Art Voyeur

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.

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

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

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

Magic CameraBag

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 + 1974 + Helga

Cinema + 1974 + Helga

Cinema + 1974 + Helga

Cinema + Helga Filter

Cinema + Helga Filter

Cinema + Helga Filter

Cinema + Helga Filter

1962 + Helga Filters

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

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

Love in a Revolution

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

Bria's Trip To The Mwall

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.