bits and bobbins

silly silence

2009-06-26T23:03:38Z

sorry for the radio silence around these parts…there’s a lot going on in my personal life (including dealing with a clingy, nearly walking, never sleeping baby who is cutting her EIGHTH chomper (!!!) plus infuriating apartment dramas & more tragic stuff, sadly) at the moment.

so, there’s so little time to write. much to my chagrin. woo boy, do i ever have things to write! i’m dying to write, to share, to say something, get a discourse going. but can’t, really, not much. just lame stuff like this. no time! no energy! alas. *sigh*

i hope to return to my semi-regular postings soon (wardrobe_remix(ers) o’ the week, etc.). patience is a virtue, ya?

anyway.
how are you?

busy too? enjoying the summer (or winter?)?

i hope so.

be well.

my colorful life

2009-06-14T00:26:05Z

today pete, poppy and i took a walk over to the new high line park, on manhattan’s west side. it opened to the public this weekend, and it’s gorgeous. the way it flows, melding studied organic patches with the new construction and man-made, patina-ed old bits is just breathtaking. the whole thing is a work of art…and i feel like it opened at just the right time, when the economy is uncertain but people want to go out and still enjoy things. little things, like catching a nice view on a beautiful day and taking in the city and parts nearby, all whilst on a simple walk…things that are free for the taking in a time when dollars are short(er).

on the way there and back, and to the big apple bbq @ madison square park, i snapped pics of what caught my eye. results are above, natch.

hope you all are having a good weekend, wherever you are, whatever you are doing!

p.s. sorry the w_r o’ the week post didn’t get out this past thursday…things have been a bit nuts around here (heh, what’s new?)…

p.p.s. i am still adding to my @ tumblr as time allows. *grin*

handmade is the {new new} black

2009-06-10T00:22:28Z

love, love, love the sentiment on this lightweight tote bag i got at the renegade craft fair in brooklyn last weekend. nice, eh?

’tis made by these folks: the {new new} ny, a new-york-city-based collective whose manifesto is as follows (quoted from their site):

“…an eclectic group of independent artists in the Metro New York area devoted to fostering a creative and supportive environment among its members. The group encourages a spirit of camaraderie through craftsmanship and strives to help its members achieve success on both a personal and professional level. Members come from many different backgrounds and produce fine, handcrafted goods including clothing, home décor, jewelry, accessories, paper goods, bath and body products, toys, and baked goods. Everything is designed and produced locally by the talented artists of The {NewNew}.”

visit their website for more information!

threadbanger: how to make spats!!

2009-06-10T00:14:28Z

in one of the recent threadbanger videos, zoh morrigan of morrigan NYC gives a how-to on how to make a pair of spats! oooh!! me like!

i’ve long felt that spats were a fun accessory, a visually interesting way to make one’s shoe wardrobe go even further. they can be made out of any sturdy but flexible fabric, like say, canvas, denim, leather, patent leather, suede, and the like, which means they can be totally customized and made to suit. they are being shown off in the vid as being inspired by/made to compliment steampunk style(s), but in my mind’s eye i can see them adding a little bit of interest to any look, really, from sporty to fairly feminine…

wardrobe_remix(ers) o’ the week

2009-06-04T19:44:05Z

to lovely you:
this is not a popularity contest, this weekly roundup i do.
i just pick a few photos or putfits that catch my eye, in hopes people (who haven’t heard of the community) will be convinced to take a look at the pool, and see the rest of the goodness! that has been my aim all along. it’s mostly just an advertisement of sorts, a way to show off the group as a whole.
if i could include you all, i would! srsly! everyone gets a thumbs up from me! you are ALL amazing. NO joke. no lie.
never forget that!

much love,
tricia

***

this here is the ORIGINAL and OFFICIAL weekly wardrobe_remix recap of the latest and the greatest from the wardrobe_remix community, from yours truly, the creator of wardrobe_remix!

any wardrobe_remix photos that find themselves here showcase great style + great photography = the two meet and merrily marry to make a perfect expression of YOU and your singular personal style! and i’ve said it a million times before, it’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it…the ticket is the confidence and sureness you exude when you express yourself the way that makes YOU feel most comfortable. that confidence shines through and is captured on film. so whether you’re wearing couture clothes from the finest designers, mass market threads, stuff you made yourself, thrifted finds, or even a shirt you stumbled across on the side of the road…rock it! it’s ALL GOOD and it’s ALL WELCOME in wardrobe_remix!

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Midwest Jess:

sunshineupton:

evilibby:

muija:

Lauren Piglet:

archibald maximilion:

***

thanks to everyone who’s been posting about wardrobe_remix or featuring fashions and folks from the group in their own blogs or websites. thanks for getting the word out. i am glad that wardrobe_remix inspires you! remember to give credit to the people in the aforementioned photos (if you use them in your blog posts, etc.) and to wardrobe_remix itself. it’s good internet/blogging karma! (plus it actually goes with flickr’s terms of service and a little thing called copyright!)

***

remember: you can click on the photo of any of these terrific wardrobe_remix(ers) to learn more about their photo or outfit, explore their flickr photostream, and beyond. all of the photos are owned by the awesome people who are depicted in them, of course!

join us over at wardrobe_remix and show off your awesome EVERYDAY trendbusting and trend-SETTING personal style!

spread the word!

and see you there!

(quick) fashion question(s): do you want to be rated?

2009-06-02T11:26:14Z

(screenshot is a portion of iStyle’s new facebook web-app, a place sharing “personal style and fashion trends”)

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over the past couple of years, a lot of style-sharing websites have come to the online fashion fore…and for many of them, “rating a look” seems to be a big feature. every time i see it as part of a set of features on those websites, i have to wonder, what’s this rating thing all about? is it even what people want? i’m not into the idea myself…but maybe a LOT of other people are? maybe i am the odd woman out? it just doesn’t float my boat.

sooo, it makes me want to ask you (you who post photos of yourself/your outfits online in such sites, keep a fashion/wardrobe or “personal style”-focused blog)…

-do you WANT to be rated on your “look”?

-do you want to be able to rate other people on their “looks”?

-if you’re into rating, what do you like about the practice? what purpose does it serve for you, or for those you rate? is it all just meant to be fun, not at all serious? is it ever serious? do some people think of it as such?

-if you don’t like the idea of rating someone’s outfit or look, why not? can you elaborate on why it’s not your thing?

-are there any rules to rating, spoken or unspoken? or is it a free-for-all?

-when you post a photo of yourself online, are you looking for feedback, good AND bad? do you accept constructive criticism? or any criticism at all? would someone’s (or has someone’s) potentially negative or unsavory comment honestly persuade you to change your stylish ways? or would you/did you just go on being you, despite the naysayers?

-what do you think of negative feedback (feedback that seems to go beyond constructive crit)? is it a matter of free speech, differing opinions, just the way it is online these days, and all that? should it be allowed, or encouraged? or discouraged? does it ever cross the line? if so, in what way? what would a person have to do to make you really feel uncomfortable?

what we wore @ square america

2009-06-01T23:54:44Z

photo archive entitled what we wore @ (found photo site) square america = street fashion photos from the past?

or something like that…
anyway, fun!

(thanks, the storque!)

etsy love: wooly bison

2009-06-01T23:25:36Z

whilst poking around on etsy looking for what’s what in duffel bags these days (i love duffels at the moment! a bit of an obsession…) i came across these bags (one of which is a duffel, natch!) by etsy-ian wooly bison, who hails from seattle. all the handmade bags and accessories wooly bison creates are pilfered from secondhand/used wool suit jackets. such a smart, sassy (re)use of (what are normally often) staid, serious materials, no?

the duffels are super cute (!!!), but i am also grooving pretty hard on the navaho applique on the gray bag pictured above, as i am into folk textiles of the world (duh!); additionally, i gather that navaho and all things native american are currently having a moment at the moment…so i thought i’d let you whose aesthetic leans toward such things know about this lovely piece as well.

also, extra info for ya: wooly bison has a blog & a flickr page, which you can (now) peruse at your leisure.

wardrobe_remix(ers) o’ the week

2009-05-28T23:39:03Z

go you! be you!

love,
tricia

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keikolynnsogreat:

rennes le château:

littleredfox:

tinsel rooster:

UnoCosa:

Jasper Gregory:

PinkBow:

Jemibook:

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dispatches from my street(s)

2009-05-28T23:41:46Z

this past week’s observations, obsessions, and so forth:

-saw a girl near the flatiron building/5th/broadway/23rd street with what looked to be a puffer vest (i.e., a vest with a standing, funnel-like collar, that buttoned up the front) made from an old, lovingly worn quilt. meaning, it was a quilted patchwork vest. so, so cool. i love patchwork anything, so of course the garment in question caught my eye. it looked like the vest was handmade, from the remnants of a vintage quilt, perhaps. she was wearing it with jeans and boots, if the memory serves. it was pretty great looking, i’ve never seen anything quite like it before. the only thing that ruined it, in my opinion? someone (the wearer? the crafter/restyler/designer?) attached via applique a block with sunbonnet sue to the back of the vest. sort of took the look from homespun to country craft corner in a not-good sort of way, making it kind of cheesy/chintzy/odd. but anyway, interesting enough to stick in my mind…and tell you about. it’s got me wishing i could find a great old quilt to turn into a jacket, vest or coat…but it’d have to be just the *right* one to work, you know…?

-the grunge thing i sort of mentioned a little from that last dispatch is SO STRONG. pete and i are making a game out of spotting all the combat boots/pixie boots, ripped tights and ditsy floral dresses on the streets in recent days whilst out on walks…it’s kind of over the top. it looks costumey, no? it does to me anyway. i blame urban outfitters (and now topshop?), you can go right in and go whole hog on that look right now if you please. it’s not for me, i’m not really feeling it so much, having been there the first time around…

-went to the african bazaar @ bam this past weekend: it was AMAZING.

(image via BAM)

for over 30 years, the brooklyn academy of music has hosted said african bazaar in association with it’s dance africa event, and it features a cornucopia of food, art, clothing, textiles, music and decorative objects offered by vendors who hail from or associate themselves with the cultures (past or present) of africa and the caribbean (including the arts and foods beloved by african-americans). what a feast for the eyes, ears that event was! i was especially enamored with these things i saw: a tanned light colored leather bag, shaped like a little briefcase, the front of which was inset with multicolored, geometric fabric; piles and piles of african/dutch wax print fabrics and gorgeously graphic earthy mudcloth in shades of black, white and brown (i bought some of the latter to make a coat, i couldn’t resist!); absolutely GORGEOUS, hand-stitched humungous leather (!!) earrings, and funky, summery straw toppers. i can’t stop thinking about a girl i saw there, milling through the crowd: she was wearing a strappy, tent-shaped, empire-waist sundress made from a patchwork of african fabrics, each block about 6 inches across…i so want to make my own version of that very dress, if i can ever, ever find the time! *sigh sigh sigh* i wish they did this event regularly…more than just once a year! i want to be able to go back and visit and drool over all the amazing handmade things and textiles whenever i want! i’m definitely going next year!

[(which reminds me, anyone know of a place in NYC where i can buy african fabrics, particularly of the dutch wax print variety? will travel! do pipe up if you know of a store that carries such anywhere in the metro area! thanks!!)]