Accessories

Style Resolutions

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 09:00:00 -0800

Jodi Davis
Visual director at Barneys New York, barneys.com
If you own it, wear it. That means breaking out the high heels I’ve been saving for special occasions. You’ll see me hobbling around in Alaïa, Costume National, and those impossible Céline wedges. My feet will be very 2000s, while the rest of me will harken to good ole ’90s Marc Jacobs flannel and mohair.

Stacey Rozich
Artist and illustrator, staceyrozich.com
In 2013, I’m liberating my hair. I’ve spent years wrestling my very thick, very heavy hair into submission via blow-dryer, flatiron, or curling iron—sometimes all three! Air drying and surf spray is my new routine, with the occasional aid of a curling iron when I’m feeling saucy.

Nicole Miller
Owner and creative director at Blackbird, blackbirdballard.com
More rings! I love the scene in the Karl Lagerfeld documentary where he’s heading out of the house for the day and stacks 10 rings on each hand. Incredible. My wardrobe is all black and fairly uniform; rings add creativity and uniqueness to get me through the day. They also make me giggle.

Robert Yoder
Artist, robertyoder.net
I’ve grown increasingly tired of the Brawny Man, bear-boy style of no style and will counteract it whenever possible. More tailored shirts, more ties, a fascist haircut, and bright Adidas. I’m buying Chanel. For me.

Matt Noren
Cofounder at Tarboo, tarbooinc.com
Aqua. That specific color from a sweater of 10 years ago. More. Especially for pants. Red as well.

Esther Shin
Fashion editor at Amazon Fashion, amazon.com
One word: eclecticism—to seamlessly transition from one distinct look to the next and inspire others to venture outside their comfort zones. Yes, you can wear leather pants! I just turned 30, which means I’m allowed to feel less guilty about investment pieces.

Ria Leigh
Ceramic and textile designer and creative director at Kaleidoscope Vision, ria-leigh.com
I fully appreciate the minimalist aesthetic, but sartorially speaking I’m tired of clean lines and neutral tones. This year I’m saying adieu to all attempts at austerity and unleashing my inner maximalist. I will embrace color, freely mix prints, pile on accessories, and reapply my lipstick. Because more is more.

Sarah Butler
Fashion events and editorial coordinator at the Bellevue Collection, bellevuecollection.com
My day-to-day requires me to know the latest of the latest, and trends tend to rule my life. Often these of-the-moment gems put me in a momentary hysteria; obsessing over the color or shoe. While my heart will always skip a beat for hot-list pieces, it’s time to polish a signature style that’s effortlessly “Sarah.”

River Burke
Owner and creator at River Song, riversongjewelry.com
Every day I will wear something with ancestry, made by real hands; a souvenir, a relic, a tangible happy memory. Like one of our antique heart milagro charms, a string bracelet I found in Athens, or my grandma’s etched gold cuff.

Mark Mitchell
Designer, itsmarkmitchell.com
Since Referendum 74 has passed, I’m thinking wedding clothes. My resolution is to prevent myself walking down the aisle in a jeweled kaftan, although I can’t stop thinking about Elizabeth Taylor in her 1968 misfire Boom! Maybe a nice black suit and something huge, floral, and slightly dangerous on my head?

Ann DeOtte Kaufman
Founder and designer at Iva Jean, ivajean.com
This year I’ll err on the side of overdressed; heels, tailored dresses, silky tops, a camel coat, and statement jewelry from Hitchcock Madrona. I’d also like to keep it polished when I’m dressed down; leather leggings, cashmere sweaters, and great sneakers—I’m tempted by the Nike wedges.

Jessica Park
Designer at Ampersand As Apostrophe, ampersandasapostrophe.com
About 10 years ago I made the ultimate, life-changing style resolution: I would get rid of anything I didn’t absolutely love. Like really love. When in doubt, do without. Simplicity is key. Wear what makes you feel good.

Jill Donnelly
Co-owner of Baby and Co., babyandco.us
When I was at Paris Fashion Week buying for spring 2013, I tweeted, “Heads up tomboys, it’s time to get your girl on, cause spring 2013 is all about the dress.” My fashion resolution will be to practice what I preach and, as one who sports the tomboy style, wear more dresses.

Charlie Schuck
Photographer and owner of Object Store, hereisobject.com
I want to find pairings of existing clothes I thought might never work together. And longer thigh- to knee-length coats and boots to survive winter. Back to simple white tennis shoes and a long trench coat come spring. I’m hoping they make a trench in coral or pale yellow this year.

Linda Derschang
Owner of Oddfellows, Smith, et al., oddfellowscafe.com
Vintage clothing was a big part of my wardrobe in the ’80s. Not as much in recent years. For 2013, I’m feeling it’s time to add vintage again. I’m inspired by the ’40s right now; jackets, jewelry, and hats—especially turbans. Also more heels and dark lipstick.

Strath Shepard
Creative director at Nordstrom, Land Management, and Pacific Standard magazine, landmngmnt.com
I’m going to buy some key pieces that are classic and high quality enough to last the rest of my life—a good peacoat, some nice work boots, a few suits. I’ll probably look a little outdated at times, but that’s okay, I will be “that guy.” I’m also going to start wearing a fragrance, and using the word fragrance. Probably one of those Comme des Garçons ones that smells like a piece of wood.

Chiyo Ishikawa
Deputy director for art and curator of European painting and sculpture at SAM, seattleartmuseum.org
Morning makeup routine has been reduced to Bobbi Brown eyeliner and no mascara. C’est tout.

Izzie Klingels
Illustrator at Les Yeux d’Extase, lydex.tumblr.com
I’ll embrace triangles—now so far out that they are in again. I’ll revive UV makeup, wear tomato-red flares. Avoid the ’90s again. Reject arrows and digital galaxy prints. Endorse glow sticks, leopard print, patent leather, and anything that’s not quietly tasteful and nostalgically rustic. You say neon is over? I say never.

Published: January 2013

Slide Show: 77 Elements of a Practical and Stylish Seattle Life

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:00:00 -0700

Destination: Madrona

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:00:00 -0700

YOU MIGHT TAKE the name literally. Guesthouse (1135 34th Ave, 206-462-1351; guesthouseseattle.com), the decor studio in Madrona, would make a stylish home base ...

More...

High Rise Sublime

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 05:00:00 -0700

Neutral tones pair with the season’s brights; piled-on accessories achieve earthy extravagance. Bell-shaped sleeves, wide-brim hats, and glossy lips recall the liberated lush life.

Silk zip-front top by Marni ($500), Neiman Marcus. Alpaca and wool belted swing jacket by Tucker ($442), Les Amis. Maison Martin Margiela suede shorts ($1,465) and leather and faux-wood belt ($360), organic vegetable-dyed cotton cord necklace by Erin Considine ($226), Totokaelo. Haskell semi-precious multistone necklace ($425), Butch Blum. Vintage amazonite necklace ($28) and vintage wool hat ($22), Indian Summer. Handmade sterling silver earrings by Seattle artist Dorothy Cheng ($82), handmade glass rings by Seattle artist Armelle Bouchet O’Neill (worn throughout; $50 each), Far 4. Two thousand-square-foot LEED silver–certified penthouse at Mosler Lofts ($2,195,000), Sean Nielsen/Windermere Real Estate.

Image: Ryan McVay

Store Directory

Adventure Store
theadventureschool.com/store

Barneys New York
600 Pine St, Downtown
206-622-6300
barneys.com

Butch Blum
1408 Fifth Ave, Downtown
206-622-5760
butchblum.com

Far 4
1020 First Ave, Downtown
206-621-8831
far4.net

Hermès
11111 NE Eighth Ave, Ste 5, Bellevue
425-467-0500
hermes.com

Indian Summer
534 Summit Ave E, Capitol Hill
206-588-0717

Lamb’s Ear Shoes
617 N 35th St, Fremont
206-632-2626
lambsearshoes.com

Les Amis
3420 Evanston Ave N, Fremont
206-632-2877
lesamis-inc.com

Mario’s
1513 Sixth Ave, Downtown
206-622-6161
marios.com

Neiman Marcus
11111 NE Eighth Ave, Bellevue
425-452-3300
neimanmarcus.com

Piazza Sempione
700 110th Ave NE, Ste 170, Bellevue
425-646-4200
piazzasempione.com

Report
2042 Bellevue Square, Bellevue
425-990-1234
reportshoes.com

Sean Nielsen/Windermere Real Estate
206-909-0622
seattlepremierpenthouse.com

Totokaelo
913 Western Ave, Downtown
206-623-3582
totokaelo.com

Mother of Reinvention

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:00:00 -0800

TRACI SCHLOSSER had worked in retail pretty much all her life. But it took leaving her post as district manager for Anthropologie to discover what she was born to do. After a three-year “retirement” at home with her son, she returned to the University Village women’s store, this time in the role of personal shopper. She now spends her days helping lawyers, grad students, new moms, and wayward style-seekers of every stripe find their way with current trends.

Personal style in three words Vintage, refined, feminine.

Spring forward The ’70s aesthetic is going to be big this coming season. Lots of vibrant orange, yellow, and purple, and long skirts and wide-leg pants. I’m getting a jump start with these jeans, which I’ve actually had for several years now. The blouse is from our new winter-to-spring transition collection at the store, and the bracelet was my mom’s 40 years ago.

Soft rock and feathered hair That era had a big influence on my early ideas about style, which were a mix of Fleetwood Mac, Cher, Dorothy Hamill, and Farrah Fawcett. My mom played a big part in it all, too; way out in rural western New York she threw these very chic parties for fancy French winemakers connected to my dad’s business.

Older, better If anything I’ve tried to kick my style up a notch since becoming a mom, perhaps to prove that I’m not going to slow down.

Kids’ kicks My husband and I were shopping for Henry before he was ever conceived. Our influence is certainly evident in how Henry dresses, but he knows what he likes and he loves these vintage cowboy boots. We found them for him at the Vintage Closet in Ballard/Phinney. The owner keeps a nice little stock of children’s stuff.

Style exchange I love talking fashion with regular women, but it would be so great to chat with Chloë Sevigny, Sienna Miller, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and princess-to-be Kate Middleton.

Hot Spot: Nordstrom

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:00:00 -0800

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE toe platform. Sure, the stiletto on Jimmy Choo’s new “Halley” sandal ($1,495 at Nordstrom) measures just under six inches, but the one-and-a-quarter-inch boost means it only feels like four and a half. And since the new socks-with-sandals trend is about smart city gals in cable-knit knee-highs, not Ballardites in Birkenstocks, you can strap into spring’s sexiest looks now. Wear cashmere with (relatively) comfortable platforms on March 2 when you stand in line to say “high” to Choo founder and creative head  Tamara Mellon at the flagship Nordstrom (500 Pine St, Downtown, 206-628-2111; nordstrom.com) from 1:30 to 2:30.

The Nose Knows

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:00:00 -0800

THERE SHOULD BE a sign outside advising impulsive shoppers to just walk on by. When a young bohemian wearing knee-high boots and loads of scarves strolls into Knows Perfume (4536 California Ave, West Seattle, 206-397-3141; knowsperfume.com) looking for a new scent, Christen Cottam begins an investigative volley.

“Do you like lemon honey?” she lobs. “Try this tobacco honey.”

“Mmm, sophisticated.”

“How about horse-chestnut honey?”

“Too sweet.”

Cottam scores with mimosa and pineapple fizz, and she portions out sample vials from the couple hundred fragrances—irreverently indie, ultratraditional, French, local, and otherwise—that line her neatly ordered raw wood shelves. The shopper might savor a few exclusive and vintage bottles in the perfumery’s romantic reference library (it’s actually Cottam’s personal collection) or flip through The Secret of Chanel No. 5, but before she gets away, Cottam—a former junior high science teacher and biotech sales rep—will assign her some homework.

“Wear these on your skin for about a week, and notice: Do they get powdery? Does the scent leave after an hour?”

Cottam is just too passionate about perfume to let you buy L’Artisan’s citrus-spiked, clean notes when your soul mate scent is a rose-colored, noirish composition from Juliette Has a Gun.

If Valentine’s Day has you considering your significant other’s aromatic match, Cottam can dole out some homework for them, too. She assembles themed samples—“Best of the Boys,” “Femme Favorites,” “Knows Adores These”—to include with gift certificates. After the two of you investigate matters properly, you can come back together to claim your destiny.

Street Scene

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 10:15:00 -0800

Image: Ryan McVay

FOR TWO YEARS, photographer Adam Katz Sinding has been stopping sophisticated Seattleites and great-looking out-of-towners on our city streets and posting gorgeously moody style images to his blog, Le 21ème Arrondissement. The Tacoma native has been called Seattle’s Sartorialist, but this month we’re losing him to New York.

Personal style in three words Autonomous, artisan, anti.

Inside the look The jacket, shirts, pants, and sneakers are Rick Owens. Some of his stuff is really pretty simple, but even when it’s fleece or jersey—these are basically sweatpants—the fabrics are superhigh quality. Only you get to know how great they feel against your skin. He’s really intimate that way.

High-art high-tops There’s a concept there, but they’re basically a pair of Dunks. I like taking something that’s sort of ugly and making it look cool.

Support system With fine materials and design, you have to have really good repair and custom work. I go to John at Northwest Tailors downtown, Emerald City Shoe Repair near Benaroya, and Phillip’s Cleaners on Madison. Todd at Sassoon cuts my hair, and I consult with Leo when I’m at Blackbird.

Style work I started caring about fashion when I got a job at the downtown W while I was in college. At first I was into the really heavily branded thing—Gucci and Louis Vuitton—but I realized that that look actually requires little thought, just the money to buy it, and that doesn’t necessarily make for a personal style. Then I started working at Ian when it first opened on Capitol Hill. They were carrying Surface to Air and Maison Martin Margiela, so that broadened my spectrum and I started to see the appeal in small, lesser-known brands.

Living online I look at StyleZeitgeist, which is like a forum, and Superfuture, where people post what they’re wearing and sell cult designer stuff that’s practically brand new. I check out other street-style blogs, mostly European ones. It’s like this other scene that you can be a part of no matter where you are.

Natural History

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:00:00 -0800

Image: Charlie Schuck

Family ties  Harper Welch and Tessa Clements make themselves at home at Black Ball Line.

TESSA CLEMENTS didn’t grow up in a typical household. A taxidermic lion—up on its hind legs, arms outstretched, and not in a cuddly way—greeted guests at her family’s Greenwood home. Fashion buyers and boutique owners came over for lavish, Liberace-themed parties. And, in the era of Kurt and Courtney and Sleepless in Seattle, Clements had two fathers; her biological one was HIV-positive.

When Marc Clements passed away in 2003, Harper Welch, his partner in life and in Smash, the now-defunct but once-ubiquitous design-and-build retail and residential interiors firm, was working out the aesthetic of an ambitious vintage home furnishings store that just this month became Black Ball Line (1400 Alaskan Way, Downtown, 206-849-7953). Welch didn’t know it would be more than seven years in the making, but grief is difficult to hurry along. So is acquiring a 6,400-square-foot waterfront showroom and warehouse and filling it with highly collectible studio pottery, Northwest modernist fine art, and low-slung stretch sofas.

No, the younger Clements didn’t collaborate on any sumptuous Smash projects: the gorgeous women’s boutique Alhambra in the ’90s, Pacific Science Center’s Explore More gift shop (which beat out Niketown for the title International Store of the Year in ’98), or the “modern rustic” vacation home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for Seattle arts insiders Stan and Ingrid Savage. But Tessa grew up totally immersed in her fathers’ passions for transformative retail, and she’s spent the last six years selling luxury goods to collectors at Barneys New York downtown. As Welch amassed burl-wood coffee tables and World’s Fair–era lighting fixtures, the new partnership suggested itself.

As maybe the only person in the world who can smile as patiently as her late father would have when Welch decides to rivet giant white steel panels to the space’s 21-foot interior walls to mimic the fleet of vessels in the store’s namesake Northwest shipping line, Clements is well-poised to carry on in the family business.

HOT SPOT

What has 7,000 square feet, 16 dressing rooms, two antique Turkish looms, hundreds of antique sewing machines, and stacks of reasonably priced tough-chic motorcycle boots and drop-crotch harem pants for men, women, and four-year-olds? AllSaints Spitalfields (1511 Fifth Ave, Downtown, 206-508-0018; us.allsaints.com), the British trend-peddler whose takeover of the two-story space on Fifth and Pine suggests that you’re never too young, too masculine, too feminine, or too broke to go for the smartly slouchy, impeccably tattered, so-wrong-it’s-right military-meets-boho vibe.

Applied Art

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:00:00 -0700

WHEN THE FRYE ART MUSEUM wanted to remake its ultratraditional, 50-year-old institution into a freethinking multidisciplinary exploration, they installed Robin Held as curator. Since 2005, she’s been finessing the task with characteristically singular and nuanced style.

Personal style in three words Dripping, dragging, dark.

Abstract influences My grandmother Beryl, who always wore Chanel sets in which the lining of the jacket matched the sleeveless shell; my mother Arlene, in a pink pouf; the designer Rick Owens—we grew up in the same small California town. We never met, but I still remember the first time I tried on one of his garments.

Choosing clothing vs. choosing art I like clothes that accelerate my imagination, and I would say the same for art, film, and loved ones. I like asymmetry. I like things that are wrong in the right ways. I like garments I don’t immediately know how to wear—like the Ann Demeulemeester fur gilet that inspired me to have this red rabbit one custom made.

New exhibits I like things that can be worn 10 ways—upside down, inside out, backwards. I’m lucky because in contemporary art it’s okay, even expected, to look dramatic. I can walk through the Frye galleries with the train of my skirt trailing behind me.

Master pieces I rely on a few select people whose tastes and personalities are as strong as my own: Betty Lin at Betty Lin; Lorali Downes at Ottica for eyeglasses that make you smarter, taller, thinner, sexier; Candice Young at Salon Voda (curly-haired women: Take note!); William at the Trish McEvoy counter at Nordstrom, who, with the patience of a monk, taught all-thumbs-me to make a cat eye. Next: red eye shadow a la the Korean film Sympathy for Lady Vengeance.

Off-duty Argentine tango! I wish I had discovered it when I was five so I could’ve had a whole lifetime to explore it. In terms of style, tango makes me pay at least as much attention to my back as my front—the view from outside the tango embrace. And I get to wear all my Marlies Dekkers lingerie that’s not safe for work.

READ MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PEOPLE SHAPING SEATTLE STYLE.