Urban Pulse

via Bold Italic by Wendy Steiner

Everyone in SF seems to be playing a perpetual game of catch-up. The moment we wake up, we check our phones for what we’ve missed while we were sleeping, and if you’re like me, you keep checking until it’s time to set your alarm all over again before bed. After all this is a world where “POIDH” (pics or it didn’t happen) is an acronym that some people live by. I spend enough brain power sweating the big stuff like relationships, politics, religion, and my hair that I don’t have the excess time or battery life to spend worrying about how to organize my photos, keep up with everyone else’s, and you know, live life better.

Luckily, these days there are apps to make things a little easier, and recently the people at WideAngle in Seattle invited me to try out their new iPhone and iPad app to see how it might alleviate some stress in regards to keeping track of photos. The WideAngle app gathers your photos from Facebook, Instagram, your phone, computer, email – even text message pics.  Then you can save the photos you want to keep, and choose ones to share with friends. After giving it a whirl, I’ve found that WideAngle provides some handy solutions to problems that busy FOMO-fearing San Franciscans face these days.

I moved from LA, and I still have a lot of good friends down south. Just because I moved doesn’t mean I don’t want to know when they do something important like get a new tattoo, post drunk selfies, or gain weight – especially if they gain weight in the form of a baby. Wading through the hot mess that Facebook calls a News Feed to find my friends’ latest pics isn’t always easy. And some pals pretend they’re all artsy, only sharing their Amaro-filtered landscapes and food porn on Instagram, while bombing FB with their party pics, and reserving Gmail for family-friendly vacation photos. I’ve always wanted one single place to catch a fast glimpse at what all my besties are doing and not have to log in and out of different apps to do so.

WideAngle shows you the last 30 pics your selected friends have posted across their social networks like Facebook AND Instagram. WideAngle keeps me from missing anything, which is perfect because if my friends go to Vegas without me, I’ll know before their flight even lands.

If you live in San Francisco, you probably take the majority of your pics on your smartphone. Easy peasy, right? But you may also have a point-and-shoot digital camera, a fancy 35mm camera, and maybe even a Polaroid or Holga if you swing analog. Suddenly, storing, organizing, and sharing all the images you’ve taken on various devices gets a whole lot harder. San Francisco is no stranger to six or seven people living together, so why is it so hard to find one home for all my damn photographs?

WideAngle offers a place to keep everything in one spot – from pics on your phone to iPhoto archives to scanned-in shots. A cool feature of the app is that you can sort your images by categories like events, people, cameras, or anything you find helpful. Good news for the next time I want to admire my shameless pictures of latte art.

Problem: It’s hard to keep (track of) my favorite pics

Remember when your friend posted that comment on your Facebook wall two birthdays ago, that photo of a cat, dog, and rat all eating the same piece of cake? You probably wish you could see it again, don’t you? Unfortunately, you also probably don’t have two hours to wade through all your wall posts to find it. And what happens when your laptop finally dies and with it goes the 10 million photos you forgot to back up on that external hard drive gathering dust under your desk? If only there was a photo heaven for these pics.

Solution:

WideAngle offers cloud storage for your photos. If you somehow manage to get the karma payout you’ve been hoping for in the form of an insanely hot tagged photo of yourself, you can save it within WideAngle and know that it will be there long after your tan and abs are gone. Finally, I have some peace of mind knowing that I can always relive the time my ex-boss’ Facebook got hacked, and when my best friend sat in a bathtub filled with chicken nuggets. That really happened. Awesome, right?

Part of the fun of posting a photo online is the reaction you get from your friends and followers. For me, it’s not satisfying enough to just have someone like a photo, I want to inspire conversation and get the last word in the long stream of comments. When I save my photos on my laptop or phone, I’m bummed that I can’t also save all the snarky words that went along with them.

WideAngle knows the conversations that photos can stir up are as important as the images themselves. The WideAngle app includes the likes and comments your photos inspired to help you remember the context around a picture, or who you should be mad at for calling you an outfit repeater.

Do It Yourself

Simplify your photo viewing and storage with WideAngle. The WideAngle app will be launching in just a few weeks (Check out the photos from theWideAngle preview party on our Facebook page).  Head over towideangle.com and get on the list to get in first. And then give it a try and tell us what you think.

via The Huffington Post By Ellie Krupnick

Adidas’ NEO Label, one of the sportswear company’s style-driven brands, has just scored big: Selena Gomez has signed on as NEO Label’s new style ambassador. According to an Adidas press release:

As adidas NEO Label’s new style ambassador, Selena will inspire teens with the label’s fresh looks through a three-year partnership until end-2015. As well as sporting her favorite NEO looks, Selena will make appearances for the label in major markets throughout 2013 and 2014 and share NEO’s latest news, designs and collections through her social media networks. She will front NEO’s seasonal campaigns under its “Live Your Style” positioning, starting with Spring/Summer 2013 to debut in February 2013.

Wait a minute — that sounds an awful lot like the press release we got last month, which went a little something like this:

As adidas NEO Label’s new global style icon, Justin Bieber will inspire teens with the label’s fresh looks through a two-year partnership until end-2014. As well as sporting his favorite NEO looks, Justin will make appearances for the label in major markets throughout 2013 and share NEO’s latest news and collections through his social media networks. He will front NEO’s seasonal campaigns under its “Live Your Style” positioning, starting with Spring/Summer 2013 to debut in February.

So what’s the deal? On the one hand, it makes sense for Selena and Justin to be shilling for the same brand — they both have massive reach with the same tween demographic and are arguably more popular as a pair than individuals. On the other hand, the timing of the announcement, about a month after Bieber’s, seems suspicious. The pair reportedly split earlier this month but have seemingly reconciled already… and sources have reported that Gomez is sticking around simply becauseBieber is “good for her brand.”

Aaaaand that’s about as much Jelena analysis as we can handle (we’ve got a short attention span for such things). Suffice it to say that Gomez and Bieber will be sticking together for a few more years care of the cupids at Adidas NEO. Hooray?

SEE Eyewear, the country’s first “hip without the rip” fashion eyewear boutique, is excited to announce a new collaboration with Mondo Guerra, winner of Project Runway: All Stars.

SEE, a brand that exclusively creates its own product, did not hesitate when the idea of a collaboration with Mondo was presented. Mondo himself has been wearing the SEE Eyewear brand for years, and we could not be more excited for this collaboration!

The design process for Mondo’s debut collection for SEE is already underway, with the collection launching Spring 2013. SEE will feature a generous selection of “Mondo for SEE” frames in all 27 of its stores, and a portion of all “Mondo for SEE” Eyewear proceeds will be donated to amfAR.

We can’t wait to see what Mondo designs!

Check out all of SEE’s great designs at its new store location in the Palace Hotel (651 Market St. San Francisco, CA).

The time for summer festivals has come and with Outside Lands quickly approaching San Francisco, AllSaints has the perfect style for your funky, rock and roll outfits. Whether you skim through their ready-to-wear Lookbook page on the All Saints website, or pop into the store, you will not be disappointed with the fresh edge AllSaints provides. Inspired by new artists with a unique style, AllSaints has an outstanding playlist on their website, so that you can hear the latest music as you shop for clothing and accessories. AllSaints Spitalfields continue to bring exclusive content with their Basement Sessions project, featured on the site. Each week, new and upcoming artists jam out in the warehouse space below the AllSaints design studio in London. These featured artists have included Gary Numan, The Naked and Famous, and Phenomenal among many fresh voices. This cool collaboration influences AllSaints style to be unique and edgy. This is Phenomenal jamming out in the AllSaints space.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PitsYXw1Ypo

Alongside AllSaints Spitalfields, the Artist Collaboration project introduces cutting-edge designers in the AllSaints brand. Amanda Nedham is one of the artists being picked up. The 30-year-old, Toronto native has a style that fits in perfectly with the AllSaints edge. Her concept of layering graphite sketches digitally has allowed her to create an original line for AllSaints Menswear and Womenswear. Her work is available online and in store, including this hand printed scarf she designed.

Who would have thought something so simple as underwear could help change the world? Our newest client PACT does just that. Founders, Jason Kibbey and Jeff Denby have created an organic apparel line of socks, underwear, and basic tees. Each PACT collection supports a great environmental cause from Oceana to the Sierra Club and Architecture for Humanity to name a few.

One of our favorite collections thus far is the “Share the Love” collection that supports the Citizen Effect foundation.  Citizen Effect is a foundation that opens many doors for the philanthropists giving them the opportunity to make an impact on the world.

So how does one make organic clothing? To start off, PACT underwear is made from 95% organic cotton and 5% elastane. Why not 100% organic cotton? Let’s be honest, cotton doesn’t have a long lifespan on its own so the elastane helps keep the garments in shape. Next come the inks and dyes. PACT follows all the environmental standards and does not use any sort of products that contain heavy metals. They also do not use bleach. Once the product reaches your hands, it is packaged in a 100% rapid bio-degradable plastic bag and a 100% compostable packaging. Pretty cool right?

PACT’s  motto is“ Change starts with your underwear”.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday (wow that came quickly)! I know if you are like me you have been searching for a perfect gift to show your mom how much you love her…but it’s not easy. If you are looking for a yogurt date, comfort after heartbreak, or an honest opinion on your new dress, Mom is always there without fail. She has been through the same trials and tribulations that you are going through now and no one understands better than she does. So let’s get Mom a gift that she deserves for all her hard work of lovingly and gracefully putting up with you! We know that no gift can compare to what Mom has given us it is a good place to start.

Whether your mom like to cook, travel, be up to date on the latest technology, or just relax with the fam, we have some great gifts Mom will love!

For the cook:

We all know that there is nothing compares to Mom’s home cooked meals. Whether you mom is an amazing cook or baker making cupcakes with frosting that melts in your mouth…these gifts are perfect for her! Maybe she can even teach you a thing or two. The Manni White Truffle Oil is a great accent to any  soup, salad, or pasta Mom makes. You can never go wrong with Sprinkles Cupcake, but what is even better is that you and Mom can make your own Sprinkles cupcakes together. You can make your cake and eat it too!

For the Fashionista:

Everything I know about style comes from my Mom and my Grandma. I think I would be lost without them! Stationary is always a staple gift on Mother’s Day, but it doesn’t have to be boring. The MET Embellished Shoes Note cards are perfect for sprucing up your fashionable Mom’s stationary. The MICHAEL Michael Kors Hamilton Large Tote is perfect for any Mom on the go. I know our Moms are juggling about 20 things at once and as a result everything is thrown into their purse. So why not have mom carry around this stylish bag?

For Relaxation:

Mom more than anyone deserves a little rest and relaxation, especially on Mother’s Day. She should be pampered with love, but throwing in a spa package couldn’t hurt. Here are a few gifts that bring the spa home and can help Mom get the relaxation she so deserves. The L’Ombre lotion and Candle Set from Diptyque not only have a luxurious fragrance, but also will help Mom to unwind after a long day of work or shopping with you or both. The Michael Kors iPad Zip Case will let mom read her favorite book or watch her favorite movie while she is left alone with her iPad for a little peace and quiet.

Neon colors made a huge statement on the runway this spring and are now making their way into your home. Not to worry…this is not a throwback o the 80s, but instead a toned-down, sophisticated version of the fearless trend.

We couldn’t take our eyes of the neon trend this season on the Peter Som, Jason Wu, Rodarte, and Rag & Bone runways (just to name a few) featuring intense pops of electric neon that made us want to go bold and bright. Colors like cobalt blue and peachy pinks softened the electrifying colors to give us that amazing unexpected effect of sophistication that we usually don’t associate with neon.

Yes, the neon trend may be a little daunting to some, but there are a few rules to follow to make it easily accessible in both your wardrobe and your home.

Be prepared to experiment with color! You know you can pull it off, but maybe you are hesitant. If this is the case, start out small. Using neon colored accessories in your wardrobe or living room, will add that pop of color you are looking for without being too overwhelming. Once you know you have fallen in love with this trend for spring you can invest in some key statement pieces that will allow you to standout.

At the same time, you have to be careful that you don’t over do it. Neon is a trend that walks a thin line; using accessories allows you to rock the trend with refinement. Also consider only incorporating one or two neon colors to avoid drowning in the brightness. We definitely do not want to be brought back to the wonderful wardrobe that defined the 80s.

Pairing neon with neutrals is a great way to achieve that refinement needed for a successful neon color scheme in your home or wardrobe, and is a perfect fit for spring! This pairing allows the neon pieces to pop and energize rather than overwhelm.  Try colors like white, black, nude, or grey to give your neon that sophisticated look.

 Let us know how you will be bright and bold this spring!

-Sarah

With a camera in every phone and hundreds of different social networks to share photos on, we have become a society enamored with photos. Erik Kessels, a Dutch visual artist, was alarmed at the ubiquity of photography and so he printed out every single photo uploaded to Flickr within a 24 hour period. The results are staggering. Kessels explained his work, on display at The Future of Photography Museum at Foam in Amsterdam, by saying ““We’re exposed to an overload of images nowadays… This glut is in large part the result of image-sharing sites like Flickr, networking sites like Facebook, and picture-based search engines. Their content mingles public and private, with the very personal being openly and un-selfconsciously displayed. By printing all the images uploaded in a 24-hour period, I visualise the feeling of drowning in representations of other peoples’ experiences.” Are we over-sharing or simply taking advantage of an accessible art form and connecting with friends? Either way, that picture you absentmindedly uploaded to Flickr might currently be displayed in an art museum.

-Merany

Jacket and skirt from Schmidttakahashi's Reanimation Collection

When browsing through consignment shops and vintage boutiques, I never fail to find some cool garment or accessory, but its hard to ignore the former owner and the garment’s former life. But now the mysteries of our recycled favorites are being debunked by Berlin fashion label Schmidttakahashi (the name comes from co-designers Eugenie Schmidt and Mariko Takahashi) as it seeks to unveil the past, present and future of vintage fashion.

The way it works is that clothes are donated with each donor receiving an ID number. Every item is then saved in an archive before Schmidttakahashi goes to work dismantling and reassembling the clothes into new designs.  The information about the combined materials and other garment information is then stored in an RFID-chip and sewn into each new piece. The items in the “Reanimation” collection can then be scanned with a smartphone, allowing donors and new owners to visually see the transformation of their clothes, while also allowing the present owner to add to the clothing’s narrative. In the minds of its creators, “Reanimation” is a way of swapping identity. With each recycled garment we are essentially slipping into “the external skin of another”.

-Neko