Tsumori Chisato ss 09

After finding that Tsumori Chisato top at Value Village last week, I went on a search to find it's possible runway origins. Unfortunately, I still haven't found anything, so I'm assuming that it was just a retail piece. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to discover a brand that I had not paid close attention to in the past. Tsumori Chisato is a bit like Marni's younger, even quirkier sister. I'm noticing similar motifs like that died check/plaid pattern and the loose round silhouette. I am loving the extremely colorful spring/summer 2009 collection. It is styling like this that makes me want to throw on every piece in my closet at once just to see what crazy new combinations could work out.




Images via sofeminine and a-net

A Momentary Break, Brought to You by Bruno Pieters

As you can probably ascertain from my various outfit posts, I tend admire both minimalism and outlandishness in fashion. One of my favourite "minimalist" designers would have to be Bruno Pieters, whose sharp cuts and pin-point-precise tailoring are things of genius and beauty. After reading a Bon magazine interview with the designer, I think I admire him even more for being so level-headed. Here's a long bit of the interview that I found particularly interesting.

Pieters:

I'm reading this spiritual book. It's about trying to be in the moment. I'm one of those people who's always thinking about the next thing. And I felt that my life was like sitting in a waiting room- that what I was doing now wasn't important. The goal was the important thing, but the goal, when I reached it, was always a disappointment- always.

[The book] is by Eckhart Tolle called A New Earth. I got it from a friend of mine. She said, "You need this. You're not living your life. It's gonna pass you by." And she was right, it was. I think for 30 years it was just passing me by... Certain things happened to me that I always wanted to happen, it just didn't do anything for me... For all these years, these goals, these things I wanted, this ambition- it gives no satisfaction. Nothing. Because it's never enough. When you are in French Vogue you say, "If it would have been American Vogue I would have been happier..." If you say: "I have this job, but if I had that one, then I would be happy." You can do this with everything, with relationships and everything else...

It flashes by- your whole life. And when you think about what you have done, it's like... there's no meaning, nothing. It's really useless.

I love it when I can combine my love of fashion and spiritual philosophy into one relevant post. I can see this same situation played out in the minds of many who work in the fashion industry. The absence of living the moment isn't just a problem in this industry, it's global, but I think that fashion in particular has a tendency to always leave people feeling unsatisfied with themselves and with their lives. So if you've been feeling dispirited lately, I hope this post will jog you back to thinking about what you can do to achieve real and lasting happiness.

One particular lesson I remember from reading Tolle's book was that it is insanity to spend the mental effort struggling against something that already is and that has already passed. You can drive yourself crazy through guilt, regret, jealousy or anger towards a situation that just is what it is. If you stop fighting and become at peace with the moment now, you'll find that new doors will open up for you that you had previously been blind to. It's inspiring to see a designer kick the system and learn to make his life more meaningful, not necessarily through any outer changes to his status and career, but through inner changes that can be so simple yet so profound.

Serge Lutens

Forgive me me while I play fashion catch-up here but I am finding myself completely blown away by the work of Serge Lutens. I can't believe I've only stumbled across this artistic genius just now! I was only vaguely aware of his stunning work for Shiseido in the 80s and his makeup campaign for Dior, but hadn't had the chance to view the rest of his work until I ran into this stunning compilation of his photographs. Would you even call them photographs? They really toe the line between photography and traditional art. It all looks like a perfect mix of geisha, court jester and blitz kid. I am in love.









Photos via typogabor.com

What I'm Wearing 30.04.09

Yesterday I realized I couldn't find anything in my closet anymore and decided to clear everything out and put it back in in a more orderly fashion. I couldn't believe how many random clothes I have! Who needs so many? Honestly, I think I might have a thrift shopping problem. I think about 70% of my closet is second-hand. But I couldn't manage giving anything away because I like the pleasant surprise that comes with shopping your own closet and rediscovering something you had forgotten.

I'm wearing an old thrifted jacket in the first outfit photo below. I decided to give the yellow/pink combination one more go. I love this outfit but it isn't very practical because the yellow tights I cut into shorts and socks either roll up or down all the time and I'm constantly adjusting them. Good idea in theory, oh well. I'm liking the yellow/flesh tone/yellow/flesh tone action going on.



And here are my new Aldo shoes. They were a rather smart buy, extremely comfortable and extremely stylable. They are also a match made in heaven with yellow. Thanks to everyone who shared their advice on necessary shoe colours! I think these slightly pinky beige heels were the answer I was looking for. The next step? Finding a range of flats, of course. But I'm broke at the moment, so that will have to wait... A long while.



And for those who have been waiting to see the Tsumori Chisato top I thrifted last week, I'm wearing it below! When I first picked it up I thought it was a rather crafty-looking piece that was probably made by a local Vancouver designer. But when I tried it on, I loved the way the lace detailing stood up from the shoulders. I couldn't see a label anywhere so I had no idea who made it, until I tried it on at home and saw the label hidden on a side seam near the bottom! Lucky find indeed. The bright beads and lace look Mexican-inspired, and the two circles on the chest almost look like Dia De Los Muertos skull eyes. Would anyone happen to know if this was ever on a runway collection?



Wearing a Tsumori Chisato top, Urban Behaviour skirt and tights, Topshop heels.

Jumpsuits

A cute item this season is the Jumpsuit, comes in a variety styles and colors. It is very comfy and breathable yet fashionable and very much hijab appropriate, saves us from layering too much. A must have for this season.

Dress them up with a pair of high heels or wear them casual with flat sandals.

Good place to find a not so expensive jumpsuit is:
www.forever21.com
www.ardenb.com

Here are some looks I created.







Birthday Cake Ideas | Sophia's Style Boutique




One of the most important parts of any party is the FOOD!! Unfortunately, it's also one of the most stressful aspects of party planning. We at SophiasStyle.com children's clothing store put our collective heads together to come up with some time and money saving ideas for party planning. The one that stuck out the most was the cake!


Why go to the time, labor and expense of a large cake that will take time to cut and serve. Bake a large batch of cupcakes. You can do chocolate, white, marble and even carrot flavored. You can use fun printed cupcake liners, basic paper or foil liners. Then mix up a large batch of frosting (you know the drill - powdered sugar, vanilla and milk). Divide up the frosting into multiple smaller containers. Then, pick out the colors and start tinting. You can frost the cupcakes in rainbow colors or just a couple of colors. Add some sprinkles, jimmies or a piece of candy (watch the choking hazard). Make sure to make enough for the kids to eat there, and maybe take one home to a brother or sister who did not join them. Do not forget the special birthday person! Make their cupcake extra special and with room for the candle!


If you have a cake tier, you can tier the cupcakes up like shown above. Makes quite the presentation.


Have a great party planning idea? Want to share your stories, hints or tips? Click here to share with us your ideas. We'd love to hear from you!

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Men's Shirts!






Here is what we have in stock for men.
These are tees, and run between $21-$26

If you see something you like, contact me, and I will check pricing.
Thanks!

Other Entertaining Things

these are some sites I found pretty funny
http://hipsterhunter.com/HIPSTER_HUNTER_HOME.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2178314_disguise-yourself-as-hipster-male.html

Also these are the sources for the below entries:

“Culture: Hipster Fashion: The Ultimate in Urban Cool.” 23 Jan. 2008. InsideVANDY. 25 Apr. 2009 .

Freid, Bill. “Grunge.” St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture. FindArticles.com. 27 Apr, 2009. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_tov/ai_2419100545/

Haddow, Douglas. "Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization." Journal of the Mental Environment (2009).

Kerouac, Ack. "Aftermath: The Philosophy of the Beat Generation." Esquire Mar. 2008. .

Skerl, Jennie, ed. Reconstructing the Beats. Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.


In addition all the pictures came from google image search and facebook albums of my friends...thanks guys

Think Pink!

I've been trolling the fashion spot's vintage magazines threads these past few days. I've looked at so many 80s and early 90s magazines that I'm really craving that wind-swept big hair that Cindy Crawford and co. were famously sporting. I tried blow drying my hair back this morning to imitate the look. Unfortunately, it fell flat within an hour. But I refuse to use hairspray! It's much too toxic.

So here is the source of my recent pink obsession. If you were to go back in time and tell high-school-me that university-me is inspired by shoulder pads, hot pink, and big hair, she'd probably assume you're a complete nutter. I think high-school-me would have agreed with Ann-Sofie Back when she said she finds fuchsia really offensive in Bon Magazine's ss 09 issue. But these days I can't rule out any colour, because I always end up liking what I vehemently disliked another year.


Images from British Vogue August 1991 and American Bazaar May 1998 via tfs.com

Hipsters Today



So what now?


Hipsters today are either supported and admired for their statements, or loathed and despised for their lifestyles and diluted meanings. Elizabeth Robie writes in admiration of these hipsters in a Vanderbilt University newspaper, “hipster fashion is a reflection of counter-culture, associated with liberal political views and a strong admiration for the Beat Generation's literature and lifestyle” (1). She continues to comment on their fashion choices and accessories stating that her university needs more hipsters. Ironically enough she suggest high-end retailers that sell these styles. Unlike hipster enthusiast, Robie, a majority of writing about hipsters is out of frustration. Regardless of the reason, hipsters seem to be a major topic of discussion in blogging communities and not mainstream publications. Although there was a decline the realism and attitudes of this generation, some of it remained. The reason the wealthier kids were imitating the style was because they shared the same attitudes on life. What emerged from this orgy of styles and classes was the hipster scene as seen today. True hipsters, impoverished, struggling, and sarcastic, blend together with a wealthier group of individuals who chose to wear clothes of a certain “style” but do so because they believe they share the same set of ideals as hipsters. From personal experience, I know that the hipster scene here in Detroit is alive and blossoming with each incoming group of freshman at Wayne State University. The hipster scene, here in Detroit has many similarities. Hipsters seem to congregate together at least weekly, to drink, smoke, listen to local band, or site-see the slums and grunge of the city. Warehouse parties include the infamous Funk Night, a huge dance party held in random abandoned warehouses. PBR is the drink of choice including other cheap liquors, and pot seems to be involved no matter what happens. The few American Apparels are booming, and the thrift stores never run out of business from hipsters. However, just as in Seattle the Detroit hipster scene has become more and more commercialized and corporate. With the economic situation, PBR has become an acceptable drink of choice. The parties are attracting wider audiences including people whose fashion sense is at the other end of the spectrum, including frat boys, jocks, and A & F wearers. Local warehouse parties are continually moving around to try to limit the crowd to avoid a police raiding. All the hipsters here share the same attitudes and outlooks on life and matter what they plan on doing.

Dilution of hipsters

What the f*** happened?
hipsters started off so cool, they were rebellious and different, but now their just another scene


As time progressed, hipster fashion and attitudes diluted to a set of corporized fashion labels. The current hipsters drink PBR and smoke American Spirits, Black and Mild’s, Parliaments, and a majority smoke pot. Haddow writes “The American Apparel V-neck shirt, Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and Parliament cigarettes are symbols and icons of working or revolutionary classes that have been appropriated by hipsterdom and drained of meaning” (2). He too agrees that meanings have been diluted to a fashion statement. Current hipsters may be artistry, spiritual, both, rich or poor, and a variety of different races. A majority of people who are unfamiliar with the hipster culture would describe hipsters as those people who dress kind of “weird” but “trendy.” The differences in clothing now, are that outfits are shorter, tighter, and generally more provocative than the earlier ancestors. Quickly designers caught on to the trend, and created stylish clothing of the same design and sell it for much higher prices. Some designers added elements to the dress in attempts to create unique clothing. For example, a store like American Apparel took twists on the styles, such as adding sex appeal. Some people consider the founder of American Apparel, Dov Charney, to be the Jesus of the current hipster look. Haddow also makes the connection of the lost meanings of today’s hipster generation. He writes:

An artificial appropriation of different styles from different eras, the hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture lost in the superficiality of its past and unable to create any new meaning. Not only is it unsustainable, it is suicidal. While previous youth movements have challenged the dysfunction and decadence of their elders, today we have the "hipster" – a youth subculture that mirrors the doomed shallowness of mainstream society. (1)

The original hipsters have nowhere to turn, and are forced to blend with the wanna-be’s that surround them everywhere. The corporizing of hipster styles and attitudes diluted an already diluted realist attitude to almost nothing but a fashion statement.

The Beginnings


How did hipsters spring from grunge?
after grunge things reformed a little, more synthetic fibers, more proactive clothing and then hipsters were born

Hipsters are reformed versions of beatniks and the grunge generation. The 80s and 90s grunge generation were rebelling against their hippy gone perfect family parents, the media, and the war. The styles worn embodied the poverty and estheticism of period when grungers grew up. They wore an attitude more proudly than they did their clothes. “Screw Big Brother,” “I don’t care what you think,” and “Live Life as it Comes” seemed to be the majority of the attitudes. The grungers listened to generally nonmainstream music, and most likely smoked cigarettes, weed, or both. From the 90s grunge the newest version, hipster, is a twentieth century concoction of grunge attitudes and synthetic fibers. Originally, the hipster look was not hipster or trendy at all; adopted from the middle class, working man, who wore v-necks, torn jeans, and grungy shoes out of affordability, and dislike of corporations. This original hipster generation were the realists, people who struggled to make a living, and wore out of style, durable, and grungy clothes, because they frankly did not want to keep up with fashion. These realists would come back from work and crack open a cheap beer, such as PBR and smoke to escape the dread of routine. They were skeptics, and not popular. These men drank PBR to defy conforming to any standards. While this group of individuals lived life, wealthier youth started admiring them in self-pity. Douglas Haddow, in his article Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization, makes the connection of this wealthy infusion to the hipster look. He writes “in 2008, such things[PBR, v-necks etc.] have become shameless clichés of a class of individuals that seek to escape their own wealth and privilege by immersing themselves in the aesthetic of the working class” (2). Wealthy people bought similar designs at higher prices, and began to drink and smoke the same things adopting a fashion statement that the majority of them did not understand. Just as grunge became popularized and corrupt so did this new look. Haddow also provides a great description of the hipsters that arose from the imitation of the antisocial working class. He writes, “after punk was plasticized and hip hop lost its impetus for social change, all of the formerly dominant streams of "counter-culture" have merged together. Now, one mutating, trans-Atlantic melting pot of styles, tastes and behavior has come to define the generally indefinable idea of the ‘Hipster’” (1). Hipsters were a generation the started off as counterculture, individual, and unique.

Origins

Where did the hipster scene come from?
Before hipsters were the nineties grunge wears and before them were beatniks---yeah I had no idea what that was either. Here is a bit of history...


The hipster fashion and attitude springs from the grunge scene, which dates back to the beatnik generation. This whole cycle began in the 60s with beatniks. This group of individuals held the most realist attitudes and beliefs of the three groups discussed here. Clinton Starr defines the beatnik culture in the “I want to Be with my Own Kind”: Individual Resistance and Collective Action in the Beat Counterculture chapter of the book Reconstructing the Beats as “a ‘counterculture’…a rebellion against pervasive norms and practices that is expressed through individual resistance and collective action” (42). He proceeds to say that a beatnik was a person who “was attracted to bohemian enclaves as sites in which widespread attitudes and habits, such as Cold War politics, racial segregation, heterosexuality, and the valorization of commodity consumption could be transgressed” (42). Beatniks were the polar opposite of mainstream culture and not considered trendy. Their fashion, and attitudes slowly evolved as the 70s came in, and soon enough beatniks were gone and hippies were blossoming (Kerouac). The beatnik dress reflected their attitudes and beliefs; nothing about it was conforming. A few years after, hippies became an endangered species, and the 80s started forming different trends. From the mid 80s to 90s the grunge style started appearing. Like beatniks it was a combination of thrift store outfits and attitudes. The grunge style began as an underground music genre in Seattle, which inspired a new way of dress. With the drop of the Nirvana album, Nevermind and Peal Jam’s Ten in the same month, the grunge style instantly became famous. Ironically enough these bands that had patronizing rock stars suddenly became the new gods of the rock world. This parallels what happened with the fashion at that time. The grunge fashion scene was picked up quickly by designers. Flannel, the popular dress of grunge, because of its inexpensive and durability, was now seen on every store manikin (Freind). Two important things happened through these time periods. First, a reversal of dress and music occurred. The rebellious, antisocial dress of beatniks lead to a separate music genre, whereas grunge was a fashion inspired my music. Secondly, with the grunge generation the first corporization occurred. Ironically, the realism of both these groups originally rooted into anti-corporation values.

Beatniks of the 50's

THIS WEEK!!!


This Wednesday-Saturday is the most anticipated Springville-Mapleton area show:

HOBBLE CREEK BARN BOUTIQUE!!!!!

This is our first year with Ellen, and we hope to be there every year after!

Come out and take a peek at what you have been missing!!!!

Mapleton Historic Town Hall
90 E. Maple St.


* ALSO *

This coming Saturday, the 2nd of May, I will be at a party, with my NEW WATCHES, HATS and some of the new dresses and tops!

The flyer is above, with directions and all.
Bring the flyer with you, and receive $5 off $25 purchase or more, from me, Jen!!!

Tunics and Sundresses!!



Oh my gosh! These are so STINKING CUTE!
These are PERFECT for a summer vacation, a day at the beach, a day at the park, or just everday summer wear!

Dresses come in M-L $28
Tunics come in M-L $25

* A new shipment of hats is in, and a few NEW styles on their way!
** A new shipment of "other" summer dresses is on it's way, I don't have pictures, you will have to see them in person, for yourself! $39
*** The leather band interchangeable face, watches are a HIT!!! Priced between $20-$35!!! Get yours before they are gone!!!

What I'm Wearing 27.04.09



Last night I started off my first shift at Value Village by helping rearrange the entire floor layout. We started at 6pm and hoped to be out at 10. Well, since it was the largest switch they've done in about a decade, four hours definitely wasn't enough time. I ended up staying until 2 in the morning but others stayed even later. I couldn't stay awake to get some overtime pay. Drat. I think that's the most exercise I've had this year.

Today I went to the mall to see if I could find a pair of shoes I was eyeing. Success! I will post about them tomorrow. I wore a pink cropped jacket (another weekend vintage find), H&M skirt, Joe tshirt, Mango belt and Aldo shoes. This outfit may have been a bit too dressed up for the mall. I had some good reactions, the guy helping me with the shoes at Aldo insisted I apply for a job there, and a girl at Urban Behaviour loved my 80s jacket. But then I also had some bad reactions... like creepy skytrain personnel trying to chat me up (don't they have wives and children?) and one of my creepy neighbours following me to my gate and saying "oh that's where you live! we're neighbours!" UGH!!! I want my boyfriend now...

Vintage Ports Blazer


Wearing a thrifted blazer, dress, Aldo heels and yellow tights turned into shorts.

Yesterday I finished my last exam and then hung out with the boy to celebrate our second anniversary! We made ratatouille (inspired by one of our favourite movies) and had chocolate port and raspberry wine. Yum! It feels so strange to be finally done with school for the summer. I always have this lingering feeling that I should be memorizing this or writing that or waking up early for this or that. Last summer it lasted for a whole month! It's like having one of your limbs cut off and thinking it's still around every now and then... Strange.

Anyways, here is that vintage Ports wool blazer that I mentioned in my earlier post. I'm noticing that hot pink has really taken off this season. I tried to pair it with something other than black for a change though. How about yellow shorts? I'm not quite happy with the shoes in this outfit, but they are the best out of what I have so far.

I'm considering purchasing theseheels to round out my shoe collection a little bit. I have such a wide variety of shapes and colours and textures of clothes that it is often difficult to find shoes that go with them. Does anyone else have this problem? What sort of colours does one absolutely need? I love black but it doesn't go with everything, especially with this rainbow bright outfit.

Rabia Zargarpur

Featured on CBS is Islamic Fashion Desginer Rabia Zargarpur..great collection...



Watch CBS Videos Online
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Trendz - The Harem Pants

One of the latest trends for the season is the Harem Pants. I personally find them Hijab appropriate for sure and plan on getting a pair in black. You can match them with a somewhat fitted top or wear them any way you like and they would still look like a fun pair of pants, great with a pair of nice heels and feels more like wearing a skirt only a bit more comfortable..especially on a windy day!!



Looking for a good deal on a pair of harem pants, try:

www.forever21.com

www.ardenb.com







>











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A Shot of Scotch

Yesterday I went thrifting and I picked up all kinds of goodies. Photos will be posted within the coming few days as I start to figure out how to incorporate them into my wardrobe. I couldn't believe my fantastic luck! The gems include a Tsumori Chisato blouse, vintage Ports hot pink wool blazer, and vintage Jaeger London blouse. From Value Village! Can you believe it? I've also arranged to work there again for my summer job. Outside of bits and bobs from Zara or Aldo, most of my wardrobe is built on thrifted finds so it makes sense to get 50% off while I'm at it!

Another thing I found, but couldn't keep because I ran out of cash, was a gorgeous plaid wool dress that fit like a glove and could doublt as a coat. After seeing this vintage editorial with Linda Evangelista for US Vogue, I cried out in despair. Why did I let that beautiful dress go? Why? I want to be wearing it right now!









Images via tfs.com
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