coming soon: the harris tweed collection

I'm very happy to announce that we have a wee Harris Tweed collection coming to the shop, in the form of four handsome men's jackets.

One of my favorite things about Harris tweed is the idea that you can see the beautiful range of colors of the Scottish Hebrides islands woven into the fabric itself.  Every aspect of Harris tweed is made on this archipelago, from the spinning to the dying and the weaving of the cloth, making these jackets very special.  (You can read much more about Harris Tweed on the official website.)

They will begin arriving in the shop soon!

xo

K

spring hair

If you follow me on Twitter,  you've already might have seen a couple of these photos, but I got a much-needed haircut and a color update last week.  (For anyone in the Grand Rapids area who reads this blog: Didi at Panopoulos is the woman who does my hair, and she is absolutely fantastic!  She is also a great friend and a lot of fun.)  I love it, and I think I'll be wearing lots of gray, blues, and green with this hair color.

Andy and I went on a movie/art opening/dinner date this weekend, and I wore my heaviest coat because it was supposed to be cold.  But the sun was über bright and Colorado intense, so I ended up not so buttoned up.  You've seen all these clothes on my before in this blog.  The coat is my favorite, and that dress and those shoes get a lot of wear.  The needlepoint bag is relatively new, though.

The only vintage garment on Andy is this beautiful Harris tweed jacket.  We are always on the lookout for Harris tweed items, and find it more frequently in menswear than women's clothing, but often the jackets are bad, boxy cuts.  This one is nicely tailored and looks great on Andy.

The movie we saw was Argo and I think I've already grumbled enough about that.  We also checked out an art opening at the UICA, at which one of my favorite local music acts, the Kent County String Band, played.  I really loved the shadows cast by these silvery discs in the room where the band played.

xo

k

calling all tweedy fellas: a shop preview

If you're a vintage-loving guy--particularly a Harris tweed and cozy sweater-loving guy--or have such a fella in your life that you need to buy a holiday gift for, this is the shop update for you!  Take a look (that first sweater is in the shop; the rest are coming soon).

1960s Jantzen rainbow chevron stripe sweater.

1960s abstract print pullover nylon jacket, by White Stag.

1970s speckled oatmeal cableknit cardigan.

1970s Jantzen ski sweater.

Amway cowichan sweater.  Yep.

My favorite.  1960s color block shetland wool cardian, by Lord Jeff.

1970s petrol blue velvet blazer with red contrast stitching and polka dot lining, by Cuzzens.

1950s nut brown Harris tweed blazer, by R.W. Forsyth.

1940s or 1950s green wool blend plaid jacket, from the Ivy Shop/Charter Club at Harry Suffrin Detroit.

1960s batik print tuxedo jacket with satin lapels and cuffs, After Six by Rudofker.

1970s herringbone Harris Tweed jacket.

xo

K

harris tweed

I spent part of my weekend watching a fascinating documentary about Harris tweed produced by BBC 4 television.  (The documentary is in three hour-long parts that can be viewed on Vimeo.  The first part can be seen here; part two is viewable here and here; and part three is here.)

Harris tweed is "cloth that has been handwoven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides" (source: The Harris Tweed Authority).  Yes--this cloth is still woven by hand on the islands of Scotland's Outer Hebrides.  A single inspector drives around checking that the tweed is being made to standard and places the official seal on the fabric.

Harris tweed comes in over 8000 patterns, with colors that mirror the landscape of Scotland.  The tweed is sturdy and warm and holds its shape.  It's a classic that, sadly, has fallen on hard times.  Though the fashion industry has changed greatly with the rise of cheaply-made, mass produced clothing, the way Harris tweed is made has changed very little.  And--arguably--it shouldn't.  

The BBC 4 documentary I linked to above is about the people who now make the tweed, and those who are making attempts to rescue the industry.  Moments of this documentary made me angry and frustrated, but in the end, tweed aficionados like Savile Row tailor Patrick Grant and fashion designer Deryck Walker gave me hope. 

xo

K