Reduce-Reuse-Recycle: Seattle Style

Dear Fashionista and DC Goodwill Friends:

I know you think we dress all Grunge-y, like a Michael Lavine photograph — specifically “Benson & Hedges, Seattle 1983.”

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2010219547_grunge08.html

And, yes, 25 years later, our street style is as indie as ever. But, maybe, just a tad cleaner. Not quite as worn, ripped and nicotine-stained, as we were back in the days of denim and flannel.

Don’t get me wrong. We still dress like burlesque-anarchists-trekking-across-a-mountain-pass. Think: Betty Page meets Che Guevara meets Himalayan Sherpa. You know, sexy but fierce, and weather appropriate whenever possible.

Yes, here in the Pacific Northwest, we wear our boots tall, our gloves fingerless, our hats warm, and our vintage cocktail dresses to shreds.

And, as you can probably guess, we take our thrift-store shopping seriously. (When the Seattle Goodwill does its annual Glitter Sale in November, squabbles erupt over sequins and catfights go down over beaded gowns. No lie.)

In Seattle, Reduce-Reuse-Recycle is our dedicated mantra, and we are taking it to the next level in the 21st century. The latest fashion trends in our neck of the woods are eco-friendly and eccentric: one-of-a-kind garments made from salvaged fabrics and used clothing.

To give you some examples of clever fashion re-purposing, I spent a recent Sunday afternoon at the 5th annual Urban Craft Uprising in Seattle Center’s exhibition hall.

http://www.urbancraftuprising.com/

One of my favorite vendors of re-vamped vintage, Ms. Kalliber (kalliber.etsy.com) shows how you can push vintage shoes, handbags and other accessories into the realm of wearable art. Her fingerless gloves with badass embroidery across the knuckles speak to my inner juvenile delinquent. [Ed. note: I gotta get me some of these!]

If that’s not naughty enough for you, consider the Technicolor boxers and bikini briefs created by Shesho Designs (www.sheshodesigns.com). According to Shesho’s Seamstress Extraordinaire, Krista Kelly – who by the way has such amazing personal style that I had to take her picture –

the crotches are always made from virgin materials, brand-spanking new. So you can wear those far-out and funky hot pants, without worrying about the funk getting into your junk.

Continuing on with original designs made from new and recycled fabrics, Eon by Selena (http://www.selenaeon.etsy.com/) has streamlined our uncontrollable impulse to wear multiple sweatshirts at the same time. Here is my gal-pal Karra modeling a Eon racing-stripe top –

which was so soft and welcoming that she couldn’t bear to take it off. Yes, she bought it on the spot. Selena also makes fantabulous basket-weave back hoodies and jackets from recycled sweatshirts, as well as new material like organic cotton.

Haberdashers from our little sister city of Portland, OR, Flipside Hats (http://www.flipsidehats.com/) also use salvaged materials and recycled fabrics.

Given that one cannot survive in the Pacific Northwest without a decent hat, Flipside was a popular vendor at the Urban Craft Uprising. (I myself bought two.) Their reversible hats are handmade, each uniquely trimmed with felt flowers, stars, ribbons, fake fur, you name it. Plus they definitely have the Mountain-Guerilla thing going on.

Making new garments from old pieces and reclaimed fabrics is not a trend confined to the Pacific Northwest. No doubt, as the world goes green we will see more repurposed fashion. I don’t know about you, but creative recycling has made me re-think my second-hand store shopping. Why limit the hunt to mint ready-to-wear? With a little ingenuity, something torn, worn, missing all its buttons and full of cigarette holes, might be the perfect raw material to craft something truly unique.

Annie Fanning’s style icon is Bjork and her totem animal is Big Foot. Currently she is obsessing on Visqueen’s new album “Message to Garcia.” You can read her occasionally insightful ramblings on her blog at http://astrafandango.blogspot.com/

The views expressed in this blog are solely those of Annie Fanning and do not necessarily reflect those of Goodwill of Greater Washington or the DCGF.

Goodwill’s fashion blog provides detailed knowledge and insight on vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories that are valuable to fashion shoppers. The facts and opinions shared present readers with entertaining, exciting and value based information on vintage and contemporary fashion and shopping trends.

Posted in Bjork, Eon, Flipside Hats, Kalliber, Shesho Designs,

When Kori Giudici was studying at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, she made a reversible hat as a present for a friend. She got requests for more hats, which led to her own business, Flipside Hats (www.flipsidehats.com ). She scours estate sales for old fabrics with structure such as curtains and interior design samples and turns them into the cutest of caps (prices start at $34).

Brighten Up!

Spring fashion blooms bold.

By Melissa Tessitor

If a closet full of black, gray, and neutral shades gives you the blues (especially after months of a similarly hued sky), strategic strokes of color can see you through spring. Color therapists believe warm tones like red, orange, and yellow help with focus. Blue and violet are said to create calmness, while indigo heightens imagination and intuition. Green represents harmony, bridging the warm and cool sides of the color wheel. “Bright accessories are fun—they don’t ask to be taken seriously,” says Tara Connor, assistant buyer at Sloan Boutique at NW 23rd Avenue and Johnson Street. “The more saturated the color, the less you should use.”

Try pairing a candy-apple clutch with a navy pencil skirt, or tucking a sunny yellow square into the pocket of a gray suit. Even hidden color may lift your mood—so say yes to the red undies or the orange socks. The post-winter flair may, well, tickle you pink.

Reversible Hat

$48

by Flipside Hats
Presents of Mind:
3633 Se Hawthorne Blvd
503-230-7740
presentsofmind.tv

Day 8 of 12 Days of Local Gifts Guide: Cat in an Apron
By Marlynn Jayme Schotland
December 08, 2008, 11:47AM

Day 8 Featured Business: Cat in an Apron
What: Local online shop featuring handmade, local gifts for babies, toddlers and kids

I like to consider myself a somewhat crafty gal. Love making anything by hand that I can. But the fact is, there are not enough hours in the day for a crafty girl like me with two crazy kids and busy businesses to whip up homemade goodness all the time. That’s why I love local shops like Cat in an Apron. Owned by a local mom of three, Cat in an Apron features handmade blankets, hats, clothes, diaper bags, burp cloths, tree ornaments and more all made by local mothers. Their style is distinctly Portland cool, and their quality is top notch. One of my favorite products they sell is the Flipside Hats, esp. the girl polka dot hat, which is on sale now through the end of the year. I also love the organic Little Lark tees they sell, which are made in the USA and individually silk screened by hand. The O’Henry stroller blankets are simply gorgeous and made by the owner of Cat in an Apron. I also love that they are selective about what they sell, and don’t try to load up their online store with hundreds of random products. All of their products are well made by local artisans with love. Enjoy!

If you haven’t visited this unique gift store – in which all items are handcrafted by local artists – discover, here, five reasons why you might want to add them to your shopping route this holiday season …

Christine Claringbold, executive director of Trillium Artisans, shows off one of her one-of-a-kind bowls – made from recycled vinyl phonograph records – that she sells at her web site. CLICK HERE to visit her online store, Eye Pop Art.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
It’s always a pleasure to revisit Trillium Artisans – a unique gift store in the Lents Neighborhood.

“We have really cool stuff here,” Trillium’s executive director, Christine Claringbold, told us. “Every item has an interesting story behind it. Nothing is mass-produced; all items contain at least 50% recycled material.”

Artists learn business skills, not crafts
Trillium is a nonprofit organization that supports local craftspeople, Claringbold said. “We support low-income artisans by helping them build small businesses of their own.”

In addition to offering a storefront, she said the organization also provides classes and seminars at the building. But instead of teaching arts-and-crafts, the visiting instructors show members how to start, build, and operate businesses. “Accountants, lawyers and Internet experts help us learn how to increase our incomes, and not make costly business mistakes,” Claringbold added.

East Portland artists Lee Meredith, Amanda Siska, Kori Giudici and Megan Klepp show their hand-made gift items they offer for sale at Trillium Artisans and online at their web sites. Learn about them below …

Unique art by unique artisans
When we visited the storefront a few days ago, we met four of the 40+ artisans associated with Trillium, including:

• Lee Meredith – Also known as “Leethal” (her company’s name), said she’s a knit designer obsessed with yarn, thrift store scrounging, and color. She unravels tossed sweaters, uses custom, natural dyes on the reclaimed yarn, and puts together kits with knitting patterns. CLICK HERE to visit her online store.
• Amanda Siska – She calls here company Bread and Badger. Siska engraves glass with a dental drill, and says it’s her way of bringing fun, iconic imagery into everyone’s home. CLICK HERE to visit her online store.
• Kori Giudici – The story is that she started Flipside after a she received many compliments and inquiries about a hat she made as a birthday gift. Check them out; CLICK HERE to visit her online store.
• Megan Klepp – This artisan said her company, Ta-Dah, creates art from scrap, recycled, and found objects – especially those made of glass. In the photo above, she holds a marble-encrusted bowling ball. CLICK HERE to visit her online store.

You’ll see why many folks plan a trip to Trillium Artisans on SE Foster Road, just west of SE 92nd Avenue, to find that “something special” for folks on their gift list.

All kinds of art
“When you visit our store, you’ll see jewelry made from vinyl records, purses made from old neckties, magnets made from bottle caps, and scarves made from old sweaters,” Claringbold beamed.

One thing is for sure – we observed, from looking around the store, that the gift you purchased here will always be unique and original.

Trillium Artisans is located at 9119 SE Foster Road – this is on the north side, just west of SE 92nd Avenue. For more information, go to their web site by CLICKING HERE.

© 2008 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

East PDX News

Welcome to the Indieshopping.com Winter 2008 Edition of Spotlight on Emerging Designers! This is the ultimate directory of new and emerging independent designers. The Spotlight is filled with exclusive discount codes to save you tons of cash while you shop!

LilyToad

LilyToad features locally made and recycled children’s and maternity clothing and gear. We carry hip, crafty styles by more than 20 local indie designers and artisans. Flipside hats are made by Portland designer Kori Guiduci, who uses mostly salvaged materials to make wickedly charming, reversible hats for kids.

coupon code: indiewinter07 offer: $5 off purchases of $25 or more

Made locally from salvaged materials and detailed with distinctive stripes of ribbon, stitching, lace, fake fur, and other materials, each hat is unique. The timeless “P-town Cap” is worn easily by all; reversible, for complementing any fashion mood. With the rainy and chilly season upon us, it is essential to cover our kids’ heads, keeping them dry and warm. Good thing these hats are two-inone! Sold in local shops and trunk shows, $34, find retailers here.