Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Where is My Mind?

It's really hard to take a good thing and re-imagine it into something better. Rarely are adaptations better than (or even as good as) the original. Take Hitchcock's Psycho. The original? Mysterious and engaging. The 1998 remake? Weird. And not in a good way, because as I'm sure Gus Van Sant discovered to his dismay, it's hard to mold Vince Vaughn into anything other than just another buddy movie stereotype.

Our culture is ripe with examples of good things that have been revamped badly. Today though, my friends, I give you a wonderful remake. Actually, two wonderful remakes. Both are of The Pixies' Where Is My Mind, arguably one of the best songs of our generation. The first is a lovely, soulful adaptation by Sunday Girl. The second? Well, you'll see. One will get your eyes welling and the other will have you smiling from ear to ear. Enjoy!


Thursday, December 15, 2011

Preview: Susie and Velma Ribbon Corsets

I've been hard at work putting together some last-minute ribbon corsets for Firehouse 8's Holiday Fundraising Bazaar. Check out Susie and Velma! Both are made from velvet: Susie from a classic black and pink stripe, and Velma boasts a trendy rainbow embroidered tribal motif.

Susie Ribbon Corset

Velma Ribbon Corset

Both beauties will be up in the Honey Cooler Handmade shop tomorrow.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Honey Cooler Handmade at Firehouse 8's Holiday Bazaar Fundraiser on Sunday December 18th!

That's right, kittens. One more sales event before I fly away for the holidays!

So just in case you didn't score the pretty HCH bits you'd been hoping for, there's still a chance to snap them up in person. And you can feel even better about shopping because this event's for a good cause! The historic Firehouse 8 is in the process of being renovated and remade into a space for artists to converge and share their talents, and a portion of the proceeds made from the event will go towards that renovation.


Come on by to shop and nosh your little hearts out. Entrance is free! I'll be selling on Sunday the 18th from 10am - 8pm. The firehouse is located at 1648 Pacific Avenue between Van Ness and Polk. Check out more details about the sale here.

Fashion Love Affair: Thakoon Embroidered Long Sleeve Top

I usually reserve my fashion love affairs for pieces I wouldn't wear on a daily basis, but I'm making an exception for this lovely piece from Thakoon's Resort 2012 collection.



The angular embroidery motifs remind me of the Ukrainian blouses I grew up wearing. What's great about this piece is that it can pair with anything... which is definitely a good thing considering the $990 price tag. More bang for your buck, I always say.

Check out this piece and others from the collection over at ShopBop. And get ready to practice some serious restraint.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

A Pretty Personal Project

I'm really lucky to live right near the Concourse Exhibition Center in San Francisco because when the Art Deco shows come around, it's a nice, short, 20-minute walk to my idea of heaven.

Deco The Halls was this weekend and I took an hour or so on my sunny Sunday to peruse the amazing selection of vintage clothing and furniture. It shouldn't come as a surprise that I latched mostly onto the clothing, and came out with this lovely (and shockingly inexpensive) Edwardian petticoat remnant.


I'd originally thought to make this into one of my Souvenir Tops, but then I realized it's been awhile since I sewed something up for yours truly. So this one's mine!


This piece is in superb condition (including the meticulous ribbonwork flowers), but the whole shebang is missing a waistband. It would make a gorgeous skirt, but even better? A dress! It's certainly long enough and with a simple lace yoke, it could make for one uber-feminine layering piece. I'm really excited to get started on this one, and even more excited to wear the finished product.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Rubie Makes Her Stage Debut

For those of you unfamiliar with San Francisco's drag scene, let me lay it out for you: this city takes its drag culture very seriously! There are tons of drag queens here, and each of them is awesome in her own way. Singing, lipsynching, dancing and general fabulosity aside, SF's drag queens are known to be incredibly creative and talented dressers. It's been a secret dream of mine to outfit the goddesses of SF drag in all manner of frills, sequins and other pretty stuff. So I was uber excited when a Facebook friend and drag show champion sent me this photo of Tara Wrist (haha!) wearing my Rubie Bow Belt on stage at The Castro's EdgeSF.

Check it out!

Photo: Paris LaQuinta

This photo absolutely made my day!