around the way girl

case of the mondays

2010-10-18T12:22:00.001-04:00

It's funny how everything can get so stirred up around you sometimes. Life can be so dull at moments and then at the drop of a hat stuff is flying at you from every direction. I feel a bit bombarded lately with a lot of things. Some good, some bad, some exciting, some challenging.

So, something's got to give. And unfortunately I think it's this little baby. I'm not taking a real break from here but will probably be posting a bit inconsistently - basically when time allows - for the next few weeks. Hope you'll stick around.

Have a great week all! And, hope all is well with all of you :)

xo

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she hits pause

2010-10-13T23:18:00.000-04:00

Beautiful large format Polaroid transfers by Matt Schwartz of She Hit Pause Studios, Inc.

Matt started She Hit Pause almost a decade ago, featuring photographs of his what he calls his version of the pin-up girl. His work is meant to be paired together to create a story and has been described as "walking into a dream."

Shop the Polaroids on etsy.
See the full collection on his site.

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color theory

2010-10-12T23:15:00.000-04:00

Sweet necklaces by Chicago-based Cursive Design.

The most recent collection is inspired by the intersection of country and city which parallels the creator Sarah's roots and current life. "It's about the mix of neon and neutrals, hard lines and organic shapes."

Site. Shop. Blog.

center city

2010-10-11T13:32:00.000-04:00

Rittenhouse clothing is a high end, yet laid back, label by Australian designer couple Sally McDonald and Micah Hamdorf. The line is based out of Sydney, but is named after Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square - an homage to the city where the pair reunited after spending some time apart on different sides of the world.

For their latest collection, the prints showcase playful polka dots using the batik technique, in a range of colors, textures and sizes.

See the full collection.

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Happy Friday!

2010-10-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

Friday! Finally.

I'm so excited for this weekend. This is the first weekend being in my new place where things should feel a bit more normal. The first month in was all houseguests. Last weekend I had the place to myself. And though I enjoyed it all, I'm really ready to get back to the same old routine.

Tonight, two of my girl friends are coming over for dinner, drinks and catching up. I can't wait to see them - it's been too long. And tomorrow, my roommate Beth and I are going out on the town to blow off some steam. It's been awhile since we have been out together, so it's definitely time to get back out there. We always get ourselves into trouble, but it's always fun. Never a dull moment.

Anyone else up to no good this weekend? ;)

xoxo

{photo cred}

steampunk

2010-10-06T23:21:00.000-04:00

Inspired by dreams, gypsies, tribal nomads, floating through hazy clouds, the desert, and her globe trotting lifestyle, jewelry maker Jess Amity wants to live in a handmade, embellished world.

Each piece of jewelry in her shop is one of a kind - many featuring reworked antique hardware, like vintage drawer pulls, as the centerpiece.

"I approach all projects the same way that I approach life... with grand dreams, fingers crossed, the ability to love imperfections and the ability to see beauty in unlikely places." - Jess

See more of her jewels in her shop.
She sells clothing and other accessories, too.

simple truth

2010-10-05T12:12:00.002-04:00

Beautiful photographs by Brooklyn-based artist Jennifer Causey.

Growing up in the South, Jennifer is captivated by minimalism and the homemade. She loves exploring nature and finding the beauty in every day.

See more of work on her site. And be sure to check out her lovely wedding photography and daily breakfast photos. Simple and beautiful.

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CSN giveaway winner!

2010-10-04T18:48:00.000-04:00

Congrats!

Brunch at Saks

Shoot me an email asap to claim your prize!

mixed media

2010-10-04T12:25:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite designers does it again....

A sampling of the Fall 2010 line by Margarita Saplala.

See the full collection here.

P.S. Giveaway winner will be announced later today :)

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happy weekend!

2010-10-02T15:50:00.000-04:00

Happy first weekend in October everyone! Wow, September flew right by, didn't it?

Our new apartment played host to many guests this past month, so I have to say it's a bit bittersweet to have the place all to my lonesome this weekend - not to mention most of my friends are out of town.

It's nice to finally have some peace and quiet. I really felt like I was just floating along this past month, fighting hard to keep up the pace. But, right now, it's just a little too quiet. A better transition from feast to famine would have been nice :)

Hope you all have a fabulous almost-fall weekend.

And, don't forget, the giveaway ends tomorrow!
xo

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q&a with ayuk and adaora

2010-10-01T13:00:00.001-04:00

Make way for London-based label Ayuk and Adaora.

Founded by Tanja Ayuk and Christine Allinson in 2009, the pair sought to create a line that exhibited their passion and dedication in creating affordable, handmade, luxury clothing that combines great craftsmanship with unique design.

In their latest fall/winter collection, structured jackets and statement dresses dominate - featuring the perfect balance of sharp tailoring and feminine flair.

I spoke with Christine about A&A. Here is what she had to say:

How did you two get started in the fashion industry?
We found that we loved fashion and being creative from a very early age. We trained in various design disciplines and found fashion to be the best way to express our creativity.

What made you leap into starting your own label together?
We share the same passion and determination to produce affordable designer clothing for women. To make clothes women could treasure for a lifetime.

The very first thing you designed/made?
Our first collection was inspired by nature and we worked with feathers and leathers. We do not follow trends so it is wonderful to have complete creative freedom.

Do you have a specific girl you are designing for? What's she like?
Our girls are strong minded and independent, they don’t follow trends and wear what they want and what they feel comfortable in. That is why in each of our collections we include one off piece so our customers have the opportunity to buy something completely unique to them, like the beautiful Warrior waistcoat.

What inspired you in your latest collection?
Our inspiration came from geometric shapes and structural forms. We produced strong designs that were so unique that they can be worn season after season and look incredible.

Favorite piece you have in store?
It is very hard to choose a favourite piece from our AW10 collection! Palette in Islington is stocking specially selected and one off pieces from September - a favourite there has to be The Goliath Dress in rust, a real showstopper.

How would you describe your personal style?
Our styles change every season but what remains constant is the fact that what we choose to wear has to be exquisitely made. All the pieces from our collections are cut so beautifully, that although the design may be complex, the garment is comfortable to wear. We’ll be wearing the velvet Stalagmite Jacket to death this season!

Any plans to expand on your line?
Ayuk & Adaora is currently being stocked in boutiques in London and New York. We have some exciting new projects coming up. We are looking at plans to expand but we want to do this without jeopardising the quality of our clothes.

Thanks Christine!

Want more Ayuk & Adaora?

Website

Facebook

Twitter

falling awake

2010-09-29T13:47:00.000-04:00

Artist Maria Britton paints on floral bed sheets - ones worn and faded from years of sleeping and washing.

The bed, as she says, is a place where one both experiences and escapes reality - a physical link between dream and awake. Using pieces of bedding as her canvas, Britton seeks to depict sleep's ability to disorientate by disrupting and restructuring the floral patterned backgrounds.

Very cool.

See more of Britton's work on her site.

P.S. Giftcard giveaway still going. Enter! Enter! Enter!

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drawing outside the lines

2010-09-28T08:32:00.001-04:00

New York-based jewelry design duo Mignonne Gavigan and Laetitia Stanfield created a striking line that is guaranteed to turn heads.

Produced under the name Roarke - after Howard Roark, the protagonist in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead - the girls launched their signature necklace-meets-bib in 2009. Since then, the line has grown to include bracelets, headpieces and wedding gear.

Check the collection.
See how to wear.

P.S. Less than a week left to enter the giveaway! Get to it! xo

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passport to danger

2010-09-27T12:19:00.000-04:00

The charming line Dear Creatures was created by Bianca Benitez and Rob Sinclair. The pair cultivated each other's creativity, combining their common love for decades past to create an overall aesthetic of clean, classic style with a modern sensibility.

I love the concept for the Fall 2010 line - nostalgic and narrative - inspired by Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Perfect for fall. And gloomy days like today.

Photography: Yudi Ela Echevarria
Photo assistant: Erika Hokanson
Hair: Tara Jean
Make-up: Eliven Quiros

P.S. Don't forget to enter the giftcard giveaway!

CSNstores.com giftcard giveaway!

2010-09-24T12:41:00.001-04:00

It's been awhile since we've had a giveaway here at atwg, so I'm happy to announce that CSNstores.com is generously providing one for us today.

CSNstores.com has over 200 online shops featuring modern bedding, furniture and home decor, luxe shoes and accessories, and cookware - something for every taste and at every price point. See all they have to offer on their website, CSNStores.com.

Today, CSN is offering atwg readers a $45 giftcard to be used in any one of their online shops.*

How to enter!

*Leave a relative comment on this post for one entry.

*Please leave an email address or some form of contact.

*Link to this post on Twitter, Facebook and/or your blog - for a possibility of 3 extra entries.

*Follow the atwg blog, on Twitter and/or Facebook - for a possibility of 3 more extra entries.

*Follow CSNStores.com on Twitter and/or Facebook- for a possibility of 2 final extra entries.

*Just be sure to mention any of these actions in your comment!

Giveaway ends next Sunday, October 3rd at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be announced Monday, the 4th. Good luck!

Happy Friday everyone! xo

*Exclusive to U.S. and Canadian readers and gift card not applicable to the cost of shipping.

brilliance found

2010-09-22T23:59:00.005-04:00

Whimsical, nature-inspired jewelry - featuring quartz crystal, natural stone and mixed metals - hand made by artist Nyne, of Vancouver.

I love the unique, organic vibrancy of each piece. One of a kind.

See more on the Brilliance Found site, facebook page and etsy shop.

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short and sweet

2010-09-21T20:29:00.003-04:00

A couple weeks back a new friend took me to the DC Shorts Film Festival - a screenplay competition featuring 97 films and 6 screenplays from 11 different countries.

The festival ended last week but was such a great to-do that I had to share. The films were so unique and really stuck with me - proving that even the deepest stories can be told well in less than 20 minutes.

Each of the nine showcases in the series featured a dozen or so films over a two-hour period, followed by events with the filmmakers and actors. Audience members also got to vote on their favorites.

One of my picks, God of Love, won audience favorite and will be featured in more festivals this year.

If you are in the DC area, a screenplay competition featuring candidates for the 2011 festival is happening October 16. More Info.

Also, if you'd like a mini tour of my new place, see my roommate's blog. Hope you like! xo

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fischer

2010-09-20T19:47:00.000-04:00

Beautiful new line from Fischer - a sportswear collection designed to layer into and complement the wearer's existing wardrobe.

Photographer: Edwin Tse
Hair + Makeup: Stephanie Peterson
Model: Ciara Christensen
Jewelry: Carla Mota

P.S. I've been a little absent with my move to the new apartment, houseguests and housewarming, but I promise I'm back here and ready to put in some more time with you all. Some great stuff will be coming this week, too: a q&a with one of the Ayuk and Adaora founders, and a sweet little giveaway.

Also, check out our party weekend on my roommate Beth's blog! xo

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what i'm reading...

2010-09-09T23:54:00.012-04:00

Description: Vladimir Girshkin, a likable Russian immigrant, searches for love, a decent job, and a credible self-identity in Gary Shteyngart's debut novel, The Russian Debutante's Handbook. With a doctor-father of questionable ethics and a manic, banker mother, Vladimir avoids his suburban parents and their desire that he pursue the almighty dollar as proof of success. Vladimir gets by as an immigration clerk, eking out a living in a cruddy New York City apartment while accumulating an array of quirky acquaintances, from a wealthy but disheveled old man (who claims his electric fan speaks to him) desperate for citizenship to Challa, a portly S/M queen. As a love interest, Challa is replaced by Francesca, a graduate student whose friends welcome Vladimir for the status he brings their bohemian clique, and whose parents encourage them to shack up (she lives at home) as visible proof she can maintain a steady relationship.

The Russian Debutante's Handbook is a quirky amalgam of dead-on American absurdities, albeit with somewhat stereotypical characters. While Vladimir flounders with how to improve his state, he becomes an expatriate in a trendy European city, becomes somewhat of a mobster himself, and generally has a good time. While many of the central characters remain elusively thin, Vladimir is a delight, and Shteyngart's wit is merciless: Russian women wear "wedding cakes of blond hair" and graduate students lounge in a bar "as if waiting for funding to appear." Reminiscent of Gogol and other Russian satirists, The Russian Debutante's Handbook is a genuine, sublime social commentary. -Michael Ferch

try and ruffle me

2010-09-08T13:00:00.000-04:00

Punches of color, bold graphics and feminine details are paired with simple silhouettes and classic accessories in Lauren Moffatt's Fall 2010 collection.

I love the fun mix of boy meets girl style - great fall wardrobe inspiration.

Check the lookbook here. Or shop around.

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Penelope's Vintage: Guide to Thrift Shopping

2010-09-07T13:56:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite people on the Internet is the lovely Chanelle of Penelope's Vintage. Not only has she been a great supporter of this little blog here, I have great respect for her talent.

A thrifting hobby and a great eye for style helped Chanelle to successfully launch her own online shop - which has absolutely turned heads - and she is here today to give us some tips on how to dig through vintage goods ourselves in atwg's very first guest post.

Enjoy!

Thrift shopping can be a scary task for people. I understand. There’s an overwhelming sea of clothing shoved in one area that you are expected to find something out of - and something cute, at that.

My name is Chanelle and I’m here to help you overcome your fear of thrift shopping. If you’re an avid thriftier, I love you and I’m sure you understand. I own an online vintage clothing store, Penelope’s Vintage, therefore I’ve had some practice, not to mention 75 percent of my closet = Goodwill.

Me, Chanelle, in black high-waisted shorts: I’m really into sheer blouses right now, so I went to the blouse section at Goodwill and picked out this beautiful white georgette blouse with a collar and pleats down the middle. I paired it with these shorts I also found at Goodwill a while ago - high-waisted with pleats. They are really ugly if they’re not rolled up because they’re too long, but I played with them a bit and now they’re as good as new! The blouse also has a greater appeal with the sleeves rolled up, although I do like them down too.

I have five super simple tips to help you shop or get you started.

Be organized: Take yourself to your local thrift store, dive in and go one rack at a time. Thrift stores usually have everything organized and separated nicely. Start off with the lightest weight items like blouses, then work your way across the store. The items add up QUICK, therefore starting off with the lightest weight item makes it more manageable to take around with you. If you’re like me you will end up with a mountain of clothes.

Look for patterns or colors that appeal to you: When you approach a rack, push all the clothes to one side of the rack then push them one by one to the other side in a quick motion. While doing this, spot out the prints and styles that you like and take it off the rack to see if it’s love. I know, you hate me for saying this, but this is the most effective and rewarding way. If you refuse this method you can also walk down the aisle and spot the prints, colors, textures, etc., that appeal to you and take them off the rack as you spot them.

Start off simple and take chances: First time? Vintage t-shirts are a great way to start - they go with ANYTHING and the men’s section is usually a jackpot. Eventually make your way into blouses, bottoms, etc., and before you know it you’ll be in a full sequins jumpsuit! Try to try on at least one outrageous item - those are usually the best ones.

Here’s an item from the store, 90s high-waisted white denim shorts. Again, these weren’t that appealing in their original form but roll them up and you got yourself a cute summer item. We paired it with loud (AWESOME) leopard shoes to give the flat colors some appeal, and added a pop of color with a Wilma Flintstone necklace.

Picture the items on and/or with an outfit: Do you wear items alone? NO! You wear it as part of AN OUTFIT! Try picturing the item with bottoms or tops, a belt at the waist. If the sleeves are too long, picture them rolled up. Picture a clunky bracelet and a cocktail ring with the outfit. Play with the item if you like it. You can also research before shopping and go in with an outfit idea in your head to find. Sites like Lookbook.nu or Chictopia.com have AMAZING outfit ideas with vintage items.

This item is also from the store. It was originally a skirt (and can still be a skirt) but looks AWESOME as a tube dress, as well. I often find skirts that I wouldn’t normally wear but LOVE the print or color so I usually try to it as a dress before I completely give up on it. Luckily long skirts are in again so you can have two pieces in one!

Try everything on: Most places have mirrors and not dressing rooms. My best advice would be to go shopping dressed in leggings and a tight shirt so you can try items on over your clothes in front of a mirror. Things look COMPLETELY different on than they do on the rack, so this step is crucial. Some look better on, some look worse!

The thing I love most about thrifting is: it’s creativity at its finest. You have to search, have imagination and be bold. It’s gratifying when you find that GEM that is a piece of vintage. It’s yours, and you found it. If thrifting is not your thing but you love vintage, there are tons of eBay and Etsy stores that do all the work for you. They do the shopping and show you different ways to wear it. Just click “buy”! These steps have helped me to find NUMEROUS items that I wouldn’t have found otherwise, and in a timely manner at that. I hope these tips help and make thrifting a more enjoyable experience.

Thanks Chanelle!

Stay tuned for part two from Chanelle, coming soon!

Penelope's Vintage.
Facebook.
Twitter.
Lookbook.

ouch.

2010-09-03T08:42:00.000-04:00

Oh Friday, I wish I could be as excited about you as usual, but this week you are the eve of moving day part two. Oh, the soreness.

Moving into our new place this past Tuesday did not go as seamlessly as the roomies and I hoped (read: three woman should not try to move themselves without some sort of truck. Next time - note to self - shell out the cash to hire movers.)

It seemed like a good idea to do it on our own - we all always have - but we really didn't anticipate the troubles of getting Beth's stuff out... down her spiral staircase. All I will say is bruises in odd places, one messed up ankle, and a few almost spills. Such fun :)

So, I'm hoping I can rest a little tonight before we head over to my former place tomorrow to grab the rest of the big furniture.

I can't wait to be settled in so we can enjoy our new lovely place.

Hope you all have a great holiday weekend!!

xo

{photo cred}

Noble Town Vintage

2010-09-02T15:50:00.000-04:00

Rescued, revived and original vintage jewels from Noble Town Vintage of Salt Lake City.

Simple silhouettes, geometric shapes and raw earthy elements throughout create cohesion in a store of items spanning decades.

This vintage shop is so well put together - it gives the appearance of its own line. Just beautiful.

Great clothing, too.

music philosophy

2010-09-01T23:17:00.000-04:00

After interviewing Shaun DeGraff, I'm feeling a bit musical.

Loving these prints by artist Mico on his site Music Philosophy - a weekly graphic, typographical interpretation of the designer's favorite song quotations.

Shop the silkscreen prints.
Shop the tees.
Submit your own song quote.

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Q+A with Shaun DeGraff

2010-08-31T23:54:00.004-04:00

Shaun DeGraff is a Vegas native who made singing, songwriting, beatboxing and musicmaking his lifework. After receiving his first piano at age 13, Shaun immediately fell in love with the freedom of thought and expression that song writing afforded him, ultimately gravitating to the keyboard as his main creative outlet.

Since committing full force to pursuing his talent, the artist has turned quite a few heads - earning a few award nods and even seeing his music featured in film.

Shaun's recently released album Grey Area is appropriately titled as the songs explore the ups and downs in life, walking a tight rope between positive and negative energy.

His music absolutely caught me off guard with its eclectic sound and one-of-a-kind force. Shaun may incorporate the flavors of a few big name artists - The Killers, G Love, and Ben Folds, as he references - but he definitely has a sound and dramatic flair that is uniquely his own.

Inventive, refreshing and absolutely electric. His songs will get stuck in your head time and time again.

I got to speak with Shaun over the last few weeks about his musicmaking. Here is what he had to say:

Give us a little background - how did you get started in music?
Ever since I was a kid I've always been a ham. My family never pushed me in the musical / theatre direction, it was just what I was naturally good at. I love the synergy of live performance. It's a rush putting your ass on the line and asking people "Am I good enough?" I think I chose it as a profession because I wouldn't be much good at anything else. As far as instruments, I play the keyboard so I can be any instrument I want to be organic or electric. Chances are I will fool 99% of the people out there that the instruments were played by a real drummer, guitarist, bass, strings etc. Grey Area was completely produced by me in the digital realm even though it sounds so organic.

How would you describe your sound?
LONG: Powerful Piano-pop with organic flavors of modern rock, jazz, and acoustic hip-hop. SHORT: Acoustic soul that rocks!

Very first song you wrote?
It was a song called "Shawna" and yes, of course I wrote it for a girl named Shawna. It sounded a lot like Woody Harrelson's song "Kelly" from a Cheers episode. It didn't work unfortunately. I didn't get laid. Hahahaha..

You have a very unique energy, who/what inspires you in your music?
This rollercoaster ride they call life inspires me the most. I haven't been diagnosed but I'm sure I have at least a mild case of bi-polar. If not, I'm just one moody bastard! That's why my songs range from soft and sweet to hard and aggressive. That has always been my problem as far as marketing is concerned. But that's f*cking life. As far as artists go, I'm all over the board. Bjork, Stevie Wonder, Ben Folds, Bill Withers, Imogen Heap, Owl City.

August 2010 Vocalist Of The Month for singeruniverse.com
-Modern Rock Album Of The Year for "Music For Life" 2008 - JPF Music Awards
-Modern Rock Album Of The Year for "In My Room" 2007 - JPF Awards
-Modern Rock Song Of The Year for "All We Need" 2005 - JPF Awards
-"You Had Me At Goodbye" on closing motion picture credits "The List" 2009
-"Ain't That A B****" licensed to Google 2008 commercial

Favorite song on Grey Area?
"Had Me At Goodbye." Love the melody, catchy lyric in the hook, and the way I produced it did the song justice. I didn't write the song. My amazing talented friend Phillip Stendek wrote it.

Name some artists on your iPod right now.
Lot's of progressive trance DJ sets. I get sooo much shit done when I listen to it. Angels and Airwaves, BT, Cocteau Twins, DJ Shadow, Fever Ray, Foo Fighters, Imagine Dragons (great band from Vegas), Justice, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend to name a few.

You seem to be doing well lately with album drop earlier this year, the recent vocalist of the month win and #1 Vegas ranking on ReverbNation. What's next for you?
First, Around The Way blog, then, THE WORLD!!! Muuuwwwaaahahahahahah!!! (Evil laugh). My goal for the next month is to put a college/festival tour together. My goal for the next three to six months is to get enough college radio play to open for a headlining tour.

Upcoming shows?
TBA. Go to http://www.thatpianoguy.com/ and sign up for the mailing list!

Thanks Shaun for the great interview! We expect to see much more of you...

Get your Shaun DeGraff fix:

Listen to his album Grey Area

Website

ReverbNation

Facebook

Twitter