Monday Musings: the home #etxe

Q+A with Laura O'Dell of Bucks and Does, Porridge + the ODells

Life, Love and Los Angeles

Strolling down Sunset Blvd on a sunny day is always a good time. But one particular day there was a DJ on the sidewalk of a store we'd never seen before...or at least hadn't noticed the last time we were in Los Angeles.

It was Bucks and Does and they were celebrating their 1-year anniversary. We fell in love with everything in the store (they carry mens and womenswear) and the people shopping and celebrating inside. The style is California cool, Bohemian-chic. You can find classic pieces for any wardrobe or a fun stand-alone item to spice up your summer. We were drooling over some hats and a Mara Hoffman bathing suit.

If you can dream it, you can create it

Bucks and Does is run by Laura O'Dell and her husband Jason. Laura studied Merchandise Marketing at FIDM and started her career in fashion making hand-dyed and embroidered tank tops that she sold at a boutique she managed in Brentwood. She met her future-husband Jason in 2001, launched Porridge in 2004 (carried by Anthropologie), they opened Bucks and Does in May of 2013, and recently the husband-wife duo launched their namesake line, The ODells.

http://content.theodellscollection.com/video/The-odells-video.mp4 Video credit: The ODells

We are totally inspired by both lines (Porridge + The ODells), the store, this video featuring our favorite song and the dedication to create beautiful, functional designs!

Here's our Q+A with Laura:

What do you think are key qualities to succeed in the fashion industry?

Dedication, patience, ability to adhere to a budget and creativity by means of finding out what your "niche" is. What makes you different from everyone else.

What is one thing you have to do every day?

Check emails. I get sooooo many.

We love reading about your various types of inspiration -- how do you keep it all organized?

I love Pinterest and Instagram but also use old fashion journaling. I keep a pen and notebook in my purse at all times.

How do you maintain a work/life balance?

I stop working at 4pm every evening to be with my family. My 2 kids are my main priority so even if I have to resume work after they go to sleep once 4pm rolls around they have my undivided attention.

If you could only design with the colors from one plant, what type of plant would you choose?

Ohh that's a hard one. Can I chose a vegetable? If so I'd pick a beet :-)

What advice would you give to a fashion designer starting out?

Find your niche and make sure you access the competition.

Do you design for yourself or for others?

Both, but mainly for myself.

Here are our favorite pieces from the Porridge line

Visit Bucks & Does

3906 W. Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, California 90029 323 515-7385

Monday-Saturday 10am - 7pm Sunday 11am - 6pm

Now let's go back to LA!

What inspires you to create? What is one thing you have to do every day? Do you miss those Eastside LA stairs as much as we do?

Ever tried Stitch Fix?

Guest post by our friend Jane!

What's Stitch Fix?

I first heard about Stitch Fix a few months ago from a friend, and I was intrigued. When I got an email from Klout about a Stitch Fix perk, I knew I had to try it out!

Stitch Fix is an online personal shopping service. When you join, you fill out a comprehensive style profile with your sizes, likes, dislikes, price parameters, and any other information that will help your stylist (yes, a real person!) select items for you. You can schedule an automatic “fix” on a regular basis or simply log in to your account and schedule a fix any time you want a few new items for your wardrobe. Your stylist will send you 5 items (usually 4 clothing items and 1 accessory). When you receive your fix in the mail, you try on everything at home and send back any items you don’t love. You pay only for what you keep, and if you keep all 5 items, you receive a 25% discount. There is a $20 styling fee per fix that goes toward your final purchase should you decide to keep any of the items.

First Delivery

I ordered my first fix in March, but was informed that I would not receive it until mid-May. The Stitch Fix team has been rapidly growing due to popularity of the service, so they are currently working hard to reduce wait times. I didn’t mind the wait and figured it would be even more of a pleasant surprise when I received my first fix.

I was right! I received an email a few weeks ago notifying me that my first fix had been shipped, complete with USPS tracking number. It was delivered the next day.

There’s something about receiving a package with surprise contents - I couldn’t wait to see what my stylist had picked out for me. I brought the box inside and quickly opened it to find a personal note from her welcoming me to Stitch Fix and describing the items she had selected for me. Stitch Fix also includes styling cards for each item to show you different ways to wear it.

When I unwrapped the simple, well-designed packaging, I was pleasantly surprised to find a pair of mustard skinny jeans folded neatly on top.

I immediately tried them on and was amazed that they fit perfectly and looked great. I usually have a hard time finding pants that fit well, so these pants were a dream come true. Instant love! (Price: $108)

Next was a striped tank with a metal decoration on the collar. Still wearing the skinny jeans, I put this on and immediately loved it as well.

Especially with the occasional San Francisco heat wave, this seemed like a good piece to have. Unfortunately, I noticed that the loop to secure the upper back button was broken, so even though I loved this piece, I ended up sending it back. (Price: $68)

Next was a long, light-weight black cardigan with a crochet back detail, which shows off whatever you are wearing underneath.

My stylist suggested this piece as a versatile lightweight coverup and when I tried it on, I immediately knew that it was something I would get a ton of wear out of, especially during the spring and summer. I happened to be wearing a bright blue tank top underneath (and yes, still wearing the mustard skinny jeans), so the cardigan was perfect for showing off my colorful top. (Price: $48)

The next item in my fix was a cowl neck knit top.

When I first saw this piece, I was drawn to the fun print and color. But, when I tried it on, I hated how it looked on me. The combination of the body-hugging synthetic fabric, the cowl neck, and the half sleeves just wasn’t for me. (Price: $58)

Finally, the accessory that my stylist picked out was a beautiful crystal ball necklace.

I have to admit, I’m not really a jewelry person. I love fun earrings, but when it comes to other jewelry, I have a couple of key pieces that I rotate between. However, when I put this necklace on, I knew I had to keep it. Not only is it pretty, but I also realized that it can be worn two ways--as one long necklace or doubled up as a shorter one. I love the versatility! (Price: $52)

3/5 Stitch Fix Success

Out of the five items sent, I chose to keep three: the mustard skinny jeans, the lightweight cardigan, and the crystal ball necklace. I would have kept the striped tank as well had the button loop not been broken, but instead I sent it back along with the cowl neck knit top. Stitch Fix provides a USPS return envelope for any items you want to send back, so all you have to do is drop it in a mailbox within 3 days of receiving your fix and you’re good to go. Then, you log in to your account to let them know which items you are keeping, pay for them, and give feedback on everything. Your stylist will use the feedback to help select even more pieces you will love for future fixes.

Overall, I was very impressed with my first experience with Stitch Fix. They make the whole process incredibly easy for the customer and I loved the surprise element of receiving my first fix. Discovering new brands is another benefit of the service - I was not familiar with any of the brands in my first fix. In doing research, I found that most of the brands I received do not sell their products online, so I didn’t have to worry about paying more for an item from Stitch Fix vs. elsewhere. I highly recommend Stitch Fix and I will definitely order another fix next time I need a few new pieces for my closet. Here’s me wearing all of my new pieces:

If you’d like to try Stitch Fix for yourself, here's my referral link!

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Jane Philipps is an artist and apparel industry consultant living in San Francisco. She loves textiles, patterns, and all things fashion related. If you’d like to get in touch, visit her website or send her an email.

Have you tried Stitch Fix? How was your experience?

Monday musings...

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. --Henry David Thoreau

May Birchbox

May's Birchbox came filled with the essentials to make every girl feel like an iconic beauty.

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This is a perfect tinted moisturizer that has SPF 40! yes, 40! Cotz Face is super lightweight, and will protect your precious face from the sun. Every girl that's ever loved Audrey Hepburn (that's everyone, right?) needs to be protecting her skin from the harsh UV rays of summer. I bet Audrey wishes she could have used the lightweight, SPF 40 Cotz while galavanting around Rome in Roman Holiday.

I admit, I never buy fancy shampoo. With so many hair products failing to live up to their promises, I gave up years ago and stick with whichever brand is on sale.  However, this little bottle of Number 4 Volumizing Shampoo may have changed my mind. My hair felt like a million bucks after using this shampoo. While it is still out of my price range ($72 a bottle) I will cherish this sample for its ability to make my head feel like Farrah Fawcett's.

Same goes for Number 4 Volumizing Conditioner and another healthy hair icon, Jennifer Aniston. My hair has never felt so light and healthy!

I admit I haven't regularly used shaving cream since I lived at home and my mom bought it for me. (Wasn't it great when things like shaving cream, toilet paper and paper towels were always just magically there?) This Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream is a game-changer. I was surprised that it did not foam, it was more of a lotion that managed to super-moisturize my skin. Using this shaving cream makes a girl feel like a 1950's movie star ready for her beachwear photo shoot. Do you know iconic American actress Vera-Ellen? She started her career on Broadway as one of the youngest Rockettes, then appeared in films with Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, and Bing Crosby!

In honor of graduation season, remember the Graduation song by Vitamin C? I wonder if Vitamin C took her vitamins everyday. I know I often forget, but Smarty Pants Vitamins   taste more like candy than vitamins and I'd gladly eat them every day!

Like many other Birchbox girls said in their review, I was wary about this Laqa & Co. sheer lip lube pencil's purple color. Why did I get purple? I would never wear purple on my lips & I don't even like the color in general. BUT- It is actually fantastic. The purple color is fun and feels perfect for spring. I'm also hoping it makes me look as fierce as Rihanna.

Do you get Birchbox?

It's the best $10 I spend each month! Click here if you're interested in signing up!

If you're already a subscriber, have you found any products that you absolutely love from your monthly samples?

I know I have! (I'll have to share my all time favorites soon.)

No Translation Needed: Mexico City Metro Icons

Graphic design is one of those things that baffles me. I only arrive at something I can live with by accident. There's something about the precision and need to select from an infinite amount of possibilities that freaks me out and results in really lame graphics. I am a very visual person and I love photography, textile design and other types of design + creation, but ask me to pick a font and make it a particular color and I'll bolt.

Fortunately, there are people that truly excel at the graphic arts. I've seen Lance Wyman's work in many, many places but recently stumbled upon his work for the Mexico City subway system. Lance is an American graphic designer most known for his work on the 1968 Summer Olympic Games logo.

Designing icons for public transportation, especially in cities attractive to tourists, such as his design for the Washington DC metro map is tricky. It must be universally understood regardless of a visitor's native language. The graphics must communicate perfectly so people do not get confused (and lost), but also be aesthetically pleasing and, hopefully, reflect the ethos of the place. In this case study, Lance describes his process to create such wayfinding systems that describe, without written language, where we are, where we want to go, and how to get there.

If you have ever traveled, you know that figuring out the metro system is one of the first things you will have to do, and a key step to learning about the city. In designing the icons for the Mexico City metro system, Lance and his team set about creating a completely visual system, easily understood by anyone from anywhere, much like he had done for the 1968 Summer Olympics icons.

The inspiration for each icon stems from a historical image or structure that relates to the station itself. For example, The Bellas Artes station was inspired by the image of the Art Nouveau Palace of Fine arts and the Tlatelolco was inspired by a tower nearby the station. We love the methodology of these designs and can't wait to see what Lance does next! (Rumor has it he's working on a new map for the National Gallery of Art in DC).

Further exploration:

• Lance Wyman's website
• Radiant Discord: Lance Wyman on the ’68 Olympic Design and the Tlatelolco Massacre
• Interview with Lance Wyman by Designboom
• Lance Wyman to speak at the Brand New Conference this September in Chicago
• Interview with Lance Wyman by Herman Miller
• Lance Wyman: The man behind Metro’s newest subway map

What about you--what's your favorite metro icon design? Tell us in the comments below!