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?

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The Perfect Summer Pizza

As I glance up at the title, I'm reminded that summer is packing up, rubbing it's tired eyes, and getting ready for a long, long nap. It's almost Fall which means in San Francisco, it's almost summer here. We've endured the foggy, 50 degree days and nights for all of July and August and finally, some sun! Our Indian Summer has arrived.

And to all my loved ones on the East Coast or wherever you may be, think of this pizza as a toast to Summer as you give her a "sleep tight" nod and greet Fall with a big hug for an old friend.

The reason I really like this pizza is that it has no cheese which for a lactose intolerant gal like me, makes my tummy extremely happy. On top of that, it's topped (pun intended) with fresh, delicious and healthy Ratatouille.



photo source: http://www.cafejohnsonia.com/

Alright, alright. There is one more pretty brilliant thing about this pizza. It's gluten free. I know, I know...I'll say it again for those of us in disbelief. Deliciously. Gluten. Free. And the good news continues...you can absolutely make this non-gluten free. Pizza for everyone!

Making pizzas always reminds me of my Grandma who I used to make sausage pizza with when I was younger. Now, Bri and I have date nights where we pull whatever we have in the fridge and dump it on our pizza like goat cheese (tummy approved), black berries, arugula...and the list goes on.

Oh but that, my friends, is a whole other blog post.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

A Jumper and a Circa '67 Baby Blue Beatle

This baby blue Volkswagen Beatle has been parked down the street from us for quite some time now. It makes me nostalgic and reminds me of college when Brian had a baby blue Beatle and I would hold on to the back fender (for dear life) as he pulled me on my long board (sorry, Mom!).

So today, we decided to cease the opportunity and pose with the beaut. I've got to admit, these are some of my favorite photos.

This snazzy little jumper I'm wearing was something I picked up a few weeks ago in a boutique in Sausalito. There's a funny story behind it, as there is with all great finds: I bought it and then went and laid in the grass with my man on the beautiful, sunny day and my poor little jumper ran off with the spoon (or maybe the fork...). It wasn't until we got back to the car that I realized the bag must've blown away. Still, I loved how playful and different it was so I went back and bought it again. It was definitely worth it. And this time, she decided to stay.


Flowers just make everything prettier. 






Goodbye, Beatle! We'll be back! xx
Photos by: Brian Loftus

shirt: Urban Outfitters (old):: jumper: Sans Souci:: heels: Michael Kors:: bag: Tory Burch (old):: earrings: Stella & Dot:: leather jacket: Lucky Brand

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Better Than Sex Cake

Don't let the title throw you off.... it may just be true.

Caramel, cool whip, Devil's Food Cake...I mean *come on*! That sounds just about better than anything to me. I'm easily amused.


photo source: Brown Eyed Baker

Yield: 10-12 Servings
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes


Ingredients:
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping
8 ounces Cool Whip
½-1 cup Heath toffee bits

Directions:
1. Bake the cake according to the directions on the box.
2. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately poke holes all over the top using either the bottom of a wooden spoon, a skewer or a fork.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce, then slowly drizzle the mixture all over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Spread the Cool Whip over the top of the cake, top with the Heath toffee bits and refrigerate again for 1 hour. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

With the heath bar crumbles on top of the cool whip topping, it will put you over the top. Just like something else I know... dig in!

PS: You can thank Brown Eyed Baker for this delicious recipe...and any innuendos. Okay, okay, the innuendos are all mine. I take full responsibility.