Tag: OOTD
The Beaded Boater by Sarah Sokol Millinery
by Doris Hobbs 
The Boater hat, is an accessory that has been admired throughout the last hundred and fifty years in fashion history as a piece that is charming for leisure wear for both men and women. My first glimpse of such a millinery style came in 2004 with the flirty hit HBO sitcom, Sex in the City where the always fashion-forward, Carrie Bradshaw arrived in Paris wearing a … Read More The Beaded Boater by Sarah Sokol Millinery
Words Spoken with Love
by Doris Hobbs
Have you ever experienced a time when communication fell short from anything conventional? Perhaps a mislead conversation or perspective flooded your conscious mind resulting to a quite different tone spoken. Words are in many ways represented as a wooden frame, as it accumulates meanings from its four perfectly symmetry borders and later forgotten. Take speech in a conversation for an example, it’s not just … Read More Words Spoken with Love
Alluring Gemstones by Phyllis Warman Jewelry
by Doris Hobbs
What makes a gemstone so alluring? Perhaps, it’s the endowing historical implementation one carries as they are among the rarest and most desired since the beginning of time—through novels, paintings, and jewelry. Much like the green light in The Great Gatsby, a variety of symbolic meanings has been attributed to gemstones. Meanings vary slightly depending on the time period, the culture, and the combinations … Read More Alluring Gemstones by Phyllis Warman Jewelry
The Beauty of ‘Miss Tatiana’
by Doris Hobbs
Spring, the Milliners busiest season of the year. Beginning by restocking any dwindling supplies from previous months and choosing materials for current designs, a Millinery studio begins bursting with deliveries of vintage flowers, lacy netting and unshaped straw. For the start of the season, I find it the best time to pull together your best daywear ensembles and mark the months ahead with Carla … Read More The Beauty of ‘Miss Tatiana’
Dark Romance in All Ginned Up
by Doris Hobbs
With wings, black as night, black as coal, the Raven is a messenger from another world. When it makes, its presence known to you, a mysterious flight of dark romance and beaconing confidence is received. There is no sense of time as the raven lives in the void of the moment. Simultaneously, watching as he tilts his head while sitting above in a tree, he never … Read More Dark Romance in All Ginned Up
A Charming Stroll Through Claremont Upland with a Portrait of a Lady
by Doris Hobbs
Built in 1921, the Claremont Upland historic district of Berkeley, adjacent to the Claremont Hotel, gives such a nostalgic feeling of an era gone by. Standing before such quaint, picture-perfect Craftsman-style homes of the neighborhood, I often wonder if some are still owned by their original tenants. Many of us know that home is where the heart is – in my case, it’s my … Read More A Charming Stroll Through Claremont Upland with a Portrait of a Lady
An Ageless Cliché
by Doris Hobbs
From a heightened focus of confidence you will find in a woman’s closet a Red Dress, which in many cases is a women’s social armor. While screen sirens throughout the ages have donned the crimson shade to project a sense of sex appeal the truth of the matter is, what we wear authentically has power over others. With the ageless cliché of the “Lady … Read More An Ageless Cliché
A Gentleman’s Heart
by Doris Hobbs
A feminist demand of, “If men can wear this, why can’t I?” comes to mind for those with the heart of a gentleman. German actress and style icon of the 1930s, Marlene Dietrich, contrasted such a statement with her passionate relationship with her wardrobe, both on and off the screen. Being the first Hollywood actress of her era to wear trousers in public gave … Read More A Gentleman’s Heart
Modern-day Transformation
by Doris Hobbs
With a renowned love of vintage fashion, it’s no surprise you’ll find me radiating elegance from the 1940s, preferably the year 1947, where I exude a modern day example, which in return showcases an era of timeless grace. Having developed a strong style that is heavily influenced from a childhood of admiring the influential women in my life, their names and personas live on … Read More Modern-day Transformation
Dress like a Lady
by Doris Hobbs
Parisians have a distinct sense of style in regards to garment choices. Maintaining confidence through a casual, yet elegant persona, Parisians are viewed as being never over or under-dressed. French muse, Coco Chanel, a legendary designer, believed that an overall ensemble should represent a theme of “less is more.” In following those guidelines, one should apply a sleek, feminine profile, which achieves a subtle choice … Read More Dress like a Lady
Old Hollywood Couture with Corsettery Corsets
by Doris Hobbs
When I first set forth within the fashion industry, I was young, inexperienced, and in so many words, a dreamer of grand possibilities. I found such pleasure in garnishing myself with my grandmother’s prized costume jewelry, fur stoles, and red Revlon lipstick. Having been enriched by my beloved grandparents’ rich historic roots of fine arts and literature, I’ve embarked on a timeless journey of classic panache. … Read More Old Hollywood Couture with Corsettery Corsets
The City that Knows how
by Doris Hobbs
As anyone who knows me is clearly aware, I adore the vintage style and history of a grand San Francisco landmark. So it comes as no surprise that such a monument of 1915 will stand as this week’s subject and backdrop. A grand memory I cherish comes from afternoon strolls through “the city that knows how,” a phrase that has over the years represented … Read More The City that Knows how
