ch-ch-ch-check it out! New fall goodies!

The first shipment of fall arrived over the weekend.

Ch-ch-check it out.

XO, M.E.

Celebrate!

XO, M.E.

Blip.fm --- the ME & Blue radio station.

I was turned on to blip.fm last spring.  While I love Pandora.com, I needed a way to test out new music, hear from other DJ's, and get a certain song out of my head by "blipping" it.  It's kind of like twitter - but your method of communication are the songs that you "blip" and can add to your own station.  You give and receive "props" with other DJ's.  My favorite DJ's are blipping anywhere from Brazil, to Spain, and NYC.   

The playlist ranges from Thomas Dolby (love!), to Yelle (hello...I just found out about this groovy french girl), Beck, Lloyd Cole, Massive Attack, and beyond.  

http://blip.fm/MEandBlue  

XO, M.E. 

Sunflower power.

I'm digging the red sunflower that just bloomed outside.  It looks like the color of the clothes that are coming in...(see the Candice dress below).  Warm, darker colors for fall...but with a sense of optimism.  

Stay posted.  More new styles and colors are in production!  XO, M.E. 

Pendant-o-rama! vintage pendants with fresh charm...

I recently met a local jewelry designer who is helping collaborate on the latest ME & Blue designs... jewelry!  I have gobs and gobs of vintage parts --- a missing earring, a fab brooch that doesn't clasp right, a pretty bead.  So... we repurposed these fab pieces into fun pendants.  Vintage charms hang on new, gold-filled and sterling silver chains.  $32 to $55 shown here.  All different, all super easy to throw on and go.  XO, M.E.

Musicians & the ME & Blue dresses they wear...

I tend to chat with my customers and find out where they're from, what they do, what makes them tick.

A couple of fab musicians have come in lately and loved the store...and walked away buying one-shoulder dresses.

Here are some images of them in the dresses...and links to their music & CD's. When they come into the boutique, they make me smile. They love what they do and it shows... Enjoy!

Lisa Nemzo - shown above in the Goddess dress in the fabulous flame print...
Lisa Nemzo's Website

Maesyn - shown below in the Julianna dress
Maesyn's Myspace Music Page

XO, M.E.

Venice street style --- in a mini form.

Meet Ruby. She comes over to the boutique from Big Red Sun (owned by her mom, Selena). She has fab style and has been giving lots of style suggestions today. So I looked at what she was wearing today and decided to share HER style sense with my customers. 9 year old Ruby loves layering at least 2 (if not more necklaces). Lately she's been wearing a floppy hat with her daily outfits (except when going to bed, or when it's super hot here or in Austin, TX). Hat - Urban Outfitters, Peace Necklace - a friend's 8 year old birthday party giveaway, skunk and "Ruby" necklace - given to her by a friend of the family, long crochet pouch - a gift from the Easter Bunny. Dress - borrowed from Mom (now her's!). Paper bracelet - a leftover from an inner tubing trip taken a couple of weeks ago. Macrame friendship bracelet - 3 of her friends have it. Leather "Live In Love" bracelet given to her by her mom. Chipped nail polish from CVS. When I asked her what her thoughts were on style, she simply said "It's Cool."
Look for more style inspiration on the blog. XO, M.E.

collage book

My collage book is my place to make sense of all of my ideas.  I teach at FIDM and try to convince my students to start a place to house their ideas, thoughts.  Since I'm a cut & paste kind of a girl, I like the zen of ripping out of magazines, cutting up the images, and placing them in the book to make sense.  I have 10 sketchbooks filled.  Some are falling apart.  I look at ones that I did 10 years ago and my life seems to mimic what I was hoping for.    Rooms take on the design sense that I found, cars look similar, and the store that I designed here in Venice, CA came to life through hours of going through old collage books.  Even the logo was an evolution of my design sensibility.  Here are a couple of images. Note that the images in the book I didn't take, but they have served as a huge source of inspiration.  All it takes is a sketchbook, glue stick, scissors, and some free time.  XO, M.E. 

Flower Part...part 2

Ahh! Photos from inside and outside of the boutique. Inside from ME & Blue. Outside, flowers from Big Red Sun. Enjoy.

The Janna sundress...just in!

I just got in these new sun dresses, named after my friend Janna.  She's practically family as she is the niece of my mom's best friend, Linda.  Janna always looks great.  Super sassy hair, heels, and beautiful skin with a splash of freckles.  I imagine she'll wear this dress over jeans  (her signature look) and wedge jeans.  I keep convincing her to show her legs.  Maybe she will after she sees this new style.  $75.  Assorted colors and prints.  XO, M.E. 

trend spotting...fabric prints

I design my own line of clothing.  But I'm really a vintage girl at heart.  I love the process of buying vintage clothing.  I have been trying to figure out what makes me buy certain things....hmm.  So as I was out last week, I took some images.  I'm usually drawn towards colors and prints, then towards the feel of the fabric.  Lately, I've been drawn towards certain prints...they all seem to have a graphic element (plaid/crosshatch/lines), then a floral element (fun!)!!!!  All I can think about is the dress that I got at Lerner's back in the early 80's.  Here are some prints that I have been inspired by.  XO, M.E.

more production...

I'm recutting the Julianna (1 shoulder long sleeve), Goddess (one shoulder, shorter!), Candice (hello! my uniform) dresses, and developing new patterns.  I was out and about downtown today.  Summer in LA is so hot.  Taco trucks are everywhere, and I need to be armed with plenty of quarters when parking my car on the street.  The choices of trim and fabric can be a bit overwhelming, but I know the ME & Blue customer...she likes things fun, flattering, and made with her lifestyle in mind.  Here are some glimpses of trim and fabric as I shopped today. New styles arrive new week.  XO, M.E. 

The Ann Marie a-line skirt at ME & Blue ... reinventing the everyday uniform!

In Philly, ME & Blue was known as the store with the cool a-line skirts.  I even got a "Best of Philly" award one year from Philadelphia Magazine for them.  Every spring, new colors and fabrics arrived.  It paid my bills.   Now in LA,  I've re-invented the a-line, only slightly.  It now has a slimmer cut, a fun hem, and is named after one of my best customers in Philly, Ann Marie.   She always looks fabulous.  As a Producer for NPR's "Fresh Air", she is the epitome of classy and cool chic.  She walks to work from a former candy store turned row home in historic Philadelphia, to her cool job.  To top it off, she has a handsome hubby, and a little girl named Amelia.  She's smart, always has a smile on her face, and personifies how I want you to feel wearing this skirt.   It's time to stop our daily uniform of tees and jeans.  Throw on the new Ann Marie a-line and cute t-shirt instead.  Available at the new ME & Blue in Venice, CA starting 7/11/09.  $78 in a range of cute colors and prints.  Photos shown are styles in production...more to come!  XO

ROA tees by Steve Vintage and Capri Pinto...

During the ME & Blue years in Philadelphia, I knew of a groovy store near mine owned by Steve Vintage (yes, his real name), and his wife Capri.  Like me, they grew tired of the cold northeast winters and F*&^ you attitude that came with the lack of sunshine.  Fast forward a few years, I was in LA at the Rose Bowl and ran into them.  They had relocated to the west coast as well, refocusing their efforts on creative screen printing on t-shirts and vintage clothing for guys and girls alike.  They have 3 labels now, including the ROA tees that I'm now carrying at ME & Blue in Venice.  It's fun to work with them.  They produce their designs in downtown LA and even hand deliver the tees to me.   The response has been good, and it's fun to know people that have seen ME & Blue evolve from an industrial-style loft in Philadelphia, to a sunny bungalow in Venice, CA. 

opening party! photos...

The opening celebration on Friday evening was a fun event.  Friends and loved ones came.  From (almost) 1 year old twins Johanna and Lillian, to Eleanor (almost) 99.  And every fashionista in between...Here are some images of the evening.  More to be posted on the facebook fan page for ME & Blue.