It's a Fanny Pack, people.

Clare Vivier's new waist bag

I know a fanny pack, ahem...waist bag, is sort of inherently a fashion faux pas. Knowing that I don't hesitate at all to tell you that I own one. It is the most beautiful tan suede with wide leather belt fanny pack you have ever seen; it also happens to be Maison Martin Margiela and is one of my most treasured possessions (Really!) An exception to the no-fanny-pack rule, it might be.

My MMM pride and joy

So perhaps because of owning this special and novel fanny pack, I reacted more positively than the average person to the new "waist bag" by Clare Vivier. It is smaller than the average bum bag, which helps I think. And it is very simple in design. And to be honest, wearing a fanny pack leaves you hands-free, a wholly underrated fashion experience (especially as a parent). I do find that fanny packs only work in the summer though. Jackets just get in the way of it (does it go over or under?) and it looks best when combined with some version of two-piece outfit - shorts or a skirt - and occasionally with the right cute summer dress or romper.

I included this photo of a vintage Chanel fanny pack (for sale yesterday at R29, alas it sold out already) just to prove its validity as a fashion item. I mean, if Karl Lagerfeld thinks it's okay then we are on to something, right?

And not to be outdone, Leandra Medine of Man Repeller (if you are into the underage blogger thing) has a quite covetable diamond-shaped fanny pack in lipstick red. Hers is by Larissa Hadjio, who has an even chic-er one coming out soon, all black with gold hardware, available in two sizes (pictured right).

Clare Vivier in navy

The Clare Vivier waist bag is available at Shopbop for $216. A less pricey version of this trend (trend?) can be had at American Apparel. And because of the bright colors of their version, I think it would be a great accessory for a kid. They have a nylon one for $22, a leather one for $42, and corduroy or denim, both for $22.

pijamas for my macbook air

Pijama out of Milan makes cases for ipads, iphones and macbooks. I first spotted them at Madewell, who only carries the ipad and iphone versions. Not only do they come in great fabrics but they are very well padded. And as much as I love the iWooly sold at Canoe, I really needed more padding in the very likely scenario that my bag gets dropped or otherwise jarred.
They ship internationally. Check them out.

searching for the perfect pair of shades

I've been on the hunt for new sunglasses for over 8 months now. And since it is actually sunglasses season in stores, maybe it's time I actually decided on a pair. These are some of the current contenders as well as some that maybe wouldn't be perfect on me but are pretty cool anyway and perhaps the perfect pair for someone else (a reader of this blog, i dare say!)

These are Karen Walker Eyewear. First introduced in the Fall, they are available with the Spring collection as well. While being a strong shape, this silhouette is a little easier to wear now I think (Topshop has done a knock-off for Spring) as opposed to last Fall when it debuted. Still they definitely have to be tried on before purchased. They are called the Super Duper Strength and totokaelo was carrying them but I'm not sure if they have them this season. BUT making the decision even harder is that Karen Walker Eyewear has some pretty cool brand-new silhouettes for Spring:

Both equally as striking as the Super Duper Strength but probably a little more challenging as an everyday item. The round tortoise ones are really hot though. And on the right person would be killer. The second ones are called Number One and are available at totokaelo for $175. Also if anyone is on the lookout for cat-eye, since it is making a comeback this season in the sunglasses arena, Karen Walker has a really nice one called Trixie:

Not to make this all about Karen Walker, I have been perusing other, more classic sunglass-makers. You can never go wrong with Ray-Ban, especially the Wayfarer. I really like this new clear/black combo version of the iconic shade:

I have only seen them on Ray-Ban's own online site and not on sunglasshut.com. I have seen pictures of them on a certain celebrity (who will remain nameless) and they look MUCH better on than in this still-life shot. They are called Wayfarer II and are $145 with the regular non-polarized lens.

As much as I like these, I am feeling like the Wayfarer look is a little played-out or at least extremely ubiquitous. But I still think classic Ray-bans are a very win-win purchase right now. And that's why I am more interested in the Clubmaster:

Of course I say this not having tried them on. AND they have nose-pads which make it nearly impossible to put them up on your head (which is a necessity in my book). Nevertheless these are the current leader, other than an out-of-my-price-range pair of Persols:

Not in this color but in black. They are classic, well-made and have that great Persol visible hinge. But I don't think the search is over. It has to be continued...

only Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs and his boyfriend on the beach with their Louis Vuitton x Stephen Sprouse towels. AMAZING! Only Marc could get away with this...

my christmas presents

my new stools. designer Konstantin Grcic for Magis. available at hivemodern.

my new backpack. from Altadena Works in collaboration with South Willard. available here.

my new shoes. Bass by Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony. available here.

tried and true: part two

As a continuation of the series started with L.L.Bean, now I've been looking much more closely at the J.Crew catalog lately. Who hasn't of course? Their look is amazing right now and just the right combination of old Marc by Marc Jacobs, preppy Americana (pick your brand) and super-feminine high fashion niche brands like Nanette Lepore or Mayle. Each piece is effortlessly feminine. Ruffles, sequins, pearls, satin trim are dripping off everything. These looks are great and have been extremely successful for them (double digit Q3 increases). However I'm much more interested in the other random items lurking under all the fluff. Takes this one-piece "union suit" in red-stripe. An adorable night-time look...or a great layering piece for day. Especially on those very cold days. It was available in navy and white as well but it has since sold out. It is only $69.50.

Another great piece I found instead in the men's department. The men's shirts come in a variety of plaids (lumberjack and otherwise) and are a lot less expensive than the women's fitted shirts. And it is much more chic to wear a loose men's shirt with the cuffs rolled up. This one is $59.50.

This adorable oxford is actually from the women's department, even though it looks like men's. And is very cute in brown especially once it's scuffed up a bit but would also be cute if it were offered in black, which it's not. There are very few sizes left, so this one might be on its way toward being sold out. Also affordable (for shoes) at $225. These are also a much better buy than any of their countless varieties of ballet flats, which sadly are definitely on the way out on the trend cycle. (More on this to follow in a later post.)

Personally I am feeling these skinny, stretch cords. The ankle-length keeps them from being too high-school or granola. Corduroy has had a hard time of late, really falling off the pant radar in women's (and in men's, unless you're a professor). It is slowly making a comeback. The black and the dark charcoal are definitely the best colors although I also think the soft ochre is very striking and could work with the right outfit (grey large-plaid men's shirt, simple black cardigan, black ankle boots, done.) They are $59.50 but I would imagine they will go on sale relatively soon.

And lastly, I just love this laptop case. It comes in 3 colors (red, black and navy) and 3 different sizes (13", 15" or 17") . It is a collaboration called "Want Organic for J.Crew" with a leather goods company out of Montreal called Want Les Essentiels de la Vie. I saw some of their stuff at Opening Ceremony in New York. Beautiful quality and unisex styling. The price is a little high at $285 but it is such a unique piece and sure to be sold out soon. Also, there is room for storage inside the case too, which is a bonus.

While J.Crew is presenting one look, there is much more to be had than face value if you are willing to dig for it. All items available at j.crew.com.

tried and true: part one

Looking through the L.L.Bean Christmas catalog today, I noticed this cute mock-neck cardigan sweater in a Nordic pattern with nice metal buttons..and (for some unknown reason) a random little skier navigating his way down the front of the sweater. This one quirky detail makes this otherwise kind of boring and very "LLBean"-esque cardigan a unique piece.

It reminds me a lot of the Paul&Joe cashmere sweaters (I don't think they are doing them anymore) that were a totally normal piece - like a solid, red cardigan - and then they would just have an owl on the side, staring at you. Or I used to have a pink Paul&Joe cardigan that for some reason had a frog holding an umbrella in the rain on the back of it. Also not unlike Lucien Pellat-Finet cashmere sweaters (see below) but less dark, less skulls and marijuana leaves and more happy, snowy adventures.

Like I said, quirky but still cute. The L.L.Bean sweater, by the way, is 100% merino wool and sells for $79.

And after discovering this one interesting piece, I felt inspired to look through the rest of the L.L.Bean catalog and even the website to see what other diamonds in the rough were to be found. I found a very cute cotton flannel tartan robe in the men's section, available in a variety of different plaids (I like the red tartan). It is also moderately priced at $49.50.

And since duck boots are all the rage right now and L.L.Bean basically invented them with their "Bean boots", I found these tall shearling lined versions that are actually a little more wearable than real duck boots. I mean, it's hard to go to work wearing duck boots and not look like you are going hunting. Am I wrong?

Because of their durability (and craftsmanship, I'm sure), they are a little more pricey at $184.

All items are available at llbean.com. And the Lucien Pellat-Finet picture was borrowed from the blog Tweed and Velvet.

big-a** scarves

Scarves are all over the place. I can't seem to feel comfortable without one, Summer or Winter. But perusing copenhagenstreetstyle today I couldn't help but be overcome by the sheer volume, and not to mention coziness, of the scarves being sported.
Furthermore, it seems like the scarf is much more than just an accessory in these outfits but instead the anchor of the entire outfit. The sweater, jacket and/or dress is there to complement the enormous scarf and not the other way around. In fact the scarves almost look like a soft, malleable sweater that has been stretched and wrapped snugly around the neck. Leave it to the Danes to take it to the extreme.

liquid leggings - for KIDS!

Not to give too much credit to celebrities and their stylists but 3-year-old Suri Cruise tipped me off on this one. Liquid leggings have been in for a while now. Even becoming somewhat mainstream. Now they are available for the toddler set. And for only $25! So cute!

Realistically they are probably quite slippery for those still toddling around and definitely not the most breathable fabric. Very chic nonetheless.

Available here.

backpacks are back

Backpacks have slowly been coming back on the radar. Heretofore it's been small leather napsacks or the square Swedish kånken mini-backpacks. all very stylized and working with a "look."

And then i see these shots today of the Twilight mega-stars Robert Pattinson (above) and Kristen Stewart (below) walking through Vancouver Airport. And they are BOTH carrying these full-size black SPORTY backpacks. And they look very cool!

Yes, indeed. backpacks are back. full-on.

love the hat

Michelle Williams has amazing style. She is one of my style "icons" lately. And I just happened upon this recent picture of her in the rain. Her whole outfit is amazing but it's the hat that is spot-on. Ribbed and slouchy but not too loose. The trend for the past couple seasons has leaned toward a super slouchy, falling-off-the-head, overdone look that is very teen. This hat worn by Michelle is more adult and modern because of its tighter fit. But because of the fabrication and the ever so slight over-sized fit (how it covers the ears), it is still a little grunge (think Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis circa '93). It's very refreshing but still simple.

photo: INF daily

my first persimmon post

so after several months of thought, i am starting a blog.

it is called simply: persimmon. named after the color of my favorite scarf.

on this blog i will post things that catch my "eye" - so to speak. and by my eye, i mean things that have a great look, feel and total style about them. these items will probably be from fashion - apparel, accessories and (definitely) shoes. but they could also be furniture, a room, someone's house, a nice toaster, a great song, anything. it just has to have the right edge. so - here we go.