terry graziano

{ how I wear my hat } back from the mountaintop

wearing Brooks technical top, Prana convertible hiking pants (zipped off into shorts), Timberland shoes, Smartwool socks, Timex Ironman watch, cotton bandana, terry graziano Capricious hat

Hey there!

We are just back from a fantastic trip to Sundance, UT.  
Here I am at the Arrowhead summit, looking down over Provo Canyon & Utah Lake.  This is just after conquering my fear of heights by not only riding a chair lift (yikes!), but hiking up to the top of a mountain and posing near the edge.
I'm feeling rather powerful, hence the Warrior pose!

Our trip was the perfect combination of vigorous outdoor activities, lounging around, great food, spa treatments, art classes and some of the most breathtaking & inspiring scenery I've ever seen.  It was my first time in Utah and I fell in love with the beauty of the environment, the kindness and joy of the people, and the strong artisitc community.  Sunny and 95 degrees during the day, clear starry skies and 55 degrees at night - Paradise!

And as a side note: no humidity = heaven!  Seriously, I could have Breck Girl hair if I lived there!!

But now that I'm back in Chicago, my unruly locks have returned:




 
wearing Windy City Rollers t-shirt, elevenses/Anthropologie skirt, Dockers sandals, Daily Dose necklace, vintage cuff bracelet, Tad Moore watch, terry graziano Scintilla headband, self-made cocktail ring

I love this t-shirt!!  Especially the back :)  We went to see the Windy City Rollers a couple of months ago and it was such a fun night!!  I love roller derby and so admire the gals' chutzpah & competitiveness.

I thought I'd balance the tough look of the shirt with one of my favorite skirts, some simple sandles, one of my headbands to tame my hair, and just a few pieces of bold jewelty.  I think that Ngan's necklace is the perfect compliment to both the look & neckline of the shirt and I often wear them together.

Now, can we talk about my ring?  It is silver with a huge hematite stone and I adore it!  Even better, I made it in a terrific silver-smithing class at Sundance, taught by the very talented and supremely patient Brittany Golden.  Brittany made it so easy to overcome my timidity and to make sure that the end result was something I would love and be proud to wear.  Using a torch for the first time, hammering the band, even the feel of the components - it was all so foreign to me, but really sparked a desire to continue to explore.  Brittany was so inspiring - her work is amazing - and I cannot thank her enough!  

Now I'm settling back into my studio, catching up on orders, and finalizing fall designs.
It's still quite warm in Chicago, but at night, you can feel that autumn is on its way.

I hope you are enjoying the end of summer!

Take good care,

Terry

Viktor & Rolf

Viktor & Rolf FW2011
all images from style.com

I love how Viktor & Rolf combine humor & beauty with jaw-dropping tailoring.
Endlessly inspiring.

Take good care,

Terry 

stormy weather

Storm clouds are moving in, so unfortunately it's just too dark to take outfit shots this morning.  It's sort of ironic, because I've been stitching up rain hats the past couple of days, so I guess I'm ready! 

We get a lot of dramatic weather here, and our little perch in the sky offers a terrific front row seat.  A couple of weeks ago, I was completely mesmerized by the ever-changing sky throughout just one day.  The cloud formations, the colors, the speed of change - I could not stop looking, and the patterns made me wish I was a painter.  Or a textile designer!

Here's just a bit of what I saw:  








Finally by sunset, the skies began to clear, and the colors were amazing.



I hope you have a joy-filled weekend!

Take good care,

Terry

{ how I wear my hat } heatwave blues

Hello Monday!  
We're in the midst of a heatwave here in Chicago that is supposed to last through the end of the week.  To try to cope, I've been inspired by the women of India to wear light airy layers & accessories that pack a punch.

Here's what I'm wearing today to run errands:

wearing Gap top, Viola skirt, Nine West sandals, self-made hat & bag, Daily Dose silver drop necklace, vintage pearl & silver mixed-chain necklace, vintage ivory bracelet & hoop earrings, Fossil watch, Smithsonian gift shop glass ring

As the yearbook signatures say: Stay Cool!

xo,

Terry 

 



 

come fly with me

In honor of the final space shuttle launch, I thought it would be fun to revisit space age fashion from the late 1960's.  Buckle your wide plastic belts ladies and let's go for a ride!

Of course, the first designer that comes to mind when considering space age fashion is Andre Courreges:

Pierre Cardin was dreaming about the future too - let's see what he was thinking:

 

 

Not to be left out, the Germans were ready to travel to any planet:

 

Let's take one more orbit around the globe with a groovy mash-up that includes Courreges, Cardin & Paco Rabanne:

 

Some of the designs from that era were really "out there" and some look incredibly fresh, even today.
I especially love the coats & hats, (naturally) and adore the clean strong lines throughout.

How about you?  Do you find these looks inspiring or hilarious?  What would you wear for galactic travel?

Thanks for joining me!

I hope your weekend is out of this world!!

xo,

Terry 

dreamy glamour

A few of my favorites from the Elie Saab Fall 2011 couture show.
I especially love how these pieces move with the body and look so wonderfully comfortable,
while being fantastically glamourous.

all images via style.com

xo,

Terry

how to spend a sunday

1. Grab your husband,
hop on your bike,
and take a short ride to Northerly Island.



2. Install husband under a tree with a fun activity.


3.  Turn your back on the city and start exploring!  Notice the wildflowers.






4.  Notice the boats floating by.


5.  Head toward the Lake.  
Climb over rocks and construction debris - step carefully!



6.  Notice life among the ruins.




7.  Stop when you get to the Lake wall.
Look north.


8.  Look south.


9.  Look east, and marvel at the vastness.


10.  Become mesmerized by the water.

11.  Meditate on the play of light.

 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend & holiday!

xo,

Terry





 
 

Merry Go Round

I love a carousel!  Bruce and I make it a point to go for a spin whenever we happen upon one, and the carousels in NYC are particular favorites.  The Bryant Park carousel is especially lovely for its variety of animals and we've spent many an enjoyable afternoon there taking a gentle ride.

Given all that, I was so happy to see the latest Improv Everywhere project:

 

There is so much to love about this video!  It made me laugh hysterically and even tear up a little.  From the idea, to sublime setting, to the costumes, to the announcers - it's just wonderful.  I especially adore how the kids assess the situation, and then just jump in whole-heartedly.  Pure joy for everyone who was there!

Happy Saturday!!

Terry

{ more spring } seasonal brights

So the other day it was cold, raining, and windy (yet again).  I had some errands to run, so I encased myself in nylon from the neck down, and on my head I needed something that would keep me warm and completely control my hair from the wind.  I was working a black/white/red color scheme, so I pulled out my red wool Getaway, which has been a frequent companion all winter long.

As I was leaning into the wind while struggling to walk up Michigan Avenue, it hit me that I was really going to need something as stylish and functional as the Getaway come warmer weather, especially when the humidity kicks in.  Cause you know, it's windy here!  I've got very unruly hair that on most days, needs to be wrangled and tamed, but it's too short to just pull back & put up on my head.  

So why not a Spring Getaway?  

I'm loving the bright colors that will be everywhere this season, and I think the freshest way to wear them is paired with a rich neutral beige.

Spring Getaway in beige linen & light turquoise cotton pique:


















In beige linen with grass green raw silk:


















And in beige linen with bright pink raw silk:

















Available here and here.

Have a fantastic weekend!

xo,
Terry

fashion wherever you are

image from my vintage vogue

New York Fashion Week begins today!
One of the industry trends I love is that every season, more and more designers are showing their collections online via live stream.  
New York Magazine's fashion blog The Cut, posted a handy guide to all the online action.


image Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

Also, The New York Times has a terrific article and accompanying video today on Joseph Altuzarra and his design process.  Very inspirational.

What do you think about designers showing their collections live online?  Is anything lost by the immediate consumption?  Which designers' collections do you look forward to seeing?  Are there any trends from Fall that you hope to see continue? or hope to never see again? 

xo,

Terry