A global field guide to design, (life)style and secret finds
est. 2007

Archive: Feb 2008

  1. Street style: Rachel on Bishopsgate

    2 Comments

    Can you believe this is my first street style post for 2008? Not for lack of trying, mind you, but London's bleak January and miniscule hours of daylight have been working against me. That's why The Sartorialist is the absolute genius that he is - his most recent photos at New York Fashion Week were taken with snow swirling around in the foreground!

    Anyway, the sun finally shone on London town this weekend, and after living here for a year I finally understand why Londoners automatically migrate to the nearest park at the first sign of light.

    That's where I was heading when I spied Rachel, 20, on Bishopsgate today. A wee birdy told me that she's wearing a clever mix of market and vintage finds. For a similar red lipstick, try the ultra-luscious Chanel Rouge Allure lipstick in Passion.

  2. London shopping: Tatty Devine for V-Day

    5 Comments

    Take heart from Tatty Devine’s fun acrylic bangles, brooches and necklaces for Valentine’s Day ...

    Acrylic heart bangle, £29, from Tatty Devine.

    Heart glasses cutout pendant, £35, from Tatty Devine.

    Layered love heart brooch, £20, from Tatty Devine.

    Heart-shaped lolly necklace, £29, from Tatty Devine.

    Tatty Devine
    236 Brick Lane
    London E2 7EB
    Tel. 020 7739 9191
    Opening hours:
    Tuesday to Sunday 11am-6pm
    Nearest tube: Liverpool Street

    57b Brewer Street
    London W1F 9UR
    Tel. 020 7434 2257
    Opening hours:
    Monday to Saturday 11am-7pm
    Nearest tube: Oxford Circus

    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

  3. Top Bird loves … Etsy for Valentine’s Day

    3 Comments

    I've posted about Belle and Boo's endearing woodland folk artwork before, but couldn't resist revisiting this rather lovely Etsy shop for V-Day ...

    Let’s Hug signed print, US$30, from Belle and Boo’s Etsy shop.

    Eskimo Kisses signed print, US$30, from Belle and Boo’s Etsy shop.

    Found signed print, US$30, from Belle and Boo’s Etsy shop.

    Let’s Hug postcard pack, US$15, from Belle and Boo’s Etsy shop.

    Meet me at Mike’s gift tags, $US8, from Belle and Boo’s Etsy shop.

  4. What to take home Wednesday: Altered journals

    5 Comments

    The perfect journal is tangible (ie. not online), tactile and has lots of hidey-holes to stash the assorted paper detritus one accumulates over a 12-month period (think letters, bills, bad jokes from Christmas crackers, photos, business cards and difficult-to-decipher scrawled notes).

    London-based designer Jessie Chorley makes altered journals from the body of an old book, and creates “new” blank pages from an assortment of vintage and recycled papers, as well as envelopes, stitched pockets and old-school typewritten messages and reminders. Beautiful and handy.

    Jessie’s books can be purchased online, or you can buy them from her wonderfully whimsical stall, Un-Petit-Cadeau, at Broadway Market in Hackney on Saturdays.

    Jessie Chorley
    Un-Petit-Cadeau
    Saturdays, Broadway Market

    Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

    Nearest tube: Bethnal Green Station
    Nearest train: London Fields BR

    For more market stalls and shops on Broadway Market, click here.
    For more shops in East London, click here.

    (p.s. while you're there, check out the exquisite bird-themed jewellery by Buddug Humphreys.)

  5. Top Bird loves … Destination: Alessi

    2 Comments

    Oh looky, The Museum of Modern Art shop has an exclusive limited-edition collection of Alessi classics from the second half of the twentieth century. I dig the simple design of the red and yellow wire bowls from the '50s and '60s.

    Square wire basket by Ufficio Tecnico Alessi (1951 & 1966), US$110, from MoMA.

    Round yellow basket by Ufficio Tecnico Alessi (1951 & 1966), US$85, from MoMA.

    Lobo stainless steel square basket by Silvio Coppolla (1977), US$110, from MoMA

  6. Top Bird loves … Etsy stuff

    6 Comments

    Sheez, you've got to be quick when it comes to Etsy's hottest shops. I was only just checking Swedish designer Karin Eriksson's shop yesterday, which was stocked full of new ceramic pieces. Checked back in today and there's just six items left. But how lovely are these organic dragonfly pieces?

    Zen votive bone china candle holder, US$35.

    Caress dragonfly form-pressed porcelain pebble, US$6 each.

    Like what you see? Karin's style blog is a must-read.