The Hive

My outfit: Shirt: Thrifted from Goodwill, Belt: Target, Pants: Urban Outfitters, Sandals: DSW, Bag: Urban Outfitters, Earrings: Buffalo Exhange (Westwood)

Went to an art opening at The Hive in downtown L.A. featuring bee/fantasy related art. The Hive is a great little gallery and the art is whimsical and relatively affordable. I don't think I'm adult enough thought to purchase actual art. I'll leave that up to Kaitlin who purchased a beautiful piece at the last Hive art exhibit.

Summer Reading

{Kate Spade 06 ad campaign}

Something about the summer makes me head straight to the travel writing section of the library and grab every book off the shelf. I'm itching to do some more globetrotting of my own but am currently lacking the time and funds to do so. Fortunately, reading about other people's adventures satisfies that need just a little.

Any other summer book suggestions?

The list so far:

• Long Way Down: An Epic Journey by Motorcycle from Scotland to South Africa, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman
• Around The World On Two Wheels, Peter Zheutlin
• The World in a City, Joseph Berger
• East of the Sun, Julia Gregson
• To India With Love, Collective Writers
• Notes from a Small Island, Bill Byson
• Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe
• Travel in Dangerous Places, John Keay

{Photo by Tim Walker via GenreX.com }

{Image via Newestwrinkle:Kate Spade }

Images from the Depression Era

Man, I wish I had these when I was working on costumes for From Dust Thou Art. I had no idea that there were any color images out there from the Great Depression. It's rare to see all the textures and colors in the clothing from the period that can get overlooked in black and white photography. Thank you Denverpost.com for your an amazing gallery Captured: America in Color from 1939-1943! I'm definitely filing this think for future research.

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Oh, and check out these girls taken in 1941 backstage at a "girlie" show at the state fair. The hair! Oh the hair!

{All images via DenverPost.com }

Cupcakes & Mad Men Soiree

The best part about being a costume design student is that we all enjoy any excuse to get dressed up. Laura, friend and fellow MFA student, hosted a make-your-own Mad Men cupcake viewing party so out came the bold graphic print and hair ratting comb!
 

Tunic: H&M

Triple Strand Necklace: Forever 21

Glasses Necklace: H&M

Leggings: Target

Flats: Beacon's Closet

This is my first outfit taking photo! Not gonna lie, I'm super self-conscious about it. We costume folk prefer to remain behind the scenes. But I figured what the hell, why not?

Oh and let me tell ya, talk about a challenge fitting this hair into my scooter helmet! As you can see it deflated a little. ;)

Check out my Peggy cupcake!

Roughs for Measure for Measure

Measure for Measure was the last class project I worked on in my spring quarter. As it always happens, it coincided with finals for every class and I was assisting on the UCLA production of Cabaret which had strike right at the same time. Needless to say my renderings were done very quickly and in my mind still look unfinished. Now that I'm settled into my new place I want make these designs even better!

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Mad Men

{Image via AMCtv.com }

Here's a little behind the scenes look at the costumes for Mad Men season 4. Sadly it doesn't show any costumes from the season but Jane Bryant talks about where all the characters are heading and you could definitely see what she's talking about in the first episode. There was such clear character changes particularly with Peggy. She has become more confident and sure of herself and finally has herself a male assistant. Now she's in all brighter colors, big patterns and more womanly shapes. Not to mention she finally got rid of those awful bangs. Go Peggy!

{Movie via AMCtv.com }

{Images via AMCtv.com }

Dream Summer Wear

I spent an embarrassingly large portion of my day (after catching up on last night's True Blood with my neighbors) lounging about the house on Style.com checking out all the Resort 2011 shows that I missed. Dudes, after checking out Alice + Olivia's, I want to dress like this for the rest of the summer. The line is full of urbanized retro glamour, bold colors, head scarves and turbans, funky sunglasses and bold lip color. It's basically a line of everything that I love. I have yet to wear a turban Sunset Boulevard style in my lifetime but now I'm seriously considering hunting one down. I mean, I am living in L.A. after all!

 

Reupholstering Frenzy

Around the time I moved into my new place I scored two free futons (one off the street, the other from a friend) that were begging for a makeover. The upholstering was super easy as they were essentially big pillows and only required some measuring, machine sewing three sides then hand stitching the fourth.

BTW, Ikea sells upholstery weight fabrics at great prices (I just discovered this last month!). Plus, they have really great big prints. I went to a bunch of fabric stores looking for fabrics, but I ended up loving Ikea's selection over everything else I saw. I went safe and got 7 yards for each futon but ended up only using 6.

The back piece is a foam roll. I covered it by making drawstring edges on each side using cords created from leftover fabric.

While I was waiting for the fabric on the above futon to be cut I talked a bit with two guys who were buying the same fabric. It turns out that they owned an independent record studio and were going to line the studio's walls with this print....Bold move gentlemen, bold move.

Man Shops Globe Pt.2

In the first episode of Man Shops Globe Keith Johnson goes to France and finds a antique gorgeous bed frame that Anthro is now reproducing. This may shock you, but I don't have a spare $2,498 to put towards a bed frame (or for furnishing the entire apartment for that matter). However I did buy a bed that's not as whimsical but in a similar style about a month ago at Ikea for $89 so I feel pretty fancy right now.

{Calligraphy Bed via Anthropologie.com }

Man Shops Globe

{Image via Sundance Channel }

I just recently discovered Man Shops Globe, a show that follows the buyer-at-large for Anthropologie as he shops around the globe, and it couldn't come at a better timing. Having just moved into my new apartment I've got a lot of decorating and revamping to do.  I watched the whole first season in two days while intermittently working on projects. The show is amazing and gives you the creative bug. I dare you to watch it and not immediately have an urge to rearrange your furniture.

Oh, and of course it makes you want to go to Anthropologie.com and ogle thing. These are things I would kill to have around the house.

 {Images via Anthropologie.com }

Behold: Truly Hideous Pants

Images via Style.com

These wondrous pants are courtesy of Givenchy Resort 2011.
The worst part about them is how they sneak up on you. Scrolling down on the image everything looks fine as the red is camouflaging. Only when you look a bit closer does the horror become clear and then you can't look away!