a collection of fringed rayon scarves that will make your outerwear wardrobe feel brand new, a badass duo of seriously studded pumps, and the most versatile 80s purse EVER - which also happens to be Givenchy (never hurts, does it?). Click into the Factory Handbook store to get into the groove...

Factory Handbook: vintage lookbook / 80s-era Madonna style

2011-06-09T09:07:00.000-04:00

As promised, and with more than a little self-awareness of just how excruciatingly NOT Madonna (nor, for that matter, Sasha Pivovarova) I am, let me introduce our very first fancy-ish 'lookbook' to promote a special collection of vintage. Items featured in the pics below will be popping up for sale in the Factory Handbook store over the next several days, including some Reagan-era vintage scores that would've made Madonna's toes curl back in the day! Hope you like...

inspired by: Sasha Pivovarova does early 80s Madonna - Vogue Paris

2011-06-07T13:28:00.000-04:00

This outrageously endearing editorial by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin (Vogue Paris June/July), brought me SO MUCH joy when I ran across it online. Madonna - the REAL Madonna, not that British lady - can be easily counted in the top five style icons who have ruled supreme throughout the course of my sartorial lifetime. There was so much life, not to mention real ingenuity, bubbling under the surface of her 1980s-era persona. To the younger version of me, that spirit always seemed so well expressed through her style that it actually inspired me to view clothing as a valuable tool of self-expression even at a fairly tender age. Nothing about Madonna's circa '80s fashion choices felt inaccessible either! There was a thrifty, pro-vintage, and awesomely DIY (before anyone really said that, of course) vibe to her overall look that I'm still rocking some distant permutation of today. No lie. I owe it all to Madonna!

Hyperbole aside, there is only one Madonna (did you hear that, Ms. GaGa?!). You didn't really need me to tell you who Sasha Povovarova was channeling here did you? And that, folks, is my point exactly...

Confession time: I've gone a little Madonna crazy in honor of the fine editorial excerpted below. I sincerely hope you all like her too because you'll be seeing a brand new collection of vintage - along with our first mini-lookbook (!!) - popping up on the blog and in the Etsy store throughout the week. I declare this the week of (1980s) Madonna!

via fashion gone rogue

Factory Handbook: 80s denim

2011-06-06T12:28:00.000-04:00

As a child of the 80s (true, I was actually born in the 70s, but I was formed by the 80s, ok?) there will always be a fondness in my heart for the creative denim depths that were plumbed during that endearingly garish decade. In fact, we've been in a fervor for all-things-80s at the Factory Handbook studio lately, and are excited to share our first editorial vintage collection (with a mini-lookbook and everything y'all!) later this week! If you aren't getting the hint: it involves the 80s!

As a spicy little appetizer to the upcoming main course, we've put together a group of denim pieces packed so full of sass that any VJ on that new station called MTV would've been proud to rock 'em. Like totally.

Check out the radness at Factory Handbook Vintage!

Factory Handbook: wardrobe basics - black pumps

2011-06-02T23:47:00.001-04:00

The cornerstone of any good shoe wardrobe, black pumps can be a trusty standby that even the staunchest tomboy will allow. Throw a dash of flair into your practicality by opting for vintage, of course! With a few of the subtle design details, not to mention the impeccable quality, that only vintage footwear can bring, any outfit gets immediately elevated several rungs on the style ladder. Click into the Factory Handbook store to get a closer look at our top three picks!

street style inspiration: denim - 4 ways

2011-06-01T22:47:00.000-04:00

stylesightings

Because I'm addicted

glam canyon

knight cat

Factory Handbook: color concept - jordan almonds [70s maxi style]

2011-05-31T13:16:00.001-04:00

Wedding season is on us like a thief in the night, ready to panic everyone with questions of what to wear as a guest - or god forbid a bridesmaid. Lovers of love, but also lovers of CANDY, we've focused on the humble jordan almond as our tongue-in-cheek color concept to kick off the wedding season. Our group of maxi dresses from the 60s and 70s fills the pastel quota nicely and serves up some deliciously appealing alternatives for wedding (or wedding party!) attire this summer. Click into the candy bowl at Factory Handbook to check them out...

Factory Handbook: summer graphic prints gone wild

2011-05-28T15:04:00.001-04:00

Prints can be tricky, as often discussed, but I have firmly come to believe that even the craziest graphic can be worked into an outfit as long as everything else stays balanced. As, for example, these ladies have managed to do:

street peeper

[2,3] facehunter

With the right choice of almost any bold print fabric as the building block, a few relatively basic wardrobe staples can be transformed into a fully-dressed situation. We've rounded up a little gang of the perfect vintage items to play the exotic-print yin to your closet basics' yang. Click over to Factory Handbook Vintage to pick your poison...

Factory Handbook: two trippin' tops - psychedelic 60s prints

2011-05-26T09:46:00.000-04:00

Lovers of 1960s-era graphics may as well clear their calendar, because you can easily get lost staring at these gorgeous psychedelic prints for hours! So turn on your black light, fill up the hookah, and click over to the Factory Handbook Vintage store to check them out...

inspired by: simplicity in swimwear - marie claire italy

2011-05-25T08:06:00.000-04:00

Though my bathing-beauty opportunities are few I can at least get inspired by swimwear, right? In this case I'm entirely drawn in by these these goddess-worthy suits, featured in enticing neutrals & jeweltones by Marie Claire Italy, even though I probably won't go swimming until (possibly) August and will at that time pull out exactly the same retro black swimsuit I've been wearing for the past seven or eight summers and counting. But a girl can dream of having boobs AND gorgeous swimwear, right? Right?!

via trend hunter

outfit post: 5.23.11

2011-05-23T13:55:00.004-04:00

Witness, herein, my brief and tragic reunion with a pair of shoes. The incredibly cute shoes in question are the below-pictured pair of 70s wooden wedge sandals...and I've been in a stalemate with them for YEARS. They originate to my early days of thrifting, and I've loved them since the first glimpse of that twisted sienna leather caught my eye. But our love is completely unconsummated and it sucks. It SUCKS! I can't quite put my finger on why they don't fit, because they fit, they just don't fit fit. In fact, they are like torture devices: anti-equilibrium science experiments in how long it will take me to twist my ankle and/or develop a mysterious bruise on the bottom of my foot (which I have now after foolishly wearing the bastards).

This is probably the fourth time over the years that I have pulled out these beautiful little harpies and attempted to prove I can cut it...but walking on hot coals of slippery snakes won't ever be something I'm willing to do for fashion. My loss is your gain, however, since I'll soon be leading a funeral march for the pair of 'em, right over to the Factory...of course.

silk tee-kain

cardigan-martin margiela

jeans-vintage sisley

platform sandals-vintage

from the studio: forest dweller necklace

2011-05-23T10:07:00.001-04:00

When I was very young, an elderly family friend who was a wonderful woodworker gave me a walnut-slice necklace he had made. At the time it was a literal treasure to me. I continue to wear that walnut, owing partly to sentimental value but largely to the fact that it really IS quite a treasure - so striking in its natural form that little other adornment (besides some wood-oil) is needed to transform it from a nut into jewelry.

When I came across an antique folk-crafted necklace a while back at a thrift store, this one laden with almost a dozen walnut slices (!!!), I peed my pants a little (not really) and then immediately started coming up with new designs worthy of these earthy little morsels. Available today in the Factory Handbook Made store is the first design to come out of this new series...

Factory Handbook: summer standby - the printed tunic

2011-05-22T13:48:00.000-04:00

Vintage should make your life easier! In terms of comfort (no waistline, please and thank you), and sheer laziness factor (instructions include: pull over head, then go about your business), the tunic can't be outclassed. There is a reason we're talking about one of the world's most ancient and pan-cultural garments! Add a fun color palette like muted watercolor pastel blues, an iconic reference like nautical seashells, or a bold ethnic-inspired print...and you've got a fully-fledged look before you even add the first accessory. Click on over to the Factory Handbook store to check out our picks: a gorgeous Lanvin from the 1960s, a dreamy silk burnout floral, and a preppy-chic Carolina Herrera with one foot on the yacht already...

Factory Handbook: color concept - oatmeal

2011-05-20T16:56:00.000-04:00

Obsessed lately with all-things-oatmeal (yes, the color AND the food) we're serving up a piping hot assortment of off-white vintage treats at the Factory Handbook store.

[In the interest of full disclosure: I eat my oatmeal with milk, some raw sugar, and as many chunks of date and/or banana as I can scrounge up around the kitchen. Yum.]

the darkness and the light

2011-05-19T16:00:00.001-04:00

Besides being post-worthy because it is downright gorgeous, this photo of Behati Prinsloo from the Summer issue of ID illustrates exactly how I feel most of the time. Pretty much just like this y'all. The darkness and the light...

(via tfs)

wistful wishlisting: bicycle moxie

2011-05-19T13:36:00.000-04:00

Old adages about the 'foreverness' of bicycle-riding skills don't convince me. I'm a couple of rusty decades away from my bike-soaring glory days, and they weren't really all that glorious at the time. I've always been a tentative cyclist, and although I would LOVE to join the ranks of the initiated...I have trouble mustering the nerve to get out there and conquer my fear. Many promises have been made and deals have been hatched with my own psyche, I can assure you, to try and cajole myself toward actively pursuing the bike lane approach to life. It fits my values, would give me some much-needed exercise, and would be a fun way to spend time with some favorite friends who take beautiful long rides every Sunday.

All well and good, but let's not forget I've danced this dance with myself for literally decades. Spring is already sending me into the yearly shame-spiral of wishing I was out there on a bike but not quite being able to just start riding already for god's sake. I am, against ALL ODDS, determined to make this my year godammit. Just wait and see...

And if I'm really feeling like a superhero, I will also achieve the ultimate in my bicycle fantasy come true: I want to be that girl, you know the one, she's the one who can actually wear an awesome skirt (sans tights, that's cheating) and zip around on her bike carefree yet somehow without fiascoes!

copenhagen - via sartorialist

inspired by: liquid light

2011-05-19T12:35:00.000-04:00

All images by Nick Knight for V #71

inspired by: pattie boyd

2011-05-18T11:11:00.000-04:00

Not one, but two rock'n'roll legends have wed her...a claim reserved for Pattie Boyd alone (others may have married more than one top-40'er, but who can top the superstar sum of George Harrison + Eric Clapton?). Through her style shifts from the 60s into the 70s and early 80s, Pattie kept her look cool and above all flawlessly simple. No small wonder to me that she twice became a musician's, um, well, ok became a musician's muse.

inspired by: head to toe neutral

2011-05-17T12:15:00.000-04:00

Like a blank slate, but bursting with energy instead of flat and boring.

Quite the feat! Must be the smile...

via hanneli

inspired by: life

2011-05-17T11:00:00.002-04:00

Edouard Boubat, 1968 - via fantomatik

Biting the hand that feeds me, like a child balking at the presence of authority, I can't help but be honest about my deeply conflicted relationship with the Internet. I didn't grow up using it, and it feels like an unwelcome step-sister: some stranger who showed up in high school to share my room and steal my privacy. In fact, I was already in college before it became widespread in classroom use, let alone home-use or god forbid smart phones...leading me to embrace the 1990s web with awkward, cautious, and mildly suspicious adoration.

My preferences still lean toward life OUTSIDE of this magic 'everywhere-nowhere Neverland' zone, and I am constantly confused by the fact that I rarely hear the faintest whispers from anyone else about sharing weird this tension I have with our lady the of the Internet. To say I have a passionate stalemate with the web is fairly accurate: like a mistress in whose varied pleasures I indulge widely - while always withholding my true ardor. Because what I genuinely love is real life. There are endless ways that the web enhances life, to be sure, but to accept these wonders means also acknowledging the reductive effect that the Internet has on everything it touches. Blogs, twitter, and all our various methods of plugging in to one another's lives manage to create an illusion of access, but these constructed tidbits (at best genuine, endearing and worthwhile; at worst vapid, exclusionary, and entitled) are by definition creating a layer of artificiality between us. I'm not even saying this is entirely a bad thing, just pointing out the difference, as I perceive it, between our shared illusion of connection-via-net and the fundamental reality that none of this is quite real. I wonder what they would have thought about all of this in 1968, when connections of revolutionary proportion were exploding between young people all over the world. Face to face, on the street, at coffee houses, during marches, and above all else IN PERSON. Speeches were given on top of packing crates in front of actual crowds of people instead of typed anonymously into comment threads on blog postings. Late-night political discussions were had in smoky rooms about serious topics and epic movements toward change. I'd trade a million inane Facebook status updates for some of that energy to infuse us now...but I wonder if we've let those muscles atrophy from behind our laptop screens?

outfit post: 5.15.11

2011-05-16T08:49:00.000-04:00

I may not be quite ready to embrace the sheer pants and skirts that seem to be cropping up everywhere these days (if only because they would require me to invest in better skivvies)...but I'm all about a sheer vintage shirt. This oversized black version is exactly the proportion I like: if I'm going to go sheer I like to go boxy as well...

sheer top-vintage

tank-gap

pants-helmut lang

platform sandals-slow & steady wins the race

necklace-vintage

outfit post: 5.12.11

2011-05-16T08:46:00.001-04:00

...in which I star in my very own 80s teen flick,

falling for the hard-won love of the ever-elusive baggy denim pants of my dreams.

linen trench coat-h&m, really really old h&m

l/s shirt-gap

jeans-vintage

oxford boots-vintage

scarf-vintage

sunglasses-vintage

Factory Handbook: coachella-inspired summer gear

2011-05-16T08:27:00.001-04:00

As promised, there is a feisty handful of new vintage items in the Factory Handbook store , all chosen for their festival-friendly attitude and slouchy summer style. Coachella is over until next year, (even if tickets and travel arrangements weren't out of budget, as if, there is a loooong time to wait until Spring 2012). So, why not deny reality and transport yourself (via vintage, of course) to a sun-drenched fantasy-fest each and every day this summer? Who needs long lines for the port-a-john anyway?

street style inspiration: coachella 2011

2011-05-15T11:58:00.000-04:00

I love the democratizing power of the summer music festival circuit, at least in terms of street style inspiration. Who can't find something accessible and relevant to their own summer wardrobe among these sun-drenched shots? 'Loose', 'slouchy', 'casual', & 'breezy' predominate as trends (instead of the usual red-carpet themes like 'tight as hell', 'price upon request', 'cleavage fest 2011' & 'age inappropriate'). The vintage scene is painted with a wide (and often refreshingly wild) brush that begs to be emulated, especially when it comes to accessories. The killer array of ankle boots, hippie-style bags, oxfords, oversized jewelry, sunglasses, and HATS is mind boggling - a testament to how much fun summer can be with a few key vintage pieces thrown in the mix...

Click here to check out some Coachella-inspired vintage at the Factory Handbook store, or scroll up for a preview in the next post!

[1-9] mr newton for harpers bazaar

[10-16] refinery 29

inspired by: iris apfel

2011-05-11T09:14:00.001-04:00

via Another Magazine

Obviously a major style icon for me when it comes to wearing bold jewelry (since no one has managed to out-accessorize her during this century OR the last), Iris Apfel also deserves our attention for having a refreshing sense of wonder even at 90 years old. Her ability to revel in the 'freedom' of getting dressed creatively, pulling together various elements from her wardrobe - itself almost a century in the making - makes for inspiring personal style that has kept onlookers rapt the world over.

I fell in love with this quote from an Architectural Digest interview with Iris that was featured on fashionista earlier today:

“Have you seen the prices? Scandalous. I mean, yes, if they are embroidered or beaded or made special in some divine way, but honestly, jeans are jeans. I live in them most of the time, but I had a helluva time getting a pair of jeans around 1940, when I was at the University of Wisconsin. I thought I’d wear jeans, a turban, and some old earrings. So I went to an Army-Navy store, but you have to remember, back in those days, all the men in Wisconsin were the size of Paul Bunyan. Then the salesman told me, ‘Young ladies don’t wear jeans.’ He wouldn’t sell me any or have them cut down. So I kept going back to the store, and they kept throwing me out, so to get rid of me, they finally ordered me some boys’ jeans. I love men’s jeans; they fit me better.”

I'm not sure what I love more: her practicality in questioning the current price point of denim, the charming specificity of the outfit she was determined to compile (and it DOES sound cute, I'd wear that!!), or the full-out moxie she must have had to hammer away at those menfolk until they outfitted her in some goddamn jeans.

Honored with an exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum that featured not just garments she has owned and worn, but rather put entire outfits on display as she has worn them, it was not just her clothing (and let's be honest, many many wealthy women have a large collection of designer fashion) but her genuinely unique STYLE that was truly being curated for the show. Little surprise to me that Iris has long been considered a beacon of light in the world of stylish women. As the title of the exhibit suggests, this delightful and vibrant woman is indeed a 'Rare Bird of Fashion' on branches arguably crowded by too many preening crows...

inspired by: baggy drawers

2011-05-09T17:59:00.000-04:00

It sounds lame, since I do rely on them pretty often, but I am getting sick and tired of skinny jeans. Give me some saggy-baggy worn-out drawers, preferably in faded denim, and I'll be lolling around happily all summer long. I want a bunch of plain washed silk sleeveless tops (my grandma would call them 'shells' of course) to wear with them. Nothing fancy, just some bright colors and neutrals, with either cropped or tunic lengths if the getting's good at the thrift stores...

style sightings/vanessa jackman/street peeper

outfit post: 5.8.11

2011-05-08T10:59:00.000-04:00

Having dared myself to attempt a double, or (GASP!) even a triple threat denim outfit gave me a perfect opportunity to test-drive a major vintage find for me - the most perfect worn-in chambray shirt I've seen. Believe me when I assure you that I have been actively hunting this prey for a few solid years, with varying degrees of success and a few 'good' chambrays that have gotten a good bit of wear despite not being 'the one' I'm waiting for. Here she is folks, I've found her at last: a calvin klein sport shirt from the early 80s that has been washed to almost-threadbare weight in places and sports the silhouette of my dreams. Let no man tear us asunder...

Drunk with confidence thanks to the help of my fine new chambray friend, I went for the throat with this self-made challenge. Denim, upon denim, upon denim. That's right. The triple threat.

denim jacket-vintage levis

chambray shirt-vintage calvin klein sport

tees-organic cotton basics

jeans-helmut lang

boots-vintage zodiac (mens)

necklace-vintage silver perfume necklace

Factory Handbook: derby day hangover - the equestrian knows best

2011-05-08T10:43:00.000-04:00

My first Derby day as a citizen of Louisville was very low-key. I took on more the role of observer throughout the entire 'Derby Festival', which seemed to go on endlessly in my estimation, and maintained a rather hands-off approach to the whole affair (the better to insert myself properly next year). Yesterday, however, being taken with the spirit, we put together a little group of equestrian - or in some cases rodeo - themed vintage.

Saddle up to the Factory Handbook store and check it out...

prey for the glam: gowns at the Met Gala

2011-05-06T09:40:00.000-04:00

I usually snore through slideshows of formalwear situations. Until recently I've been a stubborn resident of the 'non-girly' camp and found little to interest me when the pomp and polish are on display. Something is changing inside my brain (gasp!) that seems to be freeing up real estate for glamour. I can't explain it, although I suspect it has something to do with moving to the city with the most Victorian homes in the US as well as the largest system of still-active Olmstead parks. Being surrounded by so much beauty and intricacy seems to be training my eye toward appreciating a whole new universe of softness, adornment, and color play.

Bringing me around the the subject at hand: the Met Gala and the gowns worn thereto. As always, I was alternately bored or disgusted by a lot of the attire...but there were several categories of style that I appreciated and I ended up pulling rather more picks than I had expected. There were the ultra-simple gowns, the over-the-top bohemian-lux looks, and of course the McQueens. I was a little miffed that there weren't more McQueens worn, truth be told, but my invite was lost in the mail so I didn't get a chance to tell everyone that in person (teehee).

via style.com

double denim dare

2011-05-06T09:07:00.000-04:00

After recently re-watching our way through the 1994 television masterpiece 'The Stand' (ahem, note the sarcasm please), discussions of all-denim outfits have been frequent in my house. [For those of you who either didn't grow up in the '90s and therefore never stayed up late watching this crap the first time - OR - those of you who had better sense to begin with: the quasi-devil character named Randell Flagg wears a TRIPLE THREAT denim outfit in every one of his scenes. That's right, he is an evil being from the underworld and the fearsome textile called denim is the only fabric downright sinister enough to clothe him. Or something like that.]

My point, is that what started out as a joke - the idea of putting together a double, or even triple-denim ensemble, without 'feeling Flaggy' of course (since Stephan King did give me quite a model of how NOT to look when wearing an all-denim suit) has become a strangely appealing challenge.

I'm not sure if there is a key other than avoiding any attempt to match colors/weights/washes and sticking with contrast-pairings only, but that seems like a good place to start. I've found evidence to support this strategy, of course. Examples:

via cat party

It worked then, obviously...

via style sightings

...and it still works now.

Tune back in later to see how I've managed to pull this off (let's hope).

from the studio: poison-tipped feather earrings

2011-05-05T11:17:00.001-04:00

Two new shoulder-grazing pairs of earrings in the Factory Handbook Made store today. Just in time for sexy summer breezes. Take a peek...

SOLD

Factory Handbook: shoe worship

2011-05-05T10:50:00.000-04:00

No, seriously.

Look deeply into the double Eye of Horus and worship

the coolest flats I've ever seen.

Click over to Factory Handbook Vintage to check 'em.

inspired by: buttercream monochrome

2011-05-03T20:26:00.000-04:00

I can almost taste this color, can't you?

via facehunter

Factory Handbook: take comfort in the softest blazers

2011-05-02T17:40:00.000-04:00

Check out the lovely film Mike put together of me stalking the corridors outside the studio during our last Etsy shoot. Hopefully walking poorly in heels is not a punishable crime, because this could get me in some serious trouble...

As I've already divulged, my love of blazers knows literally no boundary. Give me a good jacket, and I always feel confidently dressed. I can appreciate all sizes, shapes, and permutations - with extensive wardrobe territory to prove it. If I'm likely to preach the gospel of any one type of garment (who doesn't like a good history-of-tailoring gab after a few martinis? anyone?) it will be 'the jacket' 9 times out of 10.

Soft, unstructured blazers stand out among their peers as extremely versatile - particularly for those who love to layer - and we've rounded up a group of slouchy vintage specimens that are just begging to become a warm weather favorite. These grab-and-go jackets are light enough to replace the tired old cardigan you've been dragging around and inject some real style into your summer gear.

Click on over to the Factory Handbook Vintage store to survey the scene. You'll thank us later...

from the studio: the burning solstice necklace

2011-05-02T14:47:00.000-04:00

Thirsty for the sun after all this rain, I've added a necklace to the Factory Handbook Made store this afternoon that burns with an inner light: a re-use focused design honoring, of course, the mysterious life-giving ball of fire in the sky...

Factory Handbook: accessorize your wanderlust

2011-05-01T17:31:00.000-04:00

May is upon us, bringing with her the official start of vacation season. Woot! Woot! Inspired by the wanderlust itch that we too are feeling on the soles of our feet, we've put a fresh crop of travel-friendly accessories in the Factory Handbook Vintage store this afternoon.

Here's a peek:

what have they done to the rain?

2011-05-01T16:19:00.000-04:00

alexander mcqueen SS/98

Certain realities of having moved to a Southern river city introduced themselves boldly to Mike and I during the past few weeks. The relentless hammering of Spring storms that has ravaged our entire region, chiefly and most tragically Alabama, managed to repeatedly gain solid footing in the natural groove created by the Ohio River - bringing flooding to many parts of the city and leaky roofs to nearly all.

Although renting a studio space in a re-purposed industrial building is largely a dream come true for us, it has presented constant leak problems (imagine combating sieve-like conditions in ceilings 40ft high and full of interlacing rafters for water to drip and splash around on!). The storms brought with them a sudden move, under sopping duress, to a new/different/awesome studio space in the same complex of buildings...and a brand new set of epic leaks that exploded during our first week of unpacking. Granted, the storms had been mercilessly pummeling the hell out of us for WEEKS, totally beyond proportion with the 'expected' rainfall, which leads me to my other point...

Let's call a spade a spade, shall we now? We've broken things, ecologically speaking, or maimed them unspeakably at the very least. To contend that no human fingerprints - none whatsoever, as so many conservative politicians and corporate interest groups would have us believe - are on the dramatic upsurge in violent weather events and large scale natural catastrophes is dangerously arrogant at best and willfully ignorant at worst.

The question asked by Malvina Reynolds, in her 1962 song of protest against nuclear testing in the atmosphere (and later made famous by the Searchers), still stands. I, for one, believe we're all still waiting for an answer. And that it had better get here fast.

from the studio: the nightmare catcher necklace

2011-04-14T09:02:00.000-04:00

Another new piece from my one-of-a-kind custom jewelry collection has gone up for sale this week! I count the necklace, lovingly called 'The Nightmare Catcher,' as my absolute favorite from the rubber-dipped series. I suspect I'm secretly a huge drama queen, at times, and this necklace certainly packs the high drama in the witchiest possible way. I like to think of this as part of the stage costume if Stevie Nicks ever performed a set of heavy metal standards...

Click here to check it out at the Factory Handbook Made store!

Factory Handbook: 5 rings = a handful of badass vintage

2011-04-14T08:47:00.000-04:00

After a most distressing two days of (1) photobucket going down and taking ALL my freakin' photos with it, and (2) a drastic maintenance disaster at the Factory Handbook studio (one that is most likely forcing us to move locations under duress in the next few days)...I am very relieved to be thinking happy vintage thoughts and write up this post.

We're tiptoeing slowly into the addition of vintage jewelry as another way to expand the Factory Handbook inventory. I've chosen a collection of 5 killer rings to debut this new category...and what would an introduction be without a short film after all?

As always, click here to visit Factory Handbook on Etsy for more details and purchasing power - that's right, this handful of awesome can easily be yours!

conflicted fashion craving: Julian Louie for Aldo

2011-04-11T21:43:00.000-04:00

Let me begin by saying that I really want these shoes. I responded to them right away during the SS11 collections, and couldn't believe when Aldo decided to produce these runway wedges for us plebeians at an extremely fair price. I'm not arguing against how damn cute they are, and in fact I wish I had $125 to purchase them because they would look great with half my summer go-to stash. Here they are for a look-see:

Soooo, it wasn't until I read a very well written post by Molly at one of my favorite blogs - Rackk and Ruin - that I started to look sideways at this perfect pair of summer shoes. The concept Molly examines in her post is not an unfamiliar one, since cultural appropriation is something often cited in higher level dissections of fashion's varied ways and means, but I'll admit it wasn't on my mind when I first fantasized about these wedges.

When I watched this promotional video accompanying the Julian Louie page on Aldo's home site, however, I learned that his inspiration came from the series of photos titled The Hyena & Other Men, by Pieter Hugo. I first became aware of this series on my wedding night, incidentally, when Mike and I stayed the night at 21C (museum hotel specializing in contemporary art). Several enormous pieces from The Hyena & Other Men hung over a descending staircase, and I can still remember their imposing gravitas. I looked up the artist, Pieter Hugo, to learn more, eventually coming to read the lengthy story posted on his website describing the men in these photographs and his time spent with them.

Abdullahi Mohammed with Mainasara Ogere-Remo Nigeria 2007

Mallam Mantari Lamal with Mainasara Nigeria 2005

Abdullahi Mohammed with Mainasara Lagos Nigeria 2007

Jatto with Mainasara Ogere-Remo Nigeria 2007

Mummy Ahmaduand Mallam Mantari Lamal with Mainasara Abuja Nigeria 2005

These are some of the men, and their story is a complex one - certainly a difficult one to understand within the context of American society, and far more impossible to fathom through the market-driven lens of fashion. Without going into a larger discussion of the political and economic circumstances in Nigeria, and I would strongly encourage you to read the above-linked story to begin learning more, I think that it bears little explanation why these shoes came to mind when I read Molly's cultural appropriation discussion. Louie's reference to the way these men 'have this amazing kind of mix' tying 'American style sportswear' into, (of all things), their 'wardrobe,' belies a discomfiting inability to see these men outside of the fashion context so astonishingly distant from their reality. Surely that gap is wide enough I'm not the only one who can see it, right? Right?!

To refer to cultural appropriation here is not to single out Julian Louie. By no means. In fact, the process he describes of drawing inspiration from an artist's work is pretty much a standard part of the creative process for designers and rightly so.

What I do think, however, is that we all consume these internet-age images, products, and editorials at a super-saturated rate with very little accompanying information. Oftentimes, as in the case of these shoes, a slower and more attentive approach to fashion could lead to a more inspired experience overall - with the discovery of riveting artwork, a powerful story, and by extension a whole other world of political, social, and economic realities. Our eyes could be constantly opened to the world, even through market-driven fashion, if we took our time and paced our internet clicks based on quality rather than quantity as a matter of course.

outfit post:4.11.11

2011-04-11T18:06:00.000-04:00

Draping folds of fabric? Check! Oversized pockets into which my jumbo-sized paws can be deeply plunged? Check! Black as pitch? CHECK!

Clearly this is one of the most satisfying vintage pieces I've discovered in a long time. And to think they had this beautiful gem squashed up in a jumble with a load of men's pajamas, robes, and old karate uniforms (don't ask)...

(In case you were wondering whether the extra swag of fabric make for a crisp little airy 'swish' effect if one were to be inclined, for example, to jump off of a ledge while pretending to be a bat...the answer is HELL YES IT DOES! That is all I'm going to say about that.)

draped jacket-vintage

dress-organic by john patrick

organic cotton print leggings-rogan for target

boots-fiorentini + baker

Factory Handbook: sheer prints - a springtime nod to Ossie Clark & Celia Birtwell

2011-04-11T17:49:00.000-04:00

We've got five piping hot vintage items in the Factory Handbook store today, inspired by the free-spirited beauty of Ossie Clark's inimitable style. Chosen for their remarkable fabrics, specifically the ways they utilize prints on various sheer weights, these five colorful pieces make their own sunshine even when the clouds roll in...

Can you blame us for getting inspired? Who, on a sunny day, wouldn't be drawn to one of Celia Birtwell's gorgeous prints on sheer fabrics...sculpted as they were by Ossie Clark's distinctive take on the sexier side of bohemia? Take, for example, these:

images via google

inspired by: psychedelic maxi dress - vogue july 1970

2011-04-09T15:02:00.000-04:00

photo by norman parkinson

outfit post: 4.8.11

2011-04-08T13:11:00.000-04:00

Who? Me? Shameless? Self promotion may not be my middle name (or written anywhere on my birth certificate, or even uttered within state lines on the day of my birth) BUT, that being said, I constructed an entire outfit around demonstrating one of the necklaces I've just put up on Etsy in the new Factory Handbook Made store. Voila!

cardigan-vintage 90s agnes b.

dress-clu

boots-banana republic

necklace-carrie blaydes

Factory Handbook Made: Etsy studio-store opens at last!

2011-04-08T13:04:00.000-04:00

Since we all had sooo much fun with the soft opening of the Factory Handbook Vintage store on Etsy (a big wet kiss to those who came out to buy)...we decided to wade into the studio half of our new Etsy venture-suite as well!

I decided to start by putting up just three items from my treasure trove of one-of-a-kind jewelry designs. Almost all of the jewelry I design uses at least one component I've salvaged for re-use from vintage/antique pieces or recyclable materials of various kinds. These 'found objects' guide the creative process and ensure a kind of enforced uniqueness...who needs uniformity when mass production isn't your goal?

Click here to visit the spanking-new Factory Handbook Made store on Etsy!

inspired by: motorcycle culture - circa 1975

2011-04-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

One thing I cherish about Kentucky is the way it proudly greets springtime with the roar of powerful bikes rolling out of garages and onto the roadways. Say what you will about 'the bluegrass state,' but we put the original badass in biker. I've been ogling some gorgeously intimidating harley beasts out there on the streets the past few days, and figured I would pass along some of the divinely leather-clad inspiration derived thereof.

So here's some classic biker style, courtesy of Ken Pate's 1975 photography book Roquette Rockers, which depicts 'rockers' (bikers) killin' it around the rue de la Roquette in Paris. 1975 was a VERY good year for leather in Paris...

scans pieced together from sighs and whispers + other sources

inspired by: avant garde ballet / elle quebec - january 1999

2011-04-07T22:07:00.000-04:00

I'm entranced and bottomlessly inspired by these photos. I believe the model is Marie-EveNadeau, but I'm not 100% certain...

So in love with the exquisitely hard lines of the sheer dress, softened as it is by its delicate transparency. There's something Martha Graham about the image, as much for the stance as the dress. Nice and powerful. Aaaaand, I'm swooning into a dreamy reverie that involves pointe and this longtime favorite dress from the Yohji Yamamoto S/S 2001 collection. Speaking of Martha, she would definitely know how to whip that elongated hem around, am I right? [If I could teleport back in time and retrieve an entire old-school collection to fill my wardrobe this Spring/Summer it would quite possibly be this one...]

outfit post: 4.7.11

2011-04-07T20:06:00.000-04:00

Taken less than a week ago, these photos look almost comical to me now. Look at me with my COAT ON...back when the temperatures were still acting a fool and dropping below 50 degrees. I would like to take this post as an opportunity to tell winter it can full-well piss off.

Screw you insulated parka. Kiss it turtleneck. I'll see you in 6-8 months but until then please stay at least 100 yards the hell away from me.
-XXO
blaydes

parka-vintage military surplus

hoodie-american apparel

sweater vest-vintage halston

turtleneck-american apparel

pleated pants-vintage donna karen

boots-vintage

satchel-vintage

Factory Handbook: Etsy soft launch y'all!!

2011-04-06T11:32:00.000-04:00

Even though we're still re-organizing the vintage stockroom, re-structuring our biz plan (as if), and tinkering around with the new Canon 7D...there was too much excitement buzzing around Factory Handbook headquarters to NOT take a quick break and dip a toe into Etsy this week. Thanks to an inspiringly sunny day, we went straight for the silly factor with a handful of pieces inspired by what I like to call 'The Williamsburg Nerds of Summer' - a potent mix of geektastic summer gear in homage to my first summer away from Brooklyn in many many years. I miss you, Brooklyn, where a gal can be free to wear her oversized NASA space shuttle tank top, white oxford shoes, or stonewashed neon romper without anyone looking askance.

Click HERE to visit our brand new Etsy store...

We put together a short video of outtakes from our quick-and-dirty shoot. Note: I warned you about the silly factor. Keep it in mind when you hit play!

inspired by: ewa rudling

2011-04-04T16:11:00.000-04:00

fantasy shopping on the internet: victorian jewelry pt. 1

2011-04-02T11:59:00.000-04:00

When I get lost in one of my online jewelry orgies, the Victorian presence looms large. What other era encouraged so much quirky, wide-ranging, sometimes perverse, and always gratuitously ornate innovation? The wonderful pieces out there waiting to be discovered and ogled completely blows my mind every time I get a chance to delve in. Speaking of which, let's join together in ogling these gorgeous examples I came across this morning...

Coral Horn Cornetto - circa 1885

Ertswhile Jewelry

Egyptian Revival Scarab & Snake Pendant

Doyle & Doyle

Silver Fob Pendant - circa 1896

Erie Basin

Victorian Wide Tri-Gold Band

Doyle & Doyle

outfit post: 4.2.11

2011-04-02T11:12:00.001-04:00

Fringe is like a friend. There's enough personality in every swish, shimmy, and twirl to keep me entertained for hours...

lurex cardigan-vintage brooks brothers

l/s thermal-gap

jersey skirt-vintage

leather fringe shawl/scarf-vintage

boots-fiorentini + baker

the tortoise vs. the hare: a question of footwear

2011-04-01T10:06:00.000-04:00

There's something potent about the Acne versus New Balance face-off in this street style image. As much as I want, have always secretly wished, to be the Acne pumps girl in all the perfectly put-together glory I can only imagine follows were the camera to pan upward...those fantasies are never to be. I tend to dart too quickly, careen around a bit too perilously (clumsy is as clumsy does), and spend too much time on my feet in concrete-floor situations. Excuses? Well, obviously, but the shame of that realization hasn't exactly inspired me to fill the closet with stilettos and tough it out, now has it?

In my own defense: at least I've mostly avoided LITERAL reliance on trainers to feed my addiction to comfortable footwear. I may not be wearing New Balance but certainly Fiorentini + Baker have become as close as relatives the past few years. Here's hoping my lack of bunions will become its own reward a few decades from now...

via Jak & Jil

inspired by: red-lipped androgyny

2011-03-31T12:47:00.000-04:00

I love an exquisitely turned-out androgyne as much as the next fashion obsessive...but when the placid calm of tomboy cool gets rippled with a cherry stained pout like this one - I'm not sure whether I want to go hunting for a vintage bomber jacket or spend the next afternoon trying on new shades at Sephora. Confusing, to say the least, but in the best possible way...

via the Sartorialist

outfit post: 3.30.11

2011-03-30T13:38:00.000-04:00

Several hours of sunshine at the park on Monday kick-started a silliness overload of swinging, tree climbing, and running around in random circles (I'm not joking). Blame the Vitamin D rush? I prefer to think my body was inhabited by the spirit of the hilarious bee embroidered on the tag of this 1960s intarsia cardigan. I've had this vintage piece longer than I can remember (15+ years at least) and even though I didn't wear it for years at a time I could never let it go because of that damnably cute bee! Sucker for the whimsy, me.

intarsia cardigan-vintage

layered tees-gap & H&M

jeans-vintage sisley from 1970s

shoes-clarks

inspired by: that gleaming white

2011-03-30T13:20:00.000-04:00

When I look at these images from Harpers Bazaar I can almost hear a clothes line full of sheets, flapping softly in the wind. That's the feeling I want to inspire this rainy day! Not that I could sport full-length white without dragging my hem tragically through the mud...but a girl can stare out the window and dream, right?

Speaking of going balls-out white with a long dress, I'm drawn to these looks in particular because they neither fall prey to the faux-wedding or borderline-lolita traps that frequently ruin similar editorials. Just a sunny day and a pretty girl killing it HARD in a flowy white dress...

images via TFS

inspired by: abbey lee & our mountain

2011-03-29T12:47:00.000-04:00

The evolution of Abbey Lee's style, along with her foray into musicianship with the New York-based band Our Mountain, keeps reminding me of Janis Joplin and all the reasons I loved her when I was growing up. It was never so much about the music for me as the style, when it came to loving Janis...as well as Joan Jett, Sinead O'Conner, and even Madonna. Yep, I sincerely loved the music all of these women made, and I still do - but certainly I can admit that I loved it more preteen-passionately than other female singers because I found something about their personal style captivating.

Abbey's style always hits the same sweet spot for me - that impossibly perfect rock'n roll something - regardless of whether she's heading on stage with Our Mountain or sharing a smoke with the other models after a show...

Abbey Lee and Our Mountain - Russh April/May 2011

images via TFS

outfit post: 3.28.11

2011-03-28T21:15:00.000-04:00

Proportion is always the game when I pull out this plaid belted 60s number, and oft as not I end up going for the safety of stilts (that's how I think of the skinny jeans and platform heels combo - like style stilts). Honestly, I appreciate the surprising longevity our skinny jeans/leggings era has shown. If nothing else they make the perfect thing to pair with the oversized proportions I love to play with on top. My mind does seem to be on wider leg shapes and flared silhouettes lately, it seems, but I hope the skinnies stick around just a little while longer...even if I only use them to balance more interesting elements - like the profusion of plaid we see here.

(Also: lookee! Flowers! I might be wearing a turtleneck sweater but my heart is in cutoff shorts...)

belted wool vest-vintage

cashmere turtleneck-vintage

jeans-helmut lang

boots-banana republic

Inspired by: the hotness back stage, 1978

2011-03-28T11:24:00.000-04:00

I want this summer to bring on the HOTNESS, and I obviously don't mean the thermostat. There is so much 'hell yes' going on in this 1978 photo by Rennie Ellis that I should probably tape it to my mirror in case I am tempted to get lazy and wear flip flops or a pair of overalls instead of shorts and wedges.

As if the freaking LEGS going on here weren't enough to inspire me, what about that HAIR?! It is the sexy realization of all my wildest crazy-hair dreams...could my goofy curls possibly look this carelessly awesome some time? Maybe once at least?

Always the case, the devil is in the details here as well: I'm not sure if the single fingertip under Bon Scott's chin OR the little white rabbit's foot dangling from her shorts is more endearing...let alone the skinny polka dot scarf or the nylon bomber jacket.

The point is: Bon Scott may have been the headliner a few minutes before...but back stage this fine lady was stealing the show in a MAJOR way. Just look at the guy in the far background - he gets it too!

image of bon scott and one seriously hot babe back stage,

shot by Rennie Ellis - 1978