I’ve been debating about whether to post images from this brand because I really like it, but they aren’t available to buy anywhere in North America for now (although the brand’s founders have promised me this is going to change.) Their stockists list is here, my UK readers can find Medusa in England.

Anyway, Medusa is an Israeli brand that makes bags and jewelry, all made from processed plastic. I am hoping there is something recyclable or sustainable about this material (for example, Melissa uses recyclable plastics for all their shoes) but regardless, the pieces are quite interesting. The bags are definitely the best pieces, but a few of the necklaces are quite fun too. Definitely a summer accessory, it is something you wouldn’t worry about ruining on holiday, so here’s hoping they are more widely available by the next summer!

Photos by Omer Messinger and Ben Massiot

I discovered Palmer and Sons through Hypebeast, which is surprising, since they are a Vancouver brand. But I’ve started to learn that most of the best things in Vancouver are secrets… Palmer and Sons is definitely a well-kept secret.

Palmer and Sons is a bespoke leather and luggage company, who make handmade, to-order items out of their studio in Vancouver’s Eastside. I met with Nik Palmer (the father, who is English), who has a background in computer games, but opened a large space for painters so that they could access affordable studio space. He then began making bags and luggage, and two years after the first piece was made, he says the business is now “full on.”

What is interesting about this business, is that it is far from typical. There is no stock (aside from three samples I saw) as everything is made to order. They don’t wholesale (the product would be too expensive) so they only sell online. Most of their customers are in the US, but there are a lot outside of North America (and a few Canadian ones, but Nik says it is so bothersome to deal with the Canadian taxes, he prefers international customers.)

The company has two rules: they try not to be too digital (which Nik admits is hypocritical since they only sell online) and they try and source locally. This means that most of their leather comes from the US (there aren’t many tanneries around Vancouver.)

He showed me a few skins in the studio, the leather is extremely thick and beautifully finished. They source their finishings almost like found objects, using pieces that are made for other industries. The hardware on the bags are mostly equestrian and marine hardware, like panic clasps (which are used in riding, so when you fall off your horse and are being dragged, the clasp will open when it is under pressure) and marine shackles. The wood handles are handmade.

Palmer and Sons describe their bags as “Contemporary Workmen Gear,” which sums it up perfectly. There is something effortless and almost rough about their product, despite it being precious and handmade.

The best laptop bag ever, made for the MacBook.

For more information, or to place an order, check out the Palmer and Sons website.

Primark jewelry: super cheap, very fun, and you don;t have to worry if it gets ruined at the beach.

I was approached a few weeks ago by a company asking me to write a guest post on their handbag blog. The company, Handbag Heaven, sells inexpensive handbags. My initial thoughts were, no thanks, I only like luxury bags. But then I had a look through their site, and I realized, not everything I have in my wardrobe is luxury, and not everything I aspire to have is luxury. Firstly, I can’t afford to buy all my clothes and accessories from a luxury brand. Secondly, I am very careful with my expensive and favorite pieces of clothing, and sometimes it is nice to have something that you don’t have to worry about losing or ruining. Also, when I am not sure about a new item or trend, and I prefer to try the fast fashion version before I decide whether I want to invest big bucks to buy a designer version.

So I got thinking about the pieces in my wardrobe that are designer, and the pieces that aren’t. And I realized there was a trend going on… I tend to splash out on products like shoes, every day handbags, skin products, coats, and classic clothing items, and rarely spend money on items like evening bags and jeans. So I have compiled a list of the clothing and accessory items that I think aren’t worth spending your hard earned cash on. Save it for your dream shoes and a great winter coat instead.

Eliza clutch bag.

Fun handbags: My most-used handbags are classic ones, usually bought from luxury brands because I want them to last a long time. But sometimes I want something fun to hold my phone, keys, and credit card when I go out.  Because this is a bag that usually only gets taken out three or four times a year at most (I have ten versions of this “fun” evening bag, some vintage, some new) it is not worth investing in an expensive piece.

Handbag Heaven sent me this Eliza clutch bag (image above) as a gift, and it is a perfect “fun evening bag.” The unique colour means it probably won’t get much wear, but it is a great piece that works with my black wardrobe. And it is big. Not BIG, but big enough so you can comfortably fit your smartphone, keys, small wallet, and a few other bits. Most of my vintage clutch bags are too small to fit my Blackberry. Handbag Heaven has given me a second version of the Eliza clutch, which is my first ever GIVEAWAY. Click here to find out how to win the bag!

Uniqlo jeans. Please open a store in Vancouver. Please!

Jeans. There are probably a lot of people who disagree with me on this, but I don’t see the point in spending a lot of money on jeans, when there are TONS of brands who do great jeans for less than $100 (and I don’t really think this was the case 8-10 years ago, when all the designer denim brands started hitting the market.)  The most I’ll spend is around $100 on a pair of Lee jeans, but other than that, I go to Uniqlo, who do amazing jeans, with a great fit, for less than $50 a pair. Gap and Topshop are also good options.

Club Monaco jewelry: looks good, and it won;t break the bank.

Summer Jewelry. I have mentioned this before in my Travel Tips, but I really don’t like traveling with expensive jewelry. It makes me nervous. Once I was going through security and the woman made me take off my giant Hermès Chaîne d’Ancre necklace. She was giving me the “no, no, no” look. I nearly had a heart attack, as I clearly was not leaving my Hermès necklace in Oslo. I explained to her that the necklace was for sale IN GENEVA AIRPORT, so therefore could not be a security threat. She went off to speak to her boss, which made me extremely nervous because the necklace left my sight, but I eventually got it back. The nuisance of having to rebook a flight from Oslo, or get to Sweden and fly from there, with my necklace, was enough to make me decide that when I travel, the expensive jewelry stays in the safe. So, when I want accessorize for the beach or hot holidays, I buy cheap jewelry that I don’t have to worry about.

New Look wood wedges, for walking from hotel room to beach.

Summer Shoes. I like to wear wedges when I go to pool/beach/park summer events and I don’t like to wreck expensive shoes. Espadrilles and wood or cork sandals are not worth spending a lot of money on. Sandals have little material on them, so it is not the end of the world if they aren’t made of leather. Save your shoe dollars for amazing winter boots.

Old Navy workout pants. Only 20 bucks!

Workout Gear. Aside from a good pair of running shoes, I can’t bring myself to spend money on workout clothes.  You can get a whole workout outfit from Old Navy for less than a $100. Why spend $400 on a track jacket then?

Read my guest post on Handbag Heaven here.

Our first giveaway is this Eliza clutch handbag from Handbag Heaven. To enter,  all you need to do is sign up for the Searching for Style email newsletter (the sign up is at the top of the homepage right under the logo.) If you are already a subscriber, then you’ll be automatically entered into the draw.

Read more about the handbag here.

The contest closes on Sunday July 3^rd, and winners will be picked at random on Monday, July 4^th .The item will be shipped out shortly afterwards.

This giveaway has been published on Free Gretchen, the site that lists all of the good fashion and style giveaways.

Paola Hernandez is an ex-student of mine at Central Saint Martins, and a very accomplished Mexican fashion designer. I was looking through her latest lookbook, and I noticed this fantastic duffle bag. I don’t know what’s gotten over me recently, I am bored of It-bags, and finding myself admiring “practical” bags (which scares me.) I like the idea of a bag big enough to hold your lap top and a bunch of stuff, but without making you look like a backpacker or a dork. This is definitely a nice bag, I’d use it for the gym, for work, and for weekend trips.

Globetrotter Suitcase

OK, I am packing a suitcase for the first time since September, which is depressing. I’m not sad that I am going away, but I am sad that I haven’t been away since September. In the year prior to my arrival in Vancouver, I managed to visit Shanghai, Guangzhou, Oslo, Amsterdam, Prague, Madrid, Barcelona, Stockholm, Gothenberg, Paris, Devon, Geneva, and the Swiss Alps. That was when I was living in London. So I’m having trouble dealing with the fact that since September the only place I’ve been to is Squamish and Burnaby.

Anyway, I thought I’d share a few of my packing tips with you all, since I used to be pretty good at packing suitcases, back in the day when I used to travel.

• Get nail gels done before you leave, so you don’t have to bother bringing nail polish and remover, or waste any time doing your nails. They last about three weeks. And I make sure to get to get my nails cut short at the time of the manicure, so they aren’t too long at the end of the trip. (I had mine done at JC Institute student salon. Takes a bit longer, but its way cheaper and they do a great job.)
• The exception to the above is beach holidays, I prefer to cut my nails short and leave them bare. Sun and salt water do miracles to nail strength. Buff them and keep them clean, and the sun will whiten the tips.
• Have a generic packing list on your computer, that you can print out every time you travel. I include almost everything on the list, and cross out the things I won’t need on a particular trip (for example, sunscreen and swimwear will not be on my London packing list.) It means I never forget a camera lead or my valium.
• Are you traveling with check in luggage, or carry on? Don’t forget the liquid restrictions if you aren’t checking in. I buy travel versions of my beauty products when I can, and if not, I use Muji travel containers and fill them with my beauty products.
• Imagine your check-in luggage gets lost. You can always buy new clothes, but some things are harder to replace. Make sure your carry on includes all your jewelry and valuable, electronics and chargers, medication (birth control pills are hard to replace!), eyewear, contact lenses, things like that.

Louis Vuitton Suitcase

• I don’t pack until the night before, or sometimes the morning of. Its hard to pack your facial wash there days before, when you need it up until the morning of your departure. I write a detailed list, which I edit over a few days to make sure I don’t forget anything, and then just pack at the last minute. If the list is complete, I won’t forget anything.
• If you are dong a beach or villa holiday, don’t pack much. Last summer I went to a villa in Spain and packed a tons of clothing, in the end I wore one tenth of it. A pair of flip flops, and pair of shoes, five bikinis, and a couple dresses are all you need. Save the room for sunscreen, moisturizer, and a good leave-in conditioner.
• Try and think about some outfits when you are packing, but make sure to choose pieces that go with a lot of things. Its impossible to plan all your moods (I’m not like a Vogue person who plans each one of her ten daily outfits before she packs.) Lengths tend to dictate my choice of clothing, if I’m bringing a lot of high waisted skirts, I make sure to have short tops or items I can tuck in. If I’m bringing low slung jeans, I am sure my tops are long.
• The exception to the above is wedding packing, if you are going to a wedding that requires lots of outfits, plan every detail and bring a spare outfit.
• Always pack shoes and handbags in dustbags
• Don’t bring too much jewelry, unless its cheap stuff. Its too stressful traveling with expensive jewelry, unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Make sure you have the right underwear and tights to go with your clothes (seamless, low slung, control top, padded, etc…)
• I almost always pack too much. Pack, and then get rid of at least 20%. Unless you are going somewhere where there is no shopping at all.
• If you are going to Asia, and have size 8 or bigger foot, don’t count on buying any shoes, so bring a lot. It is close to impossible to find a pair of shoes in a size bigger than US 8 or UK 6 in China. (I have tried…it is extremely frustrating.)

T.T. Trunks Vanity Case

My carry-on travel essentials:

1. Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream, long haul flights are seriously dehydrating.
2. Hand Cream, same as above, I like Burt’s Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Creme. And have a nail file to hand, always.
3. Lip balm
4. Valium, for a long haul, where I need to work the next day so sleeping through the flight is essential. But be careful, I make sure I don’t get through more than 20 pills a year, its addictive.
5. iPod, for obvious reasons
6. Good books, I read about one a day if I am relaxing
7. Cashmere cardigan, good for layering
8. Shawl, I have a silk cotton one that works as a blanket on the plane, a sarong, and a scarf.
9. Water!
10. Fruit. I hate plane food, and its fattening. I also bring nuts to snack on.

Images from Globetrotter, Louis Vuitton, and T.T. Trunks.

It Bag. The Chloe Paddington.

I think it was about two years ago that the “It Bag” began its decline. I noticed when I went into Harrods to buy my wedding shoes. (Actually, I was doing a seminar on fashion trends for the Harrods’ staff, and the shoe department did some sort of crazy hypnosis on me which it it impossible for me not to go in there and spend £600 on one of the best pairs of shoes. Ever.) I realized that shoes were very expensive, and I’m not suggesting that I presumed I could find a $20 bargain in Harrods, but really very expensive. Five years ago you could get an awesome pair of luxury-brand shoes for $450, but in Harrods the cheapest ones were $650, and I tried on shoes priced up to $1800 (note: these were not crocodile and covered in diamonds.)

And that’s when I realized that the It bag was over, only to be replaced by the It shoe.

(I’d just like to take this moment to say I don’t like the It shoe. I love an expensive shoe, but I don’t think companies should make the crazy handbag profits on shoes too. My reason is this: when I buy a luxury handbag I use it every day for the next two years, so I get my money’s worth. And a bag can be resold on eBay or handed down to someone. But the It shoe…you only wear the It shoe once a year, because you are so terrified how having someone spill something on it. And they are made of satin with delicate bits. And you worship them. And they don’t last very long. I don’t mind spending a lot of money on a bag, but its always harder on a shoe.)

It bag. The Yves Saint Laurent Downtown bag.

So…I was Googling a lot of the big brand names during fashion week and I was surprised to see how many focus on the word “handbags” way before fashion or clothing or anything on the Google search. Here are some examples:

Loewe, luxury handbags and high quality leather goods. Fashion …

CELINE : marque de luxe, sac et chaussures, mode femme vêtements …

Michael Kors – SHOP BY CATEGORY – HANDBAGS

Marc Jacobs Designer Clothes for Men, Women, & Children. Find Bags …

and I realized that most brands probably still do survive off handbag sales, which is weird since there hasn’t been much talk about handbags in the fashion press. (Although that’s not saying much, because the fashion press don’t exactly represent the majority.)

It bag: The Marc Jacobs Stam.

Sometimes I feel a bit sad that so many fashion brands have to constantly be dictated by products like handbags, perfumes, cosmetics, and eyewear. I love all of those things very much, but the fashion industry should be first about clothes, because at the end of the day, they are the most important part of anyone’s look. In the sixties a brand would be famous for its clothing, but nowadays we know about their bags, perfumes, cosmetics, and shoes before we can name a key item of clothing. I get so excited by all the clothing on the catwalks, but then I realize so many of clothes may never arrive in boutique, or at least, a boutique near me.

I think for fall I am going to spend most of my money on clothes, rather than shoes or handbags. There were so many beautiful designer collections, and the shoes and bags just weren’t as exciting. (Besides, I won’t be needing any shoes for a while, once I get back from London.)

**UPDATE**

I just saw this article, which seems to indicate the It bag may come back. Will that mean shoe prices will go down?

Image sources. Chloe Paddington bag. YSL Downtown. Marc Jacobs Stam.

Fashion designer and photographer Hedi Slimane

I was reading an interview with Hedi Slimane (who used to be the designer for Dior Homme and who pretty much made the skinny pant trendy for men) and he got me thinking about the current fashion industry and the number of colelctions produced annually.

Here’s a blurb from the Style.com interview:

Style.com: Between menswear and womenswear, resort, pre-fall, and ready-to-wear, some designers are designing eight or more collections a year. Is it possible for a designer to be creative under those circumstances?

Hedi Slimane: Designers end up needing a full-blast studio for this sort of thing, which is totally absurd. I also don’t understand what the hell people do with all those clothes. Less would be better, and shorter collections.

I have to agree with him, the fashion market is saturated, and there are so many of us that have way too many clothes, and still desire more. I recently read about a very interesting initiative called The Great American Apparel Diet, which is described on their website as “We are a group of women and two men who have decided to go on a diet of sorts. A fast really. We are completely eliminating “new apparel” from our diets for one year.” I read through this and started to think whether I could do something like that…

I don’t plan on it, simply because my blog would probably turn into some sort of depressing rant about my lack of new clothes, but I have toyed with the idea of limiting myself to a very strict fashion budget for one year, as an experiment, and an opportunity to save some money to buy a house in Lions Bay with an infinity pool. But that is something I can decide after I have done my (shopping) trip to London in March.

Dame Vivienne Westwood

And even if I don’t decide to give myself a “fashion budget,” I am definitely making an effort to to buy less, and focus on really good things. Despite a few things I may not quite like about Vivienne Westwood, one thing I respect her for is her campaign to encourage people to buy less clothing (which is quite brave, considering her business depends on people buying more clothes…) Just a few weeks ago she was quoted again, this time in The Times, telling people to buy less. “I’m saying to people as well, buy less clothes. Only buy things when you really need them and really like them. Wear them and wear them.”

I got thinking about my “dream shoe” or the “must have bag” or all the fashion items I covet, and then I asked myself, what is my perfect outfit? To have a perfect outfit, I would need a perfect scenario in which to wear it. And then I realised, it was all about the circumstances. My perfect outfit involves a pair of cut off jeans, a tank top, a big pair of sunglasses, and a comfy pair of cowboy boots. Preferably worn with a bikini underneath. Because when I think about myself being really happy, I imagine myself lying in a hammock, in my backyard, with the hot sun shining in my face, great classic rock on the radio, dogs and maybe kids running around, the husband cooking on the BBQ, and a ‘69 Ford Mustang parked in the garage. I am relaxed, it is warm, and I am not busy.

The coveted Chanel 2.55 bag, named after the date of its creation, February 1955.

Don’t worry, I am not suddenly going to stop coveting beautiful new clothes, and talking about the brands I love (and loathe) but it is good sometimes to reflect on the real picture. Will the Chanel handbag make our lives better? Or is it the circumstances we would be in, when we can afford that Chanel bag? I don’t think it is fashion brands or products that play with our emotions, rather the perception of what they will give us, or the circumstances surrounding them. So next time I think about when I am going to get my first Hermes bag, I am going to tell myself that I don’t need to run out and buy one to achieve perfect happiness. I should focus on the other things in my life that make me happy, and remain secure in the knowledge that eventually my Mom will get bored of hers and give it to me. Ok, just kidding (well Mom, actually I’m not kidding, I WANT THAT BAG) but seriously, I’m prioritising a happy life over a fantastic closet.

On thing I loathe about many young British designer’s early collections is that they often look like bits and bobs bought from a jumble sale, and thrown together on a catwalk. I always tell my fashion design students to think about their entire collection on one rail in a store. Does it look like a collection, or does it look like a rail of clothes at a garage sale? Because if it is the latter, then they need to go back to the drawing board. This is what Mulberry’s collection looks like, lots of nice pieces, but terribly styled, and it all looks like you can go to Topshop and get the exact same thing for a fraction of the price. I do like their accessories, but you can’t really see them properly in the photos. I guess the accessories are really all that counts for a brand like this…

I Love…

a simple, elegant, fun wool winter dress. In a really nice colour.

the mustard tones (which seem to be very fashionable for next winter) and the bolero jacket, with great fabric detailing.

I Loathe…

boring jeans on a catwalk. There is nothing special about these, why buy from a brand that has little experience in working with denim, when you can go to an expert denim brand, probably pay less, and have a better looking ass.

a dress, no actually, an outfit, that looks like it was bought for $15 at a cheap vintage store.

dogs on a catwalk. I hate gimmicks.

another "bad-British-designer" cheap-looking outfit that can probably be replicated by hitting a few garage sales.

All images from Style.com.

Going to my parent’s house has become more like a shopping trip than a family visit. On Sunday my husband and I went over there for dinner, and we ended up leaving with a pair of motorcycle boots (for my husband), a vintage Salvatore Ferragamo clutch, a few tacky but cool 80s cotton sweaters, a belt, some mohair scarves, and an old Celine bag. Plus, the piece de resistance, which was my sister’s 1992 Roots jacket.

You would need to be Canadian to understand how this ultra-tacky baseball jacket could possibly be an exciting acquisition compared to a Salvatore Ferragamo clutch and a Celine bag. These jackets were very fashionable when I was in my teens, and anything from your teens is either horrifically embarrassing, “totally awesome”, or a mixture of both. It makes me feel very old, discovering fashion items that were super-desirable to me in my teens which are now (in my eyes) cool again.

It says 1992 on the sleeve!

Here’s a few photos of the jacket. I’m not sure how I will wear it yet, the fit is terrible. The body is quite big, and the sleeves are too short. And its hideous, but in a good way (I think.)

Here are the new versions, available at Roots now. It’s obvious that the only way this jacket can be fashionable is if you are wearing a very old one, sort of like the Club Monaco sweatshirts I talked about a few weeks ago.

The old one is definitely cooler.

Roots is a very Canadian brand, and, like most Canadian fashion, has enourmous potential but fails to deliver. OK, the clothing and branded merchandise sucks, but the leather goods are super good quality and extremely durable. I have this wallet, from Roots, and I got tons of compliments on it. Its nicer and rougher than the Comme des Garcons wallets, and much more durable. So why can’t they make a decent handbag?

I’d love to give Roots’ leather products a makeover, in fact, I am offering my services to them. The leather is great, the product is very high quality, and its extremely durable. But they need to improve their designs, and what better time to do it. People are sick of paying $2000 for a handbag, let’s make some great ones for $300. Plus, I like the fact that they don’t blatantly brand their bags (like Coach…ugh.) Here are some designer brands that they should take inspiration from… Roots people: call me.

All Roots images from their website, all designer bag images from and available on Net A Porter.