Pretty in (Knitted) Punk

Interesting read from the LA Times, excerpt below:
Rocker chic goes warm and fuzzy

Pretty in Punk: 25 Punk, Rock and Goth Knitting Projects' offers rocker style with all the expertise of Grandma.
By Amy Scattergood, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
September 23, 2007

THE next time you're in search of a knitting project, ask not what Grandma would have done, but what Sid would have knit. Sid Vicious, that is. "Pretty in Punk: 25 Punk, Rock and Goth Knitting Projects" is the first book from Alyce Benevides and Jaqueline Milles, New York designers and founders of Knit-Head, a "punk rock knitwear company."
Inspired by their love of '80s music, especially British Invasion punk and new wave, Benevides and Milles found success after they presented their signature knitted Mohawk hat to Depeche Mode singer Martin Gore, who wore it throughout the band's 2006 tour -- and doesn't seem to have taken it off since.

And if yarn Mohawks aren't your thing, the book features two dozen other inventive patterns with inspiration drawn from designers such as Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano and styles including Goth, Japanese "Lolita," and even some fetching retro preppy looks. Throw some military chic and S&M fetishism and you have a knitting book even Courtney Love could embrace.

But "Pretty in Punk" isn't just about style: It's a book with substance too. Clearly written, and filled with concise instructions, a good glossary and handy references, the book blends knowledge of fashion trends with old-school knitting know-how. The photography may be arty and the style allusions avant-garde, but the mechanics are as sturdy as any Elvis Presley-era knitting manual.



Personally, I think the arm warmers are excellent, Marc Jacobs features his own on his website.

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The LA Times continues to give excellent west-coast fashion coverage with the DIY scenesters.
Last week, they interviewed the designers behind Mike & Chris, who I mentioned about previously and even posted a link on how to make a DIY hoodie jacket.

Here's a link where they show you how to knit your own arm warmers here and if you're even more wickedly ambitious, a knitted corset here. The designers behind the book have their own website, Knit-Head.

Also, check out the LA Times coverage of stylish indie girls on the scene here

Design meets Casual

Thanks to Closet Therapy, I was introduced to Mike & Chris, a clothing label dedicated to "chic and street, resulting in a line that is both laid back yet put together." The designers scored a major hit with their structured hoodie jackets and have since branched into men and women's lines for 2007. What caught my eye was their Bailey hoodie(seen above). I love how they've cut and tailored the slummy hoodie jacket and turned it into something neat, crisp, and femme. I could wear this work and I am definitely planning to wear this to Seattle when I visit this fall. I'll look just as put-together getting into the plane as I will when I get off.
I refuse to wear a track/velour sweat suit at any point (hint, hint Britney Spears). The fact that its comfortable just makes my heart even more fonder. It retails for $308.




But the tale doesn't end here. Old Navy released their own take on Mike & Chris's hoodie jackets and for $28, I nabbed my own in black, the one shown below is on Old Navy's site. I'm digging the faster turnaround seen in major retailers ~ at this price, I won't feel so bad if something happens to my purchase. Win win for all of us.

Gifts for kids

As a design-conscious auntie, I knew I couldn't get any ol' kid toy for my soon-to-be three yr.old niece.
Fischerschool toys are so-so but I hate that limited pre-school color palette. Hello Kitty was fine but I wanted something a lil' different and quirky--you know, something that fits Auntie's style ^_^.
Since I'm a ferocious reader, I wanted to give the gifts of books to my smartie-pants niece, something different from the pile of kiddie DVDs she's gonna get from my mom. Lo and behold, I found Bossy Bear at my local Borders. It's illustrated and written by the co-creator of Ugly Dolls, David Horvath, and Bossy Bear is quite kawaii. I love his lil' red cape and crown. "Mine!" I chortled as I grabbed it off the shelf. I really almost want this book for myself.

Here's a lil plot snippet from Amazon: "Clearly a self-appointed king of any domain, this blue tyrant wearing a golden crown and a red cape has a to-do list that includes, "Do what I want. Take me where I want to go. HURRY UP!" Unsurprisingly, Bossy Bear's ways leave him all alone. An encounter with someone new—a patient, toothy turtle—leads to Bossy Bear's enlightenment."

If you visit Bossy Bear's site, you can download desktop wallpapers of him.

Champagne Tastes on a Beer Budget

Simplistic, elegant, and whimsical.
You know how you see some products that incite your inner child to scream, "Gimme, gimme, gimmee!" Well the Dior Oui ring does just that for me. I usually hate "word" designed products (hello, tacky word shirts) but for some reason, this French item is just the opposite, its quite chic. Made of white gold,the ring costs a pretty penny at $675 at Eluxury.

Brilliant, cute idea meets design/function

How cute and ingenius is this? Trunki transforms carryon luggage into a wheelable ride for the kiddies.
Do you know how hard it is to travel with little kids?! My sister would love this. The little ones can push themselves, walk it, or be tugged along via a strap. Bright, colorful, functional...talk about easing tired footsies. Plus, you can pack toys, books, etc. that you couldn't fit into your carryon. The children's product sector needs more smart designs like this. I love the color schemes of the products.
The British inventor, Rob Law, apparently pitched the idea to a reality inventor show and was turned down. Now who's laughing his way to the bank. Read that story here.

Summertime...

Please excuse my absence...I've been gearing up for a work convention so I've been in-and-out this week. So, expect things to resume back to normal next week when I have my relative sanity back.

Meantime, enjoy this graphic find I stumbled upon, Wintergarden, the extendable orgami flower card, made by Singaporean designers at gagatree. When the card is fully extended, it makes a beautiful display, perfect for hanging up in the office as decoration. How ingenius is that? Buy it in the States at Shopmodi for $9.90.

Kraftworks followup: Indie Designers & Etsy

This Saturday, I went to Kraftworks, the indie craftster fair, held at the Rag Trade Clothing Co.'s parking lot. Small and slightly disarrayed, Kraftworks would be a promising start to fostering a crafts community in Miami if it becomes an annual affair. I think that's a win-win if Kraftworks can manage to smooth out its rough edges, curate their selected vendors, and add in more artists. I also checked out Rag Trade Clothing Co. and met owner, Stephanie Spiegel.

I met some promising local designers at their booths and featured some photos below.
Beanblossom: Playful, vintagey, whimsical craft goods that showcase an eye for color and patterns. Who would have thought but she's on Etsy? Social networking exposure at its best. Check out her booth items at top and below, beanblossom and eclectica had one of the more interesting booth setups at the fair.





cheepcheep: Unapologetically feminine designs are featured on her Etsy page. See some of her wares down below from her Etsy page. I didn't get a snapshot of her booth so I had to find screengrabs of her goods. Perfect for accessorizing my playful librarian chic work-play clothes.




At Rag Trade Clothing Co., I and my friend scanned its selections. The boutique's selections were a bit of grab bag but definitely skewed toward a vintage/hipster vibe. The small room in the back housed original works by designers. My friend nabbed two graphic button-up shirts for a good deal. I definitely approve of trading clothes for cash concept, it's similar to Plato's Closet (in Fort Lauderdale) and Buffalo Exchange (in San Francisco). 'Bout time Miami gott something similar! We'll see how in the longrun the local natives will take to the concept.