Saying Goodbye to 2014 with a Little Sparkle by the Sea

December 31, 2014

I went down to the ocean yesterday, where I do most of my soul-searching, to shoot a style post with photographer Andrew Zhou, and to reflect on the past year as well as the one ahead.

As one year fades into the next, I embrace every change and opportunity that has made 2014 one of the best years of my life. Even with the trials and sadness we often face throughout every year, each turn in January brings a light of optimism and hope, and this next month will be no exception. I hope as you read this you are thinking about your own resolutions to change anything that makes you unhappy, all it takes is one simple leap of faith.

Life has no remote, so wake up and change it.


Here are a few photos from the shoot. This was one of the last days to rock a little holiday sparkle with a sequins mini and cozy layers to shield from the chill brought on by coastal winds.





How To Make a DIY Wireless Light Necklace for New Year's Eve in 4 Easy Steps

December 26, 2014

Are you ready for a New Year's celebration to remember? Bring 2015 in with light! Why wear just another LBD (little black dress) and plain necklace, when you can spruce up any look with sequins and string of LEDs to be the... light of the party.

Finished Look: LED Neckline on Sequins Party Dress
In this tutorial I'll give you a quick overview on how to place basic LEDs on the neckline of your party dress - or any top- to give the illusion of a "light necklace". Also, don't forget some flash tattoos (shown below) for a little extra sparkle!



The Best Holiday Gift to Give this Year: Safety

December 23, 2014

One of the big new trends to watch out for in wearables and fashion-tech in 2015 is safety. I recently ran into the founders of Zackees Turn Signal Gloves, and was impressed by their story and this awesome invention. Zach Vorhies quit his job as an engineer at Google to pursue his passion in wearable-tech. Partnering with a friend, they launched a successful Kickstarter project and made these comfortable, fingerless gloves with LED turn signals built-in. 


This is a product that I'm really excited about, because when navigating through the streets of San Francisco, visibility and safety are my main concerns; whether I'm walking at night, out for a late run, or out on the street trying to avoid traffic at all. These came in especially handy when I had to get to the mall after work just before it closed to wrap up some holiday shopping.


As most of the locals know, it gets dark in the city around 4pm, and as it gets darker, the traffic gets thicker.


Rather than sit in a long line of a parking lot they call a street, I hopped on one of our city's Bay Area Bike Share rides. One less car is a good thing, right?

Ride, Return, Repeat! 


I set down my gloves for a minute to unlock the bike. Such a stress-free way to get around town, without having to worry about a bike lock or a flat tire!


Perception

December 21, 2014

On Thursday nights, San Francisco's Exploratorium holds an After Dark cocktail party for adults to come mingle, chat about science, and play with the incredibly fun displays. I stopped by for some inspiration on my way to see a friend I made at the Orion launch from Raw Science TV at their film festival awards ceremony.

One-of-a-kind tee made by my friends (details at end of post)*
 

Bold quotes branded into the walls encourage explorers to try and see new things.


At first, this looked like a fairly normal room.


Until it started to shrink. Or was I getting bigger?




Bring Back Those Rainy Days...Even to the Sundial Bridge: Machines Without Screens #2

December 17, 2014

It has been raining non-stop here in the Bay Area, and even though we might mope and complain about a little dampness, it is a much-needed blessing in a time of complete drought in California. I just got back from a visit to the Sacramento River, where a beautiful piece of architecture called The Sundial Bridge stands as a celebration of human creativity and ingenuity, displayed across the 300 acre Turtle Bay Park.

Wool tights and tweed are important staples to keep cozy in the rainy months.

I felt a little disappointed that I couldn't tell what time it was just by looking down at the shadow cast from this beautiful monument, but it was nice to imagine the way it is supposed to operate during sunnier times. No batteries required, the shadows cast by the sun would fall across numbers like this on the ground:


The Comfiest Pants for Winter & Thoughts on Saving a Life

December 15, 2014

This past week and weekend has been a whirlwind of cold rainy days and a little flooding, which is all the more reason to snuggle up into some warm and comfortable layers. I found these pants at a boutique in Texas and after trying them on did not want to ever take them off. To test their durability, and go on a mission of support, I went with a  friend to the San Francisco SPCA (Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals) where animals are rescued from the cold streets or cruel situations and await a loving home.


Kicking off the Holiday Parties with Melissa Fleis from Project Runway & 3D Printed Accessories

December 11, 2014

Recently I co-hosted a fireside chat with Melissa Fleis at the Digital Winter Fest party, held at General Assembly's newest venue downtown San Francisco in the heart of the financial district.


If you haven't heard of Melissa before now, she is an American fashion designer who after being selected as a participant for Project Runway has been committed to launching her self-titled brand.

Website: http://melissafleis.com/

After studying with former Alexander McQueen adviser Simon Ungless at the Academy of Art, Melissa spent her Fall / Winter 2012 season in Lucca, Italy interning under Italian fashion designer Alessandra Marchi. Shortly afterwards, Melissa was selected to participate in Lifetime’s Project Runway Season 10, where she later went on to show her collection as a finalist in the "top three" at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. (Watch runway video here).


Her story inspired all the fashionistas in the audience, who were anxious to see her new line. After our chat she fielded questions from her fans and left everyone hanging with just a little tidbit about her upcoming new line:

"I'll give you a hint...there will be color, possibly pink".

Can't wait to see what she comes up with.

Other designers at the party showed off some more techy accessories like 3D printed jewelry (totally soft and flexible- extremely impressive) as well as laser-cut handbags and hats.

This bracelet was 3D printed?? No...

What Will Astronauts Wear to Mars? Orange, and White with a Twist.

December 8, 2014

Join me on a tour of NASA as I get an insiders scoop on what has been, is, and may be worn into the depths of outer space.


Inside the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) which has also been used to shoot movies like Transformers III

This is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

- Neil Armstrong



Welcome to a new kind of space race.
December 4, 2014 was the day set for the largest rocket in existence to take it's first test flight into space. More details on the Delta IV operations on a previous post here.


We all eagerly awaited the launch scheduled for 7:05 - however, like most space travel...nothing really goes exactly as planned. The beautiful and quiet sunset was interrupted by loudspeakers announcing a delay due to a ship in the water, causing a re-set of launch operations.


So we hung out in the press area and watched the sun come up... with it's beautiful sky changing color and the heat of Florida emerging with it.

Matthew Parker - @MattAttackPro
While anticipating the launch, I admired some of my comrades launch fashion.  Fellow micro-blogger Matthew Parker was particularly dapper in a NASA-inspired handcrafted bow tie.


Here comes the sun...Florida is hot, then cool again - but I wondered, what must it be like to be in the temperatures ranging from +250ºF in sunlight to -200ºF in shadow in space, and what technology is used to make sure the astronauts are comfortable?

Beware of Gators on the Way to Mars: NASA Starts Our Journey to the Red Planet - Part 1

December 4, 2014

This week, I find myself near Orlando, Florida - deep into the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and the heart of NASA. It’s a dream come true, and I’m very grateful to be in the midst of some of the most intelligent, diverse group of people in the world.  

Heavily guarded by the alligator swamps stands the DIV rocket and launch pad

MICA: The Latest Smart Bracelet from Intel & Opening Ceremony

December 2, 2014

These models are sporting the latest fashion-tech wearable from Intel and Opening Ceremony - the MICA smart cuff, offering discreet texting, email checking, and appointment keeping on a tiny screen. What's interesting, is that MICA is untethered, powered by AT&T and its own SIM card. The models here don't seem too happy about the label of fashionable however, and I am starting to see why.


They also seem a little confused. How can we access everything we need during our busy lifestyles, quickly, and on such a tiny screen that must be worn 24-7?

A Mindful Technology Break Reminds Us to Give Thanks

November 30, 2014

Hope everyone had a great weekend. I definitely did, and although I missed my screens a bit, I made a point to stash the tech away for a day or two and spend that precious time instead with family and friends. We drove up to the most Northern part of the state, getting outside and enjoying the journey just as much as the time when we arrived.


Thanksgiving Road Trip

November 26, 2014

This Thanksgiving, we intended to head to the East Coast, but plans were foiled by a lingering flu. Instead we stayed in California, driving a few hours north from San Francisco to Mt. Shasta.


I have lived in California for almost five years now, yet have never been to an In-N-Out Burger. Mainly because I don't eat much eat much fast food...but what a better time to try it out, than on a road trip.


A Space Epic Begins with a Makeover - What to Wear in Outer Space, Science Fiction vs Reality

November 24, 2014

Recently, NASA invited me to come view and blog about the first launch of Orion, which is a spacecraft intended to carry up to 4 astronauts to destinations beyond Earth's orbit. Orion will be the first ship to bring human exploration to Mars and asteroids beyond anywhere we've ever been! It is scheduled to be launched aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket on December 4, 2014, assuming all goes well...they tell me this has been a work in progress for over ten years and that anything could still go wrong. Regardless, I am forever optimistic, and so excited to learn about the technologies first hand from the scientists that create them.




As thrilled as I am to learn about the spacecraft and what they think lies beyond our orbit, (aliens probably) I am mostly excited to learn about the deep space fashion-technology that is undergoing development, and can't wait to blog about it here. So far, I've been impressed by Dava Newman's thoughts on space-wear.

This is the only outfit I've seen so far that looks good with Google Glass

Machines without Screens #1 & How to Add QR Codes to Your Handcrafted Business Cards

November 21, 2014

Yes there is such a thing as a wireless printer that doesn't require a battery. The beautiful treatment you find from letterpress printing uses press machines like this one pictured below, with some dating back to the 15th century.

Recently, I visited Liliqoi Studios in Hayes Valley with my fellow blogger and friend Kelly Egan from A Side of Sweet. We are working on some future video collaborations, and wanted to investigate the inner workings of this handcrafted and timeless tradition to see if it was a good place to start.

Stay tuned for future Sweet & Sweet Video Collabs!

Gray Matter

November 19, 2014

As I anticipate the upcoming grays in the winter sky, I find that I'm really looking forward to it. After all, a little bit of moodiness is not a not a bad thing. It's great for creative inspiration. Did you know, the human eye can distinguish about 500 shades of gray?

This past week, I looked in my closet and saw how much gray I have! So naturally, I decided to try wearing it all at once.


Fashion & Sustainability: Design for Change and 3 Ways You can Play a Small Part

November 16, 2014

Whenever I wear this polka dotted blue dress, I always feel fantastic. It's made with light, silky material, buttons all the way up to the top, and has a flattering synched waist.
You'll never guess how long I've had this dress.


Can You Withstand a Digital Detox? Wearable Style Profile - New Electronic Jewelry by Kovert Designs Poses a New Challenge

November 14, 2014

There is something new coming this month. A line of jewelry embedded with bluetooth is not new to the fashion-tech scene, however, this unique form from Kovert is starting to get closer to a fashion-forward approach. Created with special materials that go a step beyond any cheap looking gadgetry we've seen in the past, these designs are something worth keeping an eye out for.


About Last Night...

November 11, 2014

 “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory.” - Coco Chanel

Last night I attended a Mobile Monday event at the international mobile company: Orange. The event hosted a panel of companies and entrepreneurs who brought the latest in wearable technology.

How I Found a Little Good Luck in Chinatown Today & the Importance of Form and Function

November 9, 2014

If you wake up one morning, and you have an inordinate amount of clothes in the closet, but nothing that matches.. what do you do? Try a jumpsuit! Its a quick and easy staple to have on hand for a look that is comfortable, fast, and chic. For an easy weekend look, add some pointed toe flats, grab a reusable shopping bag and you're ready for anything from day to night. For a more professional look, just add heels and upgrade your tote...but don't forget that perfect accessory.


Personally, I'm loving jumpsuits such as this one by Trina Turk; which is flattering for any body-type and even has a subtle touch of detail, like this cut out in the back.


Godzilla is Taking Over Fashion in San Francisco! Oh wait...That's Just Betabrand: A Day with Fashion Tech Store Betabrand: Part 2

November 7, 2014

What is more terrifying than Godzilla you ask? The hoodie+jean+sneakers combo seeping into the Bay Area and identifying itself as the new 'business casual'. Someone help!


[Me screaming] ...oh, wait where'd you come from Chris Lindland? Help has arrived in the form of CEO and Founder of Betabrand. Or has it...


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