Winter is the perfect times to bust out the plaid. Something about it lends itself to snuggly warmth. From tartan red punk rock to catholic girl school skirts, plaid provides a touch of edge and innocence. Plus, it’s a great texture to layer with. Don’t be afraid to mix your plaids with floral and other prints, the key is always to help the colors play off each other to create an entire look. See example below.
I love driving around seeing the creative lights on homes around the holidays. It just makes everything feel more festive. For years, lights were featured along Zoo Drive leading up to the LA Zoo but the cost, the traffic and impact on the neighbors but the brakes on that event. Instead of dimming the lights for good, the zoo decided to decorate and allow visitors to walk the route, creating a fun family and date night event. While no animals were on display with the exception of a pen of rarely seen reindeer, the lights were the main show. And with LA experiencing an extremely cold kick-off to winter, I recommend grabbing a cup of hot chocolate along the way! Here’s a peek at what I saw:
LA Zoo lights will be on display through January 4, 2015. LA Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027
The holidays are a time for festivity, getting together with friends and family. I love all the sparkles and lights everywhere. And best of all, I like getting my girl friends together to wear our best party dresses and have sweet Christmas cocktails.
Tonga Hut Tiki Bar in North Hollywood is one of my favorite hangouts for the low key atmosphere, great décor and friendly “aloha spirit” of the cool people who go there and run the place. They also have one of the best mixologists in town behind the bar, Syd Thomas. This year I asked Syd if he’d be willing to rise to the challenge of creating a Stiletto City Christmas Cocktail.
So I gathered up my girls and we drank from Syd’s special Christmas Cocktail Menu, which featured the delectable “Snow Wonder” – an almost milkshake-like drink, sweet and coconut-y. So perfect for the holidays.
Syd Thomas
From there, we moved onto the “Elf on a Shelf,” a refreshing mix of cranberry juice and a kick of rosemary and rum, festively garnished with a sprig of rosemary and a candy cane.
Elf on a Shelf
Then some Tiki scene friends brought around shot glasses filled with “The Lime in the Coconut,” another Syd special featuring all kinds of coconut goodness with a blast of lime juice. So good!
But the winner of the night as the official Stiletto City Christmas Cocktail is the Snow Wonder. Here are the ingredients if you want to try it out – but you’ll want to have Syd make it for you – he knows how to make it just right!
Snow Wonder Christmas Cocktail coconut rum white creme de menthe coconut creme rhubarb bitters top w/coconut flakes & a cherry
Snow Wonder
Thanks to Syd and the Tonga Hut for all the holiday fun – and of course, my girls!
The period of 1933 to 1950 saw the dramatic effects of wartime in film, fashion and everyday life. I recently went to check out an exhibit at The Skirball Cultural Center, “Light & Noir,” which examines how Jews, banned from the German film industry in the early 1930s, began emigrating to the United States, bringing an influence of German Expressionist cinema into film noir. Also running is the “Noir Effect” exhibit, which shows how American crime dramas of the 1940s and’50s brought a moody sense of style that is still popular with those of us who love vintage culture and fashion.
While the exhibits themselves are a lot of information to take in (and are worthy of a couple of visits to absorb it all, plus a few downloads on Netflix to catch all the film references), the Skirball also brought in experts on the period for special events, including the one I attended with my fashion-loving gal pals, a lecture by Glamamor’s Kimberly Truhler on the history of fashion in film noir.
I love how Kimberly presents her talks, she is a wealth of knowledge on fashion history and can tell you where every hemline, neckline and silhouette comes from. She credits the designers, reveals the practical reason behind many of their designs (to make tiny actresses appear taller and body troublespots disappear) and then shows how the cuts and detailing of costume designers for film made their way into high fashion and everyday trends so you see the full circle impact.
In this lecture she covered the looks featured in “Gun for Hire,” “Casablanca,” “To Have and Have Not” “Mildred Pierce,” “Gilda,” “The Killers,” “The Postman Always Rings Twice” and “Sunset Blvd.”
I especially loved learning about how Veronica Lake stood at 4’11” and therefore wore a lot of dresses cut with long waists and sleeves, deep v-necks and gown-lengths to hide her platform shoes, courtesy of Oscar-winning designer Edith Head.
There was also the outrageous amount of structure that went on behind Rita Hayworth’s “Gilda” gown to make sure it stayed on during her famous dance scene and hid her belly (though I don’t think she has one!)
You can read more about the fashion of this period on Kimberly’s Glamamor website and be sure to look for her upcoming events.
Following the fashion lecture was a lecture on makeup of the period by Besame Cosmetics‘ Gabriela Hernandez who not only created a successful line of vintage-inspired products but wrote the book, “Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup.”
One lucky audience member received a makeover to achieve a look of the period while Gabriela informed us all how makeup was evolved during that time from pan-stick to pancake and how they had to go to extremes to get the makeup right under the early lighting equipment for film.
Then I made my way through the exhibit and the gift shop where I found the fashions of Clever Vintage Clothing for sale and some irresistible novelties, including the “Here’s Looking at You” flask I picked up!
It was the perfect day out with the girls – who of course, dressed to kill for the event!
The Skirball Cultural Center “Light & Noir” and “The Noir Effect” exhibits run through March 1, 2015. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049
I discovered yet another exciting area of Los Angeles this past weekend as I set out to support Small Business Saturday, or in this case “Caturday,” as Giant Robot and the gallery annex GR2 next door, featured a collection of writers and illustrators who prominently feature cats in their work.
Giant Robot has been a long-standing destination for Japanese toys, comics, books, art prints and novelties on the once desolate Sawtelle Boulevard in West LA. I was surprised to find the area has erupted in the past year as a street full of shops and restaurants. Known as Little Osaka, for catering to local Japanese-American residents and being to the west of (and rivaling) downtown’s Little Tokyo, it was quite the hot spot on this clear Saturday night with locals out in search of unique gifts, some karaoke or a taste for the boba tea, Korean tofu, traditional Japanese ramen or BBQ.
It was the perfect night to show off my first Diane von Furstenberg DVF dress. I finally scored one at a price I could afford on eBay and learned why everyone has talked about her silky jersey fabrics. It just fell so nicely around my body the minute I put it on and I just love the bold print. It made me realize why the brand claims to be for the girl who is “effortless, sexy and on the go.” I was so happy to finally be able to wear one of DVF’s designs after meeting her a couple of weeks ago. [See the report here.]
Inside GR2, authors Mari Naomi, Zoe Ruiz, Yumi Sakugawa and Jen Wang read from their books under a slideshow of some of their illustrations. I have the say Mari Naomi’s reading had me laughing the hardest with her witty writing and animated presence. I was also especially excited about the refreshments served – Hello Kitty Lotte Pies – meow!
After the reading, we strolled the bustling district in search of a good place for dinner and ended up at Hide Sushi for some super fresh and very affordable rolls. I highly recommend the yellowtail roll. Yum!
The best thing about this new lively area of Los Angeles is an opportunity to take a walk before and after dinner, and do some people watching, window shopping – and maybe show off a new DFV dress!
Little Osaka is located just north of the intersection of Sawtelle and Olympic in West Los Angeles.
My love of vintage style and comic books finally crossed paths at the “Streamline Superheros” event at the Egyptian Theatre. With a lecture by film history writer Ann Marie Kelly, I learned how the origin of characters such as Superman began in the optimism of the between-the-wars era of the 1930s and how Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” inspired Gotham City. I also discovered why Superman wears his underwear on the outside – to model the strong men of the circus, and why he wears a cape – to show fast motion in the two-dimensional drawings.
For the event, I worked in a little superhero style of my own with a 1950’s-era vintage dress and purse matched with my comic-book socks and hair clip and had fun running into friends from the Art Deco Society who are always dressed to impress. I especially loved my friend Celeste’s dress, which featured gold bullet stud details and belt buckle!
Following the lecture, we were treated to shorts of 1940s Superman cartoons and the film, “Flash Gordon: Rocketship” from 1936 – with its endearing, early-era special effects that gave us all a good laugh.
To get the comic book look, there are lots of accessories available, especially from the creative folks on Etsy, where I got my hair clip. I put together a Polyvore collection of other comic book-inspired pieces. Check the links below to shop*.
Known for the iconic wrap dress of the ‘70s that made her a household name, Diane von Furstenberg is a legendary designer who has been turning out lines of gorgeous, colorful, flowing prints for several decades. The Belgian-born designer established herself not only as a fashion icon but became a strong supporter of women’s empowerment through the years. She’s a cancer survivor and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, proving she herself is pretty tough stock.
When I heard Diane would be in LA this week, I had to figure out a way to go see her. So after a long day at work, I braved the traffic for the drive across the city to attend her book signing at her new store in Santa Monica.
Diane’s been on my mind a lot lately, I recently purchased her new memoir*, “The Woman I Wanted To Be” on audio book and I’ve been watching her new reality show, “House of DVF” on E! Entertainment. She is such a strong, stylish woman, I can’t help but be drawn to her like the many others who showed up to meet her at the book signing.
The new DVF store just opened in Santa Monica this month and it is like walking into a fashion candy store – with all of Diane’s trademark pop art-style splashes of color, metallics and prints inspired by nature and pure glamour – leaves, flowers, stars, animal prints, kisses. And while she is known for the wrap dress, she does so much more – accessories from iPad cases to scarves and shoes. I only wish I could afford them!
I did splurge to purchase the large, limited-edition table top book* “DVF: Journey of a Dress” to have her sign it and because I loved the exhibit in LA earlier this year (See Disco K.’s special report about it HERE.)
As I sat down with her on the hot pink couch in the boutique, I couldn’t help but be a bit star-struck. I’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of celebrities since living in LA and working as an entertainment journalist, but Diane is mega, and she holds a special spot in my heart for reasons I shared with her during our brief chat.
Post meeting, I strolled around the store looking at her beautiful clothes and headed back to my car to listen to Diane’s fabulously-accented voice reading her memoir to me on the drive home. I’m on the last chapter and wishing there was more, but she’s left me inspired in so many ways. As I work towards the goals I have for myself, I think, ‘What would Diane do?’
“Be the woman you want to be,” I would hear her say.
Thank you Diane for being a role model, an inspiration, a girl’s girl and a creator of fabulous fashions!
Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF) Santa Monica is located at 395 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
‘Tis the season to start shopping for holiday gifts. If you’re stuck on what to give friends and family, Modcloth put together a fab 2014 Holiday Gift Guide filled with items for her, him, trendsetters, animal lovers, party goers, vintage stylistas and more. And there are some pretty great things in there – I added a few to my own wish list!
When gifting for your fashionable female friends, I found sticking with accessories is always a sure bet. You can give something stylish to add to their fashionista collection, a practical layer of warmth or a quirky novelty item to make them smile.
I found three gift ideas to help you get your shopping list covered. Click the photo to shop* each item.
The weather is getting a wonderful chill in the air as the fall/winter season has arrived. That means it’s time to start adding some layers to your wardrobe. Layers can be a fun opportunity to play with colors and prints and textures. It can also be terribly intimidating in trying not to look like you got dressed with your eyes closed!
It’s hard not to have fun when it when you shop at Modcloth with all of their wonderful cardigan selections that can be popped over your favorite floral dress you just can’t give up after the summer. Then warm the whole look up with a cool coat and some snuggly accessories.
For this layered look, I chose a color palette of red and blue with a couple of touches of tan, plus the retro feel I always lean toward. I just love the playful nautical coat and the animal lover in me adores the foxy scarf, which will keep your neck warm over the wide Peter Pan color of the more summery dress base layer. You’ll look cute through every layer as you peel down from coat to sweater to dress as you go from cold outdoor temperatures to indoor heaters or the sun coming out in the afternoon.
Don’t be afraid to mix prints and plaids with some novelty items or a pop of an unexpected color. Layering is not only about adding warmth but adding interest. Just keep your colors complementary and you’ll be good to go!
Here are the links to shop* the items in this look:
A few weeks ago I was scrolling through Facebook when I noticed a post of some beautiful hair pieces. I saw the word “vintage” and I had to click through. It led me to the Etsy shop of Chatter Blossom and a whole collection of gorgeous floral headbands, fascinators, crowns and clips.
Soon, I was in possession of the “Spiced Cider” gold and brown leaf headband to celebrate my love of the fall season.
I contacted shop owner Jamie Lee to find out more about her collection. Turns out she makes all of the pieces out of vintage materials and started her Etsy shop 2 ½ years ago, as well as vending them at swing dance events in the North Carolina area where she is based. I asked her about what inspired the pieces and her background in millinery.
What inspired you to start creating these vintage hair pieces?
I was inspired by my grandmother in the beginning. She rooted a deep love of antiques in me and taught me to treasure their craftsmanship. As I continue, I find inspiration in old photographs and in the flowers themselves. The silks, rayons, and velvets used were gorgeous and they would make nearly everything by hand, right down to the tiny plaster dipped and painted stamens of the flowers.
The materials are vintage – do you collect them? How old are they? Where do you find them?
All of my pieces have a vintage or antique component. Most of my headpieces are made with vintage millinery flowers. Some are made with modern flowers but with vintage and antique button centers. There is a wide mix, which makes it interesting and varied for me personally. Most of my buttons are 100 years old! I have thousands in my collection and love all the details and stories they depict. My vintage millinery flowers are mostly from the 1950s with a few from as far back as the 1920s. I found the largest portion of my collection in a single warehouse, all in their original boxes with tags. It was incredible!
Do you have training in design or millinery?
I am definitely a self-taught artist. I’ve always been resourceful and creative. Luckily, the very talented people making the millinery flowers decades ago have given me great bones to work with, so I just have to figure out a way to make them wearable now.
Be sure to check out her shop. They make great holiday gifts, I know I have a few on my wish list!
Winter is the perfect times to bust out the plaid. Something about it lends itself to snuggly warmth. From tartan red punk rock to catholic girl school skirts, plaid provides a touch of edge and innocence. Plus, it’s a great texture to layer with. Don’t be afraid to mix your plaids with floral and other prints, the key is always to help the colors play off each other to create an entire look. See example below.
