Seattle Fashion Blogger VueSociety Beyond the Blog

Fashionable founder Rachel Kim announces the launch of her e-commerce website www.vuesociety.com

Notable local fashion blogger Rachel Kim takes her love of fashion to the next level by converting her popular blog into what is sure to be a popular online retail store.

Currently offering clients; dresses, tops, jackets, bottoms, and accessories priced from $25-$300 with the plan to expand into menswear in the future. VueSociety is a carefully curated selection of limited unique pieces.

 "THE VUESOCIETY WOMAN KNOWS WHAT SHE WANTS. SHE DRESSES CONSERVATIVELY AND IS LABELED A TRENDSETTER."

With five percent of all sales going to local non-profit Washington Women In Need (WWIN) VueSociety offers fashion with a higher purpose.

Say hello to Sassy Pants

For many in Seattle one of the perks or draw backs (depends on how you look at it) of living in a Seattle share house is that inevitably one of your roommates has a pet. Since I live in a pet free rental home, you could imagine my surprise when I happened upon a pet living in our basement. A random act of kindness led to the discovery of the secret fifth roommate that lives in our basement.

A few roommates ago someone had a pet, and they decided that they needed to move on and away from Seattle, but there was no room in their new plan for this pet. So a current roommate assumed the responsibility and has been maintaining the pet in our basement. I like animals, and since this animal lives in our house I offered to help care for the now not so secret pet.

The first thing that needed to be done was re-branding. Since, this animal was moving on to a new chapter in life it was out with the old name and in with the new. Also , the previous owner incorrectly assumed it was male. So we have done away with the name Morty and renamed our Ball Python Sassy Pants. Since Sassy Pants is not enjoying a life in Africa there is no reason she can't enjoy a life in Seattle like every other house pet.

*added notes- I do not support or promote owning exotic pets.

The Chocolate Shoebox- Vegan Shoes and Chocolates in Seattle

How does a former Wildland Firefighter turned luxury merchandiser manage to stay fashionable in Seattle. The Chocolate Shoebox in Greenwood of course! How lucky to have found The Chocolate Shoebox, not only carrying vegan shoes for men and women but also chocolate. Owner Sadaf Hussain offers  not only fantastic vegan shoes, but also CHOCOLATE. The added bonus is that all three of the styles I purchased were each under $20, great when you have a modest budget. Now for those of you  that equate money with and style there are of course pricier options.

If you have not visited this gem of a shop, I recommend you do so immediately. Even if they don't have the perfect shoe for you (that is not really possible, you will find a must have shoe), you can still leave with some chocolate making every visit to The Chocolate Shoe Box a success.

Dear Milan, I miss you. Enjoy fashion week.xoxo

If you can't be in Milan for Fashion Week than make a point to visit in the near future. In Milan you will find the Turin Bull Crest in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. You'll need to spin on your right heel for good luck.  Of course, I did it, I figured if I have kissed the Blarney Stone then spinning on bull "attributes" is no big deal. Plus you then get to enjoy the rest of the day enjoying the cuisine, history, and luxury of a place originally designed in 1861 and built between 1865-1877. While we in the U.S. enjoy our shopping malls the people of Milan enjoy La Dolce Vita.

What to wear when visiting a PUMPKIN PATCH

It is that time of year again when the leaves start to turn, the air is cool and brisk, and you begin to think about the really important things in life. For instance, what to be for Halloween... sexy pirate or sexy super hero? However, before we can even think about that you first have to get into the spirit of the season and visit the PUMPKIN PATCH! When suddenly you realize you have no idea how to dress for the occasion.

The first thing to remember is that you will be surrounded by animals, crops, dirt, hay and mud. A Pumpkin Patch is just not an ideal place for heels. This is not to say you can't have a fashion moment. A Pumpkin Patch is the perfect place to accessorize. A large handbag is not only functional but fashionable.

A large handbag can accommodate all those supplies you will need for your day of fun. A  large handbag can easily carry the water, snacks, first aid kit, flash light, and GPS you will need to complete the corn maze. After all, a corn maze can be very challenging and you'll want to be prepared. Also, a large handbag provides a protective barrier between you and those unruly goats and sheep you may encounter in the petting zoo. If you must, you can even carry your pumpkin home in your handbag. Although, I do not recommend carrying a pumpkin home because the inside of a pumpkin is disgusting.

Happy Fall Everyone!

Football, are you ready Seattle?

One thing about Seattle that has always bummed me out a little is the Football and I don't mean the Team. What I've never felt in Seattle is the fan dedication, you have a few face painters and season ticket holders but overall you just don't seem into the Seahawks.

My first Pro Season in Seattle I was excited to see my new city and second team (the Bears will always be my number one) enjoy a 13-3 season taking them to the Super Bowl for their first appearance in the teams 30 year history. Now maybe it's because I lived through the dark times with the Chicago Bears from 1993-2003, when he who shall not be named (Michael McCaskey) seemed to single handedly suck all of the happiness and joy out of our city and lives. I was happy to be in a city with a winning team, and not only winning but going to the Super Bowl against an 11-5 wild card team. I remember the pre game pep rally and that is when I noticed something was off. The papers reported an great turn out of  between 150-175 fans. Ok, I know I was guilty of to wanting relive the magic of the 1984-1985 Chicago Bears Season, and I'm not saying I need a Seahawks Shuffle, but 175 fans! 

Football teams alone do not win games nor do they make seasons or eras. It's the cities and fans that create the legend and keep it alive. Football is not about just wearing face paint and colored mardi gras beads. Football is about creating a legacy and tradition. I knew that when I watched the Bears in 1984-1985 I was part of a Football renaissance that Chicago had not seen since the Monsters of the Midway. So Seattle I would like to see a little more Football spirit, Sounders fans keep up the good work. 

Sacsayhuaman/Sexy Woman

One thing I've noticed about Seattle is that everyone I've met loves to travel.  I don't mean travel as in the typical midwest Florida spring break travel,  I mean South America travel.

I was lucky enough to spend a month backpacking around Peru including the Inca Trail. Upon arrival, I immediately discovered Peru is not an all inclusive resort in Mexico. I quickly learned that the spanish I had picked up while watching Sesame Street as a child would not suffice. When I left Peru I felt accomplished, and amazed at my ability to overcome significant sickness and language deficiencies.  What I discovered after moving to Seattle is that pretty much everyone has been to Peru. That's right my amazing journey was the equivalent of a morning coffee run in Seattle.

If you are new to Seattle or have lived here your entire life and have not visited Peru please do so as soon as possible. Having met so many people that have visited Peru in one city I can only hypothesize that it is a requirement for residency. Don't let anyone know you've never been to Peru for fear you will be asked to leave. Please purchase a Lonely Planet, dust off your passport, and book your flight to Peru.

Replica Handbags in Seattle, you're all grown up!

When I first moved to Seattle I considered it to be a big town and not a city. Forgive me, but I'm from Chicago, and it's a little bigger. Now before all the natives get their knickers in knots, I am happy to profess I have since changed my position on the subject. Congratulations Seattle, you have now been upgraded from big town to city.

What pushed Seattle to the next level raising it's status in my eyes? Was it the arts, business, culture, or cuisine, no! Although, Seattle has plenty of noteworthy entries in each category mentioned, it was the one deciding factor that says, hey you've made it to the big time. Yes, you guessed it, Replica Handbags.

What?! Replica Handbags you say, that's right. The fact that Seattle in all it's fleeced glory is now declaring that fashion is not only important, but so important residents are willing to engage in and promote corruption for a knockoff.  Now, I don't want you to feel bad about yourself Seattle. Crime is a part of growing up, and I've seen boutiques in Bellevue brazenly sell knockoffs to the uninformed consumer. It was on the waterfront behind the market, so if you have to tell yourself that only tourists are buying fakes to sleep better at night go ahead.

*special note: I could only take one photo before I was chased away and the man selling the fake luxury bags tried to grab my camera.

Box of Poetry

The Poetry drop box near my house. Yep, a box full of poetry. Who made the box? I have no idea. What happens to the poems left in the box? Again, totally clueless. Do more of these boxes exist around town? I couldn't tell you. In fact those could be empty papers rolled up, nothing more than simple props. I like to think some clever people had something to share.  I won't be contributing to the drop box, no one wants to read my Poe"try" because I'm not a Poet and I know it.

Zombies are not my favorite.

Another fun fact about Seattle that you may not have known is that Seattle loves Zombies. No, I don't mean they love Zombies like they love their Sketchers (because we all know you only love your Sketchers when you don't have a Prada Backpack), they really love Zombies. This was a bit hard for me to understand, if you have to love something supernatural wouldn't you naturally choose Vampire, Witch or Werewolf. Think about it Vampires always have great fashion sense, always have money, and are well travelled. Witches are great problem solvers, and Werewolves are very athletic(yes they do have that excessive body hair problem but with the advancements in laser hair removal this shouldn't be as much of a problem). I couldn't see the fascination with a walking corpse; no sense of humor (Zombies can't speak), no regard for fashion or style (you always see Zombies wearing rags), and Zombies never die but literally continue to decay. Aging forever and wearing horrid apparel is my worst fear. However, I decided to see what Zombies had to offer.

This year I participated in the Zombie Walk - Red, White, and Dead 2011. The Zombie Walk is an event were seemingly normal people of sound mind come together to pretend to be Zombies, and walk around a neighborhood in an attempt to break a Guinness World record because apparently people do this in other cities. I dressed up because it was another opportunity to wear my tutu, and you should always find or create opportunities to wear a tutu. I've included my two favorite pictures because when it comes to being a Zombie these participants really got into character. 

C-H-I-C-K-E-N That's the way you spell (clap) Chicken.

If you didn't already know or you couldn't figure it out, Seattle loves chickens. Yep, you heard me, we love chickens. I'm sure everyone in the city has a friend or coworker who owns chickens. I have 2 friends that own chickens, and I've listed some reasons why you might consider owning chickens.

 Backyard chickens provide; fresher,  healthier, tastier eggs than factory farmed eggs. Backyard chickens also provide natural insect control, and the scratching for bugs and droppings are great for the soil. Can you say that about your house cat or lap dog?  Of course we can't forget chickens are fun and interesting, and the owners swear that each chicken has a unique personality.  As a child I loved collecting eggs from my Grandmother's chickens in North Carolina. I've included a song below that a childhood friend taught me way back in the day, and maybe you'll want backyard chickens.

Well C - that's the way it begins,
And H - that's the next letter in,
And I - that's the middle of the word,
And C - that you've already heard,
And K - that's the name of the hen,
And E - now we're nearing the N
C-H-I-C-K-E-N

That's the way you spell (clap) Chicken.

Love Thy Neighborhood

One of the many things I really like about Seattle is the neighborhoods, and after 6 years I can honestly say I like them all. Sure maybe you wouldn't want to live in them all full time but you have to admit they all have their charm and qualities that make them unique.

Currently, I am all about Greenwood. I love that from 79th St. to 87th St.  along Greenwood Ave.,  you can find; Greek, Indian, Pakistani, Japanese,  Thai, Latino, French,  and Chinese. Of course don't forget the numerous art galleries, various shops, and businesses. However there is one Greenwood fixture/resident that I enjoy above all others. Lamar the lion. 

Lamar Lion resides in the "tiki" room of the Urban Light Studios. Despite his threatening stance and appearance I am sure he is pretty laid back. After all, he likes to hang out by the tiki bar so he can't really be all that uptight. I recommend visiting the Urban Light Studios and all that is Greenwood especially during the monthly greenwood Art Walk. 

Seattle Men love shopping with their Ladies.

Why do some women have to shop with their men? In Chicago, the men I know stay at home glued to the TV and laptop managing their Fantasy Football team, and in the off season they play golf. I really can not believe he wants to hold your handbag. I tried this activity about a month ago before my ex and I broke up and it was such a drag. We were out and about and I thought great I'll just pop into the shop for a few minutes. There I am trying to look at tunics and caftans and he is walking behind me throughout the store. I was really shocked he came inside the store, I thought he would just sit in the car.  Maybe it is just me but I need my space when I shop, rarely do I ask for opinions, or approval from someone about my style choices.

That is why I could not help but take this photo today. Dragging the non-metrosexual heterosexual male out to the store is cruel and unusual punishment. This picture of Pat Podenski of Seattle, WA, is how every non-metrosexual heterosexual man looks while out shopping with their wife, girlfriend, or really any female for that matter. Note the devotion to the blackberry, the reclined posture that says-well I better get settled in, this is gonna be awhile. I think of it like this, would I want to be forced to walk around some home improvement store or electronics store?! N-O!

Of course some will argue that the guy may be there because he has the wallet as is common practice for Baby Boomers. However, growing up with my parents I routinely saw my stay at home Mom buy the items she wanted while my Dad was at work, and then hide them under the bed for a later date, hence the term "this old thing", when my Dad questioned a new pair of shoes or a dress. You see the ladies of the Baby Boomer generation knew you could not buy the good stuff with the guy there at the store. So again I am left questioning, why?

Tenacatita, Mexico; and croquet with a resort theme.

On Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend I attended a Resort Theme party with a croquet tournament. I have always felt there was an alarming lack of croquet in the U.S. so I was very excited to attend this party. I went with an Hamptons/Italian look for my resort wear, but the party included everything from Cannes to the Jersey Shore, it was fantastic and everyone should give themselves a high five. Everyone was enjoying the food, games, blue grass band, and costume contest but this was no ordinary fete. Oh no, this fete wasn't simply beer and hot dogs *, no it was also a fundraiser for a town in Mexico called Tenacatita.

Tenacatita is a small town and bay a few hours south of Puerto Vallarta. This land of Tenacatita and bay was highly desirable, so desirable in fact that although the land was classified as Ejido (which is just another way of saying Farm Commune until 1992 and could not be converted to private property), hired guns stormed the small town and with bullets and tear gas pushed the farmers, fisherman, and yes expatriates, and tourists off the land. Now here is when things get a little dicey. Many locals of the Ejido and expatriates purchased lots after 2006 however, a wealthy business owner claims to have purchased the land in 1991 and obtained the beach concession in 1993. But, as previously stated, Ejido land was not available for private purchase before 1992, and even today there are rules and regulations and red tape. What this picturesque little village is left with is an estimated 600 displaced residents, a story that would have received limited coverage had a few Canadians and Americans not been involved, and a Government embarrassed by their "tainted Real Estate Industry".

*PNW factoid- no one in the Pacific Northwest consumes hot dogs unless they're organic, local and vegan.

What?! The Upcoming Terror of a Share House.

We have had consecutive days of SUN, and if you are like me, you have been in a blissful haze. At least I was until I took the recycling out, and that is when I saw something that scared me.

What it is that now causes me to sleep with one eye open? It is a Hand Push Mower! That's right, no gas, no electric, just a razor reel and my own horse power. Now, since I live in a share house with 3 people I met randomly via a craigslist ad, I am expected to do yard work when our "Chore Wheel" dictates. For those that don't live in Seattle this is a very common practice so don't freak out.

Now that I have seen this and know what is lurking for me in the backyard, and what terrror awaits in a mere 2 weeks, I am having a hard time enjoying this weather. I know with every ray of sunshine and every sprinkle of rain, the grass grows and grows,  oh yes, how the grass grows and grows.

(shh...cue music from JAWS)

In honor of Oscar de la Renta

Twitter was buzzing today and it was all about Oscar. I love Oscar de la Renta and I was reminded of my "First Pair". Yes, just like Carrie Bradshaw loved Manolo's I had the Oscar's. The Oscar shoes were a bonus for all my hard work for a former employer/fashion designer. I have to confess, I never wore them outside and eventually felt so guilty keeping such a creation locked up that I sold them to a person who lives in a less rainy climate. I still miss them and even more so today. Thanks for everything you do Mr. Oscar de la Renta.

Fashion and Cheese

This week was Seattle Fashion Week. I continued on with my Project Runway theme by attending the Logan Neitzel Homecoming Party and Trunk Show at Sole Repair in Capitol Hill on Tuesday.  If anyone can get me a the black fur vest please let me know, I'm serious. I had to take a picture of this fashionable lady in the vest I loved, and I love that she is wearing COLOR.  Wednesday, I attended the Crave Green/Urban enoteca event. Although the Crave Green event was very successful, the fashion show was so fast, I blinked and almost missed it. Two days off from the gym meant I had to really make up for it on Thursday and Friday, and or course make it out for dinner Friday night. However, all this work led up to what I was most excited about this weekend.  The Seattle Cheese Festival!!!

I'm not kidding, I love cheese. Thankfully so do my friends and so does Seattle. If you have never gone to the cheese festival you are missing out. Don't believe Seattle likes cheese, just google local artisan cheese and be prepared to freak out. A few of my friends did not attend the cheese festival because they are lactose intolerant. I feel really bad for you guys, I have no idea what I would do if I couldn't eat dairy. My friends and I discussed this very thing at Bluebird Ice cream and Tea room as we chased our cheese samples with Ice cream. Yes, that is correct, we ate cheese all morning and then finished it off with ice cream. It was a glorious day.

Locally sourced and organic

So listen up all you Seattle newbies ,if you want to blend in ASAP with the locals,  you gotta learn that people like the food locally sourced and organic. Now it's not that I don't believe in locally sourced and organic, it's just I find I am not the most creative when it comes to cooking for myself. *Seattle Lite moment of truth- I routinely survive on a steady diet of Diet Coke, Bagels, Sour Patch Kids, and Slim Fast.

So thanks to a Groupon moment last summer I had a voucher for a standard box of locally sourced organic produce from "Full Circle Farms".  I had such good intentions but there was so much food and much of it went to waste. Of course, I will be visiting the farmers market and other options for locally sourced organic. Just hide the Jif Peanut butter and Marshmallow fluff when your friends come over.

The Tulips

Ok, so it is that time of year again when you realize you missed the Skagit valley Tulip festival. Not to worry my friends. Take the "Seattle Lite" approach and just walk around your neighborhood and look at the rewards of all your neighbors hard work from last fall.

Seattle get your Gunn!

Ok, so the Siver Fox of Fashion Mr. Tim Gunn was not technically in Seattle, it was actually Bellevue but hey I 'll take what I can get. Lucky Brand Jeans, I must confess you have never really gotten my pulse racing or even warranted a second look most of the time. Having said that, I must confess, the Tunic Dress is still in the forefront of my thoughts. Of course, the set falling down moments before the show was mildly amusing and added to the drama of the day. The clothes were good but the GOSSIP was great!!! Tim Gunn, not only are you a master of fashion and style but you can serve up the hot dish gossip like no other. My friends and I left in a blissful haze due to having learned a few things about Heidi, Nina, and Mr. Kors. It was fabulous, the only thing left to do was to return to earth and reground ourselves with the ever stylish Gin Rickey at Smith.

Six year Anniversary

After Six years of living in Seattle having moved here from nearly 30 years of never being far from Chicago, I have arrived at some realizations.
1) I will never go hiking by myself. Perhaps you were not aware of this but there are bears and mountain lions in the woods.
2) I fully believe it is never ok to wear fleece no matter how comfortable for a night out on the town.
Please join me as I celebrate 6 years in the Emerald City. Sharing what I love, despise, and am continuing to learn about Seattle.