Well it just goes to show that you don't need a lot of money to look great. The asymmetrical shirt that I wore to the premier of the Just Doin' It video release party was a simple oversized white t-shirt (you know the one you wear to bed) only it was hit with a bit of creativity for instant glama! While performer Billy Drease gave it a splash of color (like he did with his own for the Just Doin' it Video) I grabbed my scissors and a touch of satin ribbon and took to my sewing machine for the final product...Not bad if I do say so myself. Of course I had to style it up with vintage accessories, a bright red evening bag and Kenneth J Lane necklace, to be exact. Custom couture in your shirt drawer.
On a windy Sunday evening I put myself together for a friends wedding anniversary party and while adjusting my windswept hair and dress, my sister snapped this photo of the accessories I donned for the evening. Always mixing in a bit of history, I thought that it would be a good idea to sport this vintage bracelet and vintage magazine clutch purse. These cluches were created with a number of different magazine covers on them but, interestingly enough, my clutch is identical to the vintage clutch sported by Carrie Bradshaw in "The Big Time" episode of season 3's Sex and the City. I've included the scene below.
The Centre du Beaux Arts hosted exhibits that catered to so many of my interests one being jewelry. Ever the epitome of luxury, the House of Boucheron had on display fine jewelry inspired by each production of the Cirque du Soleil. Having recently seen the Beetles "Rain" production I was amazed at how the necklaces whimsically reflected the spirit of the show. Although I specialize in collecting costume jewelry I can't see why I can't join in the fun and post a pic of my Cirque du Costume pieces.
I never could have imagined that this new invitation only, curated clothes swap site could be so much fun until yesterday's debut of ReFashioner. Although swapping was supposed to start promptly at noon, some technical hiccups caused it to be delayed a for a bit. No problem. I just sat by my laptop...sometimes in the car, at restaurants and even while walking outside just to click the refresh button to see if it was time to log in and start snaggin' pieces. I was surprised to see that so many of my posted items went so quickly--4 in just 6 hours.The necklace on the left (a French jet double strand with hand worked gold tone flower details) went just seconds after it was posted There's another image of it in the blog post entitled "Miles...Inspires" view it at http://appleshaberdashery.blogspot.com/2010/07/milesinspires.html. Oh yeah, I picked up a bunch of cool stuff too. The method that Kate Sekules (former editor-in-chief for Culture+Travel Magazine) determined for this site is genius and has already made me a swap addict. The minute I finish this post, I'll be back swappin' again!
"The Little Guide to Vintage Shopping: Insider Tips, Helpful Hints, Hip Shops" by Melody Fortier was the catalyst for my journey across the border in the first place. The author lists La Gaillarde as a Great Source for Vintage and I had to see for myself. What I stumbled upon was so much more and I was fortunate to have a moment to speak to the store's stylist extraordinaire as well as its talented and dedicated fashion repurposer. Although the store carries a lovely selection of vintage clothing and accessories (I purchased a charming Pierre Cardin scarf and tuxedo style mock blouse bib) the overall purpose of the store was to emphasize reuse in all of its forms. This non-traditional, not-for-profit retail establishment is a collaborative of the fashionable. In a nut shell, pre-loved clothing is cut and resewn into fashion forward/ avant garde wearable art.
Two photos/ two buildings-- very different, yet so very much the same. While exploring the demand and availability of vintage clothing in Montreal, I had to capture images of the city's architecture as it demonstrates a clever co-existence of romanicism and contemporary culture.
The Miles Davis exhibit at the Centre du Beaux Arts in Montreal was a feast for the senses and I just had to bring back this postcard photo of Miles. His confidence and swagger is evident and inspired me to create this display arrangement in my wardrobe salon when I returned home.
It's no secret--J'adore Montreal, and it's annual Jazz Festival (the largest in the world) solidifies this city's place in my heart. While strolling through a private party I snapped a picture of the festival area from the best view in town. The Hyatt Regency's 6th floor terrace lounge allowed me to grasp the enormity of the festival, away from the shoulder to shoulder crowds.
July's Style Watch winner has a look that says so simple, so chic and just right. The cherry blossom pattern, emerging from the floor of her maxi dress, turned a cocktail hour into a Japanese garden experience. Wanna be included on our style watch site? Click on the button to the left. If chosen, you'll receive a gift.
Well it just goes to show that you don't need a lot of money to look great. The asymmetrical shirt that I wore to the premier of the Just Doin' It video release party was a simple oversized white t-shirt (you know the one you wear to bed) only it was hit with a bit of creativity for instant glama! While performer Billy Drease gave it a splash of color (like he did with his own for the Just Doin' it Video) I grabbed my scissors and a touch of satin ribbon and took to my sewing machine for the final product...Not bad if I do say so myself. Of course I had to style it up with vintage accessories, a bright red evening bag and Kenneth J Lane necklace, to be exact. Custom couture in your shirt drawer. 
The necklace on the left (a French jet double strand with hand worked gold tone flower details) went just seconds after it was posted There's another image of it in the blog post entitled "Miles...Inspires" view it at 
