Redefining the Organic Tee

Most t-shirts today are throwaways and either loaded with logos or re-hashed iconic images or just plain-old-boring. And to find an organic tee that's not hard as cardboard and in an unsightly dull color is another issue. Luckily, there's the fresh new organic graphic tee line, Elodie, to the rescue. No more schlepping to the gym in your Nike/Adidas/Puma logo-loaded tee or that ratty Hanes. Now you can be kind to the environment and look stylish without promoting some one's brand on your chest. Hallelujah!

Elodie Design's graphic tees are like a piece of art - painterly and free-form with subtle hidden meanings for each graphic. The designer, Jacqueline Bendy, has cleverly created "definitions" for each of her tees. Each tee, like a painting, is christened a name and its definition inconspicuously printed at the bottom hem. Her current collection of Philosophy tees are titled "Fianza" (a guarantee that an obligation will be met), "Prudence" (practical wisdom), and Valor Real (actual or true value.) And the shapes and fabric of the tees are refreshingly chic and comfortable, especially for an organic tee which can sometimes be stiff and boxy in shape. These long, lean tees are cut for a real woman and look great dressed down with yoga pants or refined with a pair of sleek jeans. These fabulous tees can be had online at Elodiedesign.com or to see one up close and personal, pop over to Market in Brentwood.

I'm anxious to get a hold of the upcoming Elodie Flores collection of botanical- inspired tees that were adapted from the designer's friend and artist, Soraya Chemaly (see above.) These striking, contemporary images interpret florals in a new way with lush, over sized floral designs. The colors are rich and versatile featuring a palette of eggplant, persimmon, dove grey, and shots of neon. And yet again, Elodie cleverly pairs each tee with a signature definition - Iris/wisdom, Cosmos/harmony, and Chrysanthemum/optimism.

Finally a basic tee that's not so basic after all - whisper-light weight organic cotton in a long flattering fit, and with punches of color and free-form graphics made from low-impact dyes. Say goodbye to your athletic tees and say hello to Elodie!

Stacia Fall 2008 has Arrived!

Every Summer it freaks me out to be boxing up Fall merchandise in the middle of July's sweltering heat. I'm just breaking out my own Summer clothes and the stores are already showing wool and other Fall-like fabrications. What's up with that? Even from my early years at Calvin Klein right out of Parsons I wondered the same. And here I am following the system! That's why I try to design with season-less fabrics with a wear-now sensibility, because that's how I want to dress. Hence, you'll find a lot of vibrant colors in my Fall collection, as well as transitional and eco-friendly fabrics such as bamboo/cotton and 100% bamboo. And most of my tops and dresses are in a light-weight 14gg knit so you can wear it now literally and not wait until October's chill to crank out your Fall stuff. Yes, I will have some cozier, cold-weather sweaters coming up next month, to arrive in stores in time for "back-to-school" or the break of Fall in September.

I've got two new groups for you up online now - Town & Country and Mission. The Town & Country is an ode to the old-school Hawaiian way of describing the two Island lifestyles - Town being the big city, Honolulu, and Country being the rural North Shore. The bamboo/cotton knits epitomize those two different lifestyles. You can wear these tops to work and look polished or throw on with some jeans and go country. The colors here are transitional to get you in the mood for Fall - Seagrass, Banyan, Haiku, and Lantern.

The Mission group is one big splash of color. Exactly what I want to wear now. These multi-hued colors evoke the Mission culture of old California - Mesa, Adobe, Sequoia, and Juniper. Lively colors, yet simplified shapes that you can wear now or cozy up in come Fall.

A few of my favorite things this Fall at Stacia are the Juniper placket tunic with chunky crochet scarf to warm things up. The ultimate dress to don with your tall black boots and bare legs is in Adobe, with sexy ruching around the bust to accentuate the positive. And if you're looking for a heavier weight knit without the itch-factor of wool, try the 7gg tuck stitch cowl neck or the 7gg hoodie. I swear this bamboo yarn in heavier gauges feels just like cashmere, and a hell of a lot cheaper and easier to care for. Being that I gave up dry cleaning when I left NYC 4 years ago (pretty much when I started having kids) I have yet to dry clean any of my own Stacia sweaters. I throw those puppies right in the wash with everything else and soften 'em up in the dryer. My only recommendation is to avoid zippers and jeans when washing with the delicate knits to avoid snags.

Check out all the new goodies online at www.shopstacia.com. Email me any questions about the line anytime. I'm all ears for suggestions, inspiration, and moral support!!

Road Trip - Central California Coast

This past weekend was my 20th high school reunion in Anchorage - yikes! Yes, I'm THAT old. A few of my girlfriends from high school still remain close and were pretty much rearing to go all the way up to Alaska for the reunion, family and all. But when it came right down to it, we decided who we really wanted to see was each other and not necessarily in Alaska. So we picked a nearby place we've been wanting to explore and set about on our own mini reunion. We picked Central California Coast - the towns Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur. Having already been inspired by those towns for my Spring 2008 collection of Eco-Spacedye knitwear (with color names Carmel and Big Sur), I was anxious to actually see these beautiful coastal towns up close and personal, and gain new inspiration for Fall '09.

First stop, Monterey. This in particular was for the kids, with the famous Monterey Aquarium and Cannery Row as the main attractions. Also, a little side trip to the Dennis the Menace park (coolest kid's park ever) and a paddle boat ride on El Estero Lake. Monterey is famous for it's June Gloom weather. Not necessarily the warmest Summer weather, but luckily I had been forewarned and packed accordingly. You pretty much have to dress in layers so throughout the day you can shed clothing as it warms up (by the way, Stacia's thin knitwear is perfect for such layering!)

Next stop, the 17 mile drive through Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, and Carmel. One picturesque vista after another along this winding drive that took us through the pine tree-lined roads and down to the pristine beaches on the coast. If only our Santa Monica beaches were as clean and beautiful! We wandered down to the Asilomar State Beach in Pacific Grove to enjoy the serene beauty of an untouched beach. Only the die-hard surfers clad in neoprene from head to toe would dare go in this chilly water. The upside is the cold water deters the usual beach-goers and therefore the sand and water are clean and free of cigarette butts and styrofoam (at our local beaches here you see more trash than seashells!) We also made a quick stop in Carmel along the 17 mile drive. This quaint little town, slightly more inland, reminded me of New Hope, PA with it's Tudor-style, fairytale architecture and charming little shops. My favorite stop along the drive was the Lone Cypress tree (pictured above), all alone out on a huge rock in the ocean. I can already envision Fall '09 spacedye colors - Cypress, Monterey, Grove, Spruce, Pine, Spyglass (that one's for you Jodie!)

Finally, the best for last, Big Sur. You couldn't dream this stuff up. The view from all angles was to die for. I jokingly coined a picture of my husband and I with the Big Sur coastline behind us as our "fake" Big Sur backdrop. The views were just too perfect to be real. Talk about tidepool heaven. Wish I could hike down there with my wet suit and gear to explore those untouched tidepools with star fish, seals, and otters galore. The only drawback was the ash falling from the sky and the whiff of smoke in the air from the local fires. It was hard to tell what was marine layer and what was smoke.

The highlight of the trip, besides the vistas, was our tricked out minivan that we borrowed for the road trip. Not necessarily design inspiration for me, but I have to admit the pimped up Town & Country Limited minivan made the ride more upscale. With dual DVD players, map system, leather interior, and swivel second row seats, it made hauling four kids a pleasure. Although I did get a little carsick in the back seat and mainly road in the rented mini van with my girlfriends while the hubbies and kids road the T&C. Check out my husband's review of the Chrysler Town & Country Minivan on the LAtimes.com auto blog - pretty much sums up our vacation.

Brian Eno is God

I finally got my new Coldplay album, Viva La Vida. The loser that I am, I waited to buy it on Amazon for only $9.99, but had delayed gratification to save a few bucks. My husband told me he saw it at Starbucks the very day I ordered it. Alas, I'm finally enjoying my new Coldplay. The perfect accompaniment to the tedious job of boxing and shipping my Fall orders. I pack every one of those puppies myself, every sweater is packed by yours truly, and UPS.com and I are best friends. I can create UPS labels with my eyes closed! Thankfully, Mr. Chris Martin has gotten me through it. And yes, I believe that Brian Eno is God, or at least comes very close to brilliance. Coldplay has always been great, but Mr. Eno, who produced their new album Viva La Vida, has taken them to the next level. From the first track, it launches into a U2-esque anthemic rock courtesy of Eno's soundscape, a style that he also famously brought to my favorite Irish lads, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullin Jr. in the early 80's. Much like The Edge's rhythmic guitar, you have Chris Martin's melodic piano, both echoing an ethereal sound. I'm a big fan of the moody, anthemic-style rock, which can easily become the soundtrack for your life. I particularly remember traipsing through Europe in the Summer of '85 listening to U2's The Unforgettable Fire and it providing the soundtrack to my European experience. And now, in 2008, Coldplay's Viva La Vida, and with Brian Eno's magic touch, will be my Summer '08 soundtrack. With this album, Mr. Chris Martin has certainly secured his 2nd place spot on my "list" (right behind Bono of course.)