With EVERY social event comes the opportunity to see who you can get to strip.
The Whomper made it's way to the Harriman Cup last weekend for the annual UVA vs. Yale Polo Match. I brought Stackle for the gamers, and Sonoma Dresses for the sneak peakers. In typical Camilla fashion, I changed outfits 3 times in a span of 1 polo match. Not exactly the usual way to introduce a new dress, but Why Not? I mean who needs Runway shows at Fashion Week when I've got a Polo Field filled with potential and repeat customers? No better press than that, although Oprah would be nice...
No changing rooms at the Polo Field. That's where the stripping comes in. Note the look on the guy checking her out...Yowzer! Pull the Sonoma Dress over your head, Squiggle out of your top, Check yourself out in the nearest non aero dynamic car door
And Presto. New outfit. And what a great model she is!
Now not everyone stripped....This girl tried it on over her shirt and jeans...
Any way you slice it, good test marketing for the Solid Sonoma dress in Ponte Knit...perfect for Fall. More colors are soon to come, all made and sourced in New England we are happy to FINALLY report!
Even caught a beautiful sunset on the way back into NYC.... -Never a Dull Moment, Bradley
LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! Inspired me. I am now the proud owner of a Tory Burch Isa Tote.
And to give into shameless self promotion, imagine how cute it will look with the new Sonoma Dress that has just landed in CK Bradley Boutique!
We had 2 other colorways that have SOLD OUT already...Next time I'll be quicker about getting it up on the site before we sell out to our Wholesale Boutiques.
Here's to Tory Burch and CK Bradley looking good together...
Sometimes a Blog can really draw me in. Before I know it, I have spent an hour perusing other peoples lives. But that doesn't happen often...Having left NYC for salty air, I find myself enjoying other peoples accounts of the parties I used to go to, and the people I used to see. Melissa Morris is a great customer of CK Bradley, looks great in almost anything she wears...and has an adorable dog, Monty. Her Blog has accounts of nearly everything from eating to travel to..a day in the life of Melissa. Scrolling away, I came upon Melissa wearing CK Bradley with Tory Burch.
Love it. You look fabulous Melissa! It made me do a little thinking about Tory Burch. CK Bradley had been around for a year or two when Tory decided to start her business. Tory hired my first employee, Meg Doepke to be her right hand woman. Meg was great at CK Bradley back in the day, and Tory was SMART to hire her. Meg actually still works for Tory today, and I run into her outside of the daunting orange walls they put up around the Tory Burch booth at the Coterie every year. The Coterie, for those of you who don't know, is THE show where boutiques and larger department stores come to buy lines for the following season. This was CK Bradley's FIRST Coterie Booth in 2004. Tigger is in his kelly green cage in the right hand corner! All of our samples were in white fabric, and we had drawn the print on laminated paper for stores to pick and choose what color ways they would like. This will require another blog, since I am getting OFF topic reference Tory Burch.
So back to Tory. Who is the Tory customer? I don't own anything she makes, but that's not to say I don't like her taste, I do. So why don't I buy her stuff? Something to ponder. And it's NOT because I get to design my own clothes...my closet is full of Marc Jacobs, DVF and old Tocca.
My Dad thinks a woman in a flannel nightgown is the cat’s meow. In fact, he adores a woman in a long flannel nightgown so much, he keeps a stash in our foyer ‘gift’ closet for his latest ‘lady friend’.Meanwhile, a Belgian baron I had the pleasure of sitting next to at a wedding in Marrakesh, nearly carried me to the nearby alter when I talked of having gone to cooking school and my ability to sew.
Wedding in M'Kesh (bridesmaids dress courtesy of CKB and Baron not included)
For others, stiletto’s paired with a flesh hugging leather pencil skirt (or kelly green pique skirt) is hotter than hot.Alas, we put sexy in the eye of the beholder.
The ooohing and ahhing of men for women in high heels and a tight skirt just plain confuses me. Wait, no, I GET IT. What I mean is, is it fun to be out with a girl that has to sit on the sidelines when the night calls for skipping and cartwheels?Is she willing to dump the shoes for bare feet and to rip her ‘oh so sexy’ too tight skirt?Is her ‘sexy’ ensemble going to kill the fun? Probably not for you if you're a guy...but for me, YES.
I like to think things gone wrong can sometimes make the fun. So sometimes, restrictive clothing adds to the fun…but only if the wearer is willing. At the Orange Ball a few Winters ago, surrounded by many a dashing Dutch man, I split the zipper of one of our CK Bradley sample dresses doing a dance move over the back of my very nimble partner. (This is just one of the MANY ways we test the clothing before it hits the racks at CK Bradley) Now I must admit, had I known the move my partner was about to thrust upon me, I would have rapidly swooshed off the dance floor in search of another lime for my libation, but my dance partner was just too quick.He had me up and over his back before I could blink. Over him I went, zipper ripping as fast as my mind was wondering where the floor had gone. I landed on my feet, (thanks to non-stiletto’s) and grabbed the front half of my dress that now lay around my waist before the whole party could see my bare breasts.
(there was a time when I didn't mind showing off my bare breasts...)
The rest of the night I danced about the Ball with a tablecloth wrapped about me like a Pashmina covering my top half. Now I realize this might not be sexy…but it sure was fun. (And to be honest, had it been a tight skirt that split, I would have had just as much fun wearing the tablecloth about as a full dress/toga)
Back to the ever popular sexy stiletto.At 5’11”, I don’t wear heels that often. No need to be taller than that on a day to day basis. So when I do decide to be out and about in heels, I am far from the hip swinging, hair thrusting diva that owns her heels and attitude while wearing them. Instead I feel like I am playing a video game avoiding all hazards from sidewalk cracks to subway grates to uneven asphalt.If someone sends me to fetch a Jack and Ginger at the bar,I walk like an 8 yr old playing dress up in her mom’s pumps and have to down half the drink before my return trip to minimize spillage. If the menu calls for heels, like some black tie party, I stick some flip flops in my usually large clutch.This makes me totally mobile if necessary. With a moments notice, I can outrun the other 10 people trying to grab a cab, run after the cutie who thought it was OK to leave the party without introducing himself, or flee at lightening speed from an old flame who thinks its time to break the ice, again.
Maybe sexy boils down to confidence.When you have it you can possess any mood you wish and present it to the world as you like.I suppose if you can ride piggy back on the cute boy you just met in your tight leather skirt and win a race up a Down escalator in your Manolos,you are sexy and are having fun. But its plain sinful to let sexy get in the way of fun.
Its the beginning of Goslings/IYAC Rain Gutter Regatta Racing season in Newport.
7 pm: All teams hover at the IYAC in Newport drinking beers while the judges gather to pass out the boat kits and list the rules for the Regatta. A lot of 'big talk' ensues...
The Rain Gutter table top is delivered by several strapping sailors...but that's not why we are here...
My team of lookers (referring to my boys of course) gathers outside awaiting instruction and materials.
Ashley, from another team, shows her bag o' tricks filled with special glue, hot sauce?, a paper plate and the ever important last season DVD of Gossip Girl, Ted on MY team organizes our 'car o' tricks' with power sanders, saws, heat lamp, tank for float testing, and just about every tool he could fit into his wagon. The pressure is ON. No way can we let a team ooohing and ahhing to Gossip Girl while they paint their nails and glue their boat beat us when we are armed with enough tools and power to build a small town.
7:27pm- Teams are given boat kits, and given rules: All boats must measure no more than 6.5" long by 3" wide. Hulls must be made of the wood supplied in the kits, and sail material may be made from anything. Teams have 1 hour to build. GO! Outside, my team, hard at work. Another team used the sidewalk for manual sanding...kind of brilliant, IF you don't have an power sander that is... INside the IYAC, other teams glue, paint, drink... Meanwhile, Tigger is trying his darndest to get people to come in and cheer for us...
Back at base camp, we've got outdoor lighting for night work, way to go TED...
Meanwhile, inside IYAC, Justin one of the Judges(who I buttered up with a slice of pizza...shhhhh!) is measuring the water level to make sure both gutter lanes are of equal depth.
Judgment time. All competing boats lined up...yes, there is a Solo cup sail in there...but our red rig looks pretty fast...plus, I was counting on my 'pep socks' for distracting the opposition.
8:36pm. Races begin. First up, us vs. some kiwi boys. Now it does matter how fast your boat is, but in this particular regatta, the 'life jacket switch' can make or break you...each team member needs to remove the life jacket and put it on the next relay team member before they may begin blowing for the next lap.
If I thought wearing red hot knee socks were distraction, they were put to shame by the opposition next to me removing his pants only to showcase his Superman Underoos. It had been brought.
As luck would have it, we took home the Gold. Goslings that is..wait, what happened to that bottle guys? Thanks to the boys Ted, Wade and Bob on the team for making me look good, since the only thing I had down was pizza delivery and removing layers (in this case the life jacket) FAST. And Geoff, thanks for taking the pics to remind us where we were last night.
-Is it Wrong that I want a Gutter Race Table in my Backyard, Bradley?
Got in a Toyota Tundra with 3 others, (2 of whom I'd just met) drove 8 hours to the Tijuana, and began the Taco Tally Challenge to try and eat 50 tacos in 4 days. We got through the border without even a passport viewing,
Followed the religious statues,
Checked out the Cacti on the 32 pit stops along Baja's Rt 1,
And stopped at as many Fish Taco stands as possible from Tijuana to Mulege.
At first, as a Fish Taco virgin, I was thrown of by the large piece of fried fish on a plain tortilla, but once you add the fresh cabbage, pickled onions, lime, avocado, pico de gallo, and special sauce there isn't many a meal that can top these for me now. Taco Tally at the end of the trip? 47. So close.....
This Weekend was Jeff and Vieve's Engagement Party in Newport. Vieve basically runs the show and me at CK Bradley, (Probably shouldn't have admitted that...) so this week was a bit of a mess at Newport Headquarters as I tried to do her job while she prepared for the big week. No big upsets that I'm admitting to... Friday Night was a beach bonfire and Barbecue courtesy of our friend Patrick at Preppy Pig BBQ.
Ummm...I had to get closer You get to choose spicy or sweet, and let's just say both special sauces stop conversation.
I caught a glimpse of some CKB gear...
Louisa Ryan in CKB Spring 2006
Whitney Rugg spotted in a blue 'n pink CKB belt. Love a man in pink.... And if the pulled pork sandwiches weren't treat enough, someone must have paid big bucks for the Harvest Moon we got that night rising from water. I'm not sure cameras are supposed to be able to capture the essence of all sights...I know this picture does the moon injustice-
The next day was a Cocktail Party at Buddy and Suzy Hills house. As a committee member, I'd been asked to secure some more 'cornflower blue' Hydrangeas in the event that the ones delivered the previous day had wilted. Well, I fell asleep early Friday night, and missed the boat on my midnight stalking and snatching adventure...so on the way, we may have found some back ups.... This house was under construction, so we are pretty sure we did these flowers and owners a favor. Not only do Hydrangea bushes like to be trimmed to relieve them of their weighty baubles, but so too do they like to be oogled and ahhhed at. Thank you house on the left for these beautiful additions to the party... And yes, Meghan, you look fabulous. What's this? A Phoebe Dick spotted in The Bamba Dress? This dress has gotten a lot of blog press lately....and don't worry Kirsten, I am still on the lookout for the proper color thread for you...
And later on, a CKB purse was spotted... All in all, a wonderful weekend in Newport full of sand, pulled pork and borrowed flowers. Jeff and Vieve, may your days be filled with laughs and smiles.
Every now and then we get an email from a customer that reminds us WHY I do what I do. It's not so much the dress designing, but more the inspiration to have fun. Yesterday Genevieve (my right hand wom) received this email from a customer... Subject: Thread
Hello Genevieve,
My name is Kirsten Durocher and my sisters and I are huge fans of your line.We have enjoyed watching your company grow from the cool bags and accessories to some really awesome clothes and more specifically some very unique dresses. Unfortunately my reasoning behind emailing you was that one of my very favorite dresses from your collection has had a bit of an accident. This is a dress that has gotten more compliments than I can even explain and has been borrowed by just about every one of my girlfriends from Boston to Los Angeles. Honestly, the dress has been a bit of a "sisterhood of the traveling pants" as cheesy as that is and when my friend recently wore it to Opening Day at Del Mar Horse Track in San Diego she said strangers were literally seeking her out across the room to compliment her (my CK Bradley) dress and ask her who the designer was. Needless to say, each and everyone who has worn the dress, including myself has been thrilled to death with the compliments and are always immediately thrilled to spread the good word of CK Bradley.Anyways, long story aside, its most recent wear was at a wedding where one of my friends may have been too aggressively performing her "moves on the dance floor" when a strap on the dress broke. It is a perfectly clean break and should be easily fixed, however upon first attempt we have not been able to track down the specific colored thread and the mend is currently a bit noticeable (at least to me the owner of the dress). The dress is totally wearable, but as a bit of a perfectionist, I was hoping that I might be able to track down a bit of the blue thread used to sew the straps on so that my tailor could perhaps fix the dress in a less noticeable way. I have attached a picture of the dress (pre-incident), as I am not 100% sure what its official name/style was. I would appreciate any advice/help you could provide with this matter.On a side note, do you have any of these dresses still kicking around in either this specific pattern or anything else. I am part of a rather small chested/small waist/larger bottom club and this style could not fit my body more perfectly. I wanted to pick the dress up in the blue/green combo (size 6), but didn't manage to find it in time.Thank you again for your help and my apologies for sending such a lengthy email. I look forward to continuing to shop the CK Bradley brand and having recently moved from Boston to Los Angeles, I can't wait to wear all my CK wear out here. All the best. -Kirsten Durocher--Kirsten Durocher
Let's rehash this a bit. Does "...too aggressively performing her moves..." include shaking and or stomping? I ask because I, the namer and designer of the dress think it might have had something to do with the dress, not your friend. Can a dress inspire behavior you ask? I think so. The dress in question here is called the Bamba Dress after the dance and song La Bamba...and the origin of that according to Wikipedia "... has no direct English translation, but is presumably connected with the Spanish verb, bambolear meaning "to shake", or perhaps "to stomp". So...could I be at fault here for not making a dress with super heavy duty thread knowing that it is almost IMPOSSIBLE not to want to dance while wearing it? Even before the dress was put into production...we danced with the idea of no straps as you can see above, but opted for straps in hopes that that would lessen the occurrence of a surprise peep show. Other dresses also inspired by dances....
Kirsten. We are on a search for your thread. Stand by....
-On my way to delve into the CK Bradley dress archives on a hot and sticky day...
I was recently asked to write about a road trip by a friend at Quest Magazine. It came out in the June issue, and I thought the topic would remind us that though Summer has been downright soggy thus far, it is still WARMER than winter....so here we go..an escape from the sogginess to the cold that awaits.
It was 6pm on a Friday night and I couldn’t wait till Manhattan was a glimmer in my rear view mirror. A couple thousand miles lay ahead, and only 1 point left till my drivers license would be revoked. Would I make it? I didn’t know. But I thought my chances were better off at night. Plus, I’ve had my share of sweet talking the cops, especially with my famed parrot Tigger as my co-pilot.
So off I went, bound for the beckoning plains of the Lazy E-L Ranch in Montana. I have done plenty of cross country road trips and I have always chosen the southern route merely chasing warmth and delectable Southern accents.
If you think the largest cross in the Western Hemisphere or the biggest ball of twine in the world are worth seeing on a trip cross country, I beg to differ. That’s where EVERY tourist goes. The only thing you will be looking at is the back of a motor home as you try and sneak a view of the coming attraction. I prefer the unexpected attractions.The sneaky ones, that shock you. Talladega, Alabama was one of those for me.
Imagine 10 miles of campers and motor homes lined the Interstate which paralleled the Talladega Speedway.Forget weekends in the “Country”. This set already lived in the Country. Weekends for them were an escape aboard their second home on wheels. Prime real estate has more to do with how early you get there than how much you have to spend on it. There were no hotel rooms, beer or ice for 60 miles.Talladega, I will remember you.
But this trip I decided to leave the tumbleweeds and speedways in the dust in search of moose crossings. The cold route awaited me.
There is such a peace of mind that comes from driving cross country. Every exit leads to a life I have never known. My ipod doesn’t stop playing. But on these journeys, I choose the radio. Country music was all I found on the local stations, and I LOVE country.I liked this route. Farmers outnumbered bankers and pickups outnumbered sedans.Diners are a good bet, and nice farm equipment is a status symbol. You just feel more American.
I’m not the most patriotic person. I celebrate the fourth of July, know a bit of America’s history, but it wasn’t until I got out into the far reaching parts of this incredible country, into the towns I had never heard of, and may never pass through again that I got a real sense of American pride.Though I live in one of the largest cities in the world, I have never felt smaller then when on a road trip through our vast Country.
Five days, no speeding tickets, nine tanks of gas and one of ethanol later, I reached my destination: The Lazy E-L Ranch in Red Lodge, Montana. One adventure down and a few to go. The National Ski Joring Championships now had my full attention.
Ski Joring practice: Skiier: Ben Mackay
Race Day: Yes, a skiier being pulled by a mighty fast and nimble horse
After a few days at the Lazy E-L, I packed up my bags, Tigger and some new belt buckles. Now I had to make it home…
With EVERY social event comes the opportunity to see who you can get to strip.
Pull the Sonoma Dress over your head,
Squiggle out of your top,
Check yourself out in the nearest non aero dynamic car door
And Presto. New outfit. And what a great model she is!
Any way you slice it, good test marketing for the Solid Sonoma dress in Ponte Knit...perfect for Fall. More colors are soon to come, all made and sourced in New England we are happy to FINALLY report!
-Never a Dull Moment, Bradley
