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Articles from Spork Fashion

Quiet Hero: Not-So-Quietly Changing The World, One T-Shirt At a Time 2007-07-30 15:40:05 The owner of Quiet Hero clothing,Lee Selman, makes us all look bad. With a story that sounds like it jumped off the silver screen, Lee is promoting a holistic, organic lifestyle and helping children in war-torn countries - all while making you look good. Quiet Hero’s shirts have a lot going for them. The first and most obvious is the fabric. Lee was looking for a sustainable material, but organic cotton wasn’t good enough. She found a company making bamboo shirts in the States, using no sweatshop labor, and it was worth the extra searching. The 70% bamboo, 30% organic cotton blend was describe as being cashmere-soft. I didn’t believe it until I actually got my hands on one - and then I couldn’t keep my hands off it. I would venture to say I like it even better than cashmere (pick your jaw up off the floor). It is just as soft as cashmere, environmentally happy, and a fraction of the price. The shirt is longer than a regular tee, and has a slinky, body- ...

Trapped in the Closet 2007-07-26 19:57:34 My apologies for my recent disappearance. The clutter of our tiny apartment finally took over and swallowed me whole. I have been trapped in the closet for the last three days, under a mountain of paperwork, computer cables, old software, boxes, and a disturbing amount of dust, dirt, and grime. I was only just now able to find my way out and make it to my computer. A couple more days and all will be right with the world (well, with my apartment at least). After all, my apartment should be as fashionable as I am! Copyright © 2007 by Alyse Wax This feed is for personal use only. Any unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. (digitalfingerprint: 4fa27dbcd5c3a5554a71a5bf81681af3 (66.150.96.121) )Share This ...

If You Love Something, Let It Go. If it Returns… 2007-07-23 17:01:08 Once upon a time, I saw these gorgeous gold Mary Janes at Saks: I loved them, I craved them, I lusted over them. But I was broke, and desperately trying not to spend money frivolously (yes, apparently when you have 50+ pairs of shoes, they can become frivolous). I convinced myself that the gold/white combo was a little silly, and wouldn’t have anything to wear them with (oh, the lies we will tell ourselves). After a few, obsessive days, I decided I had to have them - and they were sold out. Of course. I spent several months hunting for them, to no avail. Several weeks ago, Mr. Spork was waiting in line to buy an iPhone. Of course, we were at the mall, so of course, I was not going to sit around while there was fashion to buy. I ended up in DSW (where you can almost always find good shoes, but beware: they frequently mark up the “retail” prices so the “DSW” price - aka, regular retail price - looks better). And there, I found them: The exact same m ...

Finally - Marc Jacobs For the Rest of Me 2007-07-20 18:49:36 I own a pretty disturbing amount of Marc Jacobs shoes, but not a single stitch of clothing. At least, not until a few weeks ago, when I found this adorable dress at eLuxury.com. Every Marc piece I tried on was ill-fitting. Too blousy or too snug, in all the wrong places. This plaid dress is far more tailored than most of the other Marc Jacobs pieces from the last couple of seasons. The dress is an interesting blend of elements. The body is long, and tailored, yet the waist is somewhat dropped. When I think of dropped waist dresses, it usually is something more billowy. But this one maintains a sleek, slender shape, thanks to the careful construction of the bias-cut fabric. The skirt is cut so that with each step, there is a light, feminine flounce - without the use of crinolines or lace. The bodice is gently gathered and tucked, hugging the bust. The styling is vintage, but the plunge is very modern. Tartan was big last season. My high school mascot was the Highlander, so p ...

Kenneth Cole Toes the Line 2007-07-17 23:33:09 Most little girls dream of being a ballerina when they grow up. I didn’t until well into my teens. Ok, not exactly. But it wasn’t until I was 16 that I started taking ballet classes (in support of my competitive figure skating). I was hooked on the slow, strict grace and measured movements. I liked the delicacy of ballet. I also became obsessed with pointe, even trying to teach myself to dance en pointe (or at least stand). Many seasons ago, both Gucci and Prada featured high-heels with ribbon ties and snub toes - high fashion pointe shoes. I was never able to find them, but never forgot them. These ballet shoes by Kenneth Cole may not have snub toes or high heels, but it does have long satin ribbons that tie around and around. Those satin ties were the big selling point for me. Ballet flats are everywhere, in every color, material and print. Some add variations: asymmetrical toes, bows, straps, ties. But I have never found ballet flats that have copious, ribbo ...

Prince: The Perfumer Formerly Known as a Musician 2007-07-16 16:51:06 Celebrity fragrances are big business nowadays. It seems like every celebrity and why-are-they-a-celebrity has a perfume. Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, Paula Abdul, Jessica Simpson, Hilary Duff, Celine Dion, Antonio Banderas… it’s like a who’s who of fading divas. Their fragrances are never remarkable. When I told my husband that Prince was releasing his own fragrance line, he said, “um, what?” Almost any other celebrity, I would just roll my eyes and ignore it. But Prince is different. He is odd by nature, so this just doesn’t seem odd at all. And all of his odd stuff has (or seems to have) a modicum of thought and quality behind it, so I did not discount Prince. Glad I didn’t. 3121 is a surprisingly complicated scent. An initial sniff made me wary - it was quite heavy, almost oriental, and I am not a fan of either scent. But a quick spritz on the wrist and it immediately mellowed. It was still somewhat heady, but n ...

Blox Designs Blends Circuitry With Artistry 2007-07-11 12:20:58 I think it is pretty obvious that I am a geeky fashionista. Hell, I named the iPhone the most fashionable accessory of the year. I am a complete gadget hound - and my husband says that it is not 100% his fault. Blox Designs makes technology fashionable - without having to drop $600 and switch your cell phone service. I have written about Blox Designs previously. That article focused on pieces that were more architectural, that could be easily interpreted into home decor. These pieces still use Blox Designs’ signature, modern tiles, but are dressed up with wire. Each of these pieces is wrapped with sterling silver wire. The wire is dressed up further with delicate, complimentary beads. Almost like the jewelry itself is wearing jewelry. The range of colors, the smooth textures, and the fine details take the harsh architectural edge off the pieces. They become feminine - but those tightly-wound wires don’t give up the testosterone entirely. I want to sing “One ...

Book Review: Charles James by Richard Martin 2007-07-09 17:23:00 Charles James is a designer who is inspiration to many, but known to few. James essentially invented American haute couture in the 1930s. At once charming, difficult, and brilliant, James could not scare away his admirers. With a bold style that focused on carefully structured and intrinsically feminine design, James brought an eroticism to American fashion that had never been seen before. Richard Martin’s slim volume, published by Assouline, on the late couturier goes far beyond basic biography. It delves into James’s philosophy, and the reasons behind his genius. However, the text is brief - only the first twenty pages or so. The remainder of the book is devoted to what we all came for: the clothes. Fifty pages of illustrations and photographs are offered up of James’s exquisite work. Many of the photos are old, and not retouched, which adds both a regal air and a frustrating lack of detail to his work. Wisely, the details from each picture are left to an i ...

Dior Romances Me With Their Toile Ballet Flats 2007-07-05 17:03:03 I am addicted to shoes. I know this. My husband knows this. My friends & family know this. And because of this website, half the world knows this. I suppose it is a better addiction to have than, say, heroin, but I still feel as if I need to rehab myself. When I first saw Dior’s Romance ballet flats, it was love at first sight. I talked myself out of them, having just bought a pair of shoes a few days prior, and trying to stick to my detox plan. But when these shoes went on sale, all restraint flew out the window. I have always been drawn to toile prints, but I have never been able to find just the right one. It seems to be a common problem. A friend of mine almost killed me when I showed her these shoes - she too adore toile, so much so that she plans on decorating her unborn son’s nursery in toile. She is also having a hard time finding the right one. Apparently it is tough to find blue toile baby items. But I digress. These shoes are the right toile f ...

Parvenu Leisure Creates Unique Unisex Accessories From an Unlikely Source 2007-07-04 01:42:22 “Men’s styles are much more subdued and conservative than women’s. I personally enjoy wearing bright colors and interesting patterns,” says Jim Warwick, the designer behind Parvenu Leisure. Warwick has been an artist his entire life, but prefers functional art. He put this interest to work when he noticed that the consignment galleries in Philadelphia had a black hole where stylish men’s clothing should be. So he stepped up to the plate. Warwick makes custom shirts and blazers for men and women, often times recycling vintage and thrift pieces and giving them an updated flair. But his true stand-out pieces are his unique necktie wallets. These slim, single-pocket wallets are made out of actual silk neckties. Warwick has a hard time finding clothing that is fun and interesting, yet still masculine. “In order to find great colors and patterns for men, I look toward neckties,” he says. The repurposed-neckties-cum-wallets are another way f ...

iPhone: The Most Fashionable Accessory of the Year 2007-07-02 18:42:48 I know what you are thinking. “Great, another stupid iPhone article. Can’t I even escape that thing on a fashion website?” Well, no, not really. But I am not here to talk about the usability of the phone, the maybe, maybe-not technological breakthrough, or anything like that. I am here to talk about this phone as an accessory. I was not planning on buying the iPhone opening day. My husband, of course, was. My plan was to see how he liked the phone, and the carrier (I was not excited about switching back to AT&T or Cingular or whatever the hell they are calling themselves this week). If all was good, I would get one in a few months. If the service was unbearable, I would upgrade to the newest Blackberry. I had been using my husband’s hand-me-down Motorola Q for the last month. It was great at first. I loved having a full keyboard, and the email was indispensable. But it was highly flawed. It was slow, it had a horrible battery life that couldn& ... Iphone

Update on my Waterfield “Everything” Bag 2007-06-30 02:46:13 I few months ago I wrote about my new “everything” bag by Waterfield Designs. Back then, I had only used that bag for everyday uses - work, gym, etc. But last week I put it through the real test - taking it on location - and it exceeded my wildest expectations. It truly held everything I needed - script, notebook, wallet, sewing kit, camera, sunblock, etc. The pockets were perfectly placed so that sunglasses, cell phone, and pens were easily accessible at a moments notice. The material (maybe a laminated canvas? It’s softer than PVC but more durable than plain canvas) was extremely water-resistant, protecting the contents from inevitable spills. All the pockets zipped tight so nothing was lost, outside or in. It even remained cool, even in direct sunlight and 95 degree heat. My lipsticks didn’t even get slightly mushy. On top of that, it was comfortable and easy to carry. It was no worse than a normal shoulder bag, despite the extra contents. This is ...

BCBG To the Max! Corset Boots 2007-06-28 17:12:14 I have a love/hate relationship with boots. Up until recently, I had about a half-dozen pairs of boots. And I can’t remember wearing a single pair of them since high school. Even then, the wearings were few and far between. Back then, I hardly ever wore skirts, and it seemed pointless to wear knee-high boots with jeans. Even now, most of my skirts and dresses are far too summery to wear boots with. I have never really found boots to be particularly comfortable. My calves are overdeveloped from years as a figure skater, causing boots to fit far too snugly and chafe. In other words, boots have always been too much of a pain for me to bother with. Of course, that left the problem of cold-weather footwear. It doesn’t rain much in Los Angeles, but even when it gets cold, I want cute heels that will keep my feet reasonably warm. Something that I can wear socks with. I decided to give ankle boots a shot - now all that was left was to find a good pair. I love shoes. But ...

Blend Creations Jewelry: East Meets West 2007-06-26 20:22:39 My husband and I have what he calls an “Apple Store Aesthetic.” When it comes to design and decor, we like clean, modern lines and mostly monochromatic color schemes. I have already decided that when we buy a house, I will decorate it in white, black, red, and stainless steel. Naturally, these necklaces by Blend Creations caught my eye immediately. This jewelry certainly does blend many dichotomies: east and west; modern and traditional; masculine and feminine. The rectangular pendant, brushed steel and mother of pearl, is simple elegance redefined. The steel is clean and industrial, softened by curved edges; the mother of pearl is feminine without being girly. It’s the perfect accent to Ouvrez La Porte’s silk raglan dress. The square pendant is where the old meets the new. This is one of Blend Creation’s Washi pendants. Washi is a type of traditional silk-screened Japanese paper. The washi is protected by a seamless acrylic layer. This offers ...

The Spork Is Back! 2007-06-26 00:41:26 I am back, but in four or five pieces. The shoot was chaotic and crazy, but otherwise a success. I had a lot of fun with this crew, made a lot of friends, and small-town life wasn’t as bad as I feared (though it was impossible to get food after 10pm). I had been fighting a cold all week, and it didn’t hit full-force until about an hour after I got home. On top of that, the day before I left, I lost my laptop, and with it, almost all my Spork Fashion info (emails, photos, links, etc). So I am slowly rebuilding my life. I will try to get an article up tomorrow though. Share This ...