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We're in the City Museum!!

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!

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

See the interview in its entirety HERE.

Everything Old is Fabulous Again

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...

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

(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."

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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!!

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!)