Faux Chanel+Monkey Fur Purse

I've lusted for Chanel, but seriously won't spend thousands. And I really dig taxidermy/creepy vintage furs. At House of Vintage, I found a rad vintage 40's era monkey fur hand muff ($10) and a basic faux patent leather Chanel purse ($10).


I thought the two would look good together. I haven't seen a monkey fur handbag lately coming from designers but I've seen some resurgence coming from Alexander Wang. Here's my monkey fur faux Chanel bag project:
I gutted the muff of its horse hair/cotton batting, leaving just the leather. The leather was really dry so I treated it with leather conditioner to make it more pliable.


I fit the leather to the purse size and began sewing it with an upholstery needle.

I thought the padded effect looked better than flat so I tucked some of the original cotton batting under the leather to make it puffy.

Here's the end result. I lost the clasp because I didn't want to cut a hole in the leather, but I think it still looks good. I really love the gold/leather chain handle it can be let out to be super long or doubled up to be two shorter lengths. The patent leather quilting+monkey fur looks killer together.

Meat Artitsts

All this talk of leather has me thinking about meat. It's amazing the relationships humans have with preserved animal skins.

My fella bought me the new Art in America for Valentine's Day. I wanted to read about the cover artist Elizabeth Peyton. And I super love the somber Sid Vicious on the cover. I'd hang that painting in my house no problem.

I ran across the artist Heide Hatry (great name, btw).


I was just staring at this image in the magazine trying to figure out what it was, what was it made of? So I looked her up and found tons of great images of what you might call a meat retrospective. This is from her artist statement: "In my recent work, my primary material is fresh, untreated pigskin. I discovered that I responded intensely to its feel, smell, and the deeply corporal overall sensation it engenders. I find its effect in sculptural work as well as in photographs uniquely "human."

Here are a few that really got me from the meat artists I've found from the curatorial "Meat After Meat Joy".

Carolee Schneemann from Meat Joy


Adam Brandejs


Simone Racheli


Although Mark Ryden wasn't included in this group of meat artists. I suppose because he is extremely contemporary. I'd like to add this piece--Angel of Meat.


One last thought from Mark Ryden from his newest book "The Tree Show" I purchased this month. The breakdown of tree vs. animal.

Hit the Jacket-pot

After much anticipation, I went to Langlitz Leather company this morning to find out more about my leather. As soon as the counter-person set eyes on it, he had a smile from ear to ear.

One by one the Langlitz staff came to check out my jacket reeling at the fact I'd found it at a thrift store. (Oh, and I bought it in Washington [where sales tax is applicable] but used my Oregon state ID to forfeit paying tax)Cheap!

The staff was so great and helpful. He told me about the details of the jacket (Crown zipper, green label, horsehide, etc.) and dated it for me. I spent half the weekend online dying to find out more information. It really helped to confirm my suspicions. Of course it'd make sense to keep it, it's my size and it's GORGEOUS! But, I think there is a special someone who'll like it better than I. Someone who loves motorcycles and will wear it regularly. Keep an eye out for this bad boy on ebay. It should be quite a ride!

MLK+UNICORN+VALENTINE'S=Thrift Jackpot

The adventure continues at this thrift store:

I spied the most incredible motorcycle jacket in a tinsy-tiny size, which is super rare. I unhooked the jacket and slid it on. OH, man it felt amazing, stiff, perfectly worked in and RAD antique hardware.

Riding the high of finding a perfect leather jacket for mere pittance, I start looking closer.

Langlitz Leathers is a local Portland motorcycle leather wear company producing 5 pieces daily and only one outlet in America but 50 licensed dealers in Japan (!). They've been around for 62 years, since 1947!
Behind the jacket was a pair of itty bitty leather riding pants.


I bought the jacket and left the pants behind. I didn't see how anyone would ever fit in them, definitely not me.
We left the store and I started checking out ebay and vintage sites trying to find something similar and things got interesting.




I looked up the name on the inside pocket, "Mrs. Bert Taylor", well Bert Taylor really. And found he was a professional Norton racer in 1927. This was his wife's custom made leather.
Finding the provenance and history I felt guilty about separating the pants from jacket and returned to buy them for $14.99.

It took me a few hours to find any information on this particular jacket. It was older than all the Langlitz Leather jackets online. I FINALLY found this page in a Japanese book about the history of leather jackets (for sale on ebay).
(click to enlarge)
JACKPOT! A 1950-1956 Langlitz Leather horsehide Columbia leather jacket with matching pants. I'm hoping to go to Japan and have a good chunk of my expenses paid with these babies. First, I'm going to head to Langlitz and talk to Dave (who is a minor celebrity in Japan) and see what he has to say about cleaning and treating the leather. I also would like to find out more about the jacket and possibly what it's worth since I haven't found any online from the 50's for sale only a few from the 60's. I have learned a whole hella of a lot about vintage leathers, I'm now a huge fanatic!

Reminds me of the first time I encountered a Langlitz Leather jacket, 2002 working at Music Millennium.



Check the hat. Benicio is a bigger fanatic than I, bless him.

Thrift Heaven Valentines Day

My fella and I decided to take a spur of the moment trip to the coast Friday the 13th. We decided to go to Astoria, OR (yes, Oregon--I get confused) and ate at the cheesily named but delicious Baked Alaska. Then we didn't go too far before we found a hotel that accepts dogs, kind of a mistake. It was a dump. Next time we sneak Johnny in to a fancy place. Best part was hotel TV: Cosby Show marathon. HEY-OH!

After waking up with cricked necks and smelling like smoke (in a non-smoking room?)we set out to explore Astoria and it's surrounding parts. wasn't going to leave without (finally) seeing the Goonies House. Mission accomplished.


There's a constant stream of people walking up the drive to this house. I suppose if you wanted to make a Goonies/Israeli statement that's cool.

That's Data's house.
We headed home and hit every thrift store on the way back to Portland, including the thrift mecca of Longview. There's like 6 thrift stores in a row in the downtown area. I started taking picture of every thrift store and was really into the thrift store as political messageboard. See?

MLK + unicorn (a super good omen). The woman behind the counter told me that she too had a dream. It was to open a thrift shop. She keeps the picture to remind her of the importance of having a dream.

Black on Black on Black

I'm really into reading gnarlitude.com. The writer, Jen is pretty prolific writing for 4 (or more?) blogs churning out all kids of finds. Gnarlitude is so focused on her personal style and the I don't give-a-fuckness of fashion I'm all for. She introduced me to black with bleach distress markings ala 80's acid wash, made rad again by Alexander Wang, Ksubi, and American Apparel.

At the bins I found a heinous maxi skirt about 5 sizes too big with some Hawaiian themed embroidery on the trim. But the acid-washy bleach streaks on the fabric inspired me to hack it up and make two new pieces.




Mini skirt I can't wait to wear this summer.

I made a scarf out of the rest. I'll take pics as soon it's out of the wash.

Bins Wins

The Goodwill bins is a sty and I'm like a pig in heaven there, routing around elbow deep in other people's junk. And I've been feeling extra binsy lately. Despite having several bins-related panic attacks, I still return wanting that next fix. I've come up with some pretty good methods for tuning out the chaos. My mantra: "There's enough stuff for everyone. There is enough stuff for everyone."

from top clockwise: 1. 40's double breasted, ruffled waist shirt, 2. 70's black leather bow bag, 3. wool pom-pom hat, 3. black bandana and extra long black metal eyelet belt, 4. sleeveless white eyelet shirt. The for the whole shebang, maybe $3-5

I guess I got a thing for black and white now. I'm in search of a really excellent houndstooth suit. I'm so driven on the B/W thing lately, I splurged at House of Vintage where I rent space and sell my finds. Here' what I got today.



1. Antique crocheted 1/2 sleeve sweater with glass buttons ($12), 2. 50's feather head piece by Maxine Harris (a milliner)($20), and something I'm hella stoked on: a 50's intricate ribbon stitch and embroidery bolero mini-coat ($17).

This month I also found a Le Creuset skillet in orange ($3). I collect Le Creuset in red. But it was cool to find this because I've been wanting to invest in a set of skillets but didn't know how they perform next to the standard cast iron I use everyday. So far so good!



This was probably the best bins find I've ever had. A Le Creuset 9 qt. french oven ($5).

Does nostalgia mean your brain is dying?

If you would have told me I'd be doing this 15 years ago, I'd say you were bananas. Feeling nostalgia for the 90's today.

90's - by aliveunwed on Polyvore.com

Loved to Life and Death

Just returned from a week of ceremonies celebrating death and life. First a military funeral in El Paso, TX then a bar mitzvah in Pleasanton, CA. Me and the fella had a chance to escape the fam for the night to San Francisco to visit my great friends Ben and Jade.

After eating tons of pizza, bad chinese and nachos for 3 days I was dying for some hippy food. We wound up at a raw food joint,Cafe Gratitude. I loved it, bought their house made hot sauce and had a yummy shot "I am firey", I've been making at home ever since: noni, ginger, lemon, turmeric, cayenne, apple cider vinegar & agave..mmmmmm.

Consummately stylish, Jade was sporting a fierce crystal jewel on her tooth. "I want one!", I said immediately. Jade was on the horn in seconds flat arranging the bedazzling. Jade in a frenzy of texts and calls says, "Foxy is working an Edwardian costume ball. Costs $30 bucks and you have to wear a costume. But she said she'd do it in the alley."

When we arrived at the venue, skipped past the alleyway and walked in with the staff, up three flights of stairs to a goth-metal band playing on a stage set in hell. Foxy the talented young lady, brought her tooth bling kit for such occasions. Before you know it I'm plopped down in a make believe purgatory with a foxy lady rooting around my mouth.



...and TA-DA!


Also displaying their wares was Loved to Death, which is my new favorite thing. Love taxidermy, especially happy they use all the throw away bits in their pieces.

I bought a squirrel foot hair pin for $30.

The foot was handsomely packaged in a a mini coffin!

M.O.D.

http://mod.portlandmercury.com/mod/archives/2009/01/06/fashion_future#more