The Lumineers

 

Worth a listen, then a purchase, then a live show...absolutely. The Lumineers played in Raleigh Wednesday night when they opened for The Dave Matthews Band. What a great act to follow! Check out a video and let us know what you think. I think they'll fit right in at Wildflower.

xoxo amy

Paleface Gets a Dye Pretty Job

Paleface (a BFF to the Avett Brothers) is hanging his art at Dye Pretty Salon in downtown Winston starting this evening at 7pm. We already knew him as a musician but, like most highly inspired folks, it turns out he's a visual artist too. All  new original paintings will be on display (and for sale) through the end of the month and then on March 30th he'll be performing at The Garage with his super cute drummer & girlfriend, Mo. So put on your "Get'n to Know Paleface" outfit and check out this month's Paleface offerings.

(his art)

 

(his tunes)

(your outfit*)

*OK so we don't totally know him yet, but our "Get'n to Know Paleface" look would have to be by Praire Underground. This woman-owned, Seattle-based company is indie and awesome!!! xoxo

Molly

Ode to the early 80s continues.

Madonna

 An ode to Madonna's early 80s look. It keeps on inspiring. Happy Birthday Material Girl! 

Falling for Fall 2011

It's almost time for market, so we thought we'd take a flip through the Fall '11 Ready-to-Wear runway shows and look for signs of what we might be seeing (and buying) in Vegas. Remembering Meryl Streep's speech, as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, it's probably safe to say that our choices for Wildflower will, somehow in someway, be dictated by these shows: Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, Prada and Miu Miu, and don't forget Chanel. Check them out at Style.com.

What the Crop?

Nothing shows the evolution of fashion like a mother/daughter "who wore it best". Lisa Bonet and her super cool daughter, Zoe Kravitz, prove that waistlines are just as much a slave to fashion as hemlines. Back in 1991 it would have been probably impossible to convince anyone that a high waist was a better look for a crop top. Cut to 20 years later and really it's no contest. Zoe takes the prize for best crop top ensemble, don't you think? We're so glad she's all grown up and ready to provide some fashion inspiration. Thanks mom, you're finally back, kinda!

Out of Print & You

Just got an email from the team at Out of Print tees. So many of you have bought one of their tees because you love a certain book without even knowing that you were supporting a great cause!!! Seems that your love of reading (and of course fashion) has helped Out of Print reach their goal and has given the kids of Africa the gift of a really great read:)

1 year. 70,000 books. All thanks to you!

To our customers, partners and supporters,

We thank you. The shirts you purchased in the last year have sent over 70,000 books to communities in Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and Cameroon. You are helping to end the book famine in Africa and to spread the gift of reading.

We hope this is just the beginning.

Sincerely,

Todd Lawton Jeff LeBlanc

Have You Seen These Feathers?

About a month ago one of the Wildflower girls lost an Owlita feather earring and it felt a little like when you drop your iPhone and the screen shatters. It's hard to explain and it sounds kind of crazy, but you feel like crying, which makes you feel kind of silly, then confused, then panicked. Deep breathing is necessary, then you get down to fixing the problem (which in this case meant calling Breakfast Of Course and asking if they had a lost-and-found).

The whole incident got us thinking, what is this feather thing is all about? We've wondered just how much longer people would want to adorn themselves in feathers. It's been a good long while since we started carrying them; 3 years in the world of trends is a whole journey not just a pit stop. We've seen them become part of the Winston-Salem zeitgeist and now you can even have them woven into your hair (which we're kind of loving:) Until you loose one, it's easy to be irreverent and think this feather thing is going to feel passe really soon.

Now here's where we could go on and on about nature; about the subconscious and archetypal attachment we've realized one develops with their feathers. How they're comforting and liberating, not just beautiful but spiritual. But we'll just leave you to ponder that and close by saying...

Even after the fashion part has died down, and other earrings start to look cute again, we can almost guarantee that your feathers will still have a place (if nowhere else, then at least on your dressing table). They're too stunning not to be on display or cherished as an heirloom. So if you're a slave to fashion, think twice before you shuffle them to the donate pile. Take it from someone who longer has the option!

If you've seen the above pictured earring laying on the streets of Winston, please let us know. We weren't kidding with our post's title, "Have You Seen These Feathers?"

Breathing Time Machines

WOW, 2010 was a year to remember AND a year not to remember. We really can't decide!?! All years are like that, right? We keep the bits we want (((:IN STEREO:))) and turn the volume way down on those we don't. But all the pieces are always part of us.

We decided to take our pieces to Asheville on Friday where we piled into the Civic Center to ring in 2011 with The Avett Brothers. The whole place (of 7000!!!) knew every word to every song. We were definitely a hometown crowd.

Our small group (the people we serendipitously stood around) became the "4-hour Gang". From 8:30pm to around 1am, we shared stories, cried a little, and stood up to the revelers who tried to push to the front. Sam was there too: in the shimmer from Holli's jacket, in the balloons that fell from the ceiling, and in the balcony watching over us. He'll sit in that seat from now until forever. Looking out for his Breathing Time Machines. We love you Sam. Happy New Year!

Hello Hollywood

Last time we saw Olivia Mitchell she was bringing us a frittata from Whole Foods. It was August, our Consignment Sale was in full swing, and Olivia was working on her karma delivering the girls of Wildflower some much needed sustenance (we have the best customers!).

Cut to November. Olivia's living in Los Angeles, attending USC as a high school senior (who knew they had a program?!?) and making music videos on the beaches of Malibu. Proof that good deeds pay, don't you think?

Our favorite line from her latest video, "Celebrities there are really here"!!!

Thank You Band of Horses

Yes that's Jenny Lewis in the top album cover! Little did we know she has a new thang going with someone named Johnny. It wasn't until Lluvia motivated and drove to Asheville to see one of our other favs (Band of Horses) that we got filled in on Ms. Lewis' latest collaboration, Jenny and Johnny.

They opened for BofH in a very sneaky way, giving "surprise special guest" a whole new ah-ha! vibe. We've been wondering "where's Rilo Kiley?" for a very long while, hunting and peaking for any sign of them in the blogosphere, with no luck at all. So when Lluvia saw a wafey red-head crooning behind the microphone it took awhile to recognize that it was our long lost Jenny. If the title of her new album, I'm Having Fun Now, is any indication, her break from the boys of Rilo Kiley and The Watson Twins may be permanent.

We also need to give props to another redhead lead duo, Florence and the Machine. So brand spank'n new (at least to us), we're not even sure if Florence has a Johnny (it may be just her?!?). Their/Her new album, A Lot of Love. A Lot of Blood, is well worth a listen. Even if you don't like the tunes, you've got to admit the chevron striped dress on the album's cover was a great choice.

Music Know How

You know how sometimes you instantly like an album the first time you hear it? And you can't really explain why, except you know it's catchy and upbeat and something about the British accents makes you like it even more. And when you hear the song where the boy and girl play off each other, and sing different lyrics at the same time, it reminds you of The Sound of Music, but you don't really know why, or what it's called when singers do that, or if it's even a "technical" music thing but you like it, just like you like all the other lyrics on the album. Well...that's how we feel about Standard Fare's The Noyelle Beat.

And you know how you hear someone talk about a band so you check them out and think, "that was nice". Then you listen to them again a few days later and start to wonder, "where have I been?" And then after the third listen you're totally hooked, suggesting them to everyone, and looking up tour dates on MySpace. Well...that's what happened with Band of Horses.

Cali Comes a Callin'

We're constantly trying to find new and inspiring musicians to share with our customers. Thanks to last Saturday night's show at The Garage we found some right in our own backyard.

You'll want to claim Rose's Pawn Shop as your own. They sound like good 'ol homegrown Appalachian boys. Yet another local bluegrass band we can take pride in. But they're not and that's one thing that makes them intriguing. These boys come from Los Angeles wearing Vans slip-ons and all.

Preview them on our video playlist (see below) then check them out at Floydfest this weekend (we'll be there with bells, feathers & our Vans on too).

Stella and the Sun

The celestial stars were lined up perfectly for the Wildflower girls to take Stella to her first music festival. It was a Sunday (so no one had to tend the store), The Avett Brothers were playing, Anne had backstage passes (thanks Ron for all your hard work) and the sun was shining bright. The whole day was perfect: awesome music and a 'lil dancing, a table full of vegan yumyums, great lawn seats with lots of room to spread out, no alcohol so no headaches, and the adults learned the meaning of "reapply" (always a good lesson before summer officially starts). Thanks Merle! We'll see you next year.

Four Weddings and a Graduation

Every now and then we get a call from someone wanting to order flowers. It must be our name, right? We usually point them to PriceDavis Florist on Burke Street. We've been using them for years and love their creativity. Just give them a theme and they whip up an amazing arrangement. So with Mother's Day, wedding season and graduations fast approaching we thought we'd give them a plug. Here's their number 800.677.2270 if you're ever in need.

Into The Woods

So remember our book recommendation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle? It led to some research about local farms and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Our best find so far is Sanders Ridge (organic farm, winery and restaurant extraordinaire).

Their CSA membership promises an 8 to 10 lbs basket of fresh locally grown vegetables and herbs, every week for 21 weeks, delivered for pick up right to our neighbor's front door (Whole Foods). Signing up sounded so enticing (remember veggies have been the hot topic at Wild Flower during this insanely cold winter), we had to drive to Boonville and investigate.

Having lunch at The Big Woods restaurant was a grand foyer into local and organic "eating out". Along with all of the building's lumber and stone, a lot of our meal was locally harvested from their farm. Chef Starr Johnson strives to use ingredients that are sustainably raised either at Sanders Ridge, or on other farms that are located within a 75 mile radius of Boonville.

While we haven't yet decided about joining the CSA, we'll definitely be showing up to The Big Woods on Thursday nights this spring; they push the tables together and serve a "family style" fixed menu that includes live blue grass music. With North Carolina food, tunes, and wine all flowing, going out will feel perfectly homegrown.

Street Peep Olivia

We think Olivia's next song needs to be about a girl in a sunshine yellow dress on a rainy winter night. We love that she chose this bright little French Connection number to wear to the Forsyth Country Day winter formal. And we love even more that she's a singer/songwriter. We loaded her homegrown video "That Song Is Love" into our video playlist or you can check her out on You Tube.

Water Water Every Wear

If you've been shopping at the store for any length of time you'd know why Aveda's "Water on the Go" stations, which they're setting up in NYC for the upcoming fashion week, are of great interest and relevance to the Wild Flower girls. We're really into our water! For years you'd find big tall plastic water bottles from Whole Foods all over our counters. If felt right to be drinking eight 8 oz glasses a day until it started to feel kind of wrong.

While reusable water bottles are everywhere, and have been for a long time, we're the first to admit it can be kind of hard to move away from the convenience of just buying a bottle. It's refreshing, literally, to see Aveda setting up a no-brainer system for the thirsty masses that won't send BPA's into their bloodstreams and won't contribute to the big plastic island in the Pacific.

Buy Local, Dress In Season

Just like a garden, the store has a cycle and four seasons. As you might have guessed, right now we're in one of two SALE seasons: clearing out, cleaning up and making room for new Spring finds. Like little seeds waiting for the first spring rainfall, topics for the blog are incubating so they'll be ready to show themselves with the arrival of our first Spring '10 shipment.

OK, hold up, the records starting to skip, put on the brakes, lift the needle...can you tell we're reading a book about gardening and LOVING IT! In between helping customers find their size amongst the sale items and trying to come up with post topics, all we've been talking about are vegetables.

We're NOT going to start reviewing books, just recommending them. So here's our first:


Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is all about buying locally raised food, eating in season, and her family's life on their small Appalachian farm. Besides motivating us to change the way we eat, it could just be the inspiration for the store's new motto - "Buy Local, Dress In Season".

Pop Ur Collar, Vampire Weekends Coming

We're not too worried about today's youth when we listen to these boys. They're coming to Asheville in April to play tunes from their new album Contra. Take in "Cousins" on our video Playlist, then watch them perform "California English" in Juan's Basement (we're still trying to figure out who Juan is:) You can also listen to their whole album, here, or stop by the store after 1/12 (the album's release date). We'll be playing it, like fur sure.