Inspiration Board

How awesome is this map wallpaper?!

Love the detailing on the heel.

Out of this world!

Great design!

How cool would these ampersands look in the store?

Well, we are officially heading into winter. Here are a few things making me smile. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Happy Halloween Everyone! xoxo

Jenna Rose

Another Hamilton designer that I have had my eye on for a while now is Jenna Rose aka Jenna Fenwick. You may know her as the designer behind those tree house tee towels at White Elephant. She also makes bags and scarves as well as many other home furnishings. Her collection is ethically and thoughtfully made in Canada and is a reflection of her love of screen printing and illustration and her passion for creating handmade and sustainable textiles. Her designs remind me of being at the cottage. I have had my eye on her bike pillow for a while now... I might just get it.

Highs and Lows

Alexander Wang Leather Jacket $1825.00

Hawk & Sparrow Leather Jacket $60.00

I thought it would be fun to do a weekly post showing items that I have in store and compare them to items on the runways and call it the "Highs and Lows."

Halloween Costumes!

Dany from Game of Thrones

Don Draper from Mad Men

Marilyn Munroe

Cleopatra or A Grecian God

Cowboy or Cowgirl

The Great Gatsby

Matador

Princess Di

Need a last minute costume idea? Hawk & Sparrow has lots of em' Here are some possible costumes above that we have in store.

Inspiration Board

Jeffrey Campbell Wedges - In love with this shoe!

Love This Room especially the branch being used as a curtain rod!

I am a spice nut especially when it is well packaged

Scout & Catalogue Friendship Bracelet: Kind of have an obsession with friendship bracelets.

Jean Paul Gauthier Umbrella - Fitting for Fall weather

The weather has started to take a change for the worst so I need some extra pretty things to keep me happy. Above are five things currently keeping me away from the weather blues.

Scout & Catalogue

Leather Satchel

The Lasso Scarf - Rose/Indigo

Friendship Bracelet - Large Red/Orange

Lasso Scarf - Black/White

Scavenger Series - Pastel Navajo

Nomad Scarf - Nebula

I first discovered Scout & Catalogue on Beaux Mondes a while back and instantly fell in love. Designer Breanna Musgrove draws inspiration from her travels in Mexico and creates pieces that could be described as romantic bohemian chic. This season's collection is nothing less than extraordinary. Can't wait to get her into the store!

Josette Cacnio

Josette's Provocative F*ck Him Tank

Leopard Crop Tank

Wool Circle Scarf

Cobalt Blue Leopard Vest

Gold Vinyl Front/Black Lace Back Flowy Tank

Although Hawk & Sparrow is primarily a vintage and used store, I had always set out with the intention to incorporate new emerging local and indie designers. I would like to introduce Hamilton native Josette Cacnio to Hawk & Sparrow. I am thrilled to have a number of her pieces in store right now. I met Josette through my old blog Steel City Street Styles and we became instant friends. She is a designer who I respect and admire and someone who is not affraid to be provocative which is something that I admire. Josette's collection this season is bold with a sexy edge. Wellcome to Hawk & Sparrow Josette! xoxo

Hidden Gems

Teaspoon Ring

Horse Pocket Watch

One thing about buying for a vintage store is that you never know what you are going to find. You can't really plan for any purchases. So if you are looking for a navy blazer with metal buttons, it might not happen (this happened to me last week). But, that's where half the fun comes in because you end up stumbling upon hidden gems that you couldn't even imagine finding like these two pieces above. As a vintage customer you can pretty much be guaranteed that know one else is going to be sporting a teaspoon ring or a pocket watch with wild horses on it.

Fall Pieces

On a recent shopping trip for the store I stopped by Zara to look for some Fall clothes for myself and picked up a nice beige wrap jacket and black suede ankle boots. They are a nice edition to my Fall wardrobe and have inspired me to look for something similar for the store so check in soon if you are interested!

Inspiration Board

1. Diptyque Candle - My Favourite Candles

2. A Mansion Cabin Somewhere in Norway - I would like to hideout in there.

3. Donuts! - Yum!

4. Toronto Brand Scout & Catalogue - Preparing for Fall Season

5. Wise and Inspiring Words

Some images from the web that are currently making me happy.

The Price Is Right

Barely Used London Fog Raincoat

1940's Vintage Crochet Tie, "The Original Skinny Tie"

Many people ask me how I price clothing. I have a couple of tactics. One is I look on sites like Ebay or Etsy to see how they are pricing an item. Sometimes a brand like London Fog (raincoat above) or the type of materials influence my decision. Also where the item is made is important. If it's made in China then it will be on the lower end but if its made in Canada or England I'll price it higher. The year is also important. If its from the 40's or earlier then the price will increase since it is harder to find items from those time periods like the tie pictured above. Sometimes shoppers don't think an item is worth what you are asking but if you have the justification for it then it goes a long way.

Cowboy Boots - The Real Thing?

Cowboy boots never seem to be quite out of style. They are not necessarily on the top of everyone's shopping list but I would go as far as saying that they remain a staple in most fashionistas' closets. But how can you tell if you have the real thing? Here are two tell-tale signs you have real cowboy boots:

1) The boots should be made in the US. Made in Texas is even better!

2) If you look at the sole of the boot, there should be many nails along the edge of the boot.

Hope that helped. Happy Shopping!