The Dragettes of Kansas City
17/04/2013 § 1 Comment
Well since I’m already talking about cars, and I haven’t made you look at any old photographs in awhile — not sure what’s wrong with me, but I will definitely investigate — I thought you might enjoy these photos taken by Francis Miller for Life Magazine of an all-girls hot rod club called “The Dragettes” in what appears to be 1950s Kansas City. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find much information on these ladies — which is frustrating because they seem pretty awesome. I don’t think these pictures were used in the magazine (or at least I couldn’t find the article they correspond to), and the interwebs has not been very forthcoming either. In any event, I still wanted to share — they’re just so great, from the matching jackets to kissing babies on the dragstrip.
Via the Life Archive.
Oh Lord, Won’t You Buy Me a 1972 Ford Bronco?
17/04/2013 § 1 Comment
Sometimes when you’re driving around in Los Angeles, you discover amazing things. Most times you can’t stop to investigate and have to make a mental note to return, as you have to hurry onto this or that appointment or to finish the day’s errands — but this wasn’t one of those times. As soon as I spied ASC Auto Repair (1816 Lincoln Blvd., Venice CA 90291, (310) 396-6341), I knew I would be stopping. I mean, it isn’t every day that you get to go to classic Ford Bronco heaven.
After a chat with the owner, David, in which I tried to force him to pick a favorite model year to no avail — “I mean, they’re all nice, it just depends on what is on the inside!” — I was given free rein to poke around and take a few pictures. For the most part, the technicians ignored me — much too busy, of course – but every now and then I would catch a proud look as I appreciated their handiwork.
Sidenote: if you’re feeling generous, I’ll take that pretty ’72 with the white stripes.
Featured: Curb Appeal Style Dossier
16/04/2013 § 6 Comments
Just a quick note to let you know that I was featured by Curb Appeal as part of their “Style Dossier” series. Please head here to check it out. Many thanks to photographer Shanita Sims for a lovely day!
New Additions: Los Angeles Stowaways
16/04/2013 § Leave a Comment
Officially back on the east coast after my trip to Los Angeles! If you follow me on Instagram you’ll have already seen my bajillion and three beach and car and Mexican food pictures, so I will spare you. But you’d like to see my recap of Northern Grade, the American-made men’s pop-up shop, you can find it on the BKLYN Dry Goods blog here. I’ve also still got plenty of other stuff to share from my trip, so please be on the lookout for future posts.
Of course, no trip home is complete without a few stowaways. In fact, because it is one of my personal rules to never ever EVER check a bag, it’s become something of a ritual to leave behind an item or two that won’t fit in my carry-on, with instructions to ship it to me (sorry, Mom). This time around was no exception.
Shown above, from top left:
Vintage Guam t-shirt* from BKLYN Dry Goods
T-shirt* from Deus Ex Machina
T-shirt* from General Quarters (call to order)
Personalized postcards from Black Sheep Postal Service
Veg tan belt from Cause and Effect (that I helped make at Northern Grade!)
Juniper Ridge incense from General Store
*I’m designating summer 2013 “The Summer of the T-shirt,” evidently
Shown below, my magnificent vintage Ralph Lauren blanket coat from BKLYN Dry Goods. If you want one of your own, they’ve still got a beautiful aztec-y pink and greenish one — but act fast and contact them directly, as it isn’t on the site just yet.
I do hope all is well with you. Yesterday’s devastating events at the Boston Marathon left me more than a little shell-shocked and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected. For more information on how you can help, please visit the American Red Cross.
Be safe. xo.
Afield: Northern Grade Los Angeles
04/04/2013 § Leave a Comment
Hello from 10,000 feet somewhere above Pennsylvania! Skyblogging! As I mentioned earlier, I’m heading out to visit my hometown of Los Angeles this weekend for a pretty awesome two-fer. My twin nieces just turned ten (oof! double digits!) and Northern Grade, the travelling men’s pop-up, is in town. I’m actually willing to consider this a three-fer, if the weather manages to stay in the 70s, as expected.
I’m really looking forward to catching up with some familiar faces and meeting a few new ones. I’ll probably be rambling around in my sweet rental car everywhere from Simi Valley to Manhattan Beach, so do let me know if there’s anything you think I shouldn’t miss. Over the weekend I’ll be on hand with BKLYN Dry Goods at Northern Grade, which you should definitely check out. It’s a pretty rare opportunity in Los Angeles to find such an excellent assortment of quality, American-made menswear, accessories and collectibles all in one place and the folks at Pierrepont Hicks always put together an awesome event. If you see me, please say hello!
QC Prêt-à-Porter || Sailing Into Spring
03/04/2013 § 1 Comment
A weekend for west coasting…
Boy. by Band of Outsiders sailboat printed silk crepe de chine shirt
Mih Jeans Paris cropped mid-rise straight-leg jeans
La Perla Donna Eleonora molded underwire bra
J.Crew wool twill schoolboy blazer
The Hill-side selvedge ticking stripe twill pocket square
Clare Vivier Besace embossed bag
Charles Philip Sheila chambray flats
Nothing like a pair of white jeans to get you in the mood for warmer climates. With my upcoming trip to Los Angeles this weekend (a bit more on that later), I’m definitely breaking that old “no white pants before Memorial Day” rule. Just you wait and see.
On the docket:
Trying to remember why I booked a 7am flight. Seriously?
Finishing up Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Quite Continental Breakfast:
bits and bobs for your weekend wander
- My article this week for the BKLYN Dry Goods blog: visiting the largest vintage poster collection in the world at Philip Williams Posters
- A discussion of the evolution and masters of the “lifestyle brand” — namely Ralph, Sir Paul, and Jeremy (as in Lauren, Smith and Hackett) — in light of the upcoming release of Charles Vallance’s and David Hopper’s The Branded Gentry: How a New Era of Entrepreneurs Made Their Names (Elliott & Thompson), via the FT.
- A profile of Dame Margaret Barbour and a look at her remarkably successful guidance of the iconic brand that bears her last name, via Telegraph.
- An entirely new school of etiquette has sprung forth to help you deal with those novel situations that Emily Post didn’t ponder, such as how to conduct yourself at a nude beach or if emoticons are appropriate in business emails, via The New York Times.
- Evidently the real reason I listen to Ke$ha when I’m working out is because she maintains an optimal number of beats per minute, or so the Wall Street Journal tells me. (Please note: this is a workout jams judgement free zone)
Have a lovely weekend!
xoxo. M.
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Featured: BKLYN Dry Goods Blog
27/03/2013 § 2 Comments
Just a quick note to let you know that I’m featured on the BKLYN Dry Goods blog today, with a bit of a Q&A and the magical picture you see above that was taken by Jahn “Miracle Worker” Hall. The guys at BKDG are good friends and I’m also really excited to let you know they’ve brought me onboard their amazing team as Editor of the BKLYN Dry Goods blog, which we are in the process of rebooting and revitalizing! Be sure to check us out. We’ve got a ton of great stuff in the hopper!*
*No, not that hopper. But I do enjoy that one too.
Thanks, Ralph.
27/03/2013 § 2 Comments
Double RL & Co. for women has finally arrived, and I am a very happy girl. Amazingly, this beaut of a lookbook manages to serve merely as icing on the cake that is the S/S 2013 collection, full of western shirts, 40s-era day dresses, and a boyfriend jean that I desperately need in my life.
Thanks, Ralph. This almost makes up for killing off Rugby and some rather lackluster Collections since F/W 2012. Almost. I mean, you are trying to sell me this as an actual accessory.
Quite Continental Charm School: Day 16 – On Table Manners: Purse Placement
26/03/2013 § Leave a Comment
The Quite Continental Charm School
A modern guide to creating a charmed life
Grace Kelly admires her Best Actress Oscar for “Country Girl,” 1955.
Photo by George Silk for Life Magazine.
Day 16: On Table Manners: Purse Placement
For most people, carrying some sort of bag is a daily occurrence. My daytime purses grew exponentially in size when I made the transition from Los Angeles to New York, owing to the fact that I lost the storage capabilities of the backseat when I traded my car for a Metrocard. But today, we aren’t talking about the study tote you carry all over town. Instead, I’d like for you to turn your attention to formal occasions, and the teeny tiny evening bag.
Usually bejeweled with sparkles or rhinestones or feathers, evening bags are just about the most useless member of the purse family. Relegated to the back of the closet until it’s time for a formal affair, there isn’t much that’s going to fit inside them, aside from your phone and maybe a tube of lipstick. Most frequently they are some sort of pouch or fold-over flap clutch — or you could go all Upper East Sidey and carry a cupcake or a rubber ducky by Judith Leiber (please note: you do so at your own risk of judgment) — and usually they are without any kind of strap. So where’s a girl to put her purse when it’s time to eat?
When seated at a formal event and not using your purse, the general rule is that it should be placed in your lap beneath your napkin, or behind the small of your back in your chair. It isn’t to rest on the table or hang on the back of the chair (tacky), nor is it to touch the ground (tacky, dirty, AND bad luck). Whenever you’re in doubt, just remember this photograph of Grace Kelly. The dinner table is for your Oscar, not your purse.
The Quite Continental Charm School
A modern guide to creating a charmed life
QC Loves: Gryphon Fall 2013
16/03/2013 § 2 Comments
Have you already seen this? Am I late to the party? In any event, this is too gorgeous not to share! The New York-based brand Gryphon, by designer Aimee Cho, has definitely emerged as one of my favorites for Fall 2013. The brand, formerly a full line, recently rebooted and is returning for Fall 2013 as an outerwear-only collection. As Gryphon was initially launched around her reinterpretation of the classic trench coat, this refocus gives Cho the opportunity to really refine what she arguably does best (and I love best!), her “…trench coats, puffer coats, overcoats, pea coats, parkas, blazers, anoraks, baseball jackets, and more.”
The proof, as they say, is in the lookbook.
What? They don’t say that? Well, they should.
