Oma Vintage

From Balenciaga Salon, 1954

From Bygone Fashion

3 Weeks to California. Commencing Countdown.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been cooped up in the city all summer or because I have three beach weekends in a row coming up, but regardless, I cannot get sun and surf off my brain.

Last but not least, this is how I want my family to look (when I have one). My poor (lucky??) future kids.

I wish there were more places like this (and for the ladies, too!). Focusing on locally handmade goods, this tailor/boutique/barber shop is a little taste of the old school. Their bespoke suits are made in Brooklyn the old-fashioned way, and they feature footwear and accessories from brands like Quoddy and Billy Kirk. The design of the space is impeccable, too.

Check out their site

Mr. Oma Vintage has been obsessed with this artist lately, and I can’t blame him. Eatock – who hails from the UK – does mostly conceptual sculpture and his website is chock full of amazing and witty pieces.

More work here

All I think about all day at work is rushing home so I can go to the pool for an early evening swim.

Abstract Print Maillot from Small Earth Vintage

Egyptian Print Swimsuit from Pineapple Mint

50s Neon Florals Swimsuit from De La Belle

Paisley Jantzen Suit from Young Captive

Very hot weekend so we decided to have a cold-food dinner party. Chilled avocado soup, chickpea salad, cole slaw, cold fried chicken, caprese salad, and ice cream with local peaches for dessert. Delightful.

Last night we had the privilege of popping into our friend Jenn and her husband Matt’s awesome mid-century furnishings shop Shag, for it’s one year anniversary! Congrats you guys. Here’s to many more years of success.

Festivities

(Poster by Mike Burton: http://mikeyburton.com/)

Some photos of their inventory:

So I’ve been dreaming about wearing a swimcap to my wedding (it will be on the beach, after all), so my sister sent a link to this fashion photographer Hilary Walsh’s website with some cute examples. I was totally awed by the rest of Walsh’s work though, when I browsed the site. Such lovely images.

Visit her site here

Many moons ago when I was a poor college student, I was fortunate enough to apprentice under and work for a Jewelry designer from Sweden, Annika Salame. She started out humbly in a charming boutique on Manhattan’s Upper East Side where she was the proprietor and sole designer. Her pieces were sculptural and organic, utilizing some incredible vintage beads. Albeit the company grew and now the line – By Boe – is sold all over the world. They relocated the storefront to an adorable space down on Prince St. in Soho. Thanks Annika for showing me the ways of the small business owner!

You can shop the looks online here

Some new items for the style-conscious lads out there are up in the Etsy shop now. Have a look

Sunday. 92 degrees outside equals watching the World Cup final (in a/c) followed by some poolside frolics. Did I mention I love summer?

I love these handmade jazz shoe inspired oxfords from Etsy seller Golden Ponies. She custom makes each pair and from what I hear, they’re truly a bang for your buck (and comfy to boot!)

For the lumberjack in your life:

Hickoree’s Hard Goods – great shop for the urban “rustic” (can’t believe I just used that term, don’t hold it against me). I love the mason bag, their selection of ties, and for fun, the twig slingshot. This site makes me just a little bit excited for fall (!)

It’s a challenge sometimes to look at blogs like the Sartorialist or The Selby and not only drool over the people/spaces/lives featured there, but hate those lovely things just a little bit too (because I wish they were me/mine).

Here’s my dream house in Brooklyn featured on The Selby. Sculptor/furniture designer Fitzhugh Karol and jewelry designer Lyndsey Caleo share this gorgeous space. The kitchen? Pretty much what we have been piecing together in our brains (and on various napkins, scraps of paper) for our very own. I also can’t get enough of the white-washed wood plank floors and raw natural wood furniture.

Kudos, you two, for making me so green.

All photos via www.theselby.com

Spent the 4th at my mom’s gorgeous house up in Eastern, CT. Swam in the ocean, nibbled cheese and chicken from the local farm, ate crabcakes on the water. Sigghhh. Country living is the life for me.

Lovely looks from NY label JF & SON’s S/S 10 look book here

The bride and groom, awwww.

Our epic weekend continues…Friday afternoon we traipsed around Manhattan with our buddy Isaac. Brunch at Chelsea Market (most amazing veggie burger), some shopping in the Meatpacking District and Soho, topped off with some quick refreshments at the new, beautifully designed La Colombe.

This girl had the most gorgeous African print top on, I had to snap a secret shot of her. Mystery girl, wherever you are, I love your style!

So proud to announce that my other (and better) half – my sister Sydney – has just started her own little Etsy shop in LA. She’s got a very West Coast vibe to her shop while staying true to her NY roots (of course).

Ok so the blog has taken a more personal spin lately, but that’s just because summer’s begun and so has the fun. Last weekend brought me back home to NY and serendipitously, I was able to hang out hard with my best friends in the world who I don’t get to see nearly enough. We stooped it in the West Village and ate spaghetti and meatballs.

Then it was straight to Soho for some shopping and off to Kent, CT for my very good friends’ wedding. We stayed at a lake, canoed, sailed (capsized!), went running, drank wine, lazed about, ate ate ate, and celebrated the nuptials of our close friends. The blog will probably be preoccupied with pics from these events for the rest of the week!

To start, Crosswords:

Summer evenings = friends, wine, sidewalks, dinner, NY, fun. Lots of love this weekend.

(Thanks Miss Diana Ecker for your amazing videography skills)

On Weehawken

On Weekhawken from Diana Ecker on Vimeo.

When I visited L.A this past spring, my sister was dying to take me to this lovely shop Tortoise in Venice Beach on Abbott Kinney Blvd. Run by Japanese couple Keiko and Taku Shinomoto, who moved from Tokyo in 2003, their gallery/retail space houses Japanese home goods, vintage furniture, art, clothing and accessories. All the pieces are decidedly modern, clean, simple and elegant. My sis got us a paper thin amber glass bedside water carafe that I’m
almost scared to take out of the box it’s so beautiful!

Check out their website that also has a blog section. Can’t wait to pop back in when I’m in town in August!

Tortoise
1342 1/2 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice CA 90291

While perusing their site recently for t-shirts I discovered that American Apparel has a new scam going, selling vintage clothing on their website. They call it California Select Vintage, and I imagine it’s deadstock items they’ve found in bulk, otherwise they’d make no money. Not so sure how I feel about it. I thought they just knocked vintage pieces off. Isn’t that their whole deal? Why sell the genuine article? And the items they’ve selected aren’t even that mind-blowing or unique. So why bother? Puzzling.

View the section on their website

I love how Band of Outsiders does their lookbook – sundrenched, faded California polaroids featuring some stylish celebs.

They were just sitting here in the shop staring at me and looking oh so pretty, so I had to share.

Since I’m in full on decorate-the-house mode these days, I’m lusting after nearly every item in this etsy shop, Modish Vintage. Such a great selection.

Resins

More here

Memorial Day weekend in the burbs. Sunshine, swimming, frolics.

here

I love what’s going on over at The Sartorialist as of late. Scott Schuman has organized a Vintage Photo Contest where readers can submit old family photos of their stylish relatives.

You can view them all over at his site

All photos from www.thesartorialist.com

Have you guys heard of Confetti System? It’s a design duo from New York comprised of Julie Ho and Nick Anderson. They make these amazing party decorations that are as beautiful as sculpture. I’ve had them on the brain since I saw Beach House last month (they did all of the set design for the tour, incredible!). I love their disco ball pinatas and am considering buying a few from Urban Outfitters for my engagement party next month.

Check out this great feature that design blog Sight Unseen did on them a few months back.

Here is the link to their site

Thanks to all who came out on Friday, it was a really good time! Glad we had such a nice big turnout. Here are some photos:

Well folks, tonight’s our opening of Meredith Hoffheins’ lovely show “Ad Hoc”. Join us from 6-9 PM for beer, pie, and general merriment.

Hope to see you!

Taking a little disco nap before the fun starts...

Hedi Slimane: fashion designer, photographer, renaissance man. I’m in love with the Fashion Diary on his website

You should be too.

All Photos by Hedi Slimane, www.hedislimane.com

I live for worn and lived-in hardwood floors, you know, ones where the big iron nails are smoothed over and there are pathways created by years and years of footsteps. I’m also partial to white walls and sparse decoration. This Cobble Hill, Brooklyn apartment of workstead designers stefanie brechbuehler and robert andrew highsmith has all of these qualities, in spades. More photos and an interview over at Design Sponge

There are no words!

All photos from here

All photos by Kenneth Josephson

To Kill and Mockingbird is one of my all time favorite films. Here are some looks inspired by Atticus, Jem, Scout and Jim.

Jem and Scout

http://mariesvintage.etsy.com

http://possumgully.etsy.com

Caulfield Preperatory, http://caulfieldpreparatory.com/

http://deargolden.etsy.com

Brooks Brothers Black Fleece collection, www.brooksbrothers.com

http://sparvintheieletree.etsy.com

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Sigh. Until the day I can afford to hire someone to design and build me a house, I’ll have to settle for drooling over these pretties. Domestic Architecture is a rad firm based out of Seattle that plays on familiar architectural styles by giving them a modern twist.

This is my recent favorite of their work, a sort of shopping center called “The Knew Gardens”

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Never thought I’d be one to actually be excited for cooler weather, but Opening Ceremony’s Fall 2010 Collection has me reluctant to pack up the sweaters! Love the full length dresses/skirts, trenches, and mens’ cropped slim trousers.

Check out more looks over at Refinery 29

White wedding?

That particular topic seems to be occupying much of my brain space these days, what with close friends tying the knot in June, my sister doing it in August (and myself next year!). So it’s only fitting that I seem to be scouring the wedding blogs fairly regularly. I felt compelled to share this little woodsy gem from wedding blog Once Wed, particularly for the bride’s dress and styling (she made it herself!). The landscape is just sigh-worthy too.

View the whole post here

I love the personal touch of fashion photographer and blogger Garance Doré’s site. I first discovered her work as she is the girlfriend of street fashion king Scott Schuman, aka the Sartorialist.

Doré’s photography and comments are fresh and oh-so-deliciously-French.

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It’s that time of year again, when celebs and fashionites alike don their most opulent for the Met Costume Institute Gala. This year felt tame in comparison to previous ones, but there were still some major stunners. Here are our favorites (note: ladies in pants get a gold star in our book!)

MIA, Alexander Wang, Zoe Kravitz all in Alexander Wang (love!)

Charlotte Gainsbourg and Nicolas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga in his designs

Chanel Iman in Michael Kors

Alexa Chung in 3.1 Phillip Lim (and Phillip Lim)

Zoe Saldana and DIane Kruger both in Calvin Klein with Francisco Costa

Sean Lennon, Sasha Pivavrova, and Kemp Muhl in Marni

Chloe Sevigny with the boys of Proenza Schouler in their (controversial!) design

Love this color - Amber Valetta in Roland Mouret

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That headline doesn’t do this look justice but I couldn’t resist. Can’t seem to get enough of the 1940s silhouette and styling these days.

Lauren Bacall

Balenciaga at www.style.com

Dolce & Gabbana www.style.com

Veronica Lake

Proenza Schouler at www.style.com

Katherine Hepburn

Roland Mouret at www.style.com

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Last night I had the pleasure of seeing my boy’s college professor and good friend Anne Schaefer’s current installation at local Philly gallery Tiger Strikes Asteroid. The show entitled “In Step” features a 4-wall rainbow color abstraction with a sort of pixelated color grid on one wall. A professor at the University of the Arts in printmaking, Anne is also in the process of launching a wedding invite and greeting card company. Busy Lady!  I love how she plays with shape and color. Unfortunately, the show ends this Friday but you can learn more about Anne and her work here.