Keeping Japan In Our Thoughts

It has only been a handful of days since a record-setting earthquake and tsunami devastated parts of Japan and affected many other countries (sheesh, devastated seems like a gross understatement when you consider the sheer loss of life and damage).  When you see each new image and read every breaking story, it’s only natural that things like a blog dedicated to shopping feel pretty frivolous.

When I first read about the disaster, I immediately checked in on a good friend and a few other friends who have connections there.  Thankfully, they and their loved ones are OK.  Big sigh of relief.

The news is still very recent and constantly developing.  In a sad and downright scary way.  Nuclear meltdowns?  Radiation sickness?  Millions of people without heat, water and food?  Estimates of 10,000+ casualties?  Makes you feel helpless, and sad.  Very, very sad.

Fortunately, besides the regular players who come to bat in times of crisis (like the Red Cross**, Doctors Without Borders, and many other countries’ governments and volunteers), some retailers are already responding.  While you can argue that the help comes via sales, I've seen those who are using their networks to encourage their subscribers and fans to take action.

Initially, I did a Google search to get information about any retailers supporting relief to Japan, but it didn’t turn up anything besides reports on business in general being affected by the earthquake and tsunami.  So I turned to Facebook, that insane behemoth of all things networky and social.  I’ve “liked” a number of my favorite retailers, and I hoped I’d find some good stuff.  Which I did!

Threadless, of whom you already know I’m a big fan, has launched a t-shirt design competition to benefit Japan.  As their webpage states, 100% of the net proceeds will go to the American Red Cross's effort to aid Japan's victims.  Here are a couple of designs so far:

To learn more, vote, or even submit your own design, click here.


My favorite department store, Nordstrom, posted on their Facebook page as well, asking people to send a text and donate to the Red Cross:

Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus (which my mom and a couple others like to refer to as "Needless Mark-Up", heh) did likewise on their Facebook page:

Tory Burch joined the action as well.  Check out her blog entry here on her website.

Other designers who gave mention on their Facebook pages include Poketo and Trina Turk. I'm sure there are additional designers, stores and shopaholics who are Facebooking, Tweeting or just plain emailing their support.
If you are interested in donating to the relief fund but leery of scams and unsure of who all is out there, I recommend this site:  Charity Navigator.

I'm sure there will be more outpourings of support, both emotional and financial, over the next weeks, months, and year.  I'd be surprised if a celebrity-studded fundraiser doesn't happen in the near future.  In the meantime, I can only hope that all those who are injured, displaced and grieving receive aid, food and counseling very soon.  I'll be sending off a donation this week.  Even if you can't afford to donate, feel free to send along the above information to whomever you think would like to help out.

Hugs to everyone tonight,
Maggie




**While I have not done a lot of digging behind the controversy, mention of the Red Cross has brought up charges of questionable percentages of donations actually reaching victims.  I think this argument happens with other charities, and it’s not my intention to delve into the claims.  I thank all legitimate organizations for their help to those affected in Japan and all other disasters, from headline-grabbers like Hurrican Katrina to smaller but no less important events around the world.

Putting the Cart Before the Horse

So, I’ve been a no-show at ballet class lately.  After the very first day of the new session, in which I attended two back-to-back classes (on pretty much an empty stomach), I have been MIA.  The crappy weather is partly to blame (who really wants to venture out in subzero temps and icy streets on a Saturday afternoon when they could stay snuggled in bed).  Really, though, I’m just plain lazy.  Browsing the latest fashion emails is a lot more appealing (and easy) than trekking downtown to plié and relevé for 90 minutes (or in the case of that January day, closer to 150 minutes).

Also, I was somewhat deterred when the instructor at that class asked how many people had seen the just-released Black Swan.  As the first class of the winter session, the room was packed – maybe 40 students crowded into a room that works better with 20 bodies.  Probably close to 90% of their hands shot in the air when asked about the movie.  Ugh…  I missed the nights of the smaller group; faces that, over the year of being in Becky’s class, had become familiar and even welcoming.  Katie, the dancer who kindly offered to sew the straps on my slippers.  Dave, the older guy who was in better shape than me (and always seemed to end up to my right in our unofficial weekly spots at the barre).  And a woman who’s name I’ve sadly forgotten (Corinna?), but who encouraged me on day one to stick with the class, even though I was whining about being a newbie.  It was comforting to see her in that room over the weeks and months.

But!  I must return.  I’ve told myself I shall be back when the spring session commences, which is in a couple of weeks.  A mere 14-ish days.  One reason is that I truly enjoy the class.  Like I said in an earlier post, ballet is my yoga.  I love it.  Even if I’m not very good at it.  I focus and yet I relax.

Another reason is that I just saw Giselle, a classic ballet (and, admittedly, one I’d never heard of before my friends asked me if I wanted to see it).  Performed by the local Metropolitan Ballet, the cast includes both local professional dancers and students from the associated school.  It also boasts an amazing Russian dancer who now serves as school director.  I enjoyed the overall performance and paid close attention to all the footwork – it gave me a newfound appreciation for all the exercises we did in class and the sheer difficulty of many moves.

The third reason?  Dang it, those blasted, seductive pointe shoes.  Yes, of course, it's the shoes.  The whole impetus behind starting ballet (besides helping me kick and punch things) was the ridiculous, six year-old "I'm a princess" urge to be on pointe eventually (funny, since I was a tomboy growing up).  Oh, the graceful lines of the legs – the gorgeous arch (that I don’t have and never will, damn you biology!).  Hell, I’d probably walk around work in pointe shoes if I could get away with it.  I did rock that Benetton sweater recently after all…

It shouldn't be surprising then, that I thoroughly enjoy browsing online for pointe shoes.  Of course, this is a total joke.  Cart before the horse, as they say.  I haven’t even taken pointe yet.  I need to complete another round of basic ballet before I can even move on to an advanced beginning class.  You know, the advanced beginning class that is also offered in conjunction with beginning pointe.

I’ve even found some possible shoes, courtesy of Discount Dance (a site fellow students recommended).  These are the Aspiration by Bloch, a company dedicated to dancers.

Bloch is pretty awesome.  They've branched into the commercial shoe world and now offer ballet slippers for the street, like pretty much everyone else is doing these days.  I own these guys and adore them, both nabbed on Revolve.com.

From the website:

For realz (love the cute packaging):

They're called the Giselle.  Go figure.

Anyway...  back to pointe shoes.  Never mind that in reality I need to shop in a real store and get fitted for the correct pointe shoe.  Or that I still need to take more classes to shop for these babies.  Or that maybe, even after another class, my teacher will deem me unfit for beginning pointe.

Why the hell am I so obsessed with shoving my feet into little satin shoes that are supposed to totally eff up your feet anyway?  As an artist, maybe it’s the admiration of the line of the body.  As someone who likes to kick, maybe it’s the power, strength and focus needed to be up on your toes.  And as someone who loves to dance (like no one’s watching), maybe it’s just the pure enjoyment of a new kind of expression.  Cue the cheesy music.  Oh wait, it’s already seeping into my brain from the headphones.  No, really, it is.  I recently downloaded the soundtrack from Somewhere in Time.  Silence from the peanut gallery already!  I like it J

Even as winter laughs at the calendar (it snowed yesterday, it’s supposed to snow later this week and again next week…), spring is approaching.  And so is my next shot at getting a little closer to those satin shoes.



Image credits:

Bloch Aspiration pointe shoe:  Discount Dance
Bloch Giselle formal image:  Revolve.com
Remainder of Bloch images:  own

Who knew?

I’ve mentioned this blog is continually evolving.  In a previous entry, I was musing about starting a monthly briefing of what I found interesting in the scads of emails I receive.  From retailers to e-news from magazines and other sites, I seem to have oversubscribed myself to virtual publications (I think I get 30+ emails daily).

Last week was supposed to be my first such lasso-ing of sights and words I wanted to share.  But, those damn engineers won that round.

So, today!  Today, I present to you my initial “month-in-review.”  While something might not gefaellt mir per se, there was something about it that made me think, “Hunh.”  Might be a dress.  Might be fashion news.  Might be something random I saw.

Without further ado...

I have to kick this off by letting you  know my old Benetton sweater (the one from the Wayback Machine post) decided it was still cool enough for work and play in 2011.  So, off to work we went.  And happy hour.  And a nice steak dinner at Manny's.  I was surprised by how many compliments it fetched - and I'm pretty darn sure some people had NO idea it dates back to 1988.  Here are a couple photos:

That's right, the outfit wasn't complete without my Swatch watch!


OK, now that we've had our retro laugh, on to other news...

Ever since J. Crew launched a bridal collection a few years ago, it seems like every retailer is jumping on the bridal train lately (ooo, bad pun, I know).  I noticed Nordstrom opened their own bridal department sometime late last year, and while they probably didn’t chuck the snowball that started the current avalanche, it sure feels like, all of a sudden, everyone's tossing themselves into the swiftly expanding mass as it careens down the hill towards us.  For the past few weeks, Shopbop has been advertising their bridal store as “Coming Soon” (I'll link to that once it's up and running).  Then, just last week, I get an email from Anthropologie, telling me to check out something very cryptic-sounding, called BHLDN.  Turns out it’s a wedding site with semi-autonomous ties to its big sis.  Even private sale sites Gilt Groupe and Rue La La started including bridal events in their line-ups.

Fashion/trends/shopping site Daily Candy made me about fall over with their advertisement for Lisa Loeb eyewear.  She’s sported cute glasses for years, so I suppose it makes sense that she created her own line of stylish specs.  (Now I need to track down her Tails CD and blast that mid-90's girly alt-anthem "Stay" – I happen to like that album, although it's a surefire way to make hubby run screaming from the room).

Crackbook, er, I mean Facebook, recently alerted me to the news that Nordstrom is apparently buying Hautelook (another private sale provider).  (Note:  I'm trying to find the source link on FB and cannot locate it, will do so as soon as I can find it!)

Fashion sites went cuckoo for cocoa puffs during the recent New York Fashion Week, posting tons of photos and news from all the shows and those who were lucky to attend them.  Luxury e-tailer Yoox.com sent me NYFW email with a photo of a super cute outfit from an attendee:

I covet.  The whole outfit, really.  Yoox, by the way, has a mind-blowing offering of designers, many of whom I’m not familiar with.  Lots of good stuff to check out.


In the same NYFW spirit, Neiman Marcus sent me an email for Donna Karan's fall collection.  Loved this:

I see that Urban Outfitters is now peddling perfumes.  Hmm, I might spring for the “Whiskey” scent, shown below:

Melikes my Jameson on the rocks.  OK, so maybe it isn’t trying to recreate happy hour…


To keep in touch with retail news in my hometown, I signed up for the Chicago edition of both Lucky Magazine and Refinery 29’s city-specific newsletter.  I got a kick out of the blurb about this store featured via Lucky.

In closing, an email from the Onion’s online store boasted the heading:  “Want Free Shipping?  It’s A Surefire Way To Accumulate More Possessions.”  Yeah, that's all I need.  Free shipping is my kryptonite (especially when it’s combined with a sale!).  Don’t let my husband see that one.  He already thinks we're contenders for a future episode of Hoarders.

In fact, that thought might make him freak out more than another round of “Stay” J






Images (links to retailers in text above):

Benetton sweater & Swatch:  my own
NYFW fan outfit:  Yooxnews.com
Donna Karan outfit:  Neiman Marcus
Portland "Whiskey" perfume:  Urban Outfitters

All Aboard!

OK, so I'm not talking about *that* sort of engineer but...

It's Engineering Week at work here.  That's right, five days* dedicated to those who spent their school years, and continue to spend their careers, buried in calculations, circuitry and other technical fun.

As an architect, I get to work with a lot of you ladies and guys.  A number of you are friends, a few dating back to high school.  Besides working alongside you (and probably exasperating you on more than one occasion, heh heh), I've compared shoes, played soccer, and definitely spent many happy hours with you "technical" people (hey, the tag comes from the blurb at work, not me).  From architecture firms to the videogame design company I worked for to random social circles...  engineers everywhere!  And now you have a special little week all to yourselves.  Awww...

Sooo...  it's fitting that I saw this shirt on Threadless's email today:

Ladies, fear not, they've got girly sizes, too!

It's also fitting that one of my favorite e-tailers, Shopbop, offered yet another version of Frye's popular boot today, called the...  wait for it...  Engineer!

I'm not sure what about the design evokes engineering, but whatevs, it's a cute boot.


Off the topic, I just have to share the new album cover for Radiohead's upcoming album...  sigh, I love it.  They've had a lot of great album artwork, and I'm a big fan of their tunes as well. 

While I can't think of any blatant connection to the engineering theme here, I suppose all produced music does necessitate a sound engineer, right?  Right.  Works for me.  The image comes from an article from our very own Minnesota Public Radio / The Current, which is also all sorts of excited about the new release, called The King of Limbs.  Read it here.

Well, Happy Engineering Week to all you, um, engineers out there (calling you "technical" people just doesn't do it for me).  Whether you're dealing with HVAC systems, a decrepit bridge, algorithms for videogame physics, or just us artsy-fartsy architects ("can't we just make that precast panel thinner?" hahaha...) - enjoy your week!




*Note:  As in business days.  Yeah, I know my engineering pals probably doubted my ability to count for a minute there ;)

Images:

"Maths" t-shirt - Threadless
Frye "Engineer" boots - Shopbop
Radiohead album art - Minnesota Public Radio / The Current

Valentine's Day: It's More Than a Cheesy Hallmark Holiday For S.O.'s

Today is a day some people love, and others love to hate (I know, there are a few of you saying, "Meh, no lovey, no hatey, whatevs.").  While many of us like to dismiss February 14th as a day for cheesy attempts at romance and bad Hallmark cards, there are others who truly embrace it all (sans irony) - the flowers, the dinner, the whole thing.  Even engagements and weddings!  Of course, many singletons flock to those anti-Valentine Day's parties - bring on the tequila shots and trashing all things lovey-dovey, dammit!

Whatever your stance and plans for this ueber-marketed holiday, I want to wish you Happy Valentine's Day anyway!  It's not just about your spouse/significant other/bus crush, but your family, too.  And as far as I'm concerned, it includes your friends.  Yeah yeah yeah, it's about Cupid and his arrows and all that, but today should celebrate good friends as well.  I'm jus' sayin' :)

As I know many of you might do, I got myself a little Valentine's Day gift.  My partner in retail crime and I hit the Galleria this weekend for some birthday shopping (for her - no, really).  I stopped into the lovely accessories store Styled Life and lucked into finding these vintage earrings and ring:

I liked them so much I am wearing them today.

Also, they passed out candy at work, some of which is chocolate, so that also makes me happy:

I'm not sure how widespread Valentine's Day is around the world, but hey, while I'll stop short of wishing you a bathtub full of roses, caviar, unicorns and double rainbows, I do command you to at least score yourself some chocolate and a glass of bubbly.

Also, I noticed quite a few of you readers are international - are there any special customs in the UK, Hong Kong, the Ukraine, etc, to celebrate Valentine's Day?  I'd love to hear about it.  For you fellow US readers, do you celebrate?  Any special traditions you observe?  (Hey, keep it clean, my grandma could be reading this for all I know ;)

Back to eating all the chocolate I can find,
Maggie



Images:  my own

Apparently It IS Easy Being Green (Kermit, You Lie)

You know what Monday means, of course.  A fairly short but sweet post!  Today, it's about some beautiful green pieces I've spotted recently.

To start with, I spied this Treesje purse on one of my sample sale sites today:

I looove the rich, green hue.  It's the color of those perfectly manicured lawns in summer (which, by the way, if you live in the desert, isn't so "green," I guess).  Also, the tote's amply sized for all the crap we women oft tend to carry.  Wallet, cell phone and glasses aren't enough for me.  Oh-ho, no!  I will totally cram in my 4" heels, a scarf, water bottle (uh, also not green but needed for random coughing spells), iPod, plastic baggie full of random cosmetics, and maybe a cardigan.

They also offered a different style in the same color:

Tory Burch has a pretty sweet purse, too:

There's a bit more blue in this green (sorry, Miles Davis, I'm sure women's accessories weren't what you had in mind, heh heh).  Still, I wouldn't kick it out of my closet.


Here's a gorgeous image from a Neiman Marcus emailer this week:

More of a late-summer green...


And here's a gorgeous image of some pants on a Shopbop email that, when you see the actual product page...  well, I just thought, "Oh."  Like, oh damn you, deceptive draping!

Yeah, same pants.  The green seems more washed out in the second picture, most likely thanks to different lighting.  Well, four outta five ain't too shabby.

Even though it feels like we're barreling through February, I know Spring isn't exactly around the corner up here (yes, it's not unusual for us to get snow in April or even May...  and no, I don't live in the mountains).  So I'm thanking retailers for providing me with plenty of greenery to try and cheer up my winter blahs of exhaust-fumed dirty white.

And guess what?  It's easier than I thought :)

P.S.  Though I am a Chicago Bears fan, I will tip my Bears cap to my many friends who bleed green (and cheesehead yellow) for last night's Green Bay Packer's Superbowl victory.  It's very easy being Green for them right now - congrats, you guys.


Images:

Treesje purses:  Hautelook (private sample sales site)
Tory Burch purse:  toryburch.com
Michael Kors email:  neimanmarcus.com
Willow pants:  shopbop.com




**Note to self and you guys:  Since I receive so many retailer emails - and since some of them have very pretty images, I plan to start including select said images to share with you.  Heck, I might try and dedicate a monthly post to them, stay tuned...

A Trip in the Wayback Machine

Last week, I flew home for a quick trip.  While I looked forward to the typical things I used to do, like ride the El train and try out the latest restaurants on the scene, I had an unexpected treat in store.  Staying in my parents’ guest bedroom (they've moved a couple of times since my childhood, so I sadly no longer have "my" room), I noticed the closet door was ajar and nosed my way inside.

I’ve got a coworker who likes to quip that we’re going “in the wayback machine” whenever some project or issue from the past comes back to haunt us.  Holy high school!  It’s like I got zapped back to the late eighties and early nineties in a flash.  This, however, was a welcome haunting.  Crammed in with my mom’s old clothes, I was greeted by some great threads from my days of study hall, braces and marching band (yes, I was a band geek).  There were also some fabulous old formal dresses and oversized J. Crew sweaters from college.  Even the white satin dress from my eighth-grade dance – yikes (honestly – it ain’t so different from what I see online these days)!

While I gleefully started sorting through all the treasures, I nearly died with delight when I spied two of my all-time favorites:  my green Esprit sweatshirt and my blue and white Benetton wool sweater.  Here, take a look:

For northwest suburban Chicagoans of a certain age, I’ll bet you remember the local department store called Crawford’s – and that it had a juniors department that I loooved browsing.  That’s where the Esprit sweatshirt came from.  The Benetton sweater came from a decidedly more snazzy place called the Ice House (someone local needs to tell me if it still exists), which proudly housed a Benetton store.

I also stumbled across my boxy, old Gap jean jacket (well, it’s Levi’s but was sold at the Gap back in the day…  can’t you just hear their old jingle?  “Fall into the Gap…”).

OK, the top sweater is from college, when half my wardrobe consisted of J. Crew – as in, men’s J. Crew, size XL.  I still don’t know what the heck we gals were thinking back then!  Fun and cozy, but not flattering.  The bottom is another Benetton sweater.  Hey, I live in the north - no shortage of woolly knits up here!

Other slivers of clothing that peeked out at me from the crowded rack: 

My first thift purchase from high school...  a dark-reddish, plaid men's blazer I found on Newbury Street in Boston.  I can't stress enough how underwhelmed my parents were by my newfound interest in thrift stores - ha!

A beautiful, turquoise blue blazer I bought in Venice, Italy during my college semester living in Germany.

Oh, and that eighth-grade dress…  bought in Scottsdale, Arizona on a family trip.  I’m telling you, Shopbop is selling a slew of dresses like this.  Halston Heritage, anyone?

I intend to dedicate future posts to my insane emotional ties with these clothes, my love for vintage Esprit, and the memories and nostalgia they invoke.  Depending on what I can dig up, more photos, too!  Some of my high school brands (and stores) have long since faded away, others have changed, and a few still endure.

For now, enjoy these images, and if you have a beloved article from high school days, tell me!  Guess jeans?  Z Cavaricci pants?  Extra points if you’re older than Gen X or reading this outside of the USA (I know you’re out there ;)  I’d love to hear what you wore to shreds while snoozing in Spanish class or passing notes in Algebra.

In the meantime, I suddenly feel compelled to queue up some Simple Minds and OMD on my iTunes.

Like a giddy sixteen year-old with her Seventeen magazine,
Maggie