Pour Porter

Daily Wear

NMW — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:28:24 GMT

New silk flats

Boots and Bags

NMW — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:51:46 GMT

boots: $403 at Mick Margo

Rachel Comey’s Mosey flat boot channels mid-century military footwear. Sissi Rossi’s flap messenger is perfectly worn and buttery soft.

Daily Wear [1]

NMW — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:26:09 GMT

Just to prove that sometimes I dress like a schlump. It's all a bit too bulky, but after three days of low 70 degree temps, I just wanted to hunker down for today's freezing rain. Let's not mention my desperate need for a haircut, as well.

I'm so incredibly rusty when it comes to sketching. Time to get back on it.

la redoute wool cardigan, jcrew 'seize the day' tee, etsy brass rabbit necklace, vince pants, patent leather mocs.

Tres Bien

NMW — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:42:15 GMT

Swedish shop, Tres Bien does indeed do it very well. They carry a nice selection of avant-garde designers for both men and women, and they ship internationally. In fact, they are currently offering free shipping worldwide until the end of the year. And surprisingly, the prices are relatively reasonable.

Jacket: $373.20 Sweater: $348.30

Dress: $236.10 Boots: $310.90

Daily Wear [3]

NMW — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:03:35 GMT

Straying very far away from my usual neutral staples. I do love yellow.

rogan for target silk dress, jcrew cardigan, in god we trust brass necklace, dkny tights, poetic licence heels, jcrew bracelet.

Inspiration

NMW — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:14:11 GMT

This has nothing to do with style or clothing, but I couldn’t help but be inspired by the beautiful contrast between the colour of the wood grain and the gold leaf.

(Available at Clio for $250 for a pair)

Anyways, I’ve been wanting to get a bit more personal with the blog, and thanks to recently being inspired by a friend and a sketch blog, I think I’m ready to be more regular about it. This blog will always center on my clothing and accessories finds, but I’d like to add a little bit of a daily wear element to it, along with inspirations (whether clothing related or not), and possibly some of my own drawings or paintings.Something for me to look forward to!

Pixie Market

NMW — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:40:02 GMT

Oh, Pixie Market, how you amuse me with your adoration of ironic 80’s style (I am NOT a fan) and so-hip-it-hurts stock. Despite the site’s need to win the hipster homecoming crown, it does have a good selection of unknowns and constantly rotating items.

So, even if you’re not a fan of clothes you can only get away with by wearing them for irony’s sake (worst trend of the aughts), there is plenty to choose from that you can wear straight.

As much as I poke fun, here are some of my favourites:

necklace: $242

left: $229 right: $215

left: $129 right: $242

Ankle Boots

NMW — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:19:07 GMT

Most of El Naturalista’s shoes are way too crunchy for my tastes, but I can’t help but love this nerdy, school-marmy ankle boot. They look insanely comfortable and are eco-friendly as well.

Matthew Ames [3]

NMW — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 02:02:26 GMT

There isn't much from the 1980's that I like or ever liked. I remember hating much of the decade when I was living through it (young as I was!). However, there are a few things from that time that remain appealing, and I don't mean in the tired ironic sense.

Designer Matthew Ames manages to revive and freshen the boxy, baggy Japanese look of the 80's with his Autumn 08 collection. There is nothing that feels contrived or derivative about his pieces, and yet they immediately bring to mind a style that is associated with the decade of excess.

Pieces featured are mostly from the fall collection, but there are a couple from his Spring collection, as well. Be sure to check out the website.

Four more photos after the jump

Mongrels in Common [1]

NMW — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 23:59:34 GMT

Mongrels in Common doesn’t need its singular name to catch your attention. The label is all about drama. This is sly, sharp-witted drama, though. Of course, it would be hard not to be noticed in these clothes, but there isn’t anything remotely costumey about them either.

Designers Livia Ximenez-Carrillo and Christine Pluess like exploiting the tension between the masculine and feminine for their pieces, and the women’s line does exude a powerful, masculine feel while remaining distinctly women’s clothing.

While the line’s website makes me want to beat their web designer over the head, it is worth a look-see

Lovenia [1]

NMW — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:48:40 GMT

Sometimes, I'll randomly stumble across a great link while looking for something completely unrelated to the blog. Friday was one of those times.

Designer Heidi Handler, utilizes natural fabrics like silk, cotton, and muslin for the sculpturally perfect pieces in her Lovenia line. Personally, I'm a huge fan of natural fabrics , and Handler showcases these fabrics in a manner that makes you wonder why you'd ever want to wear something manmade again.Tea and mud dyeing lend a soft, organic touch to the pieces.

Handler's couture training is quite evident in her debut S/S 08 capsule collection. I look forward to future collections.

iammister [2]

NMW — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:47:01 GMT

Well, I pulled a disappearing act for the past month thanks to something I haven't really mentioned on here. My job took me to another part of the state for most of July, but I was also working on a small capsule collection for a local fashion show. I created seven looks. Denver/Colorado is quite provincial when it comes to fashion or understanding fashion, but I had the opportunity to show pieces to an audience and I wasn't going to turn it down. For one, it was a great motivator for actually completing what I started.

Unfortunately, I have very few and very poor quality photos of the show. I plan to put together a lookbook of my pieces in the next few months, and an edited video of the show will be posted shortly on my website. Site link for those of you who are interested, although the site is not quite up and running yet.

I'm already bursting with ideas for next year, and have figured that the best time for me to produce enough items to sell will be this winter when our work flow is slowed by the season.

Pictures below of the pieces right before I finished them up. I'll post updated photos when I get a chance.

Short cuts [6]

NMW — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:43:34 GMT

Can I talk about short hair for a minute? Yes, it’s everywhere at the moment (Agyness Deyn, anyone?). The short hair trend seems to hit about every five years or so, at least here in the U.S. where long hair is as American as the proverbial apple pie. In Europe, it would seem that short hair is simply another style option.

I discovered in 1997 that short hair worked best for me, and I’ve been rocking varying versions of the cut ever since. It started out longish, then got super short and dyed, then went longish a la Stella Tennant in the MaxMara F/W 03 ad campaign, then fauxhawkish, and finally ended up with where it is now – asymmetrical.

Every few years I get the itch to mix it up, and sometimes I see photos that spur that itch, and sometimes I just get an idea in my head of what I want-cue yesterdays little chat about visceral inspiration!

Although I’m not quite over my current edition of short hair, I did stumble across these two photos while perusing the wonderful Garance Dore blog and felt inspired. The first one reminded me that I need to dye my hair again, and the second made me sad that my stick straight hair will never allow me such an adorable cut. I suppose the fauxhawk phase was somewhat similar to these in that the longer middle portion very rarely did anything but sit on the top of my head brushed forward. Maybe I’m just longing for a redux…

I think the key to keeping short hair looking fresh is to mix it up from time to time, and to avoid dated styles. For example: anything that requires curlers, a trip to the salon for highlights, copious amounts of hairspray, looks spiked, or can resist bullets should definitely be avoided. Product shouldn’t be avoided, but I think soft is best and keeps it classic.

I monitor comments to reduce spam and the like, but I’d love for you guys to post photos of the short cuts you love in the comments. Except, NO Agyness Deyn, please!

The Ever Classic Moccasin [4]

NMW — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:12:46 GMT

Who knows how long this will last with my day job and horse keeping me busy, but I’d like to add a few entries discussing my personal inspirations and/or reflections of style and the daily practice of getting dressed, when I can.

Of course, most of what I post here is inspiring in some way or another to me, but I oftentimes draw inspiration from things completely separate from clothing, and ‘fashion’ itself.

I’m currently in the midst of completing 10 pieces for a little local fashion show. This has been very good for me in a multitude of ways, but the presence of a deadline and audience has had the largest impact, namely on my motivation to complete what I start! Pattern drafting has also been quite the challenge, but again it’s been an excellent experience.

Anyways, as far as my personal creative process goes, I find that the things that I am attracted to at a specific time, or that feel particularly relevant are purely the product of a visceral reaction. Suddenly something feels ‘right’. I cannot think of a rational reason for why something suddenly becomes appealing, and I think for many creative people this is the case.

Moving right along! For the past few years I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect pair of moccasins. Comfy, not too granny, not too granola, and not designer. Driving mocs have been around for a long time, but I didn’t want something so WASPY traditional. I was amused to see A.P.C.’s $250 moccasins, which frankly I find pretty silly considering the large selection of comparable versions for far less. We are just talking about suede and a gum sole here!

Moccasins seem to have been popping up quite a bit in recent years, especially with the whole tribal vibe that has been dominating a lot of collections lately. I mean who hasn’t seen the marc by marc jacobs S/S 07 versions?

Really, regardless of whether or not they’re present on the runway or on the fashion radar, moccasins are plainly, classic.

Personally, I decided to go with minnetonkas. They’re inexpensive, comfortable, and easily replaceable. Well, and let’s not forget that they’re damn cute, too.

Nomia

NMW — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:35:48 GMT

Yara Flinn channels a tomboyish vision with her tiny Nomia collection. Flinn’s sculptor background factors heavily into her design process. As with most of what I feature on the blog, it all seems incredibly simple until you look a little more closely.

Maria Cornejo

NMW — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:14:28 GMT

I haven’t posted anything from personal favourite, Maria Cornejo, lately, as I’ve been somewhat uninspired by her more recent collections. Fortunately, her S/S 08 collection is chock full of beautiful, muted prints, and the expert draping that has come to define her modern aesthetic (F/W 08 is wonderful, too). She’s also expanded her accessories, and those pieces are just as nice.

Two more after the jump

left: $389 right: $218

left: $608 right: $447

left: $474 right: $585

Magda Berliner Once Again

NMW — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:50:31 GMT

Time for another Magda Berliner post. Thankfully she's returned to modeling her clothing, something I've always found charming. Berliner's most recent pieces feel a bit more streamlined, but she still retains her characteristic silhouette and affinity for white crochet. Summer 08 saw her dabbling in metallics, brocade, leopard print, tie dye, as well as fleece. I like her playful reference to cut-offs with pockets that extend beyond the hems of several of the tops, dresses, and shorts.

The first four pieces are from her S/S 08 collection, photos five and six are from F/W 08, and the last four are from her smaller Holiday 08 collection.

Six more photos after the jump

Kate Boutique [1]

NMW — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:53:58 GMT

Kate offers a great selection of lesser known designers, and incredibly wearable pieces.

left: $580 right: $164

left: $126 right: $488

above: $160

iWood Sunglasses

NMW — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:21:03 GMT

Let's ignore the dated, jump-on-the-bandwagon name for a moment. (And the poorly designed website) iWood Ecodesign is in the perfect position to capture the attention of anyone who cares about sustainable design and eco-friendly lifestyles. Which, as of late, seems to be most everyone.

Their wood-framed sunglasses are surprisingly stylish and they offer a nice selection of shapes so you can find the style that looks best on your face.

Commuun [1]

NMW — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:54:18 GMT

Commuun is so frightfully spot-on with how I like and would like to dress, I felt as if this was a catalogue of my head. Everything is simple and subtly attention grabbing.

The F/W 08 collection makes me think of Rothko paintings and empty canvasses. I've also posted pieces from the S/S 07 and A/W 06-07 collections.

Eight more after the jump