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`e
ko logic Holiday Studio Sale
Shop
for locally made, one-of-a-kind hats and mittens crafted
from recycled sweaters. Vintage sweaters that didn't make
the 'cut' and paintings by local artists will also be for
sale.
The
Plant, 939 SE Alder St., Unit 4, 288-0591. 10 am-5 pm Saturday,
10 am-4 pm Sunday, Dec. 9-10. Free admission.
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The worlds of technology and fashion move forward at dizzying
speeds. Justwhen you think you've bought the most advanced
PC on the market, a better one is introduced. And that prized
wardrobe piece you shelled out serious cash for a few years
back? It's likely to hit the runways again--as "retro-inspired"--before
you've had the chance to ditch the original.
Technological advances also accelerate the
speed of fashion. For example, the almighty Internet lets
us in on current world trends long before Vogue hits
the stands. The lag time between a particular style's Paris
debut and its Midwestern one is shorter than ever. In return,
fashion has increasingly affected the exterior design of
new computers, cell phones and other high-tech devices.
But there seems to be at least one area in which fashion
is lagging behind technology's lead. Despite the popularity
of mobile high-tech equipment, there are few cool accessories
on the market to carry laptops, cell phones, Palm Pilots
and CD players. As a result, we haul candy-colored iBooks
in stodgy black canvas or leather totes and toss fragile
phones inside purses, unprotected, with lipstick tubes,
car keys and God-knows-what-else. CD players get shoved
deep inside too-tight pockets or overstuffed backpacks.
Unfortunate? Yes. Hopeless? No. On a recent tour of Portland
stores I found a few hip, high-tech accessories that suggest
fashion's catching up to the mobile lifestyle.
Perhaps the most stunning example is the Swedish-designed
BOBLBEE hard-shell backpack ($210-$320, Poker Face,
128 SW 3rd Ave., 294-0445). The specialty chrome-coated
models and brightly colored hard-shell plastic packs look
like something out of Terminator (they've even been
mistaken for sleds or motorcycle gas tanks by passersby),
but they're actually designed for urban commuters, not action-movie
heroes. The sturdy design houses and protects laptops, cell
phones, cameras and disks with custom-made pockets. The
Megalopolis model has an "external cargo system" for attaching
roller blades, skateboards and rackets. An internal organizer
called Datacom is sold separately, and it has pockets and
compartments for cables, batteries, CDs, camera lenses and
other IT equipment. And, thanks to the S-shaped lumbar support
system, weight is evenly distributed on your back so you
won't have to use your cell phone to call the chiropractor.
Here are some other--albeit less revolutionary--ways to
protect your mobile gear in style:
Far Nine cell phone holders ($6.50-$10.50, Buffalo
Exchange Ltd., 1420 SE 37th Ave., 234-1302): These cute,
cloth mini-purses help save your cell phone from everyday
wear and tear. And a thin carrying strap makes it easy to
leave the clumsy purse at home altogether if you want to
travel light but stay connected. Choose from embroidered
denim, vibrant plaid or snakeskin print.
Pineapple Connection CD Player Vest ($36, Buffalo
Exchange): Available in olive, gray and orange, this clever,
mesh-lined, men's vest has a round-bottom pocket specifically
designed to hold a CD player (there's even a hole for the
headphones cord to escape). The plentiful pockets have snaps--as
well as Velcro closures--so your precious tunes won't go
flying out when you lose a layer. Faux-fur CD carrying cases
are available here, too, for $12.50--but hurry up, there
were only a few left when I visited.
Tusk Mobile Phone Case ($54, Nordstrom, 701 SW Broadway,
224-6666, various locations): This textured leather phone
case is available in black, but the royal blue, red and
yellow versions are a lot more eye-catching. All feature
Velcro closures, a detachable strap, an antenna hole and
black-and-white striped elastic on the sides to ensure a
snug fit for a variety of phones. Pick up a matching wallet
or lipstick case for a smart gift set.
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