5 Tips for Shopping Smarter in 2010

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

With the holidays behind us, the portion of our brains that controls the urge to shop has shifted ever-so-slightly from its focus on gifts to focus on the slew of post-holiday sales that inundate shoppers with deals each January. But while we’re all for good deals, cluttering up our closets with items we’ll only end up ignoring is never, ever on our lists.

For tips on how we can shop smarter this year, we spoke with San Francisco stylist and image consultant Rachel Fauman. A former visual merchandiser and buyer for companies such as Gap and Nordstrom, the 28-year-old Pacific Heights resident has been helping Bay Area men and women make the most of their own personal style through her company EPIC for the last four years. Along with offering image consultations and personal shopping services, Fauman guides clients through one-on-one and group shopping trips, closet clean-outs and shop-your-wardrobe sessions.

When we caught up with Fauman recently, she gave us five simple tips she often uses on shopping trips with her clients. We’ll be keeping these in mind when we hit the sales.

1. Be willing to try on new things.

You’ll never find out whether it’s right for you unless you try it on.

2. Ladies: embrace skinny jeans, even if you’ve never done it before.

Think you can’t wear them? Fauman says, think again:

“For women, there’s kind if this idea that only super skinny women can wear skinny jeans. Really, they look great on anyone. They’re comfortable, and they’re totally sexy and they look great on curves.”

3. Gentlemen: mix colors and patterns in the same outfit.

“One of my favorite things to do for men is to have them be in, say, a purple and white stripe button down and then pair that with a plaid blazer for going out at night. Don’t be afraid to mix your patterns and don’t be afraid to use color,” Fauman advises.

4. Only buy it if you love it.

Before buying, ask yourself just how much you’re in love with the item at hand.

Fauman’s buying barometer: “If you don’t want to wake up tomorrow morning and put that item on and wear it, it’s probably something to consider not purchasing.”

5. Know what you’ll wear it with.

Before charging up a storm, ponder how well your potential purchase will mesh with items you already own.

“If you can immediately think of something in your wardrobe that it goes with, then that can be a sign that it’s a piece that’s really going to work,” she says.

Looking for stores to start off your next shopping adventure? Among Fauman’s favorites:

Elizabeth Charles, Candystore Collective, Eden and Eden, Jeremy’s, Loehman’s (“it’s a great place to get an $800 women’s blazer for $300) and Bloomingdale’s for the best sales.

Want more? Check out Fauman’s latest finds and style advice on her blog.

(3 Comments)

Idol Moments: Meet Heathen Collective (+Blamo)

We’re all for civility, but we’ve been known to wander outside those bounds when the time is right (like certain sample sales and the *very* occasional fit of road rage on Van Ness).

Another, gentler way to venture into Heathen territory? The local label bearing that name from San Francisco designers Spencer Hansen and Shayne Maratea.

The leather jackets, hats and apparel for men and women from the current collection ($8-$850) display devil-may-care cool alongside an air sleek, urban sophistication. While work on their web site is underway, the folks at Heathen were kind enough to share some images from their latest lookbook and answer a few of our most burning questions. Read on for more on this local label…

Who is Heathen?

Heathen is an independent San Francisco-based designer clothing company that offers the world men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, hats, jewelry and a series of toys under its own label, BLAMO. Partners Spencer Hansen and Shayne Maratea and an entourage of many talented folks, including Cortlan Robertson and big sister Heather Hansen, presently constitute the company.

What’s the driving idea or inspiration behind the label?

The idea for the company was birthed by Spencer Hansen in rural Idaho over a decade ago. With a continuous flow of influence from photography, painting, movement, street culture, the music industry and world travel, Heathen has established itself as an ever-evolving innovative and imaginative company. The company’s designs are visually stimulating and often recognized for their clean subtle details and functional attributes. Heathen presents a collection for a population that desires timeless fashion through inimitable non-mass-produced garments.

How did Heathen come to be? How has the labeled changed over time?

The company began with hand-made one-of-a-kind garments but was primarily recognized for its hats. After years of custom work, the desire to expand in both medium and distribution led us to explore production opportunities. We began producing clothes in 2006 and since have grown from handmaking individual pieces to producing an entire collection. We’ve been able to maintain detail and quality by self-producing and distributing all our goods and staying true to the concepts the company was founded on.

Tell us about BLAMO, the Heathen toy line.

BLAMO toys are a branch of Heathen that emphasize the humorous, other-worldly side of the company’s imagination. BLAMO started with a few toys that charmed their way into people’s lives. Spencer’s toys are sculptural collectibles made from an assortment of materials, including metal, wood, bottle caps, glass and resin that offer the world an alternative to vinyl. In October, with the help of toy collector and creator Mikie Graham, we gave the toys a home of their own and created a BLAMO web site. The BLAMO family now consists of over 10 of Spencer’s designs, from custom one-of-a-kind to limited editions to unlimited runs with new toys emerging monthly. Guest artists also contribute to BLAMO and were recently featured in a self-produced art show.

Want to have a Heathen adventure of your own? You’ll find the label locally at Five and Diamond, Shotwell and shopping events such as Indie Mart and Union Design.

More local designers…

[Photography by Spencer Hansen and Aeschleah DeMartino]

(None yet)

Bayne of Our Existence: A Chat with Zana

Fashion blogger, stylist and designer Zana Bayne of Garbage Dress brings her latest accessories to her native San Francisco tomorrow night for a trunk show – the 21-year-old designer’s first ever – at Shotwell in Union Square. Leather harnesses like the one seen here on Bayne will be among the edgy items up for grabs.

We caught up with Bayne for a quick chat about New York fashion, the intrigue of a good harness and her love of the color black.

So you used to hail from SF, and now you live in Brooklyn, right? What do you love about your new city, in terms of fashion? What do you miss about San Francisco fashion?

I’m completely smitten with New York. I love the energy, the business, the constant movement. I’m much more focused here. There’s better access to a wider range of designers here, so it’s always exciting to see those looks worn out on the street. At the same time, there are so many young designers here who wear their own creations and I LOVE that.

I enjoy San Francisco’s craftiness and cheap vintage. There is really nothing like shopping secondhand in California!

What kind of accessories will you be showing at Shotwell on Monday?

I will be showing leather harnesses and shoulderpieces. Expect drama, danger, mixed materials and extreme proportions!

What is it that intrigues you about the harness – what do you hope the wearer feels when he or she is donning it?

I think of the harnesses and shoulderpieces as a way to enhance a pre-owned wardrobe. I think there is something inherently sexy about wearing a leather harness as a day look, and I love adding sculptured shoulders to a bare neckline or draped dress at night! I love to see how people wear the harnesses and integrate them into their own style.

We were laughing (with you, of course) about your mention of the Real Housewives on your blog. You wrote, “We ended our night with the couch, burritos, prosecco, and the real housewives of Atlanta reunion pt2. You see, we really are human underneath all of the black drapery.” Do you find that just because you love wearing black that people often assume that you’re a dark, moody person, like off reading Satre all the time and embroiled in an existential crisis or something?

I think that the image that I project of myself in passing or online can be slightly severe. My photo face is not too smiley, although I’m constantly grinning in conversation! I think it’s important to acknowledge that I’m aware of my outward appearance, and at the same time poke fun at it. I’m a very happy person, I just love wearing black.

What projects are you working on these days?

I try to get my hands in as much as possible. I have consecutive retail jobs, my blog, harness business, collaborations, editorial styling and photography.

What really excites you in fashion right now?

Every week it’s something different. Recently, I’ve been looking into more structured silhouettes in opposition to my normal love for oversized shapes. I’m always inspired by headpieces and would love to make some.

You’ve turned 21 since your last time in SF. What joints are planning to hit up to exercise your legal status?

Oh, I don’t even know where to begin. “Death Guild” at the Glas Kat on Monday nights is always a jolly good time. You’ll probably see me at Edinburgh Castle or Hemlock Tavern. Maybe I’ll go on a proper beer crawl? Yeah, that might be nice.

(None yet)

What a Fleur*T: Colleen Mauer Trunk Show

Bat your lashes at the latest from Colleen Mauer on Thursday night during a trunk show at Inner Richmond interior and floral design destination Fleur*T. Feel free to issue come-hither looks and leave with pretty finds you’ve only just met. Rest assured, they’ll still look every bit as good in the morning.

For more on Colleen and a peek inside her San Francisco studio, check out our recent interview with her.

More fashion-y fun on the horizon in San Francisco….

(None yet)

A Chat with Colleen Mauer

With the wide-reaching appeal of her silver and gold jewelry’s textured organic forms and careful craftsmanship, it’s no surprise to us that San Francisco designer Colleen Mauer has amassed quite the local fan base since launching her company in 2005. A commitment to staying small and locally-made means you won’t find Mauer’s work in more than a handful of Bay Area boutiques, but that hasn’t stopped the 30-year-old designer from garnering attention. Voted best local designer of 2009 during the San Francisco Bay Guardian’s most recent reader’s poll and an in-house designer at Bernal Heights gallery and work space Secession Art + Design, Mauer impresses with pieces that bypass trends in favor of streamlined shapes in versatile, layered combinations.

We visited Mauer recently in her studio, where she crafts one-of-a-kind silver and gold necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets by hand. Read on for an excerpt from our conversation to learn more about her design process, her favorite way to travel and the best gift she’s ever gotten.

So what’s your daily routine like? How much do you work?

Basically, I’m here pretty religiously six days a week, and I’m like anyone else who goes to their regular job. I get up in the morning and I come here. The earlier, the better.

How early is early?

This morning, I got here at 8 a.m. I’m usually not here before 8, but I’m up at 6:30 or 7 a.m. I pretty much put in a 10 hour day everyday, but it’s not uncommon to do like a 12 or 14 hour day without even thinking about it.

We always love asking about people’s work habits, because sometimes we think there’s this misconception about how much time artists and designers have to spend working to be successful. It takes a lot of time!

It’s diligence. I mean just putting in the time and the effort I feel like is really what allows an artist to make it a career, you know, where they’re not just dabbling in different mediums and fluttering around. They’re actually thinking as an entrepreneur, like anyone else with a small business, I mean, we’re business people, too, though not by training, most of us. I mean, I have zero background in business, but it’s something you kind of learn as you go.

So in your average 10-hour day, how many pieces do you normally produce?

I do small groups of production, so say I’m having a high production day, I might do like five rings and five pairs of earrings. On a really heavy production week, like last week was insane, I made 50 pieces. I also have an apprentice that will come in and help me a little bit. I like to listen to music and kind of zone out and focus so in that 10 hours I am getting as much done as I can.

One thing that’s always struck us about your work is its consistency. You don’t launch “new collections” with themes or certain stones or anything like that. So in lieu of that, how does your work evolve? How is it different now than when you started out in 2005?

For me it’s always like layering and adding more or simplifying. Some of the designs I’ve done have take a lot of iteration.

So how do you come up with new designs? Are you constantly building on and tweaking existing pieces?

Exactly, it’s so much about iteration and evolution. I think my first earring made out of metal was like a simple hoop. And then these organic shapes actually happen. Literally, I was working with metal one day, making the perfect circle and while the piece was still soft – after you heat it, before you hammer it, it’s actually really soft – I dropped it on the ground. The way it bent was so beautiful and perfect and organic, so things like that will happen.

What’s the process like for creating each piece?

I start with wire, so each piece, every component of each piece is cut, is filed, and then it’s prepared for the heat. After that I use the torch to essentially solder or fuse the metal, and then you have to do the whole finishing phase, which requires putting things in the tumbler and getting all the fire scale off the object and making it really beautiful and shiny.

Continue reading the interview with Colleen….

Read more…

(None yet)