Pretty Pretty Bang Bang

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the studio getting ready for a big show in St. Louis.  While most of my time consists of making production pieces, I’ve hired Stacey to do the busy work so I could focus on a few one-of-a-kind pieces. You might remember the ring I made for class last winter that was a rock with a garnet set in the middle. Here’s a picture if you don’t remember it:

I collected the stones three years ago when I attended a two-week workshop at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg, TN. My class had a picnic lunch beside a river to celebrate my birthday and I filled my pockets with these stones. I love how smooth they are and the color variations in them. They are very soft so I have to be careful drilling holes in them and setting stones, but I think the results are worth it. I wear this ring a lot and love it so I wanted to do more with the other stones I have.

I decided the next thing I’d make was a pendant with one of the larger stones. I wanted to experiment with the setting and try to make the stone look like it was floating. You can see the two silver bars across the back which hold the stone in place, but it’s not too noticeable when it’s worn. This piece measures about 2″ tall:

The reason I’m using garnets as my gemstones is that the contrast is so gorgeous. I thought about some CZs but they looked too pale against the gray stone. Once this piece was finished, I took another stone, similar in shape, and created a different setting.

I’m not sure I like the placement of the gemstones as well, but I love the setting. I have another one on the bench using a round stone with the gemstones set in a curved pattern.

I want to keep the first one as a reminder of my time at Arrowmont, but I’m planning on selling the rest. They are very special to me and I’m hoping they’ll all go to good homes!

The Labor Day holiday traditionally signals the end of summer and the beginning of fall, but with temperatures still screaming “summer,” it’s hard to pack away summer clothes. While I’m not suggesting we all start wearing sweaters, I do think some things need to be retired for the season.

The fashion industry is famous for not having any hard and fast rules about seasonal wear. You can now wear wool, suede and white in any season without risking an arrest from the fashion police. However, some one rule still applies – common sense. With that in mind, here’s my suggestions for post-Labor Day, pre-frost wear:

1. Put away anything linen, especially if it’s light or bright colored. A tailored linen jacket in a dark color can squeak by for another month or so, but I prefer to put all of it away. Besides, by this time I’m usually sick of it anyway.

2. White shorts and crop pants. Put these away now! Keep on wearing your other shorts as long as it’s warm but put away the white ones. They are just too summery for September. I don’t care what you pair them with, they aren’t going to transition well.

3. Lightweight white pants. Now, I keep out my white jeans but I trade my lightweight white cotton pants for black or grey. Personally, I’ll even quit wearing my white jeans until sometime in the winter. I love a pop of white in January when everyone (including myself) is wearing black and grey.

4. Bright, tropical prints. Summer is a great time for tropical prints, but they look garish once the fall season arrives. Go ahead and keep some of your solid brights handy (turquoise, lime, orange) because they look great with olive, brown, grey and black, but put away overly summer prints.

5. Shoes made of linen, straw or cork. I love my cork sandals but the Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to put them away for the season. The same holds true for any white shoes (if you have any). I’d love to tell you to put away flip-flops too, but I doubt you’d listen. Actually, if anyone wants my opinion on rubber flip-flops I’d tell you to only wear them to the pool or summer camp. Unfortunately, I’m in a vast minority on that one.

6. Handbags of straw, linen and canvas. Even if it’s your favorite bag in the world, if it’s made of these three materials, or a blend of them, please put it away. Same holds true for white bags even if they’re made of leather. Patent is fine and I actually carry my black patent bag all year ’round, but white leather should be packed away.

These are my suggestions for looking great while the weather is still warm. Now go out there avoid being arrested by the fashion police!

It may still be 90 degrees outside, but I’m thinking about fall. By the looks of it, retails stores are too. Every day I’m tempted by another fabulous new item arriving at our store so I thought I’d share some of the  hottest trends and looks of the season. Now is the time to start planning your wardrobe!

• Jeggings. Are you familiar with this term yet, because if you aren’t, it’s time you got acquainted. Jeans + leggings = jeggings. Believe it or not, these aren’t just for tall, thin models or anyone under the age of 30. We have women of all shapes, sizes and ages snapping them up and wearing them with style. The trick is to find the right fit and pair them with the right top. I’m a fan of dark wash or black paired with a long sweater, jacket or tunic. They are comfortable and easy to tuck into boots.

• Faux Fur. Faux fabrics have come a long way and are no longer cheap or ratty looking as they’ve been in the past. Many faux furs and leathers look and feel as nice as the real thing. Although I’m not a fan of wearing fur on top (too bulky), I love the idea of incorporating it into accessories – think purses or boots.

• Booties. The fastest way to update a wardrobe is with a bootie. They look great paired with jeans, leggings or dresses and can be worn with or without tights. I like an open-toed version because I can wear it now and then pair it with tights when it gets colder. The most flattering style cuts right at the ankle. If you think they look too heavy, find a version with cut outs which will lighten the look.

• Tailored looks. You gotta love Mad Men for bringing sophistication back in style. Pencil skirts, tailored jackets, dresses and pants are perfect for fall. I love a tailored jacket paired with jeans for a crisp look. To keep it from being too stuffy, I choose funky accessories or cowboy boots. It’s best to look put-together but not like you just walked off the Mad Men set. Avoid taking the look literally.

• Fringe. I think there’s a hippie living deep inside me because I adore fringe. I still remember the suede fringed jacket I wore as a kid and keep searching flea markets for an adult version. Again, don’t take the look literally and pair it with a headband and bell bottoms. Choose one piece to be fringed and keep everything else simple. I like a fringed handbag.

• Gold. Silver has ruled for many years and is still a favorite, but gold is gaining momentum. Fall’s warmer palette is the perfect base for gold. Plus, as tans fade, gold keeps skin glowing. Feel free to mix it in with your silver pieces to add warmth.

• Leather jackets. Yes, I know I mentioned faux fur and leather earlier, but leather jackets (real or faux) are everywhere! I’ve been searching for a leather motorcycle jacket for several years now and am hoping this is the year I’ll find one. Actually, I have a faux one on order at work and can’t wait until it arrives. Look for styles ranging from motorcycle to belted. And think about colors other than black. Brown, camel and grey are terrific neutrals.

• Military. Olive green and military details are everywhere! Cargo pants have slimmed down and are a great alternative to jeans. Olive, brown and khaki pair well with charcoal, black and chocolate.  This is also a great palette for gold jewelry as the warm tones compliment the luster of gold.

I’ll admit, the styles are all over the map and it’s easy to be intimidated but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the season. Remember, you don’t have to embrace (or wear) all these trends! Pick one, two or three that work for you and enjoy!

I’ve only been to Vegas twice, but it doesn’t take long to figure out things in Vegas are, well, a bit different. Sinatra may have sung about New York being the “city that doesn’t sleep,” but he should know Vegas stays up later. The shoe market was amazing, but the experiences outside the show were also memorable and reminded me that Vegas is one-of-a-kind.

• Rooms in the Trump Hotel are like miniature apartments. You enter one door and are in a small entryway with two doors, one being your room. There’s no need to knock as the rooms have doorbells. And if you want Housekeeping or not to be disturbed, you press a button and it lights up outside your door.

• The first night we were in Vegas, there was a party by the pool at our hotel. When we walked into the lobby we were greeted by a red satin carpet. As we followed it towards the elevators, it became clear the “carpet” was a train leading up to a model’s dress. She stood on a platform as party goers walked down the carpet into the event.

• On the 30th floor, I could clearly hear the horrible music being played outside at the party. I learned it would only be going until 11 p.m. so I didn’t fuss, but I couldn’t believe how far the sound traveled.

• When I looked out my hotel window, I could see Nordstrom. Alas, I only got to spend about 20 minutes there.

• Taxi lines are amazingly long, but move really, really fast. Even standing outside in 105 degree heat waiting isn’t as miserable as walking to my car here.

• In Vegas, if the humidity is above 40% it’s considered muggy and people complain. I found it quite pleasant.

• It was fun to see people dressed up at night.

• It amazed me how many people attending the fashion market appeared to have no concept of fashion.

• We dined at a restaurant that had a wine list as thick as the September issue of Vogue. The most expensive bottle of wine on that list is $25,000. And no, that isn’t a typo. They sell about 2 bottles of the 2006 vintage a year and the empty bottle is worth several thousand dollars.

• I had a $12 glass of wine and it was fantastic.

• I learned that cab drivers had better not piss off the valets. One valet got so mad at a cab driver that he told him to leave and never come back.

• Several shopping malls, including the shops at Ceasers, are open until 11 p.m. but Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus close at 9 p.m.

• When you order water at any restaurant they ask you if you want still, fizzy or tap.

• Room service is awesome and the egg white omelette at Trump is fantastic.

I have just returned from an amazing adventure – shoe market. It’s a dream opportunity for someone like me who loves to shop, loves shoes and loves to know upcoming trends. Make no mistake, it was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun too.

We started the day at 9:30 a.m. and didn’t stop until 6 p.m. We had appointments and goals but along the way we had a great time. So here’s what happened in Vegas (that I can tell you about, anyway):

The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) is huge! Three shows were going on and we were allowed in all of them. Our main area was the FN Platform show where most of the shoe venders were set up. The entry looks like the entrance to a VIP club complete with security, roped off sections and a white carpet rolled out. Once inside the door, we were greeted by a huge sign telling us all the vendors showing in that area:

It seems overwhelming but, surprisingly, it’s not. Margaret and Kathi had discussed which lines they wanted to see, set up appointments with specific vendors and allowed a little extra time to browse. Many of the lines are easily passed by so honing in on the ones that are really important is easy.

Working with Kathi and Margaret is like walking around with a couple of rock stars – they know everyone! It’s not surprising as they’ve been doing this for 20+ years, but I did feel like a VIP in their company. Kathi told me that I should not be intimidated to walk into any booth and that she wanted my input. They both made me feel welcome and it didn’t take me long to feel as comfortable as the shoes I was wearing (which really were comfortable!).

A lot happened during the day and it would take me several posts to tell you all about it (and I’d probably leave out something) so I think it would be easiest to highlight the rest of the day.

• Sam Edelman, Stuart Weitzman and Donald Pliner are real people. Sam and Donald were there but Stuart wasn’t. I saw Sam but didn’t meet him. He was wearing kelly green pants and yellow suede shoes. Very bright!

• I learned that if you’re going to shop with Donald Pliner and he’s there, you’d better be wearing his shoes. Oops! I didn’t have mine on and he noticed! Still, he was nice and his wife was delightful. Lisa Pliner makes funky, cool shoes and I could have taken home the entire collection. Here we are with the Pliners:

• Booths range from simple to extreme. The Sam and Libby Edelman booth had couches and George Nelson lamps. Stuart Weitzman served sandwiches and had a drink selection. Another booth I saw was having a wine and cheese party. Everyone works hard so they play hard too.

• Paris Hilton was there. She arrived to promote her shoe line. We were busy with the Pliners so we didn’t partake of the media frenzy. I walked past the area but couldn’t see her. I heard later she rarely looked up from texting. She seems spoiled and rude but I’ve always thought that. Besides, the Pliners are more fun and I like there shoes much better than anything Paris could “design.”

• After awhile, shoes start looking alike. At one point, Kathi commented that she didn’t want to see another heel and Margaret and I agreed! We needed new stimulation to excite us.

• Starbucks is one of the most popular places in the LVCC. I managed to catch it when the line was just at the door rather than snaking around, but it never quit. Being nice to the employees also gets you extra goodies when the day gets long.

• We didn’t place orders at every booth. Most had their current fall selections, along with spring, so Kathi added some fall to our inventory that were available for immediate delivery. I have to insert here that we have some AMAZING boots coming to the store and they are at great prices! Seriously! I doubt my size will be left when I can buy (we have to wait to buy so our costumers have first choice). Very cool and hip.

• The next time you see a Donald Pliner shoe that’s completely beaded take a good look at it. It’s all done with glass beads and the D-man himself selects all the colors (beads, thread, cloth). I was beginning to understand better why his shoes are so expensive – they are miniature works of art!

• Samples are generally a size 6. Most booths have models to show you how the shoe looks on the foot. One of Donald’s models has been with him for 20 years. She’s an older lady named Barbie and she’s a hoot. She also has gorgeous legs!

• Everyone looks at everyone’s shoes. Margaret and Kathi were both wearing last spring’s Sam Edelman platform wedges and kept getting compliments on them. Everyone also has great pedicures. I’ve never seen so many French pedicures in one place.

• The soles of Lisa Pliner’s shoes are kelly green and she was wearing toenail polish that matched them exactly. Can you tell I had a blast at the Pliner booth?!

• The music playing during the show was like listening to my own iPod. A cool mix of 80s, disco and a little Tom Jones. Very fun.

• Some of the brands I was really excited to see ended up being disappointing in person. United Nude, the company who makes all the architectural shoes, were boring and the details lacked sophistication. Good to know.

• One of the reps for Wolff Shoe Company is a hottie. It was almost distracting to work with him, but he was really, really nice.

• Despite all the fashionable shoes, I saw a lot of tragic fashions. No matter how rich you are, you can still look like crap. I wondered if some people owned mirrors.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for a sneak peek into Spring 2011!

In less than 24 hours I’ll be in the sky on my way to Las Vegas. Have I mentioned I’m spending three days at shoe market? Oh, yeah, I forgot I’d mentioned it before.

As I stated in my last post, I’m not a great traveler and it’s not just the over-packing that is a problem. Fear of flying is a major issue with me and flying solo is worse. When I’ve flown with Steve he explained all the bumps and sounds that made me jump. This time I’m just going to have to suck it up and trust that I will arrive at my destination safely. Leaving at 6:45 a.m. will probably help as I’ll still be waking up at that time. I figure I have enough fashion magazines plus my iPhone music and games to keep my mind off the plane (de plane! de plane!).

Naturally, I’m still obsessing about my wardrobe, but that’s to be expected from me. Steve said that I should take the best shoes possible and not worry about long-term comfort because my feet are going to hurt regardless. He has a point. Running around the LVCC all day is bound to wear out even the most seasoned feet.

I’ll be blogging my experience when I have time. For now I have to jump off and get started on the packing. I have labels to make for all my items. Man, it’s good to be anal-retentive!

I’ve come to the conclusion that the main reason I don’t like to travel is that I’m a horrible packer. I want to pack clothing, shoes and accessories for every possible situation which is unrealistic. In planning my wardrobe for my upcoming Vegas trip (have I mentioned it?) I’m attempting to pack lighter and smarter.

The clothing isn’t so hard because I’m wearing what I would normally wear to work, which is clothing I bought at work. I’m keeping the color palette simple by choosing black (like that was hard). The trouble comes when I try to find shoes to wear with my outfits. Oh, I have plenty of shoes, but what I need are ones that are stylish and comfortable. On Kathi’s recommendation, I’ll be carrying my black thong Birkenstocks in my bag but those aren’t acceptable for working the floor. I’m a representative of a chic clothing boutique so I need to look the part. Plus, I’m at shoe market which means I should be wearing shoes that look great too.

My ideal shoe is a black bootie with a small wedge and open toe. I’d consider one with a higher heel if it had a platform. I need good arch support but I found some great arch inserts I can use. I did find this bootie recently but it’s a 3″ heel and the platform is only about 1/2″. Still, I can get my orthotic arch support in it and it goes with all my outfits.

But do I need them? Don’t I already have shoes that are similar in style? Sure, I would actually wear them all winter with tights and jeans, but I’m not 100% sure they’re comfortable enough to wear all day running around the Las Vegas Convention Center. Then again, I’m not sure any shoe is comfortable enough to wear to run around the LVCC all day long! Perhaps I’m over-thinking this (shocker, I know). I already have these:

They’re pretty comfortable and they look really cool, but the heel is higher than the ones above and the cut-out sides mean I can’t stuff my orthotic in them (geez, I sound like an old lady). I honestly don’t think I need two black booties regardless of how different they are. The struggle continues…

I have always loved shoes. My first real shoe memory is a pair of kelly green patent leather Mary Janes my grandmother bought for me at a shoe store in Joplin, MO. What I loved about them was that they were different from the basic black ones most little girls wore. I paired them with a white pique cotton dress that had pink, yellow and green flowers on it. My shoe obsession only intensified from there.

I remember, fondly, my purple Chuck Taylors, cordovan Aigner flats, burgundy penny loafers (in which I placed Canadian dimes), chocolate Topsiders, white ballet flats (worn to various high school dances), Aigner pumps in every color made, Candie’s mules in natural leather, metallic red penny loafers, high-top Chuck Taylors, high-top Reeboks and more. The list goes on and on.

As children, my sister and I were allowed one pair of shoes per school year. To me, this was cruel and unusual punishment. My grandfather would take us to the Bass Weejun store in the Park Crest Shopping Center to select our shoes. My grandfather understood the importance of good shoes for growing feet and was willing to pay the price for my sister and I to have good shoes. Problem was that I could only have one pair. Since my feet were narrow my choices were limited. I had to wear them until I outgrew them or they wore out, which never happened. Usually by the first day of school I’d changed my mind about the style and complained I needed something different. That never happened. It wasn’t until I got to high school and received a pair of Topsiders that I actually wore a pair of shoes to their death. Even after my beloved Topsiders got a hole in the side, I continued to wear them.

When I got my first real adult job, I needed to dress professionally but still be comfortable. If working in a clothing store wasn’t bad enough for me, the worst thing was the Plaza Shoe Store next door. I went over every day on my lunch break to look at the shoes. It was there I discovered the 80s classic mid-heel pump by Etienne Aigner. I had every color – brown, black, navy and cream – and wore them every day to work. I felt so chic!

Over time my love for shoes has only increased. When I gained weight and couldn’t find clothes that I liked, I bought shoes. When I lost weight and celebrated my new figure, I bought shoes. When I got my first A in Metals class, I celebrated with shoes (burgundy velvet tennis shoes by Diesel, which I still own). For Christmas last year Steve bought me, you guessed it, shoes. And with this upcoming trip to the shoe market in Vegas I’m searching for the right shoes to wear so I look chic and classy but feel comfortable. I’ll keep you posted.

Footnote (pun intended): I wore really plain shoes on my wedding day. Weird, huh?

When I was a kid my grandparents always gave me a magazine subscription for Christmas. I loved the idea because it meant I would receive something new every month. My older cousin received The Wall Street Journal. My sister wanted Time or Newsweek. I got Vogue. Nevermind that I couldn’t afford anything in it (still can’t), for me it was all about anticipating a new season of fashion. I wanted to know all I could about what was going to be in style for the upcoming year.

I was such a fashion nerd that I would begin planning my fall wardrobe while I was still on summer break. I would choose my color palette and styles and make a wish list. I’m sure I didn’t get 1/4 of the items on that list, but the idea was to create something new for the season. Fall was always my top pick as I never did the same in the spring. To this day, fall is still my favorite fashion time of the year.

I guess it’s no surprise I’d work in retail someday. My first job was working in sales for an upscale clothing store. I loved the clothes but, as a poor college student, couldn’t afford them even with a generous discount. After college I left retail and eventually had an office job complete with title, salary and benefits. I never planned to return to retail but two years ago I was approached by Kathi, owner of Harem & Company, to work part time for the store. I loved the idea of working part time and the clothing, shoes and accessories were an added bonus.

Monday, Kathi told me she needed to discuss an idea with me. She had been talking to Margaret, our shoe buyer, about the idea of taking me to the Vegas shoe market. Kathi wanted my input on styles but, more importantly, she wanted me to write about the experience. I’d told her I thought she should Facebook and Tweet about her experience at market and now I was going to do that! Oh. My. Gosh. Three days of shoes. I had to keep my cool and wait for the other shoe to drop (pun intended). What was the catch? Was it really going to happen?

Yesterday, Margaret confirmed that she had reserved my room in the new Trump hotel. EEEEEEE! I’m going to  Vegas, baby! I’m going to see all the new styles for spring 2011! I’ll be in the know! There aren’t enough exclamation points to convey my excitement! Stay tuned for details from the road!

The ring is done and I must say it’s gorgeous! Gold, while presenting a unique set of problems for me, is so much easier to granulate and is so beautiful. While I could easily pick the piece apart and point out flaws I’ll just say that I love it and I’d be very, very happy to keep it!

I did learn that 18k yellow gold is not my friend, or I should say, 18k yellow gold solder is not my friend. Apparently, it’s not a friend of any jeweler I talked to either. It’s really, really hard to melt which made attaching the rims very difficult. I think each side was fired 5-6 times before the entire rim attached. Each time I held my breath as I prayed I wouldn’t overheat the entire ring and melt it. Then there was the soldering pitting problem I encountered when I did overheat it. Gold solder “melts” into the gold if it gets too hot resulting in a type of pit that must be filled with, you guessed it, more solder. Luckily, I managed to correct all mistakes and end up with a nice piece.

The real test will be how the recipient reacts to her gift. All I really want is for her to be pleased with it and to wear it with love. I’ll keep you posted.

Can you see the fine silver granule at the top? I love the idea of it so much I’m going to incorporate an “incorrect” granule into my future work.