Photo by Camille Yesterday, November 1st was Nelson's birthday. CLICK HERE for the 2010 celebration. All Saints Day and how appropriate! Camille and The SC spent the day together, which began with yoga and ended with dinner at Racines, the restaurant which hosted the gathering after his memorial service. We played Nelson's favorite music in the car as we wandered without a goal throughout the city, and time passed quickly as it does when in a trance. The boots are what The SC refers to as 'special effects.' This means that you put them on in the car to wear
Photo by Camille Wendy Brandes CLICK HERE, gorgeous blogger and talented fine jewelry designer, published a 'Houndstooth' slideshow on the Huffington Post, which included a photo of The SC wearing Nelson's houndstooth fedora CLICK HERE . Not really thinking about houndstooth as a trend at the time that I published this photo and blog post HERE, I now realize that I have more where that came from! This vintage houndstooth cape is just one of the items that had been waiting for an outing within my limitless and now minimally organized closet. Today it became a piece of my layered
The Vintage Studio, an enchanting shop in Minneapolis, held me hostage for several hours on an afternoon of adventure. Whenever I travel, not only do I track down hat shops and milliners; I also explore the area's vintage shops, antique markets, and sometimes I find consignment stores of interest. Three pairs of $12 vintage clip-on earrings from a vast selection escaped with The SC, along with a hat that will reveal itself in the spring. I'm sure these beauties will find the perfect outfit to embellish over the coming months or years. I am easily seduced by color and movement
The SC began her 'See the World by Hat Shop and Milliner' series in Saint Paul, Minnesota with Angie Sandifer, who specializes in custom and handmade women's hats. She inhabits a live/work space in the Northern Warehouse Artist Co-op in Lowertown Saint Paul. She has a fascinating story! Angie tells me that in 2003 she was laid off from her corporate job in the telecommunications industry where she had worked for 31 years. In the process of retraining she took a desktop communications class and for her class project she built a website for 'Angie's Hats.' This concept then took
Photos by The Style Crone The SC traveled to Minnesota for a visit with her 91 year old mother Norma, who now lives in an assisted living facility. Because of macular degeneration, which has limited her precious eyesight, and the loss of physical strength, Mom made the decision to move from her home to an environment where she could receive the help that she needs and now feels at peace with the losses that led to this transition. She enjoys the company of the other residents and staff and continues to play cards several times a week. Bridge is her
Photos by Kathleen Photo by The Style Crone The SC continues to find comfort in Nelson's closet. He had the ability to make any outfit shine! We shared a vintage tie collection; each piece was discovered within the unending cornucopia of estate sales. I stumbled upon this tie which played off the colors of his fringed vintage scarf; the tie has touches of 'glitter' which called for repetition in the form of vintage rhinestone earrings from my costume jewelry collection. Nelson's black fedora was waiting to see the light of day again, and the consignment store pumps finished off the
Photo by Camille Photos by The Style Crone Camille and The SC attended an afternoon performance of 'Dream Songs' by the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble click here. On the way to the theatre we stopped in City Park for a quick photo shoot; the gardens are at their peak and the vintage silk Pucci blouse bounced off the floral display in the background. Even the orange patent leather open toed pumps had another outing before the weather turns as autumn unfolds. The outfit was topped off by a vintage black velvet pill box. I am fortunate to live a
Photos by Daniel N The SC has been dabbling on the edges of Nelson's desk and closet, going through files and memories and touching items of clothing. In recognition of this passage I donned the distinctive vintage houndstooth fedora that I found for him at an estate sale many years ago (one of his favorites frequently seen knocking around the city and recognized by all who knew him) and the long vest that I purchased for him at an antique market in Northern California where I was participating in a health care diversity conference. The vest envelopes me; its oversized
Photo by The Style Crone The memorial service hat has been sitting on the ceramic sculpture in the living room since the beginning of June. It felt comforting to walk by its veiled splendor multiple times per day. The hat was made by milliner Erin Saboe of Go Go Chapeaux HERE. I treasure the memories of my time with Erin during the hat making process as I prepared for the service. Her empathetic and gentle manner during that difficult time will always be in my heart. I plan on featuring Erin as a part of my milliner/hat shop review, which
Photos by Kathleen The Style Crone's acupuncture appointments now begin with a photo shoot, which involves a few moments of laughter prior to needle placement. I have posted about this healing modality before HERE, and continue to enjoy the benefits provided by this ancient form of complementary medicine. Kathleen, my acupuncturist, has now generously added intermittent photography to her extensive list of talents. I found this Betsey Johnson sweater at a consignment shop sale providing thrift store prices, and discovered that I love wearing 'hope' on my sleeves, with 'charity' going forward and 'faith' following from behind. Hope that The
Photo by Camille Photos by The Style Crone Celebrating a dear friend's 65th birthday brings out a veiled teal/navy evening hat which The SC was gifted by a friend from England who wore this beauty to her daughter's wedding in the 70's. Vintage charm bracelets provide bling for the teal and navy background and leopard print shoes that have been hanging around for over 20 years joined the party. The vintage straw bag with gold hardware makes a return appearance in celebration of the divine color navy. Some of my friends are extremely disappointed if I wear the same hat more
Photo by Daniel N Four weeks ago at The SC's hospice creative arts support group, we were asked to paint our grief on paper using a choice of two colors from the palette provided. The first photo above is my visual/visceral projection of this request, which I would not attempt to describe without producing an essay. We were then asked to take our 'piece' home and transform it, sharing it later with the group. Last evening I displayed my finished project; I had known immediately that it would take the form of headwear. I had constructed a primitive paper sculpture
Photos by Camille The Style Crone and Camille planned an overnight escape into the picturesque foothills of the mountains of colorful, magnificent Colorado. About 40 minutes from Denver lies the community of Evergreen, where we enthusiastically embraced the experiences of a night at The Highland Haven Creekside Inn HERE, relaxing massages, dinner at a charming bistro, and a long luxurious stroll through the the streets in the morning. The SC discovered a fabulous consignment store to explore, which falls under the category of 'mood elevation' and ensures more frequent visits to this magical place. We shared precious time together, discovering
Photos by The Style Crone The SC has been a member of a hospice creative arts grief support group for the past four weeks, with two weeks to go. Each week we are asked to express our grief through a different art modality. It has been extremely helpful to be amidst others who have recently lost loved ones, and to provide and receive support within an empathetic and facilitated setting. Last week we were asked to visualize and visit a location that felt safe, a place where we could communicate with the person that we had lost, and then to
Photo by Camille The weather has radically shifted, and autumn is in the air. The SC marks this transition with a voluminous royal blue top ideal for draping paired with a vintage Patricia Underwood straw hat, accessorized with vintage jewels. I welcome and resist the change of seasons. I am comforted by the layers of fall, but I am saddened by approaching the 'chill' in my solitary state. What to wear to embrace ambivalence? Marvelous, brilliant, generous blue!
Photos by Kathleen Speaking of summer uniforms, for months The SC has been throwing whatever item meets her gaze over yoga wear and adding accessories. Today I reached for this DarylK silk dress with asymmetrical hemline purchased at a NYC flea market, a San Diego Hat Company fedora with strips of color similar to the lines of color on the dress, and shoes from a summer sale several years ago at a Denver shoe boutique. I am in need of an organizational intervention. The first floor of my home is symbolic of my core; on the surface it appears relatively
Photo by Camille Photo by The Style Crone The SC has become aware that there are periods of time when sadness recedes and my energy level allows for traveling outside my zip code. Recently I wandered to Boulder, and though I have been shopping my closet for months, I couldn't resist a consignment store adventure. I discovered this Catherine Malandrino top HERE at Common Threads HERE, and threw it together with my skinny cropped jeans that have been my 'uniform' of the summer and ventured out to dinner with Camille in the evening. Consignment store shoes and estate sale pearls
Another Sunday morning of delight unfolded as The SC paged through The New York Times Style Magazine, and discovered an ad by the jewelry designer Alexis Bittar with Lauren Hutton as the face of his new campaign, with photographs by Jack Pierson. Click HERE for more photos and a video of this stunning and inspirational 67 year old model/actress who has stated, 'Our wrinkles are our medals of the passage of life. They are what we have been through and who we want to be.' Bravo!
Photos by Kathleen The Style Crone discovered this Vivienne Westwood HERE two piece dress at a consignment shop last summer for next to nothing. The asymmetrical features and complex details are a metaphor for my experience. The ensemble is accessorized with vintage burgundy heeled sandals and vintage jewels, all estate sale finds. The rose colored straw hat was designed and blocked by The SC in a millinery class in the 90's. Pulling the colors of the dress outward into my accessories felt comforting, like meditative brushstrokes on the blank canvas of my life.
Photo by Patty Every Sunday morning The SC reads The New York Times and my first luxury of the day is searching for the 'Sunday Styles' section to feast my eyes on Bill Cunningham's 'On The Street' photo collage. This has been a ritual for many years and this Sunday's edition did not disappoint. Mr. Cunningham focused on yellow and featured sunflowers; click here for his 'On The Street' slide show titled 'In Flower.' I was thrilled to see images of style icons Tziporah Salomon HERE and Iris Apfel HERE . I was immediately inspired and with yellow as my