apparel

A Cheap Chic Black Bag to Rival Ikea’s and Balenciaga’s Tote

After the designers at fashion house Balanciaga knocked off Ikea’s iconic big blue 99-cent tote (in leather for $2,145), frequent contributor Susan Dworski jumped into the fray with a chic, cheap black bag that we hacked to perfection.

‘Crisis is a Hair’ (Hair Poetry, Visual and Otherwise)

Images and poems of and about hair remind us of the meaning and possibilities, both creative and metaphysical, of the mysterious fiber.

Trompe l’Oeil and Conceptual Art Necklaces DIY

This trompe l’oeil, conceptual art necklace takes the classic, waspy pearl necklace to a whole new level. It inspired us to search out doable, actually wearable trompe l’oeil jewelry.

Size Matters: Jumbo Paperclip as Liberating, Minimalist “Purse”

My collection of under- and over-sized things often yields surprising improvisations and pleasures.

Overpainted Nails (Why Stay Within the Lines?)

Recently, we came across two rather astonishing plays on “nail polish”. We think they are both rather liberating. The bottom is particularly smashing.

Artful DIY Minimalist Aprons

This startlingly simple apron by Maison Martin Margiela suddenly made us SEE aprons for what they really are: a piece of cloth with ties to hold it snugly against the torso. And it gave us lots of ideas for making them, some done on-the-fly.

Martin Margiela’s Philosophy of Art, Creative Process, Life

In this very interesting interview, purportedly with famously reclusive designer Martin Margiela, are some seriously insightful views of art, the creative process, and what’s REALLY important. Together they make a rather wonderful poem.

Nature Becomes Clothing and Adornment

In her work, photographer Agnieska Chabros often uses Nature to dress her models. We hadn’t thought of using shadows as a style element. Then we discovered other photographers dressing models with unexpected adornments from the natural world… … … … … Then of course, there is Brandon Stanciell, The Man Who Loved Flowers …and come to think of…

Dressing for Camouflage or Self-Expression w Rumi

Walking around the park recently, we saw a man leaning on a fence, minding his own business, wearing an astonishing hat: a baseball cap turned backwards and interleaved with fresh green branches. When we asked him how he came to make it, his answer got us thinking about just what our personal apparel really does for us…

Clothes to Draw, Write, Paint On

At Kleidersachen, a German tumblr whose name name literally translates dresses things, sublime examples of out-there clothing and textiles had us transfixed, culling ideas right and left on a variety of themes, in awe, inspired. To start, we’re thinking about neutral apparel that can be drawn, painted, written on.

$4 Adventures in Artisan Perfumes

We spent several illuminating hours exploring the website of Twisted Lily, a fragrance boutique in Brooklyn that features artisanal perfumes. Buying $4 sample sizes of several of their 648 offerings proved an exciting, affordable way to learn about the mysterious, sensual world of fragrances.

Tricks + Tools for Instant Clothing Nips + Tucks

The stylish French saleswoman at a NYC Megshop wore a men’s jacket with the back nipped in with a few stitches and the sleeves rolled up. It looked great! It got me thinking about even easier, less permanent ways to give instant form-fitting shape to a shirt, jacket or dress.

How I Reburbished an Old Shearling Coat + Made it Reversible

Although initially pricey, shearling coats are a great clothing investment: they are incredibly warm and last years. But like anything, they begin to show wear. There IS a simple solution that will keep them going for years that I learned from Suzanne Shaker: turn your shearling inside out and have new zipper put in by…

Cheap + Chic: Crease-Wrinkled Big Cotton Shirt

A fan of the big white cotton shirt, years ago I discovered that XXL MEN’s cotton poplin shirts could be had for about $25 at Target* and looked as good as the much pricier women’s version. Averse to ironing, I’d drop them off at the shirt laundry and ask for “extra starch”. At about $2 each, I’d live…

The Zeitgeist in Pom Poms

The other day, we came across some spectacular earrings: fur pom poms dangling from thin gold wires. WANT, we thought. And then, MAKE, which starts us researching materials and processes. We discovered that pom poms, both fur and fake, can be easily bought and hold huge possibilities for gifts. And then we found we’d unknowingly tapped into the zeitgeist.

Injury’s Message + Band-aids’ Vast Possibilities

Over many years of cooking professionally, amidst sharp knives and fire, I learned that an accidental cut or burn was in fact a signal: a message from myself to myself that I was distracted. I needed to listen deeply to what was going on, or at the very least, slow down and take care. I…

Better-Than-Your-Shoemaker Shoe + Boot Refurb

How many times have you had your shoemaker polish your shoes, only to find the rough blims and tears on the scuffed toes pop up after the first wearing, making your shoes look as old as they really are? Having never found a shoemaker who solved the problem, we decided to experiment on a few…

The Ugly Practical iPhone Holder I Can’t Live Without

When I wore my iPhone stuck to a velcro forearm band to a friend’s house, she said “How can you wear such an ugly thing?”; it’s terrible!” Terrible? Lighten up! It is actually an amazing device. I workout hard, cook, and do chores with it and it has yet to come off. It’s like a big Apple watch whose serious advantages trump its looks. As with everything I buy, I hacked it a bit, and pushed its limits.

Girl Prison Antidote: Man Repeller + a DIY Scarf Dress

“Girl prisons” are publications so full of notions of “the right way to be a girl”, so fierce with implicit “shoulds” and shame as to become a”prison” in the reader’s mind. Girl and other kinds of Prisons are so woven through our culture, we are always on the lookout for ones that liberate rather than imprison. Our new favorite: MAN REPELLER.

An Inexpensive Joy-Sparking Gift for Women, Men, Kids

I’m always on the lookout for gifts I can stockpile for unexpected occasions, that have a wide reach in terms of “giveability” to different kinds of people. My trove includes a number of items in our shop, from books to the great knives. Recently, I stumbled on another goody: stylish temporary tattoos.

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