New York Stylist

Petria's Paris 2011 Part 1

2011-03-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much for looking at this video. For more, go to youtube. My channel is 60secondsofstyle.

60 Seconds of Style Abroad, English Girls in Paris

2010-04-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

I spoke to these nice English girls in Paris. They were wearing great outfits that work even for regular Josephines (and Joes, too) who actually pay for their charming goods!

60 Seconds of Style Abroad - Les Gamines in Paris

2010-04-15T13:26:00.001-07:00

I "met" (I mean, I stopped people on the street) these gamines--Clemente and Alima--in Paris during my inspiration vacation. Their outfits reflect the style of many teens in Paris right now. Mariner tees made famous by Picasso, gray Converse sneakers and dark pea coats reminiscent of naval uniform style. Skinny jeans, too. I was looking for an edge, which was hard to come by. Yet, I found the classic contemporary looks instructive as well. Any bright colors in Paris? Only occasionally.

60 Seconds of Style Abroad - Olivier + Pierre in Paris

2010-04-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

As I saw it, Parisians adore combining black and gray (le noir et le gris). Olivier and Pierre present typical, yet chic, examples of this fashion truth. While I cannot claim to be a personal devotee of black and gray--I wore a tan trench throughout my trip--I enjoyed seeing the colors against the backdrop of beautiful, imposing French architecture, as seen here.

60 Seconds of Style Project in Paris, Children

2010-04-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Auto-Portraits d'Enfants

Children's Auto-Portraits

60 Seconds of Style Abroad - Anouk in Paris

2010-04-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

Anouk of Paris spills a few style stops in the City of Lights and describes her own style: plenty of black, one piece that stands out and is surrounded by other pieces to emphasize it, and occasional white. She's not a fan of the flea markets, but enjoys discount shops around town.

Photos from Seth Rogovoy

2010-03-07T13:07:00.000-08:00

Some people just make sense as friends. That's how I feel about Seth Rogovoy, editor of Berkshire Living magazine and author of the recently published book Bob Dylan: Mystic, Prophet, Poet (unfortunately, this program does not allow underlining).

I don't see Seth often, although we live within a block of each other, but I'm always happy when I do. Here are a couple of photos from Seth. On the right is a picture (with Cassandra Sohn) from Harriette Joffe's fine art opening on December 5, 2010 at Bra & Girl in Great Barrington while the shot on the left hails from last night's annual, BIG party for I.S. 183, an art school in The Berkshires.

Check out www.rogovoy.com. You'll be glad you did.

Faith Hochberg, Judge and Jeweler

2010-02-22T20:03:00.001-08:00

Faith Hochberg is probably the only person I know (other than myself) who can distribute two vastly different business cards--one for her day job as a federal judge and the other for her handmade jewels (see "Jocelyn" above). As you can imagine, we are connected. You may review a selection of Faith's jewels at www.berkshireartist.com. A longtime second homeowner in Litchfield County, Faith custom creates from her imagination, and yours. She loves to incorporate unused family treasures into wearable art.

Faith is one of the many fascinating women I've met over the last 5.5 years at Petria Boutiq.

Devohn Walker 60 Seconds Video + Bill Cunningham Photo

2010-02-06T21:35:00.000-08:00

Devohn Walker is one step closer to his dream that one day, everyone will know his name. I videotaped him in Brooklyn back in the fall. It seems that Bill Cunningham found him in Manhattan. Check out the Sunday Styles section for February 7, 2010 or look at the photo here. My video was posted to youtube a while back. You could have seen it there first!

60 Seconds of Style Project, What Thinking Looks Like

2010-01-31T18:50:00.000-08:00

Dialogue with Paris by Petria

2009-11-30T15:09:00.000-08:00

For Part 1 of 3 of my recent inspiration vacation, Dialogue with Paris, go straight to the video at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3MkfhdNfiw

60 Seconds of Style Project, Petria and JB

2009-11-15T14:56:00.000-08:00

60 Seconds of Style Project, Brigitte

2009-10-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

60 Seconds of Style Project, Hatori

2009-10-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

Here is Hatori, salesperson at the chic downtown nyc shop called Atelier. We crossed paths on the Lower East Side and discussed, ever so briefly, our mutual admiration for Japanese and Belgian design with a little Rick Owens for flavor.

60 Seconds of Style Project, Harriette

2009-10-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

60 Seconds of Style Project, J. Crew

2009-10-17T13:08:00.001-07:00

Vintage inspires J. Crew. Petria May (c'est moi) supplies some of those pieces (and that's fun). Crew takes design and styling seriously; it has been a pleasure to watch its transformation. I am a fan of the soft T-shirts and long merino cardigans.

Cheryl Dunn + Michael Karbelnikoff

2009-10-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

Wedding Fantastic held in Norfolk, Connecticut

White is passe, plaid is in, black is so back, and remembering loved ones lost makes sense.

For a wedding that visually veered from traditional nuptials, thereby creating its own (and I daresay truer) tradition, savor these images from the bliss of Cheryl Dunn and Michael Karbelnikoff.

I am left dreaming: Could it be that marriage may be fun after all?

60 Seconds of Style Project, Max

2009-10-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

Max works in production at Salvor Projects (www.salvorprojects.com)

60 Seconds of Style Project, Paula

2009-10-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

2009-10-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

Here's my Vanity Fair Letter to the Editor. It was published in the November 2009 issue.

The Art of Couture

AS AN ATTORNEY and writer who set aside her Columbia Law School education to dedicate the past five years of her life to being a purveyor of vintage clothes, I can attest to the everlasting allure of couture [“Toujours Couture,” by Amy Fine Collins, September]. I am an avid consumer of contemporary design—which owes nearly everything to vintage—but the pinnacle of my sartorial adventure came last January. Just before I dashed back into another frigid New England night after a house party, the host asked me what I do for a living. Upon hearing that I am a shopgirl, he descended to his basement and returned with a black garbage bag. From that rather unpromising blob of plastic emerged a cocoa-brown Christian Dior New Look ball gown from 1952. Christened “Esther” on her muslin tag and created for Mrs. John Wanamaker of Philadelphia, the masterpiece featured a finely boned corset, intricate beading, and a ballerina-inspired silhouette that must have been blessed by Monsieur Dior himself. It was the most beautiful dress I’d ever touched, I told its then owner, who offered it to me. Eventually, I sold Esther, my flower of all frocks. Today, she preens before me still, as my computer desktop image. —PETRIA MAY, Great Barrington, Massachusetts

60 Seconds of Style Project, A-Miss (Arimy)

2009-10-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

60 Seconds of Style Project, Jazzy Rush

2009-09-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Jazzy Tyvek

It's a Plaid, Plaid World.

2009-09-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

The lumberjack look is making a bit of a runway comeback. Williamsburg hipsters have been loving it for awhile. New Englanders think it's funny. I wore plaid pajamas for years and years. I wanted to be cozy, comfortable and without artifice at bedtime. I finally gave up the pj's, but plaid still feels like the clothing equivalent of comfort food, especially for a Midwestern gal (such as myself).

Jonathan Bee (co-owner of Hunter Bee in Millerton, New York) is wearing a plaid shirt with a hood from Petria Boutiq. The lumberjack shirtwaist is Halston, courtesy of Elissa, who worked for the designer. It was taken in July 2007 and first appeared on my 365daysofstyle blog. Another trend forecast.

Club Monaco and DKNY visit PB.

2009-09-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

I received a Sunday visit today from a few fashion designers. It is fun to watch design saavy people in action. With laser eyes, they turn the seams, try the latches on handbags, inspect all construction very carefully and, when in a group, mumble knowingly. Sometimes, they try taking clandestine photographs.

Today, that smart set included Jane Ibarra (photo, right) from Club Monaco and a DKNY designer. I don't know the origin of the guy with the camera on his phone. After observing alertly, I asked one, "Who are you with?" I can tell you lots of interesting things, but I cannot reveal what design folks actually buy. Fun, discreet times as a shopgirl!

Reprise of My Safari Wear Forecast

2009-09-03T20:07:00.000-07:00

Exactly two years ago at www.365daysofstyle.blogspot.com, I wrote the following:

"Trend report: Of course, my forecasting won't always be free, but I will reveal this: you'll soon see others jumping on the uniform/military/safari bandwagon. I'll give it six months to enter the mainstream and become an editorial focus."

Although it took longer than I thought, the trend is true.

This photo-torial shows another current trend from the streets of nyc: tattoo green.

Virginia Smith and Victor Glemaud Visit Petria Boutiq

2009-09-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

Virginia Smith, Fashion Market/Accessories Director at Vogue (New York), visited PB with designer Victor Glemaud, who currently works at Tommy Hilfiger. Victor was dressed country chic, but look at him when he's wearing his game suit. Wow!

Halle Heyman Leaving Allium for Italy

2009-09-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

Halle Heyman whose affiliation with Allium resulted in my frequently calling the restaurant, owned by Nancy Thomas, Hallium. It was a slip of the tongue. Halle is moving on, to Italy. She has been a great face to see around GB with her style and enthusiasm. For the last two years, she worked with Laura Meister at Laura's Farm Girl Farm. Halle will be missed, but a girl's gotta make her move.

Here, Halle is dressed for a farmers event at Allium. She's right on trend, if not ahead.

Helsinki Cafe Closes One Door and Opens Another

2009-09-02T20:52:00.001-07:00

Great Barrington music mainstay closed on August 31, 2009. It plans to reopen in Hudson, New York this fall. It is strange to no longer here the muffled sound of music as I work nearby. Here are a few photos taken this summer. In the two-girl photo, there is Vashti Poor on the left. I wrote about her in the August Issue of Berkshire Living magazine. The article can be found online. "Wrong" Ken sings so right.

Claire Millar, Student and Part-Time Model

2009-09-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Petria Boutiq client Claire Millar (on the left) is a student at Simon's Rock College of Bard and a part-time model. Here is an editorial photo of her that I found on the Internet. I believe it was taken in Boston.

Alison Hyde in The New York Times

2009-09-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

It took a bit of time--a year to be precise. Nevertheless, in this New York Times party photo vignette, there is a picture of Petria Boutiq client and Ralph Lauren designer Alison Hyde (number 12), as photographed by Bill Cunningham last summer.

Petria Quoted in The Berkshire Eagle

2009-09-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

The article excerpted below was published yesterday (August 31, 2009) in The Berkshire Eagle.

My (1930s German) bag is packed. I'm in the mood for travel. Ideas?

Used clothes in demand

By Sophie Maguire

Updated: 08/30/2009 11:41:38 PM EDT

Berkshire Eagle Staff

PITTSFIELD -- No matter how you look at them, thrift and consignment shops are a way of recycling: recycling styles of yesteryear, recycling memories you inherently associate with certain articles of clothing and just plain recycling of cloth.

Whether you are going back to school, starting a new job or just excited for the cooler weather of fall, August and September usually include a little bit of shopping. Berkshire County has a wide range of used clothing stores, from the incredibly inexpensive to the pricey vintage couture."Would you wear it?" Rick Clayson, manager of Upstairs Basement in Lee, asks himself when deciding on pieces of clothing to sell on consignment.

"Does this piece have a history?" asks Petria May, owner of Petria Boutiq in Great Barrington.

Thrift and vintage stores offer a specific niche in the shopping arena: attaining an article of clothing you can be pretty sure no one else has. Each piece of clothing has a story, someone who wore it before you or someone who will wear it after you; a character, adding to the mystique.

Because there’s some relief the economy might be getting better, said Clayson, the last couple of weeks have been crazy: "Credit card sales have tripled," compared to the beginning of June, which was one of the worst periods for sales in years.

There are different types of used-clothing stores. A thrift shop, explained May, is most likely reliant on donations and usually associated with some sort of nonprofit organization. A vintage shop has a sense of "edit;" every piece is hand-picked, allowing the owner to tell you the story of each individual article.

That’s not to say there aren’t great finds in thrift shops, said May, but you wouldn’t expect an employee at a thrift shop to know the background of each article of clothing in their store. "Vintage" usually means a piece is 10 or more years old.

...

Petria Boutiq in Great Barrington, on the higher end of both the fashion and price spectrum, has been featured in Vogue magazine, The New York Post, Berkshire Living and Essence. May, a former New York lawyer, is a walking example of the products sold in her store: chic, trendy and inventive. The store is made up of pieces that May calls "a reflection" of her own style.

If you want a new look for fall, pick your price range and go. If you are cleaning out your attic, donate. Or if you have your great-grandmother’s wedding dress, put in a call, because it might be worth a whole lot more than you think.

Akira Kurosawa, Director and Costume Designer

2009-08-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

I have been on an Akira Kurosawa binge--in a good way (after my Bergmania last winter). I've watched, perhaps a dozen of his films. A few more are in my Netflix cue.

I see Kurosawa's films as vignettes of perfection. Beauty. And style. They provide good instruction for anyone who wants to do her job better. Kurosawa actually created the costumes and took a costume designer credit for some of his films. I snapped a few digital photos (the accompanying words from Rashamon are, shall I say, strange).

Why these photos? The vintage Japanese pants caught my eye.

I've been mostly dissatisfied with contemporary pants, and there are not a lot of vintage pants for women.

I've hunted down a few styles that suit me, including the newly-revived high rise/low seat pants.

I first wore these pants on my 365daysofstyle blog in 2006. Mine are a 1980s Issey Miyake thick silk version. I first wrote about these formerly named "harem" pants in February 2009 for this blog after H&M's Comme des Garcons line sold them in lightweight wool. Network news ran a story a few months later. Huffington Post linked to that story (I'd sent them my blog story, too, but helas no bite). Vogue presents a pictorial in the September 2009 issue (PB client Alexandra Kotur edits that section). They are in the public consciousness now. Fully reported. Do I have to stop wearing mine till Harper's Bazaar derides them as storage material?

WBCR Radio Show.

2009-08-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

It was my pleasure to appear with Judy Rosley on WBCR (www.wbcr.com) this morning from 9-10 am. I was dreading hearing my own voice on the radio, but it turned out well. It was my first appearance, except when NPR's Marketplace Money called me to read my comment on the air.

Here's a picture of Judy and me.

Classic Clothing Lives on.

2009-08-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

Greetings.

I wrote the following, first published in The Berkshire Record, in 2006. As you can see, in the intervening years, the list has held up well. It even foretold a couple of trends. Hunter boots have gone nuts (along with the flat, strappy Grecian sandals I mention). Peasant tops were pretty popular for a minute, too. They're all still classics, so just wait for the storm to end and start wearing them again. I'm wearing a Barbour in the photo taken in DUMBO, Brooklyn by Donna Bryan on my birthday this year.

Fashion's Alpha Wardrobe

by Petria May

Pssst! Lean close. I have a secret to spread: Classic clothing pieces trump all others in a truly fashionable wardrobe. If you have analyzed fashion trends for more than a minute, you likely recall oft-repeated declarations like Basics are Back or Build a Basic Wardrobe in Five Easy Pieces or some variation on that theme. You are encouraged to buy new clothes often, of course, or risk being grossly outdated faster than you can max out your credit card.

I am proposing very specific, international classics that will keep women current and chic for a lifetime and at any age. There is sometimes a fuzzy line between looking fresh and looking foolish. I have no doubt that we both prefer freshness.

My secret list is comprised of what I have observed to be the foundation of designers' inspirations season after season, year after year, decade after decade. In the law, one might call the evidence irrefutable. I believe in going straight to the source, shunning remakes and fakes, particularly if they are expensive copies with only high-end labels to recommend them. In this case, authenticity is less about a high price and conspicuous label and a lot more about clarity of vision-owning what I call the Alpha Model, few genuine articles from which all else emanates. My list is not all-inclusive; yet, it should provide you with a quite good beginning to a quite acceptable wardrobe.

So here we go:

France
●A blue and white striped mariner's top, as Picasso wore, in natural fiber such as cotton or wool.
●A midnight blue wool beret

Greece
●Flat, strappy leather sandals

Eastern Europe
●A peasant top with hand-embroidered features (the embroidery often features burgundy and black). Usually, these tops are found collarless and in lightweight, creamy cotton.

Mexico
●A loose, cotton dress with hand-embroidery
●Turquoise jewelry

United States
●Levi's
●Cowboy boots

Japan
●Silk kimono. Each length traditionally has a different meaning in Japan, but you are free to wear the length and neckline that work best for you.
●Flip-flop sandals made with bamboo soles and cotton or kimono fabric

Italy
●Just about anything, frankly, but a leather accessory such as a handbag or flat loafers provide a great beginning

Great Britain
●Rainwear, including: Hunter boots and a Barbour jacket
●Hand knit Irish sweaters in all forms-turtleneck, vest, cardigan, pullover-but closefitting, not baggy

China
●Silk jackets

Portugal
●Port wine for a festive dinner party-women always say they have no occasion for nice clothes, so host your own party folks

Kenya
●A natural dye dress

India
●A large cashmere scarf in your best color and in a neutral color

Switzerland
●A watch. Whatever you do, skip the overwrought Rolex, please.

And from this beginning, you can add additional pieces such as silk scarves, a signature vintage piece (costume jewelry, outerwear and dresses go a long way), inherited or found objects and whatever goodies make you feel like your favorite version of yourself.

Stay tuned: I will next discuss what I learned about fashion during a recent visit to titanic Tokyo, an eye popping city accommodating a gazillion Starbucks Coffee shops. Surely, it has perfected the Shop Till You Drop lifestyle.

Boutiq News: NYT, Cheryl Dunn and Pat Fox, plus Issey Miyake

2009-08-09T13:42:00.001-07:00

Two of Petria Boutiq's style ladies have made a mark by appearing in The New York Times recently.

Patricia Fox appeared in the style section's weekly photo essay--the feature was the opening of the new Highline (July 12, 2009). I recognized her from the back, since she is wearing a vintage Kamali skirt from Petria. Patricia has a website: www.patriciafoxdesign.com

Cheryl Dunn directed a two-minute documentary about her friend Anna Sheffield, a jewelry designer. The doc is featured online today for The Moment blog at www.nytimes.com (August 9, 2009). Cheryl's web address is www.cherydunn.net. I found a picture on her online wearing a PB dress.

Finally, Issey Miyake, a style icon and genius in a world where the word "genius" is overused (but not in this case) wrote a wonderful editorial (July 16, 2009). It shows very succinctly that fashion can be full of meaning: out of the rubble, he created beauty. On this 64th anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki (where more than70,000 fellow humans--civilians--lost their lives), I think it fitting to read his story. I will continue to wear Issey, now knowing why it is so beautiful.

p.s. Harriette Joffe, an artist, took the picture of me at Geoffrey Young's gallery in Great Barrington, Mass. The painting in the background is by Carol Diehl.

September 4 note: Cheryl came in today and told me that Horacio Silva (The New York Times) "flipped" over the dress pictured. Whose it it?! he wanted to know. She then spoke two of my favorite words: "It's vintage," also meaning "You can't find it anywhere." Petria Boutiq sells vintage with tomorrow in mind.

Isaiah Sheffer of Selected Shorts Visits the Berkshires

2009-07-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

Some people like to meet movie stars--does a conversation take place or is it an awkward sort of distant familiarity that one finds in such interactions? Murky, but...

I have always found great joy when meeting wise men and women. Isaiah Sheffer, shown with me here, is such a man. He and his wife Ethel attended a brunch in Stockbridge, hosted by Lola Jaffe, a longtime benefactor of the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington, Mass. Other photos, snapped with my digital cam, will appear in this week's Berkshire Record.

Patricia Fox Photographed Wearing a PB Skirt.

2009-07-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham gleefully describes his visit to the new Highline in today's paper. It's rare to hear him this ecstatic. At 00:37 (or in today's Style section), you will see Patricia Fox wearing a Petria Boutiq find.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/07/11/fashion/20090712-street-feature/index.html

I snapped this shot of Patricia (and Howard) at a wonderful party hosted by Stonover Farm in Lenox, Massachusetts in June. Patricia is also pictured holding the skirt at Petria Boutiq

Armani, This Way, on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn.

2009-06-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

Armani, How Far It Has Come.

Fun disconnect found on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. The shopkeeper said he used to live near the original boutique (late 1970s) on Madison Avenue. He now keeps the sign at his Atlantic Avenue location. My advice: don't follow the arrow.

Original graffiti at no extra charge.

Vicky Bonnington Rocks May Issue of Berkshire Living.

2009-06-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

VB, One of a Kind

Vicky Bonnington has such unique individual style that it's hard to fit all of it into one article. So here are a few more looks, which I captured during the formal photo shoot.

A bargainista*, Vicky's interest in pricey items begins at 80% off the original, retail price. In the age of new clothing prices being "whatever the consumer is loopy enough to accept," that's not a bad idea. Vicky's most recent bargain coup: the Ralph Lauren number here. The original price tag? Ten thousand smackers--$10,000. Vicky's price: three hundred. Go, Vicky...go, Vicky....haaaay!

*Unlike the term "recessionista," bargain hunting folks see it as a way of life and not simply a temporary solution to the financial crisis. We are the bargainista! After snagging a good deal, we go celebrate at the house of barrista, also known as a cafe.

Hallie Heyman in March/April Berkshire Living

2009-04-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pictures of Hallie. I took them during our photo shoot at Allium Restaurant in Great Barrington, Mass.--she's the front of house manager.

Halle thought it would be interesting to step into the box--I had never really noticed it till she climbed in.

Can you find the box at Allium?

Here's a Fun Blog About a Portuguese Water Dog

2009-03-10T05:47:00.000-07:00

You may know by now that this is Michelle Obama's dog of choices for The White House. Here's a cute blog, written by a porty. Nice photos, too!

www.whybarkwhenyoucanblog.com

My Alternate Facebook Reality (And Yours, Too)

2009-01-13T19:24:00.000-08:00

Making friends on Facebook is a risky business.

Those of us who use the Internet as an extension of our fingertips are well aware that Facebook is a brilliant networking site. Still, folks born solidly between the television revolution and The Computer Age continue to view Internet networking (and dating, too) with more than a little suspicion.

Hoarding a perhaps quaint concept of privacy, we don't want the bulk of our lives broadcast to the world on a frequent, and even daily, basis. Facebook "status" updates come in categories, including a) straightforward and often involving food ("Melanie is making chicken pot pie using Matt's recipe" Who's Matt?), b) enigmatic ("Meredith is message today"), c) profound ("Oliver's existence preceded his essence") and d) profane ("Jane did Ray's hot dog last night"). Sometimes, the updates make winking political turns ("Keith is selling Senate seats 5 for $1"), including one of my favorites the day after Election Day ("Adam is measuring the drapes"). I, too, have succumbed to trying harder than merited to master ephemeral turns of phrase. Facebook has that effect on people.

Writing friends have admitted to daydreaming about cute, Facebook-worthy sayings in their spare time. At its best, Facebook helps us to communicate quickly in an organized forum and to beat back loneliness, an often formidable foe in human lives. Gone wrong, Facebook lowers people to the level of embarrassing self-indulgence and keeps us from communicating longer and stronger. It does, nevertheless, feel virtually miraculous to connect with people who happily remind us of our best selves and re-connect with accomplished people whose company we've always enjoyed, and whose lives interest us despite our failure to find them again until decades later. Within a surprisingly short time frame, I have found on Facebook classmates, colleagues and treasured acquaintances whose full lives enrich my own. Which is why life on Facebook--although not exactly surreal, but not altogether real either--gets sticky when making choices enter into the mix.

One of those choices is whether or not to delete "friends." Procuring a Facebook friend can be quaint, like asking someone for a dance at the sock hop (rather than floating over and writhing before a stranger in a club). I have deleted one person thus far. When I received the request, I did not recognize her name, but I assumed she recognized my relatively rare moniker. Her image, too, looked unfamiliar. Still, she mentioned two names and I thought I recognized them. One of the people shared my sister's rather unusual name.

The e-mail sat in my Inbox for weeks; I felt guilty about my inaction, but who was this person and what did we have in common? Who did we have in common? Finally, not wanting to be rude to a possible friend of my sister, I accepted her into the friends fold. For a few weeks, I received updates and photographs of her children and her husband as well as mention of a first birthday party for one of the pretty little girls. How nice, I thought. Although a benign one, she stayed a stranger to me. I accepted our neutral existence.

After a few weeks, however, she sent what seemed like an insistent communication: Have you heard from Emma Jenkins? she asked. Does Emma lives in Connecticut? I replied. Yes, she said. That wasn't getting me very far, so I stayed silent. She wrote back the same day to ask if I have a daughter. That cinched it. Since I have no daughter, she definitely had the wrong "Petria." These types of things happen on Facebook, I assured her. It reminds me of Google searches where people think they're learning all about Tom Jones and they may be, but it is not the same Tom Jones. I promptly deleted my new stranger friend.

I have not recently wandered down my list of pals, but I think my name has been deleted at least once as a friend by someone I know very well. I have not yet confirmed the diss. It will raise a question for which I have no ready answer. Does he wish to, with the mashing of a delete key, silently and unilaterally end our friendship? That is, indeed, a Facebook possibility. It is perhaps only a sign of his desire to end our online communication (or lack thereof, since we've never exchanged actual messages on Facebook). For now, I would rather remain unknowing, thanks.

Choosing to delete a Facebook friend sometimes happens after an offline connection ends. A friend who manages a local restaurant said an employee deleted her from his online posse once he was let go from his bartender position. It seems that he no longer wanted his life monitored by a former boss. The same friend seemed miffed when I accepted a friend request from her ex's girlfriend. "You are friends with her, too," I noted. "I checked." She was unswayed. "She always wants to be friends with my friends" came her reply. I opted for neutrality.

Another choice minefield is the failure to accept someone as a Facebook friend. Why didn't that publisher I know accept my friend request? Did I look at him cross-eyed when last we crossed paths? Hey, maybe he does not employ the expanded concept of friends online. Maybe his Facebook friend are actual friends. Now that would be odd. Perhaps he never received the request. Online living can provide lots of questions. For those of us who like answers, the uncertainty breeds insecurity. It feels like growing up in a small town where you wonder constantly if your classmates and neighbors like you, disdain you, or worse, are ignoring you.

So, that brings me to final Facebook-based oddity: it is difficult to engage in satisfactory online clarification (or is it confrontation?). Should I decide to delete someone, I am able to click a button and never communicate again. If someone wants to delete me (my name only, but it can feel like me personally), the same rule applies. I can confirm or ignore (but not deny) a friend request, without explanation. I can later press the definitive delete button on the same "friend." Dare I say that despite all the apparent communication, dialogue on the Internet is paradoxically dead. That is to say, much of the communication is one way. Despite the great, fast communication they inarguably provide, Facebook and its ilk (texting, Twitter, etcetera) are helping to make meaningful dialogue passe. There are no comment boxes to fill in to help explain one's reasoning--there are just a few, brief choices. Things end without recourse. So while there may be little confrontation, there is closure.

Online, people speak and project, show and tell. Since the site is, indeed, Facebook and decidedly not face-to-face, is difficult to know whether or not people are also listening. All that said, consider this: any speech at all is an improvement over that archaic appliance called the television.

Patrick McBride's Invisible Tattoo

2009-01-13T18:42:00.000-08:00

Here is Patrick McBride. I wrote a style profile of him for the January/February issue of Berkshire Living magazine. I promised to tell readers about Patrick's invisible tattoo here on the blog.

I have an invisible tattoo, too. Actually, I have no tattoo at all. Is that the same thing? Not quite.

To take a photograph of Patrick's tattoo is not to know it at all (indeed, you would hardly see it under normal lighting). It's complicated, unless you happen to be a lighting genius. The circles-and-dots ttoo is visible only under black light. "I felt I could have it on my body for the rest of my life," he says.

I understand. I, too, could wear an invisible tattoo for the rest of my life! Now you don't see it and... now you don't!

So, the ttoo is composed of a special ink from Japan "and they don't sell it in America," according to Patrick. He found the inside scoop this way: he saw a guy on the street with the tattoo [Patrick is clearly more attuned to all things lighting-related] and asked him where he got it. "He told me about the tattoo artist. And that's the whole truth."

Given that it glows only under special lighting, Patrick's ttoo is the ultimate stamp of authenticity, for a man who knows the light.

Trippin' Out Over Trippen Shoes

2009-01-13T18:29:00.000-08:00

Comfortable, chic, soft, snuggly. I don't know what to tell you, except to do yourself a favor and indulge in a pair (or two or three) of Trippen shoes. You can obsess over all the styles (www.trippen.com) and think about what would best fit into your lifestyle, at least for today. They come in many colors and styles (literally, hundreds) and finishes and leathers. The shoes are handmade in Germany and Italy. The people creating this product clearly live on a highly artistic level. They are an inspiration to all creators who like to walk unencumbered.

The shoes (mostly from the Penna collection) can be found at A Uno on West Broadway in Tribeca (New York City). You may also purchase them online, directly from the company.

Bo Peabody at Gimme Coffee.

2009-01-13T18:24:00.000-08:00

Here is Bo Peabody at Gimme Coffee in New York in November. A man of much measure (and many interests, including part-ownership in Mezze restaurant in Williamstown, Mass.) he lives part-time in The Berkshires and in a Manhattan loft. When I spotted his Berkshire Living T-shirt, it seemed appropriate to snap a photo. Fun.

Baggy, Baba Cool Pants

2009-01-03T12:48:00.001-08:00

This picture hails from May 30, 2007. Original text and photo on view at www.365daysofstyle.blogspot.com

Petria

2008-12-31T14:52:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from The Berkshires and Petria. I took this photo for the Berkshire Record Holiday Gift Guide.

In Defense of THOSE Pants

2008-12-31T14:05:00.000-08:00

It has become an established pattern that, like more than a few precocious women who live and breathe clothes--whether or not we make a living doing so is beside the point--I find myself wearing a new or revised trend that hits the mainstream one to two years later. We have felt copied for a lifetime. Sometimes it is flattering. Sometimes not. It forces us to struggle, repeatedly, to seek out uncharted sartorial territory. In reality, everyone seems to be emulating someone. For an entire year, I wrote a blog to document my on-the-cusp style (www.365daysofstyle.blogspot.com). On it, in mid-2006, I am wearing a pair of vintage 1980s Issey Miyake thick, silk, drop seat pants, along with a brocade Prada tank and a pair of Pierre Hardy calfskin boots (photo reprinted here).

Those pants have suffered from their fair share of ridicule, having been referred to as taking-a-dump pants and "winning" a spot on that compelling--if not always accurate--New York magazine chart. They were deemed closer to "lowbrow" and "despicable" than to "highbrow" and "brilliant." It may not be a coincidence that the chart refers to them as harem pants. Clearly, that is the old name, invoking visions of a group of subservient women. The updated name, which I hereby pen, is ultra low seat pants. Dear New York magazine, love you but...I persevere (despite the photo above, replete with "Light My Fire" boxers. Those are just pants falling down).

Last worn widely in the late Eighties, these ultra low seat pants have more than a little in common with those ubiquitous 1980s jersey jumpsuits, heavily pleated at the waist and embellished with thick belts and Grecian sandals. They are more closely connected to MC Hammer, Mr. U Can't Touch This. He danced in the pants, to grand effect, on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in September 1990. In this 21st Century, the low seat pants are re-entering the mainstream, in close proximity to the usual 20-year cycle. They were featured in Rei Kawakubo's November 13 Comme des Garcons collection for H&M and more recently, on the Chloe runway. The Chloe version, in golden tan, features prominently in the January issue of Harper's Bazaar.

I have loved ultra low seat pants for quite some time. They held a rather prominent place in my life during a two-year period when a flame wore a bright yellow, cotton version every day after work. It was an essential element of his chill time wardrobe. Then, I felt faintly irked (and amused, too) by these pants he'd picked up during a monthlong visit to Thailand. Perhaps they seemed a bit too relaxed and even a touch slovenly. I suppose they lost their luster after the first ten sightings. Pants (and, um, relationships) can be that way.

When I procured my first pair--the ones designed by Issey Miyake--I was reminded of the various jodhpurs I've worn for about a decade. The drop seat feels relaxed without looking frumpy or like modified pajama bottoms. They remind me of Victorian pantaloons with a matching (and footless) sock attached. Admittedly, the seat has more than a little in common with the boys who like to let their underwear hang out, except that, owing to a high waist, I did not sense that my pants would find their way to my ankles (not something a woman or a lady would appreciate). The pants feel pulled together, especially when paired with a cutaway tuxedo jacket.

Like J. Lo, Beyonce and Kim Kardashian, I have always had a backside and hips in rather impressive contrast to my small waist. The low crotch helps to minimize the attention afforded my backside while not leaving the impression that my thighs could fill a Classic Six. They add balance and proportion that is hard to reach with most other pants (I also like high-waisted capris). It is simply not my style to display all the goods, a common side effect of those ever-popular, low rise jeans that skimp on the bum coverage. I also appreciate that ultra low seat pants can be visually reminiscent of skirts, with added versatility. I usually wear the pants with high, fitted boots, again echoing the equestrian look I admire in jodhpurs.

Drop seat pants, along with other non-traditional silhouettes for the nether region, have long been popular among the Japanese design troika of Issey, Comme, and Yohji Yamamoto. We are all searching for our style kin; I found mine in those designers. They love a low, low seat as much as I do! Rick Owens, too, likes a soft, ultra low seat in his elegant, bias cut knit pants. His version has a short inseam and wide leg. A lean, promising version by Collection Privee left me in lust, and in the lurch. While wearing them, I noticed that I could hardly move (let alone actually sit down), since the cotton poplin had no give. I had the distinct and unpleasant impression that I was undergoing some newfangled punishment, like New York fashion victim knee binding. Help! Let me out. I still own them, but they are currently out of service.

As happens to the style obsessed, I was researching one thing which led me to an adorable other: a knit Yohji jumpsuit with, well, yes, harem legs. Somehow, the jumpsuit seemed a bit sad in its charcoal grey incarnation (I would have preferred happy black). I mentally noted the look while shrinking from a desire to actually own it. Just a couple of weeks later, I found a vintage version that I adore. It is deep blue and made of gauzy cotton. Despite the freezing weather, I put together a winter worthy outfit with this whimsical, sweet and summery jumpsuit. During the course of one day, the seam gave way near the knees, leaving me longing for a sturdier, stretchier version (like the Yohji, but deep blue).

Finally, a cheat sheet to designers: adding stretch to the knees of these pants (akin to reinforcing the inner thigh of classic jodhpurs or padding the knees of motorcycle pants) would be a marked improvement. We may not be straddling a horse or riding a Vespa, but modern women need to stretch our legs to hit our stride.

Petria May owns Petria Boutiq in Great Barrington, Mass. and writes a monthly style column for Berkshire Living magazine.

Diary of Comme des Garcons Sale at H&M.

2008-11-15T12:56:00.000-08:00

Comme des Madness

Retail may be doing poorly--I don't doubt the grim statistics. But let's just say that I witnessed an exception, way up close. People lined up for hours (and perhaps overnight, but I wasn't there) to buy designer fashion on the cheap from H&M's latest line of high-low design collaboration.

On Thursday November 13, Comme,

designed and privately owned by sartorial original Junya Watanabe, made its mark with the masses. Well, that was the idea. In reality, all the usual Comme devotees and just a few others were on hand to grab and buy.

The morning started at about 5:30 because I could not sleep any longer, likely due to an anticipation of the adrenalin rush to come--and no, I've never lined up for any other H&M collections (or any other sale, except for the sale of Nan Kempner's collection last year in July). I went to the Lexington Avenue location, guessing that it would be less crowded than the Fifth Avenue flagship store. My friend Donna (pictured), a lawyer on a long-term sabbatical, met me there at 8. We were perhaps 200 feet back in the line, particularly if we wanted to snag any limited edition items (Victorian dress, deconstructed jackets, shorts).

Once the store opened, at 9 am, the orderly line turned into a friendly rush with people basically pushing each other through the door. Polite pushes. No one seemed mad about it. I was laughing and wondering how "it" had come to this.

Once through the door, I went for the drop seat pants that I already have in silk (from Issey Miyake). I grabbed about three pairs because there simply was no time to look at sizes when I needed to grab the next must-buy. No jackets in sight. Bummer. No wool coats. Just the uninteresting trench coats. No Victorian dresses (turns out there were no more than two per store). No drop seat shorts. No wallets. Zut, alors! I ran to the men's shoes because they were the ones in the deep indigo blue with black rubber--I can get polka dots anywhere and the women's shoes were polka-dotted. A lot of people were distracted by eye-catching polka dots on Thursday. I bought the shoes 1 size too big, since the smaller sizes were gone--I'd photographed the Japanese girls at Sturbridge wearing their Chuck Taylors like clown shoes. Why not? I want to wear my Comme version with a Greek sailor's striped cotton shirt (one of my international staples).

Donna found lots of loot (and later returned a good amount of it, after trying on and coming down from our junk food/champagne clothing binge). I, too, needed to pare it down: what would seem silly later? What wouldn't wear well? What would not truly fit into my life? What looked more like H&M and less like Comme? What could I get from the main line for a good price somewhere out there? When all was said and done, I bought the clown shoes and a pair of the droopy pants, which I'm wearing as I write. Well, that was almost all.

We ran off to the Fifth Avenue store after finding out that it was the only one in New York City with the full collection. Merde, alors! We were so far behind the curve at the point that it was virtually hopeless. Donna sprang for a taxi, but lots of streets were closed off due to a visit from the President (New York is hosting the financial crisis summit that we unintentionally mocked, along with hundreds of other H&M shoppers).

A lot of good loot was on the mannequins at Fifth Avenue. Rodney, photographed, worked on window display for the Lexington Avenue store. Security guards had to protect the mannequins--apparently, people were climbing up to try to undress them. Makes sense--in an obsessed sort of way--that you'd climb up there to grab the store's only available jacket.

As it turns out, I didn't have to try the perp climb and make mincemeat of my law school education (on second thought, it may be too late for that!). I surmised that, once off the day's high--a bit like the stock market--people would ask if they really needed the boiled wool jacket in four different deconstructed styles.

The next day, I first went to the Herald Square location--too close to all the magazines. There was only second day detritus in the form of bubble gum and white oxfords. Not even the polka dots had survived the previous day's onslaught. I did, however, get some valuable information about the availability of the clothing on mannequins (If you make a comment, I'll tell you the secret).

I suspected that the Penn Station location could yield better results. I asked the security guard what might be left. She pointed me to the manager although she didn't think there would be much. The manager was energetic and seemed to be inspired by my kooky flapper/military hat (a truck driver had earlier saluted me in SoHo, so I think I looked a bit like a girly soldier). "We just got one of my favorite pieces from the collection because someone returned it!" said the manager. He was on my side. "Where is it?!" I could hardly contain my excitement. "It's a size 6," he said. He practically galloped and I followed closely behind.

Whew! It was still there. I grabbed, tried on and bought. When I checked eBay today--lots of folks in line wanted to sell their loot for profit online--that particular style was going for nearly three times its $129 price tag with FIVE days of mad bidding to go.

Aside from the collection, which was very well executed and equally sweet and serious, the customers were uber-stylish (see the rope scarf, furry vest and awesome deconstructed bomber jacket) and seemingly serious and intelligent. Nevertheless, all we really wanted to do seriously on Thursday was to shop.

Obama Won.

2008-11-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

My friend Nayia voted for the first time in the United States after becoming a citizen just a few months ago. She snapped this license plate on the FDR Drive on Wednesday, November 5 as we were moving a bit of furniture

The Chevrolet emblem adds a nice touch. Now if this person could trade in the behemoth for a smaller, greener car, we'll be all set.

Laura Stephen Appears in Dress Code

2008-11-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

Introducing Laura Stephen, the subject of my most recent Dress Code column in Berkshire Living magazine.

According to Laura, business changed at the end of the summer due to pressing economic concerns. She discussed the two extremes dancing in shoppers' heads: necessity and desire. "People want something that speaks to them emotionally," she explained.

"Really speaks to them in a powerful way," if the luxury market is going to survive in light of our current economic reality.

As for Armani, where Laura is vice president of women's ready-to-wear, "We are watching our business," she revealed. "Business is steady for us." Nevertheless, when it comes to trying new and untested merchandise, the company has to be cautious to avoid adversely affecting its profits. As for the fashion industry overall, Laura does not mince words: "Business is terrible right now."

Indeed, about two months after I spoke to Laura about how the downturn is affecting the luxury end of the fashion industry, the stock rating of high-end retailer Barneys New York was downgraded to below junk bond status. Ouch!

As shown in the bottom, behind-the-scenes photo, we needed to tape Laura's fabulous silk Fendi dress to her back because the straps kept falling.

What helps to keep Laura's life in balance? She runs about 25 miles every week and travels around the country to run in relays for various causes. Whenever she's not traveling, she runs across the Brooklyn Bridge daily, usually beginning at about 5:30 am.

Arthur Oliver, October 2008 issue of Berkshire Living

2008-09-30T06:53:00.000-07:00

Arthur Oliver, Costumier

Arthur is my October subject for Berkshire Living. Here are some behind the scenes photos from my interview with Arthur (at Grumpy's in Lenox) as well as the photo shoot at Wheatleigh.

The elegant woman shown here is the one who left the company of her family to ask Arthur how he had managed to create a ten thousand dollar drape with an old shawl (from Neiman-Marcus). In Arthur's hands, an old shawl--lightly stained to boot--is oh so much more.

So, as promised, here are some of Arthur's favorite sources:

Malabar, Ltd. in Toronto.

According to Arthur,

"They are an enormous costume warehouse that does nothing but construct operas. You can say I'm doing Madame Butterfly and you'll tell them what kind of Madame Butterfly you want," since there are many types of productions of such a show.

A.T. Jones in Baltimore, Maryland.

For wigs, Arthur likes

Nottingham Designs in Memphis and

Theatrical Hair Goods in San Francisco.

Arthur says that "these are places that do nothing but build and style wigs. If you're doing Butterfly, they say, 'Okay, how many geishas do you need?' Ninety-eight percent of the time, they're human hair and ventilated in front with a supefine lace. They are expensive and labor intensive, which is why they're rented."

So, if you're planning any big parties or productions or just wanna have some fun, these magical favorites of Arthur may just be your first stop.

Martina Arfwidson, Face Stockholm Maven

2008-08-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

Martina looked sooooo cute in this vintage 1980s Mila Schon trench dress from Petria Boutiq.

She visited the boutique with her mother, Gunn Nowak, Face Stockholm's maitresse and Rosalyn Gershell, one of the funniest, wittiest people I have the pleasure of knowing.

Alexandra in the Country.

2008-08-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

Here is top Vogue editor Alexandra Kotur (with her aunt from England).

Understated as she conquers the style world daily, Alexandra is simply one of my favorite people.

Mrs. Fabulous Fiona Kotur Marin.

2008-08-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

Fiona Kotur Marin, a handbag designer, lives in Hong Kong with her husband and sons. She was visiting her mother (Sheila Camera Kotur), sister (Alexandra Kotur) and other family and friends in Ashley Falls, Massachusetts.

Fiona reminded me that her vintage dress came from Petria Boutiq when it was located in Norfolk, Connecticut. It's nice to see (again) that my picks go off to live exciting lives with talented women.

To see Fiona's collection, visit www.koturltd.com.

Naumkeg: Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

2008-08-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photographs from the annual garden party at Naumkeg in Stockbridge, Mass. on July 26, 2008.

Other photos (of the actual partygoers) were published last week in The Berkshire Record.

Lola, Student and Actress.

2008-08-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here is Miss Lola Solkoff. She lives in Florida and is attending a Shakespeare camp (and visiting her grandparents) in The Berkshires. Lola is wearing a Petria Boutiq vintage hat of knit and foil feathers.

The Great Barrington public has been requesting her autograph.

Macho Bag, by Anthony...Jones.

2008-08-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

Well hey, that's some bag. Animal, all the way! The designer is Anthony, according to its keeper, pictured here. When I asked him if Anthony has a last name, he said "Jones," but Anthony prefers one name. We won't hold it against him.

Anthony's macho bag is ravishing (and looks like it could take off your arm, and some shoulder, too, with one chomp). The thick strap is alligator and the color deep blood with lots of black overtones. There's nothing girly about this big hunk of creativity.

Photographed at Cafe Colombe on Church Street in Tribeca.

Life in the Lipstick Jungle.

2008-08-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

Being in New York yields loads of celebrity sitings.

Brooke Shields needed a bit of primping for her role in Lipstick Jungle, which had set up camp on the corner of 57th Street and Lexington Avenue, in front of Starbucks. Passersby were warned that filming was in progress and that we could be filmed, basically as unpaid extras, by virtue of being on the city streets.

Frank Faulkner's Top Pet Peeves.

2008-07-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

Overhead lighting. It washes out the drama and ambience.

People who make introductions with first names only.It’s hostile because there’s no information.

People who say “At this point in time.” It’s redundant. It’s either “at this point” or “at this time.”

Going to someone’s house for drinks or dinner and on arrival, seeing no evidence that the hosts were expecting guests—no lights, no fires in the fireplaces, no drinks ready, etcetera. What about trying a little harder?

People who love to center the dinner party around the host’s or hostess’s preparing the fucking dinner in their kitchen. I don’t like to see the dinner in the making. That’s not informal. It’s just bad hosting. My heart sinks at a dinner party when you’re two hours into the party and you see a plate of raw meat on the way to the grill.

People who invite people for cocktails and serve only wine.

Couples who have children, usually late in life, and are so inured with the little brats that they don’t notice them dismantling the house from over their heads.

Hosts or hostesses who hijack a perfectly pleasant dinner table discussion by clanging on the wine glass to present a topic for general discussion, as if it were a seminar.

Theme parties of any kind.

Parlour games of any kind.

People who sand their floors and polyurethane orange. I like very pale or very dark floors. Never red brown or orange varnish.

Shelter magazine photos with jumping subjects.

Shelter magazine photos with barefoot subjects.

To view the article in Berkshire Living, go to: http://berkshirelivingmag.com/blog/category/livingstyle/dress-code/

Beth Adams in July Berkshire Living.

2008-07-06T04:32:00.000-07:00

Here are photos that I took of Beth Adams, this month's subject for my Dress Code column in Berkshire Living magazine.

I chose Beth's dollhouse studio for the photo shoot because it reminded me of the Virginia Woolf ideal which so many of us strive to attain. Striving is good. Attainment is even better. Contentment is best.

Stuff I'm Loving Right Now.

2008-06-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my favorite pieces at the moment.

You probably recall that I was wearing a flapper hat back in October when Isaac Miz. asked me about it. Well, I still love flapper hats. The red one here is straw. Happily, it is the kind of straw that one can wear year-round, since it is a nebulous, fabulous looking fabric. Pop on a bit of red lipstick and yes, you will be fired up and ready to go.

The authentic black and silver flapper hat here is an amazing find, even to me (haute price notwithstanding). It had the original, crumbly paper Made in France tag on it. The interior is delicate mesh and it slips easily onto an average-sized head. As far as I'm concerned, skip the jewelry and wear an authentic flapper hat made of real silver. Wow.

And as for the Earhart-at-the-ball bonnet, it is simply adorable. Love.

The vintage Zandra Rhodes dress has already been sold at Petria Boutiq. The buyer was Patrick Robinson, formerly of Perry Ellis and Paco Rabanne fame and currently, chief of Gap. Gap is looking good these days.

In an Economic Downturn, Resale Shops are Big Business.

2008-06-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Check out this NYT article today, sent to me by Eleanor Tillinghast. I used to be one of the best clients (sellers) to INA Boutique on Prince Street. Now, I sell at Petria Boutiq, of course, and most of my pretties cost less. When I first moved to NYC after a year in Paris, I took a pair of Michel Perry boots to Michael's Consignment. It was the only consignment shop I could find in the telephone book! My, how times have changed.
(The photo is of me with someone else's dog at abraco on 7th Street in the East Village)

Fashion & Style

When Conscience and Closet Collide

By RUTH LA FERLA

Published: June 12, 2008

Recession fears and consumer guilt make high-end consignment shops chic destinations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/fashion/12CONSIGN.html?ex=1371009600&en=1c35e872330513f9&ei=5124&partner
=permalink&exprod=permalink

Walton Ford Opening, Paul Kasmin Gallery

2008-06-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

On May 8, Great Barrington took a road trip to New York City to attend the Walton Ford's opening at the Paul Kasmin Gallery in Chelsea. Walton's sunny disposition found its way to the city, too in a well-fitted Paul Smith suit. Trendy acid green shirt, too.

Spectator pumps (Nine West's take on Chanel), big woven bags (Bottega style), metallic silver boots, skintight biker jackets, fishnet black pantyhose (with a nod to Prince), fedoras (Amy) and all manner of sartorial goodies added to the atmosphere of really good eye candy.

Memorial Day Sailor.

2008-06-05T18:29:00.001-07:00

Here's a Memorial Day sailor from the Great Barrington, Mass. parade. He is Alfred Brassard from Sandisfield, Massachusetts.

Mr Brassard served in the Navy for eight years. Once he arrived at rubi's cafe, heart rates were raised by something other than the rubi's caffeine rush that comes wrapped in pretty lattes.

A passerby asked Mr. Brassard, a landscaper and night employee at a Great Barrington hotel, if he's still in the military. He smiled politely and said that his ship was dismantled for scrap.

Other People's Dogs 2.

2008-06-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Do you know these horse dogs? I'll soon post their names.

Could someone explain how such large creatures possibly be happy in Manhattan? Answers would be much appreciated, as I feel sorry for them, despite the fact that their full-time "babysitter"shown here surely takes care of all their needs.

Where Have All The [Hippies] Gone?

2008-06-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

Posted in front of the Village Voice offices.

Frankly, I'd rather know where all the hippies and artists have gone. I think I know, but I'm not gonna tell. Why price them out of their new neighborhoods?

Other People's Dogs 1.

2008-06-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

I enjoy other people's dogs. Here are a couple of photos I took with the dog of a stranger. I'll post more of these soon. You should try it; people are generally pleased to share their dogs, for a moment anyway. This one is in SoHo, in front of a shiny, new public library (but for the new graffiti) near the Puck Building.

P.S. One of the people I met on my day for dogs handles two huge dogs for a living. Wow. Bow wow wow. Nice woof if you can get it!

Petria Playing Tourist in Her Own Backyard.

2008-06-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

It's fun to feel like a tourist. When I'm actually a tourist, I'm sure I have one of those vibes I so often chuckle at in others: heightened awareness, heightened friendliness, heightened happiness. You get the picture, so to speak. Tourism seems silly, in that sense. Why not be curious always?

So, here I am, in my own backyard (down the street from one of them anyway) asking someone to photograph me for a possible small book about shoes (my rosa mosa shoes are not in this picture); apparently, there are not enough shoe books for the coffee table. After all, footwear is a modern obsession (along with handbags). That's the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. Very vintage.

Eye Candy: Dan Seward, Hudson, NY.

2008-05-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

I spent a few hours at Le Gamin in Hudson, New York interviewing a future subject for Berkshire Living magazine. Between the marathon and magical interview session and dinner at Swoon with a friend, I stopped (of course) at a shop on Warren Street. I think it's called John Doe Books. Owner Dan Seward is a chameleon and a character. The guy's got good loot, but be prepared to rumble in the jungle.

Dan-the-man sent me a hot photo from his close-up with his band, Bunnybrains, for T, The New York Times style magazine. He asked me to guess which dude he is (lower left hand corner). I must say that the photo is vastly different from yesterday's presentation, which I'll post soon, but my pick was spot on, as a British rocker might say.

Update: A color photo of Dan in disguise at Swoon. He must have been trying to confuse the papparazzi.

Five Years as Society Writer at The New York Sun.

2008-04-20T14:01:00.001-07:00

Dear Amanda, fellow Yalie,

Congratulations on your five years as society columnist at The New York Sun. It was so wonderful to meet you last year in the country, fun friend. As you know, I had absolutely no idea that the 740 Park Avenue (building shown) party was being held at what has been called "the most famous address in New York City." In my heart, I'm still a midwestern girl; we don't always know these things. Although quite lovely, the location didn't matter nearly as much as the fact that you were being honored. But it sure was fun to have drinks and hors d'oeuvres in such a fabulously appointed apartment! Thank you, dear Mr. and Mrs. Tisch for the party.

Oh, and you did wear the most fantastic shoes, as shown.

And there you were, just by chance, the very next day in Grand Central Station! Gotta love New York. And I do.

Avik, in the polo ensemble, was also graduated from Yale.

P.S. Amanda's comment: the best part was that Mayor Bloomberg wrote a letter to her, which was read at the party!

Alexandra Kotur, Vanity Fair Best Dressed.

2008-04-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

In the lower left corner of this page is a photo of Alexandra Kotur, a top editor at Vogue magazine, in the magazine's October 2007 issue.

Alexandra, a Vanity Fair international best dressed choice for two years running, found her vintage piece at Petria Boutiq. Happily, the clothing I sell has a rather exciting life beyond my shop.

Rosa Mosa Most Fabulous.

2008-03-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

Rosa Mosa is a fabulous shoe design team based in Austria. The designers are Simon Springer and Yuji Mizobuchi. They are made by artisans near Vienna. I am a huge fan of the Basket shoe, handmade entirely of beautiful and thick leather. I discovered the brand while surfing the Internet and thought I should share my favorite work from this talented, avante-garde team.

The Basket shoe, as pictured, reminds me of what a modern elf might wear. They are silent on the street and ultra comfortable with a thick wool footbed. I haven't taken them off (except to sleep) since they arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago. I haven't been so giddy over shoes for some time. People have stopped me on the street to ask where they are from. They gush, I gush, everybody's gushing over this sweet, oversized weave with just a touch of Mary Jane.

Follow-Up: I corresponded with Simone to see if she has any more of these great shoes. Here's her response: "Unfortunately we don´t remake Basket styles anymore. They are all
handmade as a limited edition."

Yes, We Can.

2008-02-06T19:45:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com
Enter the words "Yes We Can"

"In the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."

Another 7th Street Vision: Rainbow Woman.

2008-02-03T19:05:00.001-08:00

Back on the old street, I saw this rainbow woman. I'd spotted her in the neighborhood before, but not when I wanted to take a picture.

On this day, I was sipping a really good cortado at abraco which is supposed to be lowercased and has a cedilla on the c. Anyway, this lady walked into my view and nearly out of it before I could whip out the camera and click on the fleeting image.

I recall, from past and closer sightings, that she has very long and curled toenails polished in at least one bright color (electric blue comes to mind). She doesn't seem to notice others, but clearly, others notice her. That is the point, isn't it? Or is this presentation solely about the necessity of self expression? This ensemble takes tie-dye to a whole new level; not unlike the swathed artist, I'd say that there's definitely a story under these bright, happy, clown-like colors. The word menacing comes to mind. Yup. The colors actually menace me at this point. Then again, in a city where the color spectrum often consists of shades of black, one could argue (maybe even successfully) that she's...how do I say? Intriguing.

A Few New York Images Capture the Image-ination.

2008-02-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

A few New York images.

The woman with the shell necklace found it in Canada. It's not vintage, but it is unique. She works at Blackbird Parlour, one of my new favorite cafes.

The street is Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. It is well into January in this photo, but the holiday spirit has hardly flagged in this particular spot.

The umbrella, like so many, snapped under the strain of fierce city winds.

Lisa from Daffy's Ad in Front of Daffy's

2008-02-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

Here's another reason why I just can't quit New York.

Daffy's published ads in November featuring "regular" people who have been faithful customers for many years (there are now many variations on the theme that American Express first pioneered--"member since...").

As I walked north on Canal Street to see the new Muji store, I saw this woman and said, "You're that woman!..." She wasn't sure of what I meant. "You were in the Daffy's ad," I continued. Oh, yes, she was. After I took the photo, she said, "At first, I thought you were talking about that show 'What Not to Wear.'" Nope, didn't see that. I remembered the unforgettable hair from the ad and was able to snap this photo across the street from the store. Serendipity.

Jenny Cooper, Designer of Crew Cuts for J. Crew.

2008-02-02T20:07:00.001-08:00

Jenny Cooper, pictured with her photographer husband Holger (who once appeared on the cover of New York magazine), designs Crew Cuts, the children's line at J. Crew. For several years, she designed the extremely popular sweater line that put J. Crew back on the fashion map, in a big way.

Jenny found a vintage alligator bag at Petria Boutiq.

Tom Burr's New York Show Features Petria Dress.

2008-02-02T19:51:00.001-08:00

Addict-Love Opening.

My friend Tom Burr (pictured here with Pier Paolo, a dealer and friend who had flown in from Italy) had a fantastically successful opening of "Addict-Love" at The Sculpture Center in January (despite a hellishly cold, rainy evening, the turnout was beyond good). "It's so chic," I said upon viewing his installations. Speaking of chic, I had found the dress for "Chicks," as shown draped across a railing. Rough night. It is a voluminous, 1970s Chanel piece with a ruffle collar and cuffs (anyone who has viewed my blogs--and clothes--well knows that I am a longtime fan of ruffles).

Tom's partner Bill, pictured with Michelle Childs of Norfolk, CT, had earlier asked me if I was concerned that my dress would not be worn by someone. No, I said. I am happy that it has been elevated to the status of Art. Another friend chimed in that it was already Art. In any case, I learned a few short days after the opening that the piece was purchased by the Kraus's, "important" New York based collectors. Well, good. She has found a posh new home.

Afternote: Love is apparently in the air with "Love Thirst" by Jean Grae and "Addict Love" by Tom. It is February, after all!

Jean Grae Valentine's Day Release of Love Thirst

2008-02-02T19:19:00.000-08:00

I spent part of the week styling what is going to be a fabulous Valentine's Day release of Love Thirst by the talented songstress Jean Grae. Her new jam reminds me of a sexy French song I first heard two decades ago--I'll try to find the name of it. Here are a few candids from our 7pm to 6am two borough shoot this week. Monihan Moninhan, Joe Cookie, Miana, Scott and the rest of us (including Blacksmith co-founder Corey Smyth) enjoyed the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan's Chinatown late at night. Pell Street, though in the heart of Chinatown, is amazingly still at 1am. However, there were no less than five sanitation trucks which appeared and broke long stretches of silence. A surreal presence, they elevated paper pushing (and trash blowing) to a whole new level.

The Geisha costume rocks Chinatown.
Jean prepares her lips for a costume change.
Jean's vintage sweater says "Rain Rain Go Away."
Miana (in red hat) visited Petria Boutiq last summer and thought of me for the shoot.
Monihan Monihan is directing the video.
In the back of Jean's lovely friend's Lexus, I'm wearing red plastic sunglasses (a child's toy) destined to be part of Jean's librarian fantasy costume.

New Boutique Poster.

2007-12-21T12:07:00.002-08:00

"Petria Boutiq features fine historical and contemporary treasures found by owner Petria May during her travels on the open road. For vintage goods with tomorrow in mind, visit Petria Boutiq."

Artist Many Years a Mystery.

2007-12-21T11:45:00.000-08:00

I had wanted to photograph this East Village-based artist for many years. Now that I carry my camera as a tourist would, the opportunity arrived one day as I tried a new and great coffee shop on my old street (East 7th).

I think she creates the tire sculptures that were very well received in the 1990s. She employs heavy fabrics to wrap her head high and dramatically, unlike anyone else in New York. She wears many layers, concealing her true shape (feet included), thereby creating a new one. I once saw her on Avenue B holding hands with a man perhaps 75% of her armored size. To my eyes, she has been alone ever since.

This artist has long been a recognizable yet unknown figure floating along the same city grid.

The Counterfeit Circle Complete.

2007-12-21T11:38:00.000-08:00

Anya Hindmarch's Whole Foods bag is now on Canal Street.

Remember my stumbling upon the wraparound line at Whole Foods on Houston Street? If not, see my 365 days blog. The line wrapped around the block and people (mostly Chinese) camped overnight, in the cold rain, to buy the bag. I called it the "birth" of a counterfeit.

Now, the circle is complete. On a recent visit to Canal Street, the copied bag figured prominently among the others.

For It's a Jolly Green Hat.

2007-11-16T15:28:00.001-08:00

November 16.

This hat, a cloche, speaks for itself. The cloche is back. Interestingly, the magazine editorials appear to rely on vintage, since designers are behind on this trend. Let's see what the milliners make of this one.

My New Boot Leg Idea.

2007-11-16T14:50:00.000-08:00

November 16.

Lots of people are dancing around the equestrian boot idea. Others are adding "skins" to their short boots (Martin Margiela, as shown on my 365 Days blog and here as well as a newer company which shows higher skins over an ankle boot are two companies trying to make a trend of it).

As ever, vintage boots also present a good option.

So you can buy a $1000 version from Italian houses or get creative, as I've done: I've placed an equestrian skin from a Saugerties, New York tack shop over my very worn Louboutins. Since so many people stared at my feet this week in NYC, attempting to figure out what I had styled, I expect more versions of this sleek look soon (but shoe production takes time, gratefully).

My own inspiration was Holly the Horse Goddess. Holly, an avid English gardener living in The Berkshires with her inventor husband, actually owns horses and rides them. She came into the shop one day after a ride and I spotted her feet. Hmmmmm, I thought. Wouldn't a version of those look cool over boots with heels? It would be like having a few extra pairs of boots, too, as I mix and match. So here is the result.

Before Project Runway: Ms. Elsa Klensch.

2007-11-12T13:42:00.000-08:00

On November 7, I met Ms. Elsa Klensch, former CNN telestylist. Lately, I have been pleasantly surprised to meet gentle giants (rather than the occasional crazy mouse). Lucky me. Ms. Klensch, a supporter of the New York City Opera, donated goodies to its benefit shop where this reception was held in honor of Take Two, her latest murder mystery. Borrowed from www.elsaklensch.com, here is a synopsis.

Working on a story about the anniversary of a celebrity thrift shop, TV producer Sonya Iverson finds herself caught up in the Woodruff family’s disintegration. Hilda Woodruff, who manages the family’s magazine empire, is locked in a bitter feud with her sisters, Ellin and Julia, over which of their sons should succeed her as head of the family. When the family friend who runs the thrift shop is murdered, her body is found by volunteer Kathryn Petite—who is Hilda Woodruff’s secret daughter, placed for adoption when Hilda was a teenager. Hilda refuses to meet this specter from her past, so Kathryn is volunteering at the thrift shop in an attempt to get close to her birth family. Sonya investigates the murder, annoying the charming NYPD detective assigned to the case. But although Sonya’s connection to the family lets her understand clues others miss, she is unable to prevent another murder. In the end, Sonya’s nose for news ferrets out the Woodruff family’s darkest secrets…and the identity of the killer in their midst.

The svelte dame in red eyeglasses won't mind if I tell you that she is 85 years old. She volunteered her secret: two scotches a day. When I suggested that she set aside her glass of wine for a photo, she protested. "Why?" Of course, I did not persist. May we all live long enough to drink white wine at 85. Her pin is Victorian.

Chance Meeting of Monsieur Mizrahi.

2007-11-11T18:47:00.001-08:00

October 2007

While at a cafe in Greenwich Village, I met Isaac Mizrahi. He sat in a corner with his friend (who strongly resembled Suzy Menkes). Ever curious, he wanted to know the origin of my hat and whether it is for sale, since I own a boutique (eventually, but my price is steep for this French beauty). IM was kind and employed his accessories to maximum effect. Here's a memory of the moment.

IM is the man who had the plan to intermix high and low fashion, making it mainstream. Sure, it sounds "normal" now with the advent of H&M, Zara and company. But let us document that the idea, for it's time, was quite arguably revolutionary. Thank you for that, Monsieur Miz: you put the chez in Target.

As the day of the hat continued, my accompanying friend became irritated (as she tends to do) because so many people commented on the topper (sales associates at the Lanvin trunk show at Barneys, super friendly waiter at Nicole's, etcetera). "You can't wear that hat with me anymore," she said, without any evidence of a smile. Sorry, but friends let friends wear fabulous hats!

The It Bag Ain't Over Till the Last Thousand is Spent.

2007-11-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/fashion/01BAGS.html?ex=1351742400&en=
5281336c7362478f&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=
permalink

So, check out this article by Eric Wilson of The New York Times. To see it, simply copy and paste into the search bar.

To answer his question, "Is this It for the 'It' Bag", I don't think so. In fact, this is only the beginning. First there's the shock, then there's the awe, then there's the resignation. Suddenly that wool Prada purse costing $565 at Barneys just does not seem obscenely priced. Don't blame the rise of the Euro: it is not the fault of the faltering dollar. Rather, it is ourselves, women, if we're willing and able (I do not include myself here) to spend a thousand smackers on a bag (or to ask someone else to do it for us). We are saying, "Yes, it is okay for you to slap together a bit of leather and take us for a little ride down those leather straps. Whooooppeeeeeee! Ream meeeee!"

I know a designer for a mid-priced line who thinks the only way to command respect in a meeting is to waltz in with a thousand dollar bag. With that 'tude, there's nowhere to go but up. The price connotes exclusivity. After all, what's the point of buying it if everyone else can, too? Ironically, no price for a mass-produced bag can guarantee exclusivity. Status, maybe. An "It" bag may as well be called a "Me, too" bag. It's a brilliant marketing ploy: it costs a lot, is in style for only a season after which it so overexposed that it gets copied and/or elicits groans to all who see it. I prefer DL bags. On the Down Low, but sweet nonetheless.

Dr. Gary, Veterninarian: His Bark is Sweet.

2007-10-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

DR. GARY

Dr. Gary lives Hillsdale, New York. He loves vintage cars (like this jetsetter Jaguar) and vintage chenille robes. He dons a Forties find from Petria Boutiq.

For vintage with tomorrow in mind, PB.

2007-08-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

petria may petria may petria may petria may petria may boutiq vintage petria may petria may petria may petria may petria may boutiq vintage chat vintage chat vintage chat vintage chat

Anett Gabriel of the East Village and Mill River.

2007-06-10T17:11:00.001-07:00

New York Stylist
Petria Boutiq

Here is Anett Gabriel, a stylist who lives in the East Village. I met Anett when my shop was in Norfolk, CT. Now that I'm in Great Barrington, we meet more often since it is closer to her house in Mill River, Mass.

I combine my country and city lives by having New York coffee dates with people I first met in the country.

Anett wears a fabric bag and vintage Gucci horsebit sunglasses.

Heather Bellow of Great Barrington.

2007-06-02T14:02:00.001-07:00

There is more than one way to wear feathers. I styled this feather hat-as-bun for a Cabaret-themed party that Heather will attend tonight.

The third photo shows the original intent of this 1930s piece by J.D. Marshall.