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Enjoying The Holiday Season
December 10, 2011 | posted by Beth Bowley | Gift Ideas

I love this time of year.  It’s a pleasure to take the time to show friends and family that I care and am thinking about them....you should enjoy it too!

If your shopping list is like mine, most of the choices are easy…friends and family that I feel confident about finding just the right thing.  (I say most…the women and nieces are easy…the men and ever-growing/changing nephews are the challenges!)

The best piece of holiday shopping advice I ever got - and took...enjoy the process and allow yourself the extra time YOU need to enjoy the holidays.

Make a loose plan, don’t try to do it all in one day, and take advantage of services that can save you time...

  • Have your gift wrapped when you purchase it – done!

Spend your extra time writing a thoughtful note.

  • Have your gift shipped

Most retailers are happy to wrap and ship…so seal the deal - make your choice and get it in the mail!  

You’ll feel really great with the instant check marks on your list…

  • Help out your Santa too…use wish lists.

The guys in your life will appreciate any help they can get…just tell them you’ve scoped it out and picked some things they can choose from or be inspired by…..no more worries about getting another car gadget when you were dreaming about something sparkly….it’s a win – win - win!

(All gifts purchased from the fourTWELVE wish list get 10% off)

  • If your list includes people you aren’t sure about – keep it simple...a gift certificate is ALWAYS a great idea.

Use your extra time to go to a movie with a friend or actually make that “let’s have a drink soon” date happen, or head out for a local event that you wouldn’t normally make time for….you will both be grateful for the gift of time spent with loved ones.

Cheers!

 

 

 

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Local Style
November 21, 2011 | posted by Beth Bowley | Happenings

Special occasion dressing solved…with super style and local pride!

The rumors are true – we’ve been very busy creating an exclusive line of special occasion dressing options right here…yes, right here in Rockland….tailored on site at fourTWELVE.

In answer to the many requests for flexible special occasion pieces, we responded with the ultimate solution… let’s make it beautiful, and let’s make it right here….why not…we can do this…right?

fourTWELVE’s design team got busy and created impeccable pieces that easily combine into chic outfits, bought really cool sewing equipment, found the best seamstresses in the mid-coast, and ta-da….started filling orders as fast as we could.

(I made that all sound really easy…in some ways it was…but really…it took a year of hard work to make this dream come true…NOW it’s easy….)

Imagine the perfect wrap silk blouse…in the color you want…with custom fitting available.  The individual fourTWELVE styles are wardrobe builders in classic cuts, cut in a beautiful range of fabrics and colors.   

The pieces are designed to work easily into your wardrobe for multiple uses; that silk wrap blouse is also pretty striking paired with denim, and the luxury weight bias skirt works with a more casual layered look for day….or with just a tee – luxurious, simple, and beautiful. 

Mission accomplished….with style.

Much more on this project later…we have lots of new things on the burner we forward to sharing…

 

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Skinny Jeans & Boots
November 14, 2011 | posted by Beth Bowley | Style Tips

Fall Denim and Cord

You’ve been wearing and loving those skinny jeans and jeggings all summer and early fall…now what?  It’s November and we’re going to have to put some warmer foot gear into rotation.  I know…it was still warm enough for open toe shoes last weekend…but it’s a bit nippy at night now, and threatens change any day…and some how it’s just wrong to wear sandals to Thanksgiving dinner.

Skinny jeans and jeggings look great tucked into boots…keep tham tonal for your longest leggy look.  Tuck them into a short boot for a cool urban gal look, or tall boots – supper chic rocker chick!   (Also just darn practical!) 

Hasbeens Combat Boot in Grey Nuback and n.d.c. Shearling Wedge

Your boot choice for the season will be the foundation of your wardrobe…don’t forget where we live – you’ll be wearing them every day – so make an investment worthy of daily worship.  I always think great boots, coats, and bags define your style…the rest can be simple and subtle…let the pieces you wear daily show your style.

You can also update your skinny jean/jegging habit by moving into a light weight cord or velvet version, or by changing to a darker cleaner denim wash…slightly more refined and professional, and a welcome change.

AG Stilt in Dark Cord

The success of any outfit is in the balance…and it’s true that opposites attract…so make your look really “now” by topping off your fabulous skinny gams with a new boxy top…yep…it’s all about those super comfortable boxy tops and slouchy sweaters paired with skinny bottoms...luxurious and oh-so-subtle sexy.

And it's working for all of the Kates....

 

 

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Seasons Change...
November 1, 2011 | posted by Beth Bowley | Style Tips

and so do we...

Evolving gracefully into the next season can be a challenge…we’ve all done it…ended up in 38 degree weather in open-toe shoes…or the reverse; your coziest chunky sweater when the sun pushes the day to 68.

The best solution for unpredictable temperature is dressing in layers.  Have pieces with you that you can add on or peel off as needed.   Choose your pieces as if each layer were a complete outfit…so if you do need to peel down you aren’t sporting a mismatched stray gym tee…no one was going to see that right?  

Here are 2 examples of 1+1+1 = perfect:

Super-Fine Merino Tank + Marika Charles Tee + Marika Charles Wispy Duster:

Super-Fine Merino Tee + Marika Charles Wispy Pull-over + The Always-Perfect fourTWELVE Long Cashmere Duster:

                  

I also find carrying a bigger bag this time of year helps…to stash or produce an extra layer as needed. 

And I always carry a scarf…it can complete a look with a dash of color while keeping the chill away, and be the one last needed layer of warmth over your sweater.  It’s really surprising what one more light-weight layer can do…

Choose a scarf that’s flexible and large…so it will bunch up nicely as your neck accessory or open up for some coverage if needed….folding up small in your tote is great too.

The transition is torture for us in the store also…we still love, and are wearing the light weight pieces from early fall, (it’s 68 degrees in November?), but we are receiving the warmest, most fabulous, pieces for the winter from our designers….it’s really hard to wait….

We had the doors open all day…but I’m craving the giant chunky knits and sassy faux fur hats….any day now…

 

 

 

 

 

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Local Talent
October 24, 2011 | posted by Beth Bowley | Designers We Love

This past August, it was my amazing luck and pleasure to meet the now and future fashion talent Jesse Zand Hansen. 

Jesse’s Dad Tim, was shopping at fourTWELVE and casually asked if I might be willing to meet with his fashion obsessed son Jesse…sure, why not…I was not prepared for the talent force that showed up a few days later…wow!

Jesse’s sketches and ideas were inspiring, beautiful, and way beyond his years.   It was also clear he was very serious about fashion and up for a challenge…good timing…we needed a great window for the Maine Boats Home and Harbor Show in less than a week, so I asked Jesse if he might be willing to do this…again…I was not prepared for the whirlwind of creativity that happened…

Jesse hard at work...

Jesse designed and made a gown and skirt from signal flags…spot on concept and brilliant design.  We put them in the window ASAP and the ball gown was immediately snapped up by our local mover-shaker-fashionista Polly Saltonstall.

A beautiful window...

A zillion kudos to Polly for recognizing this budding talent and having the great aplomb to scoop up the exclusive gown…a few fit details later and she was off for the evening….and later shared that she spent most of her evening fielding questions about her dress….yay Jesse!

The final fit...and just right for dancing...

I look forward to following Jesse’s career, in whatever medium(s) he chooses, AND convincing him to work with us on more projects.  When I asked Jesse for background details to include with this…he sent me a very polished bio, (of course), and I see no reason skip a word….

 

 

My Bio

Name: Jesse Zand Hansen

Age: 12

School:  Harborlight Montessori School (Grade 7)

Birthplace: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Interests: Skiing, sailing, rapid sketch, oil painting, fashion

I’ve wanted to be a fashion designer about as long as I can remember.  I started sketching clothing at age 3. At least, that is what my dad tells me.   One of my first dress designs was an empire waist ball gown covered with flowers for my adoptive grandmother.  I still look at it and think, “it’s not bad”, but I would change a few things.  I started to get serious about designing and making clothes when I was 8 or 9.  I took sewing classes after school at “Sew Creative” and designed, cut and sewed all of the costumes for my school play “The Wizard of Oz” which took months. I became interested in re-using items for fashion.  I entered two items into a “Wearable Arts” exhibition at a museum including one made from re-used packaging components and tissue.  I’ve reused everything from pipe cleaners to newsprint to colored plastic bottles.  I re-made men’s neckties into long flowing skirts.  When the necktie skirts were seen at a Montessori education fundraiser, I received several orders, including from people I did not know!  My favorite design from re-used fabric is a halter ballroom gown I made from antique nautical flags.  Ms. Bowley featured this gown along with a nautical skirt I made in her store window in Rockland Maine for the Homes and Harbors Boat Show.  This was the first time I had anything in a store, let alone a boutique window!  With school starting, I plan to return to my painting and sketch classes and have in mind several fashion projects.

 

 

Bravo Jesse!

 

 

 

 

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