On a personal note, I think some vintage store owners really over estimate themselves. In my search for some cool vintage house duds, I haven't turned up anything. The usual college student problems still apply:
- lack of money
- lack of time
But also in my search I am being somewhat picky. Furniture is a big investment, after all. Anyone would be scrupulous.
Another dilemma is that, while some of the vintage is affordable ($200-$300), it's not comfortable. Texas summers get greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It's just not practical to own a vinyl couch. Quite stupid really.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Cat Deeley can work it
Famous Hangers with Cat Deeley of ' So You Think You Can Dance'
I stumbled upon this special of Famous Hangers featuring Cat Deeley, the host of So You Think You Can Dance. Considering the national exposure she gets on a weekly basis, she definitely has reason to dress nicer than average, but what's most charming is her approach towards shopping for her duds.
She's not my style icon but she offers some really good advice, and I'm always down for that.
I stumbled upon this special of Famous Hangers featuring Cat Deeley, the host of So You Think You Can Dance. Considering the national exposure she gets on a weekly basis, she definitely has reason to dress nicer than average, but what's most charming is her approach towards shopping for her duds.
She's not my style icon but she offers some really good advice, and I'm always down for that.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Us odd Americans
So, I'm becoming quite content with the amount of empty space in my apartment. I've been taking advantage of the dancing space. Unfortunately, I cannot dance as often as I'd like due to my tendency towards self injury. My feet get can get bruised pretty fast and I don't like the idea of walking on a bruise, everyday for the rest of the summer in Texas. Triple whammy!
I've been thinking of investing in a pair of dancing shoes with the thought that they may be designed with the cushioning needs for someone who likes to twist and stomp. Skateboarding shoes are designed that way, so why not dancing shoes?
I discovered the shoes to the right at Urban Outfitters (www.urbanoutfitters.com). Nike Air Troupe Mid - Nice colors, nice design, not to sure about the hi top part though. Thankfully, there's an Urban Outfitters near campus and I was able to try them on. They felt quite nice, I was even beginning to think that the hi top may provide some ankle support. Oddly enough, I was a size 7. I'm most normally a size 7 1/2 to an 8.
US sizing kills me. I think it also makes me more skeptical of buying sneakers online since my size ranges. On the upside, the European sizes tend to be more consistent and I've always been a 38. This is also what it says on the Nike box.
It's nice to have an Urban Outfitters to do some reconnaissance. Online prices and store prices don't match up. As for the sneakers, I think I still would prefer something lower. Nike actually makes Air Troupe Lo as well. So I'm in luck.
I've been thinking of investing in a pair of dancing shoes with the thought that they may be designed with the cushioning needs for someone who likes to twist and stomp. Skateboarding shoes are designed that way, so why not dancing shoes?I discovered the shoes to the right at Urban Outfitters (www.urbanoutfitters.com). Nike Air Troupe Mid - Nice colors, nice design, not to sure about the hi top part though. Thankfully, there's an Urban Outfitters near campus and I was able to try them on. They felt quite nice, I was even beginning to think that the hi top may provide some ankle support. Oddly enough, I was a size 7. I'm most normally a size 7 1/2 to an 8.
US sizing kills me. I think it also makes me more skeptical of buying sneakers online since my size ranges. On the upside, the European sizes tend to be more consistent and I've always been a 38. This is also what it says on the Nike box.
It's nice to have an Urban Outfitters to do some reconnaissance. Online prices and store prices don't match up. As for the sneakers, I think I still would prefer something lower. Nike actually makes Air Troupe Lo as well. So I'm in luck.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Good Acoustics
If you couldn't tell by the title, my apartment is going to be empty for a while. Personally, I'm not in any rush to fill my apartment with furniture. That would probably be more in my mom's nature, but really, I want good comfortable pieces and I'm willing to wait for them. On the bright side, music easily fills my living room. Right now I have one comfortable argyle chair with varying gradations of brown. Since I don't have much money at the moment, I have to assess the pieces I want and be scrupulous with my money. My general criteria has to be met in the following order:
1. Looks good
2. Comfortable
3. Affordable
I'm not willing to just take the best two out of three, so understandably, my apartment will be empty for a while. My boyfriend Frederick, with his lusciously practical mind, generally tries to remind me of all the things I could do with the money I intend to spend on furniture. I do need a new computer, and a new mattress. He also related the point that furniture shouldn't be what makes me happy and I agree with him. What would make me happy is to be able to relate my style to people and have it emanate in my environment. I want my apartment to be a place I look forward to coming home to rather than just a large storage closet that I sleep in. That said, I think the hard part is over with. After scavenging many vintage thrift stores and furniture stores, Star furniture seems to be my jackpot (www.starfurniture.com). The sales consultant there was able to help me develop ways of relating what I wanted. I'm a big fan of clean lines, which means straight - no rounded arms. It's a slightly more modern look despite the fact it was developed in the 1950s. In addition to that, I'm a fan of tufting. Right now I'm in the market for a lounge chair and a sofa.
For the sofa, my nu
mber one preference after comfort is contemporary high arms:
Its not very easy to find, or acquire cheaply. This couch is from Anthropologie and I've sat on it in the store. It's very comfortable and made of linen. This couch is probably the epitome of my preference for clean lines.
It appears the key to nailing this style is the high arms being thin and the legs being simple.
To the right is another version of this high arm couch, it is slightly thicker and it has more cushions. This could work as a compromise, but the Anthropologie couch carries the style better.
It would be unwise for me to limit my sofa selections to expensive, rare styles, so here are a few more I'd make exceptions for:
This one has lower arms, but notice the straight line appeal. The back is tufted and I'm kind of fond of the butterscotch color.
This couch pretty much is low on the straight clean line appeal. I liked the degree of tufting. I could even live with the rounded arms because of how I like the tufting.
I have this general tendency to associate tufting with comfort, which has been the case in my experience. With the sofa, I'm looking to get it in a blue, gray, or yellow. No patterns. I'm looking for longevity in my pieces. Fred wonders why I'd look for longevity when I'd just want something new and different. New and different isn't the case with furniture. For one thing, it's expensive. I don't want to spend a fraction of the money I'd spend on a couch I'd like on a cruddy piece that will just make do for the while. I don't see much of a point in that. This is furniture I'd want to travel with me. Truthfully, I'm not to big on change when it comes to my environment. I've been listening to the same music since 6th grade. Same friends since I was 4. I'm not very adaptable to change.
When it comes to lounge chairs, I haven't quite found a picture of the perfect one online even but this one comes close:
It's the Corrigan chair from Anthropologie. You've probably guessed, I sat in this one at the store too. It has a low, spacious seat and a rounded head. I would prefer it in brown and I think I have seen brown versions of this chair at Barnes and Noble bookstore in the reading sections - obviously not for sale.
It's good to scope out and determine what you like, but I view comfort as of the utmost importance. I'm not about to overpay for a good looking chair I don't want to sit in. That's why I think it's important for me to sample the furniture at show rooms. Comfort makes me apprehensive about ordering furniture online. Consequently, I wouldn't mind ordering anything online that I won't be sitting on:
...like this awesome mid-century modern coffee table. Since I'm looking for longevity in my furniture now, I'm coming to appreciate a solid wood construction and mid century Danish furniture (hard like a rock, and the tables don't shake).
1. Looks good
2. Comfortable
3. Affordable
I'm not willing to just take the best two out of three, so understandably, my apartment will be empty for a while. My boyfriend Frederick, with his lusciously practical mind, generally tries to remind me of all the things I could do with the money I intend to spend on furniture. I do need a new computer, and a new mattress. He also related the point that furniture shouldn't be what makes me happy and I agree with him. What would make me happy is to be able to relate my style to people and have it emanate in my environment. I want my apartment to be a place I look forward to coming home to rather than just a large storage closet that I sleep in. That said, I think the hard part is over with. After scavenging many vintage thrift stores and furniture stores, Star furniture seems to be my jackpot (www.starfurniture.com). The sales consultant there was able to help me develop ways of relating what I wanted. I'm a big fan of clean lines, which means straight - no rounded arms. It's a slightly more modern look despite the fact it was developed in the 1950s. In addition to that, I'm a fan of tufting. Right now I'm in the market for a lounge chair and a sofa.
For the sofa, my nu
mber one preference after comfort is contemporary high arms:Its not very easy to find, or acquire cheaply. This couch is from Anthropologie and I've sat on it in the store. It's very comfortable and made of linen. This couch is probably the epitome of my preference for clean lines.
It appears the key to nailing this style is the high arms being thin and the legs being simple.
To the right is another version of this high arm couch, it is slightly thicker and it has more cushions. This could work as a compromise, but the Anthropologie couch carries the style better.
It would be unwise for me to limit my sofa selections to expensive, rare styles, so here are a few more I'd make exceptions for:
This one has lower arms, but notice the straight line appeal. The back is tufted and I'm kind of fond of the butterscotch color.
This couch pretty much is low on the straight clean line appeal. I liked the degree of tufting. I could even live with the rounded arms because of how I like the tufting.I have this general tendency to associate tufting with comfort, which has been the case in my experience. With the sofa, I'm looking to get it in a blue, gray, or yellow. No patterns. I'm looking for longevity in my pieces. Fred wonders why I'd look for longevity when I'd just want something new and different. New and different isn't the case with furniture. For one thing, it's expensive. I don't want to spend a fraction of the money I'd spend on a couch I'd like on a cruddy piece that will just make do for the while. I don't see much of a point in that. This is furniture I'd want to travel with me. Truthfully, I'm not to big on change when it comes to my environment. I've been listening to the same music since 6th grade. Same friends since I was 4. I'm not very adaptable to change.
When it comes to lounge chairs, I haven't quite found a picture of the perfect one online even but this one comes close:
It's the Corrigan chair from Anthropologie. You've probably guessed, I sat in this one at the store too. It has a low, spacious seat and a rounded head. I would prefer it in brown and I think I have seen brown versions of this chair at Barnes and Noble bookstore in the reading sections - obviously not for sale.It's good to scope out and determine what you like, but I view comfort as of the utmost importance. I'm not about to overpay for a good looking chair I don't want to sit in. That's why I think it's important for me to sample the furniture at show rooms. Comfort makes me apprehensive about ordering furniture online. Consequently, I wouldn't mind ordering anything online that I won't be sitting on:
...like this awesome mid-century modern coffee table. Since I'm looking for longevity in my furniture now, I'm coming to appreciate a solid wood construction and mid century Danish furniture (hard like a rock, and the tables don't shake).
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