Woven: The Fabric of Our Lives

Through the years of owning Momo, I’ve come to appreciate textiles, not just as the material of the clothing we wear, but as a form of functional art. The Japanese (and yes, I speak as an outsider to a culture from whence I came, but am still a tourist), are masters of simplicity in transforming a mundane square of fabric into an amazingly utilitarian item. Behold the furoshiki, in this case, a 36" rectangle of cotton that can bundle a present, morph into a table cloth, or in case of chill, be worn as a scarf. Sou Sou of Kyoto makes this practical article into a true gift with their happy graphic patterns.

If you’d like to appreciate the talents of Sou Sou on a smaller scale, we offer handkerchiefs, or what some folks use as napkins. 

Or for the specialist in your life, the ultimate textile treasure, the Omusubi bag, for wrapping up that delicious rice.

From Vancouver, Canada, we present the fabulous fabrics of adorable Danica Designs. In this case, lovely linens make drying dishes a pleasure. We give a hoot about you and want to make chores fun!

We love eco-chic cloth napkins. Phooey on paper.

 

And most of all, when we visited Kyoto, super kawaii bags were everywhere. We are happy to have a few (in this case, just two) for you to use for whatever you please. Yay for material goods!

    

Cozy Up to Color

Maybe it’s just Momo Mama, but I swear it’s sunnier in Seattle, even during this recent cold snap. So does this mean our love affair with shades of black and grey — or as we like to call it, light black — is fading? Could it be that in our brightened winter, we are seeking more cheer in our lives?

Seattle’s favorite Prairie Underground makes it easy to stay cozy in color with their great line up of sweatshirt-weight hoodies. Like this Ribbon Victorian in Emerald.

And one of their newest styles, Tiny Dancer ... a dash of detail and shorter length. Love this Deep Blue.

Another new take on a favorite swing top: the Amulet Pullover. It’s here in Ink Pot, a rich shade of aubergine for you purple people.

Speaking of Eggplant, Seacliff from Curator of San Francisco keeps out the cold with a deluxe collar in super-soft fleece.

For French Wine lovers, Musas is an easy dress to pop-on for work to weekend from Cop-copine Paris.
The fabric is amazing, with the feel of scuba knit. Ideal for travel.

Navy is the new black: Yannic is spiced up with flecks of turquoise and rose by Skunkfunk of Spain. Plus, it has zippers and pockets!
So Seattle.

One of the prettiest colors and shapes in the shop is brought to us by Curator of San Francisco. They call it Darling in Evergreen. I call it charming! The nipped in waist is enhanced by a vintage kimono obi from Katherine Ragghianti.

And if you really want to go wild with color, try wearing white in Seattle. Bench brings us the Portwood, a cuddly hoodie in luscious Winter White, like jammies for the street.

 For those of you who still desire the reliability of neutrals, we offer these ways to stay warm. From former snowboard gear designer, Three Stones, the seam-sealed Getaway jacket in Charcoal.

And Leadplay, a Black-and-White flecked sweater from Bench ...

... and hello Dali, so right for that holiday party, a very cool graphic dress. Note zippers at shoulder and hem — from Sunlight of Paris — sleeveless yes, but just throw on a basic black cardi!

Time to Get Your Warm On

With winter’s first gusts blowing out of the north, it’s time to think fast about ways to stay warm when you’re out and about. Momo is ready with cold-weather essentials to ensure that you remain perfectly snug in the upcoming chill. Let’s take it from the top.

Head First! Squishy and thick cable-knit beanies from New York Hat Co. will keep your noggin toasty. Momo has versatile black and charcoal grey.

From Japan, the ever-popular Beagle House beanies in both knit and jersey.

Neck + Neck: A Momo classic, the “Alvéole” (French honeycombed) scarf from Saint James. Compact, a cinch to slip on and off, beautifully crafted — one of our favorites.

Unisex lightweight cashmere scarves from Nepal are large enough to wrap around your neck multiple times yet sleek enough to stow in your bag ... all while excelling at keeping the chill and rain off of your neck. One of the many charms of cashmere.

Gotta Hand it to You: For everyday wear, we present 100% wool fingerless gloves from New York Hat Co. Thick and sturdy, these will last you many seasons. Available in light grey and black in size medium or large.

On the other hand, luxuriously soft Meg Cohen plush fingerless cashmere gloves are little ‘blankets’ of heaven for your hands (note: they make indulgent holiday presents).

This week’s nighttime temperatures will be hovering around freezing. Beat the cold front to the punch and stock up on cold weather cozies! Momo’s got you covered.

Momo ❤ Local: Sarsen and 8telier

Momo would like to introduce you to two of our newest local designers: Sarsen and 8telier. Both are not only nascent at Momo, but also as their own brands of professional clothing design. We’re really excited to be one of the first (of many, no doubt!) boutiques to have their clothing grace our racks, and to be supporting local talent.

The creative mind behind Sarsen is Heather Blanchard. A visual merchandiser for Anthropologie, she has a keen eye for harmonious balance and attention to detail. Her takes on outerwear are both functional (think dense wool blends, cozy plush cottons) and feminine, with details like pointed cuffs and romantic oversized hoods. Heather was featured in the Bellevue Collection’s Independent Runway Show in 2013 – we’ll undoubtedly see her work on the runway again.

A visit from Sarsen's Heather Blanchard.

Sarsen’s “Rider” coat. Little Red Riding Hood for grownups.

Husband and wife duo Jean and Craig are the masterminds behind 8telier. Their tagline is “Elevated Essentials” and it’s obvious how their clothing reflects this philosophy. Many of their pieces can be worn multiple ways for entirely different looks. Convertible clothing: perfect for the practical-minded Seattleite. You'll find a capsule collection of our favorite styles here at Momo. If you’re craving a peek at their full collection, check out their brand new (opening today!) store on the first floor of Pacific Place. Congratulations!

Craig + Jean = 8telier

8telier’s “Anouk” jacket worn two ways for two distinct looks.

Make a trip to the ID for a delicious meal, then pop by Momo to check out some terrific newcomers to the Seattle fashion world. We promise you’ll be as delighted as we are!

Bruce Lee: Boxers or Briefs?

While we at Momo aren’t entirely certain what underpants the iconic Bruce Lee wore, we are certain that he would have chosen MyPakage boxer briefs.

MyPakage is a Vancouver, BC company that is dedicated to creating “the best underwear you’ve ever owned.” Momo has stocked up on their ‘Weekday’ boxer briefs, which feature a 1" no-roll band, a seamless no-rub tag and hand-stitched expandable seams in key regions. They are made from a 95% modal (a recycled plant fiber textile that is 50% more absorbent than cotton) and 5% lycra blend for stretch and comfort.

Soft! Ergonomic! Stylish!

Available in Grey/Purple or Black/Orange. MyPakage is so convinced that you will love their undergarments that they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee!

And speaking of Bruce, while you won’t find intimate details about his tighty whiteys, there are loads of other factoids to discover about the tremendously influential Pacific Asian American. Happily, the Wing Luke Asian Museum’s brand new exhibition is all about Mr. Bruce Lee, actor and martial arts expert who once resided in Seattle. One of only two such exhibitions in the world, there are never-before-seen personal effects, interactive multi-media displays, original press kit materials for his films and a plethora of other fascinating pieces.

Bruce must be wearing comfortable MyPakage briefs in this photo.

So, Momo gentlemen, grab a pair of our MyPakage boxer briefs and explore the new Bruce Lee exhibit in supreme comfort!

Winterize Your Wardrobe

With the seemingly sudden arrival of fall (wasn't it 80 degrees last week?) Mother Nature has informed us that months of chill and rain are ahead of us. 

The good news is that we at Momo have been working hard, unpacking delivery after delivery of fall and winter clothing ... including jackets galore!

For those especially wet days, we have:

Men – the “Rudy Full” jacket made by Bench, headquartered in Manchester, England. A perfect outer layer, it features extreme water-resistance (even down to having sealed seams).

“Rudy Full” is ultra water-resistant.

Sealed Seams! They thought of everything.

Women – Vancouver, BC’s Three Stones’ “Getaway” jacket does double-duty. Constructed of water-shedding high-tech fabric, it’s designed with a hood and cinched back belt, so it will repel the drizzle while looking shapely.

A rain jacket with femininity!

The adjustable cinch in the back is a great detail.

If feeling warm and cozy is more your focus,
check out:

Men – Our Bridge & Burn “Harden” jacket is constructed of thickly quilted, densely woven cotton. The Portland brand is known for modernizing classic designs like this one with its slim-fit tailoring. Available in black and khaki. 

Thick + quilted + zips up to the neck = toasty.

Women –  Curator’s “Seaclif” jacket from San Francisco is a revelation. Incredibly plush, it feels like a cozy sweatshirt while looking like a million bucks. We love the giant zipped cowl.

“Seaclif:” all the comforts of a sweatshirt with none of the dumpiness. 

Staying warm and dry does not mean you have to sacrifice style! Come to Momo where we’ll show you how good you can look while feeling comfortable in the coming months.