.:le train bleu:.

Lovejoy and Pettygrove Logo Ideas

2010-03-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

We're narrowing in on a logo for our new store Lovejoy and Pettygrove, which will carry goods for men and women and is inspired by the heritage of the Pacific Northwest.

The logos reflect the quality and craftsmanship of turn of the century design. Influences range from antique clothing labels to woodblock lettering. I like to think of something old-fashioned and elegant with a trace of gun smoke.

Please weigh in...

Historic lettering combined with a touch of hand drawn elements.

Elegant and refined stacked lettering.

Circular seal with a weathered look.

A combination of antique letter forms.

Snow Day Special

2010-02-26T14:56:00.000-08:00

Snowed in? Come shop with us! Take an extra 20% off any purchase through Sunday, Feb 28th. The code is "snowday".

Target and Liberty of London: la vie en fleur

2010-02-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

On the morning of March 14th, I will be waiting in line at an undisclosed Target, paper coffee cup in hand, charged up and ready to pounce. I am trying to keep my expectations in check, knowing that the prints won't have quite the delicate and subtle quality as the real thing (and am prepared to make a big batch of tea stain if needed). The cotton will definitely lack the cool and silky hand of the Liberty tana lawn (which is hands down the finest cotton I've encountered and if you have never owned any, I encourage you to treat yourself to the real thing). That's okay. I am still looking forward to an extra flowery Summer, thanks to Target.

I believe the prints used in the Target collaboration are from the Liberty archives but "reworked" as seen below.

This is going to be a huge collection covering homewares as well as clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. I am really happy that they have offered some longer-length dresses. In the past, it seems most of the Go International offerings have been geared towards a junior market (or maybe they have just been trying to conserve on fabric costs). The Liberty pieces seem to be more sophisticated. There are even a couple maxi dresses.

Prices will of course be very friendly. The sandals below are selling for $9.99 and so far the priciest item I have seen is the Liberty print cruiser bike, which I think will sell for $199.
This is my favorite of the dresses so far: a very easy style in a black version of the peacock print.
And the outfit below has me fantasizing about languorous mornings on the patio.

Drinking some Earl Grey from the exuberantly printed Dunclare teapot.

Maybe a little Devon cream can be found to go along with a bowl of strawberries served up in this Dunclare bowl.
And I'm really looking forward to stealing some of the menswear items for myself. I want to wear this blue print shirt in the middle along with one of the ties. How cute would that be?

Naturally there are going to be some things for gardening, that most English of pastimes. I think the tools and watering cans looked a little garish but I am totally down with the gardening gloves.

I think that along with the men's floral shirt and tie tucked into my overalls, I can channel my English gardener muse, Valerie Finnis:

photo Jan Baldwin, World of Interiors

Some of the pillows and bedding look very promising. I could see these combining nicely with some Indian block prints.

The canisters and picture frames are also lovely. Again, the black and white one is especially nice and if you took the top off it would make a really cool, streamlined vase for a posy.

And I love this swimsuit (again in the peacock print!) so much that I think I will get one to wear as a top.
And just in case you need more inspiration for La Vie En Fleur, feast your eyes on some images from Liberty's illustrious past with longtime partners Cacharel and photographer Sarah Moon.

Winter Clearance Sale--Extra30

2010-02-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

The Winter Sale continues--save an extra 30% storewide on items perviously marked down 30-50% off. Making way for Spring!

Keep me up till five only because all your stars are out...

2010-01-28T13:25:00.000-08:00

"Give me a story that just makes me unreasonably vigilant. Keep me up till five only because all your stars are out, and for no other reason."
— J.D. Salinger (Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction)

Onè Respe Magazine: A Beautiful Way To Help

2010-01-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

The title Haiti: Onè Respe comes from a traditional Haitian greeting meaning "honor and respect."

Here is a gorgeous magazine celebrating the beauty of Haiti in photos by: Chet Gordon, Kari Hartmann, Mary Ellen Mark, Peter Pereira, and Lindsay Stark. Online publisher MagCloud is covering the publishing costs and donating all proceeds from sales to the American Red Cross International Response Fund for Haiti relief. The cost is just $12.

Order here

Insider Trading

2010-01-15T19:13:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to you loyal readers to let you know that the Winter Clearance Sale is getting bigger and better with new markdowns sitewide. Enter the Sale Here☛

Take A Trip With Tilda

2010-01-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

I love that an actress as commercially successful as Tilda Swinton would still take time to participate in a short fashion film, in this case for Scottish knitwear brand Pringle. The film is shot by Ryan McGinley so it's pretty much a dream team. Watch Tilda explore Scottish ruins in gorgeous full-length gowns, her platinum blonde locks blowing in the gale winds.

North Country

2009-12-15T11:12:00.001-08:00

Well, if you're travelin' in the north country fair,
Where the winds hit heavy on the borderline,
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.

Well, if you go when the snowflakes storm,
When the rivers freeze and summer ends,
Please see if she's wearing a coat so warm,
To keep her from the howlin' winds.

Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
If it rolls and flows all down her breast.
Please see for me if her hair hangs long,
That's the way I remember her best.

"Girl from the North Country" by Bob Dylan, 1963

Art Voyeur

2009-11-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

Medicine chest snoopers, I have a couple books to recommend to you...

Creative Space: Urban Homes of Artists and Innovators, Francesca Gavin
Looks at the studios, apartments and homes of designers, directors, stylists, artists, graffiti writers, curators, novelists and innovators who are pushing the boundaries of contemporary culture. Featuring Julie Verhoeven, Fafi, and Aya Takano. The spaces they inhabit and work in give a real image of today's avant garde.

Sketchbooks: The Hidden Art of Designers, Illustrators & Creatives, Richard Bereton
Sketchbooks provides a revealing glimpse into the thought processes and working methods of leading designers and illustrators.

Oh Leonid

2009-11-17T22:20:00.000-08:00

The Leonid Meteor Shower, Nov. 10-20, optimal viewing time after 1 a.m. PST

bookworms, gin drinkers, slip off your satin slippers, i've been waitin for you

2009-11-17T17:14:00.000-08:00

Leigh Batnick is an artist out of NY who inspires me on a regular basis with her terrific blog. Visit her site and you enter a fantastic world. She makes wonderful cards with titles that imply a quirky subtext. She also turns her deliciously wicked hand to tees, totes, and jewelry. I am so glad I already purchased her Ada style cards for Christmas this year and won't be stuck with cards of cute animals in Santa hats. You too can order at her store.

Sew Pretty

2009-11-13T15:20:00.000-08:00

I just know sewing would be a pleasure if I had these pretty sewing tools from Maison Sajou.

Husband Coat

2009-11-07T18:17:00.000-08:00

This new Rachel Comey coat just arrived yesterday and it actually made me gasp. Out loud. I am so in love with the 20's silhouette and oversized fit, but the best is the surprise inside. See the last photo. I think I'm gonna crawl inside this coat and not come out until Winter is over. See you in June...

Magic CameraBag

2009-11-06T16:25:00.001-08:00

When I learned that the makers of my favorite iphone app had introduced a desktop version of CameraBag, I couldn't wait to apply it to our next fashion photoshoot for Le Train Bleu. I have to say that the desktop version of CameraBag is just as pleasurable and easy to use as the iphone app but it has so many more applications. You literally have an entire camera bag of vintage cameras and discontinued films at your fingertips. Check out the screenshot above and you can see how it works--just drag any image over to the work area. It transforms images taken with your cell phone and your Hasselblad alike. Oh, and it costs $19 (I'm not sure if that's a special introductory price, but it's a steal in my opinion).

All of my favorite vintage camera effects are there including Instant, Helga, and 1962.

Instant Filter

1974

Helga

You also have the ability to add frames and crop your photo as well as apply multiple filters to the same image. See some examples below.

Helga + Magazine

Cinema + 1974 + Helga

Cinema + Helga Filter

1962 + Helga Filters

As with the iphone version, certain photos will be better suited to different filters depending on the mood of the photo and the exposure. And even though you CAN apply multiple filters, a little restraint here is best in my experience or things begin to look over processed.

Girls in Ties

2009-11-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

How do you feel about wearing ties? Does it bring to mind images of quirky and sweet Diane Keaton or are you still recovering from the misuse that ensued during the 90's by pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne? We have a new line of ties at Le Train Bleu from a company called The Hill-Side. These very special ties in fabrics such as indigo Japanese selvedge denim and waxed cotton canvas are quickly becoming a cult item for sartorialist men, but we want to wear them too.

The free-spirited icon, Annie Hall

Veronica Lake showing her patriotism

Marlene was never more seductive than when she wore a suit and tie

Amedeo Modigliani
seems to have been a fan of the look

Girl-as-Boy crush, Katherine Hepburn as Sylvia Scarlett

ala Paolo Roversi

And below you will find The Hill-Side ties as styled for women in our last photoshoot. I think they lend a cute 1940's uniform look to many things.

Waxed Canvas Necktie from The Hill-Side

Deadstock Selvedge Hickory Stripe necktie from The Hill-Side

Selvedge Hemp/Cotton Necktie from The Hill-Side

Pumpkin Moonshine--Remembering Tasha

2009-10-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

"I'm perfectly content. I have no other desires but to live here with my dogs, goats and birds."
-Tasha Tudor (August 28, 1915 – June 18, 2008)

Love-Bite

2009-10-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Bela Lugosi. For a real treat visit the official Bela website and don't miss the animated intro. The site was created by the actor's son who confirms the rumor that he was buried in his Dracula cape. Creepy cool! In honor of the one and only Count, we celebrate through Oct 31st at Le Train Bleu with a special sale and lots of gorgeous new Fall clothing.

Enter coupon code "lovebite" at checkout to receive 20% off your order. Shop now ☛

Brrrr

2009-10-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

Niagara Falls. Frozen. 1911.
I'm not ready for Winter.

Love in a Revolution

2009-10-05T18:17:00.001-07:00

Portland in the teens, headscarves, lace blouses, love triangles, complicated politics, approximately two and a half million feet of film.

Prepping the Set for Tomorrow's Shoot

2009-09-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

The theme: Oh Kitty, My Darling, Remember.

Bria's Trip To The Mwall

2009-09-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

I like to skulk around the mall a couple times a year. Here are my recent acquisitions, all Le Train Bleu compatible.

Relaxed Woven Shirt, F21
This style has a sort of peasant workwear vibe to it--it's already a favorite in my closet and I can't wait until it's cold enough to wear it with a midi-skirt and some boots and a patterned scarf.

Mystical Floral Woven Shirt, F21

I can't stay away from a Victorian-inspired flowery shirt. This one is very Liberty "inspired" (please don't let it be a shameful knockoff). It has a nipped waist and if you're a person who is trying to balance a smaller top with a larger bottom, this is a really good style with some skinny jeans or a pencil skirt--the ruffles are kinda bust-enhancing and it's great for accentuating curves.

Kenna Suede Cowboy Boots from Target

When I went to peruse the new shoes and boots at Target these jumped out right away as looking way out of place, in a good way. They look much more expensive than they are, with very soft suede, sturdy stacked heel, and nothing that was screaming $29.95!

Silk Blend Shirt Dress, The Gap

I fancied this one as being very Isabel Marant: stylish rather than trendy. It is nicely constructed of a silk/cotton blend that works for daytime and I've been wearing it with a vintage brown leather belt. Very ladylike, sexy in an understated way, perfect for layering.

Bobbie Brown Pot Rouge in Powder Pink, Nordstrom

I would consider myself something of a blush aficionado and this one is really perfect. I have a drawer full of blushes from Nars, Benefit, Tarte, Mac, and Stila. This one is the best. Totally natural-looking, some decent staining power, creamy and blendable so that it disappears into your skin. Perfect for that Tess of the d'Ubervilles look.

Boyfriend Oxford Shirt and Boyfriend Jeans, The Gap

This ensemble is basically like pj's that are acceptable for public. This shirt is made of very, very soft cotton shirting and the denim, well, I've never really met a pair of jeans that I would describe as "cosy", but these ones fit that bill.

Sebastian Molding Mud, Drugstore

If you suffer from real estate agent hair when your hair is freshly washed, here is your cure. At the mall I like to take the opportunity to stock up on a few personal essentials like my beloved Sebastian Molding Mud which I've been using since I was 15. Makes clean hair look dirty. Just kidding! Well, kinda. For a while there was a panic that this item had been discontinued and then there was a bad batch floating around that was sort of granulated. Well, now Sebastian has changed the label and it seems to be business as usual. Maybe I'll hoard some in case there is another scare.

I Love Loulou

2009-09-09T22:23:00.001-07:00

Oh, this image of Loulou de la Falaise. Her sensible shoes and wrap skirt and saddle bag. Her headscarf and safari jacket and carefree grin. She will always be 100 times more fashionable to me than Betty Catroux in her thigh-high boots.

This woman knows her way around a scarf. Around her neck and as a head covering. Nice!

In fact, she is the queen of accessories. Rarely seen without a couple armfuls of bracelets.

This dress is amazing. Almost monastic or like a Martha Graham costume.

Polaroid's From Our Fall Photoshoot

2009-08-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

Shop the Collection>

Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter

2009-08-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

I'm a little obsessed with Jesse Sykes' dark and magnetic music and I'm also a little obsessed with her style, which has been distilled into a uniform of just a few items.

They are:
Dramatic turquoise and silver necklace
Iconic CBGB Black t-shirt
Western Shirt (worn open over t-shirt)
Straight, long, glossy black hair parted down the middle, ala Ali MacGraw
Dark calico printed shirts and dresses

Please head on over to her website and check out her music:
http://www.jessesykes.com/