Fashion's Night Out 2011

Fashion's Night Out is one week from today (September 8th for those of us who started their weekend early).

Whenever I'm not sure what to wear to one of these things - I always look to the past.  How was I so sure flared jeans were coming back?  OH, BECAUSE THEY HAPPENED 20 YEARS AGO!  It's that simple kittens.  Just research what was happening 20 years ago and you too, can be a fashion maven.



I GUARANTEE if you wear anything like the frocks in this video, ladies will be eyeballing you like Don Draper in no time.

Now, I've gotta go hem this dress before I wear it today.. Seriously...

loveyoumeanit

Emily

Your Curator

So, I am currently doing some stylist work for a non-profit in the North Bay.  As part of this job - I'm seeking out eco-fashion companies that are creating fashion-forward pieces.  I have been pleasantly surprised by the large number of designers just in the Bay Area!

One of my favorite discoveries is Curator (formerly She-Bible).  I had heard of She-Bible before but I didn't realize that they used almost all organic fabrics!  Um hi, bonus!  Not only do I LOVE the whole of their S/S 11 collection - they are super sweet nice people too!

 

Predominately a classic collection with a 70s edge, these ladies are on it.  Every - single - thing in their collection is what I currently want to wear.  Wander yourself down to Church Street in SF and go to their boutique.  LOVE the bag.  LOVE the shoes.  LOVE the whole thing...

loveyoumeanit,

Emily

Happy Pride Weekend!

Happy Pride Weekend everyone!

Here is another person who loves San Francisco - more than pretty much anyone humanly can:

Scott Weaver's Rolling through the Bay from The Tinkering Studio on Vimeo.

Love you, mean it

Emily

xLevisx

Check out Aylin Beyce's Bernal Heights pad:

Aylin is the collaboration designer for Levis in SF.  She's the one who is responsible for all the Opening Ceremony x Levis designs we are all coveting..  Or is it just me?

Anyway, how does one get such a cool job?

If you find out --- SIGN ME UP.  Cause mama needs a new pair of platforms!

Love you,
Mean it
Emily

post via Refinery 29 SF

Happy Birthday to Me!

I've been avoiding walking into this shop next my my daily haunt because I knew that my bank account would suffer if I were to even browse. But as it happens every year, I need to find myself a beautiful birthday dress and determined to find one to feel comfortable wearing again seeing as though last years dress was quite memorable and it had to sit and wait for it to be forgotten (which is hard considering there were photos... woops!)

My point: I found the most beautiful dress; it fits perfectly and makes me feel like a princess...a very sophisticated princess. The shop is ADORABLE and the woman helping me (Gwen?) was on point and encouraging without being pushy. I've also had great conversations with one/the owner, Jennifer; I love her approach to business and her ability to enjoy each step in the process.

Their online shop doesn't quite do them justice, but here are some photos:

love you, mean it.

barton

NooWorks
395 Valencia Street @ 15th
San Francisco

Deep in September

Can't wait betch:

LOVE you, mean it

Emily

P.S. See you Sunday?

Something's Hiding in Here pt. II

Miss Barton mentioned them before but I thought their recent product was more than note-worthy. For those of you who don't remember these adorable blokes they were mentioned in an article in ReadyMade (before that magazine went teets up) and they are a featured seller at the Curiosity Shoppe in San Francisco.

So after creating the infamous "mustache on a stick" they are back with neato burrito bow-ties! And to know me, is to know I love bow-ties. Don't get me wrong here - I love them on dudes BUT I also love wearing them myself. And I have been in the market for a good one for a while now. I may even have to mosey myself down to the Mission and snag one of these puppies. If I don't get to snag one here first!

Love you, mean it

Emily

Mission Street Food Tonight

Mission Street Food has heard your cries fellow vegans!

Tonight they will be featuring a 100% vegan menu. All proceeds are going to the Western Addition Senior Center. Because what goes better with vegans than seniors?

Find more info here. I will not be attending sadly. So eat a smoky eggplant tostada for me!



Love you, mean it

Emily

The Weekend Forecast

Thread: "a curated showcase of the best emerging, trend forecasting, style breaking, genre bending fashion designers, and the music and art that rock their world. A dynamic one day retail environment, bringing new fashion and art to more than 20,000 fashion savvy, trend pushing, music loving, taste making movers and shakers, all keen to get first dibs on what drops next in the emerging fashion designer world." 

Yes, please!

RSVP by Friday at noon and its $8 ($10 at the door). 7x7 has given us 7 reasons why we all should go, so I can stop yammering about how great its going to be. 

11am-6pm. I'm going Sunday!

Love you, mean it.

Barton

Bondage A-Go-Go

All things bondage, leather, cut-out and studded seem to be making their way into Fall fashions. You may recall the obvies connections that CAG made from a while back. Here are some hand-picked looks for the tough gals of autumn:

This look is bondagey while still maintaining its sweetness. This shirred-sleeve dress by Givenchy is worn by San Francisco's own Vanessa Traina and borrowed from a blog called Rackk and Ruin.

For a similar look to fit the budget try this H&M jumper with the straps crossed frontwards instead of backwards.

If you've got some extra duckets you may want to toss them at these beauties featured in the September issue of Elle:

Killer cut-out stilettos by Jil Sander, Gucci and Devi Kroell respectively.

If you can't currently break into your piggy-bank but you still crave the fall look, try these lifts by Urban Outfitters:

Above studded sallies by Deena & Ozzy. Below punctured patties by Sam Edelman (man, do I LOVE me some Sam).

Lastly, I would like to mention a little lady named Kimberly Ovitz, who has been tragically vacant from this blog as-of-yet. Kimberly enjoys the simple pleasures in life. Namely, black and white ensembles.

Kimberly is a minimalist from LA whose line carries accolades from names like Chlöe Sevigny, Alexis Bledel, Olivia Wilde and Elle magazine to name a few. She's also younger than me - bitch. This perfect fall cut-out dress named "Maxine" is available on shopbop. It belongs to Ovitz's Fall 09 collection which you can check out here.

CAG over and out, hoping you find the S&M in you this autumn.

Love you, mean it

Emily

Currently listening to "Eusebio" by Giulia y los Tellarini.

P.S. The Deena & Ozzys featured above are VEGAN :) Just a little FY-Izzle...

way to go on the go

Oh. How I love a good Taco Truck. What would I do after too much sparkling wine or one too many dirty martinis without a good corn tortilla, beans, some meat (sorry, Em) and avocado?? Since I have moved to the Mission, I have been feeling a bit, well, sick of Mexican food. I know! I know! It doesn't get much better than a naturally gluten free Taco. So hear me out...

In my effort to find some new on-the-go eats, I've been doing some research and everyone and their mom is talking about street food, late night eating, and of course, how to get a bang for your buck.

Lets go back to the very beginning: the truck.

Opening a restaurant during a recession when the Venture Capitalists and bankers go into hibernation is nearly impossible and more often than not, people close their doors rather than open them. The next thought as of late has been buying a food truck and a getting a permit to sell food on the street. Oh! Ya! Seems easy. But it is still a difficult process. Permits. Permits. Laws. Parking. So why is with this trend? Why now? And who is jumping on the taco truck?

The local summer food festivals start are revolving around street food to embrace the trend.

In the next two weeks we've got:


(jump)

Some local favorites including Absinthe, and Ritual Coffee Roasters will be in attendance SF Street Food, and tons of local greats are going to convert themselves into street food vendors.

And then:



Eat Real, will reside in Oakland's Jack London Square and is brought to us by Anya Fernald the same person and coordinators as last year's successful Slow Food Nation. It seem contridictory that the one who was so heavily publicizing the importance of slow food is now putting together the antithesis. She says in an article in the SF Business Times by Sarah Duxbury, “Slow Food was always very limiting for me because I didn’t think the philosophy was very relevant for a lot of people,” said Fernald, "for whom changing the food supply is an explicit goal." And the article sums it all up by saying, "By nature, it tips toward the affordable, and it’s both convenient and fast."

A 7x7 article by Jessica Battilana wrote about these trends:

"At year’s end, when the food trend articles start rolling in, I suspect street food will top the list—thus far, carts, trucks and Twitter feeds have all but dominated the culinary landscape."

A weekly happening that is tipping the scales is Mission Street Food. Every Thursday a Mission District Chinese restaurant, Lung Shan Restaurant, is converted into a gourmet restaurant featuring a new chef and a new menu every week. The profits are donated to charities that focus on feeding the hungry.

This weeks menu provided by Fred Sassen of Farallon looks like this:

House Made Charcuterie: Spicy Coppa, Bresaola, Tuscan Salami. Served with home made ciabatta and Guiness Whole Grain Mustard - $8

Scallop Ceviche: lemon-cucumber granita, edamame puree, fresh tortilla - $8

Mediterrenean Octopus Confit: Shaved Garlic, Picked Thyme, Leccino Extra Virgin Olive Oil - $10

Dungeness Crab Roulade: Hass Avocado, Levain croutons, Tomato Vinaigrette - $11

Chili Braised Pork Cheeks: sweet creamed corn, marinated cherry tomatoes, piccolo fino basil - $7

Rare Beef Salad: aged prime angus ribeye, seared cherry tomato, wasabi creme fraiche, basil oil, yucca crouton, katsuobushi - $9

King Trumpet: mushroom, triple fried potato, garlic confit, and scallion sour cream on a homemade flatbread - $6

Fig-Vanilla Sundae: Vanilla Ice Cream with house made fig vinegar, black mission figs, candied almonds - $6

(umm... YUM!)

Those who are sitting tight with their budgets but seeking out ways to eat well and benefit their communities have supported these trends by default. The money, the timing and the mobility fit with how the world looks at the moment.

Even with the recession hubbub, those who want to express their art forms and share their love of food to all those who desire it (as well tap into a customer base who love a bit a mystery) are still finding creative, fun and lucrative ways to work.

love you, mean it.

Barton

APAture Runway III PHOTOS !!!

So Barton & I braved the muni system (it was soo late we took a cab) to bring you our favorites from the APAture Runway III show at the SOMArts Cultural Center in San Francisco.

I think it's safe to say our favorites were Amy M. Ho and the night's star: Battalion. Amy M. Ho had a refreshingly peculiar style that was purely for show (but in that good way). With medusa-like tentacles and outrageous hats (pictured below) Barton & I were impressed (if not by just the construction alone).

Amy M. Ho:

Our other favorite was the black & white punk-rock ballroom that was Battalion. It was tough & eco-friendly. Two things we like in our women ;) Most of the fabrics utilized were bamboo, recycled polyester, organic cotton blends and cruelty-free "peace silk" (Battalion).

"The goal of Battalion is to be the modern proveyor of green luxury. Each season, [the designers] spot out the most coveted trends and source the latest eco-friendly materials that are lifestyle enhancing and socially relevant. All of the products are designed with a perceptive eye, relentless taste and a mission to make our world a better place" (Battalion).

Battalion's Collection:




Also at the event was San Francisco's own Fashionist, an unbiast SF street style blog. We love her - even if she didn't take our pictures. :(

We had fun and promise to bring you more updates of the current Bay Area fashion scene as time & relevance allows.



Love you, mean it

Emily & Barton

APAture Runway III

APAture Runway III is the third annual fashion show of emerging Asian American designers.   IN SAN FRANCISCO.  Whaaaaaahhh??

The lineup includes:

Heather Guevarra (Gingerbread Clothing), Amy M. Ho, Faithy Leong, Jarvinia Li, I Shan Liou, Loretta K Nguyen (fiftyseven-thirtythree), Erica Varize (Evarize), Brian Yee (Bok Choy Apparel), and Shani Solomon (MXW).

All proceeds of this show benefit KSW's 11th Annual APAture, "a multidisciplinary arts festival of emerging Asian Pacific American artists, happening September 17-26" (Kearney Street Calendar).

Advance tickets are available here for $8.  Tickets are available at the door for $10-12 sliding scale.

APAture Runway III

Saturday, August 8th, 7:30pm - 10:30pm

SOMArts Cultural Center

934 Brannan St., SF

Barton, this is my formal invitation to you.  If you aren't my date to this I'm going to swallow some broken glass.

Love you, mean it (broken glass style)

Emily

Pride

In honor of Pride Weekend I'd like to talk about my favorite gay man.  He was number 15 in Out magazine's 2009 "50 Most Powerful Gay Men and Women in America" (wikipedia).  He got fired from Perry Ellis in the 90's for grungifying it.  And he has a tattoo of spongebob squarepants.  Can you guess yet?

MARC JACOBS!!!

The Marc Jacobs/Louis Vuitton documentary is one of the main catalists that brought me into a career change.  Not only does Marc Jacobs make fashion forward brilliant designs.  He cares about making the world a better place.  His company supports over 50 charity organizations.  His most recent endeavour was a scintillating campaign against skin cancer.  Showing that fashion is not only skin deep.

So in salute to pride week I just want to say: I'm gay for you Marc Jacobs.  I'm gay for you.

Love you, MEAN IT

Emily

And, as always, never vote against love.