Moms Who Wear Toms

My mom is cool- its true.  She a bloglovin' maniac, uses a facebook alias so "people can't find her unless she wants them to", has skin younger than the average 30 year-old Angeleno and a head of hair that rivals Slash's.  You wouldn't know if from these pics since I don't stand a chance of snapping anything about the waist (another indication of how cool she is) - so you'll just have to take my word for it...she's cool.

The latest proof? Her newest kicks are the Yellow Newport Cordones from Toms.  If you're anything like me you love Toms- in fact you might even wish (like I do from time to time) that you are founder Blake Mycoskie himself- what better business exists in this world?  Do good, look good, feel good...this blog is not the place for my obsession with the intersection of commerce and philanthropy- but if you happen to be into Social Entrepreneurship it the way I am check out these links.

http://socialentrepreneurship.change.org/
www.ashoka.com

And back to the matter at hand.  How cute are these shoes? Toms keeps getting better, from lace-ups to platforms and their original that continues to be reinvented in patterns, vegan options... Adore. Also feeling their Style Your Sole parties which is not a bad way to celebrate pretty much anything!

So here's to two great things- Moms and Toms.  And how cute they are together.

That Certain Something : Edie Sedgwick

For me, Edie represents the first of the poor little rich girls...curiously and cryptically damaged but all the more endearing and impactful for it.  A trendsetter, a morbid fascination for all to watch...and of course THE quintessential factory girl.  That certain something is really just another way of identifying those few and fascinating who possess the kind of charisma that is so undeniable, so magnetic that a vast majority can't help but pay attention.

One can only imagine the kind of charisma required to captivate not only a society primed and ready for some downright weird artistic expression, but the attention of Warhol- the man responsible for defining the movement itself.  I've made a promise to keep entries shorter, prettier and more pictureful :), so I'll refrain from the fascination with her time with "Bobby" Dylan and her family history that could honestly take a seat next to the Kennedys'...and leave it with this.  I love me some Edie, and I'm sure you do too.

Birkenstocker

Ok...I admit it. Some of my "looks" may err a little too far on the side of what I like to think of as "pottery teacher chic"-- but I just can't seem to get enough of my birkenstocks.  They've taken me through the years...from granola crunching camping trips through feminist musings in college and now play a clear role in a shoe closet packed with spiky heels, strappy sado platforms and less than comfortable counterparts.

What is it about these corked soled comfort mongers that I just can't get enough of? They are classic, they are current and between the clog, the t-strap and the classic...I don't really need another shoe!

Noticing lately that their own retail spots are going out- but their assortment online and in hip boutiques around LA seems to be going up as quickly as their own orthopedic themed locales are going down....anyone else feeling this resurgence as much as I am?

Tough Stuff and Heavy Lifting: Spotting a Classic Handbag

Most of the time the newest accessories do little to grab me....to be completely honest, the more vintage you look the more likely I am to covet.  I've never really been able to take the leap of faith on the Givenchy Nightengale or the YSL Muse where other girls might because I'm mostly hung up on on the fact that I can't predict how classic they'll turn out to be.  The handbag is a funny thing that way don't you think? Different from the shoe, or a watch which I can easily spot as a classic among a display of trend-driven contemporaries, the ability to spot a classic handbag in the making has always eluded me.

So of course, I spend instead on shoes and white t-shirts, leaving the tough stuff and heavy lifting (no pun intended, of course) to those in the know.  That doesn't however preclude me from appreciating even from up close, the splendor and beauty of a good one, (or from making tipsy ebay bids on the discontinued Melancholia...but that's another entry all-together.)

Point of the entry is that lately, I've really been singing a different tune.  The wonder boys from Proenza Schouler have done it this year in a MAJOR way, and while I've done my best to ignore it- I think we are, dear friends in the presence of a living classic with the PS1. (Incidentally this lives on my list of must-haves...so consider this two birds with one very expensive tobacco suede stone.)

Second on the list is the latest from Gucci.  The 1973 collection manages to reference the past without being campy, hint at the future without being trendy, and appeal to us all without being cheesy.  If I saw it on the street I'd be unable to pinpoint right away if it were a reference to the best or a real relic- this to me the sign of a perfect classic.  (thx to style.com for the image!)

Moral of the story...it's a good thing my bday has long past or we might have found ourselves with another drunk bidding war on our hands.  For now, I'll be content to keep my wide-eyes on the PS1 and hope it turns from a current obsession into a real classic love.

I know of at least one of you out there mulling over the PS1, thoughts from anyone else?

phew!

It's been a long 4 weeks away....
I've managed to do a few cool things--
quit a job, start new and exciting projects, make some changes to the site, turn 29 and not least importantly....
clean out my closet!

Or more precisely-- organize my archives.  For a girl who hasn't thrown away a pair of jeans since 1996, I'd say I'd didn't do TOO badly. We'll see how long this one lasts.

BEFORE...yikes

& AFTER...Ahhhhh

So-from now on, feel free to grab me at www.quelnight.com

and get excited for more info on pending projects.

Of course, I haven't abandoned my zeal for classic loves, currents obsessions, certain somethings or must haves....so I'm back on the bandwagon sending all and more your way.

Missed you all as much as my two faithful readers have missed me.

r

Favorite New Blog

http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/

Sartorialist meets golden girls.
Check it!

Thx Mom.