Today I went on a little walk over to my new apartment, (had to drop off a chandelier for the men to install for me, as if I know how to install a light fixture. Shoes I know, home improvement I do not.), and on my way home I walked past the Listel Hotel on Robson and noticed that they are featuring a FABULOUS exhibit!! FALLEN PRINCESSES by Dina Goldstein features the Disney princesses as modern day women, basically Princesses having to go through what a woman goes through these days. There’s a Jasmine fighting in the Middle East, a Cinderella looking lonely and forlorn in a bar, and, oh I won’t tell you anymore, you must see it yourself! While this may sound a tad depressing, and not quite what a fabulous girl like yourself needs to start off her new year with, I think the images are fascinating and beautifully done. Best seen with some girlfriends and finished with bellinis at a nearby restaurant. So you can discuss the art, of course, not talk about the usual boys, clothes and gossip. ; ) 

(Above) The lovely Cinderella sits lonely in a bar. Photo Credit: Dina Goldstein

To see more of Dina’s amazing photography, please visit her site! DinaGoldstein.com

If you are interested in seeing the exhibit, and there’s a lot to see, it is located just off of the Listel Hotel at Jervis and Robson. Enter through the hotel lobby, which conveniently is open 24 hours, and apparently so is the exhibit. At least that’s what the concierge told me. No charge, and pictures are allowed. Hope you enjoy it, I know I’ll be going to see it!

XO StyleStruck (And Happy SAFE New Years! Again.)

p.s. Today’s post is dedicated to a loyal and cherished reader, Ms. Megan Jennings! xoxo

So I know I just took bit of a blog-hiatus, but sadly another short one is coming. I am in the thick of packing alllll my stuff, (and as a fashion-collecting blogger, you can imagine how much stuff I have, or clothes rather. My closet overfloweth. So does my shoe rack. So much more packing to do!! And then there’s the moving of the stuff, and then the putting away of the stuff. Oh boy…)

While packing I began to re-fill the shoe boxes, after quite some time this is where the shoe pile was at:

My Twitter pic

I believe I tweeted this is about half the shoe collection, what a ridiculous thing to say, it’s really more like 1/3, or 1/4 of the shoe collection. Next time I go to buy shoes someone needs to slap my wrist and say NO MORE. Unless they’re designer, on sale. (Then it hardly even counts). 

So anyways, I wanted to say an early HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!! I’m really looking forward to seeing what everyone wears for the big night, hopefully lots of sparkle!! 

Cheers!!

xo

Every now and then I like to feature local ladies who inspire me in both life and fashion. This post is an introduction to Jennine Banks, a fashion maven who knows her stuff, has a defined look and can shake up a mean martini. 

I met Jennine a few years ago when we were working in a restaurant together. Jennine is that girl who has the “effortless cool” thing going on, when someone figures out how to bottle that, let me know! I’ll buy them out. Earlier this month I did the little trek up Main St to visit her at her gorgeous heritage building apartment. Hope you enjoy her style and much as I do!

Meet Jennine Banks!

Jennine’s apartment is a perfect collection of all things fashion, vintage and music. Her vinyl collection was enough to make me jealous, more people should play vinyl at home, now if only I could get my hands on a record player I’d be in business…

the coffee table.

Now moving into the bedroom…

First impression upon entering Jennine's room, rolling racks galore. I think there is something so chic about rolling racks, or maybe I just like looking at clothes and clothes and more clothes.

the bedside table, with a very natural accessory: gold handcuffs.

And into the kitchen, where Jennine whipped us up some very delicious coffee… I love her idea of putting up a large chalkboard in the kitchen where friends can leave messages, I may steal this idea for my new apartment! (Did I say NEW APARTMENT?! Yes, I am relocating to the west end, quite near to English Bay. I’m thinking this new place will be all about the art, white walls and lots of colourful art to pop off the walls… pictures of my progress in the upcoming weeks!)

Everywhere you look, something fascinating... Like these pieces sitting next to me at the kitchen counter.

Thanks to Jennine for showing off her gorgeous apartment! And now a little Q & A:

Q: Who are your favourite designers? 

A: a) Alber Elbaz, I love everything about him, from his amazing collections for Lanvin to his cheery demeanor – he’s like your favourite uncle! 

b) Hedi Slimane – His work for Dior Homme was just so sexy, and he’s also a very talented photographer. I’ve had a crush on him since before I even knew what he looked like.

c) Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy – Do I even need to explain this one? His couture collections are insane! He’s the king of Paris.

d) Christophe Decarnin – many pieces from his hard – edged collections for Balmain are at the top of my want list.

Q: When did your interest in fashion start?

A: I think I was pretty much born with a love for fashion. I’ve got pictures of me at age three wearing a party dress with matching purse and hot pink gumboots sitting on my dirty little pony Cameo. My mom made all my dresses and I always insisted I needed a purse to match – I was a collector. I was a total girly girl, though you might not think it to see me now. My style has evolved slightly (one would hope).

Q: Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

A: Patti Smith – both musically and her personal style – she was so bad ass, so rock and roll and an artist in it’s truest form.

Don Covay – a prolific songwriter (he penned an impressive string of hits for the likes of Aretha Franklin, Burke and Wilson Pickett) and one of the most overlooked soul singers of his generation. Mick Jagger, well aware of his vocal limitations looked to Covay for inspiration – one listen to those falsetto notes he hits and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Rumour has it that a young Jimi hendrix once played in Covay’s band.

Q: Any decorating tips?

A: Feel out your space and let your imagination run a bit before making any design commitments or rushing out and buying new furniture. Don’t worry about living in a stark space for a while. Take your time and buy good quality pieces that you love and will last.

And a little extra…

Place you’ll most likely find me on a snowy afternoon:

Gene Coffee at Main and Kingsway, or curled up in my living room with a cup of Stumptown coffee. Seriously the best coffee ever! And finally available in Vancouver at the brand new Mr Lee’s General Store.

Classic cocktail (to impress your friends):

The Brown Derby
1 ounce bourbon
1 ounce grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed)
½ ounce clover-honey syrup (1 part water, 1 part clover honey)

In tin-on-tin shaker (it creates a nice foam), add freshly squeezed grapefruit, then honey and bourbon; shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass (ideally, a 5 ½-ounce Champagne coupe).

Sorry to my lovely readers, I took a bit of an unexpected hiatus, but I’m back! And doing a photo shoot today, so new material coming very soon! Thanks for reading! And a special shout out to my girls KMT and Badge who check out what I’m up to on StyleStruck. You two get the Loyal Fan award!

XO StyleStruck

While we were in New York, Tommy and I were lucky enough to visit the Rag & Bone studio! One of the senior designers is soon-to-be part of the Humphreys family! (She is Adam’s girl, Adam has been spotted on StyleStruck, and is the giver of the Anna Wintour post-it!) Lauren Bucquet is a Parsons Fashion School Grad, (AND she went to school with Alexander Wang, before he dropped out), who did an internship at Rag & Bone as part of her degree, and then continued to work there after graduation. While we were in New York, Lauren was in China looking into different factories for Rag & Bones’ new lines of shoes. When she got back, Lauren took us to the Rag & Bone studio where I saw the new Spring 2010 shoes, AMAZING!! Can’t wait to get my hands on a pair of them!!

What an amazing opportunity, thank you Lauren!!