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March 11, 2015

Round-Up: 7 Umbrella Designs That Will Get You Excited About Rainy Days

You're hearing it everywhere: "Spring has sprung!" And it's true, but in its first glorifying days, we all seem to forget that although winter's snow is on its way out (fingers crossed), there's another bit of weather we have to prepare for: Spring Showers. Reward yourself for all of that spring cleaning with another seasonal essential: an umbrella.

Not-so-fun fact: If you took all of the improperly discarded umbrellas accumulated around the world over one year, we'd have 25 Eiffel Towers on our hands. So maybe it's time to invest in an umbrella you won't mind looking at for the next 10 rainy seasons. Need somewhere to start? Read on and check out our top seven picks.

For the Art Lover: Frank Lloyd Wright's "Waterlilies" / MoMA

Photo cred: MoMA Store

If you're looking to nestle yourself underneath a work of art, this umbrella from the MoMA collection is just for you. Just think of how nice this would look from underneath just as the sun starts to poke back out from the clouds.

Feminine Flair: Pagoda / Bella Umbrella

Photo cred: Bella Umbrella

Sometimes an eye-catching shape can say a lot more than color or pattern. The Pagoda Umbrella from Bella Umbrella has an unusual bell silhouette that will make you feel footloose and fancy free even on the most dreary of days. Seriously—this one is channeling some vintage Mary Poppins.

January 5, 2015

Round-Up: Survive Winter (And Look Good Doing It) With These Tights

Photo by Vanessa P./Flickr Creative Commons

With winter weather comes many things—wind-blown hairdos, rosy cheeks, and the great fashion responsibility that is layering. Instead of thinking of them as another layer between you and the great season that is summer, treat them as the versatile accessory that they are. The right pair of tights can take an outfit to new levels, whether you're working with patterns or a bold color.

Tights are also great for turning summer wardrobe pieces into weather-appropriate outfits—just like the Edie and Pixie Rompers. (We love how they look with either solid or patterned hosiery). We know it's overwhelming—you can't turn around in any department store or website without running into a pair of tights ('tis the season), so we rounded up some of our favorite for your shopping convenience. From the perfect everyday legwear to bold seamed varieties to flaunt on date night, we've found the perfect pair for you.

For the Sustainably Minded

Maggie's Organics from Abe's Market

They put it best: "Grown without pesticides, harvested safely, and spun without chemicals, this cotton is soft, safe and scrumptious." How can you resist a pair of tights that are described as scrumptious?

These tights are made to be lighter than other cold-weather designs, making them a great choice if you're looking for a pair to show off during warmer months, too.

The Go-To, Everyday Tight

M6 from Bene Rialto

These opaque tights are perfect for weatherproofing your favorite summer outfit—whether it be a favorite pair of shorts or a romper. Make sure to play up your accessories to break up the opaque look, if you're working with a monochrome outfit. A stand-out pair of shoes can go a long way with a black pair of tights, as well.

M6 makes their hosiery in Germany, but you can find their designs at Bene Rialto in Manhattan.

November 12, 2014

Round-Up: Five Must-Have Scarves for Fall (and Winter)

Photo cred: Francisco Osorio / Creative Commons

Fall is an exciting time for fashion, and we don't just mean those of us looking to discover forgotten favorites at the back of our closets. With the cooler temperatures comes an opportunity to layer on more complicated combinations of style—some for the sole purpose of keeping us warm, and others, well, just because. If there's one accessory that falls right smack dab in the middle of those wardrobe agendas, it's the scarf. From infinity scarves to delicate silk handkerchief throwbacks, there are all kinds of styles for any situation you can think of.

We corralled some of our favorites below, but (as always) we'd love to hear from you. Make sure to share any standout scarves. We're even interested in those, um, more out-there suggestions—like this. You know what they say about form following function.

Calling All Commuters: Sash-ay Scarf, Vespertine NYC

There's no such thing as being too visible when it comes to biking—day or night. This scarf from Vespertine NYC is a way you can add a little safety flash that won't pull away from your outfit when your bike is locked away waiting to be ridden home. The design features a woven 3M threading that illuminates when in direct light, meaning you stay highly visible without committing to any unsightly neon colors. Coming in at $92, you're jumping in on the 3M trend—and keeping yourself intact—for a steal.

October 23, 2014

Round-Up: Carry-On Luggage You’d Be Proud to Tote

Photo cred: Creative Commons

Considering the (sometimes obnoxious) size of carry-on luggage, it can be tough to find one that totes any bit of style. Sure, you can fall to the whims of the smallest of your color-coordinated luggage set—or you could find a beautiful piece that adds a silver lining to the stressful experience that is traveling. The holidays are coming up, and vacations home—or maybe someone more exotic—are filling your work break daydreams. And even if you aren't going anywhere anytime soon, these bags will fit right into your daily commute to the office—you know, when you've got more than a few files to tote back and forth, along with your gym essentials.

So before you start blowing your cash on Christmas presents, treat yourself to some holiday travel style. We've got seven of the most stylish carry-on pieces we could find, for all budgets. Read on and window shop:

Weekender Bag in Printed Deer Dot, Kate Spade Saturday, $180

Sturdy and well-shaped, this bag from Kate Spade Saturday is small enough to fit into those cramped overhead bins without the threat of losing its form. The polka-dotted pattern is just flashy enough to notice on a luggage conveyor if you decide to check it in.

July 24, 2014

Five Tote Bags to Show Off at the Beach

When packing for a recent beach trip with my mom and sister, I realized I was missing an essential accessory—a cute and durable tote bag large enough to hold sunscreen, towel, snacks, and sunnies (not to mention mask & snorkel!) So we set off on a search for the perfect bag to carry around everything needed for a day trip to the beach—or even an impromptu picnic. We were pleased to discover there was no need to sacrifice style for function, and wanted to share our findings. Check out five of our tote picks for those days where you just need a good book and sunscreen on-hand.

Beach Tote with Mat, Need Supply Co., $82.99

The rope handles on this tote from Need Supply scream lazy beach days. You can forget the hassle of dragging along a beach towel, thanks to the mat—which comes with the tote—and its intuitive strap storage (with a charming bow in the middle!). For a function-friendly twist on a canvas classic, it doesn't get much better than this. Get your hands on your own tote here.

Beach Wave Print Canvas Tote, Dezso, $175

The graphic design on this Deszo carryall is about as far away from the kitschy illustrated beach scenes you're more likely to see spotting the sand. We love this photo-inspired print—it's just abstract enough to pull in a few appreciative double-takes and give you a touch of the beach no matter where you are. The tote itself is a classic canvas construction, complemented with bold orange piping for the perfect amount of pop. Buy it on Intermix here.

October 10, 2011

Rachel – Custom Bolero Jacket

As a laid-back and low-frills person, Rachel seeked out simple, yet elegant wedding solutions that also reflected her personal environmental and social consciousness. She found a cotton eco-conscious dress on Etsy from South American designer Zelaya. To soften and tailor the dress to Rachel, we garment washed it and added darts for shaping. We also created custom straps, and added a textured green suede trim at the empire waistline for a little colour accent.

To cover her shoulders and dress up the look slightly, we designed a custom bolero jacket in silk shantung lined in soft cotton voile.

Rachel & Tyler were married on the coast at Old Orchard Beach, Maine.

December 1, 2010

Gabrielle – Custom Shrug & Veil

Gabrielle had already purchased a Lanvin dress to wear to her wedding, but approached me to create a custom shrug and veil to complete the look. For the shrug, we wanted something soft, unstructured, simple, and elegant to go with the dress. Since the dress had a lot of voluminous tiers, the shrug needed to be cropped in the back to sit just below the top of the dress. But we wanted the shrug to have some shape of its own, so I draped a silhouette (in just one pattern piece!) with full sleeves that tapered just past the elbows, and a curved front opening. For the materials, we picked a super soft cotton & silk jersey, and trimmed the neckline and hem with a double layer of raw edge bias-cut silk chiffon.

For the veil, we draped a custom blusher style in tulle that could be worn covering the face or pulled back and to the side.

Gabrielle and Lev were married at the Metropolitan Building in Long Island City, Queens, NYC.

January 4, 2010

Jill – Reclaimed Wedding Dress

As founder and editor-in-chief of green design blog Inhabitat, Jill was only willing to go the sustainable route with her wedding attire. In addition to sourcing minimal impact materials, we wanted to design a dress indicative of Jill's sophisticated style, in a silhouette that was fun and fresh, and also re-wearable. We first started by exploring fabric options such as organic cotton tulles and silks, such as the below.

Jill was then offered her fiance's grandmother's Victorian wedding dress from circa 1900, which was a beautiful lace gown, completely deteriorated in most sections, but intact in others. Jill had already decided that she did not want a full-length gown, but I had to make sure that we had enough material from the vintage gown to create even a knee-length dress! Through careful cutting and efficient patternmaking, I was just able to make it work, utilizing the lace's scallop edges at the neckline and asymmetrical hemline of the dress.

The lace needed to be carefully cleaned and restored back to its original colour, as pictured below.

We both love the colour green, and decided on a hand-dyed ombre (green with a gradation from light to dark) silk charmeuse for the underlayer of the dress. From my collection of vintage lace trims, we selected one to use for the straps, which I dyed using green tea to match the ivory of the dress lace.

The wedding and reception were held in San Francisco's beautiful Presidio Park, which tends to become cool at night, so we made a custom bolero jacket in a matching green to cover Jill's arms.