Joan of Arctic

Tomorrow's forecast calls for temps in the 30's with "ice pellets" and snow here in the NY area...bring it on! Ankle-deep slush puddles in the city - ha! They're no match for my new Joan of Arctic Sorel's, which were waiting for me under the Christmas Tree a few days back. Dare I say that I'm a little bummed by today's sunny weather and dry sidewalks? Let see what Mother Nature will dish out tomorrow!

Black Friday...Or, Get Your Shop On

For some, Black Friday marks the first day of the Holiday shopping season. The frenzy has begun. Ridiculously low prices and deep discounts are the draw. Retailers opened their doors early: Toys R Us in Times Square, Manhattan, has been open since midnight last night (image above). Some people have been lined up since 3 a.m. waiting to bust into stores to BUY BUY BUY! There are some seriously good deals to be had, no doubt, but a little sleep deprivation makes those deals even more appealing, I'm sure. eTailers have been dishing out the discounts, as well, and any opportunity to avoid the crowds and germs in stores, is a good one in my book! I'll be hanging out on my couch in my favorite old sweatpants surfing the web for good deals, sipping a hot cup of tea, while watching the ELF marathon on TBS...which reminds me, if you're brave enough to brave the stores out there today, avoid the angry elves, avoid the santas who smell like beef and cheese, and remember to incorporate one of the following 4 food groups into your diet: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup.

For the Olfactory-inclined...

I can't walk by the Bond No. 9 store on Bleecker Street in the West Village without stopping inside to inhale the most heavenly scents in the city...jasmin, vanilla brandy, patchouli....Nuits de Noho from Bond No. 9 is my new favorite 'flavor'. And there's nothing better than stopping in on a crisp Fall day when the air is clear and the nose can discern every subtle turn in each of Bond's amazing perfumes. If I knew how to make this a scratch-n-sniff blog, I'd spray a little right here on my screen to share with you.

Sarouk-It-To-Me

This gorgeous little number will be gracing my floors in the near future...she's an early 19th c Persian Sarouk Lilihan hand-knotted rug...proof that quality workmanship transcends trends and remains relevant in terms of style, generation after generation.

House Style

I've recently added a few new sites and blogs to mashupNYC. And they're not clothing-related, which is somewhat of a revelation to myself. Back in November of 09, I moved into a new home. I left the 400sf, 5th floor walk-up, studio apartment on Horatio Street in the city, that had been affectionately known as "The Nest" for six years, and moved into a 1000sf, 4th floor walk-up, 2 bedroom in Bronxville, NY. This is Nest Part II. I suppose I should change my "About Me" page to reflect that I'm no longer a 'city girl' but since I still have two feet on the pavement in Manhattan for a majority of the days of the week for work, I consider myself a NYC Alumn, and will leave as-is.

As with most NYC apartments both space and money limit one from buying furniture. You have the essentials of the bed, a couch, and a chair for guests, and furniture to store things in like treasured jeans, dresses, and shoes, but little else. Looking back on my 6 years, and in light of finding two new blogs devoted to the pursuit of vintage furniture, I can honestly say I have a regret about my tenure as a NYC tenant. And that is, I did not take advantage of the massive flea market that the city essentially is to collect and trade items that would have made The Nest a slightly more cultured environment.

This is something that I'll reflect upon time-to-time here in these blog pages. But without further ado, here are the new blogs and sites I've added to the list of essentials to visit. Two are major players in the realm of the buying and selling of vintage, antique, or just plain old used items of furniture (and whatever else you can think of): craigslist, and eBay. The craigslist antiques section is quickly becoming a daily addiction if only to look at. eBay is the giant and cannot be beat in terms of finding aggregated lots of antique items for your house: gorgeous round oak claw foot dining tables, Eames era chairs, wrought iron beds, and hand-knotted kilims. And two blogs - which are connected in the pair who run them - Severely Vintage and Sit and Read Furniture, offer their reflections on many mid-century pieces that are either in perfect condition or have been refinished and restored (and all items are for sale).

While no big revelation, I thought I'd state that the home is as much a reflection of yourself as the clothing you wear each day. Furniture is an extension of our wardrobe and should not be relegated to strictly a functional aspect of daily life. The mixing and blending of colors, the elegant (or jocular) lines of a chair, the solid grace of a mahogany chest of drawers, and the endless possibilities of combinations to delight in...I need to go contemplate all of this on my new pair of Paul McCobb chairs I found on craigslist.

Golden Boy

What is it about the t-shirt that everybody loves? It's one of the essential, and eternally classic articles of clothing that EVERYONE, or at least most everyone in the world, owns and dons day-in and day-out. And whether the label says Hanes, Fruit-of-the-Loom, Michael Stars, Splendid, Velvet, LNA, or James Perse; or whether it's a 'Beefy-T', or combed cotton, wring-spun cotton, jersey, pima, or organically made, everyone has a favorite. From Paris runways to the local auto repair shop it's worn by every class of people in every country. There's a classic Seinfeld episode (entitled 'The Marine Biologist') in which Jerry extols the virtues of one old t-shirt that has been with him for years.

Jerry: Elaine, see this T-shirts, six years I've had this T-shirts, it's my best one, I call him...Golden Boy

Elaine: I'm on the phone here.

Jerry: Golden Boy is always the first shirt I wear out of the laundry, here touch Golden Boy!

Elaine: No thanks. (to the phone)Yeah, Yeah I'll hold.

Jerry: But see look at the collar, see it's fraying. Golden Boy is slowly dying. Each wash is brings him one step closer, that's what makes the T-shirts such a tragic figure.

Elaine: Why don't you just let Golden Boy soak in the sink with some Woolite?

Jerry: No!!! The reason he's iron man is because he goes out there and plays every game. Wash!!! Spin!!! Rinse!!! Spin!!! You take that away from him, you break his spirit!

What is the mystique of an old favorite T? My niece composed a poem that compares the old t-shirt to a best friend, and that's truly what it is. The good ones stay with you for years during good times and bad. They're there to support you on those days you need it most, or when you just want to feel comfortable. And when paired with a favorite pair of old jeans, life just doesn't get much easier than that.

As many jeans I have stacked in my closet, I must have twice as many t-shirts stacked in my dresser drawer. It's sad when the time comes to retire a Golden Boy out of a collection, but the good news is, there are always new ones to add to the rotation.

7 for all Rear-kind...

I could wax-poetic about many denim brands, but there's one tried-and-true that I consistently rank above all others in terms of universally good fit, and flattering rear view, and that's 7 For All Mankind. If for some reason you have yet to discover that this is the jean brand you will reach for day-in and day-out, then now's the time to try them. Listen up ladies, the online boutique Blue Bee that I've mentioned before is offering 30% off all 7's denim... my recommendation is to try the Josefina (pictured here). It's slightly roughed up, with a narrow leg that you can cuff up or wear down, and comes in a nice wash. I've been wearing them for weeks and love them. The fit is true-to-size.

The discount code is 7FAM30B.. The discount code is valid 3/9 - 3/15.

Dean Alan at Planet Blue

Adorable bohemian prints by Dean Alan, an original bohemian hippy of the 60s.

Bee Mine!

Splendid, Ella Moss, Helmut Lang, Carlos Falchi, JBrand, James, Genetic, TLuxury, Clu, Alice & Olivia, 12th Street, Kooba, Burning Torch...some of the many brands this Santa Barbara-based boutique carries. Channeling Cupid, they're currently offering 30% off store-wide (code VAL0930)...the winter wardrobe is feeing a little tired, and Spring is just around the corner...

reTRENCH

In times of economic uncertainty...updated versions of the old classic to help you weather the storm. Luella, Mike & Chris, Nicholas K, Ligne 6 Martin Margiela

Super Love Destroyed, Boyfriend, Slouch, Lazy Boyfriend, Ex-lover...

Whatever you call them, get used to seeing them...EVERY denim brand is on the boyfriend bandwagon. A few examples here from Pratt, Current Elliot, and the original Levi's. Look for more from Genetic Denim, Prps, JBrand, Joes, Citizen, 7s, and others. Or just borrow/steal a pair of your boyfriends and make your own. Dress them up or down.

Flip flop fantasies...

I love tall boots, tights, winter dresses, and soft, bulky cardigans to wrap oneself in, with a passion. For me, the enjoyment I get from Fall and Winter ensembles, lessens the pain and malaise that many others experience and hate about the winter months. But there is a point, that day in mid-January that always strikes, when the leather boots start to constrict too much, and the woolen sweaters that cocooned and comforted start to itch...

On a recent morning while getting dressed, the sandals and flip flops that sit in the storage wrack on the back of my closet door eyed me patiently, daring me to put them on. It was 7 degrees outside, and all I wanted to do was walk to work in my reefs! Alas, it would be a good 5 months before doing so here in the Northeast. I have, however, already begun that slow march back to Spring and Summer, and the many sites and catalogs that I peruse have been taunting with frocks and accessories for warmer months. Tie-dyed-yummy-cotton-baring-shoulder dresses tease and capture my fancy...try Singer 22 for this and other perfect Summer styles from Gypsy 05.

It's staying light out later, and the mercury will slowly make it's way above freezing, so patience dear friends and flip flops, we'll get there soon enough.

Facebook-phobic

A new year means new year's resolutions, and for many - creating a facebook page - was probably at the top of the list of things to accomplish in 2009. For me, it was at the bottom of the list, and therefore has not been accomplished yet.

Now, I embrace technology everday. I blog at work on our company blog, and at home (albeit periodically). I know how to twitter and have posted photos on Flicker. I'm on the computer a good 8 hours of everday, and a blackberry almost as much. I text, ping, a blackberry message others. But for some reason, I cannot bring myself to create a facebook profile. I have, however, joined a new online social knitting community called RAVELRY. In the beta stage, it's a community of knitters, crocheters, and local yarn store owners about 250K strong. I can join forums and learn about technique, ask questions, log in my knitting supplies, keep track of my yarns, and gather inspiration.

Is it a privacy thing? Maybe. Or maybe it's just that I haven't had that overwhelming urge to join the masses - yet. I know I'm not alone. I have plenty of friends and family who are NOT part of the facebook community yet, either. But, the year is young, and things can change.

Anyway, my resolution for 2009, BEFORE launching into facebook, is to post on this blog at least several times per month. And although the focus will most likely remain on fashion, it will expand to include new topics and muses, time-to-time.

Until then, I happily remain part of the dying breed of facebook-profile-less citizens. Happy New Year, and talk to you soon.