Fall-friendly leftover trends

If I were to sum up the major trends I’ve indulged in this past summer, I’d say they would be ombre, hi-low tops/frocks/dresses, Aztec prints and vintage leather. I always go back to past shops on Etsy to see what else these awesome designers have come up with. Take Brooke Fung’s Peeko Apparel, she’s listed some new duds for the fall season. I really like how she took the ombré to a wine shade and gave the hi-low top some shape with extra frills on the side.

As you can see from my previous posts, leather is a good investment. At Pascal Vintage, these rough, classic boots caught my attention and I’ve had them in my favorites list ever since. They’re a bit pricey for me, but that’s what’s expected of vintage clothing and accessories. You get that worn out feel.

Lastly, I saved these in my faves list just because they’re fun and colorful. I’ve been wearing a lot of black and grey lately for work so I figured that these would work well to break up the boring neutrals on Mondays. They’re pretty cute and made from real leather (according to the designer).

You can find more of these leather earrings and other goods by Tovi Sorga on Etsy.

 

 

 

Calamari Studio

I stumbled upon Michelle Tavares’ Etsy shop Calamari Studio today. I’m in completely in love with her dreamlike circular prints. Tavares is a freelance illustrator based in Augusta, GA and features DIY projects and her inspirations on her blog. I love her idea of transforming heavily filtered photos into motivational (and inspirational) prints; they’re pretty creative yet simple with textured backgrounds. I’m thinking of creating something similar, but maybe with island-centric photos. We’ll see if I can find some time between work and sleep.

 

Mara Hoffman

I’m so damn inspired by this badass New York designer Mara Hoffman. She’s known for her bohemian silhouettes and her tribal patterns. It really is unlike any of that neon-vomit “indian” fringe tops that you see by Charlotte Russe or Forever21. Don’t ask me why this cluster explosion of tribal-esque, Aztec print, neon-rainbow crap is occurring in our world today. Has the world gone mad? Are we still exploiting the indigenous tribes and making their original garments “cool?” Who knows. Maybe. But Mara Hoffman takes this concept and transforms it into a deeper, cleaner collection. Aside from the ridiculous prices (hey, the girl’s gotta make $$ and I understand), I like to think Hoffman and I share the same hippie glam god-mom…except this chick is better at bringing her inspirations to life.

Her work is exotic and colorful. Scrolling through her blog is like scrolling pages of her dreams – the content is just insanely beautiful and twisted. This second photo was an invite to her fashion show last year.

I had to post this last photo of her recent collection. They somehow remind me of one of my favorite artists, Frida Kahlo, with the buns and the excessive neckline details.

>>> All images courtesy of MaraHoffman.com.

Some days you just want something pretty…

I love things that are pink, colorful and complicated. These prints I’ve found by Portland illustrator and painter Yellena James caught my eye recently. James describes her style as colorful, organic and tangled with a splash of sci-fi. She says each print carries its own emotion.

James not only sets up shop at Etsy, but has been all around the world showcasing her work in art galleries, does illustration work for big name companies such as Anthropologie, Nike and K2 Snowboards. Her work has also appeared in many art and design publications such as Vogue Austrailia and Design Sponge. More info at her official website.