Tonight as Brooke White was bawling her eyes out showed her sensitive side upon her elimination on American Idol, I couldn’t help but remember how professional Carly Smithson was last week when she was voted off. In her exit interview she mentions e-mails she received from Idol “fans” asking her to cover up her tattoo.

Well…….in honor of Carly, I found this photo of Tattoo Sleeves at the Thank You Mart in L.A.  If I could find them here in Scranton, PA, I’d just have to slip one on. And by the way, Carly’s tattoo is not Amy Winehouse. It is a copy of a painting of a Geisha.

According to RealityTVMagazine -

Carly revealed, “ It’s so funny, even Andrew Lloyd Webber said ‘oh, look you have Amy Winehouse on your arm.’  I’m like ‘no.’  It was funny, but I love my tattoo and that was one thing in the show that really bothered me that it wasn’t finished and we never get any time.  And I really wanted to go and get it finished, but, yes, her face will be white and her lips will be red.  She’ll look nothing like Amy Winehouse by the time it’s finished.”

After I decided to make the wrap-top last night, a photo (very similar to the one above) jumped out at me from a book on top of my bedside library stack – Audrey Style by Pamela Clarke Keogh. I think I’m really liking this “all wrapped-up” look.

Also…I was happy to learn that I do share something in common with Ms. Hepburn.

“Childhood shows the man,” wrote Milton, “as morning shows the day.” The things Audrey loved as a girl stayed with her her whole life. There was ballet, chocolate (when Arnhem was liberated, Audrey ate all seven chocolate bars given to her by an English soldier and promptly got sick), and, shortly thereafter, cigarettes. “Think about it,” observes her friend, designer Jeffrey Banks, “what do soldiers give away – Hershey bars and cigarettes!…” from Audrey Style

I picked up this New Look Pattern (6729) yesterday at Walmart. It’s not exactly easy, but I have a piece of plum knit that will be perfect for it.

I may opt for View B with the short sleeves. Can’t wait to see how that pattern crosses in the front. At least there’s no zipper to deal with! I haven’t sewn in a zipper in over 30 years… let’s just say quite a while.

Today’s Etsy find is this colorful scarf-top is made from an Adrienne Vittadini satin polyester scarf. It comes from Seed Clothing, an Etsy shop I’d marked as a favorite weeks ago.

Designer and owner, Amy Blea, studied fashion design at the New York Fashion Institute of Technology. She found inspiration through her mother’s closet, trying on clothing from the 1940’s and 50’s.  (This I can totally understand. My own mother’s closet is this subject of another post.)

Seed Clothing now has Seed Street Label - a special collection where all items are priced under $99. This mod-style dress is made in polyester gaberdine-like stretch fabric and has a small embossed herringbone pattern on the fabric. So chic, for only $65.

- Don’t you love the lighting in these photos?

Find more info here:

• Seed Clothing Website
• Seed Clothing Online Shop
• Also available at EMandCO

I was browsing Modshop and found this terrific Mod-style dress from E.C. Star. I love the shape, the red buttons, and the crossing shoulder straps.

California designer, Jennifer Johnson is the founder of E.C. Star. 

In 1989 Jen, officially entered the fashion scene by becoming the buyer for Electric Chair a clothing boutique that at the time housed the hottest young designers, including Mary Quant and Built By Wendy and Betsey Johnson, among others. A few years later, she landed the position for designing in store items such as dresses, shoes, bags and belts. What would soon become known as Jen’s beginning and her trademark look began its formulations here: sexy silhouettes, punk rock and retro inspired fabrics, kitschy detailing and, most importantly, a fabulous fit.

Of course, a double-breasted jacket  to match. Why do I love these so much?

photo from AmericanIdol.com

I can’t believe Carly’s going home after her performance of “Jesus Christ Superstar” last night.  After Brooke had to restart (and I agree with Paula that stopping and starting is definitely a no-no), I thought for sure she’d be the one packing her bags tonight.

Some seem to think it’s her tattoos, and I’ve even seen it suggested that it was her paisley dress! I happened to love her dress last night. I just found out through “Just Jules and Your Average Joe” that the dress is from 3.1 Phillip Lim.  According to Just Jules –

the fountain paisley shift dress, embellished with rhinestones and embroidery, has also been spotted on actress  Kate Hudson!

MaryInk and Recycled by Hyena came together in a great collaboration to make what I think is the perfect top to post for Earth Day ‘08.  I found this top through ScratchFashion.com, a group of Clothing Designers who sell on ETSY. Each designer creates clothing, designing and handmaking it from scratch.

Find more ScratchFashion on the web at:

• www.scratchfashion.com
• scratchfashion.blogspot.com/
• www.flickr.com/groups/scratchfashion

Be sure to check out the designs of Thimblescratch.

She is …..”inspired by nature, cats, Japan street-fashion, independent fashion designers, indie, fruits, hippies, athletes, peace, world cultures, hippie clothing, the 60’s and 70’s, and free people.”

Find more Thimblescratch here:

• www.thimblescratch.com

• thedb.com/thimblescratch

• www.flickr.com/thimblescratch

• thimblescratch.blogspot.com

After I found the Sidonie Pleated Variation I’ve been noticing pleats all over the place. This cute pleated mini-dress  comes from SRBDesigns.  Each dress is custom made from a heavy quality wool blend. (I think this style would also look great in a crisp cotton, worn as a mini dress over jeans.)

Based in Brooklyn, Ms. Bohl’s work has been featured in DIY City the mag. Here’s what she says about her work.

I love tailored clothing and loud plaids. I like bold stripes and funky mod 70’s inspired designs. I adore big buttons and snaps and huge notched collars. I have a passion for exaggerated details with a minimalistic effect. I like subtle interesting design elements that make a piece a little bit more adventurous. My enjoyment is in making people happy to stand out of a crowd.

Be sure to check out SRBDesigns at Etsy for more clothing (and jewelry).

This is one of the bags I made but didn’t put up for sale. I started using it when the strap on my leather messenger bag broke. It’s made from an upholstery fabric remnant with beades decorating the flap. I’ve been carrying it everywhere for a couple of weeks… sort of testing the prototype.

Tonight at Target, the cashier (whom I had never met before) told me she liked my bag. When I told her that I made it, she asked if I made anything else! Well, of course I had no business cards. Nothing to even write down the address of my little Etsy shop. But that one little comment certainly made my day!

photo by Scott Schuman, The Sartorialist

At the beginning of the week The Sartorialist posted this photo taken in the East Village with the suggestion that he’d be giving the girl “the first (and Hopefully Only)” Sartorialist Makeover.” With close to 200 comments, he seems to have stirred up a hornet’s nest. Surprisingly, most of the commenters are all for the makeover, many of them offering suggestions for her hair. Others, like me, were not quite as enthusiastic. Street fashion is all about individual style. I say let this girl find her own way.

But hey, the bottom line is that Scott Schuman has built one of the best fashion sites out there.  Just like I’d like to see this girl make her own fashion decisions, I’m happy that The Sartorialist is able to make his own decisions regarding his own blog. 

BurdaStyle has posted another variation on Sidonie skirt pattern. For this one you need to download Sidonie 2 and combine it with the original Sidonie 8218.  This look is very different than the one shown here (also a Sidonie 8218 Variation).  

I like the pleats on the side and the geometrical shape of this skirt, but I’m not too keen on the hidden pocket on the front. At least I know I wouldn’t want to keep anything in it.

Free sewing stuff -

• Burdastyle.com - free patterns
• Sewing.patternreview.com - free membership and one free sewing lesson

What a fantastic idea! These sandals from Mohop are better than gladiators.

1. Choose wedge or bent-ply (shown above).
2. Wedge heels come in cherry or walnut with your choice of heels.
3. Bent-ply also has a choice of three toe-shapes.
4. Try them on… virtually!
5. Choose your set of five ribbons to get started.
6. You choose how you’d like to lace them up.

Mohop sandals are are individually handmade by Annie Mohaupt and JoAnna Fleming at their studio in Chicago.  Here’s what they have to say about Mohop shoes -

environmentally friendly, comfortable, and best of all, allow nearly infinite design options with just one pair of wooden soles. Simply lace any ribbon through our patent-pending elastic loops to create your own one-of-a-kind, custom-fit pair! ……The curved shape of the footbed provides even support along the length of the foot, alleviating the typical fatigue points at the heel or ball of the foot. Our proprietary elastic loops allow the ribbon ties to move with the foot, eliminating the blisters and chafing associated with most new sandals.

The price is more than I’d spend for a normal pair of sandals, but when you look at all the styles you’d be able to create, you may never buy another pair of sandals again. Besides, shipping anywhere is only $2.00. 

It’s Sunday and my day to mine Etsy for creative inspiration. It didn’t take long. I clicked on the White bubble bootie dress that was featured on the front page and discovered Gaia Conceptions. Actually, re-discovered, because I remember admiring these Thai Fisherman Pants a few weeks back.

Andrea Crouse, the designer, is from North Carolina. She’s studied sculpture and fashion design at Appalachian State University and fiber arts at Savannah College of Art and Design. Her clothing is truly eco-chic as she uses only natural fabrics such as Organic Cotton, Raw Silk, Wool, and Hemp. Her dresses and tops are simple and flattering.

For those who think they can do it themselves, MediaTinker has a free pattern posted for Thai Fisherman’s pants. Kristen (MediaTinker) currently resides in Tokyo and is working on a jewelry project for Etsy…. 365 Necklaces. Here’s what she has to say about it…

A diary in binary messages, a challenge to myself, and an excuse to buy beads, 365 Necklaces is a year-long project to create 365 individual necklaces. Many will encode a daily memorandum – a topic I pondered, a word that caught my eye, my mood, the day’s weather, or maybe what I cooked for dinner. Some will be old mathematical friends and foes. Although I plan to give some of them as gifts, I don’t have 365 friends, so all those not spoken for are for sale. Each is dated and numbered in sequence. Thanks for looking. Profits from my sales go to environmental and social charities in Japan. Your purchases are deeply appreciated.

For more inspiration take a look at these two talented women’s work here:

• Gaia Conceptions - eco-chic for the urban nomad
• Gaia Conceptions Blog
• Gaia Conceptions - at Etsy
• MediaTinker - the blog
• 365 Necklaces - at Etsy

Lately I’ve been finding some of my favorite styles from the designers of Eastern Europe.This belted jacket comes from Monton, with it’s flagship store in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Monton is part of the Baltika Group and is currently available in Estonia, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Prague. 

The first thing about this jacket that caught my eye was the color. I also love the collar and the belted sleeves.

• Estonian Street Style - Just Glitter Lust
• Tallinn – a virtual tour

I live in sweaters nine months out of the year so I was happy to find this Dorothy Lee Cape Sweater on sale at Tobi. It’s a knit blend with a touch of cashmere. What I love – the length, the color, the pockets, the swing style.

Today I was sketching my ideal summer top, gearing up for a go at my sewing machine. As you can probably tell, I love the peblum look. So what do I find? After seeing the sweater, I looked at Dorothy Lee’s Spring ‘08 collection and found this perfectly cute top.

I had sketched it a bit more fitted, a shorter ruffle, and bell sleeves like the ones shown on the jacket below.

I think the collar and the buttons on this jacket are wonderfully retro. I’ll take one of each.

I can’t help it. The detail on this Betseyville Hobo bag just puts me in a good mood.

Yep. Today I was thinking about how I wish I had a pair of high waisted trousers with a good fit. These green wide leg trousers are by Biba, from Browns. £195.

Click here to see more styles, different prices.  

Spring can’t come soon enough to NEPA. It’s still in the 40’s here! But I refuse to wear my winter coat. In fact, I’m retiring it very soon. I’d love to have a coat like this one from Vilnius-based designer, Giedrius Crkauskas, and owner of Lino kopos (Linen Dunes), a design studio and retail store which offers linen indoor and outdoor wear for different seasons.

The designer, whose been working exclusively with linen for five years, makes use of different thickness of yarn, pattern of weave, and the degree of finish or roughness to produce anything from a linen bra to an outdoor coat. Convertible designs and padded items extend the linen season far beyond summer, while apparent drawbacks of natural fabric, like wrinkles with some ingenuity have been turned into hip features. Linen accessories and amber jewelery (both, for women and men) by Giedrius complete the cool look. (read more)

And this from Riga Fashion Week -

The designer, who has no formal education in fashion design, emerged on to the local scene in 1995. His first collection featured diverse fabrics, not just linen. In 2001 he opened a studio with a vision: to offer only linen garments. Born deaf, the designer seems to be indifferent to the jarring notes of eccentric synthetic or mixed fabrics. Instead, he is drawn by the secrets of the apparently inconspicuous and low-key linen a sublime material for him. He is convinced that it has a beneficial effect on the human body and even on the soul, and will not tolerate any additions to the natural fibre.

He only uses Lithuanian linen for his garments, and the choice is incredible, with over 20 weavers operating locally. He works in a very wide range of cloths, from the very thin, cobweb-like variety (100g per square metre) to the rugged, substantial crash, or canvas (480g per square metre).

I couldn’t resist. Here’s another linen coat. Click through the link on the photo to see a larger version with the great detail on the belt and even more linen wear from Giedrius.

More from Vilnius:

• Lithuanian Designers  – chic shopping in Vilnius
• Laimikis – Vilnius Street Fashion
• Baltic Amber Shop - necklaces, bracelets, rings

(And by the way, the weather in Vilnius was also in the mid-40’s the last time I checked.)

This great short paisley jacket comes from French Designer, Malam, using ”ancient, rare, vintage or unexpected fabrics, hand embroidery, paint, antique lace, prints, and quilting.”

The jacket shown above features a Goblin Hood and is made of black and gold paisley patterned milleraies velvet. It has terrific long flared sleeves, vintage red buttons and is fully lined in red.

Find more of Malam’s one-of-a-kind items at Poupees-Perfues.com. 

Garments from Malams “Lost Dolls” collection are all unique and handmade in her Paris workshop. Dresses, Petticoats, Frock coats, Slacks, are all inspired from a mix between memories, the world of fairy tales, and various techniques of painting, printing, etc. which give a modern look to the clothes…(read more)

At Burdastyle, you can download a basic pattern, sew it up and upload a photo of the finished product. Or you can make it your own! Here’s a variation on the Sidonie Skirt (Pattern #8281) - a simple skirt. The folks over at Burdastyle extended the waist, added a ruffle at the bottom, and tied the whole thing up with a big yellow bow.

So… that terrific yellow skirt started with this plain-jane pattern. That’s reinvention!

• Burdastyle How To’s
• Make It Mine

Brick Lane – Soho, London, via Facehunter.

What I love about this photo:

1. The round retro bag
2. The coat – its length, color, collar and sleeves
3. The shoes
4. The beret
5. The sunglasses
6. The hair
7. The cigarette
8. The whole composition of the photo!

Thank you Facehunter.

Now if this Street Chic bag won’t get you in the mood for Spring…!

You can WIN it by posting a comment over at Alamodestuff anytime during the month of April. Or buy it here. 

(….and by the way A Punkin Card Company is also having a big April Giveaway! Hop on over and check it out.)

On Sunday, the Metropolitan Museum of Art held a panel discussion about Fashion Blogging. Speaking were Cathy Horyn, Scott Schuman, and Diane Pernet. Oh, how I wish I could have been there.

Find more here:

• The Sartorialist - Scott Schuman
• New York Times Runway Blog - Cathy Horyn
• A Shaded View on Fashion - Diane Pernet
• Metropolitan Museum of Art - Fashion Blog
• About Diane Pernet – from NYT Style 8/2005