Monday, July 7, 2008
Blog the Blogger: Righteous (re)Style
Oh gosh, dear readers, could it be that summer is finally here? It's supposed to be 98 in D.C. tomorrow, so I guess it is. Don't worry - the DCGF won't be going anywhere! But there will be some exciting new changes on the blog beginning next week. Until then, enjoy the final Blog the Blogger for now. It's been a great run and I wanted to end with a blog that's a personal favorite of mine, Righteous (re)Style.
Maria's blog is fabulous because she balances the desire for an eco-conscious lifestyle with the realization that sometimes a girl just needs to go to the mall. And for local folks, she's always on top of the latest, greatest goings-on around D.C. Forthwith, her responses to the DCGF's soon-to-be Famous Five (plus One) questions...1. What is the first article of clothing you remember that you loved to wear? I have never really been attached to any one article of clothing to the point that I would remember it. I always like to change up my style and my outfits to fit whatever mood I’m in – and try to edit my closet down on a regular basis. However, I do remember a pair of ripped jeans that I used to wear a bit too often in high school . . . mostly to annoy my very fashion-conscious mother. [Check out both of them in the great picture at right. Gotta love those socks, Maria! -the DCGF]
2. Where is your favorite place - besides Goodwill, of course! - to shop for a fashion bargain in the DC area? As a matter of fact, I LOVE Goodwill! There are so many stores to choose from in this area. And besides the great environmental benefits of buying gently used and vintage items, you help a good cause. I recently bought an amazing bright yellow vintage suit at the Glebe Rd. store. Alas, it’s a bit too snug for me. [Oh, the curse of tiny, beautiful vintage clothing! -the DCGF]
Other than Goodwill, I really like Clothes Encounters of a Second Kind at Eastern Market, which is a consignment store. I always find something I like there. Recent purchases have included a $5 Coach belt and a $20 Banana Republic Suede Hobo bag. Also, although I prefer to buy vintage and secondhand items, I sometimes hit H&M to get something a little trendy. H&M is very serious about their corporate social responsibility. You can read more about it here. Plus, they have started to produce an organic cotton line every Spring – but I haven’t gotten any of the pieces yet since they sell out so fast!
3. Where is your favorite place to shop for a fashion bargain outside of DC? I love trolling eBay for vintage finds. There are a number of high-profile vintage stores on eBay now, where pieces get bid up to a price that I usually can’t afford. But, there are still plenty of amazing finds – you just have to do a bit of searching. I also love Etsy for vintage shopping, amazing emerging designers and lots of affordable hand-made things.
4. Who is your current favorite designer? I am loving any designer that is trying to produce their designs in an environmentally sound way – whether by using eco-friendly fabrics or changing the way they make things. I am also finding myself strangely attracted to pleats and folds and pintucks and ruffles (oh my!) this year – anything that has some construction behind it. Shopbop.com recently added an “earth friendly” category and they stock some nice things, like this top by Theory, which is made from organic linen. [I like the pin-tucked one, at left. -the DCGF].I also like this organic cotton ruffle jacket by Larsen Gray. Another designer I really like is Linda Loudermilk. She is working very hard to not only use eco-friendly fabrics, but to produce her collections in ways that are environmentally friendly, as well. For instance, she recently found a way to produce jeans without all the harsh chemicals and dyes that are usually used (you’d be shocked by the regular process – its like wearing toxic waste jeans!!) I love this little video of her talking about it.
5. If you could own any single item from fashion past or present - money is no object! - what would it be? Hmmmmm, I really have no idea. If I had a lot of money to spend on something, I would probably use it for a trip around the world – and, of course, offset the greenhouse gas emissions from the travel through an organization like Carbonfund.org.
Bonus Question: How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie
Roll center of a Tootsie Pop? To answer this question, I consulted the omniscient oracle that is Google and came up with this: “Research carried out by Miah and Dr. Shin indicates an average of 413 licks. Visit them at www.scoopcitymagazine.com!” So there.
Dang! Once again we end this interview with science. I think perhaps TPWP and Dr. Shin might need to go head to head to get the definitive answer to the bonus question. Big thanks to Maria, though, for participating in the last Blog the Blogger for a while. What's coming next with the DC Goodwill Fashion Blog? Hmmm...that's for me to know and you to find out!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Meet Our Advertisers #2: Janet at Lanetz Living
Here is the second in our continuing series of "Meet Our Advertisers": Janet from Lanetz Living!
How long have you been in business?
Started on Ebay in 1999.
What motivated you to go into the vintage pattern business?
I dealt mostly in Ephemera (old paper) and would buy from estate liquidators. I often purchased 50# at a time and these lots often included vintage "Paper" sewing patterns. I was fascinated with the illustrations and they sold extremely well. I began searching them out and pretty soon I started getting lots of emails wanting me to buy estate lots of patterns and so it began ...
What did you do before this?
Stayed at home and tried to spend every dime my husband made. (He told me to make my own "dimes"!) He was quite happy and really thought I would only sell enough to keep my grandchildren in toys and clothes and visits from "Nani". He was shocked by the way the website took off in 2006. I now work 40-60 hours a week with full time help. I am having a ball!!!
Where are you based?
20 miles west of Wichita Kansas in a small farming town.
More fun questions:
What do you have in stock that you can't believe hasn't sold?
A better question for me is "What I had that DID sell!!" Some pretty wild patterns go out of here on a daily basis. Ha!
What do you dream about finding?
Vogue Designer patterns ... from a store that went out of business 50 years ago and have been secretly tucked away in a dry climate free from bugs waiting for me to find them!! Come home to Mamma!!!
What do you enjoy most about working with vintage clothes and vintage sewing patterns?
The customers from around the world. I love to hear their stories of why they are purchasing them. I often post them on the website.
It's a good day at work when ...
We get all the orders filled and out the door and a new gallery is listed and I still have time to make dinner for hubby.
You'd laugh if you knew this about me ...
I don't sew.
Janet is having a sale: Take 15% off. Enter the code "15" in the discount box on the shipping page when you check out. Expires Sunday night June 22nd at 11pm CST. (Send her well-wishes for her grandson Chandler's speedy recovery from surgery while you're at it ...)
Saturday, July 5, 2008
And they can't, they won't, and they don't stop ... fauxlero!
Julie from Sew-Retro Vintage Patterns just sent this to me, and I *wants* it. But it's not my size! (It's B38.) And, as we've already established, I'm way too lazy to grade patterns. Anyone got it in a B36?
Anyway, it's sweeeeet. Look at those pockets! I would definitely coordinate the pocket flaps and the neckline band. I might even go so far as to add another coordinating band around the hem. (My laziness doesn't extend to unnecessary design touches, only to grading patterns.)
Sigh. I hope one of you B38 ladies buys it, makes it, sends me a picture, and wears it in good health to the next meeting of the Fauxlero Club.
Beyonce
Beyonce on her way to the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics game during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden May 14, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that Beyonce looks extremely well put together here but in general, her style choices are hit and miss. She’s one of those celebrities that always look presentable but doesn’t have a discernible style of her own. In any case, she knocked this look out of the park and the goods news is it won’t cost an arm and three leg to recreate. See below for some tips.Friday, July 4, 2008
It finally caught up
Shorts over leggings? Nothing new for girls albeit it has been somewhat abused with the footless tights and denim shorts combos. It is a useful tool when tights under shorts feel too much and you do want to purposely stump your body with some Japanese-streetstyle layering techniques such as wearing ruched leggings under baggy shorts... ok, just a few then who don't mind stumping their body.
In the slew of menswear SS09 shows in Paris, this layering trick has been adopted by a few designers... Givenchy, Number (N)ine (a looser shorts over trousers way of layering...) and Kiminori Morishita. The boyf said no in an instant. What say you, 5% of Style Bubble readers who are men (or has that percentage increased...)? Or just any two cents on shorts over leggings... come on, it's a Saturday... don't be shy... I'm off to battle the sales like a warrior and I want relief reading when I get back...
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Living Your Life Like It's Goldyn...
Above: Porridge Two Button Dress, $92.50, www.shopgoldyn.com
Left to right: Generra Belted Shift in rivear blue, $165; Development Fluttered Sleeved Shirred Blouse, $284; Rachel Mara Sliver Linen Dress, $253 all available at www.shopgoldyn.comSay goodbye to those tattered jeans and coffee stained sweatshirts - you finally graduated!! Now you can join the big leagues with your
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)