14 Sexy Little Things To Wear This Summer

July 15, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Ammerman Schlösberg's Gothic Lolita Look, In Braid Form

≪ Previous: Throw It Back: Moschino Bags Fall/Winter 2014

As OC writer Fiona Duncan notes, summers are sexy in Manhattan. Humid, hot airs cause hemlines to rise, shirts to unbutton, a small stream of sweat to run down the small of your back. But the heat wave doesn't just affect the Big Apple—fashion-conscious folks everywhere have to deal with brighter skies, stunning UV rays, and steamy conditions.

Oftentimes, we find ourselves stripping down to our skivvies the minute we enter the privacy of our homes, standing in front of freezers, fans, and air conditioners to get just a few moments of relief. Unfortunately, such forms of display aren't exactly acceptable in the public realm. In these dire times, we turn to the world of sheer, sexy cut-outs and crop tops to keep our cool. Sure, we'd rather be wearing nothing, but next-to-nothing will work. Until we get home, that is.

Yes, we do need a crochet cut-out dress from Maria ke Fisherman. It is that hot.

Cut-outs and sheer in one? This Bernhard Willhelm Transparent dress might turn heads, but in a good way.

Nothing says easy-breezy like a loose-fitting camisole dress.

Sheer and short, this Norma Kamali Sleeveless Mesh Crewneck Dress works as a cover-up or a provocative dress. In this heat, who cares?

For something a bit more demure, this Avelon Sheer Dress has sexy, subtle patterns to give you coverage in all the right places.

It's all prim and proper in the front, but the low-back Alexander Wang pleated apron dress lets you show just a little skin.

Wear this Norma Kamali V-Back Gown over your bathing suit or a cute bralet and shorts, and call it a day.

Kenzo's open-front sleeveless polo is a super-breezy alternative to bodycon dresses.

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Ammerman Schlösberg's Gothic Lolita Look, In Braid Form

July 15, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: OC Swap-Outs For Corporate Staples

≪ Previous: 14 Sexy Little Things To Wear This Summer

Milkmaid braids might be all the rage on Pinterest, but occasionally that look gets a little too... precious. Enter Bumble and bumble's hair guru Mischa G., who created a showstopping braided hairstyle for Opening Ceremony's photos of Ammerman Schlösberg's Fall/Winter 2014 collection (online soon).

Taking cues from the collection's "Gothic Lolita" vibe, Mischa's cornrow-meets-fishtail concoction is part grungy Grimes pigtails, part Willow Smith "Whip My Hair" swagger. And, while it might look complicated—four braids, say what?—we've got certain styling tricks that make this complex-looking 'do easy enough to do yourself (even half-awake on hungover Sunday mornings).

Photos by Brayden Olson

Step 1: Make a center part in your hair while dry. If you have bangs, keep them out.

Step 2: Take a section from the ear to the front of the hair. Clip away the remainder of the hair.

Step 3: Start on the scalp braid (cornrow) and continue it into a regular three-strand braid.

Step 4: Tie off the end with an elastic or back-comb with hairspray.

Step 5: Repeat on the other side.

Step 6: Back comb the crown of the remaining hair to add height.

Step 7: Split the remainder of the hair in half and secure each with a hair bungee. This will help keep the fishbraid tight.

Step 8: Start a fishtail braid, taking small sections at a time. Secure the end with elastic. Repeat on the other side.

Step 9: Unhook the bungee and loosen up the fishtail braids.

Step 10: Connect the three-strand braid to the fishtail braid with hairpins at the end. Make sure each braid is on either side of the ear to expose the ear.

Step 11: Finish off with hairspray. Easily whip your hair back and forth.

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OC Swap-Outs For Corporate Staples

July 15, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Catchy? Try 'Gooey,' Our New Favorite Track By Glass Animals

≪ Previous: Ammerman Schlösberg's Gothic Lolita Look, In Braid Form

You wouldn’t recognize me seven years ago. My wardrobe consisted of silk blouses and unflattering slacks. My heels never stood higher than three inches. My hair game never passed the beginner’s bun stage. Unfortunately, this is the wardrobe of many a corporate workhorse.

Nowadays, I work my best in jeans, tees, and sneaks. My grey-to-blue ombré hair is a conversation-starter, not an HR issue. Still, I think back to my days in such a conservative workplace—trying to show how serious I was with every boring blazer—and wonder: When did having a lack of style determine talent or skill? What makes a black suit more professional than a purple one? Nothing.

There’s power in elevating your office attire. Let your workwear help distinguish your personality: You’re multi-dimensional, and so should be your outfit. Swap out simple fabrics for textured staples and design details. Feel free to explore colors and crazy prints.

Need a little more help in this department? To the left, next-level alternatives that say you mean business.

Oh, so office rules say you really can’t wear that, huh?

You’re not alone. We rounded up the most egregious corporate violations of self-expression. Ahead, five companies with some seriously strict dress codes.

Abercrombie & Fitch: The poor retail employees of the House of Prep must never wear skinny jean cuffs bigger than 1.25 inches. Denim shirts must be worn with the top three buttons undone and with the collar popped. Women’s sweater sleeves must be pulled below the wrist. The list goes on... [Buzzfeed]

UBS: The Swiss bank’s 43-page handbook includes some definite no-nos for the ladies, including no short skirts, black polish, or nail art. "Light makeup consisting of foundation, mascara, and discreet lipstick... will enhance your personality," apparently. And, men are discouraged from wearing bracelets and earrings. [WSJ]

Newsweek: Newsroom attire is typically pretty casual. Well, not for this IBT-owned publication, which prohibits its employees from wearing denim jeans, sneakers, baseball caps, open-toe sandals, sweat suits, and basically everything we wear at OC HQ. [NYMAG]

Disney theme parks: Though the empire has recently allowed employees to grow beards shorter than a quarter inch, tattoos, piercings, bleached or dyed hair, and neon nail polish is still a no-go. [IB TIMES]

US Congress: Who would think the rule-makers would be rule-breakers? In February 2013, House Speaker John Boehner had to give members of Congress a little reminder about dressing the part: Men must wear a jacket and tie. Both men and women are expected to wear suits. Overcoats and hats are prohibited. [

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Catchy? Try 'Gooey,' Our New Favorite Track By Glass Animals

July 15, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Surprising Reason You Need To Visit The Rockaways

≪ Previous: OC Swap-Outs For Corporate Staples

What would happen if Nelly held Animal Collective captive in his basement and refused to let them out until they produced a full-length album? ZABA, the debut LP from UK-based Glass Animals. Blending syrupy falsetto with jungly beats, we think frontman Dave Bayley made the right choice in leaving psychiatry to pursue pop. In 2010, the then-med student wrote a few songs, asked three school friends if they wanted to be in a band, and the rest is ~~Dave’s medical~~ history. Their track “Gooey” has been stuck in our heads for months. Bayley croons, "You just wanna know those peanut butter vibes”––and we REALLY did.

So, before a recent show at New York's Bowery Ballroom, we brought two of the band’s members sandwiches from Peanut Butter & Co. and talked bad art, grammar, and denim versus khaki. (In case you’re curious, both boys vibed on the “Elvis” sandwich––coincidence?)

KATIE BARNWELL: You guys have been touring America a little bit already. How’s New York? Any anecdotes?
DAVE BAYLEY: I saw a dragon fruit. I didn’t know what they were. I thought they were some kind of dragon egg or something.

Did you eat it?
DB: I tried. I got told off by an old Chinese woman.

Joe?
JOE SEAWARD: No, but I got a good iced cwo-fee [does pretty good thick NY accent].

You guys are originally from Oxford. What are your stances on the Oxford comma? That’s if we’re talking about “Dave, Joe, and Katie,” it’s the comma after “Joe” and before “and.”
DB: Oh, that’s an interesting comma. I personally reject it even though I live in Oxford. [Looks at Joe, who’s shaking his head] Oh, you do use it? I mean, we might have to have a fight about this.
JS: I always use it, and then my girlfriend always tells me, “That comma doesn’t go there.” I’m like, “Yeah, it does!” [Ed. note: the OC blog team sides with Joe.]

DB: I think it’s poor grammar.
JS: And she’s like Grammar Queen—she speaks two languages fluently. So, I mean, she’s probably right. I speak English quite badly. I wouldn’t go by my reckoning. Personally I’d go with Dave rather than me.
DB: Joe and I are still friends despite our differences.

Summer 2014: denim or khakis?
JS: Ooh, khaki is making a comeback. Denim is old news. I think definitely khakis.
DB: Joe knows.

Okay, so you defer to Joe on the fashion stuff?
JS: Yeah—Dave: grammar, Joe: fashion.

Let’s talk about “peanut butter vibes.” What was the inspiration for the lyric?
DB: So, peanut butter to me reminds me of great times being kids, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with my mum and, you know, scooping it on a spoon, walking around the house, eating it when you’re like five years old. Yeah, so it just takes me back to my youth, basically.

You guys use the adjective “dank” in not one but two of th

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The Surprising Reason You Need To Visit The Rockaways

July 15, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: You've Been Using Your Umbrella All Wrong

≪ Previous: Catchy? Try 'Gooey,' Our New Favorite Track By Glass Animals

David Selig fell in love with the Rockaways the way many do––through surfing. “Tom Sachs invited me to go surf,” he told OC. But Selig’s story is unusual (and not only because his surfing buddy was contemporary artist Tom Sachs). Unlike most, who hop back on the A train and leave the peninsula when the sun sets, Selig decided to plant some roots. “Every time we finished [surfing], we were starved and had to eat bagels from the only bagel shop," he said. "So, I decided to start a food enterprise. To feed myself.” Make that several food enterprises. As Selig’s tan has deepened, he’s also racked up restaurants as owner of much-loved Rockaway Taco, Rice, and ñ.

His latest venture, however, is the source of food itself. Alongside long-time friend Matthew Sheehan (the “doctor of dirt”), Selig has transformed an abandoned concrete lot into an acre of lush, Edenic farmland. At Edgemere Farm, just off the A train in Far Rockaway, the two have found farmers to cultivate plots of land and set them up with local restaurants. Surveying the field, you’ll feel more like you're in Nebraska than New York: Everything from kale, tomatoes, hops (grown for the Rockaway Brewery), and a special strain of Nigerian eggplant to a chicken coop and Selig's prized apiary. Along the farm’s fence, he's planted berries, “so hopefully kids will pick the berries and eat them, instead of grabbing a Now & Later from the bodega,” Selig says.

Selig and Sheehan’s acre of farm is surrounded by weather-worn bungalows. “That guy is a millionaire,” Selig said pointing to one run-down shack. “He’s retired and works part-time in the subway terminal to collect his pension... and that guy over there has been growing marijuana for over 20 years." Selig is filled with neighborhood stories and legendary surf tales: “Back when the Parks Department declared surfing illegal, you wanted to go with two or three people, so when the cops came, you split and they couldn’t catch all of you.”

Every Thursday night, Edgemere holds a dinner on the farm. Last week Deslyn Morris, who lives nearby, cooked traditional West Indian cuisine, with collard greens from the farm, Guyanese fried rice, and ginger BBQ chicken. Everyone was invited, and many from the neighborhood were present. “It’s a balance between serving our community and the Rockaways. If we didn’t step through that divide, we were doing something counterproductive.” Little kids ran around the chicken coop. Sheehan and Selig carried plates of fresh watermelon. You had the sense that David Selig––who also accompanies his girlfriend, former model and Visionaire founder Cecilia Dean, to downtown fashion parties––knew everyone there.

Why has Selig become the unofficial mayor of the Rockaways? “I know it’s a long way to go mentally and physically... and the Rockaways have become a bit of a brand. But if I think of a plan here, we can execute it. Manhattan has become so compact and hard to get things done,” he said. When the two men first purchased the land, it was essentially a sand bar. They imported dirt to make it fertile enough to produce. “Next year it will be twice as big,” Selig said. He's also a fan of the recent attention Fort Tilden has received through the MoMA show Rockaway! “People were picking up trash. The beach was actually cleaner after the show.”

Now Selig is working on a comprehensive website that will

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You've Been Using Your Umbrella All Wrong

July 15, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Big In Japan: TeamLab's Digital Installation Takes Flight

≪ Previous: The Surprising Reason You Need To Visit The Rockaways

You come home from walking three avenues and your feet are dyed the color of your sandal. The iPhone is buzzing non-stop “Flash Flood Warnings," and you're definitely getting a case of rain rage. Yes, for much of the northeast, rain is like that nasty neighbor that keeps on knockin'. In times like these, you need the ultimate umbrella guide.

Let's start with the bodega umbrella: It's like an abusive ex-lover. They're convenient, cheap, and easy in a moment of weakness, but trust, they will fail you. Don’t listen to the spiel from the guy at the corner, selling $3 umbrellas out of milk crates—you are unlikely to score a quality product on the street, as most are structured with low-grade steel or poor fiberglass. What's more, prices are totally black market and will skyrocket to about $9 bucks if rain is imminent.

Now, a fine umbrella used to be a treasured objet d'art, when umbrella shops and repair centers were a luxury. Today, there are few, with Gilbert Center being one of the last remaining individuals in New York specializing in the fleeting art of umbrella repair. We spoke with the noted repairman to get the scoop on the Rolex of umbrellas.

How do you avoid the inevitable umbrella flip—yes, when your shield goes reverse mid-storm or with the first gust of wind? Turns out, size matters here. Center recommends investing in a sturdy, standard-size umbrella with steel structure, and one that opens and closes by hand. Basically, nab an umbrella with weight and a good, satisfying "pop" when you open it up. No one is trying to fly a kite, here.

Please note we emphasize “function.” Make sure to select an appropriately sized umbrella so you are not walking under something the size of a tent. Don't be that guy—you know, the one hogging the sidewalk. A quick tip when passing others: Utilize vertical distance (lifting your umbrella up or down). You should always hold your umbrella as vertical as possible anyway, to minimize the "tippage point," as in, how many pesky drops of rain will manage to slide underneath that umbrella and land on you.

The superstitious believe you should always close your umbrella before walking indoors. However, you may choose to re-open it later on, as Center recommends leaving your umbrella open to dry, especially if your umbrella features a steel frame, unlike a fiberglass frame, since steel “will rust, and the joints will rust.”

Lastly, and here is the most important advice: Do not get your umbrella snatched in one of those communal holders at the entrance of bars, restaurants, and other commercial spaces. The worst thing to do is carry a nondescript black umbrella that can be easily mistaken for another. Luckily, we've got a pretty fantastic collection of unique, standout umbrellas. We wouldn't even bat an eye if you wanted to double-duty one of these babies as a parasol, once that sky finally decides to clear up. After all, dry bodies are happy bodies.

OC POGAJI LONG UMBRELLA in white

OC Water Peony Short Umbrella in water peony

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Big In Japan: TeamLab's Digital Installation Takes Flight

July 15, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Come Again: Opening Ceremony Slip-On Platform Sneaker

≪ Previous: You've Been Using Your Umbrella All Wrong

Watch OC's exclusive sneak preview of Pace Gallery's latest show, Ultra Subjective Space, above.

Chelsea's Pace Gallery, host to Tara Donovan: Untitled, will debut another large-scale installation this evening: Ultra Subjective Space. A direct import from Japan design group teamLab, five high-definition monitors flirt with one another to comprise a video loop titled—are you ready for it?—Crows are chased and the chasing crows are destined to be chased as well, Division in Perspective — Light in Dark, 2014. Phew. Dissimilar to its name, artgoers will actually remember the show. Press notes call the collective's US debut "an all-encompassing experience of spatial perception," which loosely translates to a futuristic ride at Tokyo Disneyland (but in this go-around, psychedelic brushstrokes meet Space Mountain).

Riffing off the whiz-bang choreography of the popular anime, "ITANO CIRCUS," in teamLab's take, missiles and lasers are eschewed for multiplying crows, the avian pest equivalent to the American pigeon. We watch as the birds' flight paths splice together to eventually crash and splatter into kiku (the chrysanthemum widely used at funerals in Japan). If it weren't for the soaring music, this could be somber, but at the gallery preview last night, 37-year-old teamLab founder Toshiyki Inoki explained to Opening Ceremony that it's not meant to be sad; the symbolism of fight-or-flight should stoke romance in a "what has been will be again" type way. Maybe we're a bunch of anonymous birds; maybe we're a bunch of flowers. Whatever we are, these staggered visuals come in the spirit of wabi-sabi, the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in the imperfect—or even (gulp) the morbid.

Ultra Subjective Space runs through August 15

Pace Gallery New York
508 West 25th Street
New York, NY 10001
MAP

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Come Again: Opening Ceremony Slip-On Platform Sneaker

July 15, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Next Best Thing To Climbing Mt. Fuji? Wearing It On Your Shirt

≪ Previous: Big In Japan: TeamLab's Digital Installation Takes Flight

From left: Opening Ceremony Slip-On Platform Sneakers in NAVY, WHITE, COBALT, NAVY TECHNO, TIGER RED, BLACK, and WHITE TECHNO. Worn with OC Terazzo Striped Skinny Jeans, Acne Skin Used Jeans (online soon), T by Alexander Wang Cotton Burlap Fray Detail Cutoff Jeans, Opening Ceremony & Magritte Double Reality Side Zip Pencil Skirt, and Moschino Gold Chain Slim Pants (online soon)

Opening Ceremony has created the perfect hybrid of height and comfort: the slip-on platform sneaker. Featuring a 1.75 inch platform sole, these shoes, which previously sold out in matter of days, are back on our shelves in seven fresh colorways ranging from classic shades of red, navy, black, and white, to checkered patterns inspired by mirrorballs in '80s Belgian dance clubs. And yes, techno parties—or just a trip to the beach—are all fair game when you've got these on. "I'm wearing them everywhere," says OC founder Carol Lim. "I love the extra height it gives me when heels are impossible."

Shop all Opening Ceremony Women's Shoes Here
Shop all Opening Ceremony Collection HERE

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The Next Best Thing To Climbing Mt. Fuji? Wearing It On Your Shirt

July 16, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Tipsy And Tan: Miss Lily's 7A Cafe

≪ Previous: Come Again: Opening Ceremony Slip-On Platform Sneaker

The button-up is the bread and butter of menswear––what other item could you wear to church OR a bachelor party?––and Gitman Brothers does it better than anyone. With the latest Gitman Brothers x Opening Ceremony collaboration, you’ll be seeing the classic shape in a variety of fun, OC-exclusive fabrics (like high-end fleece used in luxury activewear).

This time around, the collab has conjured Japan, featuring mini Mt. Fujis and a God of Thunder shirt, named after the Japanese deity Raijin. So, while we’re sweltering through a summer heatwave in the grimy city, we’ll be thinking about pure, snowy mountaintops and keeping a cool, courtesy of the Gitman Brothers. Plus, fall is right around the corner, and you'll be thankful for these lovely long-sleeves when winds start blowing.

Shop all Gitman Brothers x Opening Ceremony HERE

FUJI LONG-SLEEVE BUTTON-DOWN in baby blue

THUNDER GOD LONG-SLEEVE BUTTON-DOWN in navy

Double Face Long-Sleeve Button-Down in orange/navy

Daisy Long-Sleeve Button-Down in turquoise

Flannel Checks Long-Sleeve Button-Down in navy/white

Long-Sleeve Fleece Button-Down in orange

DOUBLE FACE LONG-SLEEVE BUTTON-DOWN in navy/grey

LONG-SLEEVE FLEECE BUTTON-DOWN in white

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Tipsy And Tan: Miss Lily's 7A Cafe

July 16, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Simon Says: 'You Can Take Tough Love Too Far'

≪ Previous: The Next Best Thing To Climbing Mt. Fuji? Wearing It On Your Shirt

In our #ThirstyThursday series, TIPSY AND TAN, we ask consummate mixologists from New York City’s white-hot new restaurants and bars to create OC-exclusive drinks for our readers. Drinking on the job? Don't mind if we do...

Caribbean joint Miss Lily’s has more than just an Adicup trophy to celebrate this summer. With the opening of its new East Village location Miss Lily’s 7A Cafe this past May, the downtown mainstay takes on a new neighborhood, and with it, a new look. Part beach shack, part Jamaican diner, the Alphabet City outpost draws inspiration from the Memphis “anti-design movement” for a look that is expertly cobbled together and dazzlingly colorful. All that said, three critical characteristics of the original restaurant have remained the same: the scantily clad wait staff, the traditional Caribbean cuisine, and the delicious rum-soaked cocktails. Given the Jamaican flair, it was no surprise when the Miss Lily’s team hit us with the Rum & Sizzle, a fruity concoction that had us rehashing senior spring break memories and planning our next weekend getaway to the Rockaways.

From behind the bar...

Name: Breanne Carey

If this drink had a soundtrack what would it be? “The Traffic Jam ft. Damian Marley” by Stephen Marley

Best place to get day drunk: A friend’s BBQ in Brooklyn

Hangover cure: Fresh juice or coconut water

Favorite summer tradition: Wearing next to nothing

What are some red-light signs that someone’s been overserved? I can judge by their facial expressions and how they’re conducting themselves. Slurring their words and if somebody is being aggressive.

Are there any personality traits essential to a being a bartender? As a bartender, you have to be very confident and able to control situations. You have to control your emotions behind the bar, but also control how your customers are behaving and reacting.

Exclusive Recipe: Rum & Sizzle

OC Alcohol Scale*: 7
"It's not that there's a lot of alcohol, but the alcohol we use is very strong."

1 oz. Wray & Nephew Rum
1 oz. orange juice
1 oz. cranberry juice
1 oz. pineapple juice
1/4 oz. fresh lime juice
2 oz. Champagne
Fresh mint

1. Pour rum into a glass.
2. Add mint and muddle.
3. Add ice and fruit juices.
4. Strain into a fresh glass and top with Champagne.
5. Garnish with a mint leaf.

*OC's Alcohol Scale ranges from 1 ("like sippin' from a juice box") to 10 ("take me home—right now").

Want a second round? See more Tipsy and Tan HERE

Photos by Jessica Chou

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Simon Says: 'You Can Take Tough Love Too Far'

July 16, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Straight Trippin': Alice Tate In Croatia

≪ Previous: Tipsy And Tan: Miss Lily's 7A Cafe

Here at OC, we are struck by how often we end up in everyday conundrums. The ones that land you in the thick of semi (or full-blown) awkwardness, or maybe, the doghouse.

So, we turned to Simon Collins, the dean of the School of Fashion at Parsons. Collins recently penned a TOME that explores how and why people get to be so dang successful. To glean a bit of that for ourselves, we've launched Simon Says, in which Collins lends tongue-in-cheek, Brit-bloke advice to our pain-point questions and social entanglements.

Q: Let's say you're trying to explain the meaning of "good taste" to an alien. It has no cultural reference point, so you can't use touchstones like Calvin Klein or fresh mozzarella. What would you say?

Some would have it that good taste is in the eye of the beholder. That's nonsense. For example, it is a fact that voting Republican shows extremely poor taste (whereas, supporting Germany against those awful Argies showed particularly good taste).

To give more context to this visiting alien chappie, and assuming you have access to a phone, I would suggest showing pictures of James Bond (Connery or Craig), Bertie Wooster, and Paul Weller as examples of good taste. And then perhaps showing anything at all from Fox News as a prime example of revoltingly bad taste. Or ,you could show Donald Trump’s ridiculous wig as an example of alien taste; indeed, its other-worldy presence is perhaps something the alien can explain to us.

Q: Tough love—for it or against it?

There are times when tough love is the only answer. Take, for example, the case of people who think they should have access to a gun. Tough love would be to gather every single one of them, along with every single gun that they want to have, and put them all in the same contained space—Texas, for instance. Then, they can play with their guns to their hearts’ content. Once they’re finished, if any of them are left, they can come out and leave their guns in there.

You can apply the same tough love to the silly people who persist in going on television and making up nonsense, for example. I’m all for letting them tell fibs, but tough love suggests they should be in a closed environment when they do—on an island, perhaps. Then we wouldn’t have to endure them, or the idiots who believe them. Not my opinion, just the facts. You decide.

But no, you can take tough love too far. This is, after all, the land of the free.

Simon Collins

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Straight Trippin': Alice Tate In Croatia

July 16, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: In The Studio With Kim Mee Hye

≪ Previous: Simon Says: 'You Can Take Tough Love Too Far'

In STRAIGHT TRIPPIN', OC friends and family share tidbits from their latest travels. This time around, London writer Alice Tate shares some photos from a recent trip to Croatia.

Name: Alice Tate
Occupation: Lifestyle journalist
Travel destination: Hvar, Croatia
Carry-on necessities: MenScience Lip Balm and my Master & Dynamic headphones
Reading materials: Sidewalk magazine—the only thing on my boyfriend's iPad
Most over-played tracks on your iPhone this trip: Little White Earbuds Prosumer Podcast on repeat. All fortnight
Favorite outfit to travel in: A barely-there silk romper and anything that is super easy in summer heat
Highlight of your trip: Getting lost at dusk in the cobbled backstreets before stumbling upon a tiny, family-run restaurant with a gorgeous jungle-like courtyard. We peeled the shells off garlicky king prawns, filled up on seafood risotto, and drank endless amounts of vino before rolling out of there to admire the superyachts in the marina.
Souvenirs you brought back: Croatian wine—at 5 euros for a liter.

"Juicy holiday nails! Courtesy of House of Holland" -Alice

In Split, waiting for our ferry to take us to Hvar

Not a bad morning view, eh? Riva Yacht Harbour Hotel

A pre-breakfast swim! (And that's natural seawater in there.) Adriana Spa Hotel

The prettiest sun trap you ever saw? Found on Palmižana, an island off of Hvar. I want to camp out under that and watch the stars.

I could live in those crystal waters.

Getting lost high up in the wilderness of the hills.

Obligatory post-swim selfie (from me at least).

When there's Prosecco at the breakfast table, there are huge, huge smiles.

Begrudgingly s

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In The Studio With Kim Mee Hye

July 16, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Most Wanted: Stamped Calf Leather Izzy Bag

≪ Previous: Straight Trippin': Alice Tate In Croatia

This year, during OC's YEAR OF BELGIUM, we invite Tom Tack and Stijn Verlinden of the blog I LOVE BELGIUM to introduce us to their country's most attention-worthy faces and places.

Life is full of little gems, especially for jewelry designer Kimy Gringoire Lejeune. Ever since the I LOVE BELGIUM team discovered her line, KIM MEE HYE, more and more people have been falling in love with her poetic approach to jewelry. Although most notable for her crosses and wedding bands, she has been developing some new designs that are just as simple, subtle, and still quite luxurious. Always intrigued by such thoughtful artists, we knew it was time for a studio visit.

Kimy shares her workspace with her husband, Alex Lejeune. He owns a tattoo shop near Les Halles Saint-Gery, a bustling entertainment district in the center of Brussels. The tattoo shop and studio are on the first floor—it keeps a certain distance from the noisy bars and their visitors.

Surpisingly, the studio and tattoo shop are a far away cry from the stereotypical ink parlors. A one-off design piece from a Dutch artist, old concert posters, and art books—it's a rare mix of underground and luxury, the Kim Mee Hye trademark. But even with all its eclecticism, the space is actually very clean and minimal, almost gallery-like. How else would you showcase wearable art, after all?

It's the perfect setting to feature Kimy's latest designs: Les Menottes, pink-gold handcuffs, which open with the press of an encrusted diamond. There's one for her and one for him, of course (but you can buy—and wear—them separately). There's also Boucle Diamant, a rose-gold earring that can transform from minimalist ear piece to diamond-studded eye catcher in just one simple click. Her designs are simple, multi-functional, but statement-making—much like the world this artistic couple has created.

Shop all Kim Mee Hye HERE

Kimy Gringoire Lejeune. Photos by Stijn Verlinden and Tom Tack

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Most Wanted: Stamped Calf Leather Izzy Bag

July 16, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Men, What To Wear When You Want To Wear Nothing

≪ Previous: In The Studio With Kim Mee Hye

"Most Wanted" presents our favorite and most coveted items available at OC.

OC's classic purse-meets-backpack, the Izzy, is back in an embossed crocodile texture. With soft, stamped leather, this IZZY is a bag of tricks you'll want to carry on all your urban adventures.

Shop all Opening Ceremony bags HERE

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Men, What To Wear When You Want To Wear Nothing

July 16, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Going, Going: Delfina Delettrez OC-Exclusive Eye And Pearl Earring

≪ Previous: Most Wanted: Stamped Calf Leather Izzy Bag

For those days when you'd rather go naked than get dressed (as in, the dog days of summer), we've stripped our inventory to bring you the best pieces with the least amount of fabric, without losing out on style.

When sweat prevents your shades from staying on your face, don't risk breaking them by putting them in your pockets—hang them around your neck with Opening Ceremony's OC SUNGLASS STRAP. And show some pride with the OC LOGO TANK.

Breathe easy in featherlight mesh, like our Thierry Boutemy for Opening Ceremony Pastel Composition Mesh Tee.

Keep your cool in Bernhard Willhelm's Multi Striped Knit Tank—great for the beach with a pair of denim shorts.

MASSIVE for Opening Ceremony's Signature Muscle Tee lets you live vicariously through the hunk on the front.

Wanda Nylon Cliff Crinkled Vinyl Shorts are casual enough for the day-to-evening transition.

Kenzo's SQUARE WAVES SWIM SHORTS—you can pull these off in the city.

Need some swag? Try Venessa Arizaga's Money Bracelet.

Just because your shirt has a collar, doesn't mean it has to have sleeves. Komakino's Sleeveless Extention Shirt is great for a 9-to-5.

The White Briefs x Stephen Burks' A Free Man Singlet will make you forget you're even wearing a top.

They're big, they're bold, and most important, they'll block out the sun of your eyes: Acne Studios' Frame Sunglasses.

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Going, Going: Delfina Delettrez OC-Exclusive Eye And Pearl Earring

July 17, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Shoot Like A (Techie) Pro With The Leica C

≪ Previous: Men, What To Wear When You Want To Wear Nothing

Supply and demand is a tricky thing. Our series, GOING, GOING, is your siren call to OC's most covetable items that are flying off our shelves at lightning speed!

Charms to ward off the evil eye have been worn since biblical times––so it’s no wonder the Delfina Delettrez Eye and Pearl earrings are selling like hot cakes. These elegant talismans are a modern twist on the traditional eye motif and a spicier version of the classical pearl earring. Colors come in red, green, and purple enamel, and add a flicker of mysticism to any outfit. Fun fact: the symbol of the evil eye appears in cultures across the world, from Italy to Israel––but these beauties are exclusive to OC (wink). They’re pretty darn eye-catching, so catch them while you still can.

Shop all Delfina Delettrez HERE

OC-Exclusive Eye and Pearl Earring in green enamel

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Shoot Like A (Techie) Pro With The Leica C

July 17, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Can Hoarding Be An Art Form?

≪ Previous: Going, Going: Delfina Delettrez OC-Exclusive Eye And Pearl Earring

They say, "blink and you'll miss it" — well, we want none of that. Enter, the compact LEICA C CAMERA, which will put you a ~~step~~ shot ahead. No matter where the moment is happening, capture it like a pro lensman, and then sync your photos online without leaving that beach/festival/party.

One of the brand's most technologically advanced model, the Leica C is the first in its long, 100-year history to have built-in Wi-Fi capability. Using something called a NFC (Near Field Communication) module, this sleek thing enables you to share photos and videos—and even remotely operate the camera—with tablets and smartphones via the downloadable “Leica C Image Shuttle” app. Shoot at up to ten frames per second with a 12.1-megapixel resolution, up to 7x optical zoom (4x digital zoom), and a 1/1.7-inch sensor size. And what about video? Shoot it, then show it in HD with 1080p enabled technology. And for the style-savvy (all rise), this Leica C is available in a subtle light gold, designed by fellow German brand Audi.

From now through September 30, with any Leica C purchase, you'll recive a free C Twist case! Offer available in Opening Ceremony stores and online.

Want more? We also sell the Leica T CAMERA and an awesome ZOOM LENS!
Shop all Leica HERE | Shop the OC Tech Shop HERE

LEICA C CAMERA in light gold. Photos by Michael Elijah

Leica C TWIST CASE, free with an purchase of the Leica C Camera

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Can Hoarding Be An Art Form?

July 17, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: OC Played A Word Game With Audrey Tautou

≪ Previous: Shoot Like A (Techie) Pro With The Leica C

Open the door to the childhood home of Tokyo-based photographer Motoyuki Daifu and prepare to be welcomed by heaps of toys, clothes, and hastily prepared meals. Scenes from his home will show at Los Angeles' Little Big Man Gallery Saturday night in a exhibit delicately titled My Family is a Pubis, so I Cover it in Pretty Panties. The ongoing series of family portraits lands somewhere between the imagery of Grey Gardens and Lost In Translation, depicting the evolving chaos of his very atypical environment.

In his artist statement for the 2014 Prix Pictet Consumption, for which the project was shortlisted, Daifu summarized the world he captures: “My mother sleeps every day. My dad does chores. My brothers fight. There are trash bags all over the place. Half-eaten dinners, cat poop, mountains of clothes: this is my lovable daily life, and a loveable Japan.”

Motoyuki Daifu is no stranger to Opening Ceremony—in addition to his editorial shoot in OC Annual, “Flyweight,” which features roughhousing models decked out in Toga and Adidas, he also shot the lookbook for the exclusive Kiko Mizuhara collection last year. The 28-year-old Japanese photographer specializes in glossy, analogue snaps of everyday tumult.

With the help of translator and good sport Jeffrey Ian Rosen of Misako & Rosen Gallery in Tokyo, we were able to ask Daifu some questions about these intimate yet carefully composed images and the experience of growing up among the clutter. Though most of the images have been on view in a variety of settings over the past six years, Daifu is still drawn to the texture and color in specific images of the family’s kitchen table, where his mother often holds court. “She doesn’t know how to make food, but she makes a lot of it. Nobody eats it.” In one image, spaghetti is paired with crab legs. In another, fresh vegetables are sliced next to a package of fermented soy beans.

Daifu’s family moved into their two-story Yokohama home, where the photographer still lives with his parents and two brothers, ten years ago. His two sisters have since moved away to school, but over the years the clan of seven have all found ways to cram their lives under this one roof. At the time they moved in, the family was thrilled with the space, as previously they had been cooped up in a “mansion,” as the Japanese refer to apartments. The family simply “couldn’t fit in that space anymore, and everyone was growing up,” Daifu explained. “It was a much smaller living situation that was really dirty and messy,” he recalled of their earlier home.

On the surface, the same characteristics could be ascribed to their current home, but in the clutter live details and a certain quality of life—the space is clearly lived in and shared to the fullest. “It’s chill there—you can’t really relax in a really clean house. Here everything is a mess.”

Although the images have been shot over a period of ten years, the show at Little Big Man Gallery includes work shots as recently as a month ago, and features a newfound object piece straight from his mother’s closet. A totem of vintage clothing, recent additions to his mother’s collection of secondhand blouses and dresses, suspends from the ceiling of the space. Daifu’s mother is “reall

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OC Played A Word Game With Audrey Tautou

July 17, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Straight Trippin': Jimmy Jimeno's Pacific Coast Road Trip

≪ Previous: Can Hoarding Be An Art Form?

The mark of a movie star is a person who can make you feel special and important in all situations––even 15-minute interviews (timed by PR teams) in aggressively beige hotel rooms. Audrey Tautou is that kind of celebrity. When we met her at the Soho Grand on the eve of the US release of her new film, Mood Indigo, she somehow managed to charm us into thinking we spoke perfect French, that our questions about her photography hobby were insightful, and that we weren't the umpteenth people she was retelling how she met Michel Gondry, the film's director.

The thing is, it's a great story! Tautou and Gondry first met at a party a decade ago, but the actress––ever "wild," in her words––wandered away to grab a cigarette and forgot to come back. Years later, the director invited her to the opening of his exhibit L'Usine Des Films Amateurs in Paris, and, soon, asked her to be in "the movie he'd wanted to do his whole life." Fittingly, the invitation came by way of an animated short: "[Michel] writes a letter and flies over the ocean to bring it to me," she remembers. Later, she returned the favor, sketching the stop-motion cartoon that concludes Mood Indigo.

We minded hearing the owner of the cutest pixie cut on the planet tell the story again about as much as we minded watching Amélie for the seventh time. (Translation: pas de tout.) And, if you like watching charming French people saunter around a Paris made even more cinematic by Surrealist knick-knacks, you'll probably love Mood Indigo. As Chloé, the actress takes a sightseeing tour of the city with her beau in a flying-saucer cloud, dances to jazz by stretching her legs out like Gumby, and speeds through the church where her wedding is taking place in a boxcar. Later, she develops a terminal illness when a water lily begins growing in her lungs (the film, which starts out in vibrant color, eventually fades into black and white).

In the Surrealist spirit that permeates Mood Indigo, we asked Tautou to play a word game with us and list her obsessions on various topics. Below, a few things you might not discover in another interview.

Audrey Tautou's Obsessions:

to read: Conversations with Picasso by Brassaï
to know: I like to know who I'm dealing with.
to eat: Shabu-shabu
to drink: It's summer, so it's rosé time!
to play: La pétanque, a French game like Bocce where you throw balls. The little town where I come from in France was the world champion of this for many years.
to hear: Horses by Patti Smith. I read her book and I like it so much I don't want to finish it. I still have like, 20 pages, and I have been traveling with it from place to place.
to wear: Oxfords
to sleep: At least eight hours
to hang: With Patti Smith. She's become my companion and I don't want to leave her!
to watch: The Life Aquatic

Mood Indigo opens today, July 18 in US theatres

In a cloud-shaped gondola car, Colin (Romain Duris) and Chloé (Audrey Tautou) tour the city from above in Drafthouse Films’ Mood Indigo. Courtesy of Drafthouse Films

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Straight Trippin': Jimmy Jimeno's Pacific Coast Road Trip

July 17, 2014, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Week In Haiku: July 14

≪ Previous: OC Played A Word Game With Audrey Tautou

In STRAIGHT TRIPPIN', OC friends and family share tidbits from their latest travels. This time around, OC's Jimmy Jimeno shares some photos from a recent road trip through Portland (next up: San Francisco and Los Angeles!)

Name: Jimmy Jimeno
Occupation: Store Manager at OC Ace
Travel destination: Portland (first stop)
Carry-on necessities: Le Gramme Le 33 Grammes Bracelet, camera, and underwear
Reading materials: Google Maps
Most over-played track on your iPhone this trip: "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen
Favorite outfit to travel in: Opening Ceremony Kang Oxford Front Pocket Shirt, jeans, old Supreme Hat, and OC Arrow Sneakers
Highlight of your trip: Watching Team USA make the Round of 16 at the World Cup
Souvenirs you brought back: A tan

"Namaste-ing our way to Sauvie Island." -Jimmy

Went to the Gorge with OC's Mao Kudo and Matt Jay and hiked to the top of Multnomah Falls!

Zen realness at the Japanese Garden

Nesting at Wieden+Kennedy

A very warm welcome from the Ace Hotel

Heavy petting at the International Rose Test Garden, wearing the Le Gramme LE 33 GRAMMES BRACELET

Ate my way through Portland: Indian street food at the Bollywood Theater, wings at Whiskey Soda Lounge, brunch at Clyde Common, and a seafood tower at The Woodsman Tavern

Tres Shannon, Donut king and co-owner of Voodoo Donuts, gave us a tour of the shop.

Post-swim pong session with the homie Bobby Bonaparte

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