Is there anything cuter than sleepy kittens? I submit there is not.

Anyway, just so you didn't think I came into bodily harm or something: There are no posts today because I've been traveling all day, from Singapore to Bangkok (where I had a long layover that contained meetings and shopping), and then from Bangkok to Bombay, where I arrived just a little while ago and where I am going to fall asleep any. second. now.

I hope to be back fresh as a daisy tomorrow, but realistically, I'll be in Busy Work Mode for the next few days (as opposed to Normal Life Mode, which generally includes a lot of leisure time for trolling the Internet and also singing showtunes very loudly in the bathroom. An aside: Hairspray? Amazing!) In the meantime, have you checked out all the links at your right? They are all quite fun and have the Fashion is Spinach seal of approval. Hours of entertainment, at your fingertips.

Okay, see you in the morn!

Make it Work!

Have you seen Tim Gunn in the new EW yet? Because if you love Tim Gunn – and really, who *doesn't* love Tim Gunn – you will want to check it out. And! Did you know that in addition to the blog, Tim now has a podcast as well? Totally yay.

Instruction Manual Required

We admit to being a wee bit intrigued by the Infinite Dress that Style Bubble is featuring right now. However, we're not sure if we're $169 worth of intrigued. And we are definitely not intrigued by the questionable Infinite Pantsuit.

My Bow Fixation Gets Bigger (and Poofier)

I totally love these: Phi shirt, now on sale but still too expensive for me; DVF coat that I so didn't win on eBay this week. (Boo.)

Back on the Street

In case you missed it: On Friday, Slate managed to make street fashion blogs look positively high-brow. Lots of tidbits about and links to blogs like The Sartorialist, Singapore's very own The Clothes Project and Facehunter (where I found the very fun outfit above).

That's Hot, Minus the Paris Hilton Part

My fun blog find of the day is That's Hot by Katey, who owns adorable online shop One Good Bumblebee (and maintains another blog just for the shop as well. That is a LOT of internet time.) Anyway, her site is totally cute and really well done, and I'm not saying that just because we love all the same things (like, how cute are these biscuit and chocolate block greeting cards from D-Bros she recommends?).

I Screen, You Screen, We all Scream for Silkscreens

Also via Katey, a great tutorial on how to silkscreen posters and t-shirts from No Media Kings. Which is something I really would like to know how to do, though I got a little lost around "emulsion" and "scoop coater." Um, it's probably best not to try and read that if you've just had two large glasses of wine.

But really, the instructions are very detailed and (seemingly) quite do-able. I'd also been toying with getting this silkscreen tutorial DVD from Fred Flare. Thoughts?

Mad for MAAD

One of the top ways people locate us is through google searches for MAAD, the new Market for Artists and Designers at the Red Dot Design Museum here in Singapore on Sundays. (It's second only to searches for "Philip Lim sweater dress," which we featured last month and which is definitely going to be *hot* this fall. We seriously hope that you took our advice and searched your local thrift stores for an even cooler vintage version.)

Anyway, you'll recall that Mike checked out the inaugural MAAD a few weeks ago and contributed a helpful little report about how it was shaping up. We had the chance to check it out ourselves this weekend and have two things to say: a) Don't even think about going before 1pm, because even though the market technically runs from 11am to 6pm, half the merchants don't set up until after lunch. Not that we can blame them or anything; we like sleeping in too. And b) The market has a small but (hopefully) growing number of truly talented young creators, and we'd really love to see it get even bigger and better in the future. Stop by and give your support! It's a really fun, friendly scene and a great way to spend a part of a Sunday afternoon. [End gush.]

Some more thoughts and photos from this weekend's market:

We are still positively smitten with Tiny Red Bird, an adorable line of felt pins and keychains by a young graphic design student from Singapore. I bought several more of her little bird pins on Sunday, which some of you may receive as gifts unless I decide to keep them for myself, which very well may happen. (They're apparently also available at inQbox at Far East Plaza.)


We were very impressed with the vintage-inspired dresses at L'ile aux Ashby (also behind the adorable retro prints from the last write-up).


We continue to be in love with White Dog Bobby, the actual pup (sporting his camo, above) and the cute artsy products (below).



We were surprised by a new addition, called DOLLY, which are these cute little t-shirts featuring a little cartoon in her underwear (above), with these perfectly adorable pin-on outfits to cover her up (below). I just bought myself a little pin-on printed coat, which I'm planning to wear by itself.



We totally enjoy gardensilly -- both the website as well as the fun illustrations and stuffed vegetable people.

Bits and Bobs and Blogs

+I'm happy to report that Fashion is Spinach is a proud new member of online fashion community Coutorture (which doesn't really require anything except asking them if you can join. Still, we're thrilled. We're also sorta hoping there might be a fun badge or cute kerchief involved eventually.)

+Bunnyshop highlights some great finds from the Shopbop sale, going on now. (I totally heart the Karen Zambos dress.)

+Guise has me reminiscing about that perfectly shrunken navy boys' blazer I once found at a thrift store, but inexplicably chose not to buy. Non-buyer's remorse strikes again.

+Fashion Binge helpfully points us towards some legitimately affordable (read: on sale) Tara Subkoff for Easy Spirit shoes.

+Happy Mundane directs us to his great slideshow on a very cool L.A.-area house, full of inspiring decorating ideas. Also full of some of the same Ikea furniture we own and love, like the PS locker cabinet and the Expedit bookshelf.

+Inside a Black Apple loves Remix Vintage Shoes, which recreate vintage styles. Which is perfect for those of us with size 10 feet, who can woefully never find vintage shoes in our size. (I have been holding on to the tiny vintage round-toed pumps above – a thrift store find – for about four years now, with the hope that I'll be able to have some cobbler-type person remake them in my size one day. In the meantime, they still look pretty cute just sitting on my bookshelf.)

A Little Friday Melancholy

Lena had linked to these overdyed vintage scarves by Jerome Jerome, and they reminded me instantly of this photo by artist Bas Jan Ader entitled "I'm Too Sad to Tell You" (he also did a short film of the same name). Apparently, he sent this image via postcard to his friends but never revealed what is was that made him cry, only that it was genuine. It's always really gotten to me, kind of like those scarves.

Yesterday's Vintage Dress, Britney Spears-style

The basic flipflops I ended up sporting were really detracting from the cuteness of this dress, so I took 'em off for the photo. I'm wondering how long it will take before I bump into Singapore street fashion blog The Clothes Project out there? It's so much fun to see what all the other kids around town – and, if you click on all the links on her blogroll, around the world -- are wearing.

Here I Go Again!

Perhaps we can think of my Project Runway season 2 entries as delightfully retro (and not, say, "so last year"). I caught three more episodes the other night (because, when you own the DVD, the joy and the danger is that there's nothing to curb the number of episodes you watch. This has had dangerous consequences for me from time to time – most notably when Mike and I watched the first season of Lost in a excessive weekend binge – but I seem to be controlling myself nicely with Project Runway.)

Anyway, thoughts: Love, love, love Santino & Nick's kimono jacket for BR – which, annoyingly, is not pictured online. (I've had quite a kimono fixation lately, and theirs was really elegant and beautiful and just different enough.) I also thought Emmett and Chloe's creation was stunning. I was much less keen on Andrae and Daniel V.'s winning design, but they are both so cute it doesn't matter.

I also loved Kara Janx's Nicky Hilton dress (she – and I, apparently – just loves a big side bow). I was actually terribly sad that Daniel Franco got kicked off, because regardless of any personality… quirks, I thought his lingerie collection was quite pretty and undeserving of being booted. I actually shed tears when Tim Gunn told Daniel F. that he was leaving the show with integrity and respect – though this won't be surprising if you know me at all, because I also cry when I see that commercial with the blind marathon runner and also every time I watch the end of The Notebook, particularly around the part where Ryan Gosling yells, "I wrote you every day for a year!" I'm really very teary.

(Sometimes, I think Mike hides The Notebook on purpose, just so he won't come home and find me bawling on the couch. Which has happened on more than one occasion. Anyway.)

Shapes Week, Day 5: Anything at all!

Well, Shapes Week kind of fell apart, didn't it? Too bad, I always enjoy these things. Still I might as well finish out the week, with this photo of an art project on display at a local university I happened to be passing through recently.

An Afternoon Idling Lazily on the Internet

The best weblogs always just suck you right in, don't they? You click on them and suddenly it's four hours later and you don't even know where the time went (and your wishlist suddenly has 10 new things on it, but more on that in a minute). Such was the case with me today with Mizutamago, a website I only just discovered this week. Let's review:

First, I was totally smitten by Mizutamago's own graphic designs (above and below). I have ambitions of taking my own graphic design classes this fall, and adorable things like this really get me all excited:


Then I started clicking through her archives and realize it's easy to find really cute clutch purse patterns. (!!) I don't know why I never realized this before -- I'm still new to the sewing, you see. I'm currently scouting about for the perfect pattern to use for my first attempt, but you can see some of Mizu's – er, is it okay if I just call you Mizu? – clutch creations here.

Then she got me desperately wanting Built by Wendy's adorable jacket pattern. And about nine thousand other things on the Built By Wendy online shop (some photos below), which is, rather conveniently, having a huge sale.


And then, of course, I needed to put Sew U: The Built By Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe on my Amazon wishlist, so I can buy it immediately when it comes out Sept. 1. (And then I had to add Amy Butler's In Stitches -- also out Sept. 1 -- because you know how I love Amy Butler.)


Oh, but we're not done yet. Mizu also made me desperately want to own even more books -- specifically, Eva Zeisel On Design by the notable industrial designer and ceramicist, as well as this book on graphic designer Paul Rand (a few of his creations are below, and you can see even more from the book here. Aren't they great?)



Also, I am clearly one of the only people in the world who hadn't seen the trailer for Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola (out this fall), but if you are one of the other people, I -- and Mizu, of course -- highly recommend.

And I haven't even gotten started on all her great Japanese toys, which is inspiring me to plan a trip to Japan *immediately.* Really, this was such a fun way to spend an afternoon. [And now, actual work beckons. Or, more accurately, it's sitting here poking me annoyingly until I attend to it.]

Shape Week, Day 4: Hearts!

Manish Arora skirt, India Fashion Week, April 2006:


From a design exhibit I saw in Singapore earlier this year:


Some modern Chinese art to round it all out:


I'll try and update with a little more later, but here's a little love to kick off your Thursday.

Dresses I Love: Sretsis Tunic

This bird tunic – like modern lace, don't you think? – by up-and-coming Bangkok brand Sretsis has been on my Desperately Coveted list for months now. The label's designer, Pim Sukhahuta, is a Parsons grad who returned home to Bangkok to start up her own label three years ago. The result has been pretty, playful apparel that's gotten recent mentions in mags like Lucky and Elle and getting stocked in boutiques in New York (LES hotspot TG-170) and L.A. (Third Street shop Milk). I'm stopping off in Bangkok for a day next week, and really looking forward to catching up with Pim and see what she's been creating lately.

Current Obsession: Chinese Medicine Packaging

Chinatown is probably my favorite area of Singapore – it houses my favorite boutique, a great fabric market, and a whole lot of local shops that are always good for poking around in. Lately, an emporium stocking traditional Chinese medicine products in bright graphic packaging has caught my eye, and I decided to go in and buy some of my favorites. (It was really kind of funny for me to pick out a handful of random products without having any idea what they're for. The owner was like, "Um, can I help you find something in particular?" I just declined; I wasn't sure how he'd take it if I said I was looking for the prettiest boxes.)

I've been trying to think of a cool way to display them or even craft them into something. Thoughts?

Shape Week, Day 3: Triangles! (Sort of!)

I'm completely behind on love, joleen's shape week. (Though at least I'm consistent. Er, right?) I'm going to do the first three days all at once, then try to stay on task for the rest of the week. And! I'll include some extra pictures, just to make up for the delay.

As triangle-y as I could get:

Shape Week, Day 2: Squares! (…with liberties)

Shape Week, Day 1: Circles!

Desperately Coveted, part 23 of 332: Mike & Chris

Guise turned me to to the new fall collection from Mike & Chris, the husband-and-wife team who have (until now) been known most for their leather jackets. Which are still very good. But I am smitten with their new fleece pieces (above and below) – the style and shape is so clean, with that little unusual design twist that makes it stand out.

Project Runway! (Er, season 2!)

Y'all are going to have to indulge me a bit this week. I know you are all about Project Runway season 3, but we over here have only just started season 2 this week. And we really, really want to talk about it. Just a little. Just the highlights. Okay?

We've gotten through the first three episodes and so far: totally hearting Tim Gunn, totally not hearting Santino, totally finding Daniel Franco to be a little too touchy-feely for our taste, but admiring his work quite a bit thus far. It seems like it's only a matter of time before the "bliss" starts getting thrown around, even though he promised it wouldn't.

I'm also in love with Diana Eng's amazingly modern nerd-chic designs (above). They're like artwork! With magnets!

I really loved the shape of Kara Janx's debut dress – the full cut, empire waist with the bow on the side. And Chloe's cool mini-dress was undeniable:


For both of these, I was like "eh." And then I was like "ah!" I've decided I really like the jeans-shrug thing in particular:


Okay, you can go back to discussing season 3 amongst yourselves now. We are trying to avoid the coverage, but that is proving to be impossible. We may need to resort to downloading from iTunes.