Game Changers: A Stylish Set

Blogs are near and dear to my heart for lots of reasons. Some have interesting takes on daily life; some teach me things both big and little; some are eye candy, pure and simple. Some of them I've already told you about (Penelope Trunk, Coke Talk, Ravelry). But being a gal who likes to challenge her wardrobe on the daily, there's a big section of my Google Reader dedicated to style bloggers, gals who inspire me to try new things and expand my personal style horizons, a select handful of which I read as often as I change my underwear. Here's a sampling of stylish blogs that I just can't get through the day without reading.


Love Aesthetics
Ivania Carpio's modernist style is just so inspirational to me. Her stripped back aesthetic marries the best of easy minimalism and colourful accents in a way that seems so natural and so bold all at once. I like that she admits she wears the same pieces over and over, and isn't afraid to be daring, like wearing a balls-out 80s burgundy suit or using hardware nuts and bolts as jewelry. Her DIYs are really great, practical ideas that add a little extra cool to your life, and her site is well-organized and simply designed. Somehow, she always looks effortless and thoughtful. She is the ultimate 90s dream girl for me, right now.

Arriving in London

Half Way Manicure

Thrifted Slit Dress

Miss Moss

Man, I don’t even know if I have words to describe Miss Moss (aka. Diana). She is the patron saint of aesthetes, the saving grace for those who love beautiful things. She is the ultimate curator of the web and insatiably curious, scouring the LIFE archives, latest runway shows, and breathtaking interiors and design – and she somehow shares it all while writing with a voice that sounds like your best in-the-know girlfriend. She makes way-cool mixtapes, pairs food and paintings with street style photos, and delivers lots of attainable prettiness for right now, like finding adorable (and affordable) Etsy shops. You never quite know what you're going to get when you check her blog, except that you know it's going to be wonderful. Oh god, is my girl crush showing enough yet? Just read her blog. Do it now.

Food & Fashion

Six Months in a Leaky Boat Mixtape

Prunella Soap

Clever Nettle

Portland-based Anja feels like a lost soul sister. She digs cats, mysticism, nature. She takes gorgeous pictures, sells way cool vintage duds, and now, makes clothing and leather accessories under her new label, Ann-ya. She is warm, friendly, and totally personable online, calling people ‘buddies’, which I find utterly charming. I feel like she’s really come into her own the past few months, pairing up with great labels and retailers like Natalie Joy, Hopeless Lingerie, Sara Bergman and Summerland to shoot their lookbooks, and I feel this weird sense of friend pride for her, even though she’s like, so out of my league.

Dark Mirror for Hopeless

Ann-ya Leather Goods

Friday Variety

What are some of your favourite style bloggers?

Left Field

I suppose if anything could unite the list of things that are inspiring me lately, it's getting the details right: pairing the right colours, the right little flourishes, achieving a harmonious balance.

This bathroom popped up on my Pinterest a couple days ago and I've been dreaming of it ever since. The seafoam and rust colour combo, the standalone soaker tub (siiiiiiigh), and the massive stag head pretty much tickle all my homey bones. And guys! Guess what! It's a real place in Ireland that you can stay! Ballyvolane House of Cork, you're pretty alright.

I've been curious to try these Ballet Beautiful videos as a supplement to my ballet classes – my favourite upper body stretch is great for loosening my shoulders but I'd like to start strengthening all my parts more regularly. Has anyone tried these? Are they as good as they look?

I know, I'm cruel. But how's a gal supposed to focus on getting in shape for her short shorts when Smitten Kitchen goes around posting things like this fried egg sandwich with bacon and blue cheese, huh? Completely unfair, that's what it is. At least it's got veggies in it, I GUESS (but, oh yeah, they're tossed in bacon fat, uh huh).

I'm obsessed with the details of the new Scout & Catalogue Rorschach scarves – all those little hidden skeletons and kitten heads and butterflies captured in a silky, silvery neutral. To top it off, the duo behind Fieldguided did a beautiful job photographing S&C's boho, beachy vibe for the lookbook. (You can see the process to create the scarves here, and more shots from the lookbook here.)

As usual, the Purl Bee knocks one out of the park with this two-tone crocheted cowl. Once I finish the shawl that shall not end, this'll likely be the next thing I cast on. (Is it still called casting on when it's crochet? "Playing hooky?")

Being known as someone who's fairly fearless about wearing crazy nails means you get lots of nail tutorials passed your way. My favourite of late is this one from Refinery 29, based on a print from Rag & Bone 'cause it looks like knitting (thanks for the tip-off, Kim!) But dear lord, is it ever hard to do! I tried it, then ended up starting over and doing this beach blanket/licorice allsorts mani instead, because I was watching Khloe & Lamar and why complicate life further, you know? And then I animated it. Why? Seche Vite fumes, that's why.

As always, you can see what I'm digging in realtime on Pinterest.

vive magazine issue 4.1

I'm going to have to toot my own horn today because I'm feeling pretty proud of myself: the digital version of vive is now online. The mag looks even better in print, but if you missed our launch party, don't live in Toronto, or are an online-only mag sort of girl, then you are now in luck. 

READ IT HERE!

All I'm allowed to share with you here are teasers of the two major shoots that we did, the first by Dan Epstein and the second by Alan Poon:

So much hard work went into this mag, from the editors on the masthead to the photographers, writers, stylists, models, copyeditors, everyone—not to mention the bake sale buyers and party goers who helped us raise the money to print this baby. It was not easy, nor did I expect it to be. But the experience of putting this mag together with so many talented people has been invaluable and a lot of fun. We've already started on the next issue, due out in the spring.

vive has a very similar look and aesthetic to what we do here on Burgundy Girls, so if you love us (or love our blog) then you'll enjoy the mag as well. And, if you zoom in just enough, you'll see an article written by Amanda! (And seriously, it's a good one.) We'll soon post a list of the shops and cafes in Toronto where you can find vive, so check back on the blog if you want to get your hands on an issue!

We are always looking for new contributors—writers, photographers, illustrators, bloggers, etc., so please get in touch at sayhi@vivemagazine.ca if you are interested.

Oh, and one more thing. I love working for a print magazine, but the digital version is very special to me, because—let's be real—it will be able to spread faster, be seen by more people, and generally be able to go further than print can. This year, we will be releasing an online-only version or two, and I'm excited to take advantage of the digital platform and push the envelope a bit.

Advice to Sink In Slowly

It's the start of a new month. How we're already through October I'll never know, but I'm making a conscious effort to look at this month as a fresh start. My beloved Google Reader has undergone a major overhaul overnight (taking with it one of my fave online communities). Susan Miller's telling me there are positive changes on the way (ugh, but expensive ones. And let's hope that baby thing doesn't come true either).

I've been feeling in a bit of a slump the past month, but November, man, we're gonna change all that. I'm going to finally get on that waking up thing, and maybe start those routines I was supposed to back in June. With that in mind, advice to sink in slowly seems like a well timed find.

Based in the UK, this project aspires to pass on personal advice and inspiration from graduating students to incoming ones. First years at participating schools are each given a poster, which I think is such a warm and useful welcome. These posters, beautifully illustrated and lovingly conceived, share advice on every aspect of life, from finding inspiration to eating breakfast every morning. It's good advice for all of us, not just students, and luckily, they're available to order at very reasonable rates.

A few of my favouites:

by Liz May

by Nigel Peake

by Thomas Austin

by David Gibson

by Oliver Sutherland

by David Plant

by Gemma Correll

by Owen Davey

Here's hoping you (and I!) find some inspiration today.

Creativity and Project Runway

Hey guys, I'm going to wrap up this week by sharing my contribution to Vive Magazine's blog this week. I wrote it sleep-stoned at 1 AM after blitzing episodes of Project Runway to catch up after my week off, and in the cool light of day, I still stand by every word.

Everything I Learned About Creativity, I Learned from Project Runway

Everyone has to start somewhere. 

Currently, Project Runway’s in its ninth season and it is still one of my favourite shows, just as it has been since season one. It’s one of the few shows I actually care enough about to keep up with on a weekly basis, and I credit it entirely with my having any sort of vocabulary for fashion. 

Before Project Runway (BPR?), my world was a dark place, filled with simple phrases like “it’s pretty!” or “I don’t like that colour.” I had some sense of taste, but I had no idea how to articulate any of the particulars of it. Project Runway was the first experience I ever had with a critical vocabulary when it came to fashion. 

I’m truly amazed by the skill of the contestants on the show – to see something in your mind’s eye and execute it under the gun (Tim Gunn, that is, hyuk) is really quite the magic trick. I usually watch the show and feel like I need to be doing something with my hands; knitting, cooking, or even tidying up. It’s inspiring to see creative people work. It’s inspiring to see things being made. 

But more important than the successes are the failures. The looks that had just as much time and care put into them but didn’t quite work. Sure, it makes for great reality TV when Michael and Nina get to spit vitriol at shabbily made clothes, but more importantly, it forces us to confront failure. To develop a vocabulary around WHY something doesn’t work. It helps us figure out what does. 

There’s also something wonderful when you see designers pick themselves up from the bottom three and defend their aesthetic. There’s something so fierce, so brave about that kind of creativity, and I in no way mean in a Tyra sense. There’s something very nourishing about watching that, as a creator of things and as an admirer of created things. 

So Project Runway, a show about clothes, is really a show about much more – just as fashion is. At its best, a great runway show never limited to gut reactions – it’s challenging, exciting, delicious and disappointing. It’s the fruits of human creativity, and it plants seeds in all who care to look a little closer. 

Without Project Runway, I probably would never have known what princess seams were, or how a muslin works, or what pushes something into the realm of haute couture. And I’m so glad that a generous example like Project Runway exists, where I can safely learn the art of critique, construction and creativity – safely, without being Auf’d myself.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and get yourself both into and out of a few satisfying creative tangles.

Rachel Comey Gets Bumby'd

Like most others, if you've heard of Rachel Comey before, it's because of her fabulously popular footwear. (If not, you can peep them here!) I've been a fan for a few seasons now, and her SS12 show at NYFW yesterday really blew me away. However, I've written about a runway show once before, and I'd like to give those who are not-so-fashion-minded a bit more to go on.

An anonymous performance-art duo, called The Bumbys, were asked by the Cut to craft responses to some of the upcoming shows, and their response to Comey's spectacular show is pretty spectacular in itself.

the Cut

Somewhere between coloured water, easels on Manhattan rooftops, and gin and tonics, I fell in love. It's short and sweet, it's fun, and mostly importantly, it's different. I have no idea whether their information is true or completely made up, but it excites my imagination, and stands out in the multitudes of runway-show reviews that I've been reading lately. You can read more about them here.

I'll update the blog with the rest of the reviews written by The Bumbys as they surface.

Also, if you are so inclined, check out some of my other faves so far: Vena Cava, Sachin + Babi, and Steven Alan, and from Montreal Fashion Week, Barila (whose photos are not yet up).

UPDATE:

the Cut

From One Cat to Another: Givenchy Fall 2011 RTW

For sure you've all seen this line already on your Google Reader, but I think that Givenchy's 2011 fall deserves a bit more in-depth attention. I will admit that the panthers and the pansies are what caught my attention right away, and made me pretty obsessed with the show. But looking further into the line, and watching this video especially, the details emerge in an unexpected way.

I love the videos from style.com, in which the collections are always introduced by the lovely and bitchy Tim Blanks, and celebrities and fashion insiders talk about their impressions on what they saw on the catwalk.

"There is this hard/soft, push/pull, repulsion/attraction. There's always a duality and that's his big thing. It's never one way." Inez van Lamsweerde, half of famous photographer duo.

Here are some of my favourite detailed shots from the collection. I love the sheer balanced with the dark, thick collars, and in the second picture the sheer drop skirt, which I am desperately trying to recreate in my own wardrobe. The beauty in the almost-Baroque detail in the last pic is impossible to deny. This collection impresses the me who loves to breakdown an outfit and think and write about it critically, but it also impresses the 10-year-old me who love cats and flowers. In a very smart move, Riccardo Tisci's collection can appeal to the fashion conscious and those just chase aesthetic pleasure. Following in the large footsteps of McQueen and Galliano, who also had their hand at designing for the famous design house, Tisci is really making a name for himself, ensuring that we'll all see a lot of his work in the future.

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Mini Cat Zine

Just a quick post today…I want to share with you a zine that I learned about on Frankie magazine's website.

Li-Kim Chuah from Melbourne is an awesome collagist. I like to think that my collage work would be a lot like hers if I actually put in the time and work to make it look good. 

Her latest creation is about cats!! Of course, I am biased, but I think it's just the best. It reminds me a lot of Sonja Ahlers' eyelash print, but on acid. I highly suggest you either pay the $6.50 to buy this zine or get out there and make one your damn self. Tell me where and when, and we'll have a craft night.

All images from Chuah's etsy

Kombucha

I first encountered kombucha in a great book by the creator of MAKE magazine, Mark Frauenfelder, called Made by Hand. It's an exploration into DIY-culture, and he does everything from raising chickens and bees in his LA backyard to learning how to whittle and build his own cigar box guitars. It's a great read, and not just because of the wealth of neat projects he and his family take on. Mark's honesty about the triumphs and difficulties of living DIY creates a compelling picture of a modern life  integrating old-fashioned methods.

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In Made by Hand, Mark tries making kombucha, a fermented, naturally carbonated tea that develops in tandem with something called a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast), a thick mushroom-like film created from the active cultures and sugar. Its use dates back to 19th century Russia, and perhaps far earlier by Chinese and Korean texts. The purported health benefits are unproven, but include liver detoxification, treatment of cancer, improved energy, aiding in digestion and a few other benefits.

I can't remember how it tasted going down for Mark and while the concept of growing a kombucha is pretty cool, the idea of drinking a tea that's been sitting with a giant mushroom in it is a big turnoff for me. But I just saw something that helps change my perception of the bacteria-brewed beverage.

 

Suzanne Lee's TED talk on growing her own own fabric using kombucha is a really interesting look at the future of textile production. She creates giant sheets of SCOBY to use as the textiles of her clothing designs. She can create paper thin sheets of cellulose or thick pieces of vegetable leather from the dried culture. It has its drawbacks, but she hopes that we can engineer workarounds for some of the material's flaws.

While it's not ready for commercial use anytime soon, it's an inspiring vision of how scientific advancements and design can work hand in hand, literally brewing up a product with unique characteristics ideal for production. Sure, I may not want to drink it, but it's easy to see the benefits of such a unique and easy form of textile production, especially in a world where cotton prices keep rising and textile production is usually not an eco-friendly endeavor.

So I'm taking this as a reminder: To look at raw materials in different ways, to continue collecting random information and filing it away in my memory, and to always be trying new things. Who knows where the next Big Thoughts will come from, but it could be as humble as a home-brewed jar of tea.

Wonder Lust

I am struck with the deepest pangs of book envy.

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Sweetie Pie Press posted some images of the new Marian Bantjes book, and I think I have to have it. It might be one of those purchases that doesn't make the most sense to the bottom line of my bank account, but it'll provide some sweet soul food for my imagination.

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Her illustrations are so intricate, so colourful, so clever, like the most detailed wrapping paper you've ever seen. The fact that these illustrate musings on wonder, memory, honour and their connection to the visual world makes it that much more appealing. The subject and style are intertwined quite literally.

 

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And I may be a magpie, but it's a fact I'm comfortable with.

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