jeanofalltrades

November 19, 2011 · 1:24 am

Visiting Pike Place Market

Sometimes my husband and I pretend we’re tourists and visit popular spots on Seattle that locals often forget about and visitors frequent. Pike place is a very touristy spot, but there’s enough fresh produce to keep residents happy too.

Pike Place Market is over 100 years old and is one of the oldest continually operating public markets in the country. It’s a large expanse of a building with several levels. Flinging fish might have put Pike Place on the map, but I usually skip that section of the market (or hold my nose as I run past). The wonderful flower stalls are more interesting to me.

You can always count on fresh, local produce when you visit Pike Place, but there are tons of artisans too. Whether you’re looking for a watercolor paintings, ceramics, jewelry or textiles, you’ll find it here. The main arcade has rows of vendors selling their wares. Downstairs, the permanent stores offer visitors everything from books to clothing.

The market sits on a hill overlooking Eliott Bay so it’s a great place for a photo-op. Across the water, you’ll see the shipyards, West Seattle and Alki Beach, and maybe even a passing ferry.

Seattleites are a bike-friendly bunch, and you’ll see just how many people cycle to the market when you pass by the make-shift bike racks on the railing near the market entrance.

The original Starbucks, opened in 1971, is right across from the market. It’s funny how long the lines are for an “original” brew. I can walk to at least two other Starbucks (and Seattle’s Best, Tully’s, and Peet’s, not to mention smaller shops like Cherry Street and Caffé Ladro), but this one started it all and I guess they think it’s worth the wait.

If you visit, don’t forget to walk along Post Alley. It is an alley, but it’s well-populated and safe, especially during the day. All along the alley are shops and other stops, like the Market Theater. There are restaurants too. We like to eat at The Pink Door and The Alibi Room, but there are many more places we have yet to try.

One of Seattle’s grossest attractions is in the alley too: The Wall of Gum. You wouldn’t think people would appreciate that, but they have their pictures taken in front of it (and contribute to it) all day long. Eww!

Finally, enjoy the sounds of Pike Place. From a capella gospel and bluegrass to blues and ragtime, buskers around the market add to the vibrant atmosphere with their songs and antics.

Jacket: Guess via thrifted
T-shirt: Old Navy
Scarf: DIY
Jeans: Citizens of Humanity
Shoes: John Fluevog

What are the best tourist spots in your city? Do you frequent them or do you leave that for the visitors?

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Filed under Architecture, Art, Crafts, General

Tagged as Pike Place Market, Seattle, Starbucks

November 18, 2011 · 6:45 am

Black and Brown and…is that a cow?

“Why on earth is there a cow crossing sign in the middle of an urban shopping mall parking lot?” you might be thinking.

It’s a little way to have fun with electrical equipment. The clever mall designers camouflaged some sort of high voltage electrical box with a cow pattern. So naturally they’d need a cow crossing sign. The best part is that when you walk past the “cow,” it moos!

Dress: Una
Cardigan: Thrifted
Belt: Forever 21
Boots: Bass

But enough about bovines. I’m wearing my Una dress today and I’ve used it to show that black and brown can go together, even though they’re not often seen side-by-side.

When I bought this dress at Velouria this past summer, I had the pleasure of meeting Susan, the designer. I told her I would wear this dress with brown as soon as fall is here. So here I am, in fall, with my chocolate and ebony combo.

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Filed under Fashion

Tagged as boots, dress, fashion, style, Una

November 17, 2011 · 6:23 am

Thrifty Thursday: Clothing Swap

Clothing swaps are a fun way to freshen up your wardrobe without paying a dime. I’ve been to—and hosted—several over the years and I’ve always scored great clothes. Last week, my friend Andrea invited me to her friend’s clothing exchange. Here’s what happened:

I arrived at Jen’s house and was one of the first on the scene. Jen was welcoming and warm. I gave her a couple of bags of my gently used clothing and introduced myself to the other women. I sipped on a glass of champagne while I chatted and nibbled on snacks.

One by one women arrived and set their clothes into organized piles in the living room. Shirts were on the credenza, pants on the sofa, and skirts and dresses on the dining table.

stacks of shirts

Finally, about ten of us were there and we were ready to dig in. Unlike the mad rush at a blowout sale, we were all friendly and polite. No one got hurt! If someone was reaching for an item, the others let her have it. It was a fun and supportive event.

piles of skirts

We were a roomful of women so we tried on items together. Jen had thoughtfully placed a couple of full-length mirrors around the room so we could make good decisions. We got feedback from the other swappers and if an item didn’t work out, there was someone else willing to try it on.

We brought clothes to give away because we’d lost a bit of weight (or gained some), grown tired of an item, or had buyer’s remorse and never worn an item. We ranged from size 4 to 12, from 5′ 2″ to 5′ 11″ yet somehow we all found wonderful clothes that fit.

Here’s an example: This gorgeous, winter white, Calvin Klein topper was a bit too long for Cynthia and she didn’t like the way it fit across the shoulders. She hadn’t worn it as often as she’d hoped. Well, Andrea took one look at it and knew it was meant to be.

Wouldn’t you agree? The jacket looks like it was custom-made for her. Cynthia was happy to see her beloved coat go to a good home, and Andrea scored a classic, three-season jacket.

I ended up with two bags of clothing. I didn’t downsize, but I have a new winter wardrobe, thanks to Andrea’s invitation, Jen’s hospitality, and the generosity of the guests. A lot of the clothes went home with new owners; the rest is on its way to Goodwill.

Some places hold large swap meets, but I’ve never been to that kind. I’ve been to a lot of intimate clothing exchanges, and here are my tips for a successful event:

Guests, don’t forget to RSVP (that means reply with a yes or a no) so your host can prepare accordingly.
Bring as little or as much as you want to get rid of, but don’t worry if you’re taking more than you bring. Others will probably bring more than they take. It all evens out.
Swap gently worn items only and leave items with holes or stains at home.
Shoes, purses, belts, hats, and costume jewelry are also great to swap (plus, with the exception of shoes, accessories will fit almost anyone).
Don’t fight over the goods! Remember that you wouldn’t have had any of the items if you hadn’t been invited. And you won’t get invited back it you don’t play fair.
Gather up and try on a few pieces at a time. Keep what you like, and return the rest promptly so others can discover them.
Wear something that’s easy to slip in and out of and make sure you have on decent underwear. I wear boy shorts and a full-coverage bra so I don’t feel quite so undressed.
Hosts, set aside a bathroom or bedroom for shy guests. Not everyone is comfortable changing in a group environment.
If you host a co-ed clothing exchange (I’ve been to one), it’s best to set men’s stuff up in one room and women’s in another. Most people don’t want to sort through clothes they won’t wear. Plus, I’m not aware of too many people who want to try on clothes in mixed company.
Thank your host by bringing a bottle of wine or offering to drop off the leftover clothes at a donation center for her.

Have you been to or hosted a clothing exchange? What’s your favorite find? What’s your best tip?

3 Comments

Filed under Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as clothing exchange, clothing swap, fashion, style, thrifty fashion

November 16, 2011 · 6:38 am

Pea Green, Wedge-Heeled Boots

Whoo-hoo! What a score. I was at Labels recently, and grabbed this awesome pair of pea green, slouchy wedge boots.

I have a few ideas in mind for how to wear these, but the first thing I wanted to do when I brought these home was wear them with my Jojovich-Hawk dress.

Dress: Jojovich-Hawk for Target
Belt: Forever 21
Tights: Nordstrom
Boots: Monkey Love via Labels

Labels is a consignment shop in Seattle’s Phinney Ridge neighborhood. They have an excellent selection of women’s (and kid’s) clothing and accessories. I’ve found Coach bags, Michael Stars shirts, and Kenneth Cole coats at Labels. Not to mention great jewelry and belts.

I wouldn’t have spent a lot of a pair of boots this color, but when thrifted, I can justify it. They didn’t cost much and the risk is low. Worst case, they’ll be donated in the future. But not until I wear them with skinny jeans, leggings and a tunic, a brown dress, a red skirt…

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Filed under Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as boots, dress, fashion, style, thrifty fashion

November 15, 2011 · 6:45 am

Street Style: Bright Tights and Over-the-Knee Boots

When I ran into Elly wearing this awesome patterned dress, bright tights, and over-the-knee boots, I just had to take her picture. Luckily, she didn’t mind.

What’s weirdly coincidental is that on this very day, I was also wearing a light-colored, patterned dress, bright tights, and tall boots. There was something in the air, I guess. Or perhaps we both got the memo.

The boho-inspired dress is fantastic, with it’s grape-y and wine-hued designs. I’m glad she chose bold tights too. It adds just the right amount of punch. And the boots! It’s hard to pull off the over-the-knee look. Sometimes it can be too sexy. But Elly bought a pair with a cute wedge heel. They’re really fun yet still appropriate for work.

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Filed under Fashion, Street Style

Tagged as bright tights, dress, fashion, over-the-knee boots, purple tights, street style, style

November 14, 2011 · 6:34 am

Playing with Texture: Metallic and Velvet

Talk about rule-breaking! I’ve gone out on a limb with this fun get-up and I don’t regret it. I saw these silver boots online and thought, “why not?” They’re comfortable and futuristic. I threw on my purple velvet shorts again. (I have to prove that the purchase wasn’t a bad idea, and it isn’t. I just want to wear these often enough to get the cost-per-wear low enough to justify the impulse.)

Blazer: Smart Set via Goodwill
Tank: Gifted
Shorts: Lulu’s
Belt: Target
Tights: Target
Socks: Sock Dreams
Boots: Dirty Laundry

The blazer pulls the outfit together. It’s still crazy, but I feel really cutting-edge wearing this. I love the color of the shorts and find the shades of gray tones things down a bit.

I grabbed this tank out of my tank drawer and thought it added the right pop of light-and-bright. I wore this out with my crafting friends, but I’d wear it almost anywhere: shopping, the movies, sightseeing. It’s versatile and relaxed but more interesting than jeans and a T.

Do you wear unorthodox outfits? What’s a fashion risk you’ve taken lately?

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Filed under Fashion

Tagged as blazer, fashion, shorts, style, thrifty fashion, tights, vegan boots, velvet

November 13, 2011 · 7:45 am

Dress Up, Dress Down: A Change of Pants

I recently wore wide-legged pants to work with a corduroy blazer. Later, when going out to meet friends, I wanted to look a bit more casual, so I switched pants. It’s amazing how one simple change can alter the whole look of an outfit.

Here’s the dressed-for-work version:

Blazer: Thrifted
Tank: Papaya
Scarf: DIY
Belt: Forever 21
Pants: People Love Frank via thrifted
Shoes: Payless

And here’s what I wore out with friends:

Blazer: Thrifted
Tank: Papaya
Belt: Forever 21
Jeans: GLO via swapped
Shoes: Payless
Clutch: Shiraleah

I added the scarf for work because the tank was a bit low-cut. I also carried a Shiraleah clutch so I could stash away my keys and phone. I like how the slingbacks look like boots with long, bootcut pants (as long as I’m standing up).

So before buying new boots, have a look at your shoes. Can you wear a dress shoe with casual pants? Perhaps wearing socks with a slingback is unorthodox, but it was my little secret. I’ve doubled my shoe wardrobe, in one fell swoop!

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Filed under Dress Up Dress Down, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as blazer, fashion, style, thrifty fashion

November 12, 2011 · 7:14 am

Leather-look Leggings

This past summer I found a pair of Kensie leggings deeply discounted. I bought them, mainly because I loved the tough faux leather patches on the thighs. I wasn’t about to wear black leggings in the heat of summer so I stashed these away for a rainy day.

As you may know, Seattle has no shortage of rainy days. So for my pleather patch legging debut, I paired these with a long (always long with leggings, please!) gray sweater and black boots.

leather look

Sweater: Ross Dress for Less
Leggings: Kensie
Tank: Wet seal
Boots: Wanted
Cuff: Greenbelts
Bag: Snap Design

I brightened up the look with a hot pink tank and sunny yellow tote. The tote is also faux leather, making it rain-proof and animal-friendly.

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Filed under Fashion

Tagged as boots, fashion, leggings, pleather, style, vegan

November 11, 2011 · 7:13 am

Remembering Lora Herrmann

Lora Maria Herrmann Czech isn’t a household name. Still, she was well-loved and is missed by her friends and family. She passed away ten years ago today. The time since her death seems to have gone by so quickly. It’s weird to think that for a quarter of my life, she’s been gone. She was a big influence on me.

See, I was her first grandchild. She adored all three of us and was a big part of our lives. She lived in the apartment next door, and later, when my parents bought a house, in a house of her own a few miles away. To me, she was Oma.

Oma was born on August 9, 1926 near Stuttgart, Germany. She went to went to modelling school and also earned a diploma that qualified her as a cosmetician, esthetician and hair dresser.

When she immigrated to Canada in the spring of ’57 she opened her own beauty parlour in Toronto. It was so successful that her husband decided to open a shop too! After several years as an entrepreneur she developed an allergy to the dyes and perm solutions she was exposed to in the salon.

She switched careers and worked at Holt Renfrew and Eaton’s in retail fashion, all while raising her two kids (my mom and uncle). Her flair for fashion and love of style made an impression on me. Some of my earliest memories are me in Oma’s apartment, wearing her shoes. She was only a size 6, but I was a kid, and those were big shoes to fill.

Oma and Trudy in Stuttgart

Working in high-end fashion gave Oma the opportunity to collect wonderful clothes by famous designers. She taught me about Missoni, Pucci, Diane von Furstenberg, and Prada (I wrote about Oma’s hand-me-downs a few weeks ago).

Oma had style and grace. She helped me dye my hair a perfect shade of blonde when I was in high school. Nothing brassy, nothing ashy. Something between honey and wheat. What a skill!

Mom and Oma

Oma loved music and art, and filled her home with both. I remember visiting her when I was in university. I was too poor for cable so she let me watch MTV during dinner. When “Kiss” by Prince came on, I panicked. What would she think? He was dancing in “questionable” clothes. Oma looked at his outfit and approved. “Wonderful flared pants,” she said. “And can he ever dance in heels!”

Oma wasn’t a gambling woman but she made one bet with me—and won. In the ’80s I wore skinny jeans. Oma liked the universally flattering silhouette of a flare (hence her appreciation of Prince). I hated flares and swore I’d never wear them. She told me everything comes back in style after a time and that one day I would wear them. “Twenty bucks says I never do.” I replied.

Oma and Jean

Fast forward to the mid-90s, when retro-70s was in. I arrived at Oma’s place wearing denim bell bottoms. “You owe me twenty dollars,” she said. She made me pay up. She was a woman of her word and made sure I was too.

In my youth, I’d never have guessed how much Oma shaped me. I’ve focused on fashion in this post because fashion was a big part of her life and this is, after all, a style blog. But in so many ways, I’m who I am because of her. So even though she’s gone, her wisdom, style, and influence lives on.

Lora Maria Herrmann
9-9-1926 — 11-11-2001

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Filed under Fashion, General

Tagged as fashion, Lora Herrmann, memorials, remembering, style

November 10, 2011 · 6:48 am

Thrifty Thursday: Head to Toe Menswear

Today’s Thrifty Thursday features a special guest: My dad. You could say my dad’s always been ~~tight~~ careful with money. My mom says it’s because he’s Scottish and frugality is in his genes. Well he must have passed them onto me because I also love a good bargain.

My dad loves the thrill of the treasure hunt and the chance to find a gem. We recently talked about some of his finds and he promised to send photos of his head-to-toe thrifted looks.

In this first photo, my dad managed to get a complete outfit for $38. The pants are Diesel and are made in Italy.

Velour jacket: Gap ($15)
Top: Billabong ($6)
Jeans: Diesel ($14)
Shoes: Route 66 ($3)

My dad really appreciates quality and workmanship. His Izod shirt was made in Australia. Dad’s never been a slave to brand names but he likes classic, quality pieces. Dressing well makes him stand a little taller and walk a little prouder.

Jacket: Tommy Hilfiger ($15)
Pullover: Izod ($6)
Jeans: Hugo Boss ($15)
Shoes: Lugz ($20)

This final outfit was mostly new, meaning that the tags were still on the articles. He got all the pieces for less than $60. That’s probably 1/3 of the price of the Banana Republic jacket. The shoes alone would have been $300.

Jacket: Banana republic ($20)
Top: Point Zero ($6)
Pants: Hugo Boss ($14)
Shoes: Mephisto ($14)

My dad will scour the clearance racks at department stores for drastically reduced new items, but he’s also a fan of Value Village, Goodwill, Salvation Army, and smaller, local thrift shops. Garage sales are not off-limit either. It might take a while to find the perfect items, but that’s part of the fun. And the work pays off, as you can see by the end result.

Is thrifting a family tradition in your household? Have you convinced someone to try bargain hunting or are you alone in your quest for the perfect $3 pants?