My Tie.

Local accessory designer and man-about-town, Doug Haley has just launched his website/web-store for the very unique and original MyTie!


Over the years the MyTie went from a simple concept (the skinny end of a tie cut into a bracelet) to intricate designs with an array of detail, embellishment and color, handmade into a fashionable cuff perfect for both guys and gals in search of a unique accessory.


MyTies are unique to L.A. made by a designer that loves his city and wants to tap into the way Los Angelians express their individual style. I can dig it.
  
 "My inspiration for the ties comes from things I see every day.  We follow trends in terms of palette and color choices but I want everyone to be able to find something unique and reflective of their personality while being fashionable." - Designer Doug Haley




I have mine! Now get yours!

Check out http://mytiebydoug.com/ to snag one.


Also available at

Pull My Daisy Boutique

3908 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA   90029
(in Silver Lake near Hyperion Ave)
(323) 663-0608

Una Mae's Boutique

4651 Kingswell Ave.
Los Angeles, CA   90027
(near Vermont and Sunset Junction)

(323) 662-6137

-T

California Art Explosion!

The Bagavagabonds (http://www.bagavagabonds.com/) were at it again Saturday night, with their California-themed Art Explosion!  They never fail to put on amazing events, will great music, art, and all sorts of interestingly-dressed people.  Amanda and I hit the floor with Dalmiro, but got so caught up in the fun we only managed to snag a few outfits!  Poor FashionMashers have been so neglected, I decided a short entry was better than none.

Much to my amusement, Ty arrived at my door wearing pretty much a matching outfit to mine.  I wish you could see our pants here, but we were both wearing vintage 80s blazers, black skinny jeans and vintage grandpa loafers.  I'm used to accidentally wearing the same outfit as Chelsea, but when it starts happening with my guy-friends, I have to take a moment to appreciate the current androgyny trend.  He got his smokin' suit-top for 30 cents at Dollar a Pound at the Garnet District.  Nice find, sir! 

Laurel's dress was one of those rare but ever-so-gratifying Forever 21 finds!  I love it when a girl bashfully admits that that's where her unique piece was snagged.  There truly is something to be said for having the eye to pick out something awesome from the total eye-F that place tends to be.  The light jean jacket is Madewell (http://www.madewell.com/) and her boots were custom made for her in Italy.  

Natalie got this frilly frock at Urban Outfitters.  Score!  Of all the mid-priced commercial chains, I feel like UO most consistently delivers interesting and fun choices that don't seem too run of the mill.  The plastic orange chain around her neck is a much-coveted new J.Crew piece.  Boots are Steve Madden.

Jaimie's blazer is from Zara.  I feel like they are a great source for cool, great-fitting yet affordable blazers, and generally pretty well made.  His skinny tie was dug up at a vintage store his mother owns, and his shoes are from Politix (www.politixstore.com/).

L.A. Dillard got her blouse from Jet Rag's $1 Sunday Sale (http://bdla.typepad.com/best_deals_los_angeles/2008/08/the-weekly-jet.html)- and her pants too!  If you haven't checked out the $1 sale at Jet Rag do yourself a favor this Sunday.  Put your sifting hat on, because there is a LOT of crap to sort through, but at $1/pop it's totally worth it, and sometimes you find some pretty great stuff.  Her shoes were picked up in Manhattan and are Bass, and the purse was snagged at a garage sale in England.

Dalmiro's pick of the night was Jacquelynn, who describes her style as "Gothic Lolita."  She likes to mix stuff and just "throws it on."  Well, if that's true, G-d bless her!  It all seems painstakingly coordinated to this Masher.  Mostly she buys  pieces on-line, through Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/) or Lip Service (www.lip-service.com/lipservice.php).

Kate is the owner of Bobbie Boutique (bobbieboutique.com) on Sunset in Echo Park, and made this necklace herself!  She sells a mixture of vintage and new pieces there.  I'm tempted to nose around and maybe do a piece on her place!  My eye was immediately caught by her fetching red dress from Zara.  Paired with these darling patterned creme tights and shoes from Top Shop (http://us.topshop.com/), it's safe to say she was the Belle of the Ball Saturday.

Amanda's 1950s Bullocks Wilshire number was from a really cool vintage shop by Moca.  Stephanie mixes vintage and modern pieces perfectly, with this blouse from What Goes Around Comes Around (http://www.whatgoesaroundnyc.com/) I'm incredibly envious of her Michael Kors watch.  Why is it that every time I love someone's watch it's Michael Kors?  And almost every time their boyfriend bought it for them. 
 Operation: Find a Boyfriend to Buy Me a Michael Kors Watch is officially under way.

Amanda has trouble letting loose.  She's such a drag.

A couple of dandies with our perspective dates.

Dalmiro sold EVERY SINGLE ONE of his pieces within a couple of hours!

Thanks for tuning in, Mashers.  I'm sorry you've been so long neglected!  We have a few more tricks up our frilly sleeves, so hopefully you haven't lost faith in us yet.

Click Click Flash Flash

This Masher got an amazing opportunity when I was invited to go behind the scenes for the Walmart "Summerize Your Wardrobe" fashion shoot.
The shoot was all about making unique and expressive looks totally accessible.


I have never been one to shy away from Walmart when looking for cute and unique pieces on a budget and I get so much satisfaction when someone says to me: "That is so cute! Where'd you get?" and I can say "Dude. Walmart!"


The summer collection features an array of choices that will appeal to any girl for any occasion. From retro style swimwear to breezy country inspired color palettes and patterns and everything in between. Every gal is sure to find something she loves.


Why spend $200 on a mall outfit that you'll likely see someone else wearing at the pool party when you can spend $40 and keep people guessing where you snagged your head to toe winning ensemble? Seriously.


Props must also be given to Walmart for using vibrant, cute, REAL-LIFE girls for their models. These girls brought so much personality and spunk to their photo shoots.

Breaking down the "Desert Storm" look

The shoot was a fantastic experience and I loved getting the chance to flex my fashion expertise muscle in front of some pros!


Check out the link and more summer wardrobe fun at Walmart.com


Once in the site, scroll down and click under Looks for Less to see the behind the scenes videos! See me representing FashionMash-LA in the "Desert Storm" and "Bloggers" videos.

http://see.walmart.com/the-fitting-room/?povid=cat133162-env200971-module415572-lLink1

Put your rebel shoes on, it's BINGO time + Crewest Gallery

These shoes go with everything. If you don't believe me, then put your rebel panties on and take another look. 

Jeffrey Campbell's  Lita booties have created a frenzy for fearless fashionistas everywhere.  These traffic stopping statement shoes became my most-worn obsession faster than they sold out at boutiques across the nation. The 5" faux-wood heal and hidden platform make them drop-dead sexy,  not  I'm gonna drop-dead-my- feet-hurt-so-bad-why-the-hell-did-I-wear-these!? uncomfortable. They are actually easy to walk in and surprisingly comfortable. If silver glitter isn't your thing, they come in an endless variety of colors and fabrics.  Google "Jeffrey Campbell Lita" to see for yourself.  I started off pairing them with humble fabrics and colors like nude lace, denim and neutrals to avoid looking too much like a drag queen (not that I don't love drag queens, some of the most chic people I know dabble in drag) and eventually found a way to work them with almost anything. 

In early April I found myself looking forward to a night that beckoned for an outfit as bold as the line-up. 

Stop one: "Above the Radar"at Crewest - A downtown LA gallery of talented underground street artists

Crewest Gallery

Grey Ant skirt in electric blue, vintage studded leather belt,  nude lace shirt from a garage sale, and  Jeffrey Campbell silver glitter lita booties

A few of the glam gallery gawkers and art:

Pile on the accessories.  

LOVED this combination. Lace up booties and a blazer dress up her graphic leggings  smiley face tank.

Jen's sweet silhouette with puffed shoulders and star print dress had me swooning. 

Dusty made us look twice with one of those crazy optical illusion button-ups and a  sharp tailored vest.

Street art by 2Wenty
"Because you crave it"
(I hope you found this post via Facebook)

close up on Homo Riot

After we got our art fix we moved on to stop two.

We'll call it the "nightlife health and safety conference". It's a secret, so don't tell anyone.  It may be underground. It may involves Rebels. At some point in the night you may or may not find yourself shouting BINGO as you get drawn on by hundreds of happy strangers...or it may all be in your head.  If you live in LA, you have one last chance to get in on the fun TONIGHT, or else you'll have to follow them all the way back to the UK or Spain or wherever they'll be causing a ruckus next.

Underground Rebel Bingo

Proof of the rebellion:

Photo by Caesar Sebastian

Photo by Rony's photo booth

Let's get a little ridiculous tonight.

no-a lot. 

like those shoes.

Lita love, 

Amanda

Getting Set to Jet

The end of May is bringing a BIG adventure for this Fashion Masher.
I'm going to South Africa!

It's going to be my first overseas trip in (pausing to count...) almost 7 years! I'm both anxious and excited.


As part of my preparation I've made a "Must Haves" shopping list for my trip. A trip which will include both attending a wedding and a visit to a game reserve.
When I go, South Africa will be in the middle of winter. Temperature average around 65F/18C. 


I'm hoping to secure the following key items for my trip.

The Skinny Khaki

Versitile. Easy to dress up or dress down. Most styles come with a lot of stretch built in so they tend to wrinkle less easily. Great for living out of a suitcase.

Flat Boots

I refuse to wear running shoes and look like a yankee tourist. Not doing it. But I will need comfy sturdy footwear. Flat boots go great over skinny jeans or khaki's and give that "equestrian" look that I'm a total sucker for.

Leather Belt

A brown leather belt with a chunky brass buckle adds character to any plain bottoms. Buy 2 options. One for the hips to wear with pants and a smaller one to wear on the waist to belt dresses.

Flowy Tops

Options are almost endless here. I love the breezy look on top when the bottoms are plain and stream-line. 

That's what I've got so far! I'm still stumped on my wedding outfit. I'll keep you posted on how I do and any tips I may have for any of you that have travel plans in the works too!

x

-T

Rockin' with the Risers.

What better way to spend a Tuesday night than with great friends, amazing music and (of course) sick threads?  Amanda and I ventured to "Satellite" (what was once "Spaceland") to see the up-and-coming LA band, "Risers."  Our resident photographer Dalmiro Quiroga was there bringing and documenting the good times. 

I've been to more than a handful of these guys' shows, and let me tell you- they pump the jams.  Their National-esque sound mixed with solid stage presence and guaranteed laughs make it a stellar show time after time.  If you're hopelessly lost in the music world and haven't sampled the splendor of their sweet tunes, you can download their most recent EP for FREE- here: http://risers.bandcamp.com/



Speaking of free- I'm always impressed with Josh's (singer/lead guitar) ability to assemble great outfits from free hand-outs.

Josh got this Dickies denim shirt free for doing a performance and interview at Filter Magazine's (http://www.filtermagazine.com/) office for them.  His art collective, Bagavagabonds (Bagavagabonds.com), is sponsored by Sebago, so his shoes were free as well.  Nice, Joshy!

Sean's (singer/pianist) Wrangler shirt was found at a salvation army-type second hand store in Portland, OR called "Red, White and Blue."  His INhouse glasses were carried over from Portland as well.

I love the way these guys dress.  Too bad they hate me...

My ensemble for the evening consisted of ripped-up ratty tights and an over-sized tank dress layered over a grey lace tank, both from my go-to sale rack at Urban Outfitters.

This bow I scored this year at Unique LA (www.uniquela.com), the largest independent design show in the country.  Over 300 designers and artists set up stands and sell their merch for great discounts.  There's another one coming up May 7th and 8th in Downtown LA- I'll definitely be back! 

My boots and purse were both purchased at Slow on Melrose (www.slow7474.com), my favorite vintage/local designer one-stop-shop.

Chelsea kept it simple with an H&M black sheer tank and tight stretchy skirt from Nordstrom.

Amanda was dashing in this royal blue silk Fei shirt from Anthropologie.

Her lace-up bomber pants were Inspired by Rodarte for their opening ceremony's spring collection.  These thick strappy leather heels are from a little store in Naples, Italy.  ::sigh::

I wouldn't want to play us, either.

Dalmiro rocks an AllSaints Spitalfields T.

Riser's next show is April 20th at the Silverlake Lounge.  Until then...

<3Eden