Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine's Day!!

To all my loves:

Friends. Family. Bri. Oolong Tea. Chocolate. Pizza. Bubble Baths. Dahlias. The Fashion Industry. San Francisco. 

Thank you all for showing me unconditional love. You've never let me down (shout out to you, bubble bath!) and for that I am forever grateful. I hope you all know how loved you are today and that I'm giving you kisses through the screen!

Speaking of kisses, I'm beyond excited to welcome you to the new Wendy Darling shirt! Made out of tri-blend (think a magical mix of cotton, polyester and rayon...it feels like desire), it's the perfect shirt for a fun going out look or simply to throw on with jeans and a blazer. 

You, my dears, are darlings. Everyone of us is a darling creature and that's what this shirt is here to celebrate (that and two kisses for good luck). Enjoy and head over to the website to get yours!! 









Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Happy Feet: Welcome to the World of Luxe Legwarmers

This winter, there has been one name that keeps popping up. Whether it's read in magazines, heard about on the news, or simply muttered from person to person, this presence has stolen everybody's attention (and sanity). No, it's not Justin Beiber. It's the Polar Vortex.

The hot topic (no pun intended) of the Polar Vortex has affected everything from commuting to work to what in God's name you should wear when wandering out into it's welcoming arms. But I've come to the conclusion that the Polar Vortex is indeed good for at least one reason: it has taught us how to make warm, comfy, cozy items full of elegance, sex appeal, and glam. And this, my friends, is how the Pre-Fall 2014 trend of luxe legwarmers was born.

According to the forecasters at StyleSight, Pre-Fall 2014 will be chalk-full of gorgeous, high-quality legwarmers. We aren't talking flash dance style (although lets admit it, who can rock legwarmers better than Alex Owens??), but instead legwarmers made with fur and sewn onto leggings are taking the scene. These babies are being worn with pleated skirts, chunky sweaters, sleek and sexy LBDs, slouchy pants, full length coats, white heels, sneakers, bomber jackets...you name it.

So although I know most of my friends and family back East will happily slap me over the internet for saying this, thank you Polar Vortex for opening our eyes to just how trendy we can look in the blistering cold.

Derek Lam

Vera Wang

TSE

Urban Outfitters

Fendi

 
Derek Lam

Vionnet
 

TSE

Gelato Pique

Fendi

Mood

Fendi

Derek Lam

TSE

Photo(s) source: StyleSight
Vionnet

The one thing that would make these legwarmers shine even more is a beautiful piece from Diamondere. Kick the nasty winter weather to the side for now and buy your own piece of ice. The kind that won't melt come Spring. 

*To stay on top of the latest trends, outfit ideas, and overall fashion know-how, don't forget to head over to 39Nineteen. It's a site truly built for fashionistas of all ages and the laid-back conversation about hot designers, trending colors and new styles—along with beautiful pictures of the founders themselves—will you have you hooked. 

The even cooler part about 39Nineteen is that founders Christine Bronstein and Melanie Ralston are offering to send a blogger to Paris Fashion Week!! I once read a quote that stated, "Nothing conjures up visions of whimsy quite like the word Paris". It seems that this contest could not have come at a better time as I'm trying to build a business around the notion of whimsy in the everyday life of women. 

In order to win, I need YOUR help! On Wednesday, February 5th at 9 a.m. PST, my blog post along with my picture will be up on 39Nineteen's Facebook page. The entrant with the most votes (from all her loved ones!) will win! You can vote once a day and the contest will run until Friday, February 14th.   Along with voting, feel free to retweet any of my tweets containing the hashtag #39NineteenParisFW. I promise to bring back lots of macroons, coffee and any other amazing goodies I can get my hands on! ;) 

Thank you all, always, for your support. It means more to me than a trip to Paris. Honest. Eiffel tower, star gazing, city of lights, honest :). Xx

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The Proof is in the Pudding...

A few weeks ago, my friend informed me that our jacket was "everywhere".

"Am I dreaming?" I thought, "but we've only just begun!" 

She opened up Elle and Vogue magazine and showed me that the Wendy Darling creation was everywhere... the coat I had created months earlier was popping up in different colors, sizes and shapes but all similar and every single one as beautiful as the next. 

I was so happy to see that we're on the right track with our designs and offering them at an extremely reasonable price to boot!

It's just one more reason to take a chance this New Year....the proof is in the pudding. Er...I guess the proof is in Vogue.




 The Wendy Darling website will be up and running in a week! Which means you can run on over to www.WendyDarlingCo.com and order your coat*—you trendy woman, you.

* And because I love you all dearly, 10% off and free shipping for new customers!!

Monday, January 6, 2014

Why You Should Decide on Whimsy




2014 came quickly and with lots of promises, dreams, and aspirations. First off, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome to a brand new year, a blank canvas that you can draw, paint, dance on and here's to another year in your life that you can create and nurture into something beautiful.

This year is huge for me because I'm officially done school at FIDM, something that still feels unreal. On top of that, I'm launching the most exciting project I've been involved in to date. Welcome, my dears, to the land of Wendy Darling.

Wendy Darling began when I started learning more about producing in the U.S. It was an aspect of production and sourcing that I became extremely passionate about. It was do-able, there were tons of pros, and I could help make a difference not only in the industry, but for people working in factories. By taking my business and having it sourced and produced in the U.S., I could ensure that our workers are getting paid minimum wage, that the factories are abiding to a code of ethics, and even promote skill sets and open up jobs.

As most of you know, I've always turned toward the bohemian, ethereal and whimsical style of clothing. I love the feeling of long, soft fabric billowing as I walk or lace against my skin. I like the quirkiness of unique fabrics used or an unconventional silhouette. After a lot of research, I realized that there was a market for whimsical and ethereal designs, but something that was still refined and sophisticated. And that's when Wendy Darling came into play.

Wendy Darling (from Peter Pan) as a character has always been one of my favorite. She's a strong girl, independent, an old soul so-to-speak. She loves her brothers, loves to care for them, and she's polite and respectful to her parents. Wendy is feminine, dreamy and delicate. She tells stories of Peter Pan, she craves adventure, creativity and growth. She finds herself in Neverland and still makes time (in-between flying!) to care for the Lost Boys and tell them fairytales. And even when she thinks she isn't ready to grow up, she returns to England, not only ready for responsibility, but full of happiness. Wendy realizes that responsibility is not a burden, it's a right. She's lucky to have so many things to care about.

At Wendy Darling Co., we feel the same way. We encourage women to travel, indulge, smile, belly laugh, nurture their loved ones, read, write, ride bikes, take spontaneous adventures, get lost in a new city, wear that long, flowy dress, put on orchid colored lipstick, dance around in her apartment to her record player. We understand that in order to be at our best, women need to feed their soul and embrace their oneness.

We also have Ms. Darling's back when it comes to responsibility. The Wendy Darling Co. customer yearns to nurture. Whether it's her garden full of sunflowers or her niece, she feels fulfilled knowing that she can make a difference.  That's how we feel about producing in the U.S.. And we're lucky enough to even be able to produce in San Francisco.

I'm so thrilled to be able to announce that we're taking new orders! Our website is almost up and running, but to look at our first item being offered, look here. There will be 4 color options, including a black plaid, a solid front and back, and a damask fabric. When ordering, send me an email and I can send pictures etc to give you an idea. This jacket is amazing. There isn't a single day where I go out in it and don't recieve compliments. It's perfect to throw on over jeans and flats but it also looks extremely classy with a dress and heels. It's the best of both worlds.

In the next month or so, things will be gaining momentum. Along with a website and logo, there will be other designs added as well. Stay tuned and as always, thank you enormous amounts for all your never-ending love and support. I am so excited to share this dream with all of you.



Monday, September 30, 2013

A Love for Grunge and the First Wendy Darling Jacket

I've always had a love for grunge.

You see, flannel was my best friend growing up. Plaid, my partner in crime. I never went anywhere without a plaid shirt whether it be flannel or not. I wore Doc Martins until they fell apart and my mom had to secretly sneak into my room and throw them out before I made a scene.

I loved the feel of chunky soles mixed with a red flannel—I felt comfortable. I felt like me.

Now at the ripe age of 10-years-old, I didn't know Kurt Cobain nor did I care about trends (well, that has stayed the same). But I still find myself leaning toward a plaid shirt and something leather or ripped whenever I want to make a statement.

As I looked at these pictures today, I noticed there were a few things that I took inspiration from. Like this Stella McCartney jacket and although I was not aware in the moment, I think I must have subconsciously been channeling Bender from The Breakfast Club.

But, my favorite thing about this outfit and this post is that I could finally debut the jacket I made. I wanted to pair this jacket with something different, something bold. I wanted to show that a traditional tartan doesn't need to be dressy or at all preppy. When paired with different pieces such as an oversized shirt and chunky boots, it can give it that grunge look and altogether different expression.

So, although this jacket will be worn with everything from jeans to heels to dresses, I wanted to debut my creation with something different and bold.

I hope you had a wonderful Monday, my friends. And may we all thank Kurt Cobain for putting plaid on the map.




Gotta love boxy silhouettes. 



Photos taken by Brian Loftus

shirt: Free People; lace shorts: Forever 21; boots: Doc Martin's; wool coat: Wendy Darling



Sunday, September 1, 2013

Alameda Antique Fair

Today was an absolute magical day filled with sunburned skin, open-mouthed laughs and lots and lots of antique goodies. The first Sunday of every month, Alameda has an antique fair with 35 massive rows filled with vintage clothes, hats, postcards, chandeliers, you name it. To put it in perspective, we were there for 3 and a half hours and only got to row five...

Let's just say there were a lot of oldies but goodies.



Smiley Sirapa.







Gotta love old suitcases.






You know the magnetic words you put on your fridge and create silly sentences? Yeah, this has that beat.




The "artistic selfie" of the four of us. I have a flash for a face. 


The precious sun hat bracelet Sirapa found.

Beautiful city by the Bay.

I made away with a few perfect gems which you'll definitely be seeing in the next few blog posts and it was so nice getting to spend a day with the girls. Only 30 more days until the next antique fair...

But who's counting?