Indie Designer Spotlight - Stitch & Swash

Leather so soft, it looks like it would melt with the slightest touch of your fingers.



This is what Seattle-based designer Angie Bowlds uses to create the beautiful, one-of-a-kind bags, coin purses and card holders for her line, Stitch & Swash. Angie sources this leather from dated, damaged and unwanted jackets that she finds in thrift stores.



She was taught how to sew at an early age by her mother and started specializing in bag-making a few years ago. A graphic designer by trade, Angie sees making her bags as the perfect way to combine the two things she loves - screenprinting and sewing.



Angie decided to make leather her material of choice because of it's strength, durability and ductility. She manipulates the creamy leather to create soft pleats, and the rich, neutral-toned leather makes an excellent background for Angie's brightly coloured, modern, screenprinted designs.



Angie runs Stitch & Swash from her basement studio in Seattle and has set up an Etsy store where she aims to offer products in a variety of colors and styles. Since Stitch &Swash does not offer wholesale items, she is able to keep the prices low so that her products are affordable for everyone. Currently, price of items range from US$6 to US$55.



Angie also has another store called The Crafty Devils which was started by her and friend Nicole, and it offers bags made out of new leather which she sells wholesale to a few shops. However, she finds it more rewarding to collect and recycle the soft, vintage jackets rather than use new leather because it gives them "new life as a bag that someone will love to have."

In the future, she plans to transition completely out of using new leather and also expand the Stitch & Swash line to include more tote and purse styles, men's wallets as well as new screenprint designs.




Click here to go to the Stitch & Swash Etsy store to see what other great items they have for sale!

Fashion Inspiration - Pure Plaidness

Plaid is yet another trend to be resurrected this fall season and it's back in a big way. Generally associated with the rebellious grunge era in the '90s or traditional Scottish clothing, plaid is making a break from these fashion stereotypes to become a chic and trendy pattern anyone can wear.

This striking cross-hatched pattern is versatile as it can made even more dynamic by using bold hues and dramatic tonal contrasts or toned down with subtle, sophisticated colours. Depending on the look of the item, plaid may propose a diverse array of style options including youthful, classic, quirky, elegant, edgy or casual.

Models strutted down the Fall 2008 runways of Badgley Mischka, House of Holland, D&G and Sass & Bide clad in stylish, attention-grabbing plaid garments.

photos courtesy style.com and nymag.com

Jessica Szohr of Gossip Girl looked cool and casual in a plaid button-down at a Dazed and Confused magazine party last week while her co-star Taylor Momsen was dressed in a cute plaid dress on the set of their show. Diane Kruger wore a plaid tie-neck blouse to Tommy Hilfiger's Spring 2009 show and Rihanna wore a plaid ruffle front top with a white vest while out shopping with UK singer Duffy.

photos courtesy uk.popsugar.com, justjared.com and forum.santabanta.com

Some of the greatest fashion inspirations come from real people who are photographed by various street style blogs around the world. The great thing about this pattern is that it's gender-neutral so both girls and guys can work their favourite plaid pieces with style and confidence.

photos courtesy facehunter.blogspot.com, styleclicker.net, saopaulostyle.blogspot.com,
damstyle.blogspot.com, thefashionist.se, thesartorialist.blogspot.com
and the-intersection.blogspot.com

As many of you may already know, Chictopia is also a fantastic source of real life fashion inspiration. These Chictopia girls utilize different plaid items to effectively express their fabulous, individual senses of style.

photos courtesy chictopia.com/user/blog/kirstylee, chictopia.com/user/blog/jmdarda, chictopia.com/user/blog/Snowshoe, chictopia.com/user/blog/rose01545, chictopia.com/user/blog/jfehrenbacher and chictopia.com/user/blog/taghrid.

Jump on the plaid-wagon this fall with these gorgeous and affordable items below.


Click on name of item to go to product page.

Tommy Hilfiger Runaway Clutch
Price: US$28.56

Romy Plaid Vest
Price: US$32.00

Plaid Shortie Sock
Price: US$4.99

Plaid Fleece Cape
Price: US$39.99

Navy and Beige Tweed Plaid Hair Flower
Price: US$10.00

Go International® Jumper Red Plaid
Price: US$39.99

Andrea Plaid Pashmina Scarf in Blue and Green
Price: US$13.00



Buffalo Plaid Blouse
Price: US$34.00

Plaid Buckle Flat
Price: US$22.50

Plaid shirred-yoke skirt
Price: US$32.99

Update - Fabulous fashion blogger, Couture Carrie also did a great post on the plaid trend, more specifically bias plaid! She rounds up some inspirational photos of bias plaid on the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 runways, ad campaigns and various other sources. Check it out!

Cool Vintage Finds - Sparkle Sequins!

Like a magpie, I have always been drawn to shiny materials and sequins are definitely at the top of the list.

Sequins are the perfect hybrid of two big trends for fall, metallics and textured fabrics. They have been featured heavily on many Fall 2008 runways including Preen, Proenza Schouler, Christopher Kane and Zac Posen.

photo courtesy style.com

The word sequin actually comes from the Arabic sikka which means coin or die. Monetary sequins were first produced in Venice in 1284 where they were known as zecchino. The French changed the Venetian spelling to sequin and this is the form used in English. Sequins were also introduced as the unit of currency in Turkey since 1478 and in Malta in 1535. Today however, sequin coins are no longer being produced or circulated in these countries.

Below is a photo of the Venetian zecchino.

photo courtesy cngcoins.com

The custom of using sequin coins as embellishment first began with wealthy families who would sew the coins onto their clothing as a proud display of their affluence.

The disk-shaped beads that are used on clothing today have nothing more than decorative value however. Sequinned clothing has been worn by many people around the world including various, well-known female entertainers.

Below are Edna May in 1890, Joan Crawford in 1934, Elizabeth Taylor in 1967 and Cher, possibly the most avid sequin wearer of all, in 1972.

photos courtesy gettyimages.com

Below are some great vintage sequinned items guaranteed to bring some sparkle into your life and wardrobe!

Sequin Ballet Dress

Price: US$36.00

Seller Description:

This quirky little party dress combines two great details; floral and sequin. Fitted bodice with a float away circle skirt, its perfect with flats or heels. V-neck in front and back, fully lined and totally cute. This dress does have some small spots with missing sequin, however, I secured the sequin around the areas to prevent further loss. Its an XS according to the label but can fit a small-chest SM. Absolutely adorable.

Great condition

Wine, violet, gold & hunter floral on black background. Clear sequin overlay.

Size: XS

100% Polyester

bust: 32"
waste: 25"
hips: 47"
length: 33.5"
circumference of hem: 60"

Get this dress.

Rock and Roll All Night - Black Sequin Heels - Size 7
Price: US$25.00

Seller Description:

For your resident minx, check out these absolutely spectacular Italian Maserati heels. Size 7, though would fit a smaller 7.5 narrow as well.

Completely black sequined with gold beaded swirl design with the exception of the 3" heel which is straight black. There is some interior peeling but the exterior is flawless.

Pert, sassy and shockingly cute on your feet.

Get these shoes.

Vintage 80s White Sequins Vest

Price: US$25.00

Seller Description:

Vintage 80s white SEQUINS vest

Great vintage condition(except for 3 sequins that have some black scratches on them-in last picture)

Measurements:

approx. size: one size
chest: 20"
waist: 20"
hips: 21"
total length: 25"

Get this vest.

Vintage 1950's Ladies' Headband Hat, Pink Sequins
Starting Bid: US$4.99

Seller Description:

Super little sequin headband hat from the 1950's. Perhaps was a bridesmaid's or prom headpiece. Light pink, slightly iridescent sequins stitched onto a criss-cross wire form (wire is covered with a white fabric) makes it flexible to fit any head. About 2¾" wide at top center, measures 13¼" end-to-end. Some of the sequins show just a tiny bit of wear, but not visible unless scrutinized closeup. Some slight wear on inside edge, at the ends where there is white fabric covering the wires. Still, overall very nice condition!

AUCTION END: Aug-25-08 16:40:30 PDT (5 days 7 hours)

Get this headband.

Vintage Fab 80s Sequin Stretch Belt
Price: US$6.00

Seller Description:

***Was $9, now on sale for $6.***

Royal blue sequin stretchy belt with gold-tone hook closure. No size indicated. Belt measures 23" unstretched and will stretch up to about 34".

Great vintage/pre-loved condition.

Get this belt.


Vintage Mexican Hand Painted Matadors Sequin Skirt
Starting Bid: US$49.99

Seller Description:

Vintage Mexican handpainted skirt from the 1950's that has a stunning Matador and Bull fight scene on it! Also the waist is XS which seems to be hard to come by with some of these skirt..the material is a classic canvas backed black velvet with multi-colored fight scenes.

There is some slight wear to the velvet on the waist (rubbed off a bit), some slight cracking in paint which is indicative to age, and the has 95% of the sequins.

MEASUREMENTS: up to 25" waist, free hips, about 140" diameter, and 27" length.

AUCTION END: Aug-26-08 18:46:00 PDT (6 days 10 hours)

Get this skirt.

Vintage Pocketbook, Clutch, American Sequins, La Regale
Starting Bid: US$9.99

Seller Description:

You are bidding on a vintage purse manufactured in China using American sequins. It measures 9 X 4.5 inches. The zipper works great, it is very clean and there are no rips or tears.

AUCTION END: Aug-24-08 23:00:00 PDT (4 days 14 hours)

Get this clutch.

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Also, I'd like to apologize for the delay in posting. Among other things, I've been busy setting up the Fatal Attraction 2 Fashion MySpace page which you can view here. There's also a button in the sidebar that takes you directly to the page. Hope to see you there!

Heraldry à la mode

Sometime last year, I bought an eagle crest military hat pin from Ebay (see photo below). I love interesting accessory pieces like this that have a story behind them; they always make for really great conversation starters.

Initially, I wanted it because I thought it would look cool on my hats and blazers but I realized there was more to it than just a cool design so I was inspired to research the history and meaning behind this art style known as heraldry.




Heraldry is "the practice of designing, displaying, describing, and recording coats of arms and badges." It is generally believed that heraldry began as a means of distinguishing the participants in a battle since the soldier's faces were hidden behind iron and steel armors.

photo courtesy teachnet.ie

European armorial bearings first came into being during the Middle Ages but tribal, national and family emblems were in existence long before this time.

The number of heraldic symbols, or charges, has significantly developed over time and this makes it impossible for me to list all of them here. The definition of a charge is "any figure or device represented on the field of an escutcheon (sheild)"

Charges can be separated into two broad categories, animate and inanimate. Animate charges are beasts, birds, fish, insects, reptiles, humans, monsters and mythical creatures. Two of the most well known animal charges are the eagle and the lion.

photos courtesy heraldicclipart.com and dclips.fundraw.com

Inanimate charges include crosses, various military objects, nautical objects, crowns, trees, plants and flowers. Two well known inanimate charges are the battle axe and the fleur-de-lis.

photos courtesy library.nd.edu and smartershoppingonline.com

All charges have special individual meanings behind them that referred to things such as the personal qualities of a soldier or a description of various situations encountered during battle.

The colours commonly used in heraldry are gold, silver/white, red, blue, green, black, purple. Orange and maroon are also used occasionally. Each of these colours also has a special meaning such as peace, hope, military strength and sovereignty.

photo courtesy sairafblog.com

Today, heraldic art is widely used for decoration in fashion but it is also still used for traditional purposes on national, provincial and state coat of arms as well as logos for various government, academic, corporate and sporting institutions.

Below are some great, affordable items that feature decorative heraldic-style elements.


(Note: click on the name of item to go to the product page)

Military Pin
Price: US$4.80

Queen Mini Wristlet Clutch
Price: US$48.00

Heraldic Crest Ladies Vintage Scarf
Price: US$25.00

Hotel Paris Fleur de Lis Keychain
Price: US$8.00

Shellys London Women's Crest Flat
Price: US$17.48

Women's Ethnology Crest Belt Buckle
Price: US$20.00

Sechuna Sailor Top with Crest Brooch
Price: US$28.00

Crest Drop Earrings
Price: US$9.99

Celebrity Style for Less - Kristen Bell

On the red carpet of the 2008 Teen Choice Awards on August 4, Kristen Bell stood out from the rest of the dress-wearing pack by opting to wear separates.

The former Veronica Mars star worked the neutral and neon trend and looked fabulously fresh in a blousy nude top and a pink high waisted skirt by Jenni Kayne.

The neutrality of the blouse helps to play up the pretty pink of her skirt, her long multi-coloured necklace and dark clutch break up tonal monotony in the outfit and her nude heels help to visually lengthen her legs.

photo courtesy fabsugar.com

You can get a similar look at a fraction of the cost with these items below!

Smocked Silk Tank
Price: US$48.00
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=34611&pid=570042&scid=570042012

Mod Look Satin Pencil Skirt
Price: US$40.00
http://www.yesstyle.com/Product.aspx?pid=1011393392

Colin Stuart® Classic peep-toe pump (blonde)
Price: US$70.00
http://www2.victoriassecret.com/commerce/application/prodDisplay/?namespace=productDisplay&origin=onlineProductDisplay.jsp&event=display&prnbr=9B-228328&page=1&cgname=OSSHUPUMZZZ&rfnbr=2828

ASOS Glass And Metal Bead Long Necklace
Price: UK £8.00 (US$17.51)
http://www.asos.com/countryid/2/Asos/Asos-Glass-And-Metal-Bead-Long-Necklace/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=283595&cid=4175&clr=Multi&Rf-200=17&sh=0&Rf-100=Necklaces

Target Brown Turnlock Clutch

Price: US$14.99
http://www.target.com/Target-Brown-Turnlock-Clutch/dp/B0019OR4FU


Total: US$190.50

P.S Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments on the Caribbean Fashion Week 2008 post. For those of you who haven't seen it, check out the post below!