Rebecca Luke Style

This weekend on a dreary Sunday morning. My super stylish friends and I participated in the SSF Sustainable Running Tour of Downtown Seattle. When I say “running”, I use the word lightly. We jogged…at a slow pace. I wore my drop crotch Y3 Sweatpants and, my gal pals look stylish in their hip sunglasses, despite the clouds, and running gear. But, that wasn’t the important part. The key to the event was the education we all had as we went from point to point and learned about what was sustainable about it. As co-founder of SSF, I am still learning and had loads of fun sharing what I learned about some of these spots. I am going to be posting blogs all week on the SSF site, sustainablestyle.org, that will highlight each of the stops. Please go there and check them out. RL

For more information about how we can help you make sustainable choices with your personal wardrobe, click here, or contact me at rebecca@lesegoistes.com

Who wouldn’t want to wear the loose and easy pieces that are showing up for spring? If you are a client of mine you know that a few seasons ago, just when I made you consider how to ensure you garments fit you on the tighter side, the styles loosened up and they are even more so this coming season.

The biggest concern for most women is that these styles can make them look “bigger” or “pregnant”. While that can be true, if you select the correct pieces that have a fab fit and correct proportions, they will be nothing but super stylish on you.

The key is to juxtapose. There are three simple ways to wear this look and not feel like a bag lady:

The abbreviated, or shrunken, jacket over layers, long or short. (also see above photo)

The legging with an oversized top

The short, short, I mean short loose dress exposing your fab legs for the world to see. I love the loose short short as well which is essentially the same idea.

If you want to do a loose harem bottom (I can’t stop) paired with a loose vest or jacket, just make sure your underpinning is fits correctly on the shoulders and across the bust. It works well if it drapes on the hips. The key, don’t be afraid. If you love it, wear it.

A killer shoe is required for all lo-fi/loose looks and you can go between a platform heel and a bootie. If its comfort you want, then go with a flat open toe embellished sandal with these looks. A ballet flat will work in a pinch, however, as always, it is had to be the right one.

Almost every key designer has a “lo-fi” look, but Dallin Chase, Ports 1961 and Kaylee Tankus are standouts for me.

If you are in Seattle, Merge has had this look for several seasons and they know how to make it work for you.

The key to fashion these days is to dial it down a notch on the makeup and accessories and let the fabrics of your garment speak. RL

For help selecting key pieces for your spring & summer wardrobe, contact les Egoistes.

Photo Credits | From the Top

Dallin Chase Fall 2010, Dallin Chase & Refinery 29

Kenzo Sp 2010, Style.com, photographer, Marcio Madeira

Dallin Chase Fall 2010, Dallin Chase

Valentino Sp 2010, Trendhunter

Kaylee Tankus Sp 2010, Kaylee Tankus

I am finally reporting in on my London finds…
Sadly as we go global, the shopping does too. It’s hard to find unique looks. Yes, I know I needed to go to Harrods and Top Shop, the Portobello market, etc. I just wanted to find something different. It was really tough for me to find the spirit of London style but I found it. In East London, an area called Spitalfields. Just one street over from Brick Lane, this area felt like Brooklyn to me. Spitalfields has a Sunday market as well. We just got the tail end, but it looked quite promising. We stumbled by a store and I slid in just before they were closing; Hurwundeki ~ they had an incredible second hand vibe along with new items and their own label. Their accessories & shoes were fab. Apparently they are a hair salon as well…didn’t get that when we walked in.

There is one chain store in London that I liked…we found their flagship store in Spitalfields. It had a Diesel groove going which the rock & roll side of me loves…All Saints. Right on in my book.

Speaking of Sundays, in the middle of busy Brick Lane, there is a little alcove of Indy designers and artists that we were so excited to find. Here are a few of the talented little luvvies I liked. Definitely worth braving through the crowd for this gem: Mr. Wingate – Great Graphic Tees, Karing Monie – Bags & Belts, Gutavo Ortiz - Artist

For an alternative to Bond Street and to shop more lcoal, check out area between the Kightsbridge & Sloane Square stations. With a mix of high-end stores such as Chanel and Prada, along side galleries and cute restaurants, this area is not crowed with tourists and very relaxing to shop in. The famed Joseph stores has two storefronts in this hood with one that carries every high-end designer that you have ever drooled over with the affordable pieces across the street. I found a ‘to die for’ Parisian jeweler named Laurence Coste, a London based shoes store called Gwendolyn Carrie…proper and cute, and an independent designer, Betty Jackson, who had a bit of a progressive edge. Needless to say, you could have a lovely day shopping in this neighborhood.

For me, vintage is the way to go when you are in Europe…it is hard for us West Coast Americans to find good antique and vintage clothing. I found a vintage market that is a great alternative to Portobello Market ~ The Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair. The bonus was that this market was in another hip area of London (east) called Clerkenwell (pronounced “Clarkenwell” apparently)…I didn’t buy much (one suitcase and everything) but I found a cool Gucci scarf from the 90’s that is a perfect memory of the experience. This market in the Clerkenwell Town Hall had lovely snacks or “tea” and swing dancers…fun. Plus, the hipster pub is right across the street.

There one UK designer that I am totally a fan of and that is Vivienne Westwood…while we didn’t make it to the flagship (44 Conduit Street), we did find a British Designer Sale that happens a few times a year. You can become a member and get in before the public, but when we showed up, the last half an hour of course, there was still a lot to choose from. The sale included men’s and women’s garments from Vivian Westwood, 120% Linen, Girbaud, and more. If you travel to London often or live there…may be worth becoming a member. The inquiry email is: bds@london83.freeeserve.co.uk

For inexpensive yet trendy options, these London chains are good check out:
Jigsaw, a British version of Anthropologie, (however, they do have a store in San Francisco) and Whistles with cute dresses this season.

Just a few new shopping ideas the next time you are in London Town. RL

Photo credits top to bottom:

All Saints Spring 09, Laurence Coste Jewelry display, RL shopping for vintage, Vivienne Westwood Spring 09

Everyday, I feel lucky. Lucky that I constantly meet fabulous and creative people. From my clients to my fellow creative’s, including designer Abi Ferrin who I finally got to meet last week.

The Finerie in Seattle (1215 First Avenue), has been carrying Abi exclusively now in Seattle for over a year and her talent is paramount. She is a go to name in the fashion world and will be showing for her second season at New York Fashion Week. I can’t wait to be there and check out what she has planned for Spring 10.

I am obsessed with her use of fabric and how she pairs the natural movement of fabric with a cut that flatters women of all sizes. I personally want a pair of her leggings, the “Casey” pant, in all colors. I’m especially looking forward to checking out the rock & roll sheer black.

To top it off, Abi Ferrin is totally dedicated to sustainability. Her tagline “Fashion with Freedom & Purpose” works for so many reasons. Here is what Abi Ferrin & Co says about their purpose. It’s all great, so I included most of it:
From the visually rich setting of a Nepal village to the bolstering street of an American city, the team of women behind Abi Ferrin seeks not only to dress women but also to empower them. The idea was born through the vision of Abi’s sister, Kelly who has dedicated her life to humanitarian efforts worldwide focusing primarily on persecuted women and children. The sisters thought that it would be effective to create a model for capitalistic ventures to support various organizations by commissioning them to create an aspect of the Abi Ferrin product, with the hopes to eventually introduce this concept to other manufacturers.

In 2006 the Abi Ferrin team began a design collaboration with Erika Everett, former designer of Everett Parker, along with a non-profit organization in an impoverished region of Nepal called Guardian Village Handcrafts. This organization in a healthy environment, focuses on providing oppressed women with; training, fair pay, food and shelter for their work. The micro-businesses that are created due to this training also fund foster care and quality education for children rescued from slavery, women and children rescued from prostitution, and other abusive environments. Ferrin and Everett sought to incorporate elements into their garments with culturally specific design lines and adornments.

The women of Abi Ferrin, seeks to provide their customer with a chance to feel and look their best, and see this as an opportunity to take their passion for freedom and clothing to another level. Not only do the custom made adornments add an authentic value to the collection, but they also provide both an intrinsic satisfaction and a conversational element to the wearer, knowing that each button and toggle were purchased to support a cause greater than mere aesthetics. This is an avenue that opens the door for the consumer to invest in more than great fashion. “We hope that the cultural details woven into the collection, coupled with the information we provide about the program, will ignite an awareness of global issues. To the Abi Ferrin customer, this should provide an added satisfaction for contributing to a greater cause. To our friends in Nepal, this will provide much needed help and support.”

I wore an AF kimono sleeve wrap top, “Erika Wrap”, over her leggings to the SIFF Gala this week.  I felt glamorous all night and of course, happy with my sustainably stylish garb…even as I downed a soft taco outside. RL

photo credit: Abi Ferrin Erika Wrap Top

What Seattle Fashion Week has going for it, is enthusiasm. I was able to check out the opening night featuring emerging independent designers from Seattle. I really really want to see this succeed in Seattle, mostly because, there are amazing designers coming out of here. I also know from retailers that they would like to buy from local designers if the quality, production value and creative aspects all match the level of what can be found in NYC & LA.

The second thing Seattle Fashion Week has going for it is potential. While the designers showcased were not necessarily the top of what I have seen here, they all have a great foundation to move forward and were appropriately placed in the “emerging” category.

The entertainment at the event was definitely geared to a specific audience and didn’t feel as fashion forward as I am used to…so, I definitely think there is an opportunity for all the world renowned acts we have based here in Seattle.

My fashion picks for the evening were jackets from student designer, Becky Sullivan, men’s looks from Lavsh and springy black & white jersey pieces from a sustainable line called Salvationwear.

I didn’t get a chance to check out the rest of the shows, but I will do some sleuthing and follow up. Overall, I am ready to see these events rise to the level of what used to happen here in Seattle with “Pre-line” and shows like Arena and Stop & Go in the 90’s…RL

photo credit | Lavsh at Seattle Fashion Week 09

I always get asked, so what are the colors for the season, and I usually know the answer right away. This spring, there is not quick and easy answer. I have seen everything from shades of orange ~ ranging from a traffic cone orange to a curry orange ~ to combos of lavender, blue, teal, hot pink, citrine green.  I think the point this season is to just to wear color.  We have our lovely first lady to look to for the inspiration that way. I love that Michelle Obama is not afraid of color.

If you are like many folks I know and just a bit uncomfortable wearing color. One way to approach is to wear accessories with color. You can wear all black and throw a bunch of color bangles on your wrist or mix a bunch of big color beads around your neck. Or rock a shoe with color while wearing all black. That is a statement move for sure.

If you go the color direction, balance the color with shades of grey and taupe. This is lovely and easy to do. You can find many grey/taupe accessories out there these days.

Boys, you can get your color with you kicks. Every shoe line from Nike to Converse and even Doc Martins have major color going. If you are ready to go for it, wear a full suit in a color. Cheap Monday has a blue suit styled for a mod fit…hot.

My homage to color this season is a dress designed by my dear friend Andrew Dyrdahl out of pima cotton and it is orange and I mean orange. You will definitely see me coming. Side note: The design of my dress is perfect for most all body types and Andrew was recognized for formal version of the dress by the cotton folks…I loved it so much and convinced him to make a daytime dress out of it. Contact me if you want more details. RL

Photo Credit: Nathan Jenden and Ossie Clark Spring 2009 via Style.com in Vogue UK and Pantone’s Color pick of the season, “Mimosa”.

Shopping in your hood is so cool. Nothing is better than running by the little store a block away from home to pick up a little something to lift your spirits….when I am in NYC, my neighborhood is Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  I have been visiting this neighborhood for almost four years and it has really become to feel like a second home.

When I am here, I have my usually stops, they are listed on the shopping page. One of my favorite shops is ALTER. The men’s and women’s stores are across Franklin Avenue from each other. I love Roy and Tommy. They are truly gifted, smart and so cute.
Last fall, Roy got me into some of my favorite pieces that I have worn a ton…they were items from Pre-Loved out of Toronto.  I had heard about them through the sustainable design circuit, but leave it to ALTER to recognize excellent design and to Roy to get me to try it on.
Pre-Loved, a Canadian based design company, creates garments from reclaimed items such as button down shirts, trench coats, vintage curtains, sweaters and wool trouser which are cut and sewn into fabulous one of a kind pieces.  I love the brand because of the obvious good design.
Tonight ALTER hosted an in-store launch event for Pre-Loved’s Spring 09 collection. I got a chance to chat with founder Julia Grieve, who is an incredible woman with loads of energy and a true vision. The story behind Pre-Loved is amazing and inspirational.  It was great to hear about the intentional design direction to make sure each garment has multiple ways to wear it.  Julia mentioned that people just started doing it, so now, Pre-Loved does it for every single one of their pieces. My favorite piece for spring from Pre-Loved at ALTER is the Zuri tee.  Loose and fun, this piece is right on style target. Thanks Roy and Tommy….fun night.

Just a note, I have my other favorite places I have to stop in every time I am in Greenpoint ~ Dalaga| Always fun for boys and girls, Haden Harnett | Must have accessories, WORD | Cute and hip bookstore, Junk | Cool vintage and antique chatchkes and furniture.
I am sure you have fab finds in your hood. Check them out, keep them around and be cool. RL

Busy day today. It started off in the tents at the Brian Reyes Fall 09 show. There were definite pieces I thought were fab in the collection…I would have liked it if the models could have walked in their shoes, but with the six inch heels ~ a good inch taller than than last season, there has been a definite issue across the board at all the shows.  My stand out picks included the dress above described on the line up as the “optic stripe front pleat blouse” over the same treatment of dress. It seemed lovely and fresh. The metallic grey mixed with copper and taupe colors present in many of the garments were lovely.

I especially loved this white dress with gold sequins…what you don’t see, is the back of the piece that is tres chaud (hot)…(photo above | WWD Brian Reyes Fall 09)

A few of the Brian Reyes jackets are right on target and will be easily worn by women at all sizes…I like that. Accessory note ~ big chunky necklaces. Celebrity sitings…I don’t usually care, but I know a few of you like to hear about it, sitting right in front of me, across the runway, at this show was Ivanka Trump and Rachel Bilson. (photo above | loose swing jacket Brian Reyes Fall 09)

My afternoon show was a definite highlight. The Ports 1961 show…I happened to sit next to the Meredith & Scott of The Fashion List ~ an online comprehensive service that helps you keep track of and manage your fashion events. They are awesome…I was already sold on the service to help me out, but now that I have met them…I’m in. The Ports show was lovely and felt like home to me. The inspiration of designer Tia Cibani was India’s Mughal Dynasty ~ specifically the beauty of Nur Jahan. Now that part of the world and specifically that part of India is where my family comes from and with my mother’s master in Clothing & Textiles, her designs were always influenced by the Mughal Dynasty…that was passed on to me and it has always been fun to mix the cultures. This collection was gorgeous…that is all I can say. You can view the whole collection to get a good sense. It will be hard for me to pick a favorite piece, but it may be the Moonstone boucle’ coat…my heart also stopped when I caught a glimpse of the details in the long leather gloves that had a peek of color inside the arm and fingers.(photo above | WWD Brian Reyes Fall 09)

The long hair in a loose braid was beautiful and fresh. (Sigh)…the show was gorgeous. Oh, and I must mention the band, Red Baraat Festival, that played that was reminiscent to the bands that play in the streets of India on most festive occasions. It was awesome to have that live. (photo above | hair at the Ports1961 show)

Coincidentally, if you are based in SEA, Polite Society will be carrying both these lines for Spring…hopefully they will have some of these yummy fall pieces.

In between shows, I was running to showrooms to look at leg-wear and accessories that les Egoistes will soon have available for sale…stand by for more on that.

Final food note…I’ve been forgetting: Met the gals tonight for a drink at the Bowery Hotel Lounge then next door to Gemma for dinner…ate too much. Last night, found a fab gem near Gramercy/Union Square called Bar Jamon…introduced to me by Forbes marketing manager and fellow foodie, Jourdan. Previous night, dinner with the fab gals at Max Mara at Bistro Chat Noir ~ amazing. RL

It took me ten trips this year, but I finally finished re-reading “CHANEL, A Woman of Her Own“. This book always inspires me, but in unique and different ways each time. This year as I read through, I couldn’t escape the pure fact that Chanel’s main focus was always good design. Her understanding of women’s bodies and good design has held up over the last century through wars, The Depression, great historical decades and difficult ones through today where The “Chanel Look” still works.

The fashion and garment industry are upon even harder times. Trust me, things haven’t been great this whole decade, but now as I see my friends close their storefronts and witness mark downs up to 70 percent, before Christmas ~ it makes an impact. On the other side, I know my clients and my friends are feeling the need to cut back on the shopping; concerned about the economy, this seems the logical thing to do. However, I know after styling for over 20 years and observing through my moms eyes as she studied clothing design, that people will always want and need to get dressed.

For those of you who are my clients, you know that I’ve always taught that less is more ~ mix and match your wardrobe. Buy less but spend more to get something that is higher quality on key pieces and in the long run, you are making more economical sense. I have also encouraged you to spend less when you can and never believe anyone has to be in “designer” duds from head to toe. Mixing is the key to this approach in wardrobing and what is paramount to making this a success? Good Design.

In Seattle you are going to have less options for shopping as we go into the new year and yes, we all want to spend less; but at whose expense? Certainly the tragedy at Wal-Mart the day after Thanksgiving showed us that perhaps our priorities are a bit off? A life was lost in order to get a good deal? My advice is to yes, buy local if you are going to buy, but also consider buying smart. Take the time to look at your local designers that can create a custom fit piece for the same price as 70% off a designer department store piece. Buy higher quality investment pieces such as jackets, coats and shoes. Stick to classic silhouettes for yourself. Refurbish, alter and repair good items from your closet. Purchase from smaller local boutiques who carry high quality and high design ~ Mario’s, Butch Blum, Lola Pop and Polite Society are my favorites right now ~ Does this all sound familiar? If you work with me, you know this is how I have approached wardrobing for over ten years and what I teach through Sustainable Style about how to dress sustainably as well as stylishly.

“I’m against fashion that doesn’t last” quoted Chanel. She was known to think that her staying power was due to her “integrity in fashion”, that “taste had to do with honesty, that the aesthetic of clothes should be nothing more than the outer reflection of an inner morality of sincere feelings. The real purpose of fashion was perhaps not to redefine the way we look so much as to tell us who we are.” These concepts not only work for you and your personal wardrobe, but for gift giving as well. Don’t just buy something “cheap” because you have to give something. Consider “designing” an experience, or buying something useful and higher in quality so it wont break within the first few minutes or take up room in the back of someone’s closet.

Heavy as this blog is, I felt it was important. I have been working on crafting this all month so I could articulate effectively how I feel about retail, clothing and the economy right now. I will have a more frivolous post tomorrow to help get you ready for New Years Eve…

R

Reference: Chanel, A Woman of Her Own by Axel Madsen, copyright 1990, Henry Holt Company, LLC

Yes. I know. I haven’t blogged since September 23. The world has shifted. We have a new president, the economy has officially tanked and yet, my world has been filled with style adventures. I truly feel lucky to continue to express myself through my art. I wrapped at the end of October on The Whole Truth which was an incredible creative experience for me.

Music-wise, I did manage to check out some great shows despite working seven days a week. The Presets, Does this Offend You Yeah and Santigold are all top on my play lists these days. Fun, electronic and dance-able…not to mention 80’s influences. I love it.

I did a quick weekend trip to SF to cheer my gal pals on in the Nike Women’s Marathon. The route was incredible. I was so proud of my friends who ran for almost five straight hours…they are truly inspirational. It was great to be back in SF. I did do some killer shopping with clients in Union Square. The Barney’s in SF is fabulous ~ especially for men. I found a terrific store that I had a hard time leaving near North Beach called Eden Eden. The owner is a lovely British woman with exquisite taste. She has a lovely collection of very unique jewelry and accessories ~ including vintage pieces. Her clothing was wonderful and she carries a lovely Finnish designer, Ivana Helsinki, who just showed at Paris Fashion Week last season. Her knits and prints are incredible and the kind of pieces in this economy that are worth the investment because they are classic. Her spring pieces are playful and I will definitely keep you posted on her. The Eden Eden site doesn’t do the justice to the store, but it will give you a good idea. If you live in SF…go there. Food was difficult for some reason on this trip…however, did finally have a lovely cocktail at the Clift.

For those of you who know my routine, you probably can guess I am in NYC again. After 11 straight weeks of work, it is great to have a little time to clear my head, get inspired again and get caught up. It was great to check in at my fav Greenpoint stores, Alter, Daglaya and Hayden-Harnett. I have also gotten a chance to go to some of my favorite spots like Dressler, Diner, Coco 68 and NuBlu. I now have new fav spot in Greenpoint called Five Leaves. Since I have a bit more spare time and the timing was right, we did hit up a few galleries for the Williamsburg Art Openings on the second Friday of each month. The highlight of my trip was last night when I was the guest of my talented friend Etta Lillenthal who was selected to have her work shown at a new collective of women in theater; mainly costume and production designers. Etta is a very talented production designer and i was honored to be there. The collection called Curtain Call is showing for the next six months at the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center. The photo at the top is from the exhibit. Since this is an obvious area of great interest for me, I was truly inspired. It is interesting to note how make dominated costume and set design has been. I think that mostly catches me up for now. I must say that given everything that has happened in the world since my previous blog, I do have hope that through art we can and will stay inspired. RL