Karen in British Columbia
Voices: Life Stories Wearing Ivey Abitz
Real people share stories and ideas about fashion, culture, and wearing Ivey Abitz bespoke garments.
Karen from British Columbia, Canada, entry 5
Ivey Abitz from the Inside Out
posted 03.05.08
I've discovered that I'm coming to prefer just about everything on a smaller, more intimate scale. Our own
food supply is one thing. A small community and personal service is another. Handmade, timeless clothing
from limited runs of speechlessly beautiful fabric and with loving, well-placed details is yet another. Prior to
every ivey abitz order I placed, there was an event coming up for which I'd purchased each piece. (That's the
official story, anyway. It was a convenient excuse to buy the pieces I loved.) Each time, comically, the event
was either indefinitely postponed or cancelled entirely. Sometimes it was weather-related, sometimes not.
In the meantime, they instantly became the most stunning members of my closet, eclipsing even my formerly
most prized and flattering pieces. The day I wore my black sueded silk Bartholdi skirt into town (not exactly
the ceremony for which it had been purchased, but she had a good sense of humour about it), my husband
kept gushing about how much he liked it and how well it suited me, and even the postmaster raced out from
behind the counter to stroke the silk (she's a woman, it was OK) and admire the wild, elegant design that I
like to call controlled chaos. More than any of the compliments, though, it felt so good to wear, and instantly
elevated my mood and reminded me of the transformative power of a well-conceived, beautifully handcrafted
article of clothing that was literally made just for me. I was reminded of my powerful desire to both create and
be surrounded by beauty, and what it does for me from the inside out.
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Karen from British Columbia, Canada, entry 4
Organic Farming - in Ivey Abitz
posted 02.29.08
The ivey abitz collection debuted right about when we moved from Alberta to a small mountain town in
British Columbia, and the timing was perfect. I'd been purchasing pieces from the other designers' collections
that IA used to carry, and already loved the quirky, unusual, "boutique" items that I didn't see on every other
person on the street. But I was blown away by the exceptional quality, attention to detail and point of view of
the ivey abitz pieces. They were so far above and beyond even the other lines represented at the gallery, and I
couldn't wait to get my hands on them. I even look forward to receiving the swatch books, and have kept each
one and engage in some tactile time now and then, enjoying their textures.
Our beautiful little town in B.C. has been a culture shock, too. I keep describing it to friends as Green Acres
revisited, and it's no exaggeration. I'm playing the Eva Gabor role, wearing my beautiful clothes in a sea of
casually clad retirees and far more polyester than is strictly necessary. I'm even Hungarian, just like Eva. We
started an organic farm and now have cows, goats, chickens and ducks and are facing the usual challenges in
taking care of them while still maintaining our sense of humour. My husband and I wanted out of the
industrial food supply, and to become more self-sufficient in both the big and small things in our everyday
lives. It's not for the faint of heart, but I wouldn't live in a big city again for any temptation.
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Karen from British Columbia, Canada, entry 3
Fashion in -45 Farenheit
posted 02.27.08
Moving to Canada was more than just a culture shock. It reminded me that there are millions of people in the
world who actually experience all 4 seasons every year. Sounds simple, but up to that point, I'd never been
one of them. From a sartorial perspective, it means that winter isn't just a slightly cooler few months in which
to toss a jacket over whatever you're wearing. It means heavy coats, layering, clunky Herman Munster boots
with real traction, and hats and gloves for warmth and not necessarily style. It was refreshing to see everyone
dress for warmth, comfort, safety and snow-proofing instead of mere vanity. Soon I became one of them, in
order to have a hope of enduring the Calgary winter that sometimes dipped as low as -45 with the wind chill.
Stepping out of doors on those days felt just like razor blades scraping against my lungs.
Needless to say, we planned our escape.
to be continued in the next entry...
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Karen from British Columbia, Canada, entry 2
The Birth of Discernment
posted 02.27.08
My own group of artists, writers, and geeks was neither emaciated nor extraordinarily wealthy, so we ate with
gusto, kept our food down and shopped on Melrose or Main Street to score cool vintage clothes that we'd mix
up with more modern pieces and then swap among ourselves for greater variety. Even then, though there
were occasional longings to have access to limitless finances, we knew deep down that budgets were more
liberating than limiting; and that our resourcefulness and creativity muscles were getting exercised in ways
that really opened our eyes to possibilities and unique combinations. Our templates weren't models, which
was liberating in itself.
There was never any mention of the actual quality of the clothing, though; for the most part it was about the
"look." No one seemed to care about or notice the materials used (other than the fact that we all hated
polyester and acrylic), the stitching, or anything as exotic as dressmaker details or handwork. With few
exceptions, none of us was ready to recognize, appreciate or embrace the hallmarks of excellence that would
later come to mean a great deal. But when the shift does take place, it's mind-bending and extends into every
other corner of your life. At that moment, discernment is born and your childhood is over.
Fast forward a couple of decades. Something happens as you grow up. Cycles and trends become easy to
predict, because we've finally lived through a few rounds of them and can see it all as a circle and not
necessarily a linear progression. Trends are finally seen for what they are: gimmicks to promote impulsive
spending, and not benevolent offerings from exalted, over-hyped designers to enhance one's personal style or
uniqueness. But there are exceptions.
to be continued in the next entry...
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Karen from British Columbia, Canada, entry 1
Beverly Hills Fashion Primer
posted 02.26.08
When I lived in L.A., I always took it for granted that just about any article of clothing from every major
designer was locally available and would probably be showing up on either a classmate or one of their mothers
(I grew up in Beverly Hills). It was always fun to see how people interpreted fashion and what they would do
to individualize it for themselves. But I noticed that what made the quirky vintage and more unusual pieces
exciting to me and my outsider group of friends, just didn't seem to exist in the high-fashion crowd. The
established designer pieces that they wore as a trophy for purposes of exhibition, just didn't require any
personality or creativity. The goal was to look like the runway model or magazine ad. The only thing that was
broadcast was the amount of money paid for the item, and the whole process was very outside-in and not
inside-out. The hallways at school were miniature runways where most people looked exactly the same and
were, for the most part, indistinguishable. A lot of the girls carefully maintained a perpetual state of bulimia
in order to properly resemble the models in these clothes, and it was understood by everyone that it was just a
normal part of that exclusive subculture, regardless of how screwed up it was in real life.
to be continued in the next entry...
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