It's Symmetrical

Want— Bagmania

2012-02-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

I think it's finally time for me to swap out my entire collection of bags—which is quite meager, for the record—for a new set that are more structured, sharp, and modern. Here's a selection of my favorite finds lately, from clutches to full-on weekenders, all under $100 (except for the Pendleton).

Images— 1. Tri-Combined City Bag at Zara, 2. Constellation Clutch by Scout & Catalogue, 3. Oversized Weave Bag at Romwe, 4. Miller Bag by Asos White, 5. Pendleton Printed Weekender at Urban Outfitters, 6. Studded Bucket Bag at eBay

You can see every bag on my want list (approx. 60) here.

Cheers,
-C

SOTW— Oh, I Don't Know

2012-02-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

Image— Jak & Jil

1. This interactive infographic is incredibly well-designed, and rather sobering.

2. Have you ever wondered about the people behind the most iconic photographs?

3. I'm not often impressed by fashion videos/motion editorials (why is that? It makes no sense!), but this little number for Prada's SS12 collection, shot by Steven Meisel, is such a winner. (Last year's video, set to a track by Ratatat, is also delightful.)

4. I'm on a Prada roll! Keep your eyes peeled as you watch this video of the FW12 menswear collection—it features a very grand cast.

5. This blog is my favorite.

6. This behind-the-scenes breakdown has me even more amazed by all the work goes into quality special effects.

7. And finally, a touch of shameless self-promotion—I recently had a cardigan design produced by Threadless (I say produced rather than printed because it's an icon stitched a la the polo... anyway...), and I'd love it if you'd take a look.

Cheers,
-C

I'm All Aglow

2012-02-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

Actually, I'm just very very pale. Ha. And this is how I do colorblocking! As you all know, I don't wear much color; I felt like this turquoise-on-navy sweater would be an easy foray into the world of color over color next to color. (I also see sky and ocean every time I look at it, and that makes me quite happy.) The rest of this outfit is made up of trusty basics (a midi dress, which I'd recommend everybody have; polka-dot tights; a floppy messenger bag; and my swing coat, which here I wore buttoned all the way to my chin in lieu of a scarf)... except for the boots. New boots. I love everything about these boots, especially that they were a steal. You can't go wrong with ankle-length and a cross-strap.

Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me

I also finally got myself a watch with a large face, and now I wear it every day. I'm even getting in the habit of actually telling time with it. Oooooh.

Cheers,
-C

Inspiration— Le Drame, Part 2*

2012-01-29T18:32:00.000-08:00

Images— 1. The Fashionisto, 2. Olaf Wipperfurth, 3. Fashion Gone Rogue, 4. Kati Nescher, 5. Unknown, 6—7. Tim Walker, 8—9. Unknown, 10. Tim Walker, 11—12. Unknown, 13. Tim Walker, 14. Fashion Gone Rogue, 15. Heather Marks, 16—17. The Fashionisto, 18. Unknown

*Now in color.

Cheers,
-C

Inspiration— Le Drame, Part 1

2012-01-24T20:36:00.000-08:00

I love that fashion photography is unquestionably allowed to be so very dramatic. Real life is rarely this windswept, sulky, or well-styled. Enjoy the daydream.

Images— 1—4. Unknown, 5. Fashion Bits & Bobs, 6—9. Unknown, 10. Richard Bush, 11. Unknown, 12. Fiasco Magazine, 13—15. Unknown, 16. Mike Bailey-Gates, 17—18. Fashion Gone Rogue, 19. Unknown, 20—21. The Fashionisto, 22. Mugler, 23—24. Fashion Gone Rogue.

Next stop—a cliff by the sea.

Cheers,
-C

SOTW— From Present to Past

2012-01-21T17:21:00.000-08:00

Image— Logan Jackson

1) With this app you can rate everything—literally everything.

2) This animation, an advertisement for Persol sunglasses, is pitch-perfect. I've never seen such beautiful light incorporated into super stylized, flat illustrations.

3) Nobody says things like this.

4) Never in my life have I wanted so much to pare down and pack up everything and move to a place that's all rolling hills, open sky, and forest.

5) It's an indisputable fact that all designers and illustrators love to draw monsters.

6) This camera is beyond cool, allowing you to focus the images you take in post.

7) If you have the time to read through this entire post on the future of interaction design, it's completely worth it. Mr. Bret Victor, the author, is clearly one smart cookie.

Cheers,
-C

Amazing— Ssense

2012-01-19T21:42:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been more aware than ever of the merits of quality over quantity. I used to be a total quantity shopper, but over the past year and a half of blogging, I've come to see that a piece with longevity is completely worth investing in. This isn't me trying to justify dumping hundreds of dollars on a designer piece (that's something most of us will never be able to reasonably do), just learning how to shop smart. Find a beautiful garment that will last, and that you love, and can wear over and over, and buy it.

Anyway, all that to say, Ssense! Ssense is my new favorite place for investment pieces. While the new-in designer wares are unattainable, the sales are quite good (with plenty of awesome things for both guys and girls). Keep an eye out and you'll be able to snap up a treasure.

Images— Ssense

Cheers,
-C

Chloe Jennings Photography

2012-01-18T22:17:00.000-08:00

I have a new little design project I'm happy to finally share—a logo system for Indiana-based wedding and lifestyle photographer Chloe Jennings. She asked for something approachable and artistic, with a natural touch. (For the designers and design nerds out there, the typefaces are customized Bonveno and Gotham.)

I love a logo!

Cheers,
-C

So... Snow!

2012-01-15T14:42:00.000-08:00

We just got our first snow here in Seattle, and (as you can probably tell from the title) I'm thrilled about it! It's funny how the weather can change my mood for the better so easily. I've had a silly smile on my face all morning, and I couldn't help but throw on my brightest jeans for a quick walk to grab some coffee. I've also got my gorgeous Proenza Schouler wallet in hand (but, let's face it—it's always with me these days), clashing pleasantly with this jacket, which I bought on a whim because I just couldn't resist the giant asymmetric collar (mostly hidden beneath my yet-more-giant scarf in these photos).

In all, this is way more pattern and color than I usually do at one time—what can I say? It's the snow.

Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me

And now, back to my freelance design projects, and Bryan John Appleby on vinyl...

Cheers,
-C

SOTW— No Time to Say Hello; Goodbye; I'm Late, I'm Late, I'm Late!

2012-01-13T23:36:00.000-08:00

At long last, another Stuffs of the Week! I hope you enjoy these links—I certainly found them irresistible. Also, thanks for all the love regarding the Seattle Metropolitan interview! You're awesome.

Image— Unknown

1) My new favorite Twitter account.

2) How beautiful is this Proenza Schouler video? It gets me every time.

3) My newest photography-related fascination is cinemagraphs. They're better than GIFs, and more easily achievable than video. Here's how to make one (it's totally worth the time).

4) This site opens up the world of textiles to the general public.

5) I love stationary.

6) If the thought of putting together one more mix on Grooveshark is unbearable, you'll love this site. (Even if it isn't, you'll love it. And if you're a designer, well, it's heaven. After all, who doesn't want a beautiful cover for every album?)

7) This is designer-illustrator Jessica Hische's go-to list of typographers, illustrators, and designers. It promises to be full of gems. Have at it.

Cheers,
-C

P.S. I made steps to conquer my irrational fear of Barneys today. A friend and my sister and I went in and browsed without looking at the price tags, and it was lovely.

Cape Town

2012-01-08T15:55:00.000-08:00

I found this cape at a consignment shop on Capitol Hill, and it was instant love. I'd wanted a cape for a while, and this one turned out to suit my short torso rather well (usually the capes I find are much too long and bulky). I love it's ladylike sensibility—it's the perfect topper for the rest of my rather boyish outfit. My favorite part of this look, though, has to be the oxfords. They actually came with laces, which weren't quite right. After letting them sit in the box for a few days, I finally had the idea to transform them into laceless oxfords, which I'd been wanting for quite some time. As soon as the laces were off, they were perfect. (Laceless oxfords have to be the quickest DIY ever. Try it!)

Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me

These images were shot in our local park, which is beautiful year round. I'm quite enjoying the mild Winter we're having—it's basically Fall. I have to admit, though, that I wish it would snow!

Cheers,
-C

P.S. I did an interview with Seattle Metropolitan's Style Editor for their blog Wear What When at the very end of December, and it went live a few days ago! Check it out for some background on It's Symmetrical and a little style advice.

Inspiration— Classic

2012-01-03T21:06:00.000-08:00

Images— 1—3. Unknown, 4. Liz Osban, 5. Unknown, 6. Tim Walker, 7. The Fashionisto, 8—10. Unknown

So I'm thinking about spring all of a sudden.

Cheers,
-C

I Saw Something

2012-01-01T23:16:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are! 2012! I woke up this morning to sunshine, went to a potluck-style brunch (New Year's Day brunch is the best thing ever—new tradition), and have spent the rest of the day reveling in my own laziness. I'm beginning to feel some genuine excitement about what this year holds. And for the first time ever, I have no big plans or grand ideas about what that will be.

As for this outfit, it's all about the trousers. They are super bright, and I bought them on a whim because they were so very on sale, and I love them. I mentioned before that I'm trying to add joy to my wardrobe, and these are a step toward fulfillment of that little quest. Yes, I want my clothes to be more joyful this year—part of that, I've realized, is to let myself be more bold. In the past I've been ever-conscious of what people are thinking of my little ensembles, but that is completely silly. Where's the fun? Freedom, I say! So... that's the story behind these trousers.

Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me

The bracelet also has a story. It's something I rediscovered while unpacking, and is one of the few style-related things I've owned for a long time. I bought it from a very aggressive—yet somewhat charming, due to her age and eagerness—street vendor in Mexico in the eighth grade. I'll always remember that trip because my friends made me get corn rows. It was horrific. (But, against all odds, I survived!)

Do you have any goals for your style this year? Even—dare I say it?—resolutions?

Cheers,
-C

P.S. If you've got extra time, check out my post from January 1st last year.

Want— For Winter

2011-12-31T12:18:00.000-08:00

Though we're about to ring in a new year and are two thirds of the way through winter, the cold, rainy weather here in Seattle will last long into spring. That said, it's definitely not too late for this list of essential items to fight the winter temperatures. Or just to look awesome. Or both. (Click the picture to see more of each specific item I featured.) And, really, I couldn't let you escape without at least one Top Whatever list this year. Enjoy.

Images— 1. Zara, 2. Asos, 3. Yesstyle, 4. BCBG, 5. Revolve Clothing, 6. Pixie Market, 7. Yesstyle, 8. Anthropologie, 9. Artifact, 10. Totokaelo

And there you have it! I think the first thing I'll be picking up is the lunch bag tote—perhaps then I'll finally stop spending all my money eating out and pack a sandwich...

Cheers,

-C

P.S. I can hardly believe it's the last day of 2011. I vividly remember the first day of January this year, feeling that it was going to be an incredible year, then the year rushed by, there were good times and bad, and here I am again. Time can be frustratingly quick, and excruciatingly slow. Basically, it's weird. Anyway, I'm not one for resolutions, or recaps, or resets, or whatever, so I'll just say this—hello, 2012!

Small Packages

2011-12-30T17:45:00.000-08:00

I adore Proenza Schouler. But as with most designer brands, a huge majority of their clothing and accessories are way, way out of my price range. Lucky for me, earlier this year they debuted a little PS1-esque wallet that I could just afford, and I heroically managed to resist buying it until it suddenly appeared on their website in this stunning geometric fabric (featured in their AW11 collection). It arrived a few days after Christmas in a beautiful box and tissue, and is totally gorgeous. My powers of description are failing me a bit here—this quick teaser shot will have to do instead.

Image, Editing— Me

So, there you have it—my first designer purchase. I'll share an outfit featuring it soon!

Cheers,
-C

P.S. Hope your Christmas was lovely!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2011-12-23T17:36:00.000-08:00

It feels like forever since I've posted an outfit! So long that I think my style has shifted just a little bit since you last saw me. Which, I'll admit, I'm happy about. This sweater was sort of a bold choice for me—it's light and has a substantial pink patch!—but I love it. I also can't get enough of the bag, which is also bolder than I usually go (yes, I'm working on adding color/joy to my wardrobe), and is made of a piece of leather and a piece of suede dyed exactly the same color. For some reason that tickles me.

Anyway, I'm about to sit down to eat stew with my family ('tis the season), so I'll be brief—as the title says, have yourself a merry little Christmas! This will be my last post before the 25th, and I want to wish you the merriest next few days. I hope you've had a wonderful year, and that as you see your families and give and receive gifts, you feel blessed. Because, dear readers, you are.

Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me

Also, I hope you enjoyed (read: noticed) the Christmas banner! Something special will happen on Christmas day... (Oh, what fun it is to be a graphic designer...)

Cheers,
-C

Inspiration— All Over The Street

2011-12-17T21:14:00.000-08:00

I recently did an interview for Fashion BFF, and when asked who my style icon was responded "Nobody." That's because I'm most inspired by other bloggers, who in most cases couldn't be considered icons, and the people captured in street style images (both those that are involved in fashion professionally and those that aren't). People can be amazingly creative with their clothes—the nuances of style just delight me. That said, I've put together a collection of street style images that I love, from cities all over the world and people in all different walks of life. Let the inspiration flow.

Images— 1. The Sartorialist, 2—3. Vanessa Jackman, 4. Unknown, 5—6. Vanessa Jackman, 7—8. Jak & Jil, 9—10. Vanessa Jackman, 11. Unknown, 12. Street Peeper, 13. Kate Loves Me, 14—18. Jak & Jil, 19. Fashion Squad, 20. Unknown, 21. Jak & Jil, 22. The Sartorialist

A lot of the photos currently in my inspiration folder are from only a few sources, so here's a more complete list of the street style blogs I check regularly, in alphabetical order—Facehunter, Jak & Jil, Le 21 Eme, Models Off Duty, Mr. Newton, Street Peeper, Streethearts, The Sartorialist, Vanessa Jackman, and What I Saw Today. Let me know if you have favorites I didn't mention!

Cheers,
-C

SOTW— The Most Wonderful Time

2011-12-10T12:41:00.000-08:00

Image— Touch of Evil

1) As if procrastination on it's own weren't enough of a problem, now somebody's added cats.

2) Fashion photographer Alex Prager teams up with thirteen actors (who gave memorable performances in some of the year's best movies) to portray classic cinematic villians for The New York Times Magazine. They've outdone themselves with this project. It's incredible (see GIF above).

3) An elephant never forgets.

4) Halloween is long gone, but this video lives on. Cruelty has never been so hilarious (I laughed until I cried—my sister would say it was one of my greatest moments).

5) When advertising is just plain beautiful, it really works for me.

6) Three words—feminist. Ryan. Gosling.

7) Shameless self promotion time—I recently relaunched my portfolio site. Take a look if you like and let me know what you think (I'm stockpiling feedback and preparing to do all my revisions in one go).

Cheers,
-C

...Cool

2011-12-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

Whenever I want a garment that'll give me that downtown, cool-kid look (you know, the one that attracts street style photographers like flies. Okay, okay, stop laughing), I head directly to Oak NYC. One of my handy fashion designer friends introduced me to this gem of a shop, and I have adored it ever since. It runs a little on the expensive side, but the sales are good and they've got incredible things for both girls and guys. Leather backpacks? Yes. Dramatic heels? Yes. All things asymmetric and flowy? Of course.

Images— www.oaknyc.com

Cheers,
-C

I Wasn't Wise, I Guess

2011-12-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

This is the last outfit I'm going to post that I styled for American Apparel, and probably the last instance of no glasses that will appear here ever (unless I magically decide I have the ability to poke myself in the eyeballs daily for the purpose of wearing contacts. If my past encounters with my blink reflex are any indication, that won't be anytime soon).

Anyway, funny story—the scarf is actually a poncho. I didn't realize it for a while, but I suppose it was only a matter of time before my quest for massive scarves led me to this. (The prize for Largest Scarf in Chloe's Closet, however, is held by my Yokoo Soopascarf, which is legitimately eight feet long.) This sweater is also the largest one I own, and it swishes around me when I walk in the most satisfying way. It can get quite dramatic (the second photo is proof enough).

Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me, Title— Sufjan Stevens

If my Mom were to have seen me wearing this, I'm pretty sure she would've commented on how she used to wear her shirts knotted at the waist when she was in college. I sort of love that fashion is so cyclical—I can't wait until I start grimacing at the things I used to wear. Actually, that's already happening...

Cheers,
-C

SOTW— Keep Digging

2011-12-02T20:51:00.001-08:00

Image— Unknown

1) Calm down. Stay cool.

2) This is the most delightful Tumblr I've come across in some time—if you've read Cormac McCarthy (The Road, No Country For Old Men, etc.) it'll go from good to impossibly good.

3) Editing down your portfolio is much easier said than done, and can be a bit heart-wrenching—luckily, photographer Zack Arias gives incredible advice in this blog post. Learn away.

4) An archive of first issues of unique magazines.

5) Jason Munn does it again. This poster is destined to be the next thing to grace my walls.

6) Gorgeous graphite illustrations.

7) How to quietly be a rebel.

Cheers,
-C

Rotator Magazine

2011-12-01T18:35:00.001-08:00

At last, some design!

For the past couple of months I've been working on a little magazine project with a crop of Tacoma and Seattle-based designers, illustrators and web magicians. Since leaving INK Magazine, I've been longing for an editorial design project—it's been wonderful to help bring this one to life. Rotator Magazine sets out to elevate the magazine to art form. The cover was letterpressed by hand in our Editor in Chief Lance Kagey's studio, and the oversized pages can be separated and hung individually as art pieces. Issue 1 tells stories of supreme craftmanship with a Pacific Northwest focus, and includes articles by Art Chantry, Dennis Flannigan, and Michael Sullivan. The graphic design itself was done by Chelsey Scheffe, Lance Kagey, and me. To see previews of all the articles in Issue 1 (and watch behind-the-scenes videos, and see extra photographs, and...), click here. To purchase a copy (limited to 500), click here.

See More— chloescheffe.com/rotatormagazine.html

We had to assemble all 500 copies ourselves, but I loved it. We spent a few evenings talking and laughing to get it done, formed into an assembly line of super redundant, fine motor skill tasks (our noble staff illustrator took the worst task—slipping each assembled copy into a plastic sleeve).

Issue 2 will be released at the end of January!

Cheers,
-C

P.S. Congrats to the giveaway winner, Carly Swift! To the rest of you—thanks for reading, and entering!

What a Terrible Thing it is to Botch a Farewell. It is Important in Life to Conclude Things Properly. Only Then Can You Let Go

2011-11-28T19:45:00.000-08:00

This is another ensemble I styled for American Apparel—one of their requests was that I shoot a few looks without my glasses (despite my quiet cry of "But they're prescription!"). Well, AA... wish granted. Despite my insecurities about my face without glasses, and the fact that I'm essentially blind without them, I'm pleased. My sister is a photography wizard for somehow not capturing the squinting I'm sure was involved. Also, another cape! I love this one for its unique texture and movement. (This is how I justify having multiple garments with the same shape and color—works like a charm.)

Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me, Title— Yann Martel

Lately I've also been loving big black clutches, and since I don't have one or endless money to spend on accessories, I repurposed an everyday shoulder bag to do the job (tucked in the strap, folded it in half, put it under my arm. Done). Although I must admit I picked up some awesome clothes over the holiday... and by picked up I mean I opened my laptop and typed in my credit card number. Online shopping is the best thing that ever happened to me. No crowds, no pressure, no threat of pepper spray. Win, win, win.

Cheers,
-C

P.S. Enter the giveaway if you haven't! It closes Wednesday!

Inspiration— Dark, Dreary, Dreamy

2011-11-27T15:12:00.001-08:00

Images— 1—2. VS Magazine, 3. Unknown, 4. The New York Times Style Magazine, 5. Fashion Gone Rogue, 6. Unknown, 7. Lauren Withrow, 8. GQ Magazine, 9—13. Unknown, 14—15. Lauren Withrow, 16. Fashion Gone Rogue, 17—18. Unknown, 19. The Fashionisto, 20. Fashion Gone Rogue, 21. Unknown

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and hope you all did as well (this post was inspired by the drizzle that's lasted all day today). On another note, remember to enter the giveaway if you haven't yet! I'm drawing the winner on Wednesday...

Cheers,
-C

Giveaway— Illustrated Christmas Postcards!

2011-11-20T09:26:00.000-08:00

Well, dear readers, it's nearly that time of year! While I'm a firm believer in celebrating Christmas only when December has actually arrived, there's nothing wrong with being a little more prepared on the warm wishes and season's greetings front. Enter these postcards by Seattle-based illustrator Derek Sullivan. Jumpstart your Christmas communication with this chance to win a set of 21 of these charming, cheery postcards (7 of each design). Good luck trying to resist those contentedly smiling narwhals.

Images— DP Sullivan

To enter you must—

1) Be following this blog (you may do so with Google Friend Connect/Google Reader or Bloglovin'. Both methods are hanging out in the left sidebar titled 'Follow')

2) Leave a comment including your email address so I can contact you if you win. Your entry will be disqualified if I can't figure out how to reach you

Bonus— to earn one extra entry, like DP Sullivan Art Prints on Facebook. This earns you an additional entry only. Please note in your comment if you've liked his page.

This giveaway will close on Wednesday, November 30th (the last day of the month). Enter away!

Cheers,
-C

P.S. If you don't trust your luck, be sure to check out Mr. Sullivan's Etsy shop. In addition to these Christmas postcards, he has a bevy of adorable prints up for grabs.

P.P.S. On a completely different note, our apartment is nearly complete! The only thing I have left to clean up/consolidate is my office space—at the moment it is strewn with old papers, really old sketchbooks, receipts, junk mail, and all sorts of things I'll have to shred. It sort of feels like having to do taxes... avoidance at all costs...

The Cape

2011-11-13T18:07:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been one week since my sister and I moved into our new apartment—one glorious week of furniture shuffling, the discovery of favorite forgotten objects, endless cleaning, arranging, housewares shopping, and trips to the recycle bins with arms full of flattened boxes. As it turns out, the single thing we own the most of is books. I can't even count the number of design books, magazines, novels (the thickest being unabridged Les Miserables) and textbooks we have. Nerds to the core. Anyway, our little apartment is looking pretty ship-shape—artsy pictures coming soon!

Meanwhile, new old outfit! This is another I styled for AA, featuring their chiffon button-up. The long sweater is also by them, and I wear it all the time—my coworkers have nicknamed it The Cape. (By that logic, I actually have quite a few sweaters that qualify as capes. I am Cape Woman.) The layering is my imitation of the suddenly-popular drop waist, because I don't like the idea of (and maybe am too afraid to wear) a drop waist dress or coat. Also, don't know what my face is about in the first picture—I was actually having a grand old time at a party out at an orchard.

Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me

Also loving boots with buckles (it all began with that much-blogged studded Chloe pair).

Cheers,
-C

P.S. New giveaway coming soon!

Inspiration— Interiority Complex

2011-11-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

Apparently a side effect of moving into a new apartment is an obsession with pictures of impossibly cool, essentially irresistible, mostly unattainable interiors.

Images— 1. Unknown, 2. Wild Thicket, 3. Shambolic, 4. Sayaka Minemura, 5. A Minute of Perfection, 6. Soul Hunting, 7—8. Unknown, 9. Where My House, 10. Little Plastic Horses, 11. The Crownless Again Shall be King, 12. Lolita, 13. Entr'acte

And apparently I've got a thing for chandeliers.

Cheers,
-C

Your Time Starts... Now!

2011-11-04T17:23:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to finally reveal a project I've been working on for about three weeks—American Apparel asked me to style nine outfits featuring three new colors of their chiffon button-up (I already owned a couple, so courtesy of AA my collection has grown to a practically unbelievable five shirts). My lovely sister served as photographer, shooting me in various places (and weather conditions)—the rain here was the most dramatic. Lucky for me, the boots I'm wearing happen to be my most Winter-proof shoes. Seriously. (And needless to say, I'm on the hunt for a quality pair of boots.) I'll be sharing said outfits over the next couple of weeks—hopefully they can serve as inspiration for the versatility of a good basic!

Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me

In other news, my sister and I are moving to a new apartment this weekend, and it's got white walls and wood floors and I'm super excited to decorate (and, not gonna lie, take some pictures of my heels on window sills and bags hanging artily by my design books and cactii. Livin' the style blogger's dream. Ha).

Cheers,
-C

P.S. Changed my mind again about the clothing labels. They're back on the first photo to stay.

Want— Gotta Get You Into My Life

2011-10-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough of this dress. Cutouts at the shoulders (a design feature I've been a bit obsessed with lately), midi length, button-up front, waist tie... all these elements working together to create a garment I must have. And it's the perfect color for Fall, yes? See it for yourself at Pixie Market.

Images— Pixie Market

Also, the winner of the Yokoo giveaway is Chloe Jennings! Congrats! Thanks so much to all of you for entering. Hopefully I can dream up an equally awesome giveaway for November...

Cheers,
-C

SOTW— Wheels (Because, Let's Face it, I Couldn't Think of Another Title)

2011-10-21T21:42:00.000-07:00

It drizzled all day here in Seattle (the Fall weather has been gorgeous lately, so I can't really complain yet) so when I found this image in my vast collection of inspirations, I simply couldn't resist.

Image— The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

1) Calling all Seattle-ites! Fellow Seattle style blog The Emerald Closet is hosting an event on October 27th at the Gap in Northgate Mall. They will be dressing other local bloggers in Gap's newest collection and discussing what's flattering on various body types.

2) This photography blog is quite incredible (approach with caution—it's very technical).

3) Try this. Just try it.

4) I love the ladylike minimalism of this label. Simple wins yet again.

5) I've been endless intrigued by typography lately, and this designer/illustrator takes it to the next level. Literally. These typographic creations exist in three dimensions.

6) Star Wars Legos are transformed into cinematic stills.

7) Posters (by renowned designers and illustrators) for a cause.

Cheers,
-C

P.S. The giveaway closes tomorrow night! Enter while you can!

Inspiration— Grandiosity

2011-10-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

1) Unknown 2) Natalie Kucken 3) Mike Bailey-Gates 4) Alex Shahmiri 5) Unknown 6) Fashion Gone Rogue 7) Unknown 8) Lauren Withrow 9) Fashion Gone Rogue 10) Tim Walker 11) Simon Filip 12—13) Unknown

I can't get enough of wide-open spaces.

Cheers,
-C

P.S. Have you entered the giveaway yet? It closes on Saturday!

Giveaway— Yokoo Vermont Snuggler!

2011-10-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

Image, Editing— Me

Edit— this giveaway is now closed. Thanks for entering!

I have loved Yokoo scarves for many years—when I get to unpack my Soopascarf every Fall I get a little smile on my face. I thought I would pass that joy to you this time, and offer the chance to win the Vermont Snuggler in cranberry (as pictured above)! This scarf was purchased last Winter and never worn, and I thought it could use a new home... it's ridiculously soft and the color is beautiful. It can be worn wrapped once or twice, and as with most of Miss Yokoo's wares works on guys and girls. (Note— the scarf in both of those examples is slightly different than the Vermont Snuggler, but was the only one I could quickly dig up good images for. Pardon me for that.) Happy Fall!

Now, rules! To enter you must—

1) Be following this blog (you may do so with Google Friend Connect/Google Reader or Bloglovin'. Both methods are hanging out in the left sidebar titled 'Follow')

2) Leave a comment including your email address so I can contact you if you win. Your entry will be disqualified if I can't figure out how to reach you

Bonus— to earn one extra entry, follow me and Yokoo on Twitter (@itschloescheffe and @iamyokoo). This earns you an additional entry only. Please note in your comment if you've followed us on Twitter and/or leave your Twitter URL.

This giveaway will close on Saturday, October 22nd. Good luck!

Cheers,
-C

Considering...

2011-10-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

Firstly, I want to mention that I removed the clothing tags from the first photo and pushed them to the bottom of the post as live links. I'll link to the specific item I'm wearing whenever I can, and to the store it came from/ brand it is the rest of the time. This way if you want to track something down, you don't have to aimlessly Google it (I know I like being able to click through when I'm reading other style blogs—laziness prevails!).

Secondly, my knee is totally still messed up! However, since twisting it Wednesday night, the swelling has steadily gone down enough that I was able to slip into these skinny trousers this morning. That would not have been possible when my joint was the size of a grapefruit. I can also walk pretty steadily now—with a gangsta's ~~limp~~ swagger. Let's just say I get stares.

Anyway, the weather is perfect today, and I can emphatically say this is why Fall is my favorite season. The crisp air, bright but not searing sunshine, fallen leaves... These shoes are favorites. I bought them a while back, but this is their first appearance in a post—I've turned to them a lot to finish my ensembles lately. How can you lose with black patent leather and tassels?

Coat— Asos, Sheer shirt— Nasty Gal, Shirt— Urban Outfitters, Trousers— Moksha Clothing, Bag— Asos, Shoes— Steve Madden, Horn necklace— Need Supply Co., Watch— Thrifted. Images— Chelsey Scheffe, Editing— Me

The lovely location is a coffee shop and wine bar, both recently opened inside a historic building that used to be an antique store. I would absolutely love to live or work in a place like that with giant garage doors that roll up. That, and a window seat. And wood floors. And...

Cheers,
-C

SOTW— Dodge, Weave

2011-10-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

Image— Ariel Rosenbloom

1) According to their website, The Manual "is a beautifully crafted journal that takes a fresh look, in print, at the maturing of the disciple and profession of web design."Based on the images of the first issue and the list of contributors, that's 100% true. Perhaps this is the thing that will push me closer to web design.

2) This shoot by T Magazine for their annual travel issue features Lara Stone and is completely adorable, even including an image of her with her parents.

3) Don't have anyone to talk to about your problems? Now you do.

4) Wantful is one of the coolest new sites I've come across as of late. Their aim is to refine the process of gift-giving, and they're off to a good start. The site will launch fully soon.

5) I absolutely love this illustrator. Her work is so cheerful and adorable.

6) Even though I'm really not a fan of horror or thriller movies, I can't help but say this Kickstarter project is awesome. The women playing the twins are just too cute (they totally sold me on it), and the team is quite close to their goal.

7) Don't click this unless you're an avid Doctor Who fan.

Cheers,
-C

Of A Kind

2011-10-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

Of A Kind is a truly unique online shop I discovered recently—each week they invite a designer to create a very limited edition (the range thus far is 5 to 60 pieces) exclusively for the site. Their selection at this point is limited but awesome, including clothing and accessories for men and women (but mostly for the ladies). Some of my favorite little designers have made appearances—Ann Yee, Collina Strada, Clare Vivier... you can also read interviews with each designer. Shopping gets deep.

Images— Of A Kind

Also note it's worth signing up for their newsletter so you can stay on top of their editions—they go quick. (I've learned my lesson having missed both Collina Strada and Claire Vivier.)

Cheers,
-C

A Long Time Ago, in a City Far, Far Away

2011-10-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

I was browsing through my archives of photos recently (as I'm re-editing certain shoots for the upcoming/long-overdue relaunch of my portfolio site), and discovered this outfit that I never posted! These images were taken in Providence in early August, at a stunning spot called Cliff Walk. I believe I mentioned it in my travel post about Providence, but let me refresh you—Cliff Walk is an area of town comprised completely of grand, historic estates (and by that I mean massive mansions) which overlook the ocean, which drops off in a stunning cliff, which is walkable. It's an incredible place.

Images— Chelsey Scheffe Editing— Me

Now that it's too cold here in Seattle to wear shorts without other significant layers, it's kind of nice to see this and reminisce about my Summer. I really did have a wonderful time. The bag is something I purchased on a whim because I love tassels (you new readers probably don't know—I have tassel fever), and it's continued to be a favorite into Fall. I've sort of categorized it into concert wear. Also, I miss my toenails being painted that color—pedicure time! (And by that I mean I'll paint them myself in my bathtub.)

Finally, in other news, a couple of hours ago I mysteriously twisted up my knee and have been stuck on the couch ever since. I did it falling out of a chair as I tried to plug in my laptop at a coffee shop—no heroics. No babies were rescued, no old ladies assisted. My body is not a mean machine. Ah, me...

Cheers,

-C

P.S. Welcome, new followers! Lovely to have you!

Le Stud

2011-10-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty much in love with these smoking shoes by Matiko (found at the ever-wonderful Need Supply Co.). I've been a fan of the idea of studs on shoes for a long time, but generally when it comes to real shoes find them too masculine and/or gaudy for my style. These, though—these are a different story. The studs are subtle enough and the shoe silhouette plain enough that I'm sold. At a distance, sleek black flat. Up close, pure studded awesome! Check them out for yourself here.

Image— Need Supply Co.

Have a lovely, lazy Sunday! And happy October!

Cheers,
-C

Inspiration— We Can Do Much More Together

2011-09-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

Images— 1. The Fashionisto 2. Tim Walker 3—4. The Fashionisto 5. Fashion Gone Rogue 6. Anna Jane Hollow 7. Unknown 8. Tim Walker 9. Juergen Teller 10—11. Unknown 12. Craig McDean 13. Chad Wys 14. Tim Walker 15. Unknown 16. Tim Walker 17—23. Unknown 24. Fiasco Magazine 25—26. Unknown

This first image in this set is one my favorites ever. That's how to do tons of color in one shot. Also, I've been posting so inconsistently recently because I started work last Monday—getting settled! Forgive me until I figure out my routine again...

Cheers,
-C

SOTW— Let's Go

2011-09-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

Image— Inez and Vinoodh

1) This incredible Parisian time capsule was discovered this time last year.

2) I'm must admit that I'm sort of obsessed with 25-year-old British violinist Charlie Siem.

3) I absolutely love this designer's clothes.

4) If I could be anyone, I would be Cate Blanchett. In a second. No hesitation.

5) Mysterious Letters is the best website I've found in forever. Concept = brilliant, executions = delightful.

6) Graphic designer Taylor Pemberton does vintage clothes now.

7) Another beautiful, beautiful online store.

Cheers,
-C

Urban X Change

2011-09-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

Back in June I shot a huge lookbook for the ever-awesome Tacoma-based consignment store Urban X Change. I don't know why it's taken me so long to talk about it here—I suppose it just got forgotten in the melee that's been my life lately.

Anyway, this shoot took place over the course of one day and five locations. Each set begins with a group photo, which solidifies the tone of said set. The wonderful stylist assigned each location a decade or clothing style—my favorites are the underwear/breakfast scene, and the nineties/taco truck (although the garden party/conservatory is right up there). The clothing includes plenty of wonderful vintage—how awesome is that five-mink fur stole in the last set?—and most of the props came from the store. We hauled all of it around the city in a train of vehicles, and returned to the stylist's apartment between sets to eat, drink coffee and, in some cases, nap. I shot the entire collection on film, using my mother's AE-1. All in all, this was one of the most delightful shoots I've ever done.

Styling— Brooke Bennet Models— Anna Mischke, Brooke Miller, Asa Jackson, Asher Jackson, Savannah Jackson, Haley, Chalena, Chelsey Scheffe, Nick Cassanova

On another note, there's an exciting collaboration between It's Symmetrical and a clothing brand to announce soon-ish! Big steps for my little blog...

Cheers,
-C

SOTW— Playing Catch Up

2011-09-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

Image— Annie Leibovitz

1) Oh, it's just Jon being Jon (perfect).

2) Despite being an ad, this video is absolutely charming. Also, it wins the ultimate prize for best use of yodeling ever (and you know that's a very prestigious honor).

3) As proven by the image above, photographer Annie Leibovitz has skills. This Vogue editorial from the June 2010 issue is one of my favorites of hers. Perfection in pictures.

4) Excellent graphic design work, uniquely categorized by U.S. regions.

5) If you're like me and have been a bit lazy about keeping up with NYFW, Tumblr has all the content you need, provided by a handful of user-voted bloggers. It's pretty much an endless feed of runway photographs, behind-the-scenes videos, written reviews, etc. coming directly from real people (mostly) who aren't professionally involved in the fashion world.

6) This blog is simultaneously heartwarming and heart-wrenching. Spend an hour or two looking at this, and all you'll want to do is call your mother to tell her how much you love her.

7) Apparently all you need to create like-real sunlight is a leafy twig, two light stands and a flash.

Cheers,
-C

Go Layered or Go Home

2011-09-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been more than a month since I last posted an outfit, and in that time the weather has changed by leaps and bounds. I'm happy to report that I am now dressing in my natural state—layered. I love layers. And scarves, and sweaters, and socks... and all manner of Fall-y things. So at the moment, I'm quite the happy camper. Hello, Fall! I'm ready!

I bought this odd sweater (it's made of dense roses sewn on black mesh) a while back, and have never photographed it. In fact, I had few chances to wear it before I left for the trip, and then bringing a black anything with me would've meant certain death of heat stroke. I picked up the sheer slitted dress in New York, and delightedly discovered the two pieces made a lovely outfit just this morning as I was going through boxes of clothes I haven't looked at in a while (my sister and I are in the process of moving). I'm also wearing my favorite black scarf, black boots... I've missed my dark colors!

Images— Chelsey Scheffe Editing—Me

In other news, I just found out earlier this afternoon that my sister will be joining me at Tether! She will be an intern, so I'll get to order her around and make her fetch me things and the like. ...Kidding! But it will be super fun to be working together in a studio for the first time. Twin takeover!

Cheers,
-C

Moth House S/S '11

2011-09-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited to finally be able to reveal my most recent photographs! Moth House is a Boston-based limited edition jewelry label handmade from a mix of vintage and new materials. I shot the pieces on location in San Francisco. With my twin sister playing model, I spent two days exploring the city and taking pictures—the final images are shot through with a sense of wanderlust... the Moth House girl this season round is a wanderer, a traveler, a character who yearns for adventure.

Camera— Canon AE-1 Film— 35mm Credits— Modeled by Chelsey Scheffe

To see the rest of the images (yes, there are quite a few more) or buy a Moth House piece, head over to mothhouse.etsy.com. You can also view the images larger at that link... the film quality of each will reveal itself more if you do.

Cheers,
-C

Inspiration— Knock Me Down, Pick Me Up

2011-09-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

Before I tackle the title, let me explain the inspiration for the photos and illustrations. Even when I was young, I never liked pink (it was always purple). I never had pink clothes, or pink toys, or pink crayons scribbled down to stubs. That said, pink has somehow grown on me lately—I even like it at times, especially when elegantly paired with beige, blue, or purple.

Now, to the real purpose of this post... I have some sad news to share that has caused me a lot of grief over the past two weeks—due to some serious financial issues that arose last minute, I will not be attending RISD this year. It became impossible impossibly quickly. It slipped through my fingers. I had to work through a lot of fears and regrets as I saw things unraveling, and had relapses of each as I went through the various processes of officially withdrawing. I watched my dream—the future I thought was secure—collapse and die. Initially, I had a hard time even considering that there could be a silver lining. I heard the words "everything happens for a reason" from people who care about and support me, and silently moped instead of taking them in.

But now, a week or so later, things are looking up. I see that there is a greater plan. My sister and I are apartment hunting for the first time in our lives, and it's delightful and speaks of recovery and joy. I'm excited to share that I'll be working as a full-time designer at Tether. I've spoken with a financial advisor about how to make RISD feasible for next year, and I am determined to see it work. I've come to see all of this as another chance to do things better than I ever have before. To be quicker, and wiser, and more confident. This time I have the chance to pursue scholarships and grants all year round, to build my credit, and to manage all the deadlines and requirements for attending RISD that I tripped over so clumsily this year. And you know what? They say the third time's a charm.

Image sources— 1. Carly Waito 2—3. The Fashionisto 4. Fashion Gone Rogue 5. Unknown 6. Dan Park 7—11. Fashion Gone Rogue 12—13. Uknown 14. Mr. Newton 15—16. Fashion Gone Rogue 17. Unknown 18. Carly Waito

If you'd like to read a much more eloquent account of the death of RISD, click through to my sister's post on it. She wrote it the day we were supposed to be on a plane to Providence.

Cheers,
-C

Beetlejuice

2011-09-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

This necklace is odd, but I really love it. As you all know, I toured the RISD Nature Lab back in August, and it was incredible—I think it may have inspired my initial attraction to this little piece. See it here.

Images courtesy of Pixie Market.

Cheers,
-C

On The Street— Salvatore

2011-09-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

I love a good all-black ensemble, and Salvatore definitely doesn't disappoint. Slim trousers, dress shoes, beanie... I'm in! He was a little surprised that I stopped him for what he dubbed such a simple outfit, but I often think simpler is better. And that dash of beige adds the right amount of polish.

In other news, I'm posting a new giveaway soon! Get excited!

Cheers,
-C

On The Street— Betsy

2011-09-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

I met Betsy in San Francisco, and photographed her on the street in front of the shop she works at (which I mentioned in my San Francisco travel post), Dina Louise. Not only is she an artist and musician, but has wonderful style. I love that she paired such a ladylike sweater with those loud striped jeans. Also, the touch of lipstick perfectly finishes her look—must try that on myself soon...

Check out her paintings and drawings here.

Cheers,
-C

San Francisco

2011-09-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

Note: this post is really, really ridiculously ~~good-looking~~ long.

So, San Francisco was the last stop on our trip (which actually concluded about three weeks ago—that's how bad of a blogger I am), and the first on the West Coast. Our train traced the coast all the way from Los Angeles, and it was the most beautiful leg of the trip, without a doubt. At times we were so close to the water that I couldn't see the shore, and it felt like we were on a boat. At others, we rolled through vast, desolate patches of country, where the sighting of a tree was a rare occurrence. And the weather put on a show for us every day. Hours in the observation car passed in no time.

After arriving exhausted late at night, we woke the next morning to fog. And after weeks and weeks of beating sun and thick air, stepping outside and feeling chilly was actually pleasant. Our very first stop was the Museum of Modern Art, where we saw the considerable collection of the Steins (plenty of Picasso and Matisse). Though I couldn't take pictures in the exhibit, I snapped a few of the museum—like Kansas City's The Nelson, the architecture was pretty awesome in and of itself. We proceeded on to Telegraph Hill and the tower there, and passed through Chinatown on our way. San Francisco's Chinatown is the most authentic I've ever seen. I first visited in 2008, prior to ever living in Beijing and seeing an authentic market. Walking through this one again brought strong memories of my time in China rushing back—all the smells, shouting, bustling crowds, messy colors, overstuffed shop windows...

Our first meal out was at a tiny little place called The House, which we just stumbled upon and happened to be really excellent. I was expecting a little coffee bar with pastries and quiche, and it turned out to be a renowned full-menu restaurant. The plates were beautiful and delicious—a palette-cleansing briny cucumber, chicken with portabella truffle sauce, cold diced asparagus with sesame, and apple crumble. I just love the vegetable shavings on top of the savory courses.

The next morning we got up early to walk the Golden Gate Bridge. It may sound like a silly thing to do, but it was amazing—the fog lifted early, so we had stunning views of the water and the city, and again the air was anything but sticky. If this trip did nothing else for me, I now know beyond the shadow of a doubt that weather-wise I am a West Coast girl. I always imagined myself living for a while out East, but now, beyond being in Providence for RISD, I don't think I will (unless I have some mind-blowing opportunity). Next notion to test—Europe!

We countered all that brisk walking with a greasy, tasty breakfast at a very patriotic little diner called Mel's. The rest of the day was spent wandering down by the water and on the piers, shooting the S/S '11 collection for jewelry label Moth House (I'll talk more about that in a later post). We shared a caprese sandwich, chocolate mousse and macaroons for lunch—again, amazing. The food in San Francisco never disappointed. Some of the piers were bustling with people, and others were more calm, only dotted with stoic fishermen and the odd wedding party. On one such pier, we wandering down to the end for pictures and ran into a very sassy pelican. He was trying to steal bait, snapping at anyone who came too close. He was very kind to pose perfectly for my picture.

My sister, everyone.

On our final day in the city, we again got up early—this time it was to make it to a flea market before all the good stuff was snapped up. We stopped at Happy Doughnuts on the way, and I have to say that cheap hazelnut-flavored coffee and greasy dough have never been so wonderful. The air was still dense with fog as we arrived and wandered in an out of the tables, laden with anything you can possibly imagine to buy. Some of my favorites were a vintage Russian diving helmut, a giant book of newspaper front pages from the 40's, a complete Canon A-1 kit (which Chelsey purchased and hopefully I can borrow), beautiful leather briefcases, handcrafted yet still perfectly aged turquoise jewelry, and movie reels. The vendors were either poised over their wares, ready to give a sales pitch to anyone who lingered, or reclining with a watchful eye from the back of their trucks. I had nice little conversations with a couple of them, including one woman who tried very hard to sell me a black dress by explaining that my butt was tiny by using her more sizable one for comparison. "Honey," she said boisterously, "this is a butt!"

Our last few stops were the tastefully curated little stores Dina Lousie and Prairie Collective, and Golden Gate Park. We were promptly lost in an attempt to visit the arboretum there, and ended up at the California Academy of Sciences. And that turned out to be closed. However, the park itself was lovely—lots of trees and ponds and drum circles.

The trip home was beautiful, giving us a stunning view of the Narrows Bridge and a cobalt sunset. As we stepped off the train, dragging along our luggage and me with a cold I picked up in San Francisco, it began to rain. Our father met us and laughingly said, "You brought the rain! It hasn't rained in weeks!" It was actually the ideal welcome. I mean, what's Seattle without a little rain?

Some nature images and all images of me by Chelsey Scheffe. The rest and editing by me.

That's it, then! I'm thrilled to be able to say that I am no longer so unfamiliar with the United States—dear readers, I have been places.

Cheers,
-C

P.S. I added a post category just for these travel journals (and for future ones). If you'd like to read about the whole adventure, or even just see the pictures, simply click Travel.

On The Street— 3 Days With Grant

2011-09-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

If you read my last long travel post, you already know who Grant is. If you didn't, he's a fellow RISD-bound photographer and designer, and he's the lovely friend we stayed with in Kansas City. And as you'll see in a moment, his style is very sharp. He is very fond of loafers and ties and crisp button-ups, and does things like read The New York Times while sitting in a leather armchair—basically, he's very much a Dad.

The watch and leather bands (I'm trying quite hard here to make bracelets sound more manly) stay on his wrist all the time—one of the first things he said regarding fashion after we met was, quite earnestly, "These are staple bracelets!" It was both odd and charming. Also, he found those wonderful shoes in the last image at a thrift store we visited for a mere $15, and the glasses we passed to him by a friend. The lenses are actually green—pure awesome.

Cheers,
-C

P.S. I've made some changes to the visual look of It's Symmetrical once again! First and foremost, I adapted the header (and will probably keep tweaking it over the next few days). I also spent a decent amount of time cleaning up the blog itself—I removed the post recommendation widget, changed the position of the date and the space between posts, tweaked the fonts, etc. etc. Enjoy!

Stuffs of the Week— September 2nd

2011-09-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

Image by Anna Amphigorously.

1) This photo essay by James Mollison is beautifully shot and incredibly thought-provoking.

2) I don't post a lot of humorous stuff, but this newsroom video is so good that I couldn't resist sharing. I can't imagine how priceless it would've been to see it air live...

3) Another story sourced from Thought Catalog—this piece of writing is really excellent.

4) I've never liked Lady Gaga more. Well played, Adrian Valencia, well played.

5) I still don't completely understand what this tool does, but it is quite entertaining to play with (as Google tools often are, yes?).

6) I have no clue how this video was made... it's really impressive.

7) Well, just—mmmmmmmmm.

Cheers,

-C

Kansas City

2011-09-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

Kansas City was all about the food.

We made it one of our stops in order to meet and stay with a friend we had never met in person before. While this is a situation most parents would shudder at, it worked out beautifully. The mysterious friend in question is the very talented Grant Heinlein, who will also be attending RISD this Fall (it all begins in less than two weeks). The three of us spent three days exploring the city, and each day we accompanied, assisted and/or modeled for one of the last three photos in his year-long photography project (they can be viewed here, here and here). It was really awesome, to say the least.

Our adventures in Kansas City began with a late-night driving tour, fries and milkshakes, and continued the next morning with a walk through a park, lunch at this fabulous pizza place called Spin! and gourmet ice cream (like I said, Kansas City = eating). I believe I had French Lavender and Caramel Rosemary...

Our next stop was The Nelson. While the art inside this museum was beautiful (I particularly liked an exhibit of images of space and the sun), I was most impressed by the architecture of the modern wing itself. In addition to all the grand, high-ceilinged rooms, there were all these interesting nooks and smaller spaces—all arched corners, columns, glass insets, benches, and floor to ceiling windows. And to top it all off, there was this wonderful walkway that led to the roof of the museum, manicured hedges, a few installed sculptures, and a lovely view. Also, even though it was still quite hot, Kansas City was the least humid by far of all our stops on the trip, and one afternoon it even rained in a very Seattle way. During the downpour, we happened to be inside a bookstore called Rainy Day Books—how charming is that?

We hit a couple of little second hand shops one afternoon, including an antique store stuffed to bursting with the weirdest little knick-knacks you'll ever see—creepy children's books, pocket watches, leather coffee mugs, vintage camera kits, window glass, tiny sheer gloves, exquisite world maps and globes, slides, anything you can imagine. And it was staffed, of course, by a very dapper old man.

Later that evening we went on site to this incredible out-of-commission bridge to model for Grant's 363/365 photo. We had to be careful not to fall through the slats, but we were there during that magical time of evening many photographers refer to as The Golden Hour. For 365/365 (victory!), we drove out into what we dubbed "real Kansas", hopped a fence into someone's field, pulled 24 balloons out of their covers, lit smoke bombs purchased at this hilarious stand (mostly because they sell serious fireworks, alcohol and ice cream), and shot away. It was awesome to see a photographer complete such a momentous project, especially since I failed at it twice myself. Well done, Grant!

We finished out our Kansas City adventure with a trip to Hammerpress, which was probably my favorite thing—it easily joins the list of Places I Would Live That Aren't Houses. Not only do they print and sell their own posters, postcards, coasters, greeting cards, etc., but they carry all the coolest desk lamps, wrapping papers, tape dispensers, measuring tapes, hard candies, perfumes, skateboards, pencils, pencil pouches (I bought one and seriously, it is perfect), lip balm, sketchbooks, and gourmet ice pops (blackberry lime, anyone?) you'll ever see. The decor is beautiful too, all wood and glass and little cactii. I can only hope someday that I have a studio or an apartment that I can bring up to that level of awesomeness.

Images including me and first two landscapes by Chelsey Scheffe. All others and editing by me.

Our last meal was from the legendary Oklahoma Joe's BBQ, above. Let me tell you, that was one of the best pulled pork sandwiches I have ever tasted (picture me saying that with a Southern drawl).

Onward to San Francisco, the final stop...

Cheers,
-C

Inspiration— All These Years

2011-08-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what this set is about, but I thought these images flowed together nicely as I was selecting them out of my vast archives. And I couldn't resist a little Michael Fassbender and outer space.

Images courtesy of The Fashionisto, The Fashionisto, uknown, The Fashionisto, Fashion Gone Rogue, The Fashionisto, BBC, The Fashionisto, Inez and Vinoodh, Fashion Gone Rogue, unknown, The Fashionisto, unknown, T The New York Times Style Magazine, unknown.

Last night I had the saddest dream—even though I only remember bits and pieces, I woke up with this sense of melancholy. The point is, some of these images capture the mood of it. The expressions.

Cheers,
-C

On The Street— Hana

2011-08-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

I first caught a glimpse of Hana in front of the White House, but couldn't quite catch her. Imagine my surprise when she turned a corner onto the very sidewalk we were taking back to Union Station! It was my second chance, and she was gracious enough to let me stop her and a get a picture. (I told her that I'd seen her before, and she replied with a laugh that she remembered me too—probably because the shirt I was wearing is an electric red. Fun times.) I just love the boldness of her skirt—it's not something I'd would've been drawn to on the rack prior to seeing it on her, but now I want to seek out a bold maxi. Also, I love her chain strap bag! You can't see the pouch itself, but it was a lovely salmon colored suede.

It's amazing what can be done with just a simple white t-shirt...

Cheers,
-C

Washington D.C.

2011-08-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

Note: long, long, long, long, long.

Washington D.C. is the cleanest city I have ever seen. No trash, no wrappers, no cigarette butts. And all that white marble, brick and stone positively gleams in the harsh afternoon sun. Anyway, since we had so little time in the city (about a day and a half), we stuck to the most famous buildings, monuments and museums—all very much worth seeing.

First up: the Capital! We were extremely lucky to be staying in an apartment about a five-minute walk away, so we strolled past on our way to the Library of Congress (which, being the nerds we both are, was number one on our list of priorities). It was extremely calm and fairly quiet at the Capital—all the tourists respectfully took pictures of their families, posed in front of the building and waved their arms for their own, gazed at it, and then moved on. I saw one man in a black suit and dark glasses getting his spy on (see a few images down), but otherwise I have no suspicious/thrilling activity to report.

The Library of Congress was such a thrill. I have wanted to visit it for a long time, and it did not disappoint in the least (except that at that moment in time I happened not to have valid ID [long story], so I couldn't get the required pass to get into the main reading room, which is arguably the best part). The interior architecture and design was stunning—complex tiled floors, beautiful carved ceilings, hand-painted walls, dozens and of statues, interesting exhibits (the best of which was a lovely and modern glassed-in bookcase containing all of Jefferson's personal library), and columns and arcs and other chiseled marble finery I can't name. Also, a majority of the best and most famous attractions in D.C. are free—how wonderful is that?

The Lincoln Memorial was also exceptionally grand. After a mishap with a taxi driver involving a time-consuming adventure to pay him in cash, we walked right up the stairs, through the columns, and stared into the stone eyes of Lincoln. It's a beautiful memorial, and the only letdown was that the famous reflecting pool that sits between it and the Washington Memorial was completely gone. In it's place was a huge amount of dirt and machinery pushing it around—nothing, not even a piece of cement, was left to suggest the pool had once been there. A stranger we happened to walk by in front of Lincoln said it best as she stared at that sad stretch of dirt—"Somebody's gotta fix that. That just looks wrong." She was quite sassy about it, and we both had to stifle our laughter until she was out of earshot. But how right she was!

As you can see, we strolled down Pennsylvania Avenue past the White House just as the sun was setting—it was an awesome way to see it for the first time. The crowds had thinned out, the temperature was lovely, and the sunset framed it perfectly as it slipped below the horizon.

The next morning we spent a good amount of time at the conservatory that sits on the grounds of the Capital building, which is the most amazing botanical-type thing I've ever experienced. We have one in a park near my house, but compared to this vast multi-level version it's nothing. In addition to multiple stories, this one has ten or fifteen different habitats, hundreds of species of plants, fountains, waterways and bridges, the list goes on. My favorite room contained all manner of cactii and succulents—the colors and textures were amazing. I was inspired.

Our final stop was the Smithsonian's Castle (right near the Spy Museum—how intriguing), my favorite part of which was the building itself and the painstakingly manicured lawn at the front. Chels was hoping we'd unknowingly walk into something that looked like that set from Bones (or the actual set of Bones), but it was a grand, columned, medieval interior. The exhibit we had time to walk through was a collection of collections—little teasers from the other Smithsonian museums. It was super interesting. We saw everything from a pair of Kristi Yamaguchi's ice skates to one of Edison's prototypes for the lightbulb to a giant stuffed bird-eating tarantula.

Images including me by Chelsey Scheffe. All others and editing by me.

The last image was taken in an adorable coffee shop near Union Station called Ebenezer's. It was some of the better coffee I had on the trip, but still couldn't really compete with my favorite shops here in Seattle—as they say, there's no place like home!

Cheers,
-C

Philadelphia

2011-08-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm home (in what I've deemed to be a nod to our return to the Northwest, Seattle drizzled rain last night as we stepped off the train, after a solid week of reportedly gorgeous weather), I'm back to blogging! We stopped in Philadelphia for a day and a half so I could interview for a design position with Anthropologie at their headquarters in the Navy Yard. More on that in a moment. For now, let's begin with a large image of a delicious sandwich I had at a lovely restaurant called Marathon, right around the corner from the equally lovely hotel Anthropologie put us in. Right after we finished eating, it downpoured.

We spent the evening dodging in and out of stores to avoid the rain (and were drenched anyway).

The next morning I got up early for a two-hour interview with seven designers at Anthropologie. Their headquarters is literally the most beautiful campus of buildings I have ever, ever been on—each one is a converted warehouse, all glass windows, exposed brick, wood floors, reclaimed and restored furnishings, beautiful couches and chairs, eclectic art and installations, and plants. The entrance to Athropologie's own building (there's one each for Anthro, Urban Outfitters and Free People) featured a table laid with knick-knacks, fabric, and little plants in terrariums. Behind it was a rickshaw, and above beautiful hanging lamps. The third floor is part warehouse, part design studio—so the designers work surrounded by racks of clothing samples, fabric swatches and mannequins. It was literally heaven. The recreational building features an indoor pond filled with fish and marked with mossy statutes, a cafeteria straight out of Martha Stewart Living (think white gauze curtains to separate picnic table "rooms", and large glass pitchers filled with raspberry lemonade), and an elevated gym. I wish I could have taken more photographs, but I didn't think it was appropriate, as I was there for professional purposes...

The interview itself went smoothly too (luckily!). I was rather intimidated by all the talented designers and managers I met, but once we got to talking I calmed down a bit. The interview was for a position on their web and interactive team, and one day after my visit they actually offered me the job. I won't talk about this too much, but as some of you know I had planned to attend Rhode Island School of Design this Fall (literally in one month)—so, given these two incredible opportunities, each with it's own advantages and disadvantages, I spent one torturous week deciding between the two. In the end, I've chosen to attend RISD as planned (if you want to hear more about my decision-making process for whatever reason, feel free to email me). It was very, very difficult for me to turn Anthropologie down—they're a wonderful company and team that I plan to stay connected to. If any of you have the opportunity to work for them or even visit their headquarters in Philly, do it! Definitely!

Images including me by Chelsey Scheffe. All others and editing by me.

The rest of our time in Philadelphia (just one afternoon) was spent walking around the city, enjoying the large-scale murals, historic buildings, carriages, frozen yogurt, little cafes, the Liberty Bell, and a funny encounter with a flamboyant, charming restaurant owner named Vinny.

Next up—Washington D.C.!

Cheers,
-C

P.S. On my last city post, an anonymous commenter requested that I include images of my sister because I always mention her. I just wanted to take a moment to say that there have been photographs of her in every single traveling post—look carefully, because we really do seem alike to the untrained eye (the curse of being a twin). To spot her, watch for squarer glasses, darker hair, and no bangs.

Stuffs of the Week— August 19th

2011-08-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks have been totally whirlwind—I've found that traveling this much has erased my ability to even keep track of the date and/or time. I'm lucky if I know one of the two without having to check my phone or laptop. However, you're in luck this week! I am both a) typing on a laptop, which has ever-so-kindly reminded me that it's Friday and b) sitting across from my sister, who has shouted in my face, "Stuffs of the Week! Chlo!" So, yes, here it is.

Image courtesy of Vanity Fair.

1) This comic is a collaboration between many, many artists—a different person illustrates every few pages. Also, unlike most online comics I've seen, the website is really beautiful.

2) Any working photographer hears about weddings constantly, and the newest awesome thing seems to be artsy wedding videos. Now, you're probably as incredulous as I was upon first hearing this—"artsy" videos? That means cheesy, right? Well, this video team has just proven me wrong, knocked my socks off, and nearly brought me to tears. Cute (and classy) is an understatement.

3) An old friend of mine has a band called Motopony (Seattle-based), and recently I heard a song of his playing in a cafe in Washington D.C. I went back to listen to it afterwards, and discovered that this awesome music video had been made. I love that it feels like a series of portraits.

4) This superbly talented painter has an astronaut obsession.

5) Visual Editions has a new book out! Let me tease with the first sentence from the press release—"This book can be read in any order." (Just try and tell me you aren't intrigued.)

6) This lovely, natural editorial made me actually like Gisele.

7) The stop before San Francisco (where we are currently) was Kansas City, and my favorite thing there by far was a fantastic little place called Hammerpress. It easily makes my list of Places That Aren't Houses That I Would Live In (RISD's Nature Lab is also on that list).

Cheers,
-C

P.S. Isn't that image fabulous? It was shot for a feature in Vanity Fair about the cast of the upcoming film War Horse, based on the Broadway play (which I almost saw! The tickets I was after slipped through my fingers/sold out at the last minute). The guy standing in the middle is Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the main character in my newest TV love, Sherlock. It's Sherlock Holmes in the 21st century, and it's amazing. Go watch it.

On The Street— Shawn

2011-08-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

I'm currently sitting in a bustling Starbucks in Los Angeles' Union Station, drinking an iced latte labeled with my name—but they've spelled it "Khloe", like the Kardashian (why do I even know that?!). That's a first... but that's L.A. for you, I guess.

Anyway, this is Shawn! He works at the same Boston Marc Jacobs that Logan does, and he's just as delightful, though in a completely different way. He turned out to be a long-lost friend of our Providence host, so he came over the night before we left and all of us watched a decade-old video of them dancing. African, drum-circle dancing. It was pretty unforgettable, and I hope if Shawn ever comes across this blog post he's not too mortified that I've just shared that with you. To counterbalance it, I'd like to add that he is fluent in Japanese, and majored in history in college—therefore he is cool and intellectual.

Also, his glasses are Warby Parker. Winner! And now I'm off to catch a train to Oakland, then a bus to San Francisco... a city I love, but haven't been to since 2008... oh, San Fran...

Cheers,
-C

On The Street— Logan

2011-08-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to explain what a character Logan was. I found him in Marc Jacobs on Newbury Street (in Boston), and he was pretty thrilled to have his photo taken (particularly on these stairs, which he said he'd sort of been longing to have photographs on for a while). Also, he's super busy with cool projects—namely he's majoring in creative writing, studying fashion design on the side, and planning the launch of a line of denim shirts for the Fall. This kid, this kid.

I sort of like the oddity of his missing shirt, and think the sunglasses are the perfect finishing touch for the whole ensemble (not to mention the asymmetric hem of the cardigan. I always love a good asymmetric hem). Also, his hair is so good. Hair envy—it's undeniable.

Cheers,
-C

P.S. "Boygirl" was his requested profession—"student" was my addition. What I was saying about him being a character? Case in point.

Boston

2011-08-14T22:15:00.000-07:00

Note: long. You know the drill.

I loved Boston within the first hour of being there. My sister, our R.I. host (the lovely and talented Jyll Ethier-Mullen) and I took a day trip from Providence to spend about seven hours exploring. I feel like I've said this about every city I've been to so far, but the most remarkable thing is the constant presence of history—for example, the oldest cemetery in the United States was literally in the middle of the city, flanked by a financial building and a stop for a tourist trolley. You don't see these things in Seattle.

We spent the most time on Newbury Street, wandering in and out of shops (both the expensive [Marc Jacobs, cough cough] and the quirky), admiring the patios of cafes, and generally enjoying ourselves. Quick pointless story—about ten minutes in, I was standing outside All Saints and an older gentlemen, clothed in preppy attire topped off with a sweater tied over his shoulders, sidled up to me and said "You look fabulous." He drew out the "S" and winked as he walked away. It was pretty delightful. I also shot a couple of Street Style images, which I've been dying to share. One of the subjects was the most entertaining person I've ever stopped by some margin—he practically turned it into a real photoshoot with all his posing and location changing.

Wandering through this large park (which shall remain nameless due to my poor, overwhelmed memory) was sort of a highlight—in no time at all the city went from towering buildings and bustling streets to wide, green, quiet space. There were quite a number of historically dressed gents—pirates, explorers, pioneers. Also, just as we were exiting the part, the crowd sort of jammed up and stopped—the commotion was due the fact that two mounted police officers were trying to capture a falcon sitting in a manicured park tree with an oversized butterfly-type net. The bird was absolutely calm, as if it knew it could evade capture at any moment. The whole scene was hard to believe.

All images including me by Chelsey Scheffe. The rest and editing by me.

The last two photos are from the Harvard campus, which we drove by quickly on our way back to Providence as the sun was going down. It was beautiful. Also, there were plenty of students milling around, despite it being early August. All I could think was "Smart people! Smart people!" (Yeah, shameless.)

Cheers,
-C

Providence

2011-08-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

Note: again, this post is quite long. Take a deep breath, and dive in. If you dare.

Here it goes again! I'm now sitting in a fabulous hotel room in Philadelphia, having just spent five hours on the train from Rhode Island (with quite a show from the weather along the way).

Providence is a darling, historic city, and I really enjoyed my week there. My sister and I were able to experience a lot of little places all over, including a secluded beach (which was so picture-perfect that when we walked onto it I turned to my host and said "All this needs is a falling-over fence"—you know, like those postcards... or Ann of Green Gables... whatever guys). We also drove through a part of town that is comprised completely of stunning 17th and 18th century mansions. They're all beautiful, with big iron gates and lush lawns and so much grandeur it's ridiculous. It's hard to believe, but it got better still because of a little thing called the Cliff Walk, which is just as awesome as it sounds. We had a weirdly ominous and beautiful sunset too. Just heaven.

Downtown Providence is like a very, very small downtown Seattle (in parts), and is just a few minutes walk from the RISD campus. Both are comprised of a mixture of beautiful old buildings, impressive new ones, charming parks and trees, fountains, shops, what have you. RISD is full of unique little spots (including a lawn called The Beach, and a beach called The Farm), and bits of art are tucked away in all conceivable spaces. The drawing studios are really beautiful, and they instantly stirred me—just a little time in one had me missing my high school days, when I spent hours and hours each day drawing. My favorite spot, however, was a place I'd looked forward to seeing for many years (no lie)—the RISD Nature Lab. I'll talk more about it later in this post. After two tours around the entire campus (one with a student guide, one with a new friend currently in the architecture program), I'm totally convinced I'd be at home there. Basically, as I suspected, RISD is awesomesauce.

Also worth mentioning—RISD sits right next to the Brown campus, which is equally (if not more) lovely, and is open to RISD students. Both schools are minutes away from a little place called Theyer Street, which is full of restaurants, coffee shops, and clothing stores (new, used and vintage)—once again, I saw me some irresistible bags. And once again, I was somehow able to resist. But barely.

Del's is frozen lemonade found only in Providence, and it's deliciousness has made it legendary (not to mention the real lemon chunks, and the fact that it tastes amazing with pretzel sticks. Eating Del's in a parking lot in the middle of nowhere will remain one of my fondest memories of Providence).

So, back to Nature Lab. Basically, I would live in Nature lab. It's full to bursting with shells, skeletons, plants, live reptiles, taxidermic heads, dried beetles and butterflies, bird wings, coral, a stuffed bear, fossils, dehydrated fish, rocks, skulls—and nearly everything can be checked out for drawing. I hope all you artist types are freaking out, because this is a seriously magical room. Someday I'd love to have a room in my house (or perhaps a corner) decorated in a similar way—all shadow boxes and glass cases and terrariums. Sigh.

Images including me by Chelsey Scheffe. All others and editing by me.

We closed our week in Providence with a visit to a charming circa-1875 carousel, and the nearby beach. My sister and I have talked about it a bit, and we can both see ourselves living in Providence—not permanently, but for school. It's sort of perfect for a student whose world is totally consumed by projects and papers and timelines (as is its proximity to New York and Boston).

Speaking of which, the next city I'll be sharing photos and words about is Boston! We took a day trip there on Saturday, and it was instant love. I also shot two Street Style looks that are pretty fabulous...

Cheers,
-C

Stuffs of the Week— August 5th

2011-08-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

It's been forever since I've done a Stuffs of the Week! My excuse is that I've been traveling and preparing for traveling—pretty valid, I'd say. However, I'm on time this week (to try and make up for it)! I hope you enjoy these lovely links I've been holding onto since last month. Read up.

Image courtesy of thefashionisto.com.

1) This Tumblr truly gives new meaning to the word "catscan."

2) SWSED is a really lovely little project that brings writers and designers together to produce beautiful results (you'll just have to click through to see what the acronym stands for).

3) Another delightful partnership project—but this one throws together designers and temporary tattoos.

4) I pretty much hate country music, cowboy boots, and steel guitar, but this shoot makes Western style totally palatable. Even more than that, I love it here. Well played, Max Vadukul (the photographer—off to look up his work now), well played.

5) This site is devoted entirely to showcasing interesting and/or beautiful stills found buried in Google Maps' street view. I laughed, I gasped, I bookmarked.

6) Wicked cool design work. ("Wicked" is a word I hear a lot here in Providence, so as a nod to this little city and my hosts for this leg of the trip, I included it here.)

7) My newest favorite film score is Dario Marianelli's for Jane Eyre. I listen to it whenever I need to get a lot of work done quickly, to get that boost of inspiration to finish a project, to clean, what have you. Before you run away to listen (which you must), watch this video for a little background (and glimpses into the recording process). Call me nerdy, but this is awesome.

Cheers,
-C