To Go: Steve Glenn's LivingHome, Saturday in Santa Monica

L.A. people: Our pals at eco-beauty purveyors Josie Maran Cosmetics are co-hosting a little soiree this Saturday at the first U.S. home to be certified LEED-platinum. ("LEED" = "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design," FYI, and platinum is the highest level of certification. We hear LivingHomes founder Steve Glenn's new abode has got all kinds of crazy green features, such as a rooftop garden, interior garden, solar panels, and siding made from sustainable cedar.) The event, which includes not only complimentary makeovers but also yummy vegan cookies, kicks off at 4 p.m. Check the flyer for more info:

To Go: Built By Wendy shopping parties in L.A. & N.Y. tomorrow nite

I first laid eyes on Built By Wendy's "Tonight's the Night" t-shirt when Laura posted a shot of herself in it a while back. And then last week when I saw the Chili Peppers documentary, there was a scene in which Flea's wearing the very same shirt, and I was all, "I can't believe Laura didn't tell me that she and Flea are clothes-swapping friends." I thought it was some rare vintage find, but a little Internet supersleuthing revealed the tee's Built By Wendyness. I've never been all that into Built By Wendy before, except maybe for the guitar straps, but now I want so many t-shirts and I even signed up for their little newsletter thing so I can keep abreast of all Built By Wendy goings-on. And here's one that you might want to know about: Tomorrow night there'll be BBW shopping parties happening in their NYC, Williamsburg, and L.A. stores (6 to 9 p.m. on the East Coast; 5 to 8 p.m. in the west). Everyone gets 20 percent off the entire spring collection, including this cutie-pie sequined tank dress:

To Go: Cri de Coeur Launch Party at Clarabella, NYC

Cri de Coeur is a line of shoes that always get hyped for its vegan-ness, but I'd much rather hype it up for lovely, almost gentle design and flair. Yes, it's eco- and animal-friendly, made as sustainably possible with materials that use no animal products, but it's also beautiful and stylish, with graceful lines and colors. Clarabella, the awesome accessories boutique in NYC's Lower East Side, is having a launch party for Cri de Coeur on March 20, 2008, from 6 - 9pm. Clarabella is a super-adorable space, and being there is kind of like being able to roam free in someone's incredibly stylish, beautiful walk-in closet. Be sure to come, because the entire Cri de Coeur collection will be available for purchase on the night of the event only, and special orders will be taken for any sold-out styles so everyone will eventually come out stylish and happy. Even better, the designer herself, Gina Ferraracio, will be in attendance to answer any questions. Oh, and to top it all off: vegan bakery Babycakes will provide goodies to eat, and Priti Organic Spa will have spa specials. Seriously, you don't want to miss this. Fashion, food, good company, prettiness all around: what could be better?

Paranormal Activity is Going Down in Toronto NOW!

The only reason I've ever been able to cultivate any semblance of coolness about myself stems from how I totally scored in the "bad-ass older half-sister" department. Trust me, when you're going through your awkward phase and your approach to accessorizing involves blue hair mascara (remember hair mascara? What a crime that whole shebang was), giant glasses, and Pooh Bear keychains, it really helps to be able to say, "I have a big sister with full-sleeve tattoos who collects monster-movie memorabilia and drives a hearse!"

Thankfully, I no longer wear blue hair mascara. Thankfully, Thea is still cool enough to make up for any loserdoms that may have hungover from the old days of orange overalls and a blistering preoccupation with Gavin Rossdale. Actually, Thea is cooler than ever! See, Thea was apparently reincarnated as a mysterious beacon of the Universe's psychic energy at some point over the past couple of years (that's what I get for never e-mailing!), and is now sharing her occultist talents with the world, co-starring in The Paranormal Show.

The Paranormal Show, or, as I like to call it, My Sister the Shaman, is a magickal mystickal romp starring Thea and Toronto magician Scott McClelland. This spectacle harkens back to the olden days of traveling sideshows, when the sort of supernatural stunts Scott pulls would get magicians run out of town in fear of being persecuted for supposedly Satanic involvement. It is decidedly not your average magic show- no conjuring up bunnies from top hats or doves flying out of a scantily-clad assistant's bikini bottoms. The Paranormal Show is hella metaphysical, involving hypnosis, telepathy, clairvoyance, telekinesis, and retrocognition. FYI, there is tons of audience participation, so if you're one of those people who really likes being the center of attention and getting to prance around onstage (as I am), this is definitely the show for you. In fact, I must note that I was picked to be the bearer of Scott's "Great Prophecy"- I can't say anymore or I'll totally ruin it, so let's just say it involved a really cute voodoo doll that looked like something straight outta Kid Robot.

While my family and I were driving home from the theater, the most uttered sentence heard in our sedan was, "Wow! I totally would have loved it, even if Thea wasn't in it!" which is really high praise, coming from us.

The Paranormal Show is running until May 3rd at Toronto's Diesel Playhouse and plays almost every night of the week- check out the website for details.

At the very least, I can personally guarantee that going out to see The Paranormal Show is exponentially more entertaining and engaging than sitting at home watching American Idol. Now what's stopping you??

To Go: Adrienne Shelly Foundation fundraiser tonight in L.A.

We're chomping at the bit to run out and buy Adrienne Shelly's Waitress on DVD (out today, and one of our most loved movies this year). But tonight in L.A. there's a chance to see it on the big screen one more time: Mann's Chinese Theater is hosting a fundraiser for the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, set up to help women pursue their filmmaking aspirations and to assist others in making the leap from acting to writing and directing. Tickets are $20 and it all starts at 6:30 with a coffee-and-pie reception (cuteness!). After the screening there'll be a panel discussion featuring the producer, cinematographer, and members of the cast - go here to get your ticket and here for more info on the Adrienne Shelly Foundation.

We love Kime Buzzelli too!

We've already told you just how much we adore L.A. artist, designer, style idol, and boutique proprietress Kime Buzzelli. Now we're telling all you Angelenos to please get thee to The Echo tonight for a very special benefit in Kime's honor. The Show Pony owner recently had a sizable tumor removed, and her health insurance is only covering half of the uber-expensive surgery costs. To generate the rest of the $$$, lovelies like Lavender Diamond, Winter Flowers, Animal Magik, Blank Blue, Entrance, and The Long Lost are putting on a grand spectacular this evening, with the fabulous Illeana Douglas m.c.-ing and Heartschallenger serving ice cream.

Should matters of geography preclude you from showing your pretty face at The Echo tonight, don't fret: You can still help Kime out by hitting up her Etsy shop, shopping Show Pony's eBay store (especially suited to "happy girls who love babydolls, Glam Platforms, dreamy designer, 20s Flapper, Japan Fruits, Lolita style, bohemian peasant gowns and mod scooter minis"), PayPal-ing donations to Kime (email = showpony at earthlink dot net), and/or dropping by Dirty Pilot to buy one of her gorgeous paintings:

To Go: Tom Brosseau tonight at Largo in L.A.

Being so worshipful of PJ Harvey, we automatically have to take much interest in anything touched by her chief collaborator John Parish. (Speaking of, where the hell is my copy of Dance Hall at Louse Point? A boy taped it for me in 1996, and I could really go for "Lost Fun Zone" right now.) Parish's latest gig is producing the upcoming record Cavalier by Tom Brosseau, a wispy blonde thing from North Dakota whose lovely acoustic-guitar-based melodies are often described as "warbling," in a good way. Hear for yourself by downloading "Amory" or - better yet, if you live in L.A. - checking out Tom tonight at Largo. Cavalier comes out on October 23 and I'm already obsessed with "Committed to Memory," a handclap-inflected little heartbreaker that's full of Parish-y guitar twang and rhymes "Portland" with "Reverend Horton," thus making me all the more nostalgic for love in '96.

To Go: Beach House @ Union Hall + Mercury Lounge

Along with the Boggs' Forts, Beach House's record was kind of like my go-to music for this summer. Wake up in the morning, listen to Beach House. Having one of those weirdly grey, chilly global-weirdness days that spotted the months occasionally this summer, listen to Beach House. Flying above the clouds on an airplane during one of the many trips taken this summer, listen to Beach House. Something about the gorgeous gauziness and sheer loveliness of the sound wraps itself around you like a cashmere blanket; they're kind of perfect songs to nestle within. I kept missing the band live despite the many opportunities this summer, but luckily I get my last chance this season, what with Beach House playing tonight at Union Hall in Brooklyn and tomorrow at Mercury Lounge in Manhattan.

To Go: Fuck Yeah Fest in L.A.

I'm so giddy and gleeful about the just-announced lineup for this year's Fuck Yeah Fest, which is always one of the funnest things to happen in the summertime. At last year's I got my head blown off by Erase Errata and had such a good time over at the margarita machine that I had to leave for a little while to go eat tacos. Anyway, this year's big exciting thing takes place August 25 and 26 at The Echo, Echoplex, and The Rec Center - here's some of our favorite bands playing:

-the amazing and unstoppable No Age
-Deerhunter (left)
-Lavender Diamond (right)
-The Mae Shi
-Brother Reade
-Midnight Movies
-Abe Vigoda

And about a jillion more - check out the full lineup and get ticket info here.

To Go: The Boredoms' 77 DRUM in Brooklyn

Musical mayhem will be mine this weekend, when Japanese noise band the Boredoms perform "77 DRUM" live this weekend in DUMBO. It's exactly as it sounds: 77 drummers will be playing with the band in Brooklyn Bridge Park. God only knows what will transpire but it promises to be thunderous and completely batshit-crazy in the best way possible.

Where: Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park section of Brooklyn Bridge Park
When: Saturday, July 7, 2007 (7/7/07, get it?)
Doors open at 3:00 p.m.
Performance at 5:00 p.m.
FREE

Just to get you stoked, the Boredoms live at All Tomorrow's Parties in 2006:

There's a Last Time for Everything

To further cement my status as international jet-setter, I am making a brief reappearance in my ex-hometown of New York City this coming weekend. I will be celebrating the occasion by teaming up with my old partner in crime,
DJ Katie Rose, to play scrappy 45s at Sputnik's THIS IS NOT HAPPENING vii: the first and last annual Notpop Festival.

This killer event also features music by BiUnicorn, Lost Highway and IF, "digital visual manipulations" by Bob Glaubit, and a bunch o' other fun stuff. It costs $5 and runs from 8 PM until 1 AM. Sputnik is located at 262 Taaffe Place (take the G train to Classon) in Brooklyn's historic and well-loved Bedford-Stuyvesant nabe.

I hope to see many new and unfamiliar faces at this winner of a gig; get ready to do your scrapyard thing and dance your faces off (/hearts out)!!

See y'all there!

Sale: Zero Maria Cornejo

This is for you lovely New Yorkers out there: one of our favorite boutiques, Zero Maria Cornejo, is having a huge sale of their spring and resort line - up to 65% off, with some spring styles discounted at 30% off. And if that didn't rock enough, starting today they'll have samples and other choice goods starting from $50. So brave the heat and make it down to Mott or Greenwich streets for one of the city's leading design lights...

To Go: Sea Level Records Going Away Dance Party, L.A.

I hate record stores. Which is kind of odd, since records are some of my favorite things in the world. But shopping for them makes me crazy; I can't stay in Amoeba for longer than five seconds without wanting to strangle everybody in the room. I think it mostly has to do with my being a superbad combination of excruciatingly indecisive and wildly impatient, plus a little claustrophobic and maybe even a teeny-tiny bit misanthropic at moments. (Just so you know, I don't really like downloading music either - I hate missing out on the cover art and I generally like peeling off the dogbone thing even though it's so annoying.)

Anyway, there are only two record stores in the world I really love. The first is the Newbury Comics near the Alewife T stop in Cambridge, Mass: It's got wide aisles and it's brightly lit and pretty uncrowded most of the time, and when I lived in Boston there was a cute boy with dreadlocks who worked there and was always really nice and friendly. (FYI, I have this thing where once every five years or so I develop a weird crush on a boy with dreadlocks and then feel kinda awkward about it.)

The other store is Sea Level in Echo Park, which is closing forever on Monday. I went for the maybe-last time Wednesday night and bought Icky Thump and every Royal Trux record I didn't already own, and I was flooded with nostalgia for stuff like drinking free homemade lemonade at a Brother Reade in-store on a Friday night in the middle of a heat wave last summer, or even just for every hungover Sunday afternoon where I'd slurp Coke Slurpees and flip through the used CDs and maybe even play a game of Ms. Pacman. I used to make a point of buying new albums there instead of Amoeba, where it's a little cheaper but there's that problem of wanting to strangle everybody. The best was when a bunch of exciting records all had the same release date, like when Rabbit Fur Coat by Jenny Lewis and Nine Times That Same Song by Love Is All and The Greatest by Cat Power came out two winters ago. That was a good Tuesday.

I don't know if I'll ever love any record stores again, but at least there's a party for us all to go tonight: Sea Level Todd will be spinning at Safari Sam's; it's an all-ages going-away soiree type deal. Our beloved Nikki from Silversun Pickups will be DJ-ing too, and Division Day and The Switch will be playing. And if you can't make it, you should at least stop by Sea Level at some point this weekend: All new CDs are 20 percent off, used CDs 30 percent.

Another thing happening this weekend that's totally unrelated but pretty amazing: Pharrell, the L.A. Film Fest's artist-in-residence, is hosting a night of films that have inspired his work - and we're so happy to learn that those movies are National Lampoon's Vacation and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It's free and open to the public, happening at 8 p.m. tomorrow at the Hammer Museum.

Where We're At: Location, 21 Mercer Street

We've mentioned it before, so we'll say it again: we do hope you are coming to the Susan Cianciolo "1960s Butterfly Girl" screening and special performance by No Age this Friday! It's part of an amazing event called "Location," a fashion/art exhibition to benefit Creative Growth Art Center taking place from June 6 - 11, 2007, right here in mad, exciting New York City. I mean, there's an Arden Wohl short on Saturday ("Coven," which made a splash at Art Basel Miami and is a super-arty, super-sexy take on Hansel and Gretel, and did I mention that Arden Wohl has my favorite New York girl style happening these days?) And a Benjamin Cho-hosted tribute to the Smiths on Sunday. And all sorts of writerly awesomeness supplied by the Accompanied Literary Society. It will be super-gorge and fabulous and all sorts of fashion-y gushiness, but if anything, Liz and I will be there on Friday, so if you spot us, come say hello.

"Location"
A fashion/art exhibition to benefit Creative Growth
Info available at 21mercerstreet.com
June 6 - 11, 2007
21 Mercer between Grand and Howard
New York, NY
7 - 9pm

Save the Date: Susan Cianciolo film screening, June 8 in NYC

Dear beautiful people of New York (or anyone who might happen to be in New York next week): We really want you to come to 21 Mercer Street on Friday, June 8, for a free screening of the new Susan Cianciolo short film "1960s Butterfly Girl." Starring dreamy Frankie Rayder, it's a film-as-fashion-show kind of deal that unveils Susan's new collection of silkscreened and hand-embroidered dresses and gowns and capes inspired by 18th century royalty (including one piece constructed from textiles designed by Mike Mills). The collection's called Queen of Hearts, and one of our favorite things is how each piece contains a secret chamber designed to carry Susan's new perfume, Chevalier. Here's the trailer for the film:

After the screening there'll be a performance by No Age, the L.A.-based noise-pop duo - and new hot-and-heavy Stereogum crush - that scored "1960s Butterfly Girl." (Go download some mp3s now.) The whole shebang's part of Location, an eight-day fashion/art exhibition and benefit for the Creative Growth Art Center - you can check out the calendar of events here.

At this point I'll disclose that I'm totally friends with Stacks and Layers, the production company that made "1960s Butterfly Girl." But both myself and No Good For Me's fabulous editorial director Kat should be in attendance, and if you swing by then we'll treat you to a cocktail or two, and not just because it's open bar. The soiree starts at 7 p.m. In the meantime, here are some "1960s Butterfly Girl" filmstills and shots from the very awesome Meghan Quinn:

To Do: Williamsburg Fashion Weekend, May 4-6, Secret Project Robot/Monster Island, Brooklyn

Williamsburg gets a lot of flak these days for having become an overpriced cartoonish version of hipsterville, but there are still those in the 'hood who are keeping true to its shambolic, left-of-center origins. You can probably catch more than a glimmer of real community over at the first-ever Williamsburg Fashion Weekend, presented by artspace Secret Project Robot at Monster Island. Celebrating local designers and boutiques who transcend the borders between art, music and fashion, each day spotlights two local designers with all sorts of crazy art shenanigans that are miles and miles away from your typical sleek, uptight blue-chip gallery event. The first day will feature one of our favorite local boutiques, Sodafine, at 7:30pm. With happenings like maypoles and belly dancing, it promises to be our most favorite thing in the world: a hot mess!

Be there:
Williamsburg Fashion Weekend
May 4-6, 2007
Secret Project Robot at Monster Island
210 Kent Ave. at Metropolitan

Sale: Lyell

I completely frrrreeaaaakkkkeed when the ever-awesome Fashion Geek posted about the Lyell sample sale going on this week in NYC. Not only have we been in love with the cool, girlishly elegant designs of Lyell for ages now, but we are also flat-out skint after two years of film school and are excited at the idea of picking up something from one of our favorite young labels for a song. Love you, Fashion Geek, you completely made our day...

Details:
Lyell Sale
102 Forsyth Street, near Grand Street, in the Lower East Side
Thu-Sun, 12pm-7pm, Cash only

Free Yr Radio!

When I was 13 and 14 and 15, going to Urban Outfitters was a big adventure, sometimes reserved only for my annual birthday trip to Boston. Chauffeured by my parents, my best friend and I would spend the day hanging around Harvard Square, where we'd shop for records at Newbury Comics, dig through paperbacks at WordsWorth (R.I.P.), and devote at least an hour or two to rummaging the URBN bargain basement for way-marked-down Free People and, like, $10 polyester A-line skirts in cerulean-blue snow leopard print. (This may actually still exist, hidden away somewhere in the attic of my family's house - yikes.)

Urban Outfitters hasn't been all that thrilling to me in a long time, but I'm kinda psyched about the Free Yr Radio campaign the company's sponsoring this spring and summer. The deal is that Dinosaur Jr., Tapes 'N Tapes, Voxtrot, and 10 other bands will be playing in-store shows to raise money for independent radio stations across the country. The first show happened last weekend (the Klaxons in Chicago); the next one's in Kansas on April 24 with The Ponys (who I saw with the mind-bottling Deerhunter in L.A. last Saturday, and my ears are still happily traumatized). Two of the bands we'd be most stoked to see: The Rapture (below left, playing May 21 in Philly) and Rogue Wave (right, on May 25 in Santa Cruz). Check the Free Yr Radio website to find out when the tour's coming to your town.

To Go: "Lovesick and Vanishing" by Kime Buzzelli (L.A.)

Sometimes it's good to go visit Show Pony just to pretend you're walking into a Joanna Newsom song. The little pink Echo Park boutique is full of vintage princess dresses and clunky jewelry with shiny stones, and you might even find some really magic stuff like a pair of beaded clogs with tiny houses carved into the heels. It's like the wardrobe closet you should've had on hand for every make-believe game when you were wee, only with all these amazing indie designers like Judi Rosen and Miss KK. And they sell zines, and we automatically fall in love with any store that sells zines.

The owner of Show Pony is Kime Buzzelli, whom you may have spotted in the latest issue of Venus Zine (its "Store of the Ish" column featured Show Pony, gorgeously photographed by the awesome Meghan Quinn). Kime's got a solo show going on right now at New Image Art Gallery; it's called "Lovesick and Vanishing" and runs till April 15 (so no time to dawdle). According to her artist's statement, the paintings are "a colorful mind explosion of feminine fantasy," making us feel like we're stealing a peek at a bunch of dreamy-beautiful drawings in some girl's secret sketchbook. (And never ever have we seen such fantastic eye makeup in art, by the way.)

For some of Kime's work in wearable form, check out her Etsy shop. Of course we want the deer t-shirt most of all.

To Go: Matrushka Construction T-Shirt Night, March 24 in L.A.

We're really sad that Matrushka Construction's next T-Shirt Night is happening when we're out of town. (We were originally supposed to be going to see Justin Timberlake at some casino in Connecticut, but now that's not happening either, which only compounds the heartbreak of it all.) We hope, though, that everyone else in L.A. stops by the Silver Lake shop this Saturday night: The deal is that you show up around 7, order a custom tee to be made from Matrushka's menu of colors and sizes and patches, and then hang out and drink while the shirt's made all assembly-line-style right before your pretty eyes.

There's a different theme for every T-Shirt Night, and this time it's "Global Weirding." Which means that you'll get to watch a film demo of Al Gore's Climate Change Project (along with movies from the Echo Park Film Center), check out a bicycle-powered sewing machine, and have the opportunity to adopt a baby giant sequoia tree from WildPlaces. Say hello to the lion below to get all the groovy details.

Susan Cianciolo, Queen of Hearts

We're sort of kicking ourselves for missing out on "The Woman of the Crowd," a multi-media collaboration between Cone Denim and designer/artist/musician/filmmaker Susan Cianciolo that hit New York and L.A. last fall. (Susan handcrafted a jeans collection exclusively from Cone Denim, including remnant swatches from the turn of the 20th century; see below for one of her sketches.) Lucky for us, Susan's soon to grace both cities with "Queen of Hearts," an exhibit that opens in New York on February 7 and travels to L.A. during Fashion Week. But L.A. girls and boys can get a sneak peek starting this Saturday at a gallery show called "Get Hurt" at Tiny Creatures (628 N. Alvarado St. in Echo Park), where Susan will be sharing sketches and photos of inspiration for her upcoming perfume and clothing line.

Curated by L.A. art-punk duo No Age, "Get Hurt" also features work by our much-adored Ashley Macomber, Jennifer Clavin of Mika Miko, Ron Rege Jr. of Lavender Diamond, Devendra Banhart, and a bunch more artists. The show runs till March 9, with an opening reception this Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. Oh, and the links for each band a couple sentences back? You should click now and download/listen to all available songs, since they're generally way more exciting than most stuff you'll hear anywhere else.

To Go: Focus on Female Directors, January 18 in L.A.

We are all aflutter about seeing Zoe Cassavetes's short film Men Make Women Crazy Theory at tomorrow night's second annual Focus on Female Directors spectacular, probably because we're still holding onto early-90s suspicions that its stars (Donovan Leitch and Ione Skye) might be the most glamorous brother-sister team on the planet, and because lately we've been reminiscing about when we used to watch Allison Anders's Gas Food Lodging over and over and long for Donovan's eye makeup and Ione's red-and-white leather jacket.

At last year's Focus on Female Directors we most droolingly anticipated Sofia Coppola's first film, 1998's "Lick The Star" (although Gaelle Denis's beautiful and ridiculously happy-making City Paradise ended up really taking the cake). And now it's on YouTube so girls like us everywhere can indulge in nostalgia for preteen Flowers in the Attic obsessions and past fondness for way-too-dark lipstick and glittery eyeshadow. Plus it's neat to see little glimpses of Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette imagery, and the songs by Free Kitten and The Amps still make us wanna jump all around the room. Here's part one:

And part two.

Focus on Female Directors (January 18 at 7:30 at the Egyptian Theatre) will also feature short films and music videos by Grace Lee, Aurora Guerrero, Sanaa Hamri, Sian Heder, Torill Kove, and - eek! - Gwyneth Paltrow & Mary Wigmore. Tickets are $10, but members of the First Weekenders Group get $2 off (and it's free to sign up, and every week you get an email newsletter about the women-directed film openings and screenings happening all around).

To Go: Dress Up Against AIDS: Condom Couture by Adriana Bertini, L.A.

Adriana Bertini is our new hero. The 35-year-old Brazilian artist takes thousands of quality-test-rejected condoms and turns them into beautiful dresses and skirts and suits (and sometimes even wedding gowns) with all the big, riotous color of some crazy street carnival. Inspired by the HIV-positive children she got to know while volunteering for an AIDS prevention group, Adriana has spent the last ten years creating the sculptural works that aim to convey her message that "condoms must be basic like a pair of jeans and so necessary like a great love."

We're sure that so many of Adriana's garments would make for the most fabulous party frocks ever, but the dresses aren't meant to be worn (except for in the occasional fashion show). Those in L.A., however, can admire one recent collection at "Dress Up Against AIDS: Condom Couture," an exhibition running now through March 11 at UCLA's Fowler Museum. Opening today (World AIDS Day, of course), the show features 14 of Adriana's pieces, including these lovely things:

As part of today's opening of "Dress Up Against AIDS: Condom Couture by Adriana Bertini," the Fowler Museum presents "Painting With Condoms" (a conversation with the artist) at 3 p.m. and "Pleasure...Little Treasure" (in which participants can create their own condom sculptures, with Adriana's help) from 3:45-5 p.m. For more info, visit fowler.ucla.edu.

Go: Park Vogel sample sale, October 6 in L.A.

Once upon a time I had a Park Vogel long-sleeved tee that was maybe the most perfect t-shirt I've owned in all my life, supersoft and with real good cling - like, better even than American Apparel or the most nicely faded thriftstore tee you could ever find. But because I'm sort of a five-year-old and prone to so much messiness, what was once white has now become stained and spotted with various colors from various kinds of spills. Heartbreaking, because I especially adore Park Vogel for its eco-conscious production practices: To help curb air pollution, designers Julie Park and Vanessa Vogel get their Swiss cotton from an energy-efficient Australian mill that recycles its chemicals (so that they're not put back into the environment).

The happy ending to my story is that this Friday, Park Vogel (along with Woo) will be joining the Lily McNeal sample sale happening in L.A.. That means up to 80 percent off beautiful t-shirts, which may or may not include my favorite Park Vogel styles:

The Lily McNeal/Park Vogel/Woo sample sale goes down this Friday at 860 S. Los Angeles St., suite 415. It's from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the flyer would like you to know that the sale is cash and check only.

To Go: Eco-fashion week at House of Petals in L.A.

From July 14 to 22, House of Petals in West Hollywood hosts L.A.'s first-ever eco-fashion week. The "floral couture" boutique will be featuring casual and couture collections from more than 15 designers, including these very planet-smitten lines:


1. Velvet Leaf







2. Grace Trance







3. Stewart+Brown







4. Undesigned by Carol Young







House of Petals
920 N. La Cienega Blvd
West Hollywood, CA
(310) 289 2700

Tuesday, July 18: private client appointments with stylist only.

Hours 10-6 Monday through Saturday; closed Sundays

To Go: Catwalk on the Wild Side, SF Design Center

Oh, how I wish I were heading up to San Francisco this weekend instead of next! Then I’d be able to catch the second annual Catwalk on the Wild Side fashion show, part of United Nations World Environment Day (which I attended last year, and took a power-nap in a simulated rainforest, and ate some weirdly addictive coconut-rolled carob and sprouted seeds treat from the raw food booth). Proceeds go toward conservation efforts, with all products made from approved “eco materials” like bamboo, hemp, organic linen, or tencel: The 2005 show had earthy-but-not-crunchy names like Linda Loudermilk (whose recycled-cashmere and recycled-bottle-cap Sundance Glacier Scarf I have long dreamed of living in) and Ashley Paige (she of the soy-silk swimsuit). This year we’ve got Edun (organic cotton tees and hoodies by Mrs. Bono herself), Loomstate (makers of 100 percent organic-cotton jeans), and about 30 other planet-loving brands and designers.

But the featured line we love the most is Echo Park’s own Undesigned, whose store’s one-year anniversary party we drank Soju-spiked lemonade at last Sunday. Undesigned’s undesigner Carol Young works with hemp denim, recycled-soda-bottle fleece, and other eco-friendly fabrics that allow “urban nomads” to navigate public transportation with stylish ease. I’ve got my eye on the Linen Swerve Petra Skirt (below), a piece alluring enough to make riding the subway in L.A. seem like a glamorous possibility.

Saturday, June 10
The Galleria at SF Design Center
101 Henry Adams St.
San Francisco, CA
9:30-11 p.m.

To Go: Feminist Fashion Show, A.I.R. Gallery

Most of the time fashion blogs and mags are obsessed with the latest labels, celebrities or models, and while "ethical" fashion is rising in visibility and being talked about more, it's still a little rare to see any discourse surrounding fashion to address the larger implications of what we wear, from what it really says about the world at large to the uneasy truths that its manufacturing obscures and deflects. So we are stoked that the Feminist Fashion Show is going on this weekend at New York's famed A.I.R. Gallery, giving us an opportunity to think about the larger questions at hand while looking at some amazingly crafted art.

More like a conceptual art installation than a spectacle of flash, flesh and air-kisses, the show breaks down boundaries between art and fashion, using clothing to question notions of the body, the feminization and of domestic labor, and other smarty-pants issues. The work is varied in both design and purpose: some of it veers more towards sculpture that draws attention to reproductive rights, for example, while other designs are celebrate the work and histories of women in their attention to detail and craft. The show is co-sponsored by BUST and Department of Craft and produced by artist Enid Crow, and goes down this weekend at A.I.R. Gallery. Hope to see you there!

Saturday, May 20, 2006
A.I.R. Gallery
511 W. 25th Street, Third Floor
New York, NY
Arrive anytime between 5-7pm to view the installation at your own pace

Steven Alan Sample Sale

Just a quick note for New Yorkers out there: Steven Alan, one of my most favorite boutiques in Soho, is having a sample sale next week! Steven Alan has this great aesthetic, tomboyish yet still feminine, relaxed and never trying too hard, and you can pick up labels such as Myth and Ritual, Indigo People, Trovata and their own house label for 30-75% off.

Where:
87 Franklin Street
New York, NY
between Broadway and Church

When:
Thursday, May 18, 8:30am - 8pm
Friday, May 19, 8:30am-8pm
Saturday, May 20, 12pm-7pm
Sunday, May 21, 12pm-5pm

Hope to see you there!

Nom de Guerre: Brooklyn Store Opening

I couldn't tell you what the fall line at Nom de Guerre looks like, since the Brooklyn opening last night at the old Isa space was insanely crowded and insanely hot. (I think I spotted a collar on a mannequin, peeking out over the heads of the crowd.) The fashionable hordes spilled into the street, and the security guys were having heart attacks trying to clear the sidewalks. Their efforts came to naught, however, since police cars arrived eventually, and maybe even a fire truck. Was I at a nightclub or a store opening? I couldn't tell, but then, having free drinks courtesy of Red Stripe will blur that distinction!

I'm sure the scene at the Champs-Elysees Louis Vuitton opening in October will be quite different: LV is inviting only 100 of their "very important clients" to attend, alongside select French customers and a spattering of celebrities. Reports WWD, "A Vuitton spokeswoman said it would offer no discounts to the VICs, nor pay for their trips to Paris. After all, many of these high rollers likely will arrive in their own private jets. Still, she said they would get the full "concierge" treatment as soon as they touch down in Paris." Needless to say, I am not going since I don't drop $200,000 on LV every year, but I'm sure we'll see exclusive pictures in carefully selected publications later this year.

Stella McCartney Does H&M

Sorry for the long silence lately...amazing what moving across the country will do to your schedule. (And I'm not even at my final destination yet!) But I can break away from the boxes long enough to tell you that Stella McCartney will be doing a collection for H&M, which will be out just in time for the holidays. You can be sure to expect the same crazed hysteria that accompanied Karl Lagerfeld's collection for H&M - perhaps even more so, since McCartney's clothes might actually fit real women's bodies.

Local Heroes: Circa's Last Hurrah

San Francisco's Circa Boutique was always a great source in the Mission for stylish designer goods, carrying brands such as Development, White and a finely curated selection of denim. Sadly, they're closing up shop - but lucky for area sophisticates, they're having a big final "everything must go!" sort of sale, where even the fixtures, rugs and store furniture are up for grabs. They said it themselves: "ALL MERCHANDISE IS 30% OFF LOWEST MARKED PRICE. We just received new merchandise from Yanuk, Paper Denim and Cloth, and Designer's Remix from Denmark which is included in the sale." The sale runs through Saturday. So head over, say goodbye and pick up some new jeans while you're at it:

Circa Boutique
510 Valencia Street (near 16th Street)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Tel: 415-552-4822

Bay Area: Paala Sale this Weekend

Attention Bay Area fashionistas and glamorinas: Paala is having a huge spring/summer sale this Memorial Day weekend - along with a fall preview/trunk show. (Click on the graphic at left to see all the details.) You'll be able to try on and order fall designs, not to mention pick up some spring/summer clothes at 25% off retail price. Check out the Fall 2004 Preview on the website: even though I'm on a strict fashion diet (saving for school sucks), I'm already a little in love with the boatneck and tulip shirts, not to mention the pencil pants.

Paala is definitely one of my favorite local designers - not only is everything wonderfully cut and made, but clean lines and a crisp, unique sense of color combine to create an appeal that's both urban and romantic.

Dangerous Liaisons Gala

Just a little mention, since it's everywhere else: pictures of last night's annual Costume Institute benefit at the Metropolitan Museum can be perused here. The usual suspects were there, as well as Anne Heche with a very wacky hairdo. That one, she's such a nut.

Marilyn Kirschner at lookonline.com has a great insider take on the whole affair, including mention of some dresses that aren't in the Wire Image galleries.

Post-Mortem, Mortem Being the Key Word Here

I thought the Oscars would be a good occasion to return to this weblog after my latest flurry of application deadlines, but I was definitely wrong. Certainly the usual suspects looked lovely, from Nicole Kidman's subtly gorgeous gown by Chanel (what else?) to Naomi Watts in Versace. And there were some gaffes, of course. But generally everything toed the classy, tasteful line in a season where "ladylike" is the key word of the fashion fold and subtlety now rules the red carpet. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm usually the champion of subtlety, but wasn't everything just a little too safe last night? How about those who like to see a little Hollywood dream fantasy style on the red carpet? Or at least some eccentric Norma Desmond style wackiness every now and then that isn't attached to the visage of Joan Rivers? Some actresses did take risks, such as Scarlett Johansson with her poison green Alberta Ferretti gown, Jennifer Garner in a vintage tangerine dream from Valentino and Samantha Morton in vintage Givenchy. But most played it safe and tasteful. I know it's hard when all eyes are watching your every accessory and sartorial detail; no potential A-lister wants to misstep on such a huge occasion. (Which is maybe why more interesting dresses were found at the untelevised afterparties - check out the photos from the Vanity Fair party for some really beautiful, colorful style.) All that Oscar good taste made me miss the kookiness of someone like Cameron Diaz to mix things up a bit.

On a more philosophical note, if that is even possible in a fashion blog, is good taste really the enemy of real style? While Nicole Kidman is clearly the red carpet vanguard now, once upon a time she wore a peridot green John Galliano gown and shocked the fashion police. Risk is what keeps style alive, and it'd be great to see more of it on the larger stages of the world.

Viktor & Rolf on the Cheap

You won't get the sense of volume or the conceptual inventiveness that Dutch designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren are known for, but leave that for the runway and get the eminently wearable designs they've designed for French chain La Redoute, which include a white shirt with trademark dramatic collar. Viktor & Rolf are featured as part of La Redoute's designer studio, which also includes some supercute items from Vanessa Bruno, Isabel Marant and Paul & Joe.

Feria Urbana: October 9th

Bay Area folks, another chance to check out your local artisans and designers (click on the graphic to enlarge):

For more info: http://www.feriaurbanasf.com

Coming Up

Just wanted to mention that some of San Francisco's best design talents will be showing off their work at the Tactility show today. Details can be found here. Among the designers featured will be one of my local favorites, Paala. Janna Stark has a background in graphic design, which shows up in Paala's crisp, clear lines and distinctive sense of color. Stark has also opened her new studio/store (hours are Wednesday - Friday 12-6pm or by appointment by calling: 415-86-PAALA), where she'll be showing off her latest designs and selling samples and last year's work. You'll also be able to pick out your own choice of fabric for some designs as well...

Paala: 1295 Alabama Street (at the corner of 25th Street, SF)

Circa Right Now

For those of you who live in San Francisco, one of the Mission's best fashion-forward boutiques, Circa, is having a big summer sale. What's even better, though, are some of their fall merchandise deliveries. There are shoes by Steven in a 50s open toe style similar to "a certain designer with the initials M.J." as the Circa folks like to say. There's new clothes from White, a tomboyish yet feminine offshoot of the cult Development label; one could easily see White's clothes in the closet of a certain fashionista/film director who just released a gloriously melancholy film about two Americans in Tokyo. And there are the limited edition cashmere sweaters from Paper Denim + Cloth which I'm certain many people will be curious about.

Circa Boutique
510 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415.552-4822

SAVE THE DATE

Attention, Bay Area fashion and art lovers! The Feria Urbana is a fun little event featuring jewelry, clothes and accessories made by local designers and craftspeople. I went to the one last month, which was lively and crowded in the best market fashion. It should be both colorful and eye-opening (although wear something you can slip clothes over - all there is by way of a changing room is the cafe's bathroom.)

(CLICK THE GRAPHIC TO SEE THE FULL-SIZED VERSION.)

TRUNK SHOWS: THE ONLINE VERSION

Carolina Herrera is having an online trunk show through style.com, so if you're dying to get the latest ladylike ensembles straight off the runway, you should partake because today is the last day. (It doesn't seem to be working, however--alas, the agonies of technology.) Electrosnafus aside, of course, having an online trunk show is not a new idea, but it is a marvelous concept, especially for emerging designers. Not too many "upscale" designers do them, probably seeing them as declasse or puncturing that carefully cultivated aura of exclusivity. But businesses like these often suffer instability--especially if you look at a brand like Tuleh, famous for their classy socialite clientele and for their financial troubles. Oh, irony.

TRUNK SHOWS: IN OR OUT?

A reader sent in this story from the Washington Post about a Michael Kors trunk show, in case anyone was curious about the experience. Trunk shows seem to be turning into a vestige of the past, but in a notoriously fickle business, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to make more accessible a bit of that couturelike world. Ralph Rucci kept himself in business on the strength of his trunk show years before he became a huge fashion star, and Olivier Theyskens will be doing them for Rochas. No word on whether or not the goth boy wonder will help you decide between the black cocktail dress or the pink princess coat.