Q: Why celebrate a holiday that encourages children to gain weight and rot their teeth? A: It is one of the only occasions when it is appropriate for “kids” of all ages to dress up. Costumes give us a chance to create a new look and persona. Or we can even become an inanimate object. (I was once a grapefruit juice box complete with bendy straw.) Clothing, makeup and prosthetics can also offer the opportunity to temporarily or permanently take on another gender. Every year on the Tuesday before Halloween, this freedom is celebrated with a spirited drag parade followed by a high heeled race in the Dupont Circle area. If you are ever in our Nation’s Capital the week before Halloween, do not miss this annual treat. Follow the link for a taste of what you missed this year. Continue ...

Like every twenty-something woman who considers herself fashionable, I keep up on the latest in Marc Jacobs clothing, bags and shoes. (Note: This does not necessarily mean purchase.) The shoes don’t stack up to Mr. Jacobs’ other creations due largely to their lack of comfort—it is clear that style comes first in the house of Marc. Footwear, more than any other wearable, is about a marriage of comfort and aesthetics; an itchy shirt is bearable, but oozing blisters are not.  Continue ...

I feel like I’m always moving. That could be because I’ve changed residences every year for the past 8 years. Things would probably be easier for me if I just decided to live out of boxes and make furniture out of cardboard. With more people than ever moving frequently due to changing jobs, lifestyles or significant others, the best way to keep track of people you know is through e-mail. Even with everything being electronic these days, it’s nice to have a record of friends’ home addresses  Continue ...

When did men’s undershirts and undershirt-inspired, ribbed tanks become known as wifebeaters? The term seems to have resulted from notions of abuse associated with the “white trash” stereotype, and certain film characters and celebrities who have sported this particular type of garment. If you ever found it unnerving to call a shirt a wifebeater, you aren’t alone.  Continue ...

What has a waiting list longer than the latest Hermes bag and is only slightly less exciting than the shows at Bryant Park during fashion week? You won’t get the answer on your own, so just let me tell you: the annual student fashion show at The Maryland Institute College of Art. This year’s show titled Vogue: A Celebration in Fashion took place this past weekend. Two nights in a row, lively models of all shapes and sizes paraded on the makeshift catwalk sporting the work of 18 young designers in front of a packed house. Proceed to the full post where I’ve provided snapshots of some garments for your viewing pleasure.  Continue ...

It’s common for advertising, packaging and posters from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s to be copied, quoted and commented on in contemporary design work. Stores like Old Navy just love to go retro with their fashions and promotions.

The always luxurious, elegantly geometric and often gaudy work of the 1920’s has, in my opinion, been overlooked as a source of direct inspiration. The recent surge of intense and layered ornamentation in illustration does share elements with the work of artists like Erte; however, it is not a tribute or throwback time of the flapper. Here’s a smokin’ new product line from Blue Q (masters of freakishly fun packaging) that looks like it was pulled straight from the era of the bob.  Continue ...

Some store bought beverages are comfortable to drink out of the container and some aren’t. It depends on the diameter of the opening and the size of the drinker’s mouth and nose. It seems unsanitary that our nostrils often end up hovering above our soda, juice or water. The other day I encountered drinking perfection with Fruit Water. The new bottle for this particular beverage has an angled mouth making it a pleasure to drink from. We’ll have to wait and see if other companies follow suit. Continue ...

Grail tees, by Peter Ross, have maintained their “it” item status. I thought at 80 bucks or more a pop that success for the company might be short-lived despite the obvious appeal of their products. The reason for the high price point, and one of the draws of Ross’s fashions, is the customization process. Each shirt or sweat pant is printed with graphic/s, and made unique with paint and bleach splatters. It can’t hurt Grail’s business that the skull, their main motif, aside from their logotype, is enjoying a moment in the spotlight. Traditionally associated with punk and Grey’s Anatomy (the famed medical illustrations; not the TV show), drawings of this essential human structure are enjoying a mainstream moment. Continue ...

Is of course, another woman’s treasure. We all know it is a good idea to recycle, conserve and generally be aware of the planet. Somehow actively pursuing what’s ecologically friendly is, in popular culture, often linked with being unstylish. We picture Birkenstocks with socks, and bland, natural colors. However, there are actually great gifts out there for green and need-to-be-more-green friends that have some funk to them.  Continue ...

Bad News: Print Gocco is vanishing. If you’ve experienced Riso’s Print Gocco, you know it’s magical. It is a self-contained screen printing gadget. It allows you burn (make) a screen with Gocco-specific flash bulbs, and then use the same machine to stamp your design. There’s no mess unless you’re a total slob. It works for business cards, stationery, bumper stickers, t-shirts (with special fabric ink) and just about everything else. In short, the Print Gocco is an amazing DIY tool.  Continue ...