Trapper Head Case

The Eastern Block has appeared on my trend radar in the form of the super warm Trapper Hat. Years ago, I designed a few variations for, er, someone and were a success.  I love these hats because they are super warm and practical... and now better looking than ever. Go ahead... indulge:

This Jean Paul Gaultier number will have heads turning, the color is so rich; the the whole hat is just irresistible and looks like it would be fun to wear.

That 70's Show of Class

When we think of the 1970's, Joan Collins usually is not the first person that pops into our minds; she is the one we regard as the epitome of 80's glamour and opulence.  The hats she wore as Alexis in Dynasty still invoke envy for many, but I digress... sort of. Only Joan Collins could take an applejack hat; the signature head-wear of impoverished newspaper boys, and turn it into fashion perfection of the 1970's. 

Haute Couture

Using the word couture loosely really pisses me off.  It really does.  There seems to be a disregard for the meaning of Haute Couture in modern fashion. 

Literal translation from french is "high dress making", so anything made in China and sold on the mass market is or should be, obviously, not labeled as couture. 

A little history:
Originally the term described the work of an Englishman, Charles Frederick Worth, who created and produced in Paris mid-nineteenth century.  Today, one has to be a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in order to apply the term to ones garments.  There are incredibly well defined rules of what it means to create a couture piece and only a few fashion houses in the world can do so.

Gowns by Charles Frederick Worth:

  To learn more about Charles Frederick Worth and see more photos of his beautiful couture dresses visit The Met Museum Website.

Lord of the Butterflies

Remember this Alexander McQueen hat? Of course you do. I can't get it out of my head, honestly! So much so that I have been searching for the perfect butterflies to call my own. I have a grand plan for the little beauties...

To Quote An Icon...

"i love the accessory for its sadomasochistic effect" -alexander mcqueen

Royal Heads

In case you missed it, here is a good picture summary of the hats and outfits from the Royal Wedding.  Did not read the article yet, but I live for photos, so it's my type of an article. I do have to post this photo of Victoria Beckham: the dress is great on her; will look like a choppy mu-mu on the rest of the population though. The hat is getting all the attention in this outfit, which I love... and the shoes; ode to Ginger Spice circa 90's [the heel is not nearly as chunky BUT the platform, so Spice World!]

Extra! Extra!

Straight out of BUST Magazine: DYI nail newsprint nail polish. Will try tomorrow, stay tuned for results.

Feather Earrings

As promised, here's more colors of the feather earrings!  If you'd like to purchase a pair, they're available for $15!

Electric Blue! 

Deep Purple!

The Hot Pink and Snow White Feather Earrings or the Bright Red Feather Earrings you saw me wearing at the wedding this passed weekend will also soon be up for sale!

Feather Earrings

I recently became obsessed with a new color, blood-orange, it's a vibrant beautiful hue and I started to buy all things orange... including some incredibly colored feathers.  I turned them into cocktail hats, hat trims and these fabulous earrings - such a simple concept!!! 

If you would like to purchase a pair, please email me: shynkah@gmail.com

Feathers and Flowers

Quick photo of a red feather and flower bridesmaid hair-piece I created for my own wedding. I love this photo, had to share!

The Cloche

This simple yet effective shape was dominant in the 1920's but originated in the early 1900's.  Caroline Reboux, a prominent french milliner, is credited for developing the beautiful and flattering cloche. This winter, it was back with a vengeance as the prime hat for the season and was available anywhere and everywhere; on 5th Avenue, local malls and even discount strip-mall stores.

The Hat Of Holmes!

Ahh, the hat that is synonymous with Sherlock Holmes, even though Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never described the character to be wearing one... perhaps that's why in his latest incarnation, wonderfully portrayed by Robert Downy Jr, he [Sherlock] is wearing the bowler, since a rural hat on London streets would be a major fashion offence, but I digress... 

The hat I have in mind is the 'Deerstalker' so called due to the fact that it was mostly worn by British gentlemen during outdoor activities such as hunting or ... deer stalking.

The brilliance of this hat is in it's unique signature design, the front and rear bill served to protect the face and neck, respectively, from sunburn, while the ear flaps tied up when not needed and tied down to protect from the cold. Checkered and twill patterns served as camouflage.

Back to the fashion savvy Holmes, indeed he would wear the Deerstalker hat, but in appropriate settings such as the country side or the woods or during a hunting outing. Never in the middle of London. The cartoon screen shot below is misleading, toon Holmes is committing major fashion faux pas but wearing that outfit on Baker Street.

At first glance the promo photograph below seems well styled, but no indeed, Holmes looks like he is going hunting and the fact that he is holding a magnifying glass makes him look ridiculous. The lady in the center and Watson are a bit mismatched as well but that is a whole other discussion... Let's stick to hats!

Fan Has A Language Of It's Own!

In the Victorian Era women had few rights and few freedoms, so in order to convey even a simple idea the ladies had to get creative, one of those methods was communication using the fan. Here are a few translations compiled by the Liberty Hall Museum in Union, NJ

I desire your acquaintance - Carry the fan in left hand in front of the face
Follow me - Carry the fan in right hand in front of the face
I wish to speak to you - Close fan
Wait for me - Open fan wide
You are too willing - Carry fan in right hand
Kiss me - Hold handle to lips
We are watched - Twirl fan in left hand
I love another - Twirl fan in the right hand
I love you - Draw fan across the cheek
You have changed - Draw fan across forehead 
I am sorry - Draw fan across the eyes
I hate you - Draw the fan through the hand
Do you love me - Present the fan closed
Yes - Rest fan on the right cheek
No - Rest the fan on the left cheek
I wish to get rid of you - Place fan on left ear
You are cruel - Open and shut fan several times
I am engaged - Fan very quickly
I am married - Fan slowly
We will be friends - Drop the fan

Magic Carpet

I sit among giant white binders of magazine clippings of "things I like"... yes, yes, I did organize them by industry, so handbags, hats, shoes, recipes, blah.. blah... blah.. the ones that interest me today are the ones labeled INTERIOR DESIGN. I am looking for that something, that umph, that magical pièce de résistance that will transform the living room into an amazing space and become the conversation piece in itself. 

.......................... and budget pending, I think I've got it! Federica Tondato! Her rugs are alive with motion and kinetic energy of the elements, a third dimension on a two dimensional surface. Brilliant! I really want one.

Bodysuits, Latex etc... Part 2

Eyelashes, those awesome fake ones that open up a whole new dimension of makeup. Anyone can get their hands on a great set, they range in price starting at $3 available at your local drug store, to the more elaborate ones from MAC. Just in case, here is a great tutorial on how to apply fake lashes.

With great makeup, comes great responsibility, big, fake lashes at school or office look ridiculous no matter how fabulous... remember that ladies and gents!  Can you imagine the situation at your next office meeting where one of your co-workers is wearing lashes like this:

 Mimi from "the Drew Carey Show" comes to mind. 

So let's keep these lashes where they belong: music videos, at a club, at all the parties, weddings and fashion pages.

And these lovely ones for the daytime.

Christina Aguilera upped the ante in the latest trend game by wearing these crazy lashes in her new music video.  Trends are important to a certain degree, years later they define a generation.  When we think of bell bottoms, the 70's come to mind along with disco, hippies, Vietnam and polyester. It is safe to say that a few years from now we will look back and one of the significant fads of the late 00's and early 10's will be this:

Spring Time is Here!

Bodysuits, Latex etc... Part 1

The etc... being above-the-knee boots, corsets, chains, bondage and hoods.  The leading ladies of pop are exposing their inner vixen, repeatedly.  Christina's, er, Xtina's new video "Not Myself Tonight" is the latest fabrication of the trend.

                                

The corset, in all it's forms, has been around for quite some time and historically had negative connotations for the female: restriction, constraint, control, body molding. Victorian women hated it but it was improper to not wear one. Thank gawd, corsets are no longer being made to squeeze the ribs permanently into a tiny waist and mutilate the body but instead, with the helping hand of couturiers [inspired by fetish costumes] and pop divas who love designer wombats, corsets have evolved into a sexy & fierce must-have item...

Rhianna and Lady Gaga brought the strange and unconventional to main stream in music, it's almost pedestrian now for a celebrity, but it might be some time before we see these worn by women on their way to work.

Various casual styles of corsets can be found on the pages of a magazine, including the newest Elle UK cover with Demi Moore looking fabulous.

We can't forget Victoria Beckhams' awesome corset worn promoting the Spice Girls Tour. I had to throw it in here, it's my personal favorite. I would wear it... but not to work.

Fergies heavy metal corset for the Viva Glam campaign and Madonna's re-Disco Days in lavender, the two extremes. 

1950's Apron - Part I

 

I found these pictures of 1950's aprons online and I am inspired to sew one up.  I'll be working from these pictures to create my own pattern.  If I like what I came up with, I will post the pattern on Burda.

Six days to go.

With all the packing, final exams, costume work and social events I added an extra deadline into the mix. On May 1st, my spring hair accessories will be available for purchase. Crazy? Yes!!! I am incredibly nervous, but I am more excited. Millinery is my passion and I want it to work for me, failure is not an option. Must... try... harder!

April 25th. Daisy clips are a go.

Just in Time for Spring

Whew! Barely made it with the head scarf samples. They are finally here and I love them all. Perfect for keeping hair up and out of the face during the warm spring and hot summer days. The fabrics selected for the collection range from edgy leopard prints, fresh floral prints and a red&white picnic checker - an homage to Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island.

Available for purchase 5/1, $5 and free shipping in the US. Here is a sneak peak: