Images From the Bust Holiday Craftacular NYC

Grace and I had a blast at the Bust Holiday Craftacular last Sunday! My Christmas shopping is now complete and I even scored a new necklace for my self from Angel Court. I also found some great designers that I will be reporting on soon. In the meantime, here are some pics from the show.

eBay Playlist: Searches and Scores

New Year's Eve is almost here. Wouldn't this vintage 1920's pink ostrich feather cape would be fabulous! OUTRAGEOUS 1920's *PINK* OSTRICH FEATHER EVENING CAPE

What Made Me Happy Today: Leaving Reality Behind

Take a look at this spread inspired by cloning yourself, from an old issue of The Face magazine.

And the amazing work of German English photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten. Her Teenage Stories project is based on childhood memories of she and her sisters growing up in Pennsylvania and rural Germany, and their child-like ability to get lost in dreams and fantasies. I was drawn to her darker imagery but there are some sweet ones too. Though all have a dreamlike other-worldliness to them.

Girl Under Motorway

Floating in Harbour Bike Accident


Thanks Wicked Halo, for taking me out of my zone today and into an ethereal dreamworld for awhile!

Etsy Playlist: Hunting for Handmade

Leather/Herringbone Ruffled Spats for High Heels. $96

Herringbone Spats with Brass Buttons $92

I am absolutely in love with these made to order spats from Ashes and Empires. Not only are they killer in the style department but they also can vary your shoe wardrobe instantly! These shoe accessories are styled with leather and menswear fabrics such as herringbone but have a feminine touch with ruffles. Each pair is one size with adjustable lacing in the back.

DIY Book We Love: Born-Again Vintage

Unsung alum B. Artise has published her first book, and it's something that can benefit all of us. It's called Born-Again Vintage: 25 Ways to Deconstruct, Reinvent, and Recycle Your Wardrobe, and basically teaches you how to transform your vintage/thrift finds (or old clothes you're sick to death of) into a fashion-forward statement piece.

Inside, Bridgett Artise provides easy recipes for creating a whole new wardrobe: She takes period-dated, era-related pieces and reworks them into items that have up-to-the-minute style and flair. Potentially fabulous clothing that normally falls into disuse (and gathers dust in the back of a closet) is deconstructed and pieced back together in a whole new way.

Complete with loads of handy tips and ideas for affordably reinventing disused cast-offs (“Avoid trendy vintage boutiques,” “Don’t underestimate the estate sale”) as well as a comprehensive 50-state vintage shopping guide, this is a perfect holiday gift for your DIY girl.

BORN-AGAIN VINTAGE
25 Ways to Deconstruct, Reinvent, and Recycle Your Wardrobe
by Bridgett Artise and Jen Karetnick
Release date: December 9, 2008
Available for pre-order at Potter Craft
$24.95 Hardcover

Unsung Designers Always a Step Ahead of Trends: Gina Michele

Just saw this adorable green tiger print dress (left) from Diane von Furstenberg's Pre-Fall '09 collection... and thought of this panther print dress (right) from Gina Michele's Spring '08 collection.























The color scheme of this DvF skirt (left) also reminds me of this Gina Michele dress (right), from the same collections.

December 8-10, 2008Sample Sales: Edite Showroom

We love Edite Showroom in NYC's garment district. They rep some of the hottest up-and-coming designers, their style instinct is killer, and the women who founded the company are just really cool, wonderful people (somewhat rare in this industry).

They'll have pieces from Vassilisa, LiaLia, Lovenia, Caroline Hedaya, Charles & Victoria, Verrieres et Sako, Anjali Kumar, Pamp Lesmosses, Your Slip is Showing, Gretchen, Brynn Hudson, and Tagua. Never heard of these designers? Get out of your rut and trust Edite's judgement. Their designers are high-end and you know you'll love showing off your new emerging designer threads. You don't want to look the same as everyone else. You live in NYC!










Get ready because next week you can get your hands on some of their amazing finds. Lines sold at Bendels, Saks & Fred Segal for $200-$1200 will be on sale at the showroom for $50-$500!

When: December 8-10 (Mon-Wed), 10:00AM - 7:00PM
Where: Edite Showroom, 134 W. 29th St. b/t 6th & 7th, Studio 709, NYC

In addition to the Edite sale, Daily Candy lists a literal slew of other sample sales around the city starting this weekend, including Alexander Wang, Vivienne Westwood, and Proenza Schouler.

eBay Playlist: Searches and Scores

I love capes and I really really love this cape from Bustown Modern. This is truly a great eBay score! Listing ends: Dec-11-08 20:16:34 PST

Vintage 60s tan mod POCKETS swing cape coat jacket.

Hail That Cab!

Growing up my mother used to knit winter mittens and hats for me and my sisters. One pair of mittens that I loved were black with "stop" on one hand and "go" on the other in white. When I came across these Kate Spade yellow taxi mittens in the Shop-o-matic New York Magazine Gift Guide I got all excited. A grown up version for the city dweller! And a great way to stay warm while hailing that cab.

The Daily Obsession Interviews Delirius

A good feature by The Daily Obsession of one of our favorite labels: Delirius, whose collection is "distinct and architectural, yet surprisingly still very comfortable and wearable." Read the full interview then come shop the collection at Unsung.

Etsy Playlist: Hunting for Handmade

On this week's Etsy Playlist is Crystalyn Kae. Her Etsy shop is filled with gorgeous and functional handbags made from vegan friendly glazed microfiber, vintage fabrics, and tweed. I love her new limited edition tweed bags with leather or glazed fabric accents like the Gray Tweed Hobo and the Red and Tan Tweed Troubadour Tote pictured above. To make it even sweeter she also includes free shipping to US destinations!

December 6th & 14th, 2008BUST Craftacular: LA, London & NYC

This year, the BUST Holiday Craftacular is going to be 3 times the fun,
with events in NYC, LA, & London!
Craftacular is a fantastic place to pick up your holiday gifts. Last year Amy Sedaris (left) was selling her home-made tchotchkes and she'll sign them for you too. She inscribed several copies of her hilarious hospitality book, I Like You, for my unenlightened friends who didn't yet own a copy. I then bought a bunch of cool baby hoodies by Saltlick for the small army of kids my friends were popping out, and some ironic needlepoint sets for my crafty friends, knit hats and scarves for everyone else. There are plenty of items for everyone on your list, and you're unlikely to find these things anywhere else. Everything's made with love and a sense of humor.




Photos from last year (courtesy of BUST):



















Dates:

LOS ANGELES, CA
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2008
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
The Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles

LONDON, UK
SATURDAY, 6 DECEMBER, 2008
12 PM – MIDNITE
St. Aloysius Social Club
20 Phoenix Road, London

NEW YORK, NY
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2008
10:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Metropolitan Pavillion
125 West 18th Street, NYC

Holiday Shopping Event

Mark your calendars!

Holiday Shopping Event
December 3rd 6-9pm

RAFFAELE E PAOLA
270 W. 19th St.
B/W 7th and 8th Ave.

NYC
212.633.0828

GUEST HOST: DEREK WARBURTON of Derek Loves Shopping!

STYLE ADVICE
COCKTAILS
HORS D’OURVES
PROCEEDS TO THE BOTTOMLESS CLOSET

eBay Playlist: Searches and Scores

Vivienne Westwood is one of my monthly searches on eBay. These boots are the real deal but alas not my size. Vivienne Westwood Pirate Boots.

Etsy Playlist: Hunting for Handmade

On this week's Etsy Playlist is the shop 57 Thirty Three. I love their dark yet strong graphic imagery. Inspired from pop art, politics, and rebellious silent film stars they print and spray with solvent free, water based inks on American Apparel tees, and hoodies for women and men. Pictured here are two of my favorites (from top to bottom):

Rage is not Revolution; $32. Men's tee.

Anna May Wong Rebel 2 Sided Top; $34. Women's Tee.

Shopping for a Cause: Tom's Shoes

My latest covet: Toms Wrap Boots. The boots are inspired by the colorful leg wraps worn by champion Argentine polo horses.

For every pair of shoes purchased, Tom's will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. One for one. Toms has given over 10,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina and 50,000 pairs in South Africa. Read more about their cause. Plus, the boots are vegan if you're anti-leather.

These boots are affordable ($120), lightweight and versatile. Depending on how you wrap them, you can get several different looks. I'm thinking about wrapping them open over contrasting tights so you can see the other color underneath. I love the elfish shape of the foot too. Kind of sleek equestrian meets Lord of the Rings (I may be a nerd but you know those elves were hot).

Tom's also has a separate fun website with styled looks and a video about a "polo widow" who invented the boots. They come in olive (shown above), red (shown below), rust, brown or black. Happy shopping!




Thanks Likecool for finding the awesome boots!

Designer To Watch: Hoakon Helga

I'm in love with this line of handbags by Hoakon Helga. They are super stylish, slouchy, and one of a kind since they are made out of recycled leather. Therefore the leather is worn in, soft, and with subtle details of it's past built in (like it's former jacket pockets). The large bows add a feminine touch that I can't resist. I have the red suede Monarda bag on my new Wists!

Shopping for a Cause: Housing Works Sample Sale

Fashion for Action is a sample sale featuring more then a million dollars in designer merchandise at 50-70% off, open to the public November 14-16 at the Chelsea Thrift Shop, 143 West 17th street.

This year’s benefit is hosted by Marc Jacobs and the organization hopes to raise more then $500,000 for homeless people living with HIV and AIDS in New York City.

eBay Playlist: Searches and Scores

Inspired by Grace's earlier post Exposed, this week's eBay search is for vintage or retro style garter belts. I love this pink and black lace one from Broad Minded Clothing. Truly worth showing off!

Etsy Playlist: Hunting for Handmade

I just want to snuggle up with chunky knits when I'm running about outside in the cold. For this edition of Etsy Playlist I have found Pixiebell Elfinwear. The shop is filled with chunky handmade hats, scarves, cowls, and the very cozy Earthly Fae Hood (pictured above, bottom) which is both a hat and a scarf in one! The colors are muted and neutral and the yarns are eco-friendly and recycled. Prices range from $29-60.

Designer to Watch: REBELDNCE

I've come across an emerging label that I really must share. The new Paris/NYC label REBELDNCE designs "for urban nomads" and I like what I'm seeing. Their look is rugged, downtown, utilitarian and full of attitude. Functional fabrics like anthracite coated denim, heathered wool and heavy jersey are tough enough for work and play. Truly the wardrobe for the urban nomad.

They design for women and men, and I included a pic of their men's pleated denim vest with XXL hood at the bottom because I'd wear it in a second. So far no stores are listed on their website but I'll post an update when they do (the day after I go shopping). In the meantime, feast your eyes. (top to bottom: heathered wool fringe vest, coated denim skirt, coated denim jacket, heavy jersey mini dress, heathered wool cropped jacket & coated denim jodhpur, hooded denim jacket, and men's pleated denim vest.)

Exposed: Garter Belts and Silk Stockings Are Back

Refinery29 first reported on the exposed garter belt trend and I was so enamored of this shoot in V Magazine I had to share.

The Under Cover spread photographed by Coppi Barbieri reads: "Beneath some of fall's hottest dresses, it's as if minimalism never existed." All designer credits are listed on the spread in case you have to have any of the sumptuous slinkies.

This spread is so beautifully decadent it makes me want to wear silk and lace under my clothes every day. It's like how French women say wearing beautiful lingerie makes you exude confidence because you feel sexy. We should all try doing this before piling on our winter layers.