Hand Picked

Parisian Plaid Picks of the Week

Cory and I recently went on an amazing trip to Paris and while there we kept our eye out for fun, great uses of plaid. Here’s some of our favorites.

Diwali – Scarf and Jewelry Shop – Rue Mouffetard

bounty of scarves! diwali

 

plaid-square-scarf-diwali

plaid-scarves-diwali

Diwali is a Parisian store with the most amazing collection of scarves I’ve ever seen.  I left Paris with three scarves and it’s honestly a miracle I didn’t leave with 20, and no money in the bank.  Their website isn’t great yet, but by Fall they will have online shopping available with shipping to the United States.  You can enter your email on their site and recieve updates about the status of the website!  Needless to say, I already entered mine.

Chocolate – Jeff de Bruges

 

plaid-cup-jeff-de-bruges

Jeff de Bruges is a must visit chocolate shop in Paris.  The chocolates are delicious and less expensive than some of the other artisan chocolate shops. 

Fancy Glasses – Window Shopping

Yves Saint Laurent - Sunglasses

architect glasses

We stumbled across this store window with some pretty rad plaid sunglasses by Yves Saint Laurent. And a nice collection of wood framed “architect” glasses, by which I mean the type of glasses creatives wear (I might get a pair for Cory).

And finally just for the fun of it.

Eiffel Tower

The intricate lattice work of the Eiffel Tower is rather plaid like, isn’t it?

We had an amazing time in Paris, we hope to do more traveling soon so we can share more plaid finds from beyond the land of Minnesota!

May 13, 2013 Hand Picked 0

History

The United States of Plaid – Pennsylvania

As part of our continuing series on the United States of Plaid, this week we’re introducing the official state tartan of Pennsylvania.

Week-11---The-United-States-of-Plaid---Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Keystone State is home to great history, including the birth of a few treasured documents (the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and the Gettysburg Address). This history has yet to include an official state tartan, but a design by William H. Johnston in 1992 would be a great addition to the thread of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Tartan

The woven creation of a Pennsylvania Tartan. Image credit: specedt1

The State Tartan of Pennsylvania

Join us again next week as we explore the history behind the state tartan of Wyoming!

April 23, 2013 History 0

Inspiration

Happy Earth Day!

Ok it’s a little late, but we wanted to jump on the Earth Day wagon.   Normally Cory and I would be out planting a tree or something equally Earth friendly on this day.  But Minnesota is in the midst of yet another late “Winter” snow storm.  Is there such a thing as a Spring snow storm?

happy-earth-day!

Hope that those of you in warm climates were able to celebrate Earth Day with a little plaid and a little (or a lot) of sunshine.

April 22, 2013 Inspiration 0

History

National Tartan Day!

National Tartan Day 2013

Tartan Day is a celebration of Scottish heritage on April 6, the date on which the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320. A number of Scottish Organizations have been lobbying congress to have it declared an official American holiday since 1998. However, it wasn’t until 2008 that after passing through both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate that President George Bush signed a Presidential Proclamation making April 6th National Tartan Day.

Tartan Day celebrates not just the heritage and accomplishments of Scottish Americans, but it also celebrates the numerous tartan patterns that are so intrinsically tied to the clans of Scotland.

Take a look around your state for National Tartan Day events. Here in Minnesota there will be a Minnesota Tartan Day celebration at the State Capitol in Saint Paul.

 

April 6, 2013 History 0

History

The United Nations of Plaid – France

This week instead of our usual United States of Plaid series.  We are substituting something that we hope will be a new running series. The United Nations of Plaid!

The closest thing France has to a national tartan is this colorful flag inspired tartan commissioned by the French Institute in Scotland for French National Day in 2006.  The colors represent the tricolor French Flag which was adopted during the French Revolution.

The-National-Tartan-of-France

“The Auld Alliance tartan was commissioned by the French Institute in Scotland to celebrate their 60th anniversary, and was launched at a reception in the Assembly Rooms in George Street Edinburgh on 14th July 2006 to celebrate French National Day celebrations on 14th July 2006.

Tables were elegantly decorated with swathes of the red, white and blue tartan and staff fitted out in matching ties and scarves. Guests were piped into the building and entertained throughout the reception by pipers from Brittany displaying Auld Alliance tartan banners on their pipes.

French Consul General Pierre-Antoine Berniard and Institute Director Olga Poivre d’Arvor presented special guests with commemorative tartan ties and scarves.”

Hope you enjoy our new series, we’ll be back with more United States of Plaid when we return from France!

April 3, 2013 History 0

Humor

Plaidify is Paris Bound! Vive La Plaid!

PLAID FRENCH FLAG

Cory and I are leaving for Paris today and we couldn’t be more excited!  We hope to find many great examples of plaid in Paris so that we can come back and share them with you!

I studied in France in college for a semester, so I can’t wait to revisit all of my old haunts.  Cory has never been abroad.  The best part is that I’ll get to rediscover Paris through his eyes.

I asked Cory last night what the first thing he’d like to eat in France.  He must have read my mind because he said we’d head straight for the patisserie. But how will we choose?

french-patisserie

Vive la France.  Vive la Plaid.

Don’t forget about National Tartan Day on April 6th!  We’ll be celebrating with a special post, while we’re gone!

March 31, 2013 Humor 0