Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged fashion films, fashionable quotes, Manolo Blahnik, Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards, Rihanna, Rihanna quotes, Rihanna shoes for Manolo Blahnik, women's shoes on July 29, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Manolo Blahnik and Rihanna, still from the film Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards.
I love a shoe that can make another girl jealous.
Rihanna – pop singer and admirer of Manolo Blahnik shoes.
This quote is from the documentary Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards.
Rihanna has worked with the luxury shoe designer creating three limited edition lines. The last one in 2017 was called So Stoned and featured bejeweled strappy sandals.
Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged American Craft Council, American designers, Bela Monde, MakeShift, MoMurray, Nettle, San Francisco designers on July 24, 2019| Leave a Comment »
August is almost here and that means not long off is back to school, back to work, and a new season of fashions. Oh, and did someone say Christmas in July? How about The Holidays in August?
To get a head start on it all, my favorite outing is the American Craft Council Show at Fort Mason Center, August 2-4, 2019. This is our chance to check out high-end handmade items such as furniture, home décor, fashions, and jewelry. Think new for fall, think gifts, think one-of-a-kind.
The American Craft Council Show is the largest juried show west of the Rockies and one of a handful of shows across the country that highlight the best of the best in handcrafted works of art. Over 250 American artists gather at Fort Mason to display and sell their unique wares.
Laura Tanzer. Photo courtesy of ACC.
Among the array of new fashion designers this year is award winning Laura Tanzer from Tuscon, AZ. Laura designs simple silhouettes in natural fibers. She offers jackets, vests, tops and bottoms all USA made. With a commitment to sustainability, accessories such as scarves and handbags are made from remnant material. Check her out at booth #518.
Bela Monde. Photo courtesy of ACC.
Bela Monde by Lisa Limer is a lounge-wear line from Providence, RI. As a contributing photographer for Conde Nast, Lisa has traveled the world. It’s while experiencing new cultures that she gets inspiration for her designs. Made in USA from silk, each piece screams luxury. See for yourself at booth #303.
Nettle. Photo courtesy of ACC.
The local San Francisco line Nettle combines a little femininity with urban edge. Designers Alex Lunt and Lili Pham are committed to sustainable small batch collections, which means you won’t see yourself coming and going. I see some Asian influence in the unstructured silhouettes. Stop by booth #614-2
MakeShift. Photo courtesy of ACC.
MakeShift Accessories is Devin Johnson from Northfield, MN. Devin takes found metal objects and recycles them into new pieces such as money clips and bracelets. Find Devin in booth #420.
MoMurray. Photo courtesy of ACC.
Totes! Wallets! Pouches! Oakland resident Morgan Abbott from MoMurray makes them all from waxed canvas on a old industrial sewing machine. With added pockets and details like copper rivets and top-stitching, these bags are practical and stylish. Find MoMurray at booth #812.
These are just some of the impressive artisans featured at the ACC show. Additionally there will be events such as food and wine tasting, crafting with local artisans, and more.
The American Craft Council Show is at The Fort Mason Center, Festival Pavilion, Marina Boulevard at Buchanan Street, San Francisco. $14 one-day pass. Children 12 and under are free. Become a member of the American Craft Council and receive entry to ALL THREE days of the American Craft Council Show in San Francisco and a one-year subscription to American Craft magazine.
This is a summer event not to be missed!
Posted in Arts, Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged Black-ish, contemporary costume design, fashionable quotes, Michelle Cole, television costuming, The Costume Designer on July 22, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Photo: Julia Johnson.
I’m always photographing people, I always observe people when I’m traveling. Just looking at what a person has on is like looking at a piece of art to me. My parents are from the South, so I come from texture. I come from velvet at Christmas, seersucker and patent shoes at Easter, suede shoes in the fall.
Michelle Cole, Emmy-nominated costume designer. Currently she is the CD for the ABC television sitcom, Black-ish.
I want to hang out wherever Ms. Cole does! Where is she seeing these “piece of art” people?
This quote is from a Q&A with Ms. Cole from The Costume Designer: The Official Magazine of the Costume Designers Guild. The focus of the interview was contemporary costuming for television.
Posted in Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged cloche hat, fashion travel, street style, style in Sacramento, stylish hats, travel on July 17, 2019| 1 Comment »
Anyone sporting a stylish hat will catch my eye but to see a cloche is an extra treat.
What a nice ensemble for a hot summer afternoon in Sacramento. The shift dress looks comfortable and yet, it’s still an upgrade in a crowd of jeans and shorts. The patterned scarf adds a little pop to the dress. I like the black and white shoes, which coordinate with the scarf. I’d like them even more if they had a heel. As for the purse, to keep with the vintage vibe and color theme, a clutch in black or white (or black and white) would have been a better choice.
Of course it’s the stylish chapeau that tops the outfit just right and in spite of my observations, I think this woman looks delightful.
Hooray for ladies who wear hats!
Posted in Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged fashionable quotes, Linda Przybyszewski, The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish., Veronique Hyland on July 15, 2019| 2 Comments »
Adult attire by Dior, Fall 2019.
For so long, we’ve idolized Facetuned Instagram teens and off-duty models. The course correction is dressing up, looking like an adult, and incorporating a little mystery while we’re at it.
Veronique Hyland, fashion features director at Elle magazine.
Yes! But there’s a problem. No one knows anymore how to dress up or look like an adult.
I’m reminded of the book The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish (Basic Books, 2014). Written by Professor Linda Przybyszewski, The Lost Art of Dress tells the tale of The Dress Doctors, women who in the early 20th century taught Americans how to dress well through newspaper articles, radio broadcasts, and classes. There were rules – suitable attire for every occasion, from work to weddings. Then in the 1960s the whole idea of even being an adult, much less dress like one, was thrown out the window, and out too went the Dress Doctors and their advice.
Here we are today in a perpetual state of athleisure.
Posted in Arts, Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged costume awards, Costume Designers Guild, costumes, fashion shows, fashionable quotes, Glenn Close, The Costume Designer on July 8, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick and Glenn Close at the CDG awards ceremony. Photo: The Costume Designers Guild.
From the muslin prototype to the finished masterpiece, stitch by stitch, thought by thought, revelation by revelation. My characters would finally emerge.
Glenn Close, American film and stage actress.
Ms. Close was recently honored by the Costumer Designers Guild with the Spotlight Award.
This quote is from The Costume Designer, the official magazine of the Costumer Designers Guild.
It’s nice to see appreciation for costumers. Once, way back when I did costumes for community theater, a director said to me, “I don’t care if the actors go on stage naked.” That’s how little regard he had for the costumes in his show, which was always a puzzle to me. Really? Because the costumes set a visual tone not to mention help to create the characters. Oh well, at least his disinterest allowed me a lot of freedom and there was no pushback. No appreciation but no criticism. It could have been worse.
Congratulations to Glenn Close and all the winners of the CDGA.
Posted in Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, Vintage, tagged Fourth of July, holiday style, individual style, Jerry Garcia's top hat, top hats, vintage fashion on July 4, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Jerry Garcia’s vintage top hat, c.1969.
Let’s celebrate the freedom to sport our own individual style.
OverDressedforLife wishes one and all a happy and safe Independence Day!
Posted in Events, Fashion, Uncategorized, tagged designer brands, fashionable quotes, little girls wearing designer brands, retail store grand openings, San Francisco socialites, Ugg on July 1, 2019| 1 Comment »
My necklace is Tiffany. My jacket is Juicy Couture. My purse is Louis Vuitton and my shoes are Ugg.
Anonymous.
Picture an 8-year-old girl saying this to me, a reporter, at a store grand opening in Downtown San Francisco. The place is packed with slick well-clad people standing in clusters sipping champagne and saying “no” to the hors d’oeuvres offered on trays by silent waitstaff.
It was circa 2009 when I was covering such events for the Nob Hill Gazette and the now defunct 944 magazine A media savvy mother introduced her daughter to me and the youngster immediately launched into her spiel in a sign-song little voice that still rings in my ears. I didn’t even have the chance to say hello. This fashionista knew what to say and do. After listing the brands she struck a pose. Hand on waist, head tilted and sporting a wide grin she stood as still as a stone sculpture waiting for me to take her photo.
My first thought was – a little girl is carrying a Louis Vuitton?! Wearing the wardrobe and speaking the speak of a grown woman, she was at once charming and surreal.
This is just one of many memorable experiences I had during a two year period that I call The Fling, when, as a member of the press I attended openings, parties, and other events hosted by SF socialites. It was a fun and a bewildering period of my writing life that left me with many an interesting story to tell. And a few not to tell.
OverDressed for Life 