09 April 2009
Be modern
One day, while surfing on Google, I stumbled upon this marvellous little website - it felt just as if I would stroll in the hidden and forgotten small streets of big cities like London or New-York and discovered out of the blue the most ravishing window-store of a boutique, owned by a person with a lot of heart and a lot of taste.
It's called "Bejewelled" and it sells retro and vintage jewelry.
Everytime I browse the selection, it puts a smile on my face. I don't like all the jewels on display (thankfully for my wallet) but they all have a special something, a daring uniqueness that makes you want to wear jewels and accessories again, to dress up and to live audaciously. Somehow the way you'd imagine women from the twenties and the thirties (as depicted in American movies) would live as they would slowly make their place into a men's world. For me that's when fashion helped this revolution the most obviously and put a definitive end to the 19th century.
Here are two (out of 3) of the items I bought from them and some other picks I made to present you from what I've recently seen there.
By the way, the prices make the pieces really affordable (between £15 and £40 for single pieces and slightly more for sets). It's based in the UK but I think they can deliver everywhere (?). I usually get my delivery in 3 or 4 days to France (last time I even got a beautiful small gift). The selection is also frequently updated, so you're always looking forward to the next crush...
Here are a wonderful brooch and earrings set I bought about a month ago and a necklace I just purchased (and that I've yet to receive!)
3 items I saw recently on Bejeweled...
-- Joëlle.
It's called "Bejewelled" and it sells retro and vintage jewelry.
Everytime I browse the selection, it puts a smile on my face. I don't like all the jewels on display (thankfully for my wallet) but they all have a special something, a daring uniqueness that makes you want to wear jewels and accessories again, to dress up and to live audaciously. Somehow the way you'd imagine women from the twenties and the thirties (as depicted in American movies) would live as they would slowly make their place into a men's world. For me that's when fashion helped this revolution the most obviously and put a definitive end to the 19th century.
Here are two (out of 3) of the items I bought from them and some other picks I made to present you from what I've recently seen there.
By the way, the prices make the pieces really affordable (between £15 and £40 for single pieces and slightly more for sets). It's based in the UK but I think they can deliver everywhere (?). I usually get my delivery in 3 or 4 days to France (last time I even got a beautiful small gift). The selection is also frequently updated, so you're always looking forward to the next crush...
Here are a wonderful brooch and earrings set I bought about a month ago and a necklace I just purchased (and that I've yet to receive!)
3 items I saw recently on Bejeweled...
-- Joëlle.
Labels: bejeweled, boutique, bracelet, brooches, earrings, fashion, Jewels, modernity, necklace, retro, Thirties, Twenties, vintage
09 February 2009
Paint it technicolor!
My best purchase this sale was surely the Douglas Sirk Collection: 7 masterpieces to exhaust your mind with dreams, the kind of dreams that make you change your life for the better.
Although I was familiar with movies like Imitation of Life (one of my all time favorites) and All that heaven allows, I discovered true jewels. One of them, "Has anybody seen my gal?" is set in the late twenties, while shot in the fifties. I think it's one of the very few movies I know that get to depict the twenties in technicolor (aside maybe from Singin' in the Rain). And it's like a veil has been lifted. You get to put colors on people, the streets, objects and mostly on... fashion! Of course, you see it the way they would see it in the fifties (there's another layer of reading for you) but it's so fun and it feels like being in a candy store.
The clothes are amazing, men and women fashion alike. Actually I love those high-waist men pants (I must say I'm not a big fan of the low-waist pants trend, so unbecoming to the silhouette). It makes me wanna wear more of those.
As a treat, here's a scene of the movie where music, clothes and acting come perfectly together.
Although I was familiar with movies like Imitation of Life (one of my all time favorites) and All that heaven allows, I discovered true jewels. One of them, "Has anybody seen my gal?" is set in the late twenties, while shot in the fifties. I think it's one of the very few movies I know that get to depict the twenties in technicolor (aside maybe from Singin' in the Rain). And it's like a veil has been lifted. You get to put colors on people, the streets, objects and mostly on... fashion! Of course, you see it the way they would see it in the fifties (there's another layer of reading for you) but it's so fun and it feels like being in a candy store.
The clothes are amazing, men and women fashion alike. Actually I love those high-waist men pants (I must say I'm not a big fan of the low-waist pants trend, so unbecoming to the silhouette). It makes me wanna wear more of those.
As a treat, here's a scene of the movie where music, clothes and acting come perfectly together.
Labels: Douglas Sirk, fashion, Movies, Twenties
19 August 2008
My tips on Japan - Part 1
My friend Karen is going soon to Japan. Of course, as soon as I heard about it, I couldn't help but drawn her in multiple suggestions of what to do, what to see, where to go and what to buy. So in order to make it easier for her and other people interested I thought it might be better to write all my tips down.
My first post would be about fashion in Tokyo.
They are stores everywhere of course. But to make my life easier I usually go to one main place where there's the essence of Japanese prêt-à-porter. This place is also right in the middle of Omotesando and Harajuku districts, where all I could want fashion-wise is there anyway for me to grab. And I go there during the 1st days I'm in town, this way I can move on to other things and I know how much I've spent.
This dream place is called La Forêt.
This fashion store is to Tokyo what used to be Hyper Hyper to London before it closed down. But bigger, trendier and way cheaper. 5 floors of young designers for every taste. The more you go up in the store, the cheaper it is, although it's worth looking at the first floors as well as they often have bargains.
My favorite designers in this place are Chelsea (2F), the chain Olive des Olive (4F I think), Ehyphen gallery (3,5 or 4F), Par Avion (3,5F) and few others. Top Shop also has a small location there, but they only display the most experimental and edgy clothes of their collection.
The building is designed by the English collective Tomato.
The way I get there is I usually get off at the Omotesando subway station and then go up the main avenue, after a must-stop at Andersen bakery because they have these delicious plum pastries.
On my way there or back, I also stop at Kiddyland for Miyazaki movies merchandising (it takes most of the 2nd floor). How about a key-ring in the shape of Totoro? Or a tea towel, or a bento box, or chopsticks?
In this area, you should also of course stroll in Harajuku where you can get a peek at what are the latest trends among the teenagers crowd but where you can also come across great affordable designs, that are inspired by current collections from Comme des Garçons or Yohji Yamamoto but without the price tag obstacle.
But if you want a peek at those great Japanese brands anyway, along with Rem Koolhas' Prada store, it's also in the area.
Plan a day in this district if you're, like me, a fashion addict.
For more fashion, the second-hand way, especially for great shoes, go to Shibuya station. The stores are hidden in the back streets, just few meters off the subway station, behind the famous Times-Squarish crossing that is shown in all the movies featuring Tokyo (lots of people, sound and giant LED screens). You can't miss the stores if you walk towards Uniqlo.
--Joëlle
My first post would be about fashion in Tokyo.
They are stores everywhere of course. But to make my life easier I usually go to one main place where there's the essence of Japanese prêt-à-porter. This place is also right in the middle of Omotesando and Harajuku districts, where all I could want fashion-wise is there anyway for me to grab. And I go there during the 1st days I'm in town, this way I can move on to other things and I know how much I've spent.
This dream place is called La Forêt.
This fashion store is to Tokyo what used to be Hyper Hyper to London before it closed down. But bigger, trendier and way cheaper. 5 floors of young designers for every taste. The more you go up in the store, the cheaper it is, although it's worth looking at the first floors as well as they often have bargains.
My favorite designers in this place are Chelsea (2F), the chain Olive des Olive (4F I think), Ehyphen gallery (3,5 or 4F), Par Avion (3,5F) and few others. Top Shop also has a small location there, but they only display the most experimental and edgy clothes of their collection.
The building is designed by the English collective Tomato.
The way I get there is I usually get off at the Omotesando subway station and then go up the main avenue, after a must-stop at Andersen bakery because they have these delicious plum pastries.
On my way there or back, I also stop at Kiddyland for Miyazaki movies merchandising (it takes most of the 2nd floor). How about a key-ring in the shape of Totoro? Or a tea towel, or a bento box, or chopsticks?
In this area, you should also of course stroll in Harajuku where you can get a peek at what are the latest trends among the teenagers crowd but where you can also come across great affordable designs, that are inspired by current collections from Comme des Garçons or Yohji Yamamoto but without the price tag obstacle.
But if you want a peek at those great Japanese brands anyway, along with Rem Koolhas' Prada store, it's also in the area.
Plan a day in this district if you're, like me, a fashion addict.
For more fashion, the second-hand way, especially for great shoes, go to Shibuya station. The stores are hidden in the back streets, just few meters off the subway station, behind the famous Times-Squarish crossing that is shown in all the movies featuring Tokyo (lots of people, sound and giant LED screens). You can't miss the stores if you walk towards Uniqlo.
--Joëlle
Labels: fashion, Harajuku, Kiddyland, La Forêt, Omotesando, Tokyo, Totoro
