Hi hi

Lately I've been watching a lot of Viva La Bam and reminiscing
 the days when all the boys I loved skateboarded. 

ootd: bam margera

don vito with a sheet t-shirt designed by ya girl w photoshop
volcom hoodie, volcom shoes, spy brand googles
i really want snowboarding goggles which is so stupid bc i don't snowboard
i'm wondering if i can play it off like the wind is really horrible and i need them

screen caps from an episode in the second season maybe 

Bouffants And Broken Hearts - Textile Design Artist Kendra Dandy

There's nothing I love more than charming motif designs turned textile prints. Especially from an artist who mixes as many sixties hair styles, bewitching hands, and eyelashes as Kendra Dandy. Here are some of my favorites. 

You can find more at her blog http://www.bouffantsandbrokenhearts.com/ 

Samantha

Samantha featuring aquamarine jewelry

Vivetta Faux Fur Panelled Coat  1,035 
Tobi Off Shoulder Dress  40
French Sole Ophelia Ankle Wrap Ballet Flat  129
Jill Sander Cat Pendant Necklace  114
Fossil Moon Drop Pendant Necklace 58 
Rebecca Taylor Aquamarine Stone Ring  175
Serling Silver Aquamarine Flower Ring  43
NEKTAR DE STAGNI Smiley Face Gold Plated Ring  279

Alexa Chung DJs in Seoul 2011

I love this video. I always dreamed when I turned 22 I would be living in NYC and have a lovely wardrobe and a nice job in fashion. And here I am age 22 living in NYC chasing my dream in fashion.    

 

Disco Dancing In NYC

I think lately I'm more interested in creating impulse designs. I am so easily distracted and get bored working on "collections". Sometimes despite finding something inspiring there are only a few designs I really want to invest time in sewing. And I'm at a difficult time in my life where I'm interested in everything but not one single thing. There were years where I only wanted to dress in peterpan collar blouses, knee socks, and wool coats. I still want to dress that way but I find my day to day life requiring more practical items and my interest drifting. It's just hard trying to figure out one thing that I want to be at this point. Most of the time it feels like forcing something. I think I'm just not a concrete designer at the moment and embracing that seems like a nice idea despite how unguided it might be.

I want to reflect light like a disco ball though. I had on a top with sequins on the other day and at times I would notice little glittery lights on surfaces around me. It's close to the holiday season and while that's a common look for new years I'd like to wear a dress like this all the time. I found a cool way to play with illustrating these dresses too. I think it only works because sequins are so textured you can't see the disruptions where I've edited. I found two images and used them to make sleeves and a shift silhouette for these dresses. My favorite is the fitted waist with the crewneck. 

Team Evil Wish List

I love anything with red hearts. 

XX

The Deep End Club

I just got back from Tennessee Thomas' shop the Deep End Club. 

I walked over there to give her two bags I had left over from a collection of tote bags I made for etsy. She was there with some friends and a few girls were trying on dresses. She was super sweet and it was really nice to meet her. I've loved Tennessee and Alexa since I was a teenager. And despite being a little bit nervous it was really normal and very friendly. 

Comme des Garcon Forever // Art Gallery Opening

I cut up my October issue of Teen Vogue. 

Which has been my favorite issue of anything for a long time. 

Here is a picture from my sketchbook. 

(Left) Courtney Eaton (Right) Boys Next Door, Comme des Garcon Forever, Phillip Lim bags, fur coat by a mystery designer. Fur coats and breton tops will always be my obsession. And boys who wear button up shirts with black crewneck sweaters. 

Gallery Opening 

My friend Edward invited me to a gallery opening. The space was tiny. Most of the artist were street artists and their paintings were really good. A drunk man with a russian accent kissed my hand three times within the first five minutes of meeting me. I also met a Christopher Walken look alike. He told me one of his photography videos got a thousand likes on facebook haha. 

OOTD - BROOKLYN THIFTING

Yesterday I went thrift shopping in Brooklyn. Going into charity shops makes me want to start projects. Either buying the XL skirts to use for fabric or reconstructing tops into dresses. But thrift stores in NY aren't as inexpensive as they are in Chicago or IA. So I can't justify spending the money on something I'd have to do work on and everything is pretty lived in so it doesn't look like they will weather gracefully. 

Anyway I recently went home to Iowa where I found my new favorite bag in the world. I've been dreaming of finding this bag for years and I hardly ever look in the purse section because I already have too many bags and end up shoving my belongings in canvas totes anyway (And I just got a new tote courtesy of my work with Petite Parade) But the bag I found is actually a camera bag. It's kind of a weird leather, I wouldn't say high quality because it doesn't look like actual leather but it doesn't look gross like fake leathers either. It's more of a vinyl esque material and it's oak brown. It's very boxy like vintage trunks but minature so I can carry it with me. And the very best part of this bag is that it's a crossby x handbag. There are two little snaps so I can fold the handle like a cute case or unsnap it and sling it over my shoulder. It's so wonderful. Oh and it only cost $2.79. That blows my fucking mind. 

When I was in Brooklyn yesterday I found a pin of a creepy lady. She looks like she's from the 1920's with her makeup and undecidedly weird hair or hat, I can't tell. The US Census website has a list of popular names for each decade. I tried finding her a name that was old timey and cute but all of them are pretty obvious. I like Doris. That's a nice name. The next time I go thrift shopping I'll look for more pins and start a collection.

Bijou Karman Illustrations

Artist / Fashion Illustrator: Bijou Karman

Lamé v.s Guipé

I was trying to figure out the technical term for metallic fabrics. I knew of Lamé but I thought it was more of a metallic spandex material and then figured out it was the term I was looking for. Also that there is a difference between fabrics woven with metallic threads (lamé) and fabrics woven with threads wrapped with metallic fibers (guipé). I had a fabric swatch of lamé and a sweater knit with guipé yarn and showed my roommate.

Little Marc Jacobs - Market Research

Reading an article on WWD from 2005 about Little Marc.

"Little Marc" Age 2-7
Manufactured in Italy, Design HQ NYC
Colors: Pink, Blue, Gray, White
Sizes (S 2-3) (M 4-5) (L 6-7)
Waffle Weave thermals - something from their adult collections
$150 -$175 sml inconsistent price by size
$150 - $325 price point

"For me, these things are a natural progression. I'd much rather do something first, get my feel wet, learn about the parts of the business. Then sit down, with a knowledge and background." - Bertrand Stalla Bourillion, Chief executive officer and chairman

In another article

Little Marc x Swimwear Anytime Inc
2010 cruise swim collection

Kissing fish prints
the cuter the better - idioms - icon

Market research for Little Marc


Something I didn't write about is how Little Marc wasn't designed as a full collection. It was created on a whim and was very instinctual. Since 2005 it's expanded but I think that that attitude still reflects the general attitude for the market.


There's a lot of room for growth, room to focus on the quality of construction and textiles. That's something that has been critiqued. And something that I'm proud to know I could influence. I like that it's still new because I'm new. I also like that it's playful and instinctual. I think there is a different kind of success lent to both being able to work the in's and out's of an idea and being able to do something you just feel is right. I like both. I hope to strike a balance.

Caption: Here is a picture I found of Marc Jacob's desk (in Soho) that was on a blogspot called "Letters to Marc Jacobs".  

Fashion Blog

Lately I've been spending time in the morning reading about fashion and taking notes in my journal. I want to keep those notes here and add pictures. I have a handful of blogs already and a blog I dump all my photos I use as references for illustrations but I want this to be a little more structured and easy on the eye.

I have a BA specializing in children's wear which I'll write about. I like fashion from 2008 - 2012. Those years had more of a Lolita vibe and follow more trends of the children's wear market.