Ace & Jig: clothes-stalking

Confetti pompom scarf

Just last night I was doing my usual online window-shopping of items that I am currently clothes-stalking. Clothes-stalking is a one of my favorite activities of late. So say I see something on a blog or a store's website or Pinterest and then right away put it on a short mental list, that usually isn't longer than 4 or 5 items, of items that I plan on buying. On average I'd say I end up purchasing around 20% or less of these items. Very often they get bumped off the list by a newer piece I've seen, especially if they fall in the same category - black sandal, striped dress, No.6 clog, etc. Or I just enjoy going back to the same site over and over to see if they still have my size and then very often I become extremely bummed out when my size does in fact sell out. The irony of this of course being that I had every opportunity (10-20 usually) to in fact order it and be the owner of that oh so wonderful wardrobe-completely piece.

Ace & Jig rouge Camden cardi

so after a friend mentioned she'd just ordered the great red check Camden cardi featured in last week's post about the A detacher sandals, I suddenly had Ace & Jig on my radar. I knew of it before but I think the clothes don't necessarily translate so well online and so I kind of brushed over it before. Cotton gauze-y made-in-India fabrics are hard to gauge without seeing them in person.  I have realized though that I wear the cotton pieces in my wardrobe about twice as often as the silk ones. Silk easily stains, must be dry-cleaned and is just in general a pain in the ass when one spends most of their time with the pre-school set, as I do. So with that in mind, enough talk, here are the Ace & Jig items that I am officially stalking as well as some others I like thrown in for good measure:

Confetti button back shirt 

rouge Boardwalk dress

Isle skirt in confetti

Jardin top

Pop rolled tee

Ink Duo racerback

Henley Dunes dress

Confetti jumpall

Ace & Jig is also available at Madewell and Anthropologie.

More Summer Sandals - A Détacher

So adding on to my buckle theme from the other day, I knew there was one other one I was forgetting about. Luckily, I remembered! A Détacher makes some amazing shoes and they are usually a little too complicated on the wearability scale for me but they remind me of old-school (real) Helmut Lang looks from back in the day.  However this season they seem way more wearable. And there is one such sandal with a large buckle on it, reminiscent of a belt buckle a la the whole "buckle trend" i was talking about last week, and it comes in many different amalgamations. My favorite is the highsmith. I like it probably because it's the most simple of all of them but I like how simple it is and how it sort of looks like a belt remade on your foot.

Creatures of Comfort are the only ones carrying the simple black leather t-strap version. Most all other stores only have the simple t-strap in silver, including Mohawk general store whose lookbook pictures I included above. Doesn't the silver look amazing how they styled it?

the Highsmith in black

The Coyne with a suede knot

A little out there but the sandals have a box heel that is so on trend right now (all the Brit girls are wearing it) and I think the knot version, while less wearable for sure, is very sexy. Especially if you wear the higher heel version.

There is another color in the Coyne - the knot version - that is silver with a tan suede knot and doesn't have the white rubber on the bottom (not a fan of that.) It was in the runway show at NYFW and is available here. Okay, stop the bus. THAT one is my favorite. Why more stores don't have that color I have no idea? (Also note the "socks". Sort of a half-tube mesh thing. Una in Portland is carrying them.)

The Coyne in tan/blue

A sportier version - called the Sherman

A high version of the Coyne - called the Hesse. This one is fun.

And last but certainly not least is the crazy platform Geisha version, called the Linn. (buy it here.)

All of them are in the $400 price range, unfortunately for me. No less beautiful though.

Black Crane and Momoko Suzuki

A while ago Totokaelo featured a designer and the designer's home on their blog. I had never heard of the woman, Momo Suzuki, or her line Black Crane, but I loved her house! And her whole look! Her Serge Mouille wall sconce is one of my favorite light fixtures of all time. As are her Charlotte Perriand leather and chrome chairs. You can read about her whole background here on totokaelo's blog but I will sum it up short and sweet. Momo is from Japan, lives in LA and designs beautiful, simple clothes with quality materials in a small color palette and wonderful drape (or at least it seems so from the photos) and everything is made in LA too. And lots of pieces are 100% cotton, something I think is very underrate - washable, better with kids, etc. And simple details like raw edges and seams down the middle.

The prices are great too, even items under $100 (i know, what!) But some things do seem rather basic. Especially when lately I have limited funds with which to invest and really try to use them wisely, i.e. on key, striking pieces that are unique and special...not just a basic tee.

Momo with her Perriand chairs and a Platner table.

The Serge Mouille sconce and Momo Suzuki.

Momo on her cool couch in very cool sandals (more on those another day.)

Her closet. So simple - utterly cool.

That said, I have since seen Black Crane all over the friggin' place -- Mohawk General Store, Myth and Symbol (in Houston), Machus (in Portland), Totokaelo of course, and now even No.6 is carrying her stuff. I have had my eye on the Wide dress. It's sort of like a long t-shirt stretched into a dress with kimono sleeves. I think it would be great when it's worn slightly oversized (not tight) and then there are some jumpers and several different slouchy pants and shorts. And a few great dresses. The tees cross a line into being too flow-y slash boxy. Not sure about them but you be the judge. Below are some highlights:

The Wide dress - oversized

the Balloon jumper

Accordion Dress in navy

Long Strap dress in Aqua

The wide crew top in marble - one of the few prints

the square tee in white

Spring sandals

After seeing a picture of Clemence Poesy at the Acne show during Paris Fashion week, I can't get the image out of my head of her shoes. A black monk-strap oxford, all beat up.  Clemence, for those who don't know, is one of those effortlessly-chic French girls who also happens to be an actress and was in a Harry Potter movie among other things. Her whole look is filled with style inspiration from the floppy hat, to the big, camel pashmina scarf, the fuzzy angora sweater, the white snakeskin clutch to even her basic black cropped pants -- but it's the shoes that have been keeping me up at night.

Loeffler Randall Skye Gladiator Plank Sandals

And like many other shopaholics right now, I have been shopping for summer sandals. I keep being drawn to these lace-up gladiator Loeffler Randall sandals that unfortunately for me are sold out in black (in my size,  although Bird has a couple sizes left but not many). And then while checking Loeffler Randall's website on the off-chance they might suddenly be available -- you can still get them in nude or cheetah-print -- I spotted the asymmetrical Selma sandals that have two different color leather straps in different thickness that wrap around and each buckle at the ankle, with two different size buckles.

Loeffler Randall Selma asymmetrical sandals

And it's the buckles that really remind me of Clemence and her monk-strap oxfords. The thing about her look is how prominent the buckles are on her shoes. I have searched the internet far and wide for a similar monk-strap oxford, but as is the case very often, I believe they are vintage - a relic of the monk-strap heavy '90s (Remember when monk-strap shoes were all over the J.Crew catalog?). And even more so, they are very fall and I am keen on summer - despite the fact I live in Portland and have at least 3 more months of soggy weather. Furthermore, I know this is a trend that is coming and as very often happens with me, I can't find the thing I'm looking for until it is actually a trend. So, we will leave them until later...and revisit again in the fall.

Back to the sandals, so the double mismatched buckles is what draws me to them and makes them different from most of the other sandals on the market these days. I like the black and the tan together although the tan/silver is a nice combination as well. And I think both color-combinations would work equally well at being worn with a dress or casual with jeans or shorts.

Nike: Channeling Phoebe Philo

I am thinking of copying Phoebe Philo's look here in this candid of her from March US Vogue looking amazing at the Celine offices. She has always been good at adding some "street" to her fancy look and the contrast is very refreshing.

So while up late doing some online shopping for my daughter (who is actually in need of new sneakers while I, on the other hand, am not.) I spied these new Roshe Run Woven trainers by Nike and thought...can I? I went for the seafoam green, so there is a 75% these are being returned. You never know though. Or I might opt for the all black. I am currently in love with all things woven, especially when it comes to shoes. And I like that these are supposed to be worn without socks.

The Roshe Run Woven comes in a few other colors as well:

Before Midnight

Something about these movies - Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and now, Before Midnight, with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy - is so real. Or maybe it's just because I have been at the same point in my life as they are when I have seen each film. Either way, I know the characters so well; they feel like old friends.

The official trailer for Before Midnight, which opens in NY and LA on May 24th, premiered recently. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

"you are the mayor of crazy-town, do you know that?"

"I wanted you to say something romantic and you didn't."

"I assure you that that guy that you vaguely remember, that sweet, romantic guy you met on a train, that is me."