what i'm listening to - wild belle

It's not difficult to see why I was attracted to this duo before even hearing a single note. Brother and sister Elliot and Natalie Bergman, who make up what is Wild Belle, have a definite relationship with vintage dressing, one that compliments their eclectic sound fusing reggae, soul and jazz.  A cocktail perfect for my taste!

Wild Belle - Happy Home

Wild Belle - Backslider

Wild Belle - Keep You


Photo credits: ponydanceclyde.com, thekey.xpn.org, vogue.com, interviewmagazine.com, consequenceofsound.com, violetpillsinc.blogspot.com.

leather walking shorts

Jacket (thrifted, Value Village Thrift, Windsor, ON. $60). Danier leather pants (cut into shorts) (thrifted, Salvation Army, Windsor, ON. $6). Jackson 5 tank (F21). Shoes (Zara). Clutch (F21). Sunglasses (H&M). Rings (Etsy).

 

Photos A Mingay

the walkervilles

Its been a while since I put up a music post, so given that it is  Canadian Music Week, meet The Walkervilles. With a classic Motown and rock' n roll sound of the 60s, these boys also know how to rock a suit and tie! Catch them Saturday at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto and March 30 at FM Lounge in Windsor.

Photo K Kavenaugh

12 hours in detroit

My friend Jess was in town yesterday for the Muse show, so we decided to spend the day vintage shopping and taking photos for the blog in Detroit.

We started the day at the famed abandoned Packard Plant building. Aside from in pictures, neither of us had ever been there before. We circled the building in my car first, looking for a place to shoot some photos.  I'm not going to lie, I was a little apprehensive when we stopped at an opening that looked straight into the centre 'courtyard' of the structure. Me in my heels, Jess with camera in hand, not really sure what or who we were going to encounter.  It was eerie to walk up and find a mound of shoes.  Men's and women's shoes, heels and boots. Almost as if they had been placed there for a photo shoot, as props, in the past.  There were literally hundreds of shoes, some still elasticized together in pairs.  In Steven Kutrz' recently published article on Detroit in ruins in the NY Times (here), Mark Binelli (Rolling Stone Magazine) said it best: He compared ruins like the Packard plant to cathedrals, writing that “they can feel beautiful and tragic at the same time.” My sentiments exactly.

Metallic top (vintage, Mama Loves You, Toronto, ON $26). Pants (Jacob). Leather jacket (Zara). Booties (Steve Madden). Clutch (H&M). Sunglasses (Ray-Ban).

Photos J Sands

Some of the days finds from Mother Fletchers and Lost and Found Vintage

Muse

Photos S Mingay

how do you wear vintage? r. mathew and jess

WHO: R. Mathew and Jess

WHAT:  Both work in the music industry

WHERE: World travellers currently living in Toronto

Photos S Mingay

i left my heart in san francisco

Just to get you in the mood...Tony Bennett I Left My Heart ...

1. Looking out on the city from the W San Francisco.  2.  Cafe Zoetrope http://www.cafecoppola.com.  3. Vintage on Valencia St.  4. Street style boogie.  5.  Good luck x2.  6.  In the window of Tosca Cafe, Columbus Ave.  7.  Hawaiian tuna with apples and chips, yummy lunch.  8.  Pier 39 and those noisy kids.  9.  Welcome Home. 10.  On the merry-go-round, missing Bunny.

I had such a great week in San Francisco, great food, great shopping, great people and the best tour guide/companion ever!  We'll see you soon SF.

Castro Theater, San Francisco http://www.castrotheatre.com/

toronto walk about

1. 'This is so amazing, there are no words' Penny Arcade Vintage. 2. My hosts, Jess and Ryan. 3. Lightening in the distance. 4. New vintage, Emporium, I Miss You, closed on Mondays :( 5. The Common, best coffee and scene in the city. 6. The Dakota, resident band The Beauties. 7. Late night shopping. 8. Store watch dog. 9. Sweet ride. 10. The Drake Hotel.

Photos S Mingay

the kills

The other day I posted a link to the forthcoming Fleetwood Mac cover album - Just Tell Me That You Want Me, due to be released August 14, 2012.  I mentioned my anticipation of The Kills covering 'Dreams', and today I was pleased to see that it had in fact been released.

Have a listen, what do you think?

Fleetwood Mac 'Dreams' by The Kills

I am a huge fan of both this track and The Kills period.  I saw them last year in Detroit (after having missed their previous show due to stupidity) and was absolutely blown away.  My husband, who is a hard sell, came  along and was very pleasantly surprised by what he heard ("I told you so" repeated over and over again in my head!).

Watch The Kills Live in Detroit

(The sound quality is shit, but nevertheless, still amazing performers)

Also on the horizon is the book Dream & Drive, a book of photographs by Kenneth Cappello featuring Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of The Kills.

All of this being said, don`t even get me started on their style...let me just say this, if I could be anyone in music, I would be Alison Mosshart!

fleetwood mac

Mark your calendars for August 14, 2012.   

Listen to a couple of pre-released tracks, AMAZING!  Looking forward to The Kills rendition of `Dreams`.

Gold Dust Woman/Karen Elson


Silver Springs/Lykki Li

something old, something new

Photo Free Will album cover

Gil Scott-Heron Live at Madison Square Garden NYC 1977

Photo Joe Gall

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

marvin gaye

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL03Js5X5W0

Fantastic music aside, Marvin's look in this video is a great lesson on sharp dressing for men today.  The bow tie, fedora hat and fitted suit complete with cropped cigarette pants have made a recent resurgence and I can't say that I am disappointed! So classy.

yuna

Photo: Jonathan Mannion

One to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0dwfRt8LcI

yunamusic.com/

anna calvi

Seriously, this is bad ass!

Anna Calvi cover of Beyoncé Naughty Girl BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge 2012

Photo by Jean Baptiste Mondino

rock n roll, my way

I’ve mentioned in past posts how music inspires me.  My choices for this combination are a great example of this....with a twist. I found this little gem of a skirt on a recent Saturday shopping trip.  When I first laid eyes on the black satin skirt (St. Vincent de Paul Thrift, Windsor, ON. $6 (no that is not a typo!); I was flooded with ideas of altering its current state.  I immediately had visions of shortening the front above the knee while maintaining the train in the back and adding a wide ruffle (think 24”) around the circumference of skirt. The state of this skirt is still evolving. For now I have simply removed the majority of the train, put on a Black Keys tee, leather jacket and some sparkle. At Phog Lounge, Windsor, ON.

Accessories: Pendant necklace (Forever 21). Silver foil clutch (vintage, Value Village Thrift, Windsor, ON $3). Watch (Michael Kors).

Photos by S Srdanov

gotye

Inspiration comes in many forms. Music happens to have a huge influence on me.  

Check out the track “Someone that I used to know” by Wouten DeBacker aka Goyte featuring the stellar vocals of Kimbra.   If you haven't heard either of these artists to date…..run, don’t walk and have a listen.

Check out their latest collaboration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Cool sound, cool style.

Check out the floor length sequined jacket sans shoes that Ms. Potter wore at Bonnaroo ‘11

leslie feist

With the recent release of her latest album, Feist does not disappoint! Her voice much like her choice of dress, is simply magical. A disciple of vintage dressing I was not surprised to run into her about six months ago in one of my favouite Toronto shops, Penny Arcade Vintage. Can’t wait to catch a glimpse on her upcoming tour.

Feist at the 2008 Grammy Awards in a dress found for $3 in a Paris flea market!!
http://www.listentofeist.com/