conscious style - righteous fur & pest control.

Environmental causes have always been near and dear to my heart.  Growing up with an awareness of the plants and animals around me, and an environmentally-conscious mom, I've always paid attention to the landscape and our impact on it.

I've been noticing a ton of "invasive species" lately where I live, non-native plants are taking over the landscape, choking out the native wildflowers.  The Japanese knotweed in my yard is terrible.  Chemicals are the only sure fire way to get rid of it, and since it's very close to the water, I am hesitant to do so. A tough, resilient, bamboo-like plant, I keep cutting it down, but it keeps growing back.  I've been thinking about hiring a herd of goats to come in and mow it down....

invasive Japanese knotweed, taking over the landscape.

native milkweed, which becomes a habitat for butterflies like the monarch. it used to grow in abundance along the landscape, but is slowly being choked out or destroyed by over-zealous landscaping.

Recently, I read about the organization "Righteous Fur", which deals with the nutria, an invasive beaver-like mammal destroying the wetlands of Louisiana,  in a unique and interesting way....

image, righteousfur.com

Yep. You guessed it.  Nutria tooth pendants, furs, and hats....

righteousfur.com

French accessory designer, Monika Jarosz, also takes a similar approach with a highly poisonous invasive species of toad, introduced to Oceania from South America.  A "non-protected species", animal advocates have recommended it be controlled and eliminated.  The designer has recycled its skin into bags, bracelets, even belts...talk about a "conversation piece!"

http://www.kobja.com/

http://www.kobja.com/

Wearing fur or using animal products for fashion has always been considered something of a taboo in the past.  It caused the extinction or near-extinction of species, from beavers to birds, all for the sake of being fashionable and looking good.

It's interesting to me to see it now being used in the complete opposite of ways. It raises awareness of human impact on the ecosystem.  It shows how we cause great damage and harm to native plants and animals by mistakenly introducing non-native species into the environment. What do you think of this new trend? Ready to wear it or completely against it? I'd be curious to know.

Want to learn more about invasive plants? http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/main.shtml

Check out Righteous Fur's Design and Jewelry Collective here: http://www.righteousfur.com/

Learn more about Monika Jarosz and her work here: http://www.kobja.com/histoire-ethique

Inspiration - Carolin Holzhuber & Surrealism.

When I first saw the work of designer Carolin Holzhuber, I had to know more. A pair of shoes fused with another pair of shoes? Wait, what?!  Can those actually be worn either way? I'm still not sure of the answer, but my guess is "yes."

photography, Thuy Pham

photography, Thuy Pham

I did some "research" (read: google) Carolin Holzhuber and found that that the Vienna and London-based designer "takes something that normally creates aversions and transforms it into aesthetical objects" according to notjustalabel.com, a website that supports "pioneers in contemporary fashion."  If you haven't ever explored this site, I strongly suggest you check it out.  It's a wealth of information and a great gateway to discover emerging talent.

photography, Thuy Pham

These pieces remind me of another favorite Surrealist/Dadaist artist and sculptor, Meret Oppenheim.  The artist presents with un-usable, impossible objects full of internal contradictions.  Many of her works incorporate found objects wrapped, bound, or fused with conflicting materials.

The concept of blurring the line between style and art is very dear to my heart. I love when things are out of balance, exaggerated, and cause you to look twice.  Carolin Holzhuber takes her inspiration from "mirroring, reflection, and conjoined twins."  It is quietly in-your-face, subtle yet powerful, and can't be ignored.

http://carolin.holzhuber.at/carolin_holzhuber.html

DIY fashion box - Collage/Decoupage.

So, I finally finished a DIY that I feel comfortable sharing with the Interwebz.

I made this box for my good friend for Christmas, and placed some goodies inside...it was an old wooden cigar box I found at an antique shop and decided to cover it over with some images from this past year in fashion.  I just tore up or cut up a bunch of old fashion magazines, and kept it black and white to keep things a little more visually striking.

top view of box lid

i used pages from Vogue and some antique book pages

I actually decopaged the whole box first, then used a utility knife to slit open the box around the edges, it made for a very clean design.  

I love collage because it's very "user friendly", non-toxic, and usually yields a stunning result, even if you don't have a lot of artistic aptitude...just a cool way to personalize a gift.  Decoupage is a pretty ancient technique with a fascinating history.  The surrealists liked to play around with this too...

To make something like this, you'll need :

1)  a wooden, cardboard, or paper box

2) Mod Podge (a kind of glue/sealer/sticky thing) and clear Acrylic sealing spray

3) old magazines, old papers, gift wrap, candy wrappers, old letters or whatever you want to use for decorating your box

4) a cheap paintbrush or one of those spongy paintbrushes for applying the glue/Mod Podge

tips: 

-I coat both sides of the image before applying it to the box, with a thin layer of the Mod Podge ~ (then I use the paintbrush to coat the whole box with Mod Podge after I finish my design)

-I sometimes tear the pages/images instead of cutting with scissors for a more organic interesting texture 

-I use an old credit card/library card to gently smooth down the applied paper pieces, working from the center of the image out.

-After you're finished, let the box dry completely (it dries pretty fast tho I waited overnight), then spray apply the clear acrylic sealant to the entire box (I worked outside on a piece of newspaper with this, as it gets pretty smelly/sticky - also helps to hold the can of spray about 10-12 inches away from the box and let it fall over it like a "mist" using quick short bursts of spray)

Let me know what you think! And if you decide to do your own box, leave me a link in the comments, and as always, thank you for reading x

Hedi Slimane: Inspiration

A lot of people were upset when Hedi Slimane became the CD of YSL, and dropped the "Yves"... I wasn't sure what to expect at first but I have to say I think this is one of the most exciting pairings of new vision with a dyed-in-the-wool fashion house staple...I absolutely love what he's doing at Saint Laurent and also his photography...

pimp my.......BLOG??!?!!

pic of a roberto costa "maria zuerta" recycled necklace. genevievesweb.com

now, that's some serious BLING!!!!

since i began blogging, i realize my blog is not very flash-y, bloglovin-y, or full of  contests and giveaways...in time hopefully it will b all of those things...
wait,
let's have a contest right now: pimp my blog?! winner gets to be featured on this site and be shared with all my one follower(s)!!

(hmm. maybe better to wait on that. but seriously, if u wanna help me pimp my blog, drop me a comment! :D)

a designer who embodies "conscious style"...conscious of the environment, recycling, using what you have...brings me to today's post on the brilliant work of Roberto Costa, whose beautiful "Maria Zuerta" line of jewelry has me full of shopping lust.  each piece is crafted from recycled materials. this line breathes new life into jewelry by re-configuring old, un-used, cast-off pieces.

i discovered "Maria Zuerta" here, (and if you're not familiar with this boutique, please check it out if you're in/around NYC, it is amazing)

i'll be using this as inspiration for an upcoming line of jewelry i plan to develop: all one-of-a-kind pieces using recycled and found materials...it may take a while to gather them, but that's part of the process...

Harley-David, Son of A.....

my harley-davidson wallet from the 1970s-80s, given to me by someone very special.

ahh, the sounds of spring: singing birds, children laughing in the park , and the growl of a 750cc engine rumbling past my house...

recently, i have been really inspired by the look, feel, and idea of the "road-warrior" culture.  here, in my village, bikers are large, grizzly men in leather vests covered with patches.  many are veterans.  they ALL kick ass. (i want 2 get some photographs of a bike, but haven't felt that the moment is right yet....i am afraid i'll get caught in the act then have to actually explain what i am doing..."uhhh, i'm sorry, sir, i'll back away now, i was just taking really close up photos of your bike for my "blog"...yikes!) (anyway. i PROMISE soon i'll get some, no more chickening out)

studded vest, robin's jean. jacket, belstaff. cross earrings, modekungen.se, studded iPhone case, shopthetrend.com. rosary- dagger necklace, pamela love. sunglasses & ring, chrome hearts. satchel, belstaff. boots, harley-davidson.

so many designs these days are biker-culture inspired. leather, studs, spikes, and "distressed" fabric is everywhere, from alexander wang to zara. for me, it's always important to find authenticity closer to the source...(i too love spiked Litas, but i cannot imagine wearing them on a bike.)

the harley-davidson co. itself, designs and produces apparel.

one of my favorite accessory designers is chrome hearts. they manage to stay true to the original feeling and spirit of biker culture without losing their amazing sense of fashion and design.  (the company was started by a biker in the 1980s.) i have a chrome hearts necklace that i was lucky enough to find at the brooklyn flea. (whole 'nutha post...stay tuned.)

and, belstaff.  the english version of harley-davidson.  they have become really popular in the past few years.  a while back they did some work for j.crew.  i first found out about them in a small boutique in NYC's west village whose name now escapes me...(i was like "oh, that's a beautiful leather jacket"...then i checked out the price tag...whoa.)  i love their designs and, when i win the lottery, any of their pieces would be a truly worthwhile investment.

my chrome hearts necklace. photo by christina baute.

there's so much amazing cultural history involved in this trend, not only in the US but also abroad...so even though spring and summer are coming and pastel colors are everywhere (ugh. i'm really trying 2 b OK w/ this...)...don't b afraid to mix some leather, studs and spikes into the mix....and b ready to take that road trip !!!

the spirit of a dress.

one of the things i  LOVE about thrift shopping: sometimes i find a garment with a life of its own. i found this authentic bohemian dress at a Maine goodwill thrift store last year. i believe the dress is from the late 1970s-early 80s. i made the bone necklace this morning for the shoot. (will have to make it more permanent). my mom gave me this soup bone, just wrapped a chain around it.

(and, i finally decided on the neon pink
nail polish)

having fun running around in the woods with an iphone.(it is really hard 2 take good pics of yourself) hee hee, here is today's outfit: polo ralph lauren flannel, glitterypalm tree shirt and ombre scarf are from the local salvation army, boots from DKNY (old), and porcupine quill earrings from urban outfitters (got em on sale for $4.99). (though i saw a dead porcupine on the road, not too long ago and have not been brave/sick enough to go take its quills off :P)

Life's tough decisions.

nail polish from the ***dollar store***.  these colors all cost only $1!! (i am kind of a spaz when it comes to painting my own nails, so i can't make any designs yet. in brooklyn, the cashier at my local market had THE most incredible nails. wish i had taken some pics of her! i asked her once and she said that it took about 3-4 hours to have them done)

salvation army STYLE !

HAVING AN EYE:
OK. so ...
i realize many of us have ENDLESS good taste, style, and creativity (!!!) but we lack an ENDLESS suppy of $$$$$$$$$$. sometimes, even getting things on sale, or "for less" is not helpful or, even possible!!! being an artist by trade i am always trying to find ways to get around having NO cash. so, i'm starting this new tag "$0.99 store STYLE". i mean, this is REALLY tight budget, as in NO budget

---->i am a FAITHFUL THRIFT-SHOPPER  (my past two trips have been AMAZING, i have found a SONIA BY SONIA RYKIEL dress with THE TAGS STILL ON IT and what i believe to be, AN AUTHENTIC GUCCI BAG !!!)(see pics above--if anyone knows how 2 authenticate the bag, please, lemme know in comments)




Remeber my friends:: NEVER STOP LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION 'CUZ U NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU'LL FIND IT !!!!!