The Perfect Bridesmaid Gift (IMHO). Discuss:

I've written about bridesmaid gifts before and, yes, I have feelings about the subject. It's not that I don't appreciate the gesture of a gift, but in our globally warming world, I believe it's better to not give anything at all than to give something cheap that will create clutter. For example, I've been a bridesmaid something like 9 times, and I've rarely been gifted anything that didn't eventually wind up in the garbage (fall-apart jewelry, shiny photo frames, perfume, change purses to match my 'maids dress, etc—all personal-or-home items I kind of want to pick out for myself or don't need at all).

I've championed gift cards, but many people like to give something that isn't essentially the equivalent of money; they'd rather give something the recipient can look back on and think of the giver and the lovely day they shared. Soy candles are nice, but they burn away. Wine disappears (in my house anyway) in an hour. Finding something that is truly useful and lasting, but doesn't cost an arm and a leg, is difficult.

So that's why I'm seriously loving…purse holders. (Yes, I know they weren't invented yesterday, but I've kept my lust for them hidden until now.) Here's why I think they're great: They're generally inexpensive and they're seriously useful, especially if you are like (ahem) some people who spend the equivalent of a month's rent on a single handbag. Some handbag holders are really well-made and truly pretty, such as these Pavina Handbag Holders, which are essentially the Tiffany & Co. of handbag holders, featuring glittery gemstones and other bling. They retail for $45 to $60, but are 40 percent off here from 11/27 through 12/21/2009. (Quick disclaimer: I haven't personally tested Pavina brand).

A pretty Pavina handbag holder. If only these worked over the back of movie seats...

If that price is still too steep for your wedding budget, a quick web search turned up tons of great handbag holder choices for around $12, including plain ones you could decorate with your own flair (your 'maids' initials? a tiny picture under glass?)

What are your thoughts? Is this a good bridesmaid gift idea or a stinker? What will you give your 'maids? You can find more inspiration at SeattleBrideMag.com.

The Loveliest Wedding Shoes of All

As far as I'm concerned, Vivienne Westwood can do no wrong. But (despite Carrie's infamous wedding dress in the Sex and the City movie) I don't really think of Westwood designs as typical "bridal."

That must be why j'adore these classic-Westwood heart heels: They are whimsy and cheek married with cool style, and yet are also The Perfect heels for a bride.

They come in tan, white and blue—the latter is the obvious choice for the nearly wed—and are only $159 if you buy them here. (Are they sweet or what?)

As for me, I'm going to buy a pair—Right. Now!—because I think these cuties are just as apropos for a writer who writes about love, as they are for a gal declaring her undying love.

(I found the above wedding images—uncredited—online, so I don't know who the bride or photog are.)

Fashion Week: Lovely Gary Graham spring 10 "wedding" dress

Some of my favorite wedding dresses are ones designed from entirely un-bridal inspirations. Most of the brides we feature in Seattle Bride's real weddings stories wear traditional wedding dresses, but we've also shown women wearing beautiful dresses found at Marios or Nordstrom, and one memorable dress worn by a PNB ballerina was culled at BCBG for a song.

So I loved spying this Gary Graham dress (above) from the Spring 2010 collections yesterday. His collection was partially inspired by both Nancy Spungen and Lillian Gish, according to Style.com. With this dress, a 1930's Gish (and maybe a little 90s-era Courtney Love, who always aspired to be Spungen), is evident.

Graham's whole collection, pieces of which are sold here in Seattle at Alhambra and Les Amis, is lovely and there are beautiful options for bridesmaid dresses—that can actually be worn again, thank you very much—as well.


Photos: Alex Antich / Courtesy of Gary Graham

Maybe Anna's Starbucks arrived cold today?

The best caption from Fashion Week so far. (Is she being rewarded or punished?!?!)

Photo: Casey Kelbaugh for The New York Times

Uncharted Territories: Panama, Costa Rica—and Victoria!

Now that what must have been my busiest, most adventurous summer yet is drawing to a close, I have time to blog (and just in time for Fashion Week) and post a couple of magazine articles I wrote that were recently published.

My story about an incredible "Journey Between Two Seas" from Costa Rica to Panama appears in the September issue of Virtuoso. As with any trip, most of the journey is not included in the article—there are dozens of stories that came from this trip, from exploring old ruins to meeting remote tribes to zip-lining through the rainforest canopy—but I hope you enjoy my take on 10 days in the jungle and on the ocean in 1,800 words.
Me, ziplining over the jungle; Photo by Kerrick James

In the same issue, a smaller article I wrote about eating my way through Victoria, B.C., one of my favorite nearby Northwest getaways, is featured on page 36. Victoria is a laid-back, lovely city with a fussier reputation than it deserves. Thanks in part to the inventive Island Chef's Collaborative, many, many bistros and restaurants here are just first-rate, offering organic, island-only—or primarily island—cuisine. Feel free to get in touch if you ever need suggestions about where to eat or stay (or bike!) in Victoria; I'm always happy to pass on my recommendations!
Cycling the coastline near Victoria. And, no, I don't always wear some kind of helmet when I travel

Behind the Scenes at Seattle Bride

I'm in love with this video shot by Edit 1 Media at Seattle Bride magazine's recent photo shoot for our flowers feature. What really floors me is that this is the state of wedding video these days! Many thanks to Edit 1 for this beautiful video and giving our readers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at a flowers/fashion shoot.

Edit 1 Media founders Laura and Chris Randall are also one of our upcoming "Ask the Experts" on SeattleBrideMag.com, so be sure to keep your eyes out for their Q&A-style interview, where they answer everything you need to know about wedding videography.

Seattle Bride on Evening magazine!

Photograph by Elke Van de Velde
The upcoming Fall/Winter 2009 issue of Seattle Bride is coming down the home stretch, giving me little time for anything else. So it was great to take a break last night and watch a terrific segment on Evening Magazine about one of our upcoming fashion spreads shot by one of my favorite photographers, Elke Van de Velde.

It's always fun to see how TV shows edit long conversations down to soundbites—I ordinarily wouldn't mention Depression-era, budgeting and Luly Yang dresses in the same breath—but I'm loving how they put together all these thoughts into three fabulous minutes. Check it out and let me know what you think, and be sure to pick up a copy of the issue when it hits newsstands in early July!