Style Inspiration: Design on a (Relative) Dime

Thank, you Daily Candy, for helping me with my climb out of the Doldrums.

I think I might have to buy a new pair of Chucks. Saks pre-order, here I come.

However, while H is absolutely supportive of the things I need to do on the climb (when The Bean and I got home yesterday, he asked "Didn't you buy any shoes?"), I'm not sure he'd be ok with spending 200 bucks on non-workout sneakers for the Missoni version (I have a natural tendency to all things Missoni; something about that glorious, colorful stripey-ness).

On the other hand, I might be able to swing $105 for the Comme des Garcons (I'll spin a tale of them being commemorative of our Manhattan honeymoon and the afternoon we stumbled on the CdG Chelsea outpost). Or at least the delighfully graphic $80 Marimekko option.

I'm dreaming up HipMama Weekend Playground Outfits right now.

To Bang or Not To Bang?

(Get your minds out of the gutters.)

I finally made it to see Jae on Tuesday. Much needed, particularly after a late night and early morning (I will pull myself away from work, I will pull myself away from work...100 times on the blackboard). Somehow, every time I go to see her now, I'm exhausted. Nearly fall asleep during the shampoo exhausted.

I've known her so long (longer than H - nearly a decade), I trust her implicitly. Unless I want to do something drastic (like my big foray into bangs), I don't have to say a word - she just cuts the right cut for me. Last time I was there, we sorta talked about growing out the bangs - with impending Mommydom, maybe it'd be easier.

Then, at the marimekko opening, I talked with Sandy (a Proctor & Gamble/Graham Webb rep and hair guru) for quite a while about all sorts of things...including my bang decision. We decided I should keep them. Why give them up? I'm me, not Just a Mom. So what if it takes a few minutes to blow dry them? I'm sure I can manage - or, if not, headbands are lovely (especially $3 ones from H&M).

There. Is. No. Reason. For. Mom. Hair.

I know you agree - as does Post Mom-extraordinaire Jill Hudson Neal. Now, I happen to disagree with her - Katie Holmes Cruise' new 'do is chic and slick - and does suit her (though I'm not sure that she's not trying too hard to be Victoria). But the point is, stay who you are - hair and all.

Breaking Through Your Own Style

"I am wearing my new crazy green circles shirt today and I've gotten a ton of compliments! Thanks for making me try it on! I am going to try really hard to not lapse back into my "safe" clothes zone anymore!"

31204ever gushed to Sugarplum and me this morning.

It's a hard thing, to break out of your own style. By her own description, 31204ever was on the hunt on Saturday for "non-boring" tops. She felt like she has plenty of black, and really wanted to break free of what she's been wearing - while still staying true to her own comfort level (we all know that if you buy clothing to "break out of a rut," but aren't comfortable in it, no matter how cool you think it is, you just won't wear it) and work-appropriateness. She's a designer for a large news organization, and has some freedom, but still needs to stay in some lines.

So we scoured the H&M racks for patterns, colors and silouhettes that she'd wear. We felt a little "3 Bears" for a while (too long, too short, just right), but we managed to pull 4-5 pieces she was willing to try. Even a charcoal blouse with anime skulls (my personal favorite) to pair with military-green bermuda shorts (risky shape).

Turns out that outfit would've been a hit, if the fit was better. Sometimes, clothing just isn't cut for you (and a lot of times, I'm not sure who H&M cuts for, as my left boob won't fit in half the things I try on). We figured out that the bermuda shape is great for her.

In the end, she wavered about one top in particular. It's a lovely green patterned piece, with cocentric circles all over the flattering empire shape (reminscent of a marimekko print like the one at right). "It might be too crazy," she kept worrying. But we loved it on her - flattering, great colors, and pushed the 31204ever envelope just enough.

As you can see, she's thrilled with the results. It's so hard to break out, but she did it. I love it when people (especially ones I care about) feel good - and she clearly does - she deserves a Day O' Compliments.

Can't wait to see what she dons for M & Sugarplum's BBQ Saturday.

Shop in Style: marimekko sale this Saturday

Yes, yes, it's one of my favorite places. But what better excuse to check out Silver Spring, if you haven't been to the revitalized area...Ray's the Classics or Jackie's for dinner, anyone?

Shop in Style: Beat the Heat with Summer Sounds

If you can stand wandering the streets of Georgetown this weekend in the heat (try Ben & Jerry's, Cusp, Haagen Dazs, B&N, DolceZZa, Pink November - you get the drift), make sure to freshen up and cool off with a stop at Cusp's Sound of Summer Acoustic Festival.

Sunday, June 10
3:00 pm: Rob Pierangeli (THE HARD TOMORROWS)
4:00 pm: Andy Zipf

And if you hit the marimekko DIY event, please, please, please report in and share a pic of your bag! I'm off to be feted by mom and MIL. Two sets of mothers. Hope to see you on the other side.

Shop in Style: marimekko DIY

Alas, I won't be in town for this, but I'm internally jumping at the chance to play with the marimekko fabrics and create a yummy mummy bag. Please go play for me, then send in pics of your work! We'll have a show and tell.

marimekko fashion yourself

9 June 11-1 (see below for RSVP details)

marimekko Silver Spring

A Big, Huge Thank You

Sugarplum and 31204ever are the bestest ever.

As are The Muse, Babsie D, AlaskaGirl, SisInLaw, Mickey, MortorCityGirl, BlueSuitGirl, MeghansMom, and the rest of the women to whom I haven't given a BlogName yet.

It was a good thing I had my grandmom's hankies. After yesterday's post, I did indeed buck up and get in the shower. Then I thought of MotorCityGirl flying all the way in from Detroit just for the baby shower, and I lost it. And on the way up in the car with MeghansMom, we were talking about the support moms-to-be and new moms get from the most unexpected places, and lost it again. I lost it again when I saw MotorCityGirl standing in the kitchen at Sugarplum's place, and again when I read 31204ever's card (she wins the prize for making me cry at the presents part).

It was a wonderful day. A truly blessed thing.

The Girls put together the most perfect non-shower shower. (I have a general aversion to showers, but baby showers are somehow ok - the stuff's just too cute.) A gently themed day (read: no bunnies or duckies, just fantastic colors, like grass green and Schiaparelli pink, flowers and fruit) with an understated, yummy menu.

Homemade chicken salad, fresh, just barely sweet rolls, crostini with asparagus and parmesean, a to-die-for spinach and strawberry salad perfectly dressed with a balsamic vinagrette (Mickey and I kept devouring it after most everyone else was gone; we just stood by the bowl putting demure portions on our plates, then another, and another, and another...), roasted red pepper and feta dip with just a hint of fresh garlic, and lemon raspberry thumbprints, and de-LISH-ious cupcakes dressed in buttery pink and green icing (baby and full-size versions). And we all fell in love with the fruit bush (can't think of a better name for it) my stepmom brought along (pieces of fruit on skewers all stuck in a floral arrangement style thingy) - especially the dark-chocolate dipped pineapple flowers, the leftovers of which are in my fridge right now, and which will be devoured later.

(I had a cupcake for breakfast this morning. After my healthy flax cereal and greek yogurt, of course.)

Drinks were perfect. Still and sparkling water, of course, and a white wine. Then italian sparkling soda...and two custom Muse Preggatinis (TM). Nat (very reasonably) couldn't fly in from LA (she must be designing cocktails for some A-lister) is just amazing and designed the Gingerly Gestating and Sparkle in Your Eye just for us. Both were delicious, but I couldn't get enough of the Gingerly Gestating...I'm a sucker for anything ginger.

Though I would have protested heartily if I'd known about it ahead of time, the Girls' games appealed to all of my competition-freak friends - with the right touch of non-cheesy cheeziness. In honor of Bob's retirement, we played the Price is Right (competition? Everyone wanted to know exactly where the items were purchased, so they could price them properly.) We won't discuss what it means that all the moms in the room lost the mommy purse game (do you have these mommy items in your purse) to two women with no children. I'm proud of my BadMommies. And as a side note, I'm not sure they would admit it, but the Girls even thought about which magazines to pass around for folks to write on: Gourmet. Somehow, completely by chance, I ended up with the one with Michel Richard on the cover - genius.

The Bean's going to be dressed well - especially with gifts from such stylish ladies as were in the room yesterday. Who knew Carter, Gerber, and Target are such design houses? It goes without saying that the marimekko and Momzillas will help. And BlueSuitGirl found the funniest nursery rhyme book - This Little Piggy Went to Prada (Amy Allen) - nursery rhymes redone with high-style, high-end labels. I laughed so hard at

It goes without saying that the ladies stepped up the style for the afternoon. Nary a sweater set in sight. I don't think there were any pearls, either. We had Pucci-esque tunics, cotton party dresses, and perfectly fitting jeans. As soon as some pics come out from the party, I'll be sure to post.

The Girls thought of everything. My two crafty Girls even made little pink and green purses stuffed with essentials like gum, tissues, cocktail recipes, and custom M&Ms (a new must-do for any event, in my book).

I can't thank you enough, Sugarplum and 31204ever. I only hope that when it comes time for the next party in your honor, I can return the favor as thoughtfully as you.

Style Scoop: marimekko crosses the Atlantic to DC

Important details first.

marimekko
(marimekko DC's home and blog)

8519 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, Maryland
Right by all the new growth, and right across the street from cakelove, for you devotees (I'm not, but more on that later).

Quick summary second.

Brilliant textile-based design from Finland. Clothes, bags, linens, small housewares, and bolts and bolts of lovely patterned fabric. Non-fluffy, dry-worthy towels, too (which H and I can never, ever find here).

Mission: Create beauty for people's everyday lives.

Relatively reasonable prices (adorable child's t-shirt, $30 - ridiculous, on one hand, but on the other, the things really are gorgeous).

Close enough to Chipotle that you can swing by there (despite the brilliant catered food at the opening) afterwards, even if it is 9 o'clock at night and you know that you'll regret it later.

What it reminds people of? IKEA. Yup. It's a little bass-ackwards, but when you walk in, you just might think - oh! they're copying IKEA! The other way around. marimekko is known for their simple, sophisticated patterns and colors. It's that simple elegance I think defines Scandanavian style - and yet, they somehow retain a sense of humor that American competitor brands never achieve. If we could only get our office building to install a KONE Deco elevator in which there's a marimekko image on the back wall), I'd be happy.

IKEA references aside, marimekko is a design concept - and store - worth visiting. And to go on a mini-rant, the Daily Candy pitch this week just didn't do it justice, in my estimation. It's an intelligent brand, perfect for the cerebral fashionista of DC. Clothing is simple and structured, yet easy and no-nonsense. Architectural, to a point. The fabrics are amazing - jerseys are the softest cotton you've ever felt (H couldn't keep his hands off of one understated logo T), and the "oxfords" are jauntily textured.

And then there was the party.

As Babsie D wrote, it made people happy (at least me, H, pandahead, and a few others we partied with). The feel was as bright and airy as the design. Fortunately for me, there were no cakelove cupcakes in sight (Warren Brown was a co-host). Cookies, yes, cupcakes, no.* The few models wandering the party were inviting, not intimidating, and the crowd was, like the designs, smart, curious, and clearly willing to buy (the registers were ringing all night). My one real disappontment? I didn't get to meet Pamela Deutsch, one of the What Not to Wear producers, and another host. I'm of course not sure what I would've talked to her about, nevertheless... (check out Kelly's review of the store at DC Culture and Fashion, too).

H and I resisted buying a itsy-bitsy Bean outfit. It's just the kind of childlike sophistication I imagine my Brilliant Bean to have (and yes, yes, yes, I do realize that everything will eventually turn one color and I won't care anymore, but please let me hold my fantasy for just a little while longer). A return trip is definitely in order.

Oh - and nearly forgot. Must say that the press materials and guest gift bags were some of the most thoughtful I've seen. Sweet pieces from the Paaryna (Spring 07) collection - a mug that now graces my office desk (much better than the lame sample one I have from the mug supply company), and a darling little tray that now holds my (IKEA, ironically enough) water pitcher and glass on my nightstand (M people get incredibly thirsty during the night).


*The one I had last year (and yes, it was at room temperature) was a disappointing disaster. How can one screw up chocolate raspberry?