Shibori

Ashley Simpson in a Shibori dyed dress from Gypsy 05

While the dip-dyed (ombre) look is still popular in fashion, a new (old) trend in dye is the Shibori technique. Shibori is the ancient Japanese technique of bound-resist dyeing. The dye patterns have a delicate, intricate quality about them. I saw this look at Sourcing At MAGIC while I was there in August. Dyed garments and accessories - shoes, bags, belts, fringe - were huge at this show. While there were a variety of popular dye techniques at MAGIC, Shibori appears to be gaining exposure. It is a beautiful technique and appears to be the next evolution in dyes. Shibori fashion sightings include:

Baby Phat Spring 2009 Fashion Show, NY runway

Scarf by Gypsy V
VOGUE magazine, October 2008

The Politics of Fashion

With just weeks to go before the Presidential election the fashion of politics is in high gear. October's VOGUE features an article (2 full pages in it's FLASH section) about politically minded designers who have created limited-edition collectibles for the Obama campaign.
A much more diminutive article (a half page) in the same FLASH section of VOGUE, talks about campaign buttons making a comeback among the "Republican fashionistas."

People magazine's special double issue of the Best & Worst Dressed! addresses the Sarah Palin fever that has taken hold of the country over the past three weeks. "Move over, Charlize. There's a new trendsetter in town, and she's causing a run on rimless glasses (Kawasaki), peep-toe pumps (Franco Sarto) and requests for sexy secretary-like updos across the country." They call her style "accessible." After watching Tina Fey's spoof of Sarah Palin, how much do you want to bet that the Sarah Palin costume will be the big favorite this Halloween?!

On People magazine's best-dressed list was Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who was given high marks for a look that was "classic and confident."
"She has a look. She works it with confidence, and she knows what looks good on her," said People's Style Editor Clarissa Cruz. But Obama played down the notion that her sense of style might be anything close to couture, telling People: "Some of my favorite summer dresses are from Gap and H&M."

The New York Post has said that Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama both break the dowdy First Lady mold, calling their styles "modern and regal."

Hopefully, all this talk of fashion and style will make people look beyond the political couture and examine the issues at hand. Make up your own mind and then make your own political voice heard by voting. If you want to encourage others to do the same, consider creating a "Craft the Vote" tee-shirt. Show your support of our political process, encourage your family and friends to have fun and be creative. Express your power!

Seven Years Later

Let's NEVER FORGET September 11, 2001. . . May God bless America!

Tokyo Street Style

Have you noticed that we are being invaded by little robotic looking tech icons that seem to be inspired by the color palette of the '80's, the post Punk movement, Avatars and Japanese girls from Harajuku? What? I have been noticing this look for a while but I knew it was HOT when I opened my email from Sephora and saw that Gwen Stefani's new fragrance collection, Harajuku Lovers, is inspired by the electric street scene of the Harajuku shopping district in Tokyo. Each fragrance is in a doll decanter (above) and you choose which girl best fits your personality. Seventeen Magazine's September issue offered a "17 Exclusive" Harajuku Lovers backpack created exclusively for Seventeen readers. The magazine also offers a fashion tip: Rock this bag with a bright hoodie, jeans, and a pair of colorful sneakers! The Japanese-inspired look is all about bright colors, graphic tech icons, stars, skulls, robots...........let me just show you in case you still don't get it.

My 'Sista'hood

Today I sat at my desk eating my lunch, going through my emails, not really taking a break when I decided I needed to let my mind wander. So I decided to see what my blogging girlfriends were up to. I don't really know all of them, although I have met some of them. They are women whose blogs I tend to frequent to get a creative infusion, or at least that was how it all started. Now I visit them because I like to check up on them, see what they've been doing. I am watching over my 'sista'hood. . . Do you do that? How can you not get 'personally' involved with the lives of these bloggers when you read about their kids going back to school, or their summer trips across the country, or the fascinating retreats they may teach and share all their creative adventures? I can only hope they like to check on me, too. It's funny, when I see some of these women teaching at art retreats or attending trade shows I feel like I should be able to give them a big hug and ask them how their families are doing. I don't usually do this because I am afraid I may come off sounding like a deranged fan. Usually I just smile to myself, thinking There's one of my girlfriends. I just added some more of my favorite blogs to my 'Favorites' list. Check them out. See if you don't want to meet them and give them a big hug, too.

To say I have been too busy to blog is an understatement! I just spent last Sunday through Tuesday in Las Vegas at Sourcing At MAGIC, then I worked Wednesday through Friday, played hostess to my two sisters and their families over the Labor Day weekend and I am scheduled to go out of town again on Friday and Saturday to a bead show in San Mateo, and to the de Young museum in San Francisco to see the Chihuly glass exhibit. Whew! I am busy. Actually, I am just spinning a few too many plates in the air. Oh, yeah, I am participating in an art show in Fresno on September 20th. I still have a whole lot of jewelry to make for that. Once I get some pieces scanned I will share them on my blog.