Wear It Archive

I wwwant that!

December 17, 2009

With the proliferation of gift guides and holiday wish lists, I wwwant that! #10 took some restraint in pulling together. All these calls to action for internet commerce make cracking open the wallet not only acceptable but encouraged! But don’t doubt me, this wee bank account remains sealed against the supremely priced and produced wares. If you do have the means, support those artisans and independent shop owners!

I am 100% a fan of all these uberchunk knits popping up all over the place lately. Why am I so drawn to them? Could it be the cold house, the snuggly warm appearance, the texture, the proportions?? Whatever to reason, I love what the folks at Ladies and Gentlemen did with some cotton rope. Coincidentally, I have some of that exact same stuff I am using to make some of those knot trivets over on design*sponge.

One of my FAVORITE stores in the Mission is The Curiosity Shoppe. Not only is their space a complete pleasure to peruse but Derek and Lauren have absolutely exceptional style they share on their blog, Smarts & Crafts. Derek recently shared his favorite objects from the store and damnit, I wwwant that clock! If you can’t tell, the left eyeball points to the hour and the right points roughly to the minute. Just think of the joy this mechanical menace would bring to any room. For you lucky bay area bitches, visit The Curiosity Shoppe at 19th and Valencia.

Two things from Modish’s recent Favoite Things gift guide made me squeal out loud. Leggings and a ring. It’s pretty amusing I’m so drawn to these leggings because a) you have to be a crazy person to wear heals around SF and b) I would probably look like a fuzzed-out, tubbo cookie monster in them. But there is no denying that I would love to see these guys in my sock drawer. The second thing is a fricken fantastic rough cut emerald by Erica Weiner. It’s not just that it’s green (which doesn’t hurt) but it’s the earthy feel that makes me desirous of such a treasure. If you’d like to torture yourself with more awesome stuff, I dare you to browse the rest of B ona Drag‘s online shop. Double dog dare!

If there’s something you were bound to learn about me, it’s that I love ________. Fill-in-the-blanks are the best! We’ve got this Seattle Show Poster hanging in the living room and I certainly think that a t-shirt would make an excellent addition to my _____ collection. And oh my, that pink. What is this, a Miranda July project?

Another thing you’ll learn about my taste is that I am not generally a fan of quilts (barf). Hot damn if I didn’t find an exception to the rule on My Love for You is a Stampede of Horses! Guest poster Alison Feldmann shared her holiday wish-list which included this galaxy blanket (by etsy seller Stellar Quilts) that I would absolutely use. Remember, I’m a space nerd?

Oops, looks like we’re making SUPER CHUNKY sandwich on this post! Well here you have it, folks. Proof that my love of chunky monkey knitware is because of a COLD SNAP in San Francisco! Phydeaux makes these great neckwarmers/portable cowls that are lovely. If you’re a knitter, you can DIY with a much cheaper pattern! Tip-off for this was by Indie Fixx and their 12 days of awesome, I mean, Christmas. (While you’re over there, check out the Indie Fixx Gifts for Hipsters. Not a bad selection but srsly ixnay on those f&#king trucker hats!)

Your moment of inspiration: the graphic art of James Joyce. Scroll and enjoy his bold lines, bight colors and sheer simplicity. Swoon! (Also compliments of My Love for You. Thanks kids!)

I wwwant that!

November 23, 2009

(photo by swankdollar)

What started as a ode to machine knitting turned into full blown blog admiration for this former Target designer and superwoman behind Swank Dollar, Annie Larson. She mixes bold colors and geometric prints that when combined, give you a Fight Club style punch to the eyeball. And you thought machine knits couldn’t be sexy! I am totally ready to drop an imaginary $1,000 on a purl monster. As always, Craft Magazine was on top of Annie’s awesome work. For more of Annie’s inspiring work, check out her Flickr stream.

Sweartogod I DON’T EVEN LIKE PRINTS. But lately, it’s a weak spot, especially the vaguely tribal and westernized ikat prints popping up all over the place. Rachel Comey did up some hiking gear and it’s deeelightful. I’ve got For You, for Me and Refinery29 to blame again for this awesome tidbit of internet covetousness. You’ll eventually be able to snag these totes and accessories on tenover6.com.

Now to get nerdy, because not everything I wwwant online has to do with wearable (although technically this does). Let’s trod thisaway, to the technology isle. Here we’ll find a SHIRT I got free from Threadless that is now an ELECTRIC new iPhone case entitled Clouds within the Thunder. (LOOK HOW OLD THAT PHOTOBOOTH PICTURE IS.) Design Crush, you are so fired for posting such a great collaboration between Threadless and Griffin Technology.

(Photo by Sarah London)

If you follow The Hipster Home on twitter, you’d have seen that I’m slowly working on the Sarah London mystery crochet project (now revealed to be an advent calendar). Besides sounding like a soft, sweet soul, Sarah’s work is fantastic. The tutorials are really top notch and easy to follow. But I am not here to wax poetic about that. She recently re-highlight an older project because of a reader creation. The inspired scarf is nice but OH MY THAT BLANKET!!!! If you light bright colors and crochet, her flickr stream is your hook hand’s day dream. (I’m tempted to make this one my iPhone wallpaper!)

These next two I wwwant that mentions are the actual devil. By that I mean they’re the reason that this post even exists. Two internet commerce sites designed to make you squeal, faint and then open your wallet. Say YES! to hoboken shares with us a way to bypass all the regrEtsy by using Supermarket, a store for designer created products. You barely have to browse without wanting one thing or another. Is it weird I’m so drawn to this cicada ring??

Next site is Gretel Home. The best way to describe their wares is if instead of getting lost in the woods, Gretel went to school for design and absorbed a simple and modern Scandinavian aesthetic and curated a store using those skills. OF COURSE the items are mostly expensive but OF COURSE they feature craftsmanship and design that warrant the prices. Oh if I were a rich man….

That’s it for this week guys! If you see something you wwwant too, share it below or hit me up on the twitxors.

I wwwant that!

November 10, 2009

The internet is of great value to society. You can self-diagnose illnesses, learn how to cook a flawless souffle, and ignore rent in order to buy every shiny object you come across online. This is my attempt to stifle that last impulse. Please join me today as I highlight the best and brightest items I’ve seen recently (whose value exceed my budget).

Some people say Fall is a good time for pie baking, leaf raking and the drinking of hot cider. I say Fall is an excellent time to think about my winter coat. Kate Miss, from for me, for you, shared her favorite coats from Soia & Kyo. My eyes fell in love only for my wallet to break my heart, even though you can buy them on discount site Bluefly. My giraffe neck means I could totally pull off this warm wonder.

(photo from the Tina Kalivas website)

Related, it seems appropriate to jump to this Refinery29 discovery. Following another link from for you, for me, I encountered this website (you know how it goes for the click-curious) and this great discovery: Tina Kaliva! Her designs are colorful, geometric and eclectic. You’ll really want to go see all of her recent designs. I don’t even think these bad boys are for sale (yet) but they are certainly worth the 5 minutes of eye candy.

One of the beautiful things about I wwwant that! items is that you don’t have to rationally think about how you’d incorporate said item into your everyday life. Since you won’t get around to owning whatever it is you want, you can’t help but form some sort of attachment to the idea of it. That about sums up how these playful wood blocks struck me. I want it! Oh, but what on earth would I do with them? Thanks Madam Herve for the moment of whimsy. Don’t you think they feel very Alexander Girard? As makers of simple and pleasurable kid toys, the Miller Goodman has more blocky fun on their site.

Do you love notecards? Do you enjoy adding that extra special touch to any occasion with a little bit of handwriting and wood pulp? Me too. Which is exactly why I LOVE the idea behind this subscription service, The Card Society. Following more link trails (this time from Oh Joy!), I was alerted to the work of Maria Vettese. She recently launched a photo styling portfolio site but has been releasing two cards per month through The Card Society. Lovely work!

Can’t buy me love (cue intangible items and pieces of inspiration):

-Remember that fantastic headband I wwwanted a few weeks ago? It made an appearance in the ever-experimental closet of Mai during her Mighty Closet feature. You may know Mai from Fashioni.st, a street style blog features Bay Area inhabitants. (I particularly love that she ALWAYS has an up-close shoe shot.) Go look at the rest of the shoot and be dazzled! Her wardrobe puts me a color coma. Also worth noting, Mighty Closet is a feature from Maggie of Mighty Girl, another super-fantastic Bay Area blogger.

-I’m kind of afraid to put this into the universe but Lord Help Me I love some Gwyneth GOOP. Last week’s newsletter was all about SEE. It features blaaaghs Mz. Paltrow looks to for inspiration. (She needs inspiration?!? WHAAA????) Gwenny lists old favorites like The Selby, Gilt Groupe and the new ex-Domino Lonny Magazine but she adds one I hadn’t heard of before. Hey, Remodelista is awesome! So if you live under four walls and a roof, you’ll probably like this home decoration site.

-I really appreciate the grit and cheerful approach of this home owner towards their less than ideal balcony location. So does all*over*print who spotted it in Tel-aviv and shared pictures with us. Head over to her site and see what I’m talking about. (There are also more pictures on Flickr.)

-A couple JUST BEAUTIFUL things from this week: Commune Design! Poppytalk posted some pictures of their interior design work and HOLY MOLY, where does one get a that rug?!? I’m ready to plunk down $40,000 for them to do a complete Hipster Home redesign (in my dreams). Another awesome bit, sfgirlbybay asked Homebug to do a virtual house tour for the internet. I’m ready to move in to that splendid home. LOOK AT THE PRETTY COLORS! If you’re interested in home design, fashion and have a pulse, I’d recommend checking out Homebug besides.

-Tasteless and potentially offensive items last: DICKTOWEL.COM Watch the commercial. This is for all my It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia homies. Definitely don’t click through unless you have a slightly warped sense of humor and you find male anatomy jokes delightful. I figure the towel is probably terrible quality, so I’d like to make a miniature version of this as an embroidery sampler. For posterity.

I wwwant that!

November 3, 2009

Could it already be the almighty fifth I wwwant that! post? It is! Join me for a weekly meditation on rather pricey internet goods and the people (me) that love them.

(photo by iacoili & mcallister)

Clearly there’s some part of my brain that is made of straight rainbow. There is no gray matter, it’s all multi-color. That is the ONLY explanation I can come up with as to why I’m so attracted to bursts of bright. The Kitchn got my neurons snapping when they posted these brilliant cake plates. They’re made from old candle holders and were given a powder coat once over by some enterprising souls at iacoli & mcallister. Bravo.

Fan of quirky purses but low on cash? Avert your eyes from TsuruBride’s Etsy shop. She makes one mean animal clutch and I’m not talking about the terrible hen purse. My favorite? Definitely the squirrel. A thanks to Croqzine for twittering a featured seller link that let me down this dark, leathery, cute road.

There’s something so wholesome and pure about any article of clothing that features a BIG FLOPPY BOW. That’s probably why I went a little nut-so when I saw these great purses by Breagha on the superfantastic Modish blog. (Oh look, it’s yet another purse I wwwant this week. Trend anyone?) Unlike the previous petite clutches, these are big bags, featuring a nubby finish in autumnal colors and patterns. I can’t decide whether I’d rather picture myself using the yellow or the herringbone purse. Good thing I don’t have to pick. Gimme both, imagination!

Most pan racks lack pizazz. They’re all heavy-duty steel this and that. Serendipity and Spark found the perfect whimsical solution. It’s got colors, swoopy lines and a smattering of color. Does your kitchen yearn for this home item and are you blessed with a large bank account? Buy it on the Supermarket HQ website.

How do you feel about industrial felt? What about take-out style boxes? And if they have a face? What if the handle is the face, does that creep you out? It doesn’t? Well then, you’ll love these folding buckets made by VivachiStyle. Do Something Pretty did something pretty when they shared these great utility buckets.

Another craft and design emporium, IndieFixx, is hosting a giveaway. It’s $50 bucks to spend on the Modish Vintage store. To play, you had to find something you like in the Modish Vintage wares and post it in the comments. I found several things I liked but nothing I really LIKED until arriving at this adorable little boy porcelain dish, cup and bowl set. Say it with me now, HOW FRIGGEN CUTE! If I had more than the scrap of money left to my name I was SURELY shell out the $30 bucks to bring this fella into my home.

That’s it for this week’s I wwwant that! Do chime in if you love any of these items. And definitely don’t hesitate to share other covetables if you’ve been scoping out something delicious.

(UPDATE: Heather from CROQ Zine and Dollar Store Crafts shared these these great letter pillows made from old suit coats in the comments. Here’s a picture of Hilary Cosgrove’s alphabet pillows. Love it.)

I wwwant that!

October 27, 2009

Right. I get it. I slacked off last week. I’m sorry! Seriously guys, lay off. That was the last time. From here on out, it’s two posts per week MINIMUM. You’ve waited patiently, and you shall be amply rewarded for another round of I wwwant that! This week’s homage to internet consumption is a doozy. I wwwant all of it!

Let’s start things off with something that I believe is the EPITOME of an “I wwwant that!” item. Is it pretty? Is it expensive? Is it useful in a silly way? CHECK THREE TIMES! Dear reader-person, meet the Jonathan Adler Butter Holder. It’s in the shape of a man’s shoe. It is $58.00.Thank you Happy Lady Eats for sharing with me something so absurd and ridiculous that I just can’t help myself.

Do you remember how I feel about geometric jewelery? Let me jog your memory: I LOVE IT. Do you know what I love even more? EMBROIDERY FLOSS! You’ll have to imagine what it looked like when my brain melted out of my ears when I set my eyeballs on Mint blog and saw this fantastic jewelery on etsy. I’ve got yet another favorite etsy seller, Spinthread (or is it Maranon?) You can watch her work in progress on Flickr.

This next one I’m admittedly reserved about loving. It’s ALMOST too art teacher for me. But then I see the bits of crocheted neon orange and hot pink and I’m sold all over again. It’s a good bet that if you are coveting something made in Portugal, it’ll put a dent in your wallet. The crocheted jewelery from Cooler is one such case. If you’d like to oogle her goods, she’s got a set on Flickr. Thanks to bits + bobbins, my admittedly one-sided, color-crazy internet compatriot.

LAST ONE! I don’t even think this counts necessarily because I CAN’T buy it. I can’t buy just the kitchen from a house. I’ve got this one here at The Hipster Home but we are but mere renters! If we COULD buy a house’s kitchn, and money was no object, I JUST MIGHT try to convince the Mr. that a Lego kitchen is the way to go. How does one get turned on to the Lego kitchen island? Apartment Therapy of course! So drool with me now as you check out more pictures. (TRUE STORY: we already own the Lego kitchen timer so I suppose we already have a Lego kitchen. Also: WHAT IS THAT THING AROUND THE BUST’S NECK!?!? I love.)

Was all of that to much of an overwhelming tease? Here are some FREE things:

Download the deliciously delectable iPhone wallpaper/food art compliments of The Food in My Beard. (This dude is also nominated for my favorite blog header on the internet. How did I come across this site? Googling Pork belly Macaroni and Cheese. He really is that awesome.)
Get inspired by the majestic ladies and gentleman of Advanced Style. Whosiewhat is that? Why it’s a blog featuring stylish people who are MUCH older than the typical people on other street style blogs. (Hat tip to Bits + Bobbins for her post. An appropriate find since I’m toying with the idea of going as as Future Me for Halloween.)
Recreate the sweetness of The Kitcn‘s Sticky Toffee Cakelets in your own kitchen. (Is cakelet not the cutest baked good name ever? Right up there in my book with snack cake and “I brought you this fresh baked _____.”)
Create a thing a day. You’ve probably got the supplies or camera to create without spending ANYTHING! You can do it with this Flickr group called Make Something Cool Every Day. That’s some downright inspiring shit.

Page 2 of 3