What's better than cheap?

Free. 

What's best?

Perfection without cost.

 On Pins and Needles, the blog created and edited by graduate students enrolled in FIT's Fashion Theory program, is celebrating its second birthday! To thank the readers, the authors of the blog are giving away two vintage magazine covers, the perfect addition to your living room, office, dorm, or bedroom.

To enter the drawing, visit the blog's Facebook page and post your favorite book about fashion. You can post the title and author of any book; it doesn't need to be a scholarly source. You can also submit multiple entries, so post a list of your favorites and increase your chances of winning!

After looking at the links on blog's Facebook page, be sure to read through some of the blog entries. The posts and interviews are well-written, providing detailed information on a variety of topics. The site also gives you an understanding of FIT's Fashion History program; what we study, how we conduct our research, and where we work after we graduate. 

 

The fall semester is just beginning, and over the next few weeks, you will see some increased activity on the blog and on the Facebook page. Stayed tuned and you might even recognize one of the authors! (I am cautiously saying my farewells to anonymity.)

CraftBoston: A Steampunk Spring

For those of you who missed it, CraftBoston Spring was about a month ago, and it was pretty terrific. I loved the variety of jewelry and pottery and was especially impressed with the sculptures made from felt and recycled materials.

The fair had a Steampunk focus, and some of the artists had cleverly combined a steampunk aesthetic with their own unique style. Typewriter keys, wheels and cogs, and copper abounded! For those artists keen on Steampunk style, the fair allowed them to feature their work and discuss it during a series of presentations during the three-day event.

...It's taken me far too long, but I wanted to post images from websites of some of the artists represented at the fair. I'd especially encourage you to check out Eshelman Pottery, which has some great options for those of you searching for a unique bridal shower, housewarming, or hostess gift:

http://laurenblais.com/

http://sara-shahak.com/gal-knit.php

www.jaclyndavidson.com

www.marydonaldstudio.com

www.soraiyu.com

 www.pattybolzgoldsmith.com

http://www.eshelmanpottery.com/

Additionally, If you missed the fair, but would like to celebrate the imaginative world of Steampunk this weekend, head over to Waltham, which hails itself as "the original Steampunk city." The Watch City Festival continues into tomorrow, and includes performances, vendors, and hot air balloon rides.   

December 6th: Stocking Stuffers

My favorite part of Christmas morning used to be opening the stocking. My mom took great care to wrap each gift, including chapstick, deodorant and a toothbrush.

Oh, you noticed I only mentioned hygiene products? That's the other reason I loved opening my stocking. Each year, Mom gave me enough necessities to last until March, something I really appreciated when I was in college. She's so practical!

Vaseline: When I first moved to London, I trucked Vaseline across the Atlantic, in fear that the English wouldn't stock my favorite cure-all. But Superdrug and Boots had something better than the super-sized jar; they had the pocket-size tin! Perfect for a medicine cabinet and a perfect for a purse.

I know a girl who thinks of ghosts
She'll make ya breakfast
She'll make ya toast
She don't use butter
She don't use cheese
She don't use jelly
Or any of these
She uses vaseline
She uses vaseline
She uses vaseline

Looking for a natural lip balm? Try Burt's Bees! 

December 5th: Best of Show

The best TV show, that is. There is no doubt, in my mind, that The Mary Tyler Moore Show is in the top ten shows in television history. And it might be number one.

Christmas is the best time to introduce new favorites to friends and family members, and with Amazon's prices, you can buy all seven seasons of MTM at discounted rates. For me, seasons one to four shine brightly, and season six is also a real joy. I'm about to start season seven, but I'm sure it's a thoughtful, witty, and endearing as the first six. 

Mary and Rhoda's warm friendship is one of the many reasons I enjoyed seasons one through four. After the fourth season, Rhoda began its first season. Valerie Harper shines in her own sitcom, while rocking several trendy looks like the head scarf and the cape. While watching Rhoda, I find myself equally captivated by the dialogue and the set designs and wardrobe choices. Rhoda's bohemian design sense is missing from the later seasons of MTM, and without it, the sets lack the visual intensity of the first four seasons. The character development and the wit of the MTM exceeds Rhoda's in any season, but Rhoda's warmth and honesty resonate with viewers. Both shows are worth watching, with Rhoda as a close second!

Give the gift of MTM and Rhoda (up to season four) this Christmas!  

December 4th: All Saints be Praised!

At a loss for the perfect gift? Go to All Saints Spitalfields.

Yes, I've been obsessed with the grey -- smoke grey, mushroom grey, deep greenish mossy greys....

The best place to find modern designs in all shades of grey? All Saints. From leather to wool, they twisted and padded and draped grey hues to add depth and sophistication. And don't be intimidated by the somber feel these grey carry by themselves. Pair these hues with army green, navy, salmon and burgundy and you are party-ready. (Stunning combinations!)

Shop now, All Saints is having a sale!

December 3rd: Smells like Christmas

For the third day of December, I wanted to highlight a product that my family uses throughout the year. We love (and are slightly obsessed with) William Sonoma's Winter Forest Fragrance Collection.

The Winter Forest collection is a winsome combination of pine, cedar wood, cinnamon, patchouli, thyme and citrus. The spicy notes of cinnamon and patchouli give depth to the dominant wood notes, and to be honest, I've never smelled the citrus. But hey, it must add to the magic.

The candles and the soap/lotion set are both fabulous hostess gifts, and I'll even recommend the diffuser, although I would normally discount it. I make all sorts of exceptions for Winter Forest.

December 2nd: Building a better Christmas...

...one Lego at a time!

Thanks to Lego's Architect series, anyone can build two of Frank Llyod Wright's more memorable works: The Guggenheim and Fallingwater. Priced at 40 and 100 dollars respectively, the sets are a great way to introduce children to modern architecture, and maybe encourage them to create their own designs. Hey Lego, can you replicate some of Louis Kahn's and Le Corbusier's works next?