Non fall clothing

Most of my regular blogs are show casing plum tones and wools.....so not relevant to me this year. When is it okay to wear linen and T-shirt to work in October? When you're interning on island and you can see the sea and cruise ships from your office premises. strings of faux pearl and pointed toe kitten heels suggests that you made an effort especially in a very conservative work environment.

T- shirt- The Gap

Linen wide leg pants - F21

Necklaces - Aldo

Flower in the hair - a poppy in memory of veterans.

be good. do better. look your best.

Who said bridesmaid dresses are for one time use?

A few months ago I attended a friend's wedding in Barbados. She had the novel idea of custom made silk dupioni corseted tops, pencil skirts and banded belts.

Honestly, at first I didn't get it. When I got to BIM( as Barbados is called) I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was her selection, a rich fabric in an amazing colour, but her design was carefully executed by Caribbean Icon Award Fashion Designer Pat Brathwaite. (See her work here and here and here)

Wasn't Les the most beautiful bride?

My friend Les, heard me plotting on the many ways I'd wear the outfit again...even before her wedding was over. I still havent done the crisp button down white shirt, tons of Channel-esque pearls and nude pumps just yet.

I had shown only a peek of the dress here. Here's how I've worn pieces of the bridal attire...countless times.

Above, the entire outfit, in my friend's bridal party, Barbados.

With a nude pocketed dress and gold hoops, out to drinks with friends in Kingston.

With dark denim, a metallic top and wedges, out for drink with friends in Waltham, Ma.

With a button down pin stripe shirt and white boot leg pants, presenting at a conference in Jamaica.

With a off white 3/4 sleeve tank , orange bib necklace and purple velvet flats, today at work in St. Lucia.

be good. do better. look your best.

Claat .....

I used to accompany my mother( a reluctant seamstress) in Kingston, Jamaica, to the fabric(claat in Jamaican creole) store. I took the opportunity to accompany an older co-worker, also a seamstress here in St. Lucia to the fabric store for the heck of it.

All the memories came rushing back, Indian silks, British cottons, post- colonial madras plaids.

I picked up a few pieces. Now I'm looking for a tailor/seamstress to make a few pieces while I'm here.

This is how I feel....

Happy to be alive!

Striped top- The Gap, Vest- FCUK, Skirt- J-Crew ( click image for larger view)

How are you feeling?

be good. do better. look your best.

Kweyol Clutch

This month is Kweyol (Creole) Heritage month in St. Lucia. The entire country celebrates the creole ( French, English and African) heritage with traditional music, dance, food, exhibitions etc. I attended an event, October Fest en Kweyol ( a fusion of the German Beer Festival with a Kweyol Flair) These handmade straw clutches were on display and I had to take one home.

The wristlets, clutches and small shoulder bags are carefully crafted by a local St. Lucian woman, Lil, who usually sells in the City's market, using straw harvested in rural St. Lucia , scraps of fabric and used plastic for the inside lining.

Top- F-21, Shorts - French connection, Necklace - a shop in St. Lucia, Sandals- Nine West

Other pictures from the event can be found at my Travel Blog, CaribbeanConservationChic.tumblr.com.

be good. do better. look your best.

SHE started in a supermarket

Let's talk Caribbean Chic.

It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to pick up SHE in the grocery store. IT WAS JUST THERE!! AVAILABLE. The magazine is carried by one [as far as I know] book store in Boston. I was familiar with the coveted glossy pages of caribbean fashion, features and profiles of fabulous Caribbean women, but had no knowledge that it was as St. Lucian as the Pitons!!

This month's issue has a lovely round up of Caribbean fashion Week that took place this past June in Kingston.

"Since its inception in September 1998 as a freebie from Julian’s Supermarket, SHE Caribbean has developed into a highly respected international women’s magazine. Publisher Mae Wayne remembers well the magazine’s beginnings as a promotional vehicle for the supermarket’s products. The response was encouraging from the start. Gradually, the magazine changed its Saint Lucia bound focus to concentrate on all women from the region"

Handmade St.Lucia

Yesterday I went to the duty free shops in Castries, St. Lucia. How tourist-y of me? I wanted to immediately take home this handmade lantern. The creation is by a St. Lucian expatriate...Becker( I can't remember), made with washed up sea fans, shells etc on canvas with rope and used light fixtures.



Do you like?

be good. do better.look your best.

Eye Candy

Since I am far away from the mass consumption of malls, thrift and vintage shopping in the USA and it costs way too much to get online purchases delivered in St. Lucia, I have been window shopping online. Alot!

I was in aaaaawwwwwhhhh when I found Akpos Okudu Spring Summer Collection 2010 over at her Facebook page and then here blog. Could someone please invite her to show at fashion week somewhere....emailing here to get details on ordering in 5,4,3,2.......

Divine...colors, cut, construction...

I cheated. I am sorry.

So. I have been in St. Lucia now for 13 days. I started a new travel blog CaribbeanConservationChic at tumblr to document that journey and because I find that pictures are better looking there.

St. Lucia is good so far. Like my homeland Jamaica, but yet very different. I am working on biodiversity conservation( read: protecting trees, animals etc and managing how people use these scarce resources that are essential to the 'sustainability' of Caribbean economies)

That JCrew Button down skirt (Thrifted) Shirt- Gap, Necklace( Goodwill) Shoes(Kenneth Cole)

Shirt- (BCBG), Top- (NY&Co.), Khaki-( Gap) Necklace - (Liz Clairborne) Paparazzi, for the organization's press release.

Blazer -(Old Navy(Thrifted), Top( Max Mara, stolen form my sister), Skirt- ??? Lady Bug Necklace( Lucky Brand@ Macy's))

I have been enjoying getting dressed with less than a quarter of my closet and lots of accessories. My challenge is even greater because of what I call 'post-colonial mannerisms' that limits what "work wear" is. Typical work wear here is button downs, polyester suits, nylon stockings etc......I try not to stand out...too much. Although I had some critical commentary on pattern mixing. Still a little taboo.... I know what is expected having worked in Jamaica......but I choose not to pay attention.....While the island is usually 80 degrees the office AC is kept at 26 degrees.....so layering is okay...for me atleast.

be good. do better. look your best.

From St. Lucia

Birthday in Brooklyn

Click photo above to view

I celebrated my birthday this past Saturday traveling 12 hours to get to St. Lucia. The day was the most unusual one i have had yet. I enjoyed pre-birthday and farewell celebrations in Brooklyn on Thursday. With a hundred tasks to complete before jetting off for my internship I wanted an outfit that was easy but special. This vintage madras, silk Brooks Brothers shirt came together nicely with a few borrowed pieces from my best friend.

Denim- old pair cut off(Marshalls)

Shirt- vintage Brooks Brothers ( Goodwill)

Belt- borrowed

Cocktail ring- borrowed( it hurt to return it)

Platform Sandals- INC(Macy's)

Purse- Vintage Gucci( circ 1964) (Goodwill)

Thanks to Mr. Husband I got the SLR I wanted.

be good. do better. look your best.

The week that was....info overload.

Will talk in incoherent manner today. Will post all of last week's pictures...week was hectic but enjoy dressing under pressure.

Prepping for the big trip to St. Lucia on Saturday. I question if the ' much anticipated' experience working on conservation with six governments of small Caribbean islands is worth me running around like a headless chicken trying to get my house in order before I leave. I could just accept a normal life by a desk someplace where wearing a silk dress to work is okay and documenting coral reef health, counting wildlife and training farmers and fishermen is not involved! With all this the mother-in-law moves in on Monday to care for Mr. Husband while I am away. Anyhow, this is not therapy so I wont go on.....this is what I wore...

Sunday

To church.. I really needed the spiritual boost.

Monday

To the supermarket and pharmacy, my Soy Joy party package arrived. More on that later.

Tuesday

The Haley House. Great food, job training for formerly homeless. Herbal teas, free refills and they use produce from neighborhood gardens.

To lunch at the Haley House with former Director at the job I broke up with. Good food awkward situation. ( felt very J-Crew-ish today)

Wednesday

To the dentist, optometrist and diamontologist ....this romper under dress for peak of color while looking pulled together. Brilliant!

To a tailoring session for the 'workshop/meetings suit', 'cause they never fit!

To Chinese Dim Sum Dinner with Mr. Husband and sister. Still in love with my 1970' Bonnie Cashin Coach Saddle bag.

The 10 day packing marathon for the big trip....still incomplete.

Thursday

To good bye dinner with grad school folks. First pair of jeans in forever.....in an attempt to wear the student 'staple' I will wear at least once each week for 6 months while on my internship.

Enter grad school folks here. They are off to Cambodia, Nepal and China to name a few.

Friday

To help out with orientation for the new cohort of students in my grad school program at Heller. I told you liked them jeans.

I am excited for the future leaders from over 40 countries.

Borrowed a friend's sewing machine to do more alterations. On a Friday night!

Saturday

To a over 30 yo dance party on a rainy night. I got in with Mr. Husband , he is that age cohort.

( cohort twice in a blog entry...how academic?)