OAK + FORT

OAK + FORT

Being home for the Holidays I got a chance to go to one of my favourite stores..even though it's in Vancouver too. OAK + FORT, is one of those fashionable stores that you NEED to go to. If you are living in Vancouver, or Edmonton I would add it to your stops on your next shopping trip. A old sister store hidden away in Edmonton in a upstairs loft on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton called Loft 82 is another one of my favourites. If you haven't found your NYE dress check it out. Both stores are affordable, and with quality and originality you can't exactly go wrong. You can shop online too, so if you are far away you can still get a bit from them.

What I like about OAK + FORT is the originality **omg and then comfort of the clothing. The dedicated combination of art, antique, fashion, and exploration really brings out a contemporary retail vibe to fashion. Also, coming from Edmonton I have to have respect for the store name because the FORT actually comes from Fort Edmonton Park, one of my favourite places as a kid and apparently store owner, Min Kang as well.  Kang opened O + F in Vancouver and recently brought it to Edmonton - thank-god because with Dairy Queen on one corner and Red Kilt on the other I'm beginning to lose faith in the originality of the once so proud and original Whyte Avenue. I keep spreading the word about this store n' I won't be stopping anytime soon. I think this company will be the next big thing, so watch yo' back Aritzia (even though I love you), OAK + FORT is on the rise. JC

asos

 

 asos.


So -there's this website, asos, --and it's pretty awesome. It started in June 2000, and it is the UK's largest independent online fashion and beauty retailer. It has more the 40,000 branded and own label product lines for women's and menswear. To summarize..it's the top of the line when it comes to online fashion stores.
I have always been a bit sceptical about online shopping. ...I have spoken to some people who just love it, they say they prefer it to shopping in the malls. This is my problem too, I do hate shopping in malls it's crowded, you get stuck behind slow-walking people, and you end up spending way too many hours in there, and too much cash on stuff you don't even like when you see it in daylight. I took baby steps and ordered some accessories and a dress, but it is waaayyyy too cold out to wear right now..Especially being back in Edmonton. The best part about asos is the free delivery with no minimum purchase and the other part that no one else will have it--most likely unless they shop at asos then you might have to deal. It's a tad late for Christmas gift shopping from them but keep it in mind for Cyber Boxing Day! JC

I'll be home for Christmas.

I'll be home for Christmas.


I have attempted baking. It has been a trial and error attempt to be honest. But I just happened to make some yummy ginger snaps. Well they taste good, I don't know how nicely decorated they are. Anyway here is the recipe if you want to give it a go! 


Perfect Gingerbread Cookies

Makes 24 Cookies

What You Need:

• 2-3/4 cups pastry flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1-1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons soymilk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a cookie sheet.
2. In a bowl, combine pastry flour, baking powder, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together margarine, molasses, and brown sugar together until smooth. Add soymilk and vanilla and whisk thoroughly.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix with spatula to form a dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
4. Roll out dough onto a floured board, 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick, depending on desired texture (thinner cookies will be crispier, thicker cookies will be chewier). Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness. Go crazy with frosting and decorations! JC

The Vogue Collector

The Vogue Collector.


I have to admit, collecting vogue magazines has become a bit of an addiction. I cringe every time in class I see someone cutting or ripping out pages from the months I don't have in my collection. While I was in Seattle I went to the market and found an old vintage magazine shop with a bunch of old vogues. They cost a fortune incase you didn't already assume that. While browsing through I found an old familiar photograph of Jean Shrimpton by one of my favourite photographers, Richard Avedon.  This Vogue 1967 issue seems to remind me of the September issue Vogue 2009...  I guess it is true that fashion repeats itself, and yet, the only thing constant in fashion is change. What do you think? Original, Repetitive, or Inspired by.  JC

photos by vogue

rotating compass

rotating compass.


So I have been blogging for almost a year now and I have had some emails asking me a bit more about rotating compass. A common one I get is "why rotating compass?" another one I get is "where do you get your inspiration?"  So I guess I thought why not do a post and say a little bit more about me -Jessica Clark- and what is and why I started rotating compass.

First off, if you are new to my blog I should let you know that I am Canadian, originally from Edmonton but now residing in Vancouver, BC. I do freelance styling and writing and this is my personal style blog. My ultimate goal? As if I could ever really pick and choose because I just love this industry so much, but I want to be and editorial stylist-creative director if you will- and contributor for a fashion magazine..betcha' can't guess which one.  My personal style? I am the definition of girl I guess, I love girlie things; excessive jewellery, dresses, pastals and florals, I honestly can't wait for spring 2012  I feel as though this season will be my favourite because all the trends are so me. I like the boho chic at times, but I am no fashiontoast, I can't pull it off in every flawless way that girl does..but I guess I would label my personal style as feminine.  I am a big time fan of the fashionable 20s. Definitely the late 40s and 50s inspire me for a lot of my styling.

Some random facts, I have a love for photography, considering my dad is a professional photographer I suppose art and fashion has always been a part of my life. I really hate capital letters, I don't know what it is but I think names of things look so much cooler not in capitals, I know..it's weird I duno why. This is why rotating compass is in lower case, just incase you thought I had bad grammar--I don't. British accents are my fav' I want to live in London and I haven't even been there yet. I have a dog, her name is Mia, which means mine in Spanish. She is almost 2 and I still call her a puppy, I am in denial I guess. Puedo hablar español, estudié en Peru y Ecuador. El verano pasado viví en España y estudié español allí tambien. Fue estupendo experiencia. I really love photos of flying birds, makes me think of freedom and fearlessness and I love that which is why my background is birds for my blog. I love Yoga and Pilates I go 5x a week and I do it just because it's awesome. I love coffee, I tried to stop drinking it, I can't, it's not happening, I'm over quitting it. I sing and play the guitar I made my first record when I was 5 singing Deanna Carter. My first "designer anything" was a marc by marc jacobs bag I bought in California with one of my best friends Allie for my 18th Birthday.. I now have 10.  Excessive? Never. Addiction? Maybe.

I called this blog rotating compass because I once found this old compass my Dad passed down to me in a old jewellery box in my basement, it was so delicate and old, it felt like I was finding treasure or something. Anyway, while I was coming up with a name I thought; what is fashion always doing? It is always changing right? Always changing its course, it is facing new directions and pulling inspiration from all points of the world. In the end it doesn't matter which direction fashion is facing, it is always going somewhere, it is always rotating, always turning around then going forward, fashion, is more like a rotating compass then you might think. This applies to life too, which is why I officially chose the name. In life, we always need a little guidance. We grow up changing our minds about who we are, and what we want in this life. Then we're grown up and we still can't make up our minds. The best part of living is that we get to set our own course in this life, and no matter what we are always going somewhere, we are the guides to our own rotating compass. Life is more like a compass then you might think.

Thank you for reading and following this blog, without your emails, tweets, and comments I wouldn't be here. I hope you enjoy. JC

"Look at us: running around, always rushed, always late.
.I guess that's why they call it the human race."

--unknown

Style.com

Style.com


As if you already didn't see this coming but Style.com is introducing their new hardcopy magazine. Model Lindsey Wixsom is beautiful with  her bold red lip on the first issue for Spring 2012.

The magazine hits every angle from the street to the catwalk to the highs and lows of this wonderful fashion industry we all love to love. Editors and readers from Style.com have a voice in this publication and it is one to make sure you pick up, this soon could be a collectors item I think, one I know I am not missing out on.

Oder yours here. JC

photos from style.com

Thankful For.

Thankful For.


Now even though I am Canadian some of my best friends celebrate American Thanksgiving. Considering that time is upon us now I thought a feature would be appropriate. What are 5 things you are thankful for? It is kind of an interesting concept to think about. It doesn't even have to be "deep" it can be like no line in starbucks at 850Am before your 9Am start time or someone who hands you their bus transfer as you're standing in line to pay for the train and you catch the earlier train because of it..just the best! It is definitely difficult for me to categorize all of what I am thankful for because there is so much. First and foremost I am thankful for: 1. Family+Friends+My Puppy(Mia), without all of you I wouldn't be who I am. 2. All of you readers out there, taking the time to read what I write, without you I would be writing to cyber space and that's not fun. 3.Yoga at Yyoga-without it I wouldn't have had my many inspiring and life awakening moments in that studio. 4. Coffee -Coffee..you are just awesome, don't ever change without you I wouldn't be able to wake up. 5. Living in Vancouver..Vancouver you too are just awesome..don't ever change, without you I wouldn't be able to wake up to beauty everyday, rain or shine I can't deny this city has it all.
So ask yourself, "what is it that you are thankful for?" JC

Standing Armed

   

Standing Armed.

I am not sure if you remember me mentioning how I had the pleasure of working at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Show Start Up Program but I wanted to do a feature on one of the designers and her line Standing Armed.

Vancouver born designer Lindsay Walsh personalized her line for the modern sophisticate, who appreciates timeless, tailored, and chic pieces with European notions of quality and effortless beauty.

“Fashion can be intimidating at times, so I wanted to design pieces that were sophisticated and contemporary yet effortlessly chic,” Walsh stresses. “I want the woman who wears my designs to feel empowered and radiate confidence and style.”

Lindsay definitely does this effortlessly as seen throughout her collections. Each garment is made with high-quality fabrics and designed with meticulous consideration to enhance the female figure with understated style and elegance. I had a first hand look at all of the pieces during the show as most of the models I was dressing were wearing pieces from her collection, including the keyhole grey dress as featured above..one of my personal favourites. 

Her holiday collection is fantastic and I suggest you take a look at her collection, especially if you have yet to find that perfect holiday dress..hint hint. 

As I was searching through the Standing Armed  website I found this beauty (photo below) as well. A little sneak peak and Spring/Summer 2012 to brighten up you grey Vancouver days. Just reminding us all that there is Sun through all that cloud, there has to be..right? I mean this is my first Winter here in Vancouver, someone Puhlease tell me there is Sun once in a while in Winter, otherwise I might need to triple my doses of vitamin D soon. Happy grey days. JC

Normal Gets You Nowhere

 

Normal Gets You Nowhere.


I am not too sure if you have heard of Kelly Cutrone. If you haven't yet you should now. This woman know's whats up in the fashion business and just with life in general. So much so that she wrote a book about it..two actually. But this one in particular, 'Normal gets your nowhere' is probably one of the most insightful books I've read, and it's funny. She puts a lot in perspective..including her views on the Fur industry..(fur lovers beware..Cutrone is not your fan).

I felt like the title of her book is beyond acceptable for the Industry. It's the truth you know.. how many people who are "normal" do you remember? I mean "normal" is to each there own anyway. I highly recommend you read this book, it might just enlighten you. I feel like another great lady once said something memorable.."In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different."--Chanel 
 Think about it. JC

photos by J

Take me back

Take me back.

I have been travelling to a lot of places in the past few years. From Peru to Spain to the United States to Italy, France, Mexico, Ecuador and a few others. Then I picked up my life and moved to Vancouver. I remember my first big trip away from home, I was in South America for 3 months backpacking. I used to dream of just going home. I used to think if I could just go back for one day I swear I'd be able to keep doing this. If I could just see who I needed to see for just a day and then fly back I know I would be so much better. Now I dream of the places I have been to. I dream of going back, I want to go back to where I've once been because everything I have ever thought, everything I have done, has brought me to this moment I am in now. Walk the steps you once walked, just to remember what it felt like in the moments that brought you to where you are now so that you can live in the real life moments clearly in the present.

It's kinda like fashion.. Designers must be both conscious and unconscious at the same time. Clear thinking at the wrong moment can stifle inspiration and talent. -Karl Lagerfeld         JC

Jacket : ZARA

Pants: ZARA

Sweater: ZARA

Shirt: Oak and Fort
Watch: Fossil

photos by J

Then and Now

Then and Now.


I am doing a then and now assignment right now..I am making a book actually..it'll be 140 pages long and half of it is due next week! It is crazy though to think about the fashions we wear now has been inspired by designers from our past. I've attached a couple examples I feel photos can show what words can only say..


Gibson Girl Then and Now:



S-Bend Then and Now:



Gibson Hair Then and Now:



Milinery Then and Now:





pretty crazy hey? JC

The Eve of the Weekend

The Eve of the Weekend


It has been an absolutely crazy week for me Marc by Marc Jacobs Nail Bar event at Holt Renfrew, Photo shoot with Yvadney, Fashion show for Jacqueline Conoir, Fashion show for Vancouver New York 212 and now it is the weekend! It is the time of year to dress up and pretend. Halloween weekend is upon us and the pressure is on for your creativity.


I happen to be the least original person when it comes to Halloween..pretty sure I was Princess Jasmine like 5 years in a row when I was a kid. Tomorrow it is dress up time for me, celebrating my first Halloween in Vancouver and doing it right if I do say so myself..I will be on a boat party..let's just hope I don't freeze.


I never have had it in me to be something scary for Halloween, I always want to be something girlie, perhaps that's the fashion side of me..What are you being for Halloween.. Scary or Pretty? JC

Check out this fabulous blog for more pictures from the 212 event Frock of Ages