On the Radar -- Blurred Lines

From Fashion Forward Trends, here.

Confession time again:  we Blackbird girls like to boogie to the song "Blurred Lines."  It may be very un-PC to like it, but we do.  It's just so catchy.  And we think Robin Thicke is adorable. 

Anyway, I think fashion designers like it, too.  I keep finding prints and patterns that are blurred and smudgy.  Like watercolors that have too much water and have started to run into each other and down the paper.  Or like someone has run their fingers through thick paint and made a mess -- well, a pretty mess.


From Patternbank.

Of course, the first designer we look to is the House of McQueen (all hail), and Sarah Burton never disappoints.  She's always on the highest precipice of design, much like her sainted mentor and predecessor.  Love the red, black and white, as well as the really new tribal vibe.  But there's those blurry lines...

Alexander McQueen, Spring/Summer 2014

Then I found many small fashion houses that were doing prints that are soft or out of focus, smudgy, blurred; new ombres; new dip-dyes:

Jonathan Saunders

Josie Natori

Maria Grachvogel

Chalayan

It's influencing makeup, too.
 

Vogue Germany, January 2014

Chanel Spring Runway look.

You can get the look for less on Etsy.  A quick search yielded this cute cropped shirt, for under $17.

By handmadebyify, here.



On the Radar -- Rattle the Cage

So, this trend post was originally influenced by the Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2013 collection.  I know.  You're shocked.  Moi? Inspired by McQueen?  No!  I promise you, we're not really always that predictable.  Just when it comes to McQueen.

Anyway, we saw this and thought, hmm...cages...

And then we saw this, and we couldn't think for a while...

Sigh.  We just love McQueen.

But when I could get my brain going again, I noticed other people were on the cage train.  Like Dolce and Gabbana:

And Valentino:

And Sergio Rossi:

And Anndra Neen:

And Calvin Klein:

And this by Cecilia Valentine:

On the Radar -- A Red Handbag

Things have been pretty hectic around the Blackbird World Headquarters lately.  As you learned in the Junk Love post for this week, the other Blackbird deserted me to travel across the ocean and have all kinds of adventures in Ireland.  It was a really boring, long, sad two weeks while she was gone, but I was productive!  Well, I was for the first week.  The second week -- not so much.  All I can say is that I am thankful for my Netflix subscription, and I now have a new appreciation for Gossip Girl. 

(In my defense, I had to watch something.  I tried Antiques Roadshow, but believe me, that just made it worse.)

But since she got back home, we have been junk shopping like mad.  (Boy, have we been finding some really good stuff!)  I've been listing our new finds left and right in the Etsy shop.  We're both getting ready to start teaching again -- she's really the teacher, I just have one class.  And the blog has been suffering.  You know, for example, a Radar post on Friday...

Anyway, in the middle of all this, we sold this bag on Etsy:

It's a super sweet frame handbag by Dover, and it has a lovely new home in Texas.  However, while I was bringing this bag from our storage studio to the house, I got several offers from people wanting to purchase it.  When I told them it was sold, they asked, "Do you have any more?"

Oooooookaaaaayyyyy....What's that about?  And then I checked the stats on Etsy.  This bag's views spiked last Saturday.  A major spike.

And then I remembered what one lady who wanted to buy this bag said -- she said, "I'm all about a red bag right now."  So I looked it up, and lo and behold!  EVERYBODY'S about a red bag this fall!

I feel like I am so behind the curve!  But maybe it's because I'm ALWAYS about a red bag.  Red is my favorite color, and if given the choice, I will always pick it.

So here's my roundup of designer bags to drool over.  Look at these, and then just go to Etsy or your local antique store and buy a vintage one.  I mean, ours was only $18.  That's a steal!

Roberto Cavalli, Fall 2013

Marchesa clutches, Fall 2013

Dolce and Gabbana, Fall 2013

All Valentino, Fall 2013

Alexander McQueen, Fall 2013

On the Radar -- Black and White and Red All Over

We've talked about black and white -- you know, the trend that never ends.  Well, it seems designers have moved on to another classic combo.  Black, white, and RED.  I was flipping through my latest Harper's Bazaar and started noticing all the red.  And then all of the black and white.  Hmmmm...

So here's my round up of some of my favorite finds, like Alexander McQueen.  Oh, and a few other designers.  Really, what more do you need in life?  

Well, maybe Robert Downey Jr.  But hey, that's just a Blackbird girl preference.

Enjoy!

John Paul Gaultier, Fall/Winter 2013

Alexander McQueen, Fall/Winter 2013

Vivienne Tam, Fall/Winter 2013

From Vogue Portugal.

Giambattista Valli, Fall/Winter 2013

Vintage silk scarf, available in our shop, here.

On the Radar -- The Prints Make the Man

Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2013

OK, so it's a raining and dark outside, and I'm a day late on writing the blog.  I'd like to say that today's On the Radar post is not just an excuse to look at male models, but to be honest, it partly is.  I'm a little bit sleepy, a lot cozy in my bathrobe, and screw it, I just want to look at hot guys.

But there really is a trend here.  All the major designers seem to be embracing color and pattern in a big way, and these prints that they are coming up with are cray-cray.  I don't know any men personally that would wear these clothes, but they are fun to look at.  And well, so are the models.

Enjoy the round-up, because just for you, dear readers, I've slaved away looking at tons of pictures to find you my faves.  (It's such hard work, but alas, I must do it.)

Moschino, Fall/Winter 2013

Prada, Spring 2014

Dolce & Gabbana, Spring 2013

Givenchy, Spring 2014

Dolce & Gabbana, Fall/Winter 2013

Alexander McQueen, Fall/Winter 2013

Oh, and you're welcome for this one.  It's so very on trend...

Dolce & Gabbana, Spring 2014

On the Radar -- The Mighty...Acorn?

By now I shouldn't have to remind you -- we love Alexander McQueen.  So in looking at his Pre-Fall 2013 collection, we both fell in love with this particular necklace:

Very simple.  A gold acorn on a long chain.  Classic, easy to wear.  $560.

Yeah.  I'll start saving for that while I look around Etsy.

So, here's the first two...we'll say McQueen inspired...necklaces I found:

Available here from Gwen Delicious on Etsy.

Available here from Pinking Edge Designs on Etsy.

And then I thought, "Are there more acorn things out there right now?"  And the answer -- well take a look:

Yoko Ono's new art book

Acorn Pendant Lights from Maija Puoskari, Milan Design Week 2013

Even fonts can be inspired by acorns!

The answer would be yes, then.  There is something nutty going around.  Ah, the mighty acorn...

On the Radar -- Cameos

Trends are funny things.  We've talked about this before -- about how trends start with the style makers and move through the steps of fashion/home fashion, until they end up at Big Lots.  Or Dollar General. 

We're catching today's trend right in the middle of its progression through the stages.  Last year designers were all about cameos.  Like Lanvin's pre-fall collection (fall 2012):

 And Alexander McQueen (from last year -- neither of which are available):

 

Hmmm... But here's a page I just scanned from the July 2013 Harper's Bazaar, titled "Must-Haves":

And we've been witnessing renewed interest in cameos, both at the antique mall, and in many recent "favorites" of our sterling Van Dell clip earrings, listed here on Etsy:

So jump on this trend wagon!  It's just the right time...

From Morning Glorius, on Etsy, here.

And really, cameos are a quintessential classic.  They will always be stylish!