Lookbook from Japan: Snidel Summer 2013 Collection

Snidel_Summer13lookbook1Snidel is a fast fashion Japanese brand created by the mash style lab conglomerate [I’ve featured a lookbook from another of their brands, Lily Brown, here]. Snidel focuses on simple, pretty details for feminine clothing with a twist. Headed up by mash style lab’s Chief Designer Asami Kusakami, Snidel is arguably one of the group’s most successful brands, launching in 2005 and now available in over 60 stores in Japan and China. Price points for the pieces range from around $50 for a simple T-shirt, to $220 for a tailored trenchcoat. The brand also launched another division in 2013: Snidel Girl, catering to – you guessed it! – girls.

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Outfit 6.7.13: Sleepy Shirt and Wacky Jungle Pants

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Neon bra: Aerie. Vinyl Eyelash Applique T-shirt: DIY (tutorial here).  Yellow wrapped rhinestone bracelet: H&M.  Gold Rhinestone-Detail Watch: DailyLook purchase. Double Spike-End Bangle: DIY (tutorial here). Neon Yellow Transparent Clutch: DIY. Colorblock Zip-pouch (inside): Vivi Magazine freebie. Poly Floral-print Pants: Forever 21 (similar here). Patent Wedge-Heels: Zara

oufit6.7.13_cuOnce I made this DIY Eyelash Applique shirt, I started to think of all the ways to wear it. Wearing with a pair of jeans is awesome, and makes a casual outfit a little more tongue-in-cheek (or eyelashes-on-mammaries?) Pairing with a sweet flippy skirt was how I wore it at the latest Portland Bloggers Meetup a couple weeks ago (though you can’t tell in the picture).

oufit6.7.13_cu2But on this day, to make it a little more dressy and to counteract a pair of very sleepy boobs, I added a loose pair of crazy jungle-print pants from Forever 21.

oufit6.7.13_full1I’m in love with the crazy floral and leafy-print, so much so that I’m willing to overlook the flimsy material that seems to rip each time I wear them. I know have to do some serious mending! *sigh*

oufit6.7.13_clutchI DIY’ed my own version of the ubiquitous transparent clutch, but I’m not loving it so much. I have to do a couple tweaks on the design before I can share on the blog, unfortunately.

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I’m now off to a dinner at my husband’s workplace…it’s Hub’s birthday in a couple days and so his coworkers are throwing him a party. The sleepy boobs shirt is staying home, though! Hope everyone’s having a great weekend!

xo
Carly

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Lookbook from Portland: Ms. Wood Spring/Summer 2013 Collection

MsWood_SS13lookbook1Alicia and Ben Wood are the dynamic husband and wife duo behind Ms. Wood. After graduating from Seattle Central’s design program Alicia moved to New York to study at Parsons before moving back to Seattle to work as a designer at Tommy Bahama. Ben is a talented fine wood-worker specializing in furniture, shoes and accessories. Launching their line with wooden jewelry and gorgeous hand-carved wooden platform sandals (tied with buttery-soft leather straps), together they won the title of Best Emerging Designer of 2010 at Portland Fashion Week. Now having expanded the line to offer drapey kimono-style tops and dresses, as well as structured handbags, Ms. Wood is a permanent fixture in Portland, known for organic, easy-to-wear pieces.

MsWood_SS13lookbook2 MsWood_SS13lookbook3 MsWood_SS13lookbook4 MsWood_SS13lookbook5 MsWood_SS13lookbook6 MsWood_SS13lookbook7 MsWood_SS13lookbook8 MsWood_SS13lookbook9 MsWood_SS13lookbook10 MsWood_SS13lookbook11 MsWood_SS13lookbook12 MsWood_SS13lookbook13 MsWood_SS13lookbook14 MsWood_SS13lookbook15You can shop the Ms. Wood collection in the official store online, or at select boutiques on the West Coast (see list here).

xo

Carly

 

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5.31.13 F.I.L.L.: Friday I Love Links

nanogarden

Nanogarden photo by Wim Noorduin/Harvard University

I can’t believe May is almost over! This month has just whoooshed by, and I mean whoooshed, leaving a huge mess in its wake! I’m leaving the country in TWO weeks, just when Portland gets gorgeous and Summery…and trading it in for unending rain during Tokyo’s steamy-hot rainy season….followed by mosquitoes breeding in droves as soon as the rain stops. I’ll be bringing my open-toed rain-proof sandals! School’s almost out and the year is wrapping up…and there’s been a ton of interesting info online this past week:

Dream It: Inspiration & Creativity

An installation of colorful masking tape in Japan. I wonder who got all that washi tape when they were done with it?

This may be an older post, but it’s still super-relevent. 21 Ways to Be More Creative will help kickstart those creative juices when you hit a roadblock!

Amazing micro-flowers: Nanogardens grown on the surface of a penny. Is “nanogardening” the next new thing?

Buy It: Shopping Picks

Designer merchandise is currently on sale at Saks.com, and you can snag a gorgeous Summer shirtdress for only $55 (marked down from $138). Can you say score??

All tortoiseshell glasses and sunglasses are on sale here for 15% off for the month of June. Snag them while you can!

Oh, I need this dress in my life, state. It would be the perfect Summer dress….plus chevrons. Who doesn’t like chevrons??

Make It: DIY

5 Anthropologie knock-off ideas for your home will help beautify your living space easily.

This DIY Racerback Muscle Tee Recon video will have your old tee festival-ready in no time.

I’ve just discovered a new DIY Blog/Tumblr: Dream a Little Bigger, which has a ton of links to tutorials all over the internet. So many great projects to visit!

Live It: Lifestyle

If you shop cheap, this is a must-read: How to Make Your Fast Fashion Items Last. Take care of them, and your affordable clothes may just live through their first wash.

Now’s the time to ramp up your interaction online: Your social media profile might be your next credit score.

Get your FILL every Friday!

xo
Carly

 

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5.24.13 F.I.L.L.: Friday I Love Links

ericstandleystainedglassfretworkphoto by Eric Standley

Welcome to my 3rd installment of F.I.L.L.! It’s been a crazy-busy week, and I have even more ahead. 3 weeks until I head to Tokyo for a month, 3 weeks to get tons and tons of DIY’s done and posted! Yikes. But I’ll rally and get it done. For some reason, there’s always like 1-2 weeks in a year I feel everything hinges upon, and I’m heading into them.  So, while I buckle down to get some major work accomplished, here are some links that have caught my eye this past week:

Dream It: Inspiration & Creativity

Every wanted to manifest what you see in your dreams? Computers can now detect what subjects are dreaming…at least 70% of the time. Now all they need is some method to record it.

Life Hacks: How to Jumpstart Your Career gives some great advice on how to jumpstart anything. Just implementing a few of the productivity hacks in the list will double or even triple what you get done in the day.

See Eric Standley’s Stained Glass Art made from paper, and prepare to have your breath taken away. Seriously amazing handiwork.

Buy It: Shopping Picks

Totally amazed at this: Reet Aus, the world’s first mass-produced, upcycled clothing line. You can order Reet Aus, or other upcycled, sustainably-manufactured clothing lines (there are a few) at the TrashtoTrend website.

Is it wrong to want this chic monochromatic bikini so much? I figure it would be pretty DIY’able if one were so inclined, but I kind of want to buy when it comes to swimwear.

This is the chic-est dress imaginable, perfect for a night on the town. It is a night on the town, really. Point-blank.

Make It: DIY

I adore this DIY Lighted Constellation Canvas! It’s so dreamy and romantic – and perfect for any room.

How To Make Clothes Look Vintage and Worn is a great collection of tutorials for faux-ageing your stuff.

Simone Heng of CheapnChic.net is a DIY blogger based in Dubai, with a ton of awesome DIY tutorials on her blog. Check them out!

Live It: Lifestyle

In the wake of the clothing manufacturing factory collapse in Bangladesh, news outlets are beginning to examine the consumption of low-cost clothing and the social and economic ramifications. Watch NBC Nightly News’ The Cost of Cheap Clothes for some insight.

NastyGal is a Fast-Growing Retailer says the New York Times. I’ve been following them for awhile, and have been amazed at the company’s growth and success.

Get your FILL every Friday!

xo
Carly

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