Street Style :: BARE x FAST Preview Party

Last week we reported on the great time we all had at the "Meet the Designers" event. Here are two photos that captured the quirky and exciting styles that we saw at the event!


We love it!

[Editor's note: For more photos from the FAST Fashion Show MUSE, please visit baremagazine's gallery.]

Polina Polishchuk
BARE Reporter

Blogosphere's Week in Review

Images courtesy of The Stylish Wanderer, calivintage, Man of the Cloth, and Garbage Dress.

This week’s BWR features Thanksgiving: A Blogger’s Way, DIY spiked heels, and major hair no-no’s.

-A Blogger's Thanksgiving, crisp photos and roasted veggies included.
-Hair no-no’s: some of this.
-DIY roundup: Christian Louboutin for Rodarte Super-Spiked Heels and a geometric necklace.
-Shoes ... shoes... shoes... OMG shoes. [*editor's note: Brittany, you are absolutely bananas, in a good way of course!]
-How to Resell Clothes You Don’t Want Anymore.
-Hopefully, this doesn’t happen to you.
-Weekly must-reads: DJ bling, a sinner’s knitwear, Dandies of the Congo, H&M Spring 2010, Zana Bayne Trunk Show, carrot-colored rayon, and jail birds.

Brittany Curran
BARE Reporter

Street Style :: In the Tube

Shalwah Evans

BARE Mentor

This shades-of-grey ensemble was also featured on Shalwah's column. Be sure to check out Shalwah's column!

Street Style :: Nightlife in London

Shalwah Evans

BARE Mentor

Vintage SF :: Torso Vintages

While wandering the streets of SF this past weekend, after dim sum at one of my favorite restaurants, I stumbled upon an awesome vintage store, Torso Vintages. This hidden gem is a little off the beaten path, away from the crowded Union Square in all its name-brand fashion retail glory, but after this brightly colored pop art-style vest in the window caught my eye, I just had to go inside and take a look.

Inside, the store was filled with one-of-a-kind clothing, accessories and shoes from all over the world- just the kind of unique things that we here at BARE love! Everything from southwestern-style sweaters to little eighties frocks to retro pillbox hats to bright Lilly Pulitzer-style sheaths to piles of sparkling baubles were on display in this treasure chest of vintage goodies.

This interesting ensemble featured a dress decked out in little Eiffel Tower charms.

A Marilyn poster hung behind a case of vintage pins and an interesting patterned hat paired with a gypsy-style vest and shirt combo.

Note the gauzy dress in the upper left-hand corner.

Torso Vintages is located at:
272 Sutter St.
San Francisco CA
94108

Elizabeth Maxim

BARE Reporter

MUSE: FAST Delivers a Stellar Show

Fashion and Student Trends presented their Fall 2009 show title “MUSE: You Art What You Wear” last Sunday night in Pauley Ballroom on the Berkeley campus. The show included collections from twenty two designers, each showing between three to five pieces. Divided into three segments, designs varied extensively, and there was something fresh and interesting in each designer’s collection.

Photo by Catherine Lee

The show kicked off with designs by Leslie Hamachi and Kayee So who designed a collection inspired by discarded items. A standout piece in their collection was a little black dress with a bodice constructed out of gold paper clips.

Photo by Nican Robinson

Though all the designers did a phenomenal job, the stand out collection came from Helen Hyon. Everything was just right. I was most impressed with the styling of her models. The collection, entitled “Bleached Sea Turtles” was inspired by Ruben Toledo’s fashion illustrations. The collection had a breath of fresh air due to the incorporation of different textures of fabric. The clothes were body conscious and were well finished. One of my favorite things about it was the color pallet, which included neutrals as well as different shades of blue.

All the designers in the FAST Fashion show did an excellent job. I was very impressed with the level of work the garments exhibited. The FAST Staff, designers, and models, as well as anyone involved in the organization of the show should be very proud. I can’t wait for the show in the Spring!

Photo by Nican Robinson

More photos of the event now available on our website gallery!

Jonathan Deniol Rodriguez
BARE Magazine Managing Editor

The Kate Moss Motto

In an interview with WWD supermodel and style icon Kate Moss stated that one of her mottos is “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. In all honesty, this is not especially surprising considering that Moss is famous for her slender, waif-like features, but it is still worth questioning how far is too far when addressing weight issues. With our current obsession with celebrities and public image reaching near stalker level, women of all ages are feeling the pressure to be skinnier, prettier, and in general just better people. After all, what celebrity doesn’t have his or her own charity now? And perhaps the core issue of this problem is that we believe that “skinny” automatically leads to “pretty” which must mean that to be skinny is to be pretty. If Kate Moss says that “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”, then I’m going to delude myself into thinking that if I can lose say, 20 more pounds, I’ll somehow also become cool and fashionable. This is, of course, not true, since I possess neither Moss’s trend-making abilities nor her rockstar boyfriends, but perhaps being thinner will bring me closer to that lifestyle. It is a vicious cycle, and I know many out there have probably thought the same thing at least once or twice in the past 24 hours. While I don’t blame Moss for speaking her mind, I do believe that this requires a closer look into what sort of person we are being pressured to be.

image courtesy of fakingfashion

As a side note, here is another quote from the interview that I thought sort of made up for the whole skinny part.

“It sounds really corny, but I think that if you’re beautiful inside, it shows on the outside for sure. You can be a pretty face, but if you’re not a nice person, it just doesn’t work. I’m not traditionally a beauty, but apparently people think I’m all right. If you’re a nice person, it definitely helps.”

Who knew Kate was such a sweetheart?

Aimee Shimizu

BARE Reporter

Street Style :: Rome

When Italian fashion is mentioned Milan always comes to mind for most. But Rome isn't to be counted out. Everything is so old and so beautiful, including the people--the beautiful, not the old. The area near the Spanish Steps is a haven for anyone looking for high fashion. It's also a hub for people watchers who simply want to catch some fashion eye candy as they sip a glass of vino rosso at a nearby trattoria.

Shalwah Evans

BARE Mentor

Blogosphere's Week in Review

Images courtesy of Glamcanyon, Kingdom of Style, dirty laundry…and everything else i air dry, and Man of the Cloth.

This week’s BWR is composed of tons of mouth-watering shoes, procrastination-friendly DIY’s, and more!

- Shoe roundup: D&G boat shoes, Salvatore Ferragamo cut-out heels, Jeffrey Campbell wedge booties, and Louise Goldin for Topshop spiked heels.
- Hopefully, this hasn’t happened to you.
- What time is it? DIY TIME! Instead of writing papers and studying for finals, make an American Apparel-esque infinity scarf, back-of-the-hand jewelry, gem-covered heels, or maybe a ruched headwrap.
- BARE Blogger Submissions: check out Monica Rose’s Spring 2010 shoe picks, Twitter’s brand-spanking-new headquarters, and Dsquared’s Spring 2010 collection in Hercules Magazine.
- Links for people of the male variety: H&M’s Spring 2010 collection will give you the pop of color you’re looking for in the dreary winter months or you can get some inspiration from 19th-century dandies.
- It’s party time in Berlin. Remember to bring your gold.
- A bunch of cool must-reads: chained clothes, tinsel time, cupcake headwear, and faux fur.
- Weekly What-The-Feedge: I’m not sure where the outfit starts and the dog ends.

What posts tickled your fancy this week?

Brittany Curran

BARE Reporter

BARE x FAST Preview Party

As a precursor to the FAST runway show on Sunday November 22nd, BARE hosted a preview party for the FAST designers on Thursday November 19th at the lovely Alphonse Berber gallery. As people walked through the beautiful gallery space they spoke to the designers, ogled at their models, sipped on tasty drinks, and ate finger foods provided by Acme Bread. The party was full of UC Berkeley’s most fashionable, and everyone enjoyed the dance beats as they floated through the space admiring the work of their fellow students.

The main point of this event was to introduce the FAST designers so that patrons know what to expect when they attend the runway show on Sunday.

Christine’s collection was initially inspired by a French painting. She takes elements from this piece and turns them into something modern. When she designs, each piece inspires the next and it is as if she is designing for herself.

Iris’s collection is inspired by modern architecture. This particular piece is inspired by the Federal building in San Francisco. The building has perforated metal that lets sun and air come into the building, allowing it to breathe. Like the building, Iris uses holes to allow the model and the body to breathe.

Grace’s collection takes elements from the past and turns them into new outfits. She is inspired by old fabrics. With this particular dress that was shown at the preview party, she found the fabric at a yard sale. She makes pieces that she herself would wear.

Audrey emphasizes that this collection is to show how she has grown as a person through her years at UC Berkeley. She thanks her family and friends. This collection is not only art inspired, but also 1920s and Great Gatsby inspired. She modernizes the look of the 1920s flapper with materials such as zippers. It is all about becoming a woman and being independent.

May Tilden, who is also a part of BARE magazine, has a collection inspired by Klimt. Expect to see a lot of gold on the runway.

Grace and Angel’s collection is named ‘Bedroom Eyes’. She is inspired by the paintings of a Japanese artist. She uses many pastel and earth-toned colors. The paintings have a somewhat childish essence mixed with an essence of sensual femininity. The paintings include women with long, flowing hair and ornaments – which Grace definitely takes a cue from.
Michelle and Jenny take inspiration from Monet. They take an impressionistic approach by blending colors together to resemble Monet’s paintings. They even paint on some of their clothing. At the preview party, they were wearing their own pieces; showing just how practical the collection is.

Rola and Reema’s collection called ‘Addicted to Lace and leather’ goes for the “romantic goth” look. They mix leather, lace, and tulle. At the runway show, the audience can definitely expect the sexiness of sleeked hair and red lips.

Aja’s muse is graffiti art. By Sunday, this dress will be covered in graffiti art. She is inspired by the individuality of this art, and the entire collection has a hip-hop influence.

Overall, the night was filled with style, fun, and sophistication. The designers got to show off their pieces before they hit the runway, and the party guests enjoyed the sneak peek.

Polina Polishchuk

BARE Reporter

Cal Street Style :: Amy

A rose among the thorns of university fee increases, Amy Chen’s eccentric use of color stands out amongst the procession of strikers. As a 3rd year Chinese and Japanese double major, and Korean minor, Amy’s passion for different cultures is as deep as the red rose which inspired her outfit today.

An oversized yet stylish hoodie over tights and a pair of ballerina flats creates a comfortable look with a touch of girlishness.

Shelly Park
BARE Reporter

DIY :: Scoop it!

Hanging out around the UC Berkeley campus does not just mean Rasputin, yogurtland, and American Apparel – it means being lured in by the huge SALE sign posted outside of the Urban Outfitters on Bancroft ave. It was one of those days where class got out early - what better to do than walk home and do some homework? Well, apparently the will to do homework was not strong enough to ignore the “50% off all sale women’s items” sign. While shopping I came across a fun monopoly shirt for only 5$! My DIY senses were tingling so I decided to grab it.

Here is an extremely easy DIY project that only takes 5 minutes, scissors, a ruler, and preferably an oversized shirt. Like in the shoulder slash DIY post, this is coming from the book (the first two steps):
Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt.

1. Lay the T-shirt flat and cut off the edge of each sleeve just above the hem. You can also cut off the bottom of the shirt just above the hem.

2. Cut out the neck band and try on the shirt, make sure the neck is scooped enough (the point is to have one side of the shirt slide off the shoulder). If the cut is not large enough, cut a little more around the circumference.

Being an addict to cinched waistlines, I decided to do just that – cinch it baby!

3. From the piece of fabric that came from the neck band, cut off just the hard hemline

4. If you have hole-anxiety, and don’t worry you are not alone, you might not want to do this step. Otherwise, cut two small holes equal distance from the edge of the shirt (just pinch with your scissors to make sure the hole isn’t too big).

5. Take the hemline scrap and feed it through the two holes from underneath the shirt. Put it on, tie the ends together, put on some leggings, and you’ve got yourself a relaxed and easy outfit to explore in.

Add a belt for some extra cinching!

Enjoy!

Polina Polishchuk

BARE Reporter

Cal Street Style :: Max & Fiona

Max Chanowitz, a 2nd year architecture major, and Fiona Ostby, a 1st year illustration major at the california college of the arts, demonstrate how to pull off preppy chic.

Check out Fiona's adorable feather detail hat and Max's striped shirt/sweater vest combo!

BARE gives them an A+ on looking effortlessly sophisticated by pairing knit socks with sleek shoes, and casual elements with classic cuts.

Anina Tweed

BARE Artistic Director

Restaurant Review :: Summer Kitchen Bake Shop

Summer Kitchen Bake Shop is only two stores away from the gourmet ice cream store, Ici.

Created by Chef-Owners Paul Arenstam and Charlene Reis, the Summer Kitchen Bake Shop just opened up at 2944 College Avenue at Ashby in mid-October. My friend Jing and I were fortunate enough to be taste-testers and learn more about the restaurant from Paul. The chefs are quite experienced: Charlene was a pastry chef at Berkeley favorite, Chez Panisse, while Paul is the executive chef of Hotel Vitale’s Americano in San Francisco. Drawing inspiration from the set-ups of traditional New England farmhouses, the restaurant gets its name from the kitchens that were separate from the actual houses and were used to cook for guests as well as can and preserve fresh fruits during the warm summer months. Unlike a typical eatery, the Summer Kitchen Bake Shop provides patrons with entrees, side dishes, and desserts to take home to complement a home-cooked meal. Here are some photos of the restaurant’s window display and interior.

The owners post a weekly menu in the front window.

Customers order and pick up their food at the counter.

The owners put special emphases on using local ingredients and sustainability. All of the ingredients used in the plates either come from near-by farmers’ markets or local businesses. They also only use hormone-free beef. They have eco-friendly lighting, low-flowing water, corn-derived packaging similar to the cups and utensils found in Cal dorms, and are proud composters. They harp themselves on having low prices, great-quality wholesome food, and a different menu every day.

Carrot and pecan salad (left) and cole slaw (right)

We began our taste-testing with two delicious salads: cole slaw with celery seed dressing and carrot and pecans with pickled sultanas and ginger. Considering our lack of affinity towards cole slaw, we were both a bit hesitant to try the first dish. Fortunately, we were pleasantly surprised. Instead of some mayo-drenched cabbage and carrot slaw typical of fast food chains, we were served a mayo-free, chopped cabbage, onion, and carrot mix that can be described as nothing short of fresh, healthy, and crisp. The slaw easily balanced a bit of sour with the natural sweetness of the vegetables, while unifying the diverse flavors quite nicely. We then dug our forks into the carrot and pecan concoction. All of the elements that went into the carrot dish provided a good balance for our palates: the pecans added textural dimension, the sultana grapes supplied a nice coolness, and the dish overall had a delicate sour touch.

Chef-Owner Paul made a pizza just for us in the brick-oven.

Doesn’t this margherita pizza look delicious?!

Onto the main entrée: a traditional, made-to-order, twelve-inch margherita pizza with a Neapolitan-style crust, cheese, basil, and tomato sauce. Cooked in an in-house brick oven and ready in four minutes, this pizza completely embodied the adjectives healthy and light. The thin crust was appropriately firm; in other words, Goldilocks would have approved (not to hard and not to soft). The sauce had an indescribable flavor that gave the pizza an overarching sweetness that surely arose from its natural ingredients. This will certainly be a Cal student favorite.

Pumpkin bread

Last, but certainly not least, was dessert. We tasted two dishes: banana walnut bread and pumpkin ginger bread. The banana walnut bread could only be described with positive adjectives like moist, soft, unique, and “really good.” The bread had a subtle sweetness and a banana flavor that was far from overpowering. The pumpkin bread was also quite a treat. Apart from the bread’s overall homemade taste and moist texture, Jing felt that the ginger added a bit of coolness that toned down the richness of the pumpkin. They also had a mouthwatering selection of cupcakes that were grabbed up before we even noticed.

Coupling their quick, grab-and-go service with friendly owners, great customer service, and simply scrumptious home-cooked food, it is no wonder why one regular customer joyfully told us, “this place rocks, totally rocks!” For more information about Summer Kitchen Bake Shop, feel free to visit their website, become a fan on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.

Thank you Summer Kitchen Bake Shop for the wonderful meal!

Brittany Curran

BARE Reporter