Summer Sale

End of summer calls for a summer sale to make room for all those fall coats and dresses. Use coupon code: GOODBYESUMMER for 25% off your entire purchase. 

August 18th thru August 24th

www.etsy.com/shop/BarnabyJack

S T R E E T S M A R T : Pattern Mix

illustration by Yelena Bryksenkova

 

There is nothing more fashionably refreshing than mixing patterns from your wardrobe. Not only does it make a bold statement, but each mixture can be really unique to your own individual style. Plus, I love how easy it looks... like you don't care, and whatever you wear looks great - because you're great. Naturally. 

But there is a fine line between chic pattern mixing and clown costume. To help you from looking like you just joined the circus, here are some tips on how to pattern mix...

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1. Black and white goes with everything...

The old rule of thumb is "black goes with everything". The same is true for white (it even goes quite well with itself). So, when pattern mixing, try making one of the patterns a black and white pattern. Polka dots, stripes, floral... whatever will do. It's less about the pattern and more about the color combo. Once you've found your black+white, go crazy with the other print. The more colorful, the better. 

Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2011

Try:

Tribal Print Skirt - BarnabyJack
Tear Drop Blouse - AFX Clothing

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2. Stick with the same color combo

Too much pattern is a little bit nutty, but can work. Too much pattern AND too much color... that's when you get into circus clown territory. If you are going for colorful, but you want to mix patterns, stick with the same color combo. If a print has blue, black green and yellow, make sure the other pattern is in the same color scheme. 

1970's Fashion Editorial Ad

Try:

Green & Blue Silk 1960's Blouse - BarnabyJack
Paisley Pencil Skirt - ViaPortobello

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3. (Print) Size Matters

Tory Burch on vacation in Myanmar.

You can easily forgo the last two tips if you are careful with the size of your print. It's simple:

large print + small print = works

small print + small print = doable, but you're walking a slippery slope

large print + large print = circus show

Too large of a print paired with a similar size is extremely distracting. If you are going to pattern mix (and not bother yourself with color combos) make sure that one of the prints stays in the background, while the other takes in the spotlight. Otherwise, you'll have two competing patterns.

Try:

Martine Top - StevenAlan
1970's Print Maxi Skirt - BarnabyJack

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4. Rules are for chumps

A tip is just a tip. You can wear whatever you want. If you feel good in it, you'll look good. It's as simple as that.

Try:

Striped Patterned Crop Top - BarnabyJack
Cotton Pencil Skirt - Boden



(click links to find items // photos found on Pinterest)

Summer 2014

A few weeks ago I took part in a collaboration with photographer Charles He and jewelry designer Temre, of PapayaDulce, to create a summer lookbook of photos. It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience. Here are some of the photos from the day...

Photographer: Charles He

Models: Temre and Ali

Jewelry: PapayaDulce

Clothing: BarnabyJack

Featured items:

60's Blue Wiggle Dress

Straw Wide Brim Hat

BarnabyJack Double Buckle Skinny Belt

Yellow Bead Ribbon Necklace

Yellow Mexican Boho Dress

Bead and Vintage Brass Earrings

Maroon Mexican Serape

The Bay Area: Where the Landlord is King

So, as some of you who follow me on Instagram may know, I took a last minute trip up to the bay area to help my fiancee look an apartment for us. Recently, he got a job in Berkeley, and in order for us to be together again, we need to find a place to live. Simple enough, right? Turns out I was so horribly wrong. 

I knew finding an apartment in the bay area would be difficult. There are a ton of people, it is one of the most expensive cities in the world, and space is limited. Kind of like New York City, where I lived for four years. But what I have quickly found out is that New York City is a walk in the park next to hunting for apartments in San Francisco/East Bay. 

To give you an idea, we went to an open house in Berkeley for a 2 bedroom for $1900. A two bedroom is a mansion in the bay area, and $1900 is a screaming deal for that size. We thought we were going to get to this open house ten minutes early, be one of the first to arrive, apply, and call the whole thing locked down. So naive. When we got there, we were greeted with 40+ other applicants within the first 5 minutes! Ten minutes early, and already a line out the door. 

This is normal for big cities. I remember looking for places in Manhattan and finding a similar situation for basement level apartment with a 6 foot high ceiling, in the middle of the lower east side. 

But what was worse about this Berkeley place was the shameless schmoozing. Overhearing people tell the landlord that they will do free landscaping in the yard or how they will pay $500 more a month over the asking value.  But mostly, it was everyone trying to sell themselves as if they were the CEO of Google. 

I went to one apartment viewing, and the guy didn't want me to fill out an application, he wanted me to send him my resume, as in WORK resume. He said, "I don't care as much about credit score (although I do want to know that as well) but I care more about how impressive your resume is). Wow, I don't usually say this, but that man can go fuck off. Honestly. Resume? 

I went to go see this little gem below in the Berkeley hills near the university. 

I am not too picky. I will sacrifice space for a cute place any day. And I will also sacrifice amenities (washer/dryer, dishwasher, etc) for a great location. But what do you do when they are asking for $2000/month for a place that gives you none of that. 

The place is 600 square feet, 1 bedroom, no available parking, dark, no washer/dryer, a hike to anywhere interesting, and $2000 a MONTH. The woman said it had a great view...so...it's $2000. 

Please note that this unit does not include the upper level, that is a separate unit. This unit is the orange box and the little window to the left.

Currently, we are pathetically hoping to hear back from a place we applied with in Emeryville. Emeryville, mostly known as the home of Pixar animation studios, is quickly changing into a $6.00 cup of coffee type of place. Lots of hipster coffee shops and bars next to dingy homes that have been there since the 1980s. There are also lots of new apartment complexes that look really "nice" and cookie cutter on the outside, and depressing wall to wall carpet and dark and dreary on the inside. We found this rental online and seemed legit, and it is... kind of. This place is more like a guest house behind an actual house in a cute road. Lots of trees, flowers and a little yard. Has a washer/dryer, full kitchen, separate bedroom (which is a big deal here), bathroom, high ceilings, and a good amount of storage space. Seems perfect, right? It would be, if it weren't 300 square feet for $1900 a month. And this is something we are HOPING for. Who have I become? 

Another place we will be applying to today is a late 1920s building on the third floor. It is a one bedroom, with a kitchen and DINING SPACE (a luxury), bathroom, in a desirable neighborhood near Lake Merritt, and only $1925. Please note that this place is much larger and in a way desirable neighborhood than the $1900 closet we are hoping to hear back from, and only $25 more. Plus, its super cute! Wood floors, french doors, old cabinets and fixtures and a really cool vintage layout. There is even a FOYER....... cue heavenly choir and harps. 

A "cute" apartment in East Bay

The biggest problem with this place? The zillion other people that want it too. People will kill their own grandmothers for a great place (at a good deal) over here. So, it's no surprise that other applicants would quietly offer a higher amount than asking price for this little gem. That is something we are not willing to do. The asking price is already higher than the ACTUAL worthwhile price. I'm not going to trip over myself to give these slum lords more money. Maybe if I was determined to live in San Francisco, then I would forgo my principles and play the bidding war for a place. BUT WE ARE IN OAKLAND. I like Oakland, but I'm not about to pay through the nose for Oakland.

 But who knows, maybe I'll be singing a different story by next week.

So, lessons learned in the past two days: My fiancee and I (despite all of our hard work and friendly nature) we look terrible on paper, which means in Landlord land, we are are WORTHLESS. Lesson 2: now I know I am willing to pay twice as much I ever paid in Tucson, for a place three times as small. Last lesson: this is a landlords game out here. That crusty 90 year old woman or that guy with huge belly and butt crack peeking out of the back of his pants is GOD.

Hopefully, good news to come. Stay tuned.

Vintage on the Streets

Vintage and vintage inspired looks on the street...

The perfect coat

This bike is just as much a part of this look as the dress and hair <3

90's inspired

pattern mix + 1930s silhouette

not vintage or vintage inspired, but awesome nonetheless

Also not vintage inspired, but love love love. I really want to know what the back of that blouse looks like.

relaxed and cute

some 90's girly grunge

just. amazing.

dapper man on his way to doing something really cool, probably

Bringing back the cape. Eye spy a coach bag ;)

more 90s girly grunge

The Frida Necklace

As an artist and vintage enthusiast I have always admired the art and style of Frida Kahlo. 

I just started reading Frida Kahlo's biography and I instantly became inspired by her effortless, whimsical style, as well as her fascinating and incredibly painful life story. When I read or hear about interesting people, I can't help but want to stare at pictures of them all day to try and get a glimpse of the real them. As if they were standing right in front of me. 

When I look at these old photos, I can't help but notice her hair adorned with flowers, her Tehuana costumes, and the large and beautiful chunky necklaces paired with pendant earrings. When I was younger, whenever Frida's appearance was mentioned, everyone was so fixated on her facial hair, but I couldn't help but notice the bright colors she wore. 

More than anything, its her necklaces that really set me over the top. They are so unconventionally beautiful, just like Frida Kahlo. Huge stone nuggets, chokers, and Pre-Columbian Mexican beads. 

I have been mentally designing a few Frida inspired necklaces for the shop. Here are a few of my inspirational photos for my upcoming designs. (Some photos are from the movie Frida, who was played by Selma Hayek. Her costumes in the film make me just as insane as the actual photos of Frida herself). 

center part hair + Colonial style earrings + Pre-Columbian jade beads = my next formal attire look

Frida and Diego Rivera

The first in amazing pattern mixing

Frida in front of a big ass agave. Peasant skirt <3

Not one, but two statement necklaces

Just a hawk, nbd // color swoooooon

Just a baby deer, nbd. Another amazing pattern mix.

Stills from the movie Frida...

Velvet shirt with vibrant floral pattern!!

Selma as Frida

This shirt paired with that gold necklace. I can't.

There are about a billion more Frida Kahlo photos (as well as stills from the movie) that I could show. I love just about every one of them. For now I will leave you with these and show more once I introduce BarnabyJack's take on the Frida necklace. Stay tuned!