fashion:: holding on to the seventies

If you're as old as me you certainly remember the stylish neckties of the seventies! You know... those wide polyester ties with the big bold patterns? I love how fellow etsian andsometimesy has upcycled them into these cute clutches and wallets. Dotted with funky vintage buttons too. Sweet and very JUST COOL!

oh...and plus they look smashing against that chartreuse dress ;)

fashion :: let there be light!

Sure it looks a little geeky but what a great idea! The Solar Light Cap is brilliant because it collects solar energy during the day and provides the wearer with lighting at night - no need for batteries - giving off more than enough light for most people, with up to 5 hours of full power operation from a fully charged cap! With so many applications this handy hat is really JUST COOL!It's available in a range of styles and colors, ranging in price from USD$39.90 to $44.90.

fashion :: shoes for the birds

These shoes are for the birds, literally. Take a walk in the park, have a seat on a bench, then relax and read a book. Won't tweety bird be happy...

The ‘For the Birds’ shoes are just classic flats covered with birdseed that bring man and nature a little bit closer. Designed by Arnold van Bezooyen for an intercultural exhibition where traditional Korean shoes were conceptually redesigned to create a new look and meaning, these JUST COOL shoes address the materiality and function of the shoe instead of its form. (and the birds like it too!)

via virtualshoemuseum

fashion :: toes take the lead

They may look a little odd but Vibram FiveFingers are taking the world (especially runners) by storm. This happy medium between foot gear and comfy barefootedness has been around for years but the company says sales have never been better. Heck even the twittersphere is raving about them.

klcollierokc VERY enthused about my new Vibram Fivefingers. Strangest? Coolest? Most invigorating footwear on the planet. Did I mention strangest?

michael_newton Just got a pair of Vibram Fivefingers. I think my whole running world is about to change. We shall see

quanza snagged a pair of Vibram fivefingers! w00t!

KingHob HAS ANYONE SEEN MY NEWLY CREATED MONSTER? LAST I SAW HE RAN OFF WEARING ONLY VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS SHOES. MY PAIR, NONETHELESS

johnsifferman tested my new pair of Vibram FiveFingers KSO's today - first impressions = excellent minimalist footwear!

The ultra-thin socks made from hard-wearing neoprene are said to help prevent injuries including ankle sprains and sore knees and sell for around $90 giving their wearers a real run for their money.They are like gloves for feet that basically give the sensation of being barefoot while still protecting the skin.Manufacturers say they act like a second skin and force the wearer to land on the center of the foot and not the heel which fits with natural balance.

Lookin' a little strange to me - but gotta agree, they are JUST COOL!

fashion :: a dangerous feet

It's amazing what lengths the willing staff of New York Magazine will go to to research their stuff. But I guess if the product is shoes? No wonder! They just had to find out if real women could actually walk in the mind blowing designs that graced the fall 2009 runway. The ladies of the Cut (and a few good-natured volunteers around the office) bravely laced, zipped, and strapped in for the little stroll.I wouldn't have predicted a bruise free outcome but these nimble ladies made it a catwalks length on these crazy shoes without a fall. The extreme  collection included designers Dior, Galliano, Ricci, Rodarte, Leger, and more.

fashion :: breakfast couture

A duo of fried eggs and a baguette of french bread strutted their stuff at the Agatha Ruiz De La Prada show during Autumn/Winter 2009 Milan Fashion Week . Who doesn't like eggs sunnyside up on their pretty picnic frock?

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

The breadhead - that's something else - JUST COOL ;)

via weirdnews

fashion:: surfs up!

Surf's up and who says wet suits can't be fashionable as well as comfortable and functional . Diddo designed his wetsuits with style in mind, yet with a quirky twist. His new line of these form fitting suits are funky and JUST COOL as well!

Diddo's four original designs consist of a rusted iron diving suit evoking the days of Jules Verne, an anatomic musculature suit no doubt taken from the pages of  a hefty Gray's Anatomy reference book, a shark attack wet suit which gives the illusion that the wearer has been attacked by hungry sharks and finally a whale shark patterned suit inspired by that colorful creature from our under water world. These amazing wet suits aren't on the market just yet but are expected soon!

via yatzer

fashion :: platter suits and teapot dresses

 Li Xiaofeng turns a popular collectible (chinese blue and white pottery) into the most unconventional creation ever. His pottery dresses, ceramic suits and funky shard fashions are JUST COOL! Walk into his studio and you will be surrounded by bins of pottery pieces sorted by date, color and shape.He creates this clothing with ceramic shards from the song, ming, yuan and qing dynasties, which are sewn together on a leather undergarment.

Hardwear that is JUST COOL!

fashion :: up up and away!

Balloons aren't just for children's parties anymore. Thanks to the creative genius of designer Daisy Balloon, blowup latex has elevated itself to the ranks of designer couture. Wearing one of her creations I imagine, would feel quite .... uplifting!

Very JUST COOL!

fashion :: new look = old boot

The Bosey Boot, coming soon to a store near you.

I admit the Bosey Boot, does look comfy. Inspired by a utilitarian shoe from the Converse archives, the style is back for an encore performance. This version features a light weight canvas upper that looks and feels like faded denim. The rubber soles, too, embody that worn grunge look that is so important  when dropping $150 for a good quality shoe. It does have it's saving graces though - like  pigskin foot beds and your choice of waxed or leather laces. Will it be black or grey?  I'll go with the black please- it's JUST COOL!

via coolhunting

fashion :: shoe foolery

Real shoes? Not! Look closer. These "shoes" are actually painted feet, masterfully painted in trompel’oeil  style by artists John Maurad and Jenai Chinat for Temptu Paints.

The NY based company specializes in airbrushed makeup, body painting and temporary tattoos for Hollywood, television, theatre and the fashion industry and boasts an impressive clientele list..From the looks of these painted feet it looks like Temptu Paints has the knack to fake just about anything!These "faux shoes" were commissioned by New York Magazine for a recent article and are JUST COOL!

via gizmodiva 

fashion ::our little designer

What you do when you're broke...

Sasha sent me this email of my little 3 yr old fashionista granddaughter this morning:

"Calla did this all by herself and came into the room saying it was her new outfit. Then she showed Aven how to do it."

Designer's are soooo...inventive! You go Calla!

fashion :: jot it down jewelry

How often do you get caught somewhere with a great idea in your head or a phone number you have to write down with nothing to write it down on? Drat! Have no fear - Ana Cardim to the rescue!

This prolific little designer has forged a solution for you - the book ring -made from sterling silver with a teeny tiny notebook on top.And if you are so prolific as to fill every page of one book, you can always stack more on top, via the tiny elastic band that holds everything in place.

Now, if only we had a pencil to write with. Ana, how about some pencil earrings?

This girls jewelry is always JUST COOL!

fashion :: queen of boho - iris apfel

Design icon, Iris Apfel is definitely a woman ahead of her time. With her inherent artistic nonsensibility, her style, individuality, and keen eye for color and pattern, it's obvious that she wrote the book on Bohemian chic long before the term and style ever became fashionable.

Over 50 years ago as an interior designer looking for fine traditional silk-woven fabrics and finding them few and far between, Iris Apfel cashed in on a golden opportunity along with her husband, Carl, and founded Old World Weavers. She built it into one of the most prestigious brands in the world of textiles and interior design, with a who's who clientele that included Greta Garbo,Estée Lauder and even the White House. Now in her mid eighties, she still tantalizes her followers with her glorious offbeat styles, colors, textures, and patterns. Her ostentacious oddball style has no regard for convention which makes it all the more wonderful and genius to me! Take a look at some of her crazy creations.

And the shoes too! Although you won't catch me wearing any of these - I think they are definitely JUST COOL! But Iris, nix the poindexter glasses, please.

fashion :: garbage can pin

Don't be a litter bug.

This cool mini trash can pin offers instant refuse mobility wherever you go. An interesting design concept from Ana Cardim - it consists of a silver Pin, and a set of teeny tiny plastic bags and ties. I know a few neatniks that would wear this.  I myself  prefer to jam the tiny trash into my pocket until I hit the nearest trash bin, thank you.

Kinda JUST COOL...

fashion :: phonebook couture

When is the last time you used your phone book? Yup, I'm talking about that annoying, heavy 10,000 page reference book of telephone numbers that arrives on your doorstep each year. I just threw out a bunch of mine today. Outdated, ripped, scribbled on - a five year stack of them . I bet they'll soon be obsolete , don't you?

Then I saw this...

For Kelly Murray's Creative Processes class at Herron School of Art & Design, she concocted a paper dress made entirely of, you guessed it, phonebook paper. She pleated it, snipped it, sewed it and glued it all by hand. What she came up with was this stylish, chicly fashionable and soooo JUST COOL phonebook couture!

bling :: diamonds are a dogs best friend

Because only the best will do for the canine love of your life, I Love Dogs Diamonds offers Amour Amour, a stunning 52-carat diamond dog collar. This pricey dazzler sparkles with over 1600 hand-set diamonds adorning it's graceful chandelier design and includes an amazing 7-carat, D-IF, brilliant-shape centerpiece diamond. It's name represents "the love you have for your dog, and the love your dog has for you,” and it is a one-of-a-kind collar. I guess so, since it is valued at a hefty $1.8 million USD and is definitely the most expensive dog collar in the world.

Poppy Petunia seems to think that it is JUST COOL!

via mostexpensive

fashion :: uggs to moovs

Are these cute or what? A step up from the coveted Ugg Boots, the innovative MoovBoot features 100% sheepskin lining with a removable inner sole for extra warmth and comfort, as well as exclusive patterns you will love wearing ! Uggs are fine for the cold but when the cold turns wet they fail miserably. They get soaked and soggy and who wants frozen feet trapped in a pair of water stained boots? Thats where Moovs step in. These chic galoshes are watertight and sport a cozy fleece lining just like Uggs but they perform much better than Uggs in inclement weather. They come in several cool patterns in tall and short styles.

Check out the sassy MoovBoot at their website. They are soooo JUST COOL!!

via reubenmiller

fashion :: zippy bling

When it comes to unusual jewelry, NY Designer Kate Cusack has it all zipped up. Literally. Look closely at her amazing creations using the common zipper. Coiled, configured and colorful zippers bloom into these innovative fashion accessories that are JUST COOL!

The bling and sparkle comes from the zippers shiny metal teeth - the jewel colors are the colored cotton strips. What an unusual use of a lowly sewing notion! You can purchase Kates zipper jewelry at her etsy shop starting at $85.

pets :: dog dos gone bad

Poppy Petunia warns anyone reading this: Do not try this at home!

Sandy Paws Beauty Shop is not your normal beauty parlor by any means. When you order a cut, color and curl it isn't for you. It's for your dog! This award winning groomer, styling the furry likes of Fido, Rover and Butch is located in Yucca Valley, California and her unique styles take typical doggie hairdos to the next level. Check these out!

A Ninja Turtle

Peacock Pooch

A camel fro


A chicken.

Puff the Magic Dragon


Flower Power Pup

The groomer, Barkleigh's tool box consists of Glitter, Feathers, Pompoms, Pipe Cleaners, Plastic Flowers, Felt, Hair Gel, and Glitter Glue along with the usual beauty supplies like artist chalk, blo-pens, semi-permanent hair color , henna and food coloring. But I wouldn't try this at home, although she does give you some creative tips on her website. My Poppy Petunia has no desire to go pink and poofy anytime soon. But still I think these canine coifs are JUST COOL! Don't you?