Valentine's Day

Ditch the roses and chocolates for Valentine’s Day, and check out Portland’s two classiest festivals this month, the Portland Jazz Festival and the Northwest Film Center’s International Film Festival. We’ve picked out a few of our favorite events, and created a style guide with items from the store so your V-day will be a no brainer this year.

Our Film Pick: Kon-Tiki

Kon-Tiki is the ultimate adventure flick on the high-seas without any eyeliner wearing pirates. The film follows ethnographer and rookie seamen, Thor Heyerdah, on his 4,000 mile journey across the Pacific on a wooden raft to prove his theory that the Polynesian Islands were settled by South Americans. Based on Heyerdahl’s own documentary and book about his real-life adventure, the movie’s cinematic grandeur and edge-of-your-seat suspense will keep you and your date’s hearts racing. Catch a screening of Kon-Tiki at Whitsell Auditorium on February 17th at 7:30pm or Regal Lloyd Center 4 on February 19th at 6:00pm.

Valentine's Day Look for Her

Portland's International Film Festival only comes once a year, so it's the perfect opportunity to dress up for the movies. Layer a floral silk dress with a military inspired wool sweater for the perfect mix of sweet and bold. Add a pair of nude heels and matching shaped jewelry for the finishing touches.

QSW Blue Stone Floral Dress, Maison Scotch Boxy Sweater, Nau Shroud of Purrin Trench, Swedish Hasbeens Grandma Boots, Sahlia Michelle Earrings, Julie Nolan Bracelet, Melange Roll-On Perfume, Seaecho Clutch

Our Music Pick: ACS

The triple threat jazz group, ACS (Geri Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington and Esperanza Spalding), combines three of the best female jazz musicians today, and is a must see at this year’s Portland Jazz Festival. Grammy Award winners and masters at their craft, ACS pushes the boundaries in the contemporary jazz realm. Catch their performance at Newmark Theater on February 24th at 7:00pm.

Valentine's Day Look for Him  

Dress to impress at the Portland Jazz Fest with a fitted button-down, wool vest, cable-knit sweater and slick black boots. Opt for colored jeans instead of regular blue, and don't forget the finishing touches with some pomade and a touch of cologne for a polished look.  

LVC Shawl Collar Cardigan, What Goes Around Comes Around Jacoba Vest, Nau Interwoven Shirt, West Third Brand Marche De Tabac Cologne, Imperial Gel Pomade, Nixon Chronicle SS Watch, Wolverine Addison Boots, Baldwin Denim - The Reed Duck Canvas, Billykirk 12" Carry All

Railcar Denim

Railcar Denim

Hailing from Arcadia, California, Railcar Denim is the latest addition to our hand-picked premium denim collection at Lizard Lounge. Railcar Fine Goods uses originally designed patterns and crafts their denim using older, traditional, manual and rare vintage sewing equipment including black Union Special and Singer machines.

Railcar Fine Goods founder Steven Gang got his start at the Los Angeles Metro fixing and repairing passenger trains. His mechanical background is reflected in his work, “Every stitch has a function, every angle has a function and with function comes beauty.”

Look for the two styles of Railcar Denim at the Lounge:

The Spikes X001 made of 13.5oz American Cone denim with a red line selvedge edge

The Spikes X009 made of 16oz Japanese denim with a red line selvedge edge

Black Friday | Little Boxes

This year Lizard Lounge is doing Black Friday a little different.

On top of offering 20%+ off the entire store, we, along with 170+ other small businesses, are teaming up with Little Boxes for their second annual city-wide shopping event.

So how does it all work?
By visiting any of the participating stores Friday-Saturday, you are instantly eligible to fill out a raffle ticket.  Visit 20 stores, get 20 raffle tickets. Sounds pretty good to us!

But wait, we're just getting started...
When you make a purchase at a store you get a stamp on your map. The more stamps you collect the more bonus tickets you get:

1 stamp = 10% off all participating stores
4 stamps = 15 tickets
8 stamps = 20 tickets
12 stamps = 30 tickets

90 prizes are being raffled off from iPads, shopping sprees, gift cards, services, etc...  For the full list visit here. It's seriously worth checking out.

For more information on how to play visit LittleBoxesPDX.com

Good luck this Black Friday and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Swedish Hasbeens

Once upon the seventies, in the south of Sweden, lived a woman named Anita.  She was a Camel smoking, curler-wearing mother who was, above all, fabulous.

Fast forward to the summer of 2006.   Not far from where Anita lived,  300+ pairs of red, white, and black of her clogs were discovered in a basement of an old clog factory.  This was the start of our new favorite shoe line, Swedish Hasbeens.

Last weekend, Lizard Lounge hosted a Swedish Hasbeens Trunk Show with 20% off all Hasbeens and gift with purchase plus Krogstad aquavit bloody marys from House Spirits Distillery, Bowery Bagels,

The hardest part of the day was trying to pick a favorite....

 

Make an Impact | MVMT

Standing by their motto "look good, do good, feel good", the People's Movement is a shoe and accessory company on a mission to save the planet.

The Peoples Movement from The People's Movement on Vimeo.
Inspired by timeless design, travel, and the well being of the environment, co-founder and CEO, Kevin Flanagan, wanted to create product that reflects the change he wishes to see in the world.

 Each shoe is made of:
-Organic cotton canvas
-Water based glue
-Nickel free eyelets
-Natural dyes

Each year MVMT teams up with a new cause and this year they've partnered up with the Plastic Pollution Coalition. Taking washed up plastic bags found on the beaches of Bali, they transform them into material to use for packaging and design details.

On the Map

Inside the bathroom at Valentine's in SW Portland.

Set vintage maps (with box included, but not pictured) - $1,000
Available now at Lizard Lounge.

(Pictures courtesy of Google and Tumblr)

Starting tomorrow...

Make an Impact | Nudie Jeans

It's no secret denim used to be one of the least eco-friendly wardrobe necessities to produce. However, the key words here are used to be.

Levis has launched a waterless denim line and G-Star partnered up with MADE-BY to implement sustainable manufacturing, but the one brand we cannot stop talking about are Nudie Jeans.

Not only did this Swedish based company create jeans that make your glutes look like you spent the last week in the gym, but their global aware efforts easily make them one of the coolest denim brands on the market (and in our closet).

How They Help

Nudie Jeans are members of the Textile Exchange. Some of you may know them as the Organic Exchange, a non-profit that supports the growing and trade of organic cotton.

By fall of 2012, Nudie will reach it's goal of producing an entire denim collection made entirely of certified cotton by GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard).  This means their cotton fields have been pesticide free for three+ years and they've carried out organic procedures through production.

Of course, denim wouldn't be possible without the help from some talented farmers.  By using fairtrade, Nudie is able to ensure they are being compensated a fair price that will help the growth of their community.

Watch the short movie below to see how Nudie recycles their denim that has been loved to death!

(Photos: Nudie Jeans and Google Images)

Dear Seaecho, Portland Loves You Too

Seaecho is a fairly new brand to the Lizard Lounge family that is rapidly making it's way to the top of every lady's "need" list.

It was only a couple weeks after we received our first shipment when we noticed the portfolios and mini-portfolios on the streets downtown, at after work "happy hours", and even on fashion blogs.

So why do we love Seacho? Well, let us count the ways…

1. Portland based designer, Sarah Vale Rapp.

We support all things local, but when we met Sarah it went beyond that.  Yes, she is insanely creative, but she’s also one of the most gracious and genuine designers we’ve had the chance to work with. 

Not to mention she hand sews each bag...with love, of course.

2. It’s a refreshing change of pace to the Pendleton obsession.

We love Pendleton, a lot, but living in the NW we also see it, a lot.  Sarah’s fabric color choice, along with the simple structure of each piece, makes for a chic go-to accessory.  Whether you’re looking for a statement piece or are daring enough to pair with contrasting patterns. 

3. The “Three-in-One” Portfolio.

Versatility is key, especially on those days when you feel you might not even get a chance to breathe. 

Problem solved. You can use the portfolio in the morning, switch it to an iPad case in the after noon, and an oversized clutch by night.  

Available now at Lizard Lounge:

Portfolio- $79
Mini portfolio- $39
Pencil pouch- $20
Laptop case- coming soon!

For more information visit her website!

First Thursday | May 2012

Even though the Summer days last longer in Portland, time seems to go by faster. That proved true when we realized it was time for May's First Thursday (we swear we just finished April's!) But as the saying goes, "time flies when you're having fun"!

As always we'd like to thank our friends at Widmer Brewing. 

Personal confession: I volunteer to work First Thursdays specifically for the Koi Fusion cart connivence. 

Celilo did not disappoint with their self described "bootgazing Indiecana, psych-folk dream pop" sound.

For more info check about upcoming shows and performances, please visit their Facebook.

This month's we featured photography duo Jeremy Pelly and Randall Garcia's work. We love the juxtaposition of the photos with the simple, geometric shapes. 

| Street Style |
Rugged Tretorns against unexpected, polished layers makes for an effortlessly cool look.

By far the cutest duo of the night! 

Oh my, bow tie. How can you not smile with some patriotic flare?

10% of this month's event went to the non-profit p:ear.

p:ear helps the homeless ages 15-24 create healthier lives and self-worth through education, art, and recreation.

For more info please visit their Facebook.

(Photos courtesy of Boone Rodriguez)