Hip Leggings & Sci-Fi Swimsuits From Black Milk.

above: The Helvetica leggings are just one of the many cool pieces of printed stretchy clothes from Black Milk.

Black Milk, a line of trendy fashions by James Lillis has been getting a lot of attention lately thanks to a post on Boing Boing which featured the fabulous Artoo and Threepio swimsuits and has resulted in a four week wait for both of the suits shown below.



But there's a lot more fabulous items in the collection- not just Star Wars-related clothes. While there's other fab space imagery, there's also some wicked rock n' roll, skulls, abstract patterns, union jacks, dollar bills, bones and other hip iconography printed on LYCRA in the form of swimsuits, leggings, shorts, catsuits, jackets and more.

Some of my fave swimsuits:
C Threepio Swimsuit:

Artoo Swimsuit (R2-D2):

Dark Side Swimsuit (Love the combination of the Pink Floyd album cover with Darth):

Galaxy Swimsuit:

Black Ribs Swimsuit:

Resurrection Swimsuit:

Sesame Street Pulp Fiction Swimsuit:

The Great Wave swimsuit (clearly inspired by Hiroshige) and Jaws swimsuit:

Black Skull and White Skull swimsuits:



Some of my fave leggings:

Helvetica Leggings:

Galaxy leggings (shown in black, also available in red):

Dreaming Desire leggings:

Leg Bones leggings:

Newsprint leggings:

Colored Comics leggings:

Black and White comics leggings:

Little Skulls leggings:

Dollar leggings:


Not all of the above suits and leggings are still in production, please check their online store for availability.





In James' own words:
At the beginning of 2009 I walked into a little sewing shop and bought two shiny new sewing machines. It was a slightly unusual sight - a shop full of older women making patchwork quilts for their grandkids... and me.

I didn't mind. It seemed very punk at the time.

My idea was fairly simple - I would teach myself to sew, buy some beautiful stretch fabrics, and make insane leggings. Then I would find girls who would get into them. Girls who wanted leggings that could pack a little more punch than the ones on offer at your average department store.

I made the leggings, found the girls, and so was born Black Milk.

Things were slow initially, but the girls who bought the leggings were always really positive, which was super-encouraging for me in the early days. The turning point came when I decided that I was going to figure out a way to wrap chains around a pair of leggings. It took me a week of drawing, sketching, scheming and failing before I finally figured out how to do it. I called them Cages, and they were a minor cult hit. From that time on, so many girls were ordering Black Milk gear that it became a full time job.

We've come a long way since those early days sewing leggings at midnight on the kitchen table. We've sold thousands of pairs of leggings all over the world. We've been featured in numerous magazines, newspapers and blogs from the local paper to Vogue. Best of all, Black Milk has now got score a reputation as one of the most exciting designer leggings labels in the world.

But a lot is still the same. I still stay up to midnight sewing. I still personally design each piece. I still get a buzz every time a girl emails me a picture and tells me how many people commented when she wore out her Black Milk leggings.

Yeah, it's still fun.

xx
james Lillis


Shop Black Milk here.

Move Over Silly Bands, Here's Some Sexy Bands For Grown-Ups.

If you haven't heard of silly bandz, you've either not come in contact with anyone under the age 20 in the past month or you live under a rock. As a matter of fact, the trend is so large that today The Daily What via joystiq has a post about the upcoming Silly Bandz Nintendo DS game from Zoo Games.



And even the technician at my dermatologist was wearing them last week.


above: children are stacking, trading and collecting Silly Bands like crazy

"Silly Bands" are the term given to shaped rubber bands that people have begun wearing as bracelets. The animal and object shaped colorful rubber bands have become collectible, traded and worn in multiples on the arms of kids and adults alike.



But if you want a little more adult version (or to compete with your children), Kikkerland has designed them in the shape of four different Kama Sutra positions- shown above on the wrist and below.



Made of silicone and sold 24 to a package (six of each design).

Kama Sutra Bands

Talking Turquoise, Brands Embrace Pantone's 2010 Color Of The Year.

If you haven't heard by now that Pantone® named Turquoise, specifically, PMS 15-5519 Turquoise, their 2010 Color Of The Year, you must be deaf. Or colorblind. Each year, Pantone®, the self-proclaimed global authority on color, chooses a specific hue of color to receive the honor and for 2010, it's the blue-green hue of the Caribbean waters.


above: Antigua

Now, what is a little odd is that Turquoise was a big color for fashion LAST year and many lines have discontinued items in that color for this 2010 year (like Apple, Gucci, Beirn And HeysUSA). Perhaps Pantone was picking up on last year's trends? In any case, some Turquoise colored items in this post may be discontinued or found on sale or on ebay.


above: turquoise earrings from Vivre

Keep in mind that Turquoise varies quite a bit in hue given that it's a subtle and delicate balance between blue and green. Therefore some of the items below may be a bit greener (more yellow added to cyan) and some a bit bluer (more red added to cyan). Some color lovers may argue that they are "aqua", "sea green", "seafoam", "peacock" or "teal" - but all are clearly within the family.

Truly Turquoise

Modernica "Build Your Own" Shell Chairs:


Hunter Wellies and Beirn Ballet Flats:


Arktura coffee table:


Elica Mini Om wall mounted Kitchen Hood:


Kara Ross Turquoise Stingray (shagreen) jewelry:

Keep Calm And Carry On poster:


Apple iPod:


Vipp New Limited Edition 2010 Mermaid Collection:


Nixon Watches:


Olympus µ Tough waterproof digital camera:


Rachiele's real Arizona turquoise sink basin:


Turquoise Electrolux Washer and Dryer:


Turquoise nail polish- Quirious, China Glaze, Pop and OPI:



Heys USA Business Case and Carry On luggage:


Garnet Hill's Ocean towels & bath rugs:


Supra Skytop Chad Muska Pro Model kicks:


Hunter Douglas Turquoise metal mini blinds:


Gucci Etretat Rubber turquoise flats (on sale now):


LG AX260 Turquoise mobile phone & Nokia's Mobiwoo in Turquoise:


Marc Jacobs Benny Bag:


More Blue than Green, but still considered Turquoise:

The following items tend to be less green than Pantone's actual color of the year and appear to have more blue than green or yellow in them, but they are still referred to as "turquoise" by their manufacturers.

Nintendo DS:


Stokke Strollers, high chairs and more:

Hamilton Beach blender and toaster:


Kitchen Aid Mixer (Martha Artisan Collection):


Hermes leather, canvas and linen goods:


Versace Atelier Dress:


Versace Fox Fur and leather handbags:


Jonathan Adler's Lacquer and Enamel collections:

The press release:

Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the color of the year for 2010. Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.

“In many cultures, Turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of color,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.”

Whether envisioned as a tranquil ocean surrounding a tropical island or a protective stone warding off evil spirits, Turquoise is a color that most people respond to positively. It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion and interiors. With both warm and cool undertones, Turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum. Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens.

In fashion, Turquoise makes a statement that can look elegant and dressy in fine silk and gemstones, or casual and fun in cotton and athletic apparel. Because of its versatility, Turquoise is a great accent color in jewelry, purses, shoes, hair accessories and even nail polish for women, and ties, shirts and sportswear for men.



For brides wanting a flattering choice for attendant apparel and accessories on their big day, Turquoise is now one of the nearly 200 PANTONE WEDDING Colors available from Dessy (shown above), a leading manufacturer of bridesmaid, social occasion and flower girl dresses, as well as destination wedding gowns under the labels Dessy Collection, After Six, Alfred Sung, Lela Rose Bridesmaid and Sandals Destination Wedding Dresses. PANTONE WEDDING exclusively from Dessy provides a collection of color tools to make it easy for brides to achieve perfectly color-coordinated weddings – from inspiration to “I do.”

Additionally, Turquoise is one of 3,000 colors available in Pantone’s line of superior-quality, eco-friendly paint. PANTONE Paints combine the accuracy of PANTONE Colors with the beauty of high-performance Dutch paints. Perfect for a powder room or bedroom, Turquoise is an evocative, spa-like hue that adds an undertone of warmth and excitement to any cool space. In the kitchen, Turquoise adds a unique flare to tabletop and appliances.

Pantone is pleased to announce PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the Color of the Year for 2010.

Turquoise Blogs and Sites
Like Orange, Turquoise is one of those tertiary colors that certain designers and interior decorators tend to favor. There are blogs and sites about all things turquoise. Here's a few for you to enjoy.

Y Livings's Selection of Turquoise items (although most are really shades of blue):



Erin's House Of Turquoise:


Everything Turquoise:



Turquoise Chic: