Time for another Fun with Tangents!

I’m hopin’ really hard that global warming is done with the schizophrenic weather that’s been plaguing the Bay Area. Yesterday I broke out a sundress I purchased at Coachella 2007, and I ended up being perfectly outfitted for the rest of the day. (Except for feeding Brit and Dave‘s cat later last night. Popo recognizes me now [Eee!], which means my jeans get a lot of pricks from his claws. I am told it is called “kneading.” According to The Oatmeal, Popo is actually plotting to kill me. I pulled on an extra pair of jeans and threw a blanket over my lap visiting him.) Though I’ve had the dress for a couple of years, I never realized who the maker was. I just liked it a lot for being a repurposed concert T-shirt (It upcycles the Coachella 2006 shirt.), being well-designed, and fitting surprisingly well.

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In April, I discovered my favorite East Bay boutique. Convert took over the space where Purrcasso was held, and I kind of wish it was not just a walk down the street from me. It’s far too accessible. Started by Randy Brewer, who pretty much shaped the Haight’s Villains selections for the last twelve years, Convert is dedicated to style and sustainability. Carrying both men’s and women’s clothing, it’s a place where both Bill and I can kill some time together and try on some (awesome!) eco designs in a non-stuffy setting.

The first time we went in I was very good. I bought nothing, even though Brewer himself gave me recommendations for pieces to try on. (He also sized me up really well. Which is a first.) Still, I didn’t buy anything. Un/fortunately, a romper with fun, funky colors and a Furies arched hemline tank did not leave me alone, not even days after we had left.

And so it came that my mid-April paycheck had just come in and Bill’s birthday weekend in Cambria was coming up. I convinced myself that two days in the sun was reason enough for a new romper, and headed straight into Convert. I was greeted by Becca, and she told me more about the designer of the dress, SuperLuckyCat. Every SLC piece is one of a kind, because all the materials SLC uses are cast off textiles – the perfect thing to hear because I didn’t feel like as much of a greedy consumerist asshole. SuperLuckyCat designs are also impeccably tailored. The cuts are off-beat, so you’d be hard-pressed to find a worthy seamstress to mimic them. Sold! Wish I could wear it every day.

SLC’s story really appeals to me. I’m generally not a thrifter or vintage shopper. Call me possessive, I’m just not always gung-ho about the concept of wearing someone else’s stuff. I do have a couple of consignment pieces in my closet, but they’re few and far between. SLC clothing is clean, well-cut, desirable. Designer Crystal Butler’s creations are definitely something I’ll be keeping an eye out for.

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So when I pulled on that Coachella dress yesterday, it was the first time I realized I already owned a SuperLuckyCat dress. I had seen the hangtag before, but back then I wasn’t as militant about Googling everything that came through my hands. (Sounds alien to me, I know. I’m wondering what happened to the 2007 me, too. I can’t believe I didn’t Google as much!)

I suppose you have to be a certain type of person to get a kick out of a discovery like that. Me? I felt, well, super lucky.