Holey Moly Tights

Ah...the wonders of visual merchandising aka shop display... whoever had the wonderful idea of customising the tights on the shop dummies in the womenswear department of Selfridges in Manchester is a clever one seeing as I was transfixed by the mannequin and spent a good five minutes studying it intently, during which I might have also picked up what the mannequin was also wearing and promptly went to seek it out.

Except, for me, the fascination ended at the tights, the way they had managed to cut up a pair of black tights so expertly so that they achieved a 'web' effect, with the strands of yarn/thread in the tights making a wonderful distressed effect, similar to the tights seen at Rodarte AW08-9 but with more opaque parts of the tight interspersed between the 'web' sections. Hard to explain and it does make it even harder to demonstrate visually when my own botched attempts with a pair of black cotton tights didn't really pan out with the right effects. Cutting little slits in the tights made quite substantial strongly round holes in the tights and then it was a case of getting a pair of closed scissors and swiping the tights in a downward motion with the point of the scissors until a ladder appeared. Of course, I had to do all of this tights-jabbing whilst I was wearing the tights so I've also got a bit of a gash on my calf to add to my myriad of mosquito bite bruises etc. Oh well... deliberate holey tights it is then... better luck next time... or better yet, Rodarte tights anywhere?

News From You 6/19/2008

Happy happy Friday! It's another edition of News From You. If you're new to these parts, News From You is an ongoing series best described as an eclection of news, the weird, the arcane and the downright useless of interest to F-I infovores. We've got a lot of material today (hope I didn't forget anything) so let's get started.

Send your submissions to News From You.

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Do you wear pantyhose? Supposedly, whether you do or don't is a sign of the generational divide. Although no youngster, I forget those things exist. I've turned down jobs if hose was required. Insult to injury, they're not a legitimate business expense.

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This is claimed to be entirely cake and frosting. Amazing. {Via}

Just for fun...

I'll admit that I let myself fall into clothing traps. If I see any of the following - black sequins, grey jersey or silver lame, I'm immediately there. This list also includes printed leggings which many of you will probably grimace at. I say printed leggings, but I don't mean EVERY one of them under the leggings sun. There are of course limits and exceptions. I just think that the right pair lends a certain level of interest to an outfit. However, when I stumbled across Just4Fun, a label based in Barcelona, it was a case of giving the thumbs-up to their particular range of printed leggings. They also do catsuits (a wee more taxing than a pair of leggings, I think we'll agree....), bandanas and tube dresses too in their selective range of fabrics which they only buy small quantities of as they apparently don't believe in mass production. A pity for me as the ones I'm after are now all sold out. So now it's a case of bookmarking and seeing what future fabrics Just4Fun put out there in the future.

What the Manolo Is…

Manolo says, it is Tuesday, time to see what the Manolo is...

Reading...

Eating...

The Manolo's internet friends Ruth and Coop had recommended the Hollywood landmark, Musso and Frank Grill to the Manolo more than two years ago, and yet the Manolo only this past week finally headed this sage advice.

And now the Manolo, chastened, keenly feels the loss of these two years of not dining regularly at the Musso and Frank Grill, for it is the sort of place that the Manolo could come to love intensely after only the few short visits. The food is old-fashioned in the best possible way and quite good, the drinks are masterpieces of the mixological arts, and the decor is the magnificent Arts and Crafts time machine.

Truly, if you have not been you must go forthwith, as the Manolo has decided that this place will require his weekly attendance during his summers in California.

Victoria Secret Has Unique Bathing Suits

There are so many fabulous bathing suits out there, but most of them bore me to death. Yes a solid colored bathing suit is a classic chic look, particularly a red, black, white, metallic or military green suit, but I want to see something with a little more something.

A winner I recently found is this cream 50’s inspired two-piece with a touch of the nautical. Very inventive and available at Victoria’s Secret. I am not sure how flattering this suit would be on the not so thin, but I would love to find out.

If anyone would like to send me links to any fabulous, interesting or unique bathing suits, please post them in a comment.

Thoughts.

An imagined interior monologue, starting with my nose pressed against Georges Seurat's famous oil painting (above) and slowly backing away:



Well, that's dumb. It's just a bunch of dots. What the hell kind of painting is this? Anyone could do this shit! Georges Seurat? More like Georges Overrated. Heh, heh. Good one, Winona. Freakin' dots... Dippin' Dots sound really good, come to think of it. Maybe I'll grab some later. I wish all food came in Dippin' Dots form, like Broccoli Dots, that would be fun. I should call someone about tha--Wait, wait, is that a frolicking dog? Whooooaaa hold on! Grass! Grass! I see grass! A woman! People! It's a Sunday afternoon scene! This is the best painting ever!





A second imagined interior monologue, starting with my nose pressed against Karl Lagerfeld's sequined self-portrait tank top (above), and slowly backing away:



Oooohhh fun! Sequins! Shiny! Weeeeee! Gosh, does it get any better than sequins? And I love the black, white and grey. Tres chic, indeed! I need more sequins in my life, I think. No wonder I've been feeling down. Must increase sequin intake. Umm...are those sequin eyebrows? And sunglasses? What the hell? A nose? KARL LAGERFELD? Stop staring! I'm sorry! Please spare me, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!

Tony, Tony, Tony

I swore off red carpet ogling, dear readers, really I did. Remember when the Golden Globes were canceled earlier this year and somehow everyone in Hollywood stayed strong and the whole place didn't implode and luckily we still had new episodes of crappy television shows and actors didn't go hungry? Whew. That was close.

So it was with a combination of anxiety (What will Christian Siriano design for Whoopi?) and laziness (Where is my remote? Oh well, I'll just watch what's on...) that I approached Sunday's Tony Awards. The DCGF is not a "theater person." I don't know what's playing on Broadway right now, or who's up for best book of a musical. But I do remember loving watching musicals on TV and videos as a kid, and I could still probably conjure up most of the lyrics to The Sound of Music.

Regardless, I have to admit I was utterly surprised as I watched the stars of the Great White Way walk down the red carpet in what just might be some of the best looks of the year.

Take Martha Plimpton. You probably recognize her from any of the "Law & Order" shows. She's usually a drug addict. I mean, she usually plays a drug addict. Oh, and she was in The Goonies. Anyway, she's also a well-regarded theater actor and I think she looks absolutely amazing in this dress. That's her dad, Keith Carradine, with her, and he looks great, too. Hooray for a classic tux!

But Martha's Carolina Herrera mermaid gown is truly stunning. It fits perfectly, the colors complement her complexion, and she keeps the jewelry simple and tasteful (love the giant cocktail ring!). Would that a few A-list actresses could show up looking so put together on a red carpet! My only criticism is her hair. It's a bit, uh, big. And a bit stiff looking. But I'll let that slide in lieu of the dress.

Who else looked stunning? Oddly enough I think that Mary Louise Parker and Adam Duritz (Huh? When did that happen? Again.) pulled off a rather chic look. Sure, his bow tie/seersucker suit combo is a bold choice, but I think he actually makes it work. I mean, with hair like that, what else is he going to wear? And Mary Louise just keeps looking better.

Her Alberta Ferretti frock was one of the few short ones on the red carpet that night, but it had enough sparkle and she has great enough legs to make it seem perfectly in place. The fact that she's 44 and willing to wear a short dress with a plunging neckline is just fantastic, I think. And her skin! Um, is it perfect, or what?

And, of course, she had the de rigueur item of the evening: an elegant clutch. But these aren't the minaudieres of old, oh no, dear readers. These are real handbags. It appears as if one could actually carry around a few useful items in them. Love it!

Finally, I think Marisa Tomei might have just walked away with the Best Look of the Night. She's so gorgeous with simple pulled back hair, minimal makeup and jewelry, and an showstopper of a strapless dress.

Although I can't seem to find anywhere who designed it (leave a comment if you know!), the fiery red color, offset with the black flower embroidery and black belt make for a powerful combination. I've always been a fan of red and black paired together, but it has to be done well, with one color dominating and the other offsetting it as an accent.

I feel like maybe, just maybe, there weren't so many stylists, make-up artists, handlers, and the ilk involved in this red carpet, which is probably why those walking it look happy and relaxed.

Oh, speaking of red carpets, I'm still waiting to hear back from Amy Smart. I have my fingers crossed, dear readers, that she'll come through! And in the meantime, if you know of any other celebrity that might be willing to don a Goodwill ensemble for the red carpet, let me know! I've now made it my goal by the end of 2008 to see Goodwill clothes on a celebrity. Go team!





Any purchase made at a Goodwill Retail Store or on eBay funds Goodwill's mission of training and employment programs for people with disadvantages or disabilities.

Goodwill’s fashion blog provides detailed knowledge and insight on vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories that are valuable to fashion shoppers. The facts and opinions shared present readers with entertaining, exciting and value based information on vintage and contemporary fashion and shopping trends.

Interview with Leif Osmundson

Ladies and gents, today I give you (drum roll please) my first ever interview! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Meet my good friend, Leif Osmundson, of leafo.us. He is an accomplished photographer, artist, and graphic designer with extraordinary talent. His work is intriguing, eye-catching, and more than a little bit edgy. He has a unique sense of humor that shines through his work, as well as an unsurpassed imagination.



What made you want to be an artist?

Wow. I guess I should have expected this one. I didn’t really have a pivotal moment wherein I realized art was my dream. I hope that doesn’t make me less of an artist. I always doodled growing up. When I went to college I asked my dad what degree I should take and he just spit out "you’ve always drawn, do the art one." The rest is history? I did always want to create. In high school it was drafting and CAD but it was too structured at that level. I might have liked that too, had I stuck with it.

What made you want to specifically be a photographer/graphic designer/illustrator?

I actually took all three of the visual communications degrees offered at my school and switched back and forth the entire time about which was my favorite. I wanted to delve into photography leaving high school but I’d never even put film in a camera. I actually still hadn’t when I started taking photo. Talk about 'from the ground up.' I really like design I would say, because it gives me the chance to do everything. There are enormous opportunities to illustrate, photograph, use type, layout and then make it active for a website all on the same project. That makes it exciting day in and day out for me.

Where did you go to school and what classes did you take?

Del tech for my first three degrees: Advertising Design, Photo Imaging, and Multimedia Design. Wilmington University currently for media design with a focus in print but right now I’m taking gobs of coding classes so I can do web design. I have to know web.

When given a specific project, what goes through your head? Where do you begin?

Jeez. Depends on whether it’s personal art or a design project.
To be honest, the personal art usually starts out with a circle or a shape and then that shape gets turned into something. If I like it, the piece will typically get some ridiculous sentence next to it. I can’t help it, I’ve done it since high school.
For design, I think of the message to be conveyed and the feeling it needs. Humor, somber, angry, etc. Then I start thinking of ways to get that feeling and usually my stuff will have one iconic element to illustrate a theme. Once I did a faux magazine about medicine and the cover story was about sexual addiction. I wanted it to be quirky but still have it apply and, after one horribly failed attempt, I came up with a series of people using "sexy-time" items in place of drugs. That one was fun.



What inspires you most?

Other people’s stuff, and I mean this in two ways. It is truly humbling the way these designers will push boundaries but still communicate a message so sharply.
But also, I pick everyone’s brain around me constantly looking for a better solution to a design project. I love the round-table approach. (Blanket apology here to friends, family and co-workers who feel the wrath of my curiosity.)

What are you doing for work now?

My main job is as the photographer and one of two designers for State Parks. I work for Timeline Media doing their branding design but I also get to help with the commercial shoots, which is awesome because I use my lighting skills but I also get to just carry heavy stuff and hold and adjust things. Sometimes mindless labor is a nice break. Just started assisting a wedding photographer. Unrelated: cater weddings, run open mics and teach guitar lessons. I think I count as a starving artist, actually. I’ve lost weight since being on my own.

What projects do you have in store for the future?

Right now I’m trying to design a website educating people on doing what we can for mother-nature. I’m not as good as I could be, but a little better everyday is a lot. Oh, and getting a job with benefits. I always joke that I have to either drive really slow or really fast so I won’t have medical bills. Does that count as a project?

Who are some of your favorite artists?

Nathan Jones. Amazing photographer. I always try to do my own thing but if someone told me my work was exactly like his, I’d be flattered.
Jason Sho Green. When I was shown this guys work, I thought it was hilarious. He puts little quips by his work like my silly illustrations but he’s way better than I am. Stephen Gammell. So stylistic. Loved it since I was a kid. Shel Silverstein. Matt W. Moore. His use of type is humbling. Excellent sense of original branding. Iron and Wine. Cake. Incubus. Tool. Radiohead. Hundreds more. Kurt Vonnegut. Given.



What are some of your favorite tools and media?

Camera: given.
To draw I typically go for stuff that most artists would call crappy. I really love mechanical pencils and ball point pens. The good stuff I use would be Micron pens and those watercolor markers by Prismacolor. When I paint I use watercolor but have broken into acrylics lately and someday, maybe even oils, oh goddess!

What part of your art is the easiest, and what is most difficult?

Easiest: dreaming it up. Hardest: making a quality product.
Easiest: making a quality product. Hardest: dreaming it up.
It’s tough having off days. The easy part is not always the same and, relatively, the hard part is not. Sometimes you hate the camera, marker, paper, hand, brain, etc. but you still have to produce a final product.
Here’s a good answer, though: the easy part is making the art. The hard part for me, personally, is taking myself seriously and selling myself as a competent, qualified designer and artist.

What is your favorite subject to draw or photograph, and why?

Human beings. There are so many facets. We’re so funny. Look, shape, attitude, style, emotion, politics, religion, taste, priorities... read Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions and you’ll know why I like shooting/drawing people. However, I just like shooting things that are visually pleasing AND/or funny. Funny is the best. People make funny.



Is there anything you don’t like about art?

A lot of my days are spent feeling like one tiny, barely lit star. There are so many talented people out there, sometimes being an artist/ designer is incredibly daunting. I also don’t really care for how degrees and computer programs have gotten placed above raw talent in how qualified a person is. I hope that isn’t too many dislikes. Oh, and I hate seeing ads or commercials that are horrible, knowing someone got paid six figures a year to crap it out. I may be a tiny star, but if this jackass gets paid, so could I! Goddess, I sound so close minded.

Is there a certain project you've completed that you're most proud of?

My latest, my website. It's hand coded, which is unheard of, and it has design and my art so it’s the culmination of Leafo so far. Growing more every day. I just hope it stands out. We’ll see. Fingers crossed.

What kind of message do you want to convey with your art?

It’s okay to be silly. I’d love for people to laugh or smile even if it’s about something typically kinda glum.



Thanks Leif! To see more of Leif's stunning and delightful work, mosey on over to his website, leafo.us. By the way folks, if you would like to be interviewed, or know of someone who would like to be interviewed, please feel free to let me know. As always, suggestions and constructive criticism are always welcome and appreciated! Toodles!

Emeralds, Rubies, and Sapphires

Part of the new Spring Collection from Cluny Grey features precious emeralds, rubies, and sapphires in bracelets and necklaces in which they are mixed with goldfill, sterling silver, and sometimes lampwork beads. Not long ago I received a shipment from Hong Kong with ruby and emerald slab beads that are about an inch long - they're marvelous! It's great to work with precious gemstones that are not miniscule, and because of their size, these precious stones are perfect with the lampwork beads that otherwise dwarf the little gemstones. The emerald bracelet above features the borosilicate and ruffled lampwork beads of Lynn Nurge; they blend beautifully while adding a little extra to the emerald bracelet above. I love this bracelet because it is such an eclectic mix of emeralds: some are smooth pebbles, some faceted and clear, a large slab is the focal of the main strand of the bracelet, and tiny little faceted rondelles (of good quality) shine in the second, smaller strand. I am fond of mixing qualities of gemstones also as you can see since the emeralds range from clear to opaque. I do the same thing in the emerald necklace that you see below; the lampwork beads are also from Lynn Nurge (a favorite lampworker).The unique bracelet that you see below, "The Veiled Dancer", is a mix of precious gemstones: emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. This is one of the Raj Collection bracelets, influenced by the time that I spend in India, and features goldfilled beads, toggle and charms and just one focal lampwork bead that mixes the colours of green, red, and blue - the perfect match!

The last bracelet here is a departure from my usual bracelets since it is a beaded bangle sapphire bracelet created from sterling silver wire, opaque sapphires in a rice shape and a rather large mother of pearl flower with a beautiful nacre. The flower's center is a faceted rondelle (about 4+ carats) sapphire (also opaque). It is officially Spring! Watch the Cluny Grey Jewelry website as we add more of the Spring Collection almost daily.
To my readers in Estonia, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden - I hope that wildflowers will be blooming soon!




jewellery accessories jewelry fashion shopping braceletsbeads handmade beaded jewelry beading helmi gioielli smykker tak? juvelen lampwork beads The Jewelry Blog jewelry trends accessories jewelry emeralds emerald bracelet sapphire bracelet emerald necklace

Hurry on sale now - Vera Wang

On sale now at the time of this post - the Vera Wang Enhancers strapless bra. It is a very light nude color with baby pink trim across the top and bow in front. This is the softest bra I've ever touched! Made of 79% Nylon and?21% Spandex, it feels so smooth! Like suede!

34A-38D available. Comes with clear straps. Seam free cups have extra fabric below - extending the band to keep it in place. Firmly padded with a layer of foam and supported by concealed underwiring. Comfy and supportive.

Regularly $65.00. SALE! $32.50

My Workout Picks!

Vest: Ribbed Tank Top, $6.50, www.wetseal.com; Hoodie: Stripe Tunic Hoodie, $39.50, www.delais.com; Sneakers: Puma Women's Complete Magnetist, $129.99, www.footlocker.com; Shorts: California Athletic Short, $10.80, www.forever21.com; Gym Bag: adidas Ultimate Rendezvous Duffel II, $60, www.ebags.com

Top: Nike Paris Tennis Tank, $55, www.nike.com; Skirt: Nike Control Pleated Women's Tennis Skirt, $41.99, www.nike.com; Bag: Nike Premium Shoulder Bag, $21.99, www.nike.com; Sneakers: Nike Free, $76.50, www.activa.com; Cap: Nike Feather Light Reflective Women's Golf Hat, $25, www.nike.com

Pants: Gray Yoga Pants, $30, www.laduchess.com; Hoodie: Halter Hoodies, $24.50, www.oldnavy.com; Top: Champion Powerlite Seamless Empire Tech Tank, $36, www.championcatalo.com; Headband: Vinyl Headband, $4.80, www.forever21.com; Sneakers: Asics Metallic Ultimate 81, $29.99, www.urbanoutfitters.com; Gym bag: Puma Women's Phantom Grip Bag, $64.99, www.footlocker.com

It goes without saying but pick the most appropiate outfit for your exercise of choice. Skirts and yoga don't go well together - we don't need to see all of that! Similarly, wearing pants to a tennis match may cause you to heat up prematurely. I'm a big advocate for looking good on and off "the field" so throw on a cute hoodie, grab your stylish gym bag and strut home with the new found energy your workout has given you!

Palladium Wedding Bands

Palladium is a platinum group metal, which also includes platinum, ruthenium, osmium, iridium, and rhodium. These metals are found together in nature and have similar qualities. They are white in color, extremely durable, and unaffected by elements in the air that make other metals tarnish. Palladium was first used for jewelry when platinum was declared a strategic metal and reserved for military use in 1939.



Women's Palladium Wedding Bands:



Artcarved Women's Palladium "Sussex" Wedding Band

Celebrate that special moment with a wedding band that's stylish yet subtle. A brushed-finished center offers a textured look that appeals to the eye. Glossy ridged edges give it a modern twist.

$525





Goldman Women's Palladium Milgrain Wedding Band

An intricately-patterned center is the highlight of this palladium wedding band. It is bordered by milgrain details and capped off by glossy edges. It shows a modern twist on the classic band. Milgrain is the raised beaded edge on the ring that is done with a special engraver's tool.

$399





Artcarved Women's Palladium "Parrish" Wedding Band

This wedding band features a hammered finish around the center of the band. Glossy edges border the center with fancy milgrain detailing in between.

$435



High Purity Alloys

Palladium alloys used for making jewelry products are typically 95% pure palladium and 5% of other platinum group metals such as iridium and ruthenium. The palladium alloys are white, hypo-allergenic, lightweight, durable, and easy to finish and polish. These alloys have a specific gravity close to that of 14k white gold, and are close to half the weight by volume of platinum making them an excellent choice for jewelry.



Durability

The natural white color of palladium is permanent and unlike white gold does not require rhodium plating. Rhodium plating wears away over time making white gold jewelry more yellow in appearance and requires the owner to have the setting re-plated to renew the white color. This is not necessary with palladium.



950 Palladium is more durable than white gold. Wear testing has shown a 15% longer wear ratio. This is similar to how platinum wears versus gold. Over time, palladium will show the signs of everyday wear, but the surface is easily restored to the original luster by cleaning and polishing.



Palladium versus Platinum

In virtually all jewelry circles, platinum is still considered to be the king of metals. Platinum wedding bands are 60% to 70% heavier than gold or palladium wedding bands. They are extremely durable and will last much longer than comparable gold wedding bands. Also, high world-wide demand for platinum has driven prices much higher recently, making platinum wedding bands a great investment. Even the name Platinum denotes the highest standard available. If your budget allows, platinum is still the most highly prized and expensive of all metals.



Palladium, however, offers many of the same desirable characteristics of platinum, at a much lower price. It is as white as platinum and whiter than white gold. Palladium wedding bands provide wearers with the same durability and premium white beauty that platinum wearers have learned to treasure. The best part is that palladium wedding bands cost a little more white gold, but much less than platinum wedding bands.

See full article.





Related Entries:

Dora Wedding Bands - 20 September 2006

New Wedding Band Collection - 20 March 2007

New Wedding Band Ideas at JCK Show - 25 May 2007

Palladium Becoming Powerful - 17 August 2007

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