F is for Fashion

Sure I am enjoying summer, lakes are great, the sun is nice, but like the chipmunk I plan ahead.

I've started to gather the essentials, foraging through the thrift store forest for AW 2011.

Guiding me with unparalleled inspiration ::::: the Araks collection.

F is for Fashion

Last week, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Intermediate Fashion Show at the NSCAD port campus! It was so great to see the designs and concepts of the emerging designers: Derrick Dixon, Alex Esparanza, Gillian Lake-Thompson, Ashley Daurie, Kandis Woods, Nathalie Dieras, Liz Dore, Laura Roy, Alison May Crozier, Gillian Hannah Berry, Amy Fournier, Anne Wunder, and Alysia Myette.

For such a small group there was no overlap in ideas each collection was exclusive of the next. Some were conceptually laden, expressing the ideas and ideals of designers in a very personal unique way, at no time did I attribute a design to a higher fashion power. Others had fabric in the forefront, highlighting the organic nature of fabric and manipulating it into a wearable design that pays homage to the aforementioned nature.

Though I'm not the best fashion photographer I've put together a bit of a collage of some of the evenings looks (actually a collage of a collage ...I was having technical difficulties please excuse : ) I'm looking forward to future shows and hopefully by the I'll figure out how to take digital photos (red-eye nightmares!)

F is for Fashion

Kudos to Hilary Beaumont and Aaron Ward on the launch of their new Halifax street style blog, Bohemian Town,which was inspired by the effervescent Helen Hill.

F is for Fashion

Karin Öst was my blind date in Sweden , we met on the internet and our first date was thrift shopping! It was a match made in second-hand heaven! Karin took me under her wing for the rest of my stay in Jönköping and with her wonderful roommate Elin we had endless fun drinking enormous cups of tea, watching movies, cooking great food (Karin makes the best scones and waffles) shopping, knitting and drinking homemade wine (after which we gave each other haircuts...oh my!) I will never forget the good times we shared and I can always check in with Karin on her great blog. The blog is an extension of her online shop, called Lily of the Valley, where she sells the most amazing vintage and handmade clothing and accessories.

I sent Karin some questions back in April, about the shop and what she was reading (she's probably read a dozen books since):

When and why did you begin your shop?

I started up the shop about five years ago because I didn't want to do anything else!

What inspires your fashion?

I really don't know, I don't look at much fashion or think about it in general, at least not anymore. I read a few vintage blogs and that's pretty much it. I don't read fashion magazines or the like, in fact I avoid knowing most things about clothing or such now that I think about it. I like weirdness and vintage, I only buy second hand and I like strange patterned tights. And comfortable shoes, and to overdo things, and colours.

What are you reading?

Right now I am reading a few books at the same time. I just finished Wetlands by Charlotte Roche a few minutes ago, and I am reading one about alienation and segregation in swedish society; called Alienation is my nation. And I am reading Imre Kertész Fateless, one called Democracy and it's critics by Robert A. Dahl for school and one called The Ecological Imperialism by Alfred W Crosby for fun (or well, not too fun reading, but for interest)... so a lot at the same time I guess, and kinda diverse too.

There are really so may more questions I would like to ask Karin, but I want to fly to Gothenburg and ask them properly face-to-face. Someday... until then..puss puss xox

F is for Fashion + G is for Goods

Okay I just about lost my you-know-what when I came upon Supermarket Sarah, a relatively new online shop , in which a merchandise theme is selected and photographed against a wall, then posted online where you click the wall item to see more photos and perhaps purchase. So easy, so brilliant, I just may have to follow suit. The latest Supermarket Sarah wall was curated by Patternity, which is also a new favorite of mine, so many patterns! You'll want to paint lines on every monochrome item of clothing/surface you see!

F is for Fashion

SWANK DOLLAR knit wear blows my mind and makes me want to teach myself how to use the knitting machine that somehow ended up in my folks attic. SWANK DOLLAR designer Annie Larson has been busy creating a collection for a collaboration project called New Land of Milk and Honey which opens Feb.20th. I am looking forward to pictures from the show cause it's in Minneapolis, and I don't even know what state that's in... G is not for Geography.