The Magnificent World of TT

The story of TT label begins in 2010, unintentionally, like the most fascinating stories usually do start. When in one gloomy December day, designer Tanja Topolovec sent one of her designs to competition held by one Croatian online magazine, she didn’t expect that it would cause such a sensation like it did or receive great critics. This has urged for creating of her own labour of love, TT, where she could combine her past and current interests in visual art with her vision of fashion. Therefore, TT accessory line is the fusion of different fields where designer is exploring her talents, such as multimedia, sculpture or textile design. As perfectionist, designer’s eternal statement is to demand the multi-purpose of designs, and its different dimensions. So, it’s not just about the garment, hat or necklace and its determined form. The story of TT is the story of experiment atypical from ordinary fashion story that has just interest in wearable. It’s the story of sleepless nights and requirements to go beyond the personal limits and established rules in designing. It’s also the story of surprises, since it usually begins on vague mornings on flea markets where designer is wandering for treasure pieces that are enough flawless to turn into fait d’art. It’s the story where additional efforts to supply materials that will fit into philosophy of fair and guilt-free fashion, is far away from burden. It’s the story of uncountable hours spent in applying feathers, furs or embroidering hundreds of beads. It’s the story where magic creates reality from vision. 

**TT Fall Winter 2012/13 collection brings the enchanting tales of recycled fur, leather and beads transformed into unique headdresses. These walking leather sculptures have great accent on detail, whether is fur trimming or beading or it’s playing with leather patches. Lavish but with edge, each piece of headwear is made with special care and patience with intention for its wearer to get lost even for a minute to bedazzled world where magic exists and unicorns, foxes, owls, deer and other wild creatures have their secret ceremonials. 

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Oh, dear Mr. Coat

Oh hello there, 

Could we go out for a walk sometimes? You would hug me tenderly as I walk down the street moving away leaves that come my way. Please, keep me warm and make me chic, so I can look like I stepped out of film from far away land, made by the man…hmm…Godard, that’s his name. I cross my heart and kiss my elbow that I won’t spoil you with the boots, so I will wear my prettiest Mary Janes and finest cream lace on legs when we have date. When we come at home, I promise I will take you off gently and put you on my prettiest satin hanger. I would make myself cup of raspberry tea while you will sleep. I will whisper you softly the words of worship and love, and you will wait patiently for our next adventure and walk. 

Yours truly, Moi

**Get Nouvelle Vague chic this season with prettiest coats with contrast detailing (collar, pockets, buttons). If you don’t have spare pennies to spend, try to find vintage collar or use your imagination to create something you always wanted to have. (I found this easy tutorial for DIY fur collar.) 

IN COLLAGE: Peter Jensen velvet collar swing coat from his Autumn Winter 2012 Thelma collection comes in three different versions. The lavender one had been featured in last issue of Lula under Lula Loves. Vivi Ponti from Vivetta last few seasons makes adorable coats with interesting details. The one on the photo (photographed and styled by Linda Portman) was from Vivetta AW 11 collection, while in new collection there is black coat with red fur details. Blue coat with black pockets and buttons is from Orla Kiely Pre-AW12 collection. Of course Alexa has it. **☺

Clothes Friends

some of the lovelies

Oh dears, you just cannot believe what happened to me one morning about three weeks ago. I went out with intention to have a cup of coffee and few cigarettes, when in front of one building I spotted bunch of old magazines left at the side with garbage. Gypsy as I am when it comes to paper and clothes, you cannot imagine how happy I was when I saw these were 1960s editions of magazine Svijet (Yugoslavian fashion and lifestyle magazine). Except I found dozens of original sewing patterns in these issues published between 1964 and 1966, I was amazed by smartness and creativity of texts while all relationships advices and the rules of politeness made me laugh. I also found in these new friends of mine some great advices on clothing care. 

Since today we are testifying this prevailing trend of clumsiness, tons of clothes that we get on the high street seasonally because of its poor quality of fabrics don’t need a special care. Wear it and throw away, set up as a motto of new generation doesn’t need extra energy devoted to maintenance. As a girl that feels really fulfilled after all her bags and shoes are polished, I believe that order and caring attitude towards things in practical life are close friends of the way you are living your life. 

Since I know that You my dear, brainy readers are lovers of all things pretty, vintage and original, I thought it would be neat to share with you some of the advices on clothing care that I found on these pages of past. Hope you will find these helpful. 

• Never close umbrella if it’s wet. 

• When you are storing summer/winter wardrobe, after you wash it don’t iron it because the smell of ironed fabric attracts moths. Store in plastic bags. 

• To keep necklaces from tangling, use your wooden mirror as hanger (place little pins onto lower part of frame). 

• If you have greasy spot on blouse, before washing it soak the spot in alcohol. 

• Curtains that became yellowish due to cigarette smoke, before washing, soak for 24 hours in lukewarm salted water. 

• To prevent dark green spots on skin made by costume jewelry pieces, apply colorless nail polish on the inside of rings and bracelets.

• Refresh white blouses and tops by soaking them for 24 hours in clean water with lemon juice (one lemon on one liter of water).

• Remove grass stains from canvas shoes and ballet flats with 90 % alcohol. 

• How to wash woolen items  Water for washing and rinsing has to have same temperature, has to be lukewarm, and don’t rub the garment, just squeeze it softly (same do when rinsing). Don’t dry them on direct sunlight or near radiator. 

• Taking care of leather bags At least once a month with soft cloth apply not too aggressive colorless cream on leather. (I use usually regular body lotion.) Clean suede leather with synthetic sponge and patent leather with piece of fresh onion, then polish with soft fabric. Light-color leather goods can be cleaned with linseed oil. Also don’t throw away old fur pieces; they would be useful for polishing leather items. Especially shoes. Clean canvas lining of bags (useful especially with second-hand bags) with mixture of ammonium and water (spoon of ammonium on ½ liter of water). After this, clean canvas with water. 

P.S. I am so sorry I've been a bad blogger-friend lately. I didn't have internet at home for almost two months. (I moved to new city and apartment.) Can't wait to sit in peace with cup of tea and catch up with all your reads you've been posting on your lovely blogs during this period of my absence. xx

LOVE...Nadinoo for Anthropologie

One of our favorite designers, Nadia Izruna, who has shown an exquisite talent in creating of pretty and vintage inspired pieces of clothes over the last years, is one more designer to have Made in Kind collaboration with Anthropologie. Nadinoo's Made in Kind collection consisting of three dresses, two tops, trousers and bird print blouse, is inspired by crisp autumnal mornings in the English countryside. Charming prints of Nadinoo, feminine silhouette and affordable prices are guarantee that these limited edition designs will be sold out in a moment. So don’t wait too long, because these dresses would be such a great partner in these foggy and yellowish days when warm cup of tea and occasional outings to antique libraries make us happy.

Available online on Anthropologie

Miss Eyre and cover art timeline

She might not be the prettiest and most dashing girl of the Victorian world, but her spirit, intelligence, wit and her soul is what makes her such a strong and loved character. Miss Jane Eyre besides is our favorite orphan, for a long time has been one of the world’s favorite female fiction characters. I am not sure that analysis and debates whether she was or wasn’t early feminist character, could give us the true judgment, because we cannot experience our own feeling and perception of living in the time the book is written. Miss Eyre, to whom Victorian society has been cruel in many ways indeed, is exploring her ways of living and self-relationship with the world under the framework of same snobbish world. This issue of creating your own place under the sun in the world that doesn’t turn out the way we imagined it would be in early days, after 150 years, is still biggest issue that we can relate to. 

The fact that when novel appeared in 1847, published as autobiography under pseudonym Currer Bell, was sensationally successful, gives us a thought that reader in that time, mid-Victorian woman was not just a pretty face, behind her husband with exceptional needlework technique as her best quality. And surely, that Victorian Lady was the one that was questioning together with Charlotte Brontë and Jane, the woman's right on equality of emotions with man. I am not sure thought did the idea of independence awoke flame in Victorian ladies’ hearts but Jane delights us with her courage and ability needed when she left Thornfield Hall to set her own life away from beloved man. The fact of independent woman, teacher that is helping those needed help, not only that could be characterized as pre-feminist action, but also the fact she is not settling for suitable marriage proposal from St John.

At first glimpse, when reader meets 10-year-old Miss Eyre in Gateshead, she or he realizes that she won’t grow into one of those female Victorians with tape strip over her mouth. So it’s not unusual that our role model has been a heroine not just for girls that have traditional perception of love, but also for all those sarcastic spinsters who still believe in old-fashioned breathless romance in unconventional way. 

Which cover would you like to own? I would love French edition from 1957, and the goth one from 1943 with illustrated girls from Lowood on cover. (Bit Wednesday Addams, don't you think?)