3

A Bra for Everything

3.30.2015

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Uye Surana Eyelash Lace Inlay bra

Eyelash lace: the closest you can get to wearing the most elegant spiderweb.
 I adore Uye Surana, because 1) each piece is crafted and hand-dyed in NYC, 2) Their bra construction tends to be on the wider side, making these perfect for T-shirts, and 3) Designer Monica Wesley utilizes some particularly sassy colors; lots of deep red, purple, black and cream.  All of which look great on pretty much any skin tone.

Other faves worth mentioning: Triangle high-waist panty, Luxe Eyelash lace bra, and the delightful open-back top with the cutest detail of an added button closure.



6

My Found Photo Collection - Part I: The Gals

3.29.2015

For about 5 months now I've been collecting old photographs, and like, that's it, I'm hooked.

I mean, there's the ritual of it- I'll go to junk shops on my Sundays off and dedicate a good amount of time to finding. Sinking my hands into a shallow pool of cast-off photos from who-knows-when-or-where, I don't quite know what I'm looking for...something distinct, usually: a gesture, an outfit, a thought, a time and place...
39¢ for small prints, 69¢ for larger ones.. for something generations older than I am, them's some pretty fair prices....

























reads "By the sad sea waves Aug. 1922"




 
Antique stores and Junk shops like the one in my neighborhood obtain photos for resale by various means, a lot of them are obtained from "deads" or estates where someone has passed away, their belongings collected by dudes with trucks, and resold again. So these (more likely than not) have come from homes and families who have passed on, and these photos are like, real moments in someone's past. Someone felt compelled enough to preserve these people and save them, but they've been resold and amalgamated into a sea of castoffs.

SOOO many people collect photos, have been for years- The Met has an incredible archive donated from all over the place, and don't even get me started on Vivian Meier's story because holy crap.

I've tacked dozens and dozens of photographs on my wall dating from anywhere between 1904 to 1984 - and all have at some point grabbed me with the allure of their completely unknown provinces. I mean, what ends up happening is you just make up stories;
"Man, she looks caught off guard..I would be too if you took my photo in front of an outhouse"
"This dude must've been on vacation, nobody wears a suit to see the pyramids.."
"A dude in army fatigues plays the piano with a boxing glove on..well, the draft did get 'em young"
"Oh, I wonder if she made her dress, I wish I could do that- maybe she learned how to do it in Home Ec class..and I can barely hem a pant over here.."
"Oh crap, look at that car.."

I guess another thing that gets me is what the meaning of a photograph used to hold. Throughout the twentieth century, a film camera was extracted from its case, room, or place on a shelf in order to get something important; like, really important to the person taking the photos, at least. 
You'd shoot a roll of film and then wait a few days to pick them up. After waiting is when you'd see your captures and truly re-live whatever it was that you shot. Maybe you'd stick your photos in an album with glue, where they'd stay archived and protected for years, or maybe you'd keep them in a box under your bed, or on a shelf. Some you'd forget, some you'd look at regularly. Some you'll write on to get names down, because you might forget.

I grew up with my parents (who were both photographers, my dad professionally, and my mom in her own right) painstakingly curating our family photo albums with photos they'd take on our outings. Those albums are so precious to me, I can barely breathe looking through them sometimes, because there's always something I forgot I felt or knew about us as a family because we eventually fell apart when I was so young. It's a bittersweet thing, but photos do that for us, and I wonder if the owners of these pictures ever felt the same way. I'll never know, but there's a comfort there.

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5

My Shirt's Spilling

3.28.2015

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((bwaa!))
Vintage sweater + bag, Cheap Monday blouse (℅), AG jeans (℅), Vagabond shoes

Comfort! Spilling shirts!
A little dishevelment with some elegant vintage pieces thrown in. Lots of movement coming from the blouse, some loose laid-back delights from these ripped AGs.

4

S✮T✮A✮R // PRéMA

3.24.2015





Went to PRéMa last week and gots me a fresh color lewk and some hidden braids. I proceeded to make life 64% more fun by incorporating some gold star confetti because I have a whole bunch in a dish by my bed, and I never know what else to do with it other than place my phone on top of it like a A+ student mountain of glory.

BUT GUYS!
 PRéMA's really fun, if you're in the city and need a new look, I suggest you check 'em out 'cause they're pretty new to NYC (they've been on Stanton st. since last August, originally from Australia) and the stylists there are some of the most informative and helpful I've ever sat with. 

Greg, who did my color, moved me in the right direction when I mentioned I wanted something that would 1. fade strategically as I start spending more time outside, and 2. enhance my natural texture. He went ahead and made the top section of my head about 1 shade darker than my ends, explaining that with curls and waves, a bit of "shadow" at the top will add some dimension and shape to my hair when it does its thang.

Dale styled me up and gave me some quick tips for what I should do when I need my hair out of my face and I don't want a palm tree on the top of my head. He suggested twisting an off-center section of hair from the back of the head, twisting forward and pinning behind my head. Voilá! Looks way better than the gathered-atop junk I tend to do

If you're in NYC, they're a salon worth visiting, especially if you're looking for something new, because their consultations are ON. POINT.  They'll for sure steer you in the right direction and give you something you probably wouldn't have thought of at first!

New York Salon: +1 (646) 861 3766


4

Studio Visit: Liam of York

3.23.2015


A mood wall, with hand-dyed fabric swatches and some of Designer Rebecca's experiments






Liam of York's Fall coat from the Autumn '15 collection, I can't help but love that she uses masculine details, like this passport pocket, in a woman's coat- what woman doesn't need an inside pocket?




A custom-made dress, hand-dyed by Rebecca using Shibori


Solomon, super-friendly resident fauna 



Rebecca lounges in her design seat


Yesterday afternoon I stepped into Rebecca Wolsten's sunlit studio and admired some truly beautiful fabrics. Rebecca, the founder and designer behind Liam of York, had lured me into her space with the promise of DOUGH donuts and an afternoon discussing the industry we both find ourselves in. 

It's hard to stand by Rebecca's hand-crafted (and dyed!) pieces without feeling the warmth of her passionate handiwork. From her home/studio, she carefully ties and plucks intricate patterns using an ancient Japanese hand-dyeing technique called Shibori, a method renowned for centuries for its graphic capacity to reflect nature, and a natural fabric's connection to the earth it grew from. By using this method, Rebecca is able to create pieces that are completely individual, as no two are alike and each garment takes to the dye differently.

When Rebecca's pieces aren't hand-dyed, they're crafted from handmade fabrics that are created using heritage techniques, sourced from around the world. For Rebecca, her clothes constantly seek to cross planes of  meaning: modern design meets ancient craft, masculine tailoring meets the charm and specialness of the intelligent gamine wearer. All are qualities I can't help but admire and enjoy.

I asked Rebecca about her process and what makes each and every one of her pieces so special:

You live and work in Brooklyn now, and I always love meeting Brooklyn-based designers! Is there a part of working here that is particularly conducive to your work? 

In Brooklyn I have a large home studio and I don't think that would be possible in Manhattan.  I also like the culture; Brooklyn Museum, galleries, great food, and that my best friends all live with in a mile and that we all bike.  There is nothing better than biking on Kent Ave along the water in the summer.

What was the first aspect of Fashion (process, design, textiles, photography- anything) that really piqued your interest and made you think "Yeah, I wanna do this!" 

My first experience with fashion was in a general theater class in high school.  I got stuck on the costume design section.  I then started altering things from second hand stores. Cutting, embellishing, sewing. Fashion design, making things, and my art classes really gave me self confidence and the freedom to be myself at a young age.  

I'm beyond intrigued by your use of historical processes for your hand-dyed fabrics. Could you give a little low-down on which process you use to dye your textiles yourself? 

I use shibori dyeing methods which originated in Japan in the 8th century, I like doing handwork and took a class at the Brooklyn Textile Arts Center a few years ago and have been doing it on my own ever since.  I love how silk takes dye so vibrantly.  Hand dyeing is also unpredictable so no two fabrics will come out the same even if you follow the same process.  There's a lot of surprise and experimenting.

How have you chosen which colors to work with these past few seasons? Do these have special meanings for you? 

I tend to start by gathering images and fabrics that I am drawn to.  I do not first choose a color palette.  I whittle down the fabrics I have sourced and start by grouping them instinctively.  I have a background in painting and naturally think of my collection as a formal composition in terms of color, forms, and proportion.

If you could see your clothes in a landscape, would you want them to stand out or blend in, depending on where you see them? 

That is a draw.  I want my woman to blend when she wants and draw attention when she wants.  I am planning a trip to Greece soon and can't wait to wear lots of Liam of York. I am hoping to be very inspired by the natural landscapes and ancient ruins.

I'm so happy to see you add pockets to many of your designs, which adds utility to your beautiful pieces. Do you see LIAM OF YORK pieces being worn everyday? What kind of lady do you envision sporting your clothes? 

I do see Liam of York as being worn everyday and I use a lot of cotton fabrics. I like my clothes to be casual enough that they are easily thrown on for a full day, from morning to night.  My clothes are for professional creative woman, she has places to go and people to see and doesn't want to look like everyone else in the room. She feels different because she is different.

You also make jewelry! Did you always want jewelry to play a part in your looks? 

For a while now I have been more focused on my clothing collection, but as a designer jewelry design also interests me.  The jewelry I have made is for the same Liam of York girl as my clothes she likes pieces that are special, classics with a twist.

As a crafts-person and designer who embraces slow fashion and more thoughtful modes of consumption, what criteria do you look for in something when you bring a new piece of clothing into your life/closet? 

I am beyond picky when I am buying clothing as I know how to make things and don't like buying clothes that fall apart after a few wears.  I look for pieces that feel special to me that I haven't seen everywhere that speak to my style in general and good quality.  I stay away from trends and really look for things I will want to wear year after year.

Any exciting developments as you work on the next step for Liam of York? 

I am starting to work on my Spring 16 collection and making a few custom pieces for clients which is always exciting!

BROOKLYN FOLK! ebecca's also holding a presale for her Autumn/Winter collection this Saturday, deets here:


Saturday 3/28
12-5pm
241 Taaffe Pl #209
Mimosas and PREORDER for AW15 and some made to order summer goodies


Payments accepted: Cash, CC, Venmo

 

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