good clothes for bad girls

Sample Sale up!

2009-06-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

Just got the Spring 2009 Sample Sale posted!! Almost every single sample is 50% off! First come, first served. http://www.beqiclothing.com.

So excited about fall!

2009-06-07T07:57:00.001-07:00

I know it's early, but you know we designers have to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to clothing, because Fall technically starts at the end of July for us. The upside to this is that I get to brainstorm all the things I want to make for the cooler months when we're still in the hot ones.

Anyone who knows me knows that while I'm all for temperatures above 72 degress when I'm sitting in a pool or a lake, I'm definitely NOT a hot weather gal. (I blame the German side of my heritage--great for streusel, not good for sunbathing!) So I daydream about the kinds of desperately chic layered looks I'll get to don when the mercury falls again.

I'm currently all about the animal prints again: leopard, cheetah, tiger, zebra, giraffe, snake, unicorn, what have you. And they don't have to be true to life, either. I'm loving some of the skin prints I've seen mixed up with shots of orange, blue, and purple.

Also, plaid is going to make a comeback, and in a BIG way. You've undoubtedly been seeing lots of buffalo plaid on the young hip things lately, and it's got me all inspired to make a ruffled minidress with a standup collar--kind of like a shirtdress, but without the horrible gapping that happens to us busty gals with traditional shirtdresses. I've even bought some green and black plaid taffeta for this very garment, and I'm waiting with bated breath for it to arrive.

I'm keeping with the pencil skirts and fitted sheath dresses I love so much on Mad Men, but updating the colours for fall: look for lots of teal, raspberry, purple, fuschia, kelly green, jade and charcoal grey come the turn of the season.

The last three things I've made have been clutch purses, so look for a few to make it into the line. Also, my love of scarves has been reawakened, with knit and chiffon and woven ones soon to be unveiled. The accessory item I've been using the most, though, is a super versatile black cinch belt. In fact, I love it so much I'll be selling it for summer, as well. It's perfect around dresses and longer tops.

And while I'm not as hot on the neon bandwagon as most seem to be (mainly because I went through it the first time and am still suffering from stress-induced seizures), I do think it's hella cute in smaller doses, so I'll be adding in neon-hued accessories from time to time.

Well, that's where I'm at! Hope this summer finds you happy, having fun, looking fabulous, and kicking ass; even if only metaphorically. :)

We've been featured on Girls Guide to the Galaxy!

2009-05-22T08:11:00.001-07:00

Our Daytripper Dress has been posted on the Girls Guide to the Galaxy! Check it out at http://girlsguidetothegalaxy.com/2009/05/20/have-a-handmade-summer/#comments!

NEW at Beqi.etsy.com!

2009-05-18T18:50:00.001-07:00

Last Call for Artists!

2009-05-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

St. Louis's biggest collection of alternative art and crafts.
The Big Ass Indie Art and Craft Show showcases St. Louis's finest artists and crafters in a department store style show.
With locally made goods, great food and big ass entertainment!

Call for art/crafts runs until May20th. See www.bigindiecraft. com for more info.

Looking out the window

2009-05-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

After the morning-and-afternoon-long deluge, it looks to be a beautiful day outside! Just perfect for the Tower Grove Farmer's Market Season Opening tomorrow! Hope to see you all there, it should be a blast!

Spit-shine and Polish

2009-04-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

I'm redoing my table displays for all the upcoming craft fairs I'll be vending in, and I thought I'd let you have a peek. The colour scheme I'm going to be unveiling will be a rust/peach/pea green/grass green range of hues, and the trays are sporting a fresh coat of ivory paint with peach tiger stripes and leopard spots. I think this'll be the best looking table I've ever had!

Imagine these trays on pale peach tablecloths, with copper coloured easels holding rust coloured bulletin boards full of necklaces.

I've recycled a cast-iron wine rack into a bracelet holder, a birdcage planter and some very strong magnets into a brooch holder, and I'm currently repainting an old lazy susan to hold my glass head (affectionately named Gracie) for a hairpin display.

I prefer to use upcycled thrift store finds to display my goods, because they're cheap, plentiful, and you have the opportunity to be utterly creative envisioning that old metal trashcan upended and painted with roses to make a perfect earring holder. Plus, the fact that you're saving something from being thrown away helps us all in the long run.

I still have a lot of work to do before the big shows start in May, but when it's all done I'll be sure to let you see it!

New on Beqi Etsy!

2009-03-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

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GWI!!

2009-03-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

Well, Green with Indie went off without a hitch! If I'd remembered to bring my camera, I'd have lots of lovely pictures to show you, but as it is I'll just have to regale you with text. The weather was lovely (if windy) and so were the participants and clientele. We got to hear some lovely music, see a remade and recycled fashion show (Including a dress decorated with seed pods!), and mingle with St. Louis's like-minded sustainable living crowd.

I met a lot of awesome, stylish people, and spent most of the day with the uproariously funny Lauren B. (whose tattoo-inspired painted goods can be found at the Show Me Handmade store in Crestwood Court) and Kelly Hogan of Hoags Bags, who was made even funnier by the percocet she ingested to help her with her broken foot.

Thanks to the St. Louis Craft Mafia and Webster University for having the vision to put on this event, and remind us (gently) that everything we do to help the planet sustains us all in the end. Cheers to ya.

I Scream for Silkscreens!

2009-03-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

Due to my lovely friends Deanne and Nancy (of EvilLittleGirls Fame) I will be able to add screened handmade tees to the line within this month! I made my first screen since starting this business in 2000 (I stopped selling them in 2003 to concentrate on the clothing) in January, and I now have a sample of my screen, which I've made into a bag.

Deanne will be screening this lovely Bouffant cutie onto knit fabric I've provided her, which I will then turn into fashion friendly scoop necked gathered sleeved tees. They should be available for ordering within the month, and will take no longer than the normal 2-3 week manufacturing time!

I have plans to make small batches of new designs throughout the seasons, and each screen will have a limited run so that the designs are always fresh. Look for a lovely peacock design to appear in April!

2009-03-04T14:32:00.001-08:00

We're mentioned on the Metromix Website! Check it out at http://stlouis.metromix.com/style/photogallery/green-fashion/997827/content.

It includes a photo of my newest Dress, the Hera Dress, now available for sale.

Twitter!!

2009-02-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

Follow us on Twitter! We're at http://twitter.com/beqiclothing, and we'd love to be your Tweet!

(The irony of using an Information Age technology to promote the fruits of a pre-Industrial Age one are not lost on me. Hee hee.)

New at Beqi.Etsy.com!

2009-01-25T07:56:00.001-08:00

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Check out our item on Stl Handmade's blog!

2009-01-17T12:47:00.000-08:00

Our Metis Necklace, which is available on our Etsy site, is featured in this week's STL Handmade first ever Saturday showcase!

Check it out at http://stlhandmade.com.

NEW at Beqi.etsy.com!

2009-01-04T17:06:00.000-08:00

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Photo Op

2009-01-02T13:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, y'all!

I have sooooo much to show you when the new season comes out! I'm very excited by everything so far, I think you're gonna love it!

It's sunny and somewhat mild for this time of year today, so I'll be hauling my new jewelry out and photographing it all in one fell swoop. Be sure to check beqi.etsy.com in the coming weeks, because I plan to add at least 10 items a week!

I've been a busy, busy little bee, indeed. :)

New stuff at Beqi.etsy.com!!

2008-12-19T18:05:00.000-08:00

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We're in the City Museum!!

2008-11-25T12:04:00.000-08:00

Just added to our retail outlets: the lovely, wacky City Museum! For those native to St. Louis, the museum needs no introduction. For those who've never seen it, words cannot describe it. It has a bus on its roof, a giant pair of underpants inside, a four story slide made out of conveyor belt rollers, and that's only scratching the surface.

And now it's complete, because it has Beqi jewelry in its gift shop. :)

We were interviewed by DIY Style!! Yippee!

2008-11-25T11:58:00.000-08:00

I was interviewed at the Strangefolk Festival by DIY Style!!

See the interview in its entirety HERE.

Everything Old is Fabulous Again

2008-10-15T18:11:00.000-07:00

People sometimes ask me where I get my inspiration, and I never know what to say, because inspiration strikes me from the oddest places. It can be the colour scheme in a friends' apartment, a halloween costume I had when I was six, or even wierd food packaging from the international market in my old 'hood.

Rarely are the clothes I make directly inspired by existing clothing; I'm more likely to be inspired by the feel of a fabric, or of my particular emotions regarding its colour. Lately, though, I'm finding myself inspired by every single thing Joan Hollaway (played expertly by the luscious Christina Hendricks) wears on Mad Men.

I'm new to the show, being the last inhabitant of the United States without cable, but so many people have raved about it that when Season One became available at our local video shack, I picked it up. And went through every episode in a week, including (like the entertainment geek I am) the cast commentaries and special features.

If you're a fan of the show, I needn't tell you that one of its brightest spots is Ms. Holloway's wardrobe. Hell, it's almost a character unto itself. Perfectly fitted wiggle dresses and pencil skirts in luxurious colours and prints, it's sexy without being slatternly; and like the rest of the show, it's redolent of the past without just being kistchy drag.

It helps that Christina Hendricks is unlike most other modern actresses, whose inability to maintain a healthy figure has left them breastless, assless, and hipless. They stalk; they don't glide. If they have curves, they're usually silicon-based, which is a poor imitation. They're not so different in silhouette than coltish teenaged boys, which is fine if that's how your boat sails. If you're like me, however, you miss the glamour (and fashion) of old Hollywood. Give me curves and innuendo over jutting collarbones and tell-all books any day.

So it's in the spirit of the glamorous past that I bring you the Holloway Dress, a dress fit for a sex kitten; perfectly tailored for a night of cocktails in a sumptuous little eatery, or any time you want to imagine yourself in a world where men and women still know how to dress themselves with panache. Goes perfectly with a side of sass and a rocking pair of peep-toe pumps.

I think Ms. Holloway would approve. :)

Yo' Winnah...

2008-10-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

And the winners are...

Alana, Greeneginger, and Enya Nightmare!!

If you haven't already, email your home address to beqi13@yahoo.com, and you prizes will be sent out in 5-10 days!

Congratulations.

Strange Days are here again

2008-09-22T10:11:00.001-07:00

(Borrowed from my friend Robin's blog SAHM I Am)

BY SCOTT WUERZ News-Democrat
O'FALLON --

--Started three years ago as a way to give hip, young artists a creative outlet, the Strange Folk Festival has grown into a two-day extravaganza that has seen participation increase five-fold since 2006.

Organizer Autumn Wiggins said 20 vendors signed up for the first festival. This year, 120 will be there selling artwork, eclectic clothing, purses and other crafts, many of which are made out of recycled materials.

"The response, it's been just great," Wiggins said. "We have vendors signed up from all over the U.S. and Canada. The selection was juried this year, we had a lot more applicants than the 120 we approved.

"The festival runs from Saturday through Sunday at O'Fallon Community Park.Wiggins said the festival, which drew small crowds on one rain-soaked day three years ago, could draw as many as 10,000 people this year. "When it was on Saturday only, some people had a tough time being here," Wiggins said. "Now that it has been expanded to Saturday and Sunday, it's only going to get bigger."

City Administrator Walter Denton is thrilled to hear those projections for several reasons. "There are community benefits to festivals like this," Denton said. "First, it is an opportunity for residents to come together and enjoy a local event. Second, it is important to quality of life to support cultural events like the Strange Folk Festival. Third, these events have some economic impact in that visitors who visit the festival may stay in our hotels and shop in our stores."

In addition to a broader slate of vendors, Wiggins said a slate of musical acts are planned and food options will be greatly increased as well. "This sort of event usually does pretty well in big cities, but I wasn't sure at first how it would go over in the suburbs," Wiggins said. "But it is one of the best-attended shows of its kind in the country. As far as local participation is concerned, it's one of the best shows there is."

---

Needless to say, this is where I'll be parking my buns come this Saturday and Sunday. I'll be next to my impeccably dressed friend Robin, of Bag-A-Gogo fame, and surrounded by many STL Craft Mafiosas as well as the fabulous owner of Circa Boutique in Belleville, IL. See you there! I'll be the one running her mouth like my jaw is greased. ;)

Contest!!

2008-09-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

Going on from now until the end of September, 3 random commenters on this blog will receive FREE gifts from Beqi Clothing! Leave your comment telling me the following things: how you found me, what your favourite item of this season is so far, and what your favourite colour is. As long as you leave an email link with your name, I'll contact you to let you know you've won. Contest over at midnight, September 30. Winners will be chosen at random, friends and family of Beqi not eligible. (sorry!)

NEW at Beqi.etsy.com!

2008-09-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

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Check out our interview on Show-Me St. Louis!!

2008-08-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

I was interviewed for Show-Me St. Louis, along with other members of the St. Louis Craft Mafia!!

Check it out here!