What's All the Hullabaloo About

When we first heard the story behind Hullabaloo, one of our favorite accessory lines, it was hard not to imagine the owners all decked out in jumpsuits & goggles, with flashlights in hand, scavenging through old dusty warehouses in search of big cardboard boxes labeled 1969.

Maybe that's because it's kind of what they do. Hullabaloo is woman-owned by the adventurous Sesti sisters. Their mission is to give new life to what's sometimes called "deadstock" (a.k.a never used merchandise from decades past). After 25 years of "digging around in old warehouses, barns and houses looking for amazing vintage duds" these girls have gotten really good at finding the really good stuff.

owner, Bridgette Sesti, in the Hullabaloo booth at the Pool Trade Show

Used in tons of "flashback" films: Boogie Nights, Cry Baby, Catch Me If You Can, Austin Powers, Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Almost Famous...

their goodies include mod style day-glo earrings from the 1960s (think Marsha Brady), apple pick necklaces from the 70s (no afro required), "best friends" heart earrings from the 80s (one for you, one for me), and so so so so so much more.

When we opened our latest shipment we found, amongst all the other cuteness, the tiniest little turtle necklaces still in their original "Made in Taiwan" packaging. It was a reminder that these pieces are authentic and ready to see the light of day.

Priced from $6 to $18, the line obviously offers great gift ideas but it also serves as instant regression therapy, bringing back the kind of memories that make you smile, point and say "want one".

just a sampling from our latest shipment...FUN!

Street Peep Alison

We always get asked "is this a dress, or a top?" It's no wonder, really, with so many super long tops and über short dresses around. Most of the time the answer is "both" or it might just depend on the person asking.

This is Alison. Today she's transformed her Love & Liberty dress and we love it! She's super unique with her styling and always looks so fresh and fun. Can't wait to see what she does with it next.

Doing the Math

Each of these outfits is under $250 and that's for an entire look that can be broken down and reinvented with pieces you already own. The math-per-wear looks almost as good as you will.

black mocs by Minnetonka $42 - perfect now and next spring with a sun dress & a tan; they'll never see the back of your closet
black skinnys w/ankle zippers by Blank $68 - great tucked in a boot or unzipped over a bootie; you might just wear them everyday
long sleeve tee by Alternative Apparel $32 - even more useful when no one can see it; layers are like that
sweater vest by Luluvia $88 - imagine indigo boot cuts, gray straight legs, torn up boyfriends; all your denim will love this vest's colors

mocs with thunderbirds by Minnetonka $38 - if errand day is everyday these are a must
pink skinny jeans by Blank $68 - spring & summer love this color as much as fall; another year round investment
convertible vest by Luluvia $58 - versatility is it's middle name; wear it buttoned up for a fitted look or completely undone as a scarf too (no kidding, stop by for a demo)
tunic with self belt by Luluvia $58 - a day-to-night, make-it-your-own piece; we've seen it look great with just some leggins and cowboy boots, and the detailed neck means no jewelry required

Feeling Blue

All shades of blue are available this season and it feels like a culmination of what we've been seeing for a couple of years now.

Here's how we remember it: Cobalt popped up a few years back especially as an accent, then teal made an appearance (which was great because it looks good on 99% of everyone), then we started seeing navy (just a little and it still felt a bit conservative), then turquoise and aqua came on strong (the brighter the better). Slowly but surely each of these blues made an appearance and now, for Fall '09, we have a beautiful kaleidoscope to choose from — in all types of pieces.

We couldn't resist sharing Meryl Streep's speech, as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, about Cerulean blue. It got us thinking about how we can be slaves to what's available. How many times have you gone looking for a particular colored shoe but can't find it anywhere because it's simply not on the shelves that season? Well if you love blue, this is your moment to stock up and shine.



The only thing missing from Meryl's rant, and this post, is any mention of the peacock. We'll sign off now by leaving you with a "Deep Thought" fashion tip. Nature is always the best place to find color combinations. Even though a peacock feather has 3 shades of blue that no pigment can reproduce (because the color comes from the microscopic structure of the feather) it can still inspire an awesome blue outfit. If the peacock has no problem wearing blue with purple, green, black and brown neither should you.


P.S. We'll post some photos soon of all the blue we have to offer.

Taxi CDC Smörgåsbord

If you've ever shopped at Wild Flower you know we love us some Obi belts. Well, a new shipment of these outfit-transformers by Taxi CDC has arrived and our craving for the waist is as strong as ever.

We never thought our appetite for Members Only jackets would come back. But when Taxi cuts off the sleeves and crops the little fellas into shrugs, it's like candy at Halloween...you want to get as many as possible and hide them from your sister.

Then there's the Izod. What if you could find the perfect Fall cardigan that's been rebuilt from 80s men's Lacoste sweaters? Taxi knows how to make that and we have 1/2 dozen hot out of the oven.

OK, food references aside, we've loved Taxi CDC pieces for awhile and highly recommend them to anyone who has an appreciation for all things unique. Come get 'em while they're fresh.

L-O-V-E

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, this little piggy ate roast beef, this little piggy had none, this little piggy went WEEEEEEEE LOVE THESE JACKETS!!!!!!!!!

'nough said:)

Curatorial Tutorial

Over the years we've found some brilliant designers that we love to talk about; like where they're from, what inspires them – even what they look like.

This season we're excited to blab about Curatorial, a line that's 100% made in Los Angeles (a.k.a the USA) and created by Lizz Wasserman, an ex-Urban Outfitters/Free People designer, who has some very intentional feelings about our environment.

For Curatorial, Lizz handpicks vintage and remnant fabrics to reduce waste while offering one-of-a-kind or limited edition pieces. Her design philosophy is "to only produce pieces that are unique and new – not creating trend-driven waste". Lizz even drives a car powered with recycled veggie oil; again to reduce waste and Curatorial's eco-imprint.

We just got in four of her styles (shipped to us in recycled boxes BTW), and can't wait to share. The "X-Marks the Spot" dress comes in 6 solids like the tangerine color pictured. There's only one dress in each color so it's super special. Another favorite is the "Walk Away" dress, which is done up in vintage prints, like the black floral above (again only one of each to grab). Stop by and check out her "Ra-Ra" skirt too; it's high-waisted and drapes like its name suggests. The vintage fabrics she's used for the skirts are a must-see.

Curatorial prices are great at $78 for a dress, $68 for a skirt. The only other thing to blog on about is Lizz's flagship line, Popomomo. For now we'll just mention it, but soon you'll be seeing it in the store. Can't wait.