Wear What When

Style Counsel: Tamara Musser

Please meet the Seattle-based designer fashion collector par excellence.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Nov 18, 2011 at 01:00PM 8 Comments

Photo: Dennis Wise

Tamara Musser enjoys herself (thoroughly) in a Pucci gown. The Chanel ice-cube clutch is a pretty good time, too. Pickle-green Louboutins? A regular party.

Once I finally got to talking with Tamara Musser at this year’s Nordstrom Designer Preview, I knew I had to introduce her to you.

And when I say you, I’m talking to you, the ones who love this stuff, and I am talking to the folks who say Seattle is a city full of casual Fridays and frump. I am talking to folks who say that we don’t understand high fashion the way they do in other cities.

Musser is a collector par excellence, but she doesn’t treat fashion like some passive board game. She collects smartly and impulsively. She buys what she loves, and follows certain designers obsessively (McQueen was one), but she isn’t someone who lives and breathes by names and labels.

She lives and breathes by reworked hemlines (as her alternations gal at Nordstrom would tell you) and killer shoes. She lives and breathes by how fun it is to wear something artful and engineered and exceptionally well-made and shiny and short.

And she decided along time ago that if she was going to collect this stuff, she was going to wear it. Every day. So she joyfully mixes seasons and genres and wears them to work—no, not some art gallery or luxury law firm, but a North End school where she deconstructs math problems for teenagers.

Whoa. Makes you feel pretty silly for wondering whether or not that Marc Jacobs polka-dot skirt would work in the board room, right?

Here, Musser wears a Pucci gown (it’s a turtleneck and a plunging V! this one won’t go to school—and it hasn’t been worn out yet) that she and her alternations team are considering making some, um, improvements to. She’s thinking that heavy, opaque forest-green panel doesn’t necessarily need to obscure the pailette-covered panel—or her entire leg…

What do you think? Should they lob it off or keep it as Peter Dundas designed it?

Photo: Dennis Wise

Tamara as she appears in our December Style Council page.

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Tags: Style Counsel

Jamie Ewing, Fashion Designer Turned Schoolteacher

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Aug 22, 2011 at 08:45AM 0 Comments

Photo: Dennis Wise

School teacher Jamie Ewing used to help design Hammer Pants but these days he prefers a classic and urban skewed prepster look.

Style Counselor Jamie Ewing has a few things to say about sixth graders and good hair days; here, he schools us on some favorite shopping spots and what not to wear.

WWW: You used to design menswear in New York and now you teach elementary school in White Center. Do you find yourself wearing pieces you wore 20 years ago or are that world and this one existing on separate planes?
Ewing: I do still have some pieces from when I worked with Basco, the in-house Barneys New York line, in the late 90s. A few grey flannel shirts and a blazer. They’re timeless, almost like old friends. I am a long way from when I would wear Gaultier out in the clubs.

What are your favorite Seattle shops?
I love Ian because they keep it fresh and modern, always growing. I like DNA at the Bravern for denim. Mario’s for dressier things. I also like to go into shops like Great Jones Home and Kirk Albert Vintage to see what’s going on in local design, it actually influences things I wear. I can spend hours at Second Use and Earthwise wondering what could be next.

What one thing do you put on and always feel great in?
There are a couple; one is the custom tuxedo that my partner and I had made by Luly Yang. There is nothing like having a custom suit or tuxedo made, there is no way it can look bad. Plus, it has iridescent, shocking orange lining that looks great when you throw it over a chair. The other things I love to throw on are the vintage Burberry overcoats that I inherited from my grandfather. Not only are they still relevant but they have history, I love that. They’re really full-cut and are a blast to wear.

What’s the last great thing you purchased for yourself?
I’m in love with Frederic Malle fragrances from Barneys, especially Noir Epice and Carnal Flower. Each fragrance is designed by a different person and they all blow me out of the water. I have kind of started collecting them. I was just down in San Francisco and hit the G-Star there, it is like a candy store! There is also an Engineered Garments wool hooded poncho with nylon strapping that I got at Ian last fall that’s still really fun to wear. The best thing is that they only had ONE!

What’s your next big purchase going to be?
I’m on the lookout for some really great wool flannel pants but they need to be updated and modern, not business-y. I also am thinking hats for the winter; traditional looks maybe. And I do need new glasses but I am so not sure which direction to go. I don’t wear them all the time (yet) so I get confused on what I should do. I think I avoid it because it makes me feel OOOOLD.

We might be able to help: Try our Fields of Vision; we’ve found that Seattle’s four-eyed have never had it so good.

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Tags: Seattle Style, Style Counsel, Fashion

Michael Cepress’s Wearable Art

Two-day workshop puts drawing, design, and the art of dress within reach.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Aug 16, 2011 at 09:00AM 0 Comments

Photo: Courtesy Michael Cepress

Mini-trend: Style Counselors-as-Art-Teachers. It’s happening!

Next up: Local designer Michael Cepress and the latest iteration of his Wearable Art and the Body workshops. (To take a look at the fruits of past workshops, scroll through Cepress’s blog.)

The two-day intensive aims to move students through an art-centric history of cultural dress, figure drawing with a live nude model, ways of thinking about the form as inspiration, the translation of inspiration to design, exercises in design and implementation, and more. It takes place on Saturday, September 10 and Sunday, September 11 from 10 to 6 at the University of Washington Art Building, Room 301, on the North end of Campus.

Class size is limited to 15 people and the cost is $180. Necessary materials are provided but students are welcome to bring their own favorite art supplies as well.

Here, three questions from hypothetical potential workshop-takers, and Cepress’s replies.

WWW: So, let’s say I really can’t draw at all. Like, I can hardly sign my name. Can a person really see an improvement in their pencil-and-paper skills in a one or two day setting?

Cepress: The idea of not being able to draw is usually something we start carrying around with us thanks to a snarky remark from an insensitive teacher in elementary school. If you can hold a chunk of charcoal and drag it across a piece of paper, you can draw, design, and succeed in this workshop!

Now, let’s say that I’ve never touched a sewing machine. Will machine-aided garment construction come into play at all?

I’ve designed this workshop to be a “think tank” for all things wearable, and our two-day timeline leaves little to no time to sew a single stitch. Instead we draw, brainstorm, refine, prototype, and energize the experience so you can work for months thereafter feeling inspired.

What if the term ‘wearable art’ seems a little…wonky to me? I’m interested, I’m following, but I don’t know that I’ve ever donned anything that I’d call ‘art’ and I don’t consider myself an artist, though I do fancy myself a pretty imaginative dresser. Do you think I’ll walk outta day two with an African-inspired neon-pulsing breast plate and a headpiece that references the Dutch headcoverings of my ancestors? Is that the goal? How will this class apply to everyday life? That might be my question.

Great question! I call this Wearable Art because I like to remind us all there there is an art in everything we wear. All ideas are welcome in this workshop, and if you’re looking to really cut loose and free yourself into breast plates and headpieces, now is your chance! If you want to keep it in step with your office job or a Sunday picnic with friends, we’ll draw up the most perfect cotton dress or skinny suit you have ever laid eyes on.

For more on Cepress’s credentials, see his CV and his bio. For more information on the class, or to sign up, contact info @ michaelcepress.com or call 206-334-7602

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Tags: Design, Style Counsel, Seattle Designer, Design Classes

Figure Drawing Class at Roche Bobois

Style Counselor Krista Kelly helps you wrap your brain and a pencil around the human form, for free.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Aug 09, 2011 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

Figure on Krista Kelly being a very spirited and stylish teacher, and consider her drawing class at Roche Bobois on August 16 from 5:30 to 8.

Three things I like:

1. Style Counselors who stay in touch—this time it’s Krista Kelly, who showed up on our style radar not just for her ability to rock a perfect little dress with a just-right jean jacket (which, coincidentally, style.com has decided to call out as a trend), but because her job as an art consultant gives her an interesting perspective on aesthetics in general.

2. Retail locations getting outside the bounds of normal retail activity. For instance: Roche Bobois, who is hosting the aforementioned Ms. Kelly for a very unexpected sort of pop-up gallery and classroom.

3. Style and fashion practitioners who understand that the human form is engaged in an important conversation with clothes, and, well, everything else.

Also, sometimes (but not all the time) things that are free are good.

On Tuesday, August 16 from 5:30 to 8, at the aforementioned European furniture gallery on Western Ave, the aforementioned Style Counselor is offering three 20-minute figure drawing sessions. A nude model and materials are included; Kelly, a seasoned and spirited drawing instructor, will advise on technique and form. The class is open to beginners and experts alike. Check the Bilinear Art blog for more information; or to RSVP, contact rsvp @ bilinearart.com

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Tags: Seattle Style, Style Counsel, Art Events

Slideshow: Bilinear Art with Krista Kelly

Taking style home and to work.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on May 20, 2011 at 07:45AM 0 Comments

SLIDESHOW: Style Counselor Krista Kelly at work with Bilinear Art. Here, she commissioned a New York-based street artist to create work for a client’s residential game room.

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SLIDESHOW: Style Counselor Krista Kelly at work with Bilinear Art. Here, she commissioned a New York-based street artist to create work for a client’s residential game room.

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The master bedroom of a residential client; Bilinear placed a diptych pyrograph by Japan-born Seattle-based artist Etsuko Ichikawa. The use of blown glass and cotton paper in Ichikawa’s work adds to the natural elements of the national award-winning residence. “My inspiration for the placement came from the idea of the couple dreaming beside each other,” says Kelly.

View Slideshow » Photo: Glassworks Architectural Glass

In the Spring of 2010, Luxe Magazine featured downtown’s Escala building in Downtown Seattle and highlighted the work of five interior designers within the spaces. Bilinear consulted with Jeffrey Lamb of J Lamb Studio; shown here is a triptych and artwork positioned inside the wall and a sleek, minimalist bar.

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For another condo in the Luxe spread, Bilinear selected a piece titled “In the Dream” by a Korean artist for the ceiling of the master bedroom. A portion of the graphic design was blurred to create a triptych which softened the attached master bath and created a unity between the two rooms. In order to activate the color palette and shapes, Kelly commissioned custom-made light boxes for the bathroom.

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Using whale vertebrae and rib found on shore off the coast of Alaska, native Eskimo artists carved the sculpture here, positioned next to floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Seattle skyline. “The juxtaposition of the city and whale’s architecture signifies the beauty of the Pacific Northwest,” states Kelly.

View Slideshow » Photo: Malcolm Smith Photography

Acting as part of a consulting member of Columbia Tower Club’s arts committee, Kelly organized an exhibition in order to create an opportunity for Seattle’s galleries, curators, and art enthusiasts to gather. The participating galleries in the resulting “Sky Tour” were R E Welch, Cullom, and Woodside/Braseth. The exhibition featured artwork from the first SAM curator, 1800s Japanese woodblock prints, and contemporary European oil paintings.

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In 2009, Bilinear created an exhibition called “Innovative Design: Seattle Architects for the Port of Seattle.” Twelve of Seattle’s top architecture firms were showcased in display cases throughout Sea-Tac International Airport. Some of the firms included: Olsen Kundig, Miller|Hull, Weber Thompson, Sclater, LMN, Ankrom Moisan, Hinthorne Mott, and VIA. Pictured is Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership’s proposed 5th and Columbia building.

I’ve always wanted to explode that whole take-your-daughter-to-work-day thing out a little further. Once a year, we ought to get a free pass to bring and/or tag along with friends, sig others, moms, dads, neighbors, siblings, former college roommates, and yes style counselors and check out each other’s work world.

Until such time as International Here’s What Your Friend Does at Her Office All Day Day, you’ve at least got the chance to see some of the art consultation projects completed by Style Counselor Krista Kelly;. (You’re on your own if you want to actually get inside her office at the old Rainier bottling plant.)

“I find I am excavating and interpreting my client’s style,” Kelly told me when I asked if stylish people live in stylish environments, and vice versa. “Most people have opinions on their taste and just want to be informed about their options.”

To see how that’s worked out in a number of Seattle homes, offices, and public places, take a stroll through the slideshow here.

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Tags: Visual Art, butch blum, Style Counsel, Home Decor

Style News: Capitol Hill

Date announced for Built for Man space, and you’re invited to a conversation at Vermillion.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Feb 07, 2011 at 08:20AM 0 Comments

Photo: Ryan McVay for Seattle Met

You’re invited to talk to the Frye’s Robin Held (pictured), editor Laura Cassidy, and others from the community at a February 15 conversation (don’t call it a panel) about style at Vermillion on Capitol Hill.

The Built for Man Open Space art gallery and showroom that we talked about a few weeks ago is officially on the calender. The Push/Pull exhibit opens on Thursday February 17 and you’re invited. The new space is located at 509 13th Ave, Seattle, 98122.

You’re also invited to Vermillion on Tuesday February 15 at 7 for a conversation about style. The get-together—please don’t call it a panel, or expect it to be one—was curated by John Boylan and is part of a series of talks that include artists, professionals, and other familiar faces. But more importantly, the conversations include you. Boylan is intent on making these things interactive in the good, old-fashioned sense of the word.

Here’s what Boylan has to say about the topic, ‘This time we’ll be talking about style, how we create and re-create ourselves as individuals, as presences in the crowd. And how we make our mark on the world around us, whether through art or in the simple everyday.’

Among the guests invited to start but not monopolize the February 15 discussion is yours truly. Also in the mix are two folks I’ve included in Style Counsel: Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes and Robin Held. Joining us are the incomparable Adria Garcia from Indian Summer (who was actually featured on Style Counsel so long ago that her page isn’t even digitally archived) and the artist Kelly Lyles.

Admission is free. Please come if you’ve got something to say.

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Tags: Capitol Hill, Style Counsel, Seattle Style Blog, Built for Man, Fashion

Slideshow: Punctuation by Tarboo

Small-batch men’s shirting, made in Seattle, built to last.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Dec 09, 2010 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

Photo: This image courtesy Punctuation

Slideshow: Inside Punctuation’s shop-in-shop with Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes and Matt Noren

View Slideshow » Photo: This image courtesy Punctuation

Slideshow: Inside Punctuation’s shop-in-shop with Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes and Matt Noren

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Punctuation by Tarboo shirts are cut and sewn in classic silhouettes, in classic plaids and solids. You’ll find small, smart, subtle details — bias fabric line the cuffs, a light silvery blue thread joins red wool and gray cotton — and lean, modern cuts, but there’s absolutely nothing fussy or overwrought about Noren’s design or his execution. Which is exactly why your grandson will be wearing your shirts when you’re done with them.

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Referencing a less common design, and the Northwest’s off-the-land past, the cotton-and-wool hunting shirt presents a collar-less, elbow-patched option.

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Noren, who is trained as a fine artist and printmaker and has explored garment sourcing, engineering, and fabrication, is teaching Alley-Barnes the process of putting together a garment from start to finish, by hand. Noren himself learned the trade by spending late nights in a small apparel factory in New York.

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Until recently, Noren was doing bespoke tailoring and construction, and while it’s still possible to have shirts and other objects custom made via Punctuation, the emphasis is on making use of the small portfolio of designs, the modern set of sizes, and the available fabrics.

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The custom element is strong, regardless; Alley-Barnes and Noren like being able to offer things like vintage buttons. This underscores the personal, life-long nature of the shirts.

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I love that “Seattle” gets biggest billing on the Punctuation by Tarboo label. The sense of place is integral to what’s on offer at the shop.

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When it comes to the vintage items on offer, preference is shown to those garments that are originally from the Northwest. There are perfectly aged Mackinaw jackets by Filson and coats from Littler, a now-gone Seattle shop for gentlemen.

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Whether the rest of the winter in one of Punctuation’s vintage varsity jackets.

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Not all the items at Punctuation are Northwest-made however — nor are they all for men. How could they resist bringing in this woman’s I Magnin fur baseball jacket, or …

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these Gucci sneakers?

If you’re under 40 and have never lived in some attic apartment on Saville Row — or in a luxe townhouse nearby — or traveled to Vietnam with an expressed goal of having your favorite suit knocked off in cream linen, you’ve probably never put on a custom-made shirt. Chances are decent, actually, that you’ve never slipped into a piece-by-piece, handmade shirt at all. It’s just not how we live anymore. Or, I should say, it hasn’t been how we’ve lived lately.

At Punctuation, Style Counselor Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes and local designer Matt Noren of Tarboo are changing that. The tag on their relaunched website reads, “Northwest Fashion: Not an oxymoron.”

The Capitol Hill mixed-use gallery space just launched a pocket-sized shop-in-shop in the westernmost corner of their storefront that takes objects that have stood the test of fifty years or so and puts them alongside small batch shirts that are built to be around for another half century or more.

Alley-Barnes and Noren, who have been friends since attending the Northwest School together some years ago, (edited: the two met at Punctuation) make about a shirt a day (actually, two or three a day). The images in this slideshow get you close enough to see the careful corners and rich materials, but you need to hold one in your hand to gauge the impeccable construction, ultra-clean lines, and subtle (very subtle) details. One thing you won’t see: The extremely reasonable price tag. Tarboo shirts are about a hundred dollars. Both men want their friends and community to be able wear these shirts, and the price points reflect that.

Watch the slideshow here to learn more about the shop and preview the new and old apparel you’ll find there this weekend, Saturday and Sunday December 11 & 12, when Punctuation stays open from 12 to 8 and offers sale prices during the Pike and Pine Holiday Shopping Weekend.

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Tags: Locally Made, Capitol Hill, Seattle Style, Style Counsel, Locally Designed, Seattle Menswear

Trunk Show: Betsey Johnson + Butter London + Nordstrom

Go see the iconic American designer take over the second floor of Nordstrom with her friend Nonie Creme on Wednesday, October 13.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Oct 08, 2010 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

Where: Downtown Nordstrom

What: Forty years ago she helped create the miniskirt-and-jumpsuit groundswell that iconic editor Diana Vreeland called youthquake. Betsey Johnson is still sending cutout rompers and maxi-minis down the runway today. The influential and offbeat (understatement, understatement) American designer and her team will basically take over the entire trend-obsessed Sassy department on the second floor at the flagship Nordstrom with the brand’s new-to-them line of ready-to-wear as well as lingerie, jewelry, swimwear, and more.

When: Wednesday, October 13 from 6pm to 7pm

And what else: Nonie Creme, Butter London creative director and Seattle’s favorite fashion week correspondent, has become buddies with Ms. Johnson in the backstage trenches of the last few fashion weeks, so the nail lacquer queen will also be on hand (Get it? On hand?) with her polishes, which are also new to Nordstrom. If you’ve seen me lately you know I’m now never without my new favorite BL shade, Bumster. I’m kind of over super dark nails at the moment, and the mustardy yellow is the perfect fall neutral.

Here’s La Creme talking about getting artsy fartsy – and working her little bumster off to custom-make “rocking rainbow racing stripes” for Betsey Johnson’s recent spring/summer 2011 show.

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Tags: Style Counsel, Butter London, Seattle Trunk Show

Off Off Broadway

A tour of Style Counselor Mark Mitchell’s Cap Hill studio.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Sep 30, 2010 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

Say you’re a burlesque entertainer. A lounge act with a five-piece band. A cross-dressing punk-rock torch singer. A bride with a very different or at least dramatic idea about what it means to walk down the aisle in style. Say you’ve got a black-tie date. Or an engagement at the Grand Old Opry. Say you want to learn to make a quilt. Perhaps you just crave the warmth and enduring old-manness of a well-made plaid wool shirt. You really should meet Style Counselor Mark Mitchell. He’s not the only guy in town who can painstakingly design, cut, fit, and sew you into exactly what you want to wear, but he’s probably the most fun.

In this video we tour Mark’s workshop and take a look at a few key pieces; you can find out more about what Mark does on his site, itsmarkmitchell.com.

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Tags: Locally Made, Style Counsel, Heritage Brands, Locally Designed

Color Theory #2

Butch Blum’s Kay Smith-Blum gives a simple answer to a big question.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Sep 17, 2010 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

Slideshow: Go with the gray (and blue/gray, and charcoal, and soft cloud-colored hues) at Butch Blum. Pictured here: Blugirl top; $495, and Alberta Ferretti skirt; $695

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Slideshow: Go with the gray (and blue/gray, and charcoal, and soft cloud-colored hues) at Butch Blum. Pictured here: Blugirl top; $495, and Alberta Ferretti skirt; $695

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Faliero Sarti scarf; $385

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Moschino Cheap and Chic knit dress; $675

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Boglioli knit shirt: $395, Coppley pant; $295, and Timberland Boot Company shoe; $255

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Armani Jeans bag; $235

Fall might be the season when color comes most into play. It’s that whole fall colors thing – we just can’t resist evoking those earth and jewel tones.

But when I went to former Style Counselor Kay Smith-Blum for her take on the color(s) that would ease us out of this season and into the next, she was pretty succinct in her reply.

“Gray is the new black,” the Butch Blum co-owner said.

Fair enough. Where our first Color Theorist waxed long and green on the palette of his mid-summer obsession, Smith-Blum supplied us with this slideshow on current Butch Blum pieces that put a great spin on the idea of a gray day.

What colors are you feeling for fall?

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Tags: Style Counsel, Seattle Menswear

Trending: The Return of the Perm

Lisa Rowell from Sassoon Salon brings frizzy back

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Jul 29, 2010 at 10:00AM 1 Comments

Photo: style.com

Slideshow: The perms have returned, as this recent Prada campaign proves

View Slideshow » Photo: style.com

Slideshow: The perms have returned, as this recent Prada campaign proves

View Slideshow » Photo: Style.com

Says Lisa Rowell, “The Louis Vuitton spring 2010 show definitely inspired my own afro. It was refreshing to see the hair play such a big role, and I loved that all the models were wearing different hair colors.”

View Slideshow » Photo: Style.com

Another big hair look from Marc Jacobs’ Louis Vuitton S/S 2010 runway

View Slideshow » Photo: style.com

An Afro’ed look from the Commes des Garcons spring runway

View Slideshow » Photo: Sassoon

Make no mistake though; the official Sassoon fall/winter look is something altogether different. Of this brand new, just-released image from the global chain’s upcoming collection, Lisa Rowell of Sassoon’s Fifth Ave Seattle shop says, “I love a long, bold fringe on a short cut. This look will be terrific for giving clients texture and versatility, which is perfect for a new fall style.”

View Slideshow » Photo: Sassoon

Again, from Sassoon’s fall/winter collection. Says Rowell, “For our clients who like to keep their hair longer, this is a great option that keeps the look modern by featuring a strong fringe that frames the face. It shows clients they can get a gorgeous cut and shape without having to take off a lot of length.”

View Slideshow » Photo: Sassoon

“The sleek, straight texture of this model’s hair works perfectly with the cut. The haircut enhances texture and this particular bob provides a lot of styling options,” says Rowell of this Sassoon fall/winter look.

Have you noticed them around town? Around the world? On your favorite style sites? Or maybe just in these pages? There was the fashionable frame-wearer in this piece about where to shop for eyeglasses, and there is Lisa Rowell, dispensing knowledge on her easy-going personal style and telling you where to get the best Gin Fiz — and the best new world frizz.

Rowell, the creative director at Sassoon Salon downtown, says it was last season’s Louis Vuitton and Prada looks that lit her Afro fire. If you missed those, they’re assembled here in a slideshow.

Now, before you get a chance to say it, I’ll mention it for you. There’s a certain hop, skip, and jump from those giant, ungainly runway ‘fros to our friend Lisa’s adorable but still very (let’s use an industry term) editorial ‘do. Stylish people always know how to interpret the seemingly unwearable. You might shake your head at Marc Jacobs’ LV looks and say “Never,” and you might even sigh at Rowell’s asymmetrically carved, tightly bundled locks and think, “Not that either,” but I bet that as we ride August and September out you’ll see more texture, more fuzz, and more frizz. Little bits of it here and there, and soft, subtle interpretations of the basic idea. And it won’t just be the heat, and it won’t just be our marine air.

If by fall you’re ready for something smooth and straight, what luck. Click through the slides here and get a sneak peek at Sassoon’s cool-to-cold weather collection. Rowell and her team were kind enough to share the images with us; they’re so brand new that you’re among the very first to see them.

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Tags: Style Counsel, Health and Beauty

Color Theory #1

New blog series gets Style Counselors talking color trends

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Jul 26, 2010 at 01:00PM 0 Comments

Slideshow: Avocado and Aqua, because “neighboring hues are good partners”

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Slideshow: Avocado and Aqua, because “neighboring hues are good partners”

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These images are from Better Homes and Garden … circa before you were born

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Cepress says, “Color relationship is a powerful tool that we should all explore.”

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A vintage Mikasa set in a similar colorway

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Cepress’s reversible avocado and aqua vests are for sale at Velouria on the Hill

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Cepress’s pieces are always impeccable; they feel artisan-made in the best way

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Cepress’s workroom, where color theories get put to the test

Color Theory #1 asks local menswear designer Michael Cepress to tell us what shades and hues he’s currently obsessed with. And, as is often the case here, it’s all about the slideshow. To hear from more Seattle Met Style Counsel subjects, stay tuned.

Michael Cepress: While any number of things inspire me and the work I create, one of the most critical and essential components is indeed color. In our lives today a host of elements can collide in an aesthetic experience – cultural references, patterns, textures, histories, traditions…and this is very much the case in my work as a designer. Every garment I design comes to reference a heap of different times and places (in my own mind as designer, at least!) and in the end it is COLOR that ties the entire experience together. While attitudes and styling and combinations change, it is often color that we rely on to help make an entire look “make sense.”

One particular color experience I have been obsessing over lately is the pairing of turquoise and olive…or as the interior design trend forecasters of the 1960s called it: “Aqua and Avocado”. In smarty-pants art school lingo we’d label this an analagous color scheme, as the chosen colors sit beside one another on the color wheel. True colorists would use an even more complex description, but I won’t go there! Upon chatting up my artist friend Emily Pothast about this subject, I came to learn that she has not only been featured on this style blog….but was also wearing the very color scheme I’m focusing on today! Serendipity!

This particular pairing is a good one, and one that has been on my mind for years. I remembered – and revisited – a copy of a 1960 issue of Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Ideas (see the slideshow for more) that featured a host of glorious interiors from the period that favored this very scheme. In my personal life I live with this scheme by way of our bathroom towels (a gift from my dear friend and Seattle composer Byron Au Yong) as well as a wonderful set of Mikasa brand dishes in which I prepare my morning coffee.

I’ve gathered these little moments of inspiration and poured them into one particular fabric that continues to inspire me and is featured in some of my newest spring designs. The plaid fabric I speak of blends the handsome aqua and avocado scheme into a range of blacks and greys that make the fabric even more suited to the wardrobe of most any man. We all know guys have closets full of blue, black, and grey, so why not bring in an exciting accent?

A new series of vests made of the fabric are now on the racks at Velouria here on Capitol Hill, the hub for MC ready to wear. And these particular vests offer some “two-for-one” appeal as they are entirely reversible. One side features the plaid I love so much; the other side showcases a solid color in your choice of olive, navy or black, backed with a very fun and sophisticated black and grey stripe. These price at $118 and they’re available right now!

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Tags: Locally Made, Style Counsel, Locally Designed, Seattle Menswear, Color Theory