Inspiration Monday: EVA

Inspiration Monday: EVA

Part of the reason I think I love vintage looks and eclectic uses of antique furniture is because my parents were borderline hippies--sure we still listened to Two Live Crew and got shaved haircuts after Sinead O'Connor--but we also spearheaded the community's first recycling center, water conservation movements and didn't eat meat...

Everyone was doing retro Hippie in the 90s

The only reason we weren't vegan is my parents had to feed their two kids something.

So when it comes to ideas to help the environment I am always in--and with the current California drought happening I found this to be amazing



I think  why I like the EVA so much is that it is "practical activism" as my parents used to call it--giving people something they really want but hiding something good and healthy in the mix. Like hiding medicine in hot dogs--the idea that my water will be a perfect temperature from the word go is amazing--but it will also save tons of water while I am deep conditioning my hair or shaving my toes

Why No--I'm NOT from the Shire--Why do you ask?

Wait--did I just say that?

Regardless--it's a good thing and the prices are pretty decent for the whole set up too..

Eva on IndieGoGo

(As always--I did not paid or laid by the products in this post--I just really like the product)

Making Room

Just making room in the closet for this new piece--from Forever21and new this week

Where Are They Wednesdays

Where Are They Wednesdays: Michael Schoeffling

Okay--this is a new column about those great boys crushes of days past--the covers of Tiger Beat, TGIF, Total Request Live--the boys who drove us crazy and leave a hazy memory or two of the perfect crush... And I'm going to go straight classic with this one--

Swoon Jake Ryan

I was totally obsessed with Michael Schoeffling from the word go--Jake was the perfect high school guy--between his looks, his kind of dumb yet puppy dog personality and a certain charm that took away the rough edges... And so I watched him in EVERYTHING

Why Yes That is A Faux Hawk--and A Half Naked Forrest Whittaker

I watched the biking movie Vision Quest for a month on a loop--it had that odd homoeroticism going on for a sport movie--I mean he leads a group fight in their underwear for no real reason... The fact that parents didn't figure out I was gay from this alone--yikes...

But Schoeffling wasn't just an actor--he was an in-demand model who did various campaigns for fashion houses such Missoni and the covers of magazines including GQ... You couldnt go anywhere without seeing him in the 80s fashion landscape--and I was able to print those pictures off the internet and hang them in my room.... This was when I told my parents I was learning to pose so I could become a male model

Because Hanging This Was Fooling Anyone

Of course--eventually Schoeffling got married, left the business and has two children of his own... He now owns and works as a furniture maker--I briefly debated putting a custom Schoeffling piece on my wedding registry but figured that might be a bit much for even me...

The funny thing is that he is so remembered for "Sixteen Candles" that some of his more interesting work is left out--his small interesting part in "Long Time Companion", the cult classic horse film "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" and the Melissa Gilbert classic "Sylvester" 

Though to be honest--in my old age I have discovered that my favorite role is him in "Mermaids"--there is something so firm and adult and sexy about him in that him. It helps that he and Ryder have a great chemistry and his role is all about his simple ease as an actor.

I mean come on--He made me want to join a convent

I am sure he gets this all the time but he was totally my first crush--I'm pretty sure he made me gay!

Obsession

Obsession

Okay--so I have been thinking of doing something drastic with my hair--going off the reservation and doing something really detailed and kind of high maintenance for me. And maybe I have been watching too much news or too much twitter but I have been getting more and more obsessed with Anderson Cooper which led to this idea getting stuck in my head

It's a combination of silver, white and gray colors intermixed with high lights and low lights and balayage--it is almost aging but anti aging when you do it with a baby face... The only thing holding me back is that it would be very high maintenance for the summer because I am pretty sure you cant spend your weekends in the pool without it turning brassy pretty quickly. 

If anyone has any suggestions or idea on how hard it would be to maintain--let me know. I'm very interested in this idea. I find it weirdly youthful and kind of romantic yet whimsical. 

Fashion File Fridays: A Star is Worn

Fashion File Fridays: A Star is Worn

So the Husbear, my friend Joy and I have been on a mission to slowly and surely work our way through the Barbra Streisand cinema collection--from Funny Girl and down the line. This is honestly their bag more than mine--I know nothing about her films and thought that "The Mirror Has Two Faces" was the one were she plays a therapist helping a Nick Notle through a sex crime--which is why I was disturbed that they both said it was one of their favorite films by her

But I digress

So we finally got to the 1976 classic "A Star Is Born"; a classic in the campiest sense because this movie isnt just off the rails but it never knew the rails existed. It makes me almost want to see the the Judy Garland version to see if that storyline is always as bad or if the 70s just coked it up.

But I loved the clothes in this movie--LOVED THE CLOTHES!!!! It is so mid-seventies and on the verge of the late 70s disco look-it is hippie and Los Angeles and beach and possibly ethnically offensive. I just get it--like how can you not love this:

The perm, the lace, the light makeup, BABY'S BREATH in the hair! It is so hippie and commune living and I love it. Honestly I don't like many flowers but if I had seen this film before my wedding I would have scattered baby's breath in my pompadour before the ceremony.

And while this look might be dated--there is a lot of the film that is on fleck for today's fashion--it embraces patterns and colors along with a healthy love of accessories and statement jewelry. I mean-cannot you not see this on Alicia Keyes, Project Runway or next season's Empire:

Though I suspect there would probably be a bra anywhere else but this movie--somehow they seemed to not have budget to support the girls as it were. But there is something so high end and yet effortless about the fashion--its what I think of when I see the LA look and something I can take ideas for a guys wardrobe from. And it is a simple look:

This is just a white cardigan worn as a shirt--nothing underneath it--and it is so simple and clean and easy but the sweater itself is so boho that it makes it into something you might see on Alexa Chung. I like that she just looks like she might have been topless sunbathing and need to come to the store or maybe the night breezes picked up--but it was unplanned and yet so perfect.

And then movie wasn't afraid to bring in cultural references which was also very 70s:

And while the kimono is a bit of a stretch in this picture--when she wears it with jeans, boots and a belt it is a fun, interesting look... But really this second look with the serape style top, the cowl neck shirt and the turban is a perfect re-imagining of various ethnic pieces and is a look that could be recreated right now at Free People, Urban Outfitters and Forever 21. It's just on point.

I mean--this movie really did have a very good California esthetic when it comes to fashion--and it has a lot of details and ideas I can try and play forward into my summer wardrobe. Except the kimono--that's a bit too much for me

Eclectic Etsy

Eclectic Etsy: HAREMDESIGN

So I have a thing for tattoos--not for myself because my fear of needles makes me blackout whenever they are in my presence whether TV, film or medical procedure. Like fall on my face and knock myself out out.

Nightmare on Elm Street 3 could have ended just here and I'd be scared for life

But the quandary for me is that I spend a lot of time at my job looking at, studying and finding more about tattoos--it's one of the perks/cons/weird things about doing a prison/jail show is the amount of effort spent on body art...

Yes--Sometimes the gentlemen do look like this

And after spending so many hours looking at this stuff I start to think that maybe I could do some ink... And then the boss suggests I watch some YouTube videos of tattoo and I am back where I started--because NO

Which is why I love this piece

This piece by HAREMDESIGN is a necklace/bib made of lace--meant for the ladies and shown in gold--but I couldn't help thinking it looked like a nice piece of tribal ink work... I  thought about maybe getting it in black as something to wear under an open button shirt--for like a party or night of dancing.

And as I explored the store--I found that the designer does all types of lace jewelry--smaller necklaces, cuff bracelets. I am a bit doubtful of the lace collars that look a little too lace doily for my taste but she really thinks outside of the box and some of these pieces could be very unique. Add to this that she will custom color some pieces and I think she is a great find

Honestly--I am debating getting something like the lace bib custom made black just because of how cool it will be on and then no tattoo the next day! I'll let you know when I bite the bullet--its better than going under the needle for me.

(As always--I do not receive any payment or endorsement for my Etsy columns--I just like stuff.)

Inspiration Mondays--Frustrated

This is how work is making me feel ALL THE TIME--like this is now my wallpaper on my computer.... It was a long and painful week last week between unexpectedly long shoots, all of my co-workers except me and one other getting Good Friday off, and just feeling an almost endless since of exasperation.

I mean--face palm

But the point of this blog is to focus on the positive--things that make me happy like art exhibits with wine, Easter dinner with babies and ham (though I don't eat that shizz) and good co-workers to fight the good fight with.

And on-line shopping--always on-line shopping