Friday, August 17, 2012

Sig Alert Tank

The Los Angeles Fashion Council is hosting a contest to design a Tee inspired by LA. I thought it'd be a great usage of my piece "Commuter Quilt" that I created a few years ago.
Commuter Quilt, digital print on vinyl, 51 x 35" ©2005-7
This is a digital composite of photos I shot while commuting on the lovely I-10/CA60. Morning eastbound images point to the right, evening westbound point to the left.

Did you ever wonder where the term "Sig Alert" originated? Loyd C. Sigman, a broadcasting engineer, invented a radio and tape recorder to help the police broadcast traffic warnings. Dubbed "Sigman Radio Alerts" and shortened to Sig Alerts, they began in Los Angeles in 1955.

Voting starts on Facebook today. You will need to "Like" the LAFC page to view my entry.
8/31 update: CONTEST WAS CANCELLED, boo

Friday, August 10, 2012

Fast Fashion. At Friendly Service, Brewster NY

My Dream Suitcase

When you read this, I will be far far away from home and on vacation. Woohoo!

As I prepared for my trip, I envisioned my dream suitcase:

• It had those modern roll-in-all-directions wheels.

• It had a telescoping handle that operated as smooth as silk.

• It was hard, and exactly the shape and size of my mom's fifties train case from her honeymoon suitcase set that I took on sleepovers with my cousin. (It was ideal for storing the Barbies).
Source
How about taking said case and frankensteining on the other two parts? THAT is my dream suitcase: small enough to fit under the plane seat and sturdy enough to rest my feet on.

These daydreams transpired because last January, during a harried "Amazing Race" type sprint between gates, I gave myself bursitis in my left shoulder from carrying an overloaded tote and clutching my laptop with a death grip. My right side isn't allowed to carry anything (thanks lymphedema). In March, I experimented with using a small rollaboard for the electronics. It worked OK, but I had my boyfriend along to do the heavy lifting, and the handle does not retract well.

So I daydreamed... and in passing, mentioned my pipe dream to my co-worker. She said "There's a rolling suitcase the skater girls use that they can sit on to put on their skates." (Her son plays hockey). OMG! How genius! A roll-aboard that can be sat on during all that standing around and waiting. THIS I had to track down!

Meet the Züca!
Source

Here is a video of the Züca in action:

I tried to get 18 days of outfits into mine, but was thwarted by the beach towel and, well, a few other things.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

A Date With the Bangles

Our good friend Derrick Anderson [WARNING this link has sound] plays bass with The Bangles. They headlined a free show in Pershing Square, in downtown LA on Saturday night. Time for another date night out on the town!
Derrick put us on "the list" so we were able to sit in VIP chairs.
We sat in the second row!
Derrick, the man Bangle, or, Mangle

Debbi, Vicki, Susanna, and part of Derrick
They are awed by my brilliance!
photo by Patria, who is a wonderful singer/songwriter
We then all went over to see Derrick's room that he was given at the Biltmore.
Patria styled an impromptu photo session with Derrick and his bass
The next album cover?
Thanks, Derrick, for a fun, fun night!

My outfit, one more time:
Neon yellow, red, and paisley -- can't get more Visible than this!
See my Visible pals here...

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Inside the Box: Too Too Much Muumuu

Larry and I made jokes about this one when we pulled it out of the bag: what IS it? A muumuu/tablecloth?
It's a home sewn marvel.
In its own way, it DOES look better on.
The lace on the sides is set into the seams so it sticks out.
It measures 53 x 34" Roomy!
I like the peasant blouse styling of the lace inset + gathers in the front and back:
The lace sleeve hem detail is clever yet strange (the running down the side seams aspect).
But there IS the problem overall --  it's made with horrible 70s two-way stretch nylon. It doesn't breathe. So it gets VERY WARM. Not so good for summer wear. (Winter muumuu for the ski lodge, anyone? Layer it over your long johns!) In addition, if you wore this while BBQing, it might melt. That would be unfortunate. And painful.

I know you're needing this in your wardrobe now. Hahahahaha. Not.