dream of the 90s at daily candy swirl

Oh man, there are some really awesomely funny throwback purses available on Daily Candy’s sample sale site Swirl. Behold some of my favorites. I love that this is what it means for the 90s to be “back.”

announcement

I want all my accessories to be HUGE and RED from how on.

Cool.

oh no no no

I recently got myself a super rad pair of vintage 80s DVF sunglasses. They’re great. Really they are. But my wandering eye is kicking in. And now… These are here. Janz & Cooper. Testing my fortitude. Yikes.

via scout holiday; via style bubble.

missibaba

Psyched on lots of things right now, but namely, at this moment, Missibaba bags are what’s doing it for me. They are based out of Woodstock — wait for it — in Capetown, South Africa. I know, I thought it was going to be the world of wind-chimes, too!! Anywhoo, these puppies are super-rad and handmade by a crack team of artisans. Oh also I like how the bags look like they are dancing in the photographs. Etsy site is TK. For now we’ll have to just admire via internets.

Found these dolls from one of my favs: Commas and Clauses.

sun in the fun

I have a folder in my RSS feed named “cutesters” for those aspirational blogs of nebulous subject matter — people who seem to just sort of have it going on. One of my favorites in this category is a little blog called fieldguided, by a lady named Anabela who, day after day, makes even Toronto look fantastic.

All of which is to introduce you to a new project she’s cooked up with equally awesome Esty-shopstress Caitlin: a line of simple bags in stunning fabrics, called Summer Water. Unfortunately these beauts are about as ephemeral and elusive as some of my favorite blogs… And they’re already sold out. Per usual, I’ll just have to admire. Hopefully we’ll see more from these two soon!

just stretch

I love these Swatch-like watches from Toronto-based May 28th. As if a multitude of fun and bright patterns weren’t enough, their elastic watchbands make this an easy-breezy summer accessory. Website is here.

in the bag

So yeah, it seems I can’t get enough (a) rope jewelry, (b) tie dye and (c) L.A.-based handbag designers. Seriously though, it can’t be my fault they’re all so good can it?

That being said, this bag from Le Bulga just about as perfect as they come (and yes, based in L.A.; yes, handmade; yes, simple, beautiful, sophisticated). It’s also on sale here. Birthday celebrators take note.

are you mocking me?

Ok, who’s been hiding this from me? That’s really the only explanation, because this is right up my alley. Lore! Tradition! Moccasins!

Since 1909, Quoddy has been making leather shoes and moccasins in rural Maine. Inspired by the Passamaquoddy tribe’s heritage of craftsmanship and artistry, whether bark canoes or woven baskets, the company still handsews each shoe on a bench. Awesome.

Found via this StyleCaster slideshow!

on styling

I think it’s interesting when the proper lighting, color and texture can make something you’d (well, I’d) never probably wear look so appealing and fresh. Taken from a post on Garance Doré about details.

i can see clare vivier now, the rain has gone

I love the elegance and simplicity of LA-based Clare Vivier‘s handbags. Who knew such subtlety and timelessness could be manufactured in Burbank?

hoop dreams

What really got my attention last night while watching the Lakers and the Suns in the conference finals? That’s right, Phil Jackson’s sweet sweet Horatio Hornblower eyeglasses. Here’s some of my favorites in the genre.

Warby Parker Fillmore frames; Moscot Miltzen frames; Olivers People Pierson frames; PRISM London frames.

ahoy polloi

If only the masses (or wait, no just this one member in particular) could get their hands on one of these great updated sailor’s knot bracelets from The Vamoose on Etsy! They even mastered the old shrink-to-fit problem by attaching real hardware. Way to go! That means you, me and everyone get to wear them well past summertime.

Find them here.

dressed up like a has been

Why is it that these semi-awkward, heavy-looking and a little Vermont-esque clogs have been leaving huge gaping wooden footprints on my psyche? I think I had computer teachers who wore a similar model. Seriously?

Maybe it’s that I’m suddenly envisioning a Zinzi who’s a little bit (read: a lot bit) taller, blonder, more Swedish and REALLY good at disco dancing. She’d definitely be wearing Swedish Hasbeens, on her off-hours slushing through the snow or climbing over sand dunes. Been wearin ‘em for years.

Truth be told Swedish Hasbeens knows all about how delightfully awkward their design is — they say their goal is “to continue to release more incoherent and fun shoes and stuff inspired by Hasbeens that once ruled the planet.”

Incoherent? Has been? Yes, definitely a shoe befitting the 70s disco-Zinzi writing only the most semi-discernible  fashion musings.

fingernailin’ good

When I was wee my mother had a simple brown leather Coach purse that I destroyed by dragging my fingernails across the leather to make designs. Little girl fingernail trails notwithstanding, the purse was in the classic style of Coach, before it became covered in fuschia flowers and interlocking C logos: simple and supple leather with classic gold-colored hardware and clean-as-a-whistle lines. Anyone with a pulse knows how much the company’s image has changed (Coach “classics” collection aside). To me these handbag styles are really what one ought to be wearing. They never go out of style and they look as refreshing now as they must have to my Mother around 1986 (maybe a few years before the fingernails got the better).

The problem now, though, is embellishment. From MK & A’s infamous Balenciagas to the heavy (literally) offerings of every season since — hardware, quilting, chains, pockets — every kind of embellishment one can think of is forced onto a single purse.

In this merry-go-round of the More is More mentality (I’d be kidding myself if the congruent pricetags had nothing to do with adding just a little something more here or there), it is refreshing, downright revolutionary to see the newest offerings by Central St. Martin’s Designer Mimi Berry.

A turnlock here, a flap there — nothing too much, but at the same time, never stark or boring. Mimi’s offerings manage to capture that thing (maybe it’s the proportions?) that makes simplicity chic and, dare I say it, visually pleasing and interesting!

From her East London storefront off of Brick Lane, Mimi sells her wide range of handbags, coin purses, and utility bags like computer bags and men’s satchels. The bags are also available in shops in the US and online at mimimika.com. As previously suggested, having escaped the vortex of More is More Chic, Mimi’s bags also manage to escape the staggering price tags that other designer bags fall prey to. Humble US exchange rate aside, bags are pretty reasonable, ranging from £20 wallets to a £255 leather weekender.

{Photos courtesy of mimimika.com}

couldn’t afford a car so she named her daughter alexus

{A.W. wearing a watch.}

Names can be a powerful thing. They can thrust you into a world of pain if they’re too old-fashioned, or ridicule if they happen to rhyme with something particularly unsavory (or savory for that matter). They can also fate you to be instantly and forever popular, like if your name is Amber or something. (Seriously, find me an Amber who wasn’t cool during the K-12 years. It’s impossible.)

In fashion circles names can also be a great way to align oneself with an existing chic and respectable image, you know like girls with Yorkies named Coco, or lipsticks named for top fashionistas.

So it shouldn’t have been too surprising that eventually someone would give themselves their own Anna Wintour stamp of approval by nominal affiliation*. Except it is sort of a shockingly bold statement to make about oneself, not to mention some big promises to make good on. Kind of like Bush’s recent WW2 allusions. Like that’s making his to-do list more accessible.

Tomorrow a new brand of watches named for the infamous ‘editrix’ will debut at the JCK jewelry trade show. And what wonders will a Wintour watch posses? “You will understand when you see it,” a representative from the brand cryptically told WWD. Fur watchbands splashed with red paint? Quartz technology that conveniently skips mealtimes? Ultrabright indiglo to shine through the darkest of big black sunglasses? Only time will tell!

*See Radar Online? That’s another way to do the ancient-modern tango. Plus, who doesn’t love a pun?

{Photo courtesy of stylehive.com}

Loulou gets crazy accessible!

If you’re a big fat gawking fan of the Yves-Loulou–Betty social swirl and if you have a tv shopping addicted grandma then you are in luck (as am I) because non other than Yves Saint Laurent’s long-time muse and accessories designer Loulou de la Falaise is hawking her own jewelry line on Home Shopping Network tonight!! Potentially the best high/low fashion collab so far in my humble opinion. Show starts at 8. Tell grandma to get HSN on speed dial. Well, if it isn’t already!

{Thanks to FabSugar for the scoop and the NYT for the photo!}

heart on your sleeve, ancestors on your neck

Thanks to DailyPoetics for pointing out this great necklace today. It’s a custom piece made by London-based artist Sarah Van Gameren for a seventeen year old girl who handed over her own family tree for the project. The text is inspired by those name plate necklaces that were super popular (maybe they still are?), like Carrie Bradshaw and Gwen Stefani and maybe like, oh I don’t know, Pink had back in 2001.

Anyway, I think this necklace couldn’t been a cooler idea. At first I thought the necklace was kind of creepy in a Jacob Marley kind of way, but after a little more thinking I’ve come to the conclusion its actually way more honest to bring your past with you into your projects than to not. I am one of those people who loves a sense of history and has a nostalgic pride for my family members I’ve never even known!

So congratulations, Runa, you have yourself a sweet little collier there!