Vancouver Customers: Adult Child of Hippies

We love our customers here in Vancouver. They are so engaging and diverse, and make our days all the more interesting.

A couple of weeks ago we received an hilarious and sweet email from our lovely customer Willow Yamauchi. Here are some excerpts:

This is my favourite shirt, I wear it by itself or layered, here I am also wearing three hats and three large bags, I don't recommend that everyone try to carry off this look!

This picture is taken in an outside art exhibit in Iceland, the rabbit and grey and black fit in very well with the Icelandic aesthetic!

Here's the Louis Riel again, this time with layered stripy top which takes it right into winter and fall-a must!

I'm not crazy about this picture, it's at my art show opening in Kaslo this September, but if you look, you can see the owl looking out of my pocket in the skirt! He is so wise and gives me fashion guidance.

Please feast your eyes on the glory of this outfit, this is full Rejykavik fabulousness, the Smoking Lily ship print skirt pulled it all together and was a focal point for fashion fun in Iceland!

Here's a link to my book, "Adult Child of Hippies", which started a "support" group for other survivors of communes and nudist colonies such as myself. It's a short humour book full of photos and hippie child memories.

http://www.amazon.ca/Adult-Child-Hippies-Willow-Yamauchi/dp/1897415249

http://www.insomniacpress.com/title.php?id=978-1-897415-24-5

Thank you Willow! As someone who's spent my life on the West Coast, and much time on the Gulf Islands, your project struck my heart and funnybone most acutely.

Spotlight: Vote here! Pants or Nightie?

Hey everyone,

I know, I know, I'm sorry... but we're going to bring it up. We're going to say the word.

We're wondering what you want for .... Christmas... There, said it!

Man that was scary.

Here in the studio we come up with something seasonally appropriate every winter for you to put on your wish list. Then you can be all seasonally excited. In the past these have been items such as slippers, or more recently, pyjama bottoms. (The photo above is of a selection of our previous pj pants.)

So this year we were thinking... do you still want pyjama bottoms? Or do you want something new? Something exciting and different?! Pyjama bottoms are awesome... but would you want a nightie? We were thinking that we could make a pretty awesome nightie. Not what your grandma would wear. Something cooler, something with an all over print. Plunging neckline anyone... ?

We are open to suggestions, but mostly are wondering. Pants or nightie? Please respond below, with intelligent, inspirational or simple comments! Thank you for your input!

Vancouver Update: Spooky Drift

Every year Glenda signs herself up to participate in the Drift, a community arts event, and every year it sneaks up on her somehow. She always manages to come up with totally amazing installation pieces, but usually not without a little last minute panic first--but don't tell her I told you that!This year she was all geared up to make her Halloween costume when she realized the Drift was almost upon us. While lamenting the fact that she didn't want to take time away from working on her spooky attire, she realized "Hey, wait a minute....my costume can be art! Sweet!"

I'll skip the gory details (pun intended--ha!) about the hours Glenda spent slaving away--with a little silk screening help from Ms. Trish--transforming an *incredibly* ugly polyester wedding dress into the monstrously beautiful gown it is now; suffice it to say this one isn't for sale! ....I can't wait to see all the photos of Glenda and her man, Chris, done up as the corpse of Mozart and his lovely wife, Constanze.

On another note, I should let all the Vancouver Lily-ers know that we've just gotten our very first Nightingale Capelets in and they are fabulous. We also received three wool vests--just three!!--and apparently that's all she wrote for those cutie layering peices. One's already on hold to satisfy a request, so if you're thinking about these, come on down quick--or, better yet, give us a call!

Victoria Shop Update: New Nightingale Capelet!

Channel your inner Florence with our brand new Nightingale Wool Capelet!

Perfect for the newly crisp fall weather, and coming winter season. The Nightingale fits perfectly over any Smoking Lily frock, shirt, sweater, or t-shirt for added coziness and comfort. I'd like to think of it as what little red riding hood would wear to frolic through the urban forests in search of a cocktail(minus the big bad wolf!).

Available in all Smoking Lily shops this week.

inspiration: I heart art

Last weekend I was invited to a great art show over on 10 Mile Point here in Victoria. The show was by Yard Work Collective.
It was a beautiful fall day and we had a great time socializing in the backyard and checking out great art. They had a kids market and I got an awesome pin made by Ruby. Love it!

Studio Update: Woolen Vest

Hello from the studio!

It's "Let's get ready for fall" time--yayyy! I love fall because you can wear all sorts of extra clothes. None of this "Holy man, it's hot in here! I have to take my _____ off and risk having no one ever see it or compliment me on it. I must resort to wearing this one singular garment instead. Hmm....I hope it holds it's own and looks good without any extras."

Now really. What's the fun in that?

That is why we have invented layering--go layering! Just with layering in mind we've come up with the best little vest ever. It's form-fitting (so you look more chic and less grandpa), has an adorable pocket, and goes with all sorts of colours because it's really dark blue. The pockets even have ribbon decoration on them: either a 70's mexican tile kinda pattern or cute "eskimo" and husky mush mush dogs. So totally awesome; throw on that boatneck tee of yours, toss on this vest and you are set!

Beware if you want one of these, however, as there are only about 12 in existence in the entire universe. We will have them divvied up between all stores, but you've been warned--numbers are limited and it's first come, first...vested?

Victoria Shop Update: Erica Weiner Jewelry

We are very excited to see Brooklyn-based designer Erica Weiner in this month's issue of Ready Made magazine! Her vintage-inspired, fun, fabulous creations are available in our Johnson Street (Victoria) and Main Street (Vancouver) stores.

Take a peek at http://www.readymade.com/ for a fun jewelry display idea courtesy of Erica herself. Here's the photo:

She also includes how to make a lovely locket necklace!