36 HOURS IN L.A.

After hearing about 80 degree weather in L.A. on Friday, Bernard & I booked last-minute flights down south. By Saturday morning we were in sunny Santa Monica in time for a breakfast at Urth Cafe!


Over tea, we plotted out our next two days in L.A. (On the left, my creepy Easter bunny.)


Our first stop was my favorite shop, Opening Ceremony, on La Cienega.


They have a huge space in L.A., but are expanding beyond their ginormous 10,000 sq ft. By May, they'll introduce shop-in-shops for Acne Jeans and Nom de Guerre. Super cool. In store currently was: Chloe Sevigny collaboration, Topshop, Acne, Grey Ant, Hussein Chalayan, Mayle, and the best ever: Alexandre Herchcovitch!! His prints and silhouettes are stunning. Here's the print dress I picked up:



Next we hit streetwear shops Union, Undefeated & Stussy on La Brea. Here's the Undefeated store billboard which features a new artist/designer each month: Barry McGee, Terry Richardson, Mike Mills, Kaws. This month: David Rathman. Check out the whole series here.


We explored some shops in Chinatown, and the most inspiring find was: Ooga Booga, a zine/art store tucked upstairs in suite 203. And they have a small zine museum next door, with some rare and incredible publications.


My favorite, Kim Gordon (of Sonic Youth) had a zine with her watercolor portraits of fans. She describes the dreamy back-lit faces in the crowd as she is performing.. her portraits of them are haunting and beautiful. She's my hero!



DAY TWO: We headed downtown to find the Comme des Garçons guerilla store, tucked down an alley next to Blendz.. but found it closed on Sunday. Boo.. So, a cute picture of Bernard instead:


Driving down Third Street in West Hollywood, we spot a Skullphone piece! Yes, yes!! Coincidentally, a few days later I read that he hacked into ten Clear Channel digital billboards around L.A., integrating his skull & phone icon into the ad rotation. Brilliant.


Last stop before the airport, a Kara Walker show at the Armand Hammer Museum on Wilshire. She works with large scale cut paper silhouettes, projections and video. Amazing, brave and challenging work. Read more about Kara Walker here.



Thank you L.A. for an inspiring and sun-drenched weekend. And thank you Sarah & Cherlyn for letting me be a guest blogger this week!! xxo.

Etsy - Knit caps

I was pondering getting a cool hat but don't want to pay a lot for such little material. I love Eugenia Kim's stuff but they cost bank! She just did a hat for Coach which costs like $450 or something like that! Here's some of her stuff...


Here's some for cheaper that I found on etsy...

gray bonnet - $55

fedora - $65

baby cycling hat - $14 (wish they had my size!)

spiral hat - $50

wicked inspiration

the subjects of marcel dzama’s illustrations have dueling sides: one being a playful reflection on childhood, the other a cynical, even horrific side that slithers through scenes of children, flora, and fauna... not only are these prints (usually water color or ink) beautifully executed, but the clothing in them is simple and stylish. the simplicity of lines and color are exactly what i work towards when sewing a piece myself (or shopping for that matter). the illustrations themselves could be from another era, let alone the clothes the subjects are wearing (most seem 1940s inspired). vintage! they make me want to chop my hair into a bob and throw on my best cotton dress. but instead i found pieces that reminded me of marcel’s subjects…purse from vintageous

hat from harlem's heaven hat boutiqueshoes from anthropologie

Kate Moss for Topshop

Yes they deliver to the U.S. and it doesn't take forever (about a week or so).

Online Shop: Creatures of Comfort

Creatures of Comfort's online shop has some great stuff. All very different. I love/hate the fact that a lot of their stuff goes on sale. Or maybe they just put their sale stuff online. The store is in LA but it looks so un-LA. I don't know that's just my thoughts but what do I know. What do you think? check out my picks...






It's just a collar! cool huh. Helps if you don't want all the bulk of wearing an actual shirt under. $51 :(

Online Shop: Gargyle

Another store I found searching for Rachel Comey. It's called Gargyle and they have lots of cool stuff. They don't have much but what they do have is pretty cute. The "About Us" says they were "born out of an affection for early country club lifestyle...we’re devoted to this aspect of vintage country club lifestyle and aim to revive and modernize its spirit. We’re inspired by tradition, originality, and imagination, and captivated by beautiful objects and novelties of yesteryear." Here are some of my picks...

Holy Sh*% Built by Wendy coming to SF

I heard it twice but the site doesn't mention anything. Built By Wendy is said to be coming to SF in the lovely Mission district on or around MAY. Can't wait. I think I'm gonna have to drag Sarah there on opening day. Actually we are both excited. YES!!!! Here's the address: Built by Wendy 1270 Valencia St., San Francisco

Online Shop: Oak

I first found this store/site searching for I think Devotte Shoes (can't remember) but ever since I have bookmarked their site and keep checking back ever since. They have really cool stuff and have since opened a store in NY on Bond St (former location of Ghost). The style of the clothing seems to be really cool unique clothes in different shapes & draping. They carry brands such as Comme des Garcone and Opening Ceremony (seems like they don't carry that much of those brands in Bay Area). Check them out here.

Trenches

Brainless idea but I never thought of it. Throw a belt on a trenchcoat. Gryphon did it but wants to charge 875 for it. I must go home and see try.

Crossroads

So I'm a shopaholic which means that I buys tons of clothes I don't need. Thank god there's Crossroads Trading. If you don't already know they let you buy sell and trade used clothing. I like them better than Buffalo Exchange (they do the same stuff) because they are a little cleaner and seems like I get more money for my clothes. My favorite one in the city, there are a bunch, is the one in the Castro on Market. They seem to buy more and have cooler stuff that I can trade for.

Anyways, I went there this pass weekend with 5 big shopping bags in tow of clothes I should have never bought in the first place. I made a lovely 300 bucks which may have been more had I not laid my eyes on this beauty. Yes its a lovely Marc by Marc Jacobs Navy blue dress in my size! It was $55 cash but since I traded my old clothes (a little cheaper than that). They work by giving you instead of taking cash for your clothes, you can choose to trade. So I got 50% of the price they'd sell for in the store.


Oh and here's a similar dress I got at Forever 21 a few weeks before in black and gray.

eye conic

the ray-ban clubmaster:the name alone pulls you in, no?

how obscenely 90s are these? they were a staple on “a different world.” morissey rocked something similar, perched below his perfected pompadour. everything comes back in style, and these are about to hit hard like the wayfarer, and honestly i think they're pretty neat...

yasmin (director of women's buying for browns of london) from the sartorialist’s blog. she gets extra points for incorporating another 90s staple: the plaid button up.if chloe sevigny wears them (shown with filmmaker liz goldwyn), you know they're "it".
she was, afterall, one of the first to bring back the wayfarers...

moanday no more

being that its monday, and i've behaved in my opinion quite well, i bought myself these gold bracelets from erica weiner jewelry. the purchase is 100% guilt free, being that a set of two bracelets comes to the grand total of $20. erica's pieces are quirky, unique, but very feminine… and very affordable. she mixes natural, found, and vintage objects. her line offers necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and shoe clips!