Who: Beth Ditto
Where: The Situations party with Wynne Greenwood at Dunes
Photo by: AM

Who: Nagi Noda, infamous Japanese director/art director/artist
What: Her latest work, Hair Hats
I’m noticing a very hairy trend… Two years ago, I had the chance to collaborate with Icelandic artist Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir, aka Shoplifter (she made Bjork’s hair sculpture on the Medúlla album cover) on an installation during NYC Fashion Week. The Shoplifter’s amazing garlands of human-hair braids covered the walls and stole the show. This past season, my friend Jules Kim aka Bijules, created an accessories collection called Hairem, featuring human-hair hairrings, necklaces, a bun pillbox hat, and a glasses lariat, all designed to let the wearer add a clever streak of hair color, without having to dye their own. Now, Japanese artist Nagi Noda adds her unique spin to this trend by creating Hair Hats, a collection of fifteen human hair sculptures, intricately molded into various animals, my personal fave being the poodle-fro! Wear one of these to your next editorial fashion shoot or Purple Magazine afterparty, feathers in your hair is so last season!
Photos by: Kenneth Cappello

Who: Thomas
Where: Outside the Bumble & Bumble casting call at the Cleaners Space
Photo by: AM

Who: Brandon aka Grab The Bat Killer
Where: The Brotherhood Bar, Olympia
Cutest piece: My white Ray-Ban-sunglasses-turned-glasses!
Photo by: AM

(Street Style? Stage Style?)

Jamie Lidell lit it up last night, and Merc photographer Minh Tran was there to document the nerd-cool look that Lidell chose to compliment his soul style, which featured this rather amazing gold lame jacket and stripey pajama-lookin’ pants:

Who: M.I.A.
Where: The Roseland Theater
Cutest thing about her show: Her Jeremy Scott/Henrik Vibskov-wearing back-up dancers!
Video by: AM

Because he’s not only in a jumpsuit, but because he’s actually jumping, Adam Arnold wins!

Jumpsuit by Adam Arnold. Photo by Christy Klep.

Who: Andi
Where: Broder on SE Clinton
Cutest piece: My Chanel flats!
Photo by: AM

Who: Mike
Where: Movie Madness on SE 44th
Photo by: AM

Who: Julia
Where: Stumptown on SE Belmont
Cutest piece: My vintage Chanel jazz shoes
Photo by: AM

Who: Jessie
Where: Nike World Headquarters
Photo by: AM

What: SITUATIONS, the new dance party with DJ Nightschool
Where: Dunes

Who: Brace Paine
Where: East End
Photo by: Rhys Balmer

Who: Hazel Cox
Where: Her new jewelry studio/showroom, Grayslayer (811 E Burnside)
Cutest piece: My Foyer bandana!
Photo by: AM

Who: Gaspard and Xavier aka Justice
Where: Backstage at their show with Diplo at The Roseland Theater
Photo by: Chloé Richard

Who: Maura aka DJ Mystic Lady
Where: Rotture
Photo by: Rhys Balmer

Who: Johnny Jewel and Ida No
Where: The Cute Alert! Party at Rotture with Glass Candy, Chromatics, Loose Control and Beyonda
Cutest thing about that night: Ida’s dress and ankle pom-poms! She made them to match Johnny’s deco set.
Photo by: Rhys Balmer
Video by: AM

Who: Chloë Sevigny
Where: Opening Ceremony
Last Fashion Week, actress Chloë Sevigny launched her namesake clothing line for New York boutique, Opening Ceremony. Maybe it’s the Spring weather and budding flowers outside or the way the photos remind me of that dreamy Teenagers music-video, but I find myself lusting over this collection. The simple, everyday pieces feature floral Liberty prints, high-waisted houndstooth shorts, and amazing shoes, my favorite being the ankle wedge-boots. Love her or hate her, you have to give Chloë points for being consistent with her style; the line is reminiscent of punk, rockabilly, and her high school years in Darien, Connecticut. In the store’s window, she built a shrine to all of her influencers including The Cramps, Johnny Thunders, Patti Palladin, Lizzie Mercier, Debbie Harry, and The Slits, whom she had perform at her NYC launch party.
Photos by: Mark Borthwick

Who: Tiffany Godoy
Where: The new Bathing Ape boutique in Shibuya
Cutest thing about Tokyo: Is that it’s a fashion Disneyland filled with eye-candy in every detail. You just want to eat everyone and everything up to get closer to the style gods. Japanese sensibility, you just can’t get closer to style heaven than this.

Fashion editor and creative consultant Tiffany Godoy has lived in Japan since 1997 when she began working as an editor for Composite and then subsequently for Studio Voice. She is a consultant for style.com (Condé Nast USA), contributor on design for the New York Times, reporter for WWD USA, fashion columnist for Yomiuri Shimbun, lifestyle and fashion editor for the magazines V, Self Service, Vogue Nippon, and Studio Voice. Her clients include L’Oreal Japan, Shiseido, Leo Burnett Japan, GAP, Uniqlo. She is also part of the unit EROTYKA with art director Tomoyuki Yonezu. Ms. Godoy is the author of Style Deficit Disorder, a complete history of Tokyo street fashion from Harajuku (Chronicle Books, 2007) and hosts the weekly series Tokyo Fashion Express which airs in Japan and internationally on NHK satellite channels. Style Deficit Disorder came out while I was living in Tokyo and immediately became my style bible and cultural history book. It profiles the daring and influential designers and labels of Harajuku, the epicenter of Japanese and global fashion, giving a pop cultural history of the scene, a snapshot of where it is today, and a glimpse into its future. This is my final Tokyo Edition of Cute Alert!, as I’m back in beautiful Portland, and it’s amazingly appropriate that the spot belongs to Tiffany. Her book is an absolute must-have. You can buy it here and you’ll be so happy you did.

Who: Eiko
Where: Velours in Aoyama
Cutest piece: My glasses!
Photo by: AM

Who: Uffie and André
Where: The Faline Valentine’s Party at André’s club, Le Baron de Paris
Photo by: AM

Who: Reiko
Where: Inside the boutique Faline in Harajuku
Cutest piece: My Jeremy Scott mini-dress and button!
Photo by: AM

Who: Miko and Carrick
Where: The Cute Alert! Party at Le Baron de Paris
Photo by: Dan Bailey

Who: Takao
Where: Outside of his store, Nid, on Cat Street (Shibuya)
Cutest piece: My fabrics interseason jumper!
Photo by: AM

Who: Takahiro Miyashita, Designer of Japanese label Number (N)ine
Where: The Menswear Fall 2008 Show in Paris
This past week in Paris, Japanese label Number (N)ine debuted their Fall 2008 Collection, titled My Own Private Portland. Miyashita’s love of all things Portland, including Gus Van Sant and early 90’s grunge clichés, were romanticized and updated to create comfortable yet sophisticated looks for Fall. The collection included plaid shirts, beaten-up boots, corduroy jackets, fringed moccasins and gloves, letterman jockwear, and distressed leather coats with leather-covered buttons. Everthing about the show, from the dark garage setting that Miyashita found in the Bastille, to the ACE Hotel blankets he gave the audience to keep them warm, demonstrated a loving nod to Portland and the effortless, unpretentious style that exists here.
Photos by: Marcio Madeira

Who: Jun
Where: The Vanity Party (with The Horrors) at Warehouse
Cutest piece: My Jeremy Scott sweater dress!
Photo by: AM

Who: Eugene
Where: The Vanity Party (with The Rapture) at La Fabrique
Cutest piece: My Raf Simons patent high-tops!
Photo by: AM

Who: Amanda and Brookes
Where: I’ve Got A Hole in My Soul Night at Rotture
Photo by: AM

Who: Bradley Hartzell
Where: The Sugar Gallery
Photo by: Rhys Balmer

Who: Niki
Where: Gaycation at Holocene
Cutest piece: This dress I made! (Luxury Jones)
Photo by: AM

So every hoodie in my house (there are at least 27) are stretched wildly out of control, covered with stains, and are an embarrassment to wear. That’s why I actually WHOOPED with glee when outdoor fashion designers ICEBREAKER sent me a new hoodie to try out. Icebreaker is all about the layering, producing environmentally friendly pieces made from 100% alpine merino wool (from New Zealand), that they claim are unlike other synthetics or heavy wools, because they’re warmer, more breathable, softer to the touch, and most importantly, DON’T STINK.
Naturally I was skeptical, but I gotta tell you, I LOVE THIS HOODIE. As advertised, it’s nice and hefty, fits well, it’s soft as a baby’s bottom, and keeps me warm and toasty. Plus, check out this hood! It makes me look like Apolo Ohno!

Skimming the catalog, Icebreaker has tons of different layering possibilities for gals and guys, for the outdoor extremist as well as the couch potato-ist, and some really cute underthings for the girls. (As usual, the guys clothes need more variation and color choices, but such is the world in which we live.) Check out a ton of styles for every environment at icebreaker.com. Or better yet, why not show up for the official opening of their new Portland store, which will feature cocktails, wine, sale prices on all merch, and actual Merino Sheep grazing outside the store! Here’s the deets:

ICEBREAKER TOUCH LAB

1109 W Burnside (corner of Burnside & 11th)

Tuesday, Dec 4th, 6-8 pm

Here are a couple more close up pix of my new hoodie. Don’t you just want to unzip me?

Who: Diana
Where: Stand Up Comedy
Cutest piece: My Marni top!
Photo by: AM

Who: Mikey, Chuck, and P.J. aka The Cool Kids
Where: NW 5th Ave
Cutest thing about Portland: Kids like to dance!
Photo by: AM

Who: Mandy and Linda Marie
Where: Outside the Flosstradamus dance party at Holocene
Photo by: AM

Who: Crystal
Where: Juicy’s Frankie Chan party at Rotture
Photo by: AM

Who: Seth aka DJ Girlfriends
Where: New Young Pony Club after party at Dunes
Cutest piece: My hooded cape by Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Photo by: AM

Who: Julie and Ursula
Where: Crystal Castles party at Branx
Photo by: Rhys Balmer

Who: Ryan and Brian!
Where: Justice Party at Holocene
Photo by: AM

Who: Sarah Jane
Where: Uniqlo Party at the ACE Hotel
Cutest thing about tonight: The Chromatics!
Photo by: Rhys Balmer

Who: Stacy
Where: Plazm Magazine Release Party
Cutest thing about tonight: Glass Candy!
Photo by: AM

Who: Ariel
Where: Diplo Party at Holocene
Cutest thing about Portland: DJ Beyonda!
Photo by: AM

Who: Tabor
Where: Juicy Dance Party at Rotture
Photo by: AM

Who: Blaire
Where: Tube
Cutest thing about Portland: All the amazing dance parties!
Photo by: Rhys Balmer

I’m loving that this guy is dedicated to keeping his Adidas (from the outlet in Troutdale, aka the Troutlets) super clean. Every time he puts them on, he rubs down the rubber with Oxyclean, and the leather with a damp cloth—he found out the hard way that chemicals will break down the leather over time. He also added a warning about urinating in public bathrooms while drunk—apparently the pink is the same shade as those urinal cakes. I was thinking the color scheme was more Easter, but everyone’s entitled to their own associations.

Got anymore? List ‘em below! Tip o’ the sorting hat to Fashionista!

A few of my favorite looks from the Denwave menswear show on Saturday:

Adam Arnold looking impish in his high waisted jeans.

Probably the most natural looking combination of model and clothing.

Track suit!

I really like these shorts, and the cotton of the tee is super soft with embellishments that remind me of Clu, but the pouch got the only audible snort out of my BF through the whole show.

In the audience:

Nathaniel Crissman of Church + State wore a shirt from the line he produces with girlfriend Rachel Turk.

Cheap & chic eyecatching green on green accessories.

Guess which Mercury employee is full on rocking the sock garters today?:

Turns out she got them at my favorite panty store, Lille Boutique (1007 E Burnside), along with the socks, too. The socks are $12 and come in baby blue, black, charcoal, light grey, lilac, and peach, and the garters are $24 in blue, green, pink or teal, in case you have the urge to do the geek chic thing too. Both are by Miss Dater. You can also wear them around a pair of flats to create an instant ballet effect.

I keep seeing these sneakers everywhere. I’ve been calling them “Dickensian.” Everyone says they bought them at Sole (1033 NW Couch).

A call over to the store revealed that they are from Southern California’s BC Footwear, and still available in both the black and plaid, plus other varieties are due to the store for fall. The style is called “Coast to Coast. Only $44!