softies

isn't it hard to find the perfect jersey top these days? i mean, sure, you can get a 5-buck sweatshop special at the mall or the same aa low-v-neck every other hipster kid is wearing, but there are times when you just want something comfy and.....special, you know?

something as soft and lovely to touch as your favorite worn-in concert t-shirt from before you were born. something stylish and classy enough to wear to work but which serves triple duty as a weekend pull-over or a flashdance-esque bar-star fantasy. something that your friends slyly eye-up and wonder where you found.

we3 is a line from vancouver that specializes in comfortable, stylish and environmentally sustainable pieces. each season consists of essential garments relevant to how women dress everyday but with on-trend colours and fashion-forward silhouettes. a few avant garde pieces are thrown in for good measure and voila! the perfect, soft, organic, deceptively fashionable and wickedly wearable jersey piece. i can't wait to wear these beauties:

secret sexy

have you heard the news? turns out tapered trousers are super-hip for spring. they're THE pant shape say the clever girls at who what wear daily. who knew?

ok, well, we knew, which is why we already designed and sewed our very own beautiful version that's in store now. we created the "wheat pant" with visions of hot summer days dressed in hotty-hot tank tops and even hotter heels. walking sex cleverly disguised as no-nonsense trousers.
to illustrate the secret sexy wearability of the wheat pant we recruited our own it-girl, genevieve, to model some outfits.

nokomis 'wheat pants' in black, $139; dace 'stanley blouse', $169; noko vintage heels, $25



nokomis 'wheat pants' in black; mono '2-piece drape tank', $269 (my favorite top in the store right now!); noko vintage heels, $25

nokomis 'wheat pants' in birch, $139; nokomis 'mist top', $68; mono 'knotted necklace' in black, $289; noko vintage sandals, $25



nokomis 'wheat pants' in black; hastings and main 'zipper tank' in black, $198; nokomis 'woven belt', $69; noko vintage heels, $25

s-t-i-t-c-h

i sure wish i was going to be in calgary tonight to go see this show. it looks right up my alley.

if you're in the neighborhood make sure you stop by the uppercase gallery at #204, 100 - 7th ave sw in calgary between 5 and 9pm for what looks to be a great event.

dress me up in feathers

we have all manner of fabulous, fluttery, feathery things in store right now. which ones would you like to fly off with?

alyzo peacock earrings, $40

myrtle and pearls long feather earrings, $30



jex feather necklace, $68

jex large feather earrings, $30

miju etched acetate feather necklace, $32

the BBB

we've been extolling the virtues of the brave brown bag here at nokomis since time began. we all have one, or five, and use them all the time for everything.

brave brown bags are waxed cotton carryalls designed to resemble a paper bag but built to last for years. as they're loved-in by you they crease and weather and change into something personal and unique. BBBs come in a variety of sizes and fabrics (gingham and toile are my favorites) and, depending on which one you choose to carry at which time, somehow transform to suit any purpose or occasion.

allow me to set the scene...

act i: summer. early morning. warm, pink sunlight glides in from the east. you've awoken extra early this saturday to seek out the plumpest purple blueberries, the freshest farm eggs and a wild bouquet of early flowers at the farmer's market. you pack your treasures into your oversized, checked brave brown bag, strap it to the back of your bike and ride home to wake your lover with breakfast and a kiss.



act ii: mid afternoon. the sun shines hot and high in the south. wispy clouds hover in a pale blue sky. you enter the cafe, tucking your sunglasses into your petite floral bag, and order a perrier, change your mind and get a peach sangria instead. enter jessica, jamaican lemonade, followed by leanne, white wine, and carmen, corona. lunch comes and you waste the afternoon laughing about last night and showing off the shoes you got on vacation.



act 3: night. you're trying out a new shade of eyeliner--electric eel. it sets off your giant purple earrings. you hand over your id and walk into the club, you're on the guest list, naturally. the music starts and you move to join the gang. you reach into your sleek brave brown bag and pull out your lip gloss. someone buys you a drink as you scan the room and move onto the dancefloor. let the games begin.



like what you see? well here's a treat: all our brave brown bags are currently half price. let us know which one you have a crush on and we'll be sure to set you up.

hastings and main

we LOVE hastings and main at nokomis. designed by maryanne mathias since 2003, hastings and main is inspired by the well-traveled designer's surroundings and experiences. her clothing is in part informed by recent time spent in india, africa and the middle east and by the textiles, cultures and possibilities for sustainable development these amazing places present.

this spring sees her working a lot with hand-dyed & printed silks and jerseys, fabrics for which we've come to know and love her. we just received a brand new shipment last week with 6 beautiful styles that we've been ooh-ing and aah-ing over ever since.

i can attest that all hastings and main garments owned by nokomis staff (even the ones from 5 seasons ago!) remain in regular wardrobe rotation to this day. they're go-to pieces when you want something unique, sexy, fashion-forward and totally individual, and that's good value! wearing her clothes is also a special experience that makes you look and feel like a million bucks. they have the perfect combination of high and low, nasty and nice, slinky and strong. we heart 'em.


hastings & main 'shift tank', $159


hastings & main 'zipper tank', $218

party shots (without the people)

so in all my brilliance and glory i forgot to actually take any photos of our party last thursday, which is kindof totally like me, though i did manage to take some photos of the food. we can see where my priorities lie, no? oh and here are some shoe shots too for good measure.

thanks to all who braved the bitter night, we love having you over.