|
|
|
What We Heart
We'll be posting a full Golden Globes review later in the day, but until then let's run down the best and most horrific fashions we saw on the runway last night. It's my personal opinion that only those who really take risks are doing it right — free gowns, free bling, so why not get a little creative? There's nothing less fun than a black dress at an awards show. Which is why I'm into the following three looks: I'll defend them thusly (special thanks to Buzzfeed's Just Jared for providing ample photos for judging purposes):
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| us, too! |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| maptote.com |
 |
| marketatthepiazza.com |
How is this different from the Piazza's flea market? Because this is an ongoing event, it provides a weekly space where local businesses can set up a shop, allowing online-only stores to entice passers-by without high rent constraints. More than 200 vendors will be hawking home goods, recycled items, crafts, cupcakes and antiques. And, of course, there will be fashion finds: Check out hair accessories from Lady Saint Couture, Philly Phaithful's sports apparel and ultra-swanky handbags from Elizabeth Bayu.We asked a handful of this weekend's vendors to share a bit about themselves and send over a few photos from their product line; jump on over to take a look at their bios.
Sat.-Sun., July 10-11, noon-7 p.m., free, Piazza at Schmidts, 1101 N. Second St., atthepiazza.com.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Collectors of pretty things, take note: Every Friday Monday, we're rounding up a what's-what of what we [heart], culled from the scores of design blogs, artist sites and Etsy treasuries we can't help but stalk on the regular.
In honor of the City Paper's Book Quarterly, which hit the stands on Thursday, we're dedicating this week's Coveted to all things bookish.
First up: Penguin Classics was wise to hire designer Coralie Bickford-Smith, who's created an ever-growing set of brightly colored, cloth-covered works of literature, from Pride and Prejudice (not the and Zombies variety) and The Odyssey to Alice in Wonderland and Treasure Island. They're even more gorgeous in person, and make for excellent, inexpensive gifts. Best of all, a handful of them are now available on Amazon. The only problem is that we want all of them, not just one. (Side note: Bickford-Smith also headed up a Boys' Adventure series — pictured, above — shouted out at Design Work Life.) $13.60 ($20 at Anthropologie), Amazon, spied first at designspongeonline.com.
We'd be remiss not to include The Black Spot Books in a book-centric shopping column, since a) its creator, Margaux Kent, is a Fishtowner; b) we've written about her in our DIY holiday gift guide; and c) her work is simply exquisite — even if you're not that into reading. We're not saying we can afford this one-of-a-kind, antique "books for the neck" piece, constructed of about 10 tiny leather-bound books. But single-book versions are much more manageable, and just as lovely. $325, The Black Spot Books via Etsy.
For those of you who'd rather write your own stories — or grocery lists, for that matter — we came across an eclectic collection of handmade notebooks on Portland, Ore.-based Habit of Art's site. We're particularly digging The Black Apple's critter-heavy three-pack notebook series (think girls and squirrels, whales and giant owls), all of which come printed with a cute little poem on the back: "A notebook is meant for thinking thoughts/ For making notes, for jotting jots./ So don't be stingy with the pages/ Or you'll have an empty notebook for ages!" $10, The Black Apple via Etsy, spied first at Habit of Art.
PREVIOUSLY >> COVETED: Bunnies, you are so hot right now
Collectors of pretty things, take note: Every Friday Monday, we're rounding up a what's-what of what we [heart], culled from the scores of design blogs, artist sites and Etsy treasuries we can't help but stalk on the regular.
Owls are so 2009, are we right? Spring got all official on us Saturday, and even though today's forecast calls for rain, we're living for tomorrow. And tomorrow, there are bunnies. We're seeing the little guys everywhere (Easter may have something to do with it), and we think it's high time Peter Cottontail and his cohorts bounce into the spotlight.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Where do we start? There are seriously a million bunnies to talk about today, so let's begin with Poppytalk Handmade's Celebrate Spring and Everything Hippity Hop (yes, that's what it's called) collection. We found four items that particularly sum up how we're feeling about spring: hoppy! (Sorry.) The images speak for themselves, and all images are linked right to the sites we found 'em. From left to right: Rabbit gift bag (set of 10), $8, Humunuku via etsy.com. Pink Fabric-Eared Bunny print, $20, Kiki and Polly via etsy.com. Peter Cottontail card, $4, Inkadinkadoodle via etsy.com. Corn Bandit mixed-media assemblage, $40, Amy Rice via artstreamstudios.com. All spied first at poppytalkhandmade.com.
Next up: The Storque, Etsy's handmade-goodies blog, is shouting out all things European this week, and nestled in a long list of transatlantic crafts we found this precious-slash-ghostly bunny sculpture from Belgium-based Art Mind. It's a bit pricey — especially when you add $14.50 to have it shipped to the U.S. — but it totally beats out every lame Easter decoration I've seen. Especially if you display it backside-front. $75, etsy.com/shop/ArtMind. Spied first at The Storque.
 |
Need a brighter bunny? Understandable. For a complete 180 from pallid bunny butts, check out SoCal designer Em and Sprout's line of sugar-sweet mary-janes. They're the same arch-support-less kind you could swipe from a bucket at Free People (do those still exist?), but way, way cuter with sweet, pastel embellishments. These yellow numbers, called Pink Lemonade, come in various sizes, and could totally work as summer slippers if you're not brave enough to bring them outside. $24, etsy.com/shop/emandsprout. Spied first at Mighty Goods.
Speaking of sweet: Australian artist MOZI has come out with a line of Girls Can Tell-reminiscent tea towels — and we'd be remiss not to include the Hot Cross Buns edition, complete with bunny drawings and complete, detailed recipe. Also on MOZI's agenda: Orange and Poppyseed Cake (orange) and Breakfast in Bed (pink). $19.95, mozi.com/au. Spied first at Poppytalk.
 |
PREVIOUSLY >> COVETED: That's a wrap
Two of my favorite design blogs, Design*Sponge and DesignWorkLife, pleasantly surprised me this morning with their (unrelated) posts on Pennsylvania designers whose work serves as an ode to Philly (and Lancaster, respectively).
 |
| theheadsofstate.myshopify.com |
First up is Design*Sponge's feature on Philly-based artist Dustin Summers, who's just released an eight-city series of travel posters called The Heads of State. All the usual suspects — NYC, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle — are there, but Summers would've been remiss not to include his own City of Brotherly Love, here represented by the requisite Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Think fast if you want one — it's a limited-edition run of 100 prints ($30 a pop), so hustle over to theheadsofstate.myshopify.com.
 |
| ikhoor.com |
Farther afield, Lancaster designer Daniel Kent got a shout-out on DesignWorkLife for his work in general, and his Love Lancaster series in particular. He's created everything from coasters and journals to love notes and rubber stamps, all of which serve to "unite the community of Lancaster." You'll have to go to Fig Central in downtown Lancaster to hook yourself up, but wouldn't this gorgeous weekend be the perfect time to head west?
RELATED >> WANT IT NEED IT: Ork Posters' Philly Screenprint
And when you head west to Lancaster, be sure to check out BUiLDiNG CHARACTER, Downtown Lancaster's Creative Outlet with 30+ vendors selling architectural salvage, recycled name-brand clothing, handmade jewelry, local art and gifts and so much more! http://www.BUiLDiNGCHARACTER.biz
New Hampshire-by-way-of Philly resident Robin McDowell has us wrapped around her little finger. First the UPenn fine arts grad popped up at Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (which happens to be our favorite First Friday hang) to present her February exhibit, "The Farm" (through March 21, AITA, 116 N. Third St., 215-922-2600, artintheage.com). And now, on her Ornament and Crime blog, there's this:
 |
| ornamentandcrime.blogspot.com |
| You're Gonna Have an Awesome Night. |
And this:
 |
| ornamentandcrime.blogspot.com |
| Sammi Won't Do the Dishes. |
Basically we're stalking her now, because how awesome are these prints? Meal Ticket master/CP Food+Web master/master of The Situation Drew Lazor wants one of these Surf + Turf numbers, like, NOW. Luckily for him they're only $12 on Etsy.
RELATED >> D-Bag Tries to Block Release of Jersey Shore DVDs
I bought one. I really did.
Back in 2007 when Deidre Wengen was a City Paper Web intern (or "Webtern," as we liked to call her, somewhat uncleverly), she spent her afternoons hunched over a slow-moving Mac, compiling listings and checking facts and formatting blog posts.
Which is why we're glad to see she's up to something more enjoyable these days: Putting her HTML skills to fashionable use, Wengen's launched Hinterland Vintage, a great go-to for romantic dresses, delicate jewelry, shoes and even antique kitchenware.
On her blog, Wengen explains what drew her to the "old and pretty" world of vintage:
When I was a little girl my parents used to drag me to antiques shops and scold me not to touch anything. I went kicking and screaming as a kid, but as I got older, I began to develop an appreciation for items with a history and a story. The clothing came next.
In high school, thrift stores were somewhat of a haven for me. I loved to hunt around in racks and racks of clothes, looking for that perfect piece. I began to shop vintage as a teenager and haven't stopped since.
With her collection of sharp suitjackets, pencil skirts and low pumps (all for sale on her accompanying Etsy shop), it all feels very Mad Men over there — especially since Wengen's shopping for women of all sizes, not just extra-extra-small.
But if you happen to fall into that teeny-tiny category, here's an item we're sweating but could never fit into ourselves, as described in her shop:
Beautiful golden yellow party dress ($54) from the 1950s or early 1960s. It has a great cut with a fitted bodice and a full skirt. Lovely bow details on the straps. Pleats and darts give it a nice structred look. No material or maker tags, so it looks like this was handmade. The material is somewhat stiff and has a kind of taffeta-feel to it. Has a nice sheen to the fabric as well. Will best fit a size extra small.
Keep up the good thrifting, Deidre, and let us know when you find a dress like that in a size 8. Thanks.
- Activism
- Arts
- Arts Events
- Books
- Dance
- First Person Fest
- Last Chance
- Museum
- On the Fringe
- Philly Artists
- The Curator
- Theater
- Visual Art
- Arts News
- Artist Profile
- Arts Preview
- Street Art
- Been There, Done That
- Big Ups
- Comedy
- LOL With It
- Stand-up
- Critical Mass
- DVD
- Events
- Friday Fill-in
- Ice Cubes
- In Memoriam
- Interview
- Just Do It
- Just Opened
- Kaleidoscopic
- LGBTQ
- Art Phag
- Mailbag
- Movies
- Film Fest
- Movie Review
- On set
- Scenester
- screening
- trailer!
- Music
- 10 Track Mind
- Album
- Album Review
- Concert Review
- DJs
- Local Support
- Now Hear This
- One Track Mind
- Philly Bands
- Show
- Somebody Else Was There
- Song
- The Showdown
- concert photos
- jazz
- DJ Nights Blogged
- Night Watch
- Now See This
- Poetic License
- Printed Matter
- Radio
- Shopping
- Coveted
- Fashion
- What We Heart
- TV
- 24
- Idol Hands
- Mad Men
- ProjRun
- True Blood
- Useless Lost Recaps
- Couch Potato
- Shore Trash
- Turned ONN
- TopMod
- Video Games
- Free Online Game
- PSP
- PlayStation 2
- The 1-Upper
- Wii
- Web Junk
- CAGE MATCH
- Free Online Toy
- Weekend Omnibus
- Win
