If you're in SF/Oakland, go!!!

Ladies night

Spring Cleaning

Everything in the shop is marked at 20% off until Monday, HAY!

This be custom sheeyat, yo.

When you hear me say "I'm working on a custom order right now," this is what I mean. This is where it starts. Number crunching and line drawing...

It's happening.

Total bummer that the HasBeen has to relocate to make way for gentrification, but hey. That's how it all works, right? Off to scummier digs until the ice cream shops and fancy restaurants start moving in...but before they do that come get yourself decked out head to toe in fancy frocks, discount HasBeen gear and pump your fists in the a-yer.

Ladies night: Gentlemen prefer blondes

Musical Monday #10: Annie

If you've been cruising with me in the Ranger lately, you've heard this. To those of you who haven't, you're welcome. Having taught child dance for nearly three years, I was constantly on the prowl for good pop and hip hop with a positive message without profanity. Not an easy task when you take into account I also have to kind of like it/not be annoyed by it. In doing so, I found Annie. I never ended up using any of these tunes for choreography, but I was surprised to discover that her most recent album "Don't Stop" is good synthy pop with better than average lyrics all the way through. Plus she lives in Berlin, where all cool Scandinavians end up going at some point or another...

Ladies night

Johanna lives in a great house full of ladies in SE! They invited even more ladies over for valentine crafting, snacks and wine this past weekend, which is how I got to see the inside. I also got to help her put the chickens away (apparently all three of them like the roost area so much that they just stay there until they're freezing so they have to be individually put into the coop each night. Hahaha) The other highlights were: eating the most delicious cupcake of my life, folding fifty paper cranes with recently married Monica for her reception (only 950 to go, right?) and watching all of these maniacs craft meticulous mementos for their loved ones. Hope you boys appreciated those.

It's only a day away...

Dresses, shoes, purses, scarves, coats, drinks, snacks, prizes...!!!
6-9 pm Saturday January 29th 5134 SE Hawthorne #1
(Invite by Emily PFDM)

New Year, New Dresses

Oh hay! Whatup everybody. Welcome to 2011. This year there are bold prints, minimalistic shapes and some fantastically faded party dresses coming from idea to reality. Riot Siren is sticking with retro silhouettes + futuristic details and as always, keeping it handmade. As much as possible, fabric and notions are vintage, second hand, or salvaged.

Thank you again to all my wonderful friends and family who have supported my dirty doll dress endeavor in 2010 (and before) by sewing into the wee hours, organizing sales, baking cupcakes, posing like maniacs for photos, treating me to dinners I would never be able to afford and rocking your custom-made dresses with pride. I am so excited to go full steam ahead in 2011!

What I've always wanted and more...

...slim fitting a-line dress with 3/4 puff sleeves! Something about this photo totally does it for me. Anyway, I'm excited about the final drafting of this new pattern (it's been in progress for a bit). They'll be popping up in the shop this week.

Musical Mittwoch #1

Is it cheating to use the German word for Wednesday for alliteration/convenience sake? No. No it's not is the correct answer.

Something about this video does it for me. It's the original version of Robyn's "Handle Me" from 2005 before they shot the slick, many-outfits-in-a-box-show (which I also like quite a bit). But the lofi simplicity, the darkness, those dudes. This really is the only one I could find, and I kind of love how the resolution sucks. Because Robyn doesn't.

Musical Monday #3: First Aid Kit

I...can't...help...it! They have their claws in me, there's something about them. Their voices really are that excellently brutal; I saw them Friday night at Mississippi Studios. Get behind it.

Birds of a feather...

It's so simple, but it's so cute. I can't help but like Erin Fetherston (we do appear to have some things in common...) Shola sent this to me; I thought I'd be nice and share.

Spring is NOT here you blossoming trees!

And then I felt bad for thinking that because, wouldn't trees know when spring is and isn't better than I? But then it snowed a little bit and turned freezing. Yeah guys, you just SEE if any insects come to pollinate YOU. But in the meantime I'll wear my spring dresses outside for photos...

Yeah Slater!

So this Saturday, four of us Rosebuds journeyed back to Fort Lewis in a mom van with our event organizers to sign posters for the crowd waiting to meet...Mario Lopez! Remember "Saved by the Bell" guys? I sure do. Anyway, we got to present him with a Winterhawks jersey (somehow that ended up being my job?!?) signed by the dance team, sample Celsius energy beverage, take pictures with tons of kids waiting with their moms to meet him, explain dancing on ice to curious shoppers and eat pizza dipped in ranch dressing at the Military mall! 'MMMERICA!

If you've ever wondered how we dance on ice...

Pile O' Dolls...

photo by Kelty, Steep Street
makeup by Nadia, Nadia Artistry
skirts by Caitlin, Riot Siren & the Quiet Collector

Alien badger in a lady suit!

This might be my favorite skirt of the batch; there was only enough fabric for one! Plus it is a size S/M waist with an inch or two shaved off the bottom due to fabric quantity constraints...yeah, short skirts!

photo by Kelty, Steep Street
makeup by Nadia, Nadia Artistry
skirt/styling by Caitlin, Riot Siren & the Quiet Collector

Portrait of the (makeup) artist as a young woman...

photo by Kelty, Steep Street
makeup/model by Nadia, Nadia Artistry
skirt by Caitlin, Riot Siren & the Quiet Collector