more bejewling gifts

this one is for my lovely christine





and for miss anna banana




marry christmas!

i may be banned from fashion after this one

i hate you gladiator sandal!



i haven't found you flattering on anyone yet! you chop off feet and make a beautiful leg ugly with your binding straps! even worse is when you're tucked into jeans!!! how dare you!

what's going on? what happened to these fashionable women to make them choose to wear ugly shoes? you should be ashamed of yourselves for dropping money on these things!I say shame on you!

however, because I am and must be a slave to fashion, i found the only pretty gladiator around...but even still, i don't dare to venture there!

have a little earth in your life!

i'm getting crafty this year with my Holiday gifts. Last July while I was visiting mom and Scott in Montana I picked out a ton of rocks from Flat Head Lake thinking that they would make lovely jewelry.





The result is a marriage of rocks from Flat Head and semi precious stones that I picked up in New Mexico years and years ago. Since I do not have access to a drill yet, I created these beautiful brooches.



I love the functionality of brooches! I hope that everyone enjoys them :) Marry Christmas!!

more devine inspiration

now that i have my foot back on the peddle i think that i can create anything with my own two hands. my next attempt:





i'll post pictures as soon as i can!

nye inspiration

i have always loved the idea of the fake cuff!

thank you sonia rykiel! this show makes me want to dance in my seat and plan for NYE 2009

when the lights go down in the city

this morning as i tried to steady myself on the ever so crowded commute to the office we passed through Alamo Square park. it had stopped raining for a moment. the sky had opened up to show blue sky all over San Francisco except for directly over the bay. the black fog was erie and magical. i smiled as i realized for the third time in a long while that i love this city. it is simply fascinating.

as it turns out, the second time that it occurred to me that i love it here was just last night. i was helping Danielle whip up some dresses for her fashion show in San Diego this weekend. we took a break to take a look at the view from the rooftop; again the sky was clear but this time black with the stars twinkling above and the city doing the same below. not a sound around. quite. crisp. awe inspiring.

when i first dreamed up the idea of living in San Francisco, I thought about my role in the city. The character that I would play and the wardrobe that would define that character. it's comical how reality could not be further from that dream! so much has changed sense that day driving through the green forest of the presidio. the only thing that remains is that I am still in love with San Francisco and the sun shines on the bay.

little orphan annie

my hats get neglected. i stick them in a hat box and hide them away; always to be left at home instead of topping my head. After reading Vouge interview with the hat industry's "Geppetto" Albertus Swanepoel in November, I ran home climbed up the 2 stories to my storage loft and rescued my hats.

hat's carry a bit of mystery and intrigue.


they miraculously disguise and attract at the same.


it doesn't take much money or status to wear a hat.


a hat will always complement you.


moral of the story is: "the hat is the dot on the i"

internet love

i'm loving the internet these days!
today's favorite site is from ALDO Holiday: http://holiday.aldoshoes.com/
Their virtual snowflake factory is bringing all of the holiday cheer in the world together!
It is sooo cute and slightly addicting!

knitting factory

now that the legging has resurrected itself from the fog of the 80's, i think that it is here to stay! i can't imagine that the skinny jean will be going anywhere anytime soon either. my prediction is that the skinny jean and the legging join forces and become the new super pant!!

francisco costa paired a blazer and our new super hero the knit pant for calvin klein pre fall 2009


my favorite pair of pants are my CHAIKEN collection legging's in double knit. they are comfortable, keep their shape and always make me look and feel like a million. this pant can be worn with boots, flats and heels; they are tres versatile! not to mention very Audrey Hepburn.


with the addition of several denim companies expanding their apparel lines to include knit jeans i don't think that it will take long for the trend to catch on. but buyer beware! due to their wearability, comfort and lasting power of these new super jeans there are many imitations geared to your grandma! I dig Tag+'s version of the skinny jean gone legging. Check out at www.tagjeans.com

maggie muse

"Clothing, for me, is expressive... It's very important to me that I feel connected to what I'm wearing."

urban turban

the cold weather that has blown across the country is really getting to my head! i will keep my noggin warm and my hair safe from the winter wind by sporting one of the fabulous turbans that have been spotted around the fashion world over the last few years.

i don't think that there is anything that looks as sleek and sexy as one of these headwraps. their chicness accentuates bone structure and makes the eyes come alive! most recently, the silk wraps at ralph lauren have been an inspiration to me. other greats are from prada, hermes, erin fetherston, and phillip lim.

prada

erin fetherston

ralph lauren

unknown


don't know how to tie a turban? use these easy steps and viola!

• To start, fold the cloth in half lengthwise. Having the fold forward, set the center point on your forehead and drape the ends of the fabric forward across your shoulders. It will look like you have two pig tails.

• Now, gather up the fabric on each side, holding it as close to your earlobes as possible. You now have a "cap" on top of your head. Twist the two sides of fabric, not too tight or your turban will be too small, not too loose or it will fall off. You must experiment with this part.

• Pulling the two "pig tails" behind your neck, exchange sides and make the right one (originally) come over the left ear and left side over the right, cross in front and take to the back.

• Tie the ends like you would a shoestring and tuck them in the wraps.

green with envy

as a kid i have always concerned myself with the state of the planet. i remember pushing my mom to recycle and shaming anyone who used an aerosol spray can. these days i do my part by wearing vintage, resoling my favorite shoes, taking public transportation and supporting my local farmers. in california, i am just one of an army of millions who march to the beat of the green drummer. however, working in an industry that is constantly changing it is very challenging to stay green.

i am thrilled to announce that all of the cool kids are catching on though. Stella McCartney, Phillip Lim, J Brand even H&M are incorporating sustainable eco-friendly fabrications and methodology into their lines. but the fun isn't going to stop there! new york fashion week was overrun with pedicabs instead of town cars, reusable water bottles and locally sourced food.

the idea of being "green" as a trend is interesting. i look forward to it becoming a lifestyle for more than just the cool krew.

Go Green Go by Phillip Lim

J brand Green Label

Stella McCartney Organic Capsule Collection

miuccia goes to war

Miu Miu Spring 2009 RTW

Last month, fashion gazers witnessed a journey of simple dresses adorned with a modern armor of aprons in silk and burlap. The beauties looked as if they were off to a battle over champagne and caviar armed with fierce t-straps, alligator bags and boldly ethnic prints. I love the use of the spray paint, graphic prints and texture of the moth eaten textiles.

Here are a few of my choice looks.









Oddly enough, there were absolutely no pants! Even still, I left the miu miu show inspired for my own purpose….

beading, embroidery, ibiza, oh my!

i'm not one to get excited for the celebrity designers that take over H&M. I waited in line once to get in when the store opened it's location in Union Square and remember being persuaded out of line by the promise of champagne... (ahem, Ave!) I don't wait in line, I cut in line and when that doesn't work, I get a cocktail!

that being said. I will be saving my sheckles and waiting... gasp for Mathew Williamson to debut his pocket book friendly collection for the Swedish stores in April and May of 2009.

I love MW for his boho chic style that i have always aimed to adopt! His use of texture and depth is beautiful chaos to my eyes. His Spring 2009 runway show's message was clear to me; sex, color and slim lines are in! blouses were tailored, pants were fitted, dresses were feminine and neon was everywhere! A few of my picks are featured below. Hopefully his line for H&M is just as inspiring for me as Spring is.













I would love to be where ever he thinks he is when he's designing!! Ibiza? San Tropez? Any designer who can incorporate a caftan into every season is my type of dreamer! Thank you Mr. Williamson