whimsical details and straight-up crazy

I love this yellow flower belt! (from jcrew)


amazing balloon dresses!! via Abbey

classic fashion favorites

These are some of my favorites... who are yours??

Katharine Hepburn


Grace Kelly


Billie Holiday (for great "fashion flashbacks" in African American fashion, check out I Like Her Style blog)

newsweek

There's a great article in this week's Newsweek called "Rise of the Real People". Writer Jennie Yabroff discusses the influence of FAB favorite, The Sartorialist, and how his work taking photos of street fashion. It's not only effecting style choices... it's effecting body image in a good way.

have a read and let me know what you think:
"Rise of Real People"

auld lang syne

Welcome back! Interim at Calvin is probably the best time of year. Everyone is laid-back, spending time together, with one class to concentrate on... so plenty of time for design inspiration. To start the new year off, I thought we could use an Etsy round-up of great fashion finds. Most of these are vintage, but a few are really great designers.


Ramona West Vintage Shop has a great collection of vintage finds with great 60's styles.


Mid West Vintage has amazing deals (like the dress above for $12!). But her photo-shoots are the best.


Alison Rose's "Ohio Mixtape"


Can you believe this color from Liinok She also has beautiful dresses.


These are more on the "dream list"... what inspiration from kjoo*

Merry Christmas from FAB

Have a wonderful holiday! See you in January! (image via Sartorialist)

speaking of old fads...

I know I just posted about a fanny pack, but a scrunchy? For real? What do you think... will this one come back or will you run for the nearest neutral hair band? (via Free People)

Betty Crocker style make-up

It's all in a box! Just add... face, I guess. Beauty in a Box looks like a great solution for someone who might get a bit stressed walking through the counters in department stores. The sales pressure can get as strong as the perfume smell.

not-your-mom's fannypack

This Shuttle Bag is a great, classy update on a much-ridiculed/regretted accessory... the fannypack. Aside from the price tag ($98), would you wear this?

gifting

As we start thinking of gifts, Oh Happy Day has been having a great collection of posts about "Gifts under $30". I especially love these scissors for the sewer/knitter/crafter in your life... or for yourself. At $14, with signed brass-handles, this could be the prettiest practical purchase.

Knickers

Most of my posts might be considered more "girly-girl" (ie: the jewelry, skirts, etc.) But here is a must-see for all the guys with some fashion sense and bikes. The word Knickers makes me giggle... so do these. But it's a joyous giggle because these knickers from Bicycle Fixation are the most fun. If I saw a guy wearing them, I'd probably hug him.

sigh

how beautiful... via SeamSters
These are by designer Thea Tolsma and guess what the material is??? rubber inner tubing!

Sew, Mama, Sew

Sew Mama Sew is a treat to explore. They've compiled tutorials for gifts... all are fabulous, like the above pictured lunch bag.

embroidery

be astounded.
Julia Swan's work in embroidery is fantastic!

purl

Bobbi Bear pattern from Purl fro $5.50

What with our knitting events lately, not to mention, learning to knit for myself, I'm noticing knitting projects more.

Purl is an amazing resource for fabric (especially print) and yarn, but it also has patterns... some for free!

fabric from Amy Butler

farmhouse yarns, andy's merino in grashopper
These are too much fun! More felting than knitting.




This is a very fun project for the scarf-beginners like me. via favorite colors

rose la biche

These are a little pricey... although they ARE made from American Apparel material (meaning they are sweatshop free). Rose la Biche has a shop, a blog, and some very nice photo shoots.


this is my favorite

I can't decide if the shirt or the feathery hair piece is better! (click on the photo for a bigger look)

tied up

I love this picture from the Sartorialist. Notice the tie for a belt. And the suitcase purse... I could go on but I won't.

make-up

Yes, this is still the same blog... just did a little make-over... less eye clutter the better right now.

paper fashion

Now this isn't exactly fashion, but it's more about patterns... French Paper is a paper mill, yes. I found this company (via design*sponge) and because it's a Michigan company, I got really happy and couldn't resist posting about it. It's family owned and operated, not to mention, everything runs on hydroelectric power. Talk about reshaping an industry...

Also, a designer who uses this paper mill has lovely prints available on etsy here. I wish this was fabric so I could recover my couch in it!

Knit Picks

This Saturday, November 3, we are having a Purl Jam Knitting Circle in the Fish House! Come at 8:00 PM and bring needles or crochet hooks if you have them... if you don't, it's okay.

This site is for inspiration.

the milky way

Meg from Faking Good Breeding has a thoughtful post on the lack of diversity in the modeling world titled Whitewashed Runways. This is so interesting in light of the recent Vogue India release - the first cover? Gemma Ward (white and blonde) front-and-center flanked by two Indian models.

Catapult magazine

The newest issue of the online magazine Catapult is all about "Dressing Up". There are some great resources for sparking your thoughts on how fashion interacts with our culture and the decisions we make, etc. Every issue of Catapult is great anyways, so if you are not a member yet - I highly recommend joining!!

art you can wear?

whether these could weather actual wear, I think they are great! yellow house art is a great site (via designsponge) for some amazing, affordable art.

approach with a spririt of restraint

refinery 29

sillery

too fun (via creatures of comfort)

amazing

Kirsten showed me this blog: A Dress A Day.
You will LOVE reading her "Secret Lives of Dresses" stories... I can't get over how fun this whole blog is, so check it out.

coat season

I'm such a coat person... more than shoes, more than bags. These are some favorites (via topshop)

Sock Dreams - Company of the week

Sock Dreams is the company of the week and you will LOVE what you get from them. The site sells a variety of labels for socks, leg-warmers, ARM warmers (yes, they exist), and tights/leggings, and all of them are sweatshop free sources with a lot from the U.S.

'tween fashion

When I was in this 'tweens age group, my fashion role models were from the show Kids Incorporated. yikes. glad that phase ended! Most of them have grown into more graceful fashions (Jennifer Love Hewitt) or into their own fashion blunders (Fergie, ahem)


For my sister, a senior in high school, it was more Mary Kate and Ashley...


Now maybe it's Hannah Montana?


But it seems that early teen fashion is bordering more on the Brittney Spears side of ugly than the bubblegum sparkling kaleidoscope of Disney. Obviously, most Calvin students are past this fashion phase (let's HOPE we are), but this is a fun article from Slate on the state of clothing for our younger counterparts. It's enough to make me pray for a FABber to tackle the 'tweens industry and get some amazingly creative, responsibly made, and affirming designs in those malls!!!