Hiss and Hearse

Lots of gorgeous things to share today! One of my favorite photographers, Angela Boatwright, has updated her online portfolio. You may have seen her work for Urban Outfitters, or her amazing personal collection of portraits of metal kids. I wrote to her once, and she told me that you don’t need a photography school education to be a good photographer.

My most recent Etsy purchase, the beautiful Augusta Necklace by my friend Millie, the lady behind Heresy Designs.

A peek inside my friend Alexandra Tyler’s 15 years worth of vintage collecting. It’s like a mid-century boutique store in her Oakland home. Makes me drool at the thought that she might have a private, invitation-only sale!

My lovely friend and Owner of Bows & Arrows, Olivia Coelho, has a new line called Miss Chief of California. I love her elastic skirts, which are one of a kind and can only be purchased at Bows!

I swear, Richard Wayne is the cutest! Read his latest Unisex-y installment on ModCloth.

Accidental entrepreneurs a sign of the economy? My friend and business owner, Lisa Marie, is making it happen!

Finally, a little sneak treat at a happy accident that occurred in this amazing warehouse photo shoot I did with Amber Mortensen of PainfullyHip.com.

Do you have any favorite links to share with us?  Tell us the things that are making you happy!

This week so many electronic treasures have been found! Like, my discovery of Knock Out’s new line of matte nail polish. I really want the black satin on my fingers now! Browse those colors and listen to Nick Cave, who always puts a spell on me.

Fall LookBooks are popping up everywhere! Check out this circus inspired “Cirque 21″ from Forever21, and Tulle’s Fall fashions are so adorable (I especially love the retro classroom photography). The Horror Girl Collection from Topshop is my dream come true!

My darling Lindsay at ModCloth, explains to us the difference between a shift and a sheeth dress.

My new beauty blog obsession is spoiled pretty, where you can even subscribe to daily beauty newsletters! Make-up artist Bobbi Brown has a new website, which looks gorgeous and is full products that I want, including her award winning long-wear gel eyeliner.

How is the warm weather treating you dear readers? What has been inspiring you? Making you smile and dance? Send your links my way–lately, I am in need of some more positivity and sunshine in this life.

I just arrived home from 24 hours in Vegas where my family was celebrating my little sister Kaity’s 21st birthday!  This last week, besides missing Richard Wayne, I have been coveting a variety of favorite links, including: a photographic look inside Grey Gardens from 1977 when the property was sold to Sally Quinn and Benjamin C. Bradlee.

“Ms. Quinn said she fell in love with the house as soon as she entered it. “There’s something magical about this house. You couldn’t walk into it without putting a handkerchief over your nose, but I thought it was just beautiful,” she said. “It just absolutely gripped me. I looked at it and I saw what the house could be like, saw what the garden could be.”

On the plane I read the latest issue of Interview Magazine from cover to cover, pick it up for yourself, the interview of January Jones (who plays the fashionable housewife Betty Draper on Mad Men) by Jack Nicholson is worth a look! Oh Veer, thank you for Adios Script by Alejandro Paul.

Unisex-y: Wild West to Whimsical, aka, Richard Wayne’s new ModCloth feature.

These suede shoes, “Bonnny” by Steve Madden are gorgeous. In Vegas I scored my first pair of Wolford tights and they are divine.  Mad Men casting call!

I am also continually impressed by Richard Wayne’s product descriptions, does anyone know the reference of The Black Lodge Dress?

My Prince obsession continues and I have a present for you, download, Prince, “Baby I’m A Star”!

Happy Monday, I hope everyone has a fantastic week, tonight I am going to meet up with L.A. photographer Chloe Aftel (again) for photography talk, and picture taking of each other! I can’t wait!

PS. Because of Chloe Aftel’s advice and influence, my photography now has it’s own home on the web!

During my last shopping adventure, I happened upon a leather goods shop in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh, and there I ordered a custom made bolo tie to accompany the bolo clasp that someone had given me. Well, today my roommate loaned me his car to run errands, so I stopped by the shop to pick up my tie.

When I arrived, I was informed by the owner of the shop that the seamstress was out to lunch and hadn’t yet attached the metal tips. Well enough, I went and got coffee and a snack and came back about a half hour later. The seamstress still hadn’t arrived. Considering the fact that returning at a later date would require my taking two buses to get there, I said I would wait.

And boy did I ever wait! A total of two and a half hours later, the seamstress finally showed up, attached the metal tips, and I finally got to walk away with this beautifully braided bolo:

My next stop was the Southside Works shopping area in the South Side section of the city. Here I shopped at Urban Outfitters, where I FINALLY found the perfect pair of slim, black, lightweight pants for summertime wearing (my usual black Levi Tex Twills are constructed of thick polyester and not so suitable for summer sun and heat–ugh!). The brand is Toddland, who boasts these trousers as “the pants that God would wear if God wore pants”! After trying them on, I’m convinced.

My next and final stop of my shopping excursion in Southside Works was H&M. I’ve always found H&M to be pretty hit-or-miss. Sometimes I’ll go there and come out with a bag full of goodies; other times I leave feeling lousy about the state of men’s fashion. Today, I only found one item to take home with me, but it was a damn good one–a slim-fitting, black, 100% cotton button down shirt with shoulder epaulets and safari-style sleeves.

All in all, today was indeed a sartorial success. Good things do come to those who wait.

Grandpa, Grandpa and me on my sixth birthday.

Today I turn twenty-eight and I am writing to you from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I have been visiting Richard Wayne! I plan on spending the day at The Warhol Museum and then finish it up with dinner at Cafe Du Jour and dancing!

Congratulations to reader Millie Munsey, who won our first giveaway contest with Good Friday Designs. I enjoyed all of the entries, so I ended up putting all of your names in a hat and Millie won!

Sunday night, I took pictures of my San Francisco musician, animator friend Gooby Herms, not only did he show me a really gorgeous pet cemetary, he introduced me to a band called The Vanity Set, which is led by James Sclavunos, the drummer from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds!

This week Richard Wayne blogged about PJ Harvey as a style icon. One of my favorite artists, Jordan Crane created a beautiful new piece called, “You Still Think Of Him Sometimes”.

Tomorrow I get to tour ModCloth and interview Buyer, Lindsay Williams, I can’t wait! But first, I need to drink more coffee, get dressed and brave the Pittsburgh bus system, The Warhol is waiting!

Hello readers, new and old! It’s been a while since I’ve written because I’ve started a new job as a fashion writer at ModCloth.com, and it’s been keeping me pretty busy. But the great thing about working at ModCloth is that I’m always thinking about style and trying to come up with different outfits to wear to work each day. This past weekend, for example, I found this amazing, perfectly fitted seersucker shirt at American Apparel when I stopped by on Saturday. Naturally, I bought it and then wore it to work with a vest and neckerchief to complete a wild west inspired look.

And here is a close-up of the seersucker:

Oddly, I went to the American Apparel website to see if I could look at it online, but this particular shirt was nowhere to be found there. However, they are also selling this equally awesome short sleeve gingham shirt. Maybe I’ll go back and get that one with my next paycheck.

Chalk this up as a favorite find. And as always, if you have any sartorial suggestions, please let us know!

Last I night watched the John Waters documentary, Divine Trash. It was so amazing to me, not only as an artist, but as a person in general. John Waters glorifies misfits, weirdos, outcasts and makes them into stars. It was just a good reminder that beauty is in most every person–fashion model or not.

Spencer’s blog:From Robbie Teddy boys and girls shot by Ben Toms. The love child of E.C. Star and All-Mighty Clothing is Dainty June, which emerges with their pretty “She’s Like A Rainbow” collection.

Photographer Sandra-Freij who was introduced to me by Mavera from “She Hearts Vintage” (who I shot with this weekend). Completely amazing and gorgeous work.

Nubby Twiglet is a woman making history. Read her interview here. Had a cake date last week with LA based photographer Chloe Aftel, (who I will be interviewing soon!) who was wonderful and told me that Hiss and Hearse is great, but I need to get a photography portfolio up too. So I am working hard on that. Just today a favorite Australian illustrator of mine, Caitlin Shearer said she would design my logo! It is really hard for me to put my real name out there- I am always an alias, the girl who hides behind her camera. It’s even difficult for me to put my name on my work! Well, I desire to potentially take pictures that can grace pages of the magazines you read, so here I go!

Danielle and Rachel modeling for PainfullyHip.com

So many changes have been happening around this space! If you have been following Design That Kills, then you have probably noticed that it is no more and that I am now Hiss and Hearse. This is a joint blogging adventure with my cowboy copywriter other half, Richard Wayne. Things for me have been much the same, my weekends are consumed with photography and late night photo editing. I have also been working on designing some exciting business identity projects, something that I love doing.

I have been thinking a lot about warm weather wardrobe. For the past few summers, I have been lucky enough to live in a climate that doesn’t really change. But with the impending change of moving east to join Richard Wayne, who today started a new and exciting copywriting job with ModCloth.com, I will soon be entering the warm weather. It’s not necessarily something I am looking forward to, but I will do anything to be back in the same city again.

I was thinking of adding more dresses to my daily wardrobe. Will I be able to stand wearing fishnets in the east coast climate? Some dresses I have been drooling over and think would be both work-appropriate and something I’d just wear are the Edgar Allen Bow Dress, Summer Style Dress, and this Lace A-Line Dress (which I just scored!).

But what about sandals? I never find any that I like. Where are all the cute low heeled peep toes? There is a pair of sandals from Urban that I am thinking about, but again, I really hate when your feet sweat in shoes. What do you girls who go bare legged do about this? Do you even wear close toed shoes in the warm weather? Help me please!

For some eye candy, I spotted Jethro Lazenby/Cave, (yes, Nick Cave’s model son) in fashion week photos!

Also, happy belated father’s day to my daddy, Allen Cofer. I have always been a daddy’s girl, and some say we even look alike (we have the same pointy chin). He is currently in Hawaii with my mom and four siblings. Wish I was there drinking Kona coffee, too!

My bedtime movie has been Prince’s “Purple Rain”. There is something about that film that makes me feel good and lulls me to sleep. Blame it on Richard Wayne–I never liked Prince until I had him! Now I am all about Prince! Watch, next I’ll be shouting about how much I love the original Star Trek (he still needs to work with me on that one.)

But for your listening pleasure, you can download, Prince, The Beautiful Ones here. What are you wearing during these warm summer months? Any tips? Any favorite online shops?

Nowhere Girl. Hair/Make-Up/Styling: Dee Larsen, Model: Alexis Carene

Richard Wayne flies home today and I couldn’t be more than excited to have him back in California! Turn up, The Pet Shop Boy’s, “Love Comes Quickly,” which is my sweet song of the week.

Caitlin Sherer’s lovely art is for sale on Etsy! I just purchased this gorgeous piece, which I can’t wait to frame and add to my art collection!

Oh how I dream about these Betsey Johnson heart tights and Unicorn Princess Heels from ModCloth!

Happy Birthday dear Siouxsie Sioux! Become inspired by the fashion photography of the great Steven Meisel.  For much vintage fashion loveliness, check out the website of a favorite, myvintagevogue.  Photographers Julia Galdo and Cody Cloud, just posted a devastatingly beautiful photo editorial.

My talented illustrator friend Jessica M. painted this image of Richard and I. Jessica makes me feel so special, I really hope one of these days I can capture her image through my lens. What are your favorites this week?

Recently, much to my delight, I have been noticing 1950’s/early 1960’s styles creeping their way into current fashion trends. Take, for instance, a recent DIESEL/DIESEL BLACK GOLD editorial from Flaunt issue 101 entitled “The Loveless” (a reference to one of my favorite movies–an identically titled biker flick, starring Willem Dafoe). Denim, leather, and gravity-defining pompadours appear prominently here as do plaids, cigarette pants, and a little bit of grit and grease, all recalling blue-collar, mid-century aesthetics.

Vice Magazine also recently ran their Global Trend Report 2009, which takes a look at fashion trends city by city, and rockabilly looks are making a comeback in New York.

Keeping with the vintage theme of this entry, I thought I’d also share my first attempt at embroidery! Thanks to my dear friend, Tiffany, I am now equipped with the tools and the know-how to do my own clothing embellishments. Eventually, I would like to stitch some designs onto some of my western shirts; but to start, as a birthday present for him, I embroidered my friend Jose’s initials in vintage tattoo lettering on a plain white handkerchief. The result:

I still have a lot of learning and practicing to do, but I’m pretty happy with it as a first shot.

Also, my mind is currently occupied with thoughts of my trip back to Pittsburgh, where I will be interviewing for a really cool copy writing job at a popular online clothing retailer! Not only that, but it’s been about eight months or so since I’ve seen any of my friends or family back east (with the exception of Rachel and Tiffany who both made their ways out to the Bay Area on separate occasions), so I’m eager to visit with my loved ones. Though, my excitement about this trip is somewhat tempered by knowing I’m going to sorely miss my lovely partner for a period of time.

Oddly enough, during the same afternoon that I booked my flight for my interview, I got two emails offering me work in the Bay Area! One offer was some freelance writing for the company Kristin works for. This I’ve accepted, and I will put the money I earn toward some of my air fare. When it rains, it pours.