About Me

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Los Angeles, CA, United States
Londoner living in the cutesy neighbourhood of Los Feliz, Los Angeles. Visual merchandising in the corporate fashion world by day, [MODERNISTA] is my creative outlet outside of my day job - my canvas to speak openly about anything and everything. So enjoy...the whimsical world of the [MODERNISTA]...

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Alley of Treasures

          This week was INSANE. Busy, I love. Hectic, not so much. I pride myself on my time management and prioritization skills, but no matter how much you plan, you can't help those last minute projects and meetings that pop up at the eleventh hour. Ah well, that's why you have to be flexible in this industry, right?
          Speaking of flexible, I was asked to interview candidates at the Company job fair today (on a precious Saturday morning, no less). It turned out to be a lot of fun and it didn't hurt to brush up on my interviewing technique. We were looking for buyers and designers. There were some "interesting" characters to say the least, but I couldn't help but feel bad when it came time to turn some of them away. But it really takes drive and determination to pull yourself out of bed on a Saturday morning and battle it out with hundreds of other applicants, so I admire all who came out today.
          After the job fair I decided to make an impromptu trip to Santee alley, also known as the LA Fashion District. It was only 5 minutes away from where I work. Comprising of cheap little shops lining both sides of Santee alley and its surrounding streets, the fashion district can be a little goldmine if you have a good eye and know what you're looking for.
          The majority of the shops sell to wholesale buyers, but are open to the public on weekends. Many of them sell to fancier boutiques on Melrose or Robertson, but at a fraction of the price. Saturdays are the best days to go, as some of the shops are closed on Sundays. If knock-offs are your thing (not mine, I have to say), you can find everything from sunglasses to DVDs of movies that are still currently in theatres...naughty naughty. And then there are the fruit stands that look so mouth-wateringingly good and the hot dog stands that smell so divine - neither of which I will ever eat from for fear of getting severe food poisoning!
          I have a few little gems - diamond-in-the-rough shops - that never fail to deliver when it comes to unique pieces of jewelry, cool shoes, bags and clothes. For less than 90 bucks I found some real treasures. Mission accomplished.

Stacked Wooden Pyramid Heel Shoes, $25



Silver & Leather Fringe Necklace, $10
Gunmetal & Gem Stretch Cuff, $8.50
Hematite-esque Watch with Red Hands, $8.50
Copper Space Age Cuff, $8


Studded Leather Ring, 10


Red-Orange iPhone case & car charger (not pictured), $14

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Prints! Prints! Prints!

          My apologies for my absence from the blogosphere of late. Between Christmas, my boyfriend's birthday, Valentine's Day, two full-on floorsets at work, friends from London coming into town (loved every minute of having them stay with me), and my two-year anniversary with Monsier Baker, I've come to the realisation there's no point waiting for the lull to happen because...there is no lull in my world!!
          So I have to tell you, I'm feeling pretty inspired right now. With the clocks going forward and the evenings staying lighter for longer, I can't help feeling renewed and excited for the summer. One thing that really makes me think of summer are PRINTS! I am obsessed with prints right now. In particular, print-on-print. Plaid-on-stripe, floral-on-gingham, floral-on-floral...the choices are endless, which makes it all the more interesting.


          There is something so brilliant and brave about print-mixing. Forget what your mum or sister taught you. Print-mixing takes all those standard rules you learned as a little girl and throws them out of the window. A fun way to shake up your closet, print-mixing is quite the art form, but beware - it can go horribly wrong if not done correctly! It is important to remember that there is always a common denominator which ties everything together. The key to pulling off this daring look is ensuring there a cohesiveness within the pieces as a whole, whether it be the color story or the theme.
          Take a gander at Proenza Schouler's Resort 2011 collection, which is phenomenal and one of my favourites. The bold colors and pairings are so appealing.






          I thought I would have fun with a bit of print-mixing myself as I got dressed to go to the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena this morning. I always like to be comfy when I am rummaging for vintage finds, so I opted for a Navajo-printed cutoff sweatshirt, multi-stripe high-waist shorts and some tan oxford shoes. Finally, I threw on a wooden cuff and some Peruvian jewelry and I was ready to go hunting for treasure! Five vintage dresses and a herringbone swing-coat later, I was one happy thrifter :)

Sweatshirt - Forever 21, Shorts - Urban Outfitters, Jewelry - vintage