Dress Code: Memorial Day Weekend

May 17, 2013

Memorial Day weekend is almost upon us. No matter what your weekend plans are - barbeques, trips, beaches, the city - we've got your  style inspiration covered. 


The Place: Barbecuing, Picnicking, Outdoor Concert

The Goods: 

               

         

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The Place: The City, Weekend Trip, Stuck at the Office

The Goods: 

           

      

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The Place: Beach Party, Boat Party, Cocktail Party

The Goods: 

            

           

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The Place: BBQ, Outdoors, Weekend Getaway

The Goods: 

           

       

Flying A + The City: May 16-19

May 16, 2013

 

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NYC plays a huge part in the Flying A identity, so we'd like to start to share some of our favorite NYC places and spaces with you for some well-deserved weekend fun. 

DO: Great Googa Mooga. Food, drinks, music, and Prospect Park. Need we say more? May 17-18 at Prospect Park. General Admission tickets are $54.50. 


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SEE: The Rain Room Installation at MoMA. An interactive installation by Random International, the Rain Room allows participants to play in the rain without getting wet. Using digital technology, the falling water stops when a body is detected. Users become the art and dictate the movement of the rain. The installation is open through July 28th from 10:30-5:30 (open until 8:00 on Friday) at the museum's midtown building located at W. 54th St. between 5th and 6th Ave. Admission is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors, $14 students and free for everyone 16 & under. 

  

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EAT: Siggy's Good Food. Don't let the alien on the door scare you away, we promise this LES eatery isn't ET themed. What it does have, is delicious, organic comfort foods that are vegetarian & vegan friendly. 


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SHOP: The Swedish Hasbeens Pop-Up Shop at Marimekko. As purveyors of everything Swedish here at Flying A, we fully support this pop-up collab between two of our favorite lines. The collection will be "Call of the Wild" themed and takes place at the Marimekko concept store on the UES. The shop opens today and will stay open until 6/15 and is located at 1262 3rd Ave. 


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Happy Earth Day!

April 19, 2013

Earth Day was born on April 22, 1970, after 20 million Americans came together to voice their support of preserving the environment and launching the modern Environmental movement. Since then, Earth Day has been celebrated annually worldwide and has become a forum for addressing environmental concerns as well as educating the public on acts of sustainability. The Earth Day Network was created to oversee this yearly event. The Earth Day Network also works year-round with other companies to sponsor sustainability related initiatives as well as educate the public on issues relating to environmental changes. This information and more (including how to get involved) is available at http://www.earthday.

org

 

Flying A is committed to carrying brands that are eco-friendly & socially-conscious. While not every brand we carry fits this niche, where possible we try and focus on brands that are trying to reduce their own footprint and improve the world in which we live. Listed below are the eco-friendly brands that we stock.

Adesso: Adesso jewelry is crafted using traditional craftsman techniques. Their jewelry is often created with upcycled vintage beads and charms.

Fjallraven: Fjallraven products were originally designed to be enjoyed in nature, which is why the company has pledged to make every effort to sustain the natural environment. They oversee their entire productions process to ensure all of their products are cruelty free. They are constantly searching for ways to reduce their environmental footprint. Finally they donate to the preservation of the endangered arctic fox, for which the company is named.

Matt & Nat: Matt & Nat design their accessories line on the principles of sustainability. They are committed to using recycled/upcycled materials where possible, including reusing plastic bottles and cork. They operate completely cruelty-free so there are never any animal by-products used in their bags, only vegan leather.

Kala Style: Kala Style soaps fit into 2 categories. The first are their natural soaps imported from Europe with a tradition of excellence. This includes our Swedish Sea Salt Soap with skin-softening properties. The other half are the domestic soaps they source to encourage local business. We carry the Farmer’s Market soap, which is made of natural vegetables in support of farmer’s markets.

Sophia Costas: All Sophia Costas products are created in a fair trade work environment in India & Nepal. All Sophia Costas scarves are made from natural materials and are crafted using traditional artisan methods. The Vintage Collection, consisting of Jackets, Blankets, and Skirts are handmade in India and are crafted with recycled vintage fabric.




Summer Concert Season Is Here!

April 12, 2013

With the opening of Coachella, we can officially say summer festival season had officially arrived. With this year's collection of headliners and performers, 2013 festival season promises to be legendary. However, it's not just the music that gets us excited about  festival season - it's also the awesome styling peeping. 

In celebration of festival style, we've created a Festival Inspiration Board on our Pinterest of our favorite concert looks/pieces. So whether you're heading to Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Firefly, or Governor's Ball right here in NYC, we've got your style inspiration covered. 

 

New Designer Spotlight: Christen Maxwell & Stephanie Johnson

April 11, 2013

We've just received some magnificent new clutches from designers Christen Maxwell & Stephanie Johnson. Both designers are new to our collection and you can learn more about them here: 

Christen Maxwell



Christen Maxwell began her design career in home goods, and expanded to an entire lifestyle collection. Her designs are inspired by art, travel, and nature and are designed to be completely livable. Maxwell believes in preserving the traditional craft of rural areas, thus sustaining artisanship and livelihoods for future generations. 


Stephanie Johnson 



Inspired by her travels, Stephanie Johnson left her career as an executive for a large company in order to launch her line of travel goods in 2000. Johnson, a frequent traveler for her work, saw a gap in the market for stylish & functional travel accessories. The line that carries her name is her way of filling that gap. Stephanie Johnson products are designed to be practical and organizational, while fashionable at the same time. 



How To Wear: Spring Stripes

April 09, 2013

Everyone loves a good striped top for the spring & summer months. This week we explored a few different ways to put together our favorite striped pieces and picked a few of our favorites to share with you. 


Left: "Mixing Prints" - Forget the rules and mix your prints. For this look we've stuck with a blue color palette and paired the Hope Has Short Sleeve Tee with the Hope Judge Trousers and topped it off with neutral accessories like the Kensington All Gold Watch by Nixon and the Monaco Clogs in Pampas Natural by Moheda
Center: "Menswear Inspired" - Bow ties & button-ups aren't just for men! This look features a vintage YSL button up with a vintage bow-tie. For a sleek look, we kept the trousers & shoes simple with the Shape Trousers and Zion Sandals, both by Hope. 
Right: "Monochrome"  - Keep it simple with just one color, but keep it interesting with texture & patten. Model is wearing the Pirate Top by Hope which features a unique crinkle finish and Joe's High Rise Skinny Jeans. Accessories include vintage ankle boots, the Bina Scarf by Sophia Costas, The Gwen Bracelet by Adesso, and the Zippy Pouch by Christen Maxwell



Left: "Casual" - Large stripes give this American Vintage Shirt a relaxed feel with a punch of color. Paired with a pair of distressed jeans, sandals, vintage fedora, and Autotuner Sunglasses by Spitfire this easy tee is beach ready. 
Center: "Small Stripes" - The narrow, seersucker-like stripes of the Gido Top by Humanoid add depth to this breezy blouse. Paired with white vintage Levi's cutoffs, the Port Sandals by Hope, and the Time Teller P by Nixon, the Gido top creates a classic summer look without being too stuffy. 
Right: "Vintage Sundress" - This isn't the first time stripes have been popular. This happy yellow vintage sundress paired with the Suzzie Swedish Clog by Moheda is an easy way to mix and match vintage and contemporary pieces. 

New Designer Spotlight: Adesso

March 28, 2013

 Introducing the newest brand to join the Flying A collection: 


Adesso jewelry was founded by Samantha Goldstone as a way to marry her love of jewelry making with her love of helping others. All of the jewelry is crafted locally in Santa Barbara, CA by local artisans as a part of Adesso's commitment to community. Adesso's jewelry design is inspired by elements of the past (such as vintage African healing beads) mixed with contemporary styles.

Learn more about Adesso here

How To Wear: Sophia Costas Jackets

March 25, 2013

 It's finally starting to warm up and we're breaking out our favorite lightweight jackets. We especially love these upcycled vintage fabric jackets from Sophia Costas. They're the perfect weight for transitioning into the warmer weather, but the best part of these jackets is that they're made of reused vintage fabric by fair trade workers in India so they're both eco-friendly and socially-responsible. 






Shades of Spring

March 19, 2013

Spring Trend: Black & White

March 14, 2013

Amidst all of the bright colors, the combination of black & white has emerged as a major spring trend. We picked a few of our favorite new arrivals from Hope that epitomize the timeless look of this classic color combo. 



Do St. Patty's Without Looking Like a Leprechaun

March 12, 2013

Spring Essentials Part III: Vintage Dresses

March 07, 2013

At Flying A, we love vintage clothing. Not only are vintage pieces one of a kind, but buying preloved clothing is eco-friendly! Here are some of our picks from our Etsy shop:

  1. Lanz Original Sleeveless Floral Dress 
  2. Light Pink Floral Keyhole Dress
  3. Vertical Stripe V-Neck Dress
  4. Chiffon Aqua Cocktail Dress With Gold Trim


Spring Essentials: Part II

March 06, 2013

The next item on our spring essentials list: Sunglasses! As the spring months approach us the sun is making an appearance; the temperature is starting to rise. Although the sun is millions of miles away, it's important to shield your pretty peepers. Long term exposure to ultra violet radiation can seriously affect your health. The right pair of sunnies will not only protect your eyes but can complete your outfit. Here are some of our favorite sunglasses from Spitfire:  


  1. Whips Cross Sunglasses in Brown/Clear  
  2. Lovejoy Sunglasses in Black
  3. Autotuner Sunglasses in Gold
  4. Spork Sunglasses in Black
  5. Upcycle Sunglasses in Gold/Clear
  6. Tax Exile Sunglasses in Black

Stay tuned for more of Flying A's Spring Essentials coming your way tomorrow!

Spring Essentials: Part I

March 04, 2013

Now that March is here and it's getting (slightly) warmer outside, we've decided to put together a week long collection of our favorite spring items. 


  1. Ravine Duffel in Grey/Tan 
  2. Tommy Trip Bag in Chocolate
  3. Rafe Boston Bag in Dark Green
  4. Outfitter Travel Bag in Woodland Camo
  5. Sophia Costas Collapsable Tote Bag in Red 
  6. Emilia Tote in Navy/Red
  7. Classic Backpack in Purple
  8. Settlement Plus Backpack in Teal

Stay tuned for more of Flying A's Spring Essentials coming your way tomorrow!

New Designer Spotlight: Nkuku

February 20, 2013

With the redesign of our website, we decided that we should also try out some new brands that we felt fit into our current collection. Today, we are introducing the first of these new designers: Nkuku. 

Based in the U.K., Nkuku strives to create products that benefit local artisans in developing areas such as Africa and India. Their products encourage the growth of craft & design skills as a means to end the cycle of poverty and other barriers to success. Not to mention, all of their products are fari trade and equal opportunity. To learn more about Nkuku, click here




Eddie Redmayne <3s Flying A

January 23, 2013

 Collective squeal! We somehow happened along this old Vogue video from 2010 where our favorite British dreamboat Eddie Redmayne of Les Mis and My Week with Marilyn fame names Flying A as one of his favorite stores. Eddie, come back and say hello, or as you say, "Cheers!"

 



Tuesday Tune: Winter Fields by Bat for Lashes

January 23, 2013

 
The Haunted Man's album cover, shot by Ryan McGinley.

Ever since the new Bat for Lashes album The Haunted Man came out, English singer-songwriter Natasha Khan has been constantly crooning at our office here in Soho. The dark-haired songstress's third album is a thrilling work of atmospheric melodies and vaguely tribal sounding rhythms, with standouts being the haunting "Laura" and strangely euphoric "All My Gold". But today, we'd like to dedicate this blog post to the lesser known, "Winter Fields"--it being winter and really, really cold and all. The song combines Khan's willowy voice with string orchestral instrumentals, creating the subdued drama and eerie beauty of snow-covered expanses. Take a listen below!



Technical Textiles: Fjallraven's G-1000

January 16, 2013

 

The apparel and accessories aficionados over at fashion and lifestyle blog High Snobiety have compiled a brief history of fall's most popular fabrics, including Fjallraven's popular (and patented) G-1000. Here's what they had to say about the technical textile:

"No technical fabric list would be complete without Fjällräven’s very own G-1000 fabric. The material was invented by Fjällraven’s founder, Åke Nordin, after discovering on an expedition to Greenland in 1966 that the selection of outdoor clothing was far too limited. Taking matters into his own hands, the adventurous Swede sewed together the very first G-1000 jacket adding a mixture of beeswax and paraffin.

"Nowadays, the tightly woven fabric is constructed of 65% polyester and 35% cotton and coated with a layer of natural Greenland wax. The combination of materials allows for both wind and water resistance on top of being both extremely durable and highly breathable. Like Gore-Tex, G-1000 allows for built-up moisture to release from the material so sweating stays at a minimum."